October 29, 2025 • 29 mins
https://www.solgoodmedia.com - Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad free! Dive into the captivating world of classic crime-solving with "Dragnet Radio," where each episode brings to life the thrilling police investigations from the original 1950s radio series. Join Sergeant Joe Friday and his partners as they navigate the mean streets of Los Angeles, unraveling complex cases with meticulous detail and unflinching determination. This podcast not only revisits the groundbreaking drama that set the standard for all future police procedurals but also explores the cultural impact and historical significance of one of the most influential shows of its time.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
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Speaker 2 (00:09):
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Speaker 1 (00:23):
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Speaker 2 (01:42):
Dragnet the documented 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 folence,
from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is
the story of your police force election.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
It was Wednesday, March eighteenth, was cold in Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
We're working the.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Night watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ben Romero.
The boss is Captain ed Walker. My name's Friday was
nine forty eight pm when I got the room. Twenty
seven eight robbery detail.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Joe, Hi, you ready to go?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Yeah, we're gonna have some here's your top quote Jeff,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Ben.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Where's Tom?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
We can pick him up down the hall and checking
out some tear gas shelves. Might need him. How about
the address you confirm me twenty one hundred Bannon Avenue.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's a corner house, Diskiver, you know what to expect
when you get out there. Don't take any chances.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
He's alone in the house, all right, supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, that won't give you much of a break. Hone.
Speaker 5 (02:46):
You mean he's heavy on guns, two revolvers and hunting rifles.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Who you're not try about using them.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Don't forget it right, ed flash Ben let's go okay,
it's been a long yeah, hopeless.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Washes it up. A hundred raffle couple revolvers. What do
you think, Joe?
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Well?
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Eighteen robberies in three months. You know the guy as
well as I do. Yeah, what's your guest? His name
was Hoffman George R. In our files, his criminal record
dated back to high school days. Petty theft, grand theft,
auto burglary, armed robbery. His record included two terms at
(03:25):
Preston Reformatory and one at San Quentin. Hoffman's latest campaign
was a three month run of armed robberies. We tried
everything we knew to stop him, but it wasn't enough.
We'd failed to get a line on him until one
of Captain Walker's informants came up with a tip that
Hoffman had been hiding out for the past month and
a small bungalow on the corner of Buchanan Avenue on
Selma Street. According to the information, the suspect had a
(03:47):
good supply of food, ammunition.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
And three guns.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Ten fifteen pm, together with Sergeants Tom Gaffney and Slats Henry,
then and I parked our car down the street and
started towards the house. Was foggy, the street was poorly lighted.
As we approached the house, we could see a light
bunning in one of the rooms at the rear of
the bungalow.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
The light in the back room. George just went out the.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
Slats, go in town when I cover the back right,
let's go town.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Be careful, alright, Ben, easy, huh wading mine, Joe h
curtains in that corner room. I thought I saw him move.
Come on, Ben in the front door. Hit it, come on,
(04:39):
hit it again.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Come on, they gotta block or something something against Come
on once more. The front rooms there went outside window?
(05:01):
Where do you go?
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Cross the street?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Got him pinned down behind that car there, he's in
the car. All right, let's go for the tires, all right, Hoffman,
give it up. Cover this end slats right, Ben, that
heads across the street.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You see it? Yeah, okay, let's run.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
For a car.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
You okay, Joe, Yeah, hap fun. You haven't got a chance.
Throw ut your guns, okay, Ben, give it back out.
Speaker 7 (05:33):
All right, all right.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
Rout your gun. Throw him in the street, right, get
out of the car, hands behind your.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Head, Come on, all right, all right, hands behind your
back now, slats? Yeah, you want to get our car?
Speaker 5 (05:59):
Right? Joe? Who told you?
Speaker 6 (06:01):
Who gave it a tip?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Does it matter?
Speaker 6 (06:04):
Made it easy enough for you?
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Lowsy car wouldn't start. It be three miles away. If
it would have started, better call.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
A tow truck on, Joe, Let me give it a look.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Huh lousy luck. That's all it is.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
What was wrong with it? Joe?
Speaker 6 (06:29):
I tried it.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
It wouldn't start from me. He should have turned on
the ignition. George Hoffman was taken downtown and booked on
suspicion of robbery. Had a special show up. He was
identified by more than a dozen of his robbery victims.
Between his arraignments and his preliminary hearings, we worked together
with the District Attorney's office and lining up witnesses and
preparing the evidence against the suspect. We figured we had
(06:53):
an airtight case. Hoffman's trial and Superior Court was set
for May fourteenth.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Hi, Joe, Hi a slash will do it?
Speaker 6 (07:06):
It's still a raining Hoffman?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, his trial coming up? Hey, m what happened near I?
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
How about that?
Speaker 6 (07:25):
I'll never live with that? Uh yeah, come here.
Speaker 7 (07:27):
Let's see this real black guy ever had had a
bruised funny and they hurt.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You know, Yeah, how'd that happened? Only every week?
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Gaffney and I grew up the neighborhood Boys Club after
work to help coach the kids' sports.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
We last week we ran boxing lessons. Uh.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
When I was.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
Coaching this one youngster, he turned out to be a
lot quicker than I thought. You're really connected to the group.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I guess everybody in the building has heard the story.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Just about Jaffney took care of that.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Captain called the end this morning, asked me if I
wanted to file assault charges against the kid, some joke
he never failed.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Are you still coaching the kids up there?
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Nah?
Speaker 7 (08:13):
This week kid's supposed to get lessons in wrestling. I'm
not taking any chances.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Then, even once your television from.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Months I was the other thing that room. Yeah, oh
I that's hi hi An he did put your coat
on Joe.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, it's a matter.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
George Hoffman, Yeah, just broke it to him. The morning
of his escape, Hoffmann was scheduled to appear in Superior
Court for arrangement. According to routine, he was taken from
his County jail cell on the twelfth floor of the
Hall of Justice and escorted to the jail shower room
on the fourteenth floor. There he was to take a
bath changed to his civilian clothes for his appearance in court.
(08:54):
While he was in the shower room, he turned on
the hot water faucets, filling the room with steam to
hide his actions from the guard. He succeeded in forcing
his way out through one of the windows, climbed up
one story to the roof. Realizing that he couldn't escape
down through the building, he lowered himself over the ledge
of the roof, and using the narrow crevices between the
bricks to hold on, he climbed seven stories down the
(09:15):
outside of the building.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
At the eighth.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
Floor, he found an open window and got inside.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
He slugged the bailiff, who.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Tried to stop him, and then ran down the remaining
flights of stairs into the street and disappeared in the crowd.
Twenty minutes later, he robbed a dentist's office at third in.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Los Angeles Streets and got away.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
Police and sheriff's deputies covered the city for him. Ben
and I were among them. Eleven fifty five pm. We
check back in with Captain ed Walker. You ever a
class You wanna cut that speaker bed?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, you've a six time spring with one money. Nothing
gotta trace him. He must have a good friend someplace
in town. Everything's covered.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
His friend's relatives is hide out everyone he knows, every
place place he's ever been. We've plugged every loophole we
can think of, the depots, terminals, the airports.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Still don't trace something. I don't know.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
It's shows a stranger, no stranger than climbing down the
side of a building.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Did you check that story out? Ed? It's the truth.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
Apparently Hoffman planned the thing out pretty carefully.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
How do you mean?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
The sheriff's men talked to some of the prisoners in
the jail. They said Hoffman was practicing for it since
the day we put him in there. He'd work out
five to six hours every night, building up his hands
and fingers.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
How do you do there?
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Used the upper bunk in his cell, hang from the
edge of it with the tips of his fingers. He'd
do it for hours, pulling his body up and down.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
He had little grooves in the wall dug his fingertips
into him. Prisoners say he got so he could hold
himself up like that ten minutes of the stretch.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah, that's pretty amazing. How about the bail?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
If he slugged, he'll be all right. A couple of
bad bumps on the head. That's robbery walker. Oh yeah,
little John. I sent him out about ten minutes to
go to relieve you.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yeah, they ought to be there pretty soon. Right, how
about our schedule?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Ed, far as I know, we're going all night on
this Sheriff's office is the same. You two were relieved
at eleven thirty. Better checked back about five thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Am. Okay, Well it's a hot shot.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I got it.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
What is.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Drug store hold up? I think it's Hoffman. The scene
of the.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Hold up was the rex Lake Pharmacy on the corner
of Pico Boulevard.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And Pine Lake Street.
Speaker 5 (11:25):
The victim of mister Clarence Geringer told us that the
hold up man it entered through a rear door, slugged
him and escaped on foot with his overcoat and about
one hundred and fifty dollars in cash. We showed him
a number of mug shots. He identified George Hoffman as
the bandit. A special detail of men were ordered on
a thorough search of the general area around the drug store,
no sign of the suspect. The city wide dragnet continued
(11:46):
all that night and into the next day, no developments.
The search went on a week passed two weeks. At
ten pm on the day Hoffman was scheduled to be
tried in Superior Court, he beat up and robbed a
forty year old liquor salesman in the Highland Park area. Again,
he made good his escape. Routine investigation failed to turn
up a single lead. June eighth, the suspect was still
at large. The legwork continued eight seven teams at the address.
(12:12):
You've got yeah, he said it was near the corner.
Oh yeah, yeah, there it is. The town's in the
hobby shop.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Yeah, what's going.
Speaker 6 (12:22):
Suh.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
Look at the electric trains and look at that one
beautiful layout. Huh. I guess that's all they handle him here,
electric trains. I must be money. And if you look
at those signals there and sweaches, they're all automatic.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Wonder if my boy is old enough for a train.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
Yea, it must be the manager over there coming from
Say excuse me, sir, just a moment, please be right way.
You've gotta check this transforms.
Speaker 8 (12:43):
Uh huh, uh huh automatic coupling on the tanker car
looked out or killed her that mistake, now let's see.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yes, he's a dandy.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
Isn't he.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I'm sorry, gentlemen, have to keep up our maintenance on
the rolling stock.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
What can I do for you? Police officers? We're looking
for mister Townsend. Oh, yes, I'm Roy Townsend. You're the
sergeant I talked with on the phone. Yes, sir, that's right.
This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. I'm miss. You mentioned
that you might have some information for us.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yes, as a matter of fact, I may have about
that fellow who climbed out and escaped that Oh what
was in all the papers?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
George Pop and that's it. I'm a pretty good one
for faces. I think I might have seen him last night.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Where was that?
Speaker 5 (13:43):
On my way home from the meeting? I belong to
a model train club. Don't get enough of it here
every day.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Yes, sir, we'd like to know about this man that
you saw.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
As I say, I saw him going into the order
court just down the street from where mother and I live.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
It was pretty late after midnight. Or where do you live,
mister Townson although by Pasadena Royal Oaks. At you. I know,
Missus Cox, that the auto caught very.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Well, I say, well, this man that you saw last night?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
You sure it was Hoffman?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I saw his picture in the paper when he climbed
down and escaped. I I don't say I'm positive it
was him, but I'm good on Facebook.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
Well, uh, I wonder if you'dn't mind checking through these
pictures that.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Was all.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
Mm hm hm hm.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, this one he's the one I saw. Am I right,
that's Hoffman. Do you happen to know if he's staying
there at that auto court? Oh?
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yes, he's been there for a month, say sergeant, if
you find out it really is this Hoffman, don't tell
missus Coxe at the Auto Carta to just break her heart?
Was that so she's sort of an amateur detective. She
thinks she knows face is better than I do.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
After we left the train shop, we called the office
and filled him in. Captain Walker called Pasadena and notified them.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Then we drove out to the.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Auto court where the suspect was reportedly seen.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yes you want something, yeah, are you, missus Cox?
Speaker 6 (15:01):
Yes, I'm the manager here.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
If you want lodgings.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
We're filled up.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
You might try the Golden Eagle straight down the street.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
There, Police officers, missus Cox, you haven't mister Hoffman's.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Ding you huff No, I don't got a haffmyer though
you sure that's not it?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Well, won't you look at this fiction man? Recogname Yes,
but his.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Name's not Hoffman. It's Kine number twenty three.
Speaker 6 (15:22):
He's not in though left this morning?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Was that?
Speaker 6 (15:24):
So? Yes? Won't be back for another hour.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
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Speaker 5 (16:59):
Before going on and stake out at the auto court
where George Hoffman was registered, Ben put in a call
to the office the owner of the court, Missus Cox,
gave us a pass key to Cottie's number twenty three,
where the suspect was staying. We advised her to say
nothing to Hoffman when he returned. We went to Cottage
twenty three and waited. An hour passed, Hoffman failed to show.
Another hour went by, still no sign of him.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Well what do you think? Uh? You got me? I
don't know. We an hour overdal no chance he could
have been taple. Uh.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I don't see how missus Cox is the only one
who knows we're here. There's no reason verre to warning.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
I don't know his things for all ears, clothes. You
know we've had longer waits than this. Relax.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Huh yeah, I wait a minute, can.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
You see who it is?
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Man coming from next door? Jill, okay, I'll cover you
open it?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Oh you do? Telephone directory? Oh yeah, thanks? Anything wrong? No,
there's nothing wrong. Things new phone book? You know.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
We waited another hour. George Hoffman still had failed to appear.
At four that afternoon, we checked with the office.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
No word.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
At five thirty we were still waiting. I'm just thinking, Jill. Yeah,
I fell at Townsend in the train shop. I'm sure
must be a dandy hobby electric train.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
It runs in the money, though, didn't it. Uh. I
think I'll talk to the wife about it. Their education,
you know, my boy Shore get a.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Kick out of having his own train. Pretty young, isn't
he three years old?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (18:39):
I could show him how to work it, put things
together for him again.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Yeah, oh yeah, I oh when? Okay? Thanks? What's doing
skipper just got to go from Pasadena. Yeah. They picked
up Hoffman ten minutes ago. Uh.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
The suspect, George Hoffman was taken back to Los Angeles
and lodged in county jail.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
This time there was no escape. At his Superior Court
trial on.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
August sixteenth, he was convicted on several counts of armed
robbery and sentenced to the State Penitentiary. From August to
January of the following year. The months went fast. We
washed up a string of liquor store hold ups just
before Christmas, got two days off. My uncle George and
Ann Allen came down from Renton, Washington.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
To visit with my mother during the holidays.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
In January, Ben was off work for a week with
a bad dose of flu.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Another five months went by.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Toward the end of June, we got word that George
Hoffman was no longer at the State penitentiary after serving
eleven months. The former hold up man had been paroled
into the Army, with a provision that he served overseas.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Another three weeks passed.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
July twelfth, Tuesday, Ben and I had lunch at Cochin's
Cafe and checked back in at the office. I wish
cocine would change his men years a little oftener fried
beans and pastrami sandwich.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
It seemed to have the same thing every time. When
you sure dug into and I got the the idea
that you'll like him. I don't like him all. I
don't just eat too much.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
That's all free sandwiches too, plates and beans. I wonder
I never ate dinner, eh, Joe? Yeah, you two bad
from Monch. I want to grab a sandwich.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Check go aheads last week in cover?
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Okay, thanks Chere there's somebody waiting in the next room
for you.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Wants to see it?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Okay, see le all right, I want to see who
it is, Joe, I'll check the book. Yeah all right, fine, Yes, sir,
my name's Friday.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
You want to see me?
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
Soon remember me?
Speaker 5 (20:37):
George Hoffman, Oh yeah, Hoffman in the army uniform there,
I didn't recognize you. Yeah, I thought it might fool here.
I guess you heard about me. Good break, huh.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I'm glad you feel that way. How you doing with
the army?
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Huh? Pretty good.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
That's fine. Just thought i'd drop up and see you. Fellas.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Say you stole that partner your head.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
What's his name?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Rodriguez Romero? Yeah, I work together.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Yeah, I knew it was some kind of name like that.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah. Well, come on in, Hoffman.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Oh thanks, hey man, George Hoffman here he stopped in
to see.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Oh yeah, hi, a long time, Laufmann.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Hi, pretty good starting, thanks, sir. Just thought I stop by,
you know, sure, there's no hard feelings. Sure, got any
idea when you're going oversea?
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Boys in my outfit?
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Figured day after tomorrow. That's kind of one reason why
I dropped in to see you.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Well, how's that?
Speaker 5 (21:29):
Well, I know it's pretty nervy.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
But I got lots of that.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
You see a.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Bunch of us around leave tomorrow noon.
Speaker 6 (21:36):
Figured we go out tonight and I'm a little short.
You know how the army pays.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Okay, well, how about a couple of bucks? George will
not do you any good? Sure as swell you sorry,
believe me, I'll see you get it back.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I mean, here's a couple more Hoffman might have.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
H Well, it's Nanna's tell you how much I appreciate it.
I give you my word, I won't forget it. I'm
going to pay this money back to.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You, got it, George. We're glad to help you out. Well,
thanks again for the touch. Huh.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Sure and nice cool? Yeah, drop a card if you
get a chance, like to hear how you doing over there?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Sure thinks see you later, eh, right, good luck you boy?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Well looks like a turned for the better anyway. Huh.
But it was my last two bucks though, going it
never failed, so we had to give him something. Yeah,
but what do I do for lunch money? Tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Two pm we drove out to the Wilshire district to
interview a robbery victim. We brought him back downtown and
took his statement. Four thirty pm we checked back in
with Captain Walker. Hiks Kipper Entry says that ex con
George Hoffman was in the to talk to him. Yeah,
that's right, ed, why I have a look thanks, MP's
laughed about twenty minutes ago as well.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Your two bucks went for nothing.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Ben Hoffman's wanted huh broke out an army prison at
ten o'clock this morning. Together with the army authorities, local
officers joined in the city wide search for George Hoffman.
At ten o'clock that night, a food market on Santa
Fe and Rialo was robbed in the proprietor beaten from
our mug shots.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
The victim identified Hoffman as the whole up man.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Shortly after midnight, a drug store on Freendshaw was held up.
Hoffman was again tabbed as a suspect. The next two
days the search was intensified.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
No leeds. Two more days went by.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Late Saturday morning we got a hurry up call from
the detail on duty at the Union station. Hoffman had
been reported in the vicinity. Ben and I drove down
to the depot to check with the officer in charge.
Slats Henry spot him, Joe, No, let's have a look
back for the ticket callers. Huh, Yeah, there he is
(23:46):
over by the phone.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Ruth, come on.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
High Slash, Hi, looks pretty good. What's the story. One
of the newsboys up the street gave us a tip
about an hour ago. Guy gave him a dollar to
come down and buy.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
A ticket for him, ticket to Phoenix.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Kid came in, bought the ticket, who went back up
the street and gave it to the man. We showed
the kid a bunch of mug shots. He picked out Hoffman's.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Yeah, he's not wearing his army uniforma.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
No brown suit, dark blue overcoat, no hat. That's what
the kid told us.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Any idea which twin he was taking Caffeini exactly?
Speaker 5 (24:15):
He asked when the first train for Phoenix was. Newsboy
told him three thirty five, ten minutes to twelve.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Now you got enough men to handlet's last.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Everything's covered. Only one thing lacking, Yeah Hoffman.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Well, the stakeout continued on the Union station.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Ben and I, together with Gaffney and Henry from Robbery,
covered the bars, restaurants and hotels in the immediate area
for a sign of the suspect. Two thirty pm. What
do you think we better head back down for the
station and see what's doing.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You're okay. I'd like to have a dime for every
mile we have logged on this case.
Speaker 9 (24:52):
Yeah, yoh h Have a look across the street, dark
blue overcoat, same build as Hoffman.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I'll bet on him. Come on, he's spot on us. Yeah,
that's Hawkman. Come on, I'll pick it up. I lost him, Joe.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
Where you go? Turn down first Street? Come on, hurry
up across the street, Ben, Yeah, what's the traffic?
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Where do you go?
Speaker 5 (25:25):
I see him that antique store on the cornery running there.
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Come on.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
There he is all right?
Speaker 6 (25:33):
Hoffin?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
O way, sir, fight Hold right there, Hoffin, I'm coming out.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
What's your joke?
Speaker 5 (25:41):
I see him coming out.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Hear me.
Speaker 5 (25:45):
You're doing the hard way, George, come on dropping dropping
(26:16):
all right?
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Happened? All right? On your face? Come on, get up
here now, get your hands behind you. Sure what goods
are going to do? All right, mister, let's go. What
goods are gonna do? I already proved that I can
break jail anytime. I proved it twice. He's going right
back in again. What's that proof?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
The story you have just heard was true, only the
names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
On October eighth, trial was held in Superior Court, Department
eighty nine, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
In a moment, the results of that trial.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
No here is our.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Star, Jack Webb.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Thanks to get year round.
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(27:24):
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Speaker 3 (27:26):
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Speaker 5 (27:28):
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Speaker 3 (27:40):
George R.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Hoffman was tried and convicted on several counts of robbery
and received a life sentence as a hardened criminal. After
serving ten months of his sentence, Hoffman attempted an.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
Escape and failed.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
A few weeks later, he took his own life in
his prison cell.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
By hanging ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Next week, in answer to your requests, Dragnett will repeat
a Gun for Christmas, the actual case history broadcast last
year during the Yule Tide season. That's next Thursday, December
twenty First.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases
from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the
Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles
Police Department.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
This is Bob Hope.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Can we steal a second?
Speaker 5 (28:36):
Chester Feel? Chester feel?
Speaker 6 (28:38):
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Speaker 1 (28:40):
Is that milder miles of that?
Speaker 6 (28:41):
Can ever leaven after?
Speaker 5 (28:43):
It takes?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So open a pack? Give him a smell Man, You welcome.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
Don't forget to give Crosby for Christmas. I mean the
chest to feel Christmas Carton with being as Papa Santa
Claus see you Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Fatima Cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes has brought
you Dragnet fortunes. Transcribed from Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
We the People is next with more Good Times on
NBC
The story you're about to hear is true, only the
names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you drag met.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to robbery detailed. You've
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Speaker 2 (01:42):
Dragnet the documented 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 folence,
from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is
the story of your police force election.
Speaker 5 (02:05):
It was Wednesday, March eighteenth, was cold in Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
We're working the.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Night watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Ben Romero.
The boss is Captain ed Walker. My name's Friday was
nine forty eight pm when I got the room. Twenty
seven eight robbery detail.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Joe, Hi, you ready to go?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Yeah, we're gonna have some here's your top quote Jeff,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Ben.
Speaker 6 (02:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Where's Tom?
Speaker 5 (02:30):
We can pick him up down the hall and checking
out some tear gas shelves. Might need him. How about
the address you confirm me twenty one hundred Bannon Avenue.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's a corner house, Diskiver, you know what to expect
when you get out there. Don't take any chances.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
He's alone in the house, all right, supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah, that won't give you much of a break. Hone.
Speaker 5 (02:46):
You mean he's heavy on guns, two revolvers and hunting rifles.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Who you're not try about using them.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Don't forget it right, ed flash Ben let's go okay,
it's been a long yeah, hopeless.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Washes it up. A hundred raffle couple revolvers. What do
you think, Joe?
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Well?
Speaker 5 (03:05):
Eighteen robberies in three months. You know the guy as
well as I do. Yeah, what's your guest? His name
was Hoffman George R. In our files, his criminal record
dated back to high school days. Petty theft, grand theft,
auto burglary, armed robbery. His record included two terms at
(03:25):
Preston Reformatory and one at San Quentin. Hoffman's latest campaign
was a three month run of armed robberies. We tried
everything we knew to stop him, but it wasn't enough.
We'd failed to get a line on him until one
of Captain Walker's informants came up with a tip that
Hoffman had been hiding out for the past month and
a small bungalow on the corner of Buchanan Avenue on
Selma Street. According to the information, the suspect had a
(03:47):
good supply of food, ammunition.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
And three guns.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Ten fifteen pm, together with Sergeants Tom Gaffney and Slats Henry,
then and I parked our car down the street and
started towards the house. Was foggy, the street was poorly lighted.
As we approached the house, we could see a light
bunning in one of the rooms at the rear of
the bungalow.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
The light in the back room. George just went out the.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
Slats, go in town when I cover the back right,
let's go town.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Be careful, alright, Ben, easy, huh wading mine, Joe h
curtains in that corner room. I thought I saw him move.
Come on, Ben in the front door. Hit it, come on,
(04:39):
hit it again.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Come on, they gotta block or something something against Come
on once more. The front rooms there went outside window?
(05:01):
Where do you go?
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Cross the street?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Got him pinned down behind that car there, he's in
the car. All right, let's go for the tires, all right, Hoffman,
give it up. Cover this end slats right, Ben, that
heads across the street.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You see it? Yeah, okay, let's run.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
For a car.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
You okay, Joe, Yeah, hap fun. You haven't got a chance.
Throw ut your guns, okay, Ben, give it back out.
Speaker 7 (05:33):
All right, all right.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
Rout your gun. Throw him in the street, right, get
out of the car, hands behind your.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Head, Come on, all right, all right, hands behind your
back now, slats? Yeah, you want to get our car?
Speaker 5 (05:59):
Right? Joe? Who told you?
Speaker 6 (06:01):
Who gave it a tip?
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Does it matter?
Speaker 6 (06:04):
Made it easy enough for you?
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Lowsy car wouldn't start. It be three miles away. If
it would have started, better call.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
A tow truck on, Joe, Let me give it a look.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Huh lousy luck. That's all it is.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
What was wrong with it? Joe?
Speaker 6 (06:29):
I tried it.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
It wouldn't start from me. He should have turned on
the ignition. George Hoffman was taken downtown and booked on
suspicion of robbery. Had a special show up. He was
identified by more than a dozen of his robbery victims.
Between his arraignments and his preliminary hearings, we worked together
with the District Attorney's office and lining up witnesses and
preparing the evidence against the suspect. We figured we had
(06:53):
an airtight case. Hoffman's trial and Superior Court was set
for May fourteenth.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Hi, Joe, Hi a slash will do it?
Speaker 6 (07:06):
It's still a raining Hoffman?
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, his trial coming up? Hey, m what happened near I?
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
How about that?
Speaker 6 (07:25):
I'll never live with that? Uh yeah, come here.
Speaker 7 (07:27):
Let's see this real black guy ever had had a
bruised funny and they hurt.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You know, Yeah, how'd that happened? Only every week?
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Gaffney and I grew up the neighborhood Boys Club after
work to help coach the kids' sports.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
We last week we ran boxing lessons. Uh.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
When I was.
Speaker 7 (07:52):
Coaching this one youngster, he turned out to be a
lot quicker than I thought. You're really connected to the group.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I guess everybody in the building has heard the story.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Just about Jaffney took care of that.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Captain called the end this morning, asked me if I
wanted to file assault charges against the kid, some joke
he never failed.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Are you still coaching the kids up there?
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Nah?
Speaker 7 (08:13):
This week kid's supposed to get lessons in wrestling. I'm
not taking any chances.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Then, even once your television from.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Months I was the other thing that room. Yeah, oh
I that's hi hi An he did put your coat
on Joe.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Yeah, it's a matter.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
George Hoffman, Yeah, just broke it to him. The morning
of his escape, Hoffmann was scheduled to appear in Superior
Court for arrangement. According to routine, he was taken from
his County jail cell on the twelfth floor of the
Hall of Justice and escorted to the jail shower room
on the fourteenth floor. There he was to take a
bath changed to his civilian clothes for his appearance in court.
