Dragnet: The Big Gent, Part Two (EP1646)

Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it to me Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com slash Radio Detectives. Well, before we do get started, I do want to let you know the programs brought to you by the financial

The story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Dragnet.

You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to Robbery Detail. Three persons are shot down in a twelve thousand dollars hold up. One of the bandits is apprehended, convicted, and sent to prison for life. The other one is still at large.

Your job, get.

Him Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next thirty 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 from official police files.

From beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.

Whose Tuesday, June sixth, it was cloudy in Los Angeles. We're working a day watch out of Robbery Detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain ed Walker. My name is Friday. I was on the way back from Communications. It was eleven thirty five am when I got to Room twenty seven to eight Robbery Divisions. Oh all right, Oh hi Dave. Message in the book for you.

They men a couple of minutes ago.

Oh thank you, woman's boy.

How did you call?

Yeah, thank you Dave.

I'll get it now, George State Juvenile Room at.

Bentley Policewoman River there, please.

Since a minute, River, hold on, please miss River.

Dorothy Joe Friday.

Oh yes, Joe, you got the message.

Yeah, you're worrying about your purse.

I can't find it anywhere. Did I leave it in your car last night?

Found it this morning. I can leave it at the desk here if you like, you can pick it up some time today. Thanks a lot, Sure, Dorothy, I.

Had a wonderful time last night, Joe. I certainly enjoyed it.

Yeah, pretty good movie, huh they Dorothy?

Uh.

Mother and I were talking this morning at breakfast, like him over the house sometime for dinner. Mind'd like to meet you.

Oh sure, that'd be fine. I'd like to meet your mother.

How about a weekness coming Monday? That's my day off? Is that okay?

All right? Weekness Monday?

The weather's good. Well, maybe we can have a barbecue out in the back.

It sounds wonderful.

Okay, see you later then, bye, Joe. Hi, how to work out?

Man?

It didn't another force alarm?

Sure there's a scorch. You're up today?

Four months working that one solid lead where are we going? I haven't got the answer. I've run down so many bum tips. I don't think I know the real thing would hit me in the face.

Joe Wire and.

Mark Gear from San Diego just got here.

You want to come in, Yeah, right away?

All right, sit on.

Hope you two have more than we have.

Sell on that report on the skipper's desk, four month's leg work, gold, nothing at all, lots.

Of phony tips, bum leads. We've got three steak outs going. His mug shots plastered all over town.

No go, huh.

I don't know. I think he's got the perfect face for a killer. You can hang his description on a million guys. Got nothing on him at all, been here, just ran down the last lead we own.

Yeah, force nothing on the app and got the dust on it cold enough to bury.

How long has it been since it happened back in January?

With me?

Yeah, twenty seven Stanley Finance Company, San Diego.

It's all right there.

And the report in Yeah, I see ald up shooting. Got twelve thousand suspects of Frank Cheney Church Weber Cheney did the shooting.

That's what stops me. What's that took us?

A couple of weeks to grab turk. Weburn put him away here. It's more than four once and Cheney's still on the loose.

Doesn't that he can't be that smart? Well, he's free. I can't think of a better testimonial.

What about the other angles Friday? Besides those three steakhouts.

We covered the town for Cheney. He had four months of his hotels, rooming houses, motor courts, bars, restaurants, the works. Must have a couple of thousand copies of his mug shots. Bet around, no response. I get four or five calls a day on him. Been going on for weeks now we check him out, never the right man. What about his wife? She's still supposed to be with Cheney.

Isn't she funny thing? We haven't had one report on her.

Last time all two of 'em are supposed to have been seen together was five weeks ago. That was up and stopped him.

Cheney's mother in law lives in Marysville, still had a steak out in her house.

Yeah, no leads there either.

How about it?

Mark?

Nothing to offer? How about the SAME's up here? There is something we'd like to check on, though. Yeah, one of McGuire's informance was parole two weeks ago.

He served time with Cheney and Fulsom.

You have any things to say?

Yeah, his idea. Frank Cheney was the most hated man at Folsom.

Most of the kinds had given their right arm to cool him off. M What made him so popular? Pretty much of it.

Ran at the Warden's office three times a week regular and informed in the other cans every chance he got.

You figure some of them might want to even the score, do you if they know anything?

I'm pretty sure they'll.

Talk with the try and their leads can't mean any colding what we got anyway? Are you gonna need any help more?

No? Mcguarre and I can handle a questioning. We'll go up to Folsom tomorrow.

Okay, I don't think there's any argument. This thing needs a quick answer, Joe, you and Ben will have to push a lot harder and a lot faster. Jane's robbing killed before give him the chance he'll do it again.

