Dragon.
Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a burglary detail.
An elderly woman reports that a man has stolen $300 from her apartment.
She says she saw him. Your job, check it out.
Dragon.
The documented drama of an actual crime.
For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files.
From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.
It was Thursday, May 19th. It was sunny in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out a burglary detail.
My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My name is Friday.
We ran our way out from the office. It was 3.47 p.m. when we got to a small apartment house in the corner of Olympic and 6th.
It's a peak arms.
What's that lady's name again, Joe?
Dunbetter, Martha Dunbetter.
Yeah, there's her mailbox, number 8.
Must be upstairs.
Well, how do you figure that?
Only eight mail slots means eight apartments.
Yeah?
Stands the reason number 8 will be on the second floor door.
Uh-huh.
Hey, Joe, I wonder who comes from Kansas.
What?
Didn't you notice the plaque out in front? Topeka Arms.
Yeah.
That's a city in Kansas. Topeka, Kansas.
Yeah, sure.
The company must have come from there. The owner of the building. Why else would they give the place a name like that?
I don't know.
Well, it stands to reason, doesn't it?
I guess so.
Well, I see you're not the only one to do it.
Do what?
Deduce.
That's what they call it, the way you figured out number 8's second floor.
Yeah.
I was just giving you an example. When I proved that somebody connected with the building probably lived in Kansas.
Right down there. 8, just like you said.
Deduction never fails, Joe.
Who's there?
Police officers.
Oh, well, just a second. I'm coming.
My goodness, you're setting it up, that.
Oh, well, dear me, you aren't the same one, are you?
No, ma'am, this is Frank Smith. My name's Friday.
I'm here with two other policemen here just a while ago.
Shame you didn't know, Crusaders.
That's all right, ma'am. We knew they'd be here.
They're patrol car officers. They were in the neighborhood, so they answered your call.
Well, I...
You all right if we come in?
Oh, well, I guess.
Please do.
You're Mrs. Martha Dunbetter, is that right?
No, not exactly.
Oh?
It's Miss Dunbetter. I'm still single.
I see.
Ma'am, would you mind telling us just what happened this afternoon?
Oh, no, no, I don't mind at all. It's still quite clear.
All right, would you go ahead?
What does that mean?
I said go ahead about this afternoon.
Oh, well, let's see.
Fixed myself some lunch, and then I read up the dishes.
It was about one o'clock by the time I finished.
All right.
Afterwards, I put on my hat and I went down to the library.
It's only a couple of blocks from here, the Grove of Cleveland branch.
Mm-hmm.
I took back my books and checked out two fresh ones.
All right. What happened next?
When I come home, there he was.
What's that?
I come home, and there he was.
Who?
Well, that old, poor man.
Well, just where was he?
Here, in my apartment.
No, I mean which room?
Over there, the bedroom.
I see.
As soon as I come in, I heard him.
At least I heard somebody moving around.
First, I thought it was Mrs. Parker's manager.
I know she sneaked into my apartment and knows this around.
Of course, she says she doesn't, but I know better.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I said to myself, I've got a red-handed this time.
So I marched into the bedroom already to give her a piece of my mind.
Well.
I was never so flabbergasted in my whole life.
He was standing in front of the dresser going through the pocketbook.
I see.
My black, bad, and leather.
The one I was holding.
Mm-hmm.
Ma'am, how much money was in the bag?
Well, I'm not positive. Not to the penny.
About $300.
In cash?
Yes, sir.
You see, I've been saving dimes for the past 15 years.
You mean this $300 was in dimes?
Oh, goodness gracious, no.
What I do is go through my chains every night
and put all the dimes in my dime bank.
And when it's full, I take it down to a real bank
and change the coins and the bills.
That dime bank holds $25.
I see.
Oh, you'd be surprised how much a person can save that way it mounts up.
Yes, ma'am.
Do you know the denominations of the bill?
I guess they were mostly tens.
Maybe one or two bigger ones.
Mm-hmm.
What did this man do next, Miss Numbutter?
Well, he found money.
Must be on a dollar.
Stuffed it into his pocket.
Then he just rolled out of the apartment, big as life.
I was too dumbfounded to do anything about it.
I see.
I heard him cramp down the stairs,
and then I heard the front door slam.
When I was sure he was out of the building,
I managed to get my wits together in the dark central.
Central?
The operator.
