Dragnet: The Big Cast (EP4676)

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary

Title: Dragnet: The Big Cast (EP4676)
Release Date: April 12, 2025
Host: Adam Graham, The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

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Episode Overview

In this gripping episode of Dragnet, titled "The Big Cast," listeners are immersed in the chilling story of Henry Ellsworth Ross—a man who confesses to the murders of twelve individuals over a span of eighteen months. Hosted by Adam Graham, the episode meticulously details the investigation process, Ross's interrogation, and his eventual conviction and execution.

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Detailed Summary

Introduction to the Case (00:00 - 04:37)

The episode opens with the traditional Dragnet narration, setting a serious and authentic tone. Detectives Joe Friday and Ben Romero are introduced as they respond to the disappearance of Paul Davis. They arrive at Henry Ross's residence to question him about Davis's whereabouts.

Initial Interrogation (04:37 - 12:43)

Detectives Friday and Romero confront Ross with evidence linking him to the missing Paul Davis. Ross is initially defensive and skeptical of the detectives' intentions.

• Notable Quote:
  • Henry Ross (05:17): "What is it? What do you want?"

Ross expresses confusion, mistaking the detectives for individuals seeking to cause trouble, highlighting his distrust and the tension of the situation.

Mounting Evidence (12:43 - 21:06)

As the interrogation progresses, Friday presents forged signatures and car ownership documents that implicate Ross in Davis's disappearance. Ross attempts to deflect and deny any involvement.

• Notable Quote:
  • Joe Friday (09:10): "The signatures are both in your handwriting."
  • Henry Ross (12:22): "Okay, I've used it. It's a common name. There's a lot of Henry Carters around."

Ross's admission of using an alias ("Henry Carter") significantly weakens his defense, indicating a deeper involvement in illicit activities.

Confession and Psychological Breakdown (21:06 - 25:20)

Under mounting pressure, Ross begins to reveal his motives and the extent of his crimes. He admits to killing Paul Davis and elaborates on his lack of a substantial motive, contrasting himself with typical murder noir villains who have grandiose reasons for their actions.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Henry Ross (22:01): "Killing him. Now maybe that gives you an idea what I was talking about."
  • Henry Ross (17:58): "I just want to kill and do it... for a few bucks, maybe for nothing."

Ross details his methodical approach to the murders, emphasizing the randomness and lack of meaningful motive behind his actions.

Trial and Conviction (25:20 - 28:18)

The narrative concludes with Ross's trial, where he's found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Despite admitting to multiple killings, Ross refuses to divulge information about his other victims or the locations of their bodies.

• Notable Quote:
  • Narrator (27:26): "Henry Ellsworth Ross was tried and found guilty on two counts of murder in the first degree and received the death sentence."

Ross's execution in the gas chamber at San Quentin marks the grim end of his crimes, underscoring the severity and finality of his actions.

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Host Commentary

Adam Graham offers insightful reflections post-episode, highlighting the disturbing realism of Ross's character. He contrasts Ross's mundane motives with the often exaggerated motivations found in detective fiction.

• Notable Insights:
  • "What's really chilling about it is how utterly nonchalant he is... No deranged, laughing lunatic, just a guy talking about what he does."
  • "Lots of crimes happen for small reasons or seemingly no reason at all."

Graham emphasizes that while fictional detectives often encounter criminals with elaborate motives, real-life crimes can stem from petty or inexplicable reasons, making them more baffling and, at times, harder to solve.

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Listener Feedback and Interaction

Listeners engage with the episode through comments and questions, which Adam Graham addresses thoughtfully.

1. Jonathan's Comment:

   • Feedback: Praises the production quality and accuracy of cultural elements depicted in the episode.
   • Specific Point: Questions why a perpetrator who shoots detectives was only charged with burglary.
   • Response: Graham speculates that it might be due to a guilty plea or narrative constraints that prevent covering every possible charge.

2. jhugs6024's Comment:

   • Feedback: Expresses disappointment over the lack of aired interviews with culprits but remains a fan of Dragnet.
   • Response: Graham acknowledges the challenge of developing characters on radio, where visual elements are absent, making it harder to portray the depth of criminals.

• Notable Quote:
  • Jonathan: "The Passover Seder that Joe and Ben were at was incredibly accurate."
  • jhugs6024: "It got me into old time radio. Keep up the good work, Adam."

