Dragnet The Big Bed 1958. NBC Network. Badge 714, starring Jack Webb and Ben Alexander.

[Music] ladies and gentlemen the story you about to see is true the names have been changed to protect the innocent [Music] [Laughter] this is the city Los Angeles California over 2 million people work here over 6 million people play here there are some places you aren't allowed to play and there are some people who play too hard when that happens it's a job for me I carry a [Music] badge it was Tuesday May 29th it was cloudy in Los Angeles we were working the day watch out a homicide division missing persons detail my partner's Frank Smith the boss is Captain herel my name's Friday a woman had reported The Disappearance of her 35-year-old brother who had been missing 2 days the manner of his disappearance was sudden extraordinary we had to find him [Music] [Applause] [Music] hi there old buddy good morning how you feeling I'm fine I take it you feel the same never felt better Sergeant's exam less than 2 weeks away and I'm really hitting on all four is that right well I'm glad to hear it never felt better in my life Sergeant's exam less than 2 weeks away and I've got the situation well in hand inner conviction that's what I've got you got what inner conviction I've studied hard and I know my material and I'm going to walk right into that exam and Breeze right through it well you are confident aren't you it's all right in here 198 pages of it one of the finest things that ever happened to me Joe probably changed my whole life yeah yeah I've seen that book you've never read it though have you no no no but I remember Whitey Linder had a copy of it he was reading it before the Sergeant's exam last year you remember Linder don't you oh yeah yeah I haven't seen him around much lately where is Old Whitey you got any any idea uh-huh still pounding that beat out in boil Heights oh Excuse me yes ma'am my name's Edith tamber oh yes miss tamber my name is fridy this is my partner Frank Smith how you doing manam how do you do w't you sit down you're the one I talked to on the phone aren't you yes ma'am that's right now I take it that you haven't heard from your brother as yet no not a word uh-huh Ralph berett tamber is that his full name yes that's right I know there must be something wrong R's been gone since Sunday no one's seen him no one's heard from him I'm worried sick about him the last time you saw him was on Sunday is that right no I didn't actually see him I talked with him on the phone we made a date for dinner Ralph and I always have dinner together Sunday nights it's about the only time in the week we get to see each other I see I believe you told me on the phone you already checked with most of his friends the places he'd be most likely to frequent I went to his apartment I've called everyone I can think of no one's seen him who was the last person to see him Miss have you any idea well I talked to Ralph's land lady she told told me she saw Ralph and this friend of his Andy Howard going into Ralph's apartment that was about 6:00 Sunday evening Ralph was supposed to meet me at 7:30 he never showed up this friend of your brothers Miss tamber there Andy Howard you acquainted with him are you yes but I don't know him too well I only met him two or three times he lives in the apartment house next door to Ralph's the two of them were in the Navy together during the war they're good friends have you tried to get in touch with this Andy Howard yes I called Ralph's apartment when he didn't show up for our dinner date Sunday night there wasn't any answer so I looked up Andy's number in the phone book and called him I see I tried to talk to him but it didn't do much good it was strange but what do you mean he pretended he didn't even know [Applause] me after we finished our interview with Edith tamber Frank and I started out to double check with all the known friends and Associates of her brother we talked to his friends his employer and the people he worked with none of them had seen him subsequent to 6:00 Sunday night none of them could think of any good reason why he suddenly would want to pick up and leave his job and Friends most of the people we talked to knew Andy Howard as a close friend of tambers at Howard's place of employment they told us he hadn't shown up for work since the previous Friday we checked the apartment house where Andy Howard lived and we found found that Howard had moved without notice late Sunday night then we crossed over to the apartment house next door where tamber lived and we talked to the land lady of Mrs Higby she corroborated the story that we'd gotten from Ralph tamber's sister that Andy Howard was last seen entering tamber's apartment at about 6:00 Sunday night Mrs Higby showed us up to Ralph tamber's thirdd floor apartment the two rooms the living room and the adjoining kitchenet were Immaculate need is a pen Joe not a thing out of order it seems to be Miss Higby do you always provide maid service with the apartments no we don't we've been thinking about it though haven't quite made up our mind such a task to get good confident Health these days well you mean the tenants are responsible for the entire upkeep yes everything but painting wallpapering things like that