Dragnet: The Big Hold-Up (EP4646)

Summary

The Great Detectives Present Dragnet (Old Time Radio)

Episode: Dragnet: The Big Hold-Up (EP4646)

Release Date: March 8, 2025

Host: Adam Graham

---

Introduction

In this gripping episode of "Dragnet," host Adam Graham delves into the harrowing case of the Rattlesnake Bandit and his enigmatic accomplice, Lois Hagen. Set against the backdrop of 1950s Los Angeles, this story showcases the relentless pursuit of justice by Detective Joe Friday and his partner, Ben Romero. Through meticulous police work and unwavering determination, "The Big Hold-Up" underscores the brutal nature of the crimes and the intricate investigation that ultimately brings the perpetrators to justice.

The Crime Spree: Rattlesnake Bandit and Lois Hagen

The episode opens with the onset of a ruthless crime spree led by the Rattlesnake Bandit, a moniker earned through his swift and vicious robberies. Over a span of 96 hours, the Bandit and his blonde accomplice, later identified as Lois Hagen, terrorized Los Angeles, committing a series of armed robberies and brutal assaults. Unlike typical criminals seeking substantial financial gains, their motives appeared inexplicable, with each robbery yielding no more than $50.

Notable Quote:

• Joe Friday (00:03:04): "You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. Stop him."

Investigation Efforts by Joe Friday and Ben Romero

Detective Joe Friday, portrayed with characteristic stoicism, takes charge of the homicide detail tasked with capturing the Bandit. Alongside his seasoned partner, Ben Romero, Friday meticulously reviews police records and victim testimonies to piece together the Bandit's pattern. The brutality of the crimes, combined with the minimal financial gain, suggested a sadistic motive rather than typical criminal intent.

Early in the investigation, they receive a critical report from Ralph Younger, a high school English teacher and one of the victims, who provides a detailed description of the Bandit and the getaway vehicle.

Notable Quote:

• Ralph Younger (00:07:33): "He rushed up to me and started slugging me in the face with his gun. Went down."

Key Breakthrough: Identification and Stalking

Through persistent follow-ups and analysis of witness statements, Friday and Romero identify Lois Hagen as the Bandit's female accomplice. A significant breakthrough occurs when they trace Lois's whereabouts to a small apartment in West Hollywood. Despite initial dead ends, including unresponsive witnesses and falsified alibis, the detectives remain undeterred.

The turning point comes when repeated robberies and consistent use of a blue Chevrolet coupe with license plate 5POLE389 provide a tangible lead. The detectives deploy a strategic stakeout using surveillance teams to monitor the suspected vehicle, culminating in a meticulously planned sting operation.

Notable Quote:

• Ben Romero (00:14:53): "It was a stolen car, Ms. Young. We took it from one of his other victims. It was found out in Wiltshire this morning."

The Sting Operation and Capture

The culmination of the investigation is marked by a high-stakes sting operation at a service station on Hill Street. Detectives pose as employees to monitor the getaway car closely. Their patience pays off when Lois Hagen returns to the service station to address a minor vehicle issue. As predicted, she retrieves the blue coupe, triggering the arrest.

Inside the apartment, a tense confrontation ensues. Lois initially resists, but the overwhelming presence of law enforcement leads to the Bandit's fatal altercation with Detective Friday. The Bandit's demise marks the end of their brutal reign, while Lois is apprehended and faces charges for her involvement.

Notable Quote:

• Joe Friday (00:26:43): "Police officers. You Lois Hagen, you get out of here."

Trial and Outcome

Following the arrest, the trial of Lois Hagen is swift. She is convicted on six counts of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The court sentences her as per the law, resulting in her incarceration in the state penitentiary for women. The death of Frank Ralston Kilbride, the Rattlesnake Bandit, brings closure to the case, highlighting the effectiveness of diligent law enforcement.

Notable Quote:

• Narrator (00:28:26): "The body of the dead hold up man was identified as that of Frank Ralston Kilbride. His accomplice, Lois Hagen, was tried and convicted on six counts of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon."

Host's Commentary and Insights

In his post-episode analysis, Adam Graham reflects on the case's intricacies and its place within the broader "Dragnet" series. He notes that while the case shares similarities with other episodes involving robberies and car-related crimes, the sheer brutality and apparent sadism of the perpetrators set it apart.

Graham empathizes deeply with the victims, particularly highlighting the severe physical and emotional trauma inflicted on individuals like Ralph Younger. He observes that the criminals' critical mistake—persistently using the same getaway car—underscored their lack of experience and contributed significantly to their downfall.

Notable Quote:

• Adam Graham (00:29:53): "The criminals made a key mistake that's never explained. They switched to just using one car, which ultimately led the police to tracking them down again."

Graham also discusses the evolution of his podcast, announcing a shift from traditional article postings to a more engaging newsletter format. This transition aims to enhance listener interaction and provide deeper insights into topics related to audio dramas and mysteries.