Graham appreciates the feedback and engages with the audience by providing plausible explanations and acknowledging the limitations and strengths of radio dramas.

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Conclusion

"Dragnet: The Big Cast" delivers a powerful narrative that delves into the mind of a serial killer operating with minimal motive. Through meticulous investigation and interrogation, Detectives Friday and Romero unravel the complexities of Ross's crimes. Host Adam Graham enhances the experience by drawing parallels between fiction and reality, encouraging listeners to ponder the true nature of criminal motives. Engaging listener feedback further enriches the episode, fostering a community of dedicated old-time radio enthusiasts.

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Transcript

[Joe Friday]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But first, I do want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, to follow us using your favorite podcast software. I also want to let you know about Moly B's. You've had cookies before, but not like this. Moly B's gourmet cookies are the kind of cookies you'll be talking about long after the last crumb. We're talking flavors like straight fire with marshmallows, milk chocolate and a kick of cinnamon whiskey. Or the tropical escape of pina coladas with coconut white Chocolate Fruity Pebbles. These aren't just snacks, they're experiences. Each cookie is handcrafted in small batches. So every bot is a melt in your mouth masterpiece, whether you're gifting them or keeping them for yourself. And I won't judge these cookies. Elevate the moment. Now, I've got a special deal for you. Go to mollybees.com that's mollybees.com and use the code box 13 at checkout to get 10% off your order. And yes, I'll earn a commission when you use my code. So you're not just treating yourself, you're helping support the show. So don't wait. These cookies are the ultimate treat for anyone with taste buds. Go to Molly B's. That's mollybz.com and use code box13. You'll thank me later. Well, now, from February 8th, 1951, here.

[Narrator]

Is the big cast, ladies and gentlemen, proud to bring you its prize winning radio program. Winner of the Motion Picture Herald FAME award. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. 12 men drop completely from sight over a short period of time. There's evidence of foul play. Four months pass, you finally locate the leading suspect in the case. Your job, pick him up.

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, transcribed from official police files from beginning to End From Crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday]

It was Wednesday, October 6th. Was sultry in Los Angeles. We were working the day. Watch out. A homicide. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of detectives. My name's Friday. We were on the way out from the office and it was 10:45am when we got to Ortega Street. Number 1285.

[Ben Romero]

Second floor.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, room 14.

[Ben Romero]

They all smell the same, don't they?

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Ben Romero]

Room and housing.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah. No, these are the odd numbers here. Must be down that way, huh?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, here it is. 14.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, just a minute.

[Ben Romero]

Taking his time.

[Joe Friday]

Try it again, huh?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Police officers. Your name? Henry Ross.

[Henry Ross]

Get out of here. Get out of here.

[Joe Friday]

Come on.

[Henry Ross]

What? What is it? What do you want?

[Joe Friday]

Ben?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, I got him.

[Henry Ross]

What is this? You guys really cops?

[Joe Friday]

Come on, get up.

[Henry Ross]

No fooling? No fooling. You really cops? I thought you were faking.

[Ben Romero]

We showed you our identification at the door.

[Henry Ross]

I thought you were faking. That's the truth. There's a couple of guys out to musk me up. I thought you were them.

[Joe Friday]

Your name Henry Ross?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, that's right. I thought you're one of those moochers I had a fight with in the bar the other night. Says he's gonna get a pal and come back here and take care of me.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah. I got no reason to fight with cops. I didn't do my room any good. Landlady's sure gonna scream.

[Joe Friday]

Come on. You want to finish up dressing? Want to talk to you downtown.

[Henry Ross]

What's it about, officer?

[Ben Romero]

Missing person. They'll brief you when we get downtown.

[Henry Ross]

Well, it's all right with me. Would you take these handcuffs off, please? It's kind of hard dressing with them.

[Joe Friday]

All you have to do is put your shoes on. You can make out all right.

[Henry Ross]

I don't know why you had to slap handcuffs on me. I didn't know you were cops.

[Ben Romero]

You mind if we check through your things, Rolf?

[Henry Ross]

Eh?

[Ben Romero]

Why, you mind?

[Henry Ross]

Oh, go ahead if you want. I got in the hide. You know, if you'd have spoke up at the door, that wouldn't have been a fight. I thought you were that mooch in a bar and his friend. I thought you were looking for trouble.

[Joe Friday]

You about ready to go?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, I'd like to brush my teeth off. You don't mind? I got a real moth full of cotton this morning.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Where do you keep your toothbrush?

[Henry Ross]

It's over here. I'll get It?

[Joe Friday]

No, I'll get it. Never mind. Get Here?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, first shelf. It's in the glass. Don't you trust me?

[Joe Friday]

Here you go. Want some toothpaste?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

All right. There you are.

[Henry Ross]

Turn on the water tap, huh? Thanks.

[Ben Romero]

Nothing, Joe. It's pretty clean.

[Henry Ross]

Of course I'm clean. What'd you expect? Anybody could have made the mistake. I didn't know you were cops.

[Ben Romero]

Henry Ellsworth Ross. Is that your full name?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, that's right. I hardly ever use the Ellsworth, though. That's a real lousy name, huh? What's the fetch on all this, officer?

[Joe Friday]

We told you missing person. Want to talk to you about it.

[Henry Ross]

I don't think I can help you. Nobody I know is missing.

[Ben Romero]

How about Paul Davis?

[Henry Ross]

Davis? Yeah, I know Davis. I don't know if his name is Paul, though. Been gone a long time, huh, Ms. Davis?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right.

[Henry Ross]

Something wrong, you think?

[Joe Friday]

We figure material. After going over his room thoroughly, we took Henry Ellsworth Ross back to the City hall, to the interrogation room. He was a slightly built man, dark hair, brown eyes, swarthy complexion. He was a longshoreman by trade. Among his friends and acquaintances, he was known as a heavy drinker and a man with a violent temper. Ben and I questioned him for a half an hour and got nowhere. He sat across the table, relaxed, scraping at a thick callus on his hand with his fingernail.

[Henry Ross]

I'll tell you the truth, I just don't know what you're getting at. I think I know a guy named Davis, and that's about as far as it goes.

[Ben Romero]

Sure that's all you got to tell us?

[Henry Ross]

Of course I'm sure. Now, look, I got a right to call a lawyer if you're gonna sit there and throw a lot of charges at me.

[Joe Friday]

We're not throwing charges at you, Henry. We've got a missing persons case. We'd like to have you cooperate. That's about it.

[Henry Ross]

Well, maybe I'd like to, but I can't. Paul Davis is just a name to me. Maybe I know him. I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

You got that report there, Vincent?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Just a minute. There you go.

[Joe Friday]

Thanks. Here's the way it goes, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

According to his wife, Paul Davis left Los Angeles by auto a little over four months ago. Was driving up to Oakdale, California to take a job with a dairy company up there. He never got there. He's been missing ever since.

[Henry Ross]

So what's the pitch?

[Joe Friday]

All we've been able to find is Davis car. It's a 36 Ford Coupe 7 Tom792. It was sold a month ago up in Lodi, California. But Davis didn't sell it. A man by the name of Carter signed the pink slip at the time of the sale. Henry Carter.

[Henry Ross]

Sorry. Don't mean anything to me, Liz.

[Joe Friday]

Carter made it look like Paul Davis had signed the Ford over to him. We checked it out. Davis signature was forged.

[Henry Ross]

That's all supposed to have something to do with me.

[Ben Romero]

Did you ever use the name Henry Carter?

[Henry Ross]

Of course not, Ross. That's the only name I go by.

[Ben Romero]

Never had your name changed. Never used an alias.

[Henry Ross]

I told you, no.

[Joe Friday]

I wonder if you'd mind taking a look at this. Here you go. This here.

[Henry Ross]

What's this got to do with me?

[Joe Friday]

It's the pink slip to Paul Davis. Carr, See these signatures on the back here? Transfer of ownership. You recognize either one of them?

[Henry Ross]

Paul Davis, Henry H. Carter. Huh? Doesn't mean anything to me. Is it supposed to?

[Ben Romero]

It should, yeah.

[Henry Ross]

Why?

[Ben Romero]

The signatures are both in your handwriting.

[Joe Friday]

How about it, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

About what? I don't even know what you're talking about. You're trying to give me the treatment. What's this all about?

[Ben Romero]

Trying to locate Paul Davis.

[Henry Ross]

I'm not even sure I know the guy.

[Joe Friday]

I think you better level Henry. Our handwriting man checked both the signatures. It's your writing.

[Henry Ross]

Then maybe you better get a new handwriting man. I never saw that slip. I never wrote those signatures. Anybody can copy handwriting.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Got something else for you, Ross. Like to have you check it over, see if you can identify it.

