Dragnet: The Big Church (EP4586)

Summary

Summary of "Dragnet: The Big Church" (Episode EP4586)

Introduction

In this gripping episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio, host Adam Graham presents "Dragnet: The Big Church," a suspenseful narrative that delves into a mysterious case involving threatening letters, an alleged assassination attempt, and the unraveling of a complex psychological motive. Set against the backdrop of a tight-knit religious community, the story showcases the meticulous investigative techniques of Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Sergeant Ben Romero.

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Story Overview

The episode introduces a troubling situation at the Second Reformed Church of the Holy Book, founded by Reverend Small. Sister Dorothy Wilson, a relatively new and devoted parishioner, becomes the target of ominous anonymous letters and threatening phone calls. These communications accuse her of sinfulness and warn of impending danger, creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion within the congregation.

Key Quotes:

• Sergeant Joe Friday (00:00): "There’s a feeling of goodwill around town. It could only mean one thing. McRib is here."
• Narrator (01:57): "Dragnet is the story of your police force in action."

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Characters

• Sergeant Joe Friday: The seasoned and methodical detective leading the investigation.
• Sergeant Ben Romero: Friday's diligent partner, assisting in unraveling the case.
• Reverend Small: The compassionate pastor of the church, concerned for his parishioners.
• Sister Dorothy Wilson: The young woman at the center of the mystery, whose life is threatened by the anonymous messages.

Notable Quotes:

• Reverend Small (03:22): "I'm Reverend Small. Let me take your hats, officers. I've been waiting for you."
• Sister Dorothy Wilson (12:57): "You believe me, don't you, Reverend?"

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Investigation Steps

Sergeants Friday and Romero initiate their investigation by visiting Reverend Small to gather more information about Sister Dorothy Wilson and the nature of the threats. They meticulously examine the threatening letters, noting inconsistencies such as varied postmarks and signatures that suggest multiple authors. The detectives conduct interviews with Sister Wilson, probing into her personal life, relationships, and interactions within the church community.

Key Findings:

• Sister Wilson received five threatening letters and two from Reverend Small.
• No immediate suspects emerge from Sister Wilson's personal or professional circles.
• The handwriting analysis by Don Meyer indicates that all letters, despite differing signatures, were penned by a single individual.
• The physical evidence from an alleged attack reveals discrepancies between Sister Wilson's account and the medical report.

Notable Quotes:

• Sergeant Ben Romero (05:00): "Postmarks here are March 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th. Come from different places around town."
• Sergeant Joe Friday (14:03): "Don says all the letters were written with the same person. How'd you figure?"

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Unraveling the Mystery

As the investigation progresses, the detectives observe peculiar behaviors from Sister Wilson, such as the unusual parking of her car far from her home and the absence of typical signs of fear during her daily routines. These anomalies raise suspicions about the validity of her claims.

A critical breakthrough occurs when Sister Wilson is assaulted in what appears to be a staged attack. The severity and nature of her injuries do not align with her earlier statements, leading Friday and Romero to question the authenticity of her ordeal. Further interrogation reveals inconsistencies in her personal history and motivations.

Notable Quotes:

• Sergeant Joe Friday (14:51): "Girl always seemed frightened enough about the situation when she’s around us, but when she thinks she's alone, it looks to me like she takes it a little differently."
• Sergeant Ben Romero (26:10): "You mean that's why you wrote those threatening letters to yourself? So that you'd be noticed?"

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Conclusion

The investigation culminates in the revelation that Sister Dorothy Wilson orchestrated the entire scenario to gain attention and validation. Her actions were driven by a deep-seated desire to be noticed and cared for, stemming from a lifelong struggle with feelings of insignificance. By creating false threats and simulating an attack, she inadvertently rallied the community and law enforcement around her fabricated plight.

Final Outcome:

• Sister Wilson is diagnosed with psychological issues leading her to perpetrate the deceit.
• She faces charges for filing a false crime report and misdemeanor offenses.
• The case serves as a poignant exploration of loneliness, the human need for recognition, and the complexities of mental health.

