Dragnet: The Big Jump (EP4652)

Summary

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio: "Dragnet: The Big Jump" (EP4652) – A Detailed Summary

Podcast Overview "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio," hosted by Adam Graham, invites listeners to embark on a nostalgic journey through the Golden Age of Radio, featuring classic detective audio dramas. Each episode meticulously presents a different detective story, enriched with Graham’s insightful commentary and humor. The podcast showcases a diverse lineup of detectives, including iconic names such as Joe Friday from "Dragnet," Mathew Slade, Private Investigator, and Daphne du Maurier's "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar," among others. Since its inception in 2009, the podcast has become a beloved source for mystery enthusiasts, culminating in over 1,000 episodes across multiple seasons.

Episode Introduction: "Dragnet: The Big Jump" Released on March 15, 2025, Episode 4652, titled "Dragnet: The Big Jump," delves into a gripping tale of a man on the brink of despair, threatening to end his life by jumping off a 13-story building in downtown Los Angeles. This episode stands out for its intense psychological interplay and the unwavering determination of Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner, Ben Romero, to avert a tragedy.

Plot Summary

Setting the Stage The episode opens on January 11, 1950, setting a somber tone with the narrator emphasizing the authenticity of the story (00:02:53). Detectives Sgt. Joe Friday and Ben Romero are assigned to the Homicide Detail to handle a high-stakes situation: a man named Walter Harrison is poised on the ledge of the Fitzroy Building's 13th floor, threatening to leap to his death within the hour.

Initial Assessment and Strategy Upon arrival at 1:28 PM, Friday and Romero survey the scene (03:53). The Fitzroy Building, a 13-story steel-frame structure with granite facades, is swarmed by onlookers, intensifying the pressure on the officers (04:12). The detectives quickly assess the man, Walter Harrison, who has a history of mental illness, exacerbated by recent frustrations that precipitated his current state.

Engaging with Stakeholders Friday converses with Nurse Lenahan and Dr. Turner to gather insights into Harrison's mental state and prior interactions with law enforcement (06:31). It becomes apparent that Harrison's actions are linked to treatment failures and perceived persecution. Despite multiple attempts, initial conversations with Harrison do not yield positive results, as he remains resolute in his intent to jump (07:05).

Deploying Personal Tactics Realizing the urgency, Friday decides to take personal action, despite the inherent risks (09:10). He inches along the narrow ledge, gradually drawing closer to Harrison. Their interaction becomes increasingly tense, with Harrison expressing deep-seated anger and distrust towards the authorities (11:28). Notably, Harrison brandishes a hammer, indicating a potential for violence should Friday make a move (09:50).

Critical Turning Points A pivotal moment occurs when Frankie discovers a discrepancy in the timing of Harrison’s planned jump, sparking suspicion that Harrison might not adhere strictly to his stated timetable (13:06). This realization leads to the implementation of a strategic ploy involving the manipulation of a nearby building’s clock to mislead Harrison about the actual time, thereby extending the window for negotiation (19:56).

Resolution Efforts and Aftermath As time dwindles, the team employs multiple strategies, including involving Ruth, Harrison’s sister, to appeal to his emotional ties (22:22). Despite intense negotiations and tactical maneuvers, the episode culminates tragically with Harrison committing suicide seven months later, underscoring the complexities and limitations inherent in law enforcement's efforts to save individuals in extreme distress (28:03).

Character Dynamics and Interactions

• Sgt. Joe Friday (Jack Webb): The epitome of stoic determination, Friday employs both tactical acumen and psychological insight to navigate the delicate situation. His interactions—such as persuading Harrison by referencing his sister—highlight his empathetic approach.

  "You can look at my watch. Here. Right here." [14:31]

• Ben Romero: As Friday’s partner, Romero supports the mission with unwavering loyalty, even when advising caution.

  "It won't do any harm. I'm not gonna hurt you. How about it?" [12:03]

• Walter Harrison: Portrayed as a deeply troubled individual, Harrison's volatile emotions and aggressive tendencies add layers of complexity to the crisis.

  "You think you're pretty smart, don't you? You're trying to trick me." [13:57]

Notable Quotes and Moments

• Friday’s strategic intervention attempts illustrate the delicate balance between authority and empathy:

  "Why should I talk to you? Because I care about what happens to you." [12:03]

• The tension peaks when Friday and Harrison confront each other directly on the ledge, leading to a physically and emotionally charged exchange:

  "I'll cut you to pieces." [25:35]

• The tragic resolution underscores the limitations of external intervention in personal crises:

  "On September 10, the sanity hearing was held... Walter John Harrison was judged mentally incompetent." [28:03]

Adam Graham’s Commentary Post-episode, Adam Graham provides a thoughtful analysis, praising the nuanced performance of Stacy Harris Range, who adeptly portrays multifaceted characters ranging from criminals to disturbed individuals. Graham contrasts this episode with other "Dragnet" stories, notably "The Human Bomb," highlighting the diverse psychological landscapes explored in each narrative.

