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Transcript

Dragnet: The Big Cliff (EP4799) · The Great Detectives Present Dragnet (Old Time Radio)

• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnant. But
• 0:43
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  Speaker 1: Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net. But now, from June
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: twenty eighth, nineteen fifty one, here is the big cleft.
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: The story you were about to hear is true, only
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: the names have been changed to protect the innocent you're
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide Detail. An elderly
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: man reports the sudden death of his wife. He claims
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: he awoke in the morning to find her dead on
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: the floor of their bedroom. The cause of death is
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: not a parent. Your job investigate.
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: Drag net, the documented drama of an actual crime. For
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: the next thirty minutes, in cooperation of the Los Angeles
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: Police Department, you will travel, step by a step on
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: the side of the law through an actual case transcribed
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: from official police files, from beginning to end, from crime
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force.
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: In action.
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: Was Friday, November twelfth. It was cold in Los Angeles.
• 3:03
  Speaker 4: We were working the day watch out of Homicide Detail.
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: My partner's Ben Romero. The boss's Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives.
• 3:09
  Speaker 4: My name's Friday. It was nine thirty eight am when
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: I got back to the first floor of the Blackwell Hotel,
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: Room seven.
• 3:20
  Speaker 5: Oh hi, Joe, come on, yeah, how's the old fellow
• 3:25
  Speaker 5: doing you tell you anything. Hasn't talked at all. He's
• 3:28
  Speaker 5: pretty broken now. The woman's dead, that's about it. How
• 3:31
  Speaker 5: about the bruise on her for do you think that
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: could have been it. No, it was just a slight bruise.
• 3:35
  Speaker 5: I don't think that could have killed her.
• 3:37
  Speaker 6: They moved the body out of the room, Yeah.
• 3:39
  Speaker 4: Yeah, they just did, taking it downtown for the autopsy. Well,
• 3:42
  Speaker 4: I guess we can take the old man back to
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: his own room now.
• 3:44
  Speaker 6: Huh yeah, I think so.
• 3:45
  Speaker 5: He's back here in the kitchen now, fixed him a
• 3:49
  Speaker 5: cup of Coffee's still feeling pretty bad, mister darnerth would
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: you like to go back to your room now?
• 3:56
  Speaker 6: Everything's been fixed up dinner?
• 4:01
  Speaker 7: What happened? You can tell me what happened to Gertrude.
• 4:05
  Speaker 6: I'm afraid we don't know, mister Turner, not yet.
• 4:08
  Speaker 7: I told you about it, didn't I woke up this
• 4:11
  Speaker 7: morning about eight o'clock, put marm over on the pillar.
• 4:15
  Speaker 7: She wasn't there, and I got up my Charlene on
• 4:19
  Speaker 7: the floor, my wife, Gertrude. I felt her arm. She
• 4:24
  Speaker 7: was cold, ice cold. Somebody old to know what happened.
• 4:30
  Speaker 4: Well, we'll let you know, just as ay as we
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: get the corner's report. Sir, would you like to go
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: back to your own room?
• 4:34
  Speaker 6: Now?
• 4:34
  Speaker 7: What's corner have to do with it?
• 4:36
  Speaker 4: Well, he's gonna have to perform an autopsy. We'll have
• 4:39
  Speaker 4: the report for you tomorrow morning.
• 4:41
  Speaker 7: I don't want him to do that to Gertrude.
• 4:43
  Speaker 6: I don't want him to I'm sorry, sir, I'm afraid
• 4:45
  Speaker 6: it's necessary. Yes, of this kind.
• 4:47
  Speaker 4: There was no doctor in attendance, nobody designed the debts ortellicate.
• 4:51
  Speaker 7: There's nothing I can do. Nothing to help her.
• 4:54
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry, mister Turner. Can we help you back to
• 4:58
  Speaker 6: your room? Sir?
• 5:00
  Speaker 7: Is she still there?
• 5:01
  Speaker 6: No, so they've taken nobody downtown. Can I give you
• 5:04
  Speaker 6: a hand there?
• 5:06
  Speaker 7: Thank you?
• 5:09
  Speaker 6: All right, I'll get the door.
• 5:17
  Speaker 7: Where'd mister Parkson go?
• 5:19
  Speaker 6: Who's that, sir?
• 5:20
  Speaker 7: The hotel manager, mister Parker? Oh yeah, these are his
• 5:24
  Speaker 7: rooms here. I wanted to tell him, thank you for
• 5:27
  Speaker 7: letting me stay down here a while.
• 5:29
  Speaker 6: Well, I think you'll be back in a few minutes.
• 5:30
  Speaker 6: He was busy outside.
• 5:32
  Speaker 7: Nice of 'em. Let me use his place. I couldn't
• 5:36
  Speaker 7: stay in our room, not the way it was Gertrude
• 5:40
  Speaker 7: out there.
• 5:41
  Speaker 6: It's all right now, mister Turner. Can you make the
• 5:44
  Speaker 6: stairs all right?
• 5:46
  Speaker 7: Yes? Thank you. You're just a little tired, that's all.
• 5:50
  Speaker 6: I guess.
• 5:51
  Speaker 7: The whole thing's betten too much.
• 5:52
  Speaker 6: For me. Maybe you'd like to have us call your
• 5:54
  Speaker 6: family doctor.
• 5:56
  Speaker 7: No, we don't have a family doctor. All right, after
• 6:00
  Speaker 7: a spell, just hard to understand, that's all. You have
• 6:05
  Speaker 7: to think about it a while. Shit, think about it.
