Dragnet: The Big Break (EP4634)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives Present Dragnet (Old Time Radio) – "Dragnet: The Big Break (EP4634)"

Host: Adam Graham
Release Date: February 22, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Great Detectives Present Dragnet, host Adam Graham delves into "Dragnet: The Big Break," a gripping Old Time Radio episode that chronicles the relentless pursuit of the notorious criminal George R. Hoffman. Graham provides insightful commentary, comparing the radio version to its television counterpart and offering deeper analysis into the narrative and characters.

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Episode Overview

Timestamp [03:38] – Opening Narration

The episode begins with the classic Dragnet introduction:

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

This sets the stage for a detailed recounting of George Hoffman's criminal activities and the police force's efforts to apprehend him.

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Case Background

Timestamp [04:38] – Initial Incident

Detective Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner, Ben Romero, are introduced as they prepare to tackle the case against Hoffman, a seasoned criminal with a long record of theft and armed robbery.

Ben Romero: "18 robberies in three months. You know the guy as well as I do."

Joe Friday: "Yeah. What's your guess? His name was Hoffman, George R."

Hoffman's criminal history is outlined, highlighting his repeated offenses and previous incarcerations, emphasizing his dangerousness and the challenge he poses to law enforcement.

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The Pursuit

Timestamp [05:12] – Tracking Hoffman

Joe Friday and Ben Romero receive a tip about Hoffman's whereabouts—hiding in a bungalow at 2100 Buchanan Avenue. The detectives approach the scene with caution, aware of Hoffman's propensity for violence.

Joe Friday: "He's heavy on guns. Two revolvers and a hunting rifle. Yeah, he's not shy about using them."

Their strategic approach involves collaborating with other officers to corner Hoffman, leading to a tense confrontation.

Timestamp [07:28] – Attempted Arrest

During the attempted arrest, Hoffman proves elusive, managing to escape once more despite the detectives' efforts.

Ben Romero: "Throw out your guns. Okay, Ben, give it back to you."

Joe Friday: "What do you think, Joe?... Hoffman, you haven't got a chance."

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Hoffman's Escape and Recapture

Timestamp [10:14] – Hoffman's Escape

Hoffman, demonstrating his cunning, escapes custody by exploiting a moment of opportunity during his shower room visit in jail. His escape is meticulously detailed, showcasing his physical prowess and determination.

Joe Friday: "He succeeded in forcing his way out through one of the windows, climbed up one story to the roof."

Despite Hoffman's efforts, the detectives continue their pursuit, highlighting the challenges of capturing a seasoned criminal.

Timestamp [16:03] – Breakthrough

A breakthrough occurs when Hoffman is spotted purchasing a train ticket, leading Joe Friday and Ben Romero to a hobby shop where Hoffman is eventually apprehended.

Ben Romero: "That's Hoffman. Come on, pick it up."

Joe Friday: "Drop it. All right, Hoffman."

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Trial and Aftermath

Timestamp [28:02] – Trial and Conviction

The episode concludes with Hoffman's trial:

Narrator: "George R. Hoffman was tried and convicted on several counts of robbery and received a life sentence as a hardened criminal."

Despite an initial escape attempt, Hoffman's capture leads to his eventual sentencing. The narrative also touches upon Hoffman's later attempts to escape and his unfortunate demise in prison.

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Host's Commentary

Timestamp [30:27] – Adam Graham's Analysis

Adam Graham offers his perspective on the episode, comparing the radio version to the television adaptation. He praises the radio storytelling while acknowledging his preference for the TV version's visual elements and casting.

Adam Graham: "One thing I hadn't noticed was the bit where Hoffman failed to start the car because he didn't turn the ignition over. This little detail did a good job of illustrating that despite all of his viciousness and cunning, he lacks the sort of cool-headedness..."

Graham addresses criticisms from IMDb reviews, defending the episode's portrayal of law enforcement and emphasizing the determined professionalism of Detective Friday and his team.

Adam Graham: "The big break is actually a story about a very dangerous, very cunning criminal running up against the determined and steady of a professional police force ready to take him the moment he makes a mistake."

He underscores the realistic depiction of police work, highlighting the balance between showcasing police competence and acknowledging procedural challenges.

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Listener Interaction and Support

Throughout the episode, Adam Graham engages with listener feedback, reading letters and acknowledging Patreon supporters. He encourages more support and interaction, fostering a community around classic detective storytelling.