Conclusion

"The Big Hold-Up" stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by Detective Joe Friday and his team. Through strategic investigation and unwavering dedication, the episode encapsulates the essence of "Dragnet"— showcasing the valor and tenacity required to combat crime. Host Adam Graham's insightful analysis further enriches the listening experience, providing a comprehensive understanding of the case's significance within the series.

Notable Quotes Recap

• Joe Friday (00:03:04): "You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. Stop him."
• Ralph Younger (00:07:33): "He rushed up to me and started slugging me in the face with his gun. Went down."
• Ben Romero (00:14:53): "It was a stolen car, Ms. Young. We took it from one of his other victims. It was found out in Wiltshire this morning."
• Joe Friday (00:26:43): "Police officers. You Lois Hagen, you get out of here."
• Narrator (00:28:26): "The body of the dead hold up man was identified as that of Frank Ralston Kilbride. His accomplice, Lois Hagen, was tried and convicted on six counts of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon."
• Adam Graham (00:29:53): "The criminals made a key mistake that's never explained. They switched to just using one car, which ultimately led the police to tracking them down again."

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates all critical aspects of the "Dragnet: The Big Hold-Up" episode, providing listeners and new audiences with a detailed understanding of the narrative, characters, and underlying themes.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hello, it is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on chumbacasino.com I looked over the person sitting next to me and you know what they were doing? They were also playing Chumba Casino. Coincidence? I think not everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumba Casino is home to hundreds of casino style games that you can play for free anytime, anywhere, even at 30,000ft. So sign up [e-mail] to claim your free welcome bonus. That's chumbacasino.com and live the Chumba life.

[Announcer]

No purchase necessary. BGW prohibited by law.

[Target Advertiser]

See terms and conditions 18/target made up and up for you helping you save on hand soaps with plant derived ingredients and custom fragrances with luscious foam to stir the senses, sugar free gummy vitamins for growing kids and storage solutions with bags in all shapes and sizes so everything has a home. Everyday favorites at unbeatable prices. We made up and up for you only at Target it.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, I'm going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But I do want to encourage you. If you are enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Also, our listener support and appreciation campaign continues. You can become one of our Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month by going to patreon great detectives.net now from January 4, 1951, here is the big hold up.

[Ryan Seacrest]

It is Ryan Seacrest here. There was a recent social media trend which consisted of flying on a plane with no music, no movies, no entertainment. But a better trend would be going to chumbacasino.com it's like having a mini social casino in your pocket. Chumba casino has over 100 online casino style games, all absolutely free. It's the most fun you can have online and on a plane. So grab your free welcome bonus [e-mail] sponsored by Chumba Casino.

[Announcer]

No purchase necessary. VGW Group void we're prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Announcer]

A potential killer is on the loose in your city.

[Joe Friday]

He's robbed six people for no reason at all. He beats his victim senseless.

[Announcer]

He moves fast.

[Joe Friday]

He's well armed.

[Announcer]

Your job.

[Joe Friday]

Stop him.

[Narrator]

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.

[Announcer]

It was Thursday, March 8. It was windy in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of Homicide. My partner's Ben Romero, the boss of Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from the record Bureau. It was 11:45pm when I got to Room 42, Homicide.

[Joe Friday]

Joe, hi. Bill Romero called about five minutes ago. He's on his way in from Georgia Street.

[Announcer]

Oh, thank you. The captain's still around.

[Joe Friday]

You've gone for the night. You can catch him at home if you want to.

[Announcer]

The Rattlesnake Bandit. Got two more couples tonight, right?

[Joe Friday]

Bad.

[Announcer]

About the same as the last three jobs he pulled. Pretty vicious. Gave the victims a bad going over.

[Joe Friday]

Who are they?

[Announcer]

Young salesman, his girlfriend. They were parked up in the Silver Lake area. Bandit robbed him when he didn't find enough money in the young fellow's wallet. He pistol whipped and messed him up quite a bit.

[Joe Friday]

Why'd he do that?

[Announcer]

There's no reason for it. The young girl in the car had an engagement ring on. She offered to hand it over. The bandit pulled her out of the car, punched her in the face, hit her quite a few times. Guy just seems to be looking for blood, that's all.

[Joe Friday]

No leads on him, huh?

[Announcer]

No, not so far. It looks like I'm out. Have you got any aspirin, Bill?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I got a fresh bottle this afternoon.

[Announcer]

Lousy headache. I've had it all night.

[Joe Friday]

How about the thief's mo? The same. Huh.

[Announcer]

Well, he has been so far. He works the outlying districts, parking areas. Doesn't seem to be any reason at all for these sluggings. The victims all agree on that. No provocation at all. The guy just seems to get a kick out of punching in somebody's face.

[Joe Friday]

Hmm. Two pills in it?

[Announcer]

Yeah, that's fine. Thank you.

[Joe Friday]

Boys. And Robbery turn up anything?

[Announcer]

No. Neither have we. Bandit operates in hot cars. He's got a few good prints to work with. No make, though.

[Joe Friday]

Guy works alone, huh?

