August 9, 2025 • 25 mins
Dragnet - Old Time Radio Show - 253 The Big Customer
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocents.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Drag Mett, you're a detective sergeant.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You're assigned a robbery detail. A special officer has been
shop during a routine patrol. These assailants have escaped into
the city. There's no leed to their whereabouts. Your job
find them.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It was Saturday, May twenty first, was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the night Watch out of robbery detail.
My partner's Frank Smith, the boss Achiev, the detective stad Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
My name's Fiddy. We're on our way back from the scene.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And it was ten fifty six pm when we got
to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital treatment room. No man, police officer.
Doctor said we could aswer some questions about the robbery.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yes, ma'am, that's my partner, Frank Smith. My name's Friday.
A lot of him his Montgomery.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
You heard anything about Keith. Is he all right?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, doctor's still with him.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Is he gonna be all right?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
We better talk to doctor about that.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I think he tried to stop the man from robbing us,
tried to throw him out of the store.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, ma'am, can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Well, I guess so if the doctor said I could.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
The only time you don't feel like going on, just
tell us playing?
Speaker 4 (01:21):
All right?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
What time did the man come into the store?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
About nine thirty, right around and there? Yeah, Keith and
me were sitting in the back room playing cribbage. We
usually play a couple of games before we close up,
especially when the business is kind of slow.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
These two men came in. Keith went out to wait
on him.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Did you go with him?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
No, wasn't any reason to just two customers, no reason
for me to go out. Looked like they came in together.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
You could see him from where you were.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Oh yeah, we had the card table set up right
in the doorway in the back room.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
All right, man, and so I could go on.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Well, Keith went out and asked him what they wanted. Yeah,
one of him and said he wanted a bottle of vodka.
Keith asking what kind, and the man said it didn't
make any difference. They wanted a hundred to proof though.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Keith got the bottle off the shelf and came back,
told the man how much the bottle was and that's
when the other man pulled up the knife.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
You say, the second man drew the knife.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
That's right, Short Cella had this kind of knife with
a spring blade, where you push a button and the
blade snaps out.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You know how, Yes, ma'am, did the men know you
were in the back room? You must have.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
All he had to do was look through the door,
and they'd seen me. I wasn't trying to hide.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I feel like going on.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Uh. Yes, doctor gave me some kind of pill. It
makes me a little number I feel.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Alright, alright, you please go ahead. And now what happened
after they pulled this knife.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Well, the short one told Keith to give him the money,
said it was a hold up.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Could you remember his exact words, Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Seems he said, alright, old man, this is a stick up.
Put all the money in the register in a paper bag,
and don't cause any trouble. It's as near as I
can remember, that's what he said.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Alright. What happened then, Well, Keith.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Told him to get out of the store, said the
two of 'em were too young to get mixed up
in that kind a foolishness. Told him to get right out. Yeah,
little fella, the short one with a knife, grabbed Keith
and told him they weren't playing games, but if he
knew what was good for him, he do like he
was told. Had the knife right at his chest. I
thought he was gonna cut Keith. That's when I came
(03:16):
out of the back room. When I thought they were
gonna hurt Keith.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Keep going, please, yes, I want to get this over.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
And tell you what you need to know so he
can catch the fella.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
All right, ma'am? What happened when he came into the store.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Oh I I tried to get the men out of
the place. Told him that if they knew what was
good for him, they'd leave right then.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Might as well been talking to a wall. They didn't
pay any attention to me. Yep, Well, that's when I
tried to get to the phone. I wanted to call
the police.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
What was your husband doing at this time?
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Danning, You're trying to keep from moving into the knife.
This short little fellow had it pressed right against his chest,
had the point right here. Keith made any kind of
a movie. He'd been stabbed. They saw me go to
the phone, the tall and grabbed me and hit me
with his fist clothes hit me about his home as
he could. As soon as he did that, Keith seemed
to go crazy, wrenched himself away from the one with
(04:05):
a knife and jumped on the tall man and fought
him as fright as he could.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, terrible the.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Way it happened. The tall man hit Keith along the
neck with the edge of his hand and knocked my
husband down. Then the little fellow jumped on him, held
his knife right in his throat and told him to
take the money and put it in a bag, that
he didn't want any more trouble, or he'd kill us both.
All the time he had the knife right here at
Keith's throat.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yes, your husband did what they said, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
He opened the register and gave him the money, put
it in a paper bag. I thought they'd leave after that.
That they didn't only made a matter.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Why was that?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
You know? It wasn't enough money, only about thirty or
thirty five dollars, he said, we had more in the
back room. They wanted that too, said for us to
get it or they'd kill us.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Did you get it for him?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yes, I went back and took it up from where
we hit it and handed it right over. M h.
What'd the doctor say about Keith? He must have said something, Frank.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Would you check with a doctor? Sebastians se what's going
on in there? Cat well? Was he want lee?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
After they got the other money, the two men left
the store, put the cash in the paper bag and
walked out. Said for me to stay still for five
minutes or they'd come back and kill Keith and me.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
M When did the special officer come into the store.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
We didn't, ma'am. He drove up when we were arguing
with the men on the sidewalk, and after they left
the store, Keith got up, ran after them, tried to
hold him.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Did the officer know what was going on?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
No, not At first, he thought it was just an argument.
When he walked up, Keith tried to tell him that
the store was being robbed, but the tall robber said
it was just a personal fight. Said they didn't concern
anybody else but Keith and him.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Were you on the sidewalk at the time, yes, right
beside Keith.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Robbers said that Keith was just an old crackpot trying
to cause trouble, that the officer should forget about it. Yeah,
I guess it didn't sound very good to him, because
he said it'd be better if Keith and the men
talked to a policeman. That's when the tall hold up
man grabbed the gun and shot.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
At the officer.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yes, grabbed the gun out of his holster and shot
him in the stomach.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
What happened then?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
The smaller of the two stabs Keith a couple of times,
and both of 'em ran down the street.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Did you see where they went?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yes, they got into a cut This was parked about
a half a block away, jumped into the car and left.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
All right, miss mcgamman. Just a couple more questions, Now,
did either of the two men use a name at
any time?