Notable Quotes:

• Dorothy Wilson (25:28): "I wanted somebody to care about me, that's all. I wanted them to know who I was."
• Sergeant Ben Romero (26:27): "Well, then the whole thing's purely your imagination. You wrote the letters to yourself and you pretended somebody attacked you and all the rest."

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Conclusion and Reflections

"The Big Church" is a compelling episode that not only showcases procedural investigation but also delves into the psychological aspects of its characters. It highlights how personal pain and the yearning for acceptance can lead to extreme measures, challenging listeners to empathize with Sister Wilson's plight while appreciating the relentless pursuit of justice by the detectives.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of thorough investigation and not taking initial accounts at face value.
• Exploration of mental health issues and their impact on individuals and communities.
• The role of law enforcement in not just solving crimes but also understanding the human elements involved.

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Final Note

This episode exemplifies the enduring appeal of old-time radio detective dramas, blending suspense, character development, and moral questions in a format that remains engaging and relevant. Adam Graham effectively brings this classic story to life, offering listeners both entertainment and thoughtful reflection.

Transcript

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Lights are going up.

[Reverend Small]

Snow is falling down.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

There's a feeling of goodwill around town. It could only mean one thing. McRib is here. People throwing parties, ugly sweaters everywhere. Stockings hung up by the chimney with care. It could only mean one thing.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

McRib is here at participating McDonald's for a limited time.

[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 I do want to encourage you. If you enjoy the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You, you can support the show on a one time basis. Support.greatdetectives.net thank you to RA for supporting. That way, you can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetectives.net thank you to Grissel for supporting the podcast that way. Now, from November 2, 1950, here's the big church.

[Narrator]

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. The life of a young woman is in danger. Anonymous letters and phone calls threaten her with murder. The notes bear the mark of a fanatic. Your job, Stop EM 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.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

It was Tuesday, March 8th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Homicide. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Steed. My name's Friday. We were on the way out from the office and it was 6:45pm when we got to Greenwich street, number 3 18.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yes, gentlemen, police officers like to see Dr. Small, please.

[Reverend Small]

I'm Reverend Small.

[Narrator]

Won't you come?

[Reverend Small]

Come in.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Thank you.

[Reverend Small]

Let me take your hats, officers. I've been waiting for you.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Thanks. My name's Friday. This is my partner, Sergeant Romero.

[Reverend Small]

How do you do? I'm glad to know you.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How do you do, sir? Hope we didn't interrupt your dinner.

[Reverend Small]

Oh, no, no. The organist, brother Reber and I were just running over a few hymns for the service tonight. Would you come this way, please, into the parlor. As I mentioned on the telephone, I'm not much of a detective, but I think something should be done about this matter as soon as possible.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Oh, we'd like to get a few more particulars first. Reverend. When did you first find out about these threatening letters?

[Reverend Small]

Sister Dorothy Wilson. I think I told you about her. She came here to the rectory and showed them to me. She told me she's been getting them for the last four days. And phone calls, too.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

How long have you known this Dorothy Wilson? Is she one of your regular parishioners?

[Reverend Small]

Well, she first joined my congregation about a month ago. She's been in regular attendance at her services ever since.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Is that the church next door joining the rectory here?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, that's right, Sergeant. Second Reformed Church of the Holy Book. I founded it here about three years ago, and I've been pastor ever since.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Have you ever had this trouble before? I mean, threats against the people who join your church?

[Reverend Small]

No, never. Never any trouble at all.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

I wonder if you have Those notes that Ms. Wilson's been receiving, Reverend?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, right here on my desk. Let me see. Yes, yes. Here are the five Sister Wilson got. And here are the two that I received.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Wonder if I could look at them?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, surely. Here you are.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Thank you.

[Reverend Small]

Oh, would you excuse me for a moment? It's about time for Brother Reber to get over to the church. I'd better tell him.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Certainly, Reverend. Didn't mean to hold you up.

