21st Precinct – Body Under a Loading Dock

0:0024th Precise in Water Yeah, where is this? What was he shot? Yeah. Yeah. He's dead, huh? Well, I gotta send the ambulance anyway to the hospital to be away. You are in the must-for-room at the 24th Precise, the nurse center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124th Room at the 21st Precise. Yeah, all right. I'll make an notification. You just have to type the facility deck to get there. Okay. Yeah. 21st Precise. Just mine's on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people are waiting to the 9th, the square mile between Fifth Avenue and the East River.

1:00Wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Rather, they know it or not. The security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precise. The 21st 160 patrolman, 11 sergeants and 4 lieutenants of whom I'm the boss. My name is Cannelli. Frank Cannelli. I'm Captain in command of the 21st. I have been off duty since completing my night tour and I was not due back on the job until 8th the following morning. At midnight, the 12 to 8th platoon was turned out by Lieutenant Garman, the desk officer. After the 55 men who were patroled the streets of the precinct during the night marched out the front door of the station house, a quiet settled over the muster room. For the next 15 or 20 minutes, the quiet was broken occasionally by the men of the 4th or 12th door coming into the station house, singly and in pairs to go off duty. Each saluted the desk at the pass through and route to the locker room to change to civilian clothes. Then as the men reached their posts and began to ring in on the 22 police call boxes scattered throughout the precinct,

2:05the telephone switchboard, manned by Sergeant Warner, started to hum at intervals. What is the place of Sergeant Warner? Come on, Barrow, box 11. Okay, Barrow. There's a body of a man on the voting platform of a laundry over here. Yeah. It looks like he would shut Sergeant once right between the eyes and again on the chest. Where is that? Well, it's the Sunday day of laundry, 672 East 80th Street. How did the loading platform? That's right, sir. It's open to the street. I went in there to try the Frank door. I saw the speech stick and not from up at the plant. At first I thought it was a drunk and then I put my light on his face. Is the weapon there? No, sir, I couldn't find any weapon. What is here, bomb? Oh, it looks pretty well dressed in the Sergeant's man of about 65-70. All right, get back on the job. I'll send someone right over there. Yes, sir. What's that? Yeah.

3:06That was power ringing in. He's found a body of a man under the loading dock of a laundry at 672 East 80th Street. He's got it with the drunkard place. Yeah. So the man was a poundly shut twice, much between the eyes and again the chest. No sign of a weapon. All right. Do you make any medications here on here? You notify the six. Yes, sir. Okay, look at it. Well, it's a big lieutenant gunner, it's a twenty-first. That looks like a homicide at 672 East 80th Street. No, it's a gunshot, apparently. Uh-huh. Twenty-first squad, Detective Battalion. Okay. This Sergeant Water's on TS by Tally. Yes, sir. The patrol on our post reports are homicide at 672 East 80th Street. The loading dock of the laundry there. All right. Six-72 or six-22. Six-72. Okay, Sergeant, thank you. Yeah. Two-cutting accesses.

4:06That's how they look, huh? They look like they have one on the other part of the ship. Yes. Six-72. Six-72. That's a four-hour one. Yeah. Six-72. Six-72. That's a four-hour one. Yeah. Six-72. Got multiple sleep. Yeah. Hello. Captain Kamehli? Yes. Lieutenant Garmin, Captain. Oh, what have you got? A man shot in Kew, Captain. Yeah, well. Six-72. East 80th Street, the loading dock of the laundry there. The cop on the post saw the potty. He thought it was a drunk. The man was dead. Well dressed. Well, it looked like a bullhead who was headin' another one through the chest. See how identification. I know, sir, not chest. All right, send the cops for me. Yes, sir, right away, Captain. Lieutenant Garmin. Captain.

5:07Lieutenant Garmin. Lieutenant Garmin. Garmin Garmin was on route to pick me up at my home. Detectives of the 21st squad of the Manhattan East Homicide Squad were beginning to arrive at the scene of homicide. In addition to Petrolman Farrow who discovered the body, six more Petrolman and the sergeant were also on the job. An ambulance sergeant from Roosevelt Hospital pronounced the victim dead. Depending on the arrival of the deputy medical examiner Lieutenant Matt King, commander of the 21st squad and the ranking officer of the Detective Division of the scene, dictated to a stenographer a detailed description of the body, its position, and surrounding condition. A police photographer took pictures from every possible angle. The deputy medical examiner on arrival made a preliminary examination of the body. Then following fingerprinting by a homicide detective and a search by Petrolman Farrow, the body was removed to the Bellevue morgue. In the meantime, detectives were sent to question neighbors who may have witnessed either the shooting or, as appeared more likely, the dumping of the body where it was found.

6:13By the time I arrived on the scene from my home, the body had already been removed to the morgue and Lieutenant King had returned to the station house. I talked to Sergeant Collins, who was still on the job with three Petrolman, while the detectives completed their search of the loading dock and the nearby area for physical evidence. I then instructed the operator of my car to take me to the station house where I signed the blotter and immediately went upstairs to the 21st detective squad on the 2nd floor. 21st floor is detected from Kelly. Lieutenant King, no, that's all. He's in his office. Okay, thanks. We've got the jersey safely. Trying. All right, here we can do it. Captain Cannelli. The main captain. Okay, thanks. Hello, Matt. Hey, you've got a heavy one, Matt. Yeah, so it looks like Captain. Any identification on it? So we think his name is Edward L. Burgess, the URGES, something one year old.

7:13You got an auto registration showing a dress of 316 new URGES, Marbleville and New Jersey. Uh-huh. Battalion. Yes, sir. Any luck in that jersey number? No, sir, not good. Good, right. All right. Get a postcard address on my 23rd street. Two addresses on a normal bill or standing still. Well, at least at 4.30 in the morning, Matt, the press and the brass sound breathing down your neck, wanting the answers to a lot of questions. Yes, sir. I don't have the answers to. Any money in this pocket? 83 cents in change. Oh. How does it look for robbery? Oh, no more look for anything, Captain. As a telephone listed in the name of Edward L. Burgess, that New Jersey address. A rag at the 3.40 of an hour is no answer. We asked the New Jersey State Police to go around there and have a look. You heard it back from him yet? No, sir, not yet. Well, this is Marbleville Hill, down close to Trenton. Oh, no, sir. Yes. All back, sir. Yes, nothing. Lieutenant King, this is Mrs. Oddley. Mr. Burgess, it's the room in her house, down on 23rd Street.

8:15Howdy, do you, Mrs. Oddley. Well, frankly, not so good. When you come in? You got a way into this hall and they're giving such horrible news, rest your soul. Not so good. This is Captain Cannelli. Mrs. Oddley? Hello. We've got the door now, back. Stick around, yes, sir. Can you have a seat, Mrs. Oddley? Not so good at all. I'm sorry to get you up here, Mrs. Oddley, but I'm sure you understand. Oh, yes, I understand. I'm sure you want to help us get to the bottom of this thing. Excuse me. Oh, yes, sure. Twenty-first squad, Lieutenant King. My telly, Lieutenant. Yes. That body from Jersey is ringing in on the straight line. All right, hold on to him. I'll be out there and take the call. Yes, sir. Captain, you want to come outside with me a second? Yes, sure, man. I'll be right back, Mrs. Oddley. That's very important, telephone call. Hello, sir. Detective Novak will stay in here with you. He doesn't have to. The telephone answered that the Jersey address is coming.

9:15Oh, and this one, Lieutenant. Always it on the phone, Lieutenant. The victim's son. He knows as far as dead. No Jersey State Purple was waiting for him when he came home. He gave him this number to call. All right, I'll be there. All right, sir. This is Lieutenant King, commanding the twenty-first detective squad in New York. Yes, I understand that Mrs. State Police has been waiting here when I came home. He told me my father died. Yes, that's right. We've been trying to reach you for some time. Well, there wasn't anybody here, but Vice-Business and Billy and I worked the night shift at the assembly plant here. Are you sure it's my father? Is your father about 70 years old, five with five and six? Wish you great hair. Yeah, that's him, all right. We'd like to have you come to New York, Mr. Burgess. Would like to have you identify him. You want me to come to New York at the twenty-first precinct? You know where it is? Yes, that's St. Charles Burgess, the authority of the authority. Oh, good. We should get here as soon as possible. We're conducting an investigation. What kind of investigation? The man we're talking about was murdered.

10:16Yes, so get here as fast as you can, Mr. Burgess. Yes, as fast as I can. Yes, goodbye. Goodbye. What a job. Well, somebody's got to do it, man. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'll be in my office, the time. Okay, let's go. Why do you only do it from the old office? I'm sorry, Captain. Thank you. Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Adley. Well, that's all right. I was talking to this nice detective here. Well, this is only... I understand, Mr. Burgess, it's been roaming at your house for the last three weeks. More or less, yes. And all these years, I've never met a nice gentleman. He was the last man in the world who thinks tragedy would fall to you. The only tragedy we've had around there since my husband, the late Mr. Adley, died. Well, Miss Adley... I mean, we're tragedy. He wants a carapathy student. He hung himself with a mechanism room one night. But we cut him down in time. Well, I want to make sure we're talking about the same man, Mrs. Adley. The last I heard of him, the carapathy student, that is. He was back home, delivering animal fruit and raising a good blue to kids.

11:19It shows you how good can come out of bed. Do you know why, Mr. Burgess, it's coming to New York? Oh, yes. To take treatment from a doctor. He was suffering from sciatics. Poor man. Did he have any particular friends that you know of? Well, not in the house. But he liked his wife and a beer. But it wasn't in the house, it was a doctor who could find him down at the bar and grill on the corner. One was the last time you saw him. Or about eight thirty tonight? Last night, Betty. Is that when he left the house? Oh, no. He left the house sometimes previously to go to the bar and grill. But he don't mind my notion of the fact that he liked his nip. Oh, that's a nice one. But he's not an illusionist because of my late husband. Poor man. He liked to drink too. I'll find a whisky every day of his life except the last, that is. He got hit for the street car too early in the morning to finish his. Well, if you'd already left the house, Mrs. Adley, when was it you saw him last? Well, as I said about eight thirty, I happen to be looking out the window. And there came poor Mr. Burgess on his way home from the bar and grill.

12:20Just drugged him alone and accounted his ailment not for being. He didn't return to the house? Oh, no, he got into the car. Who's car? Here's car. Mr. Burgess. He's only kept at the car of their. And drove away? Oh, no, he didn't drive. The other one did the driving. What other one? The one that was waiting at the car. A man. He saw him. Mr. Burgess, then? Unless it looked like to me, it's on car. When we got this straight, Mr. Burgess walked down the sidewalk toward the house. And when he got to his car, his son was waiting there. Well, it certainly looked like his son. Have you seen Mr. Burgess son, really? I've been dressed onto a three occasions. I brought Mr. Burgess to move in and went to one small, at least once more. You're positive, it was Mr. Burgess son. Absolute repositive. Well, I couldn't swear to it. But a naturally positive, absolutely positive. You are listening to a twenty-first precinct. The factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city.

13:21On September 24, 1951, newspaper is carried a minor headline that read, three UN men capture heartbreak red. And the item, quote, after four unsuccessful assaults earlier in the day, a battalion that has suffered two-thirds casualty, sent a platoon with only thirty men left, against enemy positions on the peak. Three men finally reached the objective, and they were quickly reinforced. Unquote. What connection does that new item have with you? Just this. Those men who reach the ridge, and those men who fell trying, were helping to write a code of conduct for all future United States fighting men, specifically Article I of that code. I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense. Now back to 21st precinct, and Captain Fennelli. The first 24 hours in the homicide investigation are priceless for detectives.

