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 Driving It.
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Lass two dollars per month at Patreon dot Great Detectives
dot net. Now from May thirty first, nineteen fifty one,
here is the Big Bendel.
Speaker 2: The story you're about to hear is true, only the
names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a
detective sergeant. You're assigned to narcotics detail. You receive information
that one of your city's most fashionable hotels is being
used as the clearing how for high grade heroin evidence
points to a narcotics ring, the center of distribution. Your
job break.
Speaker 3: It Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. While
the next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles
Police Department, you will travel step by step on the
side of the law through an actual case transcribed from
official police files, from beginning to end, from crime to punishment.
Dragnet is the story of your police force.
Speaker 2: In action.
Speaker 4: Was Tuesday, October fifth, was foggy and rainy in Los Angeles.
We're working the day watch out a narcotics division. My
partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Kearney. My name
is Friday. Was eight forty seven am when we got
to four h one North Avenue nineteen, the main jail
Felony Section.
Speaker 5: Morning, Apollos. All right today, Pete, morning, I bring you
up here so early.
Speaker 4: We want to see Monty Wilkins booked in last night
in narcotics booking numbers nine oh six, three, five, one.
Speaker 5: Okay, let me look, okay, here it is he's in
one oh three.
Speaker 6: Frank you, Pete. I'll put it in the book here Joe. Okay,
here's my gun.
Speaker 7: I want to check it. What you are?
Speaker 5: Yeah right, I'll put them away. Okpe, did you check?
Speaker 7: Thank you? Pete? All set?
Speaker 8: Then nine O six three five one.
Speaker 7: That's it.
Speaker 8: Okay, let's go all right, all right, we want to
talk to Monty Wilkins.
Speaker 7: He's No.
Speaker 9: Three.
Speaker 8: All right, we'll get him Monday.
Speaker 10: Welcome one on three.
Speaker 11: For in you.
Speaker 8: Hello Friday, ben ye money, better move out of the
way there.
Speaker 7: He wants to lock that door. Money.
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, let's go around the corner to the interview room.
Speaker 7: Money.
Speaker 10: All right, man, this is off.
Speaker 7: No matter. Don't you feel good?
Speaker 10: I feel awful, pretty sick?
Speaker 8: You look bad. I'll get the lack Okay, then.
Speaker 12: Set out money.
Speaker 10: Okay, thanks.
Speaker 8: Well it's been about a year and a half, hasn't it?
Speaker 7: Money?
Speaker 10: About that long? Yew?
Speaker 9: We got you for possition that time too.
Speaker 7: Didn't we.
Speaker 10: Yeah that's right.
Speaker 12: How long you've been in the stuff this time?
Speaker 10: Well, I guess I've been hooked bad about a month.
Speaker 12: How much you're shooting them?
Speaker 10: Well, about two caps a day?
Speaker 9: And you were picked up down on scott from last night.
You had saving gaps on you.
Speaker 10: Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 12: We checked with the crime lab. They've run the stuff.
It's not the usual Mexican, is it.
Speaker 13: That's right, you want to tell us about it. Yeah,
it's good stuff. It's not Mexico.
Speaker 8: We know that money.
Speaker 9: Where'd you get it?
Speaker 13: Haven't had anything like that for a long time, real good,
haven't been cut real fine. Maybe it's coming in from
the East coast. You can't get nothing like that from Mexico.
Speaker 4: Now, look, money, we ran the stuff through the lab.
We know it's high grade heroin. We know all about it.
Speaker 12: Now I want you to tell us where you've been
getting it.
Speaker 13: Well, you know how it is. You want to ask
the impossible of me. My life wouldn't be worth a penny.
Speaker 12: You know how it is?
Speaker 9: Mean handles your year and a half ago, didn't you money?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 9: I'm telling around, aren't you.
Speaker 1: Yeah?
Speaker 10: I did time though.
Speaker 7: And you knew that going in.
Speaker 9: You're gonna do time on this trip.
Speaker 12: Too, So don't shoot us that line.
Speaker 11: Huh.
Speaker 10: Well, you guys know how it is with us. Guys,
I can't tell you anything.
Speaker 12: No, it isn't that you can't. You just don't want to. Now.
Speaker 4: Look, we didn't come up here to spend the time
of day with you, Wilkins. This is the only time around.
If you want to help us, you can help yourself.
At the same time. It's up to you.
Speaker 10: You mean, you can clear me on this. You can
give me a break.
Speaker 9: And we didn't say that.
Speaker 6: We can't make any promises to you or give you
any kind of a break.
Speaker 9: It's entirely up to you. How you want us to
put it down our reports. Co operative or uncooperative.
Speaker 10: Oh okay, you squared with me last time.
Speaker 12: You helped us, last time we made a case.
Speaker 10: But I'm not gonna be able to help you very much.
Speaker 13: Where you've been getting it, well, I've only made a
couple of buys on that good stuff. I just got
it from some old mule I just happened to meet
down there, seen to be pretty well loaded with the stuff.
Speaker 9: Where'd you meet him?
Speaker 10: Go down near fifth in the spring somewhere.
Speaker 9: What's his name?
Speaker 13: I never did know his name. I just knew that
he was pushing the stuff, some old mule, that's all.
Speaker 12: Who's he pushing it for?
Speaker 7: Now?
Speaker 13: You know they never tell us guys where they're getting it,
you know how they do. Yeah, I never did talk
to him very much. I did hear him say once
he was getting his stuff from a new bunch of
guys from the east, said they were really going to
open up this town. Well he talked, they're no small
time operators. I got enough out of it to know
they're working out of the Plaza Royal Hotel.
Speaker 10: Never figured that, would.
Speaker 9: You anything else? Any names mentioned?
Speaker 13: Yeah, I remember this old mule mentioned a couple names.
I think he talked about somebody named Kirk and another
guy called Smith. Now you understand, this guy was just talking.
I don't know how they fit in or what the
connections are.
Speaker 7: Man, we understand.
Speaker 12: Where can we get a hold of this whole meal?
Speaker 10: I don't know where he's at.
Speaker 12: How do you get a hold of them when you
want to make a buy?
Speaker 10: I just run into him.
Speaker 13: That's all down around Spring Street, you know, just around
last time I was down.
Speaker 10: I couldn't find it.
Speaker 9: Is that all of it money? You know what you
can tell us?
Speaker 10: Well, I don't know too much anyway, you know how
it is. I couldn't tell you anymore. It's all I know.
Speaker 12: All right, let's get out of his five ten of
it's all you got.
Speaker 10: That's everything I got. Hope you fellas will write me up.
Speaker 13: Okay, I think I helped you quite a bit, haven't
I one of the best hotels in town, Plaza Royal.
Never would have figured that, would you, Mabby. I've told
you quite a lot. The rest ought to be easy.
Speaker 7: You know you're wrong.
Speaker 12: There many why you haven't told us the name of
your mu. You haven't told us where we could find him.
You haven't made it so easy.
Speaker 10: It's all I have. I've told you a lot.
Speaker 12: Yeah, there's a lot you didn't tell.
Speaker 4: We continued our interrogation of Matty Wilkins. He refused to
divulge any further information. What he had told us, together
with information already compiled, seemed to check out.
Speaker 7: For the past seven months.
Speaker 4: We've been trying to localize the operations of what had
come to be regarded as a well running distribution center
for high grade heroin. We knew of the existence of
this distribution point through the various us that had been
picked up almost daily. These users would have in their
possession quantities of high grade and narcotics.
Speaker 7: Unlike the cheaper, lower.
Speaker 4: Grade quality common in the southwest part of the country,
this type of heroin was more common to the eastern
section of the United States. We had believed the local
distribution point to be somewhere in our metropolitan downtown area.
The information gained from Matty Wilkins had strengthened this theory.
Ten twenty five am we met with Francis Kerney, captain
of the Narcotics.
Speaker 2: Division Pliza Royal Hotel.
Speaker 6: What do you think, Well, we've figured what we were
looking for could be in that area, but we've never
put her finger on that hotel.
Speaker 2: How do you figure on working it?
Speaker 7: Or driving back from the jail?
Speaker 4: Ben and I were just kicking it around, Skipper, what
do you think about putting a man in that hotel?
Speaker 2: Anything's a great deal better than we're doing now, But
I don't know.
Speaker 7: Well, I'd like to give it a try.
Speaker 2: I'm sure like a crack attage giver, you know how
I feel about these kind of assignments. One man working
inside one outside brings the element of danger up kind
of high.