Listener Letter (Jackie and Paul): "Thank you so much for your Adams Old Time Radio podcast. My husband and I have been thoroughly enjoying yours truly, Johnny Dollar..."

Adam Graham: "If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software."

Graham also announces upcoming episodes and special features, such as public domain video theater episodes, ensuring listeners remain engaged and informed.

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Notable Quotes

1. Joe Friday on Hoffman's Danger:

   "[05:12] Joe Friday: He's heavy on guns. Two revolvers and a hunting rifle. Yeah, he's not shy about using them."

2. Ben Romero on Hoffman's Criminal Record:

   "[05:41] Ben Romero: What's your guess? His name was Hoffman, George R. In our files. His criminal record dated back to high school days..."

3. Hoffman's Confidence:

   *"[27:46] Ben Romero: All right, mister, let's go."
   "[27:52] Ben Romero: You're going right back in again."

4. Host Adam Graham on Police Portrayal:

   "[30:27] Adam Graham: ... Dragnet was actually a story about a very dangerous, very cunning criminal running up against the determined and steady of a professional police force ready to take him the moment he makes a mistake."

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Conclusion

"Dragnet: The Big Break" effectively captures the essence of police procedural drama through the pursuit of George Hoffman. The episode highlights themes of perseverance, professionalism, and the intricate cat-and-mouse dynamics between law enforcement and criminal elements. Adam Graham's detailed analysis enriches the listening experience, providing historical context and addressing modern critiques, making it a valuable episode for both longtime fans and new listeners interested in classic detective narratives.

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Note: This summary excludes advertisements, intros, and outros, focusing solely on the narrative and critical discussions within the episode.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

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[Adam Graham]

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[Ben Romero]

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[Adam Graham]

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[Ben Romero]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet, but I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners and you can support the show with a one time donation by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O. box 15913. That's P.O. box 15913, Boise, ID 83715. And I just visited our P.O. box and have some checks. So I want to thank some listeners for their support. Thank you to Jacqueline and Paul, to Pat, to Frances, and to Carolyn. Again, thank you so much for sending along a donation to the PO Box. You can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month. And I want to welcome Kay at the shamas level of $4 or more per month and Melanie at the detective sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month for becoming our latest Patreon supporters. Now from December 14, 1950, here is.

[Narrator]

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[Joe Friday]

The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to robbery detailed. You've been tracking a hold up man for months. You finally get a line on where he's hiding. You know he's dangerous, well armed. Your job. 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.

[Ben Romero]

It was Wednesday, March 18. It was cold in Los Angeles. We're working the night watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Ed Walker. My name's Friday. It was 9:48pm when I got to room 27. A robbery detail.

[Joe Friday]

Joe. Hi.

[Ben Romero]

You ready to go?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. We better hustle. Here's your top coat, Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, thank you. Ben.

[Joe Friday]

Huh.

[Ben Romero]

Where's Tom?

[Joe Friday]

We can pick him up down the hall. He's checking out some tear gas. Shelves might need him. How about the address?

[Ben Romero]

You confirm it? 2100 Buchanan Avenue. It's a corner house, skipper.

[Joe Friday]

You know what to expect when you get out there. Don't take any chances. He's alone in the house. That right? Supposed to be, yeah. That won't give you much of a break.

[Ben Romero]

How do you mean?

[Joe Friday]

He's heavy on guns. Two revolvers and a hunting rifle. Yeah, he's not shy about using them. Don't forget it.

[Ben Romero]

Right. Ed, Slats bent.

[Joe Friday]

Let's go.

[Ben Romero]

Okay.

[Joe Friday]

It's been a long haul. Yeah. I hope this washes it up. Hunting rifle, couple of revolvers. What do you think, Joe?

[Ben Romero]

Well, 18 robberies in three months. You know the guy as well as I do.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

What's your guess? His name was Hoffman, George R. In our files. His criminal record dated back to high school days. Petty theft, grand theft auto, burglary, armed robbery. His record included two terms at Preston Reformatory and one at San Quentin. Hoffman's latest campaign was a three month run of armed robberies. We tried everything we knew to stop him, but it wasn't enough. We'd failed to get a line on him until one of Captain Walker's informants came up with a tip that Hoffman had been hiding out for the past month in a small bungalow on the corner of Buchanan Avenue and Selma Street. According to the information, the suspect had a good supply of food, ammunition and three guns. 10:15pm Together with Sergeants Tom Gaffney and Slats Henry, Ben and I parked our car down the street and started toward the house. It was foggy. The street was poorly lighted. As we approached the house, we could see a light burning in one of the rooms at the rear of the bungalow.

