Sound off for Chesterfield. Chesterfield, the only cigarette in America to give you premium quality in both regular and king size, brings you dragnet. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to narcotics detail. You receive information that a big buy of heroin is going to be made in your city. You know the location and the man who's going to sell it. Your job, stop him. Thousands are changing to Chesterfield, both regular and king size, because only Chesterfield has premium quality in both sizes. That means king size Chesterfield contains tobaccos of better quality and higher price than any other king size cigarette. The same fine tobacco as in regular Chesterfield. There is absolutely no difference, except that king size Chesterfield is larger, contains so much more of the same tobaccos, it gives more than a fifth longer smoke. Yes, more than a fifth longer smoke from king size Chesterfield. So remember, Chesterfield is the only cigarette to give you premium quality in both regular and king size. Buy them either way you like them, regular or king size. You'll find premium quality Chesterfields much milder. Yes, Chesterfield is best for you. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 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 in action. Was Tuesday April 8th, it was windy in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out on narcotics detail. My partner is Frank Smith, the boss is Captain Kearney, my name is Friday. We were on our way to the meet and it was 9 48 p.m. when we got to the corner of Pico and Clanton, the 617 club. Let's sit back there, huh? Yeah, looks all right. What time you got Joe? 9 49, why? This watch is giving me trouble. Yeah? I guess it's getting old. You had it cleaned lately? Maybe that's what it needs. Yeah, a couple of years ago. Ran real good right after that. Just been lately like I said. I think maybe I'd have it cleaned again. I was reading where they should be cleaned at least once a year. Do you know that? No, this is getting old Joe. Had it for almost 23 years. Got it when I graduated from high school. Sure looks like it's still good, doesn't it? Yes, sir. Coffee for me, Frank? Yeah, please. Two coffees, right over there. I didn't say them when we came in, did you? No, we're early. Meet's not supposed to be until 10 30. What's that? I don't know. I don't know if you drink your coffee, I did. I'm not going to knock it off. First thing you know you're going to have everybody in that place looking at us. I don't care, let them look. I never wanted to do it, I never did. Okay, you did it. I love you and Joe, but it's not falling. What's going on in the next book? I don't know, I can't see. Easy for you to say you didn't do it. I'm not going to do it. I'm going to bring a lot of tension over here. I can't help it, everybody. I say it's a cop. A cop would know it's all about it. But cheap booze has done it. Every time you get a couple of bills and you start to fall, knock it off. Knock it off, knock it off. If I had to do it over again, it would have been different. I tell you, it would have been different. What do you think, Joe? It sounds like you had too much to drink. I hope they get out of here. I don't want anything to lose. I hope they get out of here. I don't want anything to louse up our body here. Sure, you get big, big man. You got no worries. Come on, let's go. You didn't kill the old lady. Not so loud. You didn't kill her. Because of the high booth walls, we were unable to tell who was doing the talking. As soon as the men got up to leave the place, Frank and I followed them. Frank stopped long enough to call our contact and postpone the narcotics by. We followed the two men from the bar down the street. They walked up to Spring and then they split up. Frank followed one of them. I tailed the other. He went directly to a hotel on West 6th Street. He stopped and talked with the hotel clerk and then he took the elevator upstairs. I checked with the clerk and he told me that the man's name was Sam Allison. The clerk also told me that Allison had been a resident of the hotel off and on for the past ten years. He went on to say that every so often Allison would pack up and leave, but that he'd always return. He was unable to give me any information as to how Allison made his living or who the other man might be. 1210 a.m. I called the office. Frank had checked back in. The man he was following had entered an all-night movie and in the darkness, Frank somehow had lost him. I went back to the office and we sent a radiogram to Inspector Charlie Sutton up in San Francisco, requesting all information on unsolved murders in the Bay Area in the last few months. We ran the name Sam Allison through R&I, but we got no make on anyone answering his description. 