Speaker 7: Well, we know it's not going to be easy, but
it looks like a good bet.
Speaker 2: Sometimes these things are. Sometimes they're not. You know what
kind of a bunch they got to be and running
their racket just about as smooth as it can be
run you know the kind of a risk of man
it'd have to take if you tried to make contact
with any of them.
Speaker 7: Do we think it's about the quickest way to get
to them.
Speaker 2: Maybe it might be with it. You got any ideas
how you'd like to work it.
Speaker 6: There's just one thing. We haven't come to any decision.
Who's going in who is well.
Speaker 4: I think I ought to be the one to work
it from the inside of the hotel, with Ben working
outside as a contact.
Speaker 6: I don't know why we can't just turn that around.
Last time you had the rough end, Joe. You just
got back from your vacation about three weeks ago, didn't you. Yeah,
that's right, And she stayed out in Arizona, Phoenix with it. Yeah,
you know the town very well.
Speaker 7: We got some relatives down there.
Speaker 2: They started asking you any questions about Phoenix. You could
fill them in. I think so that's probably the best
way to settle it. Ramara Friday here'll be in a
better position knowing a little about Phoenix.
Speaker 6: I don't see how you figured that way. I went
on my vacation too. Colimba's Ohio.
Speaker 2: Well, because of the type of stuff that's been coming in,
don't you think it'd be a little safeer bet to
have our men come from somewhere out this way rather
than from the east.
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, it makes sense. Well, you did it again, Joe,
you beat me out. All right, Let's figure it this way.
You're a local Phoenix hoodlum. Things got too hot for
you down there, and you came up to La to
cool og. Yeah, how about Joe Edwards. How does that sound?
Speaker 7: That sounds right to me.
Speaker 2: We'll get all the necessary cards, identification papers and a
few letters to carry around with you, all under the
name Joe Edwards.
Speaker 7: All right.
Speaker 2: I think the best way to work it is for
you to hop right down to Phoenix. When you get
in town, check with Roberts. He's a narcotics down there.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2: Have Roberts filled in on what's been going on down there,
any of their current characters they've handled recently, any that
have been known to pass through, you know, so you
can talk about it freely.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I understand, Joe.
Speaker 6: Well, when you check into the hotel down there, why
don't you wear a head up here to the Plaza
Royal for reservation.
Speaker 2: Might be a good cover, good thought, that's the way
to handle it. YouTube worked these things before, you know
what to do, all the necessary precautions.
Speaker 7: Well, how long do you figure out to lay over
in Phoenix? A couple of days?
Speaker 2: Maybe, I think that's long enough for you to get
filled in what you mean?
Speaker 4: Oh, yeah, that's fine. Well I'll go home and get packed.
I'll start on it first thing in the morning.
Speaker 2: All right, Ramero, I'll stand by at all times, day
and night while you're on this thing. You know enough
to call if things get tight. Sure, since you get
in from Phoenix and get located at the Plaza Royal,
get in touch so we'll know which way to move
right anything else. Oh, we want to break this thing,
but we don't want to do it at the risk
of the life. So if it starts getting warm, check out.
Speaker 7: Okay.
Speaker 2: I still don't like sending anybody on something like this,
but it's got to be done. We don't know enough
about it. We don't know how many are in the gang.
We don't know what kind of a bunch they are,
So be careful. I will if you're not. And I
hear about it. This will be your last assignment like this. Yeah,
I don't hear about it. Well you figure it, yeah.
Speaker 7: Either way I lose.
Speaker 4: I went over to the photo room at the crime
labn't picked up the identification papers that had been made
out in the name of Joe Edwards.
Speaker 7: I went home and.
Speaker 4: Removed all Los Angeles labels from the clothing that I
was to take with me to Phoenix, Arizona. I removed
all my personal ideaification in Los Angeles Police Department credentials.
Speaker 7: I left my service.
Speaker 4: Revolver home and borrowed a thirty eight automatic from Ben.
Speaker 7: I packed it in my suitcase.
Speaker 4: The crime lab also furnished me with a package or
a bendle made to resemble the usual form in which
a person would carry Heroin. I packed this in my suitcase.