He should put me in touch with the police station.
Had you ever seen this man before, Miss Numbutter?
No.
I'm sure I never did.
Could you tell us what he looked like?
Well, he was a tall man.
How tall?
As big as you, I'd say.
What color hair, please?
Dark.
Very dark.
I?
Dark eyes too.
Dark complexion.
Like he'd spend a lot of time outdoors.
How was he dressed?
Shirt and pants and jacket.
Light-colored jacket.
I think it was green.
Did you notice any scars?
Yes.
Come to think of it, I did.
Across his forehead.
Thin little ziggy-zaggy.
About how old would you say he was?
Oh, he was young.
35, maybe 40.
You know if anybody else saw him?
The other tenants?
Well, I haven't talked to him.
He hasn't left apartments since it happened.
You live alone here, do you?
Oh, man, no.
My sister, Bessie, stays with me.
Where is she this afternoon?
She went out of town for a few days.
She's the grandson of his family.
They came down from Oxnard to get her this morning.
I see.
Tomorrow's her birthday.
She'll be 80.
I expect they're going to have a quiet day celebration.
Yes, ma'am.
You're all carrying on.
You'll think it was such an accomplishment.
Well, it is a pretty ripe old age, ma'am.
You don't see what's ripe about it?
Oh, I'm nearly 79 myself.
Oh, I know I don't look it.
Everybody thinks there's at least 10 years between us.
And Bessie is failing.
Yes, ma'am.
Here's a couple more questions, Miss Dunbarney.
Certainly, young man, certainly.
What time was it when you got home from the library?
2.45.
Maybe a few minutes after.
No later than 3, though.
How'd this fellow get into the apartment?
Was the door locked?
I thought it was.
I always try to remember to lock it whenever I go out,
but sometimes I do forget.
I guess it did today.
You think he'd recognize the burger if you saw him again?
I most assuredly would.
Nothing without a with my eyesight.
Oh, that's fine.
Would I take you down to the office with us
and show you some pictures?
No.
Just to see if you can identify him.
Well, if you go like this, I'll have to change my dress first.
I'm all right for walking around the neighborhood,
but not for going downtown.
Well, that's up to you, ma'am.
I'll say, Miss Dunbarney, while I think of it,
who came from Kansas?
Oh, I'm afraid I don't understand.
Well, the name of this apartment, you see, is the Tateega Arms,
so I figured somebody connected with it must have come from Kansas.
Oh.
You don't know who it was, do you?
Well, now let me think.
Oh, yes, yes, I remember.
That was old Mr. Hendrickson's idea.
Wow, you don't say.
Yes, yes, he was the man who built this building.
Well, now that was, oh, for goodness sakes,
that was almost 35 years ago.
Very hot turn of flies.
Yes, ma'am.
How do you like that, Joe?
This Mr. Hendrickson came from Kansas.
Oh, good.
Minnesota.
Minneapolis, as I recollect.
Oh.
But it was his idea just the same, calling it the Peak Arms.
In the time of an article he read in the newspaper while the building was going up.
Ma'am.
He said there was more people in Southern California
who came from Kansas than in other states.
Mm-hmm.
So Mr. Hendrickson figured the name Topeka would attract a lot of tenants.
It's ridiculous nonsense.
He said so at the time, there hasn't been a single solitary one.
Oh.
35 years.
Not so many Kansasers ever lived here.
405 p.m., Frank and I put in a call to the crime lab.
While Miss Dunbatter changed her dress,
we checked the other apartments to see if anybody else had seen the burglar.
Only one tenant was in.
Mrs. J.T. Blade, Apartment 6, informed us
that she'd been out marketing at the time of the crime
and had just returned home.
416 p.m.
Lee Jones and a crew from the crime lab arrived.
They began their investigation,
and we drove Miss Dunbatter down to the city hall.
We checked the oddity file and ran the suspect's description and MO
through the stats office, and they came up with 17,000.
We pulled mug shots and showed them to Miss Dunbatter.
She was unable to make an identification.
613 p.m., Lee Jones reported no useful fingerprints
or other physical evidence in the apartment.
646 p.m., we drove Miss Dunbatter home, and we went off duty.
The next day, May 20th, 1117 a.m.
I'll get it.
Burgary Friday.
Who's that?
Oh, sure.
Yeah.
Wendy, come in.
I'm here.