215 a.m. We checked out of the office and went home to get some sleep. The following morning, Wednesday, April 9th, 758 a.m., I checked back into the office. Is that you, Joe? Yeah. The message in the book to call Operator 18 in San Francisco. Did you put the call in? No, I just got in. Figured I'd wait a minute for you to get here. All right, let's take care of it. Operator 18, San Francisco, please. Joe Friday, Los Angeles Police Department, Michigan, 5211. Yeah, that's right. Probably Charlie Sutton, huh? Yeah. Yes, ma'am? Oh, Charlie, Joe Friday. Yeah. Not a bad name. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Uh-huh. When? January 15th, huh? How'd it happen? Uh-huh. Yeah. Can you talk a little louder, Charlie? Any description? Yeah, I see. Where? You sent it right down to us, huh? Okay, fine. Yeah. Okay, Charlie. No, we don't know. No. Yeah, thanks again. Right, bye. Anything? Yeah, out at Land's End up in San Francisco. The woman was beaten to death. The San Francisco Police Department said that they'd forward all available information on the killing. From what Inspector Charlie Sutton had said, the victim had been robbed and beaten out on the Land's End area. There had been one witness to the murder, and we told the authorities in the Bay City that we would send them stand-up mugs of our suspect, Sam Allison. 9.37 a.m. Frank and I drove over to the hotel on West 6th. We talked to the desk clerk, and then we went to the hotel. We talked to the desk clerk, and then we went upstairs to Allison's room. This must be at 3.05. Yeah. I'll try it again. Yeah, who is it? Police officers. We'd like to talk to you. Just a minute. Yeah? You Sam Allison? Yeah, that's right. What's the bit? I'd like to talk to you. What about? Might be better if we talked inside. All right, come on in. What's this all about? When I get dressed, I'd like to talk to you downtown. What for? You got nothing on me. Just like to talk to you. Come on, get dressed. Wait a minute, Joy. Look, you tell me what it's all about first. You've been up in San Francisco lately. Why? Have you? Yeah, so when? When? I don't know. First of the year, I guess. Around there. You narrow that down a little? First part of January, I guess. Where were you last night? Around. Where around? Met a friend, had a couple drinks and came home just around. Who's the friend? Hey, look, I'm not going to answer any more of your questions until I know what this is all about. Where are your clothes? In the closet. I'll get them. They're getting real big, aren't they? You tell us what you want, I'll get them. That pinstripe. You know, the gray one right in front of you. You know, pinstripe. This is? Yeah. Oh, in that bureau, second drawer? With some shirts there. Give me one of the blue ones, will you? One with the tab collar and the little round things on it. This is the one? Yeah. Oh, yeah, that's the one. Yeah, that's the one. This is the one, second drawer, with some shirts there. Give me one of the blue ones, will you? One with the tab collar and the little round things on it. This it? Yeah. Here you go. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Hey, why don't you guys figure out, let me know what this is all about. What do you do for a living, Allison? Oh, this and that. All right, what's that mean? I work with horses. You a trainer, that it? No, not exactly. A tout? No. See, in that top drawer, there's a little velvet box. Got a collar bar in there. Would you get it for me, huh? Here? Yeah. And a little bit of a black box. That's right. The golden one. Yeah. Know what you want? Yeah, thanks. Yeah, I got my shoes. Wait a minute. Which ones do you want? The black ones. It's the only pair. Who were you drinking with last night, Allison? Oh, like I told you, a friend. What's his name? Look, I told you I wasn't going to say anything until I found out what this was all about. All right, Allison, I'm going to lay this out for you. We were in a bar last night, placed down in Clanton. You there? Clanton? Oh, you mean the 617 Club? That's right. Yeah, I was there. So what? We were in the booth next to you. Heard you talk about killing a woman in San Francisco. You're wrong about that. Yeah, sure we are. Let's go downtown. No, I mean it. I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, sure, I was in the bar last night, but I don't know anything about killing an old broad up north. Who said she was old? Well, you just did. No, I didn't. Said a woman had been killed. I didn't say anything about her