[Announcer]

Well, he did for the first two jobs. Last few times he had a bright looking blonde with him. Good looking, you know, nice figure. Victims say that she stands by and just seems to egg him on. Seems to get a big thrill out of it, I guess.

[Joe Friday]

Hi, Bill. Jill, hi.

[Announcer]

How'd you do, man?

[Joe Friday]

Doctor didn't think it'd be a good idea to bother him too much tonight. We can talk to him tomorrow.

[Announcer]

How about the hold up man's descriptions? You get that?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, from the girl. Matches what the other victims gave us. She didn't see the getaway car, though. Didn't have a chance.

[Announcer]

How about the young fellas? He's still unconscious.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, they're gonna move him to County Hospital. You should have seen his face. Yeah, terrible. It's a mess. Ms. Bandit's girlfriend, the blonde. Nothing at all on her. Dickinson says she's got a nice figure and good looking. Quite a few like that in Los Angeles. What are they getting out of these stick ups anyway? Can't be too much, huh?

[Announcer]

Oh, that's just it. None of the heists have netted them more than $50.

[Joe Friday]

Hardly worth the trouble, hot shot.

[Announcer]

I'll get it.

[Joe Friday]

What is it?

[Announcer]

Rattlesnake Bandit. He got another couple.

[Joe Friday]

Where?

[Announcer]

South end of Echo Park. Yeah, he shot both of them together with Cummings and McCready from Homicide. Ben and I drove to the scene of the hold up and shooting in the Echo park area. The victims were identified as Ralph Younger, 34, a high school English teacher. He'd been beaten severely about the face and neck and shot once through the right shoulder. His companion was a Thelma Donovan, 26, a grade school teacher. She'd been shot through the temple just above the eyes. She was still alive but in a critical condition. We questioned Ralph Younger briefly before he was removed by ambulance to the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital. His description of the holdup man tallied exactly with that of the Rattlesnake Bandit. He also gave us the description and license number of the getaway car. We got out of broadcast in an apb. A routine check of the area failed to turn up any leads. 11am the next morning, Ralph Younger told us the story from his hospital bed.

[Ralph Younger]

I was. I was teaching Thelma how to drive, Sergeant. We were going along that side street when the sedan pulled up, forced us.

[Announcer]

Over to the curb.

[Joe Friday]

And your friend Ms. Donovan was sitting in the driver's seat then?

[Ralph Younger]

That's right. I got out on my side and started over to ask this fellow what he was doing crowding us like that. He rushed up to me and started slugging me in the face with his gun. Went down.

[Announcer]

What did Ms. Donovan do?

[Ralph Younger]

She started hollering for help. The old up guy ran over and shoved his gun at her. He had it pointed at her head. He grabbed Thelma's purse and Started looking through it for money, I guess.

[Announcer]

Mm.

[Ralph Younger]

Say, would you mind moving this pillow over a little bit?

[Joe Friday]

Sure. Bet you. There we are. How's that? Okay.

[Ralph Younger]

Come on. Under the shoulder, please.

[Joe Friday]

All right?

[Ralph Younger]

Yeah, it's fine.

[Announcer]

Thanks. Were you lying on the street while all this was going on?

[Ralph Younger]

Mr. Younged me to my feet. Made me stand by the car with my hands up. Thelma was crying. The hold up man looked through her person and he said, who you trying to kid, lady? You got more money than this. Thelma told him the truth was all she had. $3.

[Joe Friday]

And what happened then?

[Ralph Younger]

He shoved the barrel of the gun against her head, right here by the temple. Then I heard the gun go off. Thelma fell over in the seat. Wasn't any reason for it, no reason at all. Just shot her.

[Announcer]

What did you do then? Do you remember?

[Ralph Younger]

I jumped for the man. I wanted to kill him right there. He turned and fired the gun at me. Hit me right here below the shoulder. Then he ran out and got in his car and drove off. Was a blonde girl with him? I got a good look at her. Blonde, pretty, attractive.

[Announcer]

Well, is there anything else about the man's description that you might have forgotten to tell us last night?

[Ralph Younger]

No, I don't think so. I gave you the license number of his car. Can't you find him that way?

[Joe Friday]

It was a stolen car, Ms. Young. We took it from one of his other victims. It was found out in Wiltshire this morning.

[Announcer]

Bandit.

[Ralph Younger]

I only wish I'd got my hands on him. Poor Thelma. How is she, do you know?

[Announcer]

Well, there's no late report. Maybe you better check with the doctor, huh?

[Ralph Younger]

Yep. Hey, before you go, would you mind ringing this button here? It's for the nurse. The shoulder's giving me trouble again.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, okay.

[Announcer]

Well, thanks very much. Younger. Sure hope that shoulder of yours gets better.

[Ralph Younger]

I hope so.

[Joe Friday]

Goodbye. We'll be checking with you later on.

[Ralph Younger]

Yeah, okay.

[Announcer]

My bad.

