Dragnet: The Big Mailman (EP4773)|Police Procedural Audiodrama

Summary

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio | Daily Mystery Dramas
Episode: Dragnet: The Big Mailman (EP4773)
Release Date: August 7, 2025
Host: Adam Graham

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Episode Overview

In this riveting episode of Dragnet, titled "The Big Mailman", host Adam Graham transports listeners back to the Golden Age of Radio with a gripping police procedural drama. Set in the early 1950s Los Angeles, the episode chronicles the meticulous investigation of a persistent mail thief and check forger, highlighting the collaborative efforts between the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the United States Postal Inspector's office.

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Detailed Summary

Setting the Stage

The episode begins on Monday, March 3rd, with Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Ben Romero, from the LAPD’s forgery detail, navigating a rainy day in Los Angeles. Their routine is interrupted when Captain Harry Elliott summons them to discuss a critical case involving a mail thief disrupting the city’s postal operations.

The Crime Unfolds

Inspector Leo Smith from the Post Office Department briefs Friday and Romero on a series of mail thefts, particularly the stealing of master panels from community mailboxes. These panels allowed the thief to create duplicate keys, facilitating widespread access to various mailboxes across the city. The thief, identified as Harvey Fletcher, has been adeptly evading capture by exploiting delays in mail processing and bank statement reporting.

Inspector Leo Smith [02:14]: "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."

Investigative Challenges

Friday and Romero delve into the modus operandi (M.O.) of Fletcher, noting his sophisticated forgery techniques, such as matching the handwriting on stolen checks to avoid detection. Despite their efforts, weeks pass with continued forgeries and no concrete leads. The investigation hits a roadblock until communication from the San Diego Police Department introduces a potential breakthrough.

Collaborative Breakthrough

Chief Adam Jensen of San Diego forwards a radiogram identifying Philip E. Holloway as a suspect, a name linked to an earlier reckless driving charge but now suspected of pursuing criminal activities in Los Angeles. Leveraging interdepartmental cooperation, Friday and Romero intensify their search, uncovering Holloway's employment as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman—an occupation that grants him unobtrusive access to numerous mailboxes.

Inspector Leo Smith [09:05]: "That's why he's been so successful. Plus the fact that it takes about a week for any kind of check to be processed through central clearing at any bank, and then the bank wouldn't necessarily know that anything was wrong at that time."

Surveillance and Apprehension

A 24-hour surveillance operation tracks Holloway's movements, eventually leading to his apprehension in the Echo Park residential district. Holloway's routine visit to a bank under suspicion provides the critical evidence needed. As he attempts to cash a forged check, acting Postal Inspectors intervene, leading to his immediate arrest.

Inspector Leo Smith [23:09]: "We did. All right, look, why don't you bring him down a forgery detail here at the city hall. We'll talk to him."

The Interrogation and Confession

During interrogation at the LAPD, Holloway—posing as Carver Gleason from Akron, Ohio—confesses to the theft and forgery after confrontations about inconsistencies in his alibi and handwriting analysis. Despite initial doubts from the investigators regarding the handwriting match, further analysis solidifies Holloway as the perpetrator.

Inspector Leo Smith [19:42]: "Well, my folks gave me a little when I left Akron. Thought I'd have a job by now. I didn't want to write home for anymore. So when I found that check, I figured I could get away with it. I needed money and I cashed it."

Trial and Sentencing

The episode concludes with Holloway's trial on October 15, where he is found guilty on all counts. Sentenced to 10 years in a federal penitentiary, five years of the sentence are suspended, and he is placed on probation with the condition of making restitution for the stolen funds.

Narrator [26:37]: "On October 15, trial was held in United States District Court, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial... The suspect, Philip Elwood Holloway, was found guilty on all counts."

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Host Commentary: Adam Graham’s Insights

After the dramatization, Adam Graham offers an analytical perspective on the episode:

• Educational vs. Entertainment: Graham acknowledges the episode's strength lies in its educational value, offering a cultural snapshot of 1950s banking practices and the psychological elements that facilitated the thief's operations. He notes how the processes and vulnerabilities depicted mirror some modern financial security challenges.

• Systematic Vulnerabilities: He underscores the systemic issues of the time, such as delayed check processing and inadequate identification standards at banks, which made it easier for criminals to exploit the system.

• Interdepartmental Cooperation: Graham highlights the importance of the cooperation between different law enforcement agencies showcased in the episode, emphasizing how such collaboration was crucial in solving the case.

