Original subtitles

[ Frida y Nam? ting] This is the ciz‘y— [as Ange/es, California,

Like any other city, there are a great many ways to make money here... or lose it.

This is one way /n the state of California it is legal,

provided you buya ticket ofao’mission and place your bets here.

/n California over $ 600 million is wagered annual/yat racetracks.

All open, abo veboaro’ and within the law

L ike any other legitimate business where great amounts of money are involved

there are those who cut themselves in for an illegal percentage.

Sections of this volume were enacted just for them.

/t all begins with a 7 0—cent phone call to a man who keeps his business records on a plastic tab/etop....

and who doesn’t bother to enter his profit and loss in the company ledger.

Or who keeps his records on a highly volatile material known as flash paper.

A simple kitchen match is often his key to fl’eedom.

When this happens, it becomes part of m y job.

/ car/ya badge.

/t was Monday, january9. /t was warm in Los Ange/es.

We were working the day watch out ofA dministrative Vice Division.

The boss is Captain Harry Nelson. My partner’s Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday

Bill Gannon in vited me to join him at an interdenominationa/ breakfast...

sponsored by Police Post 38 7 of the American L egion.

/t was almost over.

[Man Narrating] The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent

Gentlemen.

Again, I want to thank our three guests...

and to say that I‘m glad so many ofyou were able to be with us this morning.

Now /’ll call on the chaplain of the L os Ange/es Police Department for the benediction.

Sergeant William Riddle. Will you all please rise?

Shall we pray?

Our Heavenly Father, we thankyou this morning for one oflife‘s great prizes,

the chance to work hard at a work worth doing.

We thank you for the words, "law, justice fl’eedom’...

and the opportunity we in this room have to protect their meaning

L ord the Psalmist has said "Through God we shall do valiant/y ”

We ask that this might be true in our day—to—day battle against crime.

Dismiss us with thy blessing. Amen.

[All] Amen.

The meeting is adjourned. Thankyou all for coming.

[Chattering]

— See? I told you you‘d enjoyyourself. — It was fine.

— You oughta come to more ofthese,Joe. — Well, I‘m not a member ofthe Legion.

Too bad. But you can come as my guest as often as you like.

— How often do they have this breakfast? — Once a year.

— You know, there‘s one thing I didn‘t know. — What‘s that?

— I didn‘t know the department had a chaplain. — You didn‘t?

No. Why?

I just didn‘t know, that‘s all. How long has he been with us?

Six, seven years now. I‘m surprised you didn‘t know,Joe.

— What else does he do on thejob? —Joe, he‘s the chaplain. He doesn‘t have to do anything else.

What else would you expect him to do? I don‘t know. I just wondered, that‘s all.

— Well, it‘s like I‘ve always said. — What‘s that?

Joe, you‘re a heathen.

[Friday Narra ting] 9:28 a. m. Bill and / returned to the ofiice. Captain Nelson wanted to see us.

How are you doing on the Westerfeldt book?

Looks like we‘ve got the back office pinned down, but we don‘t have probable cause for a search warrant yet.

All right. Maybe North Hollywood‘s found some daylight for us.

— Yeah? What‘ve they got, Skipper? — 318 out in the Valley. Domino Bar and Grille.

L ooks like the bartender’s taking the action.

Name‘s Richard Clinger. No previous record. Westerfeldt‘s been seen in thejoint.

Seems pretty fl’iendly with Clinger. You figure operating the location?

That‘s right. But you‘ll have to sit this one out, Gannon.

You worked North Hollywood too long Pretty good chance you ’ll be burned

You continue on the Westerfeldt surveillances.

See ifyou can find a tie between him and that back—office clerk.

Yes, sir. Who‘s working it out in North Hollywood?

[/ntercom Buzzes]

Yes. Send him in.

Friday, the man you‘ll be operating with is here now.

Friday and Cannon, Sergeant Bill Riddle.

North Hollywood Vice. Riddle is all / see out there.

Come on in, Sergeant.

Thought you gave a real nice benediction this morning, Chaplain.

T h a n ks. One thing/ wanna make clear,

Riddle‘s had his share ofVice experience.

When he‘s not in those dress blues, he‘s a policeman like the rest of us.

He is made his share of cases the same as any other man in the department

— Well, maybe there‘s one slight difference. — What‘s that?

The only time I drink is on thejob.

[Friday Narra ting] 9:40 a. m. Riddle, Cannon and/ met in the squad room...

to work out plans for operating the Domino Bar and Grille.