[Henry Ross]

What is it?

[Joe Friday]

It's a letter. Want to take a look? Here.

[Ben Romero]

Doesn't that mean anything to you?

[Henry Ross]

No, nothing. I hope you're not gonna tell me this is my handwriting.

[Ben Romero]

That's what the report says.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, it's crazy. I never wrote like that in my life.

[Ben Romero]

All the writing characteristics match up. Same as the signatures on the pink slip.

[Henry Ross]

All right, maybe they are the same. I didn't write either one. I never wrote like that in my life. Here, let me show you how I wrote.

[Joe Friday]

No, that's all right, Henry. Ben, do you want to pull the package from R and I?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Okay.

[Henry Ross]

I don't savvy one bit of this, Sergeant. How about laying it out?

[Joe Friday]

You can see the name at the bottom of the letter. It's signed Henry Carter. Same as the pink slip.

[Henry Ross]

Well, that is meaning to me.

[Joe Friday]

Well, this letter was sent to the wife of Paul Davis about nine weeks ago. And it says here that Davis supposedly was too busy to write his wife. So he had this Henry Carter send a letter. He also writes in here that Davis sold his car to Carter.

[Henry Ross]

Somebody trying to cover up, huh?

[Joe Friday]

We think so. We think it's Henry Carter.

[Henry Ross]

This Davis guy's been gone about four months.

[Joe Friday]

That's right.

[Henry Ross]

You said you thought Davis was murdered. How come?

[Joe Friday]

Just an idea. Eight men had disappeared from around here in the last 14 months, just like Davis. Six more up in the San Joaquin Valley the same way. They took off alone on auto trips, were never seen again. Not a trace.

[Henry Ross]

Pretty funny.

[Ben Romero]

Here you go, Jill.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you. You've got your record here, Henry. From Baton Rouge. Sent to Sheriff Clemens for it, huh?

[Henry Ross]

Look, do we have to drag all out again? It's passed.

[Joe Friday]

Just one thing we had to check, Henry. You told us that you never use an alias. Is that right?

[Henry Ross]

All right, I have. I didn't know what you're getting at. I didn't figure there's any use dragging out dirty laundry again.

[Ben Romero]

I asked you if you ever used the name Henry Carter.

[Henry Ross]

Okay, I've used it. It's common name. There's a lot of Henry Carters around.

[Joe Friday]

We only know one who fits your description.

[Henry Ross]

I'm clean. You know that.

[Ben Romero]

On the smoke, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

No.

[Ben Romero]

You?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, thanks.

[Henry Ross]

Let me have one, will you?

[Ben Romero]

Chillin.

[Joe Friday]

Here you go.

[Henry Ross]

Thanks.

[Joe Friday]

I got a match. Here. You know, we rode this thing for four months. It's all over the state. Here. Thanks. I'll tell you what we got, Henry. We'll let you make up your own mind.

[Henry Ross]

It's not my writing.

[Joe Friday]

On June 4, Paul Davis left Los Angeles in his car headed for Oakdale. Late in the afternoon, he stopped for gas at a service station just beyond San Fernando. The attendant says a man was with Davis. You fit that man's description, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, I've seen monks like that in court. They get on the stand and can't even remember their own name.

[Joe Friday]

A couple others. You and Davis stopped for a hamburger just outside of Gorman. There's a man there, he remembers you, too. You stopped again in Bakersfield, picked up a quart of oil for the car. You and Davis had a Coke. It's the last time he was seen alive.

[Henry Ross]

That makes me a killer, huh?

[Joe Friday]

A month after that, the pink slipped to Davis. Car came through DMV up in Sacramento. That was for the transfer of ownership from Davis to Henry Carter. Both in your handwriting. A couple of weeks later, Mrs. Davis got that letter. Month ago, Davis's car was sold to a dealer in Lodi.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, we found the dealer. Ross showed him your mug shot. He Says you sold him the car.

[Henry Ross]

That all?

[Joe Friday]

It's just the main part. There's more. We've been on the road a lot. We followed you from here to Sacramento and back, Henry. Every stop, every detour. Took us a long time.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, I guess it did.

[Ben Romero]

What do you say, Ross?

[Henry Ross]

Nothing.

[Joe Friday]

Any way you want it.

[Henry Ross]

Henry, you got another smoke?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Here you are.

[Henry Ross]

Thanks.