[Joe Friday]

Romero. Joe. How'd you do, Bill? Checked with the doctor. Donovan girl's still unconscious. Pretty critical.

[Announcer]

What'd the doc say? She gonna pull through?

[Joe Friday]

She might. They can't tell yet. One thing sure, though. What's that? Bullet did a lot of damage. She's totally blind.

[Announcer]

Four days before, a bullet from the holdup gun had blinded schoolteacher Thelma Donovan for life. The Rattlesnake Bandit and his blond girlfriend were unknown to the city of Los Angeles. In the space of little more than 96 hours, they robbed and slugged a dozen people from one end of the city to the other. In every case, the attacks were just about as brutal and vicious as they were unprovoked. The amount of money taken from each victim was negligible. The only apparent conclusion was that the bandit and his girlfriend were out for blood that night. Despite a citywide alert to all radio cars and patrolmen. The suspects robbed and slugged two more couples between the hours of 10pm and midnight. Between midnight and 1:30am they got two more victims. 2:30am Ben and I got back to the City Hall. The carpool looks like the place over there.

[Joe Friday]

Wonder how McReady and Cummins made out.

[Announcer]

I hope they got more than we have.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, yeah, this is good right here. Want to get the radio, Joe?

[Announcer]

Yeah, fine. Let's go.

[Joe Friday]

Doggone it. I knew I forgot something.

[Announcer]

What's that?

[Joe Friday]

Cigarette. You got any left?

[Announcer]

I don't think so.

[Joe Friday]

Old pack is all.

[Announcer]

No, there's one left in here.

[Joe Friday]

No, no, it's all right. I can't take it. Last move.

[Announcer]

Go ahead. There's a machine upstairs with the elevator. I'll get some.

[Joe Friday]

All right. I sure better get these shoes half sold. I'll be walking around in my stock and feet pretty soon.

[Announcer]

You just got them a couple of weeks ago, didn't you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, that's right. Tops are as good as new. Soles of the darn things went just like that. No wonder they had them on sale.

[Announcer]

Yeah, Just a minute. I want to get those smokes.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah. Skipper say he was going to stay around until about 2.

[Announcer]

Yeah, he's probably gone by now.

[Joe Friday]

It's a long day. Anything in the book?

[Announcer]

A minute.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Your wife called.

[Announcer]

I want you to get a refill on that prescription for your little boy.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, hi. How'd you two do?

[Announcer]

Nothing. How about you?

[Joe Friday]

Chandler called from robbery a minute ago. Thinks they may have something. Yeah, at 211. Big service station out on Pico. Hold up. Man had a blonde in the car with him.

[Announcer]

What about descriptions?

[Joe Friday]

Chives pretty well with the guy we're after. Well, emo doesn't that Thief and his girl haven't tried anything but car hold up since they started.

[Announcer]

How'd they manage the job?

[Joe Friday]

Well, you know how they've been operating for transportation. They rob the people, steal their car. When they reach another victim, they transfer to his car. First time they switched that system was tonight hold up on South Hoover.

[Announcer]

The man and his wife, instead of.

[Joe Friday]

Changing over, they stayed in the blue Chevy coupe. Same one they took in the job before that. Up to now, they've used the same hot car in the last three jobs. Sure gonna help if they stick with it. What about the gas station in Denver? Well, excuse me. Probably Chandler. Homicide. Cummings.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Glenn. Uh huh. 5438 9.

[Announcer]

Right.

[Joe Friday]

Thanks. They dug up a witness to the gas station job. Suspects drove off in the blue Chevy Coupe. License 5 pole 389.

[Announcer]

Same car, huh?

[Joe Friday]

It stops me. What was it take? 23 bucks. Slugged the attendant, took off. The broadcast's out. Area's been alerted. Nothing yet.

[Announcer]

Okay, Bill.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Sure is growing into a long night.

[Announcer]

You're gonna cover, huh, Bill?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Until Fergie gets back.

[Announcer]

Right. Well, we'll be checking with you.

[Joe Friday]

Okay. Homicide. Romero. Yeah. How's that? Yeah, right. Thanks. Drugstore in South Fig. 211. Slugging blonde girl drove the escape car.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

5Paul389.

[Announcer]

In the next three hours before dawn, the Rattlesnake Bandit and his blonde girlfriend held up and robbed a restaurant and two more service stations and made good their escape. For some unknown reason, they continued to use the same stolen car, the blue Chevrolet coupe. By noontime the following day, composite pictures of the hold up couple were drawn up by the crime lab artist. From the descriptions given by the victims, the pictures were printed up and given wide distribution throughout the city. The description and license number of the escape car was in the hands of every radio car and patrolman in all divisions. The search was intensified. It got us nothing. The following night and early morning, without even slowing their pace, the suspects added four more hold ups and sluggings to their credit. One of the victims was Fred Lerner, proprietor of a small lunch counter near 18th and Olive.

[Joe Friday]

I've been held up before, officer. Half dozen times. Never saw a punk as hard looking as this guy though. You're sure about the description, Mr. Lerner? Well, he stood just as close as you're standing to me now while look in his eye waving that gun around. I wasn't taking any chances. I gave him everything.

