July 31, 2023 • 25 mins
Dragnet, one of the most iconic old-time radio series, captivated audiences during its heyday. Originally airing from 1949 to 1957, with a revival in the 1960s, Dragnet brought a realistic and gritty portrayal of law enforcement to the airwaves. Created and produced by Jack Webb, who also starred as Sergeant Joe Friday, the show followed the investigations of the Los Angeles Police Department. Known for its distinctive rapid-fire dialogue and the infamous line "Just the facts, ma'am," Dragnet presented a no-nonsense approach to solving crimes. With its emphasis on authenticity, the series drew inspiration from actual police cases and featured real stories from the LAPD. This immersive experience, combined with Webb's impeccable delivery, made Dragnet a beloved and enduring radio program, allowing listeners to vicariously experience the challenges and triumphs of law enforcement. Check out all of the great radio programming available to one and all at www.xzbn.net
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:08):
You're a detective sergeant. You're assignedthe burglary details. In the past two
months. A thief is broken intoeighteen markets. There's no lead to his
whereabouts, no clue to his identity. Your job get him. Dragnet the
(00:32):
documented drama of an actual crime.For the next thirty minutes, in cooperation
of the Los Angeles Police Department,you will travel step by step on the
side of the law through an actualcase. Transcribe from official police files from
beginning to end, from crime topunishment. Dragnet is the story of your
police force in action. It wasMonday, Mber fourteenth. It was cold
(01:00):
in Los Angeles. We were workingto day watch out of burglary detail.
My partner's Frank Smith. The bossis Kevin Burny Friday. Were on our
way out of the office with eighto five am when we got to Georgia
Street Juvenile Bureau Sergeant Lindsay Simmons office. Yeah, well did you get it
to him? Uh huh yeah,what he says, Yeah when he come
(01:25):
back, Uh huh, Well didhe have it for you? Yeah?
Well, I don't teach you notto go that route anymore, all right,
Patrick Kellas starting to call me whenhe gets back right, Ah,
Hi pride man, oh Helens bringpergny just starting to Jean Patrick over Hummond
part you know, Yeah, Imet him. A couple at tourney picked
(01:45):
up a youngster a couple of daysago on suspicion in burglary, brought him
into the office and Patrick Cockley,Yeah, on he finally bought it that
the kid didn't have anything to dowith the sets. He told me to
go home. Kids told Jeane,you didn't have the money to get home,
said Gene. Gave him twenty cents, kids scored, come in and
pay it back, did he?Yeah, I came out. I want
to get back to two dimes,told him fast to believe in the story.
Then Patrick got the kicker kid reallydid break into hours last night to
(02:07):
get the money. Well Patrick gotto say about there, says the kid
johnast in the story of way didplay him back? And where's the Engston
now kind of more hot and parkyou and I better call to him.
Maybe I can give him an Igot a couple of three characters and so
it won't be using I might liketo him and holding a follows you.
I don't think i'd bring it upto him for a couple of days.
Well, what can I do foryou? Do well, Lindsey, we've
been working on a string of burglaries. You maybe got the word on him.
(02:28):
I don't think so. Ill that'sthe story. A bunch of store
burglaries. Papers are tacking them.The milk bottle job, Oh yeah yeah,
seen as heart grows telling me somethingabout him the other day. And
where we come in. Well,the way the jobs look, we've been
thinking to maybe belong in your departmentinstead of art. I figure that first
off, the milk thing, whatdo you mean every job is full?
We found an empty milk bottle onthe counter. Okay, with that proved
well, milk and kids go together. Sure so the milk and ulcers.
(02:52):
Maybe your thieves got the bullhard whenhe gets into the store. Now,
Lindsay, there's another thing away problesthe places all he takes his petticash.
Did a couple of bucks outside?Can cigarettes? Nothing big? Some of
the places he's gone into you couldopen the safe for the pocket knife and
he hasn't even made a move towardhim. Maybe he's left them Mania got
a lot of them on the books. Maybe that's why he gets his kicks
on and then he's trying. Lindsay, if you know anybody that can climb
to a fourteen by ten inch hold, you trot him up and we'll talk
(03:13):
to him. Okay, I haven'tgot the names on my desk, but
you take a trip to Center Nita, you meet a lot of jockeys.
You guys know we'll go along withyou on this thing. Anything we can
do, but until we're sure thatthat the juven will involved, there's nothing
we can do. Anything turns up, we'll be sure to turn over to
you. But look, we're nottrying to palm this thing off on your
Lindsay. We've had the stats officemake so many runs on small adults.
If the cards are wearing out,it just seems that not a leads we've
been chasing come out anywhere. Ifigured that maybe you could come up with
(03:36):
some anti's force. It's a newone. I made Joe this milk that
I've heard of. A couple ofseason went for it, but I can't
name your juvenile fan. I'll passthe word around the day we see what
they can come up with. I'lleven out for heart grow. They can
pass down the night Watch. I'llappreciate any and do no trouble. Been
running your ragged on. This huntpretty rough, just that we can't seem
to be able to come up withanything to add. Yeah, excuse me,
yeah, Georgia's said Joe in theTartan Simmons. Yeah, yeah,
(04:00):
there here which one, okay,a few Julia Rockers, thank you,
Friday Tunny, yeah right away.What's the address? So yeah, so
I got it Willie right away?Who yeah, call him? Thanks,
come on, let's go. Thenook bottle Kitty hit again. The call
(04:27):
had come from Lieutenant Ginder and burglary. He told us that he'd just gotten
a call from a store keeper namedMaddy Dara Burdas. The man had called
to report a burglary at his storeat the corner of Jackson and Broadway Street.
Lieutenant Ginder told us if the crimelab had been notified, and they
dispatched the crew to investigate the premisesfor physical evidence. Frank and I left
Georgia Street juvenal. We drove overthe figure off and then we turned over
on the Broadway. The store thathad been broken into was a small Italian
(04:49):
Delica testament on the southeast corner.For the time we got there, the
crime lab crew had already arrived andwas winding up their investigation. We walked
into the place and we met withRay Pinker. Hi, Joe ran right,
all right, how's it called?The usual thing? Bottle of milk
on the counter? You want tocheck it over? It's mine? Back
here, Chief made his entrance backhere rear of the store. Now this
(05:14):
look out the window pane. Yeah, that's very bigger majors nine and a
half of twelve and three quarter aliarb on the window. Yeah, you
can see the wires here. Takea look. Oh yeah, how come
the alarm didn't go off? Italked to the owner. He said he's
had trouble with the alarm system lasta couple of weeks, called the company
and asking to fix it. Hethought it was okay because there's something wrong
some play. It didn't work lastnight. What kind of lin was it?
