Latest / Dragnet | Old Time Radio / Dragnet - "Big Bird" (Old Time Radio, 1955)

Transcript

Dragnet - "Big Bird" (Old Time Radio, 1955) · Dragnet | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: In Los Angeles' newly built housing tracts, a series of
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: burglaries has left police with a grim pattern. Whenever the
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: intruder finds pet birds, the birds are killed. That pattern
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: brings Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith of
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: the burglary detail onto a case with few immediate leads.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: Their investigation follows the recurring details of the break-ins from
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: one newly occupied home to another, while the officers look
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: for a means of identifying the burglar before additional homes
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: are hit. From NBC, sponsored during this period by Chesterfield,
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: this is Dragnet, Big Bird, episode 285, originally broadcast February 1st, 1955,
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: with Jack Webb as Joe Friday. And now, the original broadcast.
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Dragnet.
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned the burglary detail. During
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: the last two weeks, there have been a series of
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: burglaries in the Valley Division. You haven't got a lead.
• 1:23
  Speaker 4: Your job.
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: find one.
• 1:30
  Speaker 5: Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the
• 1:35
  Speaker 5: next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
• 1:38
  Speaker 5: you will travel step by step on the side of
• 1:41
  Speaker 5: the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files.
• 1:45
  Speaker 5: From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is
• 1:49
  Speaker 5: the story of your police force in action.
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: It was Wednesday, September 9th. It was hot in Los Angeles.
• 1:56
  Speaker 6: We were working the day watch out of burglary division.
• 1:58
  Speaker 6: My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My
• 2:00
  Speaker 6: name's Friday. We're on our way out to a recently
• 2:02
  Speaker 6: completed housing project in the valley. It was 10, 13 a.m.
• 2:05
  Speaker 6: when we got to the corner of Moore Park and Victory,
• 2:08
  Speaker 6: Mayflower Homes.
• 2:12
  Speaker 4: This one right here, huh? Yeah, 224. I guess they
• 2:16
  Speaker 4: haven't sold them all yet.
• 2:17
  Speaker 7: Mm-hmm.
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: 500 bucks down, not so bad. Pretty nice houses. You
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: thinking of getting a new place?
• 2:22
  Speaker 4: Oh, I was thinking.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: Kids are shooting up. We could use a little more room.
• 2:25
  Speaker 7: Mm-hmm.
• 2:28
  Speaker 4: Just what Fay always wanted. A house nobody else has
• 2:31
  Speaker 4: lived in.
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: Well, someday, maybe. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, sir. We're police officers.
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: This is Frank Smith. My name's Friday.
• 2:37
  Speaker 7: Oh, how do you do?
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: Hi. Somebody reported a burglary at this address. Are you
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: Sam Brighton? Yes, sir.
• 2:41
  Speaker 7: That's me.
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: Would you show us where he broke in, please?
• 2:44
  Speaker 7: Oh, yes, sir. It's in the front bedroom. Just this
• 2:46
  Speaker 7: right here. That's it. Just off the hall here.
• 2:52
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 2:53
  Speaker 7: This window here, you can see where he jimmied it.
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 2:55
  Speaker 7: I was careful not to touch it. You know, fingerprints.
• 2:57
  Speaker 7: That's good.
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: Can you give us a list of the things he took?
• 3:00
  Speaker 7: No, sir. Not for certain.
• 3:01
  Speaker 9: We were just getting moved in and we don't know
• 3:02
  Speaker 9: for sure what's gone. A couple of silver trays and
• 3:04
  Speaker 9: a pair of candlesticks.
• 3:05
  Speaker 7: They're missing.
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: Any cash?
• 3:07
  Speaker 7: About $ 20, $ 25.
• 3:08
  Speaker 9: When I changed to go out to dinner last night,
• 3:10
  Speaker 9: I left it in my trousers. They were in the
• 3:12
  Speaker 9: other bedroom on the back of a chair.
• 3:14
  Speaker 7: Pretty dumb place to leave money.
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: Your family live here with you?
• 3:17
  Speaker 7: My wife.
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 3:19
  Speaker 7: We've only been married a couple of weeks. Things he stole,
• 3:21
  Speaker 7: they were wedding presents.
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: That's too bad.
• 3:23
  Speaker 7: Sure is a heck of a way to start out.
• 3:25
  Speaker 7: Being married, I mean. Never wanted a house in the
• 3:28
  Speaker 7: first place. Well, it's their own fault.
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: What do you mean, sir?
• 3:31
  Speaker 7: Sally's parents insisted on giving it to us. The down
• 3:34
  Speaker 7: payment part. Huh.
• 3:35
  Speaker 9: Sally will never be able to manage a big place
• 3:37
  Speaker 9: like this. She's just a couple of years younger than
• 3:39
  Speaker 9: I am.
• 3:40
  Speaker 7: Just a kid.
• 3:40
  Speaker 9: Apartment's what we ought to have. No point in arguing
• 3:44
  Speaker 9: with in-laws, though. I found that out pronto.
• 3:47
  Speaker 7: Yeah.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Any idea what time the burglary took place?
• 3:49
  Speaker 7: Yes, sir.
