Original subtitles

This is the city, Los Angeles, California.

Whether or not you'd want to live here,

it's a nice place to visit,

and a few million people do it every year.

They come for a lot of reasons.

Either way, they don't like to be swindled.

When they are, that's when I go to work.

I carry a badge.

It was Friday, October 11th.

It was fair in Los Angeles.

We were working the day watch

out of Fraud's Division, Bunko Section.

The boss is Captain Lambert.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

It was 3:30 p.m.

We had just received a phone call

from Sergeant William Booth of Internal Affairs Division.

Among other duties, IAD's job is to investigate

any and all complaints lodged against police officers.

Booth was on his way down to see us.

The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

You're not a sugar man, are you, Joe?

No, but you are.

You bet. Energy, Joe.

- Pure concentrated energy. - Uh-huh.

What do all great athletes eat?

- Candy bars. - Uh-huh.

What do growing kids eat?

- Sugar-coated cereals. - Mm-hm.

What do you give a racehorse to make him run faster?

Sugar cubes.

Yes, sir, salt of the earth, sugar is.

Is that right?

Your system just stores it up,

and then you draw on it when you need it.

Well, one worry you don't have.

What's that? You'll never run out.

Friday? Gannon?

Booth, how's it going?

Got a businessman upstairs, Willard Danhart,

- Cedar Rapids, Iowa. - Yeah.

Claims he was swindled out of $1,000.

What's he doing up in IAD?

Says the men that took him were vice officers.

Yeah?

He's upstairs looking at photos

of all the vice personnel now.

What was the scam?

According to Danhart,

these two vice officers picked up a girl in his room,

charged her with 647B.

Danhart went bail for her. They gave him a receipt.

Take a look at it.

It's not one of ours.

They back it up with anything?

ID cards. He didn't read them.

They showed him some kind of a badge.

Says he's not sure,

- but it looked like one of ours. - Yeah.

If they're con men, they've got a new wrinkle.

- First time I've heard of it. - What's that?

They actually brought him

down here to the police building

to post bail for the girl.

How'd they work it?

While one of them came upstairs

here to the third floor,

the other one took Danhart up to the cafeteria for coffee.

It's a public building,

but it sure sounds like the hard way, doesn't it?

I'll run upstairs.

Danhart should be through checking those pictures.

- Right, Booth. - I talked to your Captain.

If it falls one way, you two have got a case.

Yeah.

If it goes the other, we have.

3:44 p.m.

Sergeant Booth brought the victim, Willard Danhart,

down to the Bunko squad room.

Yes, sir, I've been took.

Those two were no more police officers

than Hogan's goats.

How's that?

Smedley Hogan, runs a diary back home,

goat's milk.

I sure feel like one right now,

- I don't mind telling you. - Mr. Danhart,

Sergeant Friday and Officer Gannon here

will handle your complaint.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Oh, I thank you, sir.

I've just got to catch that 6:30 plane tonight.

I already canceled once,

so I could get to the bottom of this.

Yes, sir.

You probably think it was the $1,000,

but that's gone.

I know I'm not gonna get it back.

But on the other hand, I didn't come

because I'm a public-spirited citizen.

I'm just plain mad!

It all comes out the same.

- What's that? - You're here.

Yeah. Well, what can I tell you?

We'd like it all, Mr. Danhart,

right from the beginning.

Well, let's see, uh...

You know my name, Willard Danhart.

I'm President of Carthy's Crane and Hoist Company.

If it can be lifted, we've got the crane to do it.

Under hung, top riding,

stacker, gantry, gib, monorail.

- We have them all. - Yes, sir.

My sales manager comes to the coast

three times a year.

I do it once.

Got out here this trip Monday morning,

checked into the Elsinore Hotel.

I always stay there. They know me.

- Uh-huh. - Well, the next couple of days,

I saw people, pushed the product,

maybe did a little business.

Last night, I went to the ballgame.

Can't stay cleaner than that, can you?

No, sir, you can't.

I was back in the hotel about 11:00,

had a nightcap in the bar,

picked up my key, went upstairs.

She was in the room.

- Who's that? - The girl, Pat somebody.

Never did get her last name.

She was just sitting there, waiting for me to come in.

