Dragnet - Big Grandma

0:00The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes. Best of all long cigarettes brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a forgery detail. An accomplished check for your resume's operations in your city. The suspects described as a middle-aged woman. She's written more than twenty thousand dollars in bad checks. Your job. Get her. In a moment an authentic case from official files. Oh no! Oh that's different. Yes what a difference. In Fatima the difference is quality.

1:04You see Fatima is the quality king-sized cigarette because it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobacco superbly blended. And Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. Because of its quality, it's extra mildness. It's better flavor and aroma. Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. Fatima's cost the same as other long cigarettes. But your first puff will tell you. Oh that's different. Yes in Fatima the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima the quality king-sized cigarette best of all long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation

2:04with 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. It was Monday April 17th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of forgery detail. My partner is Ben Romero the boss is Captain Elliott. My name is Friday. I was on the way back into work and it was 7.53 am when I got to room 29. Forgery detail. Morning Joe. Hi how do we can go? Oh pretty slow state home did some gardening. How about that new lawn you put in? How's it going? If we want a lawn we're going to have to move. What's the matter now? The old thing. Gofress must be 100. There are so many holes at the top of the lawn looks like an old punchboard. Oh that's too bad. Can't you try some kind of poison on them? How about those new things they got out? Well they call them gofrabons? I'm using them but they're dozen. They eat anything.

3:05Joe Ben? Yeah Ferguson. Morning Captain let's see. Okay. What's up Burger? You ain't going to like it. Skipper will brief you. Morning Skipper. Hi. Have a seat. Anything. You two finished up with the Benson case yesterday. That's all washed up we're clear. Good. Then you can start on this one right away. You'll work with Frank Besseren Ferguson here. What is it? Grandmaw. I heard a hunch Joe. What have we done to deserve this? It's nothing any of us have done it's what we haven't done. I want to stop Quonson for all. Are we any closer to it than we have been for you? Just about same Joe. That's why I'm putting two more of the on it. I won't let you know the case. I'm just what we've heard around the office. Same here I can stand some briefing. Ferguson? Well you must have heard how she operates. Three months out of the year April October December that's all. She never been known to change that schedule. Not as far as I know. She's been doing it the same for nine years. All the funding checks she cash is a personal check. That's right.

4:08She never writes them less than two dollars and never more than a hundred. Nine years. She's been going that long. Nine and a half it'll be an even ten this October. You want to check them out on the total's Ferguson? Uh, up to and including the first of this month she's cashed 1273 checks. The total's a little over $22,000. Anything special about the way she writes the checks? Nothing but the signatures. There's an alias list down there that'll knock your eye out more than 200 different names. Her description's still the same but 50 years old kind of plum. Nice face. Well a few minor changes. Last year she had gray hair, dress-free plain. This year she dyed her black dresses a little more expensively. Nine years. That's a long streak of luck for any paper. Well it's just if this old gal's not just an ordinary paper hanger. She's no amateur. Don't get me wrong but she doesn't operate like any check for your eye liver. No. She counter-dicks part of her ammo, part of it she doesn't. She takes chances an ordinary paper hanger. It's never taken. She gets away with it. Take a look at just one of these exhibits. Yeah. This one here. 28 checks passed on the same chain at grocery stores, same company.

5:15She passed them all in one month? No that's just the point. Two years ago she passed 14 of them. Spread them out over a period of a month. Last year she passed another batch of 14 all within three days. One year she used a different name on each check on this batch. She used the same name. Well does she have any identification when she passes these checks? Always. 40 drivers license, social security cards, it works. And she's got that sweet grandmother's smaller. It's very rarely turned her down and she shows up with the check. You can get used to different descriptions of her too. You have to follow look. Hardly three of the check victims can get together and what she looks like exactly. Well where are they getting stung most? Downtown or off my neighborhood? The neighborhoods anywhere from the beach area to the valley. This whole file skipper, that's not just her work. Every last bit of it we can't fit it in a six foot shelf. In nine years I've had five teams of men work this thing. None of them reached her. You want to try to make the sixth? April 17th. How's she doing so far this month? Cash $624 in checks we know since the first of the month. Same general description same general M.O. No trace leads. She's been operating nine years Joe. Just as good as ever.