[Joe Friday]

Here.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah. I guess you worked hard on it, huh? All over the state.

[Ben Romero]

That's right.

[Henry Ross]

Must be pretty hot up in the Valley. Summertime. Dusty, huh?

[Ben Romero]

We made out.

[Henry Ross]

I've never been up in the Valley in summer. It's too hot for me.

[Joe Friday]

We got people who saw you there.

[Henry Ross]

What's it proved? 10 people and some writing samples. You can't build a case on that. You know it, don't you?

[Joe Friday]

We're gonna try.

[Henry Ross]

You think I murdered Davis? You, Sergeant?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Henry Ross]

You think I murdered those other guys too, huh? What was it, 10, 12 of them?

[Joe Friday]

We're asking about Davis.

[Henry Ross]

You think I killed him? Tell me the truth. Do you think I murdered Davis?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I think we did.

[Henry Ross]

Well, then you know as well as I do there's only one way to prove it. Find his body.

[Joe Friday]

1:15Pm Ben and I took Henry Ross out and fed him some lunch. Then we took him back to the City hall to the interrogation room where we continued to question him. It was relaxed and he talked a great deal about everything but the disappearance of Paul Davis. He didn't seem anxious to get away. Made no demands for an attorney to represent him. For a full hour, he did most of the talking. He told us about the different homicide cases he'd read up on. He asked us about the 12 men who disappeared in the past months in the same manner Paul Davis had. Was there any trace of them at all? Did we have any leads? How did we think we were going to find them? Well, we finally got around to asking him if he'd submit to a lie detector test. He seemed taken by the idea and agreed to it almost immediately. Ben called Sergeant Berger and made arrangements for the test. We made up a list of key questions. At 5pm we took the suspect to the third floor of the Old City Jail where Sergeant Berger gave him the polygraph test. On the way back to the office, Ross complained he was hungry. We stopped and bought him coffee and donuts. We got back to the interrogation room a little after 6pm the questioning continued. Ross didn't seem to mind at all. He kept talking. We let him talk. 8:00pm he was still going strong.

[Henry Ross]

You remember the Wilson case back in 34, don't you, Sergeant? Woman killed her whole family. Big case, you remember.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Pretty tragic.

[Joe Friday]

Is that a hobby of yours, Henry? Collecting murder stories?

[Henry Ross]

No, no, I. I just read them, remember? I guess I can remember every big murder case in the last 15 years.

[Ben Romero]

That so?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, it's about all of them. I guess it is kind of a hobby. I get a big kick out of it.

[Joe Friday]

I get it, Ben. Excuse me, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, sure.

[Joe Friday]

Interrogation room, Friday oh, yeah. Burger. How many? Uh huh. Yeah, okay. Thank you.

[Henry Ross]

You know, there's one thing I get a real big kick out of. Those detective magazines, Mystery stories. The way they make out the murderer.

[Ben Romero]

How do you mean?

[Henry Ross]

You know, they always build it up into something big. Somebody's always killing somebody else for a million dollars. Or maybe over some woman. Some beautiful woman. Same way with the movies. That's where they get it all mixed up.

[Joe Friday]

I don't think I follow you, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, sure you do. Every time some guy writes a murder story, he's got to build up a big reason for the killing. A lot of money, beautiful woman. Revenge, maybe. Always got to be a big reason. Motive. Motive. That's what they say.

[Joe Friday]

Well, it generally works out that way, doesn't it?

[Henry Ross]

Why, I bet you there's a. A thousand murder cases in your files without any reason at all. Some people kill. That's all I've heard about lots of them. They just want to kill and they go ahead and do it. Maybe for a few bucks, maybe for nothing. They. They just do it. That's all.

[Ben Romero]

That's all?

[Henry Ross]

Sure, you know that. Like this thing you've been talking about.

[Joe Friday]

10.

[Henry Ross]

12 guys disappear. They got a few bucks, maybe they got nothing. Somebody plows him under and that's all. No big reason. They just do it. So 12 guys are gone. It doesn't mean anything.

[Joe Friday]

That's how you got it figured, huh, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Huh?

[Joe Friday]

The phone call a minute ago, there was a man who gave you the lie detector test.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, that. Right. How'd it go?

[Joe Friday]

He just finished going over your graph. He got 16 positive reactions.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah?

[Henry Ross]

What's that mean?

[Joe Friday]

You lied, Henry. 16 times.

