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Dragnet - "Big Ray" (Old Time Radio, 1952) · Dragnet | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: When Alfred Prater collapses during dinner and dies, what first
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: appears to be a heart attack and accidental fall brings
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Los Angeles homicide to the Prater home. This is Dragnet,
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: episode 167, Big Ray, first heard on NBC's September 4th, 1952.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith find that the
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: accounts within the family do not fully agree, and a
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: statement from Prater's young son sends the inquiry in a
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: new direction. Jack Webb and Herb Ellis are featured in
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: a script by John Robinson, with Walter Schumann conducting the
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: music for this Fatima-sponsored broadcast. And now, we return to
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the original broadcast.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: Fatima Cigarettes. King size, extra mild and soothing. brings you
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: Dragnet on both radio and television. You're a detective sergeant.
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: You're assigned to homicide detail. You got a call that
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: a man has had a heart attack, fallen and fractured
• 1:17
  Speaker 3: his skull. It looks like an accidental death. Your job, investigate.
• 1:26
  Speaker 4: Friends, the name Fatima has always stood.
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• 1:34
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• 1:37
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  Speaker 2: in Fatima, the difference is quality. Because of its quality,
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  Speaker 2: to grow in favor among king-size cigarette smokers everywhere. Switch
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  Speaker 2: to Fatima yourself today. Ask your dealer for Fatima in
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  Speaker 2: the bright, sunny yellow pack. King-size Fatima. The difference is quality.
• 2:11
  Speaker 4: Dragnet.
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department...
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: You will travel step by step on the side of
• 2:21
  Speaker 3: the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files.
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: the story of your police force in action.
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: It was Wednesday, September 4th. It was warm in Los Angeles.
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: We were working the night watch out of homicide detail.
• 2:41
  Speaker 4: My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief
• 2:43
  Speaker 4: of Detectives. My name's Friday.
• 2:45
  Speaker 5: It was 10.46 p.m.
• 2:46
  Speaker 4: When we got to 2102 West Francis Avenue. The front door.
• 2:52
  Speaker 5: Yes?
• 2:52
  Speaker 4: Miss Prater?
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: Yes, that's right.
• 2:54
  Speaker 4: Police officers, ma'am.
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: Oh, yes, of course. Come in.
• 2:56
  Speaker 6: Thank you.
• 2:56
  Speaker 4: Well, I'm Sergeant Friday. This is my partner, Frank Smith.
• 3:00
  Speaker 7: How do you do?
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: How do you do, ma'am?
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: How do you do, Mr. Smith? Won't you sit down?
• 3:03
  Speaker 4: Yes, thank you very much.
• 3:04
  Speaker 5: Doctor said you'd be here. Guess he told you about
• 3:06
  Speaker 5: the accident.
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 3:07
  Speaker 5: Well, if it's something you want to know, I guess
• 3:08
  Speaker 5: I can tell you about it.
• 3:09
  Speaker 7: Mm-hmm.
• 3:10
  Speaker 4: Your husband's full name was Alfred Kenneth Prater, is that right?
• 3:13
  Speaker 5: Yes, Alfred Kenneth.
• 3:14
  Speaker 4: I wonder if we could go in, Miss Prater.
• 3:16
  Speaker 5: Yes, he's in the dining room.
• 3:17
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 3:18
  Speaker 5: He'd just finished dinner and Alfred got up from the
• 3:20
  Speaker 5: table and said he wanted to see the ball game
• 3:21
  Speaker 5: on television. He excused himself and got up and all
• 3:24
  Speaker 5: of a sudden he put his hand on his chest
• 3:26
  Speaker 5: and started to stagger. He said something about his heart
• 3:29
  Speaker 5: and asked me to help him. Yes, ma'am.
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: Go ahead.
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: Well, I jumped up to go to him. He just
• 3:34
  Speaker 5: crumpled and fell. He hit his head on the table.
• 3:37
  Speaker 5: The pay there didn't move. The doctor said his skull
• 3:40
  Speaker 5: might be fractured. That's what it might have killed him.
• 3:42
  Speaker 4: Did you call the doctor right away?
• 3:44
  Speaker 5: No, I stayed with Alfred. My mother called Dr.
• 3:46
  Speaker 4: Adamson.
• 3:47
  Speaker 5: He's our own doctor. When we got here, he put
• 3:49
  Speaker 5: up with the gun.
• 3:50
  Speaker 4: Try to take it easy. Dr. Adams, he's the one
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: that called us.
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: Yes, he said he would. Something about a death certificate.
• 3:59
  Speaker 5: I didn't understand it.
• 4:01
  Speaker 4: Well, Miss Prater, maybe you'd like to go into the
• 4:03
  Speaker 4: living room.
• 4:05
  Speaker 5: Yes, please.
• 4:05
  Speaker 4: All right.
• 4:07
  Speaker 7: Can we get you anything?
• 4:07
  Speaker 4: A glass of water or anything? No.
• 4:10
  Speaker 5: I'll be all right. It'll just take a minute.
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: All right. Sorry.
• 4:16
  Speaker 7: Yes, ma'am. Just a few more questions. Did your husband
• 4:19
  Speaker 7: have a history of a bad heart, any trouble like
• 4:21
  Speaker 7: this before?
• 4:22
  Speaker 5: Not that I know of. He never said anything about it.
• 4:24
  Speaker 5: He used to work awfully hard, long hours.
• 4:26
  Speaker 4: Has your husband been under the care of a physician?
• 4:28
  Speaker 5: No, never was sick. Had a doctor where we used
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: to live. Since we've been here, we haven't had any
• 4:32
  Speaker 5: need for one.
• 4:32
  Speaker 7: Did your husband ever give you any indication there was
• 4:34
  Speaker 7: something wrong with his heart?
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: Oh, if there was something wrong, Alfred would have said
• 4:37
  Speaker 5: something about it. We had no secrets, told each other everything.
• 4:40
  Speaker 5: Married 14 years and never had a single fight that
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: amounted to anything. Wonderful husband. And we couldn't ask for
• 4:45
  Speaker 5: anything more. Good provider.
• 4:47
  Speaker 4: Well, who was here when your husband had the accident, then?
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: My mother. She lives with us.
• 4:51
  Speaker 7: Is she here now?
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: Yes, she's in the next room lying down. It's been
• 4:55
  Speaker 5: a trying time, officer.
• 4:57
  Speaker 7: Yes, ma'am.
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: All those years, Alfred and me. And Ray was born.
• 5:00
  Speaker 5: He's nine now. Happy family. All the neighbors used to
• 5:03
  Speaker 5: tell me how lucky I was, but I knew it.
• 5:05
  Speaker 5: I knew it. Oh, it's all gone.
• 5:07
  Speaker 4: I wonder if we could speak to your mother, Miss Prater.
• 5:10
  Speaker 5: Yes, of course. I'll get her. Sergeant?
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 5:15
  Speaker 5: She's 55. Hasn't been too well lately. This whole thing's
• 5:18
  Speaker 5: been quite a shock for her. I'd appreciate it if
• 5:19
  Speaker 5: you'd be as brief as possible.
• 5:21
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am. We understand. Mother?
• 5:25
  Speaker 5: Mother, are you awake?
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: Yes, dear.
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: What is it?
• 5:28
  Speaker 5: There are two officers out in the living room. They'd
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: like to talk to you.
• 5:31
  Speaker 4: What about? It's about Alfred.
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: Alfred?
• 5:34
  Speaker 4: What about him?
• 5:35
  Speaker 5: I just wanted to ask you some questions.
• 5:36
  Speaker 6: I'll tell them I'll be right there.
• 5:38
  Speaker 8: All right, dear.
• 5:40
  Speaker 5: She'll be right out, officers.
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: All right, thank you, Miss Bader.
• 5:44
  Speaker 5: Can I get you something? A cup of coffee or something?
• 5:46
  Speaker 4: No, not a thing, thank you.
• 5:47
  Speaker 7: No, ma'am, thank you very much.
• 5:48
  Speaker 5: If you don't mind, I'd like to make a pot
• 5:49
  Speaker 5: of tea for Mother and myself.
• 5:51
  Speaker 4: Yes, go right ahead.
• 5:51
  Speaker 5: Do you want to come out in the kitchen? We
• 5:53
  Speaker 5: can talk while I put the water on.
• 5:54
  Speaker 7: All right, ma'am. Did you call the coroner, Frank? Yeah, Joe,
• 5:58
  Speaker 7: before we left the office. Should be here any minute now.
• 6:00
  Speaker 7: Have to get a sketch of the room before he
• 6:02
  Speaker 7: removes the body.
• 6:02
  Speaker 6: Yeah.
• 6:04
  Speaker 5: Ray's the one who's going to suffer for it.
• 6:07
  Speaker 4: How's that, ma'am?
• 6:08
  Speaker 5: Poor little kid. He and his father were great friends.
• 6:10
  Speaker 5: I don't know what he's going to do when he
• 6:12
  Speaker 5: really knows what's happened.
• 6:14
  Speaker 4: Doesn't the boy know about it yet?
• 6:15
  Speaker 5: Yes, he was here when it happened, but I don't
• 6:17
  Speaker 5: think he realizes yet what it means.
• 6:19
  Speaker 4: How old did you say he was, ma'am?
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: Nine.
• 6:23
  Speaker 5: He was nine last month.
• 6:27
  Speaker 4: Where is he now, Miss Prater?
• 6:28
  Speaker 5: He's in his room, asleep. Here's mother now, officers. Mother?
• 6:35
  Speaker 6: Yes, dear.
• 6:36
  Speaker 5: Mother, this is Mr. Friday and Mr. Smith from the police.
• 6:40
  Speaker 5: My mother, Mrs. Atkins. Hello.
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: Hello, ma'am.
• 6:42
  Speaker 6: Ellen says there's something about Alfred?
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am, that's right.
• 6:45
  Speaker 6: I don't see any need to call the police. Accident,
• 6:47
  Speaker 6: that's what the doctor said.
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: Well, there's no death certificate, ma'am. We have to look
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: into it. It's just routine. Mrs.
• 6:52
  Speaker 7: Prater told us pretty much what we want to know.
• 6:54
  Speaker 7: We'd just like to get your side of it.
• 6:55
  Speaker 6: Sure, I was there, you know. I saw it all.
• 6:58
  Speaker 6: He got up from the table and said he had
• 6:59
  Speaker 6: a heart attack. Well, he wasn't fooling me.
• 7:02
  Speaker 4: I beg your pardon?
• 7:03
  Speaker 6: He wasn't fooling me, I knew. Heart attack, phooey.
• 7:06
  Speaker 7: I don't understand.
• 7:07
  Speaker 6: He was drunk.
• 7:08
  Speaker 5: Mother.
• 7:09
  Speaker 6: Well, I still think he was, and you ain't gonna
• 7:10
  Speaker 6: change my mind.
• 7:11
  Speaker 4: Had Mr. Prater been drinking? No.
• 7:14
  Speaker 5: Well, he maybe had a drink on the way home
• 7:15
  Speaker 5: from work, you know, to relax him a little.
• 7:18
  Speaker 6: Relax him. There was no trouble relaxing him. Big thing
• 7:21
  Speaker 6: was to get him off the dime. Laziest man I
• 7:24
  Speaker 6: ever knew. I told her not to marry him. I
• 7:25
  Speaker 6: was against it all the time. I knew his type.
• 7:29
  Speaker 6: Out carousing around. Hanging around in bars. And he'd come
• 7:32
  Speaker 6: home and take it out on poor Ellen and little Ray.
• 7:35
  Speaker 5: Mother, please. Alfred was my husband. He's Ray's father. He's dead.
• 7:38
  Speaker 5: Find a little forgiveness in your heart.
• 7:40
  Speaker 6: That's all I'll find.
• 7:41
  Speaker 4: A little.
• 7:42
  Speaker 6: Foster, I'm not afraid to say what I think. I
• 7:43
  Speaker 6: didn't like him. I never did. As far as I'm concerned,
• 7:46
  Speaker 6: he was no good. Drunken bum, that's all he was.
• 7:48
  Speaker 6: He hated me. He never did like me. Regretted every
• 7:50
  Speaker 6: mouthful of food I ate. Never was too quiet about
• 7:53
  Speaker 6: it either.
• 7:53
  Speaker 5: Mother, that's not true, Alfred. Never regretted having you here
• 7:56
  Speaker 5: with us.
• 7:56
  Speaker 6: Well, that's what you say, and I know different. He
• 7:59
  Speaker 6: might have died from a heart attack, all right. But
• 8:00
  Speaker 6: if he did, that was that cheap liquor brought it on.
• 8:03
  Speaker 6: Got up from the table, staggered around, and fell. Well,
• 8:05
  Speaker 6: you say it was his heart, and I say he
• 8:06
  Speaker 6: was drunk. Just plain drunk.
• 8:09
  Speaker 4: Well, how about it, Miss Prater? Had Mr. Prater been
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: drinking enough to make him fall, do you think?
