The Untouchables (1959–1963): Season 2, Episode 7 - The Purple Gang - full transcript
The Purple Gang, led by Eddie Fletcher, specialize in small-time kidnapping focusing on minor mobster that can fetch them a few thousand dollars in a short period of time. They may have bitten off than they can chew when they grab Jan Tornek. He is ostensibly an antique shop owner in business with his brother-in-law Eric Vajda. In fact, he's a messenger for the Capone mob, regularly collecting shipments of narcotics. Ness had been observing Tornek for some time and when he misses picking up a drug delivery, he's soon on to Mrs. Tornek who has already received the ransom demand. She works with Ness but Fletcher is soon on to them and they nab her brother, Eric Vajda. The case gets complicated when Capone's top enforcer, Frank Nitti, starts to negotiate for Vajda's release.
Yes?
Two hours are up, Mrs. Tornek.
But... You got the
money or haven't you?
I tried to get it,
but I couldn't.
I've got to have some
more time, please.
Forget it.
No, no, no, wait, please.
Please wait.
I'll get the money
somehow. I'll... No!
No...!
No! No! No!
Tonight's episode...
Starring Robert
Stack as Eliot Ness.
Co-starring Bruce Gordon,
Werner Klemperer,
and Ilka Windish.
With special guest
star Steve Cochran.
And narrated by Walter Winchell.
By early 1932,
with the increasing pressure
of law enforcement agencies
against their liquor outlets
and sources of supply,
and the repeal of
prohibition imminent,
the underworld began
to look for new ways
of exploiting the
age-old principles
of extortion and murder.
Inspiration was
not long in coming.
Emboldened by the amateurish
but successful kidnapping
of the Lindbergh child, the
underworld moved swiftly
to put the ugly
crime of kidnapping
on a professional basis.
Detroit's blood-stained
Purple Gang, long a synonym
for terrorism in beer,
booze, labor and prostitution,
quietly evolved their own
version of the snatch racket,
their victims were other
members of the underworld
who could hardly go
to the police for help.
By late August, 1932,
the Purple Gang had completed
nine successful kidnappings
for a total take of
almost $100,000.
The brains behind
the Purple Gang's
long record of
successful operation...
Eddie Fletcher, ex-bank
robber, murderer.
A man who had proven himself
so shrewd and so ruthless
that even the powerful
Capone organization
had left him strictly alone.
Any trouble?
There's your answer...
$5,000 in small bills.
What's the matter, Silkie?
Somethin' bothering you?
No, no, nothing.
You counted your
money, you made a face.
Don't you like the way I count?
No, you got it wrong, Eddie.
It isn't that.
Spit it out.
I was only thinking
the risk's the same
whether the snatch is
worth five grand or 50.
I mean, is it worth our while
for a lousy grand a piece?
Give it back.
Look, I...
Sure.
Take this slob home.
Come on, Rocky.
You're going home.
You've been sprung.
Take your crummy hands off me!
I'll get you guys!
I'll keep lookin'
till I get you!
Don't be a hero, Rocky.
How many times I gotta tell
you not to waste your breath.
He's gonna look for us.
Well, we'll give him
something to remember us by.
Take these blinders
off, I'll show you bums.
Kill the lights.
You want the
blinders off, slob, huh?
Okay.
What's the matter, slob?
It hurt?
Now we'll see how
tough you really are.
You move an inch and you
get it through your fat head.
Don't shoot.
Don't shoot. I've...
I've had enough.
I've had enough.
Now, we know he
don't come lookin' for us.
Clean him up and
get him out of here.
Now, Silkie, what
were we talking about?
Nothing, Eddie, let's forget it.
Sure, let's forget it.
Turn on the lights.
Now, uh, what about this
Jan Tornek character, huh?
What's his racket?
The next victim,
one Jan Tornek, 39,
was a compulsive gambler,
who had lost $11,000
in a local horse parlor
within a few weeks.
He fitted the pattern
of the Purple Gang's
growing list of victims,
except for one important fact...
Jan Tornek was also
an object of interest
to Eliot Ness and
the Untouchables.
I took this from a truck
parked at the curb.
The tall one's Tornek?
That's right.
He owns the shop.
The Hans Christian
Andersen character
is his brother-in-law.
Any record?
We don't know.
What do you mean you don't know?
He only arrived from
Europe seven months ago.
Legally?
Yeah.
His papers say he came
here to join his sister.
She's been here since '21.
She married Tornek
three years ago.
What have we got on him?
He did a stretch for
armed robbery in 1922.
In and out of trouble
with the police
up until the time he
married Vajda's sister.
Now it looks like he's
back in the rackets
without his wife or the old
man knowing what's going on.
Always the same pick up?
Always.
And as regular as clockwork.
The shipment arrives
every Thursday on the 4:42,
and Tornek picks
it up at 5:00 p.m.
That makes the next
pick up tomorrow.
Convinced that the arrest
of a Capone henchman
in possession of a
large shipment of heroin
would produce enough information
to enable him to
smash the syndicate,
Eliot Ness, along
with two of his men,
was en route to Detroit
to move in on his quarry.
At 4:17 p.m. the next day,
unaware of the forces
closing in on him,
Jan Tornek made his daily
visit to his favorite horse parlor
to bet the seventh race.
The bet placed, Tornek
went to wash his hands,
a ritual the Purple Gang had
made it their business to know.
5:40.
You say he always
made the pick up at 5:00?
Positive.
In three weeks, he never varied
by as much as three minutes.
Can I help you, Mister?
I'm looking for Jan Tornek.
Has he been around?
Sorry.
He told me he'd be here at
5:00 to pick up his shipment.
Well, The shipment's here,
but I guess he must
have been held up.
Any message if
he comes in later?
No. No, thanks.
I'm going to see if I can find
out what happened to Mr. Tornek.
You two stay here,
but don't make a move
till somebody actually
picks up the stuff.
And have it back in a week.
Thank you.
Hello?
DeLONG: Mrs. Tornek?
Yes.
Mrs. Tornek, your husband
has just been kidnapped.
Is this some sort of a joke?
Get us $15,000 in unmarked
bills of small denominations.
You have two hours
to get the money.
We will contact you then.
And, Mrs. Tornek,
don't go to the police if you
want to see your husband alive.
Hello?
Hello?!
Eric!
Marta, what is the matter?
Eric, it's Jan.
They have taken Jan. What?
They've kidnapped him.
Jan kidnapped? Yes.
By whom? I don't know.
They called on the telephone.