• 6:09
  Speaker 6: Yes, here we are, I'll get the door.
• 6:12
  Speaker 7: Go ahead, men, Yeah, right there on the floor. That's
• 6:22
  Speaker 7: where I found her when I woke up, right there
• 6:25
  Speaker 7: by the bed. Where have they taken her?
• 6:29
  Speaker 6: Downtown, mister Turner, to the county Morgue.
• 6:31
  Speaker 7: Oh, they'll let me see here, won't they.
• 6:34
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir, they will. Do you feel up to answering
• 6:37
  Speaker 6: a few questions for us? Now?
• 6:38
  Speaker 7: All right, I'll tell you everything I know about it.
• 6:41
  Speaker 7: I don't see how it's gonna help anything.
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: I'm gonna try to make it as brief as possible, sir. Now,
• 6:46
  Speaker 5: your wife's full name is Gertrude Agnes Turner, Is that right?
• 6:50
  Speaker 7: Yeah?
• 6:51
  Speaker 6: That's right, all right?
• 6:52
  Speaker 7: But she Gertrude sixty three? Yeah, that's it. I'm four
• 6:58
  Speaker 7: years older than her a child.
• 7:00
  Speaker 4: Tell was your wife in good health, mister Turner, under
• 7:04
  Speaker 4: a doctor's care or anything like that?
• 7:06
  Speaker 7: No, nothing wrong with her.
• 7:09
  Speaker 6: I knew of heart trouble anything like that.
• 7:12
  Speaker 7: No, sir, She used to have headaches overing now on
• 7:15
  Speaker 7: them doctor friend of ours back home, you send pills
• 7:18
  Speaker 7: for her to take. That's about all.
• 7:21
  Speaker 6: How was your wife feeling last night with you? All right?
• 7:23
  Speaker 3: Then?
• 7:24
  Speaker 7: Just fine? When I woke up, I put my arm
• 7:27
  Speaker 7: over on her pillow. She wasn't there. Then I got
• 7:31
  Speaker 7: up and sorrow laying on the floor right by the
• 7:34
  Speaker 7: bed Gertrude. She was ice cold. There was a little
• 7:41
  Speaker 7: bruise up here on her forehead. I thought I was
• 7:45
  Speaker 7: dreaming she was dead. Who were getting made a year?
• 7:53
  Speaker 6: You want to go on stream? You think you feel
• 7:55
  Speaker 6: all right?
• 7:57
  Speaker 7: It's all right, Oh sir, I got a little bit
• 8:01
  Speaker 7: of brandy and that covered over there. I think I
• 8:03
  Speaker 7: could use some of you two officers, don't mind perfectly?
• 8:06
  Speaker 6: All right? Certain, I'll get a mister dinner.
• 8:12
  Speaker 7: We had it all figured out. Tuesday, November sixteenth. That's
• 8:17
  Speaker 7: her name's day. November sixteenth. It's my wife's name's day.
• 8:23
  Speaker 7: You see, Gertrude's German girl. A lot of German people
• 8:26
  Speaker 7: don't celebrate their birthday. They celebrate their names day instead.
• 8:32
  Speaker 7: Next Tuesday, Saint Gertrude's day.
• 8:34
  Speaker 6: Oh yeah, miss dinner.
• 8:37
  Speaker 7: Thank you? Either one of your officers casting Brandy certainly
• 8:41
  Speaker 7: welcome to.
• 8:47
  Speaker 6: Do you or your wife have many friends in town,
• 8:49
  Speaker 6: mister Turner.
• 8:52
  Speaker 7: No, No, just a few around the hotel here. Gertrude
• 8:56
  Speaker 7: and I have only been in California a few months,
• 8:59
  Speaker 7: come out from in Fort Wayne.
• 9:01
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir, no relatives here.
• 9:03
  Speaker 7: No, sure, wife only had one relative living sister. She's
• 9:07
  Speaker 7: she's back in Indiana.
• 9:08
  Speaker 6: Oh. How did you and your wife get along all right?
• 9:11
  Speaker 7: Oh? Fine, we never had any trouble. I loved her off.
• 9:15
  Speaker 4: Sure did your wife have any enemies that you know of, sir?
• 9:18
  Speaker 4: People she didn't get along with? Somebody who might have
• 9:21
  Speaker 4: wanted to hurt her?
• 9:22
  Speaker 7: Ooh, I can't think her anywhere.
• 9:25
  Speaker 5: Well, how about some of the men your wife knew
• 9:27
  Speaker 5: before she married you missed Turner, any bad feelings one
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: of them might have had Georgia wife.
• 9:32
  Speaker 7: No, sure, nothing I know of side. All her old
• 9:36
  Speaker 7: friends are still back there in Indiana.
• 9:38
  Speaker 5: You say your marriage was working out pretty well. Your
• 9:40
  Speaker 5: wife didn't have any gentleman friends that she might have
• 9:42
  Speaker 5: been interested in.
• 9:43
  Speaker 7: Oh, sure, I know that For the truth. Richard spent
• 9:46
  Speaker 7: her time at home, She didn't run around. She was
• 9:49
  Speaker 7: a good wife.
• 9:51
  Speaker 6: Would you know if your wife had any reason at
• 9:53
  Speaker 6: all to take her own wife? Maybe, Well, that's.