14:24The memory of witnesses is short, and as each hour passes, the trail grows colder. Consequently, all off duty detectives have both the Manhattan East Homicide Squad and Lieutenant Matt King's 21st Detective Squad were summoned from their homes. Faired off into teams of two, they sought out and spoke to every person known to have had contact with the homicide victims, said with their purchase. Five 730 in the morning, a good picture has been drawn of the last several days' life as the purchase is background, its financial condition, his family, and his social life. I had gone downstairs to my office to change to my uniform, preparatory to turning out the platoon. Lieutenant King sat behind his desk, drinking a cup of coffee, waiting for his detectives to show up with still another witness. Okay, come in. I got the call of Lieutenant Sergius Parn, where? In the 15th precinct, it was Clark, McGurage, and First Avenue, about midnight last night, an attendant was moving it to another player

15:24this morning, and noticed what he thought were blood stains on the front seat. He called the cop on the post. Crop remembered seeing the car on the alarms, aware they got the garage at the 15th squad, Lieutenant. All right, Lieutenant Tendon in here, send Whitey. Please go out and pick up that waitress from the Bond Grill. All right, send it. Yes, sir? Let's suppose to see Lieutenant King. I'm Lieutenant King. Oh, my name is Carl Berger. We were wondering what happened to him, Mr. Berger? In the office? Yes, sir. Sally. Right, we do the service. Go ahead, Mr. Berger. Thank you. Have a chair. I didn't think it'd take you this long. I told you my wife's in Philly. How'd you get in touch with her in telling the news? That's why I didn't trust my car to come up here. I had a waitress train. There's a detective at Tally. Sorry about your father. I just wanted to know if you know who did it with Lieutenant? No, not yet. You know why it was done. Why would anyone want to kill my father?

16:25Well, he was in the habit of carrying quite a sum of money, wasn't he? Not too much. There was a couple of hundred dollars to cash on him. Someone to withdraw them. His wife was on his personal at the Burgess. There wasn't any money in it. All he had in his pocket was 83 cents in change. Maybe to have any idea. You know, we're working out a few angles. We'll go ahead and clear that. Where is he? About a few more. We have to get down there to make identification. Now, just short to him. Yes, but it's a formality. We have to go through him. Sorry. Here is the darkest living relative. Three hours my mother died in 1939. No brothers and sisters, my father been living with me since. Except recently. Well, they came up to me who I've retreated with. I asked you. That's why you want to claim this property. What was in his role, Mrs. Ortley's. Yeah, over this time about that is it. I'm sure. I've been taken into the station. How's the area in inventory? Did you know there were two ten thousand dollar insurance policies

17:25naming you as beneficiary? Yeah, I knew it. Who recommended this New York doctor to your father on the bridge? Their friend of his that lives in New York. Man, friends or woman? No matter if they're a factor woman. Did your father ever say anything to you about planning to remarry? No. 40? That's what I'm trying to find out. You're a positive now. Of course I'm positive. Just want the truth. I've been telling you the truth. Have you? What do you mean? I'm just when I finally read your telephone. You told me you weren't home with that hour in the morning because you were working the night shift. Yeah. Well, I thought I told you. Well, I just want to make sure about that. So how did you talk to the caller, personal office, the plan? Besides, you didn't work at all last night. You rang in sick. So that's her? No, I didn't work. Why'd you tell me you didn't? That was telling me to go to be a good fella. My wife was in the celly.

18:26I was out having a good time. She and Dwight doesn't get away often. He doesn't much chance, you know that. I know, man, Dwight doesn't get away often. He doesn't manage to father get murdered often. You didn't come to New York to have a good time by any chance? No. Well, where were you? Well, Trenton. By yourself? Yeah. Do you see anyone you knew? No. No one, Mr. Bird? No one. No, they. Where'd you go? Maybe someone would remember you. Where's my wife? I just went from one bar to another and to a movie. To three o'clock in the morning? Not the movie until that time. I went to a few bars afterwards and I drove home. That took some time. You see. You're positive. You want New York? I swear. I swear I was New York. Now that... It's not possible, isn't it, Mr. Bird? Yes, Mr. Bird. Just as you got a little mixed up, that you were in Trenton the night before. Last night you were in New York. I told you I was in New York last night. Yes, I looked down. How's that? Once you're in Golem, take Mr. Bird just down the Bellevue.