[Henry Ross]

That's right. You better tell them to get a new machine. I lied all the way through.

[Ben Romero]

Mind telling us why?

[Henry Ross]

No, I don't mind. I guess I knew you'd find out. Let's go get something to eat first, though. I'm hungry.

[Joe Friday]

No, we better talk a little more, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Well, let's go. I'll tell you why we're eating. Bring a pencil with you. Draw your map.

[Joe Friday]

Map of What?

[Henry Ross]

The canyon where I buried him.

[Narrator]

You are listening to Dragnet for the step by step solution to tonight's authentic case history.

[Joe Friday]

Wednesday, 9:55pm Ben and I took Henry Ross across the street. Bought him a Coke at Mac's place. Then we took him next door to the Melbourne cafeteria. Was almost closing time. Ross got himself a cottage cheese and pineapple salad, bacon and liver with onions, rye bread, banana pie and coffee. Ben had a hot beef sandwich, mashed potatoes and coffee. I had the same. At the back of the cafeteria, one of the bus boys was mopping. The tile floor was a strong smell of disinfectant.

[Henry Ross]

How about that table over there, Sergeant? That all right with you?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, it's okay. Doesn't make any difference.

[Joe Friday]

It's fine.

[Henry Ross]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

You want some water?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Henry?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, please. All right.

[Joe Friday]

I'll get some.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, boy. Living onions. That sure smells great, huh?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. I can't take those onions so well. They repeat on me, not me.

[Henry Ross]

I can eat anything.

[Ben Romero]

Salt and pepper?

[Henry Ross]

Yeah, thanks. Boy, I'm sure hungry. I haven't eaten much today. Did you get a sandwich made with rye bread?

[Ben Romero]

Mm, mm. Graham bread.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, you should have gotten a rye. Real German rye bread. Here. Smell that. Real nice and fresh.

[Joe Friday]

There you go, Ben.

[Henry Ross]

Hello.

[Ben Romero]

Thanks.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, thank you. You know, all that talk really sharpened up my appetite. Boy, his food tastes good. Mm. Show me, Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Well, thanks. We brought a pencil along, Henry. He wants to start taking notes.

[Henry Ross]

As good a time as any, I guess. You know, the whole thing just comes right back to what I was trying to tell you there in the office. Yeah? What's that? Well, you know all about those phony mystery stories.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah.

[Henry Ross]

Every time there's trouble, there's a big reason behind it. It's phony. It's all. Yeah, sure. This. It's Paul Davis, for instance. I guess I knew you'd find me out. I knew this morning when you picked me up. You had it figured. Must have been a big job, huh? Finding me Pretty big, Henry.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, A lot of mileage. How'd it happen?

[Henry Ross]

Well, then again, just like I was saying, ain't no big reason behind it. I needed a few bucks, and this Davis came along. I guess he was it. Pass me a ketchup with.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, yeah. Here you are.

[Joe Friday]

Get the lid off there.

[Henry Ross]

There you go. Thanks.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you meet Davis, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

I was hitchhiking out in Ventura, not a dime in my jeans. I was going up to Maricopa. I thought I had a job up there. And this Davis come along, pick me.

[Ben Romero]

Up you ever know him before that?

[Henry Ross]

No stranger. He said he's going to Oakdale. Little guy gave me a ride.

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead.

[Henry Ross]

Well, we stopped for gas at San Fernando and I saw he had a few bucks in his wallet. And I guess that's when I got the idea.

[Ben Romero]

About what?

[Henry Ross]

Killing him. Now maybe that gives you an idea what I was talking about. You don't need any big reason to kill somebody. Davis said 18 bucks. Now suppose I told that to a writer, Somebody killing the guy for 18 bucks. That wouldn't make much sense, huh? He'd tell you it'd never sell. You need a million dollars. Beautiful woman. Good motive.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Where'd you kill him, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

Just outside of Bakersfield. Little canyon there. I got Davis to buy a fifth of sherry in Bakersfield. He drank some on the way. Hey, pass the salt, huh? Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

There you are.

[Joe Friday]

Thanks.

[Henry Ross]

Liver's no good without plenty of saw.

[Joe Friday]

How'd you kill Davis, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

That's a funny thing. He drank some of the wine, got a little sleepy. I was just outside of Bakersfield, dark by that time, I spotted this little canyon. I figured it's as good a place as any. Well, so I get some. Pulled off to the side road and had a few more drinks. And I spotted this little shack out there in the middle of nowhere.