[Joe Friday]

The light in the back room. Joey just went out.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Slats, you and Tom want to cover the back.

[Joe Friday]

Right. Let's go.

[Ben Romero]

Tom, be careful.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

All right, Ben. Easy, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Wait a minute, Joe. Curtains in that corner room. I thought I saw him move. Get out.

[Ben Romero]

Come on, Ben. The front door.

[Joe Friday]

Come on. Come on. Get it.

[Ben Romero]

Come on. Hit it again. Come on. They got it blocked or something. Something piled against it. Come on. Once more.

[Joe Friday]

There we are. Watch the furniture. John. Yeah?

[Ben Romero]

That front room's clear.

[Joe Friday]

Go in the back.

[Ben Romero]

Come on.

[Joe Friday]

Went up. Side window. Where'd he go? Across the street. Got him pinned down behind that car there. He's in the car.

[Ben Romero]

All right. Let's go for the tires. All right, Hoffman, give it up. Cover this end, Slats. Right, Ben. That hedge across the street, do you see it?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

Okay, let's run for it. Come on.

[Joe Friday]

You okay, Joe? Yeah. Hoffman, you haven't got a chance.

[Ben Romero]

Throw out your guns. Okay, Ben, give it back to you. All right.

[Joe Friday]

All right, I'm coming out.

[Ben Romero]

Throw out your guns. Throw them in the street. Here they are. All right, get out of the car. Hands behind your head. Come on.

[Joe Friday]

All right. All right. Hands behind your back. Now. Slats. Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

You want to get our car, right, Joe?

[Joe Friday]

Who told you? Who gave you the tip? Does it matter? I made it easy enough for you. Lousy car wouldn't start. I'd be three miles away if it would have started. Better call the tow truck, Hun.

[Ben Romero]

Joe, let me give it a look, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Lousy luck, that's all it is. What was wrong with it, Joe? I tried it. It wouldn't start for me.

[Ben Romero]

You should have turned on the ignition. George Hoffman was taken downtown and booked on suspicion of robbery at a special show up. He was identified by more than a dozen of his robbery victims. Between his arraignments and his preliminary hearings, we worked together with the District Attorney's office. In lining up witnesses and preparing the evidence against the suspect. We figured we had an airtight case. Hoffman's trial in superior Court was set for May 14th.

[Joe Friday]

Hi, Joe. Hiya, Slats.

[Ben Romero]

What's doing?

[Joe Friday]

It's still a reigning Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. This trial's Coming up. Hey, what happened to your eye?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, how about that? I'll never live with that down.

[Ben Romero]

Come here. Let's see.

[Joe Friday]

This. Real black guy I ever had. Had them bruised plenty. They hurt, you know.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah? How'd that happen?

[Joe Friday]

Well, every week, Gaffney and I go up to Neighborhood Boys Club after work to help coach the kids at sports, you know? Mm. Well, last week we had boxing lessons. I was coaching this one youngster. He turned out to be a lot quicker than I thought. You're really connected.

[Ben Romero]

I guess everybody in the building's heard the story, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Just about. Gaffney took care of that. Captain called me in this morning, asked me if I wanted to file assault charges against the kid. Some joke.

[Ben Romero]

Never fails. You still coaching the kids up there?

[Joe Friday]

No, not this week. Kids are supposed to get lessons in wrestling. I'm not taking any chances. Yeah, they've been watching television for months. I'll see you later, man. Yeah, okay. Oh, nice. Lance. Hi, Ben. How you doing? Pretty good. Put your coat on, Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. What's the matter?

[Joe Friday]

George Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Just broke jail.