Speaker 4 (06:22):
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Well, when they were talking to each other, did they
use a name of any kind? Do you remember?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yes, when they shot the officer, the big one he
did the shooting. He said, come on, Hank, let's get
out of here like that, he said it.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
I see. Now.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Was there anything outstanding about the two men that you
can remember, anything that to make them easier force to identify?
Speaker 5 (06:38):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I can't think of anything right off. Just the one
was tall and the other one was short. That's all.
I can think of a tall you remember the big
one over six feet I'd say he was about six
feet three, maybe even more.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Did he have any special marks or scars that you
can recall?
Speaker 6 (06:56):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
No, nothing like that.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
How about the short one? Anything to make it easier
for us identify him?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Just his fingernails. They looked like he'd never cleaned them,
real long and dirty. I remember that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Is there anything else?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
No?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Did either of them speak with any kind of an accent?
Would you remember?
Speaker 4 (07:13):
No? I just like anybody else. Nothing special about him.
To find out about Keith? Did you talk to the doctor.
He'll keep going to be all right. Why don't you
tell me what's happened?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
To try to take it easy man? The doctor to
be right in all right?
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But time to hurry, please.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
Please, Yes, we'll do that.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Jacall County. Yeah, they're operating on home. And how's he going?
I also, as he got the bullet out, he should
make his ROOMBS not serious. What about Keith Montgomery? He
just died knife for him. The story we'd gotten from
(07:53):
IROI Montgomery was pretty much the same.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
A special officer count of Foreman I've given us immediately
after the robbery, A local and an ap B had
gone out on the suspects. In canvassing the neighborhood, the
investigating officers had found two eyewitnesses to the shooting stabbing.
A man and a woman had been parked in an
automobile directly across the street from.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
The Montgomery store.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
They had been able to give us a description of
the car that the suspects had driven away from the scene,
along with the last three numbers on the license plate.
While Frank and I had been talking to Missus Montgomery officers,
Benson and Herman from robbery Detail had been going through
the Department of Motor Vehicle records looking for.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
The owner's name.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Information on the method of operation used in the crime
was sent to the Stat's office and the run was started.
The Moniker file at R and I was checked for
a suspect with a nickname Hank, who matched the description
of the smaller thief. The two eyewitnesses were brought into
the city hall to go through the mug books for
a possible identification, while Frank went to the office to
check with Benson and Herman.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
I worked with the witnesses. Oh a page, how about here?
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Same here either?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
All right, Wait a minute, let's call it here, sank
this one.
Speaker 7 (09:03):
Yeah, it's not the hold up man, but he's got
the same kind of ears close to his head, like, yeah,
same kind of ears.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You're sure it's not the man though, Uh just got
airs like him? All right, mister Steele, would you go
on please here?
Speaker 6 (09:17):
I remember those years I used to go to school
with the kid had ears like that, junior high school.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yes, it's a mean kid. And never forget him, really mean.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I guess I thought of him for at least fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Never forget him though, mean, Yes, sir, if you waited
for me after school once I had a big fight.
I don't even know what it was about, big fight
to beat me up.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Sure like to meet him now they're a different story. Yes,
how about right here? Do you see either of the
suspects on these pages? No picture in this book? You
get no one? Yeah, I get it, all right, saying
how many more you got of these things? And there's
quite a few of you to see him right here
on the shelf, we go through all of them. Well,
(10:00):
we'd like to have to check the pictures. Yes, sir,
it's gonna take a while. You and your wife are
the only two people who can give us an identification.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
How about the woman who was held up?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
What's the name, missus Homer? No, Montgomery Holman was the
augar was shot? Yeah, yeah, well about missus Montgomery. Can't
she tell you about the Roberts. She's tuned the care
of her doctor. Her husband died, you know, well, from
being stabbed. Yes, sir, that's right. That's too bad.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
We didn't know what it was all about, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yes, again, Harry was.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Just sitting there. All of a sudden, there's this fight
and the shot. We didn't know what the frakes was. Yes,
I wonder if we can go on with the books here?
Oh yeah, how about right here?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:36):
No, not here? Mm hmmm. So he's he's mean what
he do robbery?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah? Yeah, you can tell look at the face.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
You can always said, no, I don't see him here.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Perry, sir, Parry Nicholson, that's the guy's name.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
One of the closest years or.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Remember it now? Haven't thought the fifteen years?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Perry Nicholson bully, Yes, sure like to be you know, Perry.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Now, it'll be a different story if he wanted to
fight now, a whole different story.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
The hold up car yeah, they just found it abandoned.
Two officers in a radio.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Unit that found the car in a parking lot at
the corner of Rosemont Avenue in Waterloo. When the vehicle
was discovered in the similarity to the description that had
been broadcast, was noticed, the car was put under surveillance
and our office.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Had been notified. Frank and I left the city.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Hall and drove out to the parking lot immediately. The
car was placed under surveillance again and we checked it
through DMB. We found the car was owned by an
Edwin Vargas eighteen seventy nine Moss Street out in Burbank.
We checked the name through R and I, but we
found that he had no criminal record in R file.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
We drove out to see Vargas. While Frank covered the
rear of the place. I rang the bell of the
house and waited. Yeah, I see mister Vargus.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Not in right now. Anything I can do where he is? No.
I imagine he got held up downtown. I'm probably working late.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I be alright if I wait for him.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
I'm not sure you mind telling me who we are.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Sorry, police officer, my name is Friday.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
What the cops wanted for might.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Be better if we talked to him.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
You alone.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Anybody else in my house, ma'am. No, your husband on
the nineteen fifty three dark blue Fords today. Yeah, you're
driving it tonight.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Is he? Well? Sure, he took it to work with
him this morning.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
It might be better if I wait inside now, all.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Right, come on in. I don't know what this is
all about, but you can bet it's some kind of mistake.
Ed's never had no trouble the cops, never none.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
What's that doly over here?
Speaker 4 (12:36):
Bedroom?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Or if I take a.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Lot, go ahead, you ain't gonna find anything.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
What's that over there in the bathroom?
