WEBVTT 1 00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:34.240 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. 2 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:38.200 This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, 3 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:41.600 send it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, 4 00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:45.880 follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one 5 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:51.759 of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com, slash Radio Detectives. Well, 6 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:55.159 before we do get started, I do want to let 7 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:56.920 you know this program is brought to you by the 8 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.479 financial support of our listeners. You can support the show 9 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:05.760 at support dot Great Detectives dot net. There's also if 10 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:08.640 you'd like to support, sendy inn hcheck via mail. There's 11 00:01:08.680 --> 00:01:13.840 an address there, and you can also become a regular 12 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:18.079 monthly support of the program at Patreon dot Great Detectives 13 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:22.560 dot net. Also a Great Detectives dot net. You can 14 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:27.040 pick up my review of the Rockford Files episode. There's 15 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:30.239 one in every port. You can have all of my 16 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:34.640 reviews sent automatically to your Kindle through a subscription in 17 00:01:34.680 --> 00:01:37.000 the Kindle Store and you can try that service out 18 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:40.519 free for two weeks. All right, Well, now it's time 19 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:45.359 for today's episode of Dragnet. The original air date July 20 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.120 sixth of nineteen fifty and the title is the big frame. 21 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.439 The story you are about to hear is true, only 22 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:03.879 the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 23 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:10.520 Dragnet. 24 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:17.639 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a hit and run 25 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:21.319 felony detail. A dead body is found in the streets 26 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:24.759 in the early hours of the morning. There's only one clue, 27 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:28.680 a set of skid marks on the pavement. Your job 28 00:02:29.639 --> 00:02:30.400 find the killer. 29 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:44.479 Dragnet. The document a drama of an actual crime. For 30 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:47.360 the next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles 31 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:50.400 Police Department, you will travel step by step on the 32 00:02:50.439 --> 00:02:53.000 side of the law through an actual case, transcribed from 33 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:57.560 official police files, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. 34 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.960 Dragnet is the story of your police force. 35 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.240 It was Monday, April nineteenth, was windy in Los Angeles. 36 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:10.319 We were working the day watch out of Traffic Division. 37 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:13.400 My partner's Ben Romero. The bosses Lieutenant Calfrey, Commander A 38 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.680 I D. My name is Friday. It was seven fifty 39 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:18.560 five am when I got to the second floor at 40 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:22.280 one twenty three South figure O Street. Accident investigation getting 41 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:28.800 run following detail morning Joe, George, how is it? Oh, 42 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:33.240 it's not much better? Still aching rough lousy thing kept me. 43 00:03:33.240 --> 00:03:35.159 Up most of the night. Check of that dentis that 44 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:36.199 told you about? Yeah? 45 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:39.599 I did, says it's a wisdom code this one here. 46 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:43.360 Oh yeah, since got to come out. I'm supposed to 47 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:45.159 go back to see him the day that's rough. 48 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:47.840 Remember a friend of mine had his wisdom teeth out, 49 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:51.680 hurt like the devil terrible. Finally pulled him eight for 50 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:56.319 five or six days after. Excuse me, Joe, gammicky, bet 51 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:56.639 I have. 52 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:00.879 A fifty seven yesterday. Okay, most of it down. I'll 53 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:07.680 finish it out Friday. Hi, Ben comin yet he's down 54 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:11.120 the record, bro, Let's see that joke. Guys. 55 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:15.199 M hasn't gone down much. But it's a bad Wisdom Tooth. 56 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:17.319 Dennis is gonna have to yanke it bummed down. 57 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:17.519 Man. 58 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:19.879 That's the first time I ever had any trouble with him. 59 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.480 I remember a few years back my sister Gertrud had 60 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.360 trouble with the Wisdom Tooth and packed him. Yeah, all 61 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.120 side of a face was swarm book kid was in 62 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.040 terrible pain full week even after they pulled it. 63 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:36.560 It's still high. Hi Joe picked up the overnight reports 64 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:37.480 down in the records. Mac. 65 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:41.720 Yeah, well thanks Ben, this one on top hand. I 66 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:45.040 like to have you to check it out. Dead buddy report, Yeah, 67 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:46.720 left me a note on him. 68 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:49.920 That's about all. Not to pick what's the story, just 69 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:54.319 what you're seeing the report. The victim was Edward Raymond 70 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:57.040 Stokes seven thirty two. Delinos to the apartment too. 71 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:59.480 His body was finding a gutter in there, sixty thirdy 72 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.920 per month, three o'clock this morning. No witnesses, only one 73 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.680 piece of evidence. 74 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:06.360 Ye see they got it listed the skid marks near 75 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:06.959 the body. 76 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:10.600 That all that's it? Parent hit and run. Where's the body? Man? 77 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.399 Neighborhood mortuary out there? Emo Hill's Huner home. 78 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.920 One of the deputy coroners handled the body, guy named 79 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:16.759 Joe Laramore. 80 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:18.399 Anybody claim it yet? No? 81 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:22.680 Okay, Ben, you ready? Ye's go'na check you later, man. 82 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.680 Yeah, any help. I've got to Pennon and Rogers on hand. 83 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:32.000 Right, how do we manage to draw all the choice ones? 84 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:35.120 I know, skid marks and the dead body? 85 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:36.079 Yeah? 86 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:42.040 Oh say, I almost forgot. How's your Joe still hurts? 87 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:49.040 Steal swollen? What did Denny say? Wisdom tooth? Oh it's miserable. Yeah, 88 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.000 my wife had the same thing. A couple of years 89 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:52.800 back then, has tried to yank the tooth and it 90 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:53.639 broke right in too. 91 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:57.800 Finally got it out. That's good funny thing about wisdom. 92 00:05:57.839 --> 00:05:58.680 D what's that? 93 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:05.120 After they pull them arts for five or sixth days? 94 00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:09.959 Eight thirty three am, Ben and I drove out to 95 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.120 sixty third in Vermont and rechecked the spot where the 96 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:15.199 dead body of Edward Stokes had been found. According to 97 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:17.639 the report, the body was found two feet west of 98 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:20.120 the easterly curb and thirty two north of sixty third 99 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:21.000 Street on Vermont. 100 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:22.639 We examined the skid marks. 101 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:24.879 They showed definite signs of being a lot older than 102 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:25.759 twenty four hours. 103 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:29.120 The consistency of the rubber was weak, and there were heavy. 104 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:31.759 Dirt smudges over them, indicating more aware than they could 105 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.720 have possibly had since the estimated time of the victim's death. 106 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:36.800 We got back in the car and drove to the 107 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:42.800 Emerald Hills Funeral Home at Vernon and Denver Avenue. 108 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:47.279 Sure he's rotten weather for April, Yeah, he's funeral home. 109 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:49.560 Do you ever notice it? What's that? Why do they 110 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:53.040 always put awnings over the winds? Never opened? Ra, I 111 00:06:53.040 --> 00:07:00.759 don't know, you know what we're going on. 112 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.600 You know where the office is, mister brass played on 113 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:09.240 the door over there. That's how a lot. Yes, sir, 114 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:14.040 here's somebody. Joe definitely be of the service. Police officers 115 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:15.959 like to talk to mister Larimore. I believe he's a 116 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:19.199 deputy corner. I'm mister Larimore. He came about the hit 117 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:21.639 and run victim. Yeah, that's right, the sergeant Romero. My 118 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:23.240 name is Briddy. If we'd like to check the body, 119 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:26.720 if you could, certainly, it's back this way when the stands. 120 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:28.560 You moved the buddy from the scene of the accident 121 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:31.040 here to the mortuhere. Yes, that's right, early this morning. 122 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:35.720 Unusual case, cavil. There's two steps downs. 123 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:40.319 I can set the door. Yeah, thank you. Why do 124 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:43.560 you say it's unusual, mister Larimore, Well here let me 125 00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:48.399 show you there now. 126 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:50.959 For one thing, the victim had a basil skull fracture. 127 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:53.160 I don't know about you, gentlemen, but in the hit 128 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.120 and run cases i've handled, the basil fracture is a 129 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.199 pretty rare thing. Well, it is possible, isn't it. It's possible. 