1 00:00:28,359 --> 00:00:34,960 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This 2 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,640 is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it 3 00:00:39,759 --> 00:00:45,600 to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at 4 00:00:45,719 --> 00:00:50,880 Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, 5 00:00:51,039 --> 00:00:56,200 slash Great Detectives. If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us using your 6 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,600 favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to part by the financial support of 7 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,640 our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis by mainly 8 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:10,760 in a donation to Adam Graham pillbox one five nine one three. That's pill 9 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,920 box one five nine thirteen Boise idahol eight three seven one five. You can 10 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:22,040 also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters far as little as two dollars per 11 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:26,280 month, and I want to welcome Anton as our latest Patreon supporter at the 12 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,719 shamous level of four dollars or more per month. Thank you so much for 13 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:36,239 your support. Anton. Now it's time to not play an old time radio 14 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,879 program for you. Let me go ahead and explain we're returning to the order 15 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:48,519 of episodes we were in before Christmas and actually after the truck Hijackers. There 16 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:55,040 are seven straight weeks of lost episodes, by far the longest gap in the 17 00:01:55,159 --> 00:02:00,079 Dragnet radio show, and make up the vast majority of Missing Apple. However, 18 00:02:00,519 --> 00:02:06,640 many of these programs were turned into TV programs and did not have their 19 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:12,120 copyright renewed, so are in the public domain. I've found that the TV 20 00:02:12,319 --> 00:02:21,159 soundtracks of Ragnet episodes that were originally written as radio programs still work as audio 21 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:27,319 only. It's a bit different with Magnet episodes that were originally written for television. 22 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,360 I looked into playing the audio version of The Big Thief, but I 23 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:35,800 found that you really did need the visuals for that. But again, those 24 00:02:36,039 --> 00:02:39,800 that were written for radio work fine as just listening to the soundtracks. So 25 00:02:39,879 --> 00:02:44,919 I want to bring you as many of the stories that were done on radio. 26 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:50,719 So for the next two weeks, we will be bringing you TV soundtracks 27 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:55,039 of the audio of the TV shows and commenting on them afterwards. And we've 28 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:00,120 got another one that will end up playing probably in about a couple years or 29 00:03:00,199 --> 00:03:06,400 so, not gonna happen again soon. The TV episode came from a period 30 00:03:06,599 --> 00:03:14,080 in season one of the drag Net TV series where Barney Phillips was playing Friday's 31 00:03:14,159 --> 00:03:19,319 partner, Sergeant Ed Jacobs. So with that little advisory, let's go ahead 32 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:24,319 and take a lesson to today's episode. The original airedate of the TV episode 33 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:30,800 was June nineteenth, nineteen fifty two, of a radio script that originally aired 34 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:46,680 October twentieth, nineteen forty nine, and the title is the Big Lamp Ladies 35 00:03:46,719 --> 00:03:51,599 and Gentlemen storry you were about to see is true? The names have been 36 00:03:51,680 --> 00:04:10,599 changed to protect the innocent. The fourth largest city in the United States and 37 00:04:10,759 --> 00:04:15,959 still growing every year. We get more of everything, population, transportation, 38 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,720 stores, crime, buildings, and more crime. More than fifty thousand major 39 00:04:21,759 --> 00:04:27,360 crimes were committed last year alone. That means fifty thousand criminals. They ranged 40 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,360 from professional killers to petty thieves. A lot of them are experts. Every 41 00:04:30,439 --> 00:04:33,480 year they seem to get better at their jobs, and the better they get, 42 00:04:33,519 --> 00:04:40,399 the harder I work. I'm a cop. It was Tuesday, April 43 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,160 twenty eighth. That was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day 44 00:04:43,199 --> 00:04:46,319 watch out of Safety Detail, Burglery Division. My partners had Jacob's the boss's 45 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,600 Captain Wisdom. My name is Friday. It was two sixteen PM when we 46 00:04:50,639 --> 00:04:54,560 got back to the Hall of Justice, Superior Court, Department thirty eight. 47 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,600 On January fourth, the safe in the Grand Herald building was burglarized. It 48 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,079 took us weeks before we narrowed on the suspects to one man. He was 49 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,519 an ex khan, a two time loser. It took more weeks of interrogation, 50 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:09,040 gathering evidence, long hours in the crime lab to build our case against 51 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,959 him. It was a big job, a hard one. He was gillty. 