21st Precinct 55-11-11 (110) The Friend

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: 21st Precinct 55-11-11 (110) The Friend
Date: February 28, 2026
Original Airdate of Drama: November 11, 1955
Host: N/A (radio drama episode replay)

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Harold's Old Time Radio" features a classic police procedural from the 21st Precinct series: “The Friend.” Listeners are transported to 1950s New York, following Captain Cronin and his squad as they respond to a high-profile Park Avenue homicide. The drama unfolds in real time, showcasing investigative procedures, personal drama, and the relentless press. The episode reveals not only the step-by-step unraveling of the case but also the human dynamics within the NYC police department.

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Key Discussion Points & Episode Breakdown

1. Introduction to the 21st Precinct and Characters (00:12–03:00)

• The episode immerses listeners in the fast-paced atmosphere of the 21st Precinct’s muster room.
• Captain Cronin is the central figure, responsible for the precinct, overseeing 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and 4 lieutenants.
• Internal personnel issues are highlighted: friction between officers Bradley and Warren, indicating the routine managerial challenges of police command (02:00).

2. The Homicide Call: Arrival at 695 Park Avenue (03:00–08:30)

• A call comes in reporting a possible homicide at a wealthy Park Avenue apartment building (03:22).
• Captain Cronin and his team respond, taking steps to secure the scene:
  • Assign posts to control access to the apartment and building (04:20).
• First Emotional Testimony: Alberta Dalton, the maid, describes the discovery of her employer, Edith Campton, dead in the bedroom.
  • Emotional and vivid depiction of the scene: "She was so beautiful. To walk in the bedroom like that and find her sprawled out cold." (05:25)
  • Alberta’s detailed account of the state of the apartment and her devotion to the deceased (05:35–07:30).
• Initial facts:
  • Victim: Edith Campton, single, wealthy, originally from Texas, lived alone.
  • Cause of death: Blunt force trauma (fire tool suspected at scene) (08:00).

3. The Crime Scene Investigation (08:30–10:30)

• Lieutenant King and the homicide detectives arrive, begin the forensic process.
• Observations about the apartment’s luxury and signs of struggle (08:17–08:30).
• Media and considerable crowd gather outside as interest in the case mounts.

4. Handling the Press (10:31–13:00)

• Press inundate the precinct for details; Captain Cronin maintains discretion:
  • “We don’t know anything here. Better talk to Lieutenant King or the chief of detectives.” (12:40)
  • Jokes about the pressures and expectations from the press.
• Police refuse the press entry to the apartment and plan a controlled release of available information.

5. Press Conference and Police Strategy (13:01–19:30)

• Captain Cronin and the chief of detectives strategize what to disclose to the reporters:
  • “There are some things we know we can't tell you yet. Give us a couple of minutes...” (16:00)
• Reveal victim’s social circle will be scrutinized; mention of her telephone and address book (“baby blue,” not black) (19:08).
• Emphasize that four or five key people are of interest, but names are withheld.

6. Progression of the Detective Work (19:31–22:50)

• Detectives partner up with homicide, prepare for a thorough investigation.
• At 1 PM, Captain Cronin leaves for a division conference while the investigation continues.
• Entry of Suspect: Well-dressed Walter Crane Bellery is brought in for questioning (20:55).

7. Interrogation of Walter Crane Bellery (22:51–28:40)

• Bellery, a paper broker from Westchester, admits to a long-term, close relationship with the victim.
  • “My wife and I haven’t gotten along for years. Someday I hope to marry Edith. That’s the way it is.” (24:15)
• Claims last seeing Edith “night before last,” spent the night alone due to family visiting elsewhere.
• Bellery’s anxiety centers on his daughters’ reputation.
  • “I don’t care about myself... Those two young girls of mine, this is going to be terrible on them. Just—just terrible.” (26:40)