[Announcer]

Well, how much was that?

[Joe Friday]

Eighteen dollars and a half. Well, how about the getaway car? You pretty sure? The make and the color. I ran to the door there as soon as they left. Saw him drive off. There's a license. Just wrote it down. It's 5.5p389 I saw the whole thing. Sure surprised Lois would tie up with a punk like him.

[Announcer]

Lois? Who's that?

[Joe Friday]

You know, the blonde who drives a car for him. Lois Hagen.

[Announcer]

How do you know? That's her name.

[Joe Friday]

She used to be a waitress. Worked for my brother. Lois Hagen, Blonde. I spotted her right away in that car. Yeah, yeah, sure Lois. Didn't you know it was her?

[Announcer]

7:30Am we put in a call to the Record Bureau and had them check on the name and description of Lois Hagan. No, make no previous record. With the help of Fred Lerner and his brother, we traced the Hagan girl to a drive in where she used to work. There we checked the employment records and got an address on her. 1800 Norwich Drive. Turned out to be a small apartment house in West Hollywood. Ben checked with the landlady while I waited in the car.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that's it.

[Announcer]

What'd you get?

[Joe Friday]

Talk to the landlady. She's managed the apartment for 16 years.

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

She never heard of Lois Hagan.

[Narrator]

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

[Announcer]

Tuesday, March 13th. That night and the one following. The Rattlesnake Bandit and his blonde girlfriend, supposedly Lois Hagen, continued their campaign of hold ups and sluggings. They robbed two liquor stores, an all night cafe, cigar shop and two more service stations. In each case, the descriptions of the suspects in their getaway car was the same. Routine investigations got nowhere. Ben and I went to work checking out the thin lead that we had on the girl known as Lois Hagen. After three days of pounding the pavement and asking questions, we found two former waitresses at Drive in restaurants who had worked with Lois Hagan. Both of them gave us addresses where they thought the Hagan girl had lived at one time. One of them was a phony. It was a vacant lot. The other, panned out, was a rooming house out in the Boyle Heights district. The manager told us that the Hagan girl lived there two years before. She told us that as far as she knew, the girl's mother, a Mrs. Ernestine Hagan, still ran a small French laundry on South Hobart boulevard. We found Mrs. Hagan working in her shop. She was a small, thin woman with gray hair.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Yes? I have a daughter, Lois. What's the matter?

[Joe Friday]

I'd like to talk to her. Ms. Hagan. Do you know where we can locate her?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Probably sounds funny to you. I haven't seen my daughter in two years.

[Announcer]

Do you have any idea where she's living, ma'am?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

No, she's not much of a daughter. We didn't get along. As I say, two years ago we had an argument. She left me. Never wrote a letter. I just don't know.

[Joe Friday]

I see.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

I heard she was living in Detroit for a while. I guess she's back here now. One of my lady friends, Mrs. McCormick, saw Lois shopping out in Hollywood. That was about a month ago.

[Announcer]

How old is your daughter, Ms. Hayes?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

She'll be 20 next month. She looks older than she really is. Won't you excuse me, please? My flat iron back here. I have it heating.

[Joe Friday]

Certainly, ma'am.

[Announcer]

Do you have a copy of the composite picture of the girl?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, it's right here.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

I didn't realize it was getting so late. I have this rush order to get ready by 4:00. Officers. If you want, you can come back here. We can talk while I get it out.

[Announcer]

All right, ma'am. Thank you.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

There's a chair there, if you like.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, thank you.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Seems I'm always so busy lately. I used to have some fine help. It's not so easy to find anymore. This iron seems awful hot. It's all right.

[Announcer]

I wonder if you'd mind looking at this picture, ma'am. This one here.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

All right. Looks something like Lois. You're looking for her, is that it? She done something again?

[Announcer]

Well, we're not sure, ma'am. Has she been in trouble before?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

I can't be more ashamed of her than I already am. Yeah, she's been in trouble before. She was nothing but trouble. My only child. Her father died when she's a baby. I guess she needed a father. I couldn't do anything with her.

[Joe Friday]

Was your daughter ever in any serious trouble? With the police, I mean.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

I don't know. Maybe she was. I didn't hear about it. I tried to understand and we never got along. I don't know. This makes me sick to think about it.

[Announcer]

How about her friends, Mrs. Hagan? I mean, her recent friends. Do you happen to know any of them?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

No. Lois never brought them home. I knew they were tramps. I heard the way the neighbors were talking. Trampy fellas. Trampy girls. Drinking, doing things, you know. She didn't learn those things at home.

[Announcer]

What was Lois last known address? Do you have any idea at all?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Place in Boyle Heights and boarding house. It's the last I heard of Lois. She never wrote a letter. That's another thing.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

She could have had the best education any girl could want. I worked 12 years in the laundry here to give it to her. I sent her to the convent. Even the nuns couldn't do anything with her. She only sassed him back. She finally quit altogether. I don't know.