[Reverend Small]

No, not at all. I'll be back in just a moment.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

All right, Chief.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What do they look like, Joe?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Let's see. Postmarks here are March 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th. Come from different places around town, according to the postmarkers. Long beach, couple from Azusa, Glendale, here. No return address on any of them. This notebook paper looks like to me this one. Isn't it to you?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

There's this other one here. Looks like some kind of wrapping paper. The writing's not too bad. Let's see. According to the postmark, this is the first one they got. I guess.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Let me see. Dorothy Wilson, you are a sinner and you have led a sinful life. Yet you have the nerve to come into our church and make believe you're a Christian. Spelling sure is bad. I have been coming to our church for a long time. And it is an outrage to have you praying in our temple. If you don't get out and stay out, I'm going to make sure you're taken care of for good.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Look outside, Sister in.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

The Lord must be some kind of a fanatic. We better run all These through the crime there?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah. This one. Maybe it's typewriting. We'll hear you read it. It's dated March 6th.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Now, take this as a warning. Bring your sinful body to our church again and your blood will run in the aisles. A life can be taken when God demands it. It could be yours.

[Reverend Small]

Sorry for the interruption, officer. There's a few things I had to remind Brother Reber of. Have you seen all the letters?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, we're just checking them over, Reverend.

[Reverend Small]

Certainly a terrible thing for our church. I hope we can keep the matter as quiet as possible.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, sir. I noticed the two different signatures on these notes. Now, half of them are signed A Sister in the Lord.

[Reverend Small]

Yes.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

And the other half are signed, it's Brother Dr. Griswold.

[Reverend Small]

Yes, that's right. The first letter I got was from this Brother Griswold. His are the typewritten ones.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

You know anyone in your congregation with that name, Reverend? Dr. Greswold?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No.

[Reverend Small]

I checked over my list of regular parishioners twice. If there is such a man, I don't know of him.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

We can run that name through R and I anyway, huh, Ben? Do you have any suspicions at all, Reverend?

[Reverend Small]

What do you mean, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, I mean, can you think of anybody in your congregation who might possibly resent this? Ms. Wilson's joining your church, maybe?

[Reverend Small]

Well, no, I haven't had an opportunity to think it over in that light, but I can't imagine anybody in our group writing letters like this.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

What's her background, Reverend? Do you know much about her?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

No.

[Reverend Small]

She's a quiet girl. She's very religious. Works as a stenographer at an office downtown. Helps support her mother.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Will she be at church tonight?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, she's here already, helping to set up the chairs for the service.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Why?

[Reverend Small]

Would you like to talk to her?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yes, sir, if we could.

[Reverend Small]

All right. Let's go over to the church. There's still half an hour before services begin.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Fine. I'll have to take these letters along with us, Reverend. We want our handwriting man to check them over.

[Reverend Small]

Yes, by all means. That manila envelope on the desk, you can put them in there if you like.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Thank you. This one here?

[Reverend Small]

Yes.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Okay.

[Reverend Small]

This way, Officers.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

How many members do you have in your church, Reverend?

[Reverend Small]

Small, 162 regulars. Another hundred or so on the fringe. They attend only occasionally.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

You mentioned that this Ms. Wilson's had threatening phone calls, too?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, that's what she told me this afternoon.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Man's voice or a woman?

[Reverend Small]

Sister Wilson said both. The phone calls usually follow each letter. They identify Themselves the same way. Brother Griswold and a sister in the Lord.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Have you received any calls from.

[Reverend Small]

No, I've been half expecting them, but I haven't had any yet.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Here.

[Reverend Small]

Should we go in?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Please.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Here we are.

[Reverend Small]

Our seating arrangement's still temporary. We hope to have pews installed next year.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Nice church.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yes, thank you.

[Reverend Small]

Oh, there's Sister Wilson. She's helping set up the chairs. If you'd like to wait in the choir's dressing room, I'll bring her in there to you.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

All right. Thank you, Reverend. Let's go, man.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

This one, Joe?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah, this is it.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Ought to open a few windows in here. It's musty.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah. What time do you say the services start?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

7:30. It's five minutes past seven now. Officers.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, sir.

[Reverend Small]

Officers, this is Sister Dorothy Wilson. Sister Wilson, Sergeant Friday.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

How do you do, ma'am?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Hello.

[Reverend Small]

And Sergeant Ramirez.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

That's Romero.

[Reverend Small]

Oh, I'm sorry. Sergeant Romero, Sister Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Hello.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Glad to know you.

[Reverend Small]

I guess you want to speak with Sister Wilson alone, Do you?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, we'd like to have you stay if you would, Reverend. Wonder if there's someplace where we can sit down?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, certainly. Right over here in the ante room.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Fine. This will be fine.

[Reverend Small]

Now, Sister Wilson, there's no need to be afraid. These officers are here to help you and to protect you. See that nothing happens.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes, Brother Small.

[Reverend Small]

Hold fast in the faith of the Lord and you shall not fear.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes, I will. You want me to tell you all about it, Sergeant? How it started?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

No, please. Say, is it all right to smoke in here?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, of course. Go ahead.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Anyone care for a second?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, thank you.

[Reverend Small]

No, thanks, man.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

I'm not right now.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Okay. I'll leave it back there if you want. We've already looked over the letters that you received. The Reverend here told us that you got the first one last Friday.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes, that's right. I've gotten one each day since then. Phone calls, too.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Did you recognize the voices making the call?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, I didn't know them at all. The woman's voice was very rough. Kind of like you might be old. She said some terrible things about me. And rather small. She called both of us terrible names. Awful.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

The same with the man who calls?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes. Sometimes he's even worse. None of the things they say are true, Sergeant. Not one word.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, I'd like you to think carefully before you answer this, Ms. Wilson. Is there anyone at all that you know in your neighborhood, here at church or at your work, who might be doing this? Maybe somebody that you knew a few Years ago. Some acquaintance.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Ever since it's happened, I've been trying to think of something, someone. I don't think I've ever met anybody who do this kind of thing.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, how about a former boyfriend or a girlfriend who might be jealous of you for some reason?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, I did have quite a few boyfriends. Just casual dates, nothing serious. They were always taking me out dancing and out to parties. We went everywhere. But I was never interested in any of them.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, were any of them upset when you stop going out with them?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Few of them were angry when I wouldn't marry them, but I don't think any of them would write those kind of letters. Do you think the whole thing might be some kind of a joke someone's playing?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It's a pretty grim joke to go this far. Do you live by yourself, Ms. Wilson?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, with my mother. But I don't want her to know anything about this.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, I think it'd be wiser if you told her.

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, no, she mustn't know. Mother's been ill lately, and if she found out, it might upset her an awful lot. She's not well at all.

[Reverend Small]

Help yourself for some of the water there, gentlemen. Oh, well, this wasn't.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes, please. I would.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

All right.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Thank you.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

There you are. Anybody else, Reverend?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, please.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Ben? Nothing. Okay.

[Reverend Small]

Thank you.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

How about some of the church members, Ms. Wilson? Have any of them been at all unfriendly to you since you started coming here?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No, I don't think so. A few are pretty hard to get to know. They're shy, I guess, but none of them have been uncharitable.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Then you don't think the threats are coming from anyone in the church?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, if they are, I don't know who the person is. The way they say all those rotten things about me. They call me a sinner and a bad woman. Well, I guess I'm a sinner like all of us are. But I'm not a bad woman. I'm going to church because I want to be born again of the light. But I never killed anyone, and I've never been a bad woman. You believe me, don't you, Reverend?

[Reverend Small]

Yes, of course I do. Now, don't get yourself all upset, Sister Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

You think that's why they want to murder me, because I'm a sinner? You think that's why?

[Reverend Small]

Please, Sister Wilson, try and get your mind off.