Before my departure, Ben and I went over the proposed
plan as best we could. I was to arrive from
Phoenix under the assumed name of Joe Edwards. I would
register at the Plaza Royal Hotel in downtown Los Angeles
an attempt to make arrangements to participate in a narcotics buy
for the purpose of gaining sufficient evidence to apprehend the
narcotics ring. I was to keep Ben informed as best
I could of my progress, as outlined by Captain Kearney.
I arrived in Phoenix and contacted Sergeant Roberts at the
Detective Bureau down there. He furnished me with all the
necessary information and assisted me in acquiring local Phoenix clothing
store labels to have sown in my clothing. I obtained
everything possible to make it appear that I was a
longtime resident of Phoenix, Arizona. Several dummy hotel bills were
made up for me to make it look as if
I had lived there for a period of time. I
was furnished with an Arizona driver's license, a membership in
the local social club, and a voters registration step.
Speaker 7: These were all packed in my suitcase.
Speaker 4: October ninth, ten am, I arrived at the Plaza Royal
Hotel the front desk, Yes.
Speaker 7: Sir, my name's Edwards. I'm in from Phoenix. Did you
get my wire one moment there, Yes, sir, Joe Edwards. Yeah,
that's the right.
Speaker 2: Would you sign the register please?
Speaker 7: Yeah?
Speaker 14: All right, thank you, but yes, sir. Would you show
this gentleman in room two eleven please, yes.
Speaker 7: Sir, this way, please all right, go ahead, sir, thank.
Speaker 15: You too, please. Not very nice weather. To arrive in
Los Angeles.
Speaker 7: Is it s no good?
Speaker 15: I see by the stickers on your bags you've been
through Arizona.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 15: It must be nice weather down there.
Speaker 7: Huh yeah, that's all right.
Speaker 15: This way, sir.
Speaker 7: Thank you.
Speaker 15: Let me open my window for you, sir. A little
fresh air in here.
Speaker 7: All right, okay, thanks, here you go.
Speaker 15: Thank you very much, sir. Help you with your bags?
Speaker 7: Yeah all right.
Speaker 15: Oh I'm sorry, sir. Something dropped out on the floor here.
Speaker 7: You better let me have that.
Speaker 15: Sorry, very sorry that happened. That's all right, mister Edwards.
Speaker 16: While you're in town here, if there's anything I can
do for you, don't hesitate letting. Yeah okay, I couldn't help.
But notice that little package there that I dropped. Yeah, well,
like I say, I know my way around here in
this town.
Speaker 15: If you need anything, you know, anything at all.
Speaker 7: Sir, I'll tell you what. Now, here's five bucks.
Speaker 4: You never saw anything fall out of my bag there, right,
anything you say, sir? Okay, thanks a lot, see you.
Speaker 15: Later, huh yes, sir, anything else, sir?
Speaker 7: No, No, that'll be all.
Speaker 15: You'll remember what I told you, sir.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I was just gonna say the same thing to you.
I couldn't be sure, but it looked like I'd been
lucky right from the start. The bell boy at the
Plaza Royal Hotel. I didn't know if I could consider
this an opening contact or not, but he seemed to
show more than a passing interest in the bundle of
narcotics that he had seen fall from my suitcase. I
didn't feel it was the right time to press the
issue any further with a bell hop, but I figured
I'd wait and leave the next move up to whoever
he might have.
Speaker 7: Been working for. During the next three days, nothing happened.
Speaker 4: I tried, without appearing to be too bold, to arouse
some interest, but without success. October thirteenth, my fifth day
at the Plaza Royal Hotel, six pm, I went in
the bar off the main lobby.
Speaker 17: I beg your pardon, Yeah, Kirk Carting's my name. I
noticed you here in the bar in the last couple
of nights. You're up here to Biolho are you selling?
Speaker 7: I don't believe a folly already.
Speaker 17: Look, boy, we've had you, tab Sin said first day
you hit town October ninth. We haven't been out here
too long ourself. We're in business too. The same business
you're in.
Speaker 4: I don't know what kind of business you think I
am in, But you got it figured wrong.
Speaker 7: Mister.
Speaker 17: You know this entire matter work out much better for
you in the long run if you'd level with me.
You're just going to make it tough on yourself. This
way A sorry, you lost me way back somewhere. All right,
let's do it the hard way. You're up here from Phoenix.
We know you've got some stuff with you. We know
you're not a user. You're a member of the social
club down there. They're registered voting.