(05:35):
Right, I'll pride I'm building anotherkind of Yeah, what did he
take? This usual run of stuff? According to the owner, about the
four carting, the cigarettes and Ithink several bucks of candy. Can't be
absolutely sure. So he's got achecking stop. You better to talk to
him on that. Yeah, wewill. We'll catch him later. I
want to wait a minute. I'llcheck and see all the boys are doing
on the print, and don't checkthe counter in the milk bottle. Ay,
(05:56):
thanks, you're right back. Sorry. I wonder when we're gonna blow
the whistle on this guy. Idon't know. I can't do it fast
enough for me with you. Hey, Joe, look at this. Yeah,
I'd like to get a couple ofthose who we leave. What are
you talking about? Salami, Joe? That was right there, the heart
Italian kind right there. I rememberlast summer I was at in San Francisco.
(06:16):
Yeah, I remember, went upthere to pick up a prisoner.
I remember you were collecting days off. Yeah, I recall I had a
hunted up comings. Yeah, prettyfunny. Anyway, I met Dan Shelley
up there, I mean, yeah, Arish Jenner. Yeah, he and
I went down to Cookie's bar forlunch because he had some of the salami
flights like paper but almost reads throughit. That's the way it's supposed to
be, I know, Joe.Anyway, Cookie sliced up a bunch of
(06:36):
it, served it with cold crackcrab boor. I never tasted anything so
good in my life. If youever read the newspaper to slight salami,
yeah, let me have you allthe time, just the funnies. Well,
anyway, Fays tried to find themfor me, salami like this.
Fought home all kinds of things,but she's never found the right kind.
You know, they'd be hard enoughto pound tax with him. She got
(06:57):
him on ahead. Ever, forgetcookie and that's pread. Well, if
you can get your mind off foodfor a minute, and I know that'll
be tough. Let's get all withthose things coming here. Jay got to
buy some of these. Where weleave, it's like cookie head the space
of twer Joe. Yeah nothing,whoever was drank the milk. It took
the bottle out of the refrigeration compartment, bottle of sweat, and there's an
a print on it. We're gonnalive none of many places. Man,
(07:21):
We've gone over the place and topto bottom. So there we can't find
them. So much help. Cameup with one thing. Maybe you can
make something out of it. What'sthat outside the window on the back of
parking lot. Came up an openpackage cigarette. Don't know if they're blonged
to the seat, anything on it. No fog last night. Ruin any
prints that run it, boys havegot if you want, we'll take a
look at it. It's like everything'sagainst this another blank. Don't endo you
(07:45):
guys trying to break this one.Most of the time it's a league.
Come boys. I'm wanting along theline of the guy's gonna make a mistake
and not cover something. And we'vebeen saying that for weeks. This is
either the smartest thief I've ever seenor the lucket's let's just make for him
from the nineteen on a chance thatthat they from them. He's not govern
anything out of the jobs. Maybehe isn't, but we are but headaches.
(08:09):
Nine thirty eight am, we talkedto the victim. He told us
that as near as he could figure, there was approximately four dollars stolen from
the store. Who went on tosay that he'd entertained that five cartons of
cigarettes and several boxes of the candybars were taken. He was unable to
tell us if any other merchandise wastaken until he'd made a complete inventory.
We went on to tell us thatthere was over six hundred dollars in the
safe, but that as far ashe could tell, we had been no
attempt to break into it. Wemade a canvas of the neighborhood and talked
(08:33):
with the neighbors. None of themwe called having seen any suspicious people in
the neighborhood the night before. Noneof them had seen any suspicious automobiles in
the area. The one thing thatwas apparent was that the thief was working
in a definite pattern. He workedonly on Friday and Saturday night, always
between eight pm and twelve midnight.Frank and I met with Captain Bernard and
it was decided that we would maintaina rolling steakhout in the area in which
(08:54):
the suspect operated. Four other carsfrom Mecro Reserve were assigned to work with
us for the next nights. Weworked without result, was slow and petis
considering the lack of information on thethief. It would be on the way
we had left. We had tobe on or near the scene when the
sea struck again. Saturday night,December nineteen, Frank and I met and
drove out to the area. Thestreets were crowded with early Christmas shoppers.
(09:16):
I'm sure be glad when it's over. While its matter how many rooms in
your apartment Joe three. You knowthat you've been there. Yeah, I
won't be enough room. Are youtalking about? Say? What's they got
to do with this hack? Joe? Real hack? While with a matter?
I got up this morning, Ifelt great. Plays got breakfast on
the table, all nice, Acouple of eggs, but it'll take sausages
(09:39):
nice, you know. Yeah.I come down to the table. She's
got the food on, and Ihit her with her what the food?
You know? Joe? I hither with what I'm about to tell her?
I tell her I'm gonna have towork tonight. He worked every night
this week? What's wrong with that? That's the way I figure it.
So I got a way up.You have us. Today's Fay's birthday.
You didn't tell me. It's notgood to tell people, Joe. Oh,
(10:01):
it isn't no play. He's overthirty. Yeah, I kind of
figured him. Don't you get him? I'm sorry, pal, you left
me a couple of blocks back onthis one. Look, I may never
catch up. Pay he's over thirty, Joe. She's getting to the point
where she's taken off years. Seehow can you give a person a last
(10:22):
birthday present? Yeah? I tellyou about it. They're gonna give her
a present, only now instead ofthirty, she's twenty nine. You understand,
we're to be perfectly honest with youknow, but as long as you
do, it's perfectly all right withme. Yeah. What about this morning?
Well, I told her I wasgonna have to go to work.
I got this present for her,brand new deep fat fryar. Real good.
(10:45):
We'll all wrapped up deep fat friar. I'll wrap up with the ribbon,
beautiful, shiny, beautiful. Soyou gave it to her, it's
do any good, not a pound? You know what she does with us?
Well, at this point I wouldn'teven want to get I'm serious,
Joe, this made me in theend of my home. Go ahead.