Speaker 7 (12:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:54):
All right, just the one bedroom.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
No need cray. Mommy and Ed don't have any children.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Kitchen this way?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Yeah. See, if you're looking for something, maybe if you'll
tell me what it is, I can help you.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
You just want to check the house, ma'am. This all
the rest of the house.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I told you, we don't need any more room.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Let me see just unlocking your back door. Man, My
partner's out there. Hi, Frank, see here?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Who is this another cop?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
That's my partner, Frank Smith mis barce. Hello.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Seems to me you should be able to tell me
what this is all about, mister Friday.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Can you give us a description of your husband? Why
might help us to get him out of trouble?
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Maybe he's in no trouble. You got something on your
back and you're trying to dump it on it and
it isn't gonna work.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
You want to give us a description?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
How tall is your husband?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Six y three?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
How thirty two colors? Is here?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Kind of sandy? Look? What if it's a third degree?
What are you trying to prove?
Speaker 8 (13:50):
With all these questions?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You just want to get up the truth, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
There's a kind of hard way to do it if
you ask me.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I'm sorry for causing you any trouble you are. Where's
your husband work?
Speaker 4 (13:59):
You just say?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Who?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Forore Man Insurance Company Downtown?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
He usually worked this way?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
No, I told you that.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Would you think he should work tonight? Yeah? N You
wouldn't mind if we called him, would you?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I'm not gonna have you caused him any embarrassed.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Don't worry aout him, Miss Vargas. Would you like to
give us the number?
Speaker 4 (14:14):
It's in a phone book, look under emergency numbers. Yeah, Look,
what do you think.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
He's done police businessman.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I'm his wife. I got a right to know.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
It'll be better if we talk to him.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
That's what you say?
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Your has been ever been in trouble with the police before?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Not that I know of.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
How long you lived here?
Speaker 4 (14:34):
You mean in California?
Speaker 1 (14:35):
That's right?
Speaker 4 (14:36):
I was born here. How about your husband been here
a couple of years?
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Where's he from?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
New York State?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Where in New York State?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
A little place right outside of Utica.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
You ever been in trouble back there? Would you know?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Well? If he was, he didn't say anything to me
about it. How long has he had the job since
a week after he came out. It's a smart guy.
He had no trouble getting work.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
How about it? I talked to the building in Superintendent Town,
he says. Vargas left at five point thirty this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
The description of the owner of the car used in
the hold up, coupled with his absence, made him a
prime suspect in the robbery.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
We continued to talk to his wife. She gave us
some of the background on Bargas.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
She told us that they don't even married a little
over a year, not if they were still trying to
pay off the debts that her husband had incurred before
they're married. She went on to say that in the
last few days he'd been depressed about their finances, and
on that morning Bargus had said he'd figured a way
out for them. Frank called the office and the broadcast
was gotten out, asking if the man be picked up
and detained for questioning one fifteen am. We asked missus
(15:34):
Vargus about her husband's friends.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Isn't anyone Ed's real close to?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well? Is there one man he's with more than the others?
Would you know? Maybe somebody works with?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
No, unless maybe it's Vic. Ed. Don't have much to
do with him, though he knows. I don't care for him,
don't like him around.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Who's that there, Vic Noble?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
He works in the same office as Ed.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
What's he looked like? Oh?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
Not much, little guy, kind of nondescript. Never did figure
out he could be a good salesman. I'd never buy anything, honestly.
He makes me nervous just to have him around me.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yes, go ahead, But your husband, it might be better
if you didn't tell him we were here all right?
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Hello, Yeah, honey, where have you been? What? But do
you know when? Uh?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Huh.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Well did you call the police, Well you should have.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Called him right away. Yeah, uh no, I'll drive right
down pick you up. You wait right there, Uh huh,
well right away, that's right. Well look tell me where
it is. Oh yeah, yeah, I know, turn last. Yeah,
all right, I'll find it. You wait right there, will you?
All right? Goodbye? Bye? That was Ed. You're gonna have
(16:41):
to find yourself another boy or whatever this is.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
It has something to do with Ed's car, doesn't it.
That's right, And then you're all wrong about Eddie couldn't
have had anything to do with it.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
I mean Ed's car was stolen. Tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
We got the address of the bar where Ed Vargas
had hauled from Frank and I drove down and talked
to him.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
He told us that he'd left work and stopped in
the bar for a couple of drinks before he went home. However,
when he left the place, he found that his car
was gone. He returned to the bar and spent the
next several hours trying to figure out what to do.
We talked to the bartender and he verified Vargas's statement
that he'd been in the place all evening.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
He was released from custody.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Ain't allowed to return home. Frank and I continue to
talk to the bartender.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Got to get ready to close up pretty quick. Just
a couple more questions.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Will you mind if I clean up the back bar
where we talked?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
No cigarette here? Thanks?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And you told us that Vargas came in about a
quarter or six? Is that right?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
There's I can remember? Yeah, I can ever take a
couple of minutes on either side.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
But he was here before seven, for sure. You meet
anybody here.
Speaker 6 (17:41):
How far is it's going to go?
Speaker 1 (17:43):
What do you mean his wife's going to find out
if I tell you not?
Speaker 6 (17:45):
For my Well, that and the missus happened to get
along so good lately, you know, been beefing a lot.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah, it's a funny guy.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
He don't like no trouble at home, So when the.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
Stari started giving him problems, he found another girl, a
kid that works for his office, usually dropping here for.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
A couple of drinks before he goes home. Yeah, nothing
serious going on, just they like to.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Sit and talk.
Speaker 7 (18:02):
Adds all the time telling her how this wife doesn't
understand him whole line.
Speaker 6 (18:05):
But I think he means it.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
He was in here with a girl tonight? Was he? Yeah?
Just like all week.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
Every night they come in about a quarter to five,
sit in the back booth, have a couple of martinis,
and then they leave.
Speaker 6 (18:15):
I think maybe Ed drops her.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Off on the way home.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
She don't have a car.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Yeah, tonight they had more than just a couple of drinks.
I think maybe there was something wrong, you know a
little problem.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
What about?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
Look, people come in here to relax. They all got
something on their minds. I make it a practice not
the eavesdropper interfere.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
What was their problems? You know, Sarah won't hear it,
but we told you before.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Yeah, one wanted to come around her CAUs nov if
she's jealous, you know, real jealous. That's how Oh yeah, anyway,
Ed must have told a girl that he was thinking
of leaving his wife, because tonight she told him to
do something about her or she was walking out, had.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
A little kind of tiff, and then she left. After that,
he went out to get the.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Car and found have been stolen.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Where do you leave it? You know, a lot behind
the building to leave the keys in the car.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
You saw him when he left carrying a big load.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
He don't remember.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Probably did, though. Do you have anybody else in here
night that looked like Vargas? What do you mean, well,
as tall as he was. Maybe a lot of tall
people come in here, as we understand, with or any
of the night.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
A couple, Yeah, any of them come in with a
short fellow about five, six or seven?
