Original subtitles

THE UNTOUCHABLES #026 "The Underworld Bank" CLOSED CAPTIONED

Stay close, but not too close.

Tonight's episode:

Starring Robert Stack as Eliot Ness.

Costarring Virginia Vincent...

and Peter Falk.

With special guest star Thomas Mitchell...

and narrated by Walter Winchell.

On the afternoon of September 23, 1933,

at a fashionable midtown hotel in New York City,

a secret meeting of financial giants

was scheduled to take place.

The six men gathering at this secret meet

were modest in their speech

and very circumspect in their behavior,

but a sharp-eyed detective with a memory for mug shots

could have named them all...

Harold Bischman... Behind-the-scenes operator

and political power in the state of Louisiana.

Ralph Lucci... Old-time rum-runner,

once a leader of Detroit's Purple Gang.

Big Augie Epstein... Kingpin of Miami gambling.

Dino Matero... pinball and slot machines, Kansas City.

Art Martin... jukeboxes, numbers, prostitution,

Seattle and the northwest.

And Milo Sullivan... Retired hoodlum.

His shrewd manipulations had made him business consultant

for the nation's underworld.

These six men were meeting to organize the underworld bank.

In their control were the lush profits

acquired during the Prohibition days.

Now with Prohibition and its illicit offspring, bootlegging,

nearing their dismal finish,

they sought other profitable fields of investment

for their illegal millions.

Now, the beauty of this operation is that it's legal.

It's no crime to lend money.

We've got the money and we've got the know-how.

I think it's time

we pooled our resources and went big,

wrapped up the whole country.

How do you figure to go about it?

Like any sensible business man, like any bank,

we pick the right people, the pros;

the ones who know their business and can be relied on.

For every dollar that we lend out, we get back at least two.

Nobody gets poor on that kind of interest.

For example, right here in New York,

I have a million dollar fur job

set to roll any day.

On an investment of 50 Gs, we net $100,000.

Not bad, is it?

Milo Sullivan painted a glowing picture of Crime, Incorporated,

financed and managed to operate on a business basis.

In the weeks that followed,

a rash of crime broke out that shocked the country.

The hijacking of a $100,000 shipment

of radios and tobacco in Maryland.

They were expertly planned and skillfully executed.

Especially shocking was a fur robbery in New York,

a million dollar haul, compounded by a brutal murder.

Ness had been called to an emergency meeting

in Washington.

When he returned to Chicago,

the Untouchables had a new assignment:

find the men behind the outbreak of lawlessness

that was sweeping the country.

What makes New York so special?

The same thing's been happening all over the country.

Yeah, and why us?

We still got a few fires to put out

right here in Chicago.

I'll tell you why,

this is as big as anything Capone ever threw our way.

Maybe they're just headlines.

Behind them there's a certain pattern,

almost like a signature.

Like Jim Egan's rats.

No, no, not a gang, a pattern.

Take the fur robbery...

It took weeks of careful preparation.

Leasing a loft, building up a legitimate business front,

special equipment, keeping the gang together

for months before the job was pulled.

All this took money, big money.

Well, where did it come from?

Who put up the front coin, the operating money?

That's what we've got to find out.

Well, sounds like an awful lot of work.

The Department wants us in New York

soon as we can clear things here.

Operator?

The Federal District Attorney's office, please.

That same night, Ness and two of his best men,

Cam Allison and Enrico Rossi,

left Chicago airport on their way to New York.

They went into immediate conference

with the federal attorney for the district of Manhattan,

John Carvell.

We've had calls for help from all over the country.

Now you just let me know when and where you want to begin.

I must confess, it has me stumped.

Well, I think our first step

is to concentrate on the fur robbery.

Why that one?

Because it's typical of the highly-skilled,

professionally-organized job.

No one man or gang could have pulled it off

without proper financing.

We'll need the help of the local police to round up

any hoods who might've been connected with it.

Maybe they can tell us something.

You can count on this office for any help we can give.

Thanks, Mr. Carvell, we'll probably need it.

Good luck.

Number three: Alonzo Sanchez,

no known aliases, age 32, weight: 165 pounds.

Four felony arrests, two convictions.

Step forward, pretty boy.

Show your profile.

Step back.

Number four: Duke Mullen,

alias Dave Miller, alias Dan Mulligan.

Age 31, weight: 165 pounds.

Nine felony arrests, two convictions.

Step forward.

All right, Dukey, you've been here before.

Take off your hat.

I said take off your hat.

Show your profile.

Seems pretty sure of himself.

He's been around.

Step back.

Number five: Anthony Zagano, alias Tony Marcetti.

Age 45, weight:175 pounds.

Six felony arrests,

burglary, two assault DW,

two, convictions: three.

Step forward.

Show your profile.

And step back.

This all we could come up with?

We've had every stoolie in town working overtime.

This is the cream of the crop.

I'll start with the little guy on the end.

Know anything about him?

Zagano?

Used to be a wheel in the dope racket,

but a couple of years ago,

he started to play the field...

Robbery mostly, only big stuff.

Okay, send him along.

I'm Eliot Ness.

Well... the one and only.

Just a few questions, Tony.

It won't take long.

Sure, sure.

Help yourself, Mr. Ness.

I understand when they picked you up,

you had $6,800 in cash on you.

So what?

Is it a crime to have a little pocket money?

Where did you get it?

I won it in a crap game.

You see, I'm a wrong player.

I bet "don't come" or "don't pass."

Yeah, I know you're a wrong player,

and your system doesn't interest me.

So, you asked it, I told you.

Now tell me something I can believe.

Where did you get the money?

Look... if I was worried,

my lawyer would be talking for me, not me.

I'm legit.

I sell insurance.

And I got an office to prove it.

An office proves only that you pay the rent.

It's a front, Tony. You know it,

I know it, the police know it.

So, buy a policy and make me honest.

They don't write insurance to cover

your particular problem, Tony.

It's bigger than you think.

Oh?

How big is that?

Oh, about as big as a million dollar fur heist.

You're nuts.

I'm up to here in alibis for the past six months.

You may need every one of them.

And, Tony...

you may even need this.

Lacking any grounds upon which to hold Tony Zagano,

Ness turned his attention to Duke Mullen,

a tough, two-time loser from St. Louis.

What are you doing in town, Duke?

Well, not an awful lot, taking it easy.

You know I'm on vacation?

Oh, yeah, I got this stomach thing.

I can't do much.

So, I'm seeing the sights,

I go out to the track, take in the tall buildings.

What else are you taking in?

What are you doing to me?

Look, Mr. Ness...

you got something, lay it on me,

but if you just want to talk,

you know, you're feeling lonely, well...

What are you living on?

Credit.

Who from?

Friends.

They loan you money?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

They're, uh, they're good that way.

How do you pay it back?

Well, like I told you, they're my friends.

Where were you the night

the Terminal Fur Storage was knocked over?

Say, I understand that was some job, excellent work.

What'd they get there, a million?

I heard they got a million there.

You didn't answer my question.

I didn't?

Oh.

Would you mind repeating that question?

You've already answered it.

He don't seem like a bad guy.

Nothing to worry about.

With the number of suspects reduced to two,

the Untouchables ransacked the files and the police records

for all material on Tony Zagano and Duke Mullen.

This rundown on Zagano says that his insurance office

is definitely a front,

but they haven't been able

to pin anything on him since 1930.

If he hasn't turned a wheel in four years,

what was he doing with $6,800 in cash?

That's a very good question.

It's a cinch he didn't get it matching nickels.

Somewhere, somebody with brains and money

is organizing top talent, setting up deals,

maybe even financing them.

So, which way do we go?

We go with the money, 6,800 bucks.

Rico, you keep an eye on Duke Mullen.

Cam and I will work on Zagano...

We'll roust him, step on his heels,

make life miserable for him.

Maybe if we push him hard enough,

he'll get desperate and yell for help.

Worth a try.

The following morning, Eliot Ness and Cam Allison

started putting the pressure on Tony Zagano.

♪ ♪

I'll only be a minute.

Hey, what's the...?

♪ ♪

What's the trouble, Milo?

No trouble, Tony.

We're just calling in the money.

But I haven't pulled the job yet.

And you won't.

The way we look at it, Tony, the job's cold,

but you're hot.

We know Ness and his boys are after you.

It doesn't look good.

You're on the books for 25 grand.

Milo, you know I laid it out on a front...

The office, the whole schmear,

and I got two helpers to keep happy, and my own expenses.

And you lived real high.

You didn't print that $6,800 they found on you.

I know, but I had to... And now...

business is business.

We want our money.

But I haven't got it!

Then get it!

Sure, sure.

If you'll only let me have...

If you'll just... No, no, no excuses.

This is a bank.

We make business deals. We lend you money,

and when we want to call it in,

you pay it back.

If you don't pay it back, we gotta get it back.

Okay, Milo, okay.

Just give me a little time.

Well, like a bank, we're not unreasonable.

Three days.

Three days? Where am I going to get that...?

Going out?

No. Why do you ask?

Well, you're getting all prettied up.

Can't a girl put her lipstick on

without stirring up a lot of questions?

I'm sorry, Uncle Milo, I didn't mean to be rude.

Louise, I worry about you.

I wish you went out more.

Working around here with all these characters.

That's no life for a young girl.

Let's not start that again.

Anyway, I'm not so young.

Don't work too late.

I thought you'd never get here.

Oh, darling, I came as quickly as I could.

You know how it is at the store.

Who's pretty, huh?

Who's pretty?

Please, let me take my coat off, huh?

What are you worried about the coat?

I haven't seen you for a week.

I couldn't get away.

How did you manage this time?

I was just lucky.

Oh, Duke... Oh, Duke, please, be sensible.

Duke, please!

You love it, and you know it.

What are you kiddin' me?

You know, it's not gonna be long now, baby.

In a couple of days, I get my cut for the fur job,

and then... then it's you and me.

You mean you heard from... the bank?

No, I haven't actually heard,

but, it's gotta be in the next two or three days.

Oh, darling, it's like a dream coming true.

I'm afraid of waking up.

You'll wake up when you see that dough.

Listen, you know the whole thing's gonna come

between $20,000, $30,000?

That's right, baby.

You like them figures, don't you?

Hmm? Huh?

You gonna have any trouble living on that kind of money?

Duke, you-you do love me, don't you?

No, I don't love you. No, I'm just hangin' around here

on pins and needles waitin' to kiss you

because, uh, 'cause I got nothin' else to do, right?

I'm scared.

I don't know, maybe it's because I love you so much.

You see, Uncle Milo told me about the...

Well, he told me about what happened.

You mean about being picked up by the police?

Oh, that's nothing.

Nothing at all.

Nah, they're just fishing there.

You see, they bring this guy in from Chicago,

this Eliot Ness, so everybody gets excited.

I mean, for what?

What's he ever done?

I heard he got lucky... Picked up Capone.

Big deal.

What does it mean... He made an arrest.

Uncle Milo said Mr. Ness is a very important man.

Duke, you've got to be careful.

Don't worry about him.

He's a nice guy. I enjoyed talkin' to him.

Look, baby, what's important?

What's important? That we're together, right?

Louise.

The three days' grace,

which the bank had given Tony Zagano, was running out.

Desperately he went down the list of his alleged friends

trying to raise the money.

Hi, Lou.

Yeah, yeah, fine.

Tony.

Lou, I need cash.

Now, now, wait-wait a second, Lou, wait.

You can't turn me down.

They... they'll kill me.

Lou, I've gotta have it today.

Today, Lou.

Look, Lou, I'll give you anything.

I'll pay you back double, triple.

Anything you want.

Leave town?

What do I need you to tell me to leave town for?

♪ ♪

Hello. Ness.

This is Tony Zagano.

Yeah, the insurance man.

I, uh, I thought you might be interested in a policy.

What does it cover?

Information.

How big is the premium?

Big risk... big premium.

You see, I... I gotta cover a note at the bank.

A big note?

Too big for me.