[Dorothy Wilson]

If they want to kill me because I'm a sinner, then why don't they want to kill all the sinners?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

We're going to have a lot of homicides if they try. 10:00pm Together with Sergeants Rains and Bechtel, we tailed Dorothy Wilson to her home. She parked her car at the rear and went inside. A stakeout was placed on our house the next morning. We took the threatening letters which the Wilson girl had received and asked Don Meyer in handwriting to check them over. During the next five days, we checked thoroughly into the background of Dorothy Wilson. We talked to her relatives, her employers, all her friends, past and present. We had no good reason to suspect any of them. We checked out the people at the church and they were clear. Both Reverend Small and the Wilson girl continued to receive more threatening letters. Some of the language and the accusations were pretty foul. Still, no outward attempts were made on the life of the Wilson girl. A week after we started on the case, we tallied up our findings. They seemed to make sense. We talked it over with Reigns in the squadron.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Don Myers checking those letters and a sample of the Wilson girl's handwriting. Isn't he?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

What's he got to say?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

The letters written in long hand assigned to sister and the Lord, and the typewritten letters Assigned brother. Dr. Grizzle. Yeah, I know that. Don says all the letters were written with the same person. How'd you figure?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, similarities in phrasing, same mistakes in spelling, typewritten and longhand. Both signatures on the Griswold letters match the handwriting in the other letters.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

They were only dealing with one suspect.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Don Meyer seems pretty sure of it. Yeah.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Well, how does the Wilson girl's handwriting check out?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

He's working on that.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Where does that leave us? You've been on stakeouts at the Wilson girls home a few nights. Haven't you noticed anything peculiar about the setup? How do you mean? Something that didn't fit. Something that didn't quite. John. No, I don't think so. Well, just that business about her car. Thought that was a little out of line.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah, it struck us the same way.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Girl always seemed frightened enough about the situation when she's around us, but when she thinks she's alone, it looks to me like she takes it a little differently. Yeah. Every night when she drives home, she parks a car in a dark garage. Must be at least 50, 75 yards from her house. Yeah, I've never seen her look particularly nervous taking that long walk to her front door. Sure.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

The normal reaction for a frightened woman would be for you to park the car right in front of the house and then hurry inside. She hasn't done that once.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How about all those friends of hers?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

You guys Checked out.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Anything there?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, we've been staked out at her house, to church and her work. You know, that is not a thing. Checked with some of her ex boyfriends, too.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Nothing there.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, the Wilson girl told us that some of the boys had proposed to her. We couldn't find one who'd admit it. They all said she was a nice girl, but they didn't propose marriage.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Those threatening phone calls are another thing. Both the pastor of the church and Dorothy Wilson got letters, but only the girl received a phone call. Yeah, well, logically, if the reverend got the letters the same time as the girl, he should have been getting phone calls, too. He hasn't received the one. Well, it could be accidental. Whoever wants to kill the girl might figure the reverend would recognize his voice. Well, it's possible.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

But you remember that story that the Wilson girl gave us about her mother? Remember that you didn't want her to know about the letters because her mother was sick.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Uh huh.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, we checked with her mother's doctor, and Mrs. Wilson hasn't been sick in five years. Yeah.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

How about that? What do you figure?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

I think the girl's a fake. Everything we knew about the case of Dorothy Wilson, everything we learned through questioning and observation, seemed to point to one definite conclusion. Dorothy Wilson, for one reason or another, was writing the threatening letters to herself. As for the warnings that she got over the telephone, we only had her word for it. We took our findings to Captain Steed and laid out the case for it. He directed us to stay on it for a few more days until we could find enough evidence and testimony to prove out our theory. The following day, Dorothy Wilson received a letter more threatening than any of the previous ones. Reverend Small also received a copy of the same letter. Again, Don Meyers opinion was that they were written by the same person.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What's it doing? I don't know. Boys. Got any new theories?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

What do you mean?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

On the Dorothy Wilson case? Do we need one? I don't think your old one's gonna hold up.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Why? What's the matter?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

She's at Georgia Street.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Somebody tried to kill her.

[Narrator]

You are listening to Dragnet authentic stories of your police force in action.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

As soon as we got the report that Dorothy Wilson had been attacked by an unknown assailant, we drove to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital where she was being treated. Anderson and Bechtel from Homicide were standing by. We talked to the doctor who told us that the victim had no serious injuries. She had two slight bruises on her upper arms and a slight bruise in her forehead. She Complained of a headache. While the doctor made out his report, we questioned the Wilson girl. She told us that she'd gone to the Church of the holy book at 6 o'clock that night after work. She told us that she wanted to pray before the start of the regular service. At 8:15pm we asked her exactly when and where the attack occurred.