6:24So the working detective there's no tougher job than tracking a law breaker who's half professional and half amateur. You can expect a criminal who's entirely professional to react generally the same in a given set of circumstances. The same with the amateur but take the two the professional and the amateur and intermingle their possible and probable reactions. You'll likely have a sound reason why and how an elderly woman could victimize merchants with $20,000 in bad checks over a period of nine years without being caught. Grandma she'd come to be known worked only three months out of each year April October in December. Her apparent fine sense of timing and her knowledge of psychology was far and away superior to that of the ordinary paper. If the file on grandma was any indication she apparently had been born to be a successful check for her. After Ben and I spent three days on the case of sergeant's Ferguson ambassador we were almost convinced that there was only one way we could reach the suspect. She had to make a mistake.

7:26I'm arguing how to do pretty sorry for checks in two days. But you feel as good to don my check the signatures they're all hers. Here's our list if you're interested. Meet market out of pco twenty five dollars grocery in West Hollywood forty eight dollars to department stores downtown hundred bucks a piece. How do they describe the woman same old yarn. She was a nice charming little lady about fifty five or sixty small dark hair green dark eyes nice smile clerk told me she reminded of his mother. Yeah. Now did you make out on those two yours all about the same even a story about her looking like somebody's mother one thing sure her timing is just as good as it was nine years ago. Now I'm telling merchants associations screaming again they're looking for actions or we. Did you talk to Captain today? Yeah. He's looking for action to I don't know what we can do unless we get some kind of cooperation from the merchants. Every time the old guy pushes a bump check it's three or four days before it gets to the bank and we hear about it. The trail's pretty cold by then. Yeah. And you know what talking just before you came in for a gig we can't expect too much to happen the way we're going.

8:31Any ideas more men and more steakhouse the captain says you'll buy that spot all we can do another ten days Napier will be over. Grandma be true pushing checks till October again. I don't know you're forming this to perfect remain as gotta be a flaw in its template you know you got out of bulletin of that revised description of her for you. Yeah it's all taking care special notices are mailed out the merchants to again. Org reamer oh that's it. That's it. That's it. Right away thank you. Super market on the campus. Grandma hit him with two checks and he lead. The next as you remind him of his money. A week passed the number of steak outs on business places throughout the city was doubled the M.O. and description of the suspect was circulated among the merchants in the downtown on suburban shopping centers.

9:31Clurks were especially warned to be on the lookout for the precautions went for nothing. Grandma's checks kept showing up at the rate of two and three a day. On April 27th she passed the check for fifty dollars at the Delacatesson on Hollywood Boulevard. We drove out to interview the owner. Mr. Hemerson. Do you have one of those circulars we send out on this one. Well I'm ashamed to say it sergeant but I have hanging right back there in the storerole. The thing of it is I never connected the tool the woman in the notice it's the way she looks at you know like it be a healed even question. How was she dressed the last time she was into your room. Well she had kind of a plain black cold arm. I say which excuse me a minute I don't like to keep customers waiting. Oh she'll go. Now I miss it. I need some cold meat for kids lunches. What do you got nice and fresh. See right there in the case. Ed cheese is very fresh good for the kidneys. Pementoloche nice to. Oh kids don't like either one. Blessy.

10:34Better give me thirty five cents that small baloney would you. Yes. Yes. Kids are so fuzzy nowadays. Not to be in Europe. That's what I tell her. I know what it is. Go hungry. Oh you better give me a couple of those large kosher pickles to husband crazy for. Yes. And um low for the ride to would you know see. Yes. Well the kiddie's doing them schoolmas is my. What is fine fine. Marlins in a school pageant next month she's going to be the queen. Oh that's nice. I don't know how nice it is. More work. That's all. I have to make a costume.

11:42There you are Mrs. Williams put it on the belt. Yeah would you do that. I'll see you the 15th of the month. Yes. Good luck. Well how's the side. Side to keep you waiting. I told you. I see now. Well we ask you how the woman was dressed. Oh yeah I had a black coat on. I told you that. Very plain looking clothes like any other housewife print dress some kind of a scarf around the neck. That's about all I noticed. How about that description over in the book and we sent you that very pretty well. Yeah I guess so. She didn't exactly seem plump to me. Oh kind of a nice figure for a woman of our age. You know if any of your customers were acquainted with her. I wouldn't know that. She acted as though she knew some of them but now that this has happened I can see she was just putting on. She was a great disappointment. She used to a lot of people. I used to Josh with her all the time. I'm a widow you know.

12:42I thought once or twice I might even date her up. That's how. As she seemed like the real good sport Josh you know all the time fine personality just as homies you please. I want to fit in with the other descriptions. I was on a cat somebody like that. Two days later on April 30th right on schedule the flow of bogus checks and grandmas handwriting suddenly stopped. If she continued to work by the same time table she'd been using for the last nine years she wouldn't start operations again until the first of October. During the next five months that followed from May to the end of September Vessir Ferguson Ben and I handled the usual run of check cases. At the same time we used up every spare hour we had making preparations for the suspects next appearance. Every businessman throughout the city who might be a possible victim was alerted. A revised description of the suspect together with a RMO was printed up and given wide distribution. Every possible precaution was taken October came. Grandmas started on the 10th year of her forgery career without a hitch.

13:42On October 1st she cast a check for $75 at a large downtown women's shop. As soon as we got the report we went to the department where the check had been received. A fashion show was in progress. The report is wearing a deep black velvet tinted suit with your shape where you'd be wearing it. You will notice the pencil skirt in the doll with three quarters leaves. Excuse me are you Mr. Montrose? Yes what is it police officer sir forgery detail? Oh yes that checked. I wonder if you could hold on for just a moment. Mr. Janis Forgek, you wear a legato striking originality in the switch from the simple line. A black tinder dress, the sands first with handmade points, a sculpture to look and last take a feather top with an oval neckline puffed to a sped ball fridge. Hey Joe, what kind of outfit is that to the models wearing? How much do it?

14:44All right officers, do you like to step this way please? Okay. This is my office here. Well I don't know what I can do for you gentlemen. Check was passed. Very unfortunate occurrence. You okayed the check for catting is that correct? Yes the sales girl handled the transaction. She showed me the check. I knew the signature so I okayed it. Mary Walker? Yes that's how I was checked. What kind of identification did the woman there? Her charge a complaint. You know the small metal card, charge a place we call my recognize that signature immediately. You know this Mary Walker pretty well. She's one of our best customers. You are listening to dragnet authentic stories of your police force in action. Oh no. Oh that's different. Yes what a difference. There's a difference you can hear. There's a difference you can see but the difference in Fatima is quality.

15:56Yes friends when you compare long cigarettes you'll find that in Fatima the difference is quality. Quality of tobacco. The finest Turkish and domestic varieties extra mild and superbly blended to give you a much different much better flavor under Roma than any other long cigarette. Quality of manufacture smooth plump cigarettes rolled in the finest paper money can buy quality even to the appearance of the bright clean yellow package. Carefully wrapped and sealed to bring you Fatima's rich fresh extra mild flavor. Fatima's cost the same as other long cigarettes but your first puff will tell you. Oh that's different. Yes in Fatima the difference is quality. Ask your dealer for Fatima the quality king size cigarette best of all long cigarettes start enjoying Fatima tomorrow.

16:57Friday October 4th 2pm before we left the store we found that another worthless check bearing the signature Mary Walker had been cast in a different department of the store the same day. The woman had used the same means of identification a metal charge account plate stamp with a name Mary Walker. We took the two checks back to the office and had Don Meyer in hand writing compare the signatures. Wasn't any doubt in his mind the writing on both checks was grand was. But it was only a hunch but it was beginning to look as though the suspect had finally done what we've been waiting nine years for to do she'd made a mistake. Then I drove out to an address in the will she district interview Mrs. Mary Walker she fit the same general description of the suspect but she denied writing either one of the checks which bore her signature. Out of the question sergeant I couldn't have written the checks I haven't even been in the city for the past five days in the signatures on these two checks here Mrs. Well but they're not yours.