• 3:49
  Speaker 9: Between 6 and 10 last night. Must have been then
• 3:52
  Speaker 9: between 6 and 10.
• 3:53
  Speaker 7: Mm-hmm. We went over to Sally's folks for dinner. Our
• 3:56
  Speaker 7: refrigerator hasn't been delivered yet.
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 3:58
  Speaker 9: The reason I'm so sure about the time is I
• 4:00
  Speaker 9: wanted to find out how long it would take to
• 4:02
  Speaker 9: drive there. I told Sally it wouldn't be more than
• 4:05
  Speaker 9: 15 minutes. First time she's ever been away from home.
• 4:08
  Speaker 9: She kind of likes to feel that her folks are handy.
• 4:10
  Speaker 7: I understand. Hollywood Hills. That's where they live. Off of Mulholland.
• 4:14
  Speaker 9: Took us 14 minutes. Left here 6 o'clock exactly. News
• 4:18
  Speaker 9: was just coming on the radio. Got there 6.14. I'm
• 4:21
  Speaker 9: not so sure when we got home, but it was
• 4:23
  Speaker 9: right around 10 o'clock.
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: That's close enough.
• 4:25
  Speaker 7: Of course, I didn't know about the burglary then. When
• 4:28
  Speaker 7: we got home. We just went straight to bed. Didn't
• 4:30
  Speaker 7: come in here. We used the back bedroom.
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 4:33
  Speaker 7: It wasn't until this morning when I started looking at
• 4:35
  Speaker 7: my pants for cash.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: Is it possible he broke in while you were asleep?
• 4:39
  Speaker 7: I might have slept through it, but not Sally. Least
• 4:41
  Speaker 7: little thing wakes her up. She'd have heard him. Must
• 4:43
  Speaker 7: have happened while.
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: We were out.
• 4:45
  Speaker 4: Have you noticed anybody suspicious hanging around the last couple
• 4:47
  Speaker 4: of days?
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: No, sir.
• 4:48
  Speaker 9: Of course, we're brand new in the neighborhood. Most of
• 4:51
  Speaker 9: the houses aren't even sold yet. We wouldn't know who
• 4:53
  Speaker 9: was suspicious and who wasn't.
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: Be all right if we talk to your wife?
• 4:57
  Speaker 7: She couldn't tell you anything I haven't.
• 4:58
  Speaker 4: She here now?
• 4:59
  Speaker 7: Over to Mother's. This kind of thing, well, it kind
• 5:01
  Speaker 7: of threw her, you know. You know how it is.
• 5:03
  Speaker 7: Just a kid.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we understand.
• 5:06
  Speaker 7: Wish it had been me that found out about the bird.
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: The bird?
• 5:09
  Speaker 7: Well, didn't I tell you? I meant to.
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: No.
• 5:11
  Speaker 7: Darnedest thing. Parakeet. Somebody gave it to Sally when she
• 5:15
  Speaker 7: was a girl. Taught it how to talk. Talk real good, too.
• 5:18
  Speaker 7: Why should a burglar do a thing like that?
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: What'd he do, turn it loose?
• 5:22
  Speaker 7: No, sir. He killed it.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: We talked to Mrs. Brighton at her parents' home.
• 5:29
  Speaker 6: She was unable to add anything to what her husband
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: had told us. 1.15 p.m.
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: The crime lab.
• 5:34
  Speaker 6: Reported that there were no useful fingerprints on the Brighton window.
• 5:37
  Speaker 6: Pictures were taken of the jimmy marks. There was no
• 5:39
  Speaker 6: other physical evidence. September 11th, two more burglaries took place
• 5:43
  Speaker 6: in a new housing tract near Sepulveda Boulevard. The burglar
• 5:46
  Speaker 6: had followed.
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: The same M.O. used on the Brighton house.
• 5:49
  Speaker 6: One victim also told us that three pet canaries had
• 5:52
  Speaker 6: been killed. The other victim had no pets. By the
• 5:55
  Speaker 6: end of the following week, four more burglaries had occurred
• 5:57
  Speaker 6: and new housing developments. In each case where the home
• 5:59
  Speaker 6: contained pet birds, the bird was killed. Other pets were
• 6:03
  Speaker 6: not disturbed. Circulars describing the stolen articles were sent to
• 6:06
  Speaker 6: all pawn shops in the city. September 21st, 8.05 a.m.,
• 6:10
  Speaker 6: we checked in for work.
• 6:13
  Speaker 7: Oh, man.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: What's the matter? You still asleep? Yeah, I didn't get
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: a wink last night. Things happened to me all night. No?
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: Small and Paul, Joe.
• 6:22
  Speaker 4: Never should have told her about all those new houses
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: going up nowadays.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: It was a big mistake. Why don't you tell me
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: you were considering a new house?
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: I changed my mind. We got enough people staying with
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: us as it is. Fazed relatives. Brother-in-law Armin, you know.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: Oh, him, huh? Yeah, he's down here.
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: As long as he has to sleep on the living
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: room couch, he'll take off after a day or two.
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: Give him a real bed and he'll stay with us for.
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: The rest of his life. I get it. Burglary Friday. Yes, sir.