• 9:56
  Speaker 7: The last thing in the world, Gerdr to do. No
• 9:58
  Speaker 7: reason for it. We had too many things to look
• 10:01
  Speaker 7: forward to, lots of things. You don't stop living just
• 10:06
  Speaker 7: because you passed sixty five. Yes, tell me the truth, officer.
• 10:11
  Speaker 7: Don't you really know what happened to her?
• 10:13
  Speaker 6: No, sir, no more than you do. Afraid we'll have
• 10:15
  Speaker 6: to wait for that corner's report.
• 10:18
  Speaker 7: I don't understand, the officer, But am I supposed to
• 10:21
  Speaker 7: understand it? I went to bed last night and I
• 10:25
  Speaker 7: had a wife. Yeah, today's one day off. We're going
• 10:30
  Speaker 7: to take a car ride down the beach. That's the
• 10:34
  Speaker 7: dress she was gonna wear hanging up there. Gertrude made
• 10:38
  Speaker 7: it herself. She was gonna were today.
• 10:43
  Speaker 6: I'll try to take it easy, mister Turner.
• 10:45
  Speaker 7: I beg your pardon. She's all I had. Why should
• 10:50
  Speaker 7: she have to die? She didn't have to die, did she?
• 10:53
  Speaker 6: I don't know, sir. Maybe she didn't have a choice.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: The body of the dead woman, Missus Gertrude Agnes Turner,
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: who was removed to the County Morgue for autopsy. Ben
• 11:06
  Speaker 4: and I filled out the three to eleven form the
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: dead body report and filed it. Handing the outcome of
• 11:10
  Speaker 4: the autopsy. A couple of mister Turner's friends who lived
• 11:13
  Speaker 4: upstairs from him at the Blackwhell Hotel, agreed to look
• 11:16
  Speaker 4: after the old man until he got over the shock
• 11:18
  Speaker 4: of his wife's sudden death seven forty five.
• 11:21
  Speaker 6: The next morning, I checked in for work as usual. Morning, Joe, morning,
• 11:26
  Speaker 6: Well you know, not much, pretty slow. How about the
• 11:29
  Speaker 6: Turner woman? No word in the autopsy?
• 11:31
  Speaker 5: Huh No, corner hasn't called yet, and you've got any smokes?
• 11:34
  Speaker 5: I left the house in hurry this morning, forgot everything.
• 11:36
  Speaker 5: Yeah right here? Oh thanks, yeah, thanks loves In morning,
• 11:42
  Speaker 5: another row with a wife.
• 11:43
  Speaker 6: Uh surmnn.
• 11:46
  Speaker 5: Oh, another one of those church bazaars. She got herself
• 11:50
  Speaker 5: mixed up and she's calling on me for help again.
• 11:52
  Speaker 6: Well yeah, what you what you do now? Remember the
• 11:54
  Speaker 6: last time, don't you?
• 11:55
  Speaker 5: That spring bazaar had me working on decorations down the church,
• 11:59
  Speaker 5: seven nights week eighteen, women running around telling you what
• 12:02
  Speaker 5: to do. Yeah, it's like a mad house, Joe. This
• 12:04
  Speaker 5: time is even worse. What do you mean this time?
• 12:07
  Speaker 6: The ladies figure they ought to have a little more production.
• 12:09
  Speaker 5: They want me to dress up in some kind of
• 12:11
  Speaker 5: a funny costume option off pies and keys, you know,
• 12:15
  Speaker 5: stove by a pat fuse mustache work.
• 12:17
  Speaker 6: No, you turn them down there, you won't do it
• 12:19
  Speaker 6: with it?
• 12:20
  Speaker 5: Well, not exactly. Wife kicked up such a Rouguess I'll
• 12:23
  Speaker 5: end up doing it. Got any idea, though, wouldn't be
• 12:28
  Speaker 5: so bad if I had somebody to work with me?
• 12:30
  Speaker 6: You wouldn't like to help me out with Joe?
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: Well, I'll tell you, I'm gonna be a little busy, Ben,
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: But if I get a chance, i'll drop out and
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: see you though.
• 12:37
  Speaker 6: I'll get it. Yeah, homicide Friday? Oh yeah, how was
• 12:43
  Speaker 6: that all right? Yeah? Okay, we'll be right over was
• 12:50
  Speaker 6: doc cephalo over it? The more about miss Turner got
• 12:52
  Speaker 6: the autopsy report for Yeah, they won't sign the death certificate.
• 12:55
  Speaker 6: What's the trouble? A couple of things looks too suspicious form,
• 12:58
  Speaker 6: they said? How'd they list? Because of that? She suffocated?
• 13:05
  Speaker 6: Eight fifteen a m. We went across the street and
• 13:07
  Speaker 6: talked with doctor Cephalou.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: All he could tell us was that Gertrude Turner had
• 13:11
  Speaker 4: suffered severe convulsions and that she had died of suffocation.
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: There was a small bruise in her forehead and numerous
• 13:17
  Speaker 4: other small bruises around the base of the throat, not
• 13:20
  Speaker 4: enough to say that the woman had been murdered, and
• 13:22
  Speaker 4: yet too much to dismiss the case as an accidental death.
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: Together with Lorman and Barrett from Homicide, Ben and I
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: looked up some of the friends of mister and missus Turner.
