transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:28] Welcome to The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But first, I do want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one-time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, Peel Box 15913, that's Peel Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715, and become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters. For as little as $2 per month, just go to patreon.greatdetectives.net. Now, from January 24th, 1952, here is The Big Court.

Speaker 2:
[01:37] 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 robbery detail. An ex-convict is accused of robbery and murder. Four witnesses identify him as the killer. The man's arraigned in municipal court and held to answer. Your job? Investigate. Dragnet, The Document, a 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.

Speaker 3:
[02:42] It was Wednesday, March 12th, it was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of robbery detail. My partner is Ed Jacobs, the boss is Captain Didion. My name is Friday. We were on the way over from the office and it was 10:43 a.m. when we got to the third floor at the Hall of Justice. Municipal Court, Department 82. You see him, Joe? I think so, yeah. That's him up front behind the D.A.'s table. Oh, yeah. Come on. Hi, Leo.

Speaker 4:
[03:14] Oh, hi, Friday. Jacobs. Pull up a chair.

Speaker 3:
[03:16] Yeah, thank you. Who's on the stand first, do you know? Victim's wife, I think.

Speaker 4:
[03:23] Oh. People versus St. Clair. People ready. In this case, Your Honor, we'd like to proceed with number 23548.

Speaker 5:
[03:35] You may proceed.

Speaker 4:
[03:36] Is the defendant ready? Defendant's ready, Your Honor. Call Agnes Holloway.

Speaker 3:
[03:40] Agnes Holloway to the stand.

Speaker 5:
[03:48] You saw, Miss Swirer, that the testimony you are about to give in the matter not pending before this court will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so hark to God.

Speaker 6:
[03:55] I do.

Speaker 5:
[03:56] State your name, please.

Speaker 4:
[04:05] I'm calling your attention to the fourth day of March of this year, Mrs. Holloway. Did you see the defendant in your place of business at 2301 Naylor Avenue?

Speaker 6:
[04:13] Yes, sir.

Speaker 4:
[04:14] What time of day did you first see him at that location?

Speaker 6:
[04:17] It was around 930.

Speaker 4:
[04:19] Will you tell us what you saw the defendant do? With the purpose of the record, may we ask whether that was in the morning or the afternoon? Was that in the morning or in the p.m.? P.m. Can you tell us what you saw the defendant do and what you heard him say at that place?

Speaker 6:
[04:32] You mean before the holdup?

Speaker 4:
[04:33] 9.30. Please tell us what occurred.

Speaker 6:
[04:36] Well, I came in about 9.30 at the place. He was already sitting there at the bar.

Speaker 4:
[04:42] Continue.

Speaker 6:
[04:43] I came in and sat down at the end of the bar. He was sitting about five stools from the door. A friend of mine, Doris Henwick, she's here now. Doris was sitting near him. I went over and talked to Doris for a while. The man didn't say anything, he was just sitting there.

Speaker 4:
[05:00] Did you see him drinking anything?

Speaker 6:
[05:02] Yes, he was drinking scotch and soda.

Speaker 4:
[05:04] You're the wife of George Holloway, deceased, is that correct?

Speaker 6:
[05:07] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[05:08] Was he present then?

Speaker 6:
[05:10] Beg your pardon?

Speaker 4:
[05:10] Was your husband, George Holloway, present at that time?

Speaker 6:
[05:13] Yes, he was standing at the bar.

Speaker 4:
[05:15] By that, do you mean that your husband, yourself and the defendant were the only persons present?

Speaker 6:
[05:19] No, my friend Doris Henwick, there was a sailor there too, I don't know who he was. He sat next to the defendant.

Speaker 4:
[05:26] What occurred then?

Speaker 6:
[05:28] As we were ready to close the front door, my husband noticed the light in the men's washroom.

Speaker 4:
[05:33] I move that go out, what her husband noticed as a conclusion of the witness. Yes, may I go out?

Speaker 6:
[05:39] Well, anyway, my husband went back in to put the light out, Doris Henwick and I went out to the sidewalk, so did the sailor, and the fellow did too.

Speaker 4:
[05:49] The defendant did?