8. The Confession and Case Conclusion (28:41–End)

• Captain Cronin returns as Bellery is booked for homicide.
  • Detectives reveal Bellery confessed: Edith was ending their relationship for another man; in a fit of rage, he killed her with a fire iron (30:48).
  • “He said she was going to break it off... He was so enraged, he picked up a fire iron, hit her over the head.” (30:50)
  • Motive: “He killed her because he loved her.”
• The episode closes reflecting on the unpredictable, relentless nature of police work in New York City.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alberta Dalton’s grief:
  “She was so beautiful. To walk in the bedroom like that and find her sprawled out cold.” (05:25)
• Captain Cronin on police reality:
  “Another Rubenstein case. Now, what else is doing, Sergeant?” (10:17)
• Lieutenant King on victim’s background:
  “We can tell them that Edith Campton isn’t her real name. That she’s just been using it since she came to New York.” (16:45)
• Press conference tension:
  “All right, boys, this is the story. We got 30 men on the job at this moment. We have no more idea than you do who the killer is.” (19:24)
• Bellery’s confession logic:
  “He killed her because he loved her. Well, if you've got to kill somebody, that's as good a reason as any.” (31:06)

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Important Timestamps

• (03:22) – Homicide call comes in; Park Avenue address revealed.
• (05:25) – Maid Alberta Dalton describes discovering Edith's body.
• (07:04) – Victim identified as Edith Campton; details about her background.
• (08:00) – Scene assessment; fire tool identified as likely murder weapon.
• (12:40) – Press besiege the precinct; Captain Cronin deflects.
• (16:00) – Police discuss strategy for press disclosure.
• (19:08) – Mention of victim’s “baby blue” phone book; scope of investigation.
• (20:55) – Walter Crane Bellery arrives for questioning.
• (24:15–24:40) – Bellery’s romantic involvement and motive.
• (26:40) – Bellery’s anxiety about the scandal’s impact on his daughters.
• (30:48–31:06) – Bellery’s confession and the rationale.
• (End) – Final reflection on precinct life and the closing narration.

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Tone and Style

This episode epitomizes crisp, authentic New York police drama of the 1950s:

• Language: Direct, procedural, occasionally touched with gallows humor and period-appropriate slang.
• Atmosphere: Tense, bustling precinct life; urgency of investigation mingled with compassionate moments.
• Narrative Devices: Real-time narration from Captain Cronin; procedural and human-interest blended seamlessly.

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Summary

“The Friend” immerses listeners in a single day inside the 21st Precinct, weaving together the hard realities of policing, the emotional cost on all involved, and the challenge of solving a murder in a city teeming with secrets. Listeners are treated to a tautly constructed, unfiltered account of old-school detective work and the enduring drama of human relationships at their most vulnerable.

Transcript

[A]

