October 8, 2025 • 25 mins
Dragnet - Old Time Radio Show - 283 The Big Token
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocence.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Dragnet, You're a detective sergeant here assigned a robbery detail.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
For the past ten days, a.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Gunman has been terrorizing the downtown area of your city.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
You know he's armed and dangerous. Your job stop him.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Drag Met 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 buyers, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment,
Dragnett is the story of your police force and actions.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
It was Tuesday, October fifth with Rainey in Los Angeles.
We were working the night Watch out of robbery details.
My partner's Frank Smith. The boss's TV detective stat Brown.
My name was Briday. I was on my way back
from Metropolitan Division. It was seven fifty six pm when
I got the City Hall Robbery squadroom.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
Hey, buddy, you didn't have to make a special tripping
to bring the tide well.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I might have forgot it to mind, I left it
in the car again, we are no thanks, I had
a card still in the box. One.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
No, hey, look at this real pretty go good with
Lebron too, real skill too.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That's a pretty clever idea. Put a name on a
tigh like that, don't you think? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Yeah, I used to do the same thing with inco
and paper when I was a kid. You know, put
a god ink on the paper and then fold it
over Jesus and you had some pretty weird looking pictures.
This name business makes a nice neat tie padded. Don't
just think too.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, if you don't mind the switch.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
On the name, you mean you know, oh, unless you're
looking for it, you wouldn't know what said Joe Friday.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Here, take a look. See this is gonna have It's
gonna be when I'm wearing it. It's kind of hard
to see. Yeah, well, as long as you're satisfied you're
the one's gonna wear it. Well, sure looks great to me.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Of course, we're gonna turn your head sideways and read it.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Then you can see it, says Joe Friday. But I
don't think people are going to do it all that trouble.
Do you think so? No? I don't think so. Do
you talk storer Yeah, says, don't mean it's later. Stres
better get go with her. Yeah, want to get your coat?
Is coming down pretty hard out there, right. You think
it'll keep the suspect inside. I don't know. It isn't
gonna work for us, hot shot. I got it. Let's go.
(02:43):
Two eleven a Flower and fourteenth frank An nf the
office and drove out to the ads was a small
neighborhood liquor store. In spite of the heavy rain, A
large crowd had already gathered in front of the place.
We parked our car and try to get into the store.
All right, let it through here, folks, please now stop question.
Speaker 6 (03:04):
There's no reason to give you a special pass, police officer.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Let us go outside.
Speaker 6 (03:07):
I didn't know. It's all right, let us through here.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
I've been around seeing a lot of tough guys, but
there was something wrong with this fellow.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
It's back there, Joe.
Speaker 7 (03:18):
Now you call the ambulance yet, can't we do something
for poor Claud Don't just let him lay there.
Speaker 8 (03:23):
You from downtown.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
That's right, Friday and Spith Central Robbery. If you asked a.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
Call, me and my partner sat him outside.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I tried to get a description.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
It's out.
Speaker 8 (03:30):
Okay, anybody gonna ask me what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Yester? Just a minute please?
Speaker 7 (03:34):
Seems all of you fellas are interested in is what
the guy look like? Nobody want to know what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yester? We do, if you'll wait just a minute, please,
no choice?
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Anything more I can do here?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
No, not right now?
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Okay, I'll be outside if you need any right?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Thanks? All right? Sure you want to tell us about time?
What's that?
Speaker 7 (03:50):
All this running around and yelling? Wonder you fellas? Don't
catch anybody?
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Don't slow down long enough for me to tell you
what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Uh huh? The boy go ahead.
Speaker 8 (03:57):
Worst thing I ever saw in my whole life, most terrible, Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Sir, were you alone in the star when the shooting occurred? No?
Who else was there?
Speaker 8 (04:04):
Claude, Anita and me? Claud's victim? Yeah, yeah, that's him there.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yes.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
Don't you think somebody ought to do something for him?
Seems like the ambulance ought.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
To be here.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
Well, he's dead, Claude, But you've got to catch the
fellow have done this? Most brutal thing I ever saw,
No reason for any of it. That guy was off
his rocker. You mentioned somebody named Anita. She's still here. Yeah,
in the back room. She wasn't feeling too good. Almost
scared her half to death. Went back there to take
an aspir and lay down, scared wonderfully. Could talk to her.
You have to, yes, it okay, I'll go get her.
(04:37):
You just wait here, Anita, Anita, it's me handling.
Speaker 8 (04:45):
Can you come out.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Police, They want to talk to you. We don't like
the body of the lady. We'll try to be as
brief as possible.
Speaker 9 (04:56):
It's all right.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Would you give us your name?
Speaker 7 (04:58):
This is miss Anita Blame. I'm Hanley Dawson. I don't
think you told us your name.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
This Frank Smith. My name is Bridy. Is there anything
you get, Flames Blayne?
Speaker 8 (05:07):
No, I'm all right now, all right?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Would you tell us what happened?
Speaker 7 (05:10):
We was back of the counter playing a game of cribbage,
you and the victims. Yes, Me and claud His full
name's Claude Langford. We was there playing the game.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Were you in the store at the time.
Speaker 9 (05:20):
No.
Speaker 10 (05:21):
I came in later.
Speaker 8 (05:22):
I'm trying to tell you in the right order. Can't
do it if you're going to keep interrupted, all right?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We were a hand.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
Oh, we were having a good game. Claude was ahead,
already made the first turn. Oh my crib and I
really had a good hand. Might have caught him.
Speaker 8 (05:33):
Yes, we were just about to play the hand when
the door opened.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Kind of surprising.
Speaker 8 (05:37):
OHI that didn't figure anybody to be out on a.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Night like this.
Speaker 8 (05:40):
And I say it was this young kid.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
I go ahead, come in and ask me where we
kept the can nuts, you know, Cashew's and Almons. Yes,
it pointed it out for him. He went over to
have a look. Mm hm clawd and me started back.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
To the game.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
But the kid found what he wanted and he come
up to the counter. All right, I got up to
wait on him. Handed me a five dollars, you know,
for two cans of peanuts. Yeah, opened the register to
get change. That's when he pulled the gun.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Already have the gun in his overcoat pocket.
Speaker 7 (06:07):
It was funny, though not funny ha ha, but funny.
Odd you know, how do you mean?
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Then?
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Well, you know how most raincoats have a little slit
in the pocket so you can reach into your pants
pockets without unbuttoning your raincoat.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yeah, I know what you mean.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Well, the kid unbuttoned his coat and reached right through
the slit with a gun kind of like this.
Speaker 8 (06:21):
See see yeah, Now what did he say when he
showed you.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
The gun like this? This is a stick up.
Speaker 7 (06:27):
Keep your mouth shut and you might not get hurt.
Speaker 8 (06:30):
Might That's what he said?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
What happened?
Speaker 7 (06:32):
Then told both Claud and me to come out from
behind the counter, said for us lay down on the floor. Yeah,
we did like he said. You know, there was just
something about that kid, so you had to go his way.
He made us lay.
Speaker 8 (06:43):
Down right there where Claud is now.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
On our stomachs. Yeah, what happened.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Then went over and took the money out of the
cash register. Then he really got sore. I thought he
was going to expode. What you know, wasn't much for
him to take, only about twenty to twenty five dollars.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Guess he expected more. You see, he come.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
Over to where me and Claud were on the floor,
told us to take the money out of our pocket,
stood there with a gun pointed right at us.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
He was mad. He did what he said. You just
bet we did.
Speaker 8 (07:09):
I only had about six bucks on me.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Gave it right to him though.
Speaker 7 (07:11):
Yeah, that's when Anita here come into the store, just
walked in like a rabbit into a fox's trap.
Speaker 10 (07:18):
Jack, I didn't have any idea what was going on.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Couldn't you see through the door?
Speaker 10 (07:22):
Yes, I should have, but it was raining to herd.
Speaker 8 (07:24):
I didn't take the time. Glass was kind of steamed
up too, made it tough to look in.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
I see. Well, what happened when the hold up man
saw you?
Speaker 10 (07:31):
He told me to keep my mouth shut, not to
make it down and get down on the floor just
like us. He grabbed my proof and took the wallet up,
went through it and took the money.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
How much was it? Just a couple of dollars?
Speaker 10 (07:41):
I came over to get a bottle of wine, and
I only took what I needed.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
All right, you want to go on? He started on.
Speaker 7 (07:46):
Claud told him to empty his pockets. Yeah, Claud didn't
take too kindly to the way this fellow was acting.
If he'd just come in taking the money, it might
have been different. But Claud don't like to be shoved around.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah, he did.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Like the kid told him, though, I emptied his pockets
right out. Well, you just figure the man was real
sore when he saw how much money he was going
to get. Yeah, you see, Claud don't work. He's got
some kind of pension. All alone in the world. He
usually don't have much money. The main reason he comes
over to play cards. He ain't got nothing else to do.
That it's free. Come much to have on him tonight
(08:19):
thirty seven cents. Kid saw that, I thought, sure he's
going to kill us.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
All he acted like it.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
Then he figured maybe Claud was holding out on him.
Told him to trendy his pockets inside out. He did
like he was told. When he did, something fell out
of his pocket.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
A coin hit the floor and rolled around, disappeared under
the counter over there, and the gun crawd.
Speaker 10 (08:36):
And got real mad, said Claud tried to get away
with something, said for him to go pick.
Speaker 6 (08:40):
Up the crime.
Speaker 7 (08:41):
Claud told him if he wanted it that bad, he
could get it himself. Yeah, fella just looked at Claud
for a minute and then put the gun right against
his head right here. See, didn't say a word, just
pulled the trigger. No reason for it. Claude must have
been dead when he hit the floor, Just rudal do.
Then ran outside. You try and folly, No, sir. Me
(09:04):
and Anita were trying to see if there was anything
we could do for claw.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Did the man get into a card?
Speaker 8 (09:08):
You know, I didn't see might have that, I didn't
see it.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Did you hear a car? No? Have you ever seen
the man around here before?
Speaker 8 (09:16):
Not that I remember a lot of people go by
the door. Hard to pick one, make it stand out.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
You'd know him again if you saw him, would you?
Speaker 8 (09:23):
I think so.
Speaker 10 (09:24):
I would never forget the way he looked at me
like some kind of animal.
Speaker 8 (09:29):
I see somethingbody's eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
He was crazy, really wild. Well how do you mean that?
Speaker 10 (09:34):
Well, you weren't looking right at us, like there was
somebody standing behind me. He was looking at them.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
He couldn't focus. You know, I know what you mean.
Speaker 8 (09:42):
Say, did you see the coin that lane for drop?
Speaker 1 (09:44):
No? Just heard it hit the floor? Uh huh? Find it?
I think so, but it doesn't make much sense. Take
a look at it? Yeah, what is it? Street car token?
(10:04):
Wo Men from the crime lab arrived and photographed the store.
Diagrams were made showing the position of the body, and
the premises were checked thoroughly. The victims were taking the
city hall to check the mug book. They were unable
to make an identification the canvas who started her immediate
area in the hope that we might be able to
turn up a witness to the shootings. One of the
uniformed officers talked to a newsboy who had seen a
man run from the liquor store trying and I went
down to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
Yeah, I saw him.
Speaker 11 (10:26):
I heard this noise like a backfire, and then this
fellow come out of the store and started to run
down the street.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You get a good look at him.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
No, he went down that way away from me.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
You see if he got into a car.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
No, he ran around the corner.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
I didn't think a lot about it.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
So last the whole thing was over.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Could you describe him for us? No?
Speaker 11 (10:40):
I just got to look at his back. Nothing about
that that did stand out.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Uh.
Speaker 11 (10:43):
You might talk to that girl though, what girl? Well,
when a fellow ran out of the story, almost knocked
you down, ran right by her, do you know who
she is? Not right out?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Sure? Feel like I do? Know what I mean?
Speaker 8 (10:53):
Let's see her every week?
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Where is that home every Saturday night?
Speaker 8 (10:57):
What's that she's on television?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
From the witness, we got the time of day of
the television shows. The contacted the network and obtained the
information that the girl's name was Betty Martin, and they
went on to tell us that she was working in
a nightclub in Beverly Hills. Frank and I drove out
to see her. She was sitting at a table talking
to some people, and we asked the waiter to tell
her we'd like to see her. Hello, you want to
see me? Yes, ma'am. We sit down please, thank you here,
(11:26):
I'll get that cheerfully.
Speaker 10 (11:29):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
We're police officers. Miss Martin is Frank Smith. My name
is Friday. How do you do Hello? We understand that
you were in the area of fourteenth in flower tonight.
Speaker 12 (11:37):
Is that right about right?
Speaker 1 (11:39):
How's why? Well, it was a hold up and shooting
down there. It's possible that you might have seen the
man who did it.
Speaker 12 (11:44):
Oh, I don't think so.
Speaker 10 (11:45):
My manager and I went down there to listen to
a group as playing, But as far as I know,
I didn't see anybody else.
Speaker 8 (11:51):
Oh, excuse me, I'll be right back. If your words
were unfinished, I'll tell you.
Speaker 9 (11:55):
What I can.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
It's rather important, Miss Martin. We'll wait.
Speaker 10 (11:57):
Well, so it's my job.
Speaker 12 (11:58):
I'll do one son, then I'll be back right, Thank
you kidding.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Oh oh.
Speaker 12 (12:15):
Oh, love you, love you, love you, love you, any creature?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Oh me, need you, need you?
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Any question?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Want you.
Speaker 12 (13:25):
Want me? Where you.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Hid the picture?
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Now happen you?
Speaker 12 (13:45):
Please love me?
Speaker 8 (13:59):
Why?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Please?
Speaker 12 (14:08):
Very quote?
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, I'm sure a pretty song.
Speaker 12 (14:36):
Well, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It's a new song written I saw named arthor Hamilton. Yeah,
very nice.
Speaker 12 (14:40):
Now what's this about a man I'm supposed to the scene.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Well, we told this there was a shooting at fourteenth
in Flowers.
Speaker 9 (14:45):
Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Well, one of the people in the neighborhood recognized you,
and he tells us that the suspect ran right by you.
Is that right? Do you?
Speaker 12 (14:51):
I don't remember just a minute, Oh no, I remember.
Speaker 10 (14:55):
Yeah, he ran out of the store, almost knocked me down,
didn't even stop to say anything.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Did you get a good look him?
Speaker 13 (15:00):
Well, he ran into me.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Can you tell us anything about him?
Speaker 12 (15:04):
Well, I'm afraid not.
Speaker 10 (15:05):
I didn't pay any attention.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Something that happened, and you don't think about it, you know,
would you know the manage to saw him again?
Speaker 10 (15:12):
I don't think so. Whose thing happened?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
So sad?
Speaker 1 (15:15):
There's nothing about him that you remember, No, unless it
was his eyes, ma'am. His eyes like he was looking
right through you. Eleven forty six pm, Frank and I
went back downtown. The search for the killer had spread
(15:35):
throughout the city. Additional units from all divisions were called
in to help. From the description given us by the
victims and witnesses, it appeared more than likely that the
suspect was a narcotics user. If this was true, there
was more than possible that he'd cut down anybody who'd
got in his way. Frank and Eye contacted the office
and talked to Captain Donald, he'd taken over the search
for the gunman. Because it was impossible to cover all
(15:56):
of the liquor stores in the area, it was decided
to ask the owners to close. Frank and I were
assigned the places along Vermont Avenue. The first six stars
we contact had cooperated. By the time we got to
the seven, the rain had stopped. We parked the car
in front of the place and walked in, and first
there was no one in sight, But then in the
storeroom we found the owner. He was lying on the floor,
his head buried in his arms. You go away and
(16:17):
leave me along you all right?
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I have no I want to stay that way.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Now you get out of here or police officers. What's
the matter with you now? Don't try that with me.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
I know who you are.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
You got all the money, there's no more to take.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Come on, it's no joke, fella.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Now listen, I remember what you said. I ain't gonna
get up from here for another two minutes.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
I could see my watch.
Speaker 8 (16:32):
Still got two minutes and.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Get your head up from the floor. You can see
this card, huh. It's an identification card? Here? See it?
Are you sure well? You're looking at it?
Speaker 8 (16:43):
Now?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Look. If this is a joke, I'm not gonna like it.
Come on, come on, don't worry about it, and I
get up.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Come on, it's about time you got here.
Speaker 11 (16:51):
It's a terrible thing when a man's robbing his own
store and nobody's going.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
To take the time to protect him.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You were held up tonight, yes, or not more than
three minutes ago?
Speaker 6 (16:57):
Guy left You told me to stay where I was
for five minutes.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Huh. The man who held you, can you describe him
for it?
Speaker 11 (17:02):
Yeah, young kid just out of his teens, roaming around
the streets threaten citizens.
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Your cops ought to do.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Something about it. What do you look like?
Speaker 11 (17:08):
When he was dark black hair, black, eyes wild.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
It's looking eys.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
You ever saw one look at him?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
You know he meant what he said, stay put, and
I did. I'll call him.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
What's he going to do?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Put out a broadcast for the hold up man? That's it.
Speaker 11 (17:20):
I don't want to tell you your business, but it
sure seems like a waste of time.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
What's it?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Well, if he hears it, he ain't going to give
himself up.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
The broadcast was put out to all units. From the
description given by the victim, we were sure it was
the suspect. All of the cars on the perimeter of
the search area were drawn in and the entire vicentity
was surrounded. He took a little over twenty minutes to
get the cars into position. Frank talk with Captain Donna
at the corner of Vermont Avenue and Beverly Boulevard. After
the meeting, he came back to the car, Well that
(17:56):
does it? Yeah? Area is secure? Were they trying to
nail him down? No figure to keep the area surround
his way from morning and then move in. Do you
think he's still here? We'll know in three hours. The
(18:17):
preliminary search of the neighborhood meted nothing in the area.
Was secured for the night. The rain kept up. All
officers involved in the operation were kept on duty. At
six twenty am, the circle began to tighten. House by house,
the space where the killer could be hiding was eliminated.
All cars into and out of the area were stopped
and searched. Seven to fifteen am, the perimeter began to narrow.
(18:37):
At eight forty six am, a call went out to
all units.
Speaker 13 (18:40):
All units on special details in the vicinity of Vermont
Avenue and Beverly Boulevard regarding.
Speaker 9 (18:46):
The suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (18:48):
Possible suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Vermont
and Catalina Street. Attention, Ali units, Special details regarding the.
Speaker 9 (18:57):
Suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (19:00):
Suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Catalina Street
and Vermont Avenue.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
That's us, Yeah, be a breakup. It tim right.
Speaker 13 (19:07):
All units on special detail in the vicinity of Vermont
Avenue and Beverly Boulevard regarding the.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (19:15):
Possible suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Vermont
and Catalina Street. Attention All units, special detail regarding the
suspect wanted for murder. Possible suspect believed to be in
the vicinity of Catalina.
Speaker 8 (19:29):
Make sense, Why do you kill a man for a
street car token?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
According to the report received by the complaint board, a
woman in the vicinity had seen someone run through her backyard.
When she shouted at the person, he continued running and
disappeared into the alley. All cars in the area converged
and the complete search was started. As time went on,
the possible hiding places narrowed, and finally the suspect was
(19:56):
left with less than a block in which to conceal himself.
Frank and I joined the officers on foot. After twenty minutes,
we found ourselves in the backyard at one of the
houses on the street. Looks like a chicken house back there.
Speaker 8 (20:10):
Better checking us?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
You know all right? You got it covered? Yeah, Joe, sure,
all right? Come on out, keep you ahead to wait
and see him. Don't shoot, Please, don't shoot. I get
a stas deal right where you are.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
I'm doing like you say. Don't shoot.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
I got up and get that wall. Come on, put
your hands up there going off thirty eight revolvers. I
had it giving it to you.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
I don't want any trouble.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Always works out that way, doesn't it.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
What do you mean if you guys.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Are big as long as you're holding the gun, soon
as somebody else has got it, your fall apart, don't you.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
I don't want no lectures, cop, Just take me and
that's all you got to do is take me in
and make a book.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
We'll do that.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
Land up on the limb anyway. You've got nothing to
hold me on, that's all.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (20:52):
I've been around cops a long time. I learned it
the hard way. Don't tell them nothing. That's the way
to make it. Don't tell them nothing.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
When you missed one of the big points. This gun
you were carrying, Yeah, maybe that'll tell us. The suspect
was taken in the city hall. It was mugged and
fingerprinted from his prince. We identify them as Max Hanford.
He got a record listing several arrests for violations of
the State in Narcotic Act and two counts robbery. However,
(21:17):
he'd never served time on any of the chargers. We
talked to him for an hour without result. Ten forty
am to leave me alone. I got nothing to you, guys,
so you keep believing it. We've got people coming in
who are going to lay it on you. But what
two eleven and murder?
Speaker 6 (21:30):
You're out of your mind.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
We got you made on all counts anyway, your slices,
you're on the needle cop Is that so? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (21:35):
You got one beef on me most you can take
me for a stealing chickens.
Speaker 11 (21:38):
You sit down and try to think what a judge
is going to say when you read that awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Court All right, Hanford, you keep that smile in your face.
You go right on believing it. We can't press the charge.
It'll stick now. We got a half a dozen people
on the way in here. They'll point you out in
the crowd. As soon as they do, we'll drop you
on a cell and hold your IESE won't be long
to let you in. Get so big you'll be yelling
for us to turn you loose. You got it all,
take it, Haven's that's right right down the line. You're
a height, you're hooked and you're hooks. Everything's working for us.
(22:02):
You go through the cure and you'll tell us what
we want to know, and you'll be glad you'd got
the chance to talk. We don't need your help. We're
home free without you, and keep up the way your actency?
How far it gets you?
Speaker 6 (22:12):
You really figure you can box me in without a door?
Speaker 11 (22:16):
When'd you call the people to point me out a
little while ago? Who can you get them before they
leave home?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Why?
Speaker 6 (22:23):
No reason for him to make a trip.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
I'll give it to you. Do you want a snography?
Might as well.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
I got nothing to lose.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
I'll give you this story. I'll get them loud to deal.
Is that right? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:36):
I didn't want to kill that felly. You know, well,
why'd you do?
Speaker 1 (22:38):
It?
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Was high?
Speaker 1 (22:39):
I just had a pop.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
I felt like out in the world.
Speaker 11 (22:42):
I'd be pretty sort of think the guy was holding
out on me because you think that's a pretty bad reason.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
That's right.
Speaker 11 (22:48):
People don't understand you got a bad habit working on you.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
You do anything to feed it, is right?
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Sure?
Speaker 11 (22:52):
You let me talk to anybody. Let me tell them
what it means to have a supply shut off. I'll
tell them what it's like.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
I don't care who it is.
Speaker 11 (22:58):
You put me in front of a jury, I'll tell
him at the chair, tell him wasn't my fault.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I got hooked on this stuff.
Speaker 6 (23:03):
That's why I did it. I'll tell him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Well, while you're at it, you can tell him something else.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Why why you started taking narchotics. The story you have
just heard is true. The names were changed to protect
the innocence.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
On February sixteenth, trial was held in Department in ninety
seven Superior Court of the State of California in and
for the County of Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Max S. Gifford.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Hanford was tried and convicted of murder in the first
degree and received sentence as prescribed by law. Because the
jury failed to return a recommendation for clemency, he received
the maximum sentence and was put to death in the
lethal gas chamber of the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California.
(24:05):
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your
police force in action and starring Jack Webb. A presentation
of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service
Speaker 11 (25:04):
Supp
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocence.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Dragnet, You're a detective sergeant here assigned a robbery detail.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
For the past ten days, a.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Gunman has been terrorizing the downtown area of your city.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
You know he's armed and dangerous. Your job stop him.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Drag Met 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 buyers, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment,
Dragnett is the story of your police force and actions.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
It was Tuesday, October fifth with Rainey in Los Angeles.
We were working the night Watch out of robbery details.
My partner's Frank Smith. The boss's TV detective stat Brown.
My name was Briday. I was on my way back
from Metropolitan Division. It was seven fifty six pm when
I got the City Hall Robbery squadroom.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
Hey, buddy, you didn't have to make a special tripping
to bring the tide well.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I might have forgot it to mind, I left it
in the car again, we are no thanks, I had
a card still in the box. One.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
No, hey, look at this real pretty go good with
Lebron too, real skill too.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
That's a pretty clever idea. Put a name on a
tigh like that, don't you think? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Yeah, I used to do the same thing with inco
and paper when I was a kid. You know, put
a god ink on the paper and then fold it
over Jesus and you had some pretty weird looking pictures.
This name business makes a nice neat tie padded. Don't
just think too.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, if you don't mind the switch.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
On the name, you mean you know, oh, unless you're
looking for it, you wouldn't know what said Joe Friday.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Here, take a look. See this is gonna have It's
gonna be when I'm wearing it. It's kind of hard
to see. Yeah, well, as long as you're satisfied you're
the one's gonna wear it. Well, sure looks great to me.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Of course, we're gonna turn your head sideways and read it.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Then you can see it, says Joe Friday. But I
don't think people are going to do it all that trouble.
Do you think so? No? I don't think so. Do
you talk storer Yeah, says, don't mean it's later. Stres
better get go with her. Yeah, want to get your coat?
Is coming down pretty hard out there, right. You think
it'll keep the suspect inside. I don't know. It isn't
gonna work for us, hot shot. I got it. Let's go.
(02:43):
Two eleven a Flower and fourteenth frank An nf the
office and drove out to the ads was a small
neighborhood liquor store. In spite of the heavy rain, A
large crowd had already gathered in front of the place.
We parked our car and try to get into the store.
All right, let it through here, folks, please now stop question.
Speaker 6 (03:04):
There's no reason to give you a special pass, police officer.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Let us go outside.
Speaker 6 (03:07):
I didn't know. It's all right, let us through here.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
I've been around seeing a lot of tough guys, but
there was something wrong with this fellow.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
It's back there, Joe.
Speaker 7 (03:18):
Now you call the ambulance yet, can't we do something
for poor Claud Don't just let him lay there.
Speaker 8 (03:23):
You from downtown.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
That's right, Friday and Spith Central Robbery. If you asked a.
Speaker 6 (03:26):
Call, me and my partner sat him outside.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I tried to get a description.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
It's out.
Speaker 8 (03:30):
Okay, anybody gonna ask me what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Yester? Just a minute please?
Speaker 7 (03:34):
Seems all of you fellas are interested in is what
the guy look like? Nobody want to know what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yester? We do, if you'll wait just a minute, please,
no choice?
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Anything more I can do here?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
No, not right now?
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Okay, I'll be outside if you need any right?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Thanks? All right? Sure you want to tell us about time?
What's that?
Speaker 7 (03:50):
All this running around and yelling? Wonder you fellas? Don't
catch anybody?
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Don't slow down long enough for me to tell you
what happened?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Uh huh? The boy go ahead.
Speaker 8 (03:57):
Worst thing I ever saw in my whole life, most terrible, Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Sir, were you alone in the star when the shooting occurred? No?
Who else was there?
Speaker 8 (04:04):
Claude, Anita and me? Claud's victim? Yeah, yeah, that's him there.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yes.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
Don't you think somebody ought to do something for him?
Seems like the ambulance ought.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
To be here.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
Well, he's dead, Claude, But you've got to catch the
fellow have done this? Most brutal thing I ever saw,
No reason for any of it. That guy was off
his rocker. You mentioned somebody named Anita. She's still here. Yeah,
in the back room. She wasn't feeling too good. Almost
scared her half to death. Went back there to take
an aspir and lay down, scared wonderfully. Could talk to her.
You have to, yes, it okay, I'll go get her.
(04:37):
You just wait here, Anita, Anita, it's me handling.
Speaker 8 (04:45):
Can you come out.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Police, They want to talk to you. We don't like
the body of the lady. We'll try to be as
brief as possible.
Speaker 9 (04:56):
It's all right.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Would you give us your name?
Speaker 7 (04:58):
This is miss Anita Blame. I'm Hanley Dawson. I don't
think you told us your name.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
This Frank Smith. My name is Bridy. Is there anything
you get, Flames Blayne?
Speaker 8 (05:07):
No, I'm all right now, all right?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Would you tell us what happened?
Speaker 7 (05:10):
We was back of the counter playing a game of cribbage,
you and the victims. Yes, Me and claud His full
name's Claude Langford. We was there playing the game.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Were you in the store at the time.
Speaker 9 (05:20):
No.
Speaker 10 (05:21):
I came in later.
Speaker 8 (05:22):
I'm trying to tell you in the right order. Can't
do it if you're going to keep interrupted, all right?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
We were a hand.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
Oh, we were having a good game. Claude was ahead,
already made the first turn. Oh my crib and I
really had a good hand. Might have caught him.
Speaker 8 (05:33):
Yes, we were just about to play the hand when
the door opened.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Kind of surprising.
Speaker 8 (05:37):
OHI that didn't figure anybody to be out on a.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Night like this.
Speaker 8 (05:40):
And I say it was this young kid.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
I go ahead, come in and ask me where we
kept the can nuts, you know, Cashew's and Almons. Yes,
it pointed it out for him. He went over to
have a look. Mm hm clawd and me started back.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
To the game.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
But the kid found what he wanted and he come
up to the counter. All right, I got up to
wait on him. Handed me a five dollars, you know,
for two cans of peanuts. Yeah, opened the register to
get change. That's when he pulled the gun.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Already have the gun in his overcoat pocket.
Speaker 7 (06:07):
It was funny, though not funny ha ha, but funny.
Odd you know, how do you mean?
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Then?
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Well, you know how most raincoats have a little slit
in the pocket so you can reach into your pants
pockets without unbuttoning your raincoat.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yeah, I know what you mean.
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Well, the kid unbuttoned his coat and reached right through
the slit with a gun kind of like this.
Speaker 8 (06:21):
See see yeah, Now what did he say when he
showed you.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
The gun like this? This is a stick up.
Speaker 7 (06:27):
Keep your mouth shut and you might not get hurt.
Speaker 8 (06:30):
Might That's what he said?
Speaker 1 (06:32):
What happened?
Speaker 7 (06:32):
Then told both Claud and me to come out from
behind the counter, said for us lay down on the floor. Yeah,
we did like he said. You know, there was just
something about that kid, so you had to go his way.
He made us lay.
Speaker 8 (06:43):
Down right there where Claud is now.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
On our stomachs. Yeah, what happened.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Then went over and took the money out of the
cash register. Then he really got sore. I thought he
was going to expode. What you know, wasn't much for
him to take, only about twenty to twenty five dollars.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Guess he expected more. You see, he come.
Speaker 7 (06:58):
Over to where me and Claud were on the floor,
told us to take the money out of our pocket,
stood there with a gun pointed right at us.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
He was mad. He did what he said. You just
bet we did.
Speaker 8 (07:09):
I only had about six bucks on me.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Gave it right to him though.
Speaker 7 (07:11):
Yeah, that's when Anita here come into the store, just
walked in like a rabbit into a fox's trap.
Speaker 10 (07:18):
Jack, I didn't have any idea what was going on.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Couldn't you see through the door?
Speaker 10 (07:22):
Yes, I should have, but it was raining to herd.
Speaker 8 (07:24):
I didn't take the time. Glass was kind of steamed
up too, made it tough to look in.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
I see. Well, what happened when the hold up man
saw you?
Speaker 10 (07:31):
He told me to keep my mouth shut, not to
make it down and get down on the floor just
like us. He grabbed my proof and took the wallet up,
went through it and took the money.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
How much was it? Just a couple of dollars?
Speaker 10 (07:41):
I came over to get a bottle of wine, and
I only took what I needed.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
All right, you want to go on? He started on.
Speaker 7 (07:46):
Claud told him to empty his pockets. Yeah, Claud didn't
take too kindly to the way this fellow was acting.
If he'd just come in taking the money, it might
have been different. But Claud don't like to be shoved around.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yeah, he did.
Speaker 7 (07:57):
Like the kid told him, though, I emptied his pockets
right out. Well, you just figure the man was real
sore when he saw how much money he was going
to get. Yeah, you see, Claud don't work. He's got
some kind of pension. All alone in the world. He
usually don't have much money. The main reason he comes
over to play cards. He ain't got nothing else to do.
That it's free. Come much to have on him tonight
(08:19):
thirty seven cents. Kid saw that, I thought, sure he's
going to kill us.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
All he acted like it.
Speaker 8 (08:24):
Then he figured maybe Claud was holding out on him.
Told him to trendy his pockets inside out. He did
like he was told. When he did, something fell out
of his pocket.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
A coin hit the floor and rolled around, disappeared under
the counter over there, and the gun crawd.
Speaker 10 (08:36):
And got real mad, said Claud tried to get away
with something, said for him to go pick.
Speaker 6 (08:40):
Up the crime.
Speaker 7 (08:41):
Claud told him if he wanted it that bad, he
could get it himself. Yeah, fella just looked at Claud
for a minute and then put the gun right against
his head right here. See, didn't say a word, just
pulled the trigger. No reason for it. Claude must have
been dead when he hit the floor, Just rudal do.
Then ran outside. You try and folly, No, sir. Me
(09:04):
and Anita were trying to see if there was anything
we could do for claw.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Did the man get into a card?
Speaker 8 (09:08):
You know, I didn't see might have that, I didn't
see it.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Did you hear a car? No? Have you ever seen
the man around here before?
Speaker 8 (09:16):
Not that I remember a lot of people go by
the door. Hard to pick one, make it stand out.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
You'd know him again if you saw him, would you?
Speaker 8 (09:23):
I think so.
Speaker 10 (09:24):
I would never forget the way he looked at me
like some kind of animal.
Speaker 8 (09:29):
I see somethingbody's eyes.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
He was crazy, really wild. Well how do you mean that?
Speaker 10 (09:34):
Well, you weren't looking right at us, like there was
somebody standing behind me. He was looking at them.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
He couldn't focus. You know, I know what you mean.
Speaker 8 (09:42):
Say, did you see the coin that lane for drop?
Speaker 1 (09:44):
No? Just heard it hit the floor? Uh huh? Find it?
I think so, but it doesn't make much sense. Take
a look at it? Yeah, what is it? Street car token?
(10:04):
Wo Men from the crime lab arrived and photographed the store.
Diagrams were made showing the position of the body, and
the premises were checked thoroughly. The victims were taking the
city hall to check the mug book. They were unable
to make an identification the canvas who started her immediate
area in the hope that we might be able to
turn up a witness to the shootings. One of the
uniformed officers talked to a newsboy who had seen a
man run from the liquor store trying and I went
down to talk to him.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
Yeah, I saw him.
Speaker 11 (10:26):
I heard this noise like a backfire, and then this
fellow come out of the store and started to run
down the street.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
You get a good look at him.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
No, he went down that way away from me.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
You see if he got into a car.
Speaker 8 (10:34):
No, he ran around the corner.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
I didn't think a lot about it.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
So last the whole thing was over.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Could you describe him for us? No?
Speaker 11 (10:40):
I just got to look at his back. Nothing about
that that did stand out.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Uh.
Speaker 11 (10:43):
You might talk to that girl though, what girl? Well,
when a fellow ran out of the story, almost knocked
you down, ran right by her, do you know who
she is? Not right out?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Sure? Feel like I do? Know what I mean?
Speaker 8 (10:53):
Let's see her every week?
Speaker 6 (10:54):
Where is that home every Saturday night?
