Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
going to bring you this week's episode of drag Net.
But first I do want to encourage you. If you're
enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.
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 Malini donation to Adam Graham
peel box one five nine one three. That's peel box
one five nine thirteen, Boise, Idaho eight three seven one five,
and become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as
little as two dollars per month. Just go to Patreon
dot Great Detectives dot net. Now from January twenty fourth,
nineteen fifty two, here is the Big Court.
Speaker 2: The story you're about to hear is true. The names
have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned to robbery detail. An ex convict is accused
of robbery and murder. Four witnesses identify him as the killer.
The man's arigned and municipal court and held a answer
your job investigator.
Speaker 3: Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. Well 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 violence,
from beginning to ends, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is
the story of your police force in action.
Speaker 4: It was Wednesday, March twelfth, was cold in Los Angeles.
We were working the day Watch out of robbery detail.
My partner's Ed Jacobs. The boss is Captain Didion. My
name is Friday. We run away over from the office
and it was ten forty three am when we got
to the third floor at the Haul of Justice Municipal
Court Department eighty two.
Speaker 5: You see him, Joe, I think.
Speaker 6: So yeah, that's him up front behind the d a stable.
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, that's see. You want next year high? Oh hi,
Friddy Jacobs pull up a chair. Yeah, thank you. Who's
on the stand first? You know, victim's wife.
Speaker 7: I think, oh, people pass the Saints Claire.
Speaker 8: People ready in this case, to your honor, we'd like
to proceed with number two, three, five, four, eight.
Speaker 9: You've been proceed Is the defendant ready?
Speaker 5: Defendant's ready, your honor called Agnes's Halloway, Agnes Holloway to
the stand, Kay.
Speaker 10: You just hollow I swear that the testimony are about
to give him the matter of pending before this court.
Speaker 5: Will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth. To help to God, I do stay your name, please.
Speaker 8: Holloway, calling your attention to the fourth day of March
or this year. Missus Holloway, did you see the defendant
in your place of business at two three oh one
Mailer Avenue.
Speaker 5: Yes? What time of day did you first see him
at that location?
Speaker 11: It was around ninety three?
Speaker 5: Will you tell us what you saw the defendant?
Speaker 12: Doll the purpose of the record, May we ask whether
I was in the morning or the afternoon.
Speaker 8: Was that in the morning or in the PM PM?
Can you tell us what you saw the defendant do
and what you heard him.
Speaker 5: Say at that place you made before the holder at
nine thirty? Please tell us what occurred?
Speaker 13: Well, I came in about nine thirty is the place.
He was already sitting there at the bar.
Speaker 5: Continue.
Speaker 13: I came in and sat down at the end of
the bar. He was sitting about five stools from the door.
Friend of mine, Doris Senway, she's here now. Doris was
sitting near him. I would open and talk to Doris
for a while. The man didn't say anything, he was
just sitting there.
Speaker 5: Did you see him drinking anything?
Speaker 11: Yes, he was drinking scotch and soda.
Speaker 5: You're the wife of George Holloway deceased. Is that correct? Yes?
Speaker 8: Was he present then, baby Brenon. Was your husband George
Holloway present.
Speaker 5: At that time? Yes, he was tending the bar by that.
Speaker 8: Do you mean that your husband, yourself and the defendant
were the only person's present.
Speaker 11: No, my friend or his family. Who was the sayer
there too? I don't know who he had? He sat
next to the defendant.
Speaker 5: Could what the court?
Speaker 13: Then, as we were ready to close the front door,
my husband noticed the light.
Speaker 11: And the men is worse.
Speaker 5: I'll moved that go out? What her husband noticed as
a conclusion of the witness? Didn't they go out? Well?
Speaker 13: Anyway, my husband went back in to put the light out.
Dori's friendly and I went out to the sidewalk.
Speaker 11: So did the sayer, and the fellow did too.
Speaker 5: The defendant did.
Speaker 6: Yes.
Speaker 5: In a minute, I.
Speaker 11: Went back inside to see what my husband was doing.
And the defendant followed me back in. I was about
as far as the music machine. He put his arm
around me, and he had a gun right here. He said, lady,
this is a sticker.
Speaker 5: Could you describe the gun yourself?
Speaker 11: No, I just saw it looked like a pistol to me.
I couldn't tell you to make her.
Speaker 5: I moved that go out, if your honor please what
it looked like?
