Dragnet: The Big Waiter (EP4849)

Summary

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The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Dragnet – The Big Waiter (EP4849)
Airdate: November 20, 2025 (original episode: Sept 13, 1951)
Host: Adam Graham

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Episode Overview

This episode features an installment from the classic radio crime drama Dragnet, titled "The Big Waiter." Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero investigate the brutal murder of a 64-year-old haberdashery owner, Joseph Wilford, found dead in the back of his Los Angeles store. As the detectives follow leads, they uncover a web of romantic entanglements and jealousy, culminating in a confession and the resolution of the case. Host Adam Graham provides insight and listener feedback after the dramatization.

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Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

The Crime and Initial Investigation

• Setting: Back room of a men’s clothing store, late Wednesday night.
• Crime: Joseph Wilford is found beaten and strangled; no initial trace of the killer.
  “He sure took a terrible beating. An elderly man.” – Joe Friday (06:00)
• Clues:
  • Body tied up with a woman’s slip knotted around his neck; severe head wounds.
  • Signs of a struggle—a ransacked room, overturned furniture.
  • Missing items: cash (approx. $700–$1,000) and a distinctive white gold wristwatch.

Questioning the Widow

• Character: Mrs. Agnes Wilford, the victim’s German-born wife.
• Revelations: Their marriage endured despite Joseph’s many affairs; she tolerated his infidelities. “For 10 years it’s been like this. There were many of them. Young women. Joseph didn’t try to hide it from me. I knew all about it.” – Mrs. Wilford (11:01)
• Possible Motive: Robbery for cash, but detectives are skeptical given the brutality involved.

The First Key Lead — The Nightgown and the Address Book

• Discovery: A black lace nightgown, gift-wrapped and addressed to "a beautiful girl," along with Joseph's address book.
• Significance: Nightgown gift raises questions about Wilford’s relationships. Mrs. Wilford offers the address book, listing women from Joseph’s circle.

Neighborhood Canvas and the Crime Lab

• Witness: Newsboy saw a dark-haired woman enter the store around 8:30pm.
• Physical Evidence: Woman’s slip used as murder weapon traced through laundry marks. “Lee Jones had examined it under a special fluorescent light. Found marking used by only one large laundry… the slip had been cleaned for a Ms. Elise Dressler.” – Joe Friday (14:56)

The Suspect: Elise Dressler and Max Hollins

• Elise Dressler: Showgirl, connected to Wilford via address book and laundry mark.
  • Claims innocence; worked at a club all evening.
  • Says she gave slips to be laundered to Max Hollins, who visited Wilford’s store.
  • Relationships: both Wilford and Max Hollins vied for her affection.
• Max Hollins:
  • Old friend of Wilford, brought Dressler from New York.
  • Had a heated argument with Wilford concerning Dressler, resulting in a fistfight.
  • His car yields bloodstained gloves. He’s described as a respected hotel room service manager.

Closing In – The Wristwatch and the Confession

• Pivot: Detectives find Wilford's engraved wristwatch with Hollins’ hotel assistant. “Same engraving. Agnes to Joseph.” – Joe Friday (19:38)
  • Assistant claims Hollins sold it to him.
• Interrogation at Hollins’ Hotel (20:58–25:36):
  • Hollins claims he left the store while Wilford was alive ("Everything was all right. I guess about half past six when I left…").
  • Deflects questions with reminiscences about his career and hotel service.
• Confrontation and Confession:
  • Faced with evidence, Hollins confesses to the murder, citing jealousy and financial inferiority to Wilford as motives. “I'm not sorry I killed him, but I’m not ashamed…I wanted to hurt him more, even after he was dead. After I beat, I knew it would be the worst way to hurt Joseph—to take his money.” – Max Hollins (27:17, 27:33)
  • Dismisses remorse: “Don’t you think I had a right to kill him?... Any man would have done the same.” (28:00)

Resolution

• Aftermath:
  • Max Hollins tried and convicted for murder; executed by gas chamber.
  • Case closes with Friday’s somber reflection on the nature of crime and human relationships. “The only time I met him, he was dead.” – Joe Friday (28:18)

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Host Adam Graham’s Commentary & Listener Feedback

(29:40–35:43)

Adam’s Insights:

• Observes the significance of the engraved wristwatch as a clue.
• Discusses character morality: the victim’s flaws versus the killer’s choices.
• Notes Dragnet’s scripting quirks: some recurring characters are omitted based on which actor is present.

Listener Comments:

• David: Notes a previous Dragnet episode, "The Big Crazy," is filled with Edgar Allan Poe references, hypothesizing about real-life inspiration versus literary invention. “…If I were to bet, I would think that the cat was something the writers created based on what was there, but who knows? Thanks so much for the question.” – Adam Graham

• Dr. Whodunit (Spotify): Comments on the mood in a “Mr. and Mrs. North” episode, noting how jazz music heightened the creepiness.

• Adam Graham Signs Off:

  • Thanks Patreon supporter Kevin for his ongoing support at the Detective Sergeant tier.
  • Invites listeners to subscribe, follow, and provide feedback.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Any man would have done the same. How could you hear such talk and not kill him?” – Max Hollins, confession scene (28:00)
• “You want to tell us about it?” – Joe Friday, confronting Hollins (26:49)
• Final Joe Friday reflection:

  “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t know, mister. The only time I met him, he was dead.” (28:18)

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Key Timestamps

• 04:15–07:10: Crime scene description and initial findings (body, possible robbery, brutality)
• 08:53–12:22: Mrs. Wilford’s testimony about marriage and husband’s affairs
• 14:56–15:57: Crime lab links murder weapon to Elise Dressler
• 16:04–18:09: Interview with Dressler, introduction of Max Hollins and motive triangle
• 19:12–19:41: Discovery of Wilford’s stolen watch
• 20:58–25:36: Extended scene of interrogation and stalling tactics at Hollins’ hotel job
• 27:17–28:18: Max Hollins’ full confession and psychological rationale
• 29:40–35:43: Adam Graham’s commentary and listener feedback

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Summary Tone

The episode masterfully balances classic Dragnet procedural precision with emotional depth surrounding infidelity and resentment. The dialogue is clipped, pragmatic, and loaded with mid-century police lingo and gravitas, especially Joe Friday’s iconic deadpan delivery. The murder’s solution highlights both the show’s dedication to methodical police work and its sobering, human focus.

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For fans of radio detectives, this episode is a compelling mixture of interpersonal drama and hardboiled detection. Adam Graham’s insights and listener engagement keep the spirit of Golden Age radio alive and meaningful for modern audiences.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

Limu Emu and Doug Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[Ben Romero]

Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera.

[Joe Friday]

They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes Massachusetts this is the story of the one As a maintenance supervisor at a.

[Ben Romero]

Manufacturing facility, he knows keeping the line up and running is a top priority.

[Joe Friday]

That's why he chooses Grainger.

[Ben Romero]

Because when a drive belt gets damaged, Grainger makes it easy to find the exact specs for the replacement product he.

[Joe Friday]

Needs and next day delivery helps ensure he'll have everything in place and running like clockwork. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Adam Graham]

Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch.

[Ben Romero]

Dutch provides 24.

[Adam Graham]

7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets.

[Ben Romero]

You can message a vet at any.

[Adam Graham]

Time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of.

[Ben Romero]

Mind when it comes to their vet care.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Sam.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But first I do want to encourage you if you are enjoying the podcast to 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, ID 83715 and become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month by going to patreon.greatdetectives.net now from September 13, 1951, here is the big waiter.

[Ben Romero]

The story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

You're assigned a homicide detail.

[Ben Romero]

A 64 year old shopkeeper is found murdered, beaten to death in the back.

[Joe Friday]

Room of his store.

[Ben Romero]

The body bears the Marks of a savage attack.

[Joe Friday]

There's no trace of the killer.

[Ben Romero]

Your job.

[Joe Friday]

Get him.

[Ben Romero]

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 from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

[Joe Friday]

It was Wednesday, February 19th. It was cloudy in Los Angeles. We were working the night. Watch out. A homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. We were on the way out from the office and it was 10:56pm and we got to 1016 South 12th Street. The apex man Shop.

[Ben Romero]

Yes, sir. Friday in Romero Central Homicide. ID card? Oh, yeah, Sergeant, Been waiting for you. My partner's upstairs in the back talking to the victim's wife.

[Joe Friday]

You answered the call, did you?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, that's right. Miles And Kever, unit 16R.

[Joe Friday]

Who are you?

[Ben Romero]

Miles? Kever's talking to Mrs. Wilford, victim's wife. She found the body. What's that up above? How's that music up there somewhere? Sounds like a party. Oh, yeah? Well, that's a. Takes a hole up the floor of the building. Wonderland Dance Hall. I think that's it.

[Joe Friday]

When was the body found, Miles? Do you know?

[Ben Romero]

Well, the wife wasn't very definite about it. She told her she came in the shop here about 10 o' clock tonight. Place was wide open, nobody behind the counter. Said she looked around a while. Finally found her husband's body in the storeroom back there. Nothing for a weak stomach. It's pretty brutal. What else do you have to say? Oh, not too much. She's pretty close mouthed. Probably the shock of finding her husband like that. I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

You want to show us where he is, Miles?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. It's straight back this way. The victim's name is Joseph Wilford. Owner of the store ran it himself. Wife says he's had the business here for 23 years. It's a typical men's shop. You can see that's around the left in here.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, go ahead.

