Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 11 - The Case of the Perjured Parrot - full transcript
The only witness to a rich man's murder is his parrot, who keeps repeating the suspect's name. But in court, everyone is surprised at what the bird says next. Perry does his magic at an informal coroner's Inquest in a rural area.
Oh! Oh, I didn't know
you were back, Charles.
I didn't hear you.
Where's Waid? I want him.
Awk! Pretty Polly, pretty
Polly. Polly wanna cracker.
Hello, Casanova.
Polly want a cracker. Awk!
Polly want a cracker. Awk!
"Hello, Stephanie."
Are you a lazy bird?
I'm a very busy bird.
Oh, you are, are you?
Busy bird, busy bird. Awk!
Good afternoon, Mr. Sabin.
Waid, this bird looks seedy.
You haven't been
taking good care of him.
Yes, I have, Mr. Sabin, really.
Where the devil are
my canceled checks?
Well, they... They
should be right there, sir.
I've gone through
all of them, you know.
My fishing gear
ready? Uh, yes, sir...
Oh, here they are.
If I get word on
those mineral rights,
I want you fly out to Denver
and pick up the options right away.
Stay in your apartment
Monday until you hear from me.
If you don't get word
by late afternoon,
go out to the airport
and wait for my call there.
I'll let you know. Yes, sir.
Are you ready to
leave for the cabin?
I've decided to go immediately.
We're not even packed. You
said you wanted to go tomorrow.
I've changed my
mind. We'll go right now.
Don't you talk to my
mother that way again!
I may be your
stepdaughter, but I know you!
And I know you,
Helen. I found out!
Pretty bird, pretty bird.
Charles.
What did you mean when
you said you had found out?
I mean she's a thief.
And she must be
an idiot besides,
if she expected
to get away with it.
So now it's Helen, is it?
Everyone in the whole world
is trying to steal from you.
Well, this is just
too much, Charles.
I'm not going with you now.
I'm not going with you ever!
Waid, put my things in the car.
Helen, give me that
gun. Don't shoot.
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot!
Yours very truly, etc., etc.
Send that airmail,
will you, please?
Mm-hm.
This one should interest you.
They want a lock of your hair
to auction off
at a club benefit.
Well, you've got to be kid...
Della, did you write this?
No! That's a bona
fide request for a lock...
Yes, Gertie?
Mrs. Charles Sabin is here.
Um, have her come in.
Have her come in, Gertie.
Won't you come in?
How do you do, Mrs. Sabin?
How do you do, Mr. Mason?
This is my daughter,
Helen Watkins.
Miss Watkins.
And my secretary, Miss Street.
Hello. Sit down, won't you?
Thank you.
Now, then,
how can I help you, Mrs. Sabin?
You've been handling some of
my husband's business
affairs, haven't you, Mr. Mason?
Yes.
He's been murdered.
I saw nothing in the papers.
Well, there wasn't time.
They just found the
body this morning.
A Mr. Bascomb found him
in our cabin up
above Logan City.
The police have
just been to see me.
I'm very sorry, of course.
Oh, thank you.
I came to see you because...
She's afraid
they'll think I did it,
because I hated him!
Of course, I don't think
anything of the kind,
but I'm afraid the police will.
You see, Casanova...
He's my husband's parrot.
He was up there
with him at the time.
And he keeps
saying over and over:
"Helen, give me
that gun! Don't shoot!"
I see.
They think the parrot saw
the murder committed?
Or heard it.
And it's not true.
She's been with
me the whole time.
The whole time!
Now, when did it happen?
About a week ago.
They think he was
killed last Tuesday.
He went up to the
cabin... Saturday night.
Alone?
Yes.
We had planned
to go with him, but...
Go on, please.
Well, after he
left for the cabin,
Helen and I packed our things,
and I drove her to her
school at Hollymount.
It's not far from Logan City.
Then I came right back to town
and I went to the Windsor Hotel.
You didn't go home?
No, I had decided
to get a divorce.
I've been at the Windsor
ever since that Saturday night,
and this bad girl,
she didn't stay at school.
She followed me to the hotel.
Well, I don't see
that you can be in much
trouble, Miss Watkins,
if you and your mother were
together all this last week.
You can certainly find
witnesses to prove that.
The hotel register, people
who saw you together.
That's just it.
She wasn't registered
until Wednesday.
I just took her to my room.
I-I never thought
to register her
for several days,
and that was after the
police say that he was...