[Ben Romero]

The morning of his escape, Hoffman was scheduled to appear in Superior Court for arraignment. According to routine, he was taken from his county jail cell on the 12th floor of the hall of justice and escorted to the jail shower room on the 14th floor. There, he was to take a bath, change to his civilian clothes for his appearance in court. While he was in the shower room, he turned on the hot water faucets, filling the room with steam, to hide his actions from the guard. He succeeded in forcing his way out through one of the windows, climbed up one story to the roof. Realizing that he couldn't escape down through the building, he lowered himself over the ledge of the roof and using the narrow crevices between the bricks to hold on, he climbed seven stories down the outside of the building. At the eighth floor, he found an open window and got inside. He slugged a bailiff who tried to stop him, and then ran down the remaining flights of stairs into the street and disappeared in the crowd. Twenty minutes later, he robbed a dentist's office at 3rd and Los Angeles streets and got away. Police and sheriff's deputies covered the city for him. Ben and I were among them. 11:55pm we checked back in with Captain Ed Walker.

[Joe Friday]

KGPL Los Angeles. You want to cut that speaker, Ben? Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

11, 8, 6 and spring 11 8.

[Joe Friday]

Nothing. Not a trace of them. You must have a good friend someplace in town. Everything's covered. His friends, relatives, his hideout, everyone. He knows every place he's ever been. We plugged every loophole we can think of. The depot's turbo, the airports. Still no trace of them. I don't know. It sure is a strange one. No stranger than climbing down the side of a building.

[Ben Romero]

Did you check that story out, Ed?

[Joe Friday]

It's the truth. Apparently Hoffman planned the thing out pretty carefully.

[Ben Romero]

How do you mean?

[Joe Friday]

The sheriff's men talked to some of the prisoners in the jail. They said Hoffman was practicing for it since the day we put him in there. He'd work out five to six hours every night, building up his hands and fingers. How'd he do that? Use the upper bunk in his cell. Hang from the edge of it with the tips of his fingers. He'd do it for hours, pulling his body up and down. Made little grooves in the wall, dug his fingertips into him. Prisoners say he got so he could hold himself up like that 10 minutes at a stretch.

[Ben Romero]

That's pretty amazing. How about the bailiff?

[Joe Friday]

He slugged, he'll be all right. Couple of bad bumps on the head, that's all. Robbery. Walker? Oh yeah. Little John. I sent him out about 10 minutes ago to relieve you. Yeah, they ought to be there pretty soon. Right.

[Ben Romero]

How about our schedule, Ed?

[Joe Friday]

As far as I know, we're going all night on this thing. Sheriff's office is the same. Mm. You two were relieved at 11:30. Better check back about 5:30am okay, right.

[Ben Romero]

That's a hot shot.

[Joe Friday]

I got it. What is it? Drugstore holdup. They think it's Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

The scene of the holdup was the Rex Lake Pharmacy on the corner of Pico Boulevard and Pine Lake Street Street. The victim, a Mr. Clarence Gehringer, told us that the hold up man had entered through a rear door, slugged him and escaped on foot with his overcoat and about $150 in cash. We showed him a number of mug shots. He identified George Hoffman as the bandit. A special detail of men were ordered on a thorough search of the general area around the drugstore. No sign of the suspect. The citywide dragnet continued all that night and into the next day. No developments. The search went on. A week passed. Two weeks. At 10pm on the day Hoffman was scheduled to be tried in Superior Court, he beat up and robbed a 40 year old liquor salesman in the Highland park area. Again, he made good his escape. Routine investigation failed to turn up a single lead. June 8th, the suspect was still at large. The legwork continued.

[Joe Friday]

8:17. Is that the address you got?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. He said it was near the corner.

[Joe Friday]

Oh yeah, yeah. There it is. The Townsend hobby Shop.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Let's go in.

[Joe Friday]

Joe. Look at the electric trains. Look at that one. Beautiful layout, huh?

[Ben Romero]

I guess that's all they handle in here. Electric trains, huh? Must be money in it.

[Joe Friday]

Look at those signals there. And switches. They're all automatic. Wonder if my boy's old enough for a train year.

[Ben Romero]

That must be the manager over there. Come on. Say, excuse me, sir.

[Joe Friday]

Just a moment, please. Be right with you. Got to check this transformer. Fine. Uhhuh. Automatic coupling on the tanker car looked out. It killed her. My mistake. Now. Now, let's see. Yep, she's a dandy, isn't she? Sure. Yeah. I'm sorry, gentlemen. Have to keep up our maintenance on the rolling stock. What can I do for you?

[Ben Romero]

Police officers. We're looking for Mr. Townsend.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yes. I'm Roy Townsend. Are you the sergeant I talked with on the phone?

[Ben Romero]

Yes, sir, that's right. This is my partner, Sergeant Romero.

[Joe Friday]

Hi. Ms. Townsend.

[Ben Romero]

You mentioned that you might have some information for us.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, as a matter of fact, I may have. About that fellow who climbed out and escaped? No, it was in all the papers. George Hoffman. Hoffman. Hoffman, that's it. I'm a pretty good one for faces. I think I might have seen him last night. Where was that? On my way home from the meeting. I belong to a model train club. Don't get enough of it here every day.

[Ben Romero]

Yes, sir. We'd like to know about this man that you saw.

[Joe Friday]

As I say, I saw him going into the autocor just down the street from where mother and I live. It was pretty late, after midnight.

[Ben Romero]

Where do you live, Mr. Townsend?

[Joe Friday]

Over by Pasadena. Royal Oaks Avenue. I know Mrs. Cox at the auto court very well.

[Ben Romero]

I see. Well, this man that you saw last night, you're sure it was Hoffman? Hoffman?

[Joe Friday]

I saw his picture in the paper when he climbed down and escaped. I don't say I'm positive it was him, but I'm good on faces. Well. Wonder if you'd mind checking through these pictures. Not at all. This one. He's the one I saw. Am I right?

[Ben Romero]

That's Hoffman. Do you happen to know if he's staying there at that auto court? Oh, yes.

[Joe Friday]

He's been there for a month. Say, sergeant, if you find out it really is this hoffman, don't tell Mrs. Cox at the autocort. It'd just break her heart.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, is that so?

[Joe Friday]

She's sort of an amateur detective. She thinks she knows faces better than I do.

[Ben Romero]

After we left the train shop, we called the office and filled Them in. Captain Walker called Pasadena and notified them. Then we drove out to the autocart where the suspect was reportedly seen.

[Joe Friday]

Yes? You want something?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Are you Mrs. Cox?

[Joe Friday]

Yes. I'm the manager here. If you want lodgings, we're filled up. You might try the Golden Eagle, straight down the street there. Police officers. Ms. Cox, do you have Mr. Hoffman staying here? Hoffman? No, I don't got a Hoffmeyer, though. You sure that's not it? No. Would you look at this picture, ma'am? Recognize it? Yes. But his name's not Hoffman. It's Kane, number 23. He's not in, though. Left this morning.

[Ben Romero]

Oh, is that so?

[Joe Friday]

Yes. Won't be back for another hour. You are listening to Dragnet.

[Ben Romero]

Before going on stakeout at the auto court where George Hoffman was registered, Ben put in a call to the office. The owner of the court, Mrs. Cox, gave us a pass key to cottage number 23, where the suspect was staying. We advised her to say nothing to Hoffman when he returned. We went to cottage 23 and waited. An hour passed. Hoffman failed to show. Another hour went by. Still no sign of him.

[Joe Friday]

Well, what do you think?

[Ben Romero]

You got me. I don't know.

[Joe Friday]

More than an hour overdue. No chance he could have been tipped?

[Ben Romero]

Well, I don't see how. Mrs. Cox is the only one who knows we're here.

[Joe Friday]

There's no reason for her to warn him. I don't know. His things are all here. His clothes.

[Ben Romero]

We've had longer waits than this. Relax, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Hey, wait a minute.

[Ben Romero]

Can you see who it is?

[Joe Friday]

Man coming from next door. Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Okay, I'll cover you. Open it.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, your new telephone directory. Oh, yeah. Thanks. Anything wrong? No, there's nothing wrong. Thanks. New phone book.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. We waited another hour. George Hoffman still had failed to appear at 4 that afternoon. We checked with the office. No word. At 5:30 we were still waiting.

[Joe Friday]

I was just thinking, Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

That fellow Townsend in the train shop. That sure must be a dandy Hobby Electric train. Yeah.

[Ben Romero]

It runs in the money, though, doesn't it?

[Joe Friday]

Well, I think I'll talk to the wife about it. Their education, you know. My boy'd sure get a kick out of having his own train.

[Ben Romero]

He's pretty young, isn't he? Three years old.

[Joe Friday]

Well, I could show him how to work it. Put things together for him again. Yeah? Oh, yeah. Lightning. When? Okay, thanks.

[Ben Romero]

What's doing, Skipper?

[Joe Friday]

Just got a call from Pasadena.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

They picked up Hoffman 10 minutes ago.