[Ben Romero]

He used this for his storeroom, I guess. Well, that's it. Far as we know, the body hasn't been touched.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure took a terrible beating. An elderly man.

[Ben Romero]

My wife said he was 64 last birthday. She couldn't think of any enemies he has. Anybody want to do this? Where did he keep his cash? Did she tell you that?

[Joe Friday]

No.

[Ben Romero]

Cash register, I guess. Can't be sure Leighton Prince gets here.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Did you call the crime lab yet?

[Ben Romero]

I'm waiting for you fellows.

[Joe Friday]

You want to call him now? Would you mind?

[Ben Romero]

Oh, sure, sir.

[Joe Friday]

Say, you might as well call the coroner while you're at it. Tell him there's no big rush.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, right. Take a look around here, Jill. Looks like a tornado ripped through.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Chair overturned, Flows all over the floor. Yeah. Come here, Ben. Look at the body.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

His arms tied behind his back.

[Ben Romero]

Ordinary clothesline robe. What's that cloth knotted around his neck?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know. Looks like it could be a woman's slip, doesn't it? Whoever it was, they weren't taking any chances he'd lived through it. The wounds on the head here, the neck, see?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Looks like he was stamped on by boots, Something like that. Maybe a narrow heel. So brutal.

[Joe Friday]

Doesn't look too much like a robbery motive. Not from the beating he took, anyway.

[Ben Romero]

Looks like he might have had a taste for art. All over the wall. Here. Pin up, girls. Fancy calendar. I got the crime lab sergeant on the way out.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, thanks, Miles.

[Ben Romero]

Notified deputy coroner. Anything else I can do for you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Would you mind getting the wife down here, Ms. Wilford? We'd like to talk to her.

[Ben Romero]

Sure. Right away.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you.

[Ben Romero]

How's she feeling? Any hysterics? No, she's pretty quiet. She went upstairs to rest. A couple of housekeeping rooms up there. Guess that's where she and her husband live.

[Joe Friday]

Well, tell her she doesn't feel too well. We could come up there and talk to her.

[Ben Romero]

Right, sir. What do you think?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know. We'll see what the crime lab can come up with. We can start checking around the neighborhood after we talk to the wife, huh?

[Ben Romero]

Let me take a look here.

[Joe Friday]

What's that there?

[Ben Romero]

It's funny. Not much place in the haberdashery for things like this.

[Joe Friday]

Look. Woman's nightgown.

[Ben Romero]

Black lace, huh? Packed in a gift box. Is that a card there?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. See if we can read it without touching it. Says, to a beautiful girl, you've been away too long, hoping we'll never be parted again. Signed Joseph Wilford.

[Ben Romero]

Seems a little funny, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, it does.

[Ben Romero]

Maybe his wife's been on a trip. He's gonna give it to her as a present.

[Joe Friday]

When's the last time you gave your wife a black lace nightgown? 1105pm the two officers who'd answered the call, Miles and Keever, brought the victim's wife, Mrs. Agnes Wilfred, downstairs. And Ben and I questioned her. She was A small, slight woman. Dark hair, dark brown eyes, a sharp nose and chin. She looked to be in her early 50s. She said that both she and her husband had emigrated to America from northern Germany 25 years before. We asked her how her married life with Mr. Wilford had been, but she kept dodging the question. We asked her how she happened to find the body.

[Ben Romero]

The body's just as you found it, Mrs. Wilford. You didn't disturb anything?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, I just came back from a friend's and looked and I saw him, and he was dead. Somebody killed Joseph.

[Joe Friday]

You're pretty sure that your husband wasn't having any trouble with anybody? No enemies?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, he didn't have any enemies not to do this.

[Ben Romero]

Yes, ma'. Am. You lived upstairs in the back of the store with Mr. Wilford, is that right, ma'?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Am? For a long time, yes. We lived upstairs in the rooms. Was nice. Saved money for rent.

[Joe Friday]

Do you have any idea at all why your husband's dead? Why somebody'd want to kill him?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

There was money in the store. They'd kill for that, your policeman? People kill for money. You know that.

[Joe Friday]

Well, do you know where Mr. Wilford kept his money, ma'? Am?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

There was a wooden drawer and the table in the back room. He would keep the money there. But I looked when I came in first. It was empty.

[Joe Friday]

Was there any money in that drawer tonight, do you know that?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Oh, yes. Three, $400. Anyway, Joseph always kept it in there. That terrible place up above. The music all the time, the noise. You should make them be quiet. The dance halls have been up there for a year. Tonight. Anyway, they should be quiet.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'. Am.