(08:54):
While he was in the shower room, he turned on
the hot water faucets, filling the room with steam to
hide his actions from the guard. He succeeded in forcing
his way out through one of the windows, climbed up
one story to the roof. Realizing that he couldn't escape
down through the building, he lowered himself over the ledge
of the roof, and using the narrow crevices between the
bricks to hold on, he climbed seven stories down the
(09:15):
outside of the building.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
At the eighth.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
Floor, he found an open window and got inside.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
He slugged the bailiff, who.
Speaker 5 (09:22):
Tried to stop him, and then ran down the remaining
flights of stairs into the street and disappeared in the crowd.
Twenty minutes later, he robbed a dentist's office at third in.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Los Angeles Streets and got away.
Speaker 5 (09:31):
Police and sheriff's deputies covered the city for him. Ben
and I were among them. Eleven fifty five pm. We
check back in with Captain ed Walker. You ever a
class You wanna cut that speaker bed?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, you've a six time spring with one money. Nothing
gotta trace him. He must have a good friend someplace
in town. Everything's covered.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
His friend's relatives is hide out everyone he knows, every
place place he's ever been. We've plugged every loophole we
can think of, the depots, terminals, the airports.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Still don't trace something. I don't know.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
It's shows a stranger, no stranger than climbing down the
side of a building.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Did you check that story out? Ed? It's the truth.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
Apparently Hoffman planned the thing out pretty carefully.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
How do you mean?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
The sheriff's men talked to some of the prisoners in
the jail. They said Hoffman was practicing for it since
the day we put him in there. He'd work out
five to six hours every night, building up his hands
and fingers.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
How do you do there?
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Used the upper bunk in his cell, hang from the
edge of it with the tips of his fingers. He'd
do it for hours, pulling his body up and down.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
He had little grooves in the wall dug his fingertips
into him. Prisoners say he got so he could hold
himself up like that ten minutes of the stretch.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah, that's pretty amazing. How about the bail?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
If he slugged, he'll be all right. A couple of
bad bumps on the head. That's robbery walker. Oh yeah,
little John. I sent him out about ten minutes to
go to relieve you.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Yeah, they ought to be there pretty soon. Right, how
about our schedule?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Ed, far as I know, we're going all night on
this Sheriff's office is the same. You two were relieved
at eleven thirty. Better checked back about five thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Am. Okay, Well it's a hot shot.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I got it.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
What is.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Drug store hold up? I think it's Hoffman. The scene
of the.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Hold up was the rex Lake Pharmacy on the corner
of Pico Boulevard.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
And Pine Lake Street.
Speaker 5 (11:25):
The victim of mister Clarence Geringer told us that the
hold up man it entered through a rear door, slugged
him and escaped on foot with his overcoat and about
one hundred and fifty dollars in cash. We showed him
a number of mug shots. He identified George Hoffman as
the bandit. A special detail of men were ordered on
a thorough search of the general area around the drug store,
no sign of the suspect. The city wide dragnet continued
(11:46):
all that night and into the next day, no developments.
The search went on a week passed two weeks. At
ten pm on the day Hoffman was scheduled to be
tried in Superior Court, he beat up and robbed a
forty year old liquor salesman in the Highland Park area. Again,
he made good his escape. Routine investigation failed to turn
up a single lead. June eighth, the suspect was still
at large. The legwork continued eight seven teams at the address.
(12:12):
You've got yeah, he said it was near the corner.
Oh yeah, yeah, there it is. The town's in the
hobby shop.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Yeah, what's going.
Speaker 6 (12:22):
Suh.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
Look at the electric trains and look at that one
beautiful layout. Huh. I guess that's all they handle him here,
electric trains. I must be money. And if you look
at those signals there and sweaches, they're all automatic.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Wonder if my boy is old enough for a train.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
Yea, it must be the manager over there coming from
Say excuse me, sir, just a moment, please be right way.
You've gotta check this transforms.
Speaker 8 (12:43):
Uh huh, uh huh automatic coupling on the tanker car
looked out or killed her that mistake, now let's see.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yes, he's a dandy.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
Isn't he.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
I'm sorry, gentlemen, have to keep up our maintenance on
the rolling stock.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
What can I do for you? Police officers? We're looking
for mister Townsend. Oh, yes, I'm Roy Townsend. You're the
sergeant I talked with on the phone. Yes, sir, that's right.
This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. I'm miss. You mentioned
that you might have some information for us.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yes, as a matter of fact, I may have about
that fellow who climbed out and escaped that Oh what
was in all the papers?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
George Pop and that's it. I'm a pretty good one
for faces. I think I might have seen him last night.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Where was that?
Speaker 5 (13:43):
On my way home from the meeting? I belong to
a model train club. Don't get enough of it here
every day.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Yes, sir, we'd like to know about this man that
you saw.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
As I say, I saw him going into the order
court just down the street from where mother and I live.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
It was pretty late after midnight. Or where do you live,
mister Townson although by Pasadena Royal Oaks. At you. I know,
Missus Cox, that the auto caught very.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Well, I say, well, this man that you saw last night?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
You sure it was Hoffman?
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I saw his picture in the paper when he climbed
down and escaped. I I don't say I'm positive it
was him, but I'm good on Facebook.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
Well, uh, I wonder if you'dn't mind checking through these
pictures that.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Was all.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
Mm hm hm hm.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, this one he's the one I saw. Am I right,
that's Hoffman. Do you happen to know if he's staying
there at that auto court? Oh?
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yes, he's been there for a month, say sergeant, if
you find out it really is this Hoffman, don't tell
missus Coxe at the Auto Carta to just break her heart?
