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Ben hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a month. So during one of his restless nights, he booked a package trip abroad on Expedia. When he arrived at his beachside hotel, he discovered a miraculous bed slung between two trees and fell into the best sleep of his life. You were made to be rechargeable. We were made to package flights and hotels and hammocks for less. Expedia made to travel. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all long cigarettes brings you Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned the juvenile bureau. The high schools in your city have been flooded with obscene literature. You stamp out one source and a dozen more spring up your job. Stop em if you want a long cigarette. Smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke king size Fatima. Fatima is the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos. Superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. And that's why Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. So enjoy Fatima, the best of all long cigarettes it's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case. From official police files, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, October 21st. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of juvenile bureau. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Inspector Lester, commander of the Juvenile bureau. My name's Friday. It was 10am when we got to the auditorium of Canfield High School. Stage door. Guess we go right out onto the stage. We better wait till we're called though, huh? The other men from the police department? Yes, sir. This is Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday. How do you do? How do you do? I'm Paul Fisher, the principal here. Come right out onto the stage and we'll get the meeting started. All right. Just have a chair there. Thank you. Is the microphone on? Ladies and gentlemen of the coordinating council, members of the Parent Teachers Association. As you know, this meeting has been called for the purpose of discussing ways and means to bring about an end to the distribution of the filthy and obscene books and pamphlets that have been littering every high school Campus in the city of Los Angeles. We've tried every means at our disposal to clean this matter up, and they all seem to fail. On the advice of the coordinating counsel and Mrs. Randall to the PTA we have called in the authorities. Here to discuss the matter with us this morning are two officers connected with the Juvenile Bureau of our police department. Sergeant Romero and Sergeant Friday. And now may I turn the meeting over to Sergeant Friday of the Los Angeles Police Department? Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the only way we're going to get to the bottom of this thing and put a stop to it. Is to get all the information we can on where this lascivious material is coming from. You people, as parents and teachers of the children who are buying and reading this stuff, might be able to give us some help. So if it's all right with you, Mr. Fisher, I'd like to hear from some of the people sitting out there, if I may. Certainly. Go right ahead. Thank you. If any of you people have anything to say or any information, any questions. Why, we'd be glad to listen to you and do our best to answer your questions. Yes? The lady out there. Go right ahead. I'm Mrs. Stein. I know of a place in our neighborhood that has dirty books. I feel sure that that's one of the places where the children are getting. Complaints have been made to the police department. But the man who runs the place has never been arrested. Can you tell me why? Well, ma' am, I think I better make it clear now that there's only one way a police officer can arrest anyone for possession of lewd literature. The officer has to prove that the party who possesses this literature does so for the purpose of selling it. Sometimes it's difficult to prove. Well, I told you I can prove it. You mean you can go to this place and buy a book from him? Maybe I couldn't if I were. No. Yes, ma' am, that's just the point. Now, I don't know offhand about the one in your neighborhood, But I can assure you that we've cracked down on hundreds of such peddlers in the past few months. You can see for yourselves that this doesn't put a stop to it. We've got to get to the source. I have a question for you. Yes, sir? My name's Fred Scott. I'm director of the Square Shooters Boys Club. Yes, sir. Point I'm trying to make is I know the young boys pretty well. With the exception of my boys, 49 in number. I believe that just about every boy in this high School has one of those books, or at least he's seen one. Yes, sir, we're aware of that. The point I'm trying to make is somewhere in the municipal code there's gotta be a law to forbid such things. Yes, sir, there is such a law. Then why isn't an enforced. It is. What does the law say? Well, how do you mean, sir? Well, I mean, what happens when somebody's found guilty of selling these books? What's the penalty? Oh, well, the law states that an offender is liable to fines, a jail term of six months or both. That's not much of a law, is it? Why isn't there a stronger law? I wouldn't know that, sir. The point I'm trying to make is we need