Look, when I see you,

I'll tell you what and for how much.

Tomorrow at 3:00.

No, no, no! Too late!

Uh... it's gotta be right now.

Okay, one hour.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Egyptian Room.

Hi, Johnny.

Johnny, look, I-I'm getting the dough, Johnny.

It'll be here in a half hour. Johnny.

Johnny, you gotta give me a little more time.

It's just a half hour, Johnny.

No, Johnny. Johnny, don't.

Just give me a little more time, Johnny!

And now back to:

But time caught up with Tony Zagano

before he could talk.

Hours later, his body was fished out

of the cold waters of Sheepshead Bay.

The local police notified Ness that the ticket he hoped

would lead him to the underworld bank

had been punched full of .38 caliber holes.

Forgive me for disturbing you at this time, Mrs. Zagano.

What do you want from me?

We're trying to find out who killed your husband.

Will that bring him back?

No, but you can help prevent the same thing happening to others.

Who was after him, Mrs. Zagano?

Who was after him?

You was after him.

You wouldn't leave him alone.

You even followed him to church.

Look, Mrs. Zagano, we're trying to find Tony's murderers.

Why don't you leave me alone?

Look, all I know is that he's dead,

and me, I'm a widow.

That's all I know.

Well, if you change your mind,

or if you ever need any help,

you can reach me at this number.

The next morning Ness and his men

attended a funeral... a funeral held for Tony Zagano

in the best underworld fashion.

That's the girl I followed to Duke Mullen's place.

The card on the flowers read: "From Milo Sullivan."

Stay with her.

Cam and I will see what the police have on Sullivan.

Right.

The day after the funeral,

Mrs. Zagano received a visitor, Johnny the Enforcer.

Good morning, Father.

Good morning.

It's, um, too bad about Tony.

Too bad?

Oh, poor Tony.

Yeah, I know how it is.

Tony and I, we was friends.

Business friends.

They, uh, they call me Johnny.

Tony, he never told me much about his business.

You know, sometimes I...

I wouldn't see him for weeks at a time.

But always when he'd come back, he'd throw money on the bed.

Yeah, Tony must have been a good provider.

But he died a little short.

What do you mean?

He went out owing the bank 25 Gs.

What bank?

The bank.

He never told me about no bank.

So you learn from me.

It was a business investment, a loan.

We got his paper for $25,000.

So you bury the paper with him.

Now what do you want to talk like that for?

A wife should want to take care of her husband's obligations.

But Tony's dead.

You ain't.

But after I paid the funeral, I got no money left.

You got a house.

Sell it.

You got one week.

Huh?

A short time later, the widow of Tony Zagano

called on Federal Agent Eliot Ness.

And Tony never mentioned this bank to you?

Never. Not to me.

And this man, Johnny?

Never saw him before.

It's in your power, Mrs. Zagano, to lead us to the men

who killed your husband.

I'm convinced they're the operators of this bank

which is now trying to take your house.

But I don't know them.

If you will trust me, Mrs. Zagano,

we'll arrange for a fictitious sale of your house.

We'll furnish you with the money to pay the bank,

but you must insist

upon delivering the money to them personally.

All right.

Anything you say.

I'll notify you when the money's ready.

Thank you, Mrs. Zagano.

Thank you for your cooperation.

The day following Eliot Ness's meeting with Mrs. Zagano,

Duke Mullen got the word from the bank.

They were ready to settle his account.

He would get the final word

in front of an obscure hotel in lower Manhattan.

Hey.

Hey, that's all right.

That's pretty tricky.

The only thing you left out was a cup and a cane.

I could have picked up a buck, maybe, on the way in, eh?

Yeah. Well, uh...

I'll tell you, I was sure glad I finally heard from you guys.

What does it say in the ledger?

Well, we advanced $50,000 for the operation.

We took back $100,000.

That means that the debt is cancelled,

and the boys are clean with us on the books.

Hey, I, uh, I see ya like fish, huh?

Well, that's nice.

That's a nice hobby.

And you like to talk, don't you?

Okay, Duke, that's your share.

Hey, thanks.

I enjoyed doing business with you.