"Most recently on Public Domain Video Theater we featured the Human Bomb... However, it's a very different performance as Carney's more of a monomaniac and the man in this story is more paranoid and disturbed in so many ways." [30:11]

Graham appreciates the show's adherence to realistic law enforcement practices, despite occasional deviations from modern storytelling norms like "show, don't tell."

"Friday's explanation makes their point of view clear... It's like any other citizen in danger." [30:11]

He further commends Jack Webb’s meticulous research and authentic portrayal of police procedures, enhancing the series' credibility and engagement.

Listener Feedback and Engagement The episode garnered positive feedback from listeners across various platforms:

• Emmett lauded "The Big Family" as a surprisingly good episode.
• Catherine appreciated how the episode depicted police heroism, especially in violent confrontations.

"I thought this episode showed the police in a good light today." [30:11]

• John and Laurel expressed enthusiasm and dedication, with Laurel noting repeated listens to Graham’s feeds as a testament to the podcast's captivating content.

Graham responded to listener comments with personal anecdotes, sharing insights about the local significance of "Depot Bench" in Boise, Idaho, thereby fostering a sense of community and connection with his audience.

Concluding Remarks Adam Graham wraps up the episode by extending gratitude to Patreon supporters like Denise and Emily, reinforcing the podcast’s community-driven ethos. He encourages ongoing support and participation, ensuring the continued delivery of quality content to mystery and detective aficionados.

"Thanks so much for your support, Emily." [36:30]

Final Thoughts "Dragnet: The Big Jump" epitomizes the compelling storytelling that "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" excels in delivering. Through masterful narration, authentic character portrayals, and intricate plot development, the episode not only captivates listeners but also invites them to ponder the profound challenges faced by law enforcement in crisis situations. Adam Graham’s insightful commentary further enriches the listening experience, offering depth and context that resonate long after the episode concludes.

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For those intrigued by this detailed exploration of "Dragnet: The Big Jump," subscribe to "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" on your preferred podcast platform or visit GreatDetectives.net to immerse yourself in the timeless allure of old-school radio fiction.

Transcript

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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 I do want to encourage you if you're enjoying the podcast to please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Our listener Support and appreciation campaign concludes today and you can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month by going to patreon.greatdetectives.net and I want to welcome our latest Patreon supporter, Denise, coming on board at the shamus level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, denise. Now, from January 11, 1950, here is the big jump.

[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 the homicide detail. A man crouches on the window ledge of a downtown building 13 stories above the street. He threatens to leap to his death within the hour. Your job. Stop him.

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 Thursday, September 6th. It was warm In Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Steed. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from communications and it was 1:28pm when I got to room 42, homicide. You ready, Skipper?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

Coming, Ben. What's up? Just got the call. Third and Temple.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Fitzroy Building, 13th floor. They got a jumper. Ready, Ben? Let's hustle it.

[Joe Friday]

Right. What's the story, Skipper?

[Narrator]

Took the call. Not much to tell. Guys perched out on a window ledge 13 floors up, threatening to jump. Yep. What time you got, Romero? 1:33. Not much time. What? The guy on the ledge you served notice.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how do you mean?

[Narrator]

He says he's going to jump at.

[Joe Friday]

2:00, 1:36pm Ben pulled a car to a stop at 3rd and Temple. We double parked near the intersection and started across the street to the building. On the northeast corner was a steel frame structure with a block granite facing. The stone lettering over the main entrance read R.H. fitzroy Building, 1927. The immediate area had been blocked off in all directions. The sidewalks directly adjacent to the building on 3rd street and on Temple street had also been cleared of all pedestrian traffic. Hundreds of curious onlookers jammed against police lines at the far side of the intersection, reaching back for a full block in either direction. Hundreds more had packed in behind them. Thirteen stories above the pavement was the center of attraction, the figure of a man standing upright on a narrow ledge, looking down at the crowd on the street directly below him. Men from the fire department's rescue squad were hurriedly stretching out nets. We entered the building, took the elevator to the 13th floor.

[Narrator]

Who's standing by up here, Skipper? Bechtel and Wiseman. They saw the crowd gathering in the street on the way back from lunch, looked up and saw a guy on the ledge that came right up.

[Joe Friday]

How long has the guy been standing out there?

[Narrator]

About 15 minutes. Sure drawing a crowd. Must be a couple of thousand people down there. What was that room number?

[Joe Friday]

Friday, 1305. Yeah, it's down this way. There's Bechtel.

[Narrator]

Beck. Hi. Been watching for you. The office is down here. Okay.

[Joe Friday]

How's it stand now?

[Narrator]

He's still out there, ready to jump. We got 22 minutes to figure out how to stop him. What's the story anyway? I'll let the doctor tell you. Go ahead. Through here. Nurse. Where'd Dr. Turner go?

[Nurse Lenahan]

He went down to meet Dr. Reich. He's bringing him right up.