[Joe Friday]

Exactly where was this, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

Well, I can show you. It's maybe two miles north of Bakersville. We got to the shack, finished the wine and went to sleep.

[Joe Friday]

Both of you? Mm.

[Henry Ross]

And that's where the funny part comes in. I guess I killed Davis all right, but I didn't mean it. Oh, brother, get a whiff of that, huh? Why do these monks have to mop up while people are eating?

[Joe Friday]

They'll be through in a minute, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Fine.

[Ben Romero]

How'd you mean, Henry? You didn't mean to kill him. You already told us you had the idea.

[Henry Ross]

Well, sure I had the idea. Let me explain, huh? We both went to sleep in the shack, Davis and me. Guess that must have been, oh, about 9:00 at night. I don't know what it was. Maybe the wine, I guess. But I start having nightmares. Yeah. Now, maybe this part sounds like a story, but it's the truth. I had all these dreams. I woke up, but they're still there.

[Joe Friday]

What was that?

[Henry Ross]

Faces. Faces, that's all I could see. I was full of faces. I guess that's really still asleep.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Go ahead.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, I've picked up a two by four and started swinging at them. Their faces. Funny thing too. I knew every one of these Faces?

[Ben Romero]

How do you mean?

[Henry Ross]

People I killed. There were only a dozen of them, really, but it seemed like there were a hundred of them all around in the air. Well, I grabbed that two by four and I started swinging. I was cold and sweating all at the same time, and I kept on swinging. And I saw Davis's face, and I swung hard. Kept swinging. Didn't he make a sound, his eyes closed? Kept on swinging at his head. I come to. There he was, lying on the floor. Seemed to take those other faces away. They didn't bother me after I killed Davis.

[Joe Friday]

What'd you do with him, Henry?

[Henry Ross]

Oh, pulled him outside the shack, dug a hole and buried him. Burned his clothes, took his car and money and drove off. I'll show you, if you like, where I buried him, I mean.

[Ben Romero]

How about these other men, Ross? These faces you saw?

[Henry Ross]

Hmm? Oh. When? If I get a little more coffee, huh? It's all gone.

[Ben Romero]

I'll get him.

[Henry Ross]

You?

[Joe Friday]

No. No, thanks. I'm finished. What about it, Ross? The other man?

[Henry Ross]

Well, I don't recall them too well. It's what you said in the office. 10 or 12 of them, couple in second, the others down through the valley. Like I say, there was no big reason for killing them. It just happened that way, that's all.

[Joe Friday]

What'd you do with him?

[Henry Ross]

You remember, generally, there's one of them that stands out. Guy by the name of Slattery. Some kind of salesman. A real crybaby.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd this happen?

[Henry Ross]

No, he picked me up in his car outside of Chowchilla. It was nighttime. He must feel him pretty good. I made him stop on a side road. I hit him with a piece of angle iron. He cried like a baby. Buried him in a field. There he is. One of the faces that I saw. That's funny, huh? It shows you how psychology works, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. What'd you do with this car? Slatteries, I mean.

[Henry Ross]

Drove it down to Mexico and saw it there. Guess that's what I should have done with Davis car.

[Ben Romero]

Here you go.

[Henry Ross]

Oh, thanks.

[Joe Friday]

These killings are yours. You got any more you want to tell us about?

[Henry Ross]

I told you already, 10 or 12 of them. They're pretty much the same.

[Ben Romero]

When was the first one?

[Henry Ross]

Oh, maybe 18 months, two years ago. First one wasn't any harder than Elias. Just like I was telling you before. Yeah, Everybody builds up. Murder. It's supposed to be a big thing. Hard to do all those phony stories. I'd just hit a guy a couple of times or something. That'd be it. A real small thing didn't change me any. That's why I say it's all built up.

[Ben Romero]

You ever been treated for any mental sickness, Ross?

[Henry Ross]

No.

[Ben Romero]

Why?

[Joe Friday]

You never been examined by a psychiatrist?

[Henry Ross]

No.

[Joe Friday]

After you killed these men, did it bother you at all?

[Henry Ross]

I just had one dream time. I was with Davis. That's about it. Sure. Good meal, Sergeant?

[Ben Romero]

Thanks.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Okay. You ready, Ben?

[Ben Romero]

Let's go.

[Henry Ross]

We'll go back upstairs, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. You want to give us a statement?