Eric, Eric, you must
help me, please.
There's no one else to turn to.
How long ago?
Who are you calling?
How long ago?
I don't know, 15 minutes, 20.
Eric, please, you've
got to help me.
I need $15,000.
Oh, Marta, look around you.
Is this a business on which
you can raise that kind of money?
But Jan always had money,
and you're his partner.
In the shop only.
I don't believe you.
Jan is through with all that.
He promised.
Railway Express?
This is Jan Tornek's
partner. Tornek.
Has Jan been there yet?
No?
How about our shipment?
All right.
No, that won't be necessary.
I'll come down myself.
Eric.
Eric, what's the
matter with you?
I've told you Jan
has been kidnapped
and you go out to pick up
some foolish novelties.
They are going
to kill my husband.
Marta, I have no time now.
Your husband is a fool.
He brings you
nothing but trouble.
You're better off without him.
Lee.
It's Tornek's brother-in-law.
He must be in on it.
Hello. I'm Eric Vajda.
Oh, yeah. I got your
shipment all ready.
By the way, where is Mr. Tornek?
I was talking to him
on the telephone.
He's sick.
Oh, that's too bad.
I told the fella that
was looking for him
that something must be wrong.
You just sign right here.
Someone was looking for him?
He asked if he'd picked
up his shipment yet.
What's the matter, Mister?
What do you make of that?
I don't know.
Maybe he was just
looking for Tornek.
At 7:50 p.m., Marta Tornek
returned to her apartment.
She had pawned
her jewelry for $1,311,
but had not been able
to raise another penny
toward the staggering
sum of $15,000,
which she had to
have ready at 8:00 p.m.,
less than 15 minutes away.
Mrs. Tornek?
Who are you?
I'm a federal
officer, Mrs. Tornek.
I'm here to talk
to your husband.
Uh, but he's not here.
He's away on business.
When do you expect
him back? I don't know.
Mind if I wait?
But he may not be
back for a long time.
He may not...
Aren't you going to answer
your phone, Mrs. Tornek?
Yes?
Two hours are up, Mrs. Tornek.
But... You got the
money, or haven't you?
I-I tried to get
it, but I couldn't!
I've got to have some
more time. Please.
How much more time?
Oh. A few days.
Forget it!
No, no, no, wait, please!
Please, wait!
I'll get the money
somehow! I'll...
No!
Jan! Jan! Jan!
They killed him.
They killed Jan!
Who, Mrs. Tornek?
Who killed your husband?
Who was that on the phone?
Mrs. Tornek...
Mrs. Tornek, if there's
any chance to get the men
who did it, you've
got to talk to me now.
Every minute
counts. I don't know.
I don't know!
Marta? Marta!
Jan?
Jan!
I... I'm all right, Marta.
But I heard...
They-They were just
trying to scare you.
I told them you didn't
have any money,
but they won't believe me.
Listen, Mrs. Tornek.
We'll give you three hours more,
and if you don't have the money
by then, you can stop looking!
You've got to believe me!
She doesn't have a nickel!
She doesn't even
know I'm in the rackets!
Hold it!
What did you say?
Please.
I'm telling you the truth.
She thinks I've gone straight.
You've got to believe me!
You've got to!
Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?
If she really can't
raise the dough,
and she doesn't know
he's still in the rackets,
she might holler copper!
We get fingered for
a lousy 15 grand...
Shut up!
Get over this character's
apartment fast!
Right.
Please, give me
a break, will you?
Little man, you
better start praying
your old lady comes
up with that dough.
She goes to the cops,
you're a dead pigeon.
Look, I know she
can't get the money,
but I'll make a deal with you.
What kind of deal?
If you let me go, I'll show you
how you can get your
hands on $100,000,
maybe more.
I'm listening.
You'll let me go?
Talk.
All right, all right.
Look, you made a mistake.
I'm not the one you want.
My hand!
You've been loaded
for five months.
Sure, I made a few
dollars now and then,
but Eric...
Eric Vajda... he's
the one you want.
He's Capone's middleman.
He set up this whole thing!
Vajda? Who's Vajda?
My partner.
That old man work
for Capone?! Ha!
Get him out of here!
I'm telling you the truth!
He knows where
the stuff comes from.
Come on. He knows where it goes.
Look, I'm just a
messenger boy. Come on.
Please, don't kill me! Please,
don't kill me! Please!
Pour me some more coffee.
Mrs. Tornek, we think
your husband is a key man
in the Capone dope syndicate.
He gets the heroin direct
from the Orient
via San Francisco
concealed in the novelties
he sells in the shop.
I don't believe it.
He promised me.
We need your husband
alive, Mrs. Tornek.
We need him badly.
But they said they're gonna
kill him if I go to the police.
Do you have the ransom money?
No.
What do you want me to do?
Hello. Supervisor, please.
We're in trouble!
What are you talking about?
Eliot Ness.
I just seen Eliot Ness
leaving Tornek's apartment.
You're dreaming.
What would Ness be doing there?
Kidnapping isn't a federal rap.
I just seen him, I told you.
He passed within two feet of me!
Don't make sense.
What's Ness care
if somebody snatches a
cheap hood like Tornek?
This, uh, Tornek's partner...
What's his name? uh, Vajda.
I want him.
You got him.
I don't get it.
What do we got to do, hit
you over the head, college boy?
Tornek must have been leveling.
Vajda is Capone's man.
It's got to be that way.
Now, wait a second.
Wait a second. You lost me.
If this guy Vajda's the key, then
why is Ness chasing Tornek?
'Cause he made the
same mistake we did.
Went for the guy
out in the open.
The one that picks up the dope.
The messenger boy
with a pocketful of loot!
We must have picked up Tornek
right under Ness' nose.
How much do you figure
the Capone mob'll pay
to get back a character
that could put the
finger on every outlet
and contact man
in the syndicate?
Maybe a couple hundred G's.
Let's make it an even
quarter of a million.
I like round figures.
What about Tornek?
Ness wants him?
Okay, he's got him.
Okay?
All set.
Ness here.
Yes, Mr. Ness?
It should be any minute now.
We're standing by.
You'll have to work fast.
We can't keep them on for long.
We'll do everything
we possibly can.
Thank you.
Mrs. Tornek, just
do the best you can
and keep your eyes on me.
If it becomes obvious
you're trying to stall,
it could be bad
for your husband.
I understand.
Hello?
Mrs. Tornek?
Yes.
Have you got the money?
Yes.
All right, then.
Now, listen carefully.