Oh, sure. Yeah.
Wendy, come in.
I see.
Oh.
Well, I wouldn't know what you look like.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, we'd like to.
Right. Thanks a lot.
That was Chubb Stark.
Who?
You know, Stark, the bartender over at the Yellow Cat.
Oh, yeah. What's he want?
Guy came into his place last night.
He was carrying a pretty big roll.
He threw it around, bought drinks for the house.
Yeah.
Got kind of loaded and did some talking about how easy
it was to get him to come in.
Just walked in again this morning.
Huh. Sound like anything to you?
Chubb says he's about six foot, black hair.
Yeah.
Scar on his forehead.
Rhyme can add robots to the Yellow Cat bar on figure off.
Chubb Stark, the bartender, pointed out a husky man
sitting in a corner booth.
We went over to talk to him.
Keep your hands on the table and stand up.
Huh?
Police officers, on your feet.
Okay, okay.
All right, you can sit down again.
Something need you guys?
What's your name?
Why?
Come on, what is it?
Portlong, Ralph Portlong.
Where do you live?
Hotel around the corner.
How long you been staying there?
Since last night.
How about before that?
Back East. They just got in town yesterday.
Whereabouts back East?
What kind of a rust is this?
Where back East?
All over, Chicago, Cleveland, all over.
What kind of business, you?
Unemployed.
You got any money?
Some.
How much?
Look, I ain't no vag if that's what you're getting at.
How much money you got?
100 bucks, maybe 150.
Where'd you get it?
I borrowed it.
Who from?
Powell.
In L.A.?
Chicago.
What's his name?
Johnson, Cliff Johnson.
You got his address?
I don't know.
He moves around the same as I do.
How you gonna pay him back if you don't know where he lives?
We'll bump into each other.
What'd you say you got in town, Portlong?
I told you, yesterday.
What time?
Six o'clock, somewhere in there.
Yesterday morning?
Last night.
You sure of that?
Yeah.
How'd you come, train?
Car.
You own the car?
I hitched a ride.
Just where were you yesterday afternoon?
Riding into L.A.
All afternoon.
Yep.
What was the driver's name?
Look, how should I know?
I've been hitching for the last week.
I must have rolled with 20 different guys.
You don't remember the one you were with yesterday?
Nope.
Ever been arrested, Portlong?
Not this serious.
Well, tell us about it.
Oh, drunk, that's all.
Where was that?
Ohio, when I was a kid.
Anything else?
Yeah, I got some speeding tickets.
You ever been arrested in California?
Never been in California.
First trip, huh?
Yep.
He ain't exactly making me feel at home, either.
You know, an apartment house called at the peak of Arms?
Where about?
Six and a half miles.
Where's that?
In L.A.
Look, can't you get nothing straight?
I ain't never been here before.
How about giving me an answer?
Why the rust?
All right, come on, let's go.
What for?
We'll show you the sights.
For instance?
City Hall.
Frank and I took the suspect into custody for further questioning.
12, 16 p.m.
We ran the name Ralph Portlong through R.N.I.
They had nothing on him.
We put out an APB with his description,
state of the art, and the name of the suspect.
We got him out of the car,
and we got him out of the car.
We got him out of the car,
and we got him out of the car,
and we got him out of the car,
and we got him out of the car,
from the same incident,
somebody aimed us at vanilla shots,
and we had him along the way
listening to that lasts long.
They scouted the area,
and we set up a Narrator to give him a Opportunity moinsent at the point
the Sheriff raised the Coastal District on at 6 o'clock.
A Terror Control agent aberrated Put
1, nameless conducted search.
We called a reaction dating back to the killing of 3, or 2 of us in the不 were able,
That is, before it was sighted found a
ب می
Born under a
Storeman
wise and
We telephoned Miss Dunbetter and arranged for her to attend a special show-up at the main jail.
6.17 p.m. The show-up was completed and Frank and I took the victim back to our office.
Ma'am, you're sure it isn't the same man?
My goodness gracious, I ought to know.
Yes.
Let's see how you could have made such a mistake.
Well, he fits your description even to the scar.
But I told you he was Ziggity's that guy.
Yeah, he did.
This man's scar is entirely different.
Yes, ma'am.
His hair is wrong, too.
Is that right?
The other man had some gray in it right across here.
I thought you said he was fairly young.
But he doesn't have to be old to get gray.