130 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.319 Anything's possible. As they say, it's not usual. A few 131 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:08.079 other things here too. Yeah, now, that's the victim's knee. Here, 132 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:14.240 a single clean cut. Wounds on the head. I've never 133 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:16.160 seen anything like it. And hit and run cases I've 134 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:16.839 been called him. 135 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:19.319 Yeah, a wound on the knee doesn't gibe, does it? 136 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:21.120 He was hit by a car. The knees should be 137 00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:23.560 skinned up quite a bit, exactly. You know how it 138 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.319 usually is the automobile hits the victim. There's always signs 139 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:30.959 that the body was either dragged or thrown, shredding clothing, skin, knees, legs, elbows. 140 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.080 No sign of that here. You don't think the victim 141 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:35.759 could have been killed by hitting running cars? 142 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.519 No, I don't say that it's possible that it might 143 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.000 have been a car, but well, let's say it's not 144 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:41.759 very probable. 145 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:45.000 Has anybody at all inquired about the body of mister Larmor? 146 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:54.240 No, No, it's funny, all right, Tom, excuse me a moment. Yeah, sure, 147 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:02.399 Well yeah, or are we start? 148 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:05.679 I don't know. Maybe we won't have to another lead 149 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:09.440 like this. We can turn over to homicide D. 150 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:13.000 Yeah, there's a young lady in the lobby. Yeah, she 151 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:19.039 wants to claim the body. The girl was shown the body. 152 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:21.320 She identified it as that of Edward Raymond Stokes. 153 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:24.120 She gave her name as Marian Fuller, the victim's common 154 00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:27.120 law wife. After she recovered from her shock, she asked 155 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:28.879 if she might sit down for a while and rest. 156 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:31.120 We took her into one of the offices in the mortuary, 157 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.480 and Ben got her a glass of water. She told 158 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:35.519 us that she had last seen Stokes alive at about 159 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:37.799 one am that morning. They had been drinking together at 160 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:40.440 a neighborhood bar on Vermont Avenue between sixty third and 161 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:43.720 sixty fourth Streets, half a block from where the victim's body. 162 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:47.399 Had been found sprawled in the gutter. Why don't you 163 00:09:47.399 --> 00:09:48.080 sit down over there? 164 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:48.360 Be for. 165 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:52.639 How long did you know Edward Stilketing's for her? 166 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:54.399 In about six. 167 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:57.320 Years and I being together pretty much for the last 168 00:09:57.320 --> 00:09:57.840 couple of years. 169 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:01.720 Oh my, do you mind telling us exactly what happened 170 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:02.919 while your wood Stokes last night? 171 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:03.840 Everything he can remember. 172 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:05.519 I can't think his headache killing you. 173 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:07.559 Oh, we should try him a sport, it's important. 174 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.799 Well, I mean I had dinner together at the Spanish Oven, 175 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:14.960 placed down on soft fig that was about a quarter eight, 176 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.879 and he drove out to the brown barrel and remont. 177 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.000 But I told you about yeah, I mean I go 178 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:23.600 there most of the time. He stayed there and drank, 179 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:24.720 played little shuffle board. 180 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.000 Yeah, go ahead. 181 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:32.080 Always stayed too long, drank a little too much. I 182 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:34.799 started talking with this fella next to me, and he 183 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:38.039 got sore. Always got jealous when he was drunk. 184 00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:41.440 Did any fight with this other man this sport? 185 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:44.240 Oh? No, I stopped it. That made any mad. You 186 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:46.279 never could drink. I always wanted to pick a fight. 187 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:47.679 Who was the other man? You remember? 188 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:49.799 No, I don't. I guess I had a lot to 189 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:54.559 drink too. He did some guy at the bar headache. 190 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.279 It's not gonna take much longer, Just a few more questions. 191 00:10:57.399 --> 00:10:58.480 Organs getting on my nerves. 192 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:03.080 What happened after you broke up the argument between Stokes 193 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:03.759 and the other man? 194 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.879 Oh? Nothing. We stayed in the bar. 195 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:09.000 Had he played shuffle board most of the time. I 196 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:10.120 was one of the booth drinking. 