November 27, 2025 • 31 mins
Todays Mystery: Two men rob an elderly couple and torture the husband in order to steal their jewelry.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 20, 1951
Originating from Hollywood
Starred: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero, Jack Kruschen
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Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 20, 1951
Originating from Hollywood
Starred: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero, Jack Kruschen
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
Patreon Supporter of the Day:Robert, Patreon supporter since March 2025.
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call 208-991-4783
Become one of ourfriends on Facebook.
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives
Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome to the great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we
are going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnat,
But first I want to encourage you. If you're enjoying
the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:51):
Today's program is also brought to you in part by
the financial support of our listeners. You can support the
show by Maileen a one time donate to Adam Graham
peelbox one five nine one three. That's peelbox one five
nine thirteen, Boise, Idaho eight three seven one five, or
(01:12):
become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little
as two dollars per month. But now, from September twentieth,
nineteen fifty one, here is the big.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Sour ladies and gentlemen, Dragnet has a very important announcement
for all of you at the close of tonight's program.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
The story you were about to hear is true. The
names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a
detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. Two armed ben
It's invade the home of an elderly couple in your city.
(02:03):
The aging husband is tortured unmercifully before he reveals the
hiding place of his valuables. The two thieves make good
their escape. Your job, get them now. Dragnet the document
(02:24):
a drama of an actual crime. For the next thirty 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.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Was Saturday, October three, was hot in Los Angeles. We
were working the day Watch Out of Robbery detail. My
partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Harry Didyon, Captain of robbery.
My name is Friday. Was eleven thirty eight pm when
I got to Georgia Street, Receiving Hospital Room five, Treatment room. Joe, Right,
how's it going, man?
Speaker 4 (03:07):
You're not going to be able to talk to him
anymore to night? Doctor said, maybe late tomorrow morning. How's
the old man making out? It's resting a lot better.
Doctor gave him a sedative. Old fellow, sure had a
rough time. Well, how about since I've been gone to
tell you anything else? No, just kept repeating the same thing.
Two guys forced their way into his house, beat his wife,
tortured him, took all the jewelry. That's about it.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, well, I put in a call of the office.
I got a broadcast out of the information that we have.
There's not much to go on.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
We should be able to pick up a little something
more tomorrow. Doc said, it's been a long time since
he's seen anything like this where they worked old man over.
What they do to the fella's hands anyway, the doctor
able to tell. He thinks they used a hatpin on him,
something like that. It's sharp and thin, at least a
dozen wounds in both hands. He's pretty badly burned. Too
hard to imagine somebody that cold blooding seventy one year
(03:53):
old man sols of his feet a massive burns. Wonder
his heart stood up through the beating I gave him.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Was he got a weak heart?
Speaker 5 (03:58):
He's had a little trouble.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Yeah, terrific shock going through something like this, it is, eh, so.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Maybe we better check back at their house. Huh see
how the old fella's wife is doing it?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah, right, how's it shape up for you?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Well, there's not an awful lot to go on. Yet
it wasn't a shot in the dark. I think we
can count on that whoever the thieves were, they had
some kind of an inside tip. The old man and
his wife. Only they don't put up much of an appearance.
You wouldn't be have to figure that they had three
or four thousand and jewelry put away at home, would you.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Maybe his wife might have some ideas joys a lovely shame. Yeah, yeah,
you might have to understand it. They just held him up.
But working them over the way they did, there was
no sense to it at all. I ring to show
off what a couple of rough bums they are. Maybe
that's it them.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Let's do them a favorite, Let's show them what it costs.
Ben and I got in the car and drove back
to the Westlake Park area to the home of the
robbery victims, seventy one year old Wendell mclung and his wife,
Katherine McClung. Was a one story wooden frame building gray
shingled a typical modest four room bungalow. The men from
UNIP thirty one, who had answered the robbery call were
(05:01):
still there, standing by another pair of men from robbery detail.
Powers and Gonzales were checking the neighborhood for possible leads
on the suspects. Inside the house, Ben and I found
Missus McClung propped up in an easy chair in the
living room. She was a small, chubby woman, gray haired,
looked to be in her fifties. We assured her husband's
condition wasn't critical. Outside of a small bruise on her
(05:23):
forehead in a case of nervous upset, she seemed to
be all right. In recouting the story of the hold up,
Missus mclung told us the two bandits rang the front
doorbell and forced their way into the house at gunpoint,
shortly before eight o'clock that night.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
How about the color of their hair, ma'am? They're weighting hight.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
No, I hardly saw a thing just that one. Look
at them when they first pushed the way in.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Why was that day blindfold you? Yes, they might just
as well.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Have you see?
Speaker 6 (05:49):
When they started to hit window my husband window, knock
him down. I went after them, and one of them
slapped me right across my face and knocked my glasses off.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
See.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
I reached out to find them, but before I did,
I guess one of those gangsters stepped on them thirty
five dollar glasses, broke both of the lenses, just ruling frames.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Look at that.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
Of course, I can't see a thing without them. That's
why I say it might as well have been blindfolded.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
And you didn't have a chance to notice what kind
of clothes they had on, what they looked like at all.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
They weren't shabby, I know that, pretty well dressed. If
memory serves both out them in dark suits. Well, only
they wouldn't have broken my glasses.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
How about their voices? Ms McClay, anything unusual about the
way they talked, anything that they might have said.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
No, I was just thinking one's name was Sam. I
remember that. The other one had sort of an accent
of some kind, maybe from the Midwest or maybe Texas,
one of those funny people.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Funny people, how do you mean, man.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
Well, you know, something like a cowboy or a farmer,
that funny kind of top. I guess I really should
be inside fixing you men a cup of tea.
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Maybe if you just.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Help me up, that's all right, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You just sit there.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
When my sister Dolly gets here, it shouldn't be too long.
I'll have her fix something.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
There's no need to bother man. We'd like to have
you tell us this if he can. Did your husband
do anything at all to provoke the two men? I mean,
did he call out for help or try to get
to a phone, anything like that.
Speaker 6 (07:17):
And it was the jewelry we had, Wendell and I
just those fute pieces. The two men seemed in all
about it, just as if they had a.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
List of the thing.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Yes, when they first came in, they took my engagement
ring and old broach that belonged to my mother I
was wearing. Then they got Wendell in that chair over
there and tried to make him tell where all other
things were.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Well, now it's a pretty common knowledge around the neighborhood
here that you and your husband own expensive jewelry.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Man, No, I.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
Don't think so. What the men seemed most interested in
was Wendell's ring, his diamond signet ring is a beautiful
thing for carrot N's ma'am.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
We got a description on that. That was when they
tried to force your husband to tell him where it
was hidden. Is that right?
Speaker 6 (07:58):
I never thought anybody'd be that cruel officer, downright cruel.
They burned his hands in his feet, kept hitting him
in the face with their fists.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
It's just terrible, poor window.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
They finally had to tell them they went and found
the things, and then they came back in here and
ripped out the phone, warned us not to move, and
then they left. I just broke down and cried officer
to see poor Windle there the way they abused him.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Yes, we understand, you're sure he's going to be all right.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
What did the doctors?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Boy? He said, there's no danger. Man, Mister McClung's resting comfortably.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Now, well that must be my sister.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Stay right here with miss mclun ben. I'll get that.
Yeah right, Joe, Hi, Jess, you and power is doing good.