Hey.

Wait a minute. This is it?

Look, that was a million dollars' worth of furs.

How do you come to this?

That's what it says in the ledger.

That's what it says in the ledger?

Well, what am I supposed to do with that kind of information?

What is that, a bible?

It's the bible this bank goes by.

There are other people in this besides you, Duke.

Don't forget that.

Now don't give me that, Milo.

I only know one thing...

I come up with a million dollars' worth of stuff,

and you give me $5,000.

Now, that's not even a cent on a dollar.

Now you're making me lose patience.

Without me, without the bank, you're nothing.

You know any other place you can get that deal?

I know nobody's gonna shake me down!

What do you think, I'm a two-bit hoodlum?!

Get him out of here.

Ness arranged a final meeting with Mrs. Zagano

at the Borough Hall subway station, Brooklyn.

I've got a package for you.

It's got the money and detailed instructions.

See that you carry them out exactly.

What if this Johnny won't take me to the bank?

You must insist.

It's your right.

You're a widow, and they're taking your house.

We'll keep you in sight every second.

You better go.

As soon as the next train stops, I'll drop the package.

Watch it here.

♪ ♪

Stay close, but not too close.

The two hired hoodlums,

who had blocked the Untouchables' path,

were killed, but in the meantime,

Mrs. Zagano had disappeared,

and with her went Ness's hopes of a quick solution

of the mystery of the underworld bank.

Is it far to go?

Nah.

A trip like this only takes a few minutes.

You bring the money?

Yeah. Right here.

No funny business like marked bills

or anything like that, huh?

No. If my Tony owes the money, I want to pay it.

Maybe you're expecting someone?

Someone like, uh... Eliot Ness maybe?

Of course not. Why should I?

Yeah, I think I see him.

The death of Mrs. Zagano

was reported to the Untouchables

the following morning.

It was a blow Eliot Ness found very hard to take,

but a blow that he was determined to pay back

regardless of time, place or circumstance.

Let's go over what we've got.

Maybe we can come up with a fresh lead.

Rico, what'd you find out about that blonde?

Well, she plays the piano for a place

called The Family Music Shop on Blake Street.

Sells records and music.

All very innocent.

That's the place Milo Sullivan owns.

What did we find on him?

Well, he's in the books for a couple of things,

but it's all pretty old stuff.

Uh... nothing in the last, oh, five years.

If he's got a record,

and she's running around with Duke Mullen,

it can't be that innocent.

So what does that leave us with?

All that's left is Duke Mullen.

Duke?

Duke!

Honey?

Oh. I thought for a minute you weren't here.

Where else would I be?

I'm sorry I was late, honey.

You know how hard it is for me to get away.

Shall I fix you some supper?

I'm not hungry, so forget about the supper.

What's wrong, honey?

They think I'm some two-bit hoodlum, some dummy,

they can shake me down and tell me to take a walk.

They got the wrong guy.

The bank?

Yeah, the bank. What else?

Didn't they give you your share?

What share?!

I come up with a million dollars' worth of furs,

they give me a lousy $5,000.

Look, I understand how you feel, honey,

but couldn't we be satisfied with that?

What are you, some kind of nut or something?

What's a matter, don't you understand?

They took me for $25,000, and then they put me out the door.

Now, you say something bright or you shut up,

one or the other, right?

Baby, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I got excited, I lose my head,

but, you gotta understand one thing.

You gotta understand my feelings about that money.

Now, look, Louise, listen to me.

You know why I want that money?

You see, that money... that was for us.

That was for you and me.

That's what I wanted to start us out with.

Oh, but, I-I don't mind, honest I don't.

Yeah, but I mind.

You know why?

Because I want to buy you nice things.

Oh, Duke.

I'll tell you, hon...

You know, I think... I think we're

gonna be able to work it out, um...

How-how do you mean?

Well, I'll tell you.

The fur job was supposed to be my last job, right?

That's right.

Right.

Now...

they pulled the rug out from under me, right?

Mmm.

Now, this is the payoff.

There's gonna have to be another job.

A big one.

Oh, no, Duke, no.