doesn't Mr tamber keep things spotless just spotless Miss Higby yes this wire here looks like an aerial connection for a television set yes Mr tber does have a television set why well now I don't notice it anywhere here in the apartment do you happen to know whether or not he sent it out for repairs anything like that no not that I know of besides that doesn't seem like Mr tamber at all how do you mean that ma'am well he's always so neat fastidious the end of that wire there isn't that terrible ripped right out of the woodwork that doesn't seem like Mr tamber anyone else have access to this apartment besides him no one I would know of no one besides myself I mean I have duplicate keys to all the Apartments I just happen to think yes ma'am if the repair man did move the set out my house boy might know about it Sam that's my house boy how would he know ma'am it's a rule of the house all furniture heavy things like that they have to be taken down in the freight elevator it opens right on the Alley behind the building very handy yes ma'am Sam's the only one that operates that elevator that's why I say it's possible he might know about it would you like to have me ask him if you would please yes it'll only take a minute I'll be right back thank you hey Joe give me a hand with this wall bed his closet must be in back of it all right Frank it's [Music] tamber it's pretty vicious huh yeah there's a hammer there blood stains all over it I sure feel sorry for your sister it's going to be tough on her no tougher than it was on him 2:38 p.m. we phoned the office and told them what we'd found and then we put in a call for Ray Pinker and the crime lab crew and also for the [Music] coroner while we were waiting we questioned the land lady again Mrs Higby she said her house boy Sam told her that he knew nothing about a television set being moved out of Ralph tamber's apartment Mrs Higby also told us that tamber had a car but that it was missing from the apartment garage she gave us the make the model and the license number after the deputy Coroner's preliminary investigation was completed Frank and I went back to the office checked with DMV and got out a local in an APB on tamber's car also on his friend Andy Howard a check with rni turned up a single entry for Howard's criminal record a drunk driving charge 5:20 p.m. we met with Edith tamber and we broke the news of her brother's death when she recovered from the shock we interviewed her briefly it was Andy Howard I know it was him it had to be why do you think he killed your brother Miss I don't know I just know he did that's all he ever fight with your brother I mean did he ever threaten him that you know of they had a big argument one night about two weeks ago I think Andy kept sponging until Ralph got good and sick of it he told Andy to go out and get a job that's when the fight started did you see it Ralph told me about it they had a fist fight in the alley back of the apartment Ralph knocked Andy down Andy said he'd never forget it he'd pay him back couple of days after that my brother said the two of them made up everything was all right Ralph should have known better try to take it easy ma'am we'll arrange for a car to drive you home it's so hard to understand why anyone would want to kill Ralph he was so good yes ma'am what do you say to a man who killed your brother how do you understand him what do you tell him why even try what let the jury tell him before we had the victim's sister Edith tamber driven to her home we asked her about the television set in her brother's apartment she was unable to explain its absence burglary division had already been notified about the case and the pawn shop detail was alerted 7:25 p.m. Frank and I drove out to interview a pawn shop operator on West 7th Street who had called in with the information that he taken in a television set with identical description and serial numbers as that of tambers we checked the operator's buy book and we found that the TV set had been pawned the day after the murder the serial numbers and description matched in every detail the description and the signature of the man who pawned it matched perfectly with that of Ralph tamber's friend Andy Howard the television set was booked as evidence and just on a chance we had Dean Bergman dusted for fingerprints all right Dean have you had any luck not bad have a look yeah picked up four sets of prints all told and these here are the Dead Man's mhm these here belong to the pawn shop operator and these belong to his son he helps him in the shop yeah guess this is the one you're looking for two clean index prints mm did you classify them Dean check them against prints from Andrew Howard's package and hey match [Music] [Applause] the better part of the next 4 days Frank and I held detailed interviews with the known friends and Associates of the murder victim and the number one suspect Andy Howard the information we picked up was incorporated in a supplementary all points bulletin and it was gotten out immediately we found out that Andy Howard had a sailor's uniform in his possession and though unauthorized he wore it frequently it bore the Insignia of a quartermaster first class on the sleeve we had the city covered for the suspect 4 days