1 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:35,960 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This 2 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:41,000 is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it 3 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:47,560 to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot nit, follow us on Twitter at 4 00:00:47,759 --> 00:00:53,280 Radio Detectives, and check us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, 5 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:58,640 slash Great Detectives. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your 6 00:00:58,759 --> 00:01:03,719 favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought in part by the financial support of 7 00:01:03,759 --> 00:01:07,000 our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis. I'm 8 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,879 mailing a donation to Adam Graham Pielbox one five nine one three. That's Peelbox 9 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:19,599 one five nine thirteen, Boise, Idaho eight three seven one five. You 10 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,920 can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little last two dollars 11 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:30,120 per month at Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. Now let's get into this 12 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:38,359 week's episode of Dragnet. The original air date December the fifteenth, nineteen forty 13 00:01:38,439 --> 00:01:53,239 nine, and the title is The Garbage Shoot Murder Ladies and Gentlemen. The 14 00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:59,599 story you were about to hear is true, only the names have been changed 15 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:15,319 to protect the innocent. Dragnet you're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide 16 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:22,680 detail. A young woman has been murdered. The body was discovered behind locked 17 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:34,719 doors. The assassin is still at large. Your job find him. Drag 18 00:02:34,719 --> 00:02:38,520 Nets the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next thirty minutes, 19 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:44,280 in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step 20 00:02:44,319 --> 00:02:47,319 on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files, 21 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:53,680 from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of 22 00:02:53,759 --> 00:03:00,479 your police force in action. It was Tuesday jail. Very night was stormy 23 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,360 in Los Angeles. We were working a day watch out of homicide detail. 24 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,879 My partner's been Rom Marrow. My name is Friday. I was on the 25 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:10,960 way to work and was six forty five am when I got to the steps 26 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,520 of the City Hall, a main street entrance. Hey, Joe, wait 27 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:22,199 up, morning Ben. What did they call you? Five am? Donald 28 00:03:22,199 --> 00:03:30,240 will call you? Yeah, miserable out in pretty well right feet of silking. 29 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,319 We see the times earlier. Yeah, new chief of detective. We'll 30 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:43,719 wait a minute. I wanna get some government back experiment. Well, I 31 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:51,560 heard about the new chief. Bat round put men each jump dang uh I 32 00:03:51,599 --> 00:03:54,159 wish I'd make up the mind's blood our shift work days to call you back 33 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,039 night work nights, called you back days once. Put into a desk, 34 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,680 John, and we'll never have to call you back. You're here all the 35 00:04:00,719 --> 00:04:09,360 time. Man. He just hired to please yer. Wanta keep what you 36 00:04:09,719 --> 00:04:20,480 want? Thanks you again? That what? Uh? It's a great way 37 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,720 to start off as unior chief. Called you back on a rocking morning like 38 00:04:24,759 --> 00:04:28,040 this. I'm glad you got the job there. Yeah, congratulations, Jee, 39 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,879 It's hard to follow a man like that backstrand gonna meet your help. 40 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,319 You got it. Here's why I called you back, Laura Barclay. It 41 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:39,399 was the dead body report nightclub entertainer. Then lady found the body an hour 42 00:04:39,439 --> 00:04:43,759 ago, who was covering Berton Anderson there out there now strangled. Huh the 43 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,680 lamp cord, still trying to figure out how the guy got in the house. 44 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,519 Doors and windows all locked. Yuh. Attack at the motive for Nah? 45 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,279 Yeah, I just came from there. I think there's more in your 46 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:59,480 raised me a room wasn't proud. Yeah, just a hunch, play it 47 00:04:59,519 --> 00:05:05,879 for me, Ben and I left Bad Brown's office, picked up Lieutenant Lee 48 00:05:05,959 --> 00:05:10,480 Jones at the crime lab and drove to the West Adams District. Number sixteen 49 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,439 Imperial Twice, where the body of Laura Barkley had been found. Was an 50 00:05:14,519 --> 00:05:17,639 ornate frame structure done in Victorian style, at least thirty to forty years old. 51 00:05:18,079 --> 00:05:23,199 Number sixteen was on the ground floor. We went in a narrow hallway 52 00:05:23,319 --> 00:05:26,399 led to the bedroom. In the rear of the house. Two gas jet 53 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,800 fixtures which had been converted to electricity were the only illumination. This place has 54 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:35,120 seen better day. Anybody else coming out? Lead? I see flash bulbs 55 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:40,600 down there. They must be here already, ar righty on his way, 56 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:46,839 Hyeburton Hi. The die was covering a body position Peterson's dusty for Prince Fred. 57 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,279 Shoot a couple of overheads. Don't make them all angle shots, get 58 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:54,279 up high and move in close. And Chief was right. Rooms in pretty 59 00:05:54,319 --> 00:05:58,399 good order. She talked to anybody burton Land lady lives upstairs. Only two 60 00:05:58,399 --> 00:06:01,199 people living in a building. She tell you anything, said the Barkley girl 61 00:06:01,199 --> 00:06:04,759 paid a rent on time. Good tenant plays the organ in the blue Fox 62 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:10,199 cocktail. Any idea how the murderer got in here? Not yet. I 63 00:06:10,199 --> 00:06:14,040 got every door and window and the place is locked anything else. That's it 64 00:06:14,079 --> 00:06:16,360 so far. We'll give you fifteen point seven and what we got. Okay, 65 00:06:16,439 --> 00:06:19,560 Lloyd, you and Anderson have another detail? Yeah, I'm working on 66 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,759 that westward thing. Two uniformn outside if you want anything, right, Thanks, 67 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,120 It's like a tough one. Joe, Well, we did it much 68 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:33,040 to come in through the keyhole. See you later, Andy dusting the Prince. 69 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:39,120 Nothing yet. Only piece of physical evidence so far the lamp court she 70 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,959 was strangled with. I wrun it through downtop. Not a sign of a 71 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,279 struggle. Maybe she wanted to die. Check the bathroom when you been to 72 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,079 look around the kitchen? Wait, Pete, have you addusted the lamp yet? 73 00:06:50,360 --> 00:07:02,360 Not? Ben? Come here a minute, will you, Ben? 74 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:12,680 Yeah, come in the kitchen with you. You got a pencil? Uh? 75 00:07:12,839 --> 00:07:15,920 Yeah, yeah, here you are? Okay you look at this garbage 76 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:23,160 shoot here? M let me see mm about eight feet to the ground. 77 00:07:23,399 --> 00:07:26,120 Yeah, big enough for a man to get through. Oh yeah, I 78 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,680 have no probing him. Lay Oh be right there. It could be the 79 00:07:30,759 --> 00:07:33,120 ens Joe, and he either got in this way or he was in the 80 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:39,000 house when she came home. What do you got garbage? Shoot here? 81 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:46,079 What do you think could be? Let me grab a kit. Let's see 82 00:07:46,000 --> 00:08:09,399 moving the powder and set it. No, yeah, you know, nothing 83 00:08:09,439 --> 00:08:13,199 on the outside of the lid. Look pretty clean. That's the justment. 84 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,800 Scrubbed abrasions here, had a pencil. Yeah, yeah, okay, hold 85 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:31,519 it up that yeah yeah, yeah, there we go. Large prints, 86 00:08:31,639 --> 00:08:33,879 unusually large, big hands. Can I look inside the shoot a minutely, 87 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,799 Go ahead, watch that the lid Yeah, well, uh, looks like 88 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:46,480 it's blocked off upstairs. This thing hasn't been used for garbage for some time. 89 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,159 Most of them will condemned a few years back. I'll get Fred to 90 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:58,559 shoot these. Let's go in the living room at Dimindstedly. Yeah, it's 91 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:13,240 clean. Go ahead, take a look, Joe. Yeah, photographs hmm, 92 00:09:13,879 --> 00:09:22,440 hundreds of'em. All men, Yeah, all different, Lee Jones 93 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,399 and the crime lab group and each step and went back to Central Division. 94 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:30,200 Two uniformed officers remained on duty at the scene of the crimes. Fat Brown 95 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,840 had men sent out to canvas the neighborhood. Ben and I went upstairs and 96 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:39,639 talked with a landlady and missus Emma Smith. Yes police officers you, miss 97 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:45,360 Smith. Yes, you're not the same officers I talked with before. No, 98 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,279 ma'am, I wonder if we could ask you a few questions. I 99 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,759 told the other officers everything I knew. We have to double check miss Man. 100 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,000 Who was a girl who lived in the apartment below number sixteen, Laura 101 00:09:56,159 --> 00:10:00,799 Barkley? Is that the name she used the males she received? Was it 102 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:03,679 address that way? Yes? It was. Oh, she was a very 103 00:10:03,759 --> 00:10:09,440 good tenant, Laura. No trouble with her at all. When did she 104 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:15,200 move here? Oh? About four or five years ago. I have the 105 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:20,120 rent receipts. I always save receipts. Did she always live by herself? 106 00:10:20,279 --> 00:10:24,240 Oh? Yes, that apartment rents to one person only. Did she have 107 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:31,200 many visitors? Friends dropping in that I ever saw? Pretty much to herself, 108 00:10:31,399 --> 00:10:35,840 Laura. The men came yesterday and took it away. What's that meant? 109 00:10:37,159 --> 00:10:43,720 The organ? Electric one? Laura rendered it from a big downtown term 110 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:48,720 used to practice all the time. Mine was beautiful. Yeah, in the 111 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:54,440 globing. She used to play that for me, missus Smith. When did 112 00:10:54,480 --> 00:11:00,279 the men come and take the organ away? Yesterday in the afternoon by four 113 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,360 thirty. Was Miss Barclay at home when they came, No, she wasn't. 114 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:07,879 She left me a note to let the man so I left the me 115 00:11:07,919 --> 00:11:13,679 in. I never allow anyone in the apartment without a note. You know 116 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:18,240 the name of the company where she went to the organ the graziers. It 117 00:11:18,279 --> 00:11:22,000 was called down on South Spring. Well, didn't you think it was unusual 118 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,000 that miss Barkley didn't have any friends? Now? Oh, sir, I 119 00:11:26,159 --> 00:11:31,960 didn't stay the horror didn't have any friends. What I said was that she 120 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:37,440 didn't have any friends who came to see her here. She moved here from 121 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,720 a hotel for women. That's the reference she gave me. Let's see what 122 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,799 if you could give us the address of that hotel? Please write it down 123 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,360 for you? Thank you? Uh, Miss Smith, did you hear any 124 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,360 unusual sounds in Miss Barclay's flat last night? Anything out of the ordinary? 125 00:11:52,759 --> 00:11:56,440 If I had, I would have called the police and we have saved the 126 00:11:56,559 --> 00:12:01,080 girl's life. Ah, thank you very much. Miss here's her coin? 127 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,639 There's anything you think of after gone? Don't hear his dat? Car? 128 00:12:03,919 --> 00:12:09,519 Thank you? I'm will. I hope you get the dirty men who killed 129 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:11,840 Laura. We didn't say it was a man, Miss Smith. Well, 130 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:20,120 isn't it all we'resome man? Before we left missus mmss Smith, we asked 131 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,120 her about the garbage shoe. She said it had not been in use for 132 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:26,159 the last four years. We showed her the stack of photos. She got 133 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,399 identify none of them. We drove back to Central Division. We checked Brazier's 134 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,720 music store. The two men who moved the organ were checked out and cleared. 135 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,919 We went to the wind Hotel for young ladies. They could tell us 136 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,639 nothing. Laura Barkley's references were all good. We went back to the office 137 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:43,120 and met with chiev detectives. That brown you think he got into the garbage 138 00:12:43,159 --> 00:12:46,279 shoe, That's where it looks Gee went all over the apartment. If there's 139 00:12:46,279 --> 00:12:50,240 another way, we haven't found it all right, you know I got in 140 00:12:50,639 --> 00:12:54,399 who is he? We got out on apb and his m laden fingerprints are 141 00:12:54,399 --> 00:12:56,799 making a run on those prints we found. I got an idea about these 142 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:05,519 pictures here, most of them theatrical still chow people. Oh Frank Latour and 143 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:11,960 he's Canine Circus's Laura, ah my love, Frank se what you do. 144 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,399 Here's a guy I checked with this morning, Bernard Carubian theatrical bookings and huh 145 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,759 yeah, Barney's office is down in the Orphan building, Athan Hill. He 146 00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:22,519 booked her into the blue fox. See what he can tell you. Alright, 147 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:28,679 I'm glad to pick up the band now. Oh yeah, well you 148 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:31,480 got more than you started with. Yeah, those fingerprints and you get a 149 00:13:31,639 --> 00:13:33,639 make on him. We'll be close to the gay. So was the Barclay 150 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:43,840 girl, but he got away. I wonder if we could see mister Krubin. 