laws with some teeth in them. We have good laws in the state of California for the most part. It's true that we're weak in some cases, but you can say that about most states, I think. Well, you may satisfy, but I'm not. I say stronger laws. That's the answer. No, I don't think it is. Mr. Scott, passing a set of new laws isn't gonna make this city a cleaner or a safer place for your boys to grow up in. Laws don't decide how moral a city's gonna be. People do. Laws don't mold character in young boys either. The parents and teachers do that. I don't think I know what you're getting at. What do you mean? Just this, Mr. Scott. It's our job on the police department to keep filthy junk like these books from falling into youngsters hands. Yes. Now, on the other side of the fence, the youngster has to be taught to recognize this obscene material for what it is. Filth and garbage. And the youngsters have to be taught that in the home, in the school and the church. If they can be made to understand the kind of dirt and filth these books represent. Well, that'd be worth more than any new set of laws, wouldn't it? But what about these men who put out their books? The men who sell them? How do you reach them? You're the youngsters. They seem to know the way. The next morning at 8am after meeting with Inspector Lester of Juvenile Bureau, Ben and I went on stakeout at Canfield High School. From past experience, we knew there was little hope of a quick end to the case. It was gonna be a long haul tracing the source all the way up the line. From the high school kids who bought the filthy books to the small fry pushers, the wholesalers and finally, we hoped to the top. The man who printed the books. We had no illusions on that score. Generally, with the arrest of his pushers and other small who work for him, the top man gets the alarm and clears out before the police officer can apprehend him with evidence that will stand up in court. During the first two days at Canfield High, Ben and I found out nothing. The obscene literature was being bartered and exchanged between students, but the main source of supply was still a mystery. We had one slim lead to go on. Mr. Fisher, the high school principal, helped run it down. We've been watching that boy down in the yard since yesterday. Ms. Fisherman seems to have quite a bit of spending money. Expensive clothes, a car of his own. I don't know that boy's family. They could be well fished. Well, he saw him with a stack of those dirty books in his notebook. He must have had a dozen of them. He was showing them around to his crowd. Travers. Are you sure, Joe? Take a look down there. Yeah. Travers is showing him something. I can't see what it is. Come over at this side of the window. Yeah. Small books. He's giving them to one of the other fellows. They've got their wallets out. They're giving Travers money. Come on, Ben. You better come too, Mr. Fisher. This way out to York? No, to the left. That's it. Let's hurry, huh? This door side. Right here. Travis. Travis. Hello, Mr. Fisher. They like to talk to you. Yeah. Now, these men here are from the police department and they want to ask you some questions. Can we go inside? Come on. What's the matter, Mr. Fisher? I haven't done anything you say. Come on, what is it? What's it all about, Sergeant? It'll be a lot easier if we have the truth. Now, son, did you just sell those boys out there some dirty books? No, I. I mean, it's only a gag. They're funny books. Have you got any more of them on you? Yes, sir. Can we see them, please? I didn't steal them. Only books. Funny books. Here. Thanks. Almost a dozen. Mm. You think these are funny books, do you, Travis? Well, some of them. I guess not. It's only a gag, Sergeant. Where'd you get them? I didn't steal them. I bought them off a guy. Who? Why? I can't tell you. Do you have any more of these books? No, sir. Will you show us your locker? I can't remember the combination. It's a new locker. Could you open the locker for us, Mr. Fisherman? Yes, but I'll have to get the maintenance man. All right, I'll show you. Come on down here, Sir. This one? 4:12. I've only got a couple. All right, we'll see. Come on, open it. I haven't done anything. Here's a sample, Joe. Lockers loaded down with him. Rockin silk. You can't arrest me. I don't sell the books. I only rent them. Somebody's been briefing you. Who? You're only making it hard on yourself, boy. You can't prove anything. These are my books. I don't sell them. Where do you get them? Who sold them to you? Nobody. I got them, that's all. All right. We'll have to talk to your folks. You can't their ways. No, no, you can't. Don't. Afraid we'll have to, son. Oh, please. Please don't tell them. Please don't let them know I'll do anything. All right, let's have the truth then. Who are you selling the books for? Name's Barney. That's all I know. I meet him at cigar store downtown. 