21st precinct detective golden what do you mean Rob held up where is it 35 at 39 what is it there the bar how many you are in the master room at the 21st precinct the nerve center a call is coming through you will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st precinct all right now from the officers right over there yeah right away they'll be there okay yeah 21st precinct transcribed it's just lines on a map of the city of New York most of the 173,000 people wedged into the nine-tenths of a square mile between 5th Avenue and the East River wouldn't know if you ask them that they lived or worked in the 21st whether they know it or not the security of their homes their persons and their property is the job of the men of a 21st precinct the 21st 160 patrolmen 11 sergeants and four lieutenants of whom I'm the boss my name is Finnelli Frank Kennelli I'm captain in command of the 21st I was working my day tour 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. it was a cold windy day in the precinct and our patrol problems had been increased enormously because of men drawn away from the command for temporary duty elsewhere orders had come via teletype at 7 a.m. from the Bureau of Orders to detail for men to the Manhattan West borough command because of a parade on Broadway in addition the Shah of Iran had been scheduled to visit the exhibit of ancient Persian relics at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at 11 a.m. and consequently six patrolmen and the sergeant were assigned from the 21st to duty on 5th Avenue in the vicinity of the museum because we were short of men in the precinct for the day I went out on patrol in sector car number two as soon as I had turned out to platoon and remained out for the balance of the morning in the meantime the everyday business of the precinct went on for instance detectives Ralph Scanlon and Chris Vitali investigating the armed robbery of a bar and grill the previous night parked their car on 3rd Avenue in the 80s and crossed the street under the L structure toward a small hotel the entrance to which was wedged between two stores the visit to the hotel was in response to a tip from an informant sometimes reliable sometimes not but worth checking out because a customer had been shot during the course of the robbery what do you say you want to jump in for coffee after we get through here yeah beat sure this doesn't turn out to be anything down the street there yeah okay they even have a clerk on it you know I must be around some place what's the matter I don't know something's the matter with me I don't get any sleep I seem to get tired you should see a doctor somebody could walk away with this joint no room we're all killed up we don't want to old pop come here oh you're a detective from the station house yeah that's right I didn't recognize you for a minute I was in back getting some reading matter you can go nuts in this job if you don't have something to read you know what can I do for you look part of your money I was just dancing through here it says for the 15th with Jupiter in the ascendancy that a friend in a high civic post may be of valuable assistance to you do you go for astrology never touch this person pop we're interested in a guy that excuse me I got to get the phone all right go ahead hotel who how do you spell it double F or double S no no nobody here like that registered okay yeah I think you're registered up yeah sure help yourself here you know somebody left a couple of these astrology books around here once and I got kind of interested in a dime my Aries yeah but when you get right down to it two-thirds of the stuff that print in there just plain guesswork then why do you read it well I'm the kind of guy which doesn't like to miss any bets especially with Mercury dominant what are you looking for there now maybe I can help you what's the stars name right here I can't read the writing that's been sealed Floyd are been sealed what rooms in he's in 22 you know something I thought there was something the matter with him when he checked in he looks like a Sagittarius I had him pegged for a Sagittarius when did he check in yesterday yesterday morning just booked his time in his room now yeah he's in there have you seen him this morning yeah I've seen him he came down for coffee and he went back up he's in there where is 22 up the stairs straight down the hall and the first one around the bend what do you do this guy we've got a couple of things we want to talk to him about where do we get these characters where do they come from well ask me let's have the first game listen now do you want me to come up and open this room for you we want you to just stay here right here oh he's a tough customer we don't know we'll find out after we talk to him yeah I always like the way you guys say talk about the past yeah yeah my gift thanks oh listen yeah what's your