Mr. Mason,
I didn't kill my stepfather.
Oh, of course
you didn't, darling.
Of course you didn't.
Sheriff Barnes?
That's right. What
can I do for you?
My name is Perry Mason.
Charles Sabin
was a client of mine.
Mrs. Sabin asked me come
up here and look things over.
With your permission, of course.
This is Miss Della
Street, my secretary.
- How do, ma'am?
- How do you do?
Well, I'm pleased to
meet you, Mr. Mason.
This is Mr. Langley. You
may have heard of him.
He teaches criminology
at our college here,
and lives in Logan City.
A pleasure, Mr. Langley.
How do you do?
I've asked Mr. Langley to
give me a hand on this case.
I'd appreciate any ideas
that you might
have too, of course.
Come right in, Mr. Mason.
Uh, Miss Street...
I'll just wait out
here, thank you.
All right, fine.
If you'd rather.
The parrot was out
of the cage, loose,
and the door was propped open.
This is where the
cage was sitting.
Polly want a cracker?
It was nice of you to
come, but you needn't stay.
Who's Helen?
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot! Awk!
He says that more
than anything else.
Mrs. Sabin's daughter
is named Helen.
I understand she hated Sabin.
Yes, I know.
That's where the gun was lying.
That little circle.
No fingerprints.
Do you, uh...?
Do you know how
long the body was here
before it was discovered?
Well, we think so.
Mr. Sabin had only
caught one string of trout.
And I think that must
have been Tuesday,
the day the season opened.
He got up early.
This clock is run down,
but it was set for 5:30.
The alarm run down too?
Oh, yes.
No doubt he was hungry
when he first got
back from fishing,
so he ate right away.
Didn't bother to clean his fish
or put them in the refrigerator.
So we can say
he was killed a little
after 11 Tuesday morning,
just after he'd had his lunch,
but before he'd had
time to clean his fish.
Helen, give me that gun!
Don't shoot! Awk!
Uh, we found some clothes.
A woman's slip and
a pair of stockings.
Mrs. Sabin said
they didn't belong
to her or her daughter.
What did you expect them to say?
Well, they come
up here all the time.
It wouldn't mean anything if
the clothes belonged to them.
They could be trying to throw
suspicion on another woman.
Yeah...
Or there could be another woman.
What is it?
I'm Richard Waid,
Mr. Sabin's secretary.
Sheriff Barnes?
That's right. Come on in.
Thank you.
This is Mr. Edward Langley.
How do you do? Mr. Waid.
And Mr. Perry Mason.
Mr. Waid.
Uh, Mrs. Sabin sent me up
to bring the parrot
back with me.
She also wanted me
to collect Mr. Sabin's
personal things.
I don't blame her.
Waid, where were you last
Tuesday morning at 11:00?
Well, I was in Denver
on business for Mr. Sabin.
What time did you
leave for Denver?
Monday. Right after he called
me at International Airport.
Did Mr. Sabin
phone you from here?
Well, no, sir.
He said his phone
was out of order,
and he went down
to a pay-phone booth.
Let's get outta here!
Let's get outta here! Awk!
That's right. It's dead.
Sheriff, I want to thank
you for your cooperation.
It's been a pleasure.
Glad to have met you,
and thanks for your
interest in the case.
Not at all. Mr. Waid.
It was nice of you to come...
Mr. Langley.
What are you doing
to the wildlife, Della?
Well, I was feeding them,
and now you've
frightened them away.
Oh, you should've seen
the first one I was feeding.
He could hold five at a time:
Two over here,
and two over here
and one right here.
And look. See the bird?
He kept swooping down and
trying to steal them from the squirrel.
What are you looking at?
That wire up there. See it?
Oh. Yeah.
Somebody's tapped Sabin's phone.
I think I'll have a look.
You better stay here.
You'll ruin your stockings.
Oh, stockings are expendable.
Oh.
Well, someone's
been here recently...
and someone's
been eavesdropping.
Miss Monteith?
Yes? May I help you?
I wonder if you could tell me
who checked out a certain book
on the 11th of September.
It was due back today.
Why, yes, that's possible,
though it's a little trouble.
However, if it's important...
It might be quite important.
I'm a lawyer. My name is Mason.
It's in connection with
a case I'm working on.
The book is a cookbook
by Valentine Prosper.
Valentine...
I'll s-see if I can find it.
I'm sorