The FBI Story Page #12

---

Rooming house

over on Kingsbridge, why?

I'd like to meet the fella.

He don't have to wait

for any cigarette change.

His money just breaks in pieces.

The pants presser notified the New York

Field Office of the bureau.

Agents were sent out.

Then the man

didn't give you the suit?

No, the landlady.

This fella piles it outside his door

before he goes to work.

The landlady, she gives it to me.

It happens lots of times.

One thing didn't happen lots of times.

The 50-cent piece

contained microfilm.

It was rushed to Washington

for breakdown.

It was in code. We had no key.

A copy was made...

...and then the microfilm, coin and suit

were returned to the suspect's room.

We checked out the landlady

and then questioned her.

Then the suit wasn't with

the regular bundle of stuff to be sent out?

No, it was hanging in the closet.

But it looked all wrinkled.

So I thought I'd treat him to a press.

- On the house, you'd sort of say.

- I see.

He's a nice fella.

Appreciates it when you do him a favor.

A 24-hour watch

was put on the house.

Other preliminary work was being done.

In the meantime, I'd been sent

to New York to direct the case.

We got field reports on the suspect.

He was an American citizen

born in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

He attended college in the Midwest.

While there, he was a member

of the Young Communist League.

After college, he was a member

of half a dozen front groups.

And then, suddenly and mysteriously,

two years ago, he dropped all affiliations.

That night, we got our first look

at the suspect.

He fit the first law of espionage:

He looked ordinary.

His habits were routine.

He worked quietly as a bookbinder

in a 14th Street printing shop.

Later that week,

we got more than a look at him.

He left the house.

An hour later,

he arrived in Central Park.

It looked as if he was on his way

to make a contact.

He headed for one of the cages...

...and there he met a man named

George Metzger...

...a known espionage agent.

We'd been conducting

a surveillance on him for months...

...but had not made an arrest,

hoping he'd lead us to a higher-up.

Maybe we'd found him.

We assembled additional information.

Indictments were returned

and warrants issued.

The charge was espionage,

a capital crime punishable by death.

The biggest concentration

of personnel...

...will be around the suspect's home

in the Kingsbridge area.

- But of course, where we must be...

- We enlarged the surveillance team.

Plans were worked out so that

we could case the subject...

...at any place in Greater New York,

day or night.

There's your man.

We gave him the code name...

- His code name, Whitey.

...Whitey.

For a week, he did nothing

but go to work and return.

- Yeah, go ahead.

- N. Y. 64...

On Sunday morning, he left the house.

He couldn't be going to work.

Okay, thank you.

Since he was a communist,

we knew he wasn't going to church.

Mr. Hoover, Whitey left his house at 8:15.

8:
15, destination unknown.

I had an open line

to Mr. Hoover in Washington.

- Yes, sir.

- His instructions were simple:

"Stay with our man

until we can establish the last link...

...actual transfer of information."

Get me Supervisor 12.

There he is.

N.Y. 32 to N.Y. 19,

in control and dropping.

He's all yours.

Whitey is boarding elevated

at Kingsbridge Road.

Our footmen are on him.

Operator 19 will report 1100.

What's the latest position report

on Whitey?

Still aboard at Chambers Street.

It's an express.

The next uncovered spot

is Bowling Green.

All right, get the nearest units

down to Bowling Green.

Mr. Hardesty.

Whitey boarded uptown

IRT at Bowling Green.

Right.

Go ahead.

Sir, he's trying to shake

the surveillance.

Do you have sufficient manpower?

Yes, sir. It looks as if he intends

to pass the coin to Metzger.

- Stay right on him.

- Yes, sir.

- Do you have men on Metzger?

- Yes, sir, we're on him too.

Hot dogs to your seat.

Hot dogs.

Hot dogs here.

- Hot dogs...

- We'll take one of them.

This is Silvano.

I have Whitey at Yankee Stadium.

Mezzanine, section six, row F, seat 22.

- I'll need some help right away.

- Okay, I have it.

Send all units to Yankee Stadium.

Cover the exits.

Hot dogs here.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- Have a hot dog.

- We'll take one of them.

Whitey disappeared into the crowd.

Gonna be rough picking him up again.

How many men

have moved into the area?

All right. Thanks.

Hit the phone. Move fast.

He'll be tough to hold. License: 7373.

Come with me.

This is N. Y. 15.

I've spotted Silvano

following Whitey's cab.

I'm taking over the surveillance

from Silvano...

...and moving south in Central Park.

N. Y. 15, this is the floral truck.

We're paralleling you

on Central Park West.

If you get hot, we'll take over.

Floral truck, this is N.Y. 15.

We'll let you know.

We're blocked in.

Flower truck, take over.

Got him.

Whitey going south

on Central Park West.

He's out of the cab,

walking east on 46th Street.

Whitey entering Broadway Joe's,

West 46th Street.

Our man following him.

Hardesty.

N. Y. 21 tailing George Metzger

reports subject just left subway.

Is walking west on 46th Street.

Okay, I have it.

Ham on rye, please, and coffee.

Control, this is N. Y. 21.

Whitey has made his contact.

They're together, sir.

- Where?

- A caf on West 46th Street.

- Arrest them when the coin is passed.

- Yes, sir.

What is this?

We've got warrants for your arrest.

The charge is espionage.

I don't know

what you're talking about.

That's all right, we do. Let's go.

Good.

- Go ahead.

- They're in custody, Mr. Hoover.

Good job, Hardesty.

Thank you, sir.

- All units, break off surveillance.

- Yes, sir.

The trial took five months.

They were convicted,

and the appeal was denied.

Well, that'll be all for today, gentlemen.

Thank you.

Mr. Hardesty, from the different cases,

and what you've said about your family...

...I think you've led a very interesting life.

Well, I kind of hope so.

It's the only one I had.

- Hi, Granddaddy.

- Mike, how are you?

- Hi, Dad.

- Hi.

Now, where did he get that thing?

Dug it out of some old trunk

or something.

I guess I'll never understand...

...how one little family

can collect so much junk.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes