Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net. Follow us on Twitter at
Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash
Great Detectives. Today's program is brought you in part by the financial support of
our listeners. You can support the show on a one time based by mailing
a donation to Adam Graham Pielbox one five nine one three, pill Box one
five nine thirteen, Boise idahol eight three seven one five. You can also
become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as two dollars per month.
Just go to Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. Well, now it's
time for this week's episode of Drag NAT. The original aired eight August eighteenth,
nineteen forty nine, and its production eleven aka sixteen Jewel Thefts. Here
is another in NBC's Great parode of new shows. Ladies and Gentlemen. The
story you were about to hear is true, only the names have been changed
to protect the innocent. NBC brings you drag Net. You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned to burglary detail. A sudden wave of jewel thefts is sweeping
the city. In sixteen days, sixteen burglaries have been committed, one each
night. They bear the same trademark. Thousands of dollars of jewels are missing.
The thief is a master at his trade. Your job get him.
Drag Net. The document a drama of an actual crime, investigated and solved
by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your
family, and your life. For the next thirty minutes, in cooperation with
the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side
of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning
to end, from crime to punishment, drag Net is the story of your
police force in action. It was Tuesday, June seventeenth, was warm in
Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of burglary. My partner's
Ben Romero. The boss is at backstrand, Chief of Detectives. My name
is Friday. I was on the way into work that morning and it was
seven fifty three am when I got to Room forty five Burglary detailed. Hi
joel Owia Walker gonna be a scorcher at today, Yeah, just like yesterday.
Been in yet. I think he's over in communications picking up the mail.
Thanks you guys. Been busy. Kind of jewel thefts anything big there,
no big hauls. But he's consistent. Sixteen nights in a row,
same guy, I think so, same mo. And everybody's got troubles.
Gotta check some records. See you later, Joe, okay, Willie Burglary
Friday, Yeah okay, Mike. Soon as Ben gets back, he's picking
up the mail, right bye, Hi, Joe Hire Ben Hannah just called
Chief wants to see us. Take a look at these first, but he
got overnight reports. Yeah yeah these two yeah, two of the three diamond
rings, one sapphire, one necklace jade, big haul look at the other
one ladies watch, diamond band, emmon bracelet, turmaline brooch. What's turmaline?
Ben, I don't know. It must be valuable as gone. Let's
The owner left house about nine pm, returned about one thirty am. Found
property gone. Scratches on the door, probably using the cellophane method. Hasn't
missed yet. Two in one night now it's picking up his pace. Must
have a bag full of loot somewhere, whoever it is. You get the
description sheets from bone shop detail. Yeah, I got him right here.
You take half of them. Let's see what luck we got this morning.
Yeah, nothing so far. You need it, I'll get it, yell
Burglary Romero, Hi, Ben Chief still wants to talk to you. Boys.
He's got an appointment to day. Turney wants to see you before you
leave. Okay, Mike, just checking some by sheets, me running,
got to make it fast. He's in a bad mood this morning. Okay,
I thank you. Back Strand again. Yeah, he's in a bad
mood. Come on, wonder was bothering him? Something's bad. He doesn't
blow very often. She's a detectives office hand and go ahead it and boys,
he's waiting. Thank you mine all right, ma'am, I'll connect you.
Friday, Romero, sit down. We do want to get them back
Strandon, Oh, yes, missus Winter, Yes, ma'am. We're doing
all we can, yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am, Yes, I'll
do that, yes, ma'am. Goodbye. Got trouble ed taxpayer? Is
winterrop? You two ought to remember the name we do scam. Ten days
ago, somebody lifted two thousand dollars worth of diamonds from her bedroom while she
was at the symphony. Last night she was hit again. Diamond watch and
m LL bracelet and some kind of approach tourmaline. I don't care what kind
it was. It's gone. What's the pitch We just read report a couple
of minutes ago, Skipper, could be a time with those other sixteens.
Sixteen jobs in sixteen days. You haven't got a lead on the thief yet,
nothing shows up, no prints, nothing. What about the pawn shops.
Nobody's tried to soak any hot stuff as far as we know. We
double check the detail. We got every HOWK shopping town on the alert.
Whoever it is, they've got to try to pawn the stuff sometime unless they're
going to give diamond rings for Christmas presents. And they haven't tried the pawn
shops yet, Skipper, were sure they look Sixteen burglaries in sixteen days,
jewels and watchers, good ones. That's got to stop. It's got to
stop soon. You understand. We'll stay right on top of it. Head.
We're doing all we can for two weeks. I've had half a dozen
women calling me every day, society women. Some of them figure they should
get extra treatment. They're only dr numbers to skipper. They all get the
same attention. Try and explain that to some of them. They think you're
in on the racket. Maybe you boys would like to take these calls some
morning, No thanks, Ed, all right, then let's get some action.
Keep the pawn shop operators on their toes and get after every known in
town. That's all. I've got an appointment, all right, Ed,
check you later? Hold it a coat for you, Ben? Thank you
now? Oh hi, Max? What hold? It'd be right down?
First? Break Joe? What you got necklace? And to watch both have
them on the stolen properly? Where Henry's pawn Shop, Fifth and Maine.
Six minutes later, at eight twenty five am, Ben and I drove up
in front of Henry's Square deal pawn shop, quick cash, no red tape,
watches bought and sold. The proprietor was Max Murphy, an old friend
of Ben's. Well pell of all days it had to happen yesterday. Took
the day off one fishing up at Big Bear. I left my nephew in
charge Harry A real not head, that kid? What do you mean,
Max, Joe? If I told him once? I told him one hundred
and once. Whatever you do. Whatever they come in with the hot check
it with the list, check it with the stolen property list. What does
he do? He forgot? He forgot? Oh? Real notd heead?
That boy? How old is he? Max? Thirty two? A real
knothead. I checked the slips from yesterday, then I checked the stolen property
list. There it is hot stuff. When of the stuff come in,
Max? You know about four o'clock yesterday afternoon. Can we look at it?
Oh? Sure, yeah? Back here behind the car, there it
is. Did you check out the steal numbers on the watch yet? Man?
When I found out? Yes, they matched to a t all right.
Let's see yeah, description on this necklace matches too. Let's have a
look at your bibook. I'm x yes, at Joe. Here, y'are
there's a deal right there here? Yeah, that's him. That's how he
gave his name, Walter Tracy and a half Blackstone Courts. Let me check
the book for the description, man, Oh sure, yeah, here,
okay, Max, Thanks, we'll be checking with you later. Sure,
Joe, anytime. Sorry, al right, Max, see you later.
You fellows it easy, right? I want to check and see if we're
clear. Joe, Yeah, I will eighty K to control one eight OK
to control one a week clearer control one day eighty K is dan By good
lead. Joe got a description in here. Yeah, it's too bad.
Max's nephew to slip up control one day eighty K. Call your office immediately,
Call your office immediately. Yeah, I wonder what that's about. No,
Calle, you got some change. I'll use Maxi's phone. Use your
phone a minute, mac Oh, you bet sure? Help yourself. Thank
you? City all two five two four five Burglary Levine. This is Ben
George. You got something one Universal loan shop sixth and bought in place.
Guy just took in a couple of rings. He checked too late. What
you mean? He checked the form after the guy left and was signed Walller
Tracy. There they are Sageant both rings fine quality diamonds. Don't you usually
check your stolen goods list before you take in stuff like this? Usually?
Yes? Last night, No, I don't know what I was thinking about.
We have a look at your bibook right here there it is Waldert Tracy
six ninety nine dollars street, one hundred and forty five pounds, five foot
nine dark hair, build, thin, We'll I have to slap a hole
on these rings, I know I should have. Can you think of anything
else that might help us to identify the man? Well? No, howd
like soudan nice cut, very well addressed. Thank you, it's all for
now. Here's a card. If the guy happens to drop back, give
us a call with you show will side. Let's say, yeah, I've
got some nice watch bends yours look gold? Can I interest you? No?
Thanks some O the time, come on ben that afternoon. In the
following morning, despite our alert and our warnings, two more pawn shops called
in with reports of stolen watches taken in. We checked them out. The
serial numbers on the watches matched those on the stolen property list on the pawn
shop account books. The loan was listed under the name Walter Tracy. The
addresses were given as number twelve Saint Vincent Place and seven hundred East Flower.
The descriptions of the man were the same, slight build, well dressed,
about one hundred and forty five pounds, five feet nine inches, tall,
dark wavy hair. We had the name and description distributed to every pawn shop
in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Through our informants. We checked up on
every known fence in the city. For the next two nights, we received
no reports of stolen jewels. That made up for the double burglary the night
before. On June nineteenth, the box score red eighteen successive nights, eighteen
successive jewel burglaries. At three twenty five in the afternoon, Ben and I
sat down to check over the late incoming reports. Got anything, Joe,
Yeah, that's yet. No, nothn't here. Maybe the guy's left town.
Nope, no such luck. Take a look. That's it, number
nineteen. He may's had a record. Now he's making monkeys out of us.
In the look, man's watch ladies watch Chinese amber necklace, diamond shirt,
studs, and a bracelet with two large rubies. He's getting ambitionious.
How's the value lasting let? They say eighteen hundred dollars one haul. I'll
get it. Burglary Friday, Yeah what, yeah, you're right down stall
them. Let's go, man, where Kaplin's down on the second Walter Tracy's
in there. Now trying to hawk a gold watch. Men cover the door.
I'll look like I'm shopping around, right, but watch a step.
We don't know this guy. Yeah, stay close to the door. Huh.
I'm sorry. That's the best we can do on the watch. Look,
Mac, this is gold twenty one jewels. Well, that's the best
I can do. Drop dead, what's the best I can do? Don't
get sore? Yeah, sure, see you later. That's insurgent wall at
Tracy. I stole them as long as I could. All right, I'll
check back with you later. She spot the guy that just came out.
Yeah, I went up straight. Let's follow him, hustling spot him Men
straight ahead, about fifteen yards he's crossing straight. Yeah, let's got up
a little closer. We're losing sure of the light change. You can run
for him. What's the traffic light? Yeah? Get back, what's closed?
We might a spot at. This is going faster, Come on,
Joe, run, Yeah, don't lose on. It's proud not help.
Hey, Hey, wait a minute, I thought you're a cop. It
takes in somebody like all my armist. We're like, oh god, you
don't have to get tough. Plus he cop tick the owner Street. I'm
gonna write a maze. Aw Come on, Joey, he's running for Yeah,
I see him. Watch the signal up ahead and hurry er almost up
to me into the parking line. Hey you stop, look, got joe
gone? I say geta wait. All right, smart guys, it's nice.
Yeah, yeah, he's too fast for an honest man. Let's take
him in. When we got back to headquarters, Walter Tracy was under technical
arrest. We took him directly to the interrogation room. We searched him thoroughly.
We had him take everything out of his pockets and put it on the
table. Then we had him take all the money he had him his wallet
counted out and hold it in his hand. What is all this routine?
That's all the money you have on you, forty seven dollars and seventeen cents,
right, yeah, okay, keep it in your hand. Ben shaking
down? All right, Tracy? Take off your coat, shirt, tying
your shoes and stop. What kind of a picture is this? I'm no
hood. Take them all two big cups. You're not penning anything on me.
I don't care what you do. Leeves, pockets, lyning nothing,
God, Jill get his shirt. Take a light with the threads and costs
money? About the trousers, ben see cuffs pockets? No, let me
get the bell slip from the inside of the belt. No, it's clean
shoes roky, all right, Tracy, Let's see the soles of your feet.
I hope you don't mind they're dirty. Why don't you take a shower?
Let's see, all right, Joe Nason, put your throws back on.
Yeah, thanks, all right? Sure? What's your name? Huh?
I said, what's your name? You're telling jokes, Walter Tracy?
You know that your real name? How old are you? Tracy? Twenty
seven? Where do you live? No place? Got in town a couple
of days ago. Where you're from? Salina, Kansas? Where you've been
sleeping last two nights? The park Pershing Square closed? Don't chili pretty Natty?
I had him pressed down by the square. I don't remember you ever
been arrested before. No, where'd you get this gun, Tracy? The
one you pulled on us. I didn't know who you were. Would have
been a couple of hoods. You kind of look like it. Where'd you
get the gun? I wanted in a crap game? Coming out on the
train. Where'd you get the watch? Graduation president? You want him to
run a make on him? Joe gun in the watch? Yeah, I'll
call him. Go on check. You can't prove a thing. Launch Shop
Records, Gilmore Girl was Friday? Can you give me a make on a
watch? Go ahead? Time Master yellow gold Man's wristwatch. Okay, case
number seven one six F two three right, movement number B three five one
seven oh eight. Got it? Okay, Now give me a make on
this Gunner thirty two S and W Automatic serial number five seven nine four six
one. Okay, call me back right, what's your station number two five
seven two. I'll ring it. Joe? Thanks having fun? What'd you
do with all those jewelry? Still? When do I get out of it?