• Technological Evolution: Reflecting on changes over the decades, Graham contrasts low-tech fraud methods with high-tech security measures today, suggesting that while technology brings new challenges, it also offers enhanced tools for combating fraud.

Adam Graham [27:59]: "It’s a lot easier to deal with encryption on a financial website than to have a situation where, okay, well, we kind of need to be able to watch every mailbox in a single portion of Los Angeles."

• Timeless Realities: Finally, Graham muses on the unchanging aspects of human behavior and the challenges of adapting old systems to new realities, drawing a parallel to the episode’s depiction of fitting a coat back into its pouch—a metaphor for the resistance to change.

Adam Graham [27:38]: "But one thing that hasn't changed, you really can't get those coats back into their little packet. And that's pretty much true of everything that comes in a nice convenient pouch."

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Conclusion

Dragnet: The Big Mailman offers a compelling narrative intertwined with factual investigation techniques of the 1950s, illustrating the challenges and triumphs of law enforcement in combating mail theft and forgeries. Adam Graham’s insightful commentary bridges the gap between past and present, providing listeners with a deeper understanding of the episode’s relevance to both historical and modern contexts.

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Transcript

[Adam Graham]

Sam.

[Sam]

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, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O. box 15913. That's P.O. box 15913, Boise, Idaho, 83715. In addition, you can become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month. Just go to patreon.greatdetectives.net now from May 24, 1951, here is the big mailman.

[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 forgery detail. A United States postal inspector comes to your office. You've received the same complaints he has. Somebody is stealing mail in your city. Your job. Help get 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]

Was Monday, March 3rd. Was raining in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of forgery detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Harry Elliott. My name's Friday was 7:45am when I got to room 29. Forgery detail.

[Ben Romero]

Morning, Jill. Hi, Ben.

[Adam Graham]

Sure.

[Joe Friday]

Coming down out there?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Look at this coat. It's soaking wet.

[Ben Romero]

Is that the same trench coat, that English one? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Ever since I had it cleaned, it seems to soak up the water a little more.

[Ben Romero]

Does it leak? Oh, no.

[Joe Friday]

It just seems to take on a little more water. Keeps me dry.

[Ben Romero]

Got something to show you, Joe. Yeah? Remember that old raincoat of mine, used to leak up through the seams over the shoulders?

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Ben Romero]

Take a look at this. What do you got there? Pretty neat, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. What is it?

[Ben Romero]

My new raincoat. Never know, would you? It's small, compact. The whole thing's hardly any bigger than a pack of cigarettes. Not bad, huh? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

What'd you get it?

[Ben Romero]

Wife bought it for me. Amy says it's regular. Full size raincoat, size 40 long.

[Joe Friday]

Amy says so. Didn't you try it on?

[Ben Romero]

Oh, no. You know how they make something like this? It's made out of plastic. Size isn't too important. Just a plain coat slips right on over your suit. Just like any other raincoat. I know it'll fit.

[Joe Friday]

You haven't worn it yet?

[Ben Romero]

No, it hadn't started to rain when I left home. Could I see that? Sure. Real compact, isn't it? Now, something like this is really practical. Yeah, huh? Little packages like that, you carry it around with you all the time. Never take up any room at all. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

What's it look like?

[Ben Romero]

Just like that little pouch there. Same stuff. Transparent, you know, regular plastic.

[Joe Friday]

Well, could we look at it inside, I mean.

[Ben Romero]

Okay, let's see.

[Joe Friday]

Well, here, you better do it.

[Adam Graham]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Okay. Well, just unzip it here. Sure is compact, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Here we go. Look there, Joe. All folded up nice and neat. Yeah, sure. It's lightweight, too. Plastic's great, isn't it? Fine. Yeah. There we go. Full size raincoat. See there. Fits fine. Never know a full size coat would go into a thing like that little pouch there, would you? It's no bigger than tobacco pie.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[Ben Romero]

You know what? Try it on, Joe. Never know you had anything on. Sure is light and nice.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I can see.

[Ben Romero]

Now we just put it back in the pouch till I'm ready for it. Let's see now. Collar goes up front, folds in like this. No, no, no, that isn't right. Goes this way. Let's put it down on the table. That'll be better.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, that's better. Now, here we go. Now we fold the arms in here. Now the bottom part comes up this way. Now we fold it over. And again. Easy, isn't it? Just follow the crease marks in your home, Jill.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Now, if you'll hand me that little box, Jim.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah, There you go.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, thank you. Now. No, I guess that's too big. Well, we'll make one more fold, okay? Yeah. Well, it's small enough this way. But it's too fat, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

You better watch it there. You're gonna tear that little sack.