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: When did it happen? I see. Just a minute, please.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: All right, go ahead. That's 214 South. Yes, sir, I've
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: got it. Right. Well, we got another one. Here? Pet
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: shop over near Lancashire Boulevard. The shop? Uh-huh. That doesn't
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: sound like our boy. Might be if they sell birds.
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: We left the office and drove out to the Biggs
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: Pet Shop on a side street in North Hollywood.
• 7:18
  Speaker 6: 9.07 a.m., we interviewed Jasper Biggs, the owner of the store.
• 7:22
  Speaker 6: He told us that during the night, the back door
• 7:23
  Speaker 6: had been forced open. $ 17 was missing from the cash register.
• 7:29
  Speaker 8: Money ain't important, you understand. Not that anybody likes being robbed.
• 7:32
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, we understand.
• 7:32
  Speaker 10: Besides, it's happened before. That's why I keep this sign
• 7:35
  Speaker 10: up here on the register. It tells them how to
• 7:36
  Speaker 10: open it.
• 7:37
  Speaker 7: I see.
• 7:37
  Speaker 10: A couple years ago, a fellow broke in and wrecked
• 7:39
  Speaker 10: the machine trying to get it open. That cash register's
• 7:42
  Speaker 10: worth a whole lot more than anything I keep in it.
• 7:45
  Speaker 7: Shut up over there, all of you!
• 7:49
  Speaker 8: Dang much racket in here, a person can't even think.
• 7:52
  Speaker 7: Now, where was I?
• 7:54
  Speaker 8: Oh, yeah, about the money. Now, like I said, it
• 7:56
  Speaker 8: don't matter, the $ 17.
• 7:56
  Speaker 7: Yeah.
• 7:57
  Speaker 8: The birds is different. They do matter.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: Sir?
• 8:01
  Speaker 8: Well, he killed all of them, every last one.
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 8:03
  Speaker 8: Parakeets, canaries, parrots. Parakeets and canaries, now, they don't matter.
• 8:08
  Speaker 8: I can replace them. Insurance will take care of it anyway.
• 8:11
  Speaker 8: Them parrots is another story. It's a different story entirely.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 8:14
  Speaker 8: Two of them was on consignment, worth over $ 100 apiece. $ 100!
• 8:19
  Speaker 10: Bet you never figured birds run that high, did you?
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: No, sir.
• 8:21
  Speaker 8: Well, they do. Parrots, anyway, some of them. And what's more,
• 8:24
  Speaker 8: my insurance don't cover birds on consignment.
• 8:27
  Speaker 7: How do you like that?
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: Huh?
• 8:28
  Speaker 10: Checked with the fellow who sold me the policy right
• 8:30
  Speaker 10: after I called the police. Says birds on consignment aren't covered.
• 8:33
  Speaker 8: Loophole, that's what it is.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: Loophole.
• 8:34
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir.
• 8:35
  Speaker 8: Probably somebody wanting to buy them parrots. Be just my luck.
• 8:39
  Speaker 8: Big spec shop.
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: Who? Who?
• 8:44
  Speaker 7: Oh, yeah.
• 8:44
  Speaker 8: Yeah, they're still here. Just a minute.
• 8:47
  Speaker 7: It's for you.
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: Thank you. This Friday.
• 8:52
  Speaker 7: Yeah.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: Okay, give me that address. All right, I got it.
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: As soon as we can. Right.
• 9:02
  Speaker 4: We got another one?
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: Tracked off Riverside Drive. Same routine. One thing's different. Yeah.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: Some lady saw him.
• 9:08
  Speaker 7: Yeah.
• 9:12
  Speaker 6: We ended our interview with Mr. Biggs and we drove
• 9:14
  Speaker 6: out to the address of a Mrs. Nellie Diver who
• 9:16
  Speaker 6: had just reported a burglary.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Mrs.
• 9:17
  Speaker 6: Diver told us her house had been entered shortly after
• 9:19
  Speaker 6: she left to do her marketing. She discovered she'd forgotten
• 9:22
  Speaker 6: her grocery list and she came back for it. When
• 9:24
  Speaker 6: she returned, the burglar was in the dining room. He
• 9:26
  Speaker 6: had entered through a side window.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: The M.O. appeared to be the same as in the
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: other recent burglaries.
• 9:30
  Speaker 11: Never saw such a surprised look on a man's face
• 9:33
  Speaker 11: in my life. He just stood there like he was
• 9:35
  Speaker 11: frozen solid for a minute or more. Then he let
• 9:37
  Speaker 11: out through the back door like he'd slept.
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: How long were you gone from the house, ma'am?
• 9:41
  Speaker 11: Five, ten minutes. As soon as I remembered about my list,
• 9:44
  Speaker 11: I started back. I don't know why I'm getting so forgetful.
• 9:47
  Speaker 11: Old age must be catching up with me.
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: Well, it's a good thing you did forget, Miss Diver.
• 9:52
  Speaker 11: Oh, you mean so he didn't get time to steal anything?
• 9:54
  Speaker 7: That's right.
• 9:55
  Speaker 11: Nothing around here worth stealing. I wonder how he happened
• 9:58
  Speaker 11: to pick me. It'd be different if he did. I
• 10:00
  Speaker 11: lived up in Bel Air or one of those estates.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: Well, if it's who we think it is, he's satisfied
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: with smaller homes.