I don't think you're gonna get out. You got nothing on me.
I told you, Tracy, get your tape measure five nine? How much
you weigh? I'm ridden forty, I'm twenty seven. My name's Walter Tracy.
I come from Solina. I've been in town two days and I don't
know what you guys are talking about. It sounds smart, you don't act
it, and you're flying Brian Copper, what'd you do with those jewels?
You still I don't know what you're talking about? What color your eyes?
I don't know? I'm color Brian. What color would you say your hair?
Is you color brind too? You bet? Rest before straighten out,
he asked me that I'm asking you. No, you ever done any big
time? No? All right, I don't care if your level with us
or not. We're gonna make you on those problem jobs, all nineteen of
them. Sure, sure, you guys are smart. You got in Los
Angeles two days ago? Is that right? Yeah? You don't know anything
about any jewel thess That's what I said. And how come your name and
your handwriting's on the account books and four pawnshops from Los Angeles not mine?
You can't prove, we can, Tracy, come clean? What'd you do
with the stuff you stole from twelve to fifty Maraga Drive June fifth? I
didn't steal any stuff. What did you do with the rings and watches you
took him? Fourteen hundred Plastical Road June ninth. I wasn't in town.
What'd you do with the diamond dress pins you stole? June thirteenth, one
twenty three South Vnes did I do that. You're not only kinky, you're
a bad liar. You prove it. Order get your saw book. Your
prints bounced, Tracy. Our handwriting man's going to work in those signatures of
yours. You haven't got a chance. Now, come on, where'd you
hide the stuff? You can't prove a thing. Where'd you say you've been
sleeping last two nights in the park Persian Square? You want to map clothes?
Sure looks nice, I said, I had impressed. But you can't
remember where? No, I can't remember where. That a crime? Friday
timing, Joe. This is Gilmour. Here's the stuff you asked for.
Let's have it, Gil. I'll make on the watch, I'll make on
the gun. Okay, y'all thanks a lot. Yeah, you're in up
your neck. You said that, didn't you. You're gonna talk, Tracy
kind are tired? All right, we'll let you sleep on it. Come
on, Ben, let's book him, right, I'll get your jobs.
Coppers. Sure, come on. We took Walter Tracy to the county jail
and had him booked on suspicion of burglary. It was still sullen. We
knew we had the guilty man. Now we had to prove it. As
it often happens, the victims never see the burglar. They only know he's
been there. They can't identify him, but they can identify their property.
Our job was to find the property. When we did, we'd have Walter
Tracy and the nineteen victims would have their property returned. But Tracy wasn't talking,
and we knew he'd never talk unless he thought it help him. We
took the problem dead backstrand smart punk skipper. But he's done time before.
How do you know? Tried him out last night. When we brought him
in. He talks like in the axe, like it, but he won't
cop out. Are you sure I won't talk one hundred years? He knows
he's got unspot and one thing sure, We're not going to send him up
without finding the loot first. He's planted the stuff somewhere in the city.
We've got to find it. Ben and I have got an idea. Ed.
It's not going to be easy, but it might work. When is
it. Tracy tried to soak some of the stolen property at four separate pawn
shops in the downtown area. Yeah, at each one of those four pawn
shops. He gave a local address. We're sure he must have a roamor
and apartment someplace in town, all right, where that's where a guess work
comes in, Skipper. Every one of those addresses he gave fors within a
certain area. Oh big an area. Oh you've got that street diagram,
Joel. Yeah. Here it is ed from figure ROI here to San Pedro
and from Pico down to First Street. Area is about twelve blocks wide fourteen
blocks long. Territory. How are you going to cover it? On foot?
We'll take Tracy with us, plenty of legwork. You sure it stands
here. We've got to find the stuff, and it's the only way we
can figure hotels, apartment's, rooming houses. There must be hundreds of places
you could stay in that territorium. It'll take a couple of weeks. Yeah,
on foot it will all right. It's tough, but it's your idea.