Speaker 8 (08:48):
I've been checking through the neighborhood, three four blocks around,
not an awful lot. A lot of people know the McClung's,
few of them know about their having jewelry. Saw anything
unusual going on to night, but.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Thieves used the car we know that. Didn't anybody at
all spotted.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I'm not sure, but there's one possibility.
Speaker 8 (09:03):
As some of the neighbors said, a young kid was
peddling magazines down this block tonight just about the same
time as a robbery.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
He might have spotted it just fine. Where's the boy?
Where's he lived?
Speaker 8 (09:11):
That's what we asked the neighbors. Yeah, nobody knows.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
A supplementary broadcast and an APB was gotten out containing
what description we had on the two hold up men,
plus descriptions of each article of jewelry taken from mister
and missus McClung. The following morning, along with Jess Gonzalez
and Johnny Powers, we continued canvassing the immediate neighborhood of
the hold up. The only thing we got was a
fair description of the boy who had been selling magazines
(09:38):
the night before in the vicinity of the McClung house,
and also the names of the magazines he was peddling.
Monday morning, nine am, we got in touch with the
local distributor for the publications, got a list of five
boys who sold for them in that general area, and
started checking them out. Third on the list was a
Bill Newsom, a sophomore student at a nearby parochial high school.
(09:59):
He lived a half a dozen blocks from the mclonalds.
We checked at his house, but his mother told us
he wasn't at home.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
I'm sure Billy, won't be long. Thank you right in here?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Go ahead, thank you, sit down, won't you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Thank you very much?
Speaker 9 (10:16):
It must be him now, Billy in here, Yama, come
in here, Bill. Two police officers to see you.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Bill.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
This is Sergeant Friday and Sergeant Rome. Now my son, Bill,
would you excuse me, I'm going to have to start
fixing dinner.
Speaker 9 (10:29):
You go right ahead and have your talk with Bill.
I'll be out in the.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Kitchen all right, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
You speak right up now.
Speaker 10 (10:34):
Bill, try and help the officers already. Can How can
I help you?
Speaker 5 (10:38):
What's it all about?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
We understand you have a magazine rout the neighborhood. Billy,
your mother tells us you were up selling this last
Saturday night.
Speaker 10 (10:44):
Yes, sir, that's right. Thursdays and Saturday. Is there my
regular nights. I don't really sell though, how do you mean, son? Well,
you see, I line up all my customers ahead of time.
I got a regular list of people who buy from
me every week. I don't do any door to door
selling out. Well, he's not much good.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
And I see if you have a regular customer on
your list with the name of McClung. Bill it's mc
clio engine.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Yeah, mister McClung.
Speaker 10 (11:04):
Once a month he takes a gardening magazine comes out
the last week and every month.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Were you over near the mclung's place Saturday night? You remember? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I was.
Speaker 10 (11:12):
I went right by it. I've got customers all along
that block there, say, this wouldn't be about that robbery.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I've tried, Bill and you heard about it.
Speaker 10 (11:19):
After church Sunday. A couple of kids would go to
the same school I do. They deliver right around the McClung's.
They heard about it.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
What time was it when you went by their Saturday night?
You remember? Oh, about a.
Speaker 10 (11:30):
Couple of months after nine, I guess maybe a quarter after.
When I heard about the robbery on Sunday, I thought
maybe I ought to tell somebody about it. I wasn't
sure about it, you know, I didn't want to be
a test.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
What do you mean, so you weren't sure about what this?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Dark?
Speaker 10 (11:43):
Lucy Dan, I saw a parked on the street there,
just a couple of houses down from the mclung's place.
The reason I even noticed it was because it was
a new car, almost to bring a new car. But
it looked like the license plates on it were kind
of old.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
What else?
Speaker 10 (11:56):
Well, I delivered some magazines to missus Brewbaker, and I
got my money for him, and then coming down the stairs,
I saw these two men. I'm not sure they came
out of mister mccleomb's house. It's dark, you know, but
I thought that's where they came from. Anyway, they went
down the street and got in the car and took off.
Seemed to be in a hurry.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Well, what did the two men look like?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Bill?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Did you have any idea?
Speaker 10 (12:17):
No, I didn't see him too well, it wasn't too
close to him. I was about from all here and
across the street from him.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
How about their clothes you noticed in them and doll?
Speaker 10 (12:27):
Yeah, they had suits on, dark suits, I know that.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
How would you describe their builts on? Medium? Tall, fat, skinny?
What would you say?
Speaker 10 (12:34):
Well, I think i'd say medium, Yeah, both a medium.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Now about that car built? You said it was a
dark Bluesiday and new model and the license plates looked
kind of old. Is that right?
Speaker 10 (12:42):
Yeah, that's right. That's how I first noticed it, parked
down by the restaurant. Was that about seven p fifteen
when I started my route down on South Benson. I
saw the same car parked outside the restaurant down there.
Forget the name of the place now, it just opened
about a month ago.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Sure it was the same.
Speaker 10 (13:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure. That's why I noticed
it again when I shot up by mclung's place. So
it looked kind of terrible, brand new car like that,
but old license plates.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
By any chance, Son, do you remember the licensed number
on those plates?
Speaker 10 (13:13):
No, sir, I didn't notice it at all. I'll tell
you what, Tom, Yeah, if I see that car again,
I'll be sure and get the number for you.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Before we left the home of sixteen year old Bill Newsom,
we got a complete description of the car, which he'd
seen part near the McClung's home on the night of
the robbery. He told us it was a nineteen fifty
Hudson four door Sedan, dark blue, white sidewall tires. We
relayed the information downtown to robbery detail. After we left
the boy's house, we drove to the vicinity of the
restaurant on South Benson, where the Newsom boy had first
(13:48):
spotted the Hudson Sedan. After making the rounds of several
bars and coffee counters in the area. We started checking
at the restaurant. It was newly opened, just as the
boy had described it, full of glass, brick and fancy
mind in stonework. The main bar was situated just off
the lobby set apart from the main dining room. We
interviewed the head bartender and he thought he remembered serving
(14:08):
two customers. Answering the general description of the hold up
man on the previous Saturday night.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
A bad looking pair. They're in a little early, around
seven fifteen, seven thirty. They seem to be all right.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Do you remember what they looked like at all?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
No, I didn't notice them that much, Officer.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Can you give it some general idea or on the young.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Side, I guess not more than twenty eight point thirty
one of them talk like a Midwestern or any think
you know, maybe Arkansas, Texas, someplace like that, because.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You give us any idea what they were wearing, which
you remember.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
That had the suits on dark suits, one had on
a gray at And that's about all I remember. The
reason I can place him at all is because Saturday
was a pretty slow night at the bar. It's a
new place here, you know. It takes a little time
to culivate the trade.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Well, did these two men stop for dinner here? Do
you remember that?
Speaker 11 (14:50):
No?
Speaker 5 (14:50):
No, they sat right here at the bar and had
a couple of beers and then they left. No dinner.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Did you went on them?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Yes, yes, sir, I did. I served them, bought a
bottle of beer, imported the Dutch beer.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
A bit of that imported beer, do you no?
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Not here? No, it's mostly cocktails for these two colors,
the only ones I remember asking for it?
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Or do you remember if the two men handled the
beer bottles at all?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
They handled them?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Well, I mean, did you quarter?
Speaker 5 (15:13):
I filled up the glasses and set the bottle down.
I guess they did handle them. They emptied the bottle.