Speaker 6:
[05:50] Yes. In the minute I went back inside to see what my husband was doing, the defendant followed me back in. I was about as far as the music machine. He put his arm around me and he had a gun right here. He said, lady, this is a sticker.

Speaker 4:
[06:09] Could you describe the gun you saw?

Speaker 6:
[06:11] No, I just saw it look like a pistol to me. I couldn't tell you the make of it.

Speaker 4:
[06:14] I'll move that guard, if you'll honor please, what it looked like.

Speaker 6:
[06:17] I know it was a gun.

Speaker 4:
[06:18] The motion will be denied. You were inside the building when the defendant did that?

Speaker 6:
[06:23] Yes. He said, be quiet or I'll kill you.

Speaker 4:
[06:27] And where was Ms. Fenwick then?

Speaker 6:
[06:28] She was out on the sidewalk, talking to the sailor, I think. Doris was expecting her husband to come on the streetcar.

Speaker 7:
[06:34] I'll move that guard out.

Speaker 4:
[06:36] Ms. Fenwick was out on the sidewalk, may stay in, and the balance may go out. What did the defendant do after that, Mrs. Holloway?

Speaker 6:
[06:44] He said, I will shoot you if you don't keep quiet. He made me walk backwards to where my husband was, and I said, Johnny, this man has a gun, and he says this is a sticker. And the man said, shut up, and he made my husband put his hands up.

Speaker 4:
[06:59] Were you in fear of the gun at that time?

Speaker 6:
[07:01] No, I didn't have any fear.

Speaker 4:
[07:03] Did you believe the defendant would injure you with the gun?

Speaker 6:
[07:05] I wasn't afraid. I thought, well, it's a hold up, and we'll give him the money, and that's all there is to it.

Speaker 4:
[07:12] All right. Continue.

Speaker 6:
[07:15] Well, when we got to the back room, my husband was trying to open the safe, and he says, hurry up. I have your wife covered. Tell her if you don't hurry.

Speaker 4:
[07:23] The defendant said that.

Speaker 6:
[07:25] Yes, my husband said, don't get nervous. You can have anything we have, but don't shoot her. Then my husband got the safe open, and took out the money bag, and handed it to the man, the defendant. He grabbed it, and then he shot my husband twice.

Speaker 4:
[07:41] The defendant shot your husband twice?

Speaker 6:
[07:44] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[07:45] Do you know what the contents of the money bag were?

Speaker 6:
[07:48] About $160.

Speaker 4:
[07:49] Any time did you give this defendant authority or your consent to take that money?

Speaker 6:
[07:53] No, sir.

Speaker 4:
[07:54] The taking of the money was against your will, is that correct?

Speaker 6:
[07:57] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[07:58] How soon after was it that the officers arrived at the location?

Speaker 6:
[08:01] It was about 7 or 8 minutes after death.

Speaker 4:
[08:03] Your husband was removed to the hospital?

Speaker 6:
[08:04] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[08:05] Do you know when your husband died?

Speaker 6:
[08:07] He died on the 7th, Friday, 6 o'clock.

Speaker 4:
[08:10] You mean on the 7th of March of this year?

Speaker 6:
[08:12] Yes, it's day 8.

Speaker 4:
[08:13] Did you see your husband in the coroner's office?

Speaker 6:
[08:16] Pardon me?

Speaker 4:
[08:16] Did you see your husband after death in the coroner's office?

Speaker 6:
[08:20] No, I saw him in the hospital.

Speaker 4:
[08:21] After death, did you see your husband downstairs in the coroner's office?

Speaker 6:
[08:25] No, my son did.

Speaker 4:
[08:27] Did you see your husband after death?

Speaker 6:
[08:29] Yes, at the mortuary, Monday the 10th, at the mortuary.

Speaker 4:
[08:34] And the person you viewed in death was the same Charles A. Holloway who you knew in life as your husband? Yes. Do you know Grace Thompson?

Speaker 6:
[08:42] Yes, she works for me and my husband.

Speaker 4:
[08:43] Was she present at your place of business on this evening?

Speaker 6:
[08:46] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[08:46] When did she leave there, do you know?

Speaker 6:
[08:48] About 5 minutes to 12 midnight.

Speaker 4:
[08:51] Can you fix the precise time when your husband was shot?

Speaker 6:
[08:54] About 5 minutes after 12.

Speaker 4:
[08:56] 5 minutes after 12. How many times was the gun fired?

Speaker 6:
[08:59] Twice.

Speaker 4:
[09:00] How close was the gun to your husband, Charles Holloway?

Speaker 6:
[09:04] It must have been about 2 feet.

Speaker 4:
[09:06] Do you know Marion Shaw?

Speaker 6:
[09:07] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[09:08] Was she present on the premises that evening?

Speaker 6:
[09:10] She was present that evening.

Speaker 4:
[09:12] Do you know Mrs. Sam Garber?

Speaker 6:
[09:13] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[09:14] Was she present on the premises that evening?

Speaker 6:
[09:16] Yes, sir. And that Taylor was there, too. I didn't know him, though.

Speaker 4:
[09:20] All the truth related occurred in the county of Los Angeles, state of California? Yes, sir. Cross the camera.

Speaker 6:
[09:27] May I have a drink of water, please?

Speaker 7:
[09:33] Would you like to rest a while, Mrs. Holloway?

Speaker 6:
[09:35] Yes, please.

Speaker 4:
[09:37] We'll have a short recess before the cross-examination.

Speaker 3:
[09:46] Joel, Ed, the alias probably won't get to us for a while. You wanna go out for a smoke? Let's find the man, okay?

Speaker 5:
[10:00] What's your idea on it, Leo?

Speaker 4:
[10:01] I don't know. Enough to have him bound over to superior court.

Speaker 5:
[10:04] No, I mean, you think St. Clair is the right man?

Speaker 4:
[10:06] You got me. Yeah, just one good piece of physical evidence, I'd feel a lot better about it.

Speaker 5:
[10:12] Go ahead. Yeah, thanks.

Speaker 4:
[10:17] Here you go.

Speaker 3:
[10:18] Yeah, thanks.

Speaker 4:
[10:25] How about St. Clair's alibi?

Speaker 3:
[10:27] All the angles checked, huh? All of them doesn't hold much water. Can't prove it's a lie, can't prove it's the truth.

Speaker 5:
[10:32] Sure hate these things, don't know which way to go. Poor identifying witnesses, we know how wrong they can be.

Speaker 3:
[10:37] What about that sailor who was supposed to be in the bar at the time?

Speaker 4:
[10:40] I know, homicide didn't do any good.

Speaker 3:
[10:41] How about you, fella? Well, same Leo, nothing yet.

Speaker 4:
[10:44] He was the only one who really got a close look at the killer besides the wife I mean. Killer bumped into him when he ran out of the bar. If anyone could identify the right man, the sailor could.

Speaker 3:
[10:53] Nobody at the bar saw him before that night. Nobody's seen him since. There's not a trace of him.

Speaker 4:
[10:58] Sure our best bet. If we could find him, we might put a foundation under this thing.

Speaker 3:
[11:03] Yeah, put in there. There's just one problem. Yeah, it's the big Navy. Where do we find him? When 58-year-old tavern owner Charles Holloway was shot and fatally wounded in a holdup on March 4th, there were five people in the immediate vicinity. Holloway's wife, a waitress at the tavern, two women customers and an unidentified sailor. Soon after the shooting, the scene of the crime was gone over thoroughly for all physical evidence. But besides the two fatal bullets, none was found. The preliminary investigation failed to yield any further leads. A search was started for the missing witness, the unidentified sailor. The four known witnesses were brought downtown where they checked through volumes of pictures of ex-convicts recently released from the state penitentiaries. All of them identified the mugshot of Harold St. Clair, a recent parolee from Chino where he'd served time for armed robbery. St. Clair was brought in immediately in question. He failed to establish an alibi for his whereabouts the night of the holdup and murder. He was arraigned in municipal court and at his preliminary hearing, the first prosecution witness, the wife of the murdered man, Agnes Holloway, singled him out as the killer. By experience, the working detectives found that identifying witnesses under the strain of being present at a horrible crime can often be mistaken in their identification. In this instance, there wasn't anything else we could do, it was all we had. 11:18 a.m., the preliminary hearing resumed. The witnesses took the stand and turn, and all of them tabbed St. Clair as the murderer. Ed and I testified as the arresting officers. At 3.25 that afternoon, the prosecution rested the case for the people. St. Clair's lawyer offered no defense for the time being.

