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 the forgery detail.
For the past six weeks, a man has been passing phony payroll checks in your city.
You've got a description but no positive identification.
The check forgeries continue.
Your job, stop him.
It was Tuesday, May 17th.
Was windy in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of forgery detail.
My partner's Frank Smith.
The boss is Captain Welsh.
My name's Friday.
We're on our way back from lunch and it was 1.13 p.m. when we got to room 29.
Forgery.
Yes, ma'am, that's right.
I see.
Hold on a minute, will you please?
Hey Joe.
Yeah?
Skipper wants to talk to you and Smith.
Right, thanks.
Well, just one thing, ma'am.
Could you tell me what kind of a town it is?
Yes, ma'am, I understand that.
Come in.
Well, in that case, your husband's got a perfect place.
Hi, Skipper.
You want to see us?
Yeah, sit down.
I guess you know what's on my mind.
Oh, we got a pretty good idea, yeah.
Corner Pocket had me in this morning and gotten beef from all over town.
Factors raising can because their employees can't cash legitimate payroll checks.
Merchants scared to death of being stuck with a phony.
You making any headway on this guy?
Not much.
Well, just where do we stand, laid out?
Well, he passed another one last Tuesday, a tailor shop on South Jefferson.
How many does that make?
Well, 24 that we know of.
All in the last six weeks?
Give or take a couple of days.
You sure they're from the same guy?
Same M.O., same description.
A couple of times he had a woman with him.
Said she was his wife.
We sent out circulars on them both.
Any results?
One or two leads.
Didn't pan out.
What about your informants?
Nothing.
They're holding out?
I don't think so.
I don't think they know.
Captain Wells.
Yeah.
Yeah, they're here.
I see.
Okay, give me the address.
Yeah.
Yeah, I got it.
Don't worry.
I'll tell them.
24 bum checks, huh?
That's right, Skipper.
That's wrong.
Huh?
25 now.
On April 6th, we'd received the first report on this series of check forgeries.
A grocery store on the corner of Oakwood and 3rd had cashed what appeared to be a payroll
check from the Jeffers-Karner Aircraft Company.
Was Mark payable to Russell J. Foreman?
In our investigation, Frank and I had learned that the check was fictitious and that the
company had never employed anybody by that name.
We had also learned that bona fide Jeffers-Karner checks were printed in a different manner and
in a different color.
During the next five weeks, we'd received additional reports of forged payroll checks supposedly
issued by various Los Angeles manufacturers.
In each case, the suspect had had what seemed to be good identification, either a driver's
license or an employment ID card from the company named on the check.
The suspect had never used the same name or the same plant twice, but descriptions given
by victims had indicated that the forgeries were all the work of one man.
On three occasions, he'd been accompanied by a woman who had been introduced as his
wife.
Victims had been unable to make an identification from our mug books.
Descriptions of both suspects and their MO had been checked for the stats office and had
been sent to the C.I.I. up in Sacramento.
A local and an A.P.B. had been gotten out.
The 25th victim was Alvin Driscoll, owner of a men's clothing store on South Maryland Avenue.
Frank and I interviewed him at his shop.
He told us that the forged check which he had cashed appeared to be from the Elderdale
Oil Refinery.
I come into the store, bought a couple items, give me his payroll check to pay for.
That's all there was to it.
That was last Friday.
Friday morning, long about 9.30 a.m.
What was it he bought, Mr. Driscoll?
Sport shirts, MacCount over there, marked down to $298.
Some of them was as high as $5 last year.
They're real good buys, believe me.
They're medium.
That was his size.
What else can you tell us about this man?
How's that?
What do he look like?
Well, like I said, he takes a medium shirt.
That'd make him, well, pretty average.
About 1.70, I'd judge.
Black hair, a little bit of gray in it.
Pleasant face.
Ordinary fellow.
How was he dressed?
Soup, shirt, button down collar.
The charcoal brown, about the shade of the...
That went on the rack over there, down at the end.
See it?
When he gave you the check, did you ask for any identification?
Well, I didn't have to ask.
He just handed over.
He had a whole wallet full.
Driver's license, union card, whole wallet full.
Well, that may have been for a few days.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
He was a good guy.
Driver's license, union card, whole wallet full.
Well, that may have been forged, too.
Well, it looked genuine to me.
Yes, sir.
Wasn't any way of my knowing, it was phony.
I'd done just what I was supposed to.
Everything.
Make sure you get identification of your cash check.
This is what the bank says.
It's what you police fellows say, too, isn't it?
Yes, sir.
Uh-huh.
Well, I'm still out of $100, ain't I?
Looks that way, doesn't it?
Mr. Driscoll, is there anything you can tell us about this?
tell us about this man. Well, no, no, nothing that comes to mind.
Did he have a car? Do you know that? Yeah, I know.
Well, did he? Brand new Ford Convertible. You know, one of them two-tone models.
Probably wasn't even broke in yet, but I sure don't keep him from gunning it when he went
barreling out of here. Are you certain about this?
About what? Well, that he was driving a new Ford Convertible.
Well, I guess I know one when I see one. I'm considering buying a new Ford myself.
Not like that snazzy roadster he had, or the C-Dan, maybe.
Had me a demonstration drive a couple weeks ago. I see.
Oh, my, now I'll probably have to make out with my old clunker another year.
Thanks to his bum check. Oh, sir, did you happen to notice the license number?
On the convertible? Yes. Yes, I noticed it.
Well, do you happen to know if it was a California plate or an out-of-state?
It was California. Do you remember the number?
Now, what do you fellas think I am, anyway? You expect me to memorize a whole
string of figures like that when I only seen them once?
Ha! Ain't no quiz, kid. Yes, sir.
When you're my age, you can't keep every little thing in your head, you know?
Yes, sir. Would it really make any difference if you
lost that license number? Well, yes, sir, it might.
Did I? I guess it's a good thing I jotted it down.
The victim, Alvin Driscoll, checked his files and showed us a carbon copy of the
sales slip for the items with the suspected purchase.
On it, he had noted the license number, R1V1-5347.
3.38 p.m. Frank and I went back to the office and asked E.M.B. to run down the
number for us.
That's right. 5347. Will he call us back? OK, thanks.
It'll be a minute or two, Joe. Looks like we might be getting our first break.
Yeah.
Well, you got a cigarette? Yeah. You're all out?
Well, I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't.
Oh, OK. I didn't mean anything, Joe. There you go.
OK. Hang on. No, go ahead and keep them. I got another pack.
That's all right. I'll get some more.
I told you to keep them, Joe. There's only a couple left.
Matter of fact, there's only one. Thanks anyway.
Sorry.
Audrey Smith. Wait a minute. OK, go ahead.
Is it Meissen? M-Y-S-O-N? Yeah, I got it.
Uh-huh. 117. Huh? You sure?
Yeah, I see.
OK, thanks.
Well, DMV came up with a car to match that plate, huh?
There's one thing wrong. It isn't a brand new Ford.
Oh, it's a six-year-old Buick.
The Department of Motor Vehicles has reported that the car bearing license number R1V15347
was registered in the name of Philip B. Meissen at 117 South Helen Avenue.
Records showed that the car in question was a Buick sedan,
which had been manufactured six years earlier.
We ran Meissen's name through R&I. They had nothing on him.
We also ran the license number through our auto records
to check to see if it was a stolen plate or a hot car.
The report was negative.
4.09 p.m. Frank and I drove out to the Helen Avenue address.
It was a small one-story bungalow with rain-streaked stucco walls.
Let me try it again.
Come in.
Yeah, who is it?
Police officer.
Well?
You're Miss Philip Meissen?
Yeah.
Miss Frank Smith, my name's Friday.
All right, your name's Friday, his name's Smith, my name's Meissen.
Where's that go?
We'd like to talk to you for a minute, Miss Meissen.
You mean you want to come inside?
Well, it might be a little easier to talk there.
Nobody's stopping me.
Yes, ma'am.
You want to sit down, you have to clear off a space
no more much of a housekeeper.
Sorry, we'll stand.
Suit yourself.
Is Miss Meissen, is your husband home?
Phil?
Yes, ma'am.
Mm-mm.
Do you know where we might get in touch with him?
No.
You must have some idea.
I haven't seen him since last March.
What kind of a car is he driving?
Ask him.
Do you ever own a Buick sedan?
License number R1V15347.
Why?
We'd like to know where the car is now.
It's out in the garage and that's where it's staying.
You can tell that lousy crumb if he thinks he's going to take the car away from me.
He's got another thing coming.
Your husband isn't trying to take your car.
Yeah?
What are you doing here?
We'd like to check the license plate, that's all.
You sure that's all you want, just to check the license?
That's all.
Oh, wait a minute, I'll get you the garage key.
Thank you.
Sorry if I gave you a rough time, but you can't blame me.
A character like my husband, he'd have to try anything.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, here you are.
You sure you lock it up when you're done?
Yes, ma'am.
I'll take a look at it, John.
All right.
I might have known it was too good to last.
Ma'am?
Not hearing from Phil for over two months.