[Ben Romero]

The suspect, George Hoffman, was taken back to Los Angeles and lodged in county jail. This Time there was no escape. At a superior court trial on August 16, he was convicted on several counts of armed robbery and sentenced to the state penitentiary. From August to January of the following year, the months went fast. We washed up a string of liquor store holdups just before Christmas. Got two days off. My Uncle George and Aunt Allen came down from Renton, Washington to visit with my mother. During the holiday in January, Ben was off work for a week with a bad dose of flu. Another five months went by. Toward the end of June we got word that George Hoffman was no longer at the state penitentiary. After serving 11 months. The former hold up man had been paroled into the army with a provision that he serve overseas. Another three weeks passed. July 12th.

[Joe Friday]

Tuesday.

[Ben Romero]

Ben and I had lunch at Coken's Cafe and checked back in at the office.

[Joe Friday]

I wish Cocon would change his menus a little oftener. Fried beans and pastrami sandwiches. Seems to have the same thing every time.

[Ben Romero]

You sure dug into them. I got the idea that you'll like them.

[Joe Friday]

Like em all right. I just eat too much, that's all. Three sandwiches, two plates of beans. No wonder I never eat dinner. Dan. Joe.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

You two back from lunch? I want to grab a sandwich.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, go ahead, Slats. We can cover.

[Joe Friday]

Okay, thanks. Sir, there's somebody waiting in the next room for you who wants to see you. Okay. See you later. Right. Wanna see who it is, Joe? I'll check the book.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, all right, fine. Yes, sir. My name's Friday. You wanna see me?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right, Sergeant. Remember me? George Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

Oh yeah, Hoffman. The army uniform there. I didn't recognize you.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I thought I might fool you. I guess you heard about me. Good break, huh?

[Ben Romero]

I'm glad you feel that way. How you doing with the army, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Pretty good. I like it.

[Ben Romero]

That's fine.

[Joe Friday]

Just thought I'd drop up and see you fellas. You still that partner you had? What's his name? Rodriguez?

[Ben Romero]

Romero. Yeah. Yeah, we still work together.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, Romero. I knew it was some kind of name like that.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah. Well, come on in, Hoffman.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, thanks.

[Ben Romero]

Hey, Ben. George Hoffman. He stopped in to see us.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah. Hi. Been a long time, Hoffman. How are you? Pretty good, Sergeant. Thanks. Just thought I'd stop by, you know. Sure there's no hard feelings? Oh, sure thing. You got any idea when you're going overseas? Boys in my outfit figure day after tomorrow. That's kind of one reason why I dropped in to see you.

[Ben Romero]

Well, how's that?

[Joe Friday]

Well, I know it's pretty nervy, but I got lots of that. You see, a bunch of us are on leave till tomorrow noon. Figured we'd go out tonight. And I'm a little short. You know how the army pays. Okay. Well, how about a couple of bucks, George?

[Ben Romero]

Will that do you any good?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure as swell of you, sergeant, believe me. I'll see you get it back. Here's a couple more. Hoffman might help out. Well, it's no use telling you how much I appreciate it. I give you my word I won't forget it. I'm gonna pay this money back to you.

[Ben Romero]

Don't forget it, George. We're glad to help you out.

[Joe Friday]

Well, thanks again for the touch, huh? Sure nice of you. Okay, now, drop a card if you get a chance. Like to hear how you're doing over there. Sure thing.

[Ben Romero]

See you later, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Right. Good luck to you. Boy.

[Ben Romero]

Looks like a turn for the better anyway, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Mm. But it was my last two bucks, doggone it. It never failed.

[Ben Romero]

Well, we had to give him something.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, but what do I do for lunch money?

[Ben Romero]

Tomorrow, 2pm we drove out to the Wilshire district to interview a robbery victim. We brought him back downtown and took his statement. 4:30pm we checked back in with Captain Walker.

[Joe Friday]

Hi, Skipper. Henry says that ex con George Hoffman was in today. You talked to him?

[Ben Romero]

Yeah, that's right, Ed. Why?

[Joe Friday]

Have a Look.

[Ben Romero]

Thanks.

[Joe Friday]

The MPs left about 20 minutes ago.