Speaker 4:
[12:47] Your Honor. Mr. Alexander. This time the people move that case number 23529 be dismissed on the grounds that it states in substance... 23529? Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Dismissed on the grounds that it states in substance the offense covered in the present case. 23529 covers the offense of robbery and assault with intent to commit murder under the present victim in our case here, Charles Holloway. He was not dead at the time this case occurred. Case 23529 was filed. Subsequent to its filing, he died and the murder count accomplished that complaint. Let the record show that on the motion of the district attorney in the case of People v. Harold R. St. Clair, No. 23529, that case is dismissed. It is appearing to me that the offenses in the within deposition mentioned to with count one murder of felony and count two robbery of felony have been committed, and that there is sufficient cause to believe the within named defendant Harold R. St. Clair guilty thereof. I order that he be held to answer to the same, and he be committed to the custody of the sheriff of Los Angeles County without bail.

Speaker 3:
[13:54] In the 17 days intervening between St. Clair's preliminary hearing and his arraignment in superior court, Ed and I, along with Sergeant Stoner, Beeson and Leo Tracy, continued our investigation of the case. Physical evidence to either prove or disprove the case against St. Clair was not to be had. We concentrated on trying to find the all-important missing witness to the killing, the unidentified sailor. We got out an APB along with special letters and bulletins for distribution to local Navy yard commandants as well as Navy department officials in Washington requesting help in locating him. It went slow. The day before St. Clair's superior court arraignment, we got our first lead, but not from where we expected. A two-time robbery loser, Lester Jaffe, who bore a close resemblance to St. Clair, was arrested at a check cashing agency on South Hoover trying to pass a forged check. He had several prior arrests and convictions for burglary and ADW, and a check of his package showed that he had violated his parole. A38 caliber SNW revolver found on Jaffe was delivered to Russ Camp in Ballistics for examination and comparison. The next day, Monday, March 29th, St. Clair came up for his arraignment in superior court. Ed and I were there.

Speaker 4:
[15:08] St. Clair. Defendant is present and ready, Your Honor. Arrest the prisoner. Herald R. St. Clair, is that your true name?

Speaker 7:
[15:25] That's right.

Speaker 4:
[15:26] Herald R. St. Clair, by information number 23549, you're charged in comp 1 with a crime of murder, in that honor, about March 4th of this year, you did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder one Charles A. Holloway, a human being. To this charge, how do you now plead guilty or not guilty?

Speaker 7:
[15:44] Not guilty.

Speaker 4:
[15:46] Joe, Joe the bailiff for you. He's marking to you. Phone call, I guess, must be for you. Yeah, thanks, Ed. Gentlemen, have you agreed on what date is convenient for trial? No agreement as yet, Your Honor. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Speaker 5:
[16:01] I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Speaker 3:
[16:02] I'm not sure.

Speaker 5:
[16:02] I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Speaker 3:
[16:04] I'm not sure.

Speaker 2:
[16:09] I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Speaker 3:
[16:11] I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

Speaker 4:
[16:11] I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. The agreement is yet, Your Honor.

Speaker 3:
[16:15] Harris? A phone call for you, Sergeant. Right here. Okay, thank you. Friday talking. Yeah. Is that right? Yeah, okay, Russ, as soon as we finish here. Yeah, right, bye.

Speaker 5:
[16:29] Joe, Alex here wants to know about the trial.

Speaker 3:
[16:31] Do you have any ideas? Well, we better get all the time we can, Alex. We're gonna need it. Anything you say, what's the matter?

Speaker 4:
[16:36] We got troubles?

Speaker 3:
[16:37] Well, just had a call from Russ Camp from Ballistix.

Speaker 2:
[16:39] Yeah.

Speaker 3:
[16:40] I figure we got a whole new case to build.