Is he still in Los Angeles, would you know?
Not if he's got good sense.
What do you mean?
If he's smart, he'll stay as far away from me as he can.
Yeah.
He's just plain lucky I didn't kill him.
Giving me a shirt with some other dame's lipstick on the collar,
expecting me to wash it out.
I should have throttled him with it.
Yes, ma'am.
Do you have a picture of your husband, Miss Mason?
Why?
We'd like to know what he looks like.
Like a bum, that's what.
Do you have a picture?
Snapshot, maybe.
Would you see if you can find one for us?
All right.
Just looking at him will probably spoil my supper.
Now, here's something.
I'm married to a face like that,
and I have to worry about other women.
All right, if we borrow this for a couple of days.
Do me a favor.
Keep it.
Joe.
Excuse me, Miss Mason.
Yeah.
That's the right license plate for the wrong car.
Buick sedan?
Just like BMV had at six years old.
Okay.
Here's your key, ma'am.
You locked up tight?
Yes, ma'am.
Sorry if we bothered you.
Forget it.
Hey, wait a minute.
Yes?
Not that I'd give a darn,
but how about telling me why you're so interested in Phil?
It was just a police matter.
You don't think he pulled a job or something?
Why should we think that?
You shouldn't, Phil.
You do. You're way off base.
You really picked the wrong guy.
Yes, ma'am.
Take it from me.
If a jerk like Phil ever got out of line once,
just once, you boys wouldn't have to go looking for him.
Oh.
No.
You'd catch him red-handed.
Frank and I left the Myson home
and contacted Alvin Driscoll.
He confirmed his description of the suspect's car,
but he admitted he might have been mistaken
about the license number.
We showed him Myson's photograph,
and he was certain that Myson was not the suspect.
He would pass the Ford's check.
The next day, May 18th,
we showed the Myson photo to several of the other victims.
They all agreed that he was not the forger.
1117 A.M.
We went over to DMV
and began to try variations of the license number
Mr. Driscoll had given us
to see if we could come up with a late model Ford convertible.
1232 P.M.
How you doing?
Well, I turned up a couple of Fords, no convertible.
I've switched the last two numbers every way I can think of.
What are you working on now?
V-15.
V-15.
Okay, I'll try the 535.
Clarence.
Huh?
New Ford, only one digit off.
Convertible?
Yeah.
Sounds like it might be it.
It's pretty hard to tell, yeah.
What do you mean?
Belongs to a car rental agency.
DMV records showed that a vehicle
similar to the one we were looking for
was registered to the C.P. Adams Auto Rental Agency
on South 6th Street.
2.17 P.M.
Frank and I went over there and talked to the owner, Clifford P. Adams.
Would you give me that number again, please?
It's R-1 V-35347.
All right, I got it.
Now, does this give me a moment to check our records?
Yes, sir.
Now, we have a stock of over 50 cars.
It's a little difficult to remember all the last numbers.
Yes, sir, it would be.
Here we are.
It seems you're quite correct.
That's one of our automobiles, a new Ford.
Can you tell us what model it is?
It's a convertible, yellow and black.
Most of our cars are convertibles
when people come to Southern California.
That's what they all want.
Yes, sir.
Anything else I can do for you?
Yeah, is that car rented right now?
Well, I couldn't say offhand.
Would you like me to find out?
If you will, please.
Be glad to. Be glad to.
It's a different pile, that's all.
I see.
Let's see.
All right, this is it.
No, no, that car's in the shop today.
Grease job, oil change, regular check-out.
Do you have the names of the people who've rented it lately?
They're right here on the card.
Any particular date?
How about last week, Thursday?
Thursday, that would be Mr. Waters, Mr. Gerald Waters.
He used the car all last week, just turned it back yesterday.
Your regular customer?
He's rented from us several times, as I recall,
on and off during last month or so.
Can you tell us what he looks like?
Actually, I've only seen him once or twice.
He's a youngish man, about 40, tall,
black hair, a little gray at the temples.
How about his wife? Did you ever meet her?
Yes, she picked up a car for him once.
Would you describe her, please?
I think she was blonde.
Nice-looking, probably in her 30s.
That's about all I can remember.
Do you have their address, Mr. Adams?
Oh, yes, yes. We try to get all the information we can
about our clients, but I'm afraid it's in the different files.
All right, take your time.
Someday we'll have to work out a more efficient system
for all these records.
Thompson, Tucker, Berger, Waters.
Well, yes, this is it.
Home address, Springfield, Illinois.
What about here in Tenerife?
Oh, we have that, too.
The Haven House Motel on Sunset Boulevard.