birthday June June 10th oh you're all right Gemini don't you worry it's good to hear well at least he's here now oh listen yeah if you need some help now just holler okay pop all he's got to be is the right guy we'll find out soon enough that way 16 at Mixes Headed again. Floyd Binfield? Police officers, we want to talk to you. All right, just a second. What the matter? Wait, you're a cop back in there. Let me alone. What do you think of me? I'm going to bed with him. Oh, give me that hand. Get the stuff on him. Cut it out. Oh, damn. Let me go. Hold him out. I got him. Put your limb up. Okay, okay. All right, sit up. He's dead. He's dead. What are you trying to do? Set yourself killed? Who are you guys anyway? We told you who we are. We're police officers. Oh, I thought you were somebody else. Yeah, I thought you were somebody else. Well, we're not. Look, you don't have to put these things on me. You need them. You can't control your hands. What did you think we were? A couple of guys. Yeah, a couple of guys that met the bar. Yeah, they were trying to hustle me for a couple of bucks. So I let them have it the other night. You see, they said, come on downtown to the village. We'll have a couple of drinks. Yeah, well, they had a car outside. So we got into the car. I thought they were going to try to get the dough I had on me. And I let them have it good. All of them? Oh, I could have had a boat to them. I could almost handle you two, couldn't I? Oh, no, sure. Yes, so that's the police officers. Well, what do you want with me? You signed the book downstairs as Floyd R. Binfield. What's your right name? That's it, Floyd R. Binfield. That's my right name. Hey, look, could you take these things off me? I won't give you no trouble. I promise it. Let them stay on a while. When you cool down, we'll take them off. I'm cool down? I didn't know you were a cop. How was I supposed to know that? Have you ever done any big time, Floyd? Oh, me? Yeah. Have you? Well, yeah. What's that got to do with now? That's got nothing to do with now. What did you do this time? Lewisburg. It was a federal deal. For what? A car. A friend asked me to drive a car from here to Canton. I didn't know it was hot. He didn't tell me anything about it being hot. Yeah. I didn't. But I didn't have that pit coming to me. Yeah, well, what's the beef now? What do you want with me? What have you been doing this week, Floyd? Well, what do you mean? What have I been doing? Where have you been? Well, I've been out of town until yesterday. I just got back in town yesterday. From where? From Boston. What were you doing in Boston? Oh, I was up there a couple of weeks, you know, hanging around, visiting some friends of mine. What did you do since you got back in town yesterday? Not much, you know. Hey, uh, let's just have a heart. Will you take these things off? I won't be no trouble. I swear to you. What did you do last night? I saw this girlfriend of mine. What time was that? You mean that I saw her? Yeah, well, she works in this cafe. She's a witch. She got off about 9.30, and I picked her up there. Where'd you go with her? Well, we went out and had a few drinks. And where was that? Some part. Some part out near where she works there. In Long Island City. Staying in the bar very long? Well, yeah, pretty long time. How long? Oh, until about 1.30, 2 o'clock in the morning, I guess. What's this girl's name? Uh, Martha. Martha what? Martha what? Uh, well, to tell you the truth, I don't remember her last name. Yeah, she told me what it was, but it kind of went over my head. I thought she said she was a friend of yours. Well, I know. Yeah, I met her yesterday. That's just an expression of friend to mine. You remember where the cafe she works in? Yeah, sure. I've been there a lot of times. Listen, what's the piece? Is there something serious? Because if there is, I've got a right to know what it's all about. Don't you agree with me? This Martha can account for your time last night, huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Every minute. Well, then relax. You've got nothing to worry about. Okay, okay, sure. So how about taking these days off, huh? Well, I'll tell you Floyd, maybe you've got nothing to worry about. But we have. You are listening to 21st Precinct, a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. Now back to 21st Precinct and Captain Cannelli. After making a thorough search of the room, Detectives Vitaly and Scanlon returned to the station house with their prisoner. They took him, still in handcuffs, through the muster room, where the desk officer, Lieutenant Gorman and Sergeant Waters, were on duty, through the back room and up the stairs to the second floor, where the 21st Detective Squad is located. All right, back that way. What you've got to do is talk to her. Okay. Yeah, we know. Go on, inside. Yeah, sure. That way. 21st Squad, Detective Gorman. Okay, hold