Speaker 2:
[16:42] What do you mean?

Speaker 3:
[16:43] Well, the man we've got, St. Clair.

Speaker 2:
[16:44] Yeah.

Speaker 3:
[16:45] Maybe he's taking the rap for somebody else.

Speaker 2:
[16:57] You are listening to Dragnet, Authentic Stories of Your Police Force in Action.

Speaker 3:
[17:10] March 29th, Monday, 4:15 p.m. After the arraignment of Harold St. Clair and Superior Court, Ed and I checked with Russ Camp in ballistics. He said he'd run tests on the 38S&W revolver taken from robbery forgery suspect Lester Jaffe the day before. Comparison microscopic examinations of test bullets fired from the gun taken from Jaffe, and the two slugs which had been removed from the body of tavern owner Charles Holloway matched. After checking with Brereton at the CII Bureau in Sacramento, we discovered new additions to Jaffe's long criminal record. We also found out his known MO corresponded closely to that of the man who robbed and murdered Mr. Holloway. At a special show up of both St. Clair and Jaffe, the close resemblance of the two became apparent to the four identifying witnesses. They frankly admitted their mistake and positively identified Jaffe as the killer. Intensive investigation during the next three weeks uncovered enough evidence and testimony against Jaffe by associates and informers to give us a good foundation for a murder conviction. But we were still without a lead to one of our most essential witnesses, the unidentified sailor. The first suspect, Harold St. Clair, was cleared of the charge, but detained on a want from the Denver Police Department. After arraignment and preliminary hearing in municipal court, the arraignment in superior court, Lester Jaffe went on trial for the Holloway killing on June 2nd. Dr. West, the autopsy surgeon, was first to be called by Assistant District Attorney Adolph Alexander. He stated the results of the autopsy on Mr. Holloway and testified as to the cause of death. John Mauer, the police surveyor, was next. He produced the various diagrammatic drawings of the murder scene. The third day of the trial, June 5th.

Speaker 5:
[18:53] Well, Garber woman's gone back on, a friend of Ms. Holloway. Oh, yes.

Speaker 4:
[19:00] Mrs. Samuel Garber.

Speaker 5:
[19:07] Be seated.

Speaker 2:
[19:13] Proceed with the cross-examination.

Speaker 4:
[19:16] Mrs. Garber, at the time you testified against the former suspect, Harold St. Clair, you were just as positive then, were you not, that the holdup man who killed Mr. Holloway was Harold St. Clair?

Speaker 6:
[19:26] Yes, I was, but I also said he didn't have the same type eyes.

Speaker 4:
[19:29] You were absolutely sure about Harold St. Clair then, weren't you?

Speaker 6:
[19:32] Yes, I guess I was.

Speaker 4:
[19:34] And you identified St. Clair and testified a number of times during that examination that St. Clair was the man, is that right?

Speaker 6:
[19:40] I said he resembled the man.

Speaker 4:
[19:41] You said he was the man, didn't you?

Speaker 6:
[19:43] I said I thought he resembled the man.

Speaker 4:
[19:44] You also said there was no doubt of it, didn't you, that the holdup man was Mr. St. Clair?

Speaker 6:
[19:50] Well, I guess so. I don't know.

Speaker 4:
[19:52] You don't know?

Speaker 6:
[19:53] No, I guess I don't.

Speaker 4:
[19:54] I don't remember.

Speaker 5:
[19:55] I'm not sure.

Speaker 4:
[19:57] Mrs. Garber, are you sure you remember the man you saw sitting in the bar that night?

Speaker 6:
[20:01] Well, I don't know. I've got them both mixed up. I guess I'm not sure.

Speaker 3:
[20:09] During the next two days, the other three identifying witnesses were called to testify and like Mrs. Garber, were badgered by the defense attorney unmercifully. Despite the efforts of Alexander, the prosecuting attorney, it was apparent the jury was being swayed heavily in favor of the defendant. Even the full day and a half Ray Pinker from the crime lab spent on the stand seemed to have little effect in counteracting the damage done by the confused testimony. To prepare the jury for Russ Camp's expert report and for the presentation of scientific facts about the lethal bullets in the murder gun found on Jaffe at the time of his arrest, Pinker and assistant district attorney Alexander gave the jury a thorough briefing on the fundamentals of ballistics. They also pointed out the scientific value of ballistics in determining the guilt or innocence of a defendant. On Thursday, June 12th, Russ Camp took the stand as a prosecution witness and under questioning presented the findings of the various tests he'd run on the alleged murder weapon.

