Original subtitles

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

a 211 in progress.

One-Adam-12, handle code 3.

♪♪

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

see the man. Possible 459 there now.

104 East River Street

at the rear of Atherton Manufacturing Company. Code 2.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

That's just a couple of blocks.

Where are the rest of you?

There should be at least three or four squad cars here.

What's your name?

I'm Curtis Atherton, and this is my company.

Can you tell us what this is all about?

The Ferret... I think we have him trapped inside the factory.

You two better get some help.

- The Ferret? - That's what he calls himself.

He's broken in here at least a dozen times,

causing a great deal of damage.

My security people called me at home and filled me in.

He's trapped in there right now.

For the last three weeks, this nut has been sneaking in here

and sabotaging the factory.

We'll take a look inside. Is there any other way out?

They're supposed to be sealed off.

Take the front.

Did you get his plate?

No, too far away.

Like the man said, he's tricky.

I can't understand why he's harassing us.

We've been ahead of every anti-pollution measure

that's passed the State Congress.

My partner got a good look at him, Mr. Atherton.

- We'll do everything we can. - Splendid.

You gentlemen may be able to confirm a theory of mine.

What's that?

I've got a hunch that this Ferret nonsense

is just a cover-up.

When you run a company like this,

you have to fire people.

I'll bet he's just some ex-employee

who's carrying a grudge.

It's possible, I guess.

I'll have my staff pull the records and photos

of all the men that have been recently fired.

I'd appreciate it if your officers would stop by later

and see if The Ferret is among them.

If he's in there, I'll recognize him.

Still listening to police calls, huh, Mr. Spence?

Yeah.

Say, Reed, what does he look like?

Does he, uh, wear a cape or a mask?

Jim and I would appreciate it if you'd take it easy on this one, Spence.

And miss your deathless encounter with The Ferret?

Got to be kidding.

This is going to kill them on the city desk.

That's all we need, a splashy news story

about some anti-pollution Zorro

who calls himself The Ferret.

If I know Spence, that's a real possibility.

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

see the man. A 415.257 North Dover Street. Code 2.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

That looks like our 415.

Hey, let me in. Hey, let me in.

Hey, let me in.

Hey, you've got to help me, please.

- What's the matter? - Yeah, it's Sue Ellen.

She's about to give birth to a young'un. Something ain't right.

- Maybe you better show us. - It's just a couple blocks down here.

All right, come on.

How long has she been like this?

It ain't been long, honest.

She'd been hunkered down some,

but I figured that's because the baby was coming and all.

- What's your name? - Larry, Larry Dent.

You have a doctor?

We got a little ol' fellow back home in Mississippi, not here.

We ain't been here but a few months.

I'll get an ambulance.

I can hardly find her pulse. Better take her ourselves. Give me a hand.

Wait here, please.

Get me a hemoglobin on this woman, stat.

Are you Mr. Dent?

Yeah.

Has your wife been eating clay?

I can't rightly say.

Maybe she has, maybe she ain't.

I ain't home much during the day. I couldn't say.

Mr. Dent, your wife is almost comatose.

Do you understand what that means?

It means unconscious and unable to be revived. It's like a coma.

Now, don't you go trying to scare me, Doc.

Me and Sue Ellen, we done everything like we supposed to.

We said the words, and we got a strong mojo working,

and if Sue Ellen is unconscious,

it's because that's the way he wants it.

Who wants it, Mr. Dent?

I ain't saying.

What was that all about?

Sounds like he's got a witch doctor, and he's scared to death.

There's a lot of them on the south side...

Witch doctors and high priests.

They feed on people's superstitions and fears.

That remark about the mojo took me.

What's that bit about eating clay?

There's a superstition that if a pregnant woman eats clay,

she'll have an easy childbirth

and the baby will be born healthy.

Actually, just the reverse is true.

Most of the babies are born either dead or seriously retarded.

This clay is the red mud from the Mississippi River Valley.

It has a high starch content.

That affects the hemoglobin count,

which is normally 12 to 18.

What's hers?

My guess is Mrs. Dent's is probably somewhere around 2 or 3.