[Narrator]

This is Captain Steed, Homicide. Ms. Lenahan. How do you do Friday? Romero. How do you do? Nurse. How are you? Here's how he climbed outside. This window here. Yeah. Right now he's standing on the ledge about 12ft to the right of the window. The ledge is about 14 inches wide. No other windows closer to him? No, this is it. Did you try to talk him out of it? Get him back inside? We took a turn at it. Yeah. Wiseman crawled out on the ledge, talked to him. So did I. He's one of the queerest jumpers I've come across.

[Joe Friday]

What do you mean?

[Narrator]

He's got a hammer with him. Carpenter's hammer. Whenever you get close to him, he takes a cut at you. Wiseman wasn't looking for it. Had a duck fast. He almost went over.

[Joe Friday]

Is there any other way to reach him?

[Narrator]

Double check the whole layout. This window's the closest. What about lowering a man from the roof? Wide piece of cornice up there, a big overhang. Put a man down on a rope and he'd be hanging three feet from the side of the building. Wouldn't come close to the guy. How about this doctor you mentioned? Beck? You figure he can help? It's worth a try. Ms. Lennon.

[Nurse Lenahan]

Yes, Sergeant?

[Narrator]

You saw it happen. You know better than I do what Dr. Turner's idea is. Would you fill these men in, please? Make it brief.

[Nurse Lenahan]

Surely.

[Joe Friday]

Now, this man on the ledge, who is he? Do you know?

[Nurse Lenahan]

Walter Harrison's his name. He's one of the doctor's patients. His sister brought him in for a routine checkup. That was about 1 o'clock.

[Narrator]

How old is the man?

[Nurse Lenahan]

41. His sister told us he's been complaining of a backache lately while the doctor was examining him. And Mr. Harrison flew up all of a sudden. He yelled out we were trying to cripple him, that we wanted to kill him. Excuse me, please.

[Joe Friday]

Sure.

[Nurse Lenahan]

Dr. Turner's office. No, I'm sorry, not this afternoon. We have an awful lot of trouble. Yes, all right.

[Walter Harrison]

Thank you.

[Joe Friday]

Well, what happened after Harrison started to.

[Narrator]

Act up, Ms. Lenahan, Dr. Turner and.

[Nurse Lenahan]

I tried to hold him. He shoved us both out of the way. He hit the doctor in the face. Then he ran to the window, got out on that ledge and crawled along the side of the building. He's been there ever since.

[Narrator]

Ms. Harrison has a mental case?

[Nurse Lenahan]

Yes, he's been for 10 years. Been in and out of the state hospital at Camarillo a couple of times. Sister Ruth's been taking care of him. She was here when it happened.

[Narrator]

Where is she now?

[Nurse Lenahan]

Next door, the treatment room. Thelma that's the other nurse. She's looking after Ms. Harrison. She's pretty close to hysterics.

[Narrator]

Tried to talk to her, skipper. Not much help so far. You say the doctor's been treating this Mr. Harrison?

[Nurse Lenahan]

No, he just came in for a physical checkup. Dr. Reich's been handling his mental condition. That's where Dr. Turner is now, getting Reich. He has his office in the next building.

[Joe Friday]

What time you got, Ben?

[Narrator]

It's getting short. 19 minutes to 2. How about the time element, Beck? If he's gonna kill himself, why is he waiting for 2:00 to do it? It's got me. He scribbled a note out there, threw it down to the street. One of the men in the rescue squad grabbed it and brought it up. And I got it right here. Let me see. Can I look at that tattoo?

[Joe Friday]

They want my life. They want. What's his next one?

[Narrator]

Dead.

[Joe Friday]

Dead.

[Narrator]

They want me dead.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. I'd like to pray first. I'll jump at 2:00. What's this last thing, Ben? I can't read this.

[Narrator]

Let me see. At 2 o'clock. Don't touch my body. That's it. Don't touch my body. You saw the guy at close range, Beck, what do you think? Are you serious? I don't know. I'm not even gonna guess. How about me going out and talking to him? Skipper, it might work. It won't do any harm. That ledge is 14 inches wide. Romero, if you slip. I don't want to explain it to your wife and kid.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how about me giving it a try? That jumper case last October. I was on that one.

[Narrator]

It's volunteer duty, Joe. I'm not gonna order you. You know the risk.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I'll watch it. You want to stand by here at the window, Ben?

[Narrator]

Yeah. Okay.

[Joe Friday]

Let's get that window up, huh?

[Narrator]

Yeah. Those blinds up.

[Walter Harrison]

Okay.

[Joe Friday]

Give me a hand with the window.

[Narrator]

All right. Come on. Up she goes.

[Joe Friday]

A little stuck.

[Narrator]

Yeah, it is.

[Joe Friday]

All the way up, huh?

[Narrator]

Here it goes. Okay. Be careful now, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I will. Joe. Yeah. Becky?

[Narrator]

Don't forget about that hammer the guy's got. It's just my guess.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, what's that?