• 8:12
  Speaker 5: Certainly not, officer. You'll have to excuse Mother. She doesn't
• 8:14
  Speaker 5: mean what she's saying. I do, too.
• 8:17
  Speaker 6: If you're going to call me a liar, I'm going
• 8:18
  Speaker 6: to my room. When you're sorry about what you said,
• 8:20
  Speaker 6: you can call me.
• 8:23
  Speaker 5: You'll have to forgive her. She doesn't know what she's saying.
• 8:25
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 8:26
  Speaker 5: My father died when I was very young, Sergeant. His
• 8:29
  Speaker 5: old mother had. Guess she never did think any man
• 8:31
  Speaker 5: was good enough for me.
• 8:32
  Speaker 4: I hate to do this, Mrs.
• 8:33
  Speaker 7: Prater, but there are some questions we have to ask
• 8:35
  Speaker 7: for our report, if.
• 8:35
  Speaker 4: You'll bear with us.
• 8:36
  Speaker 5: Of course, I understand.
• 8:38
  Speaker 7: You said his full name was Alfred Kenneth Prater, is
• 8:40
  Speaker 7: that right?
• 8:40
  Speaker 5: Yes. What was his age?
• 8:42
  Speaker 4: 36.
• 8:42
  Speaker 5: Birthday's November 22nd.
• 8:44
  Speaker 7: How about his physical description?
• 8:46
  Speaker 5: 5'11, 167 pounds. Front door. Mind answering?
• 8:50
  Speaker 7: Not at all, ma'am. I imagine it's for us anyway.
• 8:52
  Speaker 7: I'll get it, Joe.
• 8:56
  Speaker 4: Mrs. Prater, we'd like to get this straight. Uh, Just
• 8:59
  Speaker 4: your mother, your son, and yourself were present when this
• 9:01
  Speaker 4: accident occurred, is that right?
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: Yes, just the three of us. The water's ready. You
• 9:09
  Speaker 5: sure you don't want a cup of tea?
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: No, ma'am. Thanks just the same.
• 9:12
  Speaker 5: How about the other officer?
• 9:13
  Speaker 4: No, I don't think you'll want him either. About your
• 9:16
  Speaker 4: boy Ray, Miss Prater.
• 9:17
  Speaker 5: What about him?
• 9:18
  Speaker 4: You said he was asleep?
• 9:19
  Speaker 5: That's right. We put him to bed right after the accident.
• 9:21
  Speaker 5: He was so close to Alfred. They were great friends.
• 9:23
  Speaker 5: Thought it might be best if he went right to sleep.
• 9:26
  Speaker 5: You want to see him?
• 9:27
  Speaker 4: Well, probably better if he sleeps right now. We can
• 9:29
  Speaker 4: talk to him in the morning if we have to.
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: I'd appreciate it if you could, Mr. Friday. He's just
• 9:32
  Speaker 5: a boy and all this. You know.
• 9:34
  Speaker 4: Shirley, ma'am, we understand. Deputy Corner, Joey's taking care of
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: the body. Well, that about does it.
• 9:39
  Speaker 5: You're going to take Alfred now?
• 9:41
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 9:42
  Speaker 5: Will he be? Can I go along?
• 9:45
  Speaker 6: Poor Alfred.
• 9:46
  Speaker 7: There's no need for it, ma'am. There'll be an inquest
• 9:48
  Speaker 7: after the autopsy. We'll give you a call about that.
• 9:50
  Speaker 7: We know how you feel, ma'am. We don't like to
• 9:52
  Speaker 7: intrude at a time like this, but it's one of
• 9:53
  Speaker 7: our duties. There being no doctor in attendance at the
• 9:55
  Speaker 7: time of death. Meantime, if there's anything we can do
• 9:58
  Speaker 7: for you, here's our card and you let us know anything.
• 10:00
  Speaker 4: At all.
• 10:00
  Speaker 5: Thank you very much. Michigan 5211. That's right, that's right.
• 10:04
  Speaker 4: Station 2521. All right, Mr.
• 10:06
  Speaker 5: Friday. Terrible thing. Can't hardly believe it. Alfred dead. Terrible. Officers.
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 10:19
  Speaker 5: I hope you didn't take Mother seriously about Alfred drinking.
• 10:21
  Speaker 5: I know she didn't really mean it.
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: Don't worry about it, Miss Prater. We understand.
• 10:24
  Speaker 7: Don't forget to call us if there's anything you need.
• 10:26
  Speaker 5: I won't. Good night, Mr. Friday, Mr. Smith.
• 10:28
  Speaker 4: Good night, ma'am. That's one for you, huh, Joe? Yeah.
• 10:35
  Speaker 7: Even when he's dead, his mother-in-law won't leave him alone.
• 10:37
  Speaker 7: Must have been a real pleasant life.
• 10:39
  Speaker 4: Been rough on his wife, too. Joe, you hear that?
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: That guy didn't open the window, did he?
• 10:47
  Speaker 7: Yeah, there's something to that.
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: Well, did you call us, son? Yeah.
• 10:54
  Speaker 9: Are you the cops?
• 10:55
  Speaker 7: Yeah, that's right.
• 10:55
  Speaker 4: Is this something you wanted?
• 10:57
  Speaker 9: Yeah, I'm Ray Prater. Something I wanted to tell you.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: All right. What is it, son?
• 11:01
  Speaker 9: About my father. I don't want Mom to hear me.
• 11:04
  Speaker 9: She'd be sorry if she knew I told you. I'm
• 11:06
  Speaker 9: supposed to be asleep.
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: What's that, Ray?
• 11:08
  Speaker 9: I've been sitting here listening to you talk to him.
• 11:10
  Speaker 9: She told me she'd tell.
• 11:10
  Speaker 6: You, and she didn't.
• 11:11
  Speaker 4: Tell us what, Ray?
• 11:13
  Speaker 9: Maybe I shouldn't tell you. Mom said she'd take care
• 11:16
  Speaker 9: of it. I just don't know what to do. I
• 11:18
  Speaker 9: tried to think of what Dad would do. He always
• 11:21
  Speaker 9: said if there was something wrong, to find a policeman
• 11:23
  Speaker 9: and tell him.
• 11:24
  Speaker 4: All right, son. What is it you want to tell us?
• 11:26
  Speaker 6: About Dad. Just before he fell and hit his head,
• 11:29
  Speaker 6: he was finishing dinner.
• 11:31
  Speaker 9: He drank a glass of milk and he put the
• 11:33
  Speaker 9: glass down on the table and he said to Mom,
• 11:34
  Speaker 9: this milk tastes bitter. Just like that, this milk tastes bitter.