She doesn't even open it, justputs it in the closet on the back
porch, doesn't even pull the paperapart to peek and what's in it?
(11:09):
Real mad Joe, you may notlet me back in the house tonight.
Now you even apologize when you gethome. I don't know Joe's face,
pretty sure it doesn't even open thepresent. I'm gonna peak. Huh yeah,
how where it's coming from? Itsounds like up on seventh flot you're
right here. Come on, I'lltake the front. All right. Hey,
(11:39):
hold up there, wake authors stop, we're all hilt all right,
come on your way. Okay,thak it easy? She go alad to
come on to kill me? Goan me getting there? All right?
Yeah, let's kid Joe, we'llsee. What are you doing the store's
son? What are you thinking?You ask your question? Son? Pretty
(12:01):
stupid? What do you think thatwas doing? How many stories? You're
broken into the sun? Get outfor yourself? Look what are you going
to chip on your shoulder? Goodguy, don't give me a lot of
conversations. Do what you want todo. All right, boy, you
call it come on. Eleven fiftypm. We called the officer and told
(12:22):
them that we had a subject incustody, and when we were taking in
the George Street Juvenile Bule with putthe boy in our car and we waited
until the radio car ride. Weasked the officers to notify the owner of
the store and stand by until hegot there. We also asked if they
make a four fifty nine report.Eleven fifty five pm, he started to
take a youngster to the juvenile bule. What's your name? Son? What
difference. Does it mean acting likethat isn't going to help you. You
(12:45):
guys take me up. Remember youwore your bout it. I got enough
to be afraid. Oh, yesyou have. Boy, You could have
been shot back there. Maybe shouldhave pulled the trigger. Look, so
what's the matter with you? Whyyou acting like this? You just got
real lucky back there. That's theonly reason you're alive now. Was die
in there or i'd I can tellyou we're an adult. You didn't stop
when I told you you're not.According to the book, I could have
shot you. You know that.Don't you showing the kids? That'll make
(13:05):
you a big man. Oh,I'm just bringing it up to prove a
point. Safe Now, Look,son, I'm gonna tell you something.
When you break into a place atnight, you're not a kid anymore.
You're asking for trouble. You've gotboth your pockets full of it. The
way you work tonight makes us thinkyou're mixed up in a lot more affestion
just tonight. That right. Youever been arrested before, No, never
been in trouble with the law.Sure, I'm a real criminal. I
gotta kick it once we're at mybike through a boulevard. Stop lead you
(13:28):
a card stopping tagging. Big deal. But they're gonna time me the same
quion and you can give me thedactions. How old are you? What
difference does that mean? How oldare you? You? Figure alight?
You look like you're about eleven tome, that's what everybody thinks, at
least fifteen the next first, it'sa true fifteen. That's what I'll be
fifteen when when you're born nineteen thirtynine November second? Small? Why do
(13:52):
you say that it's got nothing todo with it? Nothing at all.
I can do anything any other youcan do anything. Don't forget that.
It's the matter with you? Isthat a star point? With you?
Your size? Is that a starpoint? There's nothing wrong with my size,
doctor says it on all life isthat some people aren't mean to be
as big as others. That's all. There's nothing wrong with me. We'll
not come on so much you meanit. I'm like, you know we're
(14:16):
gonna find out. Oh are yougonna find out? We will? I
wanted to save us all a lotof time and tell us the truth here.
You better if you did. IfI do, tell you, you're
gonna put it in the papers.I tell you there's gonna be a lot
of reporters around. My name's beengetting the papers from us. I can't
tell you them. You mean,if there's no reporters around you, I'm
(14:37):
gonna tell that your name is init. That's where it is. It's
kind of funny in it. Maybethat's the way it looks to you.
Where do you live? Can't tellyou that here? You've got things all
wrong. Son, It isn't whatyou want to tell us. That's got
nothing to do with it. You'regonna tell us what we want to know,
sooner or later. Where are wegoing? Georgia Street, that's where
(14:58):
the jail is. Why do youask that? You can? I want
to know there's a jailer. Reporters, they're gonna be reported. What is
this thing with reporters in you?What's it all about? Reporters? Put
your name in the papers, don'tWell, you get the reporters all lined
up, you get them from allthe papers. You haven't darn. I'll
tell you all about it, thewhole story. You just get the reporters
and the photographers. Be sure aboutthem, because I want some pictures too.
(15:20):
Oh look, let me get thisstraight. What you say you aren't
going to give us any information withoutthe press being there? Is that right?
That's the way it's gonna be.You got it wrong, boy,
What doesn't make any difference toos there? You're going to come around? Yeah,
we'll find out. Twelve ten amwe got the Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau
(15:46):
thrankful the kind to the side alleyand we took the subject out of the
backseat. Op the place. Thenit's a CD looking place. Yeah,
well it's been here a long time. Looks like I said, out of
the picture. Don't you worry aboutit? Huh? You want to think
I'm down the hall? Time Icontact with hard Rowth. Yeah, come
on by all right, Friday workingkind of late, aren't you? Yeah
(16:07):
we are. I got the knockof the Simmons on the milk burglaries checked
around the night wise not not it, so I didn't call it. I
don't think you have to worry aboutit. I think we got the answers.
Yeah, we just picked up akid. We got him dead to
rights in the market, open bottleof milk right next to kids registry.
Where is he now? Thanks?Got him down the hall do you think
he's your boy? It looks likeif everything he adds up the entrance,
what he tried to take the milkall a long, it seems to fit.
(16:29):
You get that kind of a case. What are you're worrying about?
There's two things. Yeah, whohe is and why he is he wants
that is. You know, he'sgot some big thing working about the press,
so he won't give us anything withoutreporters being here. Makes it rup
Joe. You know the policy.You know I do. He won't us
help him if he wants put book. If you take me down, introduced
me as a reporter, no onemight do it. We'll do any time
to try. Let's go ahead,thank you? What am I going to
(16:55):
be? Well? Telling me shit? Hughes from the Mirror, You might
as well be one of the goodones. Son. You want to talk
to somebody from the papers. It'sagainst the policy, but we swell them
for you, Let's said Hughes fromthe More. All right, you to
the hell that guy on the phonein Baltimore, Yeah great, I read
all about it. You're gonna writeme up like that? I hope,
(17:18):
matt Son. There were two menkilled in that operation. Who eat all
the stories everybody did. That's allI mean for you to write me up
with a picture. What makes youthink you got it coming? You break
into one store and try to steala couple of cards a cigarette. That
doesn't make the first page. Onestore I got in the nineteen of them,
nineteen before they caught me. That'simportant, isn't that's a store?
