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The Fighting Parson 3xxxxx Narcotics In Chicago.
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The Fighting Parson 3xxxxx Narcotics In Chicago.
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We bring you the premiere in a new series of programs dramatizing the true experiences of that quiet, commanding, forceful little man, the Reverend E.J. rawlings. Acclaimed throughout the nation, Revered by clergy and laymen, exalted by law enforcement officers and high public officials, feared by criminals, he has been named by press and public the Fighting Parson. To any listeners who may not have heard or read of the man who will appear in person on this program, we wish to make it clear that he is an ordained minister of the gospel and that the material upon which these dramatizations are based has been taken from records in his personal files. Records dealing with his activity in cooperating with law enforcement officials to suppress that most devastating of all evils, the narcotic habit. Reverend Rawlings will tell you in his own words of the events leading up to his association with this work. We present Reverend E.J. rawlings, known to thousands as the Fighting Parson. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It was back in 1925 that a Detroit businessman who was a personal friend of mine told me of a lecture he had heard in which the evils of the narcotics situation were set forth. I immediately became interested in the subject, feeling that here at last was the opportunity I'd been looking for to do something worthwhile for real. Down and outers. I made an appointment to meet the speaker, who was a police official. Just at this point, something happened. But before I get ahead of the story, I'll return you to your narrator who will set the scene for tonight's dramatization. It was a bleak night in January, 1925 in the city of Detroit. The Mercury had Fallen and a heavy snow had blanketed the city. A chill, biting wind howled ominously. Newsboys shivered as they stood at their corners. Pedestrians scurried to their destinations through the ever changing drifts. Shoulders drawn together, collars turned high, hands shoved deep in overcoat pockets, feet hurrying home to the protecting warmth of a cozy fire. Sign. We meet Reverend Rawlings just after he has dismissed his Wednesday night congregation and is about to drive a visiting pastor back to his hotel. Halloo. All ready, doctor? Yes, Rawlings, I think so. My, I hate to go outside. Would you listen to that wind? Yes. Well, we'll take this shortcut to your hotel. It won't take so long. Good night, Tom. Good night, doctor. I suppose we might as well get started. I hope your car starts all right. Well, I think it will. I had the antifreeze check again this afternoon. Good night. Runner round. Well, what's wrong? Having trouble getting it started. All right. It's all right now, though, I think. All right. Well, good night. Good night. Forgot for the drift here at the side of the car. All right. There you are. Say, that wind is strong tonight. Say it is. It'll feel good to get inside again. I say, Rawlings, you have a nice place here. Well, thanks, doctor. You know, I think sometimes that minister's places are too nice. Why? I'm afraid I don't understand. Well, perhaps I'd have to talk a long time to make you understand just what I mean. But briefly, it's this. You know, sometimes I think we preachers have failed in not getting closer to humanity. Why, we preach the gospel to humanity. That's it exactly. We preach. But the Bible tells us that the master went about doing good, helping blind beggars and sick people. Well, nowadays we preachers entrench ourselves in big, costly churches and depend on people to come there and listen to us preach. I just wonder sometimes if we haven't about forgotten the unfortunate down and outer. The fellow who may feel out of place coming to our churches to worsh. But the rescue missions take care of those who aren't regular church members. Yes, I know they do, Doctor. Some of the greatest satisfaction that I've experienced has come from the work I've done at the city rescue mission here in the past 15 years. But I. I still feel that we've got to find some way to. Oh, hey, here's the corner where I want to turn for the shortcut I hardly recognize with all this snow. Oh, then you believe we should go outside our congregations more, is that it? Yes, but. Well, what's that up ahead and I. Yes, it must be. No, no. It looks like that one car has crowded the other one over to the curb. Look. What that. What are those men doing on the sidewalk? Well, what do you know? Will you look at those two men pounding that one poor fellow. I had so hold up. That's what it is. I say, Rawlings, let's get up to the filling station at the next corner and call the police. Police, nothing. They'll be gone by the time anyone can get here. I'm going over there. You're not going to try to stop here in the middle of the car track? You drive the car. Decide, Doctor. I've got to get over there. Well, now, really, Billy. I think. I think you should. Another one for you, sweetheart. Oh, no. Oh, not anymore. Stop it. Oh, stop it. You're killing me. Yeah, that's what we would do if our rods wouldn't make so much racket. Oh, come on, get up off the ground. I can't. Honest, I can't. Leave me alone now, won't you? You've got my money and there's my car. Oh, please. Please. I can't stand anymore. Oh, ain't that too bad. You can't stand anymore, but you can still squawk and holler for the bulls to come after us. So maybe a nice kick in a bread basket will quiet your dime a little. What is this? Hey, Slim, look out. Wait a minute. Chew. How does this feel? Aw, Butinski. Huh? And you knocked Slim out cold, didn't you? Why, you little shrimp. No, no, you don't. Why, you son of a. There's one you won't get. All right, mister, you asked for it. Well, you're gonna get the old sure silent. Yeah, well, we'll see about that. Give me that gun. I'll give it here. Right in the belly. Ouch. Ouch. Hey, let go. Let go. You're breaking my arm. That's what I will do if you don't drop that gun. Gun. Stop it. I'll get you for this. That's it. Stick your chin off. Yeah, takes care of those two. All right. Now, how about it? Fell all right? Unconscious, the poor devil. No wonder. Fling, bro. What's happened to you? No, it. It didn't happen to me, doctor. Happened to these two thugs here on the ground. But your eye, it's all swollen. Oh, my eyes. All right. Now listen, doctor, I hate to run out on you this way, but I've got to get rid of these two men and get this other chap. To the hospital. Do you mind driving on down to that filling station there and calling the ambulance? Let the police. No, no, I don't want to wait for these fellas to come, too. Here comes a cab now. I'll get the driver to help me put this chap in the back seat of my car. You take him to the filling station, wait for the ambulance. We better not try to take him all the way to the hospital in the car. I'm afraid he's pretty badly hurt. Hey. Hey, taxi. Taxi. Well, what will you do with these men? Well, we'll load them into cab and get them to police headquarters. Yes, sir. Well, what the. What's the matter, buddy? What happened to these guys? They had a little accident, driver. What? Why, it's Reverend Rawlings. Yes, that's right, driver. Now, I want you to help me put one of these men on my car. It's across the street there. The other two were taken to the police station in your cab. Yes, sir. I'll go bring your car over here. Yes, all right, doctor. And if you don't mind, you can take a cab the rest of way to your hotel. I'll see you tomorrow. Here's the police station, Reverend. Yes. All right, driver. They're both coming, too. I guess they can make it up the steps under their own power. All right. What hit me? All right, come on, you two. Come on, get out of station house, huh? Yeah. The inspector will be tickled to death to see us. Close your trap, Mike, you have to blab all your Yoko. Hey, you mugs. Don't you know that's no way to talk to him? Maybe you don't know who he is. No, it's all right. Never mind, driver. Just get his arm around behind him there like I have this one. We'll take them in all night. Oh, yeah, that's what you did. Come on, Mike, run for it. I wouldn't if I were you, Mike. Got him. Got him. Come back here, you lump. Maybe I'm driving a cabin out, buddy, but I ain't forgot my football, Dave. Good work, driver. Good work. All right, come on, now. Come on, let's get inside. Call William. I. I'd like to see Inspector Thorndike immediately if he's in. Well, sir, he's in, but I'm not sure you can see him right now. Well, just a minute. Here. Here's my card. Will you take it into him, please? Tell him I'm bringing a couple of guests with me. E.J. yes, sir. Wait just a minute, sir. Thank you. And you had to horn into this, too, didn't you, buddy? And you're liable to meet up with a bomb in that taxi cab of yours one of these days. Oh, here you are, driver. I think this will cover the bill. All right. I want you to know that I appreciate your help. Oh, that's okay. I took your number down. You may be sure you'll get full credit for what you've done. Oh, gee, thanks. Well, good night. Good night. The inspector will see you right now. Right in here, sir. All right. Thank you. Well, well, well. Didn't our old friend Slim Parkin and Mike Levity. Come right in, boys. Hi, Inspector. Yeah, we knew you'd give us the glad hand. And I'm glad to meet you, Reverend Rawlings. Thank you, Inspector. Reverend? Hey, that means preacher, don't it? That's right. Slim, this is Reverend E.J. rawlings. Well, I'm a son of a. Hey, Mike, did you hear that? Ain't you got no pride left? You've just been running by a Sunday school teacher. Yeah. You ain't here, huh? Well, by God. By the grace of God, Slim. Yeah. All right, you boys sit over there. Here, Reverend, take his chair. Thank you. Well, let's see what this is all about. Well, it's this way, Inspector. We was all on a Sunday school pic. Shut up, Slim. That's enough out of you, too, Mike. Okay, okay. Now then, Reverend. Well, there isn't a great deal of talent spectre. I was driving Dr. Warren, a visiting pastor, back to his hotel after meeting tonight. And I thought I'd save a little time by taking a shortcut out across Lee Avenue. That's the only reason we happened to be on that street. There isn't much traffic there, you know. Yes, I know. Well, we saw two cars at the curb across the street. One had apparently crowded the other one to the side. These two fellows here had the driver out on the sidewalk beating him unmercifully. Just as I got over there, one of them, I think it was, kicked this poor chap in the stomach. You dirty rat. Of course, he was unconscious. I got there just in time to settle with Slim. Yeah, then he started in on me. I was just about to rub him out when he took my rod away from me. Just then, all the street lights went out and I couldn't see what happened. I hailed a cab, and the driver helped me put the other man in my car. And Dr. Warren drove him to a filling station to call the ambulance. And then we brought these two here. That's. That's the Story. And now, good night, boys. And coming over there to you. Stand up there. Just about my size, aren't you? Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Yeah. Little skinny, that's all. I'm 6ft foot, 3, weigh 200 pounds. See these arms, Slim? These fists? I'm a pretty good fighter, Slim. I keep myself in shape. Yeah, yeah. You see these fists, these knuckles. I wonder how you'd like for somebody to hold you while I slug you with that fist like you did that poor devil out in the snow. Sit down. Inspector Thorndike? Yes. Reverend Rawlings? Yes, he's in my office now. Two men are here too. What? Thank you. He is dead. Dead? Jeez, you're murderers. Now, you're not just panhandlers or stick up men, you're murderers. Murderers. You know what that means, don't you? You know what they do to murderers? Yeah, I know. Don't keep saying it over and over again. I hear you. Murderers. Murderers. Murderers. I have a full report ready for you on this, inspector. Yeah, right. O'Donnell, you have the necessary information, have a confession written out. I think I'll just have Slim sign it while he's here in the office, that's all. Yes, sir. Depression. I ain't gonna sign any confession. No, you ain't got anything on me. I think you'll sign it all like Slim. No, I won't. You ain't got anything on me. I tell you. Haven't got anything on you. What about that poor devil out there in the snow? What about what Reverend Rawlings just said? You. You heard all that, didn't you? Oh, oh, I better get a mouthpiece. Shut up, Mike. Mouthpiece. Yeah, that's it. I won't say another word. You give me a mouthpiece. Get some crooked shyster lawyer in here to figure out a way for you to lie out of it. Oh, no. You managed to wiggle out of everything else we've had you up for, but not this time. You're going to get a long stretch for this. No, no, don't have the big house. Not that big. Hey, listen, Inspector, I tell you what's this and I Look out, Slim. Oh, yeah, I. I ain't saying nothing. You just killed the man. Yeah, yeah. You didn't have any heart about it. You didn't do it. Mercifully, you got him out in the snow, in the cold, out in a dark street where you thought nobody would see you. Then you beat him, the two of you. Beat him with your face, filthy fists like the dirty yellow rat that you are. Beat him till he was so bruised and swollen that he couldn't see. And still you weren't satisfied, so you kicked him to death. Shut up. Here's the confession. Lay it on the bed. Yes, sir. I ain't going to sign it, I tell you. I ain't gonna sign it. You've been in tight, haven't you, Slim? You know what this feel like. But have you ever been lying down flat on your back? Have you ever had somebody come along and kick you as hard as he could? You know what it feels like to have your insides busted up so they burn like it was on fire? Like you had a belly full of red hot coal? You know what it feels like to be bleeding to death inside? Stop it, Inspector. For God's sake, stop it. Well, if you don't know, Slim, how'd you like to find out? How'd you like to be kicked in the stomach like you did to that poor guy out in the snow? No. No, please. Please, let me go. Let me go. I'll sign a confession. I'll sign it. I'll do anything. I'll do anything you want me to, but don't do that to me. Don't do that. All right, parties, get out of here. Let me get out of here. Yes, mister? Take these two away and lock them up. Yes, sir. Arrest him. Come on, Mike. Me? Come on. Hey, listen, I ain't. Get out of here. Okay, okay. Not a very pretty picture, was it, Reverend? Well, you got the confession. Yeah, that's what I was after. The only language these birds can understand. If I'd locked him up, let him have a lawyer. Had him out of here on bail by tomorrow, by time for the trial, he'd have had something else cooked up. That is, if he didn't have a case thrown out altogether. This way, Slim will be convicted. Probably Mike along with him. You know, Inspector, it's hard to believe that any human being could be so merciless as he was. Yes, Reverend, it's pretty far cry from the way you see life in your work. The way I see it in mine. I'd like to bring the two closer together. What do you mean, Inspector? My congregation are good Christian people. They come to listen