52 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,959 We were convinced of it. We had one step to go. It 53 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:33,480 was the jury. We had to convince them highly USI Gonley, I think 54 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,279 we got them. Joe, did you testify yet this morning? How to 55 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,439 work on physical evidence? Tied in person? We all six points. Jury 56 00:05:41,439 --> 00:05:44,959 impressed. Had to tell Buckley's got a smart lawyer. I was sucking to 57 00:05:44,959 --> 00:05:46,480 the assistant DA. The case ought to go to the jury late today. 58 00:05:46,879 --> 00:05:49,639 What's coming up next year? I'm doing back to understand when this recess is 59 00:05:49,639 --> 00:05:58,480 over. The Superior Court is again now in session, remain seated, no 60 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:16,759 spoken base. Let the record show that the jury is the dependent and the 61 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,800 counsel are President Prush Custon may proceed, if it please your honor, I'd 62 00:06:21,879 --> 00:06:36,480 like to recall Leland Jones to stand. Leland Jones take the stand. Proceeders, 63 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,639 if I may your honor, for the benefit of the record, state 64 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,079 that Leland v. Jones has been duly sworn that counsul for the defense has 65 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,480 stipulated that he's a forensic chemist attached to the Scientific Investigation Division of the Los 66 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:54,000 Angeles Police Department, and that he's qualified to testify as an expert in the 67 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,240 case proceed Jones. Earlier today in this court you heard the testimony to the 68 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:02,480 effect that Conrad Buckley had identified these exhibits as his own, this wool jacket, 69 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,480 this pair of trousers, and these shoes. Did you not I did 70 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,160 this morning, mister Jones. You pointed out these pertinent facts about these articles 71 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,319 of clothing. First, people's exhibit one of the red paint smudges on the 72 00:07:15,319 --> 00:07:18,319 soles of the shoes. They matched the paint on the ventilation pipe which leads 73 00:07:18,319 --> 00:07:20,600 to the third four of the Grand Herald building. Is that great? That 74 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,240 is cragt You further stated that the footprints left at the scene of the crime 75 00:07:25,279 --> 00:07:28,319 are made by a size EH shoe with cuban heels and metal taps on each 76 00:07:28,399 --> 00:07:31,040 toe. Is act correct. That's right. People's exhibit one A pair of 77 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:35,759 black shoes identified by the defendant as his own, their stamped size eight cuban 78 00:07:35,839 --> 00:07:44,439 heels, metal taps on each toe. Mister Jones, you're acquainted with the 79 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,040 fact that on the night of January fourth, someone scaled the ventilator pipe at 80 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,120 the third four of the Grand Herald Building, forcibly entered the attic of the 81 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:55,160 building, gained access to an adjoining suite of offices, and their burglarizes set. 82 00:07:55,279 --> 00:07:58,800 I'm acquainted with that fact. Is it possible that someone else other than 83 00:07:58,839 --> 00:08:01,319 the defendant could a burglar? That say, in my opinion, now on 84 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:05,560 where do you base your conclusion? I'd base it on the application of the 85 00:08:05,639 --> 00:08:09,319 law of probabilities to such a case as this. Would you explain that to 86 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,120 the jury? Please? First, let's apply a set of figures to these 87 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:18,519 facts. Let's say conservatively that one man in every hundred in this city wears 88 00:08:18,519 --> 00:08:20,920 a size eight shoe at cuban heels and metal taps on the shoes. Then 89 00:08:22,519 --> 00:08:24,680 let's say that one man in every hundred has red paint smudges on the soles 90 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,600 of the shoes, same color and same texture as the paint from the building. 91 00:08:30,079 --> 00:08:33,440 Further, let's estimate that one man in a hundred also wears ten ribs 92 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,879 to the inch woven trousers and wool jacket woven twelve ribs to the inch. 93 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:41,399 Let's also estimate that one man in a hundred carries a small piece of charred 94 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,759 laugh in his jacket. Then, let's say that one man in a hundred 95 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,039 carries in the cuffs of his trousers particles or plaster similar to the plaster in 96 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,480 the attic of the Grand Harold Building. What are the chances in that one 97 00:08:52,519 --> 00:08:56,720 man in this city other than the defendant could possess all six of these various 98 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,559 items. That would be one chance in one trillion. You arrive at that 99 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,399 figure, mister Jones, Well, simply by multiplying one hundred by itself six 100 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,080 times over. You mean only one man in one trillion other than the defendant 101 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,519 could have burglarize the safe on the third floor of the Grand Herald Building. 