[Ben Romero]

About the money Mr. Wilford had in the store.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Maybe a thousand dollars. Seven, eight hundred. Maybe that. Anyway. And then his wristwatch he had on. That's gone, too.

[Ben Romero]

Can you give us a description of the watch, Mrs. Wilford? What make it was what it looked like.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yes, I can give that to you. It's white gold. Expensive writing on the back. Agnes. Joseph. One birthday. I gave it to him.

[Joe Friday]

Have you been away from your husband recently, ma'? Am? I mean, on a trip or anything like that?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, I haven't been away. Why?

[Joe Friday]

Well, we don't mean to upset you at a time like this, but would you know if your husband had any women friends?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Ms. Wilford, if you have a cigarette, I'd like one.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, yes, ma'.

[Joe Friday]

Am.

[Ben Romero]

Here you are.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Thank you very much.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you for your likeness.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Thank you. Hmm. Do we have to talk about it?

[Ben Romero]

I'm afraid so, ma'.

[Joe Friday]

Am.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Most of them I know. For 10 years it's been like this. There were many of them. Young women. Joseph didn't try to hide it from me. I knew all about it.

[Joe Friday]

You continued to live with your husband all this time?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Man, I did. He'd bring the girls to the shop here Sometimes. When they'd come, I'd go away for a while. After they were gone, I'd come back. Joseph and I would never talk about it.

[Joe Friday]

You mean you never had any arguments with your husband about the women?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, he never lied to me about the girls. He had them, that's all. It was something he expected me to understand.

[Joe Friday]

I see.

[Ben Romero]

You say you knew several of these women your husband went out with. Could you give us their name?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yes. There's an address book upstairs in Joseph's desk. The names are in there.

[Joe Friday]

I see. Would you mind showing us that address book now, please?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yes, we can go upstairs. I'll get it for you.

[Ben Romero]

There's one question I'd like to ask you, Mrs. Wilford. You don't mind?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yes.

[Ben Romero]

About your husband, ma'.

[Joe Friday]

Am.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

I don't know. Hurt very much at first. And then by and by. Didn't hurt so much. Time, I guess. Habit.

[Ben Romero]

Beg your pardon?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

A habit you want to. You can get used to anything.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'.

[Ben Romero]

Am.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Even a man who doesn't love you anymore.

[Joe Friday]

We went upstairs to the housekeeping rooms. Where Mrs. Wilford gave us her husband's personal address book. She also gave us a description of his wristwatch which had been removed. Removed from the body. Along with the name of the jeweler who'd sold her the watch. It was a Hamilton with a diamond studded dial. The crime lab crew arrived downstairs and began their routine investigation. We finished questioning the victim's wife and then we started checking the neighborhood. Only a few of the stores in the area were still open. We found only one possible witness. A newsboy who told us that he'd seen an attractive dark haired woman enter the store earlier in the night at about 8:30pm his description of her was only sketchy. Another hour of checking the neighborhood and we went back to the store. Lt. Lee Jones and the crime lab crew finished checking over the entire layout. They went back downtown to give a thorough examination to what physical evidence that they'd found. The deputy coroner arrived and removed the body. Together with Hubkin Forbes from Homicide. Ben and I spent most of the next day checking with store owners in the immediate neighborhood of Wilford's Haberdashery. They could tell us nothing we hadn't Already found. We got the description and serial numbers of the victim's missing wristwatch. Notified the pawn shop detail and got out a broadcast on it. 3:45pm we checked with the office.

[Ben Romero]

We got a slow enough start on this thing, huh? Everybody tells us the same story.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, seems to be pretty common knowledge he had a lot of girlfriends. I guess we better start checking out the names in that address book, huh?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Sure beats all, doesn't it, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Ben Romero]

Mrs. Wilt. For ten years her husband's dating other women right in front of her. Tisn't normal. Can't see why she didn't just pack up and leave.

[Joe Friday]

It's kind of hard to figure it that maybe she was still in love with him. Wonder how Forbes and Hubka made out.

[Ben Romero]

I'll check the book, see if we got a call.

[Joe Friday]

Okay.

[Ben Romero]

See? No.

[Joe Friday]

No word from him, huh? No.

[Ben Romero]

Lee Jones called from the crime lab. Wants us to check with him. I'll call him.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, fine.

[Ben Romero]

2667, please. That's right.

[Joe Friday]

Guess we better check with the morgue too, huh? See if they got the body posted yet.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Hi. Lee Romero. What was it? Did you get the name? I see. All right, bye. What do you have, Lee? Talked to the coroner already. Wilfred died about 9 o'.

[Joe Friday]

Clock.

[Ben Romero]

Cause of death was strangulation.

