21st precinct, Sergeant Collins. Yes, I can hear you. What's the trouble there? We feel alone? Well, how much is on the clock? Four dollars and one? Why can't you pay it? Oh, yeah. You are in the muster room of the 21st precinct, the nerve center. The call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call 21st precinct. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from the 21st precinct. From this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st precinct. All right, drive her here to the station house. We'll talk about it when you get here. Well, just come on over here and we'll get it all settled. Yeah, all right. I'll see you. 21st precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. 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 asked them if 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 the 21st precinct. The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Cronin, Vincent P. Cronin. I am captain in command of the 21st precinct. I was doing night duty, 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. At 1.55 a.m., after I'd been on patrol of the precinct since turning out for platoon at midnight, I returned to the station house where Lieutenant Snyder was desk officer and Sergeant Collins had telephone switchboard duties. As I came through the door into the muster room, I saw a hacked driver in a well-dressed, very pretty young woman, about 20, standing in front of the desk. I walked around behind the desk to find the block. What's the doing, Sergeant? Nothing much, skipper. It's been a quiet tour. Look, I've got no time to stand here and discuss the pros and cons. There was $4.40 on the clock. All I want is my money, that's all. I'd tell you that if I had it. Hello, Lieutenant. I told you I lost my wallet. Well, you just give me $4.40. That's all I want. She says she's lost her wallet. Well, why couldn't she look and see if she had her wallet before she got in my car in an idle, wild airport? Why did she have to wait until we got to Asia Street and Park Avenue before she found it out? It so happened I looked in my place for a cigarette and I noticed the wallet was missing. I told you I'd give you a chance. Lady, when I turned the cabin at 7 o'clock in the morning, the boss wants cash for what's on the clock. He doesn't want checks. I don't have the cash. I lost my wallet. Why do I get all the sad stories? I've never seen it so failed. Where were you going from idle, wildness? He said, same spaces. What's your name? Elizabeth Fenderfield. Do you have any identification? No, all my identification is in my wallet. I've got my checkbook, though. I am not interested. What's your name, Kevin? Calafo, Joe Calafo. Look, Joe, these things happen. But always to me. Why? Who are you anyway? Captain Cronin, the commanding officer of the precinct. Oh, I beg your pardon. I'd just like to know who I'm talking to. You're wasting your time here, Joe. That's not news to me. I didn't want to come here. Joe, I suggest you take the lady's check. Get back on the job. You don't want to make a complaint? You know anybody around here you can call and ask, you know, to get the money from? I don't know a soul, not a soul. I'm from out of town. You don't want to spend the morning in court, do you, Joe? I want to spend the morning in a bed. All right, give me the check and let me get out of here. Oh, I really appreciate it. You don't know how much I appreciate it. I know, I know. Here, do you want a pen? Oh, yes, thanks. Thanks a lot. How do you want it made up? Just the cash, that's good enough. It is $4.40. I'll make it $6. That'll be a good tip for you for all the trouble I cause. That's up to you, lady. Uh... Yeah? No. I lost my wallet. I don't have a cent of cash. I couldn't make the check for $10 and you give me $4 change. No, you couldn't. Listen, just make it for $4.40. Just give it to me and let me get out of here and don't do it again. I'm out of here and don't do me any favors. All right. What are you hitting on me for? I'm stucking up already. Captain Cronin's reading on the line for you. Okay. Clean up against the desk when I check. I'll take it here. 21st, please, Captain Cronin. Yes, Inspector. No, sir. No, I'll be swinging on Sunday. No. No, sir. I, uh, well, I hadn't heard about it, Inspector. All right, I'll leave the instructions for the sergeants to ride by there frequently and have a look. How's that? Yes, sir? All right, Inspector. Okay. I'm really sorry to cause so much trouble. I made it for $6 anyway. Here. It's Braxton, Pennsylvania. Where's Braxton, Pennsylvania? It's near Philadelphia. Did I get this pen from you? That's right. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. You're welcome. Can I go now? Yes, go ahead. Well, I'll be seeing you. Goodbye. I can't blame him, I guess. I couldn't help it. You're living in Braxton? Yes, sir, that's right. Near Philadelphia. And what are you doing in New York? I'm going to the U.S. to buy a check for that B.O.A. And if you would walk across into my office, I'd want to talk to you. Over there? Thank you. And you just have a seat in there, huh? Yes, sir, if you want. D.L.E. or T.L.E. Sergeant, did you check to see if a wallet was turned in at that while? No, sir, they just came in a minute before you did. All right, give the Port Authority police a ring out there to see if they found it. That's the way to handle it. I'll just register under another name. Is this chair all right? Yeah, that chair is fine for us. Elizabeth Penderton. How do you spell that? D.E.N. D.E.R. T.E.N. What were you doing at Idlewild, Miss Penderton? Well, you see, I came to New York on the train with a friend of mine who flew to Europe. And I was going back to Philadelphia. All right, now come on. Come on, everything's okay. I'm sorry. I put her on the train and I took a cab to go back to town station. When I opened my pocketbook for a cigarette, I noticed my wallet was missing. That's all there is to it. I couldn't help it. Did you have your pocketbook open at the airport? Oh, yes, several times. I bought her a couple of magazines and had a train. Several times. You didn't miss it before you got into the cab? No, sir, I told her I was going to smoke a cigarette. You were on your way to Penn State and you got a train to Philadelphia? Yes, sir, that's right, to Philadelphia. Well, then I'd have to change there for Blackstone. It's on the other side of Philadelphia, on the main line. But I really couldn't help it. I can't blame the cab driver for being mad. He's entitled to his money, but I couldn't help it. I didn't want to lose my wallet. Yes, sure, I know. The only friends in New York. Well, there are a couple of people that I went to school with. But I wouldn't know where they are exactly. Would you like to make a collect call over your home? Oh, I don't think that would be a good idea at this time of night. You see, I didn't even tell my father and mother I was coming to New York. He gets scared to death. He's nervous anyway. He's probably not at home. He stays in town a lot. In Philadelphia, that is. Did you ever hear of him? No, I don't think so. Charles B. Pendleton? He's a pretty big man. Well, if you don't call him, you'll have to do something. All I want to do is get to Penn Station and get on the train, that's all. I had a retained ticket, but that was in my wallet too. How much money did you have? Oh, I don't know, $35 or $40, something like that. Not much. $25, please. Thank you. Sergeant Collins on TS, Captain. I called the Port Authority police at Idlewild. There's been no wallet turned in. Okay, thanks, Sergeant. Your wallet hasn't been turned in, Senator. Oh, I don't know what I'm going to do. Look at me. I look terrible, don't I? Oh, now, come on, isn't it? No reason for you to be crying. I'll be all right. If I could have the money to get home, that's all I need. About $10. Captain, would you pass a check for me for $10? Uh, Mrs. Pannerton. $10, that's all. I could get a train home and pay the cab fare from the back of Penn Station to my house. That's all it would take, just $10. Look, Mrs. Pannerton, if I cast a check for everybody to walk in that door... Oh, it's good, I promise, it's good. Yes, I don't doubt that. Look, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll leave my watch with you. It's a beautiful watch. My father gave it to me. 17 jewels and a gold case. You keep it until you feel about the check and then you can send it to me. Well, never mind the watch. I'll send you. Just write out the check, I'll cash it for you. Oh, thank you. You don't have any idea how this saves my life. It really saves my life. I took the young woman's check and gave her $10 from my own pocket. She powdered her nose, thanked me profusely, and left the station house at 2.20 a.m. The rest of the tour was quiet. I turned out the platoon for the 8-4, signed the blotter, and left the station house to go off duty. 24 hours later, I reported back, and after signing the blotter and changing into uniform, I turned out the platoon to my office to read the reports and communications which had accumulated during my time off. These I signed while I spoke to Ezra D. Winkler, the Precinct Youth Patrolman, in regard to his progress in organizing softball teams among the youth of the precinct. A few minutes later, I walked out into the mushroom room. 21st Precinct, Sergeant Collins. Oh, Ross. Walk around the 346th Antigua Super. City Marshal is on his way to serve an eviction notice and the super says the lieutenant might give a little trouble. He's a fighter. Yeah, that's right. Oh, okay, let me know. What's going on, Sergeant? Nothing much, it's pretty quiet. Hey, Captain, you got a minute? Yeah, sure, one minute. Hi. Hello, Lieutenant. Oh, it's a trouble, man. Captain, did you take a check from a girl a few days ago, a kid 18 to 20, honey-colored hair, very pretty? Her name's Pendleton. Pendleton? How'd you know about it? Well, somebody around here mentioned it yesterday that the girl came in the other night claiming she lost her purse. Couldn't pay the cab driver. Yeah, that's right, Matt. The special fraud squad had me on the phone this morning and told me about her. This babe has been plastering the town with those