Speaker 11: I know it was a gun.
Speaker 5: The motion movie denied you were inside the building when
the defendant did that.
Speaker 11: Yes, he said, took quiet, roll kill you?
Speaker 5: And where was miss Fenwick?
Speaker 11: Then she was out on the sidewalk talking to the sailor.
I think Doris was expecting her husband to come on
the street car.
Speaker 5: I'm moved that go out. Miss Fenwick was out on
the sidewalk. May stay in the balance, may go out.
What did the defendant do after that? Missus Holloway?
Speaker 11: He said, I will shoot you if you don't keep quiet.
He made me walk backwards to where my husband was
and I said, Johnny, this man has a gun. He says,
this is a sticker.
Speaker 13: And the man said shut up, and he made my
husband put his hands up.
Speaker 5: Were you in fear of the gun at that time. Oh,
I didn't have anything. You did you believe the defendant
would injure you with a gun.
Speaker 11: I wasn't afraid. I said, well, it's uh hold up
and we'll give him the money, and that's all there.
Speaker 5: Is to it, all right. Continue, Well, when.
Speaker 13: We got to the back room, my husband was trying
to open the safe and he says, hurry up, I
have your wife covered.
Speaker 11: Try if you don't hurry.
Speaker 5: The defendant said that.
Speaker 13: Yes, my husband said, don't get nervous. You can have
anything we have, but don't shoot it. Then my husband
got the safe open and took.
Speaker 11: Out the money bag and handed it to the man.
The defendant. He grabbed it and then he shot my
husband twice.
Speaker 8: The defendant shot your husband twice. Yes, m you know
what The contents of the money bag.
Speaker 11: Were about a hundred and sixty dollars.
Speaker 8: Any time did you give this defendant authority or your
consent to take that money?
Speaker 5: No, sir, the taking of the money was against your will.
Is that correct? Yes? How soon after was it that
the officer arrived at the location.
Speaker 11: It's about seven or eight minutes after death.
Speaker 5: Your husband was removed to the hospital. Yes, Do you
know when your husband died?
Speaker 11: He died on the seventh Friday, six o'clock.
Speaker 5: You mean on the seventh of March of this year.
Speaker 11: Yes, you say you Did.
Speaker 5: You see your husband in the coroner's office? Biddy?
Speaker 8: Did you see your husband after death in the coroner's office?
Speaker 14: No?
Speaker 5: I saw him in the hospital after death. Did you
see your husband downstairs in the coroner's office?
Speaker 11: No, when my son did.
Speaker 5: Did you see your husband after death?
Speaker 13: Yes, at the mortuary Monday the tenth, at the mortuary,
and the person you viewed in death was the same
Charles A.
Speaker 5: Holloway, who you knew in life as your husband.
Speaker 11: Yes.
Speaker 5: Do you know Grace Thompson?
Speaker 11: Yes, sir, she works for me and my husband.
Speaker 5: Was she present at your place of business on this evening? Yes?
When did she leave there? Do you know about?
Speaker 8: Uh?
Speaker 11: Five minutes to twelve midnight?
Speaker 5: Can you fix the precise time when your husband was shot?
Speaker 11: About five minutes after twelve.
Speaker 5: Five minutes after twelve? How many times was the gun fired?
Speaker 11: Twelve?
Speaker 5: How close was begun to your husband? Charles Holloway must
have been about two feet Do you know Marion Shaw? Yes?
Speaker 8: Was she present on the premises that evening she was
present at any you know MSUs sam Garber, Yes, was
she present on the premises that evening?
Speaker 11: Yes, sir, And that Sally was there too.
Speaker 5: Uh.
Speaker 8: I didn't know him though all the chief related that
curred in the County of Los Angeles, State of California.
Speaker 5: Yes, sir, across attend.
Speaker 11: You may have a drink of water?
Speaker 5: Please? Really would you like to rest awhile missus.
Speaker 11: Halloway, Yes, rease, we'd.
Speaker 9: Have a short recess before the cross examina are.
Speaker 5: Joe? They had Yellier probably won't get to us for
a while. You wanna gray her smoke? Uh, that's fine,
on man, you think.
Speaker 15: More than.
Speaker 5: All that. What's your idea? Honestly though? And not to
have him bound out with a period cord. No, I
mean you think Saint Clare's the right man?
Speaker 2: Got me?