Speaker 8 (10:57):
What's that she's on television?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
From the witness, we got the time of day of
the television shows. The contacted the network and obtained the
information that the girl's name was Betty Martin, and they
went on to tell us that she was working in
a nightclub in Beverly Hills. Frank and I drove out
to see her. She was sitting at a table talking
to some people, and we asked the waiter to tell
her we'd like to see her. Hello, you want to
see me? Yes, ma'am. We sit down please, thank you here,
(11:26):
I'll get that cheerfully.
Speaker 10 (11:29):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 1 (11:30):
We're police officers. Miss Martin is Frank Smith. My name
is Friday. How do you do Hello? We understand that
you were in the area of fourteenth in flower tonight.
Speaker 12 (11:37):
Is that right about right?
Speaker 1 (11:39):
How's why? Well, it was a hold up and shooting
down there. It's possible that you might have seen the
man who did it.
Speaker 12 (11:44):
Oh, I don't think so.
Speaker 10 (11:45):
My manager and I went down there to listen to
a group as playing, But as far as I know,
I didn't see anybody else.
Speaker 8 (11:51):
Oh, excuse me, I'll be right back. If your words
were unfinished, I'll tell you.
Speaker 9 (11:55):
What I can.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
It's rather important, Miss Martin. We'll wait.
Speaker 10 (11:57):
Well, so it's my job.
Speaker 12 (11:58):
I'll do one son, then I'll be back right, Thank
you kidding.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Oh oh.
Speaker 12 (12:15):
Oh, love you, love you, love you, love you, any creature?
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Oh me, need you, need you?
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Any question?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Want you.
Speaker 12 (13:25):
Want me? Where you.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Hid the picture?
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Now happen you?
Speaker 12 (13:45):
Please love me?
Speaker 8 (13:59):
Why?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Please?
Speaker 12 (14:08):
Very quote?
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, I'm sure a pretty song.
Speaker 12 (14:36):
Well, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
It's a new song written I saw named arthor Hamilton. Yeah,
very nice.
Speaker 12 (14:40):
Now what's this about a man I'm supposed to the scene.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Well, we told this there was a shooting at fourteenth
in Flowers.
Speaker 9 (14:45):
Uh huh.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Well, one of the people in the neighborhood recognized you,
and he tells us that the suspect ran right by you.
Is that right? Do you?
Speaker 12 (14:51):
I don't remember just a minute, Oh no, I remember.
Speaker 10 (14:55):
Yeah, he ran out of the store, almost knocked me down,
didn't even stop to say anything.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Did you get a good look him?
Speaker 13 (15:00):
Well, he ran into me.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Can you tell us anything about him?
Speaker 12 (15:04):
Well, I'm afraid not.
Speaker 10 (15:05):
I didn't pay any attention.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Something that happened, and you don't think about it, you know,
would you know the manage to saw him again?
Speaker 10 (15:12):
I don't think so. Whose thing happened?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
So sad?
Speaker 1 (15:15):
There's nothing about him that you remember, No, unless it
was his eyes, ma'am. His eyes like he was looking
right through you. Eleven forty six pm, Frank and I
went back downtown. The search for the killer had spread
(15:35):
throughout the city. Additional units from all divisions were called
in to help. From the description given us by the
victims and witnesses, it appeared more than likely that the
suspect was a narcotics user. If this was true, there
was more than possible that he'd cut down anybody who'd
got in his way. Frank and Eye contacted the office
and talked to Captain Donald, he'd taken over the search
for the gunman. Because it was impossible to cover all
(15:56):
of the liquor stores in the area, it was decided
to ask the owners to close. Frank and I were
assigned the places along Vermont Avenue. The first six stars
we contact had cooperated. By the time we got to
the seven, the rain had stopped. We parked the car
in front of the place and walked in, and first
there was no one in sight, But then in the
storeroom we found the owner. He was lying on the floor,
his head buried in his arms. You go away and
(16:17):
leave me along you all right?
Speaker 6 (16:19):
I have no I want to stay that way.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Now you get out of here or police officers. What's
the matter with you now? Don't try that with me.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
I know who you are.
Speaker 6 (16:24):
You got all the money, there's no more to take.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Come on, it's no joke, fella.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
Now listen, I remember what you said. I ain't gonna
get up from here for another two minutes.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
I could see my watch.
Speaker 8 (16:32):
Still got two minutes and.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Get your head up from the floor. You can see
this card, huh. It's an identification card? Here? See it?
Are you sure well? You're looking at it?
Speaker 8 (16:43):
Now?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Look. If this is a joke, I'm not gonna like it.
Come on, come on, don't worry about it, and I
get up.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Come on, it's about time you got here.
Speaker 11 (16:51):
It's a terrible thing when a man's robbing his own
store and nobody's going.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
To take the time to protect him.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You were held up tonight, yes, or not more than
three minutes ago?
Speaker 6 (16:57):
Guy left You told me to stay where I was
for five minutes.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Huh. The man who held you, can you describe him
for it?
Speaker 11 (17:02):
Yeah, young kid just out of his teens, roaming around
the streets threaten citizens.
Speaker 8 (17:05):
Your cops ought to do.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Something about it. What do you look like?
Speaker 11 (17:08):
When he was dark black hair, black, eyes wild.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
It's looking eys.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
You ever saw one look at him?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
You know he meant what he said, stay put, and
I did. I'll call him.
Speaker 6 (17:16):
What's he going to do?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Put out a broadcast for the hold up man? That's it.
Speaker 11 (17:20):
I don't want to tell you your business, but it
sure seems like a waste of time.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
What's it?
Speaker 6 (17:23):
Well, if he hears it, he ain't going to give
himself up.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
The broadcast was put out to all units. From the
description given by the victim, we were sure it was
the suspect. All of the cars on the perimeter of
the search area were drawn in and the entire vicentity
was surrounded. He took a little over twenty minutes to
get the cars into position. Frank talk with Captain Donna
at the corner of Vermont Avenue and Beverly Boulevard. After
the meeting, he came back to the car, Well that
(17:56):
does it? Yeah? Area is secure? Were they trying to
nail him down? No figure to keep the area surround
his way from morning and then move in. Do you
think he's still here? We'll know in three hours. The
(18:17):
preliminary search of the neighborhood meted nothing in the area.