(17:38):
I don't know my name. Acouple of things. You better get straightened
out here, first off? Whatyou need better get your notebook out,
be able to take all this down. Don't worry about it, son,
you just answer the questions. I'llget it. Yeah. Okay, my
name's Zi Graham. That's E LR O Y g R A H A
M. Yeah I am. Itold you once almost of teams you said
(18:00):
you're broken in the nineteen stories?Is that right? Yeah? Nineteen might
have made him more, but somethingwent wrong to night, had trouble with
the burglar alarm that I turns upbad mistake. He's still working. It
wasn't for that. If it onlytakes one though her mister hughes, Yeah,
I guess. So you want totell us why you did it?
What? Yeah, have a reasonfor committing any drivers. You want to
tell us where it was? Suregood reasons, real good, All right,
(18:23):
tell us where you see? Ialways had trouble at school, never
seemed to quiet make it. Allthe guys like and we all did.
All the girls do too. God, girls calling me almost every night,
asked me to take him the danceand stuff like that. So I don't
go much for stuff like that.You can understand, kinch, mister Hughes,
go ahead, right. Well,they wanted me for all the teams
football, basketball all the time,asked me to play. But I say,
(18:47):
did you want to get a headin the world. You got to
have an aim, complates where youwant to get could do out that or
port and it's gonna get there.Don't you find that true? Mister Hughes,
Go ahead, That's where it waswith me all the time, turns
down office to be on some team, telling some girl I couldn't take it
to a dance, just didn't havea time. Somehow I just couldn't make
it. You can understand it.You've been around you know all of successful
(19:10):
kind of people who like something.A lot of people leave it. You
know what I mean, don't you? Well, what's the matter, something
wrong. I'm trying to tell youwhat happened. I'm giving it to you
straight. What's the matter now?You want to tell us the truth?
Elroy, I don't know why you'retrying to sell us this line. Boy,
(19:30):
it isn't necessary. I don't knowwhy you did what you did,
but I do know you had areason for it. That's all we want
to know, just the reason.You don't believe me? Afraid? Now
how about you now? I'm signit down, mister Hughes. No,
can't even lie right? Can't youeven tell a lie? Good? All
my life I've been trying to belike other kids all the time, getting
(19:53):
beat up, getting left out ofthings. You know, why do you
know? Go ahead? They grazingby just reason in the world. Cousin
one was fifteen years old, fourfeet seven inch is tall, four feet
seven weight ninety seven pounds, andit's very big, not big enough.
(20:15):
All the time, other kids shovingyou around all the time. You're the
joke. It's the time when youfigure it's easy to last two because if
you don't, some kids are gonnabeat you up, get to the point
where you don't carry anymore. Iused to clip off those coupons and send
them in. Get the books backon how to build myself up? Worked
(20:37):
at it didn't do nothing for me. It was still four feet seven and
white, ninety seven pounds. Allthe stuff I took didn't do no good,
still came out four feet seven,ninety seven pounds. Oh, do
you want to talk up about theburgeries. I did it to be big.
That's why I hadn't things other peoplewanted, cigarettes, candy, the
(20:59):
other things kids wanted. I hadall that stuff at the other picks wanted
made me important. Don't you seethat? You gotta understand it, mister
Hughes. That's why I wanted mypicture in the papers. That's why I
wanted the story so as your kidswould know that I've done something big,
so they know, all right,so it's gonna be our out here.
(21:26):
No, it is like everything elseI tried to do. I lost it
up. I didn't mean to steal, but it was the only thing to
do, the only way I had. I wasn't do some other No,
No, it wasn't all the time, the other kids laughing, all the
time talking. I just couldn't standit anymore. I just couldn't thanks.
(21:52):
You can understand attention, It makessense. What's that? Time wasn't so
much the kids saying I was little? Yeah, I didn't want to think
I was small. Twelve thirty sixam, we contacted the parents of the
Graham boy and asked him to comedown to the station and talked to them
(22:15):
for an hour and tried to fillthem in the view of the fact that
the parents of the subject of responsibleperson. The boy was looked for violence
in the section two fifty nine pinkand he was released his parents pending and
hearing the juvenile court. Five dayspassed and we heard nothing from the boy.
On December twenty fourth, Plank andI checked into the office, right
rol getting the back. Let's seeyou on it spent? Okay, thank
(22:37):
you? Find it your Friday?Oh right? What can we do for
you? Well, I guess youthink it's kind of fun? What's that
I want to tell you that?Sure? Thank you scool? What's you're
good for me? Something? Mewith that buggy thing the other night?
Well, there's over yet, sumof courts collect to make a decision on
it. Yeah, what's you're goodto make me feel better? As far
(23:00):
as I'm con sharing whatever the Jettsides, I'll go along with it.
I'm on talk of my folks.So we got it all talked down all
the way talkdown. Well that's agood time. We're glad of it.
Son. Mean, you guys won'tlike it. I mean you knowing you
such a short time and law,but I wanted to bring you east marry
Christmas. Well that's all. Iwant to get them to the new way.
(23:25):
For what you did for him.That's mighty nice to be all right,
sure, appreciate it. A coupleof practice cigarettes hopefully time you smoke,
yes, and they'll be fine.Thanks. Well, do you guys
are on? Huh yeah, justget more things side you Yeah, just
(23:48):
start your back to home. Yeah, what's that? I didn't steal lower.
The story you have just heard istrue. The names were changed to
protect the innocent. On the twentyfirst of December, a petition was filed
in juvenile Court on behalf of thesubject. On January twenty sixth, trial
(24:12):
was held in Department fifty two ofJuvenile Court, State of California in and
for the County of Los Angeles.In a moment the results of that trial,
Elroy Mertin Graham appeared before the JuvenileCourt where he admitted the alleged burglaries.
(24:33):
At this time, under the councilof the Judge of the Juvenile Court,
the subject was placed under the careof the Probation Department for a period
of three years, with the provisionthat his parents taken to a competent psychiatrist.
(25:03):
You have just heard Dragnet a seriesof authentic cases from official files.