Was that so she's sort of an amateur detective. She
thinks she knows face is better than I do.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
After we left the train shop, we called the office
and filled him in. Captain Walker called Pasadena and notified them.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Then we drove out to the.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Auto court where the suspect was reportedly seen.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yes you want something, yeah, are you, missus Cox?
Speaker 6 (15:01):
Yes, I'm the manager here.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
If you want lodgings.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
We're filled up.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
You might try the Golden Eagle straight down the street.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
There, Police officers, missus Cox, you haven't mister Hoffman's.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Ding you huff No, I don't got a haffmyer though
you sure that's not it?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Well, won't you look at this fiction man? Recogname Yes,
but his.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Name's not Hoffman. It's Kine number twenty three.
Speaker 6 (15:22):
He's not in though left this morning?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Was that?
Speaker 6 (15:24):
So? Yes? Won't be back for another hour.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
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Speaker 5 (16:59):
Before going on and stake out at the auto court
where George Hoffman was registered, Ben put in a call
to the office the owner of the court, Missus Cox,
gave us a pass key to Cottie's number twenty three,
where the suspect was staying. We advised her to say
nothing to Hoffman when he returned. We went to Cottage
twenty three and waited. An hour passed, Hoffman failed to show.
Another hour went by, still no sign of him.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
Well what do you think? Uh? You got me? I
don't know. We an hour overdal no chance he could
have been taple. Uh.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
I don't see how missus Cox is the only one
who knows we're here. There's no reason verre to warning.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
I don't know his things for all ears, clothes. You
know we've had longer waits than this. Relax.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
Huh yeah, I wait a minute, can.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
You see who it is?
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Man coming from next door? Jill, okay, I'll cover you
open it?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Oh you do? Telephone directory? Oh yeah, thanks? Anything wrong? No,
there's nothing wrong. Things new phone book? You know.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
We waited another hour. George Hoffman still had failed to appear.
At four that afternoon, we checked with the office.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
No word.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
At five thirty we were still waiting. I'm just thinking, Jill. Yeah,
I fell at Townsend in the train shop. I'm sure
must be a dandy hobby electric train.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
It runs in the money, though, didn't it. Uh. I
think I'll talk to the wife about it. Their education,
you know, my boy Shore get a.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
Kick out of having his own train. Pretty young, isn't
he three years old?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (18:39):
I could show him how to work it, put things
together for him again.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Yeah, oh yeah, I oh when? Okay? Thanks? What's doing
skipper just got to go from Pasadena. Yeah. They picked
up Hoffman ten minutes ago. Uh.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
The suspect, George Hoffman was taken back to Los Angeles
and lodged in county jail.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
This time there was no escape. At his Superior Court
trial on.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
August sixteenth, he was convicted on several counts of armed
robbery and sentenced to the State Penitentiary. From August to
January of the following year. The months went fast. We
washed up a string of liquor store hold ups just
before Christmas, got two days off. My uncle George and
Ann Allen came down from Renton, Washington.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
To visit with my mother during the holidays.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
In January, Ben was off work for a week with
a bad dose of flu.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Another five months went by.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Toward the end of June, we got word that George
Hoffman was no longer at the State penitentiary after serving
eleven months. The former hold up man had been paroled
into the Army, with a provision that he served overseas.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Another three weeks passed.
Speaker 5 (19:46):
July twelfth, Tuesday, Ben and I had lunch at Cochin's
Cafe and checked back in at the office. I wish
cocine would change his men years a little oftener fried
beans and pastrami sandwich.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
It seemed to have the same thing every time. When
you sure dug into and I got the the idea
that you'll like him. I don't like him all. I
don't just eat too much.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
That's all free sandwiches too, plates and beans. I wonder
I never ate dinner, eh, Joe? Yeah, you two bad
from Monch. I want to grab a sandwich.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Check go aheads last week in cover?
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Okay, thanks Chere there's somebody waiting in the next room
for you.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Wants to see it?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Okay, see le all right, I want to see who
it is, Joe, I'll check the book. Yeah all right, fine, Yes, sir,
my name's Friday.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
You want to see me?
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 6 (20:36):
Soon remember me?
Speaker 5 (20:37):
George Hoffman, Oh yeah, Hoffman in the army uniform there,
I didn't recognize you. Yeah, I thought it might fool here.
I guess you heard about me. Good break, huh.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
I'm glad you feel that way. How you doing with
the army?
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Huh? Pretty good.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
That's fine. Just thought i'd drop up and see you. Fellas.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
Say you stole that partner your head.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
What's his name?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Rodriguez Romero? Yeah, I work together.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
Yeah, I knew it was some kind of name like that.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah. Well, come on in, Hoffman.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
Oh thanks, hey man, George Hoffman here he stopped in
to see.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Oh yeah, hi, a long time, Laufmann.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Hi, pretty good starting, thanks, sir. Just thought I stop by,
you know, sure, there's no hard feelings. Sure, got any
idea when you're going oversea?
Speaker 6 (21:23):
Boys in my outfit?
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Figured day after tomorrow. That's kind of one reason why
I dropped in to see you.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Well, how's that?
Speaker 5 (21:29):
Well, I know it's pretty nervy.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
But I got lots of that.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
You see a.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
Bunch of us around leave tomorrow noon.
Speaker 6 (21:36):
Figured we go out tonight and I'm a little short.
You know how the army pays.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
Okay, well, how about a couple of bucks? George will
not do you any good? Sure as swell you sorry,
believe me, I'll see you get it back.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I mean, here's a couple more Hoffman might have.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
H Well, it's Nanna's tell you how much I appreciate it.