"I'm Pat," she said.

Yeah?

And I said, "Well, that's very nice.

How did you get in my room?"

- Do you know what she said? - Suppose you tell us, sir.

A bellhop let her in. Okay, it could happen.

Wrong man, wrong room.

"A mistake has been made," I tell her.

"I didn't call for room service."

She seemed to have trouble believing that.

Then... Comes the knock on the door.

Yes, sir?

I tell her that's probably her friend,

the bellhop, coming to get you.

Huh-uh, the police,

Sergeant Morlock, Sergeant Cress.

Oh, okay. So, they were phony.

I know that today.

Last night, I was a little rattled.

- That's understandable. - My thought was

I've gotta keep it right here in this room.

If it ever gets back to Cedar Rapids,

that's all, brother.

It's not only the company.

I've got a wife and three kids, all under 20.

Yeah, I was rattled all right.

You were supposed to be.

That's what the conmen depend on.

Right.

Well, they said they'd been following the girl all evening.

I said, "In that case,

you know she hasn't been in here five minutes.

Nothing out of line could've happened."

But they said they were arresting her,

and I'd have to testify at the arraignment.

Wrong?

Yes, sir.

It doesn't happen that way at an arraignment.

No testimony is given.

The suspect either pleads guilty

and receives sentence right then and there,

or he pleads not guilty, and the date of trial is set.

Well, if I would've known that last night,

I'd have saved $1,000.

How'd the business of the bail money come up?

Something Morlock said.

He was the older one, kind of tough and cynical.

Cress, he seemed like a nice, friendly type.

Well, as I say, I was looking for a way

to keep it hushed up, and, and Morlock tells me

there's a 50-50 chance

she'll never even make the arraignment anyway.

Naturally, I wanted to know more.

Bail, he said. Real better.

She's part of a ring,

and they'll probably go bail for her,

- and she'll skip. - Yes, sir.

Well, I wanted a better split than 50-50,

so I got Cress aside and asked him

how I could find out if she got bailed out.

He could see the bind I was in,

and he said he'd give me a call before noon today.

Where did he call from, the hotel lobby?

Oh, you know it.

Said they were there trying to get a lead on that bellhop.

Bail had been set at $1,000,

and nobody had come up with it yet.

All I could think of was to get a check cleared

and the money downtown before she was arraigned.

They offered to drive you?

Yeah, they drove me right down here

to the police station, cops on every side.

Morlock even steered me to coffee in your cafeteria

while his partner was getting my receipt,

"right here on the third floor," he said.

Well, you tell me, Sergeant.

Would anybody have gotten suspicious of them?

You did.

Well, not suspicious... mad.

At first, I was just relieved I'd gotten out of a mess,

and cheap, at the price.

And then I asked myself, "What mess? What cheap?"

I hadn't done anything wrong,

and I paid a thousand bucks for it!

The more I thought about it, the madder I got.

Yes, sir.

And the police are supposed to protect honest citizens.

That's what we pay taxes for!

And, brother, I pay plenty.

Not here, back in Iowa,

but it all comes out to the same thing.

And I needed protection from scandal,

and it was up to the police to give it to me.

So, I made me a reservation on the later flight

and came back down here.

Well, you don't need protection now, Mr. Danhart.

Well, I realize that,

but maybe I'll get something for my money.

Oh?

Satisfaction, if you catch those crooks.

Well, I don't know. Maybe you bought something else.

- What's that? - An education.

6:30 p.m. Before leaving for the day,

Bill and I sent a teletype to New Orleans,

Miami, Chicago,

Atlantic City, and New York.

If this racket had been worked in other places,

these were the most likely cities,

due to the large number of out-of-town visitors.

Monday, October 14th. Replies started coming in.

By noon, we had received nine reports of extortion

or attempted extortion, based on police impersonation.

Except for minor variations,

the MOs were identical to our own case.

1:00 p.m. We took the results to Captain Lambert.

Miami police had four cases on file.

They figure another 100 were never reported.

Where'd they get the numbers, just guesswork?

No, sir. In every case, the phony bail was $1,000.

Hotel records showed too many small-town businessmen

had cashed checks for that amount in the larger hotels.