• 13:30
  Speaker 4: We found two points which didn't check out with the
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: story that mister Turner had told us. According to the friends,
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: Turner had had some violent arguments with his wife. On
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: at least one occasion he had struck her. And Secondly,
• 13:42
  Speaker 4: the dead woman did have a gentleman friend in the neighborhood,
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: but his conduct with her had been above question was
• 13:46
  Speaker 4: strictly friendship. We decided to take it from there. We
• 13:50
  Speaker 4: went back to the Blackwell Hotel and found mister Turner
• 13:53
  Speaker 4: in his room. He was wrapping up some of his
• 13:55
  Speaker 4: wife's personal effects and packing them in corrugated boxes. We
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: told him about the corners.
• 14:05
  Speaker 7: I don't think I believe that Charger people just don't suffocate.
• 14:10
  Speaker 7: There's gotta be a reason.
• 14:11
  Speaker 6: For it, Yes, sir, that's what we're looking for.
• 14:13
  Speaker 7: Well, don't they know can't they tell you how it
• 14:15
  Speaker 7: happened that the doctors.
• 14:16
  Speaker 4: Well, she had severe convulsions, she suffocated, that's just all
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: they could tell us.
• 14:20
  Speaker 7: Well, a bruise on her head, Gertrude for it, What
• 14:24
  Speaker 7: did they say about that?
• 14:25
  Speaker 5: Well, that wasn't the cause of death, mister Turner. She
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: could have gotten a bump when she fell out of bed.
• 14:29
  Speaker 5: It might have been there, it might not.
• 14:31
  Speaker 7: I just don't understand. You think they'd be some way
• 14:34
  Speaker 7: of tell 'em.
• 14:35
  Speaker 4: Well, we were around talking to some of your friends
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: in the neighborhood this morning, friends.
• 14:38
  Speaker 6: Of you and your wife.
• 14:40
  Speaker 7: Yeah, Oh, they've been real friends, officers. Every one of
• 14:44
  Speaker 7: 'em been up to see me, brought me meals and things. Say,
• 14:49
  Speaker 7: isn't that a pretty see? Just look at them? Yes,
• 14:53
  Speaker 7: real boon china, a cup in a saucer. Richard used
• 14:58
  Speaker 7: to collect 'em, had o kays.
• 15:01
  Speaker 6: Pitty, Yes, sir.
• 15:03
  Speaker 4: When we were talking to you yesterday, Sarah, you told
• 15:05
  Speaker 4: us that you and your wife got along pretty well,
• 15:07
  Speaker 4: no arguments.
• 15:09
  Speaker 7: Yes, sure, that's right.
• 15:10
  Speaker 4: Well, now, some of your friends tell us that you
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: used to argue with your wife quite a bit. Who
• 15:14
  Speaker 4: told you that some of your friends here in the neighborhood.
• 15:17
  Speaker 4: Is that true.
• 15:19
  Speaker 7: When we first got married, Gertrude and I, I guess we
• 15:23
  Speaker 7: had a few spats, no different than other people getting
• 15:26
  Speaker 7: used to each other, things like that.
• 15:28
  Speaker 5: You know, huh. Did you ever strike your wife, mister Tanner? Right, Yes,
• 15:34
  Speaker 5: that routine question. Did you ever strike your wife, mister Dinner.
• 15:41
  Speaker 7: Yes, one of the first arguments we had. I don't
• 15:45
  Speaker 7: even remember what it was about, that's how important it was.
• 15:49
  Speaker 7: I well, I lost my temper. I guess I kind
• 15:53
  Speaker 7: of slapped her. I felt like a no good bump.
• 15:58
  Speaker 7: Never once happened again, slappin' Gertrude chard to remember right now?
• 16:04
  Speaker 6: Oh, we ask you the same question yesterday, sir. Couldn't
• 16:07
  Speaker 6: you told us that? Then? Oh?
• 16:08
  Speaker 7: I'm sorry if s I guess I missed it. I well,
• 16:12
  Speaker 7: I wasn't feeling too good. I think you know what
• 16:15
  Speaker 7: I mean.
• 16:15
  Speaker 6: But you remember us asking if your wife had any
• 16:17
  Speaker 6: gentleman friends.
• 16:20
  Speaker 7: Yes, I remember that.
• 16:22
  Speaker 6: Well, is it true?
• 16:24
  Speaker 7: Well, there's one fellow name's Clyde Warren, runs a drug
• 16:27
  Speaker 7: store down the street. I guess Gertrude knew him bearing anybody,
• 16:31
  Speaker 7: but he was my friend too.
• 16:34
  Speaker 5: Well, did you ever complain to this Clyde Warren, that
• 16:36
  Speaker 5: he was spending too much time around your wife, that
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: he ought to see less out.
• 16:40
  Speaker 7: I think I did, maybe once or twice, which was
• 16:44
  Speaker 7: kind of in a fooling way. Certainly didn't mean it.
• 16:48
  Speaker 7: Clyde Warren's one of my best friends.
• 16:50
  Speaker 6: Did you ever complain to your wife that she was
• 16:52
  Speaker 6: thinking too much warm? No?
• 16:54
  Speaker 7: Sure, never even mentioned it. Why ask me all these things.
• 16:58
  Speaker 6: When your wife's dead, mister Turning? We still have and
• 17:00
  Speaker 6: foind out why?
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: But you asked me questions like I had something to
• 17:03
  Speaker 7: do with it.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: You were the last one to see her alive, sir.
• 17:06
  Speaker 4: You were alone with her in this room the night
• 17:07
  Speaker 4: she died.
• 17:09
  Speaker 7: You think I killed Gertrude? Is that it? You think
• 17:13
  Speaker 7: I killed my own wife.