Speaker 5: He had just one good piece of physical evidence. I'd
feel a.
Speaker 2: Lot better about it.
Speaker 5: Good.
Speaker 16: Yeah, thanks, there you go, like, yeah, thanks, thank you.
Speaker 8: How about Saint Clair's alibi? All the angles checked? Hi,
all of 'em doesn't hold much water. Can't prove it toke,
can't prove it's the truth.
Speaker 5: Sure, hate these things.
Speaker 16: I don't know which way to go for identifying witnesses,
and you know how wrong they can be.
Speaker 8: What about that sailor was supposed to be in the
bar at the time and an homicide didn't do any good?
Speaker 5: How about you fella well, samely or nothing?
Speaker 8: Yet he was the only one who really got a
close look at the killer besides the wife, I mean
killer bumped into him when he ran out of the bar. Yeah,
if anyone could identify the right man, the sailor could ran.
Nobody at the bar saw him before that night. Nobody's
seen him. Since he's not a trace of 'em. M
sure our best bet we could find him. We might
put a foundation under this thing, Yeah, put in it.
There's just one problem. Yeah, it's a big navy. Where
do we find him?
Speaker 4: When fifty eight year old tavern owner Charles Holloway was
shot and fatally wounded in a hold up on March fourth,
there were five people in the immediate vicinity Holloway's wife,
a waitress at the tavern, two women customers, and an
unidentified sailor. Soon after the shooting, the scene of the
crime was gone over thoroughly for all physical evidence. But
besides the two fatal bullets. None was found. The preliminary
investigation failed to yield any further leads. A search was
started for the missing witness, the unidentified sailor the foreign.
Known witnesses were brought down town, where they checked through
volumes of pictures of ex convicts recently released from the
state penitentiaries. All of them identified the mug shot of
Harald Saint Clair, a recent parole from Chino, where he'd
served time for armed robbery. Saint Clair was brought in
immediately in question. He failed to establish an alibi for
his whereabouts the night of the hold up and murder.
He was arraigned in municipal court and not his preliminary hearing.
The first prosecution witness, the wife of the murdered man,
Agnes Holloway, singled him out as the killer. By experience,
the working detectives found that identifying witnesses under the strain
of being present at a horrible crime can often be
mistaken in their identification. In this instance, there wasn't anything
else we could do.
Speaker 5: It was all we had.
Speaker 4: Eleven eighteen am, the preliminary hearing resumed. The witnesses took
the stand in turn, and all of them tabbed Saint
Clair as the murderer, ed and I testified as the
arresting officers. At three twenty five that afternoon, the prosecution
rested the case for the people. Saint Clair's lawyer offered
no defense for the time being.
Speaker 5: Here, Honor, mister Alexander.
Speaker 8: This time the people moved that case number two three
five two nine be dismissed on the.
Speaker 11: Grounds that it stakes in substance.
Speaker 5: Two three five two nine. Is that correct? Yes, dismissed
on the ground that it states in substance. The offense
covered in the present case two.
Speaker 8: Three five two nine covers the offense of robbery and
assault with intent to commit murder under the present victim
in our case here, Charles Holloway.
Speaker 5: He was not dead at the time this case two
three five two nine was filed.
Speaker 8: Subsequent to its filing, he died and the murder count
accomplished that complaint.
Speaker 9: If the records showed that on the motion of the
District Attorney in the case of People versus Herald Our
Saint Clair number two three five two nine, that case
is dismissed. Bearing to me that the offenses in the
within deposition mentioned a withd COUMP one murder of felony
and count two robbery of felony have been committed, and
that there is sufficient cause to believe the within name
defendant Harold our Saint Clair, guilty thereof. I orderably be
held to answer to the same, leave be committed to
the custody of the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, with
out there.
Speaker 4: In the seventeen days intervening between Saint Clair's preliminary hearing
and his arragement in Superior Court, ed and I, along
with Sergeant Stoner Beeson and Leo Tracy, continued our investigation
of the case. Physical evidence to either prove or disprove
the case against Saint Clair was not to be had.
We concentrated on trying to find the all important missing
witness to the killing, the unidentified sailor. We got out
an APV along with special letters and bulletins for distribution
to local Navy Yard commandants as well as Navy Department
officials in Washington, requesting help in locating him. It went slow.