[Announcer]

Can you think of anybody who might know where your daughter is? Maybe one of your relatives?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

We don't have any relatives here. I have a brother in Ohio, that's all. Those lace blouses are an awful lot of trouble. Would you pull out that plum, Sergeant, please.

[Joe Friday]

Nice.

[Announcer]

Ma'am, I wonder if you have a picture of your daughter that we could borrow. We'll see that it's returned to you.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Yeah, right. I got lots of pictures of Lois. She's a pretty girl, you know. Looks quite a bit like me when I was young.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am. Well, thanks very much for your time.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Even the nurses at the hospital said it. When Lois is born. Beautiful child. Certainly. Strange, isn't it?

[Joe Friday]

How's that?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

And they're babies. They all look so clean and so good.

[Joe Friday]

Yes, ma'am.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

What happens to them?

[Announcer]

Before we left Mrs. Hagan, we got a photograph of her daughter Lois, and then we drove back to the office. We spent the rest of the afternoon showing the picture to several of the robbery victims. All of them identified the Hagan girl as the bandit's accomplice. We got out a supplementary broadcast that night. The hold up couple failed to put in an appearance. The following night, the same. Not a sign of him. Still no sign of the escape car either. Where they might be hiding out, we had no idea. The search went on. Repeated checks through the stats office and the Record Bureau failed to turn up any new leads. We stayed on it. Four nights later, the still unidentified hold up man and Lois Hagen started in all over again. Two drugstore holdups, two robberies of couples in parked cars. All of the victims were beaten senseless. Monday, March 19, 8am.

[Joe Friday]

Joe.

[Announcer]

Hi. They turned up anything last night?

[Joe Friday]

Two more jobs. Both victims identified the Hagan girl as the accomplice.

[Announcer]

Anything else?

[Joe Friday]

Still using the same escape car? That's about it.

[Announcer]

Yeah, we're no closer than we were a week ago.

[Joe Friday]

I checked the hospital on the drugsticks.

[Announcer]

L. How's he doing?

[Joe Friday]

They don't know yet. Still unconscious.

[Announcer]

Forget it. Homicide Friday yeah, Mike. Where? Yeah, right away.

[Joe Friday]

What have you got?

[Announcer]

32R. They're out on 18th and Hill. Yeah, the hold up car. They just spotted it. 8:20am Together with Cummings and McCready, we drove out to 18th and Hill where the officers in unit 32R had the hold up car staked out was parked in the back of a large service station on Hill street near the corner of 18th. We talked with a manager and he told us that a blonde girl answering Lois Hagen's description had left the car there earlier that morning just to have the distributor fixed and the battery recharged. She told him that she'd call for the car early that night because of the way that the service station was situated. It would have been Impossible to stake out on the blue coupe without making it look obvious. We explained the setup to the manager and made arrangements for Ben and I to pose as employees. That way we could keep a close watch on the car until the suspects called for. Cummings and McCready holed up in a coffee shop directly across the street. Two teams of men from ROB recovered from their vantage points. Ben and I took up our post as supervisors of the station's 10 minute car wash.

[Joe Friday]

They sure do a great business here, huh?

[Announcer]

Yeah. You mentioned to the manager about keeping the area clear around that car, didn't you? Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

It's all set up. We're not going to have an excuse in the world if we miss those two.

[Announcer]

Yeah, if they show up.

[Joe Friday]

What are we supposed to do now? Pull these tickets off the cars as they move off the wash line? Yeah. That's all.

[Announcer]

Just slip the tickets in that box over there. See?

[Joe Friday]

Mm, must. And run them a few dollars, huh? Installing all this equipment seems to be.

[Announcer]

Paying off, doesn't it? What time you got now?

[Joe Friday]

Few minutes past 4.

[Announcer]

Want to smoke?

[Joe Friday]

No, I just put one out.

[Announcer]

1Am Ben spotted a young blonde girl turn the corner onto Hill and start up the street toward the service station. As she came closer, she looked to the right and the left. She paused in front of the station, looked on both sides of the street and then she turned completely around and walked on past Lois Hagan.

[Joe Friday]

She's going right down to the corner. How about it?

[Announcer]

Yeah, I'll put in with you.

[Joe Friday]

How about a tail? We can't just let her walk away from us.

[Announcer]

Just a minute. Take a look.

[Joe Friday]

She's turning around. Coming back this way. She's coming in.

[Announcer]

We better get back to our car. Looks like it.

[Joe Friday]

Right.

[Announcer]

The young blonde entered the garage office, paid the repair bill and drove off in the hold up car. Ben and I followed an 80K. Cummings and McCready tailed us. The blue coupe moved two blocks down Hill street and then turned into an apartment garage. We parked on the street, went in and got the manager out of bed. We showed him Lois Hagen's picture. He told us that she was registered alone in apartment 16. He failed to recognize the description of the hold up man. McCready and three men from Rob recovered the front and back exits. Cummings, Ben and I climbed the stairs to the third floor.