• 17:14
  Speaker 6: I'm sure we didn't say anyone killed her.
• 17:16
  Speaker 7: Do you think I killed my own wife? You think
• 17:19
  Speaker 7: I killed her?
• 17:19
  Speaker 6: What did you kill her? Mister?
• 17:22
  Speaker 7: You know I didn't kill Gertrude. You know I didn't
• 17:26
  Speaker 7: do that.
• 17:26
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry, sir, It's not much else we can do, now,
• 17:30
  Speaker 6: What do you mean?
• 17:31
  Speaker 5: Corner found a series of bruises on the body right
• 17:34
  Speaker 5: around here, based on the neck. We know she died
• 17:37
  Speaker 5: a suffocation that two things seemed to fit pretty well.
• 17:41
  Speaker 7: I don't know what you mean. I didn't see any bruises,
• 17:44
  Speaker 7: not on her neck. I don't know what you mean.
• 17:47
  Speaker 6: Well, I have to take you downtown. Sir. You call your
• 17:50
  Speaker 6: lawyer now if you like.
• 17:51
  Speaker 7: I don't have a lawyer. Why are you taking me
• 17:54
  Speaker 7: down to?
• 17:55
  Speaker 6: No alternative? We're going to have to book you.
• 17:57
  Speaker 7: How's that?
• 17:58
  Speaker 6: Suspicion of murder? Ten twenty five am.
• 18:04
  Speaker 4: Before we booked him at the main jail, mister Turner
• 18:06
  Speaker 4: asked us if we'd get off a telegram to his
• 18:08
  Speaker 4: sister in law, missus Helen Raymond and Fort Wayne, Indiana,
• 18:11
  Speaker 4: informing her of what had happened.
• 18:13
  Speaker 6: We told him we would, and we did.
• 18:15
  Speaker 4: We booked him in on suspicion of one to eighty
• 18:17
  Speaker 4: seven PC, and then we checked back in at the office.
• 18:20
  Speaker 4: We put in a call to the insurance company that
• 18:22
  Speaker 4: held a policy on Missus Turner.
• 18:24
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir, Gertrude Agnes Turner, what was that? All right?
• 18:29
  Speaker 6: All right, thank you sir, goodbye? What they have to say?
• 18:31
  Speaker 5: Missus Turner had three different policies on her life total
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: of five thousand dollars. Mister Turner's a beneficiary on all three.
• 18:37
  Speaker 5: It'll do for a motive something else. Yeah, yeah, newest
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: policies for one thousand dollars industrial policy.
• 18:42
  Speaker 6: When was it taken out three weeks ago?
• 18:54
  Speaker 3: You are in the scientific investigation division of a metropolitan
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: police department. The rule.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: You have just heard a test bullet fired from a
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: thirty eight caliber revolver found on the possession of a suspect.
• 19:14
  Speaker 3: The test slug is removed from the ballistics box and
• 19:16
  Speaker 3: compared with the slug found at the scene of the crime.
• 19:20
  Speaker 3: There they are side by side. They look alike, but
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: examination will prove a world of difference.
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: Monday, November fifteenth, ten am, the investigation went on. We
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: failed to uncover any additional evidence against the suspect, mister Turner.
• 19:42
  Speaker 4: We had three main points against the man. The recently
• 19:45
  Speaker 4: issued insurance policy on his wife for one thousand dollars,
• 19:48
  Speaker 4: the fact that he had fought with his wife and
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: struck her on several occasions, and the series of bruises
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: which had been discovered at the base of the dead
• 19:54
  Speaker 4: woman's neck. Well, as it stood, we weren't too sure
• 19:57
  Speaker 4: that the case had holed up in court. Ben was
• 19:59
  Speaker 4: less Shue, or that the old man was actually responsible
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: for the death of his wife. We figured if Turner
• 20:04
  Speaker 4: was gilly, we might try to impress him with the
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: evidence against him and attempt to get a confession. Monday,
• 20:09
  Speaker 4: one pm, we went over to the main jail to
• 20:12
  Speaker 4: interrogate the suspect.
• 20:20
  Speaker 6: If you want to step aside there, they want to
• 20:22
  Speaker 6: lock that door.
• 20:22
  Speaker 8: Oh yes, this way, mister Turner. I'll get the last way.
• 20:36
  Speaker 6: Right you're here, mister Turner. Mister Turner, like to sit down?
• 20:44
  Speaker 7: Thank you? Why'd you come to see me? Have you
• 20:48
  Speaker 7: found out something?
• 20:49
  Speaker 4: We've been checking a little bit further into the case,
• 20:51
  Speaker 4: mister Turner. We got a few more questions for you,
• 20:53
  Speaker 4: if you don't mind.
• 20:53
  Speaker 7: Did you send the message to my sister and missus Raymond?
• 20:56
  Speaker 7: Do you want I asked you to send?
• 20:58
  Speaker 6: Yes?
• 20:58
  Speaker 7: Or we took care of it the address, right, didn't you?
• 21:01
  Speaker 7: Fort Wayne? Indiana?
• 21:02
  Speaker 6: That's right, just sent a telegram, told her all about it.
• 21:05
  Speaker 7: That was two days ago. She should have gotten it,
• 21:08
  Speaker 7: but now I haven't heard a word from her. Are
• 21:11
  Speaker 7: you sure she got the telegram? All right?
• 21:13
  Speaker 6: Pretty sure.
• 21:13
  Speaker 4: We'll check on it and we get back to the office.