We've run down all the possible ankles they had. We check every lead wee con take up. There's one you miss, yeah, the right one. Find it. From the day Frank Cheney had been identified as the killer, and the San Diego hold up murder four months before all of us realized the danger of another killing. As long as he was loose after eighteen years in prison, Cheney had a gun and he had his freedom again. We knew he wouldn't

Yeah.

I know Cheney pretty well, Sag pretty well, Ustimnutally you know. Yeah, I does it, And I know why you're here.

Sergeant. I can't help you.

You were pretty close to Chaney up at full from Worchestrees act best friend, and everybody was his best friend.

Everybody could do him some good. And you haven't seen or heard from him since he got out.

No, but I don't want to. I learned fast. What do you mean he's a bump sergeant? Some people born that way tried to talk me to a break once I didn't buy. I knew we'd gone right to the warden with it. Some people have borne that way bombs.

You think somebody might be hiding him up, somebody's pals? How about them? He's got any pals?

I don't know. I could tell you this. They didn't come out of fulsom Did you think of anything at all that might give us some kind of a lead on Genie? I wish I could believe me. I better get back on the job.

Shot form me.

He's no better than Cheney. Bum alright, stree Zach, thanks a lot. Like know. If you're hear anything, I'm gonna leave you one of our cards here. Yeah, okay, so here's frasacht. What'd you go up for in here? Just what I'm doing? Huh great? We kept at it, checking out the leads. One by one the same slow, dull routine that we've been on for four months. It ate up valuable time, but it was necessary. You never know

Hi, Ha, Diego called while you were out.

What year did they come up with anything? Fair?

One lead told him Cheney learned the printing trade while he was up at folsom knew the business well enough to work at it.

San Diego checking that out, he alerted the Printer's Union. We'll do the same up here.

Picture and story on Chaney'll be in the Union newspaper next week.

Yeah, and we dug up another bit on Cheney. We got it this morning. It's sat instead of ordinary. Ey had last this.

Chaney has been known to work contact lenses, you know, blast fits right over your eye.

Good chance he might be wearing them now. Kind of helped change his appearance.

And we got the prescription for the lenses firm. Chane's eye doctor got the information to all the optical.

Firms in town.

Right, man out here to see you.

Okay, thank you, Dave.

All right, that's all better. Contact San Diego and keep them posting.

Gentlemen here too.

Yes, all right, chargent you remember me, Vince Pertoli, you're in my place.

Last month the White House girl placed down on Alimeda. Yeah, that's right. Block the Union station. Both of you came in.

Yeah, you had coffee and an omelet.

You like, sure? Yeah, what can we do for you? Bertally?

Remember you were talking to me, You said you were looking for somebody. You left some pictures in this car to yours here.

Yeah, that's right.

Well I lost the pictures. I don't know why I lost him, but I kept your card. That's why I came to see you. What Well, as I say, I lost the pictures, but I still have an idea.

What they look like.

Have you seen either one of those people, the man of the woman.

Well that's why I came to check with you.

A week ago, one of my steady waitresses quit and I hired this brunette with a.

Hard luck story.

Hey carefors take a gun?

Licorice flavor? No, no, no, I think.

Well, after a couple of days, I remember that picture you gave me and I thought she looked a little like it.

That's why I kept her eye on him.

Did you notice anything out of the ordinary? You bet.

She never dates anybody, not even me, and I'm the boss. Not ugly either.

Yeah.

She always claims she's got to get home, never gives a reason, says she lives alone?

Or where does she live? A couple of blocks.

From my place on North Jersey. I think I checked the place where she does her shop and me tell me she buys enough groceries for three people.

She still insisted she's living by herself.

Yeah, that's why I thought i'd better check with you. I lost the pictures, but I hung on your card.

Would you take a look at this photograph of totally.

Yeah pursing when you gave me looks just like her Mary Swoan?

Who Mary Sloan? What your name isn't it? You want to turn that picture over missus Frank Cheney. Thursday, four pm, Ben and I drove down to the White House Grill and had a cup of coffee. We got a good look at the waitress, whom the owner, Vince per Toli, suspected of being Missus Cheney. We left and waited outside in the car until five o'clock when the suspect came out. We followed her at a grocery store and from there to a Rundown apartment building on Graystone Alley, just off Temple.

Who is there?

Who is police officers? Hop them up?

What do you want?

Open the door? Anybody else in here? My brother he's sick sleeping in the next room. You can't be disturbed. Come on, Ben, you can't go in there. Honey, the cock go shoe the window, all right, get back inside here, come on.

Here, all right?