Technical advice comes from the Office ofChief of Police W. H. Parker,
Los Angeles Police Department Technical advisors CaptainJack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynne,
Sergeant Vans Fraser. Heard to nightwere at Ben Alexander, Jack Crusim,
Olan Soule, Sammy Ard. Scriptby John Robinson, music by Walter Schumann.
(25:29):
Hal Gibney speaking transcribe from Los Angeles. Dragnette is an NBC Radio Network production
You're a detective sergeant. You're assignedthe burglary details. In the past two
months. A thief is broken intoeighteen markets. There's no lead to his
whereabouts, no clue to his identity. Your job get him. Dragnet the
(00:32):
documented drama of an actual crime.For the next thirty minutes, in cooperation
of the Los Angeles Police Department,you will travel step by step on the
side of the law through an actualcase. Transcribe from official police files from
beginning to end, from crime topunishment. Dragnet is the story of your
police force in action. It wasMonday, Mber fourteenth. It was cold
(01:00):
in Los Angeles. We were workingto day watch out of burglary detail.
My partner's Frank Smith. The bossis Kevin Burny Friday. Were on our
way out of the office with eighto five am when we got to Georgia
Street Juvenile Bureau Sergeant Lindsay Simmons office. Yeah, well did you get it
to him? Uh huh yeah,what he says, Yeah when he come
(01:25):
back, Uh huh, Well didhe have it for you? Yeah?
Well, I don't teach you notto go that route anymore, all right,
Patrick Kellas starting to call me whenhe gets back right, Ah,
Hi pride man, oh Helens bringpergny just starting to Jean Patrick over Hummond
part you know, Yeah, Imet him. A couple at tourney picked
(01:45):
up a youngster a couple of daysago on suspicion in burglary, brought him
into the office and Patrick Cockley,Yeah, on he finally bought it that
the kid didn't have anything to dowith the sets. He told me to
go home. Kids told Jeane,you didn't have the money to get home,
said Gene. Gave him twenty cents, kids scored, come in and
pay it back, did he?Yeah, I came out. I want
to get back to two dimes,told him fast to believe in the story.
Then Patrick got the kicker kid reallydid break into hours last night to
(02:07):
get the money. Well Patrick gotto say about there, says the kid
johnast in the story of way didplay him back? And where's the Engston
now kind of more hot and parkyou and I better call to him.
Maybe I can give him an Igot a couple of three characters and so
it won't be using I might liketo him and holding a follows you.
I don't think i'd bring it upto him for a couple of days.
Well, what can I do foryou? Do well, Lindsey, we've
been working on a string of burglaries. You maybe got the word on him.
(02:28):
I don't think so. Ill that'sthe story. A bunch of store
burglaries. Papers are tacking them.The milk bottle job, Oh yeah yeah,
seen as heart grows telling me somethingabout him the other day. And
where we come in. Well,the way the jobs look, we've been
thinking to maybe belong in your departmentinstead of art. I figure that first
off, the milk thing, whatdo you mean every job is full?
We found an empty milk bottle onthe counter. Okay, with that proved
well, milk and kids go together. Sure so the milk and ulcers.
(02:52):
Maybe your thieves got the bullhard whenhe gets into the store. Now,
Lindsay, there's another thing away problesthe places all he takes his petticash.
Did a couple of bucks outside?Can cigarettes? Nothing big? Some of
the places he's gone into you couldopen the safe for the pocket knife and
he hasn't even made a move towardhim. Maybe he's left them Mania got
a lot of them on the books. Maybe that's why he gets his kicks
on and then he's trying. Lindsay, if you know anybody that can climb
to a fourteen by ten inch hold, you trot him up and we'll talk
(03:13):
to him. Okay, I haven'tgot the names on my desk, but
you take a trip to Center Nita, you meet a lot of jockeys.
You guys know we'll go along withyou on this thing. Anything we can
do, but until we're sure thatthat the juven will involved, there's nothing
we can do. Anything turns up, we'll be sure to turn over to
you. But look, we're nottrying to palm this thing off on your
Lindsay. We've had the stats officemake so many runs on small adults.
If the cards are wearing out,it just seems that not a leads we've
been chasing come out anywhere. Ifigured that maybe you could come up with
(03:36):
some anti's force. It's a newone. I made Joe this milk that
I've heard of. A couple ofseason went for it, but I can't
name your juvenile fan. I'll passthe word around the day we see what
they can come up with. I'lleven out for heart grow. They can
pass down the night Watch. I'llappreciate any and do no trouble. Been
running your ragged on. This huntpretty rough, just that we can't seem
to be able to come up withanything to add. Yeah, excuse me,
yeah, Georgia's said Joe in theTartan Simmons. Yeah, yeah,
(04:00):
there here which one, okay,a few Julia Rockers, thank you,
Friday Tunny, yeah right away.What's the address? So yeah, so
I got it Willie right away?Who yeah, call him? Thanks,
come on, let's go. Thenook bottle Kitty hit again. The call
(04:27):
had come from Lieutenant Ginder and burglary. He told us that he'd just gotten
a call from a store keeper namedMaddy Dara Burdas. The man had called
to report a burglary at his storeat the corner of Jackson and Broadway Street.
Lieutenant Ginder told us if the crimelab had been notified, and they
dispatched the crew to investigate the premisesfor physical evidence. Frank and I left
Georgia Street juvenal. We drove overthe figure off and then we turned over
on the Broadway. The store thathad been broken into was a small Italian
(04:49):
Delica testament on the southeast corner.For the time we got there, the
crime lab crew had already arrived andwas winding up their investigation. We walked
into the place and we met withRay Pinker. Hi, Joe ran right,
all right, how's it called?The usual thing? Bottle of milk
on the counter? You want tocheck it over? It's mine? Back
here, Chief made his entrance backhere rear of the store. Now this
(05:14):
look out the window pane. Yeah, that's very bigger majors nine and a
half of twelve and three quarter aliarb on the window. Yeah, you
can see the wires here. Takea look. Oh yeah, how come
the alarm didn't go off? Italked to the owner. He said he's
had trouble with the alarm system lasta couple of weeks, called the company
and asking to fix it. Hethought it was okay because there's something wrong
some play. It didn't work lastnight. What kind of lin was it?