102 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,480 That's correct, one trillion. Can you give the jury something to compare that 103 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:18,440 figure with? That's more people and have lived on earth since the beginning of 104 00:09:18,519 --> 00:09:28,039 time. Lee Jones was the last witness to testify in the case of the 105 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,759 State versus Conrad Buckley. For the rest of the afternoon, the defense lawyer 106 00:09:31,799 --> 00:09:35,240 and the Assistant DA delivered their summations. The defense lawyer was eloquent and colorful. 107 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:39,039 We spoke for more than an hour and threw up every possible smoke screen 108 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,240 he could think of to disguise the facts of the case. The Assistant DA 109 00:09:43,399 --> 00:09:48,240 reviewed again the six points of physical evidence clearly defined. At five minutes to 110 00:09:48,279 --> 00:09:50,559 five that afternoon, the case went to the jury. We were expecting a 111 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,720 quick verdict. We didn't get it. The jury was locked up for the 112 00:09:54,799 --> 00:10:03,679 night and we went home. The Superior Court State of California and for the 113 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,480 County of Los Angeles is now in session. The honor of John Edwards judged 114 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,799 beside him. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict? 115 00:10:11,759 --> 00:10:31,960 Yes, Yourana, we have hand me the verdict. Read the verdict 116 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,840 Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los 117 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:45,159 Angeles, people versus Conrad Buckley, weath a during the above and title acts 118 00:10:45,159 --> 00:10:52,639 and find the defendant not guilty. No talking back there, please so say 119 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,679 you want to say all, Is this your verdict? It is the card 120 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:05,840 Di verdict, Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. I've been a judge for 121 00:11:05,879 --> 00:11:09,879 twenty six years. For the past fourteen years i've presided in this particular court. 122 00:11:11,799 --> 00:11:13,960 May I say now that this is the worst miscarriage of justice I've ever 123 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,919 witnessed. After hearing your verdict in this case, I can arrive at only 124 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:24,519 one conclusion, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Either you are innately dishonest, 125 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:37,840 or you are complete morons. Court to journey as soon as possible. 126 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,720 The District Attorney's office began exploring the personal life and background of each one of 127 00:11:41,759 --> 00:11:48,120 the twelve jurors. They contacted their neighbors, their friends, their acquaintances. 128 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,600 They checked back ten years in the lives of every one of them. They 129 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:58,919 found nothing. The jury was indifferent. They wouldn't follow the case. All 130 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,240 the facts were there la None of the jurors were fixed. The DA's office 131 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,000 found out that much. Why wouldn't they follow the case. A lot of 132 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,039 people think they're doing their city a big favor when they serve on a jury. 133 00:12:07,759 --> 00:12:09,960 They figured all they have to do is sit in the jury box for 134 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,240 a few days, mark a ballot as fast they can then leave each man. 135 00:12:13,399 --> 00:12:16,559 They pay the taxes, they pay for these trials. They can follow 136 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,480 the technical case closely if they want to. A lot of them not that 137 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:22,840 conscientious. They don't think it means money in their pocket, so they don't 138 00:12:22,879 --> 00:12:26,360 care. We went through hell on this thing. Four months to catch him, 139 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,840 three months to prove him Gilly, and the jury blew it. You 140 00:12:28,879 --> 00:12:31,799 want my opinion, Lee, I think it stinks. You don't have an 141 00:12:31,799 --> 00:12:41,799 opinion, Joe, you're a cop. The case of Conrad Buckley became just 142 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:45,200 another item filed away with hundreds of thousands of others in the Record Bureau of 143 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,440 the Los Angeles Police Department. Six days after he was acquitted, he left 144 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,279 the city, and a few weeks later was reported in Baltimore, Maryland. 145 00:12:52,799 --> 00:13:03,200 After that, he dropped from sight. Summer came, Autumn, Christmas, 146 00:13:03,879 --> 00:13:11,759 New Year's. On Wednesday morning, he had and I checked in for work 147 00:13:11,799 --> 00:13:16,960 as usual. What's the date, ed Wednesday, February First. You might 148 00:13:16,159 --> 00:13:20,039 get over that cold, Joe? Yeah? Finally, how about your kid? 149 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:24,440 Yeah, he's okay, wife Scott one? Now, Hi morning, 150 00:13:24,519 --> 00:13:30,159 kid, Hi got a minute. Cutter printing company was robbed last night. 