5th and Harrison. Does he sell you the books? He gives them to me. I sell them and then give him the money. I get 10 cents for every one I sell. How much do you sell them for? 25 cents. Some are a dollar. I get 30 cents for those. The boys in this school have been paying that kind of money for this film? Yes, sir. This man who gives you these books, you know where he lives? No, sir, I haven't any idea. When are you gonna see him? Well, this is Wednesday. I was gonna meet him downtown this afternoon. The cigar store? Yes, sir, but I don't want to get Barney in trouble. He's been okay to me. Sure, he's done a lot for you. 4pm Wednesday, Ben and I drove downtown with 16 year old Eddie Travers. We parked the car near the corner of 5th and Harrison and kept an eye on the cigar store. We waited. No sign yet, Traverse? No, sir. Barney usually waits by the newsstand there. I haven't seen him yet. How long you been selling for this man, son? About three months, maybe four. Any idea where he gets the books? Well, I. Oh, just a minute, Sergeant. I think. Yeah, that's Barney. The one going up to the cigar counter. The man in the gray suit there? Yeah, that's him. He's going into Juanita's Cafe. Is that where you usually go after you meet him? Yes, sir. You better take the boy back to the office, Ben. I'll tail this guy and see what I can find out. Okay. You want Me to pick you up later. I'll call you at the office. Oh, you got any matches? No, I'm out. I'll pick some up at the cigar stand. Right. See you later. Yeah. Box of matches? Oh, yeah, and a pack of spearmint too. All right, sir. What's boys, kind of special on old typical new bourbon today. 269 a fifth. No, no, thanks. Hey, Rosie. Rosie. Another tamale when you get time, huh? All right, buddy, go. Come in. Yes, sir. Let me have a chicken tacos, side order of fried beans and cup of coffee, huh? Chicken tacos on one side of beans, another tamale. Anything else, Bernie? Yeah, some more coffee, huh? Tamale on one. Hey, Spide, the ketchup down here, will you? Yeah. Here you go. Thanks. They got good tacos in here. Lots of meat of it's fresh stuff. Yeah. There's the sugar. Oh, thank you. Hey, Rosie, come here. Yeah? I got some new ones in yesterday. Whole stack. Em, what are you talking about? Yeah, the picture books. Good ones. You can make some money on the side. They'd sell good around here. Listen, Barney, I told you once. No, Come on. Here, look him over. These are good ones. I said no. That lousy junk. The next time you bring that stuff in here, I tell the boss, understand? Now, Edan, get out. Why? It's a real funny day. Looks great. But what a cool potato. Yeah. Come. Come on. Eat and get out. And take that junk with you. I don't like the chowing anyway. Well, coffee's certainly cold. Yeah. Yep. You'd probably get a big boot out of these. Take a look. Pretty good. Yeah, it's good quality stuff. Yeah. Give me that little book there. Let me show you one. Wait a minute. Yeah. Would I kill you, man? How about sell me one of them? Okay. Four bits for the small ones, buck for the big ones. Wait a minute. Let's see. I got them. I got 14 of them here. Tell you what I'll do. I'll make a deal. You can have the whole works for 10 bucks. Okay. You got any more? You going in business for yourself? No, I got a newsstand out in Riverside. Books like this ought to go fast. I think I can probably handle another 25 bucks worth. Ah, I'll get the rest of them back at the hotel. Some of them are in color. Huh? You want to meet me there tonight around 7? Where's the hotel? Well, you go straight up 6th street from here. It's just one block on your left called the Denver House. I'm in room 337. You going up there now? I was supposed to meet some guy, but yeah, we can go down. I got a check. Rosie, huh? Yeah. Hey, you're probably wanting more of these. I can put you on my mailing list. Okay? The prices are right. I don't want to pay retail now. We can work out of dinner. Come on, let's go. Okay. That Rosie, huh? She's really put together. Yeah. Too big. Real cold potato, though. Some are like that. Yeah. No sense of humor. We left Juanita's cafe and walked up Harrison street to 6th. We turned left and went down one block. It was five minutes to five when we got to Barney's room in The Denver house. Number 337. He dragged out a steamer trunk from under the bed. Counted out a stack of books and pamphlets covering the general topic of degenerate filth in stories and photographs. Okay, Mac, there you are. It's 25 bucks worth the money. And the bucks are all yours. Okay. Here you go. 10, 15, 18. I have to give you a check for the rest. How do I know it's any good? You could take off. I'd never see you again. You'll see me. You're under arrest. Huh? You're kidding. Ain't let go. All right, let's hold it right here. Hey, wait a. Now look gunna. We can work this thing out. We'll work it out downtown. Wait a minute. I can set this thing right for you. Where are you getting this junk? Who's supplying you? Why not use your head? You never get the top man. Not in 10 years, you won't. We got lots of time. Come. You are listening to Dragnet. The case history of a police investigation presented in the public interest by Fatima Cigarettes. If you smoke a long cigarette, it will be in your interest to listen to a typical case history of a Fatima smoker. It's the case of Mr. Joseph G. Hertzberg, city editor of one of New York's great newspapers. And this is his actual signed statement. I recommend Fatima's to anyone who likes a king size cigarette. In my business, the long hours really put smoking to the test. Working overtime means smoking overtime. And that has sold me on Fatima's. No matter how often I light up, Fatima gives me an extra mild smoke. And Fatima