[Narrator]

The guy might want to die. I don't think he wants to do it alone.

[Joe Friday]

1:43Pm if we could take Walter Harrison's word for it, we had exactly 17 minutes to talk him into a change of mind before he plunged to his death on the pavement 13 stories below. I crawled out of the window and started inching my way along the narrow ledge went slow. I kept my eyes on Harrison. He stood about 10ft away from me, looking down at the crowds jamming the streets below. I edged along to within eight feet of him. He didn't seem to notice me. It was a fairly tall man, about 5 foot 10. Medium build, dark hair. He was wearing gray pinstripe trousers, a white shirt. No coat, no necktie. I got to within six feet of him. He raised one arm and made a motion with his fist at the crowd below.

[Ben Romero]

Animals, you dirty spank of animals. You won't touch me.

[Walter Harrison]

I'll jump right through you.

[Narrator]

No.

[Ben Romero]

Won't even touch me.

[Joe Friday]

I kept edging toward him. He still didn't seem to notice me. Turned his body a little. Kept pounding inside of the building with a hammer. I got a look at his right hand. In it he held the carpenter's hammer. I got to within five feet of him. An airliner passed overhead. Harrison looked up. He muttered something. Then he turned. He saw me.

[Ben Romero]

I'm gonna kill you.

[Joe Friday]

It's all right with me. Walter. Why do you want to kill yourself? You're only gonna hurt people.

[Ben Romero]

You don't care about people. You don't care about me.

[Joe Friday]

What am I doing out here? Well, you got it wrong, Walter. A lot of people care about you. They want you back inside. They want you where it's safe.

[Ben Romero]

You're another one of those. You want to get your hands on me? You want to grab me. Well, you're not. I'm going to kill you.

[Joe Friday]

It's all right, Walter. You can kill me. I want to help you first.

[Ben Romero]

You stay back. Don't you move anymore. I got this hammer. And I'll smash your face with it. Smash you.

[Joe Friday]

I only want to talk to you. I know we can straighten this out.

[Ben Romero]

I'll do it my way. You understand? My way. I know who you are. You've been after me before. I know what it's all about.

[Joe Friday]

I know you do, Walter, but you got it wrong. Now look, you're gonna jump off this building at 2:00. That's in 15 minutes.

[Ben Romero]

That's right.

[Narrator]

You bet I am.

[Joe Friday]

All right, now, let's. Let's talk it over for five of those minutes, huh? Can't do any harm. I'm not gonna hurt you. How about it? Okay.

[Ben Romero]

Why should I talk to you?

[Joe Friday]

Because I care about what happens to you. So does your sister. So do a lot of people.

[Ben Romero]

Well, then you're like a lot of people. You want to get your hands on me like those animals down there. The Whole dirty pack, them. They want to grab on me, get all around closed and put their hands on me. Well, they're not gonna do it.

[Joe Friday]

Of course they're not. Nobody's gonna hurt you. You know that, don't you?

[Ben Romero]

You bet your life they're not. You see that dirty pack down there? Well, they don't know it, but I'm gonna jump right through them. I'm gonna jump right through all of them. They won't even touch me. And I can do it right now.

[Joe Friday]

Wait a minute, Walter. Don't forget your promise.

[Ben Romero]

What are you talking about? What promise?

[Joe Friday]

2:00. You wrote that down yourself. You said you wouldn't jump until it was two o'clock, didn't you?

[Ben Romero]

That was no promise. I just wrote it down, that's all. Just 2:00.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, well, your sister believed it. We gave her the note. She says that you promise. Are you gonna make a liar out of yourself?

[Ben Romero]

You're the liar. Ruth didn't say that. She didn't say it was a promise.

[Joe Friday]

You gotta take my word for that. All right, let's go in and ask her. How about it?

[Narrator]

See.

[Ben Romero]

See Ruth inside. Sure.

[Joe Friday]

Come on. Come on. Take my hand, Walter.

[Adam Graham]

All right.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Ben Romero]

I'll take your hand. Watch your step.

[Joe Friday]

Look out, will you? You'll.

[Ben Romero]

Get back. Get back. Now, now. Next time I won't miss. I'll smash your whole arm up.

[Advertiser]

You.

[Ben Romero]

You think you're pretty smart, don't you? You're trying to trick me. Well, I've told you before, I. I know who you are. You're trying to get your hands on me.

[Joe Friday]

You promised your sister 2:00. You're still gonna break that promise.

[Ben Romero]

I'm not like you. In that flag down there, I don't break from it.

[Joe Friday]

Everybody knows that, Waller. They trust you. Come on. How about talking this thing out?

[Ben Romero]

What time is it?

[Joe Friday]

1:46. 14 minutes to go.

[Ben Romero]

You're lying. How do I know that?

[Joe Friday]

Well, you can look at my watch. Here. Right here.

[Ben Romero]

You stand back. I. I told you before, you stay away from me.