[Joe Friday]

How about those wounds on the head and on the neck?

[Ben Romero]

That didn't do it. The cloth tied around his neck was a woman's slip. All right.

[Joe Friday]

Did he pick up anything off it? Any laundry marks?

[Ben Romero]

He did better than that. Yeah. Got the name of the laundry.

[Joe Friday]

After checking for all stains and markings on the woman's slip which had been been found knotted around the murder victim's neck. Lee Jones had examined it under a special fluorescent light. He found a type of marking used by only one large laundry service in the city. We checked with the managers of the laundry company and found that the slip had been cleaned by them for a Ms. Elise Dressler. She had a North Hudson street address. We started checking on her. The first lead came from the dead man's personal address book. We found the name of Elise Dressler listed along with her address and telephone number. There was a single word scribbled beside her name and enclosed with parenthesis it said Max. That was all. 5:42pm we drove out to the address, a Spanish style apartment house on North Hudson. We rang, but there was no answer. The apartment manager told us Ms. Dressler worked as a dancer at a nightclub on West 7th Street. Ben and I drove to the club A high priced theater restaurant which was newly opened. We were told Elise Dressler wasn't due there until 9pm we had a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches and some coffee at a lunch counter. And we checked back at the club. A few minutes past nine. The show was already started. We located the Dressler girl in her room backstage. She was a tall, fairly attractive blonde. We started questioning her.

[Ben Romero]

Can you tell us where you were last night, Miss? Yeah, all right.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Here. I work every night but Monday. We close then.

[Joe Friday]

What time did you get here last night?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Just about 8 o'.

[Joe Friday]

Clock.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

I had something to eat and then I changed to my costume, went to work.

[Ben Romero]

Do you know if Mr. Wilfred had any enemies? Maybe somebody he was having trouble with?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No. Maybe that wife of his. It's none of my business. I wouldn't know.

[Joe Friday]

You can't think of anybody at all who might want him out of the way?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, I don't think so. He and Max Hollins had some arguments. But that's the only time I saw Joe mad at anybody.

[Joe Friday]

Who's this Max Hollins?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

He's the man who arranged for me to come out from New York. Joe and Max been friends for a long time.

[Ben Romero]

What were the arguments about, Ms. Dressler? Do you remember?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yeah, about me. You see, Max brought me out here and I suppose at first he thought he owned me. He didn't think I should go out with any other men but him. Max is stubborn sometimes. Well, so am I. I like Wilford, so I went out with him. I went out with Max too.

[Joe Friday]

Now these arguments they had about you. Would you say that they were pretty mad at each other? Max and this Mr. Wilford?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Only last week Max was very angry with Joe, but I think he got over it. Could we talk together later? It's almost time for me to go on. I've got to get outside.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, sure.

[Joe Friday]

Excuse me.

[Ben Romero]

I'll get it.

[Joe Friday]

We'll wait backstage here for you, Ms. Dressler.

[Ben Romero]

Is that all right?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yeah, fine. Oh, it's all right. I still have a few minutes.

[Joe Friday]

Well, how about the last time you were in Wilford's store, Ms. Dressler? Can you remember that?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Not exactly. At least six months ago. I hardly ever went to see Joe there.

[Ben Romero]

Did you ever have any occasion to leave any clothing with Wilfred in his store? Maybe for a cleaning alteration?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, I never left. And maybe it's possible they could be there.

[Joe Friday]

How do you mean?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Well, I have some nice slips, you know. First I sent him out, but Joe said he knew a very nice French laundry to do them. He'd come to my place, pick them up and then take them to the laundry. Maybe he could have left them in his shop one day.

[Joe Friday]

Well, would anybody besides yourself have access to the clothes in your apartment? Maybe a roommate?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

No, I live by myself. I have the only key to the door. Except Max Hollins. He's got one. He lives in my apartment house, the upstairs floor. Nobody else has a key.

[Ben Romero]

Did you send any clothing to the French laundry with Mr. Wilford recently?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Yesterday I did. Two nice slips of mine. But Joe Wilford didn't call for him. I said, I'm over with Max.

[Joe Friday]

How'd that happen?

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

Max said he might as well take him. He was going down that neighborhood by the haberdasher. I wanted to see Wilfred. Anyway, Max said he wanted to fix up their argument.