flavor. It's much better every time. I found out it's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. And more and more smokers are discovering this every day. Actual figures show Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. So enjoy Fatima yourself. The long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos. Superbly blended. To make it extra mild, you will prefer Fatima's much different, much better flavor. You will agree. It's wise to smoke extra mild, Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild, Fatima. The best of all long cigarettes. The filthy literature racket feeds on the curiosity of youngsters and the stupidity and ignorance of adults. It's an all season business. And in its own quiet way, it has reached a market which the other heavy rackets never hope to reach your home and your children. 6pm Wednesday, October 23rd. We checked the records and the makesheet showed the book peddler's true name to be Barney W. Timson, 38 years old. He had a past record of one previous conviction for peddling lewd literature in Dodge city, Iowa, in March 1948. We had him brought to the interrogation room. Sit down, Timpson. Okay, let's make it easy. Barney. Where are you getting the books? I told you, Sergeant, they'd deliver them to me. Who to? Different guys. I don't remember them all. I send different guys every time. How often do they make the deliveries to you? Once a month. When? Around the first. Usually. Sometimes. Maybe the second and the third. They bring the books to your hotel? Yeah. They leave a pack up in the lobby addressed to me. They ever use the mails? They never do. They're not that dumb. So you've never seen the men that you do business with? Not so I'd know them, no. You have no idea where they're operating from? I don't know. You expect us to swallow that? I'm telling you, I don't know. Oh, don't push us. That kind of a story, Barney. I'm giving it to you straight. Now, what else do you want? Who's the supply man? Look, we found this notebook in your hotel room, Barney. It has a list of names in it. This your customer book, Fred? Okay, okay. The customer that gives us enough to land on you. I know that. I've told you everything. You still don't know who you're working for. Look, there's a phone number in this notebook. No name to go with it. Yeah. Now look at it. This one right here. I don't know. Must be another customer. Yeah. Does it belong to the boss? I don't know the boss. You don't know me? Then who do you buy the books from? Who says I bought them? He must owe somebody a lot of money. Don't worry. I don't owe him nothing. He don't owe Me? Nothing. He does now what? You're going to jail for him. Barney Timpson was booked into Central Jail for violation of the penal code section 311.3. We contacted the telephone company and they traced the extra phone number in Timpson's notebook to a private residence on Wonderview Drive in Laurel Canyon. A detail of men was assigned to stake out on the place during the next week. Mainly from information obtained from Barney Timpson's customers. Seven other peddlers of obscene books and pamphlets were taken into custody. And Question five of the seven told us they picked up their supply of books from the Laurel Canyon address. We moved in on the place and found thousands of lewd books and pamphlets stored in the garage. Three men on the premises were taken into custody. They identified themselves as John Alexander, George Kelleher and Raymond Kester. We brought them downtown and interrogated them for two hours. They refused to admit anything. They were booked in, but by noon their lawyers arrived and they were released on writs of habeas corpus. 2:00pm Ben and I met with Inspector Lester of Juvenile Bureau. Just had a call from the men on stakeout at the Laurel Canyon place. They've just been over the garage where the books are stored. They get anything? Skim? Couple of things might be fair. Leads. What's that? Three stacks of books they found were wrapped in proof letterheads from the Havenbrook Hotel. Yeah, we checked with the hotel. They get all their printing down to Rudolph Brothers. Placed out in west la. That name's not familiar to me. It's a big layout there. Especially as religious books, Bible, things like that. That doesn't add. Not so sure. How do you mean? Be a perfect cover for the racket. Printing the Bible one day and a flock of filthy books the next. Could be the setup. What kind of a name does this Rudolph's place have around town? They've been here long? 50 years. Good reputation. Well, we could give it a look. Where is the place? On West 3rd, just below Athens Street. All right. Check the place over. But don't make them suspicious. Is anything wrong? Nor you stepping until we're ready to move. Rights givers. I gotta reach the presses. Turning out this junk and choke off the supply where it starts. Do that and we got a beat. Just a minute. June will be our lifting. Halftime down where? Okay, they'll be right out. Gross and Pacelli. They spotted one of the delivery cars. Where? Downtown. They followed it out to West LA. Yeah. Rudolph Sprinting Shop. 4pm Ben and I together with two other men from Juvenile Bureau drove out Beverly Boulevard to Athens street and down one block to the corner of West 3rd where we picked up Gross and Pichelli on