197 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:11.039 Yeah. 198 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:15.120 Around one o'clock, I started feeling six, so I went 199 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.000 outside and sat in the car. I guess I passed 200 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:20.840 out there your car, well, I guess I belonged to 201 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:22.240 one of the fellows in the bar. I passed out, 202 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:23.159 and that's all I can remember. 203 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:24.840 Did you sleep in the car all night. 204 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.480 No, I guess whoever owned it drove me home. 205 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:29.120 Well, how do they know where you live? 206 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.679 I was doing one of our friends. 207 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:31.120 I don't know. 208 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:33.399 I don't remember anything till this morning. He phoned me 209 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:34.399 up and said Eddie was dead. 210 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:35.759 Who phoned you, miss far. 211 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:36.600 One of our friends. 212 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:38.440 I don't remember. I had a rotten headache. 213 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:39.960 Well you can do better than that, I. 214 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:42.679 Tell you, I don't remember your phone and told me 215 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:43.360 Eddie was dead. 216 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.759 Somebody ran Eddie down. 217 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:48.679 All right, where are we going downtown? We'll have a 218 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:50.039 stenographer take your statement. 219 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:54.320 I got a terrible hangover. I've never had one as 220 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:54.799 bad as this. 221 00:11:55.120 --> 00:12:02.519 Neither is Eddie. Let's go on the way back to 222 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:02.919 the office. 223 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:04.480 Ben stopped at the drug show and I picked up 224 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.360 a box of aspring. The wisdom to who was giving 225 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:08.480 me trouble again? The clerk at the soda pott and 226 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:10.919 fixed something for Marian Fuller's hangover. When we got her 227 00:12:10.919 --> 00:12:12.720 back to the office and questioned her for more than 228 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:14.759 an hour, but she gave us only one additional piece 229 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:15.399 of information. 230 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:19.320 The victim, Eddie Stokes, had been married before and divorced. 231 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:21.600 His ex wife lived out in the valley with their 232 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:23.919 two children, and on several occasions she came to see 233 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:26.600 Stokes at the Vermont Avenue bar when he failed to 234 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:28.600 make the monthly payments for the support of the children. 235 00:12:29.720 --> 00:12:31.200 Each time they'd argued bitterly. 236 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:34.039 We had a police demographer take the floor woman's statment, 237 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:37.279 and when she was released ten forty five am, Sergeants 238 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:39.639 Rogers and McLennon were assigned to check out the Vermont 239 00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:42.759 Avenue bar, where Stokes had last been seen alive. Ben 240 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:44.240 and I drove out to the valley to the home 241 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:47.559 of Catherine Stokes, the victim's former wife. She met us 242 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.799 on the front porch. Inside, it sounded like one of 243 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:51.320 the children was practicing the piano. 244 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:53.919 Who told her what had happened last week? 245 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:58.000 I think it was yes Thursday, last week Eddie hadn't 246 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.519 send him money for the kid's support for three months. 247 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.720 I hated to chase after him like that. There wasn't 248 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:03.559 nothing else I could do. 249 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:04.720 Where did you meet him? 250 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:08.600 Mists That bar used to hang around Oban Vermont called 251 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:12.320 a brown bear or something. Oh wouldn't you like to 252 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:12.919 come inside? 253 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:19.799 Yes? Thank you? You happen to know anybody by the 254 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:20.840 name of Marian Fuller? 255 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:25.440 Yes, Eddie mentioned he was a man seeing woman like that. 256 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:27.519 Do you know anything about her at all? 257 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:28.159 No? 258 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:31.000 Whenever I saw it, he mentioned he was running around 259 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:33.440 with it because he wanted to make me jealous. 260 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:35.519 Was your husband a pretty heavy drinker? 261 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:40.080 Yes, he was, so I got the divorce. Eddie was 262 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:43.480 such a fine boy when we got married, good home. 263 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:45.399 You didn't know any of the people he'd been running 264 00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:46.120 around with lately. 265 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:48.399 No, just the full of him on, that's all. 266 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:50.480 Can you think of anything at all? It might possibly 267 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.440 have a bearing on his death? 268 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:57.120 No, Eddie was probably drinking, wanted in the street to 269 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:02.320 part him. I don't know. Oh, there's the bakery, man, 270 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.000 I've got to get some bread and a few things. 271 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:04.559 Excuse me. 272 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.399 I think that's about it all, don't you, Joe. 273 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:08.960 Yeah, I'll tell you. I'll leave our cardot Miss Stokes 274 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:10.960 in case you want to contact us. Funny reason why. 275 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:17.799 It was so wonderful when we were married, Eddie and I. 276 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:20.399 My folks gave us his house as a wedding prison. 277 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:25.159 We got wonderful prisons. Yeah, we had everything we wanted, car, 278 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:32.960 nice house, kids, wonderful. We started drinking. Then everything went job. 279 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:38.960 Everything I thought, all of a sudden. I never knew why, Yes, ma'am. 280 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:42.080 How the men get that way? How do they stand? 281 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.159 I don't know. We only see a part of it. 282 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:45.000 Yeah. 283 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:57.200 When they finish. 284 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.879 Twelve noon, Ben and I drove back into town to 285 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:56.279 Vermont the sixty third Street for a meet with Sergeants 286 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:58.879 Rogers and McClendon. They told us that they checked out 287 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:01.440 the bartender who had been on the night before, and 288 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:04.879 also seven of his customers. Their stories were almost identical. 289 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:07.320 Each of them remembered seeing Eddie Stokes at the bar. 290 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.639 Each of them remembered he was playing shuffleboard, that he 291 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.039 was drinking heavily, and then he left the bar at about. 292 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:13.440 One forty five am. 293 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.639 All of us had the idea that for some reason, 294 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:19.240 the bartender and the customers were lying. In most cases, 295 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:21.759 it's hard to find two witnesses who tell identical stories, 296 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:25.519 let alone seven. For the rest of that afternoon, Rogers, McLennan, 297 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.799 Ben and I spent our time canvassing the neighborhood. In 298 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:31.799 the vicinity of the Brown Barrel tavern four forty five am, 299 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.440 we talked to the proprietor of a small grocery store 300 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:36.759 two blocks down the street from the tavern. He told 301 00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:38.879 us that he rarely visited the bar, but that he 302 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.759 thought that the man who ran the butcher shop next 303 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.360 to his place, mister Eugene Murray, was a regular patron 304 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:44.120 of the Brown Barrel. 305 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:45.960 So we went next door. 306 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:50.440 To the Grand shop. Had a. 307 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:55.519 Nice looking mates. And you, yeah, the stakes look good, 308 00:15:55.559 --> 00:16:01.960 don't they? Two pounds? 309 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:06.480 All right? 310 00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:14.679 Anything else? Now, missus Kidney got some nice besh kidneys today. 311 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:19.519 I'll tach kidneys. Put it on the bill, watch mister Murray, 312 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:20.320 Yes man. 313 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:27.200 Thank you, Yes, gentlemen, and I hug you police officers. 314 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:30.039 Mister Murray, like to ask you a few questions. Oh, 315 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:31.960 I'm sure glad to help out if I can. 316 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.200 Have you ever been in the Brown Barrel tavern? Down 317 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:34.960 the next block? There? 318 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:37.480 Brown Barrel? I'll go there all the time. Say would 319 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:39.279 you mind if I fix up another while we're talking? 320 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.799 The customers going to pick it up in a couple 321 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:42.159 of minutes. I don't like to keep waiting. 322 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:44.320 Sure, go ahead, I gotta go to the ice block. 323 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.080 When's the last time you ran in the Brown Barrel, 324 00:16:46.120 --> 00:16:46.720 mister Murray? 325 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:49.200 Last night the movie. 326 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:57.200 Picture, we dropped dinn at the Barrel and way home 327 00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:59.840 for a beer. About what time? Is that pretty close 328 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:04.599 to two? What's the matter some kind of trouble? Did 329 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.839 you notice anything unusual when you're in there? Anybody fighting 330 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:07.279 or arguing? 331 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.680 No, we were only in there a couple of minutes. 332 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:12.680 But now that you mentioned that, there was something funny happened. 