[Joe Friday]

We continued questioning the Dressler girl after she finished her first act at the theater restaurant. She told us that she hadn't seen Max Hollins since early the day before. She was taken downtown, where she gave us a full statement. Further questioning got us the information that the argument between the two men, Joseph Wilfred and Max Hollins over the affections of Elise Dressler was far from settled. At their last meeting, the girl admitted that it was a serious argument and that it ended up in a fistfight between the two men. She said Max Hollins was out of town for the night, but that he'd return early the next evening for work. He was employed as manager of a room service department at a large downtown hotel. 11:30pm Ben and I drove back to the apartment house on North Hudson. And together with a building manager, we checked Max Holland's apartment. We found nothing. The manager told us Holland's car was parked in the apartment garage. So we went down and gave it a routine check. Under the front seat we found a paper bag with a pair of gloves in it. There were blood stains on both gloves. We dropped them off at the crime lab for examination. At six o' clock the following night, Ben and I went to the room service department of the downtown hotel where Hollins was employed.

[Ben Romero]

Sorry, sir.

[Joe Friday]

Mr. Hollins is late this evening. He should be here pretty soon.

[Ben Romero]

He notify you he'd be in late? Well, he called. Yes. Probably be here in 10 or 15 minutes. I'm his assistant.

[Joe Friday]

Can I help you?

[Ben Romero]

No, it's all right.

[Joe Friday]

We'll wait. All right. Pardon me. I wonder if we could look at your wristwatch, please. Surely it's just a few minutes past. No, we just want to look at the watch, if we could.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, sure. Here.

[Joe Friday]

Could you take it off. I'd like to look at the back of it, if it's all right.

[Ben Romero]

Sure, that's all right. Here. Nice looking, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

Just got it yesterday, that's all.

[Ben Romero]

Same engraving. Agnes to Joseph.

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you get this watch, sir?

[Ben Romero]

Why? What's the matter?

[Joe Friday]

Where'd you get it?

[Ben Romero]

Max Hollins. He sold it to me. Foreign. You are listening to Dragnet. Actual stories from official police files.

[Joe Friday]

February 21, Friday, 6:30pm we called the office and notified them that we'd located the wristwatch taken from the body of the murder victim, Joseph Wilfred. A stakeout was placed on the North Hudson street apartment house. Ben and I stayed on at the hotel waiting the return of the murder suspect, Max Hollins. We talked to his assistant and found out that Hollins had a room in the hotel where he could sleep whenever he was called on to work. Late at night, 6:55pm we called the office back and asked for a couple of men to be sent over to check the suspect's room. A few minutes later, Hollins himself showed up for work. Apparently he'd been doing some drinking. Ben and I questioned him at his desk to stall for time until the men from the office could get to the hotel and make a thorough check of the suspect's room. Hollins was kept busy on the phone, taking room service orders from the hotel guests. In between calls, we talked to him.

[Ben Romero]

I left Elise in the apartment and then I took the few pieces of laundry she had and dropped them off at Wilfred's store. It was about 6 o' clock Wednesday night. You mentioned to the Dressler girl you wanted to see Mr. Wilford. You wanted to pick an argument you'd had with him. Yes. I just wanted to make sure he didn't have any bad feelings about it. Really wasn't much of an argument.

[Joe Friday]

How long did you stay at Wilford's store, Mr. Hollins? Do you remember then?

[Ben Romero]

20 minutes, maybe a half hour. We talked and we had a glass of wine in the back room. No, it was upstairs. We drank the wine and everything was all right. I guess it was about half past six when I left the store. It was all right then.

[Joe Friday]

Well, did anybody come in the store while you were there?

[Ben Romero]

No, there was nobody. How about Mrs. Wilford? Was she in the store at all during the time you were there on Wednesday? No, he said she was gone for the day. She'd be back later on. We finished our talk, then I left. The last time I saw Joseph, it was a terrible thing. Somebody to kill Him. Excuse me again, please.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir. Go ahead.

[Ben Romero]

Room service. May I help you, please? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well, could I suggest the Palace Court salad? Very nice. Yes. Types of artichokes filled with fresh crab meat. A thousand island dressing garnished with slices of avocado. All right. Two orders. Some consummate. All right. French rolls, coffee and brandy. 813. Yes, sir. Right away. Fred, this order for 8 13. Yes, Mr. Hollins. That's Mr. And Mrs. Morrow. 8 13. Make it quickly, please. Yes, sir. One of the best men I have, Fred. We keep a very high standard in our room service. Only the very best. They're all Geneva men. Yes, sir. Something else we'd like to find out. 21 years ago, I came here to the hotel. There's nothing. They were serving garbage. Bad service? Very bad. I built our staff one by one. I did it. There's our staff list there. Finest waiters in the country. Henry Sanchez, Fred LaSalle, Conrad Lutz, Joe Zwick.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, sir.

[Ben Romero]

And Elmer Creighton. He waited on the President when he came to visit here from Washington. The president thought so much of our service, he wrote a letter to Elmer later on. No argument at all. I have the best spent in the country. The best, best food. 21 years to make it like it is. I did it all myself.