to me simply as an interpreter of the Lord's word. That's my calling, and I'll stick to it because I love it. But because they are good Christians, they're not the ones who need me most. You know, it seems to me that I might even do more good by spending part of my time with you, Inspector. You Mean by trying to redeem some of those who've gone astray? Well, partly so, yes, but not altogether. We have prison chaplains for that. What I mean is that I'd like to actually work with you in the apprehension and the conviction of such men as Slim. It's a pretty awful story when you see it all acted out in front of you, as I've seen this one, and the public. Well, I know you'll forgive me for saying this, Inspector. I'm sure you realize it as well as I do. The public is inclined too much toward a feeling of sympathy for the criminal and a feeling of either disregard or perhaps even disrespect for police officials. Yes, I know. Now, perhaps if a minister were to actually know the inside of some of these things and then tell the public about them, they might listen to him. Yes, I. I think I see what you mean. But some of the things we go out on are pretty tough, you know. Well, I'm not afraid. No, no, please don't misunderstand. That's all right, Inspector. As a matter of fact, I'd like the experience of getting up against some things that are pretty tough, as you call them. Might give me a chance to make use of my wrestling and boxing training. Yes, perhaps even a few football tricks. The way they train ministers nowadays. Well, no, I wouldn't say that exactly. But it is true that most of us enjoy athletics just as much as anyone else. And I went in for them especially hard. I guess you proved that tonight when you brought in those two thugs. And before I forget it, Reverend Rawlings, I. I want to thank you and compliment you for that. That's the kind of cooperation the police force needs from citizens. Well, believe me, Inspector, I'm glad I happened along at the right time. But about what you said you'd like to work with us. Yes. Well, there's one branch of activity here in the city that the force definitely needs help on. That's in the district, as we call it. District? That's a section frequented by a narcotic addiction. Dope fiends, as they're called. Now, that's exactly what I want to hear about, Inspector. Would you believe, Reverend, that we have right now over 20,000 active cases such as that in this city of ours. What? 20,000? 20,000. And that number is mounting steadily higher every day of the world, isn't because we disregard it. It's simply that we haven't enough men on a regular force to handle that along with everything else that we have to hand. I see. And no appropriation for spirit. Special Narcotic Squad. Of course, we have cooperation from the federal authorities. But they can't do it all, of course not. So until we're properly equipped, well, we just have to do the best we can and let it go at that. You've no idea how low people really sink when dope once gets them. I suppose the district, as you call it, is full of the very hardest kind of criminals. That's what most people think. Matter of fact, a great percentage of them are young people of college age 20, 22, some even younger. That's awful, inspector. Well, just to show you how awful it really is and how a lot of them end up. Let me tell you about a raid we made a few weeks ago. Was in an old ramshackle building right beside the railroad tracks. But we got there just a little bit after. That's the place. Right there beside the tracks. Better turn off your light, sergeant. All right, Inspector, stop as quietly as you can. A little this side of the building. Yes, sir. Here we are, sir. Quiet. Opening the doors now. Come on, O'Donnell. Front's boarded up. We'll all three go around to the back. All right, Inspector. You sure they don't have a lookout at the door? Not this late at night, no, sir. According to information, there's a wooden bar they drop across inside the door. I think we can pry it off all right with this crowbar. All right, here we are. Quiet now. Try the bar on the door, Sergeant. Okay. Easy, easy. It's. Come on. All right, now, what's more. Now, come on. That's it. I'll blast the thing. Listen. Yeah, I don't hear anyone coming. I'll try the door. All right, Ben. Come on in. They're in our room upstairs, Inspector. Here are the steps over here. All right, O'Donnell, wait in the hall outside the door. McCabe and I'll go in and try to round them up quietly. But if anyone tries to get away, stop him. Yes, sir. Here's the room we're in. Quiet now. Quiet. I'll try the door. That's locked. And we'll have to take a chance on them opening up so Erlight. Come on, open up in there. Come on, open up. I say we break it down. All right, Ben. All together. Come on, give her to him. Come on. Come on. Come on. Get back there, you. All right, Leave your stuff right where it is. Come on. Now, line up against the wall over there. All of you. Hey, look up. Don't try to push. Look, Inspector, look at this girl. Yeah. Good Lord, what a mess. Look at the rest of them. Mostly all high school and college age. All right, who runs the joint? Come