• 11:38
  Speaker 9: I tried mine, but it tasted all right.
• 11:40
  Speaker 5: Now, go ahead.
• 11:41
  Speaker 9: Well, a little bit after, he got up from the
• 11:44
  Speaker 9: table and he fell.
• 11:44
  Speaker 5: And hit his head.
• 11:45
  Speaker 7: Did your mother hear him say that about the milk?
• 11:47
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
• 11:48
  Speaker 9: She was right there.
• 11:49
  Speaker 4: But why did you say that you didn't want your
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: mother to know that you talked to us, Ray?
• 11:52
  Speaker 9: Because when I asked her about it, she said for
• 11:54
  Speaker 9: me not to tell anybody. Mom said that if I
• 11:57
  Speaker 9: told anybody, they wouldn't believe me. They'd be mad at me.
• 12:00
  Speaker 9: I sat here and thought about it, and she didn't
• 12:03
  Speaker 9: tell you. I thought maybe I should.
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: Is that wrong, mister? No, son, that's not wrong.
• 12:07
  Speaker 5: I hope it's all right.
• 12:10
  Speaker 4: Is it, mister? What's that, son?
• 12:12
  Speaker 9: Are you mad at me?
• 12:13
  Speaker 8: No.
• 12:17
  Speaker 4: Before we left the house, the incident looked just like
• 12:20
  Speaker 4: another natural or accidental death. However, with the boy's story,
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: it seemed possible that it might be something more. 11.56 p.m.
• 12:27
  Speaker 4: Under the pretext of getting additional information for our report,
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: Frank and I went back into the house. We talked
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: to Mrs. Prater for another hour. It was possible that
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: the boy's story about the glass of milk was his imagination,
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: but it had to be checked out. While we talked
• 12:40
  Speaker 4: to her, we had to be careful not to let
• 12:41
  Speaker 4: her know that we'd seen or talked to Little Ray.
• 12:44
  Speaker 4: We noticed that the dishes from the evening meal had
• 12:46
  Speaker 4: been washed and put away. We commented about this, and Mrs.
• 12:49
  Speaker 4: Prater said that she'd done the dishes to keep her
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: mind occupied while she waited for us. Frank and I
• 12:54
  Speaker 4: asked her about her husband's insurance policies, and she gave
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: us the name of the company that had written them.
• 12:58
  Speaker 4: We asked if she and her husband had quarreled much,
• 13:00
  Speaker 4: and she told us that in 14 years of marriage,
• 13:03
  Speaker 4: they hadn't had one serious argument. During the conversation, we
• 13:06
  Speaker 4: gave her every opportunity to tell us about Mr. Prater's
• 13:08
  Speaker 4: remark concerning the glass of milk. She didn't mention it.
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: Until we received the results of the autopsy, Frank and
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: I figured we'd better wait before questioning her further. 12.34 a.m.
• 13:19
  Speaker 4: We got back to the office and signed out. The
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: next morning, we put in a call to the insurance
• 13:22
  Speaker 4: company to check on the husband's policies. The deputy coroner
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: said we'd have the results of the autopsy by noon. Thursday, 11.20 a.m. Yes, sir.
• 13:29
  Speaker 9: Mm-hmm.
• 13:30
  Speaker 7: All right, sir.
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: Thank you. Yeah, that's right.
• 13:35
  Speaker 7: Smith, 2521. Thanks again.
• 13:37
  Speaker 4: Bye. Emily Lee.
• 13:38
  Speaker 7: Insurance company says when they wrote the policy on Prater,
• 13:40
  Speaker 7: there was nothing wrong with his heart. Good size policy, Joe.
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 13:44
  Speaker 7: $ 25, 000 double indemnity in case of accidental death.
• 13:46
  Speaker 4: Who's the beneficiary? His wife.
• 13:48
  Speaker 7: The guy at the company told me that Mrs. Prater
• 13:50
  Speaker 7: called last week, wanted to know the premium on a
• 13:51
  Speaker 7: larger amount. He gave it to her and said they'd
• 13:53
  Speaker 7: like to send a salesman over to the house to
• 13:55
  Speaker 7: talk to her and her husband. She said it wouldn't
• 13:56
  Speaker 7: be necessary. She'd bring him down to the office. They
• 13:58
  Speaker 7: haven't heard from her since.
• 13:59
  Speaker 4: $ 50, 000. Sure good enough motive, isn't it?
• 14:02
  Speaker 5: Yeah.
• 14:02
  Speaker 7: Funny about the kid, isn't it?
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: What do you mean?
• 14:04
  Speaker 7: I'm figuring what his father said about the milk might
• 14:06
  Speaker 7: have meant something. Must have been a tough decision for
• 14:08
  Speaker 7: the little guy to make, whether to tell us or
• 14:10
  Speaker 7: keep quiet.
• 14:10
  Speaker 4: I'll get it. On the side, Friday. Yeah, just a second.
• 14:16
  Speaker 4: All right, go ahead. Oh. Okay, thank you. Abernathy at
• 14:26
  Speaker 4: the coroner's office just finished the autopsy. Anything? Yeah. Considerable
• 14:31
  Speaker 4: amount of poison in the victim's stomach.
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: force in action.
• 14:48
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• 14:52
  Speaker 2: are distinctive, with a truly different flavor and aroma. And
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: in king-size Fatima, you get an extra mild and soothing smoke.
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: plus the added protection of Fatima quality.
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: Yes, there's a good reason why Fatima continues to grow
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: in favor among king-size cigarette smokers everywhere.
• 15:10
  Speaker 4: In Fatima, the difference is quality. Quality of tobaccos.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: The finest Turkish and domestic varieties, extra mild and superbly blended.
• 15:19
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• 15:23
  Speaker 2: Quality of manufacture. Smooth, round, perfect cigarettes. Rolled in the
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: finest paper money can buy.
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: Quality even to the appearance of the bright, sunny yellow pack.
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: Carefully wrapped and sealed to bring you Fatima's rich, fresh,
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: extra mild flavor.
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: So next time, insist on Fatima quality. Look for the bright,
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: sunny yellow pack. Smoke Fatima. The extra mild and soothing
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: king-size cigarette. With the added protection of Fatima quality.
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: The finding of the poison in the stomach of Alfred
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: Prater had definitely ruled out natural or accidental death. There
• 16:06
  Speaker 4: was still the possibility, however, that he'd taken his own life.
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: The story given us by the son made this unlikely,
• 16:11
  Speaker 4: but still was in the realm of possibility. 1.15 p.m.,
• 16:15
  Speaker 4: Frank and I arrived at the Prater residence.