When I hang up this
phone, you will call a taxi.
Go directly to 17709 Boyleston.
17709 Boyleston.
M-May I please write it down?
All right, but hurry up.
1-7-7-0-9 Boyleston. Yes.
Yes, I got it.
There's a sidewalk
shoeshine parlor
at that address.
The right-hand bottom
drawer of the stand will be open.
There'll be a letter in it.
A sidewalk
shoeshine parlor,
the bottom drawer.
The right-hand drawer!
Yes, the right drawer.
Yes, I got it.
There'll be an envelope
that'll give you
your instructions
for the rest of the journey.
But... But what, Mrs. Tornek?
Nothing.
And Mrs. Tornek, come alone,
or you'll never see
your husband again.
Did you get it?
I'm sorry, Mr. Ness.
There just wasn't enough time.
Thank you.
You did fine,
Mrs. Tornek, but...
But they didn't get it?
They didn't have time.
Then I must go.
I'd go with you,
but they'll be watching the
cab every inch of the way.
We'll follow as
closely as we can.
Thank you.
Now back to...
17709 Boyleston.
Yes, ma'am.
Here you are, lady.
You sure this is where
you wanted to come?
Yes. Thanks.
Look, lady, it's
none of my business,
but this is no neighborhood
for a woman out alone.
That's all right.
Thank you.
You want I should wait?
No, thanks.
At 11:20 p.m.,
Mrs. Tornek got out of her taxi
at 17709 Boyleston,
a desolate section
of rotting tenements
and human derelicts
to which the Detroit police
unfortunately were able
to give little attention.
Eliot Ness had provided
Mrs. Tornek with $15,000
with which to
ransom her husband,
but he was fearful of
endangering her life
by closer pursuit.
Jan!
Jan! Jan!
There's a chopper.
She's dead?
I can't get a pulse.
What's it say?
Let me see it.
It doesn't mean anything, Eliot.
Give it to me.
Eliot Ness visited
Marta Tornek's hospital
room at 11:45 p.m.
Less than nine hours had
passed since his arrival in Detroit.
Yet it had been enough
time to renew in Ness
a sickening awareness
of the dreadful price
that had to be paid
for every advance
in his war against
the underworld.
Dr. Clarry, Dr. Clarry.
Will she live?
They don't know.
What about the shipment?
Rossi's still there.
Nobody's picked it up yet.
Well, where do we go from here?
There's only one place left,
it's probably a dead end.
Let's pick up Eric Vajda.
What's going on here?
We heard him yelling.
It was awful. He
was shouting for help.
It sounded like there
was a fight in there.
Who's got the key?
I already unlocked it,
but something's holding it.
Stand clear. Oh, look out here.
How long ago did this happen?
Just about ten minutes ago.
He was getting ready
to take a trip, huh?
Yeah, I'd like to know
who confirmed his reservations.
For Eliot Ness, what had
begun as a simple arrest
of one of Capone's henchmen
had suddenly become a
nightmare of kidnapping and murder.
Jan Tornek was dead.
Mrs. Tornek hovered
between life and death
in a Detroit hospital.
Eric Vajda was missing.
And at this point,
Ness did not even know
who or what it was
he was fighting.
The following day,
the Untouchables
with the help of
the local police
interrogated dozens of
members of the Detroit underworld.
In late afternoon, they
got their first break.
Chief of Detectives Martin Unger
brought them a very angry man.
Mr. Ness, I think we may
have something for you.
Ness? What is
this, a federal rap?
I thought it was a frame.
I had nothing to do with it!
All right, sit down, Rocky.
Mr. Ness, this is Rocky Garber.
Used to be a thug, but now
his specialty's market holdup.
We had a heist ten days ago
and it looked like a Garber job,
so we went looking for
him, but he wasn't around.
We couldn't even
get a line on him
till the day before yesterday.
And he has a mighty
interesting explanation
as to why he couldn't be the guy
that pulled this
particular stickup.
Now, tell Mr. Ness, Rocky.
'Cause I was in cold
storage, that's why.
What do you mean?
I was heisted.
Kidnapped under wraps.
Them lousy bums, they
bled me for five grand.
Broke two of my
teeth, too, look here.
Dentist says it's
going to cost 85 bucks
to get them fixed.
Who did it, Rocky?
The Purple Gang. Who are they?
How should I know?
They had me
blindfolded for two days.
I sure would know those
bums that snatched me
if I ever saw 'em again though.
Maybe we can help you, Rocky.
Lee, Jack, let's
get the mug files.
That evening, August 29, 1932,
at 9:00 p.m., a black sedan
with Illinois license
plates was in Detroit.
Inside the car was a man
who was to die a violent death
some years later under
the wheels of a train,
but who at present
was in control
of the Capone empire.
His name: Frank Nitti,
known to the underworld
as "The Enforcer."
In response to a long
distance phone call
made the night before,
Frank Nitti was en route
to a rendezvous
with The Purple Gang.
Close the door.
Fletcher?
Fletcher?
You talk.
I say anything,
I might kill him.
Where's Vajda?
You know better
than that, Tommassi.
How do we know you got him?
Help yourself.
Sit down, Frank.
Take a load off your feet.
You're making a
big mistake, Fletcher.
Mr. Capone says leave you alone,
so long as you keep
your nose clean.
He's gonna change his mind
when he hears about this.
Don't try to push
me around, Frankie.
I got torpedoes, too.
Hello?
This is Tommassi.
Who's this?
Tommassi?
Nick... it's me.
Eric... Eric Vajda.
It don't sound like you.
I'm not well, Nick.
What's Aunt Polly's
mailing address?
Box 689.
General Delivery.
Chicago.
Okay.
He says he ain't well.
You know how old men are.
They're kind of hard
to get along with.
I ought to cut your heart out.
Easy does it, Mr. Nitti.
You'll get him as
well as me, punk.
Machine Gun Machen, Mr. Nitti.
You want to try
how I got my name?
Sit down, Frank.
Now, let's...
let's understand
each other, huh?
I could burn you and
your boys right here,
right now where you are,
and take over your
whole organization.
What's this punk think?
He's Napoleon?
But I don't want no war
with you or nobody else.
I got my own setup.
I just invited you guys
over here to do you a favor.
Some favor, huh...
with a price tag of a
quarter of a million.
You're looking at it
the wrong way, Frankie.
I rubbed out Tornek
and I snatched Vajda right
out from under Ness' nose,
just to protect your investment.
That was a big
risk for me to take.
Got to be worth something.
Something maybe,
but not 250 "G" s, huh?
How much do you make
on the stuff a year, Frankie?
$15 million maybe? 20?
Where does he get them figures?
All I'm asking is
a lousy 250 "G" s.
How do I know
you'll deliver Vajda?
How do I know you'll
deliver the money?
What's the matter?
You don't trust me?
My word's good. Ask him.
He's good.
I don't work that way, Frankie.
I got to have a guarantee.
Hate to have you
show up at a rendezvous
with a couple dozen choppers.
Messy way to do business.
You think I'm walking
in this warehouse
with 250 grand
without protection?
You'll get protection.
I give it to you and
you give it to me.
How?
You take one of my boys...
One of my best boys...
I take one of yours,
just until the
transaction is settled
to everybody's satisfaction.
Who are you giving up?
Take your pick.
I'll take DeLong.
Without him, you
ain't got a front.
Now, wait a minute... Shut up.
I'll take Tommassi.
Without him, you
ain't got no organizer.
Listen, Frank... Shut up.
When do you deliver the dough?
Three days.
You want Vajda dead or alive?
Alive... We'll
take it from there.
Okay, Friday, here, same time.
Friday.
Wiles...
this character's
our life insurance.
I want a gun pointed at him
every minute he's with us.
He shows any signs of
gettin' restless, cool him.
Yeah, but if we rub
out this character,
they'll bump off DeLong.
Who cares?
That's him!
That's him! That's the
guy that sapped me!
Boy, would I like to
get my hands on him!
Edward J. Wiles,
alias Arthur Dowd,
alias George Wiley,
alias Arthur Williams,
term in Leavenworth
for manslaughter,
arrested on suspicion
of homicide 1927
and again in 1930.
Chief, do you know where we
could lay our hands on Mr. Wiles?
If he's in Detroit, you got him.
Lee?
Drop it, Wiles!
Ness!
What do you want with me?
Get your clothes on.
Eliot, here's a chopper.
Bring it along.
C'mon! C'mon!
That's enough.
Why don't you give up, Ness?
You ain't got nothin' on me.
Garber's got plenty!
I never saw him
before in my life.
Why don't you make it
easy on yourself, Wiles?
You're a three-time loser.
So, I'm a three-time loser.
Who runs the Purple Gang?
Go fly a kite!
Who killed Jan Tornek?
Buffalo Bill!
Who shot Mrs. Tornek?
Florence Nightingale!
Sorry, Eddy, I just
don't like comedians
who use machine
guns to get laughs.
Let's start over again
right from the
beginning. Eliot...
we just got the result
of a ballistics tests.
This is the gun that
was used on Mrs. Tornek.
Fingerprints? Just his.
Well, Mr. Wiles?
I never fired that
gun... it wasn't me!
What about the fingerprints?
Look, the guy that fired
this gun was wearing gloves.
All I ever did was clean it!
You think any jury in
the world will believe that?
The gun was found in your
room with your prints all over it.
The bullets match those
taken from Mrs. Tornek's body.
Body?!
There wasn't no
murder, she didn't die!
She died this morning!
It's murder now, Wiles...
first degree murder.
Look, I didn't have
anything to do with it.
When this happened I
was out picking up Vajda!
You're beginning to get
through to me now, Wiles.
You've got one chance to
beat this, just one chance.
I want the man who
ordered Mrs. Tornek killed,
and I want Eric Vajda.
Look, uh... Can I
get a drink of water?
Go ahead.
Edward Wiles revealed
to Eliot Ness all the details
of the Purple Gang's
bargain with Frank Nitti,
including the
fact that Fletcher,
as a further protection
against a double-crossing,
had delivered Vajda to
an outside organization,
which specialized in
"holding" hot merchandise.
Since not even Fletcher
knew Vajda's whereabouts,
Ness could not move until
the moment of rendezvous,
when Vajda would be returned.
There was one loophole left,
the Purple Gang would
miss Edward Wiles.
Ness moved to cover his absence.
Well, dead men don't talk.
Live ones do.
What do you mean?
I mean somebody got to Ness.
Somebody tipped him.
It can't be a coincidence
that he got to Wiles right now.
Somebody gave him a lead.
Nitti?
Could be, but...
Nah, he wouldn't be that dumb!
You gonna call off the deal?
And lose a quarter
of a million bucks?
Oh, no.
But just in case he is
trying to pull a double-cross,
why don't you get
him on the phone.
Tell him Ness is gettin'
too close for comfort.
Tell him I can't
wait till tomorrow.
I want the dough tonight.
Otherwise, I turn
Vajda over to the Feds.
Hello. Hobson.
Mr. Eliot Ness, please.
Chicago calling.
Elliot, for you.
Ness speaking.
Go ahead, please.
Eliot? Bill.
Didn't you say the payoff
was tomorrow night?
That's right.
Well, they're leaving now
and it looks as if they
have the loot with them.
All right, Bill, thanks.
Either Wiles was lying
or there's been a switch.
It looks like the
payoff's tonight.
That doesn't give us much time.
It'll have to be enough.
What if the rendezvous
is changed, too?
We'll have to take
that chance. Let's go.
Anything yet, Machen?
Nothin'. I'll let you know.
I told you I'll let you know!
♪ ♪
We're set.
They're late.
Only five minutes.
♪ ♪
This is it.
It's a trap! Get us out of here!
Don't start anything, Mr. Nitti.
Get DeLong.
All right, Frank,
give me the key.
Better take the evidence, Jack.
You can't do that.
You got no right
to touch that dough.
Sue me.
Why you...
Go on, Frank, I'd
like nothing better
than an excuse to
muss you up a little.
Now, turn around and
drive quietly back to Chicago.
Your business here is finished.
We'll give you an escort
to the city limits. Let's go.
Come on. Get in.
So far so good. Come on.
Hey!
Check 'em again!
Never mind, I think I hear them.
It won't be long now, Vajda.
Don't get anxious.
You okay, Silkie?
Yeah, yeah, I'm
all right, Eddie.
You got the money, Frank?
Yeah.
Where's Vajda?
You ain't Nitti.
It's Ness!
Andrews, get the old man!
Hold it!
Hold it!
Hold it, Fletcher!
Vajda?
I'm bringing him down, Eliot.
He's okay.
Take him away.
He breaks the laws of the
country that gave him a home.
He peddles a product that
destroys thousands of lives,
and he looks like a nice old man
who ought to be telling
fairy stories to children.
You figure it out, Lee.