[Ben Romero]

That's funny. I fold it right over the old creases there. Too fat, isn't it? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Well, couldn't you just carry it in your pocket like that without the pouch?

[Ben Romero]

Sure, it's it. Slip it in my coat pocket. No, no, that won't do, Joe. It bulges right out. It's kind of springy. Jumps out just like a piece of pongee silk.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, it seems to.

[Ben Romero]

Well, it's still lightweight and easy to handle.

[Joe Friday]

Sure, plenty easy to carry. Just like that anyway.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, well made. Little pouch there. Seems a shame not to be able to use it.

[Joe Friday]

You smoke a pipe?

[Ben Romero]

No, you know that. Just cigarette. I'll find some use for it. Probably a hundred things a fella could use a little pouch like this for if he could just think of them. Right?

[Joe Friday]

O yeah, that's right.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Romero, you want to step in here for a minute?

[Joe Friday]

Right, Captain.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

You fellows know Inspector Smith, Post office, department.

[Ben Romero]

Sure. How are you, Romero?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Good to see you, Leo. How you doing, Joe?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Sit down, won't you?

[Adam Graham]

Thank you.

[Joe Friday]

Thanks very much.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Inspector Smith's over here on that mail thief case that we've been working on.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, yeah?

[Joe Friday]

Did you receive those reports we sent over to you yesterday?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

No, I haven't been to the office yet. Came straight over here.

[Joe Friday]

Burglary turned it over to us yesterday afternoon. Ben and I ran it down. Seems to us like it might fit in somewhere here.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Miller and Ashton have probably got your reports now. I was just gonna call in. Do you mind filling me in on it?

[Ben Romero]

Department house over on Alpharado. Landlady reported the theft of part of a mailbox out there.

[Joe Friday]

Somebody stole a master panel off the front of the community mailbox at the apartment house. Figure it must have happened sometime during the night.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, yeah, I believe we got something on that, too. A postman on the route reported it.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

That's how he's getting into the mailboxes. Steals the front panel, makes a key for himself. From then on, he's in business. Smart guy like we're after could put a key like that to good use. It fit a great many different mailboxes around town.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, it's the same mo. We've been on this guy for a long time. He pulled the same thing down in San Diego. Was knocking down about $2,000 a month. Then he laid out. Now he's at it again up here in la.

[Joe Friday]

Well, as you know, we've been getting reports of the thefts and the passing of the checks about 10 days ago.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, I know.

[Joe Friday]

We've got five checks passed by this same thief. According to handwriting analysis. We know it's the same guy.

[Ben Romero]

Talk to the victims and the bank tellers. Description of the guy seems to tally with what you people have on him.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, there's just one thing we haven't been able to piece out yet.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What's that, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

When he steals a check, how does he know what bank to Pass it on.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

I think we got the answer to that one.

[Joe Friday]

Well, let's say that he steals a letter. And we know he doesn't only hit the community mailboxes. Sometimes he goes to a private residence, fishes the letters right out of the mail slots. In that case, yeah, he's got some.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Kind of a gimmick he gets down in those slots with.

[Joe Friday]

That's what we figure, Leo. But we'll say after he's got a letter with a check in it. Now, it's easy enough for a good forger to put an endorsement on it, but how does he know what branch of the bank to pass it on?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, at some time or other, he's stealing bank statements as well. Maybe he's just lucky at the time he steals a check. There's other mail in the box, too. The victim's bank statements.

[Ben Romero]

Well, as far as that goes, I suppose he's stolen more than once from the same party. He could probably get away with bank statements easy.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's it. People never seem to report anything missing in the mails until weeks after it's happened.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

It's easy to see why they're not sure anything's wrong until they wait several days. They don't want to bother us in the case of anything routine like monthly bank statements.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

And in the case of a check, well, sometimes it's from a relative or someone who owes them money, and they don't want to embarrass him by writing or calling to find out about it.

[Joe Friday]

I suppose in the case of anything like a dividend check, we got a couple of those, Leo. The people who lose them just don't think it's time for them to arrive yet. So they just wait, huh?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's it. And that's why he's been so successful. Plus the fact that it takes about a week for any kind of check to be processed through central clearing at any bank, and then two, the bank wouldn't necessarily know that anything was wrong at that time.

[Ben Romero]

Until the bank receives a complaint from the party who missed the check. They couldn't have any way of knowing that anything was wrong.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's right.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Tell them what you were telling me this morning, Leo.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, you people aren't in it deep enough to know this yet, but this guy's been hitting the same branch bank maybe two, three times in a row.