I see.
But I'm afraid you won't be able to reach them there.
Oh.
When Mr. Waters turned in the car yesterday,
he asked us to drive him and his wife to Union Station.
Yeah.
Yeah, he said that we're leaving town.
We got a sample of the suspect's handwriting,
and we asked Mr. Adams to get in touch with us
if he heard from Gerald Waters again.
We sent a teletype to Springfield, Illinois,
requesting any information they might have
about Gerald Waters.
The next day, May 19th, the Springfield PD
replied that a man answering Waters' description
was wanted for a series of Illinois check forgeries.
They also said his true name was Fred H. Joyce.
They said that they were forwarding a mug shot
air mail special delivery.
The mug arrived on Friday, May 20th.
We showed it to four of the checked victims,
and they all positively identified the photograph.
3.36 p.m., Frank and I drove over to the Adams Car
Rental Agency to confirm the identification.
Hi, Mr. Adams.
Well, well, well, this is quite a coincidence.
Sir?
You're coming here today.
I just called you a little while ago.
We didn't get any message.
Well, I didn't leave any message.
I wasn't sure it was important.
Well, what was it you wanted?
About Mr. Waters.
You told me to let you know if I heard from him again.
That's right.
Well, I did.
What's that?
He wants to rent another car.
We showed Mr. Adams the mug shot of Fred Joyce,
and he stated positively that Joyce and Gerald Waters
were the same man.
He also told us that Waters had called the car rental agency
about 11 o'clock that morning to make arrangements
for renting a new convertible.
Joyce had asked them to have the car ready at 5.30.
He said he would pick it up.
Frank and I waited in Adams' office, 5.28 p.m.
Want to go ahead and answer?
CP Adams' car rentals.
Who?
Oh, yes, just a minute.
It's him, Mr. Waters, or whatever his real name is.
Spend it when he wants.
Yes, Mr. Waters.
Oh, yes, it's all ready.
I thought you were going to pick it up.
Oh.
Well, I, uh, I don't know.
Hold on a second.
He says he's tied up that he can't get away.
He wants us to deliver the car.
Ask him where he's calling from, will you?
Where are you, Mr. Waters?
I say.
Well, I don't know.
I'm a little short-handed today.
I'll have to check.
I think the phone booth is somewhere in Wilshire.
What does he want you to send the car?
Where do you want the car delivered, Mr. Waters?
Mm-hmm.
The Crest Plaza.
How soon?
I guess we could make it by then.
Tell him you need to.
All right, Mr. Waters, we'll do our best.
Thank you very much.
You'll be in the bar at the Crest Plaza Hotel at 6.30,
just off the lot.
Right, thanks a lot.
Oh, about the car, I wouldn't want to damage it.
Don't worry, Mr. Adams.
You don't need to send it.
Why?
We'll take care of his transportation.
We went over to the Crest Plaza Hotel.
It was 6.28 p.m. when we arrived.
There were two entrances to the bar.
Frank went in through the lobby, and I used the street door.
Yes, sir, what can I do for you?
Got any hot coffee?
Yeah.
Black, please.
Is that all you want?
Yeah, that's all.
Not very busy tonight, are you?
That place livens up later on.
All right.
Good evening.
Hi, you two guys together?
That's right.
He wants coffee, too, huh?
Yeah, black.
Thank you.
Okay, sports, I'll get it.
You see him?
No, he's probably not here yet.
Here you are.
Thank you.
Hey.
Don't mention it.
That'll be 20 cents.
All right.
I'll be right there.
I'll be right there.
Thank you.
You sure you don't want anything to drink?
No.
Well, would you mind finishing the coffee over in the booth?
What do you mean?
Well, it's not good for business.
Why?
We sell booze, not coffee.
Other customers come see you sitting here swilling coffee, so I'll be giving them ideas.
A thing like that catches on, the place will go broke.
We're police officers.
What?
Police officers.
Well, what are you doing here?
Is something wrong?
A couple of questions we want to ask.
Yeah, about what?
Take a look at this picture.
I'm going to tell us if you know him.
Wait a minute, let me get some light.
Yeah.
Yeah, I've seen this guy around.
He live here in the hotel?
I don't think so.
He comes in once in a while, though.
He usually drags a blonde around with him.
Mm-hmm.
You guys been looking for him long?
Quite a while, yeah.
You must have been looking the wrong places.
What do you mean?
He just walked through the door.
That's him.
Let's go.
How about a guy on my team here, eh?
A couple of them will set pretty good for dinner.
Eh, something you want?
You, Gerald Waters.
What?
Gerald Waters, is that you?