[Joe Friday]

Number 16.

[Announcer]

Joe, you want to ring it?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Yeah.

[Announcer]

Sorry, ma'am.

[Joe Friday]

Bedroom Bill. Right. I'll take the kitchen.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Wait a minute.

[Joe Friday]

What is this?

[Announcer]

Police officers. You Lois Hagen. You get out of here.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Let me alone.

[Joe Friday]

Bedroom's empty. Nothing back here.

[Announcer]

All right, where is he? Come on, let's have it.

[Target Advertiser]

Frank.

[Announcer]

Get out.

[Joe Friday]

Cops.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Frank, get out.

[Joe Friday]

Upstairs. You watch your bill.

[Announcer]

I got it. Come on, babe.

[Joe Friday]

Yep.

[Announcer]

Stairs.

[Joe Friday]

Joe watching?

[Announcer]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

Hold it back. Get off. Come on down, cop. Rest. Give me room.

[Announcer]

Give it up, mister. You haven't got a chance. Give me room.

[Joe Friday]

I'll come at you.

[Announcer]

We got the building covered, mister. Give it up.

[Joe Friday]

Look out, Joe. I'll get his gun.

[Announcer]

How is he?

[Joe Friday]

Dead. Joe. Ben, you all right?

[Announcer]

Yeah. Bill, you want to take the girl downstairs?

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Let me see, please. Frank. Frank.

[Joe Friday]

All right, lady.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Didn't have to happen. I tried to tell him get away. Wouldn't listen. Never listen.

[Joe Friday]

Let's go.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

We were married yesterday. You didn't know that, did you? Just married?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Mrs. Ernestine Hagan]

Married two days.

[Announcer]

Yeah. Well, the honeymoon's over. Come on, lady.

[Joe Friday]

The story you have just heard was true.

[Announcer]

Only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Narrator]

On August 5th, trial was held in Superior Court Department 87. City and county of Los Angeles, State of California. In a moment, the results of that trial.

[Announcer]

Now here's our star, Jack Webb. Thank you. Here's an invitation we just received from New York's famous Stork Club. Host Sherman Billingsley asked us to pass it on to you Dragnet listeners who have television sets. It reads, cordially invite you to see the Stork Club on television beginning this week. Well, Dragnet welcomes the Stork Club. It's a fine television show.

[Narrator]

The body of the dead hold up man was identified as that of Frank Ralston Kilbride. His accomplice, Lois Hagen, was tried and convicted on six counts of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. She received sentences as prescribed by law and is now serving her term in the state penitentiary for women. 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.

[Announcer]

Parker.

[Narrator]

We the People is next on NBC.

[Announcer]

Step into the world of power, loyalty and luck.

[Joe Friday]

I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.

[Announcer]

With family. Cannolis and spins mean everything.

[Joe Friday]

Now you want to get mixed up in the family business?

[Announcer]

Introducing the [e-mail] test your luck in the shadowy world of the Godfather slots.

[Joe Friday]

Someday I will call upon you to do a service for me. Play the Godfather [e-mail]. welcome to the family.

[Announcer]

No purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Target Advertiser]

Target made good and gather for you helping you save on delicious salads chopped and ready for quick, easy meals. Everyday favorites at unbeatable prices. We made good and gather for you only at Target.

[Adam Graham]