Speaker 4:
[21:06] Mr. Camp, sometime after you had obtained people's exhibit 13, did you fire a test bullet or several test bullets from it in the crime laboratory? I did. Did you make a comparison of any of those test bullets with exhibits 3 and 3A, the bullets which killed Charles Holloway?

Speaker 3:
[21:20] Yes, I did.

Speaker 4:
[21:21] Now, in making your comparison and examination under the microscope, after you had completed the mechanical part of your work, and after you had completed your examination of the observable and comparable sections of the fatal bullets with a test bullet fired from People's Exhibit 13, did you come to any conclusion with respect to the Holloway fatal bullets? Yes, I did. And what was that conclusion? The conclusion was that the fatal bullets, the Holloway fatal bullets, People's Exhibit 3 and 3A, were fired through the barrel of People's Exhibit 13.

Speaker 3:
[21:54] After another hour of testifying, Russ Camp left the stand. His ballistics report on the murder gun had made an impression on the jury, but we couldn't be sure it was enough to balance the setback the prosecution received from its own witnesses. As far as we were concerned, Jaffe was the guilty man. There wasn't a doubt about it. But the case against him was apparently inconclusive as far as the jury was concerned. The defense attorney obviously had heard about the unidentified sailor who was also present at the scene of the killing. He charged outright in the court that the district attorney was purposely preventing the appearance of the unknown sailor as a witness, and was concealing his identity. As he told the jury, the prosecution was afraid that the testimony of their alleged silent witness would damage its case. Meantime, our intensive search for the missing seaman was still underway. Despite half a dozen favorable prosecution witnesses, the case for the people appeared to be on the losing end, going into the closing days of the trial. Tuesday, June 17th, one of the final defense witnesses was a Mrs. Albert Dolan, who presented a fair alibi for Jaffe. She claimed Jaffe was at night school at the time of the Holloway killing.

Speaker 4:
[22:59] Would you say of your own knowledge that on the night of March the 4th, Mr. Jaffe was at the school until midnight?

Speaker 6:
[23:04] Yes, he was.

Speaker 4:
[23:05] When you left the school, did you go home alone or with somebody?

Speaker 6:
[23:08] My husband and I grew up home with Mr. Jaffe.

Speaker 7:
[23:10] Anything else that you can remember?

Speaker 6:
[23:13] Let me think.

Speaker 5:
[23:15] You sure read a convincing story, huh?

Speaker 3:
[23:16] Yeah, I wonder what the connection is.

Speaker 5:
[23:18] I know, you sure got plenty of them.

Speaker 4:
[23:20] What do you figure, Joe, the jury?

Speaker 5:
[23:22] You think we got a chance?

Speaker 3:
[23:24] I don't know. Don't bet on it.

Speaker 4:
[23:25] Ed, Joe.

Speaker 5:
[23:26] Oh, hi, Lyle.

Speaker 2:
[23:26] Hi. Going bad?

Speaker 3:
[23:28] Couldn't be a lot better.

Speaker 4:
[23:29] It's getting that way. Just got a call from one of the women over at the squadron.

Speaker 3:
[23:33] Oh, what about?

Speaker 4:
[23:34] Say that we've been looking for. We found him.

Speaker 3:
[23:39] Before we left the courtroom, Ed and I briefed the Assistant District Attorney Alexander on the latest development. He put in a special order to the county jail for Harold St. Clair. Ed and I went across the street and met with a long-missing murder witness in the Homicide Squadron. The sailor identified himself as Seaman First Class Roy Maslin. He told us that about three and a half weeks before, he'd happened to see a copy of the bulletin we'd gotten out on him. He checked with his commanding officer and was returned to the mainland from his post on Midway Island. 322 p.m., we returned to the courtroom along with Seaman First Class Roy Maslin and conferred with Assistant District Attorney Alexander. The first murder suspect, Harold St. Clair, had already been brought downstairs to the courtroom from the county jail. He was placed at the opposite end of the council table from the defendant, Lester Jaffe.