Was secured for the night. The rain kept up. All
officers involved in the operation were kept on duty. At
six twenty am, the circle began to tighten. House by house,
the space where the killer could be hiding was eliminated.
All cars into and out of the area were stopped
and searched. Seven to fifteen am, the perimeter began to narrow.
(18:37):
At eight forty six am, a call went out to
all units.
Speaker 13 (18:40):
All units on special details in the vicinity of Vermont
Avenue and Beverly Boulevard regarding.
Speaker 9 (18:46):
The suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (18:48):
Possible suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Vermont
and Catalina Street. Attention, Ali units, Special details regarding the.
Speaker 9 (18:57):
Suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (19:00):
Suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Catalina Street
and Vermont Avenue.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
That's us, Yeah, be a breakup. It tim right.
Speaker 13 (19:07):
All units on special detail in the vicinity of Vermont
Avenue and Beverly Boulevard regarding the.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Suspect wanted for murder.
Speaker 13 (19:15):
Possible suspect believed to be in the vicinity of Vermont
and Catalina Street. Attention All units, special detail regarding the
suspect wanted for murder. Possible suspect believed to be in
the vicinity of Catalina.
Speaker 8 (19:29):
Make sense, Why do you kill a man for a
street car token?
Speaker 1 (19:34):
According to the report received by the complaint board, a
woman in the vicinity had seen someone run through her backyard.
When she shouted at the person, he continued running and
disappeared into the alley. All cars in the area converged
and the complete search was started. As time went on,
the possible hiding places narrowed, and finally the suspect was
(19:56):
left with less than a block in which to conceal himself.
Frank and I joined the officers on foot. After twenty minutes,
we found ourselves in the backyard at one of the
houses on the street. Looks like a chicken house back there.
Speaker 8 (20:10):
Better checking us?
Speaker 1 (20:11):
You know all right? You got it covered? Yeah, Joe, sure,
all right? Come on out, keep you ahead to wait
and see him. Don't shoot, Please, don't shoot. I get
a stas deal right where you are.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
I'm doing like you say. Don't shoot.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
I got up and get that wall. Come on, put
your hands up there going off thirty eight revolvers. I
had it giving it to you.
Speaker 6 (20:38):
I don't want any trouble.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Always works out that way, doesn't it.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
What do you mean if you guys.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Are big as long as you're holding the gun, soon
as somebody else has got it, your fall apart, don't you.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
I don't want no lectures, cop, Just take me and
that's all you got to do is take me in
and make a book.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
We'll do that.
Speaker 6 (20:49):
Land up on the limb anyway. You've got nothing to
hold me on, that's all.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (20:52):
I've been around cops a long time. I learned it
the hard way. Don't tell them nothing. That's the way
to make it. Don't tell them nothing.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
When you missed one of the big points. This gun
you were carrying, Yeah, maybe that'll tell us. The suspect
was taken in the city hall. It was mugged and
fingerprinted from his prince. We identify them as Max Hanford.
He got a record listing several arrests for violations of
the State in Narcotic Act and two counts robbery. However,
(21:17):
he'd never served time on any of the chargers. We
talked to him for an hour without result. Ten forty
am to leave me alone. I got nothing to you, guys,
so you keep believing it. We've got people coming in
who are going to lay it on you. But what
two eleven and murder?
Speaker 6 (21:30):
You're out of your mind.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
We got you made on all counts anyway, your slices,
you're on the needle cop Is that so? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (21:35):
You got one beef on me most you can take
me for a stealing chickens.
Speaker 11 (21:38):
You sit down and try to think what a judge
is going to say when you read that awesome.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Court All right, Hanford, you keep that smile in your face.
You go right on believing it. We can't press the charge.
It'll stick now. We got a half a dozen people
on the way in here. They'll point you out in
the crowd. As soon as they do, we'll drop you
on a cell and hold your IESE won't be long
to let you in. Get so big you'll be yelling
for us to turn you loose. You got it all,
take it, Haven's that's right right down the line. You're
a height, you're hooked and you're hooks. Everything's working for us.
(22:02):
You go through the cure and you'll tell us what
we want to know, and you'll be glad you'd got
the chance to talk. We don't need your help. We're
home free without you, and keep up the way your actency?
How far it gets you?
Speaker 6 (22:12):
You really figure you can box me in without a door?
Speaker 11 (22:16):
When'd you call the people to point me out a
little while ago? Who can you get them before they
leave home?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Why?
Speaker 6 (22:23):
No reason for him to make a trip.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
I'll give it to you. Do you want a snography?
Might as well.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
I got nothing to lose.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
I'll give you this story. I'll get them loud to deal.
Is that right? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:36):
I didn't want to kill that felly. You know, well,
why'd you do?
Speaker 1 (22:38):
It?
Speaker 6 (22:39):
Was high?
Speaker 1 (22:39):
I just had a pop.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
I felt like out in the world.
Speaker 11 (22:42):
I'd be pretty sort of think the guy was holding
out on me because you think that's a pretty bad reason.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
That's right.
Speaker 11 (22:48):
People don't understand you got a bad habit working on you.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
You do anything to feed it, is right?
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Sure?
Speaker 11 (22:52):
You let me talk to anybody. Let me tell them
what it means to have a supply shut off. I'll
tell them what it's like.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
I don't care who it is.
Speaker 11 (22:58):
You put me in front of a jury, I'll tell
him at the chair, tell him wasn't my fault.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I got hooked on this stuff.
Speaker 6 (23:03):
That's why I did it. I'll tell him.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Well, while you're at it, you can tell him something else.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Why why you started taking narchotics. The story you have
just heard is true. The names were changed to protect
the innocence.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
On February sixteenth, trial was held in Department in ninety
seven Superior Court of the State of California in and
for the County of Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Max S. Gifford.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Hanford was tried and convicted of murder in the first
degree and received sentence as prescribed by law. Because the
jury failed to return a recommendation for clemency, he received
the maximum sentence and was put to death in the
lethal gas chamber of the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California.
(24:05):
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your
police force in action and starring Jack Webb. A presentation
of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service
Speaker 11 (25:04):
Supp
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