Go to it. An hour after we left Chief Backstrand, we got
Tracy out of his cell in the county jail and started our canvas of the
appointed area. We took the usual precautions and handcuffed Tracy's wrists to our own.
We started the search for his hideout at First Street and figure out was
a warm day in Los Angeles. The temperature was ninety one. After the
first three hours. I could tell Ben's feet we're ready to give out,
and so were mine. We couldn't even have the comfort of complaining that it
encourage Tracy, and he was cocky enough already. Take cursed every step of
the way. My legs off, all right, quit poling. Will you
come on, Tracy? Up the stairs? Another one to check? Warm
days? You know? Yeah? A little? What do you mean a
little? Must be one hundred and ten? Yes, what is it?
You're the manager? Yes? Could you tell me wich apartment this man has
in your house? Ma'am? Oh him, yes, ma'am this one.
Never saw him before. You don't live here, all right, ma'am?
Thank you? Yeah, hot er, why are you gonna get wise?
Come on, Tracy, and that finishes this side of the street. You
want to cross over, Jill, Yeah, let's go. I'm hungry.
I want to eat after we cover the other side of the street. You
can't do this to me. I'm gonna get a lawyer. I don't have
your jobs both here. Yeah, come on, we only got a couple
one hundred places to go. All right, jas, what can I do
for you? You're the manager, I run the place. Yeah, which
room does this man having place him? You made a mistake. He doesn't
live here? All right? Thanks, My feet are killing me. Wait
till I get a lawyer. I'll find both your dumb comps. I do
you think you're doing anyway? My guy? All that day, and the
day after that, and the day after that, Ben and I with Tracy
handcuffed to our risk canvas to designated areas from hotel to hotel, from rooming
house to rooming house, and the apartments too. Every day our feet ached
a little more, our pace slowed down, Tracy got more irritable, and
the weather got hotter. The second day it reached a high of ninety two,
the third day ninety four, the fourth day ninety four. Police regulations
say plain clothes officers must wear a coat and necktie on the street at all
times. We wore our coats and necktimes. The search continued into the fifth
day, our pace got even slower. Ben and I started to lose heart.
After a while, we forgot our object was to recover the stolen jewels.
All we wanted was to find Tracy's hideout. We knew we were right.
We knew Tracy was our man. Was a point of pride. Whether
your feet hurt or not, you don't give into a thief. Yes,
what do you want? You're the land lady here, I am. Which
apartment does this man have in the building? Well, none of them.
He's not one of my tenants, Thank you, ma'am. Come on,
Tracy. By the sixth day, all three of us had special pads in
our shoes. Our feet ache worse than ever. Tracy let us know about
his every three minutes. By late afternoon of the sixth day, we'd covered
more than half of the designated area. The temperature was ninety five. You
guys are gonna go on forever. I'm sweating like a horse. I'm getting
card of your moaning. That looks like the manager behind the desk, Yes,
sir, you're the manager. Yes, sir? What can I do
for you? Can you tell us which room this man has in the hotel?
Him? He doesn't live here? Hey, he fellas look off?
You warm like the cool off in the lobby. We're a condition. No
thanks, I'm hungry. Why don't we eat you're always hungry. You get
the biggest mouth on a cop I ever saw. All right, then,
yeah, I'm hungry. I want to eat. Now, wait till I
give this story to the papers. Mistreating innocent guys. Break All right,
come on up the stairs. I'm going to get a lawyer tonight. I'll
show you. Yes, why mister Baker, where have you been? We
questioned the landlady and Miss Elizabeth Hunter. She told us that Baker alias Tracy,
had rented an apartment from her about two months before. That's all the
information she could give us. Tracy clammed up, he would admit nothing.
We asked Miss Hunter to accompany us as a witness. We took the elevator
up to Tracy's apartment on the sixth floor. Miss Hunter, Tracy, Ben
and I, I'm down this way here. Do you want me to open
it? Please? There's a good water. What is the water? I
told you to get out of town if I didn't come back. I didn't
want to leave. I didn't want to leave without you. I thought you
slept in the park. Take a jump. Where is the stuff hidden?
All right? Ben, handcuff into a chair, the girl behind him.