on, come on, come on. Speak up. I do. I run it. I said I'm drunk because I gotta have it. Go on, we're all right. Go on. Quite away. Leave us alone. Go on. Go on away. Yeah, go away. All right, son. We'll take you and your friends right along with us. Not me. Not me. You won't. You won't take me away because I stay in that window. But K. Love him. What a way to die. Well, that's the way he ended up, Reverend. Maybe he's better off. And only a boy. Yeah. I tell you, Inspector, it's a frightful thing when you think of it. Yes, it is. Oh, I say, Inspector, excuse me, I thought you were alone. That's all right, Sergeant. Come on in. I'd like you to meet Reverend Rawlings, Sergeant McCabe. How do you do, Sergeant? Glad to know you, Reverend. What is it, Sergeant? Well, one of the boys just phoned in that he spotted a big gathering of them out in the district. Yes? Says they're really hitting it. Shall we knock it off? Yes, Sergeant. Good. Donnelly, Stuart, Lanahan, yourself. Anyone else we can spare? Will you go along, sir? Both. I'll go along. Get in the car. I'll be right with you. Yes, sir. Oh, by the way, Inspector. Yes? They're in that same place out there by the tracks again where that young Jimmy Clark jumped out the window. Yes, that's the young fellow I just told you about, Reverend. Oh, yes. He was having a hard time of it last year and then he got a chance to go away to camp for the summer. When he got back to the city, he landed a job helping out in a drug store and getting along for. Finally got mixed up with that crowd. And dope did that to him. That's what it did. Inspector, will you take me along on this raid? Glad to, Reverend, if you care to go. All right. Come on, Inspector. We're going to clean that place out. In this first episode of the Fighting Parson, you have heard in what manner the Reverend E.J. rawlings first became associated with police work. And now, Reverend Rawlings, will you tell our audience what to expect next week? Next week we will dramatize the first of a series of hair raising experiences in the district itself. In this case, you will hear of how a dangerous underworld character who was a wholesale dealer and morphine upset our plans for his capture and nearly got me with a 45 automatic before I could get him with a pair of handcuffs. It is an exciting episode based upon actual facts. And among the highlights in this Fighting Parson series will be the detailed dramatization of Rev. Rawling's harrowing experiences during the two months he lived in a colony of dope smugglers posing as a dope buyer from Chicago. In an effort to convince our listeners of the genuineness of these stories, we have accepted the gracious offer of a distinguished personage. Circuit Judge James Chenault of Wayne County, Michigan, to make a special trip to Chicago. In order to tell you, in his own words. With what high esteem the citizens of Detroit regard Reverend Rawlings. Judge Cheneau. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Several weeks ago, my very good friend E.J. rawlings mentioned to me that he'd been approached regarding a radio program in which his experiences would be dramatized. Now I felt, as he did, that in this way, perhaps more than any other, it could be brought home to the listening public more forcibly. Just what police officials have had to contend with as regards the traffic in narcotics. His experiences, as recorded here, are basically true. With, of course, the necessary dramatic liberties being taken. Now, I happen to be the prosecuting attorney of Wayne county. During the action of the story you've just heard. So you may be sure that I know whereof I speak. Even if I did not personally know the facts. I could find them easily enough in the Detroit police files, newspaper files, and even at the federal office in Washington. E.J. rawlings has been honored publicly in many parts of the country. He is an honorary member of the association of Police Chiefs. Which is in itself a mark of high distinction and recognition. And in our city of Detroit, he is respected, admired and altogether held in the very highest regard by both a officials and citizenry. I am especially glad that the public at large is to know, through the great medium of the radio. Just what the Reverend E.J. rawlings has accomplished. And it affords me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. To have the opportunity of saying these few words in his behalf. Thank you and good night. Thank you, Judge Chenault. Tonight's dramatization was true, except for necessary dramatic liberties. Names were fictitious and characters were impersonated. With the exception of Judge Chenault and Reverend Rawlings, who appeared in person. Reverend Rawlings was impersonated only during the dialogue. The cast included Norman Gottschalk, Hugh Studebaker, Ed Prentice, Frank C. Tom Post, Claire Baum, Ray Appleby, Jess Kirkpatrick and Forest Lewis. And now, goodbye until next week when we will again forgive them. Father, for they know not what they do. The fighting parson. Your narrator is Olin Soule. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System. Your station is wgn, Tribune Square, Chicago.