On August 29, 1932, in an
empty Detroit warehouse,
Eliot Ness and the Untouchables,
with the help of
the Detroit police,
ended the reign
of the Purple Gang.
But Ness had no illusions.
In a few months, the underworld
would develop new sources
and new pipelines.
For wherever there was a
demand for illegal commodities,
there would be
ruthless men like Nitti
and weak and willing
ones like Vajda.
Two hours are up, Mrs. Tornek.
But... You got the
money or haven't you?
I tried to get it,
but I couldn't.
I've got to have some
more time, please.
Forget it.
No, no, no, wait, please.
Please wait.
I'll get the money
somehow. I'll... No!
No...!
No! No! No!
Tonight's episode...
Starring Robert
Stack as Eliot Ness.
Co-starring Bruce Gordon,
Werner Klemperer,
and Ilka Windish.
With special guest
star Steve Cochran.
And narrated by Walter Winchell.
By early 1932,
with the increasing pressure
of law enforcement agencies
against their liquor outlets
and sources of supply,
and the repeal of
prohibition imminent,
the underworld began
to look for new ways
of exploiting the
age-old principles
of extortion and murder.
Inspiration was
not long in coming.
Emboldened by the amateurish
but successful kidnapping
of the Lindbergh child, the
underworld moved swiftly
to put the ugly
crime of kidnapping
on a professional basis.
Detroit's blood-stained
Purple Gang, long a synonym
for terrorism in beer,
booze, labor and prostitution,
quietly evolved their own
version of the snatch racket,
their victims were other
members of the underworld
who could hardly go
to the police for help.
By late August, 1932,
the Purple Gang had completed
nine successful kidnappings
for a total take of
almost $100,000.
The brains behind
the Purple Gang's
long record of
successful operation...
Eddie Fletcher, ex-bank
robber, murderer.
A man who had proven himself
so shrewd and so ruthless
that even the powerful
Capone organization
had left him strictly alone.
Any trouble?
There's your answer...
$5,000 in small bills.
What's the matter, Silkie?
Somethin' bothering you?
No, no, nothing.
You counted your
money, you made a face.
Don't you like the way I count?
No, you got it wrong, Eddie.
It isn't that.
Spit it out.
I was only thinking
the risk's the same
whether the snatch is
worth five grand or 50.
I mean, is it worth our while
for a lousy grand a piece?
Give it back.
Look, I...
Sure.
Take this slob home.
Come on, Rocky.
You're going home.
You've been sprung.
Take your crummy hands off me!
I'll get you guys!
I'll keep lookin'
till I get you!
Don't be a hero, Rocky.
How many times I gotta tell
you not to waste your breath.
He's gonna look for us.
Well, we'll give him
something to remember us by.
Take these blinders
off, I'll show you bums.
Kill the lights.
You want the
blinders off, slob, huh?
Okay.
What's the matter, slob?
It hurt?
Now we'll see how
tough you really are.
You move an inch and you
get it through your fat head.
Don't shoot.
Don't shoot. I've...
I've had enough.
I've had enough.
Now, we know he
don't come lookin' for us.
Clean him up and
get him out of here.
Now, Silkie, what
were we talking about?
Nothing, Eddie, let's forget it.
Sure, let's forget it.
Turn on the lights.
Now, uh, what about this
Jan Tornek character, huh?
What's his racket?
The next victim,
one Jan Tornek, 39,
was a compulsive gambler,
who had lost $11,000
in a local horse parlor
within a few weeks.
He fitted the pattern
of the Purple Gang's
growing list of victims,
except for one important fact...
Jan Tornek was also
an object of interest
to Eliot Ness and
the Untouchables.
I took this from a truck
parked at the curb.
The tall one's Tornek?
That's right.
He owns the shop.
The Hans Christian
Andersen character
is his brother-in-law.
Any record?
We don't know.
What do you mean you don't know?
He only arrived from
Europe seven months ago.
Legally?
Yeah.
His papers say he came
here to join his sister.
She's been here since '21.
She married Tornek
three years ago.
What have we got on him?
He did a stretch for
armed robbery in 1922.
In and out of trouble
with the police
up until the time he
married Vajda's sister.
Now it looks like he's
back in the rackets
without his wife or the old
man knowing what's going on.
Always the same pick up?
Always.
And as regular as clockwork.
The shipment arrives
every Thursday on the 4:42,
and Tornek picks
it up at 5:00 p.m.
That makes the next
pick up tomorrow.
Convinced that the arrest
of a Capone henchman
in possession of a
large shipment of heroin
would produce enough information
to enable him to
smash the syndicate,
Eliot Ness, along
with two of his men,
was en route to Detroit
to move in on his quarry.
At 4:17 p.m. the next day,
unaware of the forces
closing in on him,
Jan Tornek made his daily
visit to his favorite horse parlor
to bet the seventh race.
The bet placed, Tornek
went to wash his hands,
a ritual the Purple Gang had
made it their business to know.
5:40.
You say he always
made the pick up at 5:00?
Positive.
In three weeks, he never varied
by as much as three minutes.
Can I help you, Mister?
I'm looking for Jan Tornek.
Has he been around?
Sorry.
He told me he'd be here at
5:00 to pick up his shipment.
Well, The shipment's here,
but I guess he must
have been held up.
Any message if
he comes in later?
No. No, thanks.
I'm going to see if I can find
out what happened to Mr. Tornek.
You two stay here,
but don't make a move
till somebody actually
picks up the stuff.
And have it back in a week.
Thank you.
Hello?
DeLONG: Mrs. Tornek?
Yes.
Mrs. Tornek, your husband
has just been kidnapped.
Is this some sort of a joke?
Get us $15,000 in unmarked
bills of small denominations.
You have two hours
to get the money.
We will contact you then.
And, Mrs. Tornek,
don't go to the police if you
want to see your husband alive.
Hello?
Hello?!
Eric!
Marta, what is the matter?
Eric, it's Jan.
They have taken Jan. What?
They've kidnapped him.
Jan kidnapped? Yes.
By whom? I don't know.
They called on the telephone.
Eric, Eric, you must
help me, please.
There's no one else to turn to.
How long ago?
Who are you calling?
How long ago?
I don't know, 15 minutes, 20.
Eric, please, you've
got to help me.
I need $15,000.
Oh, Marta, look around you.
Is this a business on which
you can raise that kind of money?
But Jan always had money,
and you're his partner.
In the shop only.
I don't believe you.
Jan is through with all that.
He promised.
Railway Express?
This is Jan Tornek's
partner. Tornek.
Has Jan been there yet?
No?
How about our shipment?
All right.
No, that won't be necessary.
I'll come down myself.
Eric.
Eric, what's the
matter with you?
I've told you Jan
has been kidnapped
and you go out to pick up
some foolish novelties.
They are going
to kill my husband.
Marta, I have no time now.
Your husband is a fool.
He brings you
nothing but trouble.
You're better off without him.
Lee.
It's Tornek's brother-in-law.
He must be in on it.
Hello. I'm Eric Vajda.
Oh, yeah. I got your
shipment all ready.
By the way, where is Mr. Tornek?
I was talking to him
on the telephone.
He's sick.
Oh, that's too bad.
I told the fella that
was looking for him
that something must be wrong.
You just sign right here.
Someone was looking for him?
He asked if he'd picked
up his shipment yet.
What's the matter, Mister?
What do you make of that?
I don't know.
Maybe he was just
looking for Tornek.
At 7:50 p.m., Marta Tornek
returned to her apartment.
She had pawned
her jewelry for $1,311,
but had not been able
to raise another penny
toward the staggering
sum of $15,000,
which she had to
have ready at 8:00 p.m.,
less than 15 minutes away.
Mrs. Tornek?
Who are you?
I'm a federal
officer, Mrs. Tornek.
I'm here to talk
to your husband.
Uh, but he's not here.
He's away on business.
When do you expect
him back? I don't know.
Mind if I wait?
But he may not be
back for a long time.
He may not...
Aren't you going to answer
your phone, Mrs. Tornek?
Yes?
Two hours are up, Mrs. Tornek.
But... You got the
money, or haven't you?
I-I tried to get
it, but I couldn't!
I've got to have some
more time. Please.
How much more time?
Oh. A few days.
Forget it!
No, no, no, wait, please!
Please, wait!
I'll get the money
somehow! I'll...
No!
Jan! Jan! Jan!
They killed him.
They killed Jan!
Who, Mrs. Tornek?
Who killed your husband?
Who was that on the phone?
Mrs. Tornek...
Mrs. Tornek, if there's
any chance to get the men
who did it, you've
got to talk to me now.
Every minute
counts. I don't know.
I don't know!
Marta? Marta!
Jan?
Jan!
I... I'm all right, Marta.
But I heard...
They-They were just
trying to scare you.
I told them you didn't
have any money,
but they won't believe me.
Listen, Mrs. Tornek.
We'll give you three hours more,
and if you don't have the money
by then, you can stop looking!
You've got to believe me!
She doesn't have a nickel!
She doesn't even
know I'm in the rackets!
Hold it!
What did you say?
Please.
I'm telling you the truth.
She thinks I've gone straight.
You've got to believe me!
You've got to!
Are you thinking
what I'm thinking?
If she really can't
raise the dough,
and she doesn't know
he's still in the rackets,
she might holler copper!
We get fingered for
a lousy 15 grand...
Shut up!
Get over this character's
apartment fast!
Right.
Please, give me
a break, will you?
Little man, you
better start praying
your old lady comes
up with that dough.
She goes to the cops,
you're a dead pigeon.
Look, I know she
can't get the money,
but I'll make a deal with you.
What kind of deal?
If you let me go, I'll show you
how you can get your
hands on $100,000,
maybe more.
I'm listening.
You'll let me go?
Talk.
All right, all right.
Look, you made a mistake.
I'm not the one you want.
My hand!
You've been loaded
for five months.
Sure, I made a few
dollars now and then,
but Eric...
Eric Vajda... he's
the one you want.
He's Capone's middleman.
He set up this whole thing!
Vajda? Who's Vajda?
My partner.
That old man work
for Capone?! Ha!
Get him out of here!
I'm telling you the truth!
He knows where
the stuff comes from.
Come on. He knows where it goes.
Look, I'm just a
messenger boy. Come on.
Please, don't kill me! Please,
don't kill me! Please!
Pour me some more coffee.
Mrs. Tornek, we think
your husband is a key man
in the Capone dope syndicate.
He gets the heroin direct
from the Orient
via San Francisco
concealed in the novelties
he sells in the shop.
I don't believe it.
He promised me.
We need your husband
alive, Mrs. Tornek.
We need him badly.
But they said they're gonna
kill him if I go to the police.
Do you have the ransom money?
No.
What do you want me to do?
Hello. Supervisor, please.
We're in trouble!
What are you talking about?
Eliot Ness.
I just seen Eliot Ness
leaving Tornek's apartment.
You're dreaming.
What would Ness be doing there?
Kidnapping isn't a federal rap.
I just seen him, I told you.
He passed within two feet of me!
Don't make sense.
What's Ness care
if somebody snatches a
cheap hood like Tornek?
This, uh, Tornek's partner...
What's his name? uh, Vajda.
I want him.
You got him.
I don't get it.
What do we got to do, hit
you over the head, college boy?
Tornek must have been leveling.
Vajda is Capone's man.
It's got to be that way.
Now, wait a second.
Wait a second. You lost me.
If this guy Vajda's the key, then
why is Ness chasing Tornek?
'Cause he made the
same mistake we did.
Went for the guy
out in the open.
The one that picks up the dope.
The messenger boy
with a pocketful of loot!
We must have picked up Tornek
right under Ness' nose.
How much do you figure
the Capone mob'll pay
to get back a character
that could put the
finger on every outlet
and contact man
in the syndicate?
Maybe a couple hundred G's.
Let's make it an even
quarter of a million.
I like round figures.
What about Tornek?
Ness wants him?
Okay, he's got him.
Okay?
All set.
Ness here.
Yes, Mr. Ness?
It should be any minute now.
We're standing by.
You'll have to work fast.
We can't keep them on for long.
We'll do everything
we possibly can.
Thank you.
Mrs. Tornek, just
do the best you can
and keep your eyes on me.
If it becomes obvious
you're trying to stall,
it could be bad
for your husband.
I understand.
Hello?
Mrs. Tornek?
Yes.
Have you got the money?
Yes.
All right, then.
Now, listen carefully.
When I hang up this
phone, you will call a taxi.
Go directly to 17709 Boyleston.
17709 Boyleston.
M-May I please write it down?
All right, but hurry up.
1-7-7-0-9 Boyleston. Yes.
Yes, I got it.
There's a sidewalk
shoeshine parlor
at that address.
The right-hand bottom
drawer of the stand will be open.
There'll be a letter in it.