[Ben Romero]

Not here in la, had he?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

No, not yet. It looks to us like he's just started up his operations here in town. That's the way he worked it down in San Diego.

[Joe Friday]

Well, it's easy enough to figure if he got a teller in some bank to go along with him, someone who didn't suspect him. And since the victims reported so late, he could get away with it at least that many times at the same bank, didn't he?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, if people report missing mail immediately, it'd make it a lot tougher for the thief.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

That last name on him still good?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Harvey Fletcher. That's where we're going on.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Yeah, we've got bulletins out to all the banks carrying that description on them. Any change earlier?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

WMA. Average build, 150, 160 pounds. Gray eyes, about 32 to 35. Well dressed, carries a briefcase. Likable personality.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

That's what we got.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, there's a little something we picked up yesterday from a bank teller. She told us the man had long sideburns. For what it's worth, you might add that.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, Don Myers in Handwriting has checked through his files, Leo. They haven't got anything on him, and the stats office hasn't been able to make him on his mo.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

We know you people are doing everything you can for us. We appreciate it.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, I wish we could do more.

[Joe Friday]

That name, Harvey Fletcher. Of the five checks that we've got on the guy, according to handwriting analysis on him, he's only used that name once. Rest of the time he signs the same last name as the payee's name on the face of the check.

[Ben Romero]

He passes himself off as a brother or husband or some relation to the rightful payee.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, that's what's taking in all those bank tellers. Plus a smooth personality. He's cool, collected, all the confidence in the world.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that figures.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

We got one day before yesterday with a little different twist isn't going to help us any. But here's the way he's working it. In some cases, deposits a large check to the victim's account, then he only takes out a small portion in cash. Throws the tellers off even more.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Here goes for the stats, Leo.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What's this?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Copies of the last five checks that we got on the day.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, yeah, thanks, Harry.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Myers says they're all in the same handwriting. Is there anything else we can do for you, Leo? We've got all the banks in the area covered. Got bulletins out on them.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, that's fine.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

I don't think we've overlooked anything. Patrol units have been alerted with this.

[Joe Friday]

Latest theft of that mailbox panel. It's too bad we can't localize his operations a little.

[Ben Romero]

Leo, didn't you Say that if he makes a key, that key would fit any number of boxes in the city. We couldn't pin him down to one neighborhood, could we?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's right. That key will work on different mail routes. He probably knows the neighborhood around Alvarado is hot. Now he'll leave it alone.

[Ben Romero]

Anyway, it's impossible to stake him out on the actual thefts of the mail. It's too bad we can't get to him through one of the banks when he cashes them all.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Your man Par and ours put together couldn't cover all the banks in LA at one time. But we've been spot checking throughout the city, hoping maybe to tab him just by luck.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Might get a break for one of our bulletins. Maybe some teller will spot him.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, I'm not sure yet. That's one of the reasons I came over here this morning. But maybe we've got a little something. What's that? Well, a bank out in Westwood phoned us yesterday. The teller thought she recognized the guy from his inscription. Didn't dawn on her till after the guy left her window. She rushed out in time to get the license number of his car.

[Joe Friday]

Maybe it's a break, huh?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, it looks pretty good. The check was drawn on the account of a William E. Scott. That's the number two victim here in la?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

That's right. You got the photo stat of his checks right there.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, I know. Everything seems to fit. This check he passed yesterday out in Westwood was probably stolen at the same time as the first one. Or at least it came from this Scott's mailbox. That we know.

[Ben Romero]

Well, didn't this William Scott report the theft of two checks? I know he didn't to us. Maybe he did to you.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

No, he didn't. Said he couldn't be sure. He gets quite a few checks through the mail. Owns a lot of stock, gets dividends.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Probably doesn't know when they come each month.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's right. He didn't miss the first one till it was way overdue. Might even be others missing. He doesn't know for sure yet.

[Joe Friday]

Well, anyway, he's positive on this latest one out in Westwood. That the bank teller caught, huh? Sure.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

As soon as the bank manager called him, he knew he hadn't authorized anybody to cash any of his checks. Does the M.O.

[Ben Romero]

Seem to match?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, that's what's got us going on. It looks real good. Smooth operator. Deposited part of the money, took the balance in cash. The major switch in his operation was the fact that he didn't go to the Victim's regular bank, as he did on that first check. Sounds good, doesn't it? We kind of think so. That's the reason I came over here this morning. Conway, our handwriting man, thinks it's the same as the guy we're after. He asked me to check it through Don Myers to be sure.