• 16:20
  Speaker 5: Yes? Oh, you're the officers who were here last night.
• 16:22
  Speaker 5: Won't you come in?
• 16:23
  Speaker 4: Thank you, ma'am.
• 16:26
  Speaker 5: Something more that you wanted to know? I think I
• 16:28
  Speaker 5: told you everything last night.
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: Well, something's come up, ma'am, that kind of changes things
• 16:31
  Speaker 4: a little.
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: What's that?
• 16:32
  Speaker 4: Well, originally, ma'am, we thought your husband's death was natural
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: or accidental.
• 16:35
  Speaker 5: You mean now you don't think so?
• 16:36
  Speaker 4: No, ma'am, he died of poison.
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: No, it can't be. There's a mistake someplace.
• 16:40
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid not, ma'am. I wonder if we could sit
• 16:41
  Speaker 4: down and a few questions we're going to have to
• 16:43
  Speaker 4: ask you.
• 16:43
  Speaker 6: Yes, of course.
• 16:44
  Speaker 5: This is quite a shock, officers. I don't know what
• 16:46
  Speaker 5: to think. Yes, ma'am.
• 16:47
  Speaker 4: Did you tell us what you had for dinner last night,
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: what your husband ate?
• 16:50
  Speaker 5: He ate the same things all of us did, nothing different.
• 16:52
  Speaker 4: What was that, ma'am?
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: Green salad, macaroni and cheese, bread and butter, and a
• 16:55
  Speaker 5: pudding for dessert.
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: You all ate the same food, is that right? Yes.
• 16:58
  Speaker 5: What are you trying to say? Do you think that
• 16:59
  Speaker 5: I poisoned Alfred?
• 17:00
  Speaker 4: We're not trying to say anything, Mrs. Prater. Your husband
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: died of poison. We're trying to find out why.
• 17:04
  Speaker 5: Just a minute.
• 17:05
  Speaker 7: Mother?
• 17:06
  Speaker 5: Mother, can you come out here a minute? Most ridiculous
• 17:09
  Speaker 5: thing I've ever heard.
• 17:09
  Speaker 4: Your husband have anything to drink with his dinner, ma'am?
• 17:12
  Speaker 5: Of course. Water, then coffee after dinner. He always has
• 17:14
  Speaker 5: a couple of cups of coffee after dinner.
• 17:15
  Speaker 4: Now, all he had with his dinner was water, is
• 17:17
  Speaker 4: that right?
• 17:17
  Speaker 5: Yes, just water.
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: He ever drink anything else with his dinner? Milk, tea,
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: maybe a glass of beer?
• 17:21
  Speaker 5: Oh, milk once in a while. Last night, we only
• 17:22
  Speaker 5: had enough for Ray, though. Just one glass. That's for beer.
• 17:25
  Speaker 5: Mother raised such a fuss. I don't think Alfred want
• 17:27
  Speaker 5: to go through it. Now, if he wanted beer, he
• 17:29
  Speaker 5: drank it at the bar down the street.
• 17:30
  Speaker 4: Now, you're sure, though, that last night your husband only
• 17:32
  Speaker 4: drank water with his meal, is that right?
• 17:33
  Speaker 5: Yes, I told you, just water. While I was harping
• 17:36
  Speaker 5: on milk... What are you trying to say? What are
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: you getting at? Mother, are you coming out?
• 17:42
  Speaker 6: That's all the ruckus about. Can't I even take a
• 17:44
  Speaker 6: nap and pee?
• 17:44
  Speaker 5: These officers just told me that Alfred's death wasn't accidental, Mother.
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: Not accidental?
• 17:49
  Speaker 6: Nonsense. The doctor said it was an accident. What more
• 17:51
  Speaker 6: do you need? Got drunk and fell down. Broke his head.
• 17:54
  Speaker 6: Of course it was an accident.
• 17:55
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid not, Ms.
• 17:55
  Speaker 5: Atkins.
• 17:56
  Speaker 4: Your son-in-law was poisoned.
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: Poisoned?
• 17:58
  Speaker 4: How?
• 17:58
  Speaker 7: That's what we're trying to find out.
• 17:59
  Speaker 5: I seem to think that maybe I did it, Mother.
• 18:01
  Speaker 9: You?
• 18:03
  Speaker 6: That's ridiculous. Why would she do it?
• 18:05
  Speaker 4: Well, it was quite a bit of insurance, for one thing.
• 18:07
  Speaker 6: Been nosing around, haven't you? So there was a little insurance.
• 18:10
  Speaker 6: What does that prove?
• 18:11
  Speaker 7: It was more than a little, ma'am. $ 25, 000 worth. Double
• 18:14
  Speaker 7: indemnity clause makes it $ 50, 000. That brings up another thing,
• 18:16
  Speaker 7: Miss Prater.
• 18:17
  Speaker 4: Yes? The insurance company says that you called them and
• 18:19
  Speaker 4: wanted to raise the amount of the policy.
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: Is that right? Yes, I did call them, but Alfred
• 18:23
  Speaker 5: told me to. Said he wanted to provide more for
• 18:25
  Speaker 5: me and Ray.
• 18:25
  Speaker 7: Anyone hear your husband say that he wanted more insurance?
• 18:28
  Speaker 5: No, we're not in the habit of discussing our private
• 18:29
  Speaker 5: business around other people.
• 18:30
  Speaker 6: Other people learn to keep their noses where they belong.
• 18:33
  Speaker 6: The world would be a better place.
• 18:35
  Speaker 4: Mrs. Atkins, I wonder if you could tell us what
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: you had for dinner last night.
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: But that is the limit. I just told you what
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: we had. Isn't that enough? Come in here and you
• 18:42
  Speaker 5: ask a lot of questions. Poor Alfred's not even buried
• 18:44
  Speaker 5: and you come in here and upset him.
• 18:46
  Speaker 7: We're awfully sorry, Mrs. Prater, but we have to find out.
• 18:48
  Speaker 7: That's what we're paid for.
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: It's all right, Ellen.
• 18:50
  Speaker 6: We've got nothing to hide. Answer their questions and then
• 18:53
  Speaker 6: maybe they'll leave us alone.
• 18:54
  Speaker 5: But I told them that we don't know anything about it.
• 18:56
  Speaker 5: I told them. All right, honey. Now calm down. Now,
• 19:01
  Speaker 5: dinner last night.
• 19:02
  Speaker 6: What you wanted to know about?
• 19:04
  Speaker 9: Yes, ma'am.
• 19:04
  Speaker 4: Just what you had to eat.
• 19:05
  Speaker 6: Macaroni and cheese. Little salad and some pudding Ellen made.
• 19:08
  Speaker 7: Nothing else?
• 19:09
  Speaker 6: Bread and butter.
• 19:10
  Speaker 4: How about something to drink? Water.
• 19:11
  Speaker 6: Good, clean water.
• 19:13
  Speaker 7: Ray drink water, too?
• 19:14
  Speaker 6: No, he had milk.
• 19:14
  Speaker 4: Mr.
• 19:15
  Speaker 7: Prater drink milk?
• 19:15
  Speaker 5: I told you.
• 19:16
  Speaker 7: We'd like for your mother to tell us, too, ma'am.
• 19:18
  Speaker 7: Just to keep the record straight.
• 19:19
  Speaker 4: Nice.
• 19:20
  Speaker 6: Think he might have had some milk to drink. I
• 19:22
  Speaker 6: don't remember.
• 19:22
  Speaker 4: Special?
• 19:23
  Speaker 5: No, he didn't, Mother. Remember when I poured the milk
• 19:25
  Speaker 5: for Ray? I said there wasn't enough for anyone else.
• 19:27
  Speaker 5: Just one glass for Ray. That's all there was. Don't
• 19:28
  Speaker 5: you remember?
• 19:29
  Speaker 4: No, I don't.
• 19:30
  Speaker 6: But if you say it was that way, then I
• 19:31
  Speaker 6: guess it was. You've got no reason to lie. Ever
• 19:34
  Speaker 6: occur to you officers that maybe Alfred took the poison himself?
• 19:37
  Speaker 6: Ever think of that?
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: How's that, ma'am?
• 19:39
  Speaker 6: Well, didn't you tell him, Ellen? About how he used
• 19:41
  Speaker 6: to moan around the house, saying he couldn't stand it anymore?
• 19:44
  Speaker 7: What's this, ma'am?
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: Your husband ever talk about taking his own life?
• 19:46
  Speaker 5: Yes, I didn't want to bring it up, but now
• 19:48
  Speaker 5: I suppose I'll have to.
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 19:50
  Speaker 5: Alfred was pretty depressed. He felt that he wasn't getting
• 19:52
  Speaker 5: any place in his job. He felt that at his age,
• 19:54
  Speaker 5: he should be farther along. At times, he'd get real low,
• 19:57
  Speaker 5: say he wasn't going anyplace. I did my best to
• 19:59
  Speaker 5: make him feel better. I guess it didn't do any good.
• 20:01
  Speaker 7: Well, did he ever say he was thinking of taking
• 20:03
  Speaker 7: his own life?
• 20:03
  Speaker 5: Yes, several times. I laughed him out of it, and
• 20:06
  Speaker 5: things would go along quiet for a while, and then
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: something would happen that would set him off again.
• 20:10
  Speaker 4: Well, how is it that you didn't tell us about
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: this before, ma'am?
• 20:12
  Speaker 5: Well, I didn't think it would prove anything. No reason
• 20:14
  Speaker 5: to drag skeletons out of the closet.
• 20:15
  Speaker 6: You satisfied now?
• 20:17
  Speaker 4: You happy?
• 20:18
  Speaker 6: Now you know about Alfred, maybe you'll leave us alone.
• 20:20
  Speaker 4: Is your son here, ma'am?
• 20:21
  Speaker 5: Yes, he's out in the yard playing. I'll call him
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: if you have to talk to him.
• 20:24
  Speaker 4: I'd like to very much, ma'am.
• 20:26
  Speaker 5: All right, I'll get him.
• 20:26
  Speaker 4: Before you go, Miss Prater. Yes? Do you keep any
• 20:29
  Speaker 4: poison around the house?
• 20:30
  Speaker 5: Of course not. I'd be afraid that Ray might find it.
• 20:32
  Speaker 4: Nothing at all? Nothing for rats, gophers, anything like that?
• 20:35
  Speaker 5: No. Never been bothered with rats or mice. There aren't
• 20:37
  Speaker 5: any gophers around.
• 20:38
  Speaker 4: No, Sergeant.
• 20:38
  Speaker 5: There's no poison in the house.
• 20:40
  Speaker 4: Well, you wouldn't mind if we looked around, would you?
• 20:41
  Speaker 4: Maybe your husband bought some and he didn't tell you
• 20:43
  Speaker 4: about it.
• 20:43
  Speaker 5: No, go ahead and look. I know you won't find anything.
• 20:46
  Speaker 5: Alfred and I had talked about keeping anything around that
• 20:48
  Speaker 5: Ray might get into. I don't recall ever having bought
• 20:50
  Speaker 5: any poison, and I'm pretty sure Alfred didn't.
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: Well, we'll take a look later, ma'am, if it's all right. Now,
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: if we could just talk to your son.
• 20:55
  Speaker 5: I'll get him. Ray?
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: Ray?
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: Ray, come in here. No, right now. He'll be right in, Mr.
• 21:06
  Speaker 6: Friday.
• 21:06
  Speaker 5: I hope you won't say anything to upset him.
• 21:08
  Speaker 9: Yeah, Mom? What do you want?
• 21:11
  Speaker 5: These men here would like to talk to you, son.
• 21:13
  Speaker 5: They're policemen.
• 21:15
  Speaker 9: What do they want to talk to me about? I
• 21:16
  Speaker 9: haven't done anything.
• 21:17
  Speaker 4: We know that, Ray. Just have a couple questions for you.
• 21:20
  Speaker 5: This is Mr. Friday and Mr. Smith, my son Ray.
• 21:22
  Speaker 4: Hi.
• 21:23
  Speaker 5: Pleased to meet you.
• 21:24
  Speaker 4: You bet. I wonder if you could tell us what
• 21:25
  Speaker 4: you had for dinner last night, Ray. Dinner? Yes, son.
• 21:29
  Speaker 9: Well, Mom fixed macaroni and cheese. We had that.
• 21:32
  Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. Anything else, son?
• 21:33
  Speaker 5: No salad.
• 21:34
  Speaker 9: I didn't like it. Then we had some pudding for dessert.
• 21:37
  Speaker 7: What'd you have to drink, Ray?
• 21:39
  Speaker 4: Milk. What'd your father have? Ray?
• 21:42
  Speaker 9: I don't remember too well. You better ask Mom.
• 21:45
  Speaker 5: She'll tell you. I told him, Mr. Friday, only Ray
• 21:47
  Speaker 5: had milk. His father drank water.
• 21:49
  Speaker 4: Ray?
• 21:50
  Speaker 5: That's right, Mr. Friday.