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:11):
What time they come in all about a little after seven?
When they leave, I don't know, maybe seven thirty, quarter
of eight.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
I'm not sure. That's one of the tables back there.
I served them a couple of times. Didn't take much
notice when they left. They paid for the drinks. When
I brought him left a half a buck tip took off.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
They come in here regular, dude, Yeah, a.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Couple times a week, maybe more.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
They usually together.
Speaker 7 (19:29):
Oh, I've never seen him any other way except once.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Rather not remember that time. What do you mean?
Speaker 7 (19:33):
Came in there early, spent the whole night here boozem
got pretty plastered.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
I had to take Nick home.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
He couldn't make it alone. Which one is neck short?
One little guy? What's he do for a living? Nothing
I ever heard of. Where's he lived?
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Anyway?
Speaker 7 (19:43):
He can always seems to have dull I think maybe
some kind of gamber or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Always loaded well.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
He looks though.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
You think he was some kind of mechanic, but he's
not all right. Sure he dresses nice, always got a good.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Suit on, but he doesn't know how to carry it off.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
What do you mean nice fingernails?
Speaker 6 (19:55):
I don't think he ever cleans him.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We got complete descriptions of the two men. They matched
those of the thieves perfectly. The bartender closed the place
and took us down the street to a hotel where
he said he'd taken Nick Roxford. We talked to the
desk clerk, but we found that Roxford had moved several
months before. By checking with some of the people in
the hotel, we got a forwarding address for him. It
was a cheap rooming house down on South Pico. Think
and I went by the city hall and ran the
(20:23):
name through R and I. We found that Roxford had
an arrest record for petty theft and adw He served
a term in the county jail and was a president
under the jurisdiction of the court. His mugshot was pulled
and taken out to the witnesses for identification. We checked
with the manager of the boarding house, and we found
that Roxford and to Henry Larson were registered in one
of the rooms in the company of the manager. We
went up to the room, but the pair wasn't. Then
(20:44):
we contacted the office and told them where we were.
They told us that Roxford had been positively identified as
one of the hold up men. We settled down to
wait for the suspects to come back. Three thirty am,
four five, five fifteen am.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Sounds like somebody's coming.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
It wasn't no other way you was there didn't so
you're doing nothing to stop it. You shut the cop
and stuff all right there? What are you doing here,
police officer?
Speaker 1 (21:16):
You're under a h It made it kind of rough
(21:39):
in it, Yeah, I did? I come on? Yeh, come ony,
I just take him downtown.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I better check the cuffs and want them too tight.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
No, you might hurt him.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Two suspects were taken downtown to the interrogation room. Henry
Larson was handcuffed to the chair and robbery while Frank
and I talked to Nick Roxford.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
It's a bed be If I know what you guys
are gonna find out.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Why don't you tell us about it?
Speaker 6 (22:11):
Tina Robbery wrapped to me.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Look, we've already done it. The witnesses gave us a
positive and indvication on you.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
How could they never seen me?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
We got a picture of you. It's pretty good. Do
you want to tell us about him?
Speaker 6 (22:21):
I got nothing to say.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
I want a lawyer.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
I'm going to talk. Can I see a lawyer?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
All right? Yeah? Do you know the old man died?
Speaker 6 (22:29):
I didn't know nothing about no old man.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
His wife says you're the one who was stabbed him.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
She's crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
He's willing to take it to court. It'll never stick,
we think it will. I think we can make you
for first degree? What about Hank food Larson? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:46):
What happens to him?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Same charge?
Speaker 6 (22:48):
You know it yet?
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Well you're the first one to hear.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
What if I give you a hand?
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I don't mean man?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
Well, suppose I tell you it was Hanks. I did
the whole thing go any better with me?
Speaker 1 (22:59):
You know? I don't decide that.
Speaker 6 (23:01):
Oh, it seems like if I helped you be better
with me.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I do you want to tell us about it? I'll
make you deep no deals.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
Look, just promise me you won't tell Hank if I
give you the real story?
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Huh? All right, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
The whole thing was his idea, right from the start.
He kised the store, The whole thing.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Was his idea. What about the car, Well that was
Hank's too.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
He spotted it, said to make a good deal.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
You checked the car.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
You find his prints all over it?
Speaker 1 (23:24):
All right? What happened after that? At the story it
was Hank again.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
I didn't want no part of it. Hank made me
said if I backed out, he'd get me. He's a
big man, he gets mean when he's crossed. I wasn't
about to give him no trouble.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
Well we got to the place and he made me go,
and he made me take a piece of the action.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Oh wait a minute, let's back up here and get
this straight. You're trying to tell me all the time
he wanted no part of it.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
No, no, you got to believe it.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Boy, we got it. You were having a time with
a knife.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Well, I got scared, that's all. I got scared. I
didn't know what I was doing here, you did. Look,
you gotta believe me. I'm telling the truth. It was
all Hank's idea, the whole thing. I want no part
of it, never did.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
All right, Just keep yourvae I told you.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Now you know about the whole thing. You won't tell Hank,
will you?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
What difference is it made if he finds out I
told you'll kill me? Remember I asked you before, huh
what difference does it make?
Speaker 8 (24:19):
Henry Taylor Larson and Nicholas John Roxford were tried and
convicted of murder in the first degree on recommendation of
the jury. They received maximum sentence and were executed in
the lethal gas chamber of the State Penitentiary San Quentin, California.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces
Radio Service.
Speaker 9 (25:00):
MS pepper back Copper commers users, Pepper spinner, NUP peppers
(25:46):
commer
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocents.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Drag Mett, you're a detective sergeant.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You're assigned a robbery detail. A special officer has been
shop during a routine patrol. These assailants have escaped into
the city. There's no leed to their whereabouts. Your job
find them.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It was Saturday, May twenty first, was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the night Watch out of robbery detail.