[Ben Romero]

What signature do you use on this last one?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Now, that's another part of the MO that checks out. You remember on the first check, he forged the victim's name, William Scott. And he made it a second party check by signing the phony name George Scott. Passing himself off as a nephew of the victim.

[Joe Friday]

Pretty smart. He goes to this victim's regular bank and he doesn't take the chance of being tabbed as the payee he covers by using that nephew gimmick.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, this time he goes to a different branch. Not the regular branch that the victim deals with, as in the first case. He simply forges the victim's name and lets it go at that.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Been doing anything on that license number?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, Ashton and Miller checked it out late yesterday afternoon. They're on it now. Need any help? Not so far. I'm interested in what Don Myers has to say about the handwriting. He ought to be through about now, huh?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

I'll give him a call.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Thanks, Harry.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Hello, Don.

[Ben Romero]

Who's this?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

This is Elliot. You know if Don's checked that stuff through for Inspector Smith yet? Okay.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Thanks. Law.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

No, that's all right. We'll get through. Don was called out of the office for a minute.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That was Sloan.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

He says he. Sure Don's finished with it.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, fine. You say when he'll be back?

[Captain Harry Elliott]

He just dug down to Thad Brown's office for a minute. I'll call down there for you.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That's all right. I'll walk down there myself. I need the exercise.

[Ben Romero]

Okay, you and I walk on down with you.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Swell. Let's go.

[Adam Graham]

All right.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

You fellas will be back here once?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, sure, as soon as I check with Myers.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

All right.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Which way is it from here? Hall looks the same from one end to the other.

[Joe Friday]

Goes this way, Leo.

[Ben Romero]

Okay. This affects you like the Federal Building does. Me, I get all turned around up there.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, those fellas down in San Diego had a rough go on this thing.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I was talking to McGuire and Ormsby down there just the other day. They said they were going around in circles on them.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

They broke a lot of ground for us. Checked out a lot of suspects, Cleared them. Checked out all that stuff that Breton from CII sent down.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You know how thorough that guy is.

[Ben Romero]

It figures they've done a lot of leg work.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Friday, you say you just talked to him down there?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right, Lynn.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, then you know about all those bulletins they got on the guy. Description, exemplars of his handwriting sent him to every police department in the United States.

[Ben Romero]

It's a big job.

[Joe Friday]

I'll go get Don. It's right in here.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Thanks, Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Right.

[Joe Friday]

Don. Yeah. Joe, Leo Smith from the post office. Department's waiting to see you.

[Ben Romero]

All right, Joe.

[Don Myers]

Just on my way back to the office here.

[Joe Friday]

Fine.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Hello, Don.

[Don Myers]

Sorry, Leo, I had to duck out for a minute.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, that's all right. Say, did you get a chance to look that sky check over? Yeah, I did.

[Don Myers]

Got a couple of things to show you back in the office.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Okay, fine.

[Don Myers]

Was Conway positive on this one?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, he said he felt we had the right man, but he wanted your opinion to be absolutely sure.

[Don Myers]

I couldn't be positive, but I think maybe he's your man. There's a great similarity, but too much pressure on the downstrokes. The E's, the O's, just not too sure. They're a little different than some of the previous samples of the guy's handwriting.

[Ben Romero]

Uh huh.

[Don Myers]

I can show you better back at the office.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Got a few things for you.

[Ben Romero]

Think there's a possibility, Don?

[Don Myers]

Let me put it this way. I won't say it is and I won't say it isn't. Let's pick them up and find out for sure.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Here we are. Go ahead, fellas.

[Don Myers]

I've blown those things up here.

[Ben Romero]

Uh huh.

[Captain Harry Elliott]

Call for you, Leo. I'm three.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Oh, thanks, Harry.

[Joe Friday]

Excuse me.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

The Smith talking.

[Ben Romero]

You did? Uh huh.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

We did. All right, look, why don't you bring him down a forgery detail here at the city hall. We'll talk to him. Here, write it.

[Ben Romero]

Right.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Thanks. Well, looks like the end of the trail. That was Ashton. He and Miller picked him up. He's our man. Admitted the forgery.

[Ben Romero]

Looks like San Diego did all the work and we get all the luck.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Anyway, we got him.

[Narrator]

You are in the Scientific Investigation division of a metropolitan police department. The ballistics room.

You have just heard a test bullet fired from a.38 caliber revolver found in the possession of a suspect.

The test slug is removed from the ballistics box and compared with the slug.