A sidewalk
shoeshine parlor,
the bottom drawer.
The right-hand drawer!
Yes, the right drawer.
Yes, I got it.
There'll be an envelope
that'll give you
your instructions
for the rest of the journey.
But... But what, Mrs. Tornek?
Nothing.
And Mrs. Tornek, come alone,
or you'll never see
your husband again.
Did you get it?
I'm sorry, Mr. Ness.
There just wasn't enough time.
Thank you.
You did fine,
Mrs. Tornek, but...
But they didn't get it?
They didn't have time.
Then I must go.
I'd go with you,
but they'll be watching the
cab every inch of the way.
We'll follow as
closely as we can.
Thank you.
Now back to...
17709 Boyleston.
Yes, ma'am.
Here you are, lady.
You sure this is where
you wanted to come?
Yes. Thanks.
Look, lady, it's
none of my business,
but this is no neighborhood
for a woman out alone.
That's all right.
Thank you.
You want I should wait?
No, thanks.
At 11:20 p.m.,
Mrs. Tornek got out of her taxi
at 17709 Boyleston,
a desolate section
of rotting tenements
and human derelicts
to which the Detroit police
unfortunately were able
to give little attention.
Eliot Ness had provided
Mrs. Tornek with $15,000
with which to
ransom her husband,
but he was fearful of
endangering her life
by closer pursuit.
Jan!
Jan! Jan!
There's a chopper.
She's dead?
I can't get a pulse.
What's it say?
Let me see it.
It doesn't mean anything, Eliot.
Give it to me.
Eliot Ness visited
Marta Tornek's hospital
room at 11:45 p.m.
Less than nine hours had
passed since his arrival in Detroit.
Yet it had been enough
time to renew in Ness
a sickening awareness
of the dreadful price
that had to be paid
for every advance
in his war against
the underworld.
Dr. Clarry, Dr. Clarry.
Will she live?
They don't know.
What about the shipment?
Rossi's still there.
Nobody's picked it up yet.
Well, where do we go from here?
There's only one place left,
it's probably a dead end.
Let's pick up Eric Vajda.
What's going on here?
We heard him yelling.
It was awful. He
was shouting for help.
It sounded like there
was a fight in there.
Who's got the key?
I already unlocked it,
but something's holding it.
Stand clear. Oh, look out here.
How long ago did this happen?
Just about ten minutes ago.
He was getting ready
to take a trip, huh?
Yeah, I'd like to know
who confirmed his reservations.
For Eliot Ness, what had
begun as a simple arrest
of one of Capone's henchmen
had suddenly become a
nightmare of kidnapping and murder.
Jan Tornek was dead.
Mrs. Tornek hovered
between life and death
in a Detroit hospital.
Eric Vajda was missing.
And at this point,
Ness did not even know
who or what it was
he was fighting.
The following day,
the Untouchables
with the help of
the local police
interrogated dozens of
members of the Detroit underworld.
In late afternoon, they
got their first break.
Chief of Detectives Martin Unger
brought them a very angry man.
Mr. Ness, I think we may
have something for you.
Ness? What is
this, a federal rap?
I thought it was a frame.
I had nothing to do with it!
All right, sit down, Rocky.
Mr. Ness, this is Rocky Garber.
Used to be a thug, but now
his specialty's market holdup.
We had a heist ten days ago
and it looked like a Garber job,
so we went looking for
him, but he wasn't around.
We couldn't even
get a line on him
till the day before yesterday.
And he has a mighty
interesting explanation
as to why he couldn't be the guy
that pulled this
particular stickup.
Now, tell Mr. Ness, Rocky.
'Cause I was in cold
storage, that's why.
What do you mean?
I was heisted.
Kidnapped under wraps.
Them lousy bums, they
bled me for five grand.
Broke two of my
teeth, too, look here.
Dentist says it's
going to cost 85 bucks
to get them fixed.
Who did it, Rocky?
The Purple Gang. Who are they?
How should I know?
They had me
blindfolded for two days.
I sure would know those
bums that snatched me
if I ever saw 'em again though.
Maybe we can help you, Rocky.
Lee, Jack, let's
get the mug files.
That evening, August 29, 1932,
at 9:00 p.m., a black sedan
with Illinois license
plates was in Detroit.
Inside the car was a man
who was to die a violent death
some years later under
the wheels of a train,
but who at present
was in control
of the Capone empire.
His name: Frank Nitti,
known to the underworld
as "The Enforcer."
In response to a long
distance phone call
made the night before,
Frank Nitti was en route
to a rendezvous
with The Purple Gang.
Close the door.
Fletcher?
Fletcher?
You talk.
I say anything,
I might kill him.
Where's Vajda?
You know better
than that, Tommassi.
How do we know you got him?
Help yourself.
Sit down, Frank.
Take a load off your feet.
You're making a
big mistake, Fletcher.
Mr. Capone says leave you alone,
so long as you keep
your nose clean.
He's gonna change his mind
when he hears about this.
Don't try to push
me around, Frankie.
I got torpedoes, too.
Hello?
This is Tommassi.
Who's this?
Tommassi?
Nick... it's me.
Eric... Eric Vajda.
It don't sound like you.
I'm not well, Nick.
What's Aunt Polly's
mailing address?
Box 689.
General Delivery.
Chicago.
Okay.
He says he ain't well.
You know how old men are.
They're kind of hard
to get along with.
I ought to cut your heart out.
Easy does it, Mr. Nitti.
You'll get him as
well as me, punk.
Machine Gun Machen, Mr. Nitti.
You want to try
how I got my name?
Sit down, Frank.
Now, let's...
let's understand
each other, huh?
I could burn you and
your boys right here,
right now where you are,
and take over your
whole organization.
What's this punk think?
He's Napoleon?
But I don't want no war
with you or nobody else.
I got my own setup.
I just invited you guys
over here to do you a favor.
Some favor, huh...
with a price tag of a
quarter of a million.
You're looking at it
the wrong way, Frankie.
I rubbed out Tornek
and I snatched Vajda right
out from under Ness' nose,
just to protect your investment.
That was a big
risk for me to take.
Got to be worth something.
Something maybe,
but not 250 "G" s, huh?
How much do you make
on the stuff a year, Frankie?
$15 million maybe? 20?
Where does he get them figures?
All I'm asking is
a lousy 250 "G" s.
How do I know
you'll deliver Vajda?
How do I know you'll
deliver the money?
What's the matter?
You don't trust me?
My word's good. Ask him.
He's good.