Speaker 7: I mean, you've been working real hard, haven't.
Speaker 17: So there's more. You've got two pieces of luggage. You're
carrying a thirty eight automatic anymore. Yeah, it was telegrammed
from a friend of mine down in Phoenix. Yah, we
know all about you.
Speaker 3: You are listening to dragnet authentic cases from official police files.
Speaker 4: It was a tight moment as Kirk Harding fingered the
telegram in the bar of the Plaza Royal Hotel. I
had spent many hours in consultation with Sergeant Roberts in Phoenix,
Arizona before undertaking this assignment. I felt sure that we
hadn't overlooked anything that might lead to my true identity.
Kirk Harding read the wire to me was from a
man with the name of George Ferguson. He'd done some
legwork for Harding and had not been able to furnish
him with anything other than what had been found out.
And going over my room, I knew I'd found the
contact that I was looking for.
Speaker 7: I told him that I was in the business of buying.
Speaker 4: Narcotics, that I was in Los Angeles for the purpose
of making a pre arranged narcotics buy with agents dealing
in Mexican stuff. Ediately gave me a strong sales pitch,
saying that he could furnish me with high grade heroin
fresh from the European market in quantity. At the end
of the first week, I was introduced to kirk Harding's
two associates, another man called Smith full name Horace L. Smith,
and a woman by the name of Lucille Cosgrove. Ben
had been unable to find records on any.
Speaker 7: Of the three.
Speaker 4: For the next three weeks we became more friendly. We
went places together, spent a great deal of time together. Monday,
November fifteenth, Well.
Speaker 15: We've had a lot of fun the last few weeks ely.
Speaker 7: He there's no doubt about that. But I got to
be getting back to Phoenix now.
Speaker 17: I don't get eager, Joe. You know how kg you were.
You made us waite. Phliminaries are over. This is a
big buy for you or anybody else. Yeah, I know
all that, but who am? Just be patient. You will
have something to really set yourself up with down there. Okay,
excuse me, Joe?
Speaker 7: Yeah, go ahead?
Speaker 10: Oh?
Speaker 7: Hello, hi, Alusi, it's a matter Smith. Don't you feel good?
Speaker 2: I don't know Soto food.
Speaker 10: I guess I think I got an alcer My stomachs
are all the time.
Speaker 7: Oh, it's too bad. I don't know what it could be.
Speaker 2: Baking Suda don't do any good anymore? Better drink Joe?
Speaker 7: Yeah, fine with me.
Speaker 2: Let's say you want to get some ice out of kitchen.
Please here, ex get me Smith. You want to go
see a doctor. You don't know for sure what's wrong
with you. It might make it worse.
Speaker 7: If I don't know what it is. How could a
doctor I don't know?
Speaker 2: It works for everybody else might for you.
Speaker 18: Hey, I can't get this ice straight up?
Speaker 11: Joe?
Speaker 18: Would you give me a hand please?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 7: Sure, Okay, which one here?
Speaker 18: I got paid Ice, keep working on that other tree.
There's something to tell. Okay, listen, Joe with big byes tonight?
Speaker 7: You sure?
Speaker 15: Yeah?
Speaker 7: I about it?
Speaker 10: You do you need any help?
Speaker 8: No, that's all right, correct, It's come along fine, Joe.
Speaker 18: As soon as you sure your money tonight, they're going
to kill you hot.
Speaker 7: You know.
Speaker 18: Look, we don't have time to go into it. I
know you won't have a chance. They're gonna kid, what.
Speaker 10: Are you doing?
Speaker 2: Wait, you're going to freeze? Come on, I'm about to.
Speaker 7: Ask all right here, Kirk, I'm sorry, let's go.
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, what do you want?
Speaker 4: Let's see Joe cocais are Yeah, I'll make my n
burden a little water.
Speaker 2: Smith, you're sure you don't want one?
Speaker 15: No, I can't do it, Joe for I mix him.
Speaker 2: I got some point. Yeah, Smith tells me tonight tonight.
Speaker 4: Well that's good. But why don't you tell me a
little ahead of time? I got a date for the night.
Speaker 2: I think you better break that one and keep this one,
don't you.
Speaker 7: Well yeah, I do, but just wish you to tell
me a little sooner.
Speaker 2: There's the phone. You can take care.
Speaker 7: Is it all right with you.