• 21:15
  Speaker 4: A few things we got here that you might like
• 21:17
  Speaker 4: to know about, Sir. Maybe you can help clear him
• 21:18
  Speaker 4: up for us.
• 21:19
  Speaker 7: What's that, officer?
• 21:20
  Speaker 6: We understand that your wife, Gertrud, had some insurance on
• 21:23
  Speaker 6: herself five thousand dollars worth.
• 21:25
  Speaker 7: Yes, that's right. Something you want to know about it?
• 21:28
  Speaker 6: Well, she named you as the beneficiary in each of
• 21:30
  Speaker 6: her policies.
• 21:31
  Speaker 7: A correct, yes, sir, Gertrude was a great believer in insurance.
• 21:35
  Speaker 7: Don't hold with her too much myself. She used to
• 21:39
  Speaker 7: tell me all the time, guess uh in case she
• 21:42
  Speaker 7: died first, she wanted me to have a little something
• 21:44
  Speaker 7: for old age, something to retire on and get a
• 21:48
  Speaker 7: little ranch out in the valley.
• 21:50
  Speaker 5: I understand she took out a policy just lately, a
• 21:52
  Speaker 5: thousand dollars about three weeks ago.
• 21:55
  Speaker 7: I know about it. I didn't want her to do
• 21:57
  Speaker 7: it clean, waste of money. I told her payments you're
• 22:00
  Speaker 7: pretty steep.
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: Well, sir, is there anybody who can back that up
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: that you told your wife you didn't want her to.
• 22:05
  Speaker 6: Take out that policy.
• 22:08
  Speaker 7: No, I don't think so. We didn't talk about our
• 22:10
  Speaker 7: business with other people.
• 22:12
  Speaker 6: M M, yeah, Friday, I don't know. Yeah, what is it?
• 22:16
  Speaker 6: Phone calls does it's important you don't want to be
• 22:18
  Speaker 6: Do you want to get it? Then okay, you.
• 22:20
  Speaker 9: Can take it out the desk here all I think.
• 22:26
  Speaker 7: I think I know what you mean the insurance. You
• 22:30
  Speaker 7: think that's why I killed Gertrude, isn't it right?
• 22:33
  Speaker 6: Well, sir, put yourself in our place, mister Turner, What
• 22:35
  Speaker 6: would you think.
• 22:36
  Speaker 7: You know in your heart? I didn't kill my wife?
• 22:38
  Speaker 7: You know that in your heart?
• 22:40
  Speaker 6: Well, they don't pay us for what we believe. Turner.
• 22:43
  Speaker 4: It pass to get the facts, to run down evidence
• 22:45
  Speaker 4: doesn't make any difference what I believe.
• 22:47
  Speaker 7: Would you know I didn't kill her? You know that,
• 22:49
  Speaker 7: don't you?
• 22:50
  Speaker 6: Well, sir, I know.
• 22:51
  Speaker 4: We ask you if you ever argued with your wife,
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: and you told us no. We found out you beat
• 22:55
  Speaker 4: her up a couple of times. We asked you if
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: she was friendly with any of the men in the neighborhood.
• 22:59
  Speaker 4: You told us no, We found one. We asked you
• 23:02
  Speaker 4: about the bruises the coroner found on her neck.
• 23:04
  Speaker 6: You don't know.
• 23:05
  Speaker 4: You can't explain him. We asked if your wife had
• 23:08
  Speaker 4: been ill, if she had any sickness, to explain her
• 23:10
  Speaker 4: dying the way she did, and you said no. We
• 23:13
  Speaker 4: asked you about the insurance. You can't explain that either.
• 23:16
  Speaker 4: Three weeks before she dies, she takes out a thousand
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: dollars on her life.
• 23:19
  Speaker 6: She dies in the same room with you, and you
• 23:21
  Speaker 6: don't know how or why. Now you tell me, mister,
• 23:24
  Speaker 6: what are we supposed to believe.
• 23:26
  Speaker 7: Hi didn't kill her? Somebody has to believe that somebody
• 23:31
  Speaker 7: I didn't kill her.
• 23:35
  Speaker 6: Joe, see you man?
• 23:36
  Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, had phone call. It was a long distance
• 23:42
  Speaker 5: Turner's sister, Missus Raymond. What she wanted calling from Fort Wayne.
• 23:45
  Speaker 5: She's flying out here tonight. Seemed pretty rode.
• 23:48
  Speaker 6: Up about her sister. Huh. Mostly about mister Turner. She
• 23:50
  Speaker 6: claims he's innocent. Seems pretty sure of it. She can
• 23:53
  Speaker 6: prove that Turner didn't kill his wife, That's what she said.
• 23:56
  Speaker 6: She's bringing the proof with her.
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: Tuesday, November sixteenth, Turner's sister in law, Missus Raymond, was
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: scheduled to arrive at six p m by plane from Indiana.
• 24:09
  Speaker 4: At two p m, one of the main points in
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: the case against the suspect was proven false. A woman
• 24:15
  Speaker 4: friend of Missus Turner, after reading of the husband's arrest
• 24:18
  Speaker 4: in the paper, informed us that while Missus Turner was
• 24:21
  Speaker 4: visiting her home a few days before she died. She
• 24:23
  Speaker 4: complained of a severe headache. The woman's son, who was
• 24:26
  Speaker 4: studying to be a chiropractor, attempted to treat missus Turner's
• 24:29
  Speaker 4: headache by manipulating the muscles in her neck and shoulders.