151 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:37,440 How much there's the crime report fourteen five hundred. Yeah, it's a big 152 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,159 haul. Yeah, most familiar climb to drain pipe, to the roof, 153 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,679 kicked in a skylight on red Buckley's back and down. I think it might 154 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,159 add up, could be sounds like it. There's one sure way to make 155 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,200 it and put him in smaller words and big type. I don't know how 156 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,600 to make it any more positive than the last time. I don't know if 157 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,960 that Greek was the lamp of a found an honest man. But get the 158 00:13:54,039 --> 00:14:09,279 guy ed and I drove out to the Cotter Printing Company and spent the rest 159 00:14:09,279 --> 00:14:13,759 of the morning and most of that afternoon checking into the fourteen thousand dollars safe 160 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:18,080 burglary. We examined the office where the burglary took place and the smashed skylight 161 00:14:18,159 --> 00:14:20,240 with a thief entered. We traced his path from the time he got into 162 00:14:20,279 --> 00:14:33,440 the building the time he left, no fingerprints, no leads. How many 163 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,919 safemen you know that worked like Buckley? Well, let's see, there's Hagen. 164 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,240 He works about the same, but he's up at que Walters. He 165 00:14:41,279 --> 00:14:45,639 operates like Buckley. He's doing time too. Anybody else, No, not 166 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,279 that I can think of. All right, find Buckley, find out where 167 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,480 he lives, who his friends are, where he eats, find out what 168 00:14:50,519 --> 00:14:52,679 he's doing. He want us to tail him. Give him town of your 169 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:54,879 room. When you get the dope on him, we'll have a squad of 170 00:14:54,879 --> 00:14:58,480 men tail him ultimately. All right, where do we start? Dementsis barre 171 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,159 down on Central Avenue in your fifth When was he there last Monday? First 172 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,600 night he got in town. Might be his favorite spot? Okay, anything 173 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,799 else? Her? Buckley's learned a new tricks since he's been away. Yeah, 174 00:15:07,919 --> 00:15:16,399 carries a gun. That night, had and I started down into the 175 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,399 south end of the city to find Conrad Buckley. First stop was Camanche's Bar. 176 00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:24,200 Buckley didn't show. The next night was the same, and the night 177 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:30,639 after that no sign. On the fourth night, at ten minutes past eight 178 00:15:30,679 --> 00:15:33,919 pm, Saturday, February fourth, he had spotted Buckley entering. We waited. 179 00:15:39,399 --> 00:15:43,399 At twenty five minutes past midnight, Buckley came out the main entrance with 180 00:15:43,399 --> 00:15:46,639 a blonde woman on his arm. He walked unsteadily. The two of them 181 00:15:46,639 --> 00:15:48,879 got into a gray car and sat there talking. What's the license number? 182 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:56,799 Joe nine Roberts seven oh two one? Get a make Yeah? Control one, 183 00:15:56,879 --> 00:16:02,919 request a rolling make in the three column nine Roberts seven O two nine 184 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,039 Robert seven O two Roger eighty K stand by km A three six seven. 185 00:16:08,679 --> 00:16:12,879 It's a nice looking car. Yeah, if it's his, might pan out. 186 00:16:12,879 --> 00:16:18,879 If we're lucky, Control one to a K, come in EIGHTYK to 187 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,840 control one, go ahead nine Robert seven O two car registered to missus Conrad 188 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:29,440 Buckley nine three nine South Norwich Road, Beverly Hills, EIGHTYK to control one 189 00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:37,039 Roger can any three sixty seven? What does that prove? Prosy supporting a 190 00:16:37,080 --> 00:17:00,559 new car in my wife? Let's find out how a trail Buckley and the 191 00:17:00,559 --> 00:17:03,319 blonde woman we figured to be his wife to nine three nine South Norwich Road 192 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:10,359 in Beverly Hills. We waited at three am. Head called Captain Wisdom, 193 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:18,160 and a couple of men were sent out to relieve us. By Friday of 194 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,960 that week, February tenth, we had his movements fairly well established. We 195 00:17:22,039 --> 00:17:26,079 turned all the information we had over to Captain Wisdom, and he assigned a 196 00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:30,359 crew of eight men to tail the suspect constantly in alternate ships. The trap 197 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:40,279 was set six pm Tuesday, February fourteenth. I'll get it Friday talking. 