151 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,679 Who's calling? Please Sergeant Rameau and Sergeant Friday police officers. Oh one 152 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:54,639 moment, please two police officers to see you, mister Krubian, Sergeant Friday 153 00:13:54,679 --> 00:14:01,000 and Sergeant Ramero. Is that right? Yes, ma'am sent him go right 154 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:13,279 in. Thank you? Uh, how the IgA when the Rosy Russ bus 155 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:18,559 through the snow, I'll be coming home on the girl again. When then 156 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:24,600 General Shuman saying, so are covered with ice. I'll be home for good. 157 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:33,759 And Benu no no, no, was corn? Thank you? I 158 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:37,440 help you understand that you booked Laura Barklay. Yeah, that's right. I 159 00:14:37,559 --> 00:14:41,039 spoke with a got his name right here, Chief's bad Brown. That's right. 160 00:14:41,559 --> 00:14:46,679 He asked me about Laura. Too bad about that any close we're working 161 00:14:46,759 --> 00:14:50,879 on it. Mister Kruby makes a person pull of stuff like that. La 162 00:14:50,039 --> 00:14:54,000 didn't have no enemies. She had one. Well, I don't know much 163 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,919 about her except I've been booking her for about four years. Good organist, 164 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,960 great card boys too, got some big she's here. When did you take 165 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:05,799 a look a yeah, sure, quite a stack. Oh oh, Frankie 166 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,559 Latour and them dogs, great acts. I book'em, Recky Rogan, 167 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,159 King of the Tap Gout, saw an Ocle, and that same seala Is. 168 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:16,320 Yeah, yeah, I know all these people. I book'em off. 169 00:15:16,519 --> 00:15:20,799 Did Norah Berkley work with all these people one time or another year during 170 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,200 the war us O gam shows? You know? Do you know whether she 171 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,879 was close to any of them? Well, come to think of it, 172 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,399 she was that Frankie Latour, crazy about them dogs he is, no, 173 00:15:31,519 --> 00:15:35,120 I mean the men themselves. Anybody that she seemed particularly interested in. Never 174 00:15:35,159 --> 00:15:39,559 heard of mention anybody, pretty girl. Did you know her very well, 175 00:15:39,639 --> 00:15:41,879 Miss Gruby, only once she came in and out of town on an engagement. 176 00:15:43,279 --> 00:15:45,840 I'm a married man. Well, when you don't think there's anything to 177 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,960 these pictures here of hers, huh, I wouldn't say so. When you're 178 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,320 on the road, you always collect photos of the people you work with souvenirs. 179 00:15:52,559 --> 00:15:56,720 Well, thank you very much, mister Krubian, here's our cod you 180 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,399 bet you uh sure? Hope you catch the guys. What a way he 181 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:07,399 picked on Laura. Sometimes they don't have a reason. When we left Benard 182 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,559 Peruvian's office, were checked by the Blue Box cocktail lounge was still early. 183 00:16:11,799 --> 00:16:17,440 The sign said opened five pm. It was three fifteen. We went to 184 00:16:17,519 --> 00:16:19,120 the morgue in the basement of the Hall of Justice and looked at the corners 185 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:23,200 report. The autopsy report stated that the cause of death for Laura Barclay was 186 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:27,120 strangulation. We went to the second floor of the Old City Jail building, 187 00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:32,840 the crime lab. Nothing in the lamp corn stand at Ruel one hundred and 188 00:16:32,919 --> 00:16:36,679 ten line, but anywhere no prints. How about the shoot? Lee went 189 00:16:36,799 --> 00:16:38,799 back there and rechecked. You were right, the guy got in through the 190 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,759 garbage shoot. I'm more of the same prints, along with some cloth impressions 191 00:16:42,759 --> 00:16:47,519 in the dust ten anything. The guy was wearing some kind of twee down 192 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,799 ago fifteen to the inch. How about the size of a manly how big 193 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,799 could he be to clear that shoot? They had a twenty inch diameter. 