[Dorothy Wilson]

About 6:30 I felt a little tired. I told the officers on duty, get to church. I thought I'd get a little rest before services started. And then I went into the ladies dressing room and laid down. That's what happened. It was terrible.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Did you see the person who tried to hurt you?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No. I was lying down with my eyes closed. And he must have come up from behind, put his hands around my throat and started to press tight. It was awful, Just awful.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

What happened then, Ms. Wilson?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, I fought as hard as I could. I kicked and scratched him and I guess I hurt him because he let go of my throat for a minute. After that, he pulled me down on the floor. I remembered that. Then he put his hands around this part of my head like this.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

The other officers told us that one of the choir members, Mr. Sherman, found you unconscious in the choir room.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Is that right? Yes. Whoever it was who wanted to kill me, they put a gag in my mouth and blindfolded me, then tied my wrists together with tape. That's how Mr. Sherman found me.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

How long do you figure you were unconscious then?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I don't know. It was about 6:35 when I laid down in the dressing room. Mr. Sherman said he found me there at 20 minutes past.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

You were out about 45 minutes, is that suppose so?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I don't remember anything.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What makes you think the person who attacked you wanted to kill you, Ms. Wilson?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

That's.

[Dorothy Wilson]

That's what they said in the letters, isn't it? They want to kill me for coming to church.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Now, your purse and everything that was in it was scattered all over the dressing room floor, Is that correct?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes. It was my money and everything scattered all over. I guess they wanted to rob me, too.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

$52 in cash. Is that what you had with you?

[Dorothy Wilson]

That's right. A52. I don't know why they didn't take it. Maybe something frightened them off.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It's possible.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

The officers found some other articles scattered around the dressing room. A roll of tape from a metal box that the tape came in and a half a dozen razor blades. Did you notice any of these in the dressing room before you were attacked?

[Dorothy Wilson]

No. None of them. I never saw them before. Those razor blades Officer, what do you think they wanted to do with them?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

There's no use thinking about that now. It's all over.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I knew I'd be protected. I felt the spirit. I knew the holy light would protect me.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, ma'am.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Will you find whoever did it, Officer?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, this is just a hunch, Ms. Wilson. Yes, I think we already have. Before we left Georgia street, we talked to the doctor in charge and got a release for the patient. Dorothy Wilson agreed to drive back with us to the office to make out a crime report. On the way, she seemed to lose most of her nervousness. She was relaxed and she took talk quite a bit.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Religion's a great comfort to me, Sergeant. I think it's a great comfort to anybody, don't you?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah, I do.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Maybe I'm different from most girls, but I get an awful lot out of my church. It's like Brother Small says, you have to be born again of the holy light if you really want to live. Don't you think so? I don't know what I'd do if it wasn't for my religion.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

No.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I used to have a lot of boyfriends. Of course, I don't care for any of them anymore. But when I was younger, they were always taking me out all the time.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Isn't that so?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Yes. I had a good time when I was younger. Going out to dinner, dancing parties. Fellas were taking me out all the time. Of course, that was when I was younger.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

You're not much over 25 now, Amy.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I'll be 27 in August. That's pretty old for an unmarried girl. But I'm not worried. Get interested in more important things when you get older. Isn't that right?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Oh, yes, that's right.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I remember when I was in junior college, how boy crazy I was. I remember that junior prom I went to. Seems such a long time ago. I had the most beautiful white dress, Sergeant, with sequins. The skirt was all white. And I had gathered in here at the waist and it flared out real full. I went to the dance with one of the big football players. He looked so nice in his blue suit. His name was Stanley. I knew him for a long time. He's one of the fellows who asked me to marry him. I guess I was too particular. I just couldn't see any of them.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Would you mind if I laid out a few facts for you, Ms. Wilson?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, not at all, sir. Sergeant. Go ahead, please.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Now, I'm not trying to embarrass you in any way, but since we've been on this case, we've checked with just about all the friends that you've had in the past few years. And that includes your boyfriends, of course, none of the fellows that you've mentioned say they've ever proposed marriage to you. Said they've been out with you once or twice, but that's all.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Oh, well, you probably didn't talk to the right fellows. You probably got the names mixed.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Oh, ma'am, we didn't. We talked to the right people.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, I can't understand that.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Neither can we, Ms. Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, what events did. I wasn't interested in them. I wouldn't have married them anyway. Going out and dancing parties, that's all they were interested in.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What reason did you have for lying to us?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Parking in a car, necking with girls, trying to take advantage of them. That's all those fellas wanted. Some of the silly girls they married.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, I don't.