198 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:45,440 Yeah, Kevin, what's up? Uh huh yeah, right, Buckley, 199 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:52,880 he's making a move. We left the city Hall and drove out to the 200 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,640 side of the stake out near Buckley's home on South Norwich Road. Captain Wisdom 201 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,960 was there waiting for us. Left his place alone. He was on foot 202 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,119 Berg and Marconi tailed him to a bar. That's where he lost him. 203 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,920 And he hasn't come back to this place, and yet I gotta hunt you. 204 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,079 Well, his car is still there. Yeah, we can shake him 205 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:11,920 down. If he's been out on the cable tonight, he should have whatever 206 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,440 he stole with him. Uh. Car there in the driveway. Uh, 207 00:18:15,599 --> 00:18:23,480 chuck your license? Uh nine Roberts seven O two. That's Buckley's car. 208 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:33,559 There's somebody coming out of the house and his wife looks like it. Does 209 00:18:33,599 --> 00:18:45,680 she know either one of it? No follow her, can't just go any 210 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,359 It's okay. Can you see the door from here? Yeah? This is 211 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:12,920 fine, Captain, so move, let's sweat it down. The blond woman 212 00:19:14,039 --> 00:19:18,079 entered the apartment house at twelve sixty one Wilcox Avenue at fourteen minutes past eleven 213 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,400 pm. At five minutes past midnight, she came out and got in her 214 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:29,839 car. A man was with her. Buckley must be the hot aut You 215 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,799 two follow them when they got to the house. Shake him down. What 216 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,799 about you, I'll check the apartment. Beat you back at the office. 217 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:48,480 Right at twenty one minutes past midnight, Ed and I pulled up at the 218 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,279 Buckley home at nine three nine South Norwich Road. We waited until Buckley and 219 00:19:52,319 --> 00:19:56,079 his wife got in the house. Then we went in and shook him down. 220 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,559 We found nothing. We searched the house, the garage, in the 221 00:19:59,559 --> 00:20:08,319 car. Nothing all right, you can put your stuff away places clean, 222 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,799 Joe, Nothing right now, I tell you I'm clean. I'm going one 223 00:20:11,839 --> 00:20:14,960 thing on me. I'm clean. It's a nice car you're driving. The 224 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,839 Buckley is at yours. That's right. I like nice things. That costs 225 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,839 money. What doesn't Once you get back in town last week? Why what 226 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,440 are you doing with your time? Morris Cabinet Company. I'm a journeyman carpenter. 227 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,559 When do you work nights? Good job? Believe me, I'm legit. 228 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:30,680 All right, you stay that way and we won't have any trouble. 229 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,359 Ed and I left Buckley's house, drove back to the office and checked in 230 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,440 with Captain Wisdom. He told us that he had talked with a manager of 231 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,759 the apartment house of twelve sixty one Willcox Avenue. Buckley was running apartment seven 232 00:20:45,799 --> 00:20:48,680 A in the building under the name of James E. Wilson on the air 233 00:20:48,759 --> 00:20:51,640 reach. You used the apartment only once or twice each week. The rent 234 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:53,680 was seventy five dollars a month. What'd you find in the apartment, Captain? 235 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,319 He keeps two complete changes of clothes in the closet because the place is 236 00:20:57,319 --> 00:21:00,359 empty except for one Thing's at a burglary too, Yeah, found him under 237 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,279 a false bottom drawer instead of safe. Jimmy's small sledge the works. Then 238 00:21:04,279 --> 00:21:07,160 he works out of the apartment. Hu he's getting cagy, or he thinks 239 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:11,119 he is. After a job. He probably comes back to the apartment, 240 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:12,720 gets rid of his work clothes, and figures he's pretty safe. Well in, 241 00:21:12,759 --> 00:21:15,640 all we have to do is keep an eye on that apartment. The 242 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,039 next time he pulls a job, we grab him. That's right, the 243 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:19,240 next time we pick him up, it's going to be for keeps. That 244 00:21:19,319 --> 00:21:26,440 depends on the jury, doesn't it. At three am that morning, Wisdom 245 00:21:26,519 --> 00:21:30,119 ordered a steak out of twelve sixty one Willcox Avenue. The steakout on his 246 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:37,559 home also continued. During the next week. The suspect was seen to come 247 00:21:37,559 --> 00:21:40,720 and go from his home, and on two occasions he visited his apartment during 248 00:21:40,759 --> 00:21:45,720 the daylight hours. No suspicious moves on his part were reported. The stakeout 249 00:21:45,799 --> 00:21:51,960 went on five weeks later. On March twenty second, the safe in the 250 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,799 offices of Butterfield and Crusion Wholesale Grocer's was burglarized of seven five hundred dollars. 