Are you really buying a car online on Autotrader right now? Really? I can get super specific with dealer listings and see cars based on my budget. You can really have it delivered or pick it up. I think Kid is walking up the slide.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Autotrader. Buy your car online. Really? 21st place in. Sergeant Waters. Who's that? Who? Well, she was killed. How? Where is it? Where? What's the address on it? You are, by transcription in the muster room of the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right. Just stay right where you are. The office will be right there. Yes, right away. They'll take care of it. Yeah, right away. 21st Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river wouldn't know if you asked them, that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Cronin, Vincent P. Cronin. I am captain in command of the 21st. I was doing day duty 8am to 6pm when I arrived at the station house. I signed the blotter, read over the reports and communications that had accumulated since I went off duty 24 hours previously, sharply. At 8, I walked into the muster room, turned out the platoon for the day tour. As the men marched out the door to take over their posts, Sergeant Roden, the patrol sergeant, indicated he wanted to see me. I came around from behind the desk where Lt. Garman was desk officer and Sgt. Waters was on telephone switchboard duty across to my office where Sergeant Rosen was waiting inside. Sergeant, that was a pretty sloppy turnout. Was it, captain? You know it was. Now, I want the men turned out in a military manner. Get some snap into them. Yes, sir, I will. What is it you want to see me about? About Bradley and Warren. Captain Bradley went sick today. Saw it on the roll call. Yes, sir. And what about them? Well, they've been riding together, Inspector Car, too. Bradley is operator Warner's recorder. Yes, I noticed they hadn't been getting along so well together. Always scrapping about who's going to Take what? Pinch and so forth. No complaints to me from either of them. But I could see what was going on. I warned them they'd better knock off or I talked to you about splitting them up. That didn't stop them. They were still scrapping yesterday. What about Warren? Is he on the job today? No, three swinging. All right, next time you get them together. Bring him in here. I'll have a talk with them. Okay, Captain. 21st place. Thank Captain Cronin. Sergeant Waters out to. Yes, Captain. Looks like we got a bad homicide. Where? 695 Park Avenue. The boss jammed up, Captain. All right, I'll be right out. We got a homicide, 695 Park Avenue. Better get over there. Wait for me. I'll ride with you. Yes, sir. Will you hold on a minute? I got to take another call. Oh, wait a second, Captain. 21st Precinct. No, we don't have any information on that yet. We don't even know the name. That's right. 695 Park. Well, that's all we know about it. The call came through CB I caught it on the app. Okay. I'm sorry, Captain. That's all right. What do we got? It came over the air with signal 32, ambulance responding. I rang down a CB and they told me a woman called in a maid. Apparently, she got to work this morning and found the lady's body. Homicide for sure? Well, she was a little hysterical. That's what they gathered. No name? No, sir, not yet. You notify the detectives? Yes, sir, just now. That's the press again. They've been burning in here since the call was put out. 695 Park. That's a good address. When are you first preaching, Sergeant Waters? Let's roll, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Look, you know as much about it as we do. The call didn't even come through here. The detectives are just on the way with Sergeant Rosen and his operator, Patrolman McKenna. I went to the scene of the reported homicide. One of the sector men had been posted at the front door to the apartment house to keep the curious out of the entrance hall. He told us the occurrence did, in fact, appear to be homicide. We went inside and took the elevator to the third floor. The door to the apartment was standing wide open. The place was magnificently furnished. There were thick wall to wall carpets. On instructions from me, Sergeant Rosen ordered one of the men to post himself at the front door to the apartment. Another was given instructions to man the elevator to keep the other tenants off the floor. The third to join his partner at the building entrance. And admit to the building only authorized persons. I went over to talk to the maid who sat on the living room couch. She still wore the same hat she had on when she'd arrived at work.

[B]

Poor Miss Edith. Poor Miss Edith.

[A]

I'm Captain Collins.

[B]

She was so beautiful. So beautiful. To walk in the bedroom like that and find her sprawled out cold.

[A]

Did you call the police?

[B]

Yes, I called the police. When I first opened the door of the apartment, I knew there was something the matter. I knew it. The television was on. The newspapers and glasses were all over the front room and the ashtrays were full up. Missy has never left anything like that.

[A]

Oh, it looks pretty straightened up in here now.

[B]

Yes, I turned off the television and picked up a little. Then I went back to the kitchen. That's when I saw. The minute I saw, I knew it. Laying on the floor there in the bedroom, just stretched out. That yellow hair. She had all turned every way. She always had it so neat. So neat. Mister.

[A]

And what's your name?

[B]

My name?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Alberta.

[A]

Alberta D, A, L, T, O, N.

[B]

No, sir, with an O. My family spells it with an O. Fast men like that, who could do something like. He never hurt nobody in the world. Never. Nobody in the world cried. Good night.

[A]

Where do you live, Alberto?

[B]

134th Street.

[A]

Where on 134th Street?

[B]

406 West. Poor me.

[A]

Excuse me, Cat.

[B]

How a sweet little face.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Never hurts.

[A]

The ambulance crew's here. Is there a surgeon with him? All right, take him back there.

[B]

Yes, sir.

[A]

Her name was Edith Campton?

[B]

Yes, sir. Edith Campton? Yes, sir.

[A]

Does she have any family?

[B]

No, sir. No family. He's not in New York. She comes from Texas. She got brothers in Texas too, I think. Poor, sweet little girl. So sweet.

[A]

She must have been pretty well off to live in an apartment like this. Did she live here alone?

[B]

Yes, sir. All alone.

[A]

He wasn't married?

[B]

No, sir.

[A]

Was she ever married?

[B]

No, sir. Perhaps don't leave.