194 00:16:53,919 --> 00:16:57,679 Almost any man could squeeze through that. Check the ground level of the shute 195 00:16:59,039 --> 00:17:02,360 cement no foot, prince, you don't have too much for it. I 196 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,279 got one thing for you. I think I found your motive, and not 197 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,240 the one listed on the report. Yeah. Here are the blow ups of 198 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:15,319 the body. It's thirty six x fifty four. Here, pulled that in, 199 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:22,160 will you man no, look through this magnifying glass here the right hand. 200 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:27,400 Yeah, see where I'm pointing ring finger. Yeah, looked like ring 201 00:17:27,559 --> 00:17:30,680 marks. That's right, pretty wide. Must have been good side things. 202 00:17:32,279 --> 00:17:33,920 I might still be in that room. I called that brown. He had 203 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,000 the room. We checked, no sign and you think we got a burglary 204 00:17:37,079 --> 00:17:41,480 bony be on her hand. That's my guess. Dad had the boy's check 205 00:17:41,519 --> 00:17:44,880 with the landlady. She didn't know anything about any ring with the barclay girl 206 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,599 out of hand. That doesn't help. Think I got something else here? 207 00:17:49,279 --> 00:17:55,000 Library book r The cards in one of the pockets inside checked out from the 208 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,680 LA Public Library main branch. I think these might be your lead on the 209 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:03,759 miss rings. Librarian sees a person's hands every time they checked out a board. 210 00:18:04,079 --> 00:18:07,640 It makes sense ly we'll play it that way. What do partner with 211 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,960 the books checked out a music room? Well, that's it. I think 212 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,000 you've got your motive. Now on a good set of twins your clothes. 213 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:17,839 Thanks a lot. Later, let's go to the library, Ben, I'll 214 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:26,279 get it. Crime. No, this is Friday. Oh thanks, Frank, 215 00:18:29,079 --> 00:18:32,079 Well we got some motive. How do you mean no? Make on 216 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:47,519 those fingerprints? Nothing? You are listening to Dragnet for the solution to an 217 00:18:47,599 --> 00:18:57,200 actual case from official police files, four thirty pm, Tuesday, January ninth, 218 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:03,640 heavy rain. Laura Barclay's murderer was still a free man. Ben and 219 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,440 I were sure that whoever left their fingerprints on the inside of that garbage chute 220 00:19:07,599 --> 00:19:11,640 was the same man who murdered the Barkley girl. He had no previous record, 221 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,519 his first crime, as far as we knew, was a killing, 222 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,839 and the odds were all in his favor. The fingerprints gave us nothing. 223 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,440 All we had left to lead us to the killer were three library books and 224 00:19:22,519 --> 00:19:26,359 a stack of old theatrical photos. The solution of most crimes for the working 225 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:32,039 detective is method and persistence. When you have clues, you work with him. 226 00:19:32,519 --> 00:19:34,519 When you don't, you work your way to a logical conclusion as best 227 00:19:34,599 --> 00:19:40,079 you can. We went to the Los Angeles Public Library, the main branch. 228 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,640 The librarians in the music room handled thousands of readers every week. None 229 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,119 of them remembered Laura Barclay. We drove over to the Blue Fox cocktail lounge. 230 00:19:48,319 --> 00:19:52,160 We interviewed the manager, and he knew nothing of her personal life. 231 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,640 We talked to Harry Schumann, the organist who had taken Laura Barklay's place. 232 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,680 What would you like to hear, phil police if she'd like to talk to 233 00:20:00,799 --> 00:20:06,680 you? Man? My Laura, Ya, I'm tried, all right? 234 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:11,559 If I keep on playing? Manager wants full fifteen minute sets, go ahead, 235 00:20:11,599 --> 00:20:15,759 That's all right. What can I tell you? How long have you 236 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:22,079 known miss Barklay? Oh? Four or five years? Terrible thing? You 237 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:23,839 gotta get to whoever did it? Yeah, we're gonna try. Can you 238 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,400 think of anybody that might have killed her? You know you asked that questioning 239 00:20:27,519 --> 00:20:33,279 everybody. I don't know. Does anybody ever know for sure? Sometime? 