[Joe Friday]

I just wanted to show you the time, that's all. All right. You can look at that big clock up the street. See the one on the side of the Hobart building up there?

[Narrator]

14.

[Ben Romero]

How do I know that? Strike. How do I know they're not in with. With you too?

[Joe Friday]

You already said it. Big company. They don't care about you or me. They got a business to run. Their clock. They don't care what happened.

[Ben Romero]

No, of course not. They don't they don't care. All right. Well, I'll just keep an eye on them, Clark.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Joe Friday]

You don't mind if I talk while you wait, do you?

[Ben Romero]

What's it doing up there, boy?

[Joe Friday]

It's just an airliner. Probably on its way into Burbank.

[Ben Romero]

You're not for that.

[Narrator]

Plane's been by before.

[Ben Romero]

It's flying low, too.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I guess I didn't notice it. Well, what difference does it make?

[Ben Romero]

Probably watch flying back and forth.

[Narrator]

Maybe they're the police.

[Ben Romero]

They're trying to do something. They're trying to get their hands on me.

[Joe Friday]

Well, let's see. Yeah. Might be their plane. It's a big one.

[Ben Romero]

Sure. Sure, they're trying to do something. Coming right by here. Flying lying low. It's the same one. I. I can see. Look. You see there on the wing?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. What's that?

[Ben Romero]

The. The number right there on the wing. It's the same one that passed over a few minutes ago. You get away from me.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Walter. Give me that.

[Walter Harrison]

I'm gonna kill you.

[Joe Friday]

Give it to me.

[Ben Romero]

Don't you.

[Joe Friday]

Walter.

[Ben Romero]

You thought you tricked me. You didn't know I had my pocket knife. Well, I can kill you with it now. I can kill you right now.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. I told you before, it's all right with me. Look out there. Watch your step on the ledge, will you?

[Ben Romero]

I should have cut your hand off. I should have cut your whole arm off and thrown it to those animals down there.

[Narrator]

Look.

[Ben Romero]

Look at that blood all over your head.

[Joe Friday]

Bill. I'm sorry, Waller. It's not your fault. I just wanted to talk the whole thing over to tell you how your sister feels about.

[Ben Romero]

You're a liar. I. I knew it when I looked at you. And I know you'll get away. You get away before I kill you.

[Joe Friday]

Look, there's only one thing I can tell you. There's Sister Ruth sitting inside there and she's worried sick. She's waiting for you. She wants to take you home.

[Narrator]

Now.

[Joe Friday]

How about it? There's no reason for all this. You know that, don't you?

[Narrator]

Do I?

[Joe Friday]

Sure you do. Your sister and your family, they care about you. They want you home again. They want you with them. There's no reason to be standing out here now, is there?

[Narrator]

You.

[Ben Romero]

You wait until 2:00, mister.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

I'll show you the reason.

[Joe Friday]

1:48Pm 12 minutes left. I made my way along the ledge, through the window, back into the office. Dr. Wright, a man who'd been treating Walter Harrison for his mental sickness, was already there with Dr. Turner while the nurse bandaged up my hand. Captain Steed, Ben and I talked with him.

[Narrator]

I've treated Harrison for 10 years, on and off. I guess he showed some improvement. Not much. Definite paranoid tendencies. Did he ever try this before, Dr. Wright? Not to my knowledge. His sister might tell you more. I really don't know what to advise you to do. He's never been this violent before, using a hammer and I.

[Nurse Lenahan]

Sergeant, I feel all right.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's fine.

[Narrator]

Thank you. There's only one thing I've got to know, Doctor. Is it worth letting another one of my men go out there on that ledge? I'm afraid that's your decision, Captain. It may help, it may not. I know the patient, but I can't read his mind.

[Joe Friday]

Just thinking we might bring Harrison's sister to the window and have her talk to him. Think that might help, Doctor?

[Narrator]

Very possible. It might in a spot like this. I'm in the same boat, you or. It's all guesswork. You think Harrison's really gonna be ready to jump at 2:00, Doctor? From what Sergeant Friday tells me, yes, I think he'll jump. We've got to come up with something. We can't just stand around, watch a guy take a dive down 13 stories. I wish I knew the answer. There's got to be one someplace. There's got to be an answer. Let's check your watch.

[Joe Friday]

We got 10 minutes to find it.

[Narrator]

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

[Joe Friday]

It's a sworn duty of the peace officer to protect the lives of the citizens of the community in which he serves. That isn't always limited to protecting the citizens from criminals and lawbreakers. Oftentimes the citizen has to be protected from himself. The drunken driver can do as much harm to his own person as he can to others. The same for the narcotic addict. The same for mental incompetence such as Walter Harrison. If he was being assaulted, robbed or shot at by a gunman, it would have been no more serious. Harrison's life was in jeopardy. Trying to save him had to be the first consideration. 1:50pm Sergeant Jack Wiseman inched his way out on the ledge of the 13th story and kept Walter Harrison busy talking. Anything to keep his mind off the jump. Captain Steed got on the phone and talked to the manager of the hobart building. A 12 story structure three blocks away with a large clock set into either side of it. The same clock Harrison was keeping time by.