Found at the scene of the crime. There they are. Side by side. They look alike. But examination will prove a world of difference.

[Joe Friday]

In the routine solution of a case, the police officer is always benefited by the legwork of his fellow officers. In this case, the men of the San Diego Police Department in conjunction with the Post Office Department had done most of the spade work and the actual apprehension of the suspect appeared to be almost too easy on our end. Even though Ben and I hadn't participated in the physical arrest of the suspect, we felt the same gratification for the speedy solution of the case as did the postal authorities. Monday, March 3, 3:27pm Miller and Ashton of the Post Office Department brought the suspect in for questioning. The prisoner was turned over to Inspector Leo Smith. Ben and I sat in on the interrogation.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Carver, Gleason. That's your true name?

[Adam Graham]

Yes, sir, it is.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You say you've never been arrested before?

[Adam Graham]

No, sir, I never have.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You know we're going to check that out.

[Adam Graham]

Yes, sir.

[Ben Romero]

All right.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Now let's go over it again, the same way. That's up to you. We want the truth.

[Adam Graham]

I've told you the truth. You asked me questions about stealing mail, about forging checks. You said I was down in San Diego. Well, that's not true. None of it's true.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Have you ever stolen from the mails?

[Adam Graham]

No, sir, I never have. I know that's a pretty serious offense.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What makes you think forging? Isn't that what you're trying to say?

[Adam Graham]

No, I'm not. I didn't say that. But this was the first time I've ever done anything like this. I didn't even think about the consequences.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Should have thought about them. When's the last time you were in San Diego?

[Adam Graham]

I've never been there. I don't even know for sure where it is.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

How long you been in Los Angeles?

[Adam Graham]

About three months now.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Where's your home?

[Adam Graham]

Akron, Ohio.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

How old did you say you were?

[Adam Graham]

25.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What have you been doing since you got out here?

[Adam Graham]

It's just it, nothing. Can't find a job.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, how you been getting by? How you been living?

[Adam Graham]

Been staying down at the ymca? Hope Street? I guess it is.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What have you been doing for money?

[Adam Graham]

Well, my folks gave me a little when I left Akron. Thought I'd have a job by now. I didn't want to write home for anymore. So when I found that check, I figured I could get away with it. I needed money and I cashed it.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Where'd you say you found it?

[Adam Graham]

Over on that street out that way. La Cignega. Is that how you say it?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

La Cienega?

[Adam Graham]

Yeah.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What were you doing out there?

[Adam Graham]

Well, I was answering an ad in the classifieds, trying to find a job. I had to park the car down the street from the place. And on my way back, I found this check on the sidewalk, right near the bank, on the corner.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Where'd you get the car?

[Adam Graham]

It's my father's.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

The car is registered in your name with California plates. How do you explain that?

[Joe Friday]

Well, what?

[Adam Graham]

Folks told me when I got to California to go right to the authorities and register the car if I was gonna stay, so I wouldn't get in any trouble. That's where part of my money went.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You got anything else you wanna tell us?

[Adam Graham]

I did it. I admit that. I wanna make it up somehow. The check was for $57. I gave the men that arrested me 50 of it. And I spent $7.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yeah, that's all on the record.

[Adam Graham]

I did wrong. I'll pay the $7 back.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You can take that up with the judge. Gleason. Friday. Romero, you want to step outside with me a minute?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Right.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Gleason, you wait here with that officer.

[Adam Graham]

Yes, sir.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

What do you think?

[Ben Romero]

He's telling the truth. He's not the one we want.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

How about you, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I'll go along with Ben.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, that makes three of us.

[Joe Friday]

Monday, March 3, 5pm we went in and checked with Don Myers. In carefully going over exemplars of Carver Gleason's handwriting, he had definitely eliminated him as our suspect. Carver Gleason remained in custody awaiting trial. Three months went by during this time. The burglaries and forgeries continued. Suspects were picked up, checked out and released. We got nowhere. Tuesday, July 12th. We received a communication from Chief Adam Jensen of the San Diego Police Department, who stated he was forwarding a radiogram from Chief John W. Polsen of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Police Department. The radiogram from Chief Polsen stated that his handwriting man in Milwaukee had identified the suspect's handwriting as listed in one of the San Diego bulletins as belonging to Philip E. Holloway. Holloway was arrested two years previous on a reckless driving charge. The physical description of the man matched closely with the one that we had received on the suspect known to us as Harvey Fletcher. They further stated that although he was at one time a resident of Milwaukee, they had nothing further on him. It was just an outside chance, but we decided that in all probability, this could be the suspect's true name, Phillip E. Holloway. This information was forwarded to the postal authorities. Ben and I started to check through our channels to determine the whereabouts of the suspect, Philip E. Holloway, with a possible alias of Harvey Fletcher.