• 10:05
  Speaker 11: You mean he's pulled this kind of stunt before?
• 10:07
  Speaker 7: Yes, ma'am.
• 10:07
  Speaker 11: You don't say.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: Do you think you'd recognize the man if you saw
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: him again?
• 10:11
  Speaker 11: I beg your pardon?
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: The man who broke in here. You said you got
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: a good look at him.
• 10:13
  Speaker 11: Real good. Stood there in the dining room for a
• 10:16
  Speaker 11: full minute, maybe more.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: Then you'd recognize him, would you?
• 10:19
  Speaker 11: I don't see why not. This isn't the first time
• 10:21
  Speaker 11: we met up, you understand.
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: How's that?
• 10:23
  Speaker 11: Saw him once before.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: When was that?
• 10:25
  Speaker 11: Last week sometime, I'm not certain. Wednesday or Thursday, middle
• 10:29
  Speaker 11: of the week, in through there.
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: You sure it was the same man?
• 10:32
  Speaker 7: Looked the same.
• 10:33
  Speaker 11: Came right up to my door.
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: What do you want?
• 10:36
  Speaker 11: I'm not certain of that either. I've been racking my
• 10:38
  Speaker 11: brain trying to remember. Many fellows around here last week,
• 10:41
  Speaker 11: two or three milkmen trying to sign me up. A
• 10:44
  Speaker 11: couple of people wanting me to take newspapers, three or
• 10:46
  Speaker 11: four asking about dry cleaning, somebody selling rugs. And half
• 10:50
  Speaker 11: my time running to the door. He said, help me,
• 10:53
  Speaker 11: I can't remember which one he was. Getting old, sure
• 10:57
  Speaker 11: is fate.
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: You think he was just pretending to be a door-to-door
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: salesman of some kind or other?
• 11:01
  Speaker 11: Seems to me they were all trying to sell something.
• 11:03
  Speaker 11: It's what always happens when you settle in a new location.
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: Yes, ma'am. What if you'd mind coming downtown with us.
• 11:08
  Speaker 7: For a little while?
• 11:08
  Speaker 11: No, no, I wouldn't mind. What for?
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: We'd like to show you some photographs, see if you
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: can pick the man out for us.
• 11:13
  Speaker 11: Right now?
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: If you could, yes.
• 11:14
  Speaker 11: Just give me a minute to get my hat and
• 11:16
  Speaker 11: change Henry's water.
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: Henry?
• 11:18
  Speaker 11: Mike and Harry out in the kitchen.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 11:19
  Speaker 11: Haven't you noticed the way he's been... Oh, that's funny.
• 11:23
  Speaker 4: Ma'am?
• 11:24
  Speaker 11: He's usually singing up a blue streak this time of day.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: We went into the kitchen with Mrs. Diver and we
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: found the dead bird. She agreed to accompany us downtown.
• 11:36
  Speaker 6: 11.05 a.m. We pulled the mug shots of burglars who
• 11:39
  Speaker 6: matched the description that she'd given us and we showed
• 11:41
  Speaker 6: them to Mrs.
• 11:41
  Speaker 7: Diver.
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: She identified one of the photographs, Stanley A. Bushing.
• 11:45
  Speaker 6: Bushing had done time in the state penitentiary as a
• 11:47
  Speaker 6: cat burglar. From his five tens, we learned his acquaintances
• 11:50
  Speaker 6: and the places he was known to frequent.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: 3.36 p.m.
• 11:53
  Speaker 6: We located Bushing in a bar on North Main.
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: Stan Bushing?
• 11:58
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: Police officers.
• 11:59
  Speaker 7: You don't say.
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: I want to talk to you, Bushing.
• 12:01
  Speaker 7: Be my guest.
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: Come on, let's go.
• 12:03
  Speaker 7: What's the matter with right here? Don't get noisy until
• 12:05
  Speaker 7: later on. Why not right here?
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: Where were you last night? What time? All night. And
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: this morning. Eight o'clock this morning.
• 12:10
  Speaker 7: Why do you want to know?
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: All right, come on, let's go.
• 12:12
  Speaker 7: Well, give me a chance to finish my beer, will you?
• 12:14
  Speaker 9: Look, you boys want to know where I was last night?
• 12:19
  Speaker 7: All right, I'll tell you. I just want to know why,
• 12:21
  Speaker 7: that's all.
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: You been up the valley lately?
• 12:24
  Speaker 7: Well, come on, how about it? Oh, that's why you're
• 12:26
  Speaker 7: after me, huh? You think I've been pulling those house prowls.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: What do you know about him?
• 12:29
  Speaker 7: What I read in the papers.
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: You know more than that.
• 12:31
  Speaker 7: I do?
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: There was another one this morning.
• 12:32
  Speaker 7: That's news to me.
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: Is that so?
• 12:33
  Speaker 7: Yeah, I haven't bought a paper yet today.
• 12:35
  Speaker 2: Lady saw you.
• 12:36
  Speaker 11: Huh?
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: Right after you broke in.
• 12:37
  Speaker 7: Me, huh?
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: She says it's you.