They almost have to, wouldn't they.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Would you still have those two bottles on the hand?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Let's see todays and yeah, I guess they would. They
don't pick up the empty store something around the middle.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Of the week. We'd like to take a look at them,
if you don't mind for sure thing.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
You guys just want to follow me down the bargets
in the store.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm just back, all right, let's go.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Right back.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
You're also fine.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Let's see yeah, yeah, the right of them here there,
you go holland labeled only ones in the whole case
the same to I serve those fellows. Yeah, what do
you think fingerprints?
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Maybe?
Speaker 5 (15:52):
And as soon as you get the fingerprints, you can
pick them up, can't you.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Yeah? When we find the men they blow them to.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Monday six pm, we call Layton Fingerprints and they came
out to check the evidence. First, they obtained a set
of the bartender's fingerprints to serve as a basis for comparison.
Then they dust at each of the empty beer bottles carefully.
After the various sets of prints were lifted off the bottles,
the men went back to the office to run the
sets through, classify their findings, and then turn them over
(16:20):
to R and I for further checking. While they worked
on it, Ben and I ducked out and had a
sandwich and a bowl of soup for dinner. Seven twenty
five pm we got back to the city Hall.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I sure I am getting tired of the kind of
food that guy serves, Joe. It seems to get worse
every time of going there.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Wasn't very good, was it.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
I'm willing to bet I know his formula for the
soup two gallons of hot water and one booyon cube. Well,
I've gone and done it before. I may still do
it again, but that bring my dinner from home in
a paper sack pack A thermost full of hot coffee
be a better deal than a cross the street.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I know about that. You remember the last time you
had your wife fix you up a thermist full of coffee?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
I almost forgot.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Wasn't any betterness to to across the street? Hi?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Where are you two?
Speaker 11 (17:03):
Bent?
Speaker 12 (17:03):
Hi?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Jess getting sempty latent?
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Prince called just a minute ago, told him I'd give
you the message.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
What's that?
Speaker 8 (17:09):
Well, the Prince. They lifted off those beer bottles, checked
them through the record bureau.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Yeah, found two sets.
Speaker 12 (17:14):
They made both of them.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
October fifth, Saturday, seven pm. The two sets of fingerprints
which had been lifted from the empty beer bottles were
checked through R and I and identified as those belonging
to two known criminals. The first was Henry Vincent Moss WMA,
twenty nine years old. He'd served two terms in the
county jail for burglary and grand theft auto and one
(17:54):
term in San Quentin for robbery. The second was Ernest
Robert Windsor WMA, eight eight years old. His home was
listed as Little Rock, Arkansas, where he'd twice been convicted
on charges of first degree burglary and served time at
the Arkansas State Penitentiary. We pulled the packages on both
of them. Men checked the last known addresses but failed
to locate either of them. To double check their identification,
(18:18):
we showed mugshots of Windsor and Moss to the robbery
and torture victims, mister and Missus McClung. They gave positive
identification of both men, so did the bartender at the
restaurant where they'd stopped for the beer. We got out
a broadcast and an all points bulletin on them. Immediately,
we began the routine leg work, checking with all the friends, relatives,
and associates who were listed on the Mama sheet and
(18:39):
each suspects package. As usual, it was a long, monotonous hall.
One of the persons listed as fairly close to Ernest
Windsor was an ad of his, a Missus Marie Ralph,
whom we located at her home in the Echo Park district.
Speaker 9 (18:53):
No, I haven't seen Ernest in almost a year, Sergeant.
What is it you want him for?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I'd like to talk to you about a few minutes,
missus Roff, you don't mind.
Speaker 9 (18:59):
I don't know how I can help you. You can
come in for a minute if you want. I've got
to go out and do some errands pretty soon though,
all right, ma'am, right in here, sit down if you want.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Thank you very early.
Speaker 9 (19:10):
Let's got finished taking care of my little children here,
giving him nice, clean.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
Cages, good sayings. They all canaries, ma'am.
Speaker 9 (19:15):
Oh, yes, Oskar and Ethel. That's these two here. They're
both genuine rulers. Their grand folks came from Germany. Beautiful singers,
wonderful company, Yes, sir. My others are pretty too. They're
only choppers, though, ma'am. Choppers. They're different than rulers. They
sing much louder, maybe not as nicely. But I don't
like to play favorites. I like all of them. You
have bird, Sergeant, No, ma'am you should. I think everybody
(19:36):
should have a canary in the house. Cheerful, you know,
wonderful company. Don't know what I do without mine.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
How bout your nephew, Ernest ms Rolf. Have you any
idea at all how we could contact him?
Speaker 9 (19:46):
As I say, it's been almost a year since I
last heard from him.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What would this be about, sergeant, mister routine investigation? Man,
We understand that you're quite close to your nephew, that
he lived with you for a time.
Speaker 9 (19:55):
Yes, that's right, he did. When you come right down
to it, Ernie's a good boy, kept bad company. That's
what I always said, got him in trouble two three
times expo.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
As you know that you live alone here in the
house to your Ms Israel, Yes that's right, sergeant, say,
I'm a widow, husband's gone a good many years now.
You don't take in borders or anyone like that.
Speaker 9 (20:13):
Oh no, just me and my pet savior their company.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Enough. I wonder if you'd explain that laundry piled up
in the bed there in the next room.
Speaker 7 (20:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Oh that the men's shirt, stockings, the underwear, they're right
there in the bed there. Well.
Speaker 9 (20:25):
I usually try to keep things in better order than that.
Just some laundry I do, Sergeant, little odd jobs for
some of the bachelormen in the neighborhood. I do it
as a favor for him.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
And you're sure about that, Miss Rah, Well, what do you.
Speaker 9 (20:38):
Want Ernest for? Why do you have to chase after him?
All the time persecuting him.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
We're not persecuting him ever.
Speaker 9 (20:43):
Since he's coming from Arkansas, it's been nothing but police
chasing after him. Can't you give her any a chance?
All he wants is a chance, he told me to himself.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
We checked through his record, Miss Ralph. He's had all
the chances in the world, and nobody's persecuting him.
Speaker 9 (20:55):
Why are you chasing him again, hunting him down? Why
did you leave him alone for a spell? Give him
a chance to get a job, do something. Why are
you chasing him?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Well, this is a robbery charge, Mims, Ralf. He's been
positively identified. He and Henry Moss forced their way into
an old couple's home a few weeks back. They tortured
the old man and they beat him till he was unconscious.
That's what we want Ernie for.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
How do you know it was Ernie?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Could have made a mistake, no mistake, ma'am. The victims
identified his picture and there wasn't a doubt in their mind.
Speaker 9 (21:20):
I'm where is he sure that's the truth? You sure
it's Ernie again?
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Yes, ma'am again. You can have all the proof you need.
Speaker 9 (21:27):
And the last time he told me he swore on
the memory of his own mother. He swore he wouldn't
do anything wrong again. I guess I just don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Ernest, where is he, ma'am? You want to tell us.
Speaker 9 (21:37):
The last time? Starting, I'm sorry, Ernie's at his last time, Yes, ma'am.
He's sleeping the room over the garage. You find him there.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Ernest Windsor was apprehended and placed under arrest. His room
was searched, as well as the entire home of his aunt,
Missus Marie Ralf. We failed to find a trace of
any of the jewels restolen from mister and Missus McClung.
After we made arrangements for a stake out on the house,
Windsor was taken downtown to the interrogation room, where Jess
Gonzalez Ben and I questioned him for five hours. He
(22:11):
refused to tell us anything. At a special show up,
he was positively identified as one of the holdup men
by the two victims. Windsor was booked at the main
jail on suspicion of two eleven PC. The investigation went on.