The day before Saint Clair's Superior Court arrayment, we got
our first lead, but not from where we expected. A
two time robbery loser, Lester Jaffey, who bore a close
resemblance to Saint Clair, was arrested at a check cashing
agency on salth Hoover trying to pass a Ford's check.
He had several prior arrests and convictions for burglary and
ad w and a check of his package showed that
he had violated his parole.
Speaker 10: A thirty eight.
Speaker 4: Caliber S and W revolver found on Jaffy was delivered
to Rust Camp and Ballistics for examination in comparison. The
next day, Monday, March twenty ninth, Saint Clair came up
for his arrenement in Superior Court and and I were.
Speaker 15: There, Saint Clair defend of his present ready or honor
arraigned the.
Speaker 5: Prisoner erld Ire Saint Clair. Is that your true name?
That's right? Harold?
Speaker 8: Are Saint Clair? By information number two three five four nine.
You're charged in COUMP one with a crime of murder
in that honor about March fourth of this year. You
did wilfully, unlawfully and feloniously and with malice of forethought,
murder one Charles A. Holloway, a human being, to this charge.
How do you now plead gilly or not gilly? Not
gilly in count two of the same information. Your charged
with the crime of robbery in that honor about March
fourth of this year, you did rob one Charles A
Holloway to that charge. How do you now plead guilty
or not guilly?
Speaker 5: Not gilly? Joe better? Oh yeah, he's most thing to
a phone call? I guess must be for you. Yeah,
thanks that, gentlemen. Have you agreed on what day is
convenient for trial?
Speaker 8: No agreement is yet, your honor ys a phone call
for you, Sergeant right here?
Speaker 5: Okay, thank you Friday talking? Yeah, is that right? Yeah?
Speaker 4: Okay, Russ soon as we finished here, Yeah, right bye.
Speaker 5: Joe Alex here wants to know about a trial? Did
any ideas well?
Speaker 8: We better get all the time you can, Alex. We're
gonna need it anything you say. What's the matter we
got troubles? Well, just had a call from Russ camp
and ballistics. Yeah, I figure we got a whole new
case to build.
Speaker 4: What do you mean, well, the man we've got, Saint Clair, Yeah,
maybe he's taken the rap for somebody else.
Speaker 3: You are listening to dragnet authentic stories of your police
force and action.
Speaker 4: March twenty ninth, Monday, four fifteen pm, after the arrangement
of Harald Saint Clair in Superior Court at and I
checked with Russ camp and Ballistics. He said he'd run
tests on the thirty eight S and W revolver taken
from robbery forgery suspect Leicster Jaffey the day before. Comparison
microscopic examinations of test bullets fired from the gun taken
from jaffe and the two slugs which had been removed
from the body of tavern owner Charles Holloway maxed. After
checking with Breton at the CII Bureau and Sacramento, we
discovered new additions to Jaffey's long criminal record. We also
found out his known mo corresponded closely to that of
the man who robbed and murdered mister Holloway. At a
special show up of both Saint Clair and Jaffey, the
close resemblance of the two became apparent to the four
identifying witnesses. They frankly admitted their mistake and positive identified
Jaffey as the killer. Intensive investigation during the next three
weeks uncovered enough evidence and testimony against Jaffey by associates
and informers to give us a good foundation for a
murder conviction, but we were still without a lead for
one of our most essential witnesses, the unidentified sailor. The
first suspect, Harold Saint Clair, was cleared of the charge
but detained on a want from the Denver Police Department.
After arrangement and preliminary hearing in municipal Court, the arraignment
and Superior Court Lester Jaffey went on trial for the
Holloway killing on June second. Doctor West, the autopsy surgeon,
was first to be called by Assistant District Attorney Adolph Alexander.
He stated the results of the autopsy on mister Holloway
and testified as to the cause of death. John Mayer,
the police surveyor, was next. He produced the various diagrammatic
drawings of the murder scene. The third day of the trial,
June fifth.
Speaker 5: Garber Woman's com back on frenomous Holloway. Oh yeah, missus,
Samuel Garber be seated. I'll see you to cross examination,
Missus Garber.
Speaker 12: At the time you testified against the former suspect, Carrol
Saint Clair, you were just as positive then.
Speaker 5: Were you or not?
Speaker 12: If the whole up man who killed mister Holloway, was
Harold Saint Clair.
Speaker 11: Yes, I was, But I also say he didn't have
the Saint type.
Speaker 12: I you were absolutely sure about Harold Saint Clair, then,
weren't you.