[Henry Ross]

All right. I had an idea you'd find me. I guess I always knew that you'd find me.

[Joe Friday]

Let's go, Hill.

[Henry Ross]

Guess I'll prove my point anyway. It's all build up, huh? Murder, killing somebody, those phony stories. It's all build up. It's cheap.

[Joe Friday]

No, you got it wrong, Henry.

[Henry Ross]

Huh?

[Joe Friday]

Wait till they read you the bill.

[Narrator]

The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

On January 7, trial was held in Superior Court Department 86, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. Henry Ellsworth Ross was tried and found guilty on two counts of murder in the first degree and received the death sentence. While he indicated that he had murdered the other 10 men, he refused to give any further information regarding the killings or what he had done with the bodies. Ross was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department.

[Joe Friday]

Now more excitement with CounterSpy on NBC.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back, a great episode of Dragnet. This story is a chilling look into the mind of a serial killer before that phrase was popularized. And what's really chilling about it is how utterly nonchalant he is. No deranged, laughing lunatic, just a guy talking about what he does. No different than anyone might discuss their own job or hobby. Of course, he's right about the contrast between many, if not most killings and the stories you'd find in a detective fiction magazine. Lots of crimes happen for small reasons or seemingly no reason at all. There's a reason why there are so many unsolved crimes out there. Oftentimes, there's crimes of passion or robberies gone bad or moments of intoxication. However, if the stories of murder were out of touch with the reality of what went on in the real world most of the time, so was he. He had killed a dozen people deliberately and in a calculated manner to get a few bucks. And other than that, one dream. It was no big deal to him at all, which makes him a particularly dangerous and sinister character. But perhaps part of the reason for his low view of human life is this assumption that most people at their core are really just like him. The only other thing I'll add on a much lighter note is that I noticed Ben Romero ordered graham bread. We discussed graham bread a few months back when he was sent on an errand for it late at night after a case had been resolved by his wife and was wondering where he'd find it at that time of night. But apparently you could order graham bread in health food restaurants. It does also suggest that Mrs. Romero's use of graham bread had won Sgt. Romero over to it. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback and I have an email here from Jonathan who writes I never miss a Johnny Dollar episode. Best part of the week lately. I'm really enjoying more and more Dragnet. The production quality with the sounds are really excellent things. The Passover Seder that Joe and Ben were at was incredibly accurate. The prayers in Hebrew were the exact same that are really used. Good show. And then the second thing, there was an episode where they were chasing a thief and he shot at them. In the end, the announcer said the perpetrator was only charged with burglary. Shooting at a cop must still have been a crime. So why did the synopsis miss out on this? It seems odd not charging them for shooting at them. Thanks for the many hours of listening enjoyment, Yours truly, Jonathan well, thanks so much Jonathan. I appreciate your comments. It's tough to imagine that using a firearm in that matter wouldn't be charged. I can't say for sure why it wasn't mentioned. A few things come to mind. It might be a situation where there was a guilty plea and the prosecutor just chose not to bring the gun charge. It also might have been a practice to only mention the underlying crimes that the police were investigating. I can't recall a lot of obstruction or resisting arrest being called out in that segment, and certainly there are many crimes to it could be brought or may even have been brought in real life, but there just may not have been time to cover everything. So those are my best guesses. I can't imagine that it would not have been addressed in some way by the prosecuting attorney when the case was brought up for consideration. And then we've got a comment here from jhugs6024 over on YouTube regarding the big Dance. It's always kind of made me a bit disappointed when the culprits didn't have an aired interview on the show. Granted, it didn't happen much, but every now and then you'll get an episode where the bandits feel elusive to there being no character development and interviews. Be that as it may, I still love Dragnet. It got me into old time radio. Keep up the good work, Adam. Well, thanks so much. And I do agree that there is something really satisfying after having followed our heroes through this whole process of investigation, for them to at least have an exchange with the suspect and to get a feel for the people who this whole episode has been about the criminals who have committed this crime. And I don't know, I guess because it's on radio. We also know on some level that there's no one who is actually cast as these criminals on television. You can at least see them, but no such lock on radio. Now it's time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the Day and I want to go ahead and thank Jeremy. Jeremy's been one of our Patreon supporters since February 2016, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Jeremy, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. Join us tomorrow for Public Domain video [e-mail] on YouTube and now on Spotify for podcast. But from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.