• 12:38
  Speaker 7: Well, she needs glasses.
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: We don't think so.
• 12:39
  Speaker 7: Look, you'll never make it stick.
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: We're gonna try, fella. I'm clean.
• 12:42
  Speaker 7: Not even on parole no more.
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: It won't be parole this time.
• 12:44
  Speaker 7: It won't be anything.
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: Oh, come on, Bush, and quit stalling.
• 12:47
  Speaker 7: Don't get yourself in an uproar. Take it easy. You'll
• 12:48
  Speaker 7: live longer.
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: Suppose I got an alibi. Well, try it for size.
• 12:52
  Speaker 7: For all night and this morning.
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: Go on.
• 12:53
  Speaker 7: I was with friends.
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: We got a lady who says different.
• 12:55
  Speaker 7: I got a lot of friends.
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we know your friends. We'll settle for the lady.
• 12:59
  Speaker 12: 10.30 last night till 9 o'clock this morning with them
• 13:01
  Speaker 12: every minute.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: Where?
• 13:02
  Speaker 7: You ain't gonna like it.
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: Where were you?
• 13:03
  Speaker 7: You're gonna look pretty foolish.
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: Come on, let's have it, Bushing.
• 13:05
  Speaker 7: Drunk tank, Lincoln Heights Jail.
• 13:14
  Speaker 6: We verified Bushing's alibi with the booking sergeant of Lincoln
• 13:16
  Speaker 6: Heights and we learned that he was in.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: The clear as far as the previous night was concerned. 5.06 p.m.
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: We interviewed Mrs. Diver again.
• 13:24
  Speaker 6: She wavered in her identification of Bushing's photo and she
• 13:26
  Speaker 6: said she couldn't tell us anything more. Teletypes of the
• 13:29
  Speaker 6: suspect's description were sent out. The next day, Tuesday, September 22nd,
• 13:33
  Speaker 6: we had a meeting with a skipper, Captain Bernard.
• 13:34
  Speaker 7: Well, where do we stand?
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: Just about where we did when it started.
• 13:37
  Speaker 7: It's not good, is it?
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: No, it's not.
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: We thought we had him yesterday, skipper, but it didn't
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: pan out.
• 13:42
  Speaker 7: You got a description?
• 13:43
  Speaker 6: Well, if she's no better at describing him than she
• 13:45
  Speaker 6: is at identification, it doesn't mean much. We figure he
• 13:47
  Speaker 6: pretends to be a salesman of some kind.
• 13:48
  Speaker 7: Is that how he cases the houses?
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: As far as we can tell, yeah.
• 13:51
  Speaker 7: You need a lot more than that.
• 13:53
  Speaker 11: Yep.
• 13:53
  Speaker 13: This guy's got to be stopped. It isn't just the burglaries.
• 13:56
  Speaker 13: Seems half of the people in L.A. keep pet birds.
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: I don't know.
• 13:59
  Speaker 13: My kids have a couple of canaries themselves. You get
• 14:02
  Speaker 13: attached to them like you do anything else. You boys
• 14:05
  Speaker 13: seen the mail on this thing?
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: No, sir.
• 14:07
  Speaker 7: Letters from all over. Not just in town. Here, all over.
• 14:09
  Speaker 13: People are raising cane. My own kids asking me when
• 14:12
  Speaker 13: we're going to catch them. Can't wait any longer for
• 14:14
  Speaker 13: a break. We've got to make one.
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: Well, you got any ideas? I don't know.
• 14:17
  Speaker 7: We've just been working housing projects, huh?
• 14:19
  Speaker 13: Except for that one pet store, yeah. Well, let's forget
• 14:22
  Speaker 13: the store and see if we can get a pattern
• 14:23
  Speaker 13: out of the houses.
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: Well, they're all new places.
• 14:26
  Speaker 6: Folks have just moved in. He cracks one or two
• 14:28
  Speaker 6: in each development, then he moves on. So far, he's
• 14:30
  Speaker 6: stayed in the Valley Division out there.
• 14:31
  Speaker 7: The way they're building up out that way, he won't
• 14:33
  Speaker 7: run out of targets.
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: No.
• 14:35
  Speaker 7: They opened any new projects last week or so?
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: Yeah, a couple.
• 14:38
  Speaker 7: He tapped them yet?
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: No. We alerted the owners, told them to warn anybody
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: who moves in. Probably won't do much good, though. Might.
• 14:44
  Speaker 7: Hmm? If you two moved in.
• 14:51
  Speaker 6: Wednesday, September 23rd. We drove out to a new track
• 14:53
  Speaker 6: just off Coldwater Canyon Boulevard. It was called White Manor Homes.
• 14:57
  Speaker 6: We found the tracked.
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: Office near the main entrance and we went inside.
• 15:00
  Speaker 12: Gentlemen, what can I do for you? Are you interested
• 15:02
  Speaker 12: in owning a new home? We're police officers, sir. This
• 15:05
  Speaker 12: is Frank Smith. My name's Friday.
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: Police.
• 15:07
  Speaker 4: That's right, sir.
• 15:09
  Speaker 7: Well, I don't think I've had any parking tickets lately.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: We're from Burglary.