• 21:52
  Speaker 9: Dad drank water. Nothing else.
• 21:58
  Speaker 4: It was apparent that Mrs. Prater didn't know Ray had
• 22:00
  Speaker 4: talked to us the night before, and we were reluctant
• 22:03
  Speaker 4: to involve the boy any more than was necessary. We
• 22:06
  Speaker 4: searched the house and the garage, but we found nothing
• 22:08
  Speaker 4: that could have been used to poison the husband. We
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: obtained samples of Ellen Prater's and Mrs. Atkins' handwriting. We
• 22:14
  Speaker 4: canvassed the drugstores in the immediate area. None of the
• 22:17
  Speaker 4: druggists we talked to could remember selling poison to a
• 22:19
  Speaker 4: woman answering either description. We contacted the office, and Sergeants
• 22:23
  Speaker 4: Gill and Sinus and Danny Galindo were dispatched to the
• 22:25
  Speaker 4: neighborhood where the Praters had lived previously. They were to
• 22:28
  Speaker 4: canvas the drugstores and at the same time talk to
• 22:30
  Speaker 4: the neighbors. In talking to the people in the area
• 22:33
  Speaker 4: around the house, we found that the Praters were the
• 22:35
  Speaker 4: subject of constant gossip. We heard tales of violent arguments
• 22:38
  Speaker 4: between the victim and his wife. Several of the quarrels
• 22:41
  Speaker 4: had resulted in the neighbors calling the police to quiet them.
• 22:45
  Speaker 4: Around the neighborhood, we found out that Mrs. Prater had
• 22:47
  Speaker 4: a violent temper and had had several arguments with her
• 22:50
  Speaker 4: husband in the corner bar. According to the bartender, she
• 22:52
  Speaker 4: accused him of running around. He went on to tell
• 22:54
  Speaker 4: us that as far as he knew, nothing was further
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: from the truth. That Alfred Prater loved his home and
• 22:59
  Speaker 4: his son. And that he took to drinking as an
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: excuse to get away from his wife's nagging. 5.20 p.m.
• 23:05
  Speaker 4: Frank and I checked into the office.
• 23:08
  Speaker 9: Rough day?
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: Yeah, a lot of leg work.
• 23:10
  Speaker 7: Not that so much. Just hoping Senius and Galindo did
• 23:12
  Speaker 7: better than us.
• 23:13
  Speaker 4: No, we didn't do too bad. We pretty much proved
• 23:14
  Speaker 4: that what you said about the happy home life wasn't true.
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: I suppose.
• 23:17
  Speaker 7: Without being able to show they were in possession of
• 23:19
  Speaker 7: the poison, we aren't going to be able to prove much.
• 23:21
  Speaker 4: I got a joke.
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: Right.
• 23:23
  Speaker 7: Homicide Smith.
• 23:25
  Speaker 4: Yeah, Gil. Mm-hmm. How about that?
• 23:29
  Speaker 7: Yeah, ask him to, huh?
• 23:31
  Speaker 4: Okay. Said what? Yeah, I got it.
• 23:35
  Speaker 6: Right.
• 23:36
  Speaker 4: See you then. Didn't see this? Yeah, they found the
• 23:38
  Speaker 4: place she bought the poison. Druggist out there remembered her
• 23:41
  Speaker 4: from the description. Checked the book.
• 23:42
  Speaker 7: Used the name Eileen Peters.
• 23:44
  Speaker 4: Funny thing, though.
• 23:45
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 23:45
  Speaker 7: When the druggist asked her the address, she gave him
• 23:47
  Speaker 7: the real one. You know, the house they lived in previously.
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: She said what she wanted the poison for?
• 23:50
  Speaker 7: Yeah, Gil said the book read, To Destroy Pests.
• 23:55
  Speaker 4: On the way out to pick up Mrs. Prater, Frank
• 23:57
  Speaker 4: and I outlined the plan for identification. In the event
• 24:00
  Speaker 4: the druggist was unable to give a positive identification, we
• 24:03
  Speaker 4: thought it better if the suspect didn't know she was
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: being observed. This would forestall any embarrassment to the druggist.
• 24:09
  Speaker 4: We arrived at the Prater home and took the suspect
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: into custody. She said that she couldn't understand why we
• 24:14
  Speaker 4: were arresting her, but that she'd be more than happy
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: to go with us to get the thing straightened out. 6.40 p.m.
• 24:19
  Speaker 4: Frank and I talked with Mrs. Prater in the interrogation room.
• 24:22
  Speaker 5: Alfred and I got along perfectly, never a misunderstanding.
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: Well, your neighbors don't bear that out, Miss Prater. What?
• 24:27
  Speaker 4: They said that you two used to fight all the time,
• 24:29
  Speaker 4: had to call the police a couple of times.
• 24:31
  Speaker 5: They're busybodies, Mr. Friday, busybodies. They were jealous because Alfred
• 24:34
  Speaker 5: and I were so happy. Once in a while we
• 24:36
  Speaker 5: had a little fuss, but nothing worth mentioning.
• 24:37
  Speaker 4: How about the police being called, ma'am?
• 24:39
  Speaker 5: Well, they might have come by when we were playing
• 24:41
  Speaker 5: the radio a little loud, having a party, something like that,
• 24:43
  Speaker 5: but never an argument.
• 24:44
  Speaker 4: You said your husband didn't drink any milk the night
• 24:46
  Speaker 4: he died, is that right?
• 24:46
  Speaker 5: That's right, I did.
• 24:48
  Speaker 4: Your boy Ray seems to disagree with that. He said
• 24:50
  Speaker 4: that his father did drink some milk, commented on the
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: fact that it tasted bitter.
• 24:53
  Speaker 5: The little sneak, he's lying, of course, you know that.
• 24:56
  Speaker 5: Wait a minute, you talked to him? He said that
• 24:58
  Speaker 5: his father drank water, like I said. What are you
• 25:00
  Speaker 5: trying to do, cause trouble between me and my son?
• 25:01
  Speaker 7: No, ma'am.
• 25:02
  Speaker 5: You should hope not. Poor little kid, father dead, and
• 25:05
  Speaker 5: you trying to say that I did it, that I
• 25:06
  Speaker 5: killed Ray's father. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
• 25:08
  Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.
• 25:09
  Speaker 5: Frank?
• 25:09
  Speaker 4: Yeah, Joe. It's a little warm in here. Do you
• 25:11
  Speaker 4: want to open the door for a minute? Yeah, sure.
• 25:12
  Speaker 4: Thank you. That's better. Not too cold on you, is it,
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: Miss Prater?
• 25:18
  Speaker 8: No.