Are you all right? Yeah? He broke bread? You were Yeah, you got clipped for nothing, not cheney. We drove the man and the woman, who identified herself as Mary Sloan, back to the office where they are identified as fugitives from Miami, Florida. The man was wanted on charges of first degree burglary. The woman was the accomplice. We turned

Oh thank you. It's a lot of work keeping it up. Roses didn't do well at all this year, acis you.

Know much more spaits Dorothy? The fires just right now. Oh no, thanks, Joe, I've had plenty.

Care for another cup of coffee? All right, thank you. I'm glad you could come today, Dorothy. Joseph's been talking so much about you. Oh you sproused me a little when I met too.

How's that?

No, Joseph, I don't think you look at all like policewomen. Most of them are rough looking, I think.

Oh no, I don't think so.

They look like most women.

Nothing much out of the ordinary about them. Oh well, times have certainly changed. We didn't have police women when I was a girl.

Probably could have used them.

Well, I don't know. I don't think we have so much crime then times were much different. You seem so young for such work, Dorothy, Policewomen.

I'm twenty five, missus Friday in the department, almost two years as.

Your young girl. Joseph's thirty one. You know, yes, I know.

Hey Ma, how about letting me get you?

Oh no, no match, all right, Joseph. You just sit there, have your coffee. I'm used to this, have to get used to housework when you're married. Wonderful dinner, Joe.

Your mother is very sweet.

Yeah, real subtle, isn't she motherly instinct. Somebody has to look after you. That's the phone, Dorothy. I better grab it. I'll be right back. Okay, never mind, moll let me get it. Friday tongue.

This is Walker.

Joe, check back in right away. What do you got.

Spring in West Tampa, the Second National Bank.

Yeah, Frank Chaney just.

Held it up.

You are listening to drag nets.

Monday, June nineteenth, three pm. I went back to the office, picked up Ben and Captain Walker, and the three of us drove to the scene of the robbery at the corner of Spring and West Temple the Second National Bank. Ricketts and Thaster from robbery details were already there. Questioning the witnesses, we talked to the bank's vice president in charge at the time of the hold up on mister Bronson. He had a weld on the right side of his head and was pretty badly shaken.

He had his hand in one of his coat pockets and he walked straight over to me. It's the first thing he said, this.

Is a hold up. You're a positive of The identification is brun.

I'm certain this picture here it's the man, all right. The others will tell you the same.

Who is that mister Bronson?

The tellers eh all got a good look at him, no mistake.

Well what happened after Cheney approached him. He was very calm, very quiet.

Huh, he said, do exactly what I tell you, Call for help and I'll kill you. He would calm all the way through it, just like it was an ordinary business with him.

Did he have you get the money for him?

No?

He ordered me from back to the front counter there and we went from cage to cage. Each time he had me say the same thing to the teller, this is a hold up. Give me all the currency you have, don't call for help.

How many taillers? Did he have you collect from five?

Just lying along here? Windows one to five? My knees were shaking so hard I could barely walk. I kept wondering if one of the taillers might try to sound the alarm.

Answer? What happened? After he got the money?

He had me walk in front of him down there to the side exit. That's when he hit me. I guess side of my head. You can see here where they by?

How much money did he get to?

You know, I'm not quite sure more than four thousand. I can't help but think how lucky I am. That man's a killer. I'm certain of it.

Are you sure that we can't fix you up with a ride home? No? No, I'll be all right, Thank you.

My wife's on the way down now.

Can I answer your pause enough?

Yes?

Thanks to excuse us for your bronson, Yes, certainly.

How did I fall to do?

On the getaway?

Cops?

Andy? You?

Yeah?

U two?

This afternoon he went to a used car lot up and figure out about eight blocks from here, I asked to be shown a late night Ford Yeah salesman took him for a demonstration ride. When he pulled up for an Artario Cheney jabbed a gun at him and told him to get out.

Salesman got out, Jady drove.

Off and fifteen minutes later he walked in here and pulled the robbery.

That's at the bank.

Tell us tab the same fault as they get away car, broadcasting all points on the car.

Nothing yet. What time you got from here? M ten minutes before?

What time the alert to thanks here?

Two forty five? Everything covered?

Yeah, Union Station, both airports and bus depos are all alerted.

Roadblocks set up in.

The highways since two forty five, just about and changing somewhere in the city.

Find him.

Six pm, the search went on. We called into the office and had them notify San Diego of the latest developments in the case. At seven pm, the weather started to cloud up. Still no sign of Cheney or the getaway car. At eight o'clock it started to ring. A few minutes past ten, two door Ford sedan was found abandoned on San Pedro Street near South Park. A license number matched out of Cheney's getaway car, so Dan was impounded and towed to a garage for fingerprinting. Ben called

I think I've got a fume that. It reminds me. How did the dinner come off yesterday? Do of them get along the rye?

Oh?

All right?