[Ben Romero]

That's it, Joe. Nothing in any of the phone books? Yeah. Covered everything. I can think of our records, sheriff's records. Nothing from CII utility companies.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, well, maybe Smith found something on him. We haven't got anything here.

[Ben Romero]

Think I'll give him a call, huh? Joe?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I'd like to know. That's extension 664.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, I know. No, 664. Hello. Inspector Smith, please.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

How's that? Oh, I see.

[Ben Romero]

No, that's all right. Thank you. On his way over here, he left five minutes ago.

[Joe Friday]

I sure hope he's got something.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Joe. Ben.

[Ben Romero]

Hi, Leo.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

I think maybe we ran it down.

[Ben Romero]

Good.

[Joe Friday]

How'd you do it? Through the postal service?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Yep. Didn't figure, did it?

[Joe Friday]

Well, we didn't think he'd stay put long enough to have a permanent address.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Well, he's been on the move, but we got the last known address on him. Received mail there two days ago.

[Ben Romero]

You want to check with Don Myers? He's been working over those exemplars Milwaukee sent us.

[Adam Graham]

I checked.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Called him about 15 minutes ago.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, we just got back from R and I.

[Joe Friday]

What do you have to say this time?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

He and Conway agree all the way this trip?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Holloway's our man.

[Joe Friday]

Together with the postal authorities, Ben and I helped in the 24 hour surveillance placed on the suspect, Philip E. Holloway. Our findings disclosed that he was living in a modest apartment house and he was employed by a local vacuum cleaner company as a door to door salesman. This type of occupation would enable anyone to have suspicion free access to any and all types of home mailboxes. The first three days of the surveillance failed to disclose any further incriminating evidence. Thursday, July 17th, 5th day of the 24 hour surveillance, 2:30pm Holloway came out of his apartment building, got into his car and drove approximately four miles to the Echo park residential district. He parked his car, got out and went up the steps of a small apartment house together with Inspector Leo Smith. Ben and I followed him.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

You want to pull up here, Ben? This is good.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

All right.

[Joe Friday]

He's going for that mailbox, isn't he?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

He's got the key. He's opening the panel.

[Ben Romero]

Not a worry in the world. Broad daylight. Look at that.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

He's got all the letters out of the box. Got them in his pocket on his way back to his car.

[Joe Friday]

Leo, there's a bank right up there on Sunset. See?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Okay, let's stay with him.

[Ben Romero]

How's it look, Joe? You can see up ahead there. Is he pulling out?

[Joe Friday]

Wait a minute. All right, let's go. Better pull up here, huh?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Look at that. Just like it was Blueprinted. Going right in the bank.

[Joe Friday]

Come on.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Joe, you see him?

[Ben Romero]

There he is.

[Joe Friday]

Second window.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Let's get in line. Right behind him.

[Ben Romero]

All right.

[Adam Graham]

Yes, sir, may I help you? Yes, I wonder if you can cash a check for me. Yes, sir. Would you endorse it, please?

[Ben Romero]

Surely. There you are.

[Adam Graham]

As you can see, this is one of my mother's checks. I guess I can cash it all right for her. Do you have any identification? I'm sorry, I don't.

[Joe Friday]

I'll say.

[Adam Graham]

I have this envelope to check with.

[Ben Romero]

Mailed in the left room. Yes, I think that's all right.

[Adam Graham]

How would you like this, sir?

[Inspector Leo Smith]

He doesn't want it anyway. Miss, just hold that check for us, please. Postal Inspector.

[Adam Graham]

Yes, sir.

[Ben Romero]

I beg your pardon.

[Adam Graham]

I believe you're making a mistake here.

[Joe Friday]

No, there's no mistake. Come on, step over here. Shake him down.

[Adam Graham]

I don't understand all this.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

That key you used over there on Baxter Street. That the one you made from that panel you stole over on Alvarado about four months ago?

[Ben Romero]

You know about that, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, we do.

[Ben Romero]

I did all right for a while, didn't I?

[Adam Graham]

That key angle's a pretty good one, isn't it?

[Ben Romero]

There isn't a lock in the world.

[Adam Graham]

I can't make a key for.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

We got one in mind you might have trouble with.

[Narrator]

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

On October 15, trial was held in United States District Court, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. The suspect, Philip Elwood Holloway, was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to 10 years in the federal penitentiary. Five years of his sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation. One of the conditions being that he make restitution of the stolen money.