— Sure never figured it, Chaplain. — What‘s that, Gannon?

Well, I mean, it‘s kind of unusual, isn‘t it?

— Maybe. But it‘s what I wanna do. — Is that right?

Yeah. Before we moved out here, I had my own church in upstate New York.

Ifyou think about it, there‘s a certain affinity between preaching the word ofGod and being a policeman.

They’re both on the side ofnght Makes sense. What kind ofcover will work best foryou?

While I was studying theology, I worked my way through as a part—time surveyor.

That’s what theyknowme as in the bar. That leaves me out. I don‘t know anything about surveying.

You don‘t have to. I got enough to carry us through.

You can be the chain man. You know, the guy that holds the rod and helps me measure while / look through the transit?

— Sounds reasonable. — Khaki pants, clothjacket?

That‘s the idea. I‘m pretty well accepted in thisjoint. They know me as Bill Radford.

But they‘re still too hinky to take any of my action.

— What surveying outfit do we work for? — I‘m an independent contractor. You work with me.

All right. It‘s an offday for Santa Anita.

First post for the eastern tracks is around 10:00 our time. There‘s not much local action.

What do you say we throw ’em a curve and start operating tonight? Fine.

— You know, Chaplain, no matter how you slice it— — What‘s that?

this has gotta doJoe a world ofgood.

[Friday Narrating] Monday, january9, 5:30pm.

Bill Riddle and/ checked out an unmarked station wagon fl’om the carpool,

and we drove out to the San Fernando Valley

The Domino Bar and Grille was located in the 2000 block on L ankershim Bou/e vard

Riddle was known in the place and considered almost a regular.

He pointed out the waitress, Angie. He saidshe was fl’iendly.

Riddle was on a first—name basis with Richard Clinger, the bartender.

Hiya, Bill. Rye and water? Fine.

Angie, like you to meet a buddy ofmine.Joe Frazier, Angie.

How areyou, Angie? Hi. Haven‘t seen you around for a couple ofdays.

Whereyou been hiding? Finally picked me up a chain man,Joe here.

Good deal. What‘ll you have,Joe? Beer‘s fine.

Why don‘t we sit at the bar, bat the breeze with Dick? Suits me.

What do you say, Bill? Got me a chain man. I‘m backin business.

So Angie tells me. Glad to hearit. One draft, one rye.

Keep it. Buy a mink coat. Who‘s he,J.P. Morgan?

No, but he got his unemployment check today. I‘ll just pick up a stole.

It‘s too hot in California for a coat. You do that.

Kinda slow, huh? It‘s a little earlyyet.

We do pretty good late business. Is that so?

I‘ve been thinking about getting a piano player, but it‘s pretty rough to get a permit in this town.

Dick,Joe Frazier. GuyI work with. Glad to know you.

—Same here. — So you finally got an assistant on that surveyingjob, huh?

— Yep. — I‘m happy to hear it. I hated to see all that smart going to waste.

— A little tough to get in gear when you‘re from out ofstate. — I know what you mean.

L.A.‘s not the easiest place to start shaking hands quick.

— This is nowhere city as far as I‘m concerned. — That so?

They leave the sidewalks out all night here, they roll up the town.

— Where are you from? — Right here, born and raised.

Been the same since / can remember. Cops keep the lid nailed down. No action, no nothing

I haven‘t been here as long asJoe, but I gotta go along. L.A. stands for “Low on Action.“

Angie‘s single. Checks out at 2:00 am.

Well, now, that‘s nice to know, but that‘s not what I had in mind.

I‘m talking about a little tax—free circus money.

You gotta drive all the way down to Ca/iente or out to Santa Anita. Yea h ?

I like to have a little something going every day. Maybe nothing big,

but a little daily recreation don‘t hurt anybody.

— You sayyou‘re a native here? — That‘s right.

— Well, then you oughta know. — Yeah?

It‘s against the law.

[Friday Narra ting] Thursday, january 72. Three days went by

We were certain Clinger was taking action, but he wasn’t taking any fl’om us.

3:30 p. m. Bill picked us up in Unit 7 K —80

We cruised the farside of the I/alle y while we talked

We‘ve been living with Westerfeldt. So far, nothing.

Yeah? We get him up in the morning, put him to bed at night.

So far, it‘s the same routine. Hasn‘t been near that back office. And the clerk acts like a hermit.

Stops at a different liquor store every night. They all sell scratch sheets, but we haven‘t seen him buy one.