Speaker 4:
[24:29] May we approach the bench, Your Honor?

Speaker 2:
[24:31] Come forward.

Speaker 4:
[24:36] Your Honor, we've just now located a witness in this case. He's in the armed services and must report back for duty tonight. May we have permission to call this witness out of turn?

Speaker 2:
[24:44] Permission granted.

Speaker 4:
[24:47] All right, sir.

Speaker 2:
[24:50] Please raise your right hand.

Speaker 5:
[24:54] Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you're about to give in the matter now, pending before this court, will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?

Speaker 4:
[25:02] I do.

Speaker 5:
[25:02] State your name, please.

Speaker 4:
[25:04] Seaman First Class Roy Madison, United States name, be seated. Are you acquainted with the Tavern Cafe at 2301 Naylor Avenue? Yes, I am. Were you there on the evening of March 4th of this year?

Speaker 6:
[25:21] Yes, I was there a few minutes before midnight.

Speaker 4:
[25:23] Will you tell the court in your own words what happened on the premises that night? Well, it was just a couple of minutes before midnight. People ran up like they said they were closing up, so I had a nightcap, shot dice for the drinks of this guy next to me.

Speaker 6:
[25:35] I won.

Speaker 4:
[25:36] Who was this man?

Speaker 6:
[25:37] I didn't know who he was.

Speaker 4:
[25:38] After you had your drinks, did you leave the bar?

Speaker 3:
[25:41] Yes, I did. The other guy stayed there.

Speaker 4:
[25:43] I went out to the sidewalk and stood there talking with one of the gals I saw in the bar, and then heard a couple of shots fired. So I'm inside the joint screaming or hollering or something. I was just going through the door to get inside, and this man came rushing out. He hit me square on and went down.

Speaker 3:
[25:55] I remember seeing him run down the street, the same guy I was thinking of.

Speaker 4:
[25:58] Would you recognize this man if you saw him again?

Speaker 3:
[26:01] Yes, sir, I would.

Speaker 4:
[26:02] Is that man in this courtroom now?

Speaker 3:
[26:04] Yes, sir.

Speaker 4:
[26:05] Will Your Honor please direct the defendant to stand alongside of Mr. St. Clair so that this witness may properly identify the man involved?

Speaker 2:
[26:12] Mr. Jaffe, will you stand up, please?

Speaker 4:
[26:18] Stand to the right of Mr. St. Clair. Will you step down from the stand, please, Mr. Maslin, and place your hand on the shoulder of the man who was in the bar with you the night of March 4th?

Speaker 3:
[26:27] Yes, sir. Come on.

Speaker 4:
[26:46] Fast work, son. Really burned up.

Speaker 3:
[26:48] Guess you'd like to kill me. You're not the only one, son. What? Wait till they read him the verdict.

Speaker 2:
[27:02] The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 21st, the jury retired to deliberate the case. In a moment, the results of that deliberation. Lester Carl Jaffe was found guilty of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the State Penitentiary, San Quentin, California. Exchange Clubs sponsor Crime Prevention Week to remind you that the fight against crime is your fight, the year round. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, WH. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Heard tonight were Barney Phillips, Vic Perrin, and Virginia Gregg. Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schuman. Hal Gibney speaking.

Speaker 3:
[28:17] Next, it's David Harding and Counterspy on NBC.