Every possible lead on the other suspect, Henry Moss was
checked out. We got nowhere. It was obvious that either
Moss was in possession of all the jewelry stolen from
(22:32):
the mcclungs, or it had been hidden away someplace known
only to Windsor and Moss. From time to time we
had Windsor taken from his jail's cell for questioning. It
wasn't hard to tell he was bothered with the possibility
that perhaps Moss had run off with the entire loot
and was enjoying himself while Windsor spent his time in jail.
We worked hard on that particular angle while we questioned him,
(22:53):
but Windsor still refused to break to give us any
kind of a lead on Moss. A month passed Wednesday,
November eighth.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Sure working out into a dull routine. A full month
we got exactly what we started with.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, we're gonna only get Windsor to break it. It'd
sure do a lot toward wrapping this thing up, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I don't know what he figures he's gonna game, but
keep him quiet.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Gonzalez and Johnny Power said they were checking out a
tip from some informant this morning. We're supposed to know
where Henry Moss is.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I wonder if they found any luck. They ought to
be back by now.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Yeah, go ahead, Hey, Jess, oh hi, how about it?
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Did you do any good this morning?
Speaker 12 (23:25):
Oh?
Speaker 11 (23:25):
Not a bit.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Informant didn't even show up. Johnny's going to meet him
this afternoon. Doesn't look to be very much. How about you, fellas.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
The same, Jess. We're going as slow as you or
I'll get it.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Robbery Friday, Yeah, George h Third and Maine. You sure right, yeah,
right away? Well maybe we got a break. What is
Henry Moss? He tried to hock a ring at a
pawn shop third and Maine about twenty minutes ago. You
make it? Well? The pawnbroker's stalled him. He didn't know
for sure that the guy was hot.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
How's his stan?
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Moss said he'd come back to close the deal. When
half an hour eleven fifty five am, a special detail
of men, including Gonzales and Powers, Ben and myself were
sent to cover the pawn shop near Third in Maine.
Gonzalesen Power staked out in stores adjoining the place. Ben
and I were stationed inside the pawnshop. Another team of
(24:14):
men covered the rear exit. We waited the suspect Henry
Moss failed to show at the appointed time. We kept
waiting one pm, one thirty no sign of him. At
one forty five pm, a young looking, dark haired man
and a neat gray suit entered the shop and approached
the manager at the rear counter. There wasn't any mistaking
him Henry Moss. He surrendered himself without even protesting. We
(24:36):
took him to the City Hall to the interrogation room,
where we started to question him. Meantime, Gonzalesen Powers located
the apartment where the suspect had been staying. His rooms
and personal belongings were searched and every piece of the
missing jewelry recovered. Surprisingly enough, in contrast to his partner
Ernie Windsor, Moss was cooperative, even obliging. We had a
stenographer take his full statement, and then we got ready
(24:58):
to move him over to the main g for booking.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Just a couple of questions before we leave, Moss, Sure,
so I didn't go ahead? We've had you in here before.
How come all the cooperation this time?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Why not?
Speaker 13 (25:08):
I had it figured before time? If you got me,
you'd have everything you need on You wouldn't do much
good putting in a beef with it.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Whose idea was it to start with Moss the hold
up deal yours? Or was it Windsors both of us?
Speaker 13 (25:18):
I guess I didn't want to get rough with the
old man. I mean the way Ernie did that part
I didn't like. All I wanted was a loot and
he just lost his head too bad?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
All right?
Speaker 5 (25:27):
You ready to go anytime?
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Sergeant?
Speaker 13 (25:30):
Hey, I wonder if I could ask a favorite, what's that? Well,
it's gonna get a little tough, and they're in a jail.
I wonder if we couldn't stop for a good steak
in some French fries first, huh, maybe some good restaurant
around here.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
Now, it won't work, Moss, you know I wouldn't try anything.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You put your order in a long time ago, Masstin.
What do you mean when you worked over that old couple. Yeah,
that's when you ordered jail food.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
The star you have just heard was rule. The names
were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 11 (26:03):
On March's second trial was held in Superior Court, Department
eighty eight, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment the results of that trial, Ernest Windsor
and Henry Moss were tried and convicted on one count
(26:23):
of first degree robbery and one count of assault with
intent to do great bodily harm. Both men are now
serving their terms in the state penitentiary. First degree robbery
is punishable by imprisonment for no less than one nor
more than ten years.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Ladies and gentlemen, the lives of millions of ragged and
helpless Koreans depend on the unneeded clothes in your closet.
Help these men, women and children live through the winter.
Send your clean, unneeded clothing and shoes, prepaid directly to
the Ark Maspeth, New York, or the Ark Oakland, California.
Speaker 11 (27:07):
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases
from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of
Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Stay tuned for Counterspy next over NBC.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Welcome back. You definitely have to appreciate their angers at
the actions of the robbers. They were very cruel and cowardly,
and you can understand why they would not grant this request.
Although I do have to remember the Big cast where
they took a serial killer to a health food restaurant
(28:09):
and he was able to order a really nice meal.
Of course, he hadn't given his confession. So the moral
of the story might be, if you're a criminal wanting
one last nice meal before years of prison food, make
the request before you've given the police everything they want,
particularly when you've done a violent crime with which they
(28:29):
are going to have no sympathy whatsoever. All right, well,
now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to thank Robert, Patreon supporter since March,
currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of
seven dollars and fourteen cents or more per month. Thanks
so much for your support, Robert, and that will do
(28:50):
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 do download it from.
We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet.
But join us back here tomorrow for yours truly. Johnny
ad doll are ware.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
Here, sir.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
There's a picture of him in this.
Speaker 7 (29:13):
Group photograph taken on the occasion are one hundred aniversary.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
I feel like ore a hell beaver.
Speaker 11 (29:19):
I'm afraid his.
Speaker 7 (29:20):
Mighty shock of hair and magnificent Beard just led me
back in nineteen forty one when I hired him.
Speaker 11 (29:26):
Yes, and I suppose I.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Should have known when he gave up pause in Surrey
to drive one of those newfangled motor cars.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Sure have known.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
What excuse me, but he was no longer a man
suited to our fine establishment. Is he the one who
took off with your fifty eight thousand dollars fifty eight thousand,
four hundred and thirty three dollars and forty one cents?
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Are you sure?
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I mean sure it was he beyond the shap of
a doubt, sir.
Speaker 7 (29:52):
He was the only one beside myself who had a
key to the vault in which we kept our building fund.
And when he suddenly left us three years, five months
and six teen days ago, Yes, yes I should have known.
But you didn't discover the loss until recently. It was
June twenty first, but four minutes after ten that I
went down to the vault for the first time in
four years. We have something extor to put aside, and
(30:13):
you discovered the money was missing. The vault was empty
except for this note. Goodbye, Suckers. Holid word signed Tuller.
Speaker 11 (30:27):
So you see mister Dollar.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, yes, I know.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
It looks like he's our man, no question about it.
And you have no idea where he might have gone,
none whatsoever. Well, surely there must be some clue, none whatsoever,
but you must find him. But that was three and
a half years ago, exactly three years five yeteen So
where do I start? Unless your company decides simply to
(30:51):
reimburses for our loss, that mister Dollar is up to.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
You in the meantime. Send your comments to Box thirteen
at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com,
slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host,
Adam Graham signing off.