his head. I see. All right, Gorman. Why do you lose him, M Yeah. Yeah. All right, you know where the station house is? That's right. You come in here and make a report of it. Come up to the detectives. Yeah. Okay, you're welcome. On the second floor. Okay. Well, who's you got here, Scanlon, a champ? He thought he was the champ. He didn't last one round. Is Lieutenant in, Gorman? Yeah, he's in. Anybody with him? No. Sit down there a minute, Floyd. Listen, could you take these things off now? Please sit down. Yeah, that's right. I want to talk to the boss, Reed. I'll watch him. Yeah. How about reaching in my pocket and turning around? Where's the pocket? Yeah, this one right here. Yeah. Good job, Lieutenant. Come in. Hello, V. Lieutenant, you got that boy? Yes, this Scanlon's got him out there. Well, does he have to pay for himself? Well, he denies it. Yeah. He says he was out with a girl between 930 and 2 in the morning. He was sleeping. He was sleeping. Well, the girl between 930 and 2 in the morning, he was sitting in a bar in Long Island City. That's what he said, huh? Yes, sir. What do you think? Well, he gave Scanlon and me a hard time when we hit the door. The boy wanted to fight. Huh? But both of us had put him down on the bed and got the cuffs on him. He's still full of fights? Well, he's cooled down some, Lieutenant. Well, what do you think? He one of the two that hiked at that place last night? That beats me, Lieutenant. He fits. But if his story about being with his girl stands up, I guess he isn't. Well, let's talk to him, huh? Yes, bring him in. All right. Let's take him. Yes, sir. 21st squad, Lieutenant King. Coleman, Lieutenant Captain Cannelly, bringing up your order, too. All right. 21st squad, Lieutenant King. Captain Cannelly, Matt. Yes, sir. Matt, I got a call from Inspector McBride. He wants an explanation of my endorsement on that gun permit review we were talking about. I guess you'll get a call, too. Just a second, Captain. Here, I'll be with you in a minute. Oh, yes, sir. Bring that to me. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Bring that boy in when I call you. Yes, sir. What is the president? He's busy on the phone. He'll be with us in a minute. Look, I've got a lot of things to do today, you know. Is this for shopping floor? I've got plenty to do. Sure. How do you spell lavalier? Never mind how you spell it, what is it? Oh, I know the lady had her still one. L-A-V-A-L-I-E-R-E. Ah, muchas gracias. Hey, is this going to take long, do you think? Well, that depends on what you've got to say to the lieutenant. What can I say to him? I don't even know what I'm supposed to be here for. What am I supposed to be here for? How do you spell, uh, chattelane? Stolen from the same lady? Yep. You ought to quit, start over again. I'm not sure you're about to quit. I'm not sure you're about to quit. I'm not sure you're about to quit. I'm supposed to have done something, I've got a right to know what it is. Sure you do. So what is it? Chattelane, the broach-like clasp or hook from which you watch is one suspended. Hmm. Didn't get a liberal education in this job. Okay, V. Yes, sir. Come on, Floyd. Come on, Floyd. Just want to know what it's all about. Well, you came to the right place. Inside. Hello, Shannon. Lieutenant. Sit down there, Floyd. Here. Sit down. Floyd? Lieutenant King. Floyd Binfield. Pleased to meet you. Lieutenant, ask them to take these things off of me. I'll admit I lost my head a little before, but I guarantee I won't give you no trouble. I guarantee it. Take them off, Mr. Campbell. Oh, they're mine, Lieutenant. I'll get them. Oh, not your hands, Floyd. I appreciate it. Just hold still. I do. I really do. All right, relax, Floyd. Let's relax. Let's get right down to business, eh, Floyd? Yeah, that's all right with me. Good. Now, these detectives came to talk to you this morning, and you tried to fight your way out. Well, it was a mistake. See, I thought there was somebody else. A couple of housewives that tried to put the bite on me. All right, maybe you did think that. Now, you told them you were with some girl between 9.30 last night and 2 this morning. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. I was with a girl, man. Yeah, people didn't like it. I was with a girl. I was with a girl. Why? Because it didn't ещё anything. Nobody said a thing about chasing after just a guy like that, Floyd. Yeah. But you were too, in a fit of 라�. I couldn't evenISE the reason why you kept such a cheap… In a fit of ballet he was. Oh, yeah. Four, five, two in two. Yeah. Yeah. 