19:26Yes, sir. Mr. Bird, just... Yeah? You take him. No back. You're going to see it to get down the Bellevue where you'll see if that's your father. You coming to tell me? No, I want to talk to him. All right. All right, that way. Okay. All right. He's hooked. We'll see after that garage at Channecatcher-Look at him. That Trenton story sure isn't very convincing. Well, he didn't have much faith in himself, did he? The manual of procedures specifically states that commanding officers must keep in constant touch with developments in all homicide cases. Consequently, after I had turned out to Platoon at 8 a.m. and discussed a few matters concerning patrol of the precinct with the oncoming desk officer, Luke Downsmeider. I went upstairs once more to the 21st Tech in Squad where Lieutenant King sued me in on the latest development. As I left the squad room and started back down to my office, Detective Novak was headed up the stairs with an attractive but slightly overdressed girl in her middle of twenties.

20:27Well, I'm doing it. I really don't. Hold it here, Kenny. Hello, Captain. Novak? Do you know the best people, don't you? Cap? Yep. All right, go on. Have you ever had any idea? Nobody's gonna bite you. Do the time and just want to ask you a few questions. Why can you happen in the middle of the night like this? Say 30 in the morning. Go ahead. In the middle of the night. Straight over here. Detective Rosallion. She's right down here, Kitty. That's right. I won't be able to make it today with... I'll go get the Lieutenant. Okay, last night. But there's nothing I can do about that. Yes. Novak, Lieutenant. I'll call you tomorrow. Yes, Novak. I've got the girl with the workers in the barn room. Now I have... That's her from the Bringer Inn. No, I'll talk to her out there. Yes. What's her name, Kitty?

21:27What? Kitty Cros. Miss Cros? I'm a cannon king. How do you do? You were working last night? Yes. Did you see Mr. Edward Burgess in there during the evening? Who? What time was that? He came in early. That's seven, seven, four, eight. Did you serve him? Yes. I remember correctly. But two bottles of beer. Was he alone or with someone? I used to be alone all along. You know Mr. Burgess very well. What do you mean? I mean, did you have frequent occasions to see him and talk to him? Oh. Yes. And kind of a little place every night on me. Yes. As far as you know, he spoke to no one in the place last night. For me, I spoke to him. He took her out of the hall. You're very busy when he was in there? No, we weren't. So you're in there. Who else was in the place? Uh, well. I was a grad, behind the grad. It was strange couple at the grad. He ran on a study for us. And you were? Mr. Burgess and his book.

22:28And that's all? Sorry we were met people in the work that kiddie think about it. I'm thinking. Hey, what? All right, bring him in, Yorke. Well, Janet, this is Mr. Frank. Please. I do. The attendant of the garage where the car was parked. Oh, yes. So, Frank, you stay here with Kitty and dresser within it. Come in to my office, Mr. McLeese. Sure. I have anything you want. Uh, listen to those really ten-hundred-per-fights things in there. And you know on the car. Because things happen to my car. Go on, Mr. McLeese. Oh, thank you. I'm sorry to be like that, Mr. McLeese. At least. Yeah. Do you think you could recognize the man who parked that car in your garage, Levin? Well, it's hard to say. I remember him and I don't. Uh, I couldn't do it. You picked your up, but if I saw him again, I think I couldn't identify him. You didn't know what it is? What time was it, he parked for? 11.55 pm. We've got a machine with a timestamp. We put on the ticket to win the exact date with what time, and then what time they go out.