• 15:13
  Speaker 7: Oh, about the Birdman, I suppose.
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 15:16
  Speaker 7: That's what they call him in the papers, you know,
• 15:18
  Speaker 7: the Birdman.
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: Yes, it's about him.
• 15:20
  Speaker 7: He hasn't been around here.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: Well, no, sir, not as far as we know.
• 15:23
  Speaker 7: Well, that's a relief. Not that it makes much difference.
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: You're in charge of this project, are you, sir?
• 15:28
  Speaker 7: Yes, sir. My name's Simple, Horace Simple. I've got a
• 15:31
  Speaker 7: card right here on the desk.
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: That's all right, Mr. Simple.
• 15:34
  Speaker 7: I own White Manor Home.
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 15:36
  Speaker 7: I guess I should say me and the bank. We
• 15:40
  Speaker 7: own it together.
• 15:41
  Speaker 12: Yes, sir.
• 15:43
  Speaker 7: It's all going to belong to the bank, though, the
• 15:45
  Speaker 7: way things are going. Been open nearly a week now.
• 15:48
  Speaker 7: I haven't sold a single house. I haven't even had
• 15:51
  Speaker 7: a decent offer. What's the trouble, sir?
• 15:53
  Speaker 12: Now you know what's the trouble just as well as
• 15:57
  Speaker 12: I do.
• 15:57
  Speaker 7: Birdman, that's the trouble.
• 16:00
  Speaker 12: Folks just aren't going to move into any new developments
• 16:03
  Speaker 12: under these courts. Sent me a second last week, the
• 16:07
  Speaker 12: police department. I'm supposed to warn anybody who buys from me.
• 16:11
  Speaker 7: Put them on their guard.
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 16:14
  Speaker 7: Don't need any warning. It's scared off as it is.
• 16:18
  Speaker 7: Three months ago, I'd be half sold out by now.
• 16:21
  Speaker 7: Seems to be you fellas are dogging it.
• 16:24
  Speaker 12: I'm not telling you your business, mind you, but it
• 16:26
  Speaker 12: seems to me you should have picked him up before this.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir. Maybe you can help us.
• 16:31
  Speaker 7: How's that?
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: Well, the sign out in front says that two of
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: your houses are furnished.
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: Is that right?
• 16:35
  Speaker 12: Oh, that's just for display. Wesley's department store did it.
• 16:38
  Speaker 12: Figures it's good advertising.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 16:41
  Speaker 7: Of course, I don't sell them furnished, just for display.
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: We'd like to use one of them for.
• 16:45
  Speaker 7: A few days.
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: Use one? Yes, sir.
• 16:48
  Speaker 12: I'm afraid I don't follow you. Well, sir, you've got
• 16:50
  Speaker 12: a sold sign that you can put up in the
• 16:52
  Speaker 12: front yard, haven't you?
• 16:53
  Speaker 7: I guess so.
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: Well, we'll see that nothing's disturbed. If anybody asks, you
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: tell them that a new.
• 16:58
  Speaker 7: Couple moved in. Oh, I get you. Decoys, huh?
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: Yes, or something like that.
• 17:04
  Speaker 7: Well, I don't know.
• 17:06
  Speaker 12: The department store might not go for the idea.
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: Well, we'll clear it with them.
• 17:10
  Speaker 7: Well, if it's all right with him.
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 17:14
  Speaker 7: How long do you suppose it'll take?
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: How's that?
• 17:17
  Speaker 7: To catch him.
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: Well, your guess is as good as ours. If it
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: works at all.
• 17:22
  Speaker 7: It better work. Pressure's building up.
• 17:25
  Speaker 12: You fellows don't know what it's like being under pressure. Oh,
• 17:28
  Speaker 12: the bank's a lot of money on this project. Figured
• 17:30
  Speaker 12: I'd have at least half a dozen houses sold by now.
• 17:33
  Speaker 12: At least half a dozen.
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: Mm-hmm.
• 17:35
  Speaker 12: Interest to be paid is the principle and the... You know,
• 17:39
  Speaker 12: the bank expects it on time. You can't blame them
• 17:41
  Speaker 12: for that.
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: No, sir.
• 17:43
  Speaker 7: You don't know what it's like having the pressure turned on.
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: We get a little every once in a while.
• 17:48
  Speaker 7: Oh, well, that's different.
• 17:50
  Speaker 12: Your boss rides you and tells you to get on
• 17:52
  Speaker 12: the ball.
• 17:53
  Speaker 7: You don't have to worry. He can't fire you. Cops
• 17:57
  Speaker 7: are civil servants. Pressure from your boss? Well, that's different.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: It's not coming from him.
• 18:03
  Speaker 7: Well, where's it coming from?
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: The guy who kills birds.
• 18:09
  Speaker 6: We telephoned the Wesley department store and we talked to
• 18:11
  Speaker 6: the manager. He gave us permission to use the house
• 18:14
  Speaker 6: that they'd decorated. At a neighborhood pet store, we purchased
• 18:17
  Speaker 6: a cage and two canaries. It was 11.30 a.m.
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: When we got back to White Manor Homes. Mr. Simple
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: was putting up a sold sign in front of one
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: of the houses.