Speaker 17: You know as much about this business as we do.
Go ahead and use it as long as we can
hit you keep.
Speaker 4: Fine, just take a minute, just sit here, Joe. Oh
thanks Smith. Yeah, see, I wonder if you get my
drink for me over there. Sure she's probably gonna be upset.
Speaker 7: I may need it.
Speaker 11: Huh.
Speaker 7: All right, honey, this is Joe.
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, Joe.
Speaker 4: I'm sorry. I won't be able to make it tonight. Dear,
you can't talk Hill, that's right, dear, No, I just
can't get out of it.
Speaker 6: I'll do the dog in Joe's a bidennight.
Speaker 7: Yeah, well it just came up all of a suddenly. No, darling,
I can't tell you where I'm going. You couldn't go
along anyway.
Speaker 4: Okay, we'll be with you five.
Speaker 1: Minutes from now.
Speaker 8: All the way, Well you're not the hotel.
Speaker 4: Well, that's the way it is, and I can't help.
But that's all they We can get together later.
Speaker 11: Huh.
Speaker 1: We use one car, Joe's take as close as we
can do. Eat one car. It'll be safe him.
Speaker 7: Well, it's better, honey. Now that's the way I like
to hear your talk. I'm sorry. I'll see you later,
hunh we'll be wait you okay, dear.
Speaker 2: Well, she still love you?
Speaker 7: Yeah, she loves me.
Speaker 4: Fifteen minutes after I hung up, we went downstairs and
got into a green Chrysler Sedan was parked out in
front of the hotel. I looked around. I didn't see
Ben or any of our cars in sight. Smith drove
and Kirk and I got in the back seat. The woman,
Lucille Cosgrove, remained at the hotel. I didn't know which
of the two men was planning to kill me, but
I felt sure Lucille Cosgrove told me the truth. Her
information on the by was right, and maybe this other
was correct as well. We drove out Figaroa Street for
about sixteen miles. At this point it became evident we
were heading for the Los Angeles Harbor area.
Speaker 2: Do you ever see if fog is thick as this
to you?
Speaker 7: No? Never have.
Speaker 10: I can't see fifty feet in front of me.
Speaker 7: Yeah, well, just take it easy. Nobody's in a hurry.
Speaker 2: That's right, I want to pile up anywhere.
Speaker 7: Where are we going?
Speaker 2: We're almost there.
Speaker 7: This is your car here. I've never seen this one before.
Speaker 2: No, we run it isn't that the way you opening.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's right. Just wondered if you played it as
safe as I do.
Speaker 2: We do.
Speaker 8: I'm going to swing in this next Daley up here, Kirk,
somebody tailing us?
Speaker 2: Kid your lights right?
Speaker 10: See anything at the back winded?
Speaker 2: Wait a minute? How they go?
Speaker 7: How did it look?
Speaker 2: Good? Guys in the front seat? Could have been somebody?
What do you think, Jo? Want to look at you?
Speaker 7: Well? Whoever it was, we lost him anyway.
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, let's go.
Speaker 18: Who are that.
Speaker 7: Clear spot here in the fog?
Speaker 10: Don't see your soul anywhere?
Speaker 2: It's fine.
Speaker 17: Were almost there now, Yeah, just around the corner, says
a break, isn't it? FOG's clear right in here? I
was socked in back up there. We're as safe as
you'd want to be. Yeah, yeah, that's right. This is
it over by the storage building.
Speaker 2: Yeah that's right. Let's go.
Speaker 7: Over this, great Joe, what's over there in that building?
Speaker 2: We're not going inside, just over there in that alcove,
all right, they said, Joe, let's see the money.
Speaker 7: Oh wait till I see the stuff. Huh.
Speaker 2: You don't trust anybody, do you? What are you trying
to prove? Well?
Speaker 7: I didn't like what he said.
Speaker 2: You're not gonna like what I got to say either,
freeze mister?
Speaker 1: What's it?
Speaker 7: Then he ducked in this alcove.
Speaker 8: Oh, take care of that one there.
Speaker 7: Alright, easy?
Speaker 2: Huh, yeah, you seem.
Speaker 4: No, it's too dark there he is, all right, throw
your gun out ahead of you.
Speaker 6: He's not gonna throw that gun out, Joe, watch it.
Speaker 7: Come on, nurse's gone.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I got it.