Welcome to the great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we
are going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnat,
But first I want to encourage you. If you're enjoying
the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
(00:51):
Today's program is also brought to you in part by
the financial support of our listeners. You can support the
show by Maileen a one time donate to Adam Graham
peelbox one five nine one three. That's peelbox one five
nine thirteen, Boise, Idaho eight three seven one five, or
(01:12):
become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little
as two dollars per month. But now, from September twentieth,
nineteen fifty one, here is the big.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Sour ladies and gentlemen, Dragnet has a very important announcement
for all of you at the close of tonight's program.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
The story you were about to hear is true. The
names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a
detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. Two armed ben
It's invade the home of an elderly couple in your city.
(02:03):
The aging husband is tortured unmercifully before he reveals the
hiding place of his valuables. The two thieves make good
their escape. Your job, get them now. Dragnet the document
(02:24):
a drama of an actual crime. For the next thirty 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.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Was Saturday, October three, was hot in Los Angeles. We
were working the day Watch Out of Robbery detail. My
partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Harry Didyon, Captain of robbery.
My name is Friday. Was eleven thirty eight pm when
I got to Georgia Street, Receiving Hospital Room five, Treatment room. Joe, Right,
how's it going, man?
Speaker 4 (03:07):
You're not going to be able to talk to him
anymore to night? Doctor said, maybe late tomorrow morning. How's
the old man making out? It's resting a lot better.
Doctor gave him a sedative. Old fellow, sure had a
rough time. Well, how about since I've been gone to
tell you anything else? No, just kept repeating the same thing.
Two guys forced their way into his house, beat his wife,
tortured him, took all the jewelry. That's about it.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Yeah, well, I put in a call of the office.
I got a broadcast out of the information that we have.
There's not much to go on.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
We should be able to pick up a little something
more tomorrow. Doc said, it's been a long time since
he's seen anything like this where they worked old man over.
What they do to the fella's hands anyway, the doctor
able to tell. He thinks they used a hatpin on him,
something like that. It's sharp and thin, at least a
dozen wounds in both hands. He's pretty badly burned. Too
hard to imagine somebody that cold blooding seventy one year
(03:53):
old man sols of his feet a massive burns. Wonder
his heart stood up through the beating I gave him.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Was he got a weak heart?
Speaker 5 (03:58):
He's had a little trouble.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Yeah, terrific shock going through something like this, it is, eh, so.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Maybe we better check back at their house. Huh see
how the old fella's wife is doing it?
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah, right, how's it shape up for you?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Well, there's not an awful lot to go on. Yet
it wasn't a shot in the dark. I think we
can count on that whoever the thieves were, they had
some kind of an inside tip. The old man and
his wife. Only they don't put up much of an appearance.
You wouldn't be have to figure that they had three
or four thousand and jewelry put away at home, would you.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Maybe his wife might have some ideas joys a lovely shame. Yeah, yeah,
you might have to understand it. They just held him up.
But working them over the way they did, there was
no sense to it at all. I ring to show
off what a couple of rough bums they are. Maybe
that's it them.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Let's do them a favorite, Let's show them what it costs.
Ben and I got in the car and drove back
to the Westlake Park area to the home of the
robbery victims, seventy one year old Wendell mclung and his wife,
Katherine McClung. Was a one story wooden frame building gray
shingled a typical modest four room bungalow. The men from
UNIP thirty one, who had answered the robbery call were
(05:01):
still there, standing by another pair of men from robbery detail.
Powers and Gonzales were checking the neighborhood for possible leads
on the suspects. Inside the house, Ben and I found
Missus McClung propped up in an easy chair in the
living room. She was a small, chubby woman, gray haired,
looked to be in her fifties. We assured her husband's
condition wasn't critical. Outside of a small bruise on her
(05:23):
forehead in a case of nervous upset, she seemed to
be all right. In recouting the story of the hold up,
Missus mclung told us the two bandits rang the front
doorbell and forced their way into the house at gunpoint,
shortly before eight o'clock that night.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
How about the color of their hair, ma'am? They're weighting hight.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
No, I hardly saw a thing just that one. Look
at them when they first pushed the way in.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Why was that day blindfold you? Yes, they might just
as well.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Have you see?
Speaker 6 (05:49):
When they started to hit window my husband window, knock
him down. I went after them, and one of them
slapped me right across my face and knocked my glasses off.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
See.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
I reached out to find them, but before I did,
I guess one of those gangsters stepped on them thirty
five dollar glasses, broke both of the lenses, just ruling frames.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Look at that.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
Of course, I can't see a thing without them. That's
why I say it might as well have been blindfolded.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
And you didn't have a chance to notice what kind
of clothes they had on, what they looked like at all.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
They weren't shabby, I know that, pretty well dressed. If
memory serves both out them in dark suits. Well, only
they wouldn't have broken my glasses.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
How about their voices? Ms McClay, anything unusual about the
way they talked, anything that they might have said.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
No, I was just thinking one's name was Sam. I
remember that. The other one had sort of an accent
of some kind, maybe from the Midwest or maybe Texas,
one of those funny people.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Funny people, how do you mean, man.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
Well, you know, something like a cowboy or a farmer,
that funny kind of top. I guess I really should
be inside fixing you men a cup of tea.
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Maybe if you just.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Help me up, that's all right, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
You just sit there.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
When my sister Dolly gets here, it shouldn't be too long.
I'll have her fix something.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
There's no need to bother man. We'd like to have
you tell us this if he can. Did your husband
do anything at all to provoke the two men? I mean,
did he call out for help or try to get
to a phone, anything like that.
Speaker 6 (07:17):
And it was the jewelry we had, Wendell and I
just those fute pieces. The two men seemed in all
about it, just as if they had a.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
List of the thing.
Speaker 6 (07:26):
Yes, when they first came in, they took my engagement
ring and old broach that belonged to my mother I
was wearing. Then they got Wendell in that chair over
there and tried to make him tell where all other
things were.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Well, now it's a pretty common knowledge around the neighborhood
here that you and your husband own expensive jewelry.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Man, No, I.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
Don't think so. What the men seemed most interested in
was Wendell's ring, his diamond signet ring is a beautiful
thing for carrot N's ma'am.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
We got a description on that. That was when they
tried to force your husband to tell him where it
was hidden. Is that right?
Speaker 6 (07:58):
I never thought anybody'd be that cruel officer, downright cruel.
They burned his hands in his feet, kept hitting him
in the face with their fists.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
It's just terrible, poor window.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
They finally had to tell them they went and found
the things, and then they came back in here and
ripped out the phone, warned us not to move, and
then they left. I just broke down and cried officer
to see poor Windle there the way they abused him.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Yes, we understand, you're sure he's going to be all right.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
What did the doctors?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Boy? He said, there's no danger. Man, Mister McClung's resting comfortably.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Now, well that must be my sister.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Stay right here with miss mclun ben. I'll get that.
Yeah right, Joe, Hi, Jess, you and power is doing good.
Speaker 8 (08:48):
I've been checking through the neighborhood, three four blocks around,
not an awful lot. A lot of people know the McClung's,
few of them know about their having jewelry. Saw anything
unusual going on to night, but.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Thieves used the car we know that. Didn't anybody at
all spotted.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I'm not sure, but there's one possibility.
Speaker 8 (09:03):
As some of the neighbors said, a young kid was
peddling magazines down this block tonight just about the same
time as a robbery.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
He might have spotted it just fine. Where's the boy?
Where's he lived?