Last few weeks, she's probably been a walking zombie.

I was wondering if you could give me some help.

I'd like to get one of these suppliers.

35% of the babies born in this hospital

come from women who eat clay.

If you could get into Dent's apartment

and find the clay and the name of the supplier,

I'll go out on a limb and sign a complaint.

Can you get in there without a warrant?

I think so, if we can get Mr. Dent to cooperate.

He's pretty spooked.

If we put it to him right, I don't think he'll object.

If you find it, give me a call.

Um... what's a mojo?

It's a prop used by witch doctors and voodoo men.

It's usually a bat's eye encased in plastic

or a gold-plated beetle... The spookier, the better.

For casting spells?

If she's been eating clay

and having spells put on her for nine months,

there's a good chance this baby will be born dead.

It's such a terrible waste.

Fellas can search all you like.

It ain't going to change nothing.

Mojo's been working for us, and it's got the right power.

You know what that thing can do?

Why, it can... it can make things happen anywheres in the world,

not just nearby, but anywheres.

Why, even if Sue Ellen and me was to go back to Mississippi,

it would still be working for us.

Postmark's from a town in Mississippi.

I'll call the doctor and tell him that.

You got a phone around here?

Try next door.

Who is T. Leland Sabeth?

You don't want to go mixing with Mr. Sabeth.

Why not, Mr. Dent?

If he gave your wife this clay, he could have seriously hurt your baby.

Oh, it ain't so. No, he put the mojo on Sue Ellen.

Well, did he tell you if Sue Ellen took the clay,

it would help her out with the baby?

Sure, but we knowed it anyways.

Folks back home been eating clay to have babies

far back as I can remember.

When we first moved to the city,

we's afraid we weren't going to get it,

but Mr. Sabeth, he's been giving it out to folks up here.

What is it, Pete?

I just spoke to the doctor, Mr. Dent.

The little boy was born dead.

That can't be. No, the baby's healthy.

I'm sorry.

Mm-mm. That...

That's a good, strong, healthy baby.

We had the mojo.

It was working for us.

It's got power half way around the world.

I think your wife's going to be okay.

Look, we'll drive you back to the hospital. Come on.

What do you think, Pete, we got time to see T. Leland Sabeth?

We'll make time.

It's part of the initial investigation.

This is One-Adam-12, show is Code 6

at 2300 South Arden.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

Troubles of this world will pass away

in the spirit of mojo.

Trust in the power of your mind.

I pray in the spirit of mojo.

Looks like a Halloween party.

Maintain the circle, and the devils will be purged,

chased out and damned,

for the evil spirits cannot penetrate here.

The mojo can protect or curse.

It can reach anywhere.

T. Leland Sabeth?

Reverend Sabeth, yes.

What denomination is that, Reverend?

That's an archaic concept, Officer.

We do not think in terms of denomination

but in terms of personal salvation

through the cleansing of the mind.

What do you want?

Did you give this to Mrs. Sue Ellen Dent?

Is something wrong, Officer?

This was in a wrapper with your address on it.

It was found in her apartment.

I don't suppose there's any harm in telling you.

Yes, I gave this to Mrs. Dent.

Do you have any more of it on hand?

You sound upset, my child.

Come on, how about it?

How is Mrs. Dent? Has she had the baby?

The baby was born dead.

How sad.

There's quite a bit of that down here.

I do the best I can to try and help them,

but I'm not a doctor, you know.

Just what are you?

I told you. I'm a reverend,

a man of the cloth,

and don't you come barging in here

with any of your indignant accusations.

I know my rights.

I do not recommend, nor do I prescribe.

I don't call myself a doctor.

I only make things available to people who want them.

In Mrs. Dent's case, it was that box of clay.

That is not a crime, and I doubt very seriously

that either Mr. or Mrs. Dent

will want to file a complaint against me.

Let us conclude our talks in the other room.

What's the matter?

You afraid to let these people see you for what your are?

In matters of the spirit,

absolute faith is essential.

No harm done.

Mrs. Dent's baby was born dead.