I give you my word, I won't forget it. I'm
going to pay this money back to.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You, got it, George. We're glad to help you out. Well,
thanks again for the touch. Huh.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Sure and nice cool? Yeah, drop a card if you
get a chance, like to hear how you doing over there?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Sure thinks see you later, eh, right, good luck you boy?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Well looks like a turned for the better anyway. Huh.
But it was my last two bucks though, going it
never failed, so we had to give him something. Yeah,
but what do I do for lunch money? Tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (22:30):
Two pm we drove out to the Wilshire district to
interview a robbery victim. We brought him back downtown and
took his statement. Four thirty pm we checked back in
with Captain Walker. Hiks Kipper Entry says that ex con
George Hoffman was in the to talk to him. Yeah,
that's right, ed, why I have a look thanks, MP's
laughed about twenty minutes ago as well.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Your two bucks went for nothing.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
Ben Hoffman's wanted huh broke out an army prison at
ten o'clock this morning. Together with the army authorities, local
officers joined in the city wide search for George Hoffman.
At ten o'clock that night, a food market on Santa
Fe and Rialo was robbed in the proprietor beaten from
our mug shots.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
The victim identified Hoffman as the whole up man.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
Shortly after midnight, a drug store on Freendshaw was held up.
Hoffman was again tabbed as a suspect. The next two
days the search was intensified.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
No leeds. Two more days went by.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Late Saturday morning we got a hurry up call from
the detail on duty at the Union station. Hoffman had
been reported in the vicinity. Ben and I drove down
to the depot to check with the officer in charge.
Slats Henry spot him, Joe, No, let's have a look
back for the ticket callers. Huh, Yeah, there he is
(23:46):
over by the phone.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Ruth, come on.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
High Slash, Hi, looks pretty good. What's the story. One
of the newsboys up the street gave us a tip
about an hour ago. Guy gave him a dollar to
come down and buy.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
A ticket for him, ticket to Phoenix.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Kid came in, bought the ticket, who went back up
the street and gave it to the man. We showed
the kid a bunch of mug shots. He picked out Hoffman's.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Yeah, he's not wearing his army uniforma.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
No brown suit, dark blue overcoat, no hat. That's what
the kid told us.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Any idea which twin he was taking Caffeini exactly?
Speaker 5 (24:15):
He asked when the first train for Phoenix was. Newsboy
told him three thirty five, ten minutes to twelve.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Now you got enough men to handlet's last.
Speaker 5 (24:22):
Everything's covered. Only one thing lacking, Yeah Hoffman.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Well, the stakeout continued on the Union station.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Ben and I, together with Gaffney and Henry from Robbery,
covered the bars, restaurants and hotels in the immediate area
for a sign of the suspect. Two thirty pm. What
do you think we better head back down for the
station and see what's doing.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You're okay. I'd like to have a dime for every
mile we have logged on this case.
Speaker 9 (24:52):
Yeah, yoh h Have a look across the street, dark
blue overcoat, same build as Hoffman.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
I'll bet on him. Come on, he's spot on us. Yeah,
that's Hawkman. Come on, I'll pick it up. I lost him, Joe.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
Where you go? Turn down first Street? Come on, hurry
up across the street, Ben, Yeah, what's the traffic?
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Where do you go?
Speaker 5 (25:25):
I see him that antique store on the cornery running there.
Speaker 6 (25:28):
Come on.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
There he is all right?
Speaker 6 (25:33):
Hoffin?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
O way, sir, fight Hold right there, Hoffin, I'm coming out.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
What's your joke?
Speaker 5 (25:41):
I see him coming out.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Hear me.
Speaker 5 (25:45):
You're doing the hard way, George, come on dropping dropping
(26:16):
all right?
Speaker 3 (26:16):
Happened? All right? On your face? Come on, get up
here now, get your hands behind you. Sure what goods
are going to do? All right, mister, let's go. What
goods are gonna do? I already proved that I can
break jail anytime. I proved it twice. He's going right
back in again. What's that proof?
Speaker 1 (26:43):
The story you have just heard was true, only the
names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
On October eighth, trial was held in Superior Court, Department
eighty nine, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
In a moment, the results of that trial.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
No here is our.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Star, Jack Webb.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Thanks to get year round.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Thanks for the gift you give this Christmas, give Fatimas
to every long cigarette smoker on your list. Their first
pack of extra mild Fatimas will have him convinced like
I am, that in Fatima the difference is quality and
Christmas Fatimas come in a distinctive royal blue slipover jacket
that makes a perfect gift just as he is. Remember,
Fatimas now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but
(27:24):
in Fatima the differences quality.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Give Fatimas the quality.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
King Si cigarette to every long cigarette smoker.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
George R.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Hoffman was tried and convicted on several counts of robbery
and received a life sentence as a hardened criminal. After
serving ten months of his sentence, Hoffman attempted an.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
Escape and failed.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
A few weeks later, he took his own life in
his prison cell.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
By hanging ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Next week, in answer to your requests, Dragnett will repeat
a Gun for Christmas, the actual case history broadcast last
year during the Yule Tide season. That's next Thursday, December
twenty First.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases
from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the
Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles
Police Department.
Speaker 5 (28:33):
This is Bob Hope.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Can we steal a second?
Speaker 5 (28:36):
Chester Feel? Chester feel?
Speaker 6 (28:38):
Always think?
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Is that milder miles of that?
Speaker 6 (28:41):
Can ever leaven after?
Speaker 5 (28:43):
It takes?
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So open a pack? Give him a smell Man, You welcome.
Speaker 5 (28:48):
Don't forget to give Crosby for Christmas. I mean the
chest to feel Christmas Carton with being as Papa Santa
Claus see you Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Fatima Cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes has brought
you Dragnet fortunes. Transcribed from Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
We the People is next with more Good Times on
NBC
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