Speaker 7: You want to shake him down? Ye on? Your feature?
Speaker 2: What'd you get hit? I sure? Let me see you?
Speaker 5: All right?
Speaker 2: Just grazy. You're a cop, aren't you?
Speaker 7: Yeah? That's right. Now, come on, let's go.
Speaker 2: Where's this stuff on the back seat in my car? Now?
You tell me something?
Speaker 7: Why? Just like Smith, I just wanted something I knew
you'd never give me. What's that? An even chance.
Speaker 2: The story you have just heard was true? Only the
names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 3: On January fourth, trial was held in Superior Court, Department
eighty one, city in County of Los Angeles, State of California.
In a moment the results of that trial, all three suspects,
Kirk Arthur Harding, Horace L. Smith, and Lucille Marie Cosgrove
were convicted for violation of the state narcotics actor felony.
Harding and Smith were convicted on one count of attempt
to commit murder. They are now serving their terms as
prescribed by law in the state penitentiaries. You have just
heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files
and technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of
Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.
Speaker 17: Stay tuned for Counterspy next over most NBC stations.
Speaker 1: Welcome back. I love the under cover cases, and I
think that Joe Friday did a very good job being
flavora Blake Hagey, still doing what he had to do
to get the job done. Then, of course it did
lead to an excise and a little bit of suspense. Now,
some of you might scoff at Ben Romero's vacation to Columbus, Ohio,
but as my wife was born in Columbus, I'm required
to say that it is a wonderful vacation spat and seriously,
Columbus Zoo is absolutely great, one of the top zoos
in the country. In addition, it's very well possible, since
Romero had kids, that they may have driven over to
Cedar Point, which is one of the largest amusement parks
in the country and certainly had a great reputation, and
this was before you had all of the themed parks
in southern California. Of course, from my reading, it wasn't
necessarily at its best in the immediate post war era,
with some issues at the park that would be resolved,
but nevertheless a great place to visit these days now.
I did actually get a comment on the first run
through of The Big Bendel from Mechanic Fix six' eight to,
two who Writes lucille saved a cops life and got no. Break,
well first of, ALL i would, continue we don't know
if she got a. Break we're told the sentence was
as prescribed by, law and we don't really know if
there was any sort of leniency in the. Sentenccene and
certainly this type of thing also could come up in
a parole. Case and, also she didn't know she was
saving a cops. Life she thought she was saving a
drug dealer's, life and may have contributed to the survival
of a police officer in totally incidental. FASHION i, mean
if it had been a case Where joe had actually
been a drug dealer and the police had got onto
this another way and caught the. Criminals would you expect
a lighter sentence because she tried to save a fellow. Criminal,
well the position is this is a great injustice because
she accidentally saved a police officer while trying to save
a fellow narcotics. Criminal AND i think saved his life
might be a bit of an, overstatement regardless of Whether
joe thought he was going to be killed or. Not
and he didn't even have the chance to reveal that
aspect of it when he Called Ben. Romero the police
were still going to be there at the scene of
the drug. Buy and even without the, warning this Is Joe.
Friday he's not some babe in the. Woods he knows
that when it comes to making drug deals that this
is not something that's unheard of with drug dealers to.
Do So i'd say there's a strong chance that he
gets out of there alive, anyway but allow that maybe
being a tad more prepared might have made that sort
of split second. Difference so the information she provided in
order to save a fellow drug felon from being killed
might have provided some marginal advantage for an undercover police
officer that might have possibly potentially made the difference between
life and. DEATH i don't think it would be the
worst thing in the world for a court to cut
her a little bit of slack in the sentence, scene
as much as the law might allow at that. TIME
i think it might be a slight overstatement of the
value and the moral worth of this very unintentional good
turn to the. Police now on to some other listener
comments and, feedback and we have this From, rob, who
in his along with the check he sent for donation,
Rights dear Mister, graham thank you for your work with the.