checks. And sufficient funds? No, just forgeries. Who is she, Matt? You know? Nothing, but she's really been laying down that paper. Just small amounts. But she sure has been getting away with it. I don't see how she does it. I do, Matt. The kid sold me a bill of goods, came in here with a real sad, sad story about losing her money. Yeah, that's what she's been using, according to them downtown, the same story. She's hit about 35, 40 times, still going strong. She sold me. She really sold me. Yes, sir, sweet, innocent, and in trouble. I could see how she was able to hang that paper all over town. She sold you, Captain. Just next time, take my advice, be careful. See you. You know, Matt, next time, I think I'll just take the watch. Later in the day, a telekipe alarm for the young woman who had forged the name of Elizabeth Pendleton on more than three dozen checks and passed them on various merchants and individuals in the city of New York was received at the station house. But the alarm didn't stop her. In the next few days, a dozen more such checks were refused payment by the bank in Brasham, Pennsylvania. The bank was forced to close the door and the check was passed by the bank in Brasham, Pennsylvania. In New York, the investigation was handled by detectives of the various precincts in which the checks were passed. And the Special Fraud Squad, one of the several organizations of specialized investigators who operate on a citywide basis from the central office. In the meantime, the tour-by-tour activities in the 21st Precinct continued. On Saturday, we had a bad homicide. On Sunday morning, a seven-year-old girl on her way to church was struck by a hit-and-run drive on 1st Avenue. Both of her legs were broken. I returned to the station house at 11.40 a.m. from the scene of that accident. In the muster room, Sergeant Collins was on telephone switchboard duty and Lieutenant Snyder was the desk officer. I walked behind the desk to sign the blotter. Well, Harry? Captain, watch the tent. Oh. What's new, Harry? Nothing much, Captain, except a hit-and-run. I'll be in my office. I've got a few messages for you, Skipper. Yes, sir. That Mr. Thompson wouldn't leave his first name. He said he'd call back. Oh, yeah, I know who he is. Oh, is this one Congressman Mohan? Yes, sir, that's right. He said he'd be at that number until 2.30 p.m. All right, he's going to get the congressman for me. Yes. I'll take him to my office. Where will I find Captain Cronin, please? Over here, ma'am. You'll have to make inquiries at the desk. That's all right, Lieutenant. Captain Cronin? Oh, how do you do? I'm Mrs. Elizabeth Pendleton. Of Philadelphia? Of Grafton, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. You know me. Well, let's say I've heard of you. Well, I'd like to talk to you, Captain. Shall we? Yes, Mrs. Pendleton. Thank you. Well, somebody's been using your name at vain, Mrs. Pendleton. That's what I want to talk to you about, Captain. How do you spell your name with a Y or an L? Well, I'm a man of my word. How do you spell your name with a Y or an I? An I. C-R-O-M-I-N. It was Mrs. Sexton who served with me on my hospital committee. She was a Cronin, but a Cronin with a Y. I don't suppose she's your family? No, I'm afraid not. Now, what can I do for you, Mrs. Pendleton? You know, I'm not handling the investigation. I'm just another victim in this case. Yes, and it's too bad. I know you were just performing an act of kindness. You were being a good Samaritan. Oh, I was trying to be. You were. I was trying to make restitution for the $10 you lost. You're under no obligation to do that, Mrs. Pendleton. I think I am. It was $10, wasn't it? Those checks were forged on your bank account. The responsibility belongs to the first and daughter. The responsibility belongs to me, Captain. You see, I know who forged all those checks. Ah, you do? Who? Will. Excuse me. 21st precinct, Captain Cronin. I have Congressman Moho for you, Captain. I'll just be a minute, Mrs. Pendleton. That's quite all right. 21st precinct, Captain Cronin. Hello, Vance. Congressman, I tried to reach you yesterday. Yes, I know. I'm sorry I didn't get back to you. What can I do for you, Vance? Oh, just a little information. That's all, Congressman. You know Father Canaan as St. Agnes? Yes, I do. Well, you see, he has a student he's very interested in. Boyd just finished his first year at CTNY. He's had excellent marks. He's right up there at the top of his class, Congressman. He's a good athlete, nice young man. Yes. Well, you see, there's not much money in the family. They just have a little hardware store. Well, the boy wants to get into West Point. And well, I think he'd be a good cadet. Father Canaan knows their competitive examination before you make your appointment. And he just wants to find out how to go about getting him on the list. So I told him I'd call you. Sure, Vance. I'll have my administrative assistant get in touch with Father Canaan. I'll have my administrative assistant get in touch with Father Canaan. I'll have my administrative assistant get in touch with Father Canaan. All