Welcome back. A solid case with a brutal perpetrator and a good investigative process. However, it doesn't stand out as much in the series because Dragnet did several cases with similar crimes that people generally think of before this, such as the Big Badge when you're thinking about robberies apart cars. However, our perp in this one is much more brutal and dangerous even than the figure in that episode. I really felt bad for the teacher who they questioned in the hospital. Without going over the top, they really showed how much damage had been inflicted on that poor guy. Like in the big car, the criminals made a key mistake that's never explained. They switched to just using one car, which ultimately led the police to tracking them down again. We could speculate that it's most likely because they like that particular car, and switching from vehicle to vehicle is a hassle, and they might have encountered some that they didn't like as much as that one and just decided to stick with one that worked for them. They just didn't understand the amount of advantage they were giving away. Likely this was a case of inexperienced criminals who just knew how to pick their spots. Their only real distinction other than that is being sadists, and that doesn't require any skill or experience. Now I should note that I've made an announcement on the Great Detectives of Old Time radio [e-mail] on our website for the past 15 years. Plus since I started the podcast, nearly every week I've posted an article, usually something original, but occasionally I get really busy and I will repost an article from the archives. And when you've been doing this for as long as I have, there's a lot you can choose from to go ahead, polish up and repost. Last week was the last article I'll be posting in that format. The reason for this is that ultimately the Internet has changed, in my opinion anyway. Search engines are broken, which is at the core of the problem, but it's led to a whole lot less traffic coming into the articles that I post. You used to get a lot of traffic from Google for those articles, and that just does not happen anymore. So essentially I'm spending a bunch of time writing articles that nobody's reading, particularly compared to the level of readership we were getting a few years ago, even back in 2021. At the same time, I'm really impressed by the idea of having a newsletter as a podcaster to connect with listeners on the topic you're writing about. So to me it makes a lot more sense to invest my time into something that people are going to actually read and engage with. I'm still working out details on the newsletter, what its perimeters will be, and I'll be publishing some additional thoughts on that next week. But it will for now, publish bimonthly, with the first issue being released in May, and then we'll also have issues in July, September and November of this year. There will be one or two feature articles or review, and I will actually be open to taking submissions from others. But we're not publishing 10 or 12 articles, we're going to have one or two. I already have themes picked out for each of the four newsletters we'll do this year. In terms of what I'll write about, it'll be very similar to the focus that I've had on the articles. So we'll be talking about Vantage Entertainment with an emphasis on audio dramas and mysteries. Over the years I've done reviews on a lot of things and articles on many subjects. We've talked about graphic novels, movies, and even a bit of music. But I think the body of work is really weighed to those two areas. And I'll also be sharing just those little random fascinating tidbits that I find as I go about and do my research. And some of you may have found that if you followed me on Twitter where I'll share something. But I know a lot of people aren't on Twitter, and there are just some really neat things that I come across that would be of interest to people who enjoy this podcast. Now, in terms of distribution, I prefer not to overcomplicate things for myself or for listeners. I'm not going to start a separate platform for the newsletter, so we're not going to do a substack or something like that to start out with. We will actually be publishing this through Patreon. Now that doesn't mean you have to be a paid Patreon support supporter. Patreon has added the option of following the show on Patreon for free. Now, to be clear, if you're not a paid Patreon supporter, there are benefits that you don't get, like the monthly paid supporter newsletter, don't get the paid supporter notifications or access to the extra programs. But there are a lot of things that we post that are publicly available, like episodes of the Old Time Radio, Snack Wagon and video theater. And this newsletter will be one of Those things that our free Patreon supporters get access to. And we already have 136 people who are signed up as free Patreon supporters as of the time of this recording and add the 300 plus paid Patreon support supporters. And I think that you've got a good base right there. So if you are interested in the newsletter and if you're not ready to support us on a paid basis, you can still go to patreon.com radiodetectives and follow us for free on Patreon. Again, you don't get all the benefits of being a paid Patreon supporter, but you do get the free, free public bimonthly newsletter. And it occurs to me that I need to find some way to delineate this with a more official title. I'm still working on that because there is a newsletter that is Patreon only, that goes out monthly, but you won't get that. Okay, so I hope that's clear, at least for now, and we'll have more clarification coming up. Well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. And I want to go ahead and thank Amy. Amy's been one of our Patreon supporters since August, currently supporting the podcast at the psalmist level of $4 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Amy. And that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet. Join us this week for Public Domain Video Theater, as we will be featuring an episode of Mr. And Mrs. North. You can catch that on our YouTube channel, as well as on Apple Podcast and other stores that pick up that feed, such as Podbean. And now you can catch it on Spotify. A video theater now on Spotify. But join us back here tomorrow for our final listener support and appreciation special. A yours truly, Johnny Dollar Omnibus. Where?

[Frank Ralston Kilbride]

Don't misunderstand me Dollar. She was a real sweet girl, but there was something about her. I don't know. I hope you find her. Or maybe I don't.

[Joe Friday]

What are you talking about?

[Frank Ralston Kilbride]

She had plans of her own. Plans she never told me about. Look, I was in practice three years when she came to work for me, fresh out of high school. With all of it, she still made me feel like a little boy in knee pants. That smile of hers you could take two ways. And the look that went with it. I'm sure she's met a lot of men since she walked out on me. And I'll bet all of them have found out the same thing.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Frank Ralston Kilbride]

That they've been taken.

[Joe Friday]

You mean money?

[Frank Ralston Kilbride]

Oh, it wasn't the watch or the necklace or the loans. Every now and then it was being taken worse. You know, being used and knowing you're being used.

[Joe Friday]

I don't quite get it.

[Frank Ralston Kilbride]

And I'll make it clear that sweet, fresh, beautiful little girl was out to do everything and everybody for all she could get. She's rotten, you know. Just plain rotten.

[Adam Graham]

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

[Ryan Seacrest]

It is Ryan here and I have a question for you. What do you do when you win? Like, are you a fist pumper?

[Announcer]

A woo hooer?

[Ryan Seacrest]

A hand clapper? A high fiver? I kind of like the high five. But if you want to hone in on those winning moves, check out Chumbacasino. At Chumbacasino.com, choose from hundreds of social casino style games for your chance to redeem serious cash prizes. There are new game releases weekly plus free daily bonuses, so don't wait. Start having the most Fun [e-mail] no purchase necessary.

[Announcer]

BGW Terms and Conditions 18.

[Target Advertiser]

Target made good and Gather for you Helping you save on delicious salads chopped and ready for quick, easy meals. Everyday favorites at unbeatable prices. We made good and Gather for you only at Target.