• 24:33
  Speaker 4: The woman said that Missus Turner called the next day
• 24:35
  Speaker 4: and complained about receiving bruises on her neck as a
• 24:37
  Speaker 4: result of her son's experimental treatment. The son came down
• 24:40
  Speaker 4: to the office and signed a full statement to this effect.
• 24:44
  Speaker 4: At seven p m. Mister Turner's sister in law arrived,
• 24:47
  Speaker 4: whither was a doctor John Grant of Fort Wayne, Physician.
• 24:50
  Speaker 4: The two of them told us their story and gave
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: us all the information they had concerning the case. Ben
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: and I went immediately to the main jail, picked up
• 24:57
  Speaker 4: mister Turner and brought him back to the office.
• 25:00
  Speaker 6: His sister in law and doctor Grant waited in the
• 25:02
  Speaker 6: adjoining room.
• 25:03
  Speaker 7: Why did you bring me here? You're gonna ask me
• 25:05
  Speaker 7: more questions. I told you everything.
• 25:08
  Speaker 6: No, sir, no more questions.
• 25:09
  Speaker 7: You can't take me off the prisoner. I haven't had
• 25:11
  Speaker 7: a trial he is.
• 25:12
  Speaker 4: No, sir, You're not going to have a trial, mister Turner,
• 25:14
  Speaker 4: we're releasing it. How is that your sister in law
• 25:17
  Speaker 4: is Raymond. She's in the next room with her doctor.
• 25:20
  Speaker 4: We're going to take you home, Sir.
• 25:21
  Speaker 7: I don't think I understand, officer.
• 25:24
  Speaker 5: How do you mean your sister and now just got
• 25:26
  Speaker 5: in from Fort Wayne tonight and she has her family
• 25:28
  Speaker 5: doctor with her. They told us about your wife, Gertrude,
• 25:31
  Speaker 5: everything we had to.
• 25:32
  Speaker 7: Know about Gertrude, my wife. Well, what do you mean, officer.
• 25:37
  Speaker 4: Well, maybe you can understand, sir. Your wife was afraid
• 25:40
  Speaker 4: to let you know. She told her sister. She was
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: afraid it might break up her marriage.
• 25:44
  Speaker 7: Afraid to tell me what.
• 25:45
  Speaker 6: Well, your wife suffered from epilepsy. She had it most
• 25:48
  Speaker 6: of her life.
• 25:49
  Speaker 7: She had epilepsies, Yes, sir.
• 25:51
  Speaker 6: She did.
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: And this doctor Grant showed us that he's been sending
• 25:54
  Speaker 4: your wife medicine ever since you moved out here to California.
• 25:57
  Speaker 4: He treated her many times for the same thing before
• 25:59
  Speaker 4: you met her. She figured it might ruin her chances
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: of marrying you, so she kept it a secret.
• 26:05
  Speaker 7: The menace I remember that used to come through the meal.
• 26:09
  Speaker 5: Well, that's it counts for the headache. She had the
• 26:12
  Speaker 5: night before she died. She probably had an attack during
• 26:14
  Speaker 5: the night, suffocated. That's how you found her in the morning.
• 26:18
  Speaker 7: Well, why didn't they know the corner they examined?
• 26:21
  Speaker 6: He Well, sir, that's just the point.
• 26:22
  Speaker 4: If you die of epilepsy, there's just no way of telling,
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: not even by autopsy.
• 26:26
  Speaker 6: Convulsions and suffocation that's the only way they can list it.
• 26:30
  Speaker 7: And she was a shamed she was afraid to tell me.
• 26:35
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir, that's what she wrote to your sister in law.
• 26:37
  Speaker 6: We saw the letters.
• 26:39
  Speaker 7: And I can leave now if I want to it.
• 26:41
  Speaker 7: Is it all right?
• 26:42
  Speaker 6: We'll get your things from the property clerk first and
• 26:44
  Speaker 6: then you can go.
• 26:45
  Speaker 7: Can I see Helen now, my sister in law? I'd
• 26:48
  Speaker 7: like to say alone, Yes, so you can. It's right
• 26:50
  Speaker 7: to that door. Well, thank you, changing it's all right,
• 26:55
  Speaker 7: Oh sure, yes, Just one thing i'd like to ask. Yes,
• 27:01
  Speaker 7: you knew all the time, didn't you? I mean, in
• 27:03
  Speaker 7: your own heart? How's that I couldn't kill Gertrude? In
• 27:08
  Speaker 7: your own heart? You knew that, didn't you? Aren't sure?
• 27:14
  Speaker 6: Yes, sir, I know it.
• 27:16
  Speaker 7: I thought you did. I'll be right.
• 27:18
  Speaker 5: Back, Joe. I wouldn't worry about him. We'll call it
• 27:30
  Speaker 5: a quite lie.
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: The story you have.
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: Just heard was true, only the names were changed to
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: protect the innocent.
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: On November sixteenth, the meeting was held in the office
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: of Blaine Steed, Captain of Homicide. In a moment the
• 27:49
  Speaker 3: results of that meeting, the death of Gertrude Turner was
• 28:00
  Speaker 3: proved beyond the doubt to be due to natural causes.
• 28:03
  Speaker 3: A nine point ten report was made which completely exonerated
• 28:06
  Speaker 3: the husband of the dead woman. You have just heard
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: Dragnet a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical
• 28:21
  Speaker 3: advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker,
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: Los Angeles Police Department.