240 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,920 But I don't know. When you think of a person, you never think 241 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,119 who might murder. Maybe you might know a few things about it that you 242 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:45,240 could fill us in on. I'll try. She go in for jewelry, 243 00:20:45,319 --> 00:20:49,920 much rings, things like that. Funny you should ask that she was nuts 244 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,039 for him? Good things? Rings had a couple of beauties diamonds said, 245 00:20:56,039 --> 00:21:00,119 we're big stones, cost four thousand. She used to put most of her 246 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:04,920 money into those rings. She'd buy them on time. Yeah, I remember 247 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:10,839 one night she was over joyed. The night she paid them off. Cost 248 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,359 a lot of doubt. Can you describe those rings for us? Not too 249 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,079 good. I can give you the name of the jeweler she bought him from. 250 00:21:18,279 --> 00:21:21,279 That'll do. Do you know anybody else that we might talk to. 251 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,680 I don't know any of her friends. She was an only child, no 252 00:21:23,839 --> 00:21:27,640 living relatives that I know. How about her landlady? Yeah, I guess 253 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,000 that's it. Harry, Thank you for what I wish I could help more. 254 00:21:32,319 --> 00:21:38,000 Everybody had your attitude, we'd be out of a job. Before we 255 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,799 left the Blue Fox, Harry Schumann gave us the address of Laura Barkley's jeweler. 256 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,440 The next morning, we checked with the manager of the store and he 257 00:21:45,519 --> 00:21:48,960 gave us a complete description of the two diamond rings which the dead girl had 258 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:53,000 purchased. They were valued at four thousand dollars. He gave us detailed drawings 259 00:21:53,039 --> 00:21:56,799 of the rings. We went back to the office, gave the information, 260 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,599 the burglary detail and all points bulletin was put out describe a pawn Shops throughout 261 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,759 the city and state were alerted to watch for the stolen rings. When we 262 00:22:03,799 --> 00:22:08,200 had lunch with Chief that Brown at Costa's CAFETI never mind, no matter, 263 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,559 I'll get it. Oh, thank you, Jeeve, I'll get them. 264 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:25,839 Stu was good. There's some change with the cigarette shoe. Thanks any cigarettes, 265 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:38,319 Joe? No, no thanks, than let's go. What do you 266 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,920 think, Fad? The description of the rings and the EMO should help. 267 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,799 Haven't turned up. Good chance he's holding on to him. Could be his 268 00:22:45,839 --> 00:22:49,960 first job. Probably scared. Anybody checked back over the neighborhood. Then this 269 00:22:51,079 --> 00:22:53,839 is the afternoon and this morning about a daughter or salesman through that district. 270 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:59,440 All been checked out. It's a dead end nowhere. Only those friends that 271 00:22:59,599 --> 00:23:03,119 checked out, well they didn't got a kickback from Barrett's and Sacramento and his 272 00:23:03,279 --> 00:23:07,039 m O. No, mate, We'll have to get him with what we've 273 00:23:07,079 --> 00:23:11,720 got. Here's the car. Sure you picked up all of those ends. 274 00:23:12,319 --> 00:23:15,920 We've been back over the course three times. Go over it again, keep 275 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:23,480 going over it until something breaks. For the next ten days, we retraced 276 00:23:23,519 --> 00:23:27,119 our steps from the room where the crime was committed throughout the neighborhood to the 277 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,559 place where she worked, back to the same dead end. Then and I 278 00:23:30,839 --> 00:23:34,200 checked and double checked each other to make certain that neither of us had overlooked 279 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,640 even the smallest detail of the investigation. We got no place. It was 280 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:47,759 eight am January nineteenth, Homicide Friday. Joe, Yeah, Dick, that's 281 00:23:47,839 --> 00:23:52,680 h japp last night double of watches strand up. How do we figure in 282 00:23:52,759 --> 00:24:02,960 it is m Yeah, guy got into the garbaitute. Besides fingerprints and photographs, 283 00:24:03,039 --> 00:24:06,480 one other marked by which the unknown criminal is identified is by his method 284 00:24:06,559 --> 00:24:10,759 of operation, as m all. Once a thief finds a successful means of 285 00:24:10,839 --> 00:24:15,480 operation, he seldom changes it. In our search for Laura Barkley's murderer, 286 00:24:15,559 --> 00:24:18,319 we had checked our files and found no criminals at large whose practice it was 287 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,359 to gain entrance through a garbage choe. It was reasonably safe to assume that 288 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,720 this was the same man. It was two pm January twenty third. I 289 00:24:26,799 --> 00:24:30,839 was on my way back from the record girl she just out at calls Joe 290 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,799 Alma rad Clan to conform