had passed no trace of him Monday June 4th 4:30 p.m. we got an urgent call from homicide Commander Lieutenant Mort gear in San Diego on the highway huh uh-huh when was that Mor yeah it sounds like it little tie in uh-huh how's that oh sure we'll let you know you bet thanks Mort yeah bye what do you have to say sounds like a good break one of their traffic men down there a fellow by the name of Jack lad stopped a car on the highway going out of town speeding yeah well this lad says the man answers Andy Howard's description no doubt about the car the guy was driving it was tambers description license number match even used tamber's identification uhhuh when did all this happen a day after the murder they would have held a guy but they didn't have the information at the time and that's a bum break anything else yeah they figure he's still around there someplace well why what do you mean they found the car an hour ago [Music] abandoned 4:50 p.m. we briefed Captain herel about the information from San Diego and then we picked up our car and we headed south on the freeway 4 hours later we arrived in San Diego and we were met by Lieutenant Mort gear at a designated spot just north of the city Lieutenant gear told us that a stake out had been placed on tamber's abandoned car but so far it had netted them nothing well if we don't get any nibbles in the car by tomorrow we'll pull it in and process it for Prince but actually we got something warmer than the car looks pretty good yeah what's that Mort just came up with it a couple hours ago field interrogation card made out last night uh-huh a beat officer named a Driscoll questioned a man and a girl last night they were parked in a car out in this end of town here's a description on the man Fitz Howard all the way couldn't get much closer we checked the car they ran it belongs to the girl uhhuh well where do we go from here Mort you got this Andy Howard spotted well Driscoll didn't know the guy from Adam where's that LE us the girl Howard was with Driscoll knew her the girl who'd been spotted sitting in a parked car the night before with murder suspect Andy Howard had been identified as a Helen mclung a waitress in a Downtown hotel coffee shop she lived in an apartment less than a mile from where we'd met Mort gear we drove to the mclung girl's apartment and we started to question her she readily admitted that she'd had a date with a suspect the night before no he's not a good friend of mine I don't know where he lives I don't know what he does I hardly even know him Sergeant you're sure you don't know where this man lives no not exactly staying at a hotel downtown I think we went for a ride I dropped him off at the bus line that's all there was to it you expect to see him again miss well to tell you the truth I thought I'd have another date with him but it didn't work out oh why was that well he phoned this morning gave some lame excuse I found out the real reason though well what's that you mind telling us no I don't mind he has a date with my girlfriend instead Claire Peterson burned me up a little where's this Peterson girl live you mean Claire out on Rose Avenue uh 1500 Block is he going to pick her up there I guess so why when's the date for Wednesday night [Music] [Music] after we left Helen mcclung's apartment Frank Mort gear and I drove across town to question her girlfriend Claire Peterson who was supposed to have a date with a murder suspect Andy Howard she told us that she'd only met him once and that she knew very little about him yes that's true I have a date with him Wednesday night did he use the name Ralph tamber yes that's right something the matter afraid so miss Peterson and that's not his right name oh I'm sorry you must be wrong officer I know that's his name it's on everything he has his his car his wallet all his business papers I guess you must have made a mistake it's no mistake ma'am we checked it out pretty thoroughly like to talk to you about him well there isn't much to tell I met him when he was with my girlfriend Helen he wanted to go out with me so I made a date I didn't think there was anything wrong in that now you said he's to meet you here miss Peterson what time are you expecting him 8 or 8:30 he said look if there's something wrong with the man I should know don't you think we just want to talk to him you got any idea where he lives no I guess I don't one of the hotels downtown I think fifth or sixth street I wouldn't know for sure please why do you want him can't you tell me we believe he's committed a murder Miss Peterson matter of fact we're sure of it what do you want want me to do if he calls up before your date don't do anything to discourage him if he wants to postpone the date try to make him keep it anyway now if you can't do that try and find out where he's staying and don't let him know that we talk to you well all right I can try you'll be here when he comes we'll be here you'll be protected all the way but what will you do you say he's a murderer he's desperate that's right what are you going to do he may have a gun how are you going to arrest him well it's his choice ma'am anyway he wants [Music] it before we left the Peterson girl Mort gear called San Diego homicide detail and made arrangements