right? Fine. Fine. Do you want the boy's name? No, no, not yet. We'll get all the information from Father Canaan. Thanks for calling, Vance. Well, thank you, Congressman. Bye. Once a good Samaritan, always a good Samaritan. It's all part of the job, Mr. Panton. Now, you say you know who forged those checks. Yes, I do. Who? My daughter. Your daughter? My daughter Elizabeth. So you see, it's really not forgery. Her name is Elizabeth Tenderton, too. It's not really forgery. Does she have an account at that bank? No, but she has an account in the bank in Philadelphia on her own name. She has money in there, plenty of money. I deposit $50 a week to her account. I don't understand why she does it. I just don't understand. And any police officers come to see you at your home, Mrs. Tanton? And any police officers come to see you at your home, Mrs. Tanton? Oh, yes, a very nice young detective from the Pennsylvania State Police. Oh, yes, a very nice young detective from the Pennsylvania State Police. Did you tell him that you suspected it was your daughter? Did you tell him that you suspected it was your daughter? No. Why not? Well, my husband told me not to. I wanted to tell the bank to pay the check just to let them go through, but my husband told me not to do that either. Do you have any idea why your daughter is doing this? You know, she's forged and passed nearly 40 checks in New York City alone. You know, she's forged and passed nearly 40 checks in New York City alone. No, I don't. No, I really don't. She's had everything, all of her life, everything. There's not a thing she's wanted that we didn't give her. And she just left home all of a sudden, and the next thing we knew the check started. I didn't even know that she was in New York. Why did she leave home, Mrs. Tanderton? I don't know. There must have been a reason. There was something with her father. Yes, what? Well, it's really very personal. Mrs. Tanderton, your personal matter isn't personal anymore, it's very public. About 40 people in New York are victims of it. I'd rather not go into it. I'm afraid you'll have to. Well, I'm involved in it too, in a manner of speaking. You see, my husband was away. He told us that he was going to Chicago on business. The weekend came, and Liz was invited out to real meet and tour party on Saturday night. She didn't want to go. She never wanted to go, but I talked her into it. Anyway, she went. She had a very good time, and after the party, the young hostess and her friends decided to go to an inn on the shore for coffee and a sec. She, um, saw her father there. Oh. He was with another woman. How old is Liz? 19, maybe 20 in October. Did she talk to her father? No, luckily he didn't see her. But she came home very upset. I had no idea what the trouble was. Finally, on Monday or Tuesday, she spoke to me. She told me she had seen her father and what the circumstances were. Well, I said, Liz, I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but it's been going on for years. Your father has his friends and I have mine. That's the way they are. I'm sorry, Liz. I have my own friends and I have mine. That's the way it is. What did she say to that? Nothing. Nothing at all? Well, as a matter of fact, I was just on my way out of the house when I told her I was very late for the dinner party. Did she leave home right away? Oh, no. In a day or so. Do you have any idea where she's staying in New York? No. Could she be with some friends? She has only one friend here. She had the best education money can give her. She's had a car all her own, a 1965 convertible, all her own. She has clothes, lots of clothes, and money of her own. What made you decide to come to New York, Mrs. Penitentiary? I wanted to find her and bring her home. That's the natural thing for a mother to do. I wanted to get these things out. Besides, my friends were beginning to ask questions. Does your husband know you came? No, he'd be against it. He'd say she'll cause a lot of trouble. He doesn't want any trouble or any scandal. He's very annoyed with me. Yes. And I have to admit, I don't understand myself. What's gotten into her? Why would she do anything like this to me? Well, I'm not sure I can answer that, Mrs. Pendleton. I am only a policeman. I took Mrs. Pendleton upstairs to the 21st Detective Squad and introduced her to Lieutenant Kane. She repeated the story she told me and insisted she had no idea where her daughter could be located. A new alarm was put out for the young woman and a communication to the Pennsylvania State Police advised them of the actual circumstances in the case. The next day, a teletype order came through from the chief inspector instructing each precinct commander to make a personal check of cabarets in his command. Delegates at two recent conventions had complained that they were being overcharged in a few midtown nightclubs. In order to accomplish this work as speedily as possible, I decided to visit the cabarets in my command in company with a patrol sergeant on his regular inspection. They were actually good drivers. Well, they look all right in here, Skipper. Yep. How