[A]

Did she go to business?

[B]

What do you mean?

[A]

Well, I mean, you know, did she have a job or anything like that?

[B]

Oh, no, sir. Not missing this.

[A]

Well, what did she do?

[B]

She had a friend. Captain.

[A]

Hello, captain. Oh, hello, ma'. Am. Alberta. Alberta, this is Lt. King. He's in charge of the detectives who will take over this case. Yes, sir. Now, you tell him everything he wants to know, huh?

[B]

Yes, sir. Poor Miss Edith. I don't know what I'm gonna do without her. I couldn't work for nobody else. Nobody else.

[A]

Where is it, Captain? In there? Yeah, let's take a look. You sit here, Alberto. All right?

[B]

Yes, sir. It's all right. I'm not going no place.

[A]

What do you think the rent is on this place, Captain? Four or five hundred a month? Something like that, I guess. Pretty steep, yeah. Yeah, pretty steep. Oh, watch it here in the hallway. Those. Those two books laying on the floor. Just like that. Looks like someone threw them here, huh? Threw them pretty hard. They hit the wall, I guess. Let's leave them alive for now. Yeah. I'm here, man. Lieutenant King. Hi. Pretty dress she was wearing. Not torn. She wasn't struggling with anyone? No, it doesn't appear that way. That's what she was hit with, I guess. What is it, do you think? I don't know. Looks like a fire tool to me. Who was she? What'd she do? Do you know? She didn't do anything. She had a friend. Well, the tabloids are going to have a field day with it. When made to order one of them. It sure is. Has all the elements. A mystery, a blonde and Pocket. That's her. Too bad she's not around to read about it. The call had come in at 11 minutes after 8am it was now 8:32. At the moment, little more was known about the case than what we could see. A striking blonde named Edith Campton was dead from a blow across the base of the skull in her bedroom of a Park Avenue apartment. Within minutes, the apartment began to fill up with police department specialists and experts. Detectives from the Manhattan East Homicide Squad arrived to work with detectives from the 21st squad. As required, the Chief Medical Examiner's office and the New York County District Attorney's office were notified. Latent fingerprint experts from BCI and a photographer was summoned. Superior officers of the Detective division who had been notified in accordance with the manual of procedure began to arrive on the scene at 10 minutes after 9. When I left the apartment, the investigation was well underway. On the street. A considerable crowd had gathered. The press was out in force. I suggested they direct their questions to the Chief of Detectives, the commander of the Manhattan East Homicide Squad and the Assistant district attorney. At 25 minutes after 9 o', clock, I returned to the station house where I signed the blotter and walked over to the switchboard. Sergeant, Excuse me. This squad has been humming. 21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters. Chief who? Always. He's not here. I haven't seen him. But just a second. The Captain. It's the borough Commander's office. Did you see Deputy Chief Wilkes this morning? He was over at the scene of that homicide. Hello? He was over at the scene of that homicide we had. Is he still there, Captain? He was there when I left. He was there when Captain Cronin left. All right, call his office. I'll tell him. Yeah, 21st briefing, Sergeant Waters. Oh, listen, somebody called in here and said there was a traffic stanchion in the second floor hall at 622 East 64th. Well, how should I know? Some drunk must have carried it in there during the night. Walk over there and take a look. Yeah, all right. How could I know how the stanchion got in the hall? How does this homicide look, Captain? Pretty heavy, Sergeant. It's all we need around here now. Another Rubenstein case. Now, what else is doing, Sergeant? A car struck a pedestrian on Lexington Avenue in 60th. Then man got up and walked away from it and he decided his back hurt. He went at the Metropolitan. Did we hold the driver? No, sir. The man walked out from between two parked cars and ran into the side of an automobile. 20 place precinct. Sergeant Waters. The detectives are all out. Can I help you? Well, that's what the detectives are all out on that homicide. No, I don't know anything more about it. Okay, you're welcome. Some guy from the channel. Yeah, you'll have that old day, Sergeant. You might as well be ready for it. I know. Well, what's it look like, Captain? What do you mean? Any ideal killer. Well, he just started looking into it when I left. Oh. How was she killed? With a fire tool, apparently. Rather. As far as in, what time has you got Farrell and Iseman down for their meals? 12 to 1 for Eisman and 1 to 2 for Farrell, Captain. Well, switch him around. Cause I'll want the car at 1 to take me down to Division. Yes, sir. Let Eisman take his meal at one and put him on a fixture until Farrell gets back with the car. Yes, sir. She was supposed to be a pretty good looking babe, Captain. I imagine she was one of those fellows in the press told me she won a beauty contest in Texas seven or eight years ago. That's how she first happened to come to New York. The judges picked her unanimously. The Texas Penis, they called her. I wonder what the judges would have said if they'd seen her this morning. Back to 21st Precinct and Captain Cronin. Homicide is of course, the most serious crime in the books. But it's not very often that detectives are called upon to deal with a murder mystery. Typical of detective fiction, in which the guilty party must be singled out from a number of well known suspects. Nearly all homicides fall into two other categories. Either they're crimes committed in the heat of passion with the killer readily identifiable and easily apprehended, perhaps within minutes after the act. Or they are felony murders committed during the course of robbery, burglary, arson or rape, in which case the killer seldom had any previous connection with the victim. In the case at hand, there was an element of mystery. At 20 minutes past 10am I'd finished reading and signing reports and communications. I put them in the letter tray to be picked up by the precinct messenger who would take them to division headquarters for distribution. Then I sat at my desk reading the latest amendments to the. The manual of procedure concerning complaints against members of the department by civilians. 