[Narrator]

Yeah, that's right. Just so you don't make it look too obvious. Okay, Mr. Wallace. Thank you. They're gonna do all they can. Let's hope it works. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

What do you say?

[Narrator]

They're gonna start slowing down the clock in the building right away. If Harrison goes by that time, it's gonna be a long 10 minutes.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how much they figure they can.

[Narrator]

Stretch it about five or six minutes without making it look too obvious.

[Joe Friday]

We can sure use it. Let's hope Harrison doesn't catch on.

[Narrator]

Manager said they'll stop the clock when it's a minute to go. It'll never reach 2:00. Skipper? Yeah, Romero. I just checked with the rescue squad down the street. They're stringing out more nets. Well, they're not guaranteeing anything. How do you mean? They're worried about those ledges jutting up from the building. Every other floor they see. If Harrison jumps close enough, he's bound to hit one of them. If he does, he'll be dead before he reaches street level. Nets down there won't do him any good. Well, nothing we can do about it. Something else we'll have to hand over to Luck.

[Joe Friday]

Have they come up with any ideas, Ben?

[Narrator]

Just one. Sounds like it could work. What's that? They figured, like we did, the overhang on the roof is too wide to lower a man directly down on top of Harrison to grab. They think it might work if they try this. Put a man in a rope sling just over the edge of the roof, lower him down toward Harrison as close as possible without deafening. Give him a good line, let him try to rope Harrison. I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

They got any candidates to try it?

[Narrator]

Yeah. One guy's been on the rescue squad for years. Supposed to be an expert with a lasso.

[Joe Friday]

Captain.

[Narrator]

No, Mike. Do it. I don't know. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

What happens if he misses Harrison?

[Narrator]

Who knows what happens if Harrison jumps? Captain, I just got off that ledge in a hurry. He came at me with that knife.

[Joe Friday]

Is he any closer to the window?

[Narrator]

He backed off again. Something else. That clock in the Hobart building. Yeah. Pretty sure he's wise to that gimmick. He's given it up.

[Joe Friday]

What do you mean?

[Narrator]

The 2 o'clock deadline. He's not going to wait for it.

[Joe Friday]

1:55Pm A specially equipped police car with loudspeakers mounted on the roof was rushed to the intersection of Third and Temple streets opposite the Fitzroy building. Sergeant Jack Wiseman took Walter Harrison's sister Ruth down in the elevator to the street. She got on the police car microphone and started talking to her Brother. Over the loudspeakers, word was passed to the special detail of men from the fire department's rescue squad standing by on the roof of the building. They went to work. Captain Steed went up to the roof to see if he could assist them. Ben and I waited in the office on the 13th floor. The nurse, Ms. Lenahan and Jean Bechtel were with us. 1:57pm the men on the roof started to lower. The man from the rescue squad in a rope sling. He held a double strength lasso in his hands. The end of it was wrapped around his body and tied securely. Ben and I watched from the window. We looked along the narrow ledge. Walter Harrison stood erect and motionless, an open pocket knife in one hand, his feet poised in the brink of a 13 story jump. The voice of Harrison's sister drifted up from the loudspeakers down on the street.

[Walter Harrison]

Walter, this is Ruth. Walter, can you hear me? This is Ruth. I want you to come home with me. Walter, please. You've got to understand.

[Narrator]

Sister's doing all right. Finish it for sure if he looks up. Yeah, sure will.

[Walter Harrison]

There's nothing wrong. No one's going to hurt you. We want to help you, Walter. Please.

[Narrator]

I can't see. Joe. They're letting the man down.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, Coming slow.

[Walter Harrison]

There's nothing to be afraid of. You know that, don't you? Come home with me, please. I'll take care of you. I'll see that you're safe, that you're all right.

[Narrator]

Joe, how's Harrison doing? Can you see?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, he's looking down, not moving at all.

[Walter Harrison]

Nobody's gonna hurt you. Believe me. These people are your friends. They more than half you. Can you hear me, Walter? They want to help you.

[Joe Friday]

That's it. What man? Coming down on the rope. He's just above Harrison now.

[Walter Harrison]

They're your friends. You can trust me. Your sister, Ruth. You've got to trust me, Walter. I want to take care of you. I want to take you home.

[Narrator]

Yeah, I see. I see the man now. He's right above him. Got the lasso ready?

[Joe Friday]

Keep your fingers crossed.

[Narrator]

What is it? What's happening? The lasso. He's throwing it.

[Ben Romero]

Get him away from me. Missed, Joey.

[Narrator]

Missed.

[Joe Friday]

Walter, Wait a minute.

[Narrator]

Harrison.

[Ben Romero]

Get him away from him. Get him away. Pull that man up.

[Joe Friday]

Pull him out of the way. He's still on the ledge. I'm going out.