Mm—hmm. Goes to the back office and that‘s it.

Well, sooner or later, Westerfeldt‘s got to shake hands with his clerk.

We‘ll staywith it. How are you two doing?

Nothing so far, butJoe has a thought. Yeah?

There‘s a waitress in there, name‘s Angie. She must know what‘s going on. Maybe she‘ll share it with us.

How do you figure to work it? Tonight Riddle and I‘ll hang around till closing.

Maybe I can buy her breakfast. I‘ll fill the Skipper in. Keep in touch.

All right. Have a good breakfast,Joe.

[Friday Narra ting] Riddle and / returned to the Domino Bar and Grille.

We sat in a booth until almost closing time.

7:37am. Last call.

I‘m fine. Angie?

— Yes? — You got any plans when you get offtonight?

— Why? — Well, I could take you to the Cocoanut Grove, but they‘ll be closed too.

— Well, then? — How about some breakfast?

Never before noon.

You know, you oughta take him up on it, Angie.Joe‘s a nice, roundheaded, single boy.

Thanks anyway, Bill But you can see Angie and/ just aren ’t star—crossed

Whatever that means. Sure you don‘t want another?

No, thanks.

Doesn‘t look too promising. Well, I don‘t know. I still got 15 minutes before closing.

I‘ll leave you the wagon. Good luck. Right.

See you tomorrow, Bill.

JM Humming Drunkenly]

[Slurring] I beg your pardon, sir. May I join your party?

I‘m not having any party, fella.

Doyou mind ifI sit down? I‘m a little road weary.

When the rest ofyour gang gets back,

I will move over, okay?

— You‘re carrying quite a load, aren‘t you? — How doyou mean, sir?

— You‘ve had a little too much to drink. — No, sir, I have not.

/mayhave had one or two, but /know my "capaticy ”

I do not get “drink.“ Now, mayI buyyou a little “drunk“?

No, and I don‘t think you can have one either. Last call‘s over.

Last call? JM Hums]

— Why don‘t you let me call you a cab? — I have one cab, sir.

Well, don‘t you thinkyou oughta climb in it and head for home?

Sir, I wouldjust like to have a little toast with your party.

/ will buya round of "friends ” for all of your "drinks. ”

I told you. There‘s no party here and the bar is closed.

— Why that dirty little Ernie. — What‘s that?

Ernie. That dirty little Ernie. He lied to me again.

He told me the Checker Bar was open till all night.

—Well, this is the Domino Bar. —The“Donimo" Bar?

Oh, that dirty little Ernie.

He didn‘t even tell me they changed the name ofthis place.

Here, drinkthis. It‘ll make you feel better.

What is that? What do you like in your coffee?

Hot. No, I mean cream, sugar?

Sugar? No. Sugar turns to alcohol.

It gets you all ground up inside and it‘s no good.

But thankyou foryour “hospitulity.”

JM Hums]

— She the owner? — Don‘t you think you better drink that, mister?

The name is Simmons. Remember the name.

Jay Simmons.

—I am from Pismo Beach, sir. — Well, you‘re along way from home, aren‘t ya? That‘s about 100 miles up north.

Well, I have been trying to get to Los Angeles...

for five months now to say hello...

to the old gang down here, sir.

You drinkthat and I‘ll helpyou into your cab.

You know, I don‘t drink and drive, sir.

— “Inkahol” and “gasoloon” do not mix. — That‘s right.

That‘s right.

— I love clam chowder. — Is that so?

I kept looking all over for“Pisno" Beach...

just to get a bowl ofclam chowder.

I found it. I have moved my home to Pismo Beach.

I love clams. You navy? Navy.

All right, now. Don‘t you think it‘s about time you headed for home?

Angie, would you mind locking up for me tonight? Shirley‘s sick.

Not at all, Dick. Hope she feels better.

Thanks. Come on, fella. I‘ll getyou a cab.

I have one cab, sir. I wish to go back to Pismo Beach.

Would you get me a cab which knows which way it is to Pismo? And tell it I‘ll drive.

You‘re not gonna do any driving. I certainly am.

I‘m too drunk to walk. Come on. Let‘s go.

Let‘s you and I go out the front. We‘re okay, huh?

JM Hums]

[Door Closes] End ofthe night,joe.

Yeah, it kind oflooks that way. How about a cigarette?

Gotta lock up. Yeah, I know. There‘s no law against smoking after 2:00 am. is there?