21st Precinct. Captain Cronin talking waters out to. Yes, Captain? Joe Dudwiler of the News is out here. He wants to see you. About what? About what? Oh, oh, about the homicide, captain. I'll tell him I don't know anything about it. You ought to talk to the detectives. Yes, sir. Captain says he doesn't know anything about it. Talk to the detective. Just a second. He wants to see you anyway, captain. All right. Tell him to come on in. Yes, sir. Go on in, sergeant. Yes, sir. Who's on post? Number six Singleton, captain. All right, when he rings in, sergeant, come in. Tell him I got a written complaint from a citizen. Hello, captain. Hi, Joe. A peddler selling fruits and vegetables from a wagon over there. Tell him if he runs across the peddler to check him. See if his license is okay. Yes, sir. Sit down, Joe. Well, this is pretty neat, Vince. Yeah. How do you like having your own command? I don't know yet. Haven't been on the job that long. You're off to a good start. Your men think you're the toughest thing that walks. Do they? So you better be good to me or I'll let them know you've got a heart of gold from way back. Just don't mention from how far back, Joe. I won't. Big doings up here today, Captain? Well, I can't tell you anything about it, Joe. I don't know anything. I was only there for a few minutes this morning. What would the apartment look like upstairs? Plush. Yeah. Yeah, it was plush, if you want to call it that. But look, you better talk to Lt. King or the chief of detectives of the Homicide, Captain. They got it all over there. We don't know anything here. Look there. I got tired of waiting out there in the street. I saw all the big brass going in and none of them coming out. Now, you get awful tired standing around first on one foot and then on the other. Now, what's the deal? Who did her in? Joe, I told you, I don't know anything. Look, you're the captain of the precinct, aren't you? I still don't know anything. What is this, though? Willem Strasser. Somebody's gotta know something I like. Be patient, Joe. You got a morning paper. You got all day to get your story. You'll get it. I'm embarrassed to call my city editor. Don't be embarrassed. You, Joe, he understands. Well, you never know what to talk to him. Hey, get your story out there, Joe. Chief of Detectives. Excuse me, Captain. Thanks a lot. The Monster Room was alive with activity. Lieutenant Matt King of the 21st Detective Squad had walked in the door with the chief of detectives and the acting captain in command of the Manhattan East Homicide squad. Close on their heels were reporters from all of the seven daily papers with general circulation in New York. If Associated Press and newsmen from radio and television. Lurking on all sides were photographers for most of the papers, most motion picture cameramen. It was apparent that these top officers had avoided talking to the press at the scene of the homicide. But now they were cornered. I walked out into the muster room where the questions were being fired at a rapid rate. Chief, did the medical examiner fix the time of death? Not yet. Not definitely. It was sometime during the night. Now, listen, Steve, we don't have anything for a story yet. Nothing. Now, give us a break, will you? I'll tell you what we'll do, boys. There are some things we know we can't tell you yet. Give us a couple of minutes to decide what we can tell you and you'll have a story. Okay, that's fair enough. We'll use the captain's office. Use that. Coming through, then. Hello, Captain. Rough? It's wicked. Yeah, go ahead. Come ahead. Thanks. Don't forget. Give us a break, will you? Close the door. They'll find a way, those guys. I guess I'll have to tell them something. Matt, they're entitled to their story. Yes, sir. But I'd like to keep quiet about the boyfriend for a while. I don't think there's any point putting him into it yet, Chief. No, neither do I. We can tell him that Edith Campton isn't her real name. That she's just been using it since she came to New York. Yes, sir. What else? Well, worked as a marvel. Not a cover girl. No, sir. From a fashion house and a store. But I think they know that. How about Suspects who, Chief? Well, supposing I say there's four or five people we want to talk to, but we can't divulge any names at this point? Yes, sir. That'd be good. Might want to mention her address and phone book that we're checking every one of our friends. I better say acquaintances. Yes, that address and phone book ought to make them happy. Always does. 30 detectives assigned to the case. How's that? Fine. They want to know if there's any evidence of her being killed by a burglar or someone who entered the apartment with criminal intent. I think you can tell him the place wasn't broken. Into it, Chief. Okay, Matt. Do you want to let him talk to the maid? I think all I want is pictures of her. We can go that far. And I guess that about does it. Okay, Matt, you can throw me to the wolves. Yes, sir. There he is, sir.