for an immediate stake out at the girl's apartment Wednesday June 6th at 7:00 p.m. Frank and I drove out to supplement the men already on stake out at the Peterson girls apartment 10: p.m. still no sign of the suspect 8:00 a.m. Saturday huh the Sergeant's exam the written part oh well you're not worried I know that I'm not why not inner conviction hi Mart what do you got just got a report from the highway patrol at San Clemente what's the word they grabbed a guy for speeding a couple hours ago driving a stolen car they figure he's your man Andy Howard San CL right and he was driving north on 101 toward La what about identification Mort they check that no I didn't have any identification but he was wearing a sailor's uniform well how about the Insignia what was his rating quartermaster first class [Music] the men from San Diego homicide remained on stake out Frank and I drove to the highway patrol station at San Clemente picked up the suspect and drove him back to Los Angeles 3:15 a.m. we took the suspect directly to the squad room and we started to question him after a full hour of interrogation he would still admit nothing why don't you come off and Andy this isn't going to work for you how about the truth I don't appreciate this pushing around offices and you've got my story I gave it to you 5 minutes after I walked in this room and it's the truth if you're going to hold a trial you better go out and round up a jury first a straight story Andy that's all we want you're stalling and you know it this will make the 10th time I've told you I don't know what happened to Ralph I didn't take his car and I didn't take his television set you don't believe me you just prove I'm lying we didn't pull you in on a guess Andy we'll prove it you mind telling me how we've got three people on their way in here right now Ralph tamber's sister his land lady a man by the name of Sims a pawn shop dealer now does that mean anything to you my word against theirs 3 to one Mister they got the odds in their favor haven't they why don't we straighten this out once and for all you you think I killed my friend Ralph why explain it to me why should I kill him I wouldn't know Andy why are you still wearing that uniform you're not authorized to why' the Navy give you a dishonorable discharge maybe you'd like to tell us about those things you know Ralph's sister says he was pretty good to you he was good to me guess she didn't tell you what I did for him overseas when we were in the Navy together no she didn't tell us no she wouldn't stupid women I haven't found one of them worth anything frustrated she needs a husband that's her trouble what's that got to do with her brother everything all she ever did was cause trouble between Ralph and me she lied about me spread all kind of stories she kept trying to break up our friendship that's what started the argument is that it I tried to reason with Ralph he wouldn't listen he always took her part stupid women they're all the same she claims her brother was paying the bills for you Andy he gave you clothes money his car she says you were living off of him lousy woman that's all the thanks I got after all I did for Ralph I borrowed a few dollars yes but that's all he kept throwing it up to me him and his sister after all I did for him what are you trying to say Andy could have been different Ralph and me what do you want me to say did you kill him did you kill him Andy I now you really can't explain it like that things aren't always black or white it's not their simple it isn't no of course not it's all mixed up together intermingled it's really very difficult to comprehend the whole situation well now why don't you go ahead we'll listen you see basically it comes down to a question of moral and ethical principles actually he was dead before I knew it you killed him well now that's not exactly right it was a moment of being not quite rational you understand it was more of an honest mistake I mean morally I didn't really intend to kill him I just did I became violent it was a complete absence of reason and I killed him I'm murdered the mistake a terrible mistake I don't understand it myself you want to give us a statement Andy stenographer will take it down in a minute I just want to make sure you understand about Ralph I mean after everything I did for him yeah he had no gratitude no gratitude at all do you blame me after all I did for him you blame me you should have remembered Andy gratitude yeah it's no good when you have to ask for [Music] [Applause] [Music] it on December 6th trial was held in Department 98 superior court of the state of of California in and for the County of Los Angeles in a moment the results of that [Applause] trial the suspect was tried and convicted of manslaughter manslaughter is punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a period of not more than 10 years [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] pap [Music] p [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the [Music] [Music]

Channel: Moviecraft Inc.

Views: 61,958

Keywords: Police Drama, classic TV, classic television, cop shows, just the facts mam

Id: DjWeRPQVJbY

Length: 26min 32sec (1592 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 26 2024