• 18:31
  Speaker 7: What you got there? Oh, canaries, huh?
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 18:35
  Speaker 7: Well, here's the key, in case you want to lock up.
• 18:38
  Speaker 7: Door's open now.
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 18:41
  Speaker 7: Want me to spread the word?
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: What's that, sir?
• 18:44
  Speaker 7: That I've sold this place?
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: We'd appreciate that.
• 18:47
  Speaker 8: Okay.
• 18:47
  Speaker 7: I'll see that it gets around.
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Man, some layout, huh? Yeah, it's very nice.
• 18:59
  Speaker 7: Yeah, great.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: You know anything about taking care of birds?
• 19:02
  Speaker 7: I don't think there's much to it.
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: Just water and seeds, huh?
• 19:04
  Speaker 7: There it is.
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: Hey, Joe.
• 19:06
  Speaker 7: Get a load of that couch.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah. It must be eight feet long, 15 inches. Just about.
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: If Faye ever sees this place, I'm dead. Would you
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: tell her? Although we were on a job, I certainly
• 19:16
  Speaker 2: didn't go into detail.
• 19:17
  Speaker 7: Mm-hmm.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: I wonder what it would cost. Hmm? To fix a
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: joint up like this, how much it would cost? More
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: than we make. Yeah.
• 19:25
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I probably wouldn't be very comfortable anyway. Not like
• 19:28
  Speaker 4: having your own stuff you're used to.
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: No.
• 19:32
  Speaker 7: Boy, they're really taking up a storm, aren't they?
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: Yeah. They're kind of cute, too. You know, Joe Faye
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: might like a couple of birds. They're good company for
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: her when the kids are in school. Maybe you can
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: have those.
• 19:44
  Speaker 7: I never thought of that.
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: If he doesn't get them first.
• 19:51
  Speaker 6: No one came by the house that afternoon or that evening.
• 19:53
  Speaker 6: At 6 p.m., Frank went home.
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: I stayed through the night. Thursday, September 24th, 9.15 a.m.
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: We had our first visitor.
• 20:01
  Speaker 6: Frank waited in the bedroom while I talked to her.
• 20:03
  Speaker 6: She was a young lady who said that she represented
• 20:05
  Speaker 6: the local chamber of commerce. She told me her job
• 20:07
  Speaker 6: was to welcome newcomers to the neighborhood. He gave me
• 20:09
  Speaker 6: some maps and a book of coupons which could be
• 20:11
  Speaker 6: exchanged for free introductory gifts at various stores in the vicinity.
• 20:15
  Speaker 6: During the rest of the day, we had four more callers.
• 20:17
  Speaker 6: Two newspaper agents, a representative from a dry-cleaning establishment, and
• 20:20
  Speaker 6: a charity worker. As far as we could tell, they
• 20:22
  Speaker 6: were all genuinely fond of birds. 4.45 p.m. A small
• 20:26
  Speaker 6: old truck pulled up in front.
• 20:27
  Speaker 4: Look, coming up the wall.
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: Pretty close to Ms. Diver's description of it.
• 20:31
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: Want me to get out of here? Better if you
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: don't see one of us, huh?
• 20:34
  Speaker 7: Right. The lady of the house, then?
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: Out shopping.
• 20:43
  Speaker 7: Oh, ah, come back.
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: What's it about?
• 20:44
  Speaker 7: I'd rather talk to her.
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: Why?
• 20:46
  Speaker 7: I'd like to take over your yard.
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: Hmm?
• 20:48
  Speaker 7: I'm a gardener, mister.
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: Oh. Well, I'm the one to see about that. Uh-uh.
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: Why not?
• 20:53
  Speaker 12: Ask a man for a gardening job. He says he'll
• 20:56
  Speaker 12: do it himself, weekends and after work. Don't understand how
• 20:59
  Speaker 12: much work it'll be. Your wife knows better than knows
• 21:00
  Speaker 12: her husband, too.
• 21:01
  Speaker 7: She's the one who hires me.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: Well, maybe I'm different. It's a pretty big yard. Find
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: I'm spending my weekends on the back.
• 21:07
  Speaker 7: I don't blame you.
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: Come on inside for a minute.
• 21:09
  Speaker 7: Yeah, sure.
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: How much would you charge for a yard this size?
• 21:15
  Speaker 7: Want me to handle watering, too?
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: No, I guess we can take care of the watering.
• 21:19
  Speaker 7: Well, I'll come once a week, then mow the lawn,
• 21:20
  Speaker 7: look after your flowers, do weeding, planting.
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: Well, we're pretty well landscaped now.
• 21:24
  Speaker 12: Well, you'll want some of your own plants. Could use
• 21:26
  Speaker 12: a couple more roses alongside that.
• 21:28
  Speaker 7: That's possible.
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: What's the matter?
• 21:36
  Speaker 8: Nothing.
• 21:36
  Speaker 7: Just looking around. Small place you got here.
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: How much for the yard work?
• 21:39
  Speaker 7: 25 months.
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: In the state.
• 21:42
  Speaker 7: Big yard, said so yourself.
• 21:43
  Speaker 11: Mm-hmm.
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: You'd only be here a couple hours a week, you know.