age. Well, from the way you said it, I figured she was old. No, that won't work, Allison. Look, you've got no reason to think that I did that. No, you've got no reason to think that. You admit you were up north about the time it happened. You were in a bar last night talking about it. Now, you seem to know quite a bit about the whole thing for somebody who wasn't involved. Well, maybe I just heard about it, you know. Where'd you hear about it? Well, around. Well, I don't know where, but... Well, I heard about it. I mean, that's what happened. But you guys know it wasn't me. You know that, don't you? Who were you with last night? He the one that did it? Is that it? I don't know. I don't know if he did it or not. I don't know anything about it. All I know is I wasn't mixed up in it. I didn't have anything to do with it. Who's Jack Kenton? Kenton? I don't know any Kenton. Well, he knows you according to this postcard in your drawer over here. Oh, that right? Yeah, that's right. Sam, I'll be in town Monday night. Meet you at your hotel and sign Jack as a return address. You're in San Diego. Now, who is he? Oh, yeah, Kenton. I forgot for a minute. Well, maybe you forgot that he was with you in that bar last night, too, huh? Well, what happens to me if I do remember? Are you gonna find out? I don't think so. Was he the man you were with last night? I don't want him to find out. I got big trouble if he does. Isn't that right? Yeah, he's the guy, but don't tell him I said so, will you? You won't tell him, huh? Jack would come after me if he knew. He's really off his rocker. He is, huh? Yeah, and he'd kill me if he knew. You guys are gonna have trouble taking him, you know that, huh? We are, huh? Yeah. He's fallen a couple times before. Done big time up a queue. Told me a hundred times before. At least a hundred times. Yeah, what's that? He killed the first cop that came after him. 1117 A.M. Frank and I took Sam Allison down to the city hall. He was fingerprinted and mug shots were taken. A pair of stand-up mugs were sent to San Francisco immediately. We contacted the San Diego Police Department and asked them to put a stake out on the address that was on the postcard we found in Allison's room. In the event this Jack Kenton returned, they were to pick him up and call us. While we talked to them, they ran the name through their files and found that he had a minor record in San Diego dating back some 15 years. A check of our files showed that he'd served time in San Quentin for armed robbery and ADW while trying to commit a robbery. We got out a local and an APB on him. We talked to Allison. He told us that as far as he knew, Kenton was planning to return to San Diego on the preceding night. He couldn't give us any information as to where Kenton had stayed while he was in Los Angeles. 2 P.M. We got a call from San Diego that they'd picked up Jack Kenton. 2.30 P.M. Frank and I checked out a trip car and left for San Diego. We checked in with Lieutenant Mort Gear when we got there and he told us that Kenton had been seen returning to his home right after we'd contacted them. We drove out to his place and searched it, but we found nothing to tie him in with a murder in San Francisco. 8.30 P.M. We left San Diego and returned to Los Angeles. On the return trip, Kenton was sullen and refused to answer any questions. We took him to the city hall. 1.15 A.M. Oh, lousy dear, you guys are trying to tie a bum rap on me and you know it. Do we? Sure. You ever do any big time, Kenton? No. Never been to jail, huh? No. That's not what our record says. Maybe a couple of tickets for traffic stuff. Book says you served time at Q. How about that? A couple of years, yeah. Don't you figure that is big time? Yeah, I suppose so. Then why didn't you tell us about it? I forgot. You been in San Francisco lately? Oh, you sure? I'm sure. We got a rumble that you were up there around the first year. That right? Yeah. Well, you tell your pigeon that he's not even a fruitcake if he says I was up in Frisco. Couple other people who say you were up there too. Yeah, who? Couple of people. Well, they're offering that too if they say that. The officers say so too. How do they figure that? They got an eye dent on your picture. I was never picked up in Frisco. They got no picture of me. We got a few. So I done time out L.A. Yeah, you did. When we get a mug, we ship a copy up north. They do the same. That right? That's right. So maybe I'll be big about all this. Admit I was in Frisco around the first of year. What's that prove? What'd you do while you were up there? Moved around. Went up for vacation. What do you do for a living? A little of