You from the car lot?
You come up with the first answer, mister.
How about the name?
Yeah, I'm Waters.
Where's the car?
You won't need it.
Police officers, you're under arrest.
What are you talking about?
You keep out of this, honey.
All right, come on, Waters.
I'll give you a treat.
You better take it easy.
You're liable to find out you're rousing the wrong guy.
Well, I'll tell you, I'm going to run that risk.
Get up.
Okay, okay.
Keep your hands off him.
I'll stay.
I don't know what this is all about, but I know you haven't done anything wrong, Joe.
Whatever happens, I'll stick by you.
I'll get a lawyer, I'll raise the money somehow.
Whatever happens, I'm never going to leave you, Joe.
Don't worry about it, lady.
What?
You're coming along.
We took the two suspects into custody and drove them down to the city hall.
7, 08 p.m.
We turned the female suspect over to a policewoman and we searched, and we brought Joyce into
the squad room for interrogation.
I'm going to go get Joyce.
You brought Joyce into the squad room for interrogation.
All right, Joyce, take everything out of your pockets.
My name is Waters, you know that.
We know it's Joyce, too.
Go on, empty.
Lay the stuff on the table.
What are these keys for?
Lockers.
Where?
I forget.
Sure.
Listen, why are you holding my wife?
She hasn't done anything.
If you think you can frame me, go ahead and try it, but turn her loose.
That's not up to us.
Why not?
She's been with you too often.
What do you mean?
When you were passing those phony checks.
Phony checks?
Is that what you think I've done?
There are about 25 people who say it was you.
They're wrong, that's all.
They're wrong.
I don't think so.
Are you willing to go to court?
I better shut up.
Ever been in Illinois, Joyce?
What?
Springfield.
What do you know about that?
You're in the upper brackets, Joyce.
We got the whole story.
Come on, Joyce, it'll make it easier all around.
How about it?
Where's Myra?
She's all right.
Where is she?
Right down the hall.
I'll tell you what.
You know, we can get together on this thing.
We can come to an agreement.
Go ahead.
I'll tell you what.
I'll tell you what.
I'll tell you what.
What about Myra?
Will you let her go?
That depends.
On what?
How clean she is.
She'll stand any kind of a look.
She's never been in any trouble.
And she hasn't got anything to worry about.
Go ahead with the story.
Okay, I'll get on your side.
I'm the guy you're looking for.
We knew that going in.
Old things started right after Myra and I were married.
Yeah.
I was making pretty good money, enough to give her the things she wanted.
You know, she's a pretty girl, a woman like that.
She's got to have nice things.
I don't know how it happened, just all of a sudden the bottom of her head went up.
I don't know how it happened, just all of a sudden the bottom of her head went up.
I mean, your business?
Yeah.
The whole thing just seemed to explode.
No matter what I did, it was wrong.
Nothing worked.
I couldn't let Myra know about it.
They just couldn't.
I tried to borrow the money, talk to all my friends, try to get them to stake me again.
All I could see of them was their backs.
I had to do something.
So they started hanging paper.
It was the only way, the only one.
Do you have any more checks?
Yeah.
The key's there.
They're for locker downtown.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
I'll give you the keys.
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A couple of other states do.
What?
You aren't the only husband she's had, and you aren't the first forger she's worked with
either.
What kind of a double cross is this?
No double cross.
She's got a record of all your arms.
That's a lie.
A dirty, lousy lie.
Take it easy.
Come, guys.
Still a lie.
Figure it out for yourself.
Take a good look.
What do you mean?
Does your wife know anything about the checks?
Sure.
After we got going, wasn't any way to keep it away from her.
How about when you started?
Did she know then?
No.
You sound pretty sure.
Maybe you talked it over with her.
I don't know.
Maybe she...
She might have helped you out a little then, huh?
I think the operation was her idea.
How about it, Joyce?
I don't know.
I don't much care anymore.
Maybe it was her idea.
Maybe she did play me for a sucker.
Sure sounds that way to us.
It doesn't really make any difference.
She did.
Take a look around you, cop.
Everybody's a sucker.
Everybody in the world is gonna fall for a con game sooner or later.
Everybody.
Those guys that cash the checks for me.
Suckers.
Every one of them.
Just like me.
Look at all the money they're out.
Well, there's a big difference.
Huh?
That's all they're out.
The story you have just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On August 17th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California,
in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Frederick R. Joyce, alias Gerald Waters, was tried and convicted of forgery five counts.
Forgery is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than one, nor more than
14 years on each count.
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action, and
the story of Jack Webb, a presentation of the United States Armed Forces radio service.
This