We'll find the stuff. Ourselves. All right, Tracy, all right you
nick, I haven't done anything neither. See you can't prove it, Billy,
shut up. No talking between you. Two affairs will separate you.
All right, Ben, you take the living room here. I'll try the
kitchen and get a window open. It's hot in here, right, Sergeant,
you will be careful of the furniture. Yes, ma'am, I had
no idea you, mister Baker of all people. Don't talk to him,
please, man, Oh yes, Gop, Why don't you fail? Ben?
Look, it's only the beginning. He's got the stuff scattered seven ways
for Sunday. We're gonna need help. In the milk bottle, Yeah,
two rings, three loose diamonds. In this bottle of mayonnaise. We found
some kind of approach in it, A couple of watches taped to the underside
of the kitchen sink. All right, you convinced? Okay, Ben,
call Backstrand. There was a definite possibility that Walter Baker alias Tracy, had
stored some of his stolen loot outside his apartment. We stood a little chance
of ever recovering it unless we got him to break. Ben called Chief Backstrand
and ten minutes he arrived at the apartment with another man from Burglary Detail,
George Levine. Together we went over the four room apartment foot by foot.
We found jewelry, watches, loose stones in every conceivable place, in cartons
of Cottie's cheese and jars of cold cream in the garbage can everywhere. Who's
your girlfriend? All right? I don't ask her? What's your name?
I said, what is your name? Billy? Billy Crawford. He didn't
do anything, he didn't All right, Billy, maybe you can tell us
where's the rest of the stuff he stole? He didn't steal, He didn't
steal anything. Billy, shut up, keep quiet, he ed, Wait
a minute, what just a minute. I want to look over here.
Papers taped to them the side of that top drawer. What is it from
now? No, you can't. You can't look at these. All right,
you found him. I'll talk No papers, he's your next con Yeah,
I'll cop out. Don't do it, Belly, Shut up, dumb
dame. The rest of the stuff, where is it? On the roof,
inside the ventilator, the one near the front. You'll find a couple
of paper bags, I'd said. Levin got a cheap. I'll check it.
Your papers say you did time in Oregon? What for? Fell for
robbery? Did five? Iome seven? What about the girl? I'm going
with you? I don't know. You figure it all right, Fredy Romero.
Take the girl to Lincoln Heights and Booker, we'll take him. Come.
I want to go with you. I'm sorry, man, this way
out? All right? Easy, lady? Wait a minute, gentlemen.
Water, you're right, dumb dame Billy so long? Water, All right,
come on, let's go. What's made you feel? All right?
He lied? He so loved me. He lied to me. Don't feel
hurt, lady. He lied to everybody. The story you have just heard
is true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Walter Baker
alias Walter Tracy was tried and convicted on three counts of first degree burglary and
received the maximum sentence prescribed by law. He is now serving out his term
in the state penitentiary. A hold has been placed on him by the state
of Oregon, where he will serve out seven years for violation of parole.
Billy Crawford, Baker's accomplice, was tried and convicted of receiving stolen property and
is now serving time in the State Penitentiary for Women. You have just heard
the eleventh in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official police files.
Technical advice for Dragnet is furnished by the Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program
is dedicated to Worden Clarence A. Larkin of Fulsome Prison, Sacramento, who,
on the evening of September twenty fourth, nineteen thirty seven, gave his
life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los
Angeles. If you enjoy Tonight's production of Dragnet, you'll want to listen this
Saturday evening to a pair of adventure shows featuring two well known Hollywood personalities.
You'll enjoy Brian don Levey, star of Dangerous Assignments. Also on Saturday schedule
is Richard Diamond, private detective, as played by the screens romantic tough guy
Dick Powell. Listen to both of these exciting programs this Saturday over most of
these same NBC stations. This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company. Welcome
back. This is another one of my favorite Dragnet stories, although it doesn't
rank near as high as the City Hall bomb. Nevertheless, it illustrates one
of Dragnet's great ideas. It stands in contrast to many detective programs of the
day, which imagine detective work as some glamorous pursuit filled with action and excitement
all the time. Rather, Dragnet shows more often than not, solving a
crime is a long, hard slog, involving a lot of trial and error
and also a lot of legwork. I think we all like to avoid tedium,
and so much of our science and discoveries in recent years is dedicated to
reducing the amount of tedium we all have to deal with. Sometimes, though,
the only solution is just to go through a long and tedious process,
and this story does a good job dramatizing that never was Joe Friday put through
a more frustrating and exhausting experience. This job does a great job capturing the
pure medium and misery of this nearly week long trudge to California summer heat in
suits and ties with very rare encounters with an air conditioner. Harry Morgan is
perfect as our criminal, as it brings a sharp tongue and a smart mouth
and a bad attitude, taking him the most unpleasant companion the two police officers
could have had on an already miserable task, and his performance really does help
make this episode work. Now, Morgan wasn't actually twenty seven, as the
character claim, but he was thirty five and Raymond Burr was thirty two.