PODCAST i listened to The Great detectives Of Old Time
radio and just started listening to The Great adventurers Of
Old Time radio. Podcasts thank you for cross posting them
SO i knew they. EXIST i enjoyed the araditional information
you include about the, actors the show, history. Etc that
really sets it. Apart and he ALSO i took our
listener survey AND i appreciate. That and thanks so much
for the. Feedback, rob and your comment about appreciating the
cross posting gives me some food for thought about how
we promote the other podcast projects here On Great, Detectives
BECAUSE i think that we have a podcast on the
amazing world of radio and even some of the older
ones like old Time Radio superman in The war that
would be of interest to more listeners than we currently. Rate,
again thanks so much for the. Comment and we have
another comment From mechanic sixt' six' eight. To two this
one comes regarding episode four seven Six Eight The. Big
blast as to your comment about not having a warrant
to search the, shooter's house this is THE thing i
often comment about. On, dragnet however the guy was, ON parole,
i think and police don't need a warrant as it
is a condition. To parole that, being said technically they
are supposed to have the parole officer present, good catch
and being on parole definitely raises issues and kind of changes.
The equation my limited research into the subject is that
it varies in some cases depending on. The jurisdiction in the,
exact terms the parle officer doesn't even need to, be present.
Just informed and we also have to keep in mind
that they were operating under the case law as it
existed in nineteen fifty one or whenever the case was,
originally handled so that might be one case where a
warrant was not the issue regarding the big. Case scene
harrison takes a little bit of an Issue With lee,
jones statement you have to feel good about letting a
man that probably didn't help his wife's mental condition by
always arguing with her, for years and feel good is
only a suicide and not. A murder, I mean I
guess lee well is statement about you have to feel
good good cash to. BE seen i think in a
lot of the Fact that Friday and ramero put themselves
so out on a limb and being certain that he
was guilty and going with these, BIG allegations i think he,
was saying, in essence the end result is the job.
Was done the truth, came out and we didn't have
to go through all of the things that come with
prosecuting someone and having to go through all of that
and to make this man's life away, from him, you
know whether that's through the death penalty or from life.
In prison it was a good thing they found the
truth and are able to clear someone who didn't commit. The,
crime admittedly the husband is not a particularly, sympathetic character
particularly to, modern LISTENERS and i think with good reason
if he ever asked the spouse of The year award
nomination was not lost in, The mail but judging what
happened in their marriage and the whole psychology of it
is kind of beyond. Their remit it's a question of,
legal responsibility which he did. Not, have, now though it's
time to Thank our patreon supporter of, the DAY and
i want To thank robert currently supporting the podcast At
the shawmus level of four dollars or more. Per month
robert's been one Of our patreon Supporters since march of.
Twenty nineteen thanks so much for, your support and that
will do it. For today 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're downloading.
Us from we will be Back next thursday with another
Episode Of, Driving that but join us back here tomorrow for,
Yours truly John eat all or where.
Speaker 7: Just what are you doing in the? Insurance?
Speaker 19: Business look you remember Back In, new york Just Before tom.
Speaker 7: Dewey took OVER, his Da The Great.
Speaker 5: Holy, racketbusters Yeah and i'm sure.
Speaker 19: You, Do, OKAY well i was just a young, punks
THEN but i was a, bright, one ambitious, you know
finished up my, high school started. Taking law you.
Speaker 7: Studied law?
Speaker 19: WHY not i could have, cleaned up, you know mouthpiece
for some of. The mob some of THE boys i knocked,
Around with But then dewey came along broke up.
Speaker 5: The RACKETS so i gave it up to do?
Speaker 19: What, yoall oh you know this? And that chicago for
a while with some of. The Boys al capone left
behind and down here The Border san diego for, a while.
Speaker 7: Huddling narcotics Across. From mexico then some of us Tried To.
Speaker 5: Las vegas we didn't get anywhere or was?
Speaker 8: That, crack, Well listen.
Speaker 19: I'm clean make it crack.
Speaker 7: Like that you can.
Speaker 19: Prove, It okay if, you can't don't.
Speaker 7: Say it you were telling me how you got.
Speaker 19: Into the, insurance business, all Right when i'm taking you on,
this case don't talk. Like that gent's idea with don't,
like it and don't forget whatever you think. About them
you could also be, run okay two kinds, of wrong
doll just playing wrong and? Dead wrong you SEE what? I, mean.
Speaker 1: Oh you'll be with us then in. The meantime send
your Comments to box Thirteen at greatdetectives. Dot net follow
Us on Twitter at radio detectives and check us Out, On,
instagram instagram, dot com slash great Detectives, From. Boise idaho
this is, Your Host, adam graham sign and all