웬일 AI 004. Yeah. We were out at Long Island City. Then you couldn't have been one of the two guys that stuck up a bar & grill on Lexington Avenue by eleven o'clock. No, of course not. Well, sometimes we get information that's a little bit wrong, Floyd. Sure. Sure. I had a couple of drinks, you know, and the kids sink in. Where can we find her? I told them she works in this cafe right near there, where the bar was, where we would drink and left if she got off, out in Long Island City there. You know where the cafe is? Oh, sure. Alex Floyd. Yeah. This was a pretty good tip I got on you. But to my way of thinking. The guy I came from isn't wrong once in a year. Well, this is the time, believe me. I could put you in the car, and we could drive over to Long Island City, and we could look around for this cafe and this Martha. If it could be, we'd have a time finding her. Isn't that right? Oh, we'd find her. But we might have a time. Well, as a matter of fact, I don't know that neighborhood too good. Now this bar on Lexington Avenue that was stuck up last night, there were two bartenders in there, and five or six customers, besides the one that was shot. Oh, well, was he shot dead? Caught him right here. Doctor says he'll be all right. Oh, that's good to hear. The two bartenders say they could recognize both of the stick-up men anytime, anyplace, anywhere. They described them head to toe to a T. Some of the customers in there said they could recognize both. Some said they could recognize one or the other. One guy said he couldn't remember what either of them looked like. Well, that's sick. I guess some people got better memories than others. I suppose we ride out to Long Island City, and we look around for this cafe. Suppose even we locate this Martha you were talking about. Suppose she says she was drinking with you between 9.30 and two in the morning. Yeah. Why should I believe her any more than I believe you? Well, it's two people's word. The best thing to do is get those bartenders and a couple of the customers in here and let them have a look at you. If we could only go out and locate Martha. Here's a guy they're gonna make. You don't worry about that. Why don't you stop wasting the time of everybody concerned. Tell us the truth about this thing. That's what I've been doing. You know, there's nobody named Martha. Just grab that out of thin air. You and another guy put the heist on that bar last night, didn't you? Well, let's use the kidney. That's right. You get those witnesses down here. They'll take me in a minute. In less than a minute. Okay. It was me. Who was the other guy with you? Well, if I tell you, what's enough for me? Who was the other guy with you? Oh. His name is Ted Brine. Bill Ted Brine. Where does he live? I don't know exactly. What do you mean you don't know exactly? I don't, I don't. He's got a place in the US. I don't, I don't, he's got a place in New York, a room someplace. You don't know where? Well, he never told me where. The only thing he told me was sometimes he stays with his dad. Where does he live? Out there at Bayside. What's his dad's name? It beats me, he never told me. Never told you much, did he? He don't talk much. Where are the guns you used last night? I never had a gun. There was only one gun. Bill had it. He still got it? Well, he had it when I left him. Anything in this room up there, V? No weapons, Lieutenant. About $185 in cash, that's all. Did that money come out of the bar and grill? Yeah, that's where it come from. When did you see Bill last? Right after the deal. We split up the money, he went his way, I went mine. Did you make plans to meet him again? Well, he knew where I was staying, he said he'd be in touch with me. How many other deals were you with him on? Just this one, this was the only one. In New York, that is. Where else? Well, we worked a little bit in Boston last week. I told you I was in Boston tonight. Yeah, you told me. Well, there was a couple of little small deals up there. Why'd you go to Boston? Well, to tell you the truth, it was Bill's idea, he knows a girl up there, wanted to see her, it was his idea to do some work to pay the expenses. Where'd you go after you left Bill last night? I went and had a couple of drinks. Hey, I'll bet you I know where you got that information on me. There was a couple of guys I was drinking with. Yeah, guess I said too much. I guess you did. Yeah, me and my big mouth. My big mouth gets me into trouble every time. That's an unbeatable combination for getting into trouble. Big mouth and a little brain. Lieutenant King continued to interrogate the suspect until he had obtained all the information he believed to be in the man's possession. In the meantime, a detective called the Bureau of Criminal Identification at Police Headquarters, 240 Center Street. The name William Tedburn was checked through the files and within a few minutes, Lieutenant King received the information that a man of that name, and answering the same general physical description, had been arrested three times on charges of robbery and grand larceny and had one conviction. The folder which listed the relatives of William Tedburn showed that he did in fact have an aunt residing in