I don't work that way, Frankie.
I got to have a guarantee.
Hate to have you
show up at a rendezvous
with a couple dozen choppers.
Messy way to do business.
You think I'm walking
in this warehouse
with 250 grand
without protection?
You'll get protection.
I give it to you and
you give it to me.
How?
You take one of my boys...
One of my best boys...
I take one of yours,
just until the
transaction is settled
to everybody's satisfaction.
Who are you giving up?
Take your pick.
I'll take DeLong.
Without him, you
ain't got a front.
Now, wait a minute... Shut up.
I'll take Tommassi.
Without him, you
ain't got no organizer.
Listen, Frank... Shut up.
When do you deliver the dough?
Three days.
You want Vajda dead or alive?
Alive... We'll
take it from there.
Okay, Friday, here, same time.
Friday.
Wiles...
this character's
our life insurance.
I want a gun pointed at him
every minute he's with us.
He shows any signs of
gettin' restless, cool him.
Yeah, but if we rub
out this character,
they'll bump off DeLong.
Who cares?
That's him!
That's him! That's the
guy that sapped me!
Boy, would I like to
get my hands on him!
Edward J. Wiles,
alias Arthur Dowd,
alias George Wiley,
alias Arthur Williams,
term in Leavenworth
for manslaughter,
arrested on suspicion
of homicide 1927
and again in 1930.
Chief, do you know where we
could lay our hands on Mr. Wiles?
If he's in Detroit, you got him.
Lee?
Drop it, Wiles!
Ness!
What do you want with me?
Get your clothes on.
Eliot, here's a chopper.
Bring it along.
C'mon! C'mon!
That's enough.
Why don't you give up, Ness?
You ain't got nothin' on me.
Garber's got plenty!
I never saw him
before in my life.
Why don't you make it
easy on yourself, Wiles?
You're a three-time loser.
So, I'm a three-time loser.
Who runs the Purple Gang?
Go fly a kite!
Who killed Jan Tornek?
Buffalo Bill!
Who shot Mrs. Tornek?
Florence Nightingale!
Sorry, Eddy, I just
don't like comedians
who use machine
guns to get laughs.
Let's start over again
right from the
beginning. Eliot...
we just got the result
of a ballistics tests.
This is the gun that
was used on Mrs. Tornek.
Fingerprints? Just his.
Well, Mr. Wiles?
I never fired that
gun... it wasn't me!
What about the fingerprints?
Look, the guy that fired
this gun was wearing gloves.
All I ever did was clean it!
You think any jury in
the world will believe that?
The gun was found in your
room with your prints all over it.
The bullets match those
taken from Mrs. Tornek's body.
Body?!
There wasn't no
murder, she didn't die!
She died this morning!
It's murder now, Wiles...
first degree murder.
Look, I didn't have
anything to do with it.
When this happened I
was out picking up Vajda!
You're beginning to get
through to me now, Wiles.
You've got one chance to
beat this, just one chance.
I want the man who
ordered Mrs. Tornek killed,
and I want Eric Vajda.
Look, uh... Can I
get a drink of water?
Go ahead.
Edward Wiles revealed
to Eliot Ness all the details
of the Purple Gang's
bargain with Frank Nitti,
including the
fact that Fletcher,
as a further protection
against a double-crossing,
had delivered Vajda to
an outside organization,
which specialized in
"holding" hot merchandise.
Since not even Fletcher
knew Vajda's whereabouts,
Ness could not move until
the moment of rendezvous,
when Vajda would be returned.
There was one loophole left,
the Purple Gang would
miss Edward Wiles.
Ness moved to cover his absence.
Well, dead men don't talk.
Live ones do.
What do you mean?
I mean somebody got to Ness.
Somebody tipped him.
It can't be a coincidence
that he got to Wiles right now.
Somebody gave him a lead.
Nitti?
Could be, but...
Nah, he wouldn't be that dumb!
You gonna call off the deal?
And lose a quarter
of a million bucks?
Oh, no.
But just in case he is
trying to pull a double-cross,
why don't you get
him on the phone.
Tell him Ness is gettin'
too close for comfort.
Tell him I can't
wait till tomorrow.
I want the dough tonight.
Otherwise, I turn
Vajda over to the Feds.
Hello. Hobson.
Mr. Eliot Ness, please.
Chicago calling.
Elliot, for you.
Ness speaking.
Go ahead, please.
Eliot? Bill.
Didn't you say the payoff
was tomorrow night?
That's right.
Well, they're leaving now
and it looks as if they
have the loot with them.
All right, Bill, thanks.
Either Wiles was lying
or there's been a switch.
It looks like the
payoff's tonight.
That doesn't give us much time.
It'll have to be enough.
What if the rendezvous
is changed, too?
We'll have to take
that chance. Let's go.
Anything yet, Machen?
Nothin'. I'll let you know.
I told you I'll let you know!
♪ ♪
We're set.
They're late.
Only five minutes.
♪ ♪
This is it.
It's a trap! Get us out of here!
Don't start anything, Mr. Nitti.
Get DeLong.
All right, Frank,
give me the key.
Better take the evidence, Jack.
You can't do that.
You got no right
to touch that dough.
Sue me.
Why you...
Go on, Frank, I'd
like nothing better
than an excuse to
muss you up a little.
Now, turn around and
drive quietly back to Chicago.
Your business here is finished.
We'll give you an escort
to the city limits. Let's go.
Come on. Get in.
So far so good. Come on.
Hey!
Check 'em again!
Never mind, I think I hear them.
It won't be long now, Vajda.
Don't get anxious.
You okay, Silkie?
Yeah, yeah, I'm
all right, Eddie.
You got the money, Frank?
Yeah.
Where's Vajda?
You ain't Nitti.
It's Ness!
Andrews, get the old man!
Hold it!
Hold it!
Hold it, Fletcher!
Vajda?
I'm bringing him down, Eliot.
He's okay.
Take him away.
He breaks the laws of the
country that gave him a home.
He peddles a product that
destroys thousands of lives,
and he looks like a nice old man
who ought to be telling
fairy stories to children.
You figure it out, Lee.
On August 29, 1932, in an
empty Detroit warehouse,
Eliot Ness and the Untouchables,
with the help of
the Detroit police,
ended the reign
of the Purple Gang.
But Ness had no illusions.
In a few months, the underworld
would develop new sources
and new pipelines.
For wherever there was a
demand for illegal commodities,
there would be
ruthless men like Nitti
and weak and willing
ones like Vajda.