Ladies and gentlemen, accidents of all types kill more persons from 1 to 35 years of age than does any single disease. America's homes and children can best be kept safe. If every father, mother and child Develops the personal responsibility. To know and observe home safety rules. Make home safety a family affair.

[Inspector Leo Smith]

Be careful.

[Narrator]

The life you save may be your own.

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.

Stay tuned for counterspy next over most NBC stations.

[Sam]

Welcome back. This is probably one of those episodes that's was more interesting to me. Due to my background in financial services. Than it will be to most of you with Dragnet. There's often this very fine balance between being educational and Being entertaining. And this one kind of fails on the entertainment side, though it should be said, the educational element was important in that time because, and for us listening 70 odd years later, it's an interesting cultural artifact. It captures the sort of psychological and consumer tendencies that made the thief's job easier in this area, like, you know, careless practices and not, you know, like not being aware of when you should be expecting your dividend checks, or having sort of these social psychological things where you're reluctant to ask people, like, you said, you sent me that payment, I don't have it in the mail. And then you have just the huge systematic problems such as the length of time it took to process checks and how people had to wait for their bank statements. And then of course, you have the identification standards that were used at bank branches. And even though this was recorded, recorded half a century before I got into the industry, there was a part of me inside screaming when the teller said she could take the envelope for identification. Of course, the consumer couldn't do anything about the processing issues, but they could do things to protect themselves in terms of being aware of when you receive your dividend checks and just being willing to call and say, I'm just checking, I know you sent it, but I'm wondering if it might have been lost in the mail, we might need to place a stop payment, those sort of things. And you can also see why there's been such an embrace of things like automatic payments, direct deposit, electronic brokerage, etc. Because those carry with them some risk of some high tech criminal activity. But in many ways that may be preferable to dealing with all of these sort of low tech scams and frauds that are very hard to track down. It's a lot easier to deal with encryption on a financial website than to have a situation where like, okay, well, we kind of need to be able to watch every mailbox in a single portion of Los Angeles. And of course, check processing would be moved forward after 9, 11, when planes were grounded. And it really slowed the entire economy down because you couldn't process checks. And I think what Dragnet was dealing with and the police officer at the time was sort of the growing pains of a changing world and the sort of banking practices that might have worked okay in a small town where everyone knew each other were not going to work. As technology advanced, as the ability of people to take advantage of the sort of shifting population of Los Angeles, a constant immigration, and this would happen in other cities as well, and this would be some of the impetus for some changes in the financial service industry. But in this episode of Dragnet, we just get some of the pain points that began that movement. The other thing that this highlights is the idea of interdepartmental cooperation, because the focus of Dragnet is on the work of the Los Angeles Police Department. But there are cases that require coordination with the feds and with other cities. And we saw that here where, you know, he worked with the postal inspector, with the San Diego Police Department, even got some help from the police department in Milwaukee, and they even let Inspector Smith deliver the zinger to the suspect. And you can't get much more cooperative than that on Dragnet. The world has changed a lot in the last 74 years. But one thing that hasn't you really can't get those coats back into their little packet. And that's pretty much true of everything that comes in a nice convenient pouch. You try to fit it back in and you're either gonna tear it or it won't look right. But in one way, it's something that an unchanging reality that gives you a bit of comfort, I guess. Alright, well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. And I want to thank Mick, patreon Supporter since June 2015, currently supporting the podcast at the Showmas level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Mick. And that will 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, like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. All those great things that help YouTube channels to grow. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet. But join us back here tomorrow. For yours truly, Johnny Dollar Wear the Mojave Desert.

[Narrator]

Thousands of square miles of sand, sun bleached gravel and rock, of cactus, sage and Joshua trees, high flat mesas, towering crags, countless trails leading off from the highway, long abandoned roads leading up into the harsh, bleak mountains with their promise of infinite wealth to the prospectors who scratched away in their hungry search for silver and gold. And who knows, perhaps some of these were trails of the pioneers beat a tortuous path westward to the great Pacific, who with their oxen and heavy wagons were lucky if they made six miles a day. Yet here I was, cruising along at an easy 60 miles an hour, and above me, a jet plane lazily tearing off 600 miles an hour. Yeah, it made me think about the men who lived and struggled here, the men who died of hunger and thirst, following the same path I was taking, never knowing that only a few miles away beyond the mountain, was the mighty Colorado. Water, food and life for those lucky enough to find it.

[Sam]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box13reatdetectives.net follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.