Speaker 1:
[28:27] Welcome back. Well, a very interesting episode, and it does a good job at what it's supposed to do. Now, I know that there are people who will listen to this and see all of the instances where in terms of modern court procedure and modern police procedure, this looks a bit rough. Friday acted like it was a bit of a surprise that the defense attorney knew about the existence of the sailor. But in today's world, in a prosecution, this sort of information would be required to be given to the defense attorney as part of discovery. And of course, the whole identification at the end in the courtroom was probably really prejudicial because you had the judge identifying which of the two men was the defendant and the witness choosing between those two men coming right up to them in order to make the decision. But this wasn't meant to capture the way that law worked 70 years in the future. I mean, how would you even do that? This was meant to capture the realism of how courtroom procedures worked back in 1952. And it does a good job with that. The one thing that really stands out is they used an effect to make the sound of a microphone that a witness might be speaking into or to capture the acoustics of the courtroom. It's interesting to hear, even as someone who doesn't regularly watch courtroom proceedings, but I have a little bit of an understanding of the law from my paralegal training days. Yeah, it's just seeing how things evolved. And they were a lot more raw and less established in terms of the way that certain procedures were handled, as well as the constitutional application. And it wasn't just the prosecutor. I mean, you had the defense attorney standing up and accusing the prosecutor of hiding an exculpatory witness. And today, defense attorney can't just decide, you know, I think I'm going to accuse the prosecutor of hiding an exculpatory witness because why not? Why wouldn't I do that? So this episode's an interesting window into the way things were and went to some effort to go ahead and recreate that. We have a couple of comments regarding the big sorrow. First, we go over to Spotify where Karen writes, this episode was such a lovely tribute to Yardbo and I appreciate your preempting of the cigarette ad at the end. I recall listening to this episode before and feeling like that ad landed like a lead balloon after all that had come before it. Thank you for your showing Commentary Adam. I enjoy listening. Thanks Karen. To be fair, I do actually usually remove cigarette ads regardless. I do think it is tricky to have ads on an episode like this. It just, it does tend to be the default. Now, there are certain times in Old Time Radio programs where people will figure it's time to just go ahead and skip the ads. Whether the star or the host, most of the Ben Crosby Christmas programs I've heard, the sponsor has actually gone ahead and deferred their commercial messages. And you'll have some occasions where sponsor realizes, maybe not a good time to do live ads. I can see how the death of an actor would not be viewed as that sort of occasion by the sponsor. As I said, the sort of program that Webb did, you didn't hear or see quite a bit of, although I've encountered quite a few episodes of programs that would pay tribute to an actor that died. It just was not the norm in 1951. Over on YouTube, the MDG comments, I could feel their love for Romero and their genuine sadness, relatable and moving. And then finally, we have a comment from our listener survey over at Blueberry. Listener writes, I love the introduction to the episodes and especially the old time episodes themselves. And that one comes from Eric. Thanks so much, Eric. Appreciate you taking the time to fill out our listener survey. Well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Renee, Patreon supporter since December, currently supporting the podcast at the detective sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Renee. And that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We will be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow for yours truly Johnny Dollar where.

Speaker 7:
[34:21] Thomas, Thomas.

Speaker 4:
[34:22] Yeah, that's right, Ken. What can you tell me about him?

Speaker 7:
[34:24] Well, not everybody knew it, Johnny, but he was a mouthpiece for the old Moretti mob. That was some years ago. When they started the big cleanup, well, either Thomas couldn't or just plain wouldn't get them off the hook. Let them all go to jail. And he settled down, retired in his home out in Elmhurst.

Speaker 4:
[34:41] Well, he's certainly not there now, Ken. No.

Speaker 7:
[34:44] About a year ago, he suddenly sold his place, packed up, moved out west somewhere.

Speaker 4:
[34:48] Why? Do you know?

Speaker 7:
[34:50] Change of climate, I guess. What about him, Johnny?

Speaker 4:
[34:53] Ever hear of Charlie Wentworth?

Speaker 7:
[34:56] Are you kidding? He was one of Moretti's trigger men. Casual Charlie, they called him. You know where he is now? Oh, they sent him up to Joliet Prison along with the rest of the mob. Those boys will be in the clink, the rest of their natural... Oh, wait a minute.

Speaker 2:
[35:10] Yeah?

Speaker 7:
[35:11] Casual Charlie and Snooty Wilson were released. Yeah. And... Hey, that was just about the same time that Thomas moved away from here. If that means anything. Maybe I got a hunch it means everything.

Speaker 1:
[35:24] I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box13 at greatdetectives.net. Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives and check us out on Instagram. instagram.com/greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.