[B]

How about it?

[A]

Who killed her? Neighbor says he had a gentleman friend. All right, give him a chance. Give him a chance. Come on. Let me go, Steve. One question first, Chief. My desk wants to get a photographer into her apartment. Now, when can we do that? I'm sorry. No pictures inside the apartment.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

But we're making a floor plan of the flat. You can see that as soon as it's ready. What time? What time, Matt? 1:30 at the latest.

[B]

That's too late for half.

[A]

Hold it down a minute. Wait a minute. Hold it. Hold it down, boys. All right, boys, this is the story. We got 30 men on the job at this moment. We have no more idea than you do who the killer is. There are four or five people with whom we want to talk about. In addition to that, Ms. Campton had a telephone and address book. You mean a little black book? What color is it, ma'? Am? Baby blue letter. Hey, boy. In addition to the four or five, we'll be in touch with every person listed in her phone book in order to get some idea of our movements yesterday and last night. Now, as I told you before, the ME's office hasn't yet reported it, so the press had their story. All that could be divulged without hindrance to the investigation was given to them. In a few minutes, the reporters hurried out of the station house to find telephones. The chief of detectives and the acting captain of the Homicide Squad went upstairs to the 21st Squad with Lt. King. Within an hour, both had left the station house. Now started the real work of the homicide investigation. Detectives of the Homicide squad teamed off into pads with of the 21st Squad to Work as partners until the crime was cleared. At 1pm a car came by the station house to take me to 6th Division headquarters for a conference with the inspector who wanted a personal report on my first week as precinct commander. While I was out of the precinct, well dressed, graying man in his late 40s was brought in by Detective Whitey Howard of the 21st Squad and Alvin Cooney of the Manhattan East Homicide Squad. They took him directly upstairs to the 21st Detective Squad. This way, Mr. Bellery. Yeah. You don't think it'll take long, do you? I wouldn't know about that. Come in. Lieutenant, we've got Mr. Bellery here. Oh, go ahead. Come in, Mr. Bellery. Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. Have a seat, Mr. Bellery. Thank you. This is some shock. I have no idea what a shot. When these officers told me, was I a bolt of lightning. Cigarette, Mr. Bowery? No, much more, Ed. Whitey? Thanks. Lieutenant? No, thank you. I'm Lieutenant King. How do you do? You know what this is all about, don't you, Mr. Bellery? Yes, I suppose so. Is Walter Bellow your full name, sir? Walter Crane Bellery. And where do you live? I have a home in Westchester. Where in Westchester? Winslow Park. Your business in New York? That's right. What is your business, Mr. Bellery? I'm a paper broker. And what is that? Well, I act as broker for mills and selling paper to printers. Publishers, I think. Do you commute to New York every day? Every weekday, yes. You married, Mr. Bellowing? Yes. For how long? 19 years. Any children? Two. Two girls, 15 and 17. You were acquainted with Miss Canton? Yes. For how long? Well, I don't know. Three. Three and a half years, I suppose. What could I do with it? I really don't feel like smoking. Thank you. How well acquainted, Mr. Ballerine? Oh, quite well. Did you see her frequently? Yes. How frequently? Two or three times a week. Have her oftener? Yes. Sometimes at her