I've been gray ever since I had my appendix out.
I was only 34.
Well, have you taken him home now?
It's really a shame.
Ma'am?
You rested that poor fellow.
He hasn't done anything.
Burgery Friday.
Yep.
Yeah, that's right.
When'd you get it?
No, not yet.
Were you notifying him?
Right.
Well, I guess we don't need to feel too sorry for Portlong.
What do you mean?
Another answer on her APB.
Yeah.
You were right, Miss Dunbattery.
He couldn't have been your burglar.
Well, I told you, didn't I?
He was in Needles yesterday afternoon.
He hitched a ride.
Yeah.
Slugged the driver.
Ralph Portlong was held pending arrival of authorities from Needles.
The investigation of the apartment house burglary continued.
Two more suspects were brought in for questioning.
Both men succeeded in establishing alibis for the time of the crime.
Monday, May 23rd, 1.48 p.m.
Frank and I were on our way back to the office from lunch.
How was your pie?
All right.
Just okay, huh?
I said it was all right.
Lemon meringue, wasn't it?
Yeah.
I don't know, Joey.
You should have had apple.
Mm-hmm.
I told you, stick with apple.
You can't go wrong.
The lemon was good.
You didn't finish it.
I was full.
Yeah. Well, someday you'll learn.
Learn what?
Apple pie is always safe.
You can't louse it up.
Even a bad cook can.
Well, I get a little tired of it once in a while.
That's all.
No reason you should.
You can switch it around so many different ways.
Yeah, I know.
Cheese, alamo, hot sauce.
No reason to get tired of apple, Joe.
Sure.
Hey, Joe.
Yeah?
I called for you while you were out.
Oh?
Hey, she wants you to call back.
Here's the number.
Thanks.
Sure.
Bessie Maxson.
Who's that?
I don't know.
I don't know.
Mrs. Maxson?
This is the police department.
Sergeant Friday.
Yes, that's right.
We were the ones.
I guess we can.
Well, is something wrong?
You sure of that?
All right, right away.
Thank you for calling.
Goodbye.
Miss Dunbatter's sister, she just got back from Oxnard.
Yeah?
She says it never happened.
What do you mean?
The burglary.
Says her sister made it up.
Frank and I drove out to the Topeka Arms
and we went up to apartment number eight.
It was 217 when we got there.
Somebody's coming again.
Well, what is it?
Mrs. Maxson?
That's right, that's right.
Well, my name's Friday.
I just spoke to you over the telephone.
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
Mrs. Frank Smith.
Oh, how do you do?
How do you do, ma'am?
Come right along inside.
Thank you.
I just don't know what to say.
I suppose it's all my fault for going out of town.
Should never have left Martha alone.
Might have known she'd be up to something.
Are you positively sure about this, Mrs. Maxson?
About what, about what?
That there wasn't any burglary.
Never in a million years.
Well, your sister gave us all the details.
Play acting, that's all it was, play acting.
She's done it all her life.
Oh, I see.
You mean Miss Dunn better isn't?
My sister is as sane as you are,
if that's what you're driving at.
Well, then why'd she tell us that story, do you know?
Haven't got the biggest notion.
She simply won't give me any explanation.
Oh, I see.
If the story was true, why won't she face me?
Why is she hiding?
Hiding?
The minute I told her I was going to call you,
she locked herself in the bathroom.
Is that right?
Been in there for two hours now.
She simply refuses to come out.
Well, we'd like to talk to her if we can.
Yeah, I'll try again.
In fact, the chore here may have some influence.
Hmm.
You think we're getting a run around joke?
Yeah, sounds that way, doesn't it?
Yeah.
Martha?
Martha, you come out of there this instant.
Martha Dunn better, do you hear me?
The policeman wants to talk to you.
Now come out.
The police are here.
I won't.
I won't.
Never come out.
I never heard of such childishness.
You see, I'm not able to do a thing with her.
Yes, ma'am.
Maybe if you speak to her, she'll come to her senses.
All right.
Oh, sister, carrying on like this,
I don't know how I'll ever be able to hold my head up again.
It's scandalous.
Miss Dunn better, this is Sergeant Friday.
Miss Dunn better, will you come out so we can talk to you?
Miss Dunn better?
Well, it's about time.
Whatever were you thinking of, Martha?
What got into you?
Not speaking to you, Bessie.