You got any kind of an MO pattern?

Yes, sir. According to Miami detectives,

they seem to work four or five jobs in each hotel.

Then there has to be an inside man.

That's what Miami says.

They think a desk clerk, or a bell captain,

or a cashier selects the victims.

Then the girl makes the pickup in the bar,

the lobby, once in an elevator.

If nothing else works, they'll plant her in the room

like they did on Willard Danhart.

You got descriptions of these people from him?

Yes, sir. Doesn't help much.

- And Miami? - Same thing.

The only one they ever identified was a girl.

They're sending us mug shots,

but she doesn't sound like the same one

who's been working the Elsinore.

Well, how do you want to go?

- Stakeout? - Yes, sir.

Just check in and hope they pick up on you, huh?

- That's it. - Kind of loose.

You could stay there all week and never get tapped.

Well, we can be sure of one thing, Skipper.

Yeah?

They're gonna tap somebody.

It was decided Bill would pose

as a businessman from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Captain Lambert prepared a cover story

and made the necessary arrangements to back it up.

Tuesday, October 15th.

We drove out to the airport, 3:35 p.m.

Fred W. Howie arrived in Los Angeles.

4:10 p.m. He checked into the Hotel Elsinore, room 1008.

4:30 p.m. Fred W. Howie was available to be had.

Working a stakeout is a lot like the Army.

You sit, and you wait.

You wait hours, sometimes days.

You wait for the one big break.

Maybe it'll come, maybe it won't.

Either way, you wait.

The plan was for Bill to make himself available.

He ate in the hotel dining room.

He had a drink in the cocktail lounge.

He drifted through the lobby.

10:15 p.m.

If they were paying attention,

they knew he was here.

Come on in.

I took the elevator to the floor above

and walked back down. Yeah, I figured you did.

Well, made all the moves.

- Yes, sir. - And that's it.

Well, you just checked in.

Yeah.

You gave them a look. That's enough for openers.

I guess.

What's the matter? Is something bothering you?

No, I wouldn't say that.

Okay, which one of the beds do you want?

Oh, it doesn't make a bit of difference to me, Joe.

They're both the same. It's just that...

Just that what?

Well, it's just that I'd really hate to miss on this one.

You would, huh?

Joe, you know how long I've been married?

Around 12 years, isn't it?

Over 13 years, Joe.

And when you haven't been on the loose for that long,

you just don't have the feel for it.

- You know what I mean? - No, I don't believe I do.

Well, for example, there was a girl in the lounge.

I thought she might be giving me the eye,

but I wasn't sure.

The old instinct was gone. I just didn't know.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

I don't know.

Maybe you'd do better on my end.

You'll do just fine.

You're single. You've got that...

Look about you, you know?

Yeah, I agree with you.

Sure.

That's why you're right for the job.

How's that?

You look like a married man.

You took the best bed, too, didn't you?

The one by the window.

Wednesday, October 16th, 8:05 a.m.

There was no reason not to leave the hotel

during the day.

All the victims we knew about

had been approached after dark.

Also, it helped Bill's cover

as an out-of-town visitor here on business.

8:25 a.m. We checked in to work.

There was one more reply to our teletype.

It was from New Orleans.

The MO was clearly the same.

It told us nothing we didn't already know.

9:12 a.m. a mug shot of the girl

identified by the Miami police arrived in the mail.

As we had expected, it did not match the description

given us by Willard Danhart.

Also, it was not the girl Bill had seen

in the hotel lounge the night before.

Wednesday, October 16th, 7:14 p.m.

We had one more night to go on the stakeout,

and still no contact.

- Yeah? - You Mr. Fred W. Howie?

- That's right. - Ainsworth, hotel security.

Do you mind if I come in?

Hotel security.

Oh, you mean, you're a house dick.

Well, we have fancier names these days,

but that's about it.

Well, what do you want from me?

There's a matter I'd like to discuss with you.

What's that, Ainsworth?

You're from the Midwest.

Lincoln, Nebraska. What's the problem?

The policy of this hotel, any first class hotel,

is to provide its guests with privacy and protection.

You paid for that. You're entitled to it.

No complaints.

But there have been complaints by other guests.