everything. What's that include? Like I said, a little of everything. What'd you tell the parole board? I tell them I'm a contractor. What do you build? Whatever needs building. I'm versatile. You're pretty smart too, aren't you? Look, I know my rights. I know that you know that I'm an ex-con. You know it as well as I do. But there ain't no P.V. tab on my card. I don't go around a corner without telling the board. You got nothing on me for that. They know you're in San Francisco? Yeah, like I said, it was for a vacation. Where'd you live up there? Around. Hotel down on Geary. How long were we there? Maybe three weeks, month. Got a cigarette? Yeah. Here. Thanks. Thanks. What's this all about anyway? What's the pitch with Was I in Frisco? You remember where you were last night? Yeah, I was up here. I came up to see a friend. Who's a friend? I don't remember. Where'd you see this friend? Bar. Had a couple of drinks and I went to a movie. What bar? I don't remember. Some place downtown. Over on Clanton, maybe? That could be. Like I said, I don't remember. We figure it was the 617 Club on Clanton. You know more than I do. You were there with Sam Allison, isn't it, Ray? Allison? Don't think I know anybody by that name. He says he knows you. Allison? No, I don't think I know any... All right, now let's come off it, Kenton. We know you were there. We were in the booth right next to you. We heard you talk about killing the woman in San Francisco. We heard every word you said. You must have been listening to somebody else. You got the wrong pitch all the way around. I wasn't there last night. I don't know any Sam Allison. I didn't kill anyone in San Francisco or anyplace else. The bartender down there says he knows you. Says you were in the place last night. We saw you there ourselves. You know, you guys ought to lay off that cheap booze that's beginning to hit your eyes. We got another witness who says you were there. They're willing to swear to it. All right, so maybe I was. What's that proof? Why'd you lie about it? I didn't lie. I just forgot. Maybe you forgot about San Francisco too. Is that it? No, I didn't forget about it. You said you spent your time up north in a bar. Which bar? Cookies. Where's that? On Kearney. You got any way to prove you were there? With those cookies? Sure, talk to Cookie himself. He'll tell you. What's his last name? I don't know. You spent all his time with him, you don't know his last name. Cookie, just plain Cookie. That's all you need to know to get a drink. He ever done any time? Not Cookie. He'll do almost anything to make a buck as long as he doesn't have to work for it. But he's never fallen, I know about it. He's too busy watering the booze he sells. You ever get down here Fisherman's Wharf up there? No. Never left downtown. Then you couldn't have been down there on January 12th, now could you? How do I know where I was on the 12th? I said I wasn't near the wharf. That means on the 12th, 13th, 14th, as far as you want to go. I don't know how else to say it. I wasn't down on Fisherman's Wharf. Is that where this woman got it? Might have been, yeah. Doesn't make any difference though. You didn't leave downtown, did you? No, never left downtown. Gary Street for the hotel, Kearney Street for cookies. That's all. How about Land's End? Ever get out there? Maybe if I write it out. Maybe then you'll get what I'm trying to say. I was always downtown. I never left it. I didn't go to Land's End. I didn't go to Fisherman's Wharf. I didn't go to the tea gardens in the park. I never left downtown. You're sure about that? I've told you. I've told you. Every way I know how, that's all I can do. Yeah, well, there's something that doesn't jive here, Kenton. What's that? We got a call from San Francisco. They got a girl up there who was out on Land's End on January 15th. She says that she'll identify you as the man who killed the woman that night. She says she's positive. That's why all this bit about was I someplace on January 12th, huh? Yeah, that's right. Playing it real cozy, aren't you? Well, it won't work, Cop. Thanks, but no thanks. I'm having none of it. Now, you guys go and try to figure some other way. You got nothing on me. Nothing, and you know it. Now, if you're tired of playing games, either give me my walking papers or book me. I'm tired. I want to go to sleep. The girl will be here in the morning, Kenton. That's swell. I got to get my sleep then. I want to look real nice for her. All right. Let's go. You know, Cop, that's one nice thing about the law's mistake. Yeah? I don't have to do a thing. Just sit and watch. You got to prove it. Any way you slice it, you got to do the work. I don't have to do a thing. Yeah, that's right, Kenton. There's only one little difference. Yeah, we make you and you got to do the time. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. Chesterfield is best for you. Premium quality Chesterfield. Yes, only Chesterfield has premium quality in both regular and king size. And only Chesterfield gives you this scientific evidence on the effects of smoking. A medical specialist is making regular bi-monthly examinations of a group of people from various walks of life. Forty-five percent of this group, about half of them, have smoked Chesterfield for an average of over ten years. After eight months, the medical specialist reports that he observed no adverse effects on the nose, throat, and sinuses of the group from smoking Chesterfield. Those are the facts. I'd say that means real mildness. So buy them either way you like them, regular or king size. You'll find premium quality Chesterfields much milder. Yes, Chesterfield is best for you. Three thirty-nine a.m. We took Jack Kenton down and had some stand-up mugs made of him and sent to San Francisco. Kenton was booked at the main jail in suspicion of murder. Five twenty-six a.m. Frank and I checked out of the office and we went home. The next day at one thirty p.m. we met with Captain Lorm in a homicide division and talked over the developments with him. Together we worked out a plan that we thought might work in getting Allison to admit to the murder. Four fifteen p.m. we had Kenton brought from his cell in the main jail to the interrogation room at the city hall. We talked to him for two hours. He'd admit nothing. Where's your witness about time she got here, isn't it? She'll be here. If she gets this thing over with, I'm getting a little sick of playing ring around a rosie with you boys. Maybe you haven't got anything else to do, but I have. Why, Ryan, what's so important, Kenton? Got a heavy date down in San Diego tonight. This is Friday, isn't it? That's right. Real doll. Been trying to date with her for a couple of weeks. Finally made it. You guys think I'll be out of here by six? Depends on what the witness is. How about a cigarette, huh? Yeah. Here you are. I got a man. Cops find anything in my house? What do you mean? When they went through it. Look, I've been through this before. I know the bit as well as you guys do. A fellow falls once, does some time, your cops never leave him alone. You drink much, Kenton? Hmm? You drink much. Yeah, I have a highball once in a while. What's the matter? Something wrong with that? You guys gonna give me a lecture on the evils of alcohol? No, just trying to figure out what kind of a guy you are when you're loaded. Well, I'm a doll. Living doll. Put on lampshades, tell funny stories, life of the party, that's me. You ever have a crying jag when you've been drinking? Nope. Sure about that? Yeah. Well, we got it. Soon as you get a couple of belts in you start to ball. Now, how about that? Whoever told you that's lying? Seems pretty sure about it, this fella. You seem to have a lot of information from this fella of yours. Who is the guy? Friend of ours. Yeah? He sure isn't a friend of mine. Good idea who it is. Sounds a lot like my friend Sam. That's him? Yeah, old Sam, the working man's friend. Rumble we got says you were with him the night before last, is that right? Oh, yeah. This is the night you guys were in the next booth and heard all the stuff about me killing the old brawn. What's this bit about a rumble? You know what and I do. You picked up Sam, he talked his mouth out to save his own skin. You guys are about as coy as a bulldozer. Why don't you come off it? You're not working with an amateur. I've been around for a long time. I know the angles. You guys got nothing on me. You got nothing because I'm clean. Just want to be big men. Got nothing else to do so you decided to kill a little time by leaning on somebody. I happen to be around. I got a record so I fit your program real pretty. Well, get off my back. I've had it. Now either book me on suspicion and I'll sue you for every last dime you got or let me go. I got a date I want to keep. That's a nice try, Ken. It won't work. What do you mean? All right, I'll lay out a few things for you. A woman was killed in San Francisco on January 15th. You were in town that day. You got a record for robbery and assault. Woman was robbed and then killed. You got blind one night and you talked all about it. You had a real crying jag and you got worried. You talked about how everybody you saw looked like a cop. They all looked like they knew what you'd done and they were moving to nail you for it. You