• 21:47
  Speaker 7: Oh, 25's the best I can do. You think it over.
• 21:49
  Speaker 7: I've got to be shut up now.
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: How about 20?
• 21:50
  Speaker 7: Sorry, mister.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: Not worth any more than that. You've got plenty of
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: diners for 20, you know that.
• 21:53
  Speaker 7: Up to you. Ain't got any other jobs in this
• 21:56
  Speaker 7: neck of the woods. I have to drive all the
• 21:57
  Speaker 7: way out here.
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: How'd you happen to find us then?
• 22:00
  Speaker 7: Uh-huh.
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: I say, how'd you happen to find us then?
• 22:03
  Speaker 7: Well, I heard about this project. I thought more of
• 22:05
  Speaker 7: them would be sold by now.
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: Mm-hmm.
• 22:07
  Speaker 7: Guess you're the only people moved in, huh?
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 22:09
  Speaker 7: Yeah, I thought there'd be more.
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: Probably will be before long.
• 22:12
  Speaker 7: Well, if I pick up any other customers in the project,
• 22:14
  Speaker 7: I might come down. Twenty-five for now.
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: Ready cancelling there.
• 22:16
  Speaker 7: Well, you think it over. I'll drop back there, so...
• 22:19
  Speaker 7: Somebody here most of the time?
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: Most of the time, yeah.
• 22:22
  Speaker 7: I'll drop back. Oh, shut up, will you?
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: What? I wasn't talking to you.
• 22:26
  Speaker 7: It was an errand.
• 22:26
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah. You're crazy.
• 22:28
  Speaker 7: What's wrong with him? A bit of nuisance.
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: They're always screeching to get on somebody's nerves.
• 22:33
  Speaker 7: I guess you don't like birds.
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: Well, I could do without these. Yeah.
• 22:36
  Speaker 7: Why don't you get rid of them?
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: Oh, my wife would blow her stack. Oh, yeah. Pride
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: and joy. She talks to them all the time.
• 22:42
  Speaker 7: Baby talks to them. Yeah, just like my old lady.
• 22:46
  Speaker 2: Your wife keep birds, too, doesn't she?
• 22:48
  Speaker 7: My mom.
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 22:50
  Speaker 7: Yeah, when I was a kid. Cages all over the place.
• 22:53
  Speaker 7: Must have had 15, 20 birds.
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: I guess I'm lucky we only got these two. Yeah,
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: you're lucky.
• 22:57
  Speaker 7: I had a dog once. Yeah? Rusty, that was his name.
• 23:01
  Speaker 7: He was a mutt. Only dog I ever had. Killed
• 23:03
  Speaker 7: one of her canaries.
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 23:04
  Speaker 7: That wasn't his fault.
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: Bird got loose.
• 23:07
  Speaker 7: He didn't know no better. Just playing with it. Didn't
• 23:09
  Speaker 7: mean to kill it. Sure. Need to get rid of Rusty.
• 23:12
  Speaker 7: My mom did. Send him away. I don't know what
• 23:15
  Speaker 7: happened to him.
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: That's too bad.
• 23:17
  Speaker 7: Never had another dog after that. He wouldn't let me.
• 23:20
  Speaker 7: Just words. Just lay awake at night, listen to him sing.
• 23:23
  Speaker 7: That's what she called it. Didn't sound like singing to me.
• 23:27
  Speaker 7: Couldn't cover him over. It was cruel to cover him over.
• 23:31
  Speaker 7: Half night long, I had to listen to him. Like
• 23:34
  Speaker 7: you said, gets on a fellow's nerves.
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 23:37
  Speaker 7: I sneaked downstairs, took them out of their cages. I
• 23:39
  Speaker 7: did it real quiet. Killed them all. All mom's words.
• 23:43
  Speaker 7: I couldn't stay after that. Ran away from home. Wish
• 23:47
  Speaker 7: I could have stayed. Wish I could have seen her
• 23:49
  Speaker 7: face next morning. Made it up for her, I think.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 23:53
  Speaker 7: I still keep hearing them now. Have to keep killing
• 23:55
  Speaker 7: them over and over. Folks put them in a cage,
• 23:59
  Speaker 7: lock them up. Feel sorry for them afterwards. Don't make sense.
• 24:03
  Speaker 7: I don't feel sorry for something just because it's locked up.
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: You might.
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: The story you've just heard is true. The names were
• 24:17
  Speaker 3: changed to protect the innocent.
• 24:19
  Speaker 5: On November 12th, the hearing was held in Department 98,
• 24:22
  Speaker 5: Superior Court, State of California, in and for the County
• 24:24
  Speaker 5: of Los Angeles. Philip James Borch was examined by six
• 24:36
  Speaker 5: psychiatrists appointed by the court and found to be mentally incompetent.
• 24:40
  Speaker 5: He was committed to the state mental hospital at Mendocino
• 24:42
  Speaker 5: for an indefinite period of time.
• 24:45
  Speaker 13: Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces
• 24:49
  Speaker 13: Radio Service.
• 25:10
  Speaker 8: Thank you.
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: We have heard Dragnet's Big Bird from its February 1,
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: 1955 broadcast. Follow Dragnet for more classic broadcasts.