The doctors at the hospital said it was because she ate that clay.

I must ask you to leave.

Listen, if you people need medical help,

go to County General.

The doctors there will treat you.

If you can't pay, the county will pay the bills for you.

Trial and error,

trouble and terror.

The mojo works for those who know her.

A sacred eye, the curse is high.

Trouble and terror will soon be yours.

Let's go, Jim.

We sure shook him up.

You believe a phony like that?

He actually put a hex on me.

With the doctor's complaint,

we might be able to hit him with a hex of our own.

Let's turn it over to detectives.

First, let's find a shady spot

where I can write this thing up.

Here comes MacDonald.

Hi, Sarge. You wouldn't happen to have the ball scores, would you?

Got to stick to the front page, Reed.

- How come? - Well, you're all over it.

Just thought I'd warn you before you go into the station.

You're going to take a ribbing.

Okay, let's have it.

Nice.

Spence really put the Indian sign on you, Jim.

It goes something like this.

The Ferret is Robin Hood.

He sneaks around at night,

forces industries who are polluting the environment

to see the danger of their pollution,

and you are the cop who's pledged himself

to capture this likeable rogue.

Anything else?

Yeah, the department switchboard is lit up

with calls from irate citizens

who think we ought to put Reed in a cage.

The sacred eye and the curse's eye.

Knock it off.

It'll blow over.

At least he hit a good target.

Atherton Manufacturing

has one of the thickest folders in the APCD.

We're just doing our job,

and now all of a sudden, I'm the creep of the week.

If that story had come out on Mac or me,

would you have needled us?

- Well, I... - Just a little, maybe one wise crack?

Yeah, but maybe just one.

Okay, so take it easy.

You know, it is pretty funny.

There's a candidate for a moving violation.

Let's pull her over.

Try the reds.

We're really making a big impression on her.

Better call it in.

This is One-Adam-12 requesting wants and warrants

on Ocean Sam Ida 267.

One-Adam-12, Ocean Sam Ida 267,

no wants, no warrants.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

Good afternoon. Uh, fill it up with regular,

and don't forget the windshield.

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12, see the man,

information regarding 459 suspect,

104 East River Street,

Atherton Manufacturing Company executive offices.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

You must be the officers from the factory this morning.

- That's right. - And you're Officer Reed.

I recognized you from your picture in the newspaper.

Yes, ma'am.

Gee, I sure hope you get him.

Excuse us, ma'am. We're supposed to look at some pictures.

Oh, Mr. Atherton is tied up for a minute,

but if you could take a seat in the alcove,

I'll tell him you're here.

Thank you.

Beginning to feel like Clark Kent.

Don't let it get you.

I wonder if that guy really is an old employee.

I'd say it was a long shot.

This is some of the pollution you are dumping into the river.

Ask Mr. Atherton if he likes the smell of it.

Hey, stop that! What do you think you're doing?

You, uh... You guys sure get around.

What's your name, Mister?

Ralph Salisbury,

also known as The Ferret.

Okay, Mr. Salisbury, let's go.

Why, you caught him. You finally caught him.

What a mess.

It'll take hours to get that smell out of there.

We'll probably never get the smell out of the river.

This ecology kick is great fun for you dropouts, isn't it?

You can run around with your little signs

condemning things you don't understand,

but let me tell you something.

Business is competitive.

The products we make help the economy of this country,

and you've cost me a fortune.

Do you know that almost no marine life

grows in Los Angeles Harbor?

The river you're polluting

doesn't have any fish in it anymore.

That stuff all over your shoes is 40% toxic acid.

10% is oxides of one kind or another,

and 100% deadly.

On a pollution scale of 10, your company is a 12.

Atherton Manufacturing is an ecological disaster area.

What do you know about pollution and ecology?

I have a doctorate in the field.

I don't...

I don't imagine that story made things too easy for you.

No, I'll live through it.

- Anyway, I'm sorry about it. - No, it's okay.

Oh, could you do me one more favor, Officer?

Yeah, if I can.

Would you please pick that up?

Closed-Captioned By J.R. Media Services, Inc. Burbank, CA