333 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:13.200 What was that? 334 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.839 Well, a bartender, Carl, and a half dozen of the 335 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:18.920 neighborhood gang or back in one of the boots, talking together. 336 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:21.880 They seemed kind of nervous, and all of them seem 337 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:22.880 to be having a good time. 338 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:23.119 You know. 339 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:25.759 My wife and I yelled hello at him, but they 340 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:28.599 kind of gave us to go by. Then this drunk 341 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:32.319 came up to us. Uh, they say, officer, wou'd you 342 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:33.440 reach that knife for me? 343 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:34.960 Which one did that? 344 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.160 One? 345 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:37.720 Oh? Yeah here? Yeah, yeah, go ahead. Yeah. 346 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:40.359 Well, this a drunk came up to us and whispers 347 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:42.359 to me, say, you better get out of here. 348 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:46.880 There's been a fight. Isn't that a beautiful piece of meat? Well? 349 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:49.400 I didn't pay much attention to him. He was pretty drunk, 350 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:52.440 could hardly understand him. I I guess they have a 351 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.759 lot of fights in there anyway. 352 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.200 Is that all he told you? They'd been Afie yeah, 353 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.319 that well. 354 00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:59.720 He came back a couple of minutes later and whispered 355 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:00.359 the same same thing. 356 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.160 You better get out. 357 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:03.480 There's been a fight, he said, wife and I just 358 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.759 laughed at him. 359 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.400 He said, I know all about it. A guy's been murdered. 360 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:20.200 You are listening to dragnet. 361 00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:26.640 The six PM Ben and I went back to Homicide 362 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:29.000 to turn the case over to them. They asked us 363 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:31.119 to handle the investigation for another day because they were 364 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:32.920 short of men at the moment, because there was still 365 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:34.759 a big doubts or whether or not Eddie Stokes had 366 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:37.920 really been murdered. Actually, the only solid lead we had 367 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:40.880 was the second hand testimony of a drunken witness. That 368 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:44.359 and the deputy coroner's doubts that Stokes was actually the victim. 369 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:44.799 Of a hit and run. 370 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:47.599 Mister Murray, the butcher didn't know the name of the 371 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.039 man who told him that there'd been a murder, and 372 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:52.079 he could give us only a meager description. We brought 373 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:54.799 Marian Fuller back in and requestioned her. She stuck to 374 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:57.400 her story. She didn't remember anything. She was released again. 375 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:00.119 Looked like we were in for a long night. We 376 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:01.799 went across the street for a bowl of soup and 377 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:03.839 a sandwich. And when we got back, Ben called his 378 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.319 wife and told her he'd be working late. 379 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:08.200 I called my mother working late a king. 380 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:12.079 Oh, Joseph, how's your tooth feeling? 381 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:14.519 That's a little better, mind, it's still pretty tender. I'm 382 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.720 gonna go to the dentist tomorrow. 383 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:19.319 Yes, you gotta have that attendant to right away. Bad 384 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:21.720 teeth can poison your whole system. 385 00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:24.039 You be sure. And see that dentist. 386 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:24.920 Is he a good one? 387 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:25.839 Yeah, he's okay. 388 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.640 One of the fellas down there told me about him. 389 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:29.400 I'll see a little later. I don't wait up. 390 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:31.720 Yeah, and you don't work. 391 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:36.079 Too late, Joseph, you need your rest, Yeah, okay, Man, goodbye, 392 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:43.640 all right, Joseph, goodbye, Joe. Yeah. Just talk to that 393 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:45.400 butcher's wife on the phone, Miss Murray. 394 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:47.400 What'd she has to say? Ask you the same questions 395 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:50.519 we asked Murray? She couldn't add much, the same story, queen. 396 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.519 Yeah, mat Rogers and mcclennan just called. And it's still 397 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:55.920 out at that bar now. Finally got somebody to talk 398 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:58.640 a little well again. The bar boy out there, he 399 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:01.200 says there was a fight happened about one doesn't remember 400 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:04.400 who was fighting not much half bar boy's name is Milner, 401 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:06.599