My partner's Frank Smith, the boss Achiev, the detective stad Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
My name's Fiddy. We're on our way back from the scene.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
And it was ten fifty six pm when we got
to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital treatment room. No man, police officer.
Doctor said we could aswer some questions about the robbery.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yes, ma'am, that's my partner, Frank Smith. My name's Friday.
A lot of him his Montgomery.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
You heard anything about Keith. Is he all right?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well, doctor's still with him.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Is he gonna be all right?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
We better talk to doctor about that.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I think he tried to stop the man from robbing us,
tried to throw him out of the store.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, ma'am, can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Well, I guess so if the doctor said I could.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
The only time you don't feel like going on, just
tell us playing?
Speaker 4 (01:21):
All right?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
What time did the man come into the store?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
About nine thirty, right around and there? Yeah, Keith and
me were sitting in the back room playing cribbage. We
usually play a couple of games before we close up,
especially when the business is kind of slow.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
These two men came in. Keith went out to wait
on him.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Did you go with him?
Speaker 4 (01:39):
No, wasn't any reason to just two customers, no reason
for me to go out. Looked like they came in together.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
You could see him from where you were.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Oh yeah, we had the card table set up right
in the doorway in the back room.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
All right, man, and so I could go on.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Well, Keith went out and asked him what they wanted. Yeah,
one of him and said he wanted a bottle of vodka.
Keith asking what kind, and the man said it didn't
make any difference. They wanted a hundred to proof though.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Keith got the bottle off the shelf and came back,
told the man how much the bottle was and that's
when the other man pulled up the knife.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
You say, the second man drew the knife.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
That's right, Short Cella had this kind of knife with
a spring blade, where you push a button and the
blade snaps out.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
You know how, Yes, ma'am, did the men know you
were in the back room? You must have.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
All he had to do was look through the door,
and they'd seen me. I wasn't trying to hide.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I feel like going on.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Uh. Yes, doctor gave me some kind of pill. It
makes me a little number I feel.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Alright, alright, you please go ahead. And now what happened
after they pulled this knife.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Well, the short one told Keith to give him the money,
said it was a hold up.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Could you remember his exact words, Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Seems he said, alright, old man, this is a stick up.
Put all the money in the register in a paper bag,
and don't cause any trouble. It's as near as I
can remember, that's what he said.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Alright. What happened then, Well, Keith.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Told him to get out of the store, said the
two of 'em were too young to get mixed up
in that kind a foolishness. Told him to get right out. Yeah,
little fella, the short one with a knife, grabbed Keith
and told him they weren't playing games, but if he
knew what was good for him, he do like he
was told. Had the knife right at his chest. I
thought he was gonna cut Keith. That's when I came
(03:16):
out of the back room. When I thought they were
gonna hurt Keith.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Keep going, please, yes, I want to get this over.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
And tell you what you need to know so he
can catch the fella.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
All right, ma'am? What happened when he came into the store.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Oh I I tried to get the men out of
the place. Told him that if they knew what was
good for him, they'd leave right then.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Might as well been talking to a wall. They didn't
pay any attention to me. Yep, Well, that's when I
tried to get to the phone. I wanted to call
the police.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
What was your husband doing at this time?
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Danning, You're trying to keep from moving into the knife.
This short little fellow had it pressed right against his chest,
had the point right here. Keith made any kind of
a movie. He'd been stabbed. They saw me go to
the phone, the tall and grabbed me and hit me
with his fist clothes hit me about his home as
he could. As soon as he did that, Keith seemed
to go crazy, wrenched himself away from the one with
(04:05):
a knife and jumped on the tall man and fought
him as fright as he could.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, terrible the.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Way it happened. The tall man hit Keith along the
neck with the edge of his hand and knocked my
husband down. Then the little fellow jumped on him, held
his knife right in his throat and told him to
take the money and put it in a bag, that
he didn't want any more trouble, or he'd kill us both.
All the time he had the knife right here at
Keith's throat.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Yes, your husband did what they said, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
He opened the register and gave him the money, put
it in a paper bag. I thought they'd leave after that.
That they didn't only made a matter.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Why was that?
Speaker 4 (04:40):
You know? It wasn't enough money, only about thirty or
thirty five dollars, he said, we had more in the
back room. They wanted that too, said for us to
get it or they'd kill us.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Did you get it for him?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Yes, I went back and took it up from where
we hit it and handed it right over. M h.
What'd the doctor say about Keith? He must have said something, Frank.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Would you check with a doctor? Sebastians se what's going
on in there? Cat well? Was he want lee?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
After they got the other money, the two men left
the store, put the cash in the paper bag and
walked out. Said for me to stay still for five
minutes or they'd come back and kill Keith and me.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
M When did the special officer come into the store.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
We didn't, ma'am. He drove up when we were arguing
with the men on the sidewalk, and after they left
the store, Keith got up, ran after them, tried to
hold him.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Did the officer know what was going on?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
No, not At first, he thought it was just an argument.
When he walked up, Keith tried to tell him that
the store was being robbed, but the tall robber said
it was just a personal fight. Said they didn't concern
anybody else but Keith and him.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Were you on the sidewalk at the time, yes, right
beside Keith.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Robbers said that Keith was just an old crackpot trying
to cause trouble, that the officer should forget about it. Yeah,
I guess it didn't sound very good to him, because
he said it'd be better if Keith and the men
talked to a policeman. That's when the tall hold up
man grabbed the gun and shot.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
At the officer.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yes, grabbed the gun out of his holster and shot
him in the stomach.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
What happened then?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
The smaller of the two stabs Keith a couple of times,
and both of 'em ran down the street.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Did you see where they went?
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yes, they got into a cut This was parked about
a half a block away, jumped into the car and left.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
All right, miss mcgamman. Just a couple more questions, Now,
did either of the two men use a name at
any time?
Speaker 4 (06:22):
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Well, when they were talking to each other, did they
use a name of any kind? Do you remember?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yes, when they shot the officer, the big one he
did the shooting. He said, come on, Hank, let's get
out of here like that, he said it.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
I see. Now.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Was there anything outstanding about the two men that you
can remember, anything that to make them easier force to identify?
Speaker 5 (06:38):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I can't think of anything right off. Just the one
was tall and the other one was short. That's all.