(05:35):
Right, I'll pride I'm building anotherkind of Yeah, what did he
take? This usual run of stuff? According to the owner, about the
four carting, the cigarettes and Ithink several bucks of candy. Can't be
absolutely sure. So he's got achecking stop. You better to talk to
him on that. Yeah, wewill. We'll catch him later. I
want to wait a minute. I'llcheck and see all the boys are doing
on the print, and don't checkthe counter in the milk bottle. Ay,
(05:56):
thanks, you're right back. Sorry. I wonder when we're gonna blow
the whistle on this guy. Idon't know. I can't do it fast
enough for me with you. Hey, Joe, look at this. Yeah,
I'd like to get a couple ofthose who we leave. What are
you talking about? Salami, Joe? That was right there, the heart
Italian kind right there. I rememberlast summer I was at in San Francisco.
(06:16):
Yeah, I remember, went upthere to pick up a prisoner.
I remember you were collecting days off. Yeah, I recall I had a
hunted up comings. Yeah, prettyfunny. Anyway, I met Dan Shelley
up there, I mean, yeah, Arish Jenner. Yeah, he and
I went down to Cookie's bar forlunch because he had some of the salami
flights like paper but almost reads throughit. That's the way it's supposed to
be, I know, Joe.Anyway, Cookie sliced up a bunch of
(06:36):
it, served it with cold crackcrab boor. I never tasted anything so
good in my life. If youever read the newspaper to slight salami,
yeah, let me have you allthe time, just the funnies. Well,
anyway, Fays tried to find themfor me, salami like this.
Fought home all kinds of things,but she's never found the right kind.
You know, they'd be hard enoughto pound tax with him. She got
(06:57):
him on ahead. Ever, forgetcookie and that's pread. Well, if
you can get your mind off foodfor a minute, and I know that'll
be tough. Let's get all withthose things coming here. Jay got to
buy some of these. Where weleave, it's like cookie head the space
of twer Joe. Yeah nothing,whoever was drank the milk. It took
the bottle out of the refrigeration compartment, bottle of sweat, and there's an
a print on it. We're gonnalive none of many places. Man,
(07:21):
We've gone over the place and topto bottom. So there we can't find
them. So much help. Cameup with one thing. Maybe you can
make something out of it. What'sthat outside the window on the back of
parking lot. Came up an openpackage cigarette. Don't know if they're blonged
to the seat, anything on it. No fog last night. Ruin any
prints that run it, boys havegot if you want, we'll take a
look at it. It's like everything'sagainst this another blank. Don't endo you
(07:45):
guys trying to break this one.Most of the time it's a league.
Come boys. I'm wanting along theline of the guy's gonna make a mistake
and not cover something. And we'vebeen saying that for weeks. This is
either the smartest thief I've ever seenor the lucket's let's just make for him
from the nineteen on a chance thatthat they from them. He's not govern
anything out of the jobs. Maybehe isn't, but we are but headaches.
(08:09):
Nine thirty eight am, we talkedto the victim. He told us
that as near as he could figure, there was approximately four dollars stolen from
the store. Who went on tosay that he'd entertained that five cartons of
cigarettes and several boxes of the candybars were taken. He was unable to
tell us if any other merchandise wastaken until he'd made a complete inventory.
We went on to tell us thatthere was over six hundred dollars in the
safe, but that as far ashe could tell, we had been no
attempt to break into it. Wemade a canvas of the neighborhood and talked
(08:33):
with the neighbors. None of themwe called having seen any suspicious people in
the neighborhood the night before. Noneof them had seen any suspicious automobiles in
the area. The one thing thatwas apparent was that the thief was working
in a definite pattern. He workedonly on Friday and Saturday night, always
between eight pm and twelve midnight.Frank and I met with Captain Bernard and
it was decided that we would maintaina rolling steakhout in the area in which
(08:54):
the suspect operated. Four other carsfrom Mecro Reserve were assigned to work with
us for the next nights. Weworked without result, was slow and petis
considering the lack of information on thethief. It would be on the way
we had left. We had tobe on or near the scene when the
sea struck again. Saturday night,December nineteen, Frank and I met and
drove out to the area. Thestreets were crowded with early Christmas shoppers.
(09:16):
I'm sure be glad when it's over. While its matter how many rooms in
your apartment Joe three. You knowthat you've been there. Yeah, I
won't be enough room. Are youtalking about? Say? What's they got
to do with this hack? Joe? Real hack? While with a matter?
I got up this morning, Ifelt great. Plays got breakfast on
the table, all nice, Acouple of eggs, but it'll take sausages
(09:39):
nice, you know. Yeah.I come down to the table. She's
got the food on, and Ihit her with her what the food?
You know? Joe? I hither with what I'm about to tell her?
I tell her I'm gonna have towork tonight. He worked every night
this week? What's wrong with that? That's the way I figure it.
So I got a way up.You have us. Today's Fay's birthday.
You didn't tell me. It's notgood to tell people, Joe. Oh,
(10:01):
it isn't no play. He's overthirty. Yeah, I kind of
figured him. Don't you get him? I'm sorry, pal, you left
me a couple of blocks back onthis one. Look, I may never
catch up. Pay he's over thirty, Joe. She's getting to the point
where she's taken off years. Seehow can you give a person a last
(10:22):
birthday present? Yeah? I tellyou about it. They're gonna give her
a present, only now instead ofthirty, she's twenty nine. You understand,
we're to be perfectly honest with youknow, but as long as you
do, it's perfectly all right withme. Yeah. What about this morning?
Well, I told her I wasgonna have to go to work.
I got this present for her,brand new deep fat fryar. Real good.
(10:45):
We'll all wrapped up deep fat friar. I'll wrap up with the ribbon,
beautiful, shiny, beautiful. Soyou gave it to her, it's
do any good, not a pound? You know what she does with us?
Well, at this point I wouldn'teven want to get I'm serious,
Joe, this made me in theend of my home. Go ahead.
She doesn't even open it, justputs it in the closet on the back
porch, doesn't even pull the paperapart to peek and what's in it?
(11:09):
Real mad Joe, you may notlet me back in the house tonight.
Now you even apologize when you gethome. I don't know Joe's face,
pretty sure it doesn't even open thepresent. I'm gonna peak. Huh yeah,
how where it's coming from? Itsounds like up on seventh flot you're
right here. Come on, I'lltake the front. All right. Hey,
(11:39):
hold up there, wake authors stop, we're all hilt all right,
come on your way. Okay,thak it easy? She go alad to
come on to kill me? Goan me getting there? All right?