it. Yeah, says two days ago he heard 291 00:24:34,799 --> 00:24:38,039 about some guy who was making around is trying to peddle a couple of diamond 292 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,319 rings, same ones, and he's not sure, doesn't know what the guy 293 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,839 looked like, any idea where the guy is now, hasn't been around saying 294 00:24:45,279 --> 00:24:48,519 told ever mean to keep his eyes open. That's good. Come any of 295 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:56,039 you two? What he got? That poor just came down from Burglary pawn 296 00:24:56,079 --> 00:24:59,839 shopped down on North Maine. Took in a watch and stand of pearls last 297 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:02,720 night. Yeah, same stuff that Rubles called you about. Yeah, I 298 00:25:02,799 --> 00:25:06,039 remember, where's it dying? Same guy tried to peddle a couple of diamond 299 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:12,559 rings. Ten am, January twenty fifth, Bad Brown arranged to have all 300 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:18,119 pawn shop detail calls concerning the suspect put through to us on extension two five 301 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:26,400 to one homicide five days past, no further word homicide Friday. This is 302 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:30,000 George Rose really rubber porn shop second in May. Yeah, what's the matter? 303 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:34,680 Man in here trying to turn those diamond rings ones in the stolen dramay 304 00:25:34,759 --> 00:25:45,240 list again, stallmoll, be right down, Come on, Ben move it. 305 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:53,720 Yeah, the next corner there, it is just up the block. 306 00:25:53,799 --> 00:26:03,839 Pull up, all right, let's go. Hell here we are, hey, 307 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,559 holo, gook God Joe. He's got a gun, all right, 308 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:12,640 Joe, Yeah, up the back way, let's get him. There he 309 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:17,400 goes, stop bad, can you hit him? He didn't stop him. 310 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:22,720 Watching. Come on, Joe, he's turning on the spring. He ran 311 00:26:22,759 --> 00:26:30,839 into that cafeteria. It's trueman, it's run where he goes? Se Yeah, 312 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,039 and there he goes. He headed for the kitchens. Bun stop bat 313 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,519 man. Stop here, hup the back door into the galley. There he 314 00:26:37,599 --> 00:26:42,720 goes stuck. Man, all right, Joe, stop, he's not stopping. 315 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:57,559 Stay clear, he's done right, Come on, all right, get 316 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:02,920 his guns. Yeah, he got him in the leg. Joe hit his 317 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,599 head when he fell, all right, snap, mir huh huh. Look 318 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:12,759 on the little finger of his right hand. Two diamond rings. Yeah, 319 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,359 doesn't make sense, does it? What's there? Four thousand dollars worth of 320 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:29,039 diamonds and he was laying on a pilot garbage. The story you I've just 321 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:34,880 heard was true, only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On 322 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:40,039 April second, nineteen forty seven, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 323 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,519 eighty one, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California. In 324 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:56,519 a moment, the results of that trial. Lola Barclay's murderer was identified as 325 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:00,920 Martin Eric Swanson. He was trying and convicted of murder in the first degree. 326 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,279 His case was fought through the Supreme Court of California and in the United 327 00:28:06,319 --> 00:28:11,160 States Supreme Court. In both instances, his conviction was upheld last Friday morning, 328 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:15,960 after a delay of five years, Martin Eric Swanson was executed in a 329 00:28:17,079 --> 00:28:25,599 lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary. You have just heard Dragnet, a 330 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:30,279 new series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice for Dragnet comes from 331 00:28:30,319 --> 00:28:33,920 the office of Acting Chief of Police W. A. Wharton, Los Angeles 332 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:40,720 Police Department. Dragnet honors the City of Youngstown, State of Ohio, and 333 00:28:40,839 --> 00:28:45,000 the men who make up the Youngstown Police Department, another of America's great law 334 00:28:45,119 --> 00:28:49,880 enforcement agencies. One of these men, Chief of Police, Edward J. 335 00:28:51,039 --> 00:28:56,160 Allen, honored as Policeman of the Year who dedicates his life so that yours 336 00:28:56,279 --> 00:29:15,200 might be more secure. A welcome back. Friday's explanation of why modus operandi 337 00:29:15,759 --> 00:29:21,319 was important may seem basic to those of us who watched television programs in the 338 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:27,400 eighties and nineties, or even take part in normal cultural conversation. Describing something, 339 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:34,400 even something non criminal, as being someone's typical m is a fairly common 340 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:40,559 expression, but in nineteen forty nine, Dragonet was on the cutting edge of 341 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:47,119 bringing public awareness to police jargon and introducing that into the public vocabulary. Fad 342 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:52,400 Brown is introduced and takes a pretty active role in the case. Although this 343 00:29:52,599 --> 00:29:57,079 type of thing wouldn't continue or be typical. It makes me wonder whether this 344 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:04,119 particular script was int development with Ed Baxtrand in mine and was rewritten for Thad 345 00:30:04,279 --> 00:30:08,880 Brown, or maybe they were experimenting with the format a little bit. Well. 346 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:15,359 Now listener comments and feedback and we go to YouTube where Marine comments regarding 347 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:19,359 the mother in law murder. They didn't fool around in those days. Irrefutably 348 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:25,559 guilty and done well. Thanks for the comment, Maureen. I would say 349 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:32,680 that the earlier episodes of Dragnet do tend to have more of the murders lead 350 00:30:32,799 --> 00:30:38,000 to death penalty cases. It's a little bit more mixed as the series goes 351 00:30:38,079 --> 00:30:41,839 on as to whether someone will get the death penalty, and I'd say more 352 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:48,599 often than not, later episodes that have murders don't actually have the killers getting 353 00:30:48,599 --> 00:30:51,759 the death penalty. All right. Well, now it's time to thank our 354 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,960 Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to go ahead and think Blaine. 355 00:30:56,119 --> 00:31:00,640 Blaine has been one of our Patreon supporters since January twenty seventeen, currently 356 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,640 supporting the podcast at the rookie level of two dollars or more per month. 357 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,240 Thank you so much for your support, Blaine, and that will do it 358 00:31:08,319 --> 00:31:14,160 for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite 359 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,519 podcast software. And if you're enjoying the podcast on YouTube, be sure to 360 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,599 lock the video, subscribe to the channel, and mark the notification bell. 361 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:29,720 Join us for public domain video Theater, where we will be featuring an episode 362 00:31:29,799 --> 00:31:34,640 of Dangerous Assignment. You can find that over at video Theater dot Great Detectives 363 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:41,319 dot net tomorrow or on our YouTube channel at YouTube dot Great Detectives dot net. 364 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:47,079 We will of course be back here next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet, 365 00:31:47,599 --> 00:31:52,119 but join us back here on Monday for the adventures of the falcon Wear. 366 00:31:52,759 --> 00:31:56,319 Hate to do this to it, but fils a doug on weekend can't 367 00:31:56,359 --> 00:32:01,799 move out of this spin? What what are we talking about? The shooting? 368 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,799 O? Yes, I didn't see who did it. They're not giving 369 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,519 much to go on. All Right, I'll give you something. It's a 370 00:32:10,559 --> 00:32:15,480 fellow named Audie Allison. I think he knows he did the shooting. What 371 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,599 makes you think that? He called me in the hospital and we talked. 372 00:32:19,599 --> 00:32:22,480 I got the idea knows something, but once cash to spill it. All 373 00:32:22,559 --> 00:32:25,680 right, I'll get to Alison if heybody knows only won in trouble? Price 374 00:32:25,759 --> 00:32:31,920 too high? No, we didn't get around talking terms. Well, I 375 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:37,720 sent a wife around to see Alison. Oh right, did you find Alison? 376 00:32:37,839 --> 00:32:39,559 It's ten to one. You'll get to the boy we're looking for. 377 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:44,359 Okay, I'll go to work at it. Do that wedding and hurry, 378 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,680 will you? Last time he missed me by a fraction of an inch, 379 00:32:47,799 --> 00:32:52,319 it would be next time he'll hit death center. I hope he'll be with 380 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:57,599 us then. In the meantime, do send your comments to Box thirteen at 381 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,319 Great Detactoos dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check 382 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:07,880 us out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com slash Great Detectives from Boise, 383 00:33:07,039 --> 00:33:10,119 Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.