You know how it is? My are usual? Few things to say. Well, Dorothy handled a pretty good, good sense of humor, A nice living girl sensing.

It I have for Sarah, do any good?

No?

Not much phone message in the book four you are supposed to call as soon as you get.

In m and had four to one nine known name.

No, you're supposed to call the number. That's all?

Oh okay, Well, how's new house? Though pretty good?

Takes a lot of money. Got the forums in for the patty. I'm going for the cement this weekend.

Got the place fenced Offia not yet.

No, most pickets cost money.

Fellas are telling me that you're doing all the work yourself.

Me and the brother in law.

Yeah, costs a lot of money in new house, so good.

Yeah, it was Frank Cheney's grandfather. Yeah, says to come over right away. Seven thirty am it was still raining. Ben and I drove out to the older section of the Wilshire district. To the Cheney mansion represented one part of the suspect's life that we could never figure. As a child and later as a young man. Frank Cheney had had every advantage and comfort that a millionaire father could buy for him, yet for some reason, he'd settled

You couldn't go a nurse go on, I'll be outside.

I didn't need to Chaney.

Yes, yes, you have some information for us, mister Cheney.

Of course, that's right.

Carled sit down, Thank you, sir. That hold up yesterday, the bank robbery. I know all about.

It as Frank contacted you. It's like the police get right to the point as he contacted you. Yes, e hand me that class of water police. No man, yeah, ah.

Ugh, thank you, No, don't leave it on the table. Then, when Frank got out of prison last year he came to see me. I offered him one more chance. I told him, if he decided to earn his way up, all the helpe I could give him. He said he would, Yes, Sir, I was a fool like everyone else.

I believed him. Any idea where Frank is now?

I gave him everything it was possible to give him. He directed the family, his father's life, my life, everything.

He touched your ruin. You know where he is, naw say.

He telephoned me day before yesterday. He was going away Central America.

Why didn't you notify us he was going away. I thought it'd be better. We've had enough notoriety newspaper stories. How was he going to get to South America's Swedish ship?

Is going to work his way going from San Pedro, staying in some hotel there you don't know the name.

Fight and take him away, bury him some place.

Okay yo, Yeah, thank you very much, mister Cheney sash, Yes.

Sir, Frank will have a gun, he'll try to use it.

Yes, sir, kill him.

Nine am. Ben and I went back to the office and put in a call to the Swedish Vice consult on South Spring Street. They told us that three days before a man answering Chene's description signed on the Swedish Motorship Southern Cross as a member of the engine room crew. We picked up Sergeant Stackster and Davis and drove down to San Pedro. The Southern Cross was still taking on cargo. When we got there. We showed Cheney's mud shot for the first mate.

God the American Cameron. That's him.

He signed on this trip.

Was he aboard the ship? Now?

Oh, he's hided up there on deck's there?

I guess event, what.

If you take us to him.

Please hold right, ben ben ho the command and eating thing.

All right, you say the game, they might just be better watch it then?

Yeah, oh cool through hair.

Maybe you better stay behind here, sir, we'll take him stand. Might be a little trouble here. Do you wanna stay behind us?

What right?

You must stay in the end?

Gender room stay theyhead then to end her lesson a companion, be right, thank you?

Oh come on, I'll watch you step in there. Sure, Let men, this one's my spotted it all right, Channy Holt. He's making a brain ho it's going top side hustle, Come on a ladder, look, go give it up.

He's going for the game, all right, stop him?

Yeah, through the shoulder, Yeah, bumped his head when he fell. Got to get the cuffs on him. Ourn everybody, this beer too. I she didn't notice when we came a boy. Huh looked top side red flag? Oh yeah, taken on fuel.

Huh.

There's some of the cargo right over there. Oh I explosive.

The story you have just heard was true, only the names were changed to protect the innocent.

On November, second trial was held in Superior Court, City and County of San Diego, State of California. In a moment the results of that trial. Frank Bertram Cheney was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He is now awaiting execution in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary San Quentin, California. This is NBC's national broadcasting.

This is Andrew Ryans with OTR Westerns dot com, where we stream live all time Radio Westerns twenty four hours a day, seven days a week with a special twist. You select the tracks that get to be played. We've got a thousand different episodes from shows like Gunsmoke, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Escape, Geneautry, and many more. Come check us at Otrwesterns dot com slash live again. That's

Into the show.

Welcome back.

Well.

I liked the little touch of realism where they went in and they had a fugitive, but it was the wrong person. I also thought that the way they tried to subtenly answer the question of how someone like that could turn out to be a criminal. With that background shown through. The grandfather really was a lot more upset about the difficulty that this was bringing to the family, more than he was his grandson, and certainly more than he was the victims, and that sort of callous disregard