251 00:21:59,279 --> 00:22:02,599 That afternoon, Wisdom had an I met with Lieutenant Lee Jones in the crime 252 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:07,759 lamb. It's cyclo hexsay, a coot top product. It's colorless and it's 253 00:22:07,759 --> 00:22:11,359 odorless. When it's rubbed into the surface of an object, it's invisible of 254 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,359 the naked eye. Well what about it be? It's a crystalline hydrocarbon slightly 255 00:22:15,519 --> 00:22:21,319 soluble in either or alcohol. Uh huh, we're here at they show you 256 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:27,359 this claw happily. Yeah, what do you do? Yeah? Dust it 257 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:34,079 on here? Now? Can you see or feel anything at all? Seems 258 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:41,599 to disappear. I can't feel anything. Oh yeah, you want to catch 259 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:53,480 that light? Please? Sure? How hell? Look how about that seems 260 00:22:53,480 --> 00:23:04,839 to glow? Yeah? Will this stuff rub awfully try it now, look 261 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:11,759 at your hands. Nothing harmful in that stuff at all. Hell on this 262 00:23:11,839 --> 00:23:15,200 stuff, stay on, Lee, maybe as long as twenty four hours only 263 00:23:15,279 --> 00:23:19,799 shows up under that ultramatu lamp. That's why it well. Does it work 264 00:23:19,799 --> 00:23:27,319 on everybody? Did it work on Buckley? Ten minutes later, Wisdom put 265 00:23:27,319 --> 00:23:30,279 in a call to the two men on stake out at Buckley's apartment on Wilcox 266 00:23:30,319 --> 00:23:33,680 Avenue. They reported that the apartment was empty. Buckley hadn't been near it 267 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:41,680 since early the day before. At six pm that night, Lee Jones ed 268 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,079 and I went to the apartment, let ourselves in with a pass key, 269 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,519 and went to work with two jars of cyclo hexaye. We dusted it on 270 00:23:47,559 --> 00:23:49,920 everything in sight, on Buckley's clothes, his shoes, his hat, and 271 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:52,960 on the set of burglary tools which we found on the false bottom drawer. 272 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,880 We rubbed it in until it was invisible. We arranged everything exactly the way 273 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:03,400 we found it, and then we went back to the office. Lee Jones 274 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,480 had a portable ultra violet light set up for immediate use. Wisdom alerted Communications 275 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,680 to pass along immediately all reports of burglaries throughout the city. We waited. 276 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:18,640 At midnight, we went out in ships for sandwiches and coffee. The watch 277 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:30,039 kept on. Two thirty am. I got it, wisdom. Uh thanks 278 00:24:32,039 --> 00:24:34,200 Harvard and Wilson Boulevard safe job, two of'em. Call Lee Jones, 279 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,279 I'll need you downstairs. Alright, what do you think We'll let the lamp 280 00:24:38,279 --> 00:24:59,640 tell us facts, don't keep the storefront clear? Ten feat on either side? 281 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:08,839 Anything late? You know? In a minute? Okay about alright, 282 00:25:10,079 --> 00:25:51,279 we can try it. I'll get the lightly. That's it. That's all 283 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:52,880 lamp. The Greek with the lamp had and I did, didn't it? 284 00:25:59,079 --> 00:26:02,799 Before we left for at Buckley's house, Lee Jones directed the photographer to stay 285 00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:06,440 at the scene of the burglary and take photographs of the telltale cyclo hexane prince 286 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:12,680 and all other pertinent photographs for use in court. At eight minutes past four 287 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:17,240 am, we walked into Buckley's living room and now, I look, this 288 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:21,519 is kind of getting on mine us. It's four in the morning. That 289 00:26:22,519 --> 00:26:26,640 out that's right down there right moves all that stuff. What's that you got? 290 00:26:30,519 --> 00:26:37,400 Right? Lee? Okay? So was a life? What's this all 291 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,960 about? Anyway? Look at yourself? What are you doing? To me, 292 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:52,640 what is all this stuff like a Christmas tree? You know I don't 293 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:53,559 have to take this stuff. You haven't got anything on me. I hadn't 294 00:26:53,559 --> 00:26:56,720 even court once before, and you had to turn me loose. Yes, 295 00:26:56,799 --> 00:26:59,200 we had you in court, and I can tell you every move you made 296 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,799 in that case. Yeah, you tell me if I'm wrong. You climbed 297 00:27:02,799 --> 00:27:06,240 the back of the Grand Herald building using some pipes of supports. You crawl 298 00:27:06,279 --> 00:27:08,640 across the roof on your hands and knees the firewall. You raised up a 299 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,079 couple of times to see if everything was clear. You went over the firewall, 300 00:27:12,519 --> 00:27:17,440 leaving impressions of your coat and trousers, one of the coat buttons with 301 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,039 scratch or you went over ston looked down. You then went to the front 302 00:27:21,039 --> 00:27:22,960 of the building, walking in a crouch position, to see if there are 303 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,400 any police cars in the vicinity. And you returned to the skylight. I'm 304 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:33,119 gonna do keep telling. You removed the glass from the skylight, crawled through 305 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,720 the entrance, kicked a hole through a plaster wall into the attic. You 306 00:27:36,799 --> 00:27:40,200 broke some of the charred laughs so that you could crawl through the attic to 307 00:27:40,279 --> 00:27:42,319 an opening in the office of the Grand Harald Building. Then you opened the 308 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:47,640 safe and took out twelve hundred and fifty dollars. Is that right? No, 309 00:27:47,759 --> 00:27:51,039 I took thirteen hundred and fifty. Okay, you give me a couple 310 00:27:51,079 --> 00:27:52,720 hours and I'll tell you what you did on this case. Here's your coat. 311 00:27:55,039 --> 00:27:59,519 Yeah, we've got my clothes who are ruined for the time you need 312 00:27:59,559 --> 00:28:02,440 them again. I'll be out of style. Al right, come on, 313 00:28:02,599 --> 00:28:18,400 let's go on. October fifteenth, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 314 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:22,920 eighty four, City in County of Los Angeles, State of California. In 315 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:32,759 a moment the results of that trial, the suspect was tried and convicted a 316 00:28:32,799 --> 00:28:36,960 first degree burglary. Due to his previous convictions. He was sentenced to life 317 00:28:37,039 --> 00:29:26,359 imprisonment. A solid episode revealing the police being innovative and finding a way to 318 00:29:26,519 --> 00:29:32,640 trap a clever criminal. The Greek with a lamb was a reference to Diogenes, 319 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,720 who legendarily carried out lamp saying he was looking for a man or has 320 00:29:37,839 --> 00:29:44,039 been translated as an honest man. It kind of came about indirectly, but 321 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:49,160 this may be the best use of a fourth century BC philosopher and Dragnet of 322 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:55,119 course it's the only one still. Also, I love them naming a company 323 00:29:55,200 --> 00:30:00,839 Butterfield and Crusion. Butterfield was herb Butterfield. The actor who played Lee Jones 324 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:06,440 also the commissioner on Dangerous Assignment, and Jack Khrushan was one of those character 325 00:30:06,519 --> 00:30:10,720 actors who popped up everywhere and did a lot of dragnets, so they got 326 00:30:10,759 --> 00:30:15,359 memorialized in the script. The first part of the episode is one of those 327 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:22,519 that's really divisive among Dragnet TV watchers. And while the nineteen sixties series has 328 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:30,200 many divisive episodes, I think that this may be the most controversial online anyway 329 00:30:30,359 --> 00:30:36,200 of any of the nineteen fifties TV episodes, and it centers around the trial. 330 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:41,680 Many loved the judge giving the jury what for and others absolutely hated it. 331 00:30:42,119 --> 00:30:48,279 And then there was Lee Jones's testimony. There are many questions and challenges 332 00:30:48,319 --> 00:30:56,240 that twenty first century people have about the testimony, particularly those odds that he 333 00:30:56,359 --> 00:31:00,319 gave of a trillion to one by modern standards. There are two problems with 334 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:07,920 the odds he gave. First is what's known as the prosecutor's fallacy. To 335 00:31:07,039 --> 00:31:15,519 quote a succinct bit of Wikipedia, the prosecutor's fallacy involves assuming that the prior 336 00:31:15,559 --> 00:31:22,079 probability of a random match is equal to the probability that the defendant is innocent. 337 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:27,240 There has been a lot written about the prosecutor's fallacy, and I'm not 338 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:34,200 able to explain all of the statistical maths and reasoning that goes into that discussion, 339 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:40,000 and it definitely makes for some interesting reading. I should also add that 340 00:31:40,039 --> 00:31:45,160 there is a similar defense attorney fallacy. The other problem is that Lee Jones 341 00:31:45,359 --> 00:31:52,559 was just on the stand spitballing odds without any necessary basis. In fact, 342 00:31:52,759 --> 00:31:56,319 the odds of this are one hundred to one, and let's say the odds 343 00:31:56,359 --> 00:31:59,799 of that are one hundred to one, and let's say the odds of the 344 00:32:00,279 --> 00:32:02,559 thing are also one hundred to one. Well, as he said, he 345 00:32:02,799 --> 00:32:09,240 was being conservative. Most likely with many of these numbers, he was really 346 00:32:09,319 --> 00:32:15,240 just making them up. One of my favorite comments on this particular aspect of 347 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:21,880 his testimony was, let's not just say, let's have some proof. If 348 00:32:22,359 --> 00:32:28,319 an expert in a modern courtroom were to create a number like a trillion to 349 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:31,880 one as the odds someone other than the defendant committed to crime, that could 350 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:36,119 end up getting in trouble on appeal, although from what I read, the 351 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:40,079 prosecutor could probably get away with making that sort of inference during closing arguments. 