Speaker 11: Yes, I guess I was.
Speaker 12: And you identified Saint Clair and testified a number of
times during that examination that Saint Clair was the.
Speaker 5: Man's that right?
Speaker 11: I said he resembled to me.
Speaker 5: You said he was the man, didn't you.
Speaker 11: I said, I thought he resembled to me.
Speaker 12: You also said there was no doubt of it. Didn't
you that the hold up man was mister Saint Clair.
Speaker 11: Well, I guess, so, I don't know.
Speaker 5: You don't know, No, I guess I don't.
Speaker 11: I don't remember. I'm not sure.
Speaker 12: Missus Garber, you sure you remember the man you saw
sitting in bar that night?
Speaker 6: Well, I don't know. I guess.
Speaker 11: I'm not sure.
Speaker 4: During the next two days, the other three identifying witnesses
were called to testify, and, like Missus Garber, were badgered
by the defense attorney unmercifully. Despite the efforts of Alexander,
the prosecuting attorney, it was apparent the jury was being
swayed heavily in favor of the defendant. Even the full
day and a half ray Pinker from the crime lab
spent on the stand seemed to have little effect in
counteracting the damage done by the confused testimony. To prepare
the jury for russ Camp's expert report and for the
presentation of scientific facts about the lethal bullets and the
murder gun found on Jaffy at the time of his arrest,
Pinker and Assistant District Attorney Alexander gave the jury a
thorough briefing on the fundamentals of ballistics. They also pointed
out the scientific value of ballistics in determining the guilt
or innocence of a defendant. On Thursday, June twelfth, russ
Camp took the stand as a prosecution witness, and, under questioning,
presented the findings of the various tests he'd run on
the alleged murder weapon.
Speaker 8: Just a Camp, some time after you had obtained People's
Exhibit thirteen, did you fire a test bullet or several
test bullets from it from the crime laboratory?
Speaker 2: I did.
Speaker 8: Did you make a comparison of any of those test
bullets with Exhibits three and.
Speaker 5: Three as the bullets which killed Charles Holloway?
Speaker 8: I did. Now, in making your comparison and examination under
the microscope, after you had completed the mechanical part of
your work, and after you'd completed your examination of the
observable and comparable sections of the fatal bullets with a
test bullet fired from People's Exhibit thirteen, did you come
to any conclusion with respect to the.
Speaker 5: Holloway fatal bullets? Yes, I did, and what was that conclusion?
The conclusion was.
Speaker 12: That the fatal bullets, the Halloway fatal bullets People's Exhibit
number three and three eight, were fire to the barrel.
Speaker 5: Of People's Exhibit number thirteen.
Speaker 4: After another hour of testifying, russ Camp left the stand.
His ballistics report on the gun had made an impression
on the jury, but we couldn't be sure it was
enough to balance the set back the prosecution received from
its own witnesses. As far as we were concerned, Jaffy
was the guilty man, there wasn't a doubt about it,
but the case against him was apparently inconclusive as far
as the jury was concerned. The defense attorney obviously had
heard about the unidentified sailor who was also present at
the scene.
Speaker 5: Of the killing.
Speaker 4: He charged outright in the court that the district Attorney
was purposely preventing the appearance of the unknown sailor as
a witness and was concealing his identity as.
Speaker 5: He told the jury.
Speaker 4: The prosecution was afraid that the testimony of their alleged
silent witness would damage its case. Meantime, our intensive search
for the missing seaman was still under way. Despite half
a dozen favorable prosecution witnesses, the case for the people
appeared to be on the losing end going into the
closing days of the trial. Tuesday, June seventeenth, one of
the final defense witnesses was a missus Albert Dolan, who
presented a fair alibi for Jaffy. She claimed Jaffy was
at night school at the time of the Holloway killing.
Speaker 12: Would you say of your own knowledge that on the
night of March the fourth, mister Jaffie was at the
school until midnight, Yes, he was.
Speaker 5: When you left the school, did you go home alone
or with somebody?
Speaker 11: My husband and I grove home with mister Jaffies.
Speaker 16: Anything else that you can remember? Let me think you
sure read a convincing story. Uh, yeah, I wonder what
the connection is? I No, you sure got plenty of them.
What he figured Joe the jury. Do you think we
got a chance?
Speaker 5: I don't know, don't bet on it, Ed, Joe, Oh high,
Hi gone bed. Couldn't be a lot better. It's getting
that way. Just got a call from womanton O. It's squadron.