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: Stay tuned for Carters by Next over most NBC stations.
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: Welcome back. He wanted some help, but no doubt the
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: best he's going to get is Joe Friday coming down
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: to the church event to chuckle quietly at being in
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: his outfit. This is an interesting episode and features a
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: case where the police had reason to be suspicious and
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: acting appropriately, but nevertheless, the suspect was innocent. The purpose
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: of the investigation is ultimately to get at the truth,
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: not jump at first conclusions or impressions. The only thing
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: that may have given a clue to what was actually
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: going on worthy small insurance policies. Carrying a bunch of
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: little insurance policies is a bit annoying, and one reason
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: to do that is if you've got health problems and
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: you want to avoid a big medical exam. Even back
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty one, these weren't particularly large policies, and
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: today's money be sixty two thousand dollars, it'd be kind
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: of weird today for someone to have sixty two thousand
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: dollars in insurance insurance spread across four policies.
• 29:53
  Speaker 7: Well.
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: Listener comments and feedback, and there is some comments regarding
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: the big impossible and received a note from Blaine, from
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: Jim and also from David highlighting the fact that the
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: events were most likely taken from a nineteen twenty eight
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: case where a boy named Walter Cowins was missing and
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: a boy in Illinois showed up claiming to be him,
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: but was later proven to be an impostor. In real life,
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: the mother knew from the start of Christine Collins that
• 30:34
  Speaker 1: this was not her son. The LAPD captain J. J.
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: Jones thought she was a bad mother and she was
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: embarrassing the police Department and so had her committed until
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: the impostor admitted that he was not her son, and
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: Missus Collins subsequently sued the LAPD and one a judgment
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: which was never paid. A farmer was found and convicted
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: of the crime, but even though he admitted to other murders,
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: he denied murdering Walter Collins, who admitted to being an accessory,
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: recanted her confession, and Missus Collin spent the rest of
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: her life trying to find her son. This story was
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: also the basis of the The Changeling, and while I
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: think it would be really odd if there were another
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: case like this, it would be very weird for the
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: la PDA to support web making an episode on the
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: basis of that case because it was a huge news story.
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: It had been two decades, but there were still plenty
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: of people alive from the incident, including Missus Collins, so
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: it saves the like the risk of bringing all that
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: back up would be very, very high, which at a
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: time when they were trying to improve the force's image.
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: It just seems like such a weird decision, but I
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: do appreciate the information and everybody taking time to reach out.
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: Well now it is time to go ahead and thank
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: our Patreon supporter of the day, and I want to
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: thank Candoras Patreon supporter since October twenty twenty one, currently
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of seven
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: dollars and fourteen cents or more per month. Thanks so
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: much for your support, Candace, And that will do it
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll
• 32:52
  Speaker 1: be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragging That,
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: But join us back here tomorrow for yours truly. Johnny,
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: do all aware?
• 33:00
  Speaker 3: Oh what is it?
• 33:02
  Speaker 6: I said?
• 33:03
  Speaker 10: The greatest fishing in this man's world is right down
• 33:05
  Speaker 10: there below us.
• 33:06
  Speaker 9: Oh watch your language, brother.
• 33:07
  Speaker 10: I allowed to strap on a chute and leave you
• 33:09
  Speaker 10: to make the rest of the trip alone.
• 33:11
  Speaker 3: Fisherman.
• 33:11
  Speaker 9: Huh, Yeah, you aren't kidding. That one of my favorite spots, right. Hey,
• 33:16
  Speaker 9: what's the marry?
• 33:17
  Speaker 10: I think just a little twitch in my side my belly.
• 33:21
  Speaker 10: Doc said, was appendicid this last time, but he didn't
• 33:23
  Speaker 10: want to operate in this.
• 33:25
  Speaker 9: Holy babe, that was a shot. Won't cliff anything I
• 33:28
  Speaker 9: can do?
• 33:29
  Speaker 7: No, it's.
• 33:31
  Speaker 9: Coming now.
• 33:31
  Speaker 10: I sure, hope so ah, sure, sure, just came on
• 33:36
  Speaker 10: kind of sudden. So hey, it's time to call up
• 33:40
  Speaker 10: lads at the mine to be ready for us.
• 33:41
  Speaker 9: How big is the airport up there? Eleven thousand foot?
• 33:44
  Speaker 6: Right?
• 33:45
  Speaker 7: Really?
• 33:46
  Speaker 9: Sure?
• 33:46
  Speaker 10: It's the only way to get stuff in for mines
• 33:48
  Speaker 10: one hundred miles around speed draft two three one calling consolidated.
• 33:53
  Speaker 10: Go ahead, please, somebody on duty there at all times
• 33:56
  Speaker 10: twenty four hours. Go ahead or over Fairbanks on the hour,
• 34:01
  Speaker 10: jolly rider Cliff.
• 34:03
  Speaker 9: Over Fairbanks at fourteen dollars and roll.
• 34:06
  Speaker 2: Out the carpet.
• 34:07
  Speaker 10: We'll sit down between fourteen forty five and fifty.
• 34:11
  Speaker 9: Rider Cliff will be ready for you. Yeah, and that's that.
• 34:16
  Speaker 9: Listen an hour, Johnny Quick, Johnny, Johnny, take hold.
• 34:19
  Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with us then in the meantime.
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: Send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot nit,
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and check us
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: out on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash Great Detectives from
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: Boise Idahol. This is your host, Adam Graham signing off.