Speaker 8 (09:11):
That's what we asked the neighbors. Yeah, nobody knows.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
A supplementary broadcast and an APB was gotten out containing
what description we had on the two hold up men,
plus descriptions of each article of jewelry taken from mister
and missus McClung. The following morning, along with Jess Gonzalez
and Johnny Powers, we continued canvassing the immediate neighborhood of
the hold up. The only thing we got was a
fair description of the boy who had been selling magazines
(09:38):
the night before in the vicinity of the McClung house,
and also the names of the magazines he was peddling.
Monday morning, nine am, we got in touch with the
local distributor for the publications, got a list of five
boys who sold for them in that general area, and
started checking them out. Third on the list was a
Bill Newsom, a sophomore student at a nearby parochial high school.
(09:59):
He lived a half a dozen blocks from the mclonalds.
We checked at his house, but his mother told us
he wasn't at home.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
I'm sure Billy, won't be long. Thank you right in here?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Go ahead, thank you, sit down, won't you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Thank you very much?
Speaker 9 (10:16):
It must be him now, Billy in here, Yama, come
in here, Bill. Two police officers to see you.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Bill.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
This is Sergeant Friday and Sergeant Rome. Now my son, Bill,
would you excuse me, I'm going to have to start
fixing dinner.
Speaker 9 (10:29):
You go right ahead and have your talk with Bill.
I'll be out in the.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Kitchen all right, ma'am.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 6 (10:33):
You speak right up now.
Speaker 10 (10:34):
Bill, try and help the officers already. Can How can
I help you?
Speaker 5 (10:38):
What's it all about?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
We understand you have a magazine rout the neighborhood. Billy,
your mother tells us you were up selling this last
Saturday night.
Speaker 10 (10:44):
Yes, sir, that's right. Thursdays and Saturday. Is there my
regular nights. I don't really sell though, how do you mean, son? Well,
you see, I line up all my customers ahead of time.
I got a regular list of people who buy from
me every week. I don't do any door to door
selling out. Well, he's not much good.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
And I see if you have a regular customer on
your list with the name of McClung. Bill it's mc
clio engine.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Yeah, mister McClung.
Speaker 10 (11:04):
Once a month he takes a gardening magazine comes out
the last week and every month.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Were you over near the mclung's place Saturday night? You remember? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:11):
I was.
Speaker 10 (11:12):
I went right by it. I've got customers all along
that block there, say, this wouldn't be about that robbery.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I've tried, Bill and you heard about it.
Speaker 10 (11:19):
After church Sunday. A couple of kids would go to
the same school I do. They deliver right around the McClung's.
They heard about it.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
What time was it when you went by their Saturday night?
You remember? Oh, about a.
Speaker 10 (11:30):
Couple of months after nine, I guess maybe a quarter after.
When I heard about the robbery on Sunday, I thought
maybe I ought to tell somebody about it. I wasn't
sure about it, you know, I didn't want to be
a test.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
What do you mean, so you weren't sure about what this?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Dark?
Speaker 10 (11:43):
Lucy Dan, I saw a parked on the street there,
just a couple of houses down from the mclung's place.
The reason I even noticed it was because it was
a new car, almost to bring a new car. But
it looked like the license plates on it were kind
of old.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
What else?
Speaker 10 (11:56):
Well, I delivered some magazines to missus Brewbaker, and I
got my money for him, and then coming down the stairs,
I saw these two men. I'm not sure they came
out of mister mccleomb's house. It's dark, you know, but
I thought that's where they came from. Anyway, they went
down the street and got in the car and took off.
Seemed to be in a hurry.
Speaker 4 (12:14):
Well, what did the two men look like?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Bill?
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Did you have any idea?
Speaker 10 (12:17):
No, I didn't see him too well, it wasn't too
close to him. I was about from all here and
across the street from him.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
How about their clothes you noticed in them and doll?
Speaker 10 (12:27):
Yeah, they had suits on, dark suits, I know that.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
How would you describe their builts on? Medium? Tall, fat, skinny?
What would you say?
Speaker 10 (12:34):
Well, I think i'd say medium, Yeah, both a medium.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Now about that car built? You said it was a
dark Bluesiday and new model and the license plates looked
kind of old. Is that right?
Speaker 10 (12:42):
Yeah, that's right. That's how I first noticed it, parked
down by the restaurant. Was that about seven p fifteen
when I started my route down on South Benson. I
saw the same car parked outside the restaurant down there.
Forget the name of the place now, it just opened
about a month ago.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Sure it was the same.
Speaker 10 (13:00):
Oh yeah, yeah, I'm pretty sure. That's why I noticed
it again when I shot up by mclung's place. So
it looked kind of terrible, brand new car like that,
but old license plates.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
By any chance, Son, do you remember the licensed number
on those plates?
Speaker 10 (13:13):
No, sir, I didn't notice it at all. I'll tell
you what, Tom, Yeah, if I see that car again,
I'll be sure and get the number for you.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Before we left the home of sixteen year old Bill Newsom,
we got a complete description of the car, which he'd
seen part near the McClung's home on the night of
the robbery. He told us it was a nineteen fifty
Hudson four door Sedan, dark blue, white sidewall tires. We
relayed the information downtown to robbery detail. After we left
the boy's house, we drove to the vicinity of the
restaurant on South Benson, where the Newsom boy had first
(13:48):
spotted the Hudson Sedan. After making the rounds of several
bars and coffee counters in the area. We started checking
at the restaurant. It was newly opened, just as the
boy had described it, full of glass, brick and fancy
mind in stonework. The main bar was situated just off
the lobby set apart from the main dining room. We
interviewed the head bartender and he thought he remembered serving
(14:08):
two customers. Answering the general description of the hold up
man on the previous Saturday night.
Speaker 5 (14:14):
A bad looking pair. They're in a little early, around
seven fifteen, seven thirty. They seem to be all right.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Do you remember what they looked like at all?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
No, I didn't notice them that much, Officer.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Can you give it some general idea or on the young.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Side, I guess not more than twenty eight point thirty
one of them talk like a Midwestern or any think
you know, maybe Arkansas, Texas, someplace like that, because.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You give us any idea what they were wearing, which
you remember.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
That had the suits on dark suits, one had on
a gray at And that's about all I remember. The
reason I can place him at all is because Saturday
was a pretty slow night at the bar. It's a
new place here, you know. It takes a little time
to culivate the trade.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Well, did these two men stop for dinner here? Do
you remember that?
Speaker 11 (14:50):
No?
Speaker 5 (14:50):
No, they sat right here at the bar and had
a couple of beers and then they left. No dinner.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Did you went on them?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Yes, yes, sir, I did. I served them, bought a
bottle of beer, imported the Dutch beer.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
A bit of that imported beer, do you no?
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Not here? No, it's mostly cocktails for these two colors,
the only ones I remember asking for it?
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Or do you remember if the two men handled the
beer bottles at all?
Speaker 5 (15:09):
They handled them?
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Well, I mean, did you quarter?
Speaker 5 (15:13):
I filled up the glasses and set the bottle down.
I guess they did handle them. They emptied the bottle.
They almost have to, wouldn't they.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Would you still have those two bottles on the hand?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Let's see todays and yeah, I guess they would. They
don't pick up the empty store something around the middle.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Of the week. We'd like to take a look at them,
if you don't mind for sure thing.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
You guys just want to follow me down the bargets
in the store.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm just back, all right, let's go.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
Right back.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
You're also fine.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Let's see yeah, yeah, the right of them here there,
you go holland labeled only ones in the whole case
the same to I serve those fellows. Yeah, what do
you think fingerprints?