Speaker 8: Oh what about say that we've been looking for We
found him.
Speaker 4: Before we left the courtroom, Ed and I briefed the
Assistant District Attorney Alexander on the latest development. He put
in a special order to the County jail for Harald
Saint Clair. Ed and I went across the street and
met with a long missing murder witness in the homicide squadroom.
The sailor identified himself as Seamen first Class Roy Maslin.
He told us that about three and a half weeks before,
he'd happened to see a copy of the bullet and
we'd gotten out on him. He checked with his commanding
officer and was returned to the mainland from his post
on Midway Island.
Speaker 5: Three twenty two pm.
Speaker 4: We returned to the courtroom along with Seamen first Class
Roy Maslin and conferred with Assistant District Attorney Alexander. The
first murder suspect Harold Saint Clair had already been brought
downstairs to the courtroom from the county jail. He was
placed at the opposite of the council table from the defendant,
Lester Jaffey.
Speaker 8: May we approach the bench, you're honor, Come forward, your honor.
We've just now located a witness in this case. He's
in the Armed services and must report back for duty tonight.
May we have permission to call this witness out of turn?
Speaker 5: Permission drafted? All right, let's.
Speaker 10: Crazier right hand. Were you solemnly swear that the testimony
are about to give him? The matter not pending before
this court will beat the crew the whole truth of
nothing but the truth, so helped of God. I do
beg your name.
Speaker 6: Please, Seeman first Class Roy Mason Night states name be seated.
Speaker 8: Are you acquainted with a tavern cafe at twenty three
or one Naylor Avenue, Yes I am.
Speaker 5: Were you there on the evening of March fourth of
this year?
Speaker 11: Yes, I joed a few minutes before midnight.
Speaker 8: Will you tell the court in your own words what
happened on the premises that night?
Speaker 7: Well, it's just a couple of mystery before midnight people
who ran a place.
Speaker 11: They said they were closing up.
Speaker 5: So at a nightcap shot dice for the drinks of
the sky next to me. I went, who was this man?
I didn't know who it was. After you had your drinks,
did you leave the bar? Yes? I did? Heah, the
guy's stayed there.
Speaker 12: I went out to the sidewalk and stood there talking
with one of the gals I saw in the barn
and heard a couple of shots fired on.
Speaker 11: The inside of joint to scream and hollered or something.
Speaker 8: Just going through the door to get inside of this
man thing rush now hit me square on went down.
Speaker 5: I remember of seeing him run down the street, saying God,
I was thinking.
Speaker 8: Of would you recognize this man if you said again, yes, sir,
that man in this courtroom now, yes, your honor, please
direct the defendant to stand alongside of mister Saint Clair,
so that this witness.
Speaker 7: May properly identify the man involved. Mister Jeff will you
stand up, please stand to the right of Mtchison Claire.
Will you step down from the stand please, mister Maslin
and place your hand on the shoulder of the man
who was in the bar with the other night.
Speaker 5: Of March fourth. Yes, this is the man.
Speaker 6: Jeffie fast Work soon really burned up. I guess he'd
like to kill me.
Speaker 5: You're not the only one, son. What way will they
read him? The verdict?
Speaker 2: Uh, the story you have just heard was true. The
names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 3: On June twenty first, the jury retired to deliberate the
case in a moment. The results of that deliberation, Lester
Carl Chaffey was found guilty of murder in the first degree.
He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the
State Penitentiary San Quentin, California. Exchange Clubs sponsor Crime Prevention
Week to remind you that the fight against crime is
your fight the year round. You have just heard Dragnet,
a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice
comes from the Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker,
Los Angeles Police Department. Heard Tonight where Barney Philip Big
Pair and then Virginia Gregg. Script by Jim Mosic, music
by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking.
Speaker 4: Next, It's David Harding and Counterspy on NBC.
Speaker 1: Welcome Back. Well a very interesting episode and it does
a good job at what it's supposed to do. Now.
I know that there are people who will listen to
this and see all of the instances where in terms
of modern court procedure and modern police procedure, this looks
a bit rough. Friday acted like it was a bit
of a surprise that the defense attorney knew about the
existence of the sailor. But in today's world, in a prosecution,
this sort of information would be required to be given
to the defense attorney as part of discovery. And of
course the whole identification at the end in the courtroom
was probably really prejudicial because you had the judge identifying
which of the two men was the defendant, and the
witness choosing between those two men coming right up to
them in order to make the decision. But this wasn't
meant to capture the way that law worked seventy years
in the future. I mean, how would you even do that.