No. I guess not.

— Who‘s Shirley? — Who?

I heard Clinger say that Shirley was sick.

Oh. You‘ll have to excuse me. I‘m tired. Shirley, that‘s Dick‘s daughter.

She’s 70 What‘s the matter with her?

Something to do with her heart. I don‘t know exactly.

A murmur. Something like that

— Dick‘s a widower, you know. — Is that so? Seems like a nice guy.

— He is. — How long you been working for him,Angie?

Oh, he doesn‘t own the place. Somebody by the name of Burrows up north.

/ was hired by them in San Francisco. Told ’em / wanted to come south and the y put me in here.

— Close to three years now. — You must know Clinger pretty well.

Not that well, but he‘s been a good friend.

—That‘s all I meant. — Sure.

[Chuckles] What is it, Angie? You don‘t think much ofme, do you?

— Never bothered to rate you. — Why? All men are alike and all that?

I guess. You meet all kinds hustling drinks in a bar.

—I imagineyou do. —I sayyou meet ‘em all, but they‘re all alike.

— Not all. — You‘re different?

— It‘s possible. — But not probable.

— You rate Clinger pretty high. — Why shouldn‘t I? He‘s straight, he‘s good and he‘s honest.

— That about covers it. — You have that tone in your voice like you think he‘s not.

Well, you‘d know more about that than I would. Ijust met him.

Dick‘s a good man. Takes care ofhis little girl.

No wife to help him. He worships that child.

He’sgood Ifyou say so.

I say so. Good night,joe.

[Friday Narrating] Tuesday, january24, 77:35 am.

Riddle and / met again with Bill Gannon.

You do any good, Gannon? Like the pilgrims, we‘re making a little progress.

What do you got? Spotted Westerfeldt and his back—office clerk in a meet.

They exchanged sheets. We‘ve gone as far as we can go. The rest is up to you.

Yeah. All we need is that phone number.

[Friday Narrating] Tuesday, january24, 72:30pm.

We hoped that somehow we could persuade Dick Clinger to give us the number of the phone spot..

which would give us the probable cause to have a search warrant issued against Westerfeldt’s bookmaking operation.

/t didn ’t look too encouraging

How‘s it going, Dick? Not so hot. Mylittle girl‘s sick again.

— Is that so? What‘s the matter with her? — She has a bad heart.

Congenital defect of the mitral valve they call it.

She is gonna have to have open—heart surgery one of these days. Sorry to hear it.

Poor little thing. She‘s only I 0. Never complains.

Neversays a word about it She knows she has a bad heart?

Yeah. The doctor said she‘d have to be told.

She has to take it real easy. No running or playing with the other kids.

Operation like that must cost a lot ofmoney.

It sure does. I don‘t know where it‘s gonna come from.

I‘ve got a little saved up, but not nearly enough.

I want her to have a specialist— the best.

I don‘t blame you. It‘s too bad you don‘t have anotherjob you could work part—time at.

A lot ofguys in your/ine pick up a few extra bucks working days.

— I got a little something going on the side. — Is that right?

Maybe I play it too close to the vest. I don‘t know.

— What‘s that, Dick? — A few days ago, you two were talking about finding a little action.

— /sn’t that right? — Yeah.

— You still interested? — What do you got in mind?

— You wanna get a little something down, isn‘t that it? — You knew that three weeks ago.

— Three weeks ago, I didn‘t know you. — Who‘s taking the action?

— You‘re looking at him. — What’s the setup?

I double the line. Thirty, twelve and six in the first $1 0.

Pay up to a hundred in the daily double. All right. How do we get it in?

The clerk will answer, “Bottled in Bond.“ You come back “I 00 proof.“

Give your identification. You‘rejoe One for Dick. You‘re Bill Five for Dick.

Got it? Yeah.

Here‘s the phone number.

[Friday Narrating] Wednesday, january25, 4:30pm.

Riddle, Gannon and / reported to Captain Harry Nelson.

— Clinger told you you‘d settle up with him? — Yes, sir. Once a week, Monday nights.

— How much action have you laid in so far? — A hundred and 20 in the past two days.

I‘m ahead 35—60, but Riddle‘s down 50.

All right First thing in the morning /oe, you and Riddle go over to the DA. is ofiice...

and start the ball rolling on the search warrants.

We‘ll tentatively plan to go Saturday. Usual procedure.

Lieutenant S wenson will brief all concerned personnel around 7 030 a. m.