17:57It looks like my hand writing but it's not I didn't buy those checks they're for a choice. You do have a charge account the store don't you. Yes I've had an account there for years nothing like this has ever happened though you have one of those charge account plates well yes I did have one you let it to someone in your family. No matter if that I lost it I meant to report it to the store but it slipped my mind you have any idea of where and when you might have lost it well I think it was last Sunday night I'm not sure. Oh well just a minute I know who would remember and there's lamb but she was there I'm sure she'll remember. Who's she man. Girl friend is mine so it's in there before. Hello I'm Mary Walker I'm here. Oh just fine and you. Oh good. I say I know which night was it we went to the boosters club meetings on this.

19:06Yes I felt that it was. Oh nothing just some silly misunderstanding. Well all right I know thanks for remembering for me. Yes good bye it was Sunday night. I should not miss lamb but I went to the neighbor's what boosters club meeting I'm sure that's where I must have lost it. I think the charge account plate fell out of your purse is in it. Well either that or it was taken. Why do you say that man. Well it's a serious thing I didn't want to mention it. What's that I left my purse on the chair next to me in part of the evening when I got home I thought I was missing a $5 bill for my change purse I didn't notice at the time my charge of plate was gone. Do you remember who was at that meeting was walking. Oh 40 or 50 people at least how many women would you say. Doesn't this so I suppose I'm not accusing anybody of robbery so I know it's a serious charge to me. Do you know if one of the club officers might have taken a list of those present.

20:12Oh they didn't have to we do the same thing at every meeting what's that we are signing the attendance book when we leave. 3 p.m. Venomite contact the secretary of the neighborhood boosters club he gave us a list of those present at the Sunday night meeting of the club as Mary Walker told us each person president signed here's her name and address in the attendance book we took the record downtown with us and had Don Meyer compare each signature on the list with samples of grandmas handwriting number 32 on a list for us. Positive make no doubt my mind. I was grandma's handwriting. She's signing Mrs. Anna's Lambert. We went down the hall to R&I and had him check the name I and his Lambert through the files. She had no criminal record together with Vessor and Ferguson Venomite spent the next day and a half trailing I and his Lambert wherever she went. She fitted the description of the suspect perfectly we questioned her friends and her neighbors. We dug back into every corner of her life for the past 10 years the results were pretty amazing. We found that she was highly respected by everybody she knew she was active in a dozen civic and church organizations.

21:23Her reputation was spotless. It was only one hitch Mrs. Lambert's hobby was charities. By checking back we found that during the past 10 years she donated an average of $3,000 annually to various charitable organizations. Her husband's total annual income was $7,000. From her bank we obtained specimens of Inaz Lambert's handwriting it matched almost perfectly with every signature in the grandmaw file. Monday October 7th Ben and I called on Mrs. Lambert. Oh yes officers won't you come in Mary Walker was telling me about you come in please. Thank you. Mary told me about the things missing from a person the meeting is that what you're inquiring about. Yes ma'am we've got a few other questions to ask you besides. Well you sort of caught me at a bad time just getting ready to put some baking in the oven for dinner tonight. Would you mind very much if we talked back in the kitchen I got to get this done. It's back this way.

22:23Oh there goes my cream sauce again boiled over just take a chair there officers I'll be right with you. I'm afraid. Cream sauce is so temperamental can't take your eye off it for a minute. Yeah I should boil over now. Would either of you officer care for a couple of cocoa chili out today. Well no thank you ma'am we only have a few questions for you won't take long. Yes all right would you mind holding this bowl just a minute sergeant. Oh oh yeah. I just have to get this in the oven for dinner my husband's favorite dessert it's called pinch pie. Kind of meringue tart. Let's see get two eggs out here. There we are. That these egg whites beaten up nice and light. That cup of sugar on the sink sergeant would you be so kind. Yeah all right. Thank you sugar ma'am.