This was meant to capture the realism of how courtroom
procedures worked back in nineteen fifty two, and it does
a good job with that. The one thing that really
stands out is they used an effect to make the
sound of a microphone that a witness might be speaking
into or to capture the acoustics of the courtroom. It's
interesting to hear, even as someone who doesn't regularly watch
courtroom proceedings. But I have a little bit of an
understanding of the law from my paralegal training days. Now
it's just seeing how things evolved, and they were a
lot more raw and less established in terms of the
way that certain procedures were handled as well as the
constitutional application. And it wasn't just the prosecutor. I mean,
you had the defense attorney standing up and accusing the
prosecutor of hiding an exculpatory witness. Today defense attorney can't
just decide, you know, I think I'm going to accuse
the prosecutor hot of hiding an exculpatory witness, because why not.
Why wouldn't I do that? So this episode's an interesting
window and to the way things were and went to
some effort to go ahead and recreate that. We have
a couple of comments regarding the Big Sorrow. First we
go over to Spotify, where Karen rights this episode was
such a lovely tribute to yar Bow and I appreciate
your preempting of the cigarette ad. At the end, I
recall listening to this episode before and feeling like that
ad landed like a lead balloon after all that had
come before it. Thank you for your show and commentary, Adam,
I enjoy listening. Thanks Karen. To be fair, I do
actually usually remove cigarette ads regardless, I do think it
is tricky to have ads on an episode like this.
It just it does tend to be the default. Now.
There are certain times in old time radio programs where
people will figure it's time to just go ahead and
skip the ads, either the star or the host. Most
of the Ben Crosby Christmas programs, I've heard the sponsor
has actually gone ahead and deferred their commercial messages, and
you'll have some occasions where sponsor realized that maybe not
a good time to do live ads. I can see
how the death of an actor would not be viewed
as that sort of occasion by the sponsor. As I said,
the sort of program that Web did you didn't hear
or see quite a bit of. Although I've encountered quite
a few episodes of programs that will pay tribute to
an actor that died, it just was not the norm.
In nineteen fifty one, over on YouTube, the m DG comments,
I could feel their love for Romero and their genuine
sadness relatable and moving. And then finally we have a
comment from our listener survey over at Blueberry listener Rights.
I love the introduction to the episodes and especially the
old time episodes themselves, and that one comes from Eric.
Thanks so much, Eric, appreciate you taking the time to
fill out our listener survey. Well, now it's time to
thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Renee,
Patreon supporter since December, currently supporting the podcast at the
Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen cents or
more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Renee,
and that will do it for If you're enjoying the podcast,
please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be
sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download
it from. We will be back next Thursday with another
episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow for
yours truly. Johnny d all Or where Thomas Thomas? Yeah,
that's right, Ken.
Speaker 2: What can you tell me about him?
Speaker 14: Well, not everybody knew it, Johnny, but day he was
a mouthpiece for the old Maretti mob That was some
years ago when they started the big cleanup. Well, either
Thomas couldn't or just playing wouldn't get him off the hook.
Let him all go to jail and he settled down,
retired in his home out Nillhurst.
Speaker 2: Well he's certainly not there now, ken No, about a.
Speaker 14: Year ago he suddenly sold his plays, packed up, moved
out with somewhere.
Speaker 5: Why you know, change of climate.
Speaker 1: I guess what about him.
Speaker 2: Johnny Ever hear at Charlie one way.
Speaker 14: You getting he was one of Already's trigger.
Speaker 5: Men, Arlie they called him.
Speaker 8: You know where he is now?
Speaker 14: Oh, they sent him up to Joliet Prison along with
the rest of them. Off those boys are being the
twink the.
Speaker 1: Rest of that metric.
Speaker 14: Oh wait a minute, Yeah, Casual Charlie and Snooty Wilson
were released.
Speaker 6: Yeah, and hey, that was.
Speaker 14: Just about the same time that Thomas moved away from here.
Speaker 8: If that means anything, maybe I got a hunch it
means everything.
Speaker 1: Hope you'll be with us then in the meantime. Send
your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot yet,
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.
Speaker 5: Sign and all