Naturally, we had to look into it.

That's part of our job.

Well, what was it? A poker game,

professional high stakes gambling,

the kind where you can be hurt before you can get out.

We have orders to break it up.

That's all right with me.

We've been trying to learn who's running the game,

when the next one is scheduled,

what room it's going to be in.

Is that right?

Our investigation has turned up certain things,

probably no connection with the game,

but we have to check them out.

Like what?

Well, you're registered in this room alone, Mr. Howie,

but we have information

there's at least one other person occupying the room.

Suppose I tell you it's not true?

How do I know I can believe you?

If it comes to that,

how do I know you're really a house detective?

Bradford Hotel Chain, all right.

Now, would you mind satisfying me?

You gonna search the place, if I don't?

I have the authority, Mr. Howie,

but I'd prefer not to do it.

Save the effort.

Police?

Officer Bill Gannon. My name's Friday.

Why wasn't the hotel informed?

We've handled problems like this before.

There was no need to bring the police into it

until we made sure.

We're not looking for gamblers.

Well, then, what is it? Routine investigation.

Well, you could've let us know.

Even if you don't need any help,

a little professional courtesy never hurt anybody.

Well, that's what we're depending on.

How do you mean?

You're the only one who knows we're here.

- Yeah? - Help us keep it that way.

Thursday, October 17th.

Since our presence in the Elsinore Hotel

was known to at least one person

outside the department, a decision had to be made

whether or not to continue the stakeout.

9:00 a.m. We talked it over with Captain Lambert.

If Ainsworth is the inside man,

we're burned right now.

We got anything on him?

No, sir. He's clean.

What about this floating game?

Well, I tried to check it out through a bartender.

- He's friendly. - Yeah?

I asked him if there was any action.

I figured it could work for me either way.

Yeah?

He wanted to know what I was looking for.

I gave him the sign, and he shook it off,

claimed there was no action at the Elsinore.

He didn't try to steer you into anything else, huh?

No, sir.

Based on what you got off the teletype,

what's the pattern on when they make a pickup?

Most cases, the night before the victim checks out.

Then he's so busy raising the money,

he doesn't have time to think.

Gannon, you were going to stay one more night, huh?

Yes, sir. Let's go the full run.

7:30 p.m. The stakeout at the Hotel Elsinore was resumed.

Until Bill was approached,

there was nothing we could do but continue to wait.

Everything okay, Mr. Howie?

- Just fine. - Checking out in the morning?

That's right.

I've been thinking about our conversation last night.

You have?

You asked me if there was any action in the house?

- Remember? - Yeah, I remember.

Well, I did a little checking today,

just in case there was a little something going

I didn't know about.

Ralph, the only thing you checked was me.

Well, you know how it is, Mr. Howie.

No, how is it, Ralph?

Well, I wouldn't know about that, Mr. Howie.

All they said was to find out if you're still interested.

You found out.

Can I make you another one?

Go ahead.

- Here you are. - That's the trouble.

- What? - Here I am.

Pick up your drink, Mr. Howie.

Come in.

What was that telephone business all about?

Take a look at this napkin.

Room 1244, the big game, huh?

According to the bartender.

Figured I'd better use the pay phone,

called our friend Ainsworth, the house detective.

Yeah.

Told him the hotel had better hire a new bartender,

gave him the room number.

Said he'd handle it. Couldn't thank me enough.

I'm sure.

I told him to forget it, professional courtesy.

Well, he's happy. I wish we were.

Yeah, things don't look too promising, do they?

That is the understatement of the day.

I'm sorry to disturb you,

but there's a prowler in my room.

- What's your room number? - Just let me use the phone.

I'll call the desk and give...

I'm sorry, but I feel a little faint.

All right, now just take it easy, lady.

Thank you.

Maybe I'd better call the desk for you.

I'm afraid there's no hurry now.

I'm sure he'll be gone.

You know, that's a pretty frightening experience.

Were you asleep?

Yes.

I don't know what wakened me, but all of a sudden,

I realized there was someone in the room.

I grabbed this.

I don't know whether it was out of modesty

or because I couldn't bear to see it stolen.

Then I ran out and pounded on the first door I came to.

Police. We'd like to come in.