apartment? Yes. There. And we go out to the theater club together. Was that her apartment, Mr. Bellowing? She lived there. Yeah, I know she lived there, but who paid the rent? Well, I imagine she did. Who gave her the money, Lieutenant? Edith and I were very close. My wife and I haven't gotten along for years. Someday I hope to marry Edith. That's the way it is. I couldn't help it. A man needs some sort of life. You paid the rent? Yes. When did you last See her, Mr. Vallory? Night before last. You didn't see her yesterday? No. No. Last night? No. Were you in New York yesterday? Yes. Where I was in my office until 5:15 and then I went to Grand Central and took the 534 home. To Winslow Park? Yeah, that's right. Was your wife at your home in Winslow Park? No. Where was she? She's visiting her sister in Boston. Your daughters, were they home? No, no, they're away at school. Was anyone at your house in Winslow park last night, besides you? No. No, I was all alone. Did you see anyone you knew on the train? I think so, Lieutenant. Yes. Who? I don't really recall at the moment. I'll. I'll have to think about it. Sure. Go ahead. Think about it, Mr. Bowie. Look, Lieutenant, I know that this can't help coming out. This whole thing's bound to get in the papers. I don't care about myself, what anyone says about me. Those two young girls of mine, this is going to be terrible on them, Just. Just terrible. This is a homicide investigation, Mr. Bellery. But think of those two young girls, Lieutenant. That was your job, Mr. Bellery. I've got mine. The interrogation of Wall Le Crane Bellery continued. So did my conference at Division headquarters. It finally broke up at 3pm Patrolman Farrell drove me uptown to the 21st. I instructed him to pick up his partner and resume patrol. He drove away and I walked up the steps and into the muster room. Hello, Captain. What's doing, Sergeant? Nothing like this morning, sir. No? That's good. Where's Lieutenant Gorman? I'm filling in for him, Captain. DA's office call from non hurry. Yeah? A burglary case went to bat this afternoon that he made the arrest on when he was sergeant of 64th last winter. This is a fine time to let us know, isn't it? Well, they didn't think they'd need him, but the boy denied his admission. Oh, all right. Stand right up to the desk there, would you, please? Here. Okay, Whitey, let's book him. Sir? Just a second. Oh, man. Captain Walter Crane. Yes, Captain. What's this? That homicide. Middle name is C R A, N E. That's fast work. He got twisted up in his own lies. How'd it happen? When he finally told us, he said she was going to break it off. She had a guy she wanted to marry. He was so enraged, he picked up a fire iron, hit her over the head. Watch the shot. Well, why did he do it? What did he say? That he killed her because he loved her. Well, if you've got to kill somebody, that's as good a reason as any. 21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters told you what? You're safe. Where is this? Where? On Lexington. And so it goes. What is it? Around the clock, through the week, every day, every year, a police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct transcribed a factual account of the way the police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the Police Department, City of New York. James Gregory in the role of Captain Cronin. Ken lynch as Lieutenant King. Harold Stone as Sergeant Waters. Featured in tonight's cast were Abby Lewis, Ralph Camargo, Mandel Kramer, John McLaughlin and Wendell Holmes. Written and produced by Stanley Niss. Art Hannah Speaking.