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: No? Miss Prater, did you ever buy any poison for
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: any purpose?
• 25:22
  Speaker 5: You asked me that before. I told you no then.
• 25:23
  Speaker 5: The answer's the same now.
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: You're sure that you never bought any poison of any type?
• 25:27
  Speaker 5: Absolutely.
• 25:27
  Speaker 4: Did you ever do any business with a Mr. McClain
• 25:30
  Speaker 4: in your old neighborhood? McClain?
• 25:32
  Speaker 5: I don't recall the name.
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: He's a druggist.
• 25:35
  Speaker 9: No.
• 25:35
  Speaker 5: No, I always bought from Mr. Swenson, a little drugstore
• 25:37
  Speaker 5: in the corner near the house.
• 25:38
  Speaker 7: Excuse me a minute, will you please? I want to
• 25:39
  Speaker 7: check something down the hall.
• 25:40
  Speaker 4: Yeah, all right, fine.
• 25:43
  Speaker 5: Listen, maybe you haven't got anything else to do, but
• 25:45
  Speaker 5: I have. So if you'll get this foolishness over with,
• 25:46
  Speaker 5: I'd like to go home.
• 25:47
  Speaker 4: We're almost finished, Miss Prater. Just a couple more things.
• 25:50
  Speaker 5: Well, get him over with.
• 25:52
  Speaker 4: Same one, Joe.
• 25:53
  Speaker 7: He's positive. Miss Prater?
• 25:56
  Speaker 4: Yes? Maybe if we lay this thing out for you,
• 25:58
  Speaker 4: it'd be a little better.
• 25:59
  Speaker 5: Anything to get it over with. I want to go home.
• 26:01
  Speaker 5: I've got to get dinner for Ray and Mother.
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: Lauren, in the first place, you told us that you
• 26:04
  Speaker 4: and your husband were happy. Our neighbors tell us that
• 26:07
  Speaker 4: you fought all the time. The bartender says you used
• 26:08
  Speaker 4: to come in there and raise the roof with your husband.
• 26:10
  Speaker 4: You claim he was going out with other women. So
• 26:12
  Speaker 4: the part about you and your husband being happy is
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: a lie, isn't it?
• 26:14
  Speaker 5: I don't know what you're talking about.
• 26:16
  Speaker 7: You said your husband didn't drink any milk for dinner
• 26:18
  Speaker 7: the night he died. Your son says he did.
• 26:19
  Speaker 5: What's all this about milk, anyway? What's that got to
• 26:22
  Speaker 5: do with it?
• 26:22
  Speaker 4: According to what your son said, it looks like that's
• 26:24
  Speaker 4: what your husband got the poison in, doesn't it?
• 26:26
  Speaker 5: Where would I get poison? I didn't buy any. I
• 26:27
  Speaker 5: told you that. You searched the house and the garage.
• 26:29
  Speaker 5: You didn't find any.
• 26:30
  Speaker 4: We've got the man who sold it to you, Mrs. Prater.
• 26:32
  Speaker 7: He just gave a positive identification.
• 26:33
  Speaker 4: Don Meyer, our handwriting man, checked the samples of your
• 26:36
  Speaker 4: handwriting with a signature in the druggist's buy book. They're
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: the same. He might have wanted to collect on that
• 26:40
  Speaker 4: insurance policy. Any way you look at it, Ms. Prater,
• 26:42
  Speaker 4: the facts point out that you killed your husband. Now,
• 26:44
  Speaker 4: why not admit it?
• 26:47
  Speaker 5: I didn't want to kill him. I only wanted to
• 26:49
  Speaker 5: make him sick. Just sick, that's all. So he'd stop drinking,
• 26:52
  Speaker 5: stay home a little bit. I didn't want to kill him.
• 26:55
  Speaker 5: I didn't mean it. I didn't want the money. I
• 26:57
  Speaker 5: just wanted him home with me.
• 26:59
  Speaker 4: That's enough. Frank, you want to call the stenographer? Yeah, Joe.
• 27:09
  Speaker 5: You can understand it, can't you, Mr.
• 27:10
  Speaker 6: Friday?
• 27:11
  Speaker 4: Ma'am?
• 27:11
  Speaker 5: You can understand it? I thought he was running around.
• 27:13
  Speaker 5: I wanted him home with me and Ray and Mother.
• 27:15
  Speaker 5: A nice little home for Ray, that's all I wanted.
• 27:18
  Speaker 5: Is that wrong? Something nice for Ray, is that wrong?
• 27:21
  Speaker 4: No, I don't know.
• 27:23
  Speaker 9: What?
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: What's he got now?
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: The story you have just heard was true. The names
• 27:35
  Speaker 2: were changed to protect the innocent.
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: On January 13th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 87,
• 27:41
  Speaker 3: City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.
• 27:43
  Speaker 4: In a moment, the results of that trial. And now
• 27:46
  Speaker 4: here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenneman. Friends,
• 27:49
  Speaker 4: you know best of anyone what you're looking for in
• 27:51
  Speaker 4: a king-size cigarette. So here's all I ask you to do.
• 27:54
  Speaker 4: Try Fatima's and then make up your own mind. If
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: you're looking for an extra mild and soothing smoke and
• 27:59
  Speaker 4: a really different flavor and aroma... then Fatima is the
• 28:02
  Speaker 4: king-size cigarette for you. Ask for Fatima in the bright
• 28:05
  Speaker 4: sunny yellow pack. King-size Fatima. The difference is quality.
• 28:18
  Speaker 3: Ellen Adelaide Prater was tried and found guilty of murder
• 28:21
  Speaker 3: in the first degree. She was sentenced to life imprisonment
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: and is now serving her term in the state penitentiary
• 28:26
  Speaker 3: for women. Further investigation proved that the mother-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Atkins,
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: was unaware of the intention of her daughter to kill
• 28:33
  Speaker 3: her husband. She was not connected in any way with
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: the death of Alfred Prater.
• 28:38
  Speaker 8: You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases
• 28:48
  Speaker 8: from official files.
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker,
• 28:53
  Speaker 3: Los Angeles Police Department. Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant
• 28:57
  Speaker 3: Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Herb Ellis,
• 29:01
  Speaker 3: June Whitley, Sammy Ogg, Virginia Gregg. Script by John Robinson.
• 29:05
  Speaker 3: Music by Walter Schumann. Hal Gibney speaking.
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: King Size Fatima has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from Los Angeles.
• 29:22
  Speaker 7: This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: We conclude with Dragnet, episode 167, Big Ray. Follow Dragnet
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: for more classic broadcasts.