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Maybe?
Speaker 5 (15:52):
And as soon as you get the fingerprints, you can
pick them up, can't you.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Yeah? When we find the men they blow them to.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Monday six pm, we call Layton Fingerprints and they came
out to check the evidence. First, they obtained a set
of the bartender's fingerprints to serve as a basis for comparison.
Then they dust at each of the empty beer bottles carefully.
After the various sets of prints were lifted off the bottles,
the men went back to the office to run the
sets through, classify their findings, and then turn them over
(16:20):
to R and I for further checking. While they worked
on it, Ben and I ducked out and had a
sandwich and a bowl of soup for dinner. Seven twenty
five pm we got back to the city Hall.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I sure I am getting tired of the kind of
food that guy serves, Joe. It seems to get worse
every time of going there.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Wasn't very good, was it.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
I'm willing to bet I know his formula for the
soup two gallons of hot water and one booyon cube. Well,
I've gone and done it before. I may still do
it again, but that bring my dinner from home in
a paper sack pack A thermost full of hot coffee
be a better deal than a cross the street.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I know about that. You remember the last time you
had your wife fix you up a thermist full of coffee?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:57):
I almost forgot.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Wasn't any betterness to to across the street? Hi?
Speaker 7 (17:02):
Where are you two?
Speaker 11 (17:03):
Bent?
Speaker 12 (17:03):
Hi?
Speaker 4 (17:04):
Jess getting sempty latent?
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Prince called just a minute ago, told him I'd give
you the message.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
What's that?
Speaker 8 (17:09):
Well, the Prince. They lifted off those beer bottles, checked
them through the record bureau.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Yeah, found two sets.
Speaker 12 (17:14):
They made both of them.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
October fifth, Saturday, seven pm. The two sets of fingerprints
which had been lifted from the empty beer bottles were
checked through R and I and identified as those belonging
to two known criminals. The first was Henry Vincent Moss WMA,
twenty nine years old. He'd served two terms in the
county jail for burglary and grand theft auto and one
(17:54):
term in San Quentin for robbery. The second was Ernest
Robert Windsor WMA, eight eight years old. His home was
listed as Little Rock, Arkansas, where he'd twice been convicted
on charges of first degree burglary and served time at
the Arkansas State Penitentiary. We pulled the packages on both
of them. Men checked the last known addresses but failed
to locate either of them. To double check their identification,
(18:18):
we showed mugshots of Windsor and Moss to the robbery
and torture victims, mister and Missus McClung. They gave positive
identification of both men, so did the bartender at the
restaurant where they'd stopped for the beer. We got out
a broadcast and an all points bulletin on them. Immediately,
we began the routine leg work, checking with all the friends, relatives,
and associates who were listed on the Mama sheet and
(18:39):
each suspects package. As usual, it was a long, monotonous hall.
One of the persons listed as fairly close to Ernest
Windsor was an ad of his, a Missus Marie Ralph,
whom we located at her home in the Echo Park district.
Speaker 9 (18:53):
No, I haven't seen Ernest in almost a year, Sergeant.
What is it you want him for?
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I'd like to talk to you about a few minutes,
missus Roff, you don't mind.
Speaker 9 (18:59):
I don't know how I can help you. You can
come in for a minute if you want. I've got
to go out and do some errands pretty soon though,
all right, ma'am, right in here, sit down if you want.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Thank you very early.
Speaker 9 (19:10):
Let's got finished taking care of my little children here,
giving him nice, clean.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
Cages, good sayings. They all canaries, ma'am.
Speaker 9 (19:15):
Oh, yes, Oskar and Ethel. That's these two here. They're
both genuine rulers. Their grand folks came from Germany. Beautiful singers,
wonderful company, Yes, sir. My others are pretty too. They're
only choppers, though, ma'am. Choppers. They're different than rulers. They
sing much louder, maybe not as nicely. But I don't
like to play favorites. I like all of them. You
have bird, Sergeant, No, ma'am you should. I think everybody
(19:36):
should have a canary in the house. Cheerful, you know,
wonderful company. Don't know what I do without mine.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
How bout your nephew, Ernest ms Rolf. Have you any
idea at all how we could contact him?
Speaker 9 (19:46):
As I say, it's been almost a year since I
last heard from him.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What would this be about, sergeant, mister routine investigation? Man,
We understand that you're quite close to your nephew, that
he lived with you for a time.
Speaker 9 (19:55):
Yes, that's right, he did. When you come right down
to it, Ernie's a good boy, kept bad company. That's
what I always said, got him in trouble two three
times expo.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
As you know that you live alone here in the
house to your Ms Israel, Yes that's right, sergeant, say,
I'm a widow, husband's gone a good many years now.
You don't take in borders or anyone like that.
Speaker 9 (20:13):
Oh no, just me and my pet savior their company.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Enough. I wonder if you'd explain that laundry piled up
in the bed there in the next room.
Speaker 7 (20:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Oh that the men's shirt, stockings, the underwear, they're right
there in the bed there. Well.
Speaker 9 (20:25):
I usually try to keep things in better order than that.
Just some laundry I do, Sergeant, little odd jobs for
some of the bachelormen in the neighborhood. I do it
as a favor for him.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
And you're sure about that, Miss Rah, Well, what do you.
Speaker 9 (20:38):
Want Ernest for? Why do you have to chase after him?
All the time persecuting him.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
We're not persecuting him ever.
Speaker 9 (20:43):
Since he's coming from Arkansas, it's been nothing but police
chasing after him. Can't you give her any a chance?
All he wants is a chance, he told me to himself.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
We checked through his record, Miss Ralph. He's had all
the chances in the world, and nobody's persecuting him.
Speaker 9 (20:55):
Why are you chasing him again, hunting him down? Why
did you leave him alone for a spell? Give him
a chance to get a job, do something. Why are
you chasing him?
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Well, this is a robbery charge, Mims, Ralf. He's been
positively identified. He and Henry Moss forced their way into
an old couple's home a few weeks back. They tortured
the old man and they beat him till he was unconscious.
That's what we want Ernie for.
Speaker 9 (21:13):
How do you know it was Ernie?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Could have made a mistake, no mistake, ma'am. The victims
identified his picture and there wasn't a doubt in their mind.
Speaker 9 (21:20):
I'm where is he sure that's the truth? You sure
it's Ernie again?
Speaker 4 (21:24):
Yes, ma'am again. You can have all the proof you need.
Speaker 9 (21:27):
And the last time he told me he swore on
the memory of his own mother. He swore he wouldn't
do anything wrong again. I guess I just don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Ernest, where is he, ma'am? You want to tell us.
Speaker 9 (21:37):
The last time? Starting, I'm sorry, Ernie's at his last time, Yes, ma'am.
He's sleeping the room over the garage. You find him there.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Ernest Windsor was apprehended and placed under arrest. His room
was searched, as well as the entire home of his aunt,
Missus Marie Ralf. We failed to find a trace of
any of the jewels restolen from mister and Missus McClung.
After we made arrangements for a stake out on the house,
Windsor was taken downtown to the interrogation room, where Jess
Gonzalez Ben and I questioned him for five hours. He
(22:11):
refused to tell us anything. At a special show up,
he was positively identified as one of the holdup men
by the two victims. Windsor was booked at the main
jail on suspicion of two eleven PC. The investigation went on.