Let's go into the other room.
Be easier to talk there.
Not speaking to me, huh?
Well, two can play at that game.
And I assure you, I won't be the one who suffers.
All right, ladies, would you like to sit down?
No, no, no.
Now, Miss Dunn better, can we clear this thing up now?
Your sister says there wasn't any burglar.
How would she know she wasn't here, was she?
I know because I know you.
And I know you never had $300 to your name.
I did, too.
Where'd you get it?
None of your business.
All right, now, how about it, Miss Dunn better?
Did you have $300?
Well?
I never said it was exactly 300.
Not to the penny.
$3 would be more like it.
There happens to be a few things you don't know about,
including my savings.
A likely story, or you never saved a penny in your life.
What about my dime, ma'am?
I shook it the other day.
I thank you to keep your hands off my property.
Savings, indeed.
If I didn't pay most of the expenses around here,
you'd starve to death.
I managed quite well before you moved in on me, Bessie,
and I was perfectly happy living alone.
Matter of fact, I preferred that arrangement.
Well, maybe you'd like to try it again.
Maybe I would.
I'm sure there'd be money ahead.
Hot! Don't you hock me, Bessie Maxim.
You ought to see the way she eats.
Gobble, gobble, gobble, she shovels it down.
Stuff and nonsense.
I don't have any more appetite than a bird.
Birds don't nip the cooking, Sherry.
Boss had done better.
How can you say such a thing?
Because I know it's true.
I'm off the bottle.
Well, whatever I do, I don't fib to the police
like some people I could name.
Well, Miss Dunn better.
I may have exaggerated respect.
You mean to do no harm?
I wonder if you know it's against the law
to file a false police report.
Against the law?
There. You see, you're going to jail.
I knew it had happened.
I knew that sooner or later you'd disgrace all of us.
Why'd you do it?
You must have had a reason, ma'am.
I won't tell you.
In front of her, I won't.
Oh, well, let's see.
Would you mind waiting in the other room
for a couple of minutes, Miss Maxim?
I most certainly would.
We'd appreciate it if you would.
Oh, very well.
Very well!
You'd think I was the criminal around here.
All right, Miss Dunn, better tell us now, will you?
Very difficult to explain.
I'll give it a try, will you?
You see, it was all on account of her.
Bessie.
Go ahead.
Started with those little girls.
That's because she's older.
She's always lording it over.
Mom and Daddy always gave her everything first.
Hand me down, that's all I got.
Bessie's hand me down.
I see.
When we grew up, I couldn't push myself very much.
She's just the opposite.
Bearer of the ball.
She had a pick of all the young gentlemen in town.
The only time they'd take me out was when Bessie was busy.
I don't think she didn't let me know that I had second choice.
The only reason she married a horace was because it took fancy to me.
Well, I had my pride too.
Wouldn't settle for her leftovers.
That's why I stayed single.
I see.
The least you could have done was name one of the little girls after me.
After all, I'm an oldie sister.
Miss Dunn better you still haven't told us why you reported the burglary.
I'm telling you.
Yes, ma'am.
On account of her birthday.
Well, that was the last straw.
She hasn't talked about anything else for months and months.
Of course, she's 80 years old. You'd think she was the queen of Romania.
A picture in the paper of people making a fuss about her.
I made up my mind that for once in my life someone was going to make a fuss about me.
To tell you the truth, I'm not a bit sorry.
I did it.
I mean, yes, I should be sorry.
But I'm not.
I really enjoyed myself.
And all those questions you asked me.
Like I was somebody.
My name was in the papers too.
First time it ever happened.
It's strange when you come to think about it.
To live 79 years without ever seeing your name in print.
But that wasn't the best part.
The best part was Bessie not being able to horn in and take all the credit.
Why didn't you find me out sooner or later, but I didn't care.
I sure had the laugh on her.
All the time she's in Oxnard being paulted, I was having a little party of my own.
You know, you didn't need to put us through all this, Miss Dunbetter.
You're almost 80 yourself.
It's over a year away.
When you're my age, you can't be sure of anything.
Yes, ma'am.
Besides, even when I'm 80, Bessie will still be ahead.
How's that?
She'll be going on 90.
The story you've just heard is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Due to the advanced age of Miss Martha Dunbetter,
and because of her assurances that she would never repeat her actions,
no charges were filed against her.
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