[Narrator]

Joe, wait a minute. It's only a chance.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Why don't you get him mad at you, Say anything, insult him, anything to make him go for you. If you can get him down to this window?

[Joe Friday]

I can grab him if I get him by the window. I'll hold on to him, huh?

[Narrator]

Yeah. When you grab him, try to lean as close to the building as you can.

[Joe Friday]

Not much to lean on. The other way. 1:59pm I got through the window and out onto the ledge. The crowds jamming the streets below had swollen to almost twice their size. A few blocks away, the big clock on the side of the Hobart building read five minutes to two. But Harrison wasn't looking at it. He still had his eyes fixed on the pavement 13 stories beneath us. He'd torn off his collar and his shirt was ripped open at the neck. He waved his arms and shouted at the crowd below as he tottered along the ledge toward the corner of the building away from the window that I was supposed to lure him into. In his right hand, he still held onto the open pocket knife.

[Ben Romero]

You're not gonna get your hands on me. You're not even gonna get close.

[Joe Friday]

Wait a minute, Harrison.

[Ben Romero]

Watch it, you. You watch me, mister. I'm gonna jump right through them down there. Those dirty animals you just watched.

[Adam Graham]

All right.

[Joe Friday]

Wait a minute. I got a message for you from your sister Ruth. Now do you want to hear it?

[Ben Romero]

You won't get your hands on me. None of you. I'll see you later.

[Joe Friday]

You're a phony, Harrison. You're a phony.

[Ben Romero]

Liar. I'm a w. You heard me.

[Joe Friday]

You're not kidding anybody.

[Ben Romero]

You don't think I can jump, huh? Well, you just what?

[Joe Friday]

Anybody can jump. Any phony can do that.

[Ben Romero]

What?

[Joe Friday]

It doesn't take anything those animals take down there in the street. Any one of them could do that. You're just like one of them.

[Ben Romero]

I've still got this knife. I've used it before. I can kill.

[Joe Friday]

You couldn't kill anything. You haven't got the guts. You're a phony.

[Ben Romero]

You're alive. You're a rotten liar. I can catch it in peace.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, you talk big, Harrison, but you're all fought.

[Ben Romero]

I can cut you to pieces.

[Joe Friday]

You haven't got me fooled, mister, not for a minute.

[Ben Romero]

I'll cut you to pieces.

[Joe Friday]

You haven't got half the nerve. You're a phony, and you know it.

[Ben Romero]

You're a rotten liar. You. You stand still. Go on. You stand still and heartstring.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, you talk a real good game. But that's about all you're all taught.

[Ben Romero]

I saw you. I still have my knife, and you right now.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure you will.

[Ben Romero]

You're backing away you're afraid.

[Joe Friday]

You're a pony, Harrison. Nobody's afraid of a phony.

[Ben Romero]

Cut you rough Good.

[Joe Friday]

I'm waiting for you. Come on. What's the matter, Harrison?

[Ben Romero]

You're not. You're not waiting. Stand still and stop backing away. Now stop, I tell you.

[Joe Friday]

You come and get me, huh? Haven't you got enough nerve? You're just talking again. All talk, huh?

[Ben Romero]

That window. You've got to stop by the window and then I'll cut you to pieces.

[Joe Friday]

All right, Harrison.

[Narrator]

Here.

[Joe Friday]

Now you go ahead, prove you're a phony.

[Ben Romero]

I'll show you. Right, Walter.

[Joe Friday]

Now drop it.

[Ben Romero]

Drop it. I gotta kill you. You rot. I get you to be. Drop it. Drop it. Joe, look out.

[Narrator]

Grab them.

[Ben Romero]

They're gonna fall.

[Narrator]

Well, how close can it get?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Nurse.

[Nurse Lenahan]

That was just wonderful, Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Both of you.

[Narrator]

Are you all right? Yeah, fine.

[Joe Friday]

Would you mind getting Captain Steve Force, please? You know who he is?

[Nurse Lenahan]

Oh, surely. Right away.

[Narrator]

Well, yeah, it was a rough one minute there. Looked like you were both going over the side. Yeah. Thought I'd lost you, Joe.

[Joe Friday]

Well, you didn't have to worry.

[Narrator]

No, no.

[Joe Friday]

You told me which way to lean.

[Narrator]

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

On September 10, the sanity hearing was held at the County Hospital Psychopathic ward, City and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that hearing. After being examined by six psychiatrists, Walter John Harrison was judged mentally incompetent. On his sister's request, he was committed to a private sanitarium. Seven months later, Harrison took his own life by hanging. 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.

We the People is next with stories of Today on NBC.