Radio communications coordinated through our office with standby crews...

ready to stiffany suspected phone spots after we serve the warrants on Westerfeldt and the back office.

Gannon, you serve Westerfeldt Bowser’l/ take the phone spot Yes, sir.

—joe, you and Riddle take the back office. — Yes, sir.

Go time 72:75. Fifteen minutes before first post

[Friday Narra ting] Saturday, january 28, 7 7:47 a. m. We had obtained the search warrants.

Riddle and / drove out to the Valley

We headed for the apartment house where the back office was located

72:75 pm. [Phone Rings]

Flash paper!

Stay put. Police officers. Search warrant for the premises. You‘re under arrest.

Here are the numbers to the fronts and the codes.

[Friday Narrating] While /informed the suspect of his constitutional rights, Riddle cal/ed Captain Nelson.

He told him that we were in and ga ve him the codes and numbers for the fl’onts.

We asked that a black—and— white unit transport the suspect downtown.

Saturday, january28, 72:48pm.

Angie, doyou mind hanging up my coat for me? Keep it You’l/needit

Police officers. You‘re under arrest. Conspiracy to commit bookmaking.

Oh, no. All right, Clinger. I have to inform you ofyour constitutional rights.

Look,just a minute. I won‘t run out on you. I‘m not going anyplace.

But can‘t you give me a couple ofdays? My kid‘s awful sick. Sorry.

You have the right to remain silent. [Continues] It‘s not as ifhe murdered somebody.

He broke the law. You sound like a cheap, dime novel.

Do I? Just for making a little book so he could do better for his kid.

There are other ways. That little girl ofhis.

You must feel real proud ofyourselfwhen you think about her.

Iwish he had.

[Friday Narrating] Saturday, january28, 4:38pm.

Six suspects, including the head man of the bookmaking operation, Gordon Westerfeldt,

were booked for conspiracy to commit bookmaking

Five of them were released on bail within four hours of their arrest

A quick evaluation of records seized in the back ofiice...

indicated that the bookmaking operation was handling in excess of $ 75, 000 e very week

/dentification was found on Clinger bearing the name Ross Clement

A check of R&/ re vealed that he was wanted in Pennsylvania for forgery.

He would be held in the C entra/ jail, located in PA.B, pending extradition.

Wednesday, February 7, 7 7: 75 am. Cream and sugar?

Yeah. Youjust missed it. Centraljail called.

Clinger wants to talk to you and Riddle. What about?

Just said it was urgent.

[Friday Narra ting] 2 p. m. Bill Riddle drove in fl’om North Hollywood

We met with Richard Clinger in one of the interview rooms at the C entra/ jail

My little girl died an hour ago.

— Sorry, Clinger. — I never told her what the chances were.

It—It looked good for the first few hours after the operation.

She thought she was going to get better. They told me she was talking about riding a horse.

She loved horses. Then shejust fell asleep, and itwas all over.

— We‘re sorry, Dick. — I—I‘ve gotta make the arrangements somehow.

I don‘t know who to turn to. I thought I‘d askyou.

— Sure. — I‘d sure appreciate it.

— Tell us what you need. — /on/ygot $ 600

Hospital bills and doctors, it doesn‘t leave much.

D—Doesn ’t have to be anything sho wy, you know just some thing nice.

—We‘ll take care ofit. — You won‘t need a big coffin. She‘s a small girl.

She never had much chance to grow much.

She is got a white dress. /t’s hanging in the closet at home. All right.

She‘s got some favorite things in a little cardboardjewel box.

Will you pick out whateveryou think would look nice...

and make sure they fix her hair?

But... the big problem is, you see, we never went to church.

So, I don‘t have a minister or anything like that.

—I understand. — I mean, a nice service.

That‘s the important part. Somebody who‘ll say the right words.

Can you find someone that can do that?

We‘ve got somebody.

[Narrator] The story you ha ve just seen is true.

The names were changed to protect the innocent

On April 75, trial was held in Department 783,

Superior Court of the State of California,

in and for the County of L os Ange/es.

/n a moment, the results of that trial

Five of the suspects were found guilty under Sections 7 82.5 and 337A....

of the California State Penal Code, Conspiracy and Bookmaking

The four clerks were each fined $250 and released

Gordon R Westerfeldt was fined $500 and released

/n the interest ofjustice, the charges against Ross Clement, also known as Richard Clinger, were dismissed

He was, however, returned to the state of Penns y/ vania to stand trial for forgery.