23:30Maybe you'll see that man before the morning is over. Oh, wait a minute. Just a second. Uh, I wouldn't identify anybody without my compositor's face. You know what I mean? This could be serious. We know it could be, Mr. McLeese. What would you say to lift like? Could you give us a description? Well. He wouldn't. To talk, though. Not to short, I believe. Say about it, talk with me. I'm shorter. Taller. A little bit too. About how old? Oh. Say, five, is he new, what do I mean? What color hair do you have? Dot. Kind of darker. He was there before it might have been brown. Well, dot brown. A second. Oh, sure. I'm good or it's done in the world. Hey, first grad, we're talking king. Just no vac. I brought the young Berkis back. He identified his body, don't you? Okay, I'll be right up. Stand here with him, metallic. Yes, sure. This is place you're on, isn't it? Sure is. Where am I kidding? Why did you say where is when he wasn't? I think you know how it comes.

24:30I didn't remember that song. I remember the Berkis. Lieutenant. I understand. You identified your father. Yeah, that's him over. You mind coming into my office? I don't mind anything anymore. No. I just can't remember. That's all you said. Tell me for not remember. All right, bring it. It was no way to put it in your book at his eye. I think girls, I could've said that you know what I mean. McLeese. I have someone I'd like you to meet. Oh, yeah? To thank McLeese. How do you do? The Carl Berkis. Oh, how are you? You're the son of the man I've been killed. Yeah, that's right. I'm sorry to hear that bad news. Can you never star Mr. Berkis before? Well, what I have seen him. Are you from the garage? That's right, sir. They think I killed my father and drove his car to your garage. They're mine. This is got the man believe in the tender. I swear it on a bag of rifles. I was going to identify you with a brazier.

25:30Yeah, I know that car. Then why? See you out here. Yeah, all right. What's that for? Oh, that's great. That blue sky and I know that. Did it? I forgot. All right, Kitty. Tell me the Lieutenant. I know what kind of damage I'm like that. You just want to get a gold man up for a little money. That's so bad. I know I'd do it if he didn't like that. Anything like that? She forgot to mention that her boyfriend was in the bar when Bruce just worked last night. But her boss didn't forget that he told Whitey Howard. I had no idea I was honest. I mean, I wouldn't stand for anything like that. You saw him after he killed your old man. Before he came back to the bar and grew up later. After midnight. It's White After midnight. I mean, he's strong. He's a pretty good man of jam. Well, I mean, I had no idea what it was. And I heard about that old man. And I put him through together. He told me not to tell anyone he was in the place. And Whitey didn't. He just started to make a little money. That's what he said. What can we find this for? His first, I guess. What is that? A 3-4-2 job street. He's starting a pleasant day. Thank you, sir.

26:30Well, he must be. He's very drunk when I saw him. Very drunk, where does he go? All right, now back at the sixth grad on the phone. When a time we're coming down, take a look for this boy. Yes, it's. You won't hear this. Let's try not to. All right, Mr. McLean. You get back to the garage. We'll call you when we need you. We'll remember that maybe in a little while. He might have someone else for you to look at. Well, they say, could I use a phone? I've got a comment for it. I'll ask one of the detectives out there. I'll show you which one. Oh, sure. Thanks, sir. This sort of person you have for him to look at. Tell me to take you to the right one. I know. I thought you were the right one. You were really intrepid last month. Yep. What are you so vague about? How is that with a woman? I have to take my advice. He better hear your wife to find out about them. For you to sit in the electric chair. Yeah. Maybe. Maybe it would be. Oh, you're talking about it. I'm just kidding. You're talking about it. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. Maybe it would be.

27:42Twenty-first praising sergeant waters. Not many holders who met him with that. Where? No, nothing nice,�. STRAC au mortgage. Well,zięki, cuandop't inevitable. But you give me any information. Do they have guns? Yeah. Yeah. What do you get? Yeah. Yeah. And so it goes around the clock through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood miracle round. Anyone can catch the brass ring or the brass ring can catch anyone. 21st precinct, a factual account of the way the police work in the world's largest city is presented with the official cooperation of the Patrolman's Development Association, an organization of more than 20,000 members of the police department, City of New York.

28:42Every small on the roll of Captain Cannelli can win just Lieutenant King. Beechered in tonight's cast with John Lange, Abby Lewis, Harold Stone, Sattlesortega, Bill Smith, John Marken and Bill Sterling. Written and directed by Stanley Ness, our panel speaker.