Yeah, let's kid Joe, we'llsee. What are you doing the store's
son? What are you thinking?You ask your question? Son? Pretty
(12:01):
stupid? What do you think thatwas doing? How many stories? You're
broken into the sun? Get outfor yourself? Look what are you going
to chip on your shoulder? Goodguy, don't give me a lot of
conversations. Do what you want todo. All right, boy, you
call it come on. Eleven fiftypm. We called the officer and told
(12:22):
them that we had a subject incustody, and when we were taking in
the George Street Juvenile Bule with putthe boy in our car and we waited
until the radio car ride. Weasked the officers to notify the owner of
the store and stand by until hegot there. We also asked if they
make a four fifty nine report.Eleven fifty five pm, he started to
take a youngster to the juvenile bule. What's your name? Son? What
difference. Does it mean acting likethat isn't going to help you. You
(12:45):
guys take me up. Remember youwore your bout it. I got enough
to be afraid. Oh, yesyou have. Boy, You could have
been shot back there. Maybe shouldhave pulled the trigger. Look, so
what's the matter with you? Whyyou acting like this? You just got
real lucky back there. That's theonly reason you're alive now. Was die
in there or i'd I can tellyou we're an adult. You didn't stop
when I told you you're not.According to the book, I could have
shot you. You know that.Don't you showing the kids? That'll make
(13:05):
you a big man. Oh,I'm just bringing it up to prove a
point. Safe Now, Look,son, I'm gonna tell you something.
When you break into a place atnight, you're not a kid anymore.
You're asking for trouble. You've gotboth your pockets full of it. The
way you work tonight makes us thinkyou're mixed up in a lot more affestion
just tonight. That right. Youever been arrested before, No, never
been in trouble with the law.Sure, I'm a real criminal. I
gotta kick it once we're at mybike through a boulevard. Stop lead you
(13:28):
a card stopping tagging. Big deal. But they're gonna time me the same
quion and you can give me thedactions. How old are you? What
difference does that mean? How oldare you? You? Figure alight?
You look like you're about eleven tome, that's what everybody thinks, at
least fifteen the next first, it'sa true fifteen. That's what I'll be
fifteen when when you're born nineteen thirtynine November second? Small? Why do
(13:52):
you say that it's got nothing todo with it? Nothing at all.
I can do anything any other youcan do anything. Don't forget that.
It's the matter with you? Isthat a star point? With you?
Your size? Is that a starpoint? There's nothing wrong with my size,
doctor says it on all life isthat some people aren't mean to be
as big as others. That's all. There's nothing wrong with me. We'll
not come on so much you meanit. I'm like, you know we're
(14:16):
gonna find out. Oh are yougonna find out? We will? I
wanted to save us all a lotof time and tell us the truth here.
You better if you did. IfI do, tell you, you're
gonna put it in the papers.I tell you there's gonna be a lot
of reporters around. My name's beengetting the papers from us. I can't
tell you them. You mean,if there's no reporters around you, I'm
(14:37):
gonna tell that your name is init. That's where it is. It's
kind of funny in it. Maybethat's the way it looks to you.
Where do you live? Can't tellyou that here? You've got things all
wrong. Son, It isn't whatyou want to tell us. That's got
nothing to do with it. You'regonna tell us what we want to know,
sooner or later. Where are wegoing? Georgia Street, that's where
(14:58):
the jail is. Why do youask that? You can? I want
to know there's a jailer. Reporters, they're gonna be reported. What is
this thing with reporters in you?What's it all about? Reporters? Put
your name in the papers, don'tWell, you get the reporters all lined
up, you get them from allthe papers. You haven't darn. I'll
tell you all about it, thewhole story. You just get the reporters
and the photographers. Be sure aboutthem, because I want some pictures too.
(15:20):
Oh look, let me get thisstraight. What you say you aren't
going to give us any information withoutthe press being there? Is that right?
That's the way it's gonna be.You got it wrong, boy,
What doesn't make any difference toos there? You're going to come around? Yeah,
we'll find out. Twelve ten amwe got the Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau
(15:46):
thrankful the kind to the side alleyand we took the subject out of the
backseat. Op the place. Thenit's a CD looking place. Yeah,
well it's been here a long time. Looks like I said, out of
the picture. Don't you worry aboutit? Huh? You want to think
I'm down the hall? Time Icontact with hard Rowth. Yeah, come
on by all right, Friday workingkind of late, aren't you? Yeah
(16:07):
we are. I got the knockof the Simmons on the milk burglaries checked
around the night wise not not it, so I didn't call it. I
don't think you have to worry aboutit. I think we got the answers.
Yeah, we just picked up akid. We got him dead to
rights in the market, open bottleof milk right next to kids registry.
Where is he now? Thanks?Got him down the hall do you think
he's your boy? It looks likeif everything he adds up the entrance,
what he tried to take the milkall a long, it seems to fit.
(16:29):
You get that kind of a case. What are you're worrying about?
There's two things. Yeah, whohe is and why he is he wants
that is. You know, he'sgot some big thing working about the press,
so he won't give us anything withoutreporters being here. Makes it rup
Joe. You know the policy.You know I do. He won't us
help him if he wants put book. If you take me down, introduced
me as a reporter, no onemight do it. We'll do any time
to try. Let's go ahead,thank you? What am I going to
(16:55):
be? Well? Telling me shit? Hughes from the Mirror, You might
as well be one of the goodones. Son. You want to talk
to somebody from the papers. It'sagainst the policy, but we swell them
for you, Let's said Hughes fromthe More. All right, you to
the hell that guy on the phonein Baltimore, Yeah great, I read
all about it. You're gonna writeme up like that? I hope,
(17:18):
matt Son. There were two menkilled in that operation. Who eat all
the stories everybody did. That's allI mean for you to write me up
with a picture. What makes youthink you got it coming? You break
into one store and try to steala couple of cards a cigarette. That
doesn't make the first page. Onestore I got in the nineteen of them,
nineteen before they caught me. That'simportant, isn't that's a store?