Every possible lead on the other suspect, Henry Moss was
checked out. We got nowhere. It was obvious that either
Moss was in possession of all the jewelry stolen from
(22:32):
the mcclungs, or it had been hidden away someplace known
only to Windsor and Moss. From time to time we
had Windsor taken from his jail's cell for questioning. It
wasn't hard to tell he was bothered with the possibility
that perhaps Moss had run off with the entire loot
and was enjoying himself while Windsor spent his time in jail.
We worked hard on that particular angle while we questioned him,
(22:53):
but Windsor still refused to break to give us any
kind of a lead on Moss. A month passed Wednesday,
November eighth.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Sure working out into a dull routine. A full month
we got exactly what we started with.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, we're gonna only get Windsor to break it. It'd
sure do a lot toward wrapping this thing up, wouldn't it.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I don't know what he figures he's gonna game, but
keep him quiet.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Gonzalez and Johnny Power said they were checking out a
tip from some informant this morning. We're supposed to know
where Henry Moss is.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
I wonder if they found any luck. They ought to
be back by now.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Yeah, go ahead, Hey, Jess, oh hi, how about it?
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Did you do any good this morning?
Speaker 12 (23:25):
Oh?
Speaker 11 (23:25):
Not a bit.
Speaker 8 (23:26):
Informant didn't even show up. Johnny's going to meet him
this afternoon. Doesn't look to be very much. How about you, fellas.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
The same, Jess. We're going as slow as you or
I'll get it.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Robbery Friday, Yeah, George h Third and Maine. You sure right, yeah,
right away? Well maybe we got a break. What is
Henry Moss? He tried to hock a ring at a
pawn shop third and Maine about twenty minutes ago. You
make it? Well? The pawnbroker's stalled him. He didn't know
for sure that the guy was hot.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
How's his stan?
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Moss said he'd come back to close the deal. When
half an hour eleven fifty five am, a special detail
of men, including Gonzales and Powers, Ben and myself were
sent to cover the pawn shop near Third in Maine.
Gonzalesen Power staked out in stores adjoining the place. Ben
and I were stationed inside the pawnshop. Another team of
(24:14):
men covered the rear exit. We waited the suspect Henry
Moss failed to show at the appointed time. We kept
waiting one pm, one thirty no sign of him. At
one forty five pm, a young looking, dark haired man
and a neat gray suit entered the shop and approached
the manager at the rear counter. There wasn't any mistaking
him Henry Moss. He surrendered himself without even protesting. We
(24:36):
took him to the City Hall to the interrogation room,
where we started to question him. Meantime, Gonzalesen Powers located
the apartment where the suspect had been staying. His rooms
and personal belongings were searched and every piece of the
missing jewelry recovered. Surprisingly enough, in contrast to his partner
Ernie Windsor, Moss was cooperative, even obliging. We had a
stenographer take his full statement, and then we got ready
(24:58):
to move him over to the main g for booking.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Just a couple of questions before we leave, Moss, Sure,
so I didn't go ahead? We've had you in here before.
How come all the cooperation this time?
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Why not?
Speaker 13 (25:08):
I had it figured before time? If you got me,
you'd have everything you need on You wouldn't do much
good putting in a beef with it.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Whose idea was it to start with Moss the hold
up deal yours? Or was it Windsors both of us?
Speaker 13 (25:18):
I guess I didn't want to get rough with the
old man. I mean the way Ernie did that part
I didn't like. All I wanted was a loot and
he just lost his head too bad?
Speaker 2 (25:27):
All right?
Speaker 5 (25:27):
You ready to go anytime?
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Sergeant?
Speaker 13 (25:30):
Hey, I wonder if I could ask a favorite, what's that? Well,
it's gonna get a little tough, and they're in a jail.
I wonder if we couldn't stop for a good steak
in some French fries first, huh, maybe some good restaurant
around here.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
Now, it won't work, Moss, you know I wouldn't try anything.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You put your order in a long time ago, Masstin.
What do you mean when you worked over that old couple. Yeah,
that's when you ordered jail food.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
The star you have just heard was rule. The names
were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 11 (26:03):
On March's second trial was held in Superior Court, Department
eighty eight, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment the results of that trial, Ernest Windsor
and Henry Moss were tried and convicted on one count
(26:23):
of first degree robbery and one count of assault with
intent to do great bodily harm. Both men are now
serving their terms in the state penitentiary. First degree robbery
is punishable by imprisonment for no less than one nor
more than ten years.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Ladies and gentlemen, the lives of millions of ragged and
helpless Koreans depend on the unneeded clothes in your closet.
Help these men, women and children live through the winter.
Send your clean, unneeded clothing and shoes, prepaid directly to
the Ark Maspeth, New York, or the Ark Oakland, California.
Speaker 11 (27:07):
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases
from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of
Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.
Speaker 5 (27:34):
Stay tuned for Counterspy next over NBC.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Welcome back. You definitely have to appreciate their angers at
the actions of the robbers. They were very cruel and cowardly,
and you can understand why they would not grant this request.
Although I do have to remember the Big cast where
they took a serial killer to a health food restaurant
(28:09):
and he was able to order a really nice meal.
Of course, he hadn't given his confession. So the moral
of the story might be, if you're a criminal wanting
one last nice meal before years of prison food, make
the request before you've given the police everything they want,
particularly when you've done a violent crime with which they
(28:29):
are going to have no sympathy whatsoever. All right, well,
now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,
and I want to thank Robert, Patreon supporter since March,
currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of
seven dollars and fourteen cents or more per month. Thanks
so much for your support, Robert, and that will do
(28:50):
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 do download it from.
We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet.
But join us back here tomorrow for yours truly. Johnny
ad doll are ware.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
Here, sir.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
There's a picture of him in this.
Speaker 7 (29:13):
Group photograph taken on the occasion are one hundred aniversary.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
I feel like ore a hell beaver.
Speaker 11 (29:19):
I'm afraid his.
Speaker 7 (29:20):
Mighty shock of hair and magnificent Beard just led me
back in nineteen forty one when I hired him.
Speaker 11 (29:26):
Yes, and I suppose I.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Should have known when he gave up pause in Surrey
to drive one of those newfangled motor cars.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Sure have known.
Speaker 7 (29:34):
What excuse me, but he was no longer a man
suited to our fine establishment. Is he the one who
took off with your fifty eight thousand dollars fifty eight thousand,
four hundred and thirty three dollars and forty one cents?
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Are you sure?
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I mean sure it was he beyond the shap of
a doubt, sir.
Speaker 7 (29:52):
He was the only one beside myself who had a
key to the vault in which we kept our building fund.
And when he suddenly left us three years, five months
and six teen days ago, Yes, yes I should have known.
But you didn't discover the loss until recently. It was
June twenty first, but four minutes after ten that I
went down to the vault for the first time in
four years. We have something extor to put aside, and
(30:13):
you discovered the money was missing. The vault was empty
except for this note. Goodbye, Suckers. Holid word signed Tuller.
Speaker 11 (30:27):
So you see mister Dollar.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, yes, I know.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
It looks like he's our man, no question about it.
And you have no idea where he might have gone,
none whatsoever. Well, surely there must be some clue, none whatsoever,
but you must find him. But that was three and
a half years ago, exactly three years five yeteen So
where do I start? Unless your company decides simply to
(30:51):
reimburses for our loss, that mister Dollar is up to.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
You in the meantime. Send your comments to Box thirteen
at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com,
slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host,
Adam Graham signing off.
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