352 00:32:40,519 --> 00:32:45,920 And if you sit down on the stand as an expert supposing random odds to 353 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:51,640 reach that figure rather than something that's been scientifically established, that's going to be 354 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,279 a real problem, and most judges wouldn't allow it, and if they did, 355 00:32:54,359 --> 00:32:59,880 it could be an issue on appeal. However, that's no mark against 356 00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:07,440 this episode. By documenting how cases were investigated and prosecuted, it reflects and 357 00:33:07,559 --> 00:33:12,839 captures these standards of I guess, in this case nineteen forty nine, not 358 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,480 today's, and if some methods are flawed, it at least illustrates that, 359 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:23,200 and those who are interested can see how and why processes have changed or evolved. 360 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:30,880 It also doesn't really reflect anything negatively about the characters. Lady Jones was 361 00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:36,480 just testifying according to his understanding at that time. And I think many of 362 00:33:36,559 --> 00:33:40,680 us have had jobs where we did one thing and then the procedures and processes 363 00:33:40,799 --> 00:33:45,200 changed, and what we did in the past would not have been allowed going 364 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:51,000 forward. And that's no judgment or reflection on us or on our professionalism or 365 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,079 how we do our jobs, so we kind of have to be a little 366 00:33:53,119 --> 00:33:59,920 careful about that. I can understand how that scene might bother some modern listener 367 00:34:00,119 --> 00:34:04,519 reviews, but you do need to keep the times in perspective. The whole 368 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:10,159 theory of the prosecutor's fallacy wasn't even developed until nineteen eighty seven, so all 369 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:16,280 right. Well now we turned to listener comments and feedback and had a comment 370 00:34:16,559 --> 00:34:25,440 regarding the special we played for Police File from Ron Over on Spotify. He 371 00:34:25,599 --> 00:34:30,800 writes, I thought there was very little imagination left to the audience. The 372 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:37,320 music was too suspenseful for tracking down a counterfeitter. Just bad. But then 373 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:43,159 I also got a comment regarding the same episode on YouTube. This one comes 374 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:49,039 from Michael, who writes, I'm Australian and used to listen to this show 375 00:34:49,119 --> 00:34:54,400 as a youngster before TV swept away radio drama. Thanks so much and glad 376 00:34:54,440 --> 00:35:00,239 we played one that you had some familiarity with. And then finally we have 377 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:07,280 a comment regarding one of our replays, and this one comes from Honeybee regarding 378 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:14,360 the horrible Hamburger. I absolutely love anything with Vincent price on. Thank you 379 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,800 so much and I'm glad you enjoyed that replay. Well, now it is 380 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,199 time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to go 381 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:29,440 ahead and think Neil. Neil has been one of our Patreon supporters since September 382 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:36,199 of twenty sixteen, currently supporting the podcast at the shamous level of four dollars 383 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:38,880 or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Neil, 384 00:35:39,119 --> 00:35:45,639 and that will do it for today. We will be back next Saturday with 385 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:53,800 another episode of Dragnatt, but join us back here on Monday with the next 386 00:35:53,880 --> 00:36:00,039 adventures of the Falcon Wear. Yes, Mike A living right, my name 387 00:36:00,119 --> 00:36:05,519 is Bonnie Murdoch Style center dress company. I want to hire. I never 388 00:36:05,599 --> 00:36:07,760 was much good on Hamsteachen. All right, you've had your joke. Now 389 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:14,000 may I come in? Sure? Thanks? They called you the folk and 390 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:16,079 some such father out, don't they? Oh? I haven't called every Kana 391 00:36:16,159 --> 00:36:20,159 Faller all in the book. Well, I'm not much for fancy names, 392 00:36:20,199 --> 00:36:22,840 but I understand your shop can deliver the goods that's what I want. Or 393 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,440 just what goods do you have in mind? I want you to find a 394 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:30,000 man for me. What man name's Elliott Finch, bookkeeper worked for us until 395 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:34,000 the day didn't show up for work this morning and his wife doesn't know where 396 00:36:34,039 --> 00:36:37,639 he is. How much did he get away with? How do you know 397 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:42,320 about that? When the bookkeeper disappears and his boss rushes frantically to a detective. 398 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:50,440 Good you're on the board thirty thousand wearing thirty thousand nice round simoleans to 399 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:54,280 coin a couple of cliches. Finch certainly believed in making Hay and brother that 400 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:58,920 ain't hay. Hope you'll be with us then in the meantime, do you 401 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:04,920 send your comments to Box thirteen at Greatdetectives dot net, Follow us on Twitter 402 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:08,519 at Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, 403 00:37:08,559 --> 00:37:14,119 slash Great Detectives from Boiseadahol. This is your host, Adam Graham, 404 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:14,920 Sign and off.