Steakh. The Rudolph Brothers Printing Company covered almost half a square block on the corner of West Third and Athens. The front of the plant had display windows featuring expensive leather bound Bibles and other religious literature. While the other men remained on stakeout, Ben and I crossed the street and entered the plant. We introduced ourselves to the clerk in charge as potential wholesale customers and we asked to be shown around the shop. It was more than obliging. I'd be happy to show you our plant. Gentlemen. The most modern religious publication company in the West. That's our claim. Would you step this way, please? Thank you. On your left there. Those are three of our new Ludlow machines. Excellent mechanisms. Needless to say, you must employ quite a few men in here. 65 full time. Enough to meet any emergency rest job you might want done. Now, over here are Bush Emerson hand presses. You handle only religious books then, nothing else? That's right, sir. We specialize exclusively in that. You don't take in any small contracts, school journals, things like that? No, our steady customers take up all of our time. Here on this stone you see the pages of a new prayer book we're getting together. Very ultra. An entirely different kind of typeface. Oh, is that so? Yes. And back there along the wall are new line of types, the very latest monotypes. Then the proof presses. Next to them are proof readers and the flatbed Trusslow press. Beyond that seems like lots of activity. Business is pretty good, I guess, huh? Oh, yes. We're kept pretty busy. Quality printing is always in demand. Yeah. Well, thanks very much for showing us around. Not at all, gentlemen. Anytime. Here, this way out. All right. I'll get you one of my cards here. There you are. Thank you. And when you're ready to do business, why, just give me a call. I'd be glad to take care of you. All right, sir. Thanks. We'll do that. Good afternoon, gentlemen. Goodbye. All right. What do you think? You got me. Nothing out of place. Yeah, whatever system they're using, they got it down pat. Bibles, prayer books, church announcement. That's all I saw. Hey, Ben, look. That man getting out of that car going into Rudolph's there. Alexander. The guy we picked up this morning out in Laurel Canyon. Yeah. Pruning plant continued 6pm the lights in the display windows went out. The shades were drawn. We watched the employees leave. 6:30pm the lights in the plant were still burning. Gross went down to the corner and picked up some hot dogs and coffee. For our dinner, we ate in the car. 7:30pm A black Cadillac convertible pulled up across the street. Two men got out and let themselves in through the front door. We waited. Between 7:30 and 8:00pm we caught a 21 men entering the plant. That printing press. It's starting up. Okay, let's move. Gross, you and Pacelli want to go through the back. And Ben and I'll take the front. Right. Let's go, Mike. Come on. It's a neat setup. I had it all figured. Yeah. You didn't spot any side entrances, did you? No. Here we are. Let me try the door. It's no good. All right. Who is it? Police officers. Open up. All right, come on, open up. Precious stuff. All right, let's hit it. Quick. Come on. Again. There they are, Joe, they're trying to smash the plates. Come on. Watch it, Ben. All right, come on. Hold it against the wall. Hey, Gross, get those plates off the press, will you? All right, hold it. You two. Go look out. All right, get the plates. Go. I round up those men and keep the doors covered. Get away from those tables. Come on over by the wall. That's about most of them. Joe, those two men going out the door. Come on. Head them off, will you? Come on, you. Come on back inside. Get out. Wait. Get your hands off her. Hold it up, mister. Come on over there with the rest. You'll pay for this. I'll sue you down your last nick. Yeah, Come on. Simmer down. Good job. We got Rudolph going out the back. Right. Call the office. What are you. We're going to need transportation. Okay. Take those two with you, huh? All right, come on. Well, we got enough evidence against them and we're going to need it. Two old pages of the junk right here. Yeah, look right next to it. Yeah. Page from the Bible. The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On January 9, trial was held in Superior Court Department 94, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to Fatima. Here is the actual report from coast to coast. King size. Fatima has more than doubled its smokers. Yes, More and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the best of all long cigarettes. Long cigarette smokers find Fatima has a much different, much better flavor and aroma. Long cigarette smokers find that Fatima is extra mild because it's the long cigarette which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make it extra mild so enjoy extra mild Fatima Best of all, long cigarettes. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima it's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima Frank Rudolph and 16 of his accomplices were tried and killed. Convicted of possessing lewd and lascivious literature for the purpose of sale. They received sentences as prescribed by law and are now serving their terms in the county jail. Remember this Saturday because that means Dimension X on NBC.