Bayside, Queens, and on the occasion of one of his arrests, gave her address as his own residence. The New York County District Attorney's Office was notified and an assistant district attorney came to the 21st Detective Squad to question the suspect already under arrest and to assist the detectives in arranging a lineup at which the victims and witnesses would have the opportunity to make an identification. Two detectives were sent to check out the other addresses given by the suspect William Tedburn at the time of his previous arrest, and the hotel in which Floyd Binfield resided was planted in the event he showed up there. Lieutenant King instructed detectives Vitaly and Scanlon to drive to Bayside to the residence of Tedburn Vant. At 1.15 p.m., they found the street parked the car down the block and walked back toward the two-story brick house. Wow, this is a pretty nice neighborhood here. Yeah. Must be rough on the aunt. Probably rough on the parents. Okay. See those aluminum sconce fish? Yeah. That's what I want to get. Ah, are you kidding? They cost an arm and a leg. You can get them financed, FHA. You still gotta pay for them. They gotta pay for everything. You think he's there? He could be. There's someone. Yes? Is Bill home? Well, no, not right now. Where is he? Do you know? Well, no, I don't. Are you friends with him? We're police officers. Oh. Do you mind if we come in? Well, all right. Is Billy in trouble again? Well, we want to see him about something. What's he done? He promised me he wouldn't get into anything after the last time. He went away for nearly three years. That should have been enough for him. Should have been, yeah. Is it something serious? Well, we don't know. Could be nothing at all. Oh, well, that's good. Was he home last night? Yes, he was home. He came home after I went to bed. And he left early this morning. He didn't even have his breakfast. Do you mind if we take a look in his room? Well, I don't know. We won't disturb anything. Well, do you think you ought to, really? Yes, I think so. Well, it's upstairs. Thank you. I don't know why that boy should give me trouble. He's had a good education and all that, and he's got a trade. He worked at it. He could make good money. Well, that's the way it goes, I guess. It's that one right there. Now, you won't disturb anything. No, ma'am. We'll leave everything the way we find it. Let's try this. Well, there's just his clothes in there. Yes, ma'am. We know. Ah, look at this. What? Two empty shells. What are they, 38s? Yeah. Now, the gun was described. What if it's around? I've got an idea where it is. It's on his hip. Do you really have to go through Billy's status? I'm sorry, but we'd like to. You think he'll be home today? Well, I don't know. He didn't say. Does he usually come home? Well, usually, yes, but he didn't say. Do you mind if we wait around for him? Do you really have to? We should. All right. You really should. Well, we know that sounded like his car out in France. Can you look out this window and see if it's him? Is it? Yes, it's Billy. Is he coming in the house? Yes, he's getting out of the car. He's staying here. In here? It'll be close. Do you answer him? Tell him you're upstairs, but stay right here. All right. Come on, V. Must I stay right here? Right there, yes. V, get in that bedroom across there. OK, that's a good idea. Are you set? Yeah, all set. Easy. Here he comes. Auntie? Auntie, where are you? I'll be right there, Auntie. All right, I'm coming up. All right, Bill, get him up. Hey, hey, he's healed. Stop it, Bill. Stop. Get him. Ah! What do you think? Let's go. All right. Watch him. Get his gun. Bill. Well, I guess that's that. Can I come down now? I guess I'd better go up and talk to her. Can I come down? I hope she'll be better off. No question about that. But who's going to watch her? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. No question about that, but who's going to make her believe it? 21st precinct, Detective Goldman. Who is that? Who? She was killed? How? Where is it? 88 East Watts. Yeah. Okay. Who's this calling? Yeah, your name. Cyrus Watts. All right. Just stay right where you are. Yeah, don't worry. The office will be there right away. And so it goes. A lumbar clock through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood miracle round. Anyone can catch the brass ring. Or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st precinct transcribed the factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city and is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the police department, city of New York. Everett Sloan in the role of Captain Kennelly, Ken Lynch as Lieutenant King. Featured in tonight's cast were Ethel Everett, Santos Ortega, John Larkin, Bill Smith, Larry Haynes, and Bill Lipton. Written and directed by Stanley Niss. Produced for CBS Radio by John Ives. John Schaeffer speaking.