[Ben Romero]

Swell. Your two bucks went for nothing, Ben. Hoffman's wanted, huh? Broke out of Army Prison, 10 o'clock this morning. Together with the army authorities, local officers joined in the citywide search for George Hoffman. At 10 o'clock that night, a food market on Santa Fe in Reallo was robbed and the proprietor beaten from our mug shots. The victim identified Hoffman as the holdup man. Shortly after midnight, a drugstore on Crenshaw was held up. Hoffman was again tabbed as the suspect. The next two days the search was intensified. No leads. Two more days went by. Late Saturday morning, we got a hurry up call from the detail on duty at the Union Station. Hoffman had been reported in the vicinity. Ben and I drove down to the depot to check with the officer in charge. Slats, Henry.

[Joe Friday]

Spot him, Joe? No.

[Ben Romero]

Let's have a look back for the ticket counters, huh? Yeah. There he is. Over by the phone. Luth, come on.

[Joe Friday]

Hi, Slash. Hi. Looks pretty good.

[Ben Romero]

What's the story?

[Joe Friday]

One of the newsboys up the street gave us a tip. About an hour ago, a guy gave him a dollar to come down here and buy a ticket for him. Ticket to Phoenix? Yeah. Kid Came in, bought the ticket, went back up the street and gave it to the man. We showed the kid a bunch of mug shots. He picked out Huffman's man.

[Ben Romero]

He's not wearing his army uniform, huh?

[Joe Friday]

No. Brown suit, dark blue overcoat. No hat. That's what the kid told us. Any idea which train he was taking for Phoenix? Not exactly. He asked when the first train for Phoenix was. Newsboy told him 3:35. 10 minutes to 12.

[Ben Romero]

Now, you got enough men to handle it? Slants.

[Joe Friday]

Everything's covered. Only one thing lacking.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

While the stakeout continued on the Union Station, Ben and I, together with Gaffney and Henry from robbery, covered the bars, restaurants and hotels in the immediate area for a sign of the suspect. 2:30pm.

[Joe Friday]

What do you think?

[Ben Romero]

We better head back down for the station, see what's doing, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Okay. I'd like to have a dime for every mile we have logged on this case.

[Ben Romero]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Joe, have a look. Where? Across the street. Dark blue overcoat, same build as Hoffman.

[Ben Romero]

I'll bet on him. Come on. He spotted us. Yeah, that's Hoffman. Come on, pick it up.

[Joe Friday]

I lost him, Joe. Where'd he go?

[Ben Romero]

Turn down First Street. Come on, hurry up. Across the street. Ben, watch the traffic. Where'd he go?

[Joe Friday]

I see him. That antique store on the corner.

[Ben Romero]

He ran in there. Come on.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, there he is.

[Ben Romero]

All right, Hoffman.

[Joe Friday]

Out of the way, mister.

[Ben Romero]

All right, hold it right there, Hoffman.

[Joe Friday]

I'm coming out.

[Ben Romero]

Move.

[Joe Friday]

Watch it, joke. I said I'm coming on.

[Ben Romero]

You hear me? You're going the hard way, George. Come on, drop it.

[Joe Friday]

Drop it. All right, Hoffman. All right, on your feet. Come on, get up.

[Ben Romero]

I get your hands behind you?

[Joe Friday]

Sure. What goods are gonna do ya?

[Ben Romero]

All right, mister, let's go.

[Joe Friday]

What good's it gonna do? I already proved it. I can break jail anytime. I proved it twice.

[Ben Romero]

You're going right back in again. What's that prove?

[Joe Friday]

The story you have just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On October 8, 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. George R. Hoffman was tried and convicted on several counts of robbery and received a life sentence as a hardened criminal. After serving 10 months of his sentence, Hoffman attempted an escape and failed. A few weeks later, he took his own life in his prison cell by hanging. Ladies and gentlemen, next week, in answer to your requests, Dragnet will repeat A Gun for Christmas. The actual case history broadcast last year during the Yuletide season. That's next Thursday, December 21st. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department. We the People is next with more Good Times on NBC.