got a real bad case of the bull horrors. We got a friend of yours who says you could have been the guy. We got an identification from a girl who says you killed that old woman. She's on her way down here now. As soon as she sees you and makes it positive, you had it, mister. Now that's what you said. You talk real convincing. Makes it sound like you really got something on me. We have, Kenton, and you know it. Let's check and see if that girl's here. Yeah, I will. Got a cigarette? Yeah, here. Now what's the matter, Kenton? You figure maybe we aren't giving you a snow job? No, I know where I stand. I'm just getting a little worried that maybe this girl might make a mistake. It could happen, you know. It's happened before. Is that right? Sure, lots of times. You know, somebody watches a thing like this, they aren't sure what they've really seen. Some college back east proved it. Is that so? He had a deal where one of the students pretended he was going to knock off the teacher. After he'd done it, all the kids gave a different story of what happened. It happens all the time. Yeah. Well, if you didn't do it, then you got nothing to worry about, have you? No, I suppose not. She says she saw the guy, huh? Yeah, that's right. Came all the way down here to look at me, huh? Yep. You figure she's here yet? Should be. Her plane landed an hour ago. Mm-hmm. You say she identified my picture, she said I was the guy? I didn't hear it, it just came in, man. That's him. That's the man. He killed her. I saw it. I'd never forget him. That's the man. She's crazy. She's wrong. You know that, don't you? She's wrong. Don't let him touch me. The man's a murderer. He killed the old woman. I saw him. Beat her to death. I saw him do it. All right, lady. We'll be all right. All right, Miss Carter. You want to step outside? Oh, yes, please. I want to get away from him. I don't ever want to have to look at him again. How about it? I didn't see her. I didn't see her. I didn't know anybody was around. I didn't mean to kill the old woman. I didn't. You know that, don't you? Yeah, sure. She wouldn't give me her purse. I followed her from downtown, all the way out on the streetcar. I got out and followed her. Right by Sutro's, by the Cliff House. Then I tried to take the money, she wouldn't give it to me. Only about 30 bucks. Why didn't she give it to me? 30 bucks, it wasn't worth it to her. For 30 bucks. It would have been all right if that girl hadn't seen. I looked, tried to make sure nobody saw her. I didn't see her. I did. You want to stay with him, Frank, while I get the stenographer? Yeah, Joe, go ahead. Okay. Did it work, Sergeant? Yeah, it worked fine. Funny, I was scared stiff when I went in. Wasn't sure I could carry it off. It worked fine. He copped out, admitted everything. If there's nothing else, I'll go on back to work. Thanks, Stella. Look, will you tell Cunningham that I'll give him a ring, will you? Yeah. Say, Sergeant. Yeah. Thanks for letting me help. You know, filing packages and her and I get the little doll down there. The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On August 17th, trial was held in Department 89, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenomen. Friends, it's getting a little closer to Christmas, and there's a man right near you. He's a good friend of mine. He's a good friend of mine. Friends, it's getting a little closer to Christmas, and there's a man right near you. You're a neighborhood cigarette dealer who has a lot of fine gift ideas. Of course, he's featuring the gift of the year, the Chesterfield Christmas Carton. It's the ideal gift because Chesterfield is the only premium quality cigarette available to you in both regular and king size. Chesterfield is the one I smoke, and it's the one I'm giving for Christmas. Regular or king size, premium quality Chesterfields are much milder. Jack Gerald Kenton was tried and found guilty of murder in the first degree. He is now serving a life sentence in the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California. Ladies and gentlemen, until everyone is safe, no one is safe from tuberculosis. Help save lives by buying all the Christmas seals you can and using Christmas seals on all your Christmas mail. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wins, Sergeant Fance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Virginia Gregg, Harry Bartel, script by John Robinson, music by Walter Schuman, Hal Gipney speaking. Sound off for Chesterfield. Either way you like them, regular or king size, you'll find premium quality Chesterfields much milder. Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Music