(17:38):
I don't know my name. Acouple of things. You better get straightened
out here, first off? Whatyou need better get your notebook out,
be able to take all this down. Don't worry about it, son,
you just answer the questions. I'llget it. Yeah. Okay, my
name's Zi Graham. That's E LR O Y g R A H A
M. Yeah I am. Itold you once almost of teams you said
(18:00):
you're broken in the nineteen stories?Is that right? Yeah? Nineteen might
have made him more, but somethingwent wrong to night, had trouble with
the burglar alarm that I turns upbad mistake. He's still working. It
wasn't for that. If it onlytakes one though her mister hughes, Yeah,
I guess. So you want totell us why you did it?
What? Yeah, have a reasonfor committing any drivers. You want to
tell us where it was? Suregood reasons, real good, All right,
(18:23):
tell us where you see? Ialways had trouble at school, never
seemed to quiet make it. Allthe guys like and we all did.
All the girls do too. God, girls calling me almost every night,
asked me to take him the danceand stuff like that. So I don't
go much for stuff like that.You can understand, kinch, mister Hughes,
go ahead, right. Well,they wanted me for all the teams
football, basketball all the time,asked me to play. But I say,
(18:47):
did you want to get a headin the world. You got to
have an aim, complates where youwant to get could do out that or
port and it's gonna get there.Don't you find that true? Mister Hughes,
Go ahead, That's where it waswith me all the time, turns
down office to be on some team, telling some girl I couldn't take it
to a dance, just didn't havea time. Somehow I just couldn't make
it. You can understand it.You've been around you know all of successful
(19:10):
kind of people who like something.A lot of people leave it. You
know what I mean, don't you? Well, what's the matter, something
wrong. I'm trying to tell youwhat happened. I'm giving it to you
straight. What's the matter now?You want to tell us the truth?
Elroy, I don't know why you'retrying to sell us this line. Boy,
(19:30):
it isn't necessary. I don't knowwhy you did what you did,
but I do know you had areason for it. That's all we want
to know, just the reason.You don't believe me? Afraid? Now
how about you now? I'm signit down, mister Hughes. No,
can't even lie right? Can't youeven tell a lie? Good? All
my life I've been trying to belike other kids all the time, getting
(19:53):
beat up, getting left out ofthings. You know, why do you
know? Go ahead? They grazingby just reason in the world. Cousin
one was fifteen years old, fourfeet seven inch is tall, four feet
seven weight ninety seven pounds, andit's very big, not big enough.
(20:15):
All the time, other kids shovingyou around all the time. You're the
joke. It's the time when youfigure it's easy to last two because if
you don't, some kids are gonnabeat you up, get to the point
where you don't carry anymore. Iused to clip off those coupons and send
them in. Get the books backon how to build myself up? Worked
(20:37):
at it didn't do nothing for me. It was still four feet seven and
white, ninety seven pounds. Allthe stuff I took didn't do no good,
still came out four feet seven,ninety seven pounds. Oh, do
you want to talk up about theburgeries. I did it to be big.
That's why I hadn't things other peoplewanted, cigarettes, candy, the
(20:59):
other things kids wanted. I hadall that stuff at the other picks wanted
made me important. Don't you seethat? You gotta understand it, mister
Hughes. That's why I wanted mypicture in the papers. That's why I
wanted the story so as your kidswould know that I've done something big,
so they know, all right,so it's gonna be our out here.
(21:26):
No, it is like everything elseI tried to do. I lost it
up. I didn't mean to steal, but it was the only thing to
do, the only way I had. I wasn't do some other No,
No, it wasn't all the time, the other kids laughing, all the
time talking. I just couldn't standit anymore. I just couldn't thanks.
(21:52):
You can understand attention, It makessense. What's that? Time wasn't so
much the kids saying I was little? Yeah, I didn't want to think
I was small. Twelve thirty sixam, we contacted the parents of the
Graham boy and asked him to comedown to the station and talked to them
(22:15):
for an hour and tried to fillthem in the view of the fact that
the parents of the subject of responsibleperson. The boy was looked for violence
in the section two fifty nine pinkand he was released his parents pending and
hearing the juvenile court. Five dayspassed and we heard nothing from the boy.
On December twenty fourth, Plank andI checked into the office, right
rol getting the back. Let's seeyou on it spent? Okay, thank
(22:37):
you? Find it your Friday?Oh right? What can we do for
you? Well, I guess youthink it's kind of fun? What's that
I want to tell you that?Sure? Thank you scool? What's you're
good for me? Something? Mewith that buggy thing the other night?
Well, there's over yet, sumof courts collect to make a decision on
it. Yeah, what's you're goodto make me feel better? As far
(23:00):
as I'm con sharing whatever the Jettsides, I'll go along with it.
I'm on talk of my folks.So we got it all talked down all
the way talkdown. Well that's agood time. We're glad of it.
Son. Mean, you guys won'tlike it. I mean you knowing you
such a short time and law,but I wanted to bring you east marry
Christmas. Well that's all. Iwant to get them to the new way.
(23:25):
For what you did for him.That's mighty nice to be all right,
sure, appreciate it. A coupleof practice cigarettes hopefully time you smoke,
yes, and they'll be fine.Thanks. Well, do you guys
are on? Huh yeah, justget more things side you Yeah, just
(23:48):
start your back to home. Yeah, what's that? I didn't steal lower.
The story you have just heard istrue. The names were changed to
protect the innocent. On the twentyfirst of December, a petition was filed
in juvenile Court on behalf of thesubject. On January twenty sixth, trial
(24:12):
was held in Department fifty two ofJuvenile Court, State of California in and
for the County of Los Angeles.In a moment the results of that trial,
Elroy Mertin Graham appeared before the JuvenileCourt where he admitted the alleged burglaries.
(24:33):
At this time, under the councilof the Judge of the Juvenile Court,
the subject was placed under the careof the Probation Department for a period
of three years, with the provisionthat his parents taken to a competent psychiatrist.
(25:03):
You have just heard Dragnet a seriesof authentic cases from official files.
Technical advice comes from the Office ofChief of Police W. H. Parker,
Los Angeles Police Department Technical advisors CaptainJack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynne,
Sergeant Vans Fraser. Heard to nightwere at Ben Alexander, Jack Crusim,
Olan Soule, Sammy Ard. Scriptby John Robinson, music by Walter Schumann.
(25:29):
Hal Gibney speaking transcribe from Los Angeles. Dragnette is an NBC Radio Network production
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