[I]

Sometimes life is wonderful, and sometimes it's not. Cherish the good, but always be prepared for life's challenges. At private healthcare, we provide the peace of mind you deserve. With private healthcare, you'll get the coverage you want and health care you need. If your employer doesn't supply health care coverage and you don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, you need to give us a call right now. Private health care is private health insurance for ages 65 and under with medical, dental, vision and even prescription coverage. When life comes at you unexpectedly, you need to be ready. And health insurance is your financial safety net. If you're looking for health coverage at the best price and your annual household income is 35,000 or more, give us a call at 800-683-4877. That's 8006-8348-7780-6833-4877.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. Really a great episode and different from your typical Dragnet story. Listening to this series, you really appreciate Stacy Harris Range as an actor. He plays a lot of criminals, madmen, ordinary citizens, occasionally other police officers, but they're not all the same. A great example of this is this episode because most recently on Public Domain Video Theater we featured the Human Bomb, the first TV episode of Dragnet where he played another character who was a bit disturbed in Vernon Carney, who was threatening to blow up City Hall. However, it's a very different performance as Carney's more of a monomaniac and the man in this story is more paranoid and disturbed in so many ways. One big rule of modern storytelling is show don't tell, and Friday's explanations of why the police do things they do tend to violate that rule. But nevertheless, I think it's helpful as it communicates information that explains the actions in a way that I think are hard to otherwise. You can imagine a listener thinking, okay, it's horrible that this guy is going to jump, but you tried to talk him down. He's violent, he's determined to jump. What are you guys doing risking men trying to save someone who doesn't want to be saved? Friday's explanation makes their point of view clear. It's like any other citizen in danger. Part of the job is being willing to push put your life at risk in order to protect the lives of citizens, and if you're not willing to do that, you don't really belong on the police force. It was tragic that he ended up killing himself anyway seven months later, but following Friday's reasoning and analogy, that would be like if you're a police officer and you save someone from an armed robbery, only for them to get killed in a mugging seven months later. I also liked the part at the end with Friday's remark that he was going to be alright because Romero had told him the right way to lean. It's a classic bit of cop humor to defuse a situation and to not dwell on the fact that you just nearly died. It's in the same vein as when, at the end of the City hall bombing or radio version of the Human Bomb, Friday slips and falls on the steps of City hall and sent the bomb flying, which could have killed him and probably some other people and done major damage to the City Hall. But it didn't go off because of how the device was rigged for a hard pull and Romero just kind of stood over him and said clumsy. It really indicates the thoroughness with which Jack Webb had researched the police and the amount of time he spent with them that he picked up the cadences of their humor and works that into the scripts. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback. And on Facebook, Emmett writes regarding the episode the Big Family. This was a surprisingly good episode. In order to avoid spoilers, he just leaves it at that. And regarding the episode the Big Break, Catherine wrote, I thought this episode showed the police in a good light today. If someone is shooting at them, there is no way they're going in breaking the door down. Hoffman certainly was a piece of work though. And that comment comes from YouTube and I definitely agree on Hoffman. This very unique, very dangerous but still fascinating character and one of the best ones that you'll find in the 1950s TV series. And we have a couple of comments over on the site called X. John writes, love your show. And then Laurel writes, I think I'm on the second listen to all of your feeds. Depot bench here, 8 hours overnight at the USPS on 1.2 speed covers a lot of shows. Thanks Adam for hours of entertainment in one place. Well, thanks so much Laurel. And for those of you who aren't in Boise, the bench is an area in Boise and I've never heard the phrase depot bench before, but it's actually kind of helpful in that it's near the old train depot here in Boise. We don't actually have train service, passenger train service, but we used to and now that area is a park. I actually took my now 3 year old son down there and and he loved the engine they have on display. And of course I lived really close to the depot within about two and a half miles. I guess I would have been Depot bench for about 16 years. So those things I I'm really tickled when I hear the show is being listened to in parts of the world far away, but it's also something special when you hear folks are listening to it within a few miles of where you live. Well, thanks so much. Appreciate the comment, Lauren. Well, now it is time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day and I want to go ahead and thank Emily. Emily's been one of our patreon supporters since February 2021, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of $2 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support Emily. And that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast. Please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and mark the notification bell. We'll be back next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet. And join us back here next Tuesday for hot coffee. But we will be back tomorrow with our 4650 50th episode special where.

[Narrator]

All right, Doc. Now it's your turn. You mentioned the letter. Yes, yes. Here, read it. You quacks are all alike. Murderers, honest people aren't safe from butchers like you. If the law won't punish you, I will. The avenger. Now, she went to a lot of trouble, didn't she? Cut out all the letters from the magazine. She reads like a woman's. Could be a man. Of course, I suppose you've handled this, haven't you? You mean fingerprints?

Mm, yes, I guess so.

I didn't know what it was, of course. Well, it doesn't matter, Doc. She probably wore gloves. I wouldn't worry too much about it. You wouldn't worry about it? No, no. It's not addressed to you. No, no, no. Take it easy. I only meant. Well, we get hundreds of poison pen stuff like this every year. 99% of them turn out to be crank letters. And the other 1%, Lieutenant, what do they turn out to be?

[Adam Graham]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box13greatdetectives.net Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com Great. Detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.