[Dorothy Wilson]

You discover a lot more important things when you get older, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

I don't think that's the point. Why did you lie to us about it?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I don't know, really. Maybe I didn't have a reason. I just didn't remember right, I guess.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, you sure you remember right about what happened tonight?

[Dorothy Wilson]

What do you mean? It just happened. Of course I'm sure about it. Someone tried to kill me.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Might as well park on Spring Street, Ben. Pretty clear this time of night.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Okay, Sergeant, I wish you'd tell me what you're getting at. What are you thinking?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, there's still a few things that we're not too sure of, Ms. Walson. We'd like to clear them up.

[Dorothy Wilson]

What aren't you too sure of? I told you everything I knew. I was lying down in the dressing room and somebody tried to kill me. I told you all about it.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, you told us you were unconscious about 45 minutes.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, we can't. 40 or 45.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

No. We talked to the doctor at Georgia street, and from the way you describe the attack, well, it would have been just about impossible for anybody to make you unconscious that long by pressing his hands against your head.

[Dorothy Wilson]

But he hit me on the head, too. You can see the bruise here.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, yes, ma'am, I know, but that's very slight. The doctor says that that couldn't have done it either. Just a minute. I'll get the door.

[Dorothy Wilson]

What else aren't you sure of?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, your wrists were taped individually. Now, if somebody wanted to restrain you, they probably would have taped them together, wouldn't they?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, I don't know what they would have done. All I know is they wanted to kill me. They said so in those letters.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

We're not too sure of those letters either, Ms. Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

What? What aren't you sure of?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Where they're coming from and who's sending them. We do know they were all written with the same person.

[Dorothy Wilson]

How do you know that? They're signed by two different people.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Our handwriting man checked them over. He says you're written to the same same person.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

You might as well have it straight.

[Dorothy Wilson]

Ms. Wilson, we're going to talk. Can't we do it inside someplace? Please? I'm tired.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Oh, I'm sorry. All right.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Joan.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

I'll see if Latent Fingerprints is finished last.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah. Bring it along. If they are, we'll be in the interrogation room.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

All right.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

This way, Ms. Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

A man I know used to be on the police force. Nice fella. We used to go out all the time together.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Was that so? What's his name?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, that's funny. I don't remember. He's an awfully nice fellow, though. We used to go dancing every week.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Here we are.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Go right.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

I started questioning Dorothy Wilson, but she wanted to talk about everything except what concerned the case. Dean, Bergman and Leighton. Fingerprints had already checked each article that was found at the supposed scene of the crime. The Wilson girls. Prints were all over them.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Did you write those threatening letters to yourself, Ms. Wilson?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I don't understand. Why do you ask me something like that?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Did you write the letters to yourself?

[Dorothy Wilson]

You know that's not a fair question, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

I don't know what you consider fair, but we'd like to know. Did you write the letters?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Do you know what it is to pray, Sergeant? I mean, really pray?

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What's that got to do with it?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I've been praying all my life. I've been praying hard ever since I was a little girl.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

We'd like to have your answer. Our question, Ms. Wilson.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I think you'll understand. This is the answer, Sergeant. I. I can feel the Holy Spirit in my heart. I know you understand.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, ma'am.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I've been praying for an awfully long time, Sergeant. When I was a little girl, six years old, I was praying night and day. I said my prayers, but there never seemed to be any answer. I never could understand it because I only prayed for one thing. I didn't think it was too much to ask.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

What was that?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I wanted people to know me, Sergeant. I wanted people to know me and like me, that's all. But it never seemed to happen, even when I was a little girl.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

Don't think I quite follow you, man.