23:24Thank you. Now what is it you wanted to know. I've heard her charge of contemplate stolen that man at the busiest club meeting. Somebody's been using it to catch bad checks in her name. Is that so Mary didn't tell me that. The same person who's using that charge of plate has been catching bad checks all over the city. Been doing it for some time. Oh my well I don't think I can help you sergeant. I went to that meeting with Mary. She says somebody must have been in her purse but I didn't see them. Do you have that charge of contemplatement Mrs. Lambert? Oh no I have my own. Let me see. He's doomed vanilla. He's doomed vinegar. He's doomed water. Combined in a small pitcher or cup. We've got good reason to believe you have that charge of contemplate man. Did you take it for Mrs. Walker? That's a silly thing for you to say sergeant. I told you I have my own charge plate. I never borrow anyone else's no reason to add a few drops of combined liquid to these constant plates.

24:25Did you cash two checks last week and sign them with Mrs. Walker's name? Of course not. Why should I do such a thing? Mary Walker's one of my best friends. I wouldn't do that to her even as a joke. Well our handwriting man compared the signatures on those two checks Mrs. Lambert. Both of them match your handwriting. And all of the ingredients have been added. Continue to beat them or rang for several minutes. Oh I'm sorry I hope it's like you said sergeant. I said that the signatures on those two forged checks are handwriting man compared them with specimens of your signature. They both match. Well then your handwriting man certainly made him a safe. There's a large white pattern of a net cupboard there. Would you be jiffy for me please? All right. There you are man. Thank you. Now you denied that you wrote those two forged checks last week. You denied that you've written and cashed about 1500 worthless checks in the last nine years.

25:28Of course I denied. You're sure you haven't made a mistake? We're sure man. I'm sorry you'll have to come down town with us for questions. I just want to ask oh my. It's the cream sauce again. Sergeant I can't leave the house now right in the middle of getting dinner ready. A husband to be furious. If you want to talk couldn't we do it later on? I'm sorry man. I'm afraid not. But you certainly can't accuse me of doing anything wrong. The folks at the Churchill voucher me. We've got just as many people who say you've cheated them. People who cashed those checks for you. Quite a few of them man. Nine years worth. But that's really nine years cash in checks. I'm sure you must mean somebody else Sergeant. I've got to get this flat agree. Let's see. Keep the ring upon lightly greased platter here. Look we have a record downtown on every single check that you pass since you started man.

26:38We've got specimens of your handwriting and people to identify you. We know what your income is. We know how much that you've given to charities. The money's got to come from some place. Is that what the checks were for? Excuse me I've got to get this marine in the oven. Two seventy five degrees. Yeah. I hope I put in enough vanilla. You want to tell us about it? I never thought about anyone finding out. I guess I should have expected it shouldn't I? Yes ma'am. It was all for charity. There were so many of them. Orflitches. Old people's home. Christmas poor fund.

27:38And then overseas relief charities. They all need money. Somebody has to take care of them. Your husband knew nothing about this for ten years. Nothing at all. They were my charities. I had to have money for them. I took money from people who had it and gave it to those who didn't. What do you think Sergeant? Was I wrong? Do you think the good Lord will say I was wrong? I wouldn't know ma'am. I only wanted to help the poor like he did. I came to help the poor. Well there's a big difference ma'am. Yes? He didn't use a check book. The story you've just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On December 18th trial was held in Superior Court Department 91 City and County of Los Angeles State of California.

28:39In a moment there are selves of that trial. Now here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you. The efficiency of any local police department depends on the quality of its personnel. Each and every man is carefully selected and thoroughly trained. In uniform or plane clothes, your police officer knows his job. And so with a cigarette. The men will make Fatima cigarettes know their job. They carefully select and blend the finest Turkish and domestic tobacco to make Fatima extra mild. Different from other long cigarettes. They cost the same, but in Fatima the difference is quality. If you're a long cigarette smoker like I am, I'm sure you'll like Fatima best. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow. Inaz Lorraine Lambert and her de plea of guilty to two counts of forgery and the remaining charges were set off calendar. She was sentenced by the court for the term prescribed by law.

29:41You have just heard dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Fatima cigarettes, the best of all long cigarettes, has brought you dragnet, portions transcribed from Los Angeles. This is Robert Young. Here we the people next on NBC.