It's incredible how much older many people sounded back then baking Burr's character ed Bastrand.
It's a bit of a recurring theme with some Dryden that episode. It's
particularly early ones where the police captain takes out how many complaints he's getting from
the public on the investigating officers, as if they're not already doing everything they
can to solve the case. However, it's a human practice, so I
don't fault its inclusion in this episode. I do wonder if Friday in Romero
offered to swap places with Bastrand and take his phone calls once they got into
their daily pursuit with our friendly neighborhood burglar. I don't think I've mentioned this
before when talking about this episode in prior podcast, but the foot chase scene
was really good, particularly for something that was audio only. It brings to
light the many challenges that police may face in pursuing a suspect in public.
It's not nearly as easy as many other programs will make out as sometimes the
police have a pretty easy time, you know, just being able to pursue
a suspect, and the suspect has to do something clever to shake them.
The idea of someone trying to grab a policeman while running for reasons definitely shows
some of the challenges that you can face as a police officer when pursuing a
suspect when you have a lot of people around. Finally, I have to
salute the one pawn shop owner for trying to bounce back from having to hand
over the jewels and the money he paid for the stolen merchandise and tried to
sell Friday a watchband. That's how you do it. You just never stop
selling. Well. Now to listener comments and feedback, and regarding the brothers
in the City Hall bomb, a listener writes, I was sure that the
brother with the bomb in the box was parly Bear until you said that you
didn't know. Well, thank you so much, and you may be right
thinking about it. It does sound a little bit like poorly Bear, and
I think you may be right on that now. As I said before in
the previous episode, the listeners responding to I don't recognize the voices of all
the radio actors, although there are a good many that I do pick up
on. I recognized Herb Butterfield and Jack Krushian among today's casts, but partly
Bear. I'm just not quite as tuned in yet, and I do think
that he has a great deal of variability in his voice, although I should
have it down a bit more, given that we just finished Tales of the
Texas Rangers and he was in that one a bunch. But I still don't
know who Elwood is and I haven't received a guest from anyone on that.
And then a listener on YouTube Rights regarding my analysis of the City Hall bomb,
your analysis, Adam spot On, I couldn't agree with them anymore.
Well, thank you so much, and now it is time to thank our
Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Alisha, Patreon supporter since March
of twenty twenty two, currently supporting the program at the rookie level of two
dollars or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Alisha,
and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast.
Please follow us using your favorite podcast software, and if you're enjoying the podcast
on YouTube, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel,
and mark the notification bell. We'll be back tomorrow with our Sunday encore,
and we'll be back next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet. But join us
back here on Monday as we start our journey once again through our regular lineup
with Sam Spade. Where I am sorry, mister spaed, but this has
affected me very bigly. Look, you promised you'd lay off the magic,
Wendell. How you do? Misplaced half a woman this time? Now I
have given up magic, mister Spade. I am currently employed as third vice
president of the second National Bank of North Taklahoma. All that, yes,
sir, oh, my star was rising, My future seemed assured. But
now a shadow has fallen over my good name. Booted along? Will you,
Wendell? This is costing me money. I cannot tell you more on
the phone, mister Spade. You must come at once. It is extremely
urgent. I see well. Frankly, Wendell, I have a feeling I'll
be tied up. The chances are I'll Why was that I just said?
There's one hundred dollarder your desk blotter for a retainer. I left it when
I came with a note. But if you have a collection to make,
suppose Wendel that is the collection. I hope you'll be with us then.
In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot
net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us out on
Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives from Boise, Idaho. This
is your host, Adam Graham signing off.