I'll tell you something else.

You're gonna have to help me.

I-I don't understand.

Baby, listen to me.

There's a half a million bucks

sitting up there just waiting to be taken.

Duke, you don't mean... Yeah.

That's what I mean.

We're gonna get the bank.

No, Duke. No, you can't.

Th-they, they'll kill you.

They don't kill anybody,

not if you work it right.

No, Duke, I won't listen to you.

Milo and Davie are alone on Tuesday nights.

Tuesday night, right? No. Please, please, Duke!

And they're sittin' up there alone with 500 Gs, right?

I won't listen to you! I won't listen!

You're gonna listen to me,

and you're gonna listen to me good.

Now get this.

You help me, whether you like it or not.

This is my big chance, and I don't blow it.

No! Don't tell me no!

I won't! I won't!

Six months I'm waiting around here, six crummy months,

and I sweat, and I sweet talk her

to set up the deal, and when I want her,

when I really need her, then she falls apart.

You never loved me.

Oh, crazy with the whole thing.

What love you? What, are you kiddin'?

When's the last time you looked in a mirror?

That's all I need is have you hangin' around for 40 years.

I've got enough problems.

Oh, God... I wish I could die.

I wish I could die!

You wanna die? All right, die,

but you do it outside 'cause we're finished.

Oh, please.

Oh, please, Duke, don't send me away.

I love you.

I don't care how you feel about me, but...

don't send me away, please...

I'll do anything you... Anything.

Anything!

I tell you what you're gonna do.

You're gonna tell me where the bank is,

and then you're gonna go back there

like you forgot something, like a purse maybe,

and then at 9:00, I'm gonna come by...

and then, ten minutes later...

you and me, we're gonna walk out of there

a half a million bucks richer.

I didn't know you were still working.

I-I forgot my purse.

You shouldn't be wandering around alone.

You know it's almost 9:00.

I'm leaving now.

We'll be here another hour or two.

We have a little meeting with some of the boys later.

Good night.

Please, Duke. Duke, answer.

You and Duke, huh?

Where you going? Let go.

You're hurting my arm!

Take it easy.

Come on, let's go in and tell your Uncle Milo, huh?

I think he'll find it interesting.

Oh, no, Johnny, please, please, no!

Hello, Ness.

I followed the blonde from Duke's place here.

She disappeared inside, and a few minutes later

two of the dumbest looking guys you ever saw walked in.

I'll lay you odds if we knocked the joint over now,

if we don't find the bank, we'd find some of its best customers.

Okay, Rico, stay there.

We'll be right over.

It looks like Rico's got something.

Let's step on it.

There's your boyfriend.

I wonder who told him where the bank was.

One word out of you, I'll blow your head off.

Duke, look out!

Hold it!

I'll take that.

Now suppose we all go inside and see Uncle Milo, huh?

Get the buzzer.

All right, move.

Open it.

So...

it was a social call you were making, huh?

With this in your hand?

Thought you were clever

trying to make Louise tell you where the bank was.

Answer me.

Answer me!

Using my niece to get at the bank.

Weren't you?

Go play with your fish!

I won't leave you to Johnny.

I'll kill you myself.

Stop it!

Oh, stop it! I can't stand any more!

Federal officers. Don't make a sound.

Is that the bank through there?

Yeah, through there. They're killing him.

How do we get in?

The buzzer, here.

Don't press it till I give you the signal.

Federal officers! Stay where you are!

Come on, let's go.

Come on, get moving.

Let's go.

I'm sorry, but he won't be coming out.

Milo Sullivan's precious ledger furnished names,

addresses and the activities of top professional criminals

in the New York area.

It also supplied the evidence

to send Milo and his bookkeeper, Davie,

to federal prison, Atlanta, Georgia.

For her testimony in the case,

and at the request of Eliot Ness,

no charges were filed against Louise O'Hara.

The smashing of the underworld bank by the Untouchables

broke the back of Milo Sullivan's scheme

to finance crime,

but Eliot Ness knew that this was only the beginning

of the fight against organized crime financiers.

The Untouchables.