[Joe Friday]

I understand you and Wilfred were old friends, Mr. Hollins. You knew him quite a number of years.

[Ben Romero]

Most of his life, yes. I knew Joseph in the old country. We came from the same town. Terrible thing that's happened. I always liked Joseph. A good friend. What about these arguments you had with him lately about the girl, Elise Dressler? They amount to anything? No, but it showed something typical of Joseph. Maybe it was the business he was in. Dollars. It's all he thought about. The big dollar. He knew he had more money than I did. He thought he could do anything with it.

[Joe Friday]

How do you mean?

[Ben Romero]

About the girl, Elise. I took a visit to the old country three years ago. Strasbourg. That's where I learned my trade from the best maitre Ds in Europe. I met Elise on my way back in New York. You can check up on all my background. I worked at the Grand Hotel in Brussels. That's when it was the best. I was at the Carlton in London. Then I went to Venice. The Hotel Danieli. After, I went to the Hotel Majestic in Cannes. Yes, sir. What would that have to do with Ms. Bressner? Very nice girl. We liked each other. When I came back here, I arranged for her to come out from New York. Took Care of everything. I thought I'd like to marry her when she came here.

[Joe Friday]

How about it, Hollins? You want to tell us now?

[Ben Romero]

Yes, sir.

[Joe Friday]

Did you kill Wilfred?

[Ben Romero]

Excuse me, please. Room service. May I help you, please? Yes, Mr. Sutter. Dinner for 12, tomorrow night in your suite. Your wife and I made up the menu. Certainly, Mr. Sutter. I'll check it over for you. Let's see. We serve caviar with Pliny to start with. Then the soup consomme Magdalene. And with the soup among teat.

[Joe Friday]

Otto.

[Ben Romero]

Yes, sir. That's Spanish. Then crab legs. St. Denis, sir. St. Denis, that's crab legs rolled in breadcrumbs, fried in butter, served in a terrapin dish with bechamel sauce. After that, the chateaubriand with truffle sauce, souffle potatoes, small green peaches. And with that we serve Ponteconet 27. Dessert, we shall have peach flambe. Coffee and liqueurs afterwards. Yes, sir. Henry Sanchez and Conrad Lutz. They'll serve you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sutter. Good night. Real gentleman, Mr. Sutter. He knows how to give a dinner party. The old school. Not so many of them left now. It's not like it used to be. People aren't the same anymore. Oh, yes, Fred, what is it? A message for the officers. Here, Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, thank you. Excuse us a minute, will you?

[Ben Romero]

Oh, of course. What is it?

[Joe Friday]

It's from Forbes. I checked his room in the hotel. I didn't find anything.

[Ben Romero]

Better get him downtown, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Hollins. We'll have to ask you to come downtown.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, yes. Get my top coat on. Here. There. Out this way. Sergeant. You park your car in the hotel garage? No, Sir. Outside on 10th Street. You can go out the side door. Then this way. It's starting to rain. You both have your top coat, yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Yes. Well, let's go. We're parked right down this way.

[Ben Romero]

What did Elise say? Elise Dressley?

[Joe Friday]

She said you had a fight with Wilfrid. You went to see him the same day he was murdered.

[Ben Romero]

Yes. It's terrible. It's too bad. Might as well tell you, sir. We've got the evidence. Quite a bit of it all points to you. Oh? How is that?

[Joe Friday]

Well, the pair of gloves you were wearing, we found them. The wristwatch you took off the body, we found that too. Yes. You want to tell us about it?

[Ben Romero]

I didn't use good sense. I didn't know what to do when I went to see him, but I. I didn't have it in my mind to kill him. God knows I tried to Talk to him. I asked him please to stay away from the lease. I asked him as a friend. Yes, sir. All he said to me was, Max, I give her presents and she likes me. I have the money to give her what she wants. Max, you haven't got the money. That's what he said to me.

[Joe Friday]

He had a fight with him then?

[Ben Romero]

No, there wasn't any fight. Bite? I'm not sorry I killed him, but I'm not sorry.

[Joe Friday]

You want to give us a statement.

[Ben Romero]

About it downtown, I suppose. I'm not ashamed of it.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Let's go down this way.

[Ben Romero]

Any man would have done the same. How could you hear such talk and not kill him? How about the wristwatch you took off of him? The money from the drawer? I wanted to hurt him more, even after he was dead. After I beat. I knew it would be the worst way to hurt Joseph. To take his money. Here we are in the back. Yeah. Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

I've told you now. I killed him. Don't you think I had a right to kill him?

[Joe Friday]

I wouldn't know.

[Ben Romero]

But he was like that. The first time you met Joseph. You. You would know he was bad. It was better for everybody for him to die. First time you met him. You would know that.