[Narrator]

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[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. This is one of my favorite Dragnet stories, although I'll be honest that this is one where I do prefer the TV version to the radio version as it's a really fun to watch visual story, particularly for early television. And also the casting is better with both Frank Smith as Friday's partner and also the railroad enthusiast is better cast. I don't think the type of quirky that they were able to get out of that actor in the TV version is really in her Butterfield's wheelhouse. Still, the radio version is plenty exciting and fun in its own right. One thing I hadn't noticed was the bit where Hoffman failed to start the car because he didn't turn the ignition over. This little detail did a good job of illustrating that despite all of his viciousness and cunning, he lacks the sort of cool headedness that you really need to have if you end up confronting the police. Now I will say because I love the TV version. I did look up the IMDb reviews of the TV version of the episode and was surprised by a few of the reviews, though I guess I probably shouldn't have been. A couple of reviewers noted that the episode showed law enforcement as pretty incompetent and it showed all the flaws in the system. And why was Dragnet doing this as it was supposed to be about glorifying the police. Now I don't think they really gave a concrete example of how our heroes failed, but they complained about things like him escaping from jail and also the parole into the military. Honestly I think these reviewers, like George Hoffman, missed the point. Now there is a legitimate debate over parole processes and when we should have laws that lock a criminal up and throw away the key. That's a legitimate public policy debate. I won't try to settle. But I do think that some key context is being missed in the criticism, and some of it is the confusing nature of Dragnet storytelling. Because I first watched this as the 1953 TV episode, I had an image in my mind that he was going overseas, kind of like when my dad went into the military for the first time, later on in the 50s, over to somewhere like West Germany. But in the real incident that this was based upon, that's not likely the escape case, because by the time that this episode aired in 1950, Hoffman had been back to prison and tried to break out and committed suicide. And I would venture a guess that most likely the events of occurred during World War II, and so he was likely being paroled into a war zone, either Western Europe or into the South Pacific. The second thing is that while Dragnet was on the police's size, it didn't portray them as superhuman, nor did it portray others in law enforcement as completely infallible. And there are all kinds of evidences of police incompetence. I don't know that not planning for a guy teaching himself how to climb down the side of a building like Spider man is a huge failure of competence. But the big break is actually a story about a very dangerous, very cunning criminal running up against the determined and steady of a professional police force ready to take him the moment he makes a mistake. And that's why at the end of the day, Friday asks him what it proved after they managed to recapture him every time he broke out. And ultimately, the thing with guys like Hoffman is that they'll continue to press their luck until it runs out. Now, you may not agree with the message of the episode, but that's what it's about. Well, now we turn to listener comments and feedback. And I have a letter from Jackie and Paul. And Jackie writes, thank you so much for your Adams Old Time Radio podcast. My husband and I have been thoroughly enjoying yours truly, Johnny Dollar. And we also have Tales of the Texas Rangers, Nero Wolf, and a couple of others in our rotation. Now, if you're wondering about the Adams Old Time Radio reference, I actually have all of the podcasts I've done with Old Time Radio over the years, including things like the Old Time Dragnet show, the War, the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon, Amazing World of Radio as well as Great Detectives and all of our podcast feed. And I put it in a channel on Apple Podcasts. Really delighted they were able to find me that way. And Jackie says they'd like to be kept abreast of any new shows that I add or even a lineup of all your current shows. The best way to stay abreast of any new shows is just our main feed for the Great detectives of Old Time Radio, which is updated in the Apple Podcast Store as well as other podcast services and also can check out our [e-mail] but thanks so much for the lovely letter and also thank you for Pat who writes thanks for all the work you put in. Well, thank you so much, Pat. And now it is time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the day. And I want to thank Jerry patreon supporter since June 2024, currently supporting the podcast at the shamus level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support. And that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow 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. All those great things that help YouTube channels to grow. We'll be back next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet. Join us this weekend for a Dragnet public domain video theater [e-mail] on our video theater page on Spotify or on our YouTube channel. But we will be back tomorrow as we kick off our listener support and appreciation campaign where I went there to.

[Joe Friday]

Tell him to stay away from my sister. We had a fight. The manager came and stopped us. I told Hanson I'd kill him if he didn't lay off. The manager heard this. Then I went home. What time was that? About 8:30. The police claimed I returned to Hansen's apartment and shot him. I couldn't prove I was at home all night. It was going rough for me until Patricia park testified she was with me at the time the crime was said to have been committed. Why didn't you tell the police in the first place that this Patricia park was with you? Well, that's the whole trouble. She wasn't. What? Her claim that she spent the hours from 9 till midnight with me was a lie. In fact, I never met the woman in my life. Have you contacted Ms. Patricia since your release, Mr. Wilcox? Yes, but she refuses to see me. Archie, phone Mrs. Patricia park and tell her that you must see you at once for her own good.

[Adam Graham]

I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box Thirteenreatetectives.net Follow us on Twitter radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram Instagram. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham signing off.

[Narrator]

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