about the kitchen? Can you take a look in there? Yes, sir. Are they prepared to serve food? Yes, sir. They cook on the job. Well, that's fine. It must go. Well, we're here. We can take a look at that club around the corner, Captain. Now, let's see. Just a second. Wait a minute. Someone at the bar. I want to talk to him. Yes, sir. Excuse me, Miss. Me? What's the trouble? I want to talk to the young lady. What do you want to talk to me about? Listen, officer, we didn't do anything. I'd like to know what you want to talk to me about. Listen, what's the trouble, anyway? What's your name, Miss? Why do you want to know that? Because this girl is one of the passing 39 Ford checks, that's why. Oh, don't kid me. It's so calm. It's absolutely so. Listen, I only met her tonight, an hour ago. What's your name? Uh, Lengby, Carl Lengby. That's the truth. You can ask her. Isn't it the truth? It's the truth. Did you cash a check for her, Mr. Lengby? Me? No. You would have, Carl. You would have. Everybody does, even the policemen. Everybody loves me. Everybody. I called Sergeant Collins over and we took Liz Pemberton and a companion to the station house. Well, we went directly upstairs to the 21st Detective Squadron. After a few minutes of questioning, Carl Lengby convinced Lieutenant King that he had, in fact, only met the girl that evening in another bar. He gave his address and promised to appear again if needed. He was allowed to go. Then Lieutenant King and I talked to the girl. Is that the only reason, Liz? Well, I had to leave. You want to call your mother? You can place a call over. No, I don't want to call her. I don't want to talk to her. Well, if you don't, Liz, I do. Now use this one less. Yes, sir, sir. I haven't anything to say to her. 21st Briefing, Sergeant Collins. This is Captain Coleman. Sergeant, will you step into my office, look in the corner of my desk platter? There's a note there with the number of Mrs. Elizabeth Tanderton in Braxton, Pennsylvania. Braxton? Yes, that's right. Place a collect call to Mrs. Tanderton's that number. I'll be up here. Right away, Captain. You have a bank account of your own, Liz. Why did you have to afford checks in your mother's name? I don't know. It just seemed as though I should. What made you? I don't know. If I knew, I'd tell you. You know you hurt a lot of people. Did I? I didn't mean to. About 40 people, including Captain Cronin. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. You know I'm sorry, Captain. I hope you are. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I just... wanted to get money from people... to prove they liked me. That's all. If they were willing to take a check from me, that proved they liked me, didn't it? That's all I wanted to prove. You could have given checks from your own account to prove the same thing. No, that's not so. It wouldn't prove the same thing. It wouldn't prove the same thing because... I don't know. It just wouldn't. Liz, what were you doing at Idlewild that night? Idlewild? The airport. Strange. The night you said you didn't have the money to pay the cab driver. Oh. What were you doing there? I just went out there to cash the check, that's all. I thought it would be a nice place. I'm sorry. I didn't realize I would cause someone's trouble. I really didn't. If that's my mother, I don't want to talk to her. I really don't. I'll get it, ma'am. I won't. 25th Precinct, Captain Cronin. Sergeant Collins on T.S. Captain, I have Mrs. Penderton. All right, put her on. Go ahead, please. Hello? Captain Cronin. Yes, this is Captain Cronin. We have Liz here, Mrs. Penderton. Oh, you have? How is she? Is she all right? I won't talk to her. Yes, she seems all right. May I talk to her? Liz? No. I told you no. I'm sorry, Mrs. Penderton. She won't come to the phone. Why won't she? No, she just refuses. Tell her I'll be there. Tell her I love her. Tell her I'll take the next train. Her father too. All right, Mrs. Penderton. Goodbye. Goodbye. The next train. I couldn't talk. I'm sorry, but I couldn't. I'm not saying to anything. But I couldn't talk to her. Your mother said to tell her she loves you. She and your father are taking the next train. They won't be here. They told the captain they would? No, they won't. They always say money makes a doctor say a thing, but it didn't. It really isn't the same, is it? Now, Liz, nothing is all the difference in the world. 21st Precinct, Sergeant Collins. You lost your wife? Your son? How old is he? And so it goes. Around the clock through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry-go-round. Anyone can catch the brass ring, or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st Precinct, a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city, is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the police department, city of New York. James Gregory in the role of Captain Cronin and Ken Lynch as Lieutenant King. Featured in tonight's cast were Bill Zudritch, Les Damon, Joan Loring, Abby Lewis, George Petrie, and Frank Campanella. 21st Precinct is written, produced, and directed by Stanley Ness. Our time is speaking.