What for? What's this all about?

Oh, I think we ought to keep this thing private, sir.

You don't want to attract a lot of attention, do you?

No, no, come in.

I wish you'd tell me what's wrong.

We're from the vice squad. I'm Sergeant Cress.

This is my partner, Sergeant Morlock.

We arrested this woman for prostitution.

Dirty fuzz, you're lying!

Now, wait a minute.

We'll need your name and address, too.

Am I under arrest?

No, nothing like that. You're a material witness.

You'll have to appear at her arraignment tomorrow.

I don't see how I can. I'm leaving in the morning.

I wouldn't try it. We'd just have to bring you back

on an out-of-state subpoena.

Look, I'm a businessman.

I can't afford to get mixed up in a scandal.

Mister, we don't make the laws.

We just enforce them.

Well, this woman just walked into my room

two minutes ago.

Well, there's nothing we can do, sir. Sorry.

But I've got a wife and a family.

Don't take it too big.

The way these things work out, there's a good chance

this girl will never make the arraignment.

- What's that mean? - Bail.

This girl's known to be part of an organized ring.

They'll go her bail, and that's the last we'll see of her.

Say, could I talk to you and him private?

Can't leave the room without her.

Yeah, I understand. Just over here.

There must be something I can do.

If my family hears about this, it'll ruin me.

Well, what do you think, Morlock?

Well, one thing's certain. I know how he feels.

If we could just be sure that bail was posted,

this guy'd have it made.

I'll go along with you. It's not regulation,

but you can't always go by the book.

Now, what I'm about to suggest can't leave this room.

You name it. I won't breathe a word.

Well, the only thing you have to be concerned about

is that girl's bail.

You know what I'd do, if I were you?

- I'd post it. - Pay her bail?

Be a sure way to clean this thing up.

Well, how much would that run me?

We don't have the answer to that.

We could sure find out.

All right, I'll put up her bail.

Well, we have to take her down and book her.

Suppose you come along with us,

and we'll clean it all up in about 15 minutes.

Where do we go?

Police building downtown.

While Cress takes the girl upstairs to book her,

you and I will have a cup of coffee in the cafeteria.

I don't feel much in the mood for coffee.

I'd feel better if I could just stick with you

and get this thing done.

Do you have any cash with you, sir?

Well, I have some, yes. How much do you figure?

Oh, somewhere around a thousand.

Isn't that about what these things usually run, Morlock?

Oh, right around there.

I think I can scrape together that much.

All right, well, we'd better get moving.

- You want the money now? - Oh, no, no.

We want to check downtown, get the exact amount for you.

Well, I don't know how to thank you.

Don't bother. That's what we get paid for.

As soon as Bill and the three suspects

had cleared the room, I left the hotel

and maintained a loose tail on Bill,

as they drove down

to the police administration building.

I managed to stay close enough

to take the same elevator upstairs to the third floor.

I'd rather you went on up to the cafeteria with Morlock

and had some coffee.

No, I'll feel better doing it this way.

But we can't allow you to go in the office

with Cress and the girl.

No one's allowed in there except on official business.

Oh, I understand.

I just want to get this over with.

We'll wait for you by the elevator section.

Good.

Friday, Gannon, how's it going?

Hands up on that wall.

Keep yours where we can see them, lady.

All right, you're under arrest.

It's my duty to inform you of your constitutional rights.

Oh, save it, cop. We've heard it before.

We want attorneys. We've got nothing to say.

Well, I don't think you'll have to, fella.

You've said it all.

I hope we didn't burn anything, Joe.

No, this was the end of the line, Danny.

You and Gannon must have something the rest of us don't.

How do you mean?

You make your cases right in the building now?

No, these two just made a simple mistake.

What's that?

They thought they worked here.

The suspects were found guilty of conspiracy

and conspiracy to commit grand theft.

Conspiracy is punishable by imprisonment

in the state prison for not more than ten years,

or by imprisonment in the county jail

for not more than one year, or by a fine,

not exceeding $5,000, or both.

Subsequent investigation revealed that a fourth suspect

had been working as a room clerk

at the Hotel Elsinore.

He was tried and found guilty

on the same charge of conspiracy.