[Joe Friday]

I'm sorry. I wouldn't know. Mister. What? The only time I met him, he was dead.

[Ben Romero]

The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On 6-4-20, trial was held in Superior Court Department 89, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial. Max Hollins was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California.

[Joe Friday]

You have just heard Dragnet.

[Ben Romero]

A series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of.

[Joe Friday]

Chief of Police W.H.

[Ben Romero]

Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Stay tuned for counterspy next on NBC.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. I would feel a bit more sorry for the assistant getting taken for that stolen watch. But it did have that engraving which should have been a clue. But that he wouldn't even think to check. Perhaps speaks to the amount of respect that the killer had within his industry. And sadly forfeited. I have no doubt about the victim being a bad person, independent of him. And whether you could tell it or not, if you really could tell it first time you talk to him, then the question is, what were you doing being his friend for so many years? I have noticed that the way the episodes tend to work. If Herb Butterfield plays a character then Lee Jones will not end up appearing in the episode even if he is providing key information. It will all just be carried forward by exposition, listener comments and feedback now. And we have an email here from David and he's emailing regarding the episode the Big Crazy. Hi Adam, I've heard this episode before, but it didn't hit me until this time that it's basically a Dragnet Halloween episode, although it was broadcast in August. Besides the reference to Markon that you noted, there are a lot of Edgar Allan Poe references. The name of the murdered woman is Bernice, which is similar to the titular character in Poe's story Bernice, which is about a mentally disturbed man whose fiance is thought to be dead, but who actually isn't. The twin sisters are reminiscent of Poe's story William Wilson, which is about doppelgangers and death, although a very different way from this episode. In Poe's story the Black Cat, the main character and his wife have a cat that the main character murders. He then murders his wife and her body is discovered because of the meowing of a supernatural cat. The scene where the mentally disturbed husband is with the two policemen and gradually acts more and more erratic until he confesses to a murder is straight out of the Telltale Heart. Since this is Dragnet, this case must have been based on a real life event, but I would really love to know how close it was to the true story and how many references to Poe were worked into the story, or if I'm just seeing patterns where none exist. As always, thanks for your podcast and the countless hours of entertainment you bring us. Well, that is a really insightful email, David, and not something I'd picked up on because it was Dragnet. But I can see where you're coming from, and it makes sense to notice that as it was released this year right around Halloween time. As with most Dragnet cases, it's particularly rare for us to have a firm knowledge of oh yeah, this is the case they were talking about. We don't know. If I were to speculate, I'd imagine that there were portions of the story that were very reminiscent. I mean, even if you get to the ending where the man breaks down, confesses, and kills himself because of someone pretending to be his dead wife and him being a somewhat disturbed mystery fan, it really would suggest that type of treatment. But it would be interesting to know, like where is the fiction and where is the reality? If I were to bet, I would think that the cat was something the writers created based on what was there, but who knows? Thanks so much for the question. And then we also have a comment regarding our best of the 2024, 25 season. This coming from Spotify. Dr. Whodunit wrote the Mr. And Mrs. North episode was like the Twilight Zone. For some reason, the addition of jazz music made it extra creepy. It's an interesting choice. When it comes to creepy or scary music, there are a lot of choices out there. There are certain pieces of classical music or other types of organ or orchestral music that can create this sort of moody atmosphere. But where jazz I think can really work in that context is it works in another way. Just kind of to create that sort of feeling of alarm and panic when it comes at you with that really fast pace. Much more like a frantic build. But I definitely agree the music was a big part of what made that episode work. Alright, well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. And I want to go ahead and thank Kevin, Patreon supporter since July, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Kevin. 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, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow. For yours truly, Johnny Dollar, where.

[Joe Friday]

You.

[Ben Romero]

Say that when you saw who the beneficiary is, a worthless nephew of Bill's who hangs around the pool rooms in Colorado Springs, has been in a couple of scrapes with a law. Oh yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Let me see if I can open this H.

[Mrs. Agnes Wilford]

There.

[Ben Romero]

Maybe the catch is stuck.

[Joe Friday]

I get it.

[Adam Graham]

You know.

[Ben Romero]

Anyhow, I've always felt this Tommy Walker wouldn't stop short of murder if he thought of that. There you are. Oh, good and holy, Craig. Hey, look at all those crazy wires. No wonder she was missing. You didn't put that wiring in there. Are you kidding, Ray? Come on, hit the deck, huh? Come on. The side of the road. Back of this rock.

[Joe Friday]

What?

[Ben Romero]

What the matter? All right, get down fast. What's got into you, Johnny? And look. No, you look, Johnny.

[Adam Graham]

Holy smoke. I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to Box13GreatJectives.net Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives and check us out on Instagram. You Instagram. Com Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.