[Dorothy Wilson]

You've got to understand me. Nobody else does. From the time I was a little girl, six, nobody ever seemed to care if I was around or not. I always tried to make friends, tried to make people like me. I tried very hard, but nobody seemed to care. Nobody even noticed me. Nobody ever noticed me.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

You mean that's why you wrote those threatening letters to yourself? So that you'd be noticed?

[Dorothy Wilson]

I wanted somebody to care about me, that's all. I wanted them to know who I was. Dorothy Wilson. I wanted to walk down the street and have people nod and have them say, that's Dorothy Wilson. There goes Dorothy Wilson. Just for somebody to care. That's all, Sergeant. Just for somebody to care.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, then the whole thing's purely your imagination. You wrote the letters to yourself and you pretended somebody attacked you and all the rest.

[Dorothy Wilson]

God told me to do it, Sergeant. He told me to make myself noticed. To stand up and make people know me. I'm sorry for it now, but it didn't hurt anyone, did it?

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Well, ma'am, you had an awful lot of people working for nothing.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I'm sorry. It was so nice while it lasted. People looking after me, caring about where I went, what happened to me. It's the first time anybody ever really noticed me.

[Sergeant Joe Friday]

It was that important to you.

[Dorothy Wilson]

People knew who I was. Dorothy Wilson. They all noticed me. I feel better now that it's over. Oh, there's one thing I've got to tell you, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, ma'am?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Remember driving here in the car I told you about that junior prom I went to? That time I had a beautiful white neck dress with a full skirt? The beautiful new white dress.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yes, ma'am, I remember. What about it?

[Dorothy Wilson]

Well, it was really pink organdy. An old dress. I knew you'd find out. That's why I had to tell you.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Dorothy Wilson]

I didn't want you to think I was a liar.

[Narrator]

The story you've just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. By our own admission, Dorothy Wilson was guilty of filing a false crime report and misdemeanor. She was released into the custody of her mother. You have just heard Dragnet. The series of authentic cases transcribed from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H.

[Sergeant Ben Romero]

Parker. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.

[G]

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[Adam Graham]

As I was listening to this episode, I was reminded of an episode of the 1960s TV series from season three of Dragnet Burglary Dr. 31, which folks might remember as the Crimson Crusader episode where a young man dressed as this superhero committed these burglaries of movie memorabilia. Now, of course, there are differences in the details of what crime they committed and how that played out, but they both had these scenes where they broke down and admitted to why they were doing what they were doing. And I think the motivations were at their core, very similar, this sort of quest for significance and how they dealt with feeling totally insignificant to everyone around them. In both cases, Friday and his partner were straightforward but gentle. This was not a case where you rake someone over the coals. It's a sad situation that's happened to them in their life and it's not something that law enforcement has any ability to fix. I definitely feel bad for the pastor in this story because this is such a draining and challenging experience for a pastor to deal with because obviously he's concerned about her, but he also has to wonder about people in his congregation and are any of them capable of this? And then of course, just the tone of the letters, at least as described, are unpleasant and you never quite know when that's going to escalate to something far worse. Now it is time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the day and I want to go ahead and thank Pippin. Pippin has been one of our Patreon supporters since March of 2022, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of $2 or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Pippin, and that will do it for this year. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. Dragnet will return in three weeks as I take a much needed recording break. Once again, I want to thank everyone so much for listening to the podcast in 2024 and everyone who supports, supported the podcast or followed us on social media or shared episodes. It really does help immensely and I am very grateful to have this podcast and be able to share these programs with you and look forward to sharing even more in 2025 and the years ahead. If you're listening to my other podcast, we will be releasing three new episodes of the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon that I've already [e-mail] we will be releasing an episode on Monday which co stars Barton Yarborough, our special Public Domain Day record party on New Year's Day, and then the season finale for the Old Time Radio snack wagon on January 6th. For the great detectives of Old Time Radio, we will be posting encore presentations every day starting tomorrow and then we will return to our regular lineup on January 13th. In the meantime, do send your comments to box13greatdetectives.net Follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram Instagram Great From Boise, Idaho, this is your host Adam Graham wishing you a Happy New Year and signing off.

[H]

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