I can think of a tall you remember the big
one over six feet I'd say he was about six
feet three, maybe even more.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Did he have any special marks or scars that you
can recall?
Speaker 6 (06:56):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
No, nothing like that.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
How about the short one? Anything to make it easier
for us identify him?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Just his fingernails. They looked like he'd never cleaned them,
real long and dirty. I remember that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Is there anything else?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
No?
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Did either of them speak with any kind of an accent?
Would you remember?
Speaker 4 (07:13):
No? I just like anybody else. Nothing special about him.
To find out about Keith? Did you talk to the doctor.
He'll keep going to be all right. Why don't you
tell me what's happened?
Speaker 1 (07:26):
To try to take it easy man? The doctor to
be right in all right?
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But time to hurry, please.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
Please, Yes, we'll do that.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Jacall County. Yeah, they're operating on home. And how's he going?
I also, as he got the bullet out, he should
make his ROOMBS not serious. What about Keith Montgomery? He
just died knife for him. The story we'd gotten from
(07:53):
IROI Montgomery was pretty much the same.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
A special officer count of Foreman I've given us immediately
after the robbery, A local and an ap B had
gone out on the suspects. In canvassing the neighborhood, the
investigating officers had found two eyewitnesses to the shooting stabbing.
A man and a woman had been parked in an
automobile directly across the street from.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
The Montgomery store.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
They had been able to give us a description of
the car that the suspects had driven away from the scene,
along with the last three numbers on the license plate.
While Frank and I had been talking to Missus Montgomery officers,
Benson and Herman from robbery Detail had been going through
the Department of Motor Vehicle records looking for.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
The owner's name.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Information on the method of operation used in the crime
was sent to the Stat's office and the run was started.
The Moniker file at R and I was checked for
a suspect with a nickname Hank, who matched the description
of the smaller thief. The two eyewitnesses were brought into
the city hall to go through the mug books for
a possible identification, while Frank went to the office to
check with Benson and Herman.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
I worked with the witnesses. Oh a page, how about here?
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Same here either?
Speaker 1 (08:58):
All right, Wait a minute, let's call it here, sank
this one.
Speaker 7 (09:03):
Yeah, it's not the hold up man, but he's got
the same kind of ears close to his head, like, yeah,
same kind of ears.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You're sure it's not the man though, Uh just got
airs like him? All right, mister Steele, would you go
on please here?
Speaker 6 (09:17):
I remember those years I used to go to school
with the kid had ears like that, junior high school.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Yes, it's a mean kid. And never forget him, really mean.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I guess I thought of him for at least fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Never forget him though, mean, Yes, sir, if you waited
for me after school once I had a big fight.
I don't even know what it was about, big fight
to beat me up.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Sure like to meet him now they're a different story. Yes,
how about right here? Do you see either of the
suspects on these pages? No picture in this book? You
get no one? Yeah, I get it, all right, saying
how many more you got of these things? And there's
quite a few of you to see him right here
on the shelf, we go through all of them. Well,
(10:00):
we'd like to have to check the pictures. Yes, sir,
it's gonna take a while. You and your wife are
the only two people who can give us an identification.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
How about the woman who was held up?
Speaker 1 (10:08):
What's the name, missus Homer? No, Montgomery Holman was the
augar was shot? Yeah, yeah, well about missus Montgomery. Can't
she tell you about the Roberts. She's tuned the care
of her doctor. Her husband died, you know, well, from
being stabbed. Yes, sir, that's right. That's too bad.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
We didn't know what it was all about, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yes, again, Harry was.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
Just sitting there. All of a sudden, there's this fight
and the shot. We didn't know what the frakes was. Yes,
I wonder if we can go on with the books here?
Oh yeah, how about right here?
Speaker 4 (10:35):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:36):
No, not here? Mm hmmm. So he's he's mean what
he do robbery?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah? Yeah, you can tell look at the face.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
You can always said, no, I don't see him here.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Perry, sir, Parry Nicholson, that's the guy's name.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
One of the closest years or.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Remember it now? Haven't thought the fifteen years?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Perry Nicholson bully, Yes, sure like to be you know, Perry.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Now, it'll be a different story if he wanted to
fight now, a whole different story.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
The hold up car yeah, they just found it abandoned.
Two officers in a radio.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Unit that found the car in a parking lot at
the corner of Rosemont Avenue in Waterloo. When the vehicle
was discovered in the similarity to the description that had
been broadcast, was noticed, the car was put under surveillance
and our office.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Had been notified. Frank and I left the city.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Hall and drove out to the parking lot immediately. The
car was placed under surveillance again and we checked it
through DMB. We found the car was owned by an
Edwin Vargas eighteen seventy nine Moss Street out in Burbank.
We checked the name through R and I, but we
found that he had no criminal record in R file.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
We drove out to see Vargas. While Frank covered the
rear of the place. I rang the bell of the
house and waited. Yeah, I see mister Vargus.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Not in right now. Anything I can do where he is? No.
I imagine he got held up downtown. I'm probably working late.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I be alright if I wait for him.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
I'm not sure you mind telling me who we are.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Sorry, police officer, my name is Friday.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
What the cops wanted for might.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Be better if we talked to him.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
You alone.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Anybody else in my house, ma'am. No, your husband on
the nineteen fifty three dark blue Fords today. Yeah, you're
driving it tonight.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Is he? Well? Sure, he took it to work with
him this morning.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
It might be better if I wait inside now, all.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Right, come on in. I don't know what this is
all about, but you can bet it's some kind of mistake.
Ed's never had no trouble the cops, never none.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
What's that doly over here?
Speaker 4 (12:36):
Bedroom?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Or if I take a.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Lot, go ahead, you ain't gonna find anything.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
What's that over there in the bathroom?
Speaker 7 (12:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:54):
All right, just the one bedroom.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
No need cray. Mommy and Ed don't have any children.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Kitchen this way?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Yeah. See, if you're looking for something, maybe if you'll
tell me what it is, I can help you.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
You just want to check the house, ma'am. This all
the rest of the house.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
I told you, we don't need any more room.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Let me see just unlocking your back door. Man, My
partner's out there. Hi, Frank, see here?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Who is this another cop?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
That's my partner, Frank Smith mis barce. Hello.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
Seems to me you should be able to tell me
what this is all about, mister Friday.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Can you give us a description of your husband? Why
might help us to get him out of trouble?
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Maybe he's in no trouble. You got something on your
back and you're trying to dump it on it and
it isn't gonna work.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
You want to give us a description?
Speaker 4 (13:41):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
How tall is your husband?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Six y three?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
How thirty two colors? Is here?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Kind of sandy? Look? What if it's a third degree?
What are you trying to prove?
Speaker 8 (13:50):
With all these questions?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You just want to get up the truth, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
There's a kind of hard way to do it if
you ask me.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I'm sorry for causing you any trouble you are. Where's
your husband work?
Speaker 4 (13:59):
You just say?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Who?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Forore Man Insurance Company Downtown?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
He usually worked this way?
Speaker 4 (14:03):
No, I told you that.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Would you think he should work tonight? Yeah? N You
wouldn't mind if we called him, would you?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I'm not gonna have you caused him any embarrassed.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Don't worry aout him, Miss Vargas. Would you like to
give us the number?
Speaker 4 (14:14):
It's in a phone book, look under emergency numbers. Yeah, Look,
what do you think.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
He's done police businessman.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I'm his wife. I got a right to know.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
It'll be better if we talk to him.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
That's what you say?
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Your has been ever been in trouble with the police before?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Not that I know of.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
How long you lived here?
Speaker 4 (14:34):
You mean in California?
Speaker 1 (14:35):
That's right?
Speaker 4 (14:36):
I was born here. How about your husband been here
a couple of years?
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Where's he from?
Speaker 4 (14:40):
New York State?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Where in New York State?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
A little place right outside of Utica.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
You ever been in trouble back there? Would you know?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Well? If he was, he didn't say anything to me
about it. How long has he had the job since
a week after he came out. It's a smart guy.
He had no trouble getting work.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
How about it? I talked to the building in Superintendent Town,
he says. Vargas left at five point thirty this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
The description of the owner of the car used in
the hold up, coupled with his absence, made him a
prime suspect in the robbery.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
We continued to talk to his wife. She gave us
some of the background on Bargas.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
She told us that they don't even married a little
over a year, not if they were still trying to
pay off the debts that her husband had incurred before
they're married. She went on to say that in the
last few days he'd been depressed about their finances, and
on that morning Bargus had said he'd figured a way
out for them. Frank called the office and the broadcast
was gotten out, asking if the man be picked up
and detained for questioning one fifteen am. We asked missus
(15:34):
Vargus about her husband's friends.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Isn't anyone Ed's real close to?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Well? Is there one man he's with more than the others?
Would you know? Maybe somebody works with?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
No, unless maybe it's Vic. Ed. Don't have much to
do with him, though he knows. I don't care for him,
don't like him around.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Who's that there, Vic Noble?
Speaker 4 (15:48):
He works in the same office as Ed.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
What's he looked like? Oh?
Speaker 5 (15:51):
Not much, little guy, kind of nondescript. Never did figure
out he could be a good salesman. I'd never buy anything, honestly.
He makes me nervous just to have him around me.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Yes, go ahead, But your husband, it might be better
if you didn't tell him we were here all right?
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Hello, Yeah, honey, where have you been? What? But do
you know when? Uh?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Huh.
Speaker 7 (16:15):
Well did you call the police, Well you should have.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Called him right away. Yeah, uh no, I'll drive right
down pick you up. You wait right there, Uh huh,
well right away, that's right. Well look tell me where
it is. Oh yeah, yeah, I know, turn last. Yeah,
all right, I'll find it. You wait right there, will you?
All right? Goodbye? Bye? That was Ed. You're gonna have
(16:41):
to find yourself another boy or whatever this is.
Speaker 5 (16:44):
It has something to do with Ed's car, doesn't it.
That's right, And then you're all wrong about Eddie couldn't
have had anything to do with it.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
I mean Ed's car was stolen. Tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
We got the address of the bar where Ed Vargas
had hauled from Frank and I drove down and talked
to him.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
He told us that he'd left work and stopped in
the bar for a couple of drinks before he went home. However,
when he left the place, he found that his car
was gone. He returned to the bar and spent the
next several hours trying to figure out what to do.
We talked to the bartender and he verified Vargas's statement
that he'd been in the place all evening.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
He was released from custody.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Ain't allowed to return home. Frank and I continue to
talk to the bartender.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Got to get ready to close up pretty quick. Just
a couple more questions.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Will you mind if I clean up the back bar
where we talked?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
No cigarette here? Thanks?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
What do you want to know?
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And you told us that Vargas came in about a
quarter or six? Is that right?
Speaker 6 (17:35):
There's I can remember? Yeah, I can ever take a
couple of minutes on either side.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
But he was here before seven, for sure. You meet
anybody here.
Speaker 6 (17:41):
How far is it's going to go?
Speaker 1 (17:43):
What do you mean his wife's going to find out
if I tell you not?
Speaker 6 (17:45):
For my Well, that and the missus happened to get
along so good lately, you know, been beefing a lot.
Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah, it's a funny guy.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
He don't like no trouble at home, So when the.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
Stari started giving him problems, he found another girl, a
kid that works for his office, usually dropping here for.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
A couple of drinks before he goes home. Yeah, nothing
serious going on, just they like to.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Sit and talk.
Speaker 7 (18:02):
Adds all the time telling her how this wife doesn't
understand him whole line.
Speaker 6 (18:05):
But I think he means it.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
He was in here with a girl tonight? Was he? Yeah?
Just like all week.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
Every night they come in about a quarter to five,
sit in the back booth, have a couple of martinis,
and then they leave.
Speaker 6 (18:15):
I think maybe Ed drops her.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Off on the way home.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
She don't have a car.
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Yeah, tonight they had more than just a couple of drinks.
I think maybe there was something wrong, you know a
little problem.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
What about?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
Look, people come in here to relax. They all got
something on their minds. I make it a practice not
the eavesdropper interfere.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
What was their problems? You know, Sarah won't hear it,
but we told you before.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Yeah, one wanted to come around her CAUs nov if
she's jealous, you know, real jealous. That's how Oh yeah, anyway,
Ed must have told a girl that he was thinking
of leaving his wife, because tonight she told him to
do something about her or she was walking out, had.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
A little kind of tiff, and then she left. After that,
he went out to get the.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Car and found have been stolen.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Where do you leave it? You know, a lot behind
the building to leave the keys in the car.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (18:55):
You saw him when he left carrying a big load.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
He don't remember.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Probably did, though. Do you have anybody else in here
night that looked like Vargas? What do you mean, well,
as tall as he was. Maybe a lot of tall
people come in here, as we understand, with or any
of the night.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
A couple, Yeah, any of them come in with a
short fellow about five, six or seven?
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:11):
What time they come in all about a little after seven?
When they leave, I don't know, maybe seven thirty, quarter
of eight.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
I'm not sure. That's one of the tables back there.
I served them a couple of times. Didn't take much
notice when they left. They paid for the drinks. When
I brought him left a half a buck tip took off.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
They come in here regular, dude, Yeah, a.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Couple times a week, maybe more.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
They usually together.
Speaker 7 (19:29):
Oh, I've never seen him any other way except once.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Rather not remember that time. What do you mean?
Speaker 7 (19:33):
Came in there early, spent the whole night here boozem
got pretty plastered.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
I had to take Nick home.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
He couldn't make it alone. Which one is neck short?
One little guy? What's he do for a living? Nothing
I ever heard of. Where's he lived?
Speaker 6 (19:42):
Anyway?
Speaker 7 (19:43):
He can always seems to have dull I think maybe
some kind of gamber or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Always loaded well.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
He looks though.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
You think he was some kind of mechanic, but he's
not all right. Sure he dresses nice, always got a good.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
Suit on, but he doesn't know how to carry it off.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
What do you mean nice fingernails?
Speaker 6 (19:55):
I don't think he ever cleans him.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We got complete descriptions of the two men. They matched
those of the thieves perfectly. The bartender closed the place
and took us down the street to a hotel where
he said he'd taken Nick Roxford. We talked to the
desk clerk, but we found that Roxford had moved several
months before. By checking with some of the people in
the hotel, we got a forwarding address for him. It
was a cheap rooming house down on South Pico. Think
and I went by the city hall and ran the
(20:23):
name through R and I. We found that Roxford had
an arrest record for petty theft and adw He served
a term in the county jail and was a president
under the jurisdiction of the court. His mugshot was pulled
and taken out to the witnesses for identification. We checked
with the manager of the boarding house, and we found
that Roxford and to Henry Larson were registered in one
of the rooms in the company of the manager. We
went up to the room, but the pair wasn't. Then
(20:44):
we contacted the office and told them where we were.
They told us that Roxford had been positively identified as
one of the hold up men. We settled down to
wait for the suspects to come back. Three thirty am,
four five, five fifteen am.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Sounds like somebody's coming.
Speaker 6 (21:09):
It wasn't no other way you was there didn't so
you're doing nothing to stop it. You shut the cop
and stuff all right there? What are you doing here,
police officer?
Speaker 1 (21:16):
You're under a h It made it kind of rough
(21:39):
in it, Yeah, I did? I come on? Yeh, come ony,
I just take him downtown.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I better check the cuffs and want them too tight.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
No, you might hurt him.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Huh.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
Two suspects were taken downtown to the interrogation room. Henry
Larson was handcuffed to the chair and robbery while Frank
and I talked to Nick Roxford.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
It's a bed be If I know what you guys
are gonna find out.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Why don't you tell us about it?
Speaker 6 (22:11):
Tina Robbery wrapped to me.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Look, we've already done it. The witnesses gave us a
positive and indvication on you.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
How could they never seen me?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
We got a picture of you. It's pretty good. Do
you want to tell us about him?
Speaker 6 (22:21):
I got nothing to say.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
I want a lawyer.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
I'm going to talk. Can I see a lawyer?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
All right? Yeah? Do you know the old man died?
Speaker 6 (22:29):
I didn't know nothing about no old man.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
His wife says you're the one who was stabbed him.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
She's crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
He's willing to take it to court. It'll never stick,
we think it will. I think we can make you
for first degree? What about Hank food Larson? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:46):
What happens to him?
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Same charge?
Speaker 6 (22:48):
You know it yet?
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Well you're the first one to hear.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
What if I give you a hand?
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I don't mean man?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
Well, suppose I tell you it was Hanks. I did
the whole thing go any better with me?
Speaker 1 (22:59):
You know? I don't decide that.
Speaker 6 (23:01):
Oh, it seems like if I helped you be better
with me.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
I do you want to tell us about it? I'll
make you deep no deals.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
Look, just promise me you won't tell Hank if I
give you the real story?
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Huh? All right, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:15):
The whole thing was his idea, right from the start.
He kised the store, The whole thing.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Was his idea. What about the car, Well that was
Hank's too.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
He spotted it, said to make a good deal.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
You checked the car.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
You find his prints all over it?
Speaker 1 (23:24):
All right? What happened after that? At the story it
was Hank again.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
I didn't want no part of it. Hank made me
said if I backed out, he'd get me. He's a
big man, he gets mean when he's crossed. I wasn't
about to give him no trouble.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
Well we got to the place and he made me go,
and he made me take a piece of the action.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Oh wait a minute, let's back up here and get
this straight. You're trying to tell me all the time
he wanted no part of it.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
No, no, you got to believe it.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Boy, we got it. You were having a time with
a knife.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
Well, I got scared, that's all. I got scared. I
didn't know what I was doing here, you did. Look,
you gotta believe me. I'm telling the truth. It was
all Hank's idea, the whole thing. I want no part
of it, never did.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
All right, Just keep yourvae I told you.
Speaker 6 (24:01):
Now you know about the whole thing. You won't tell Hank,
will you?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
What difference is it made if he finds out I
told you'll kill me? Remember I asked you before, huh
what difference does it make?
Speaker 8 (24:19):
Henry Taylor Larson and Nicholas John Roxford were tried and
convicted of murder in the first degree on recommendation of
the jury. They received maximum sentence and were executed in
the lethal gas chamber of the State Penitentiary San Quentin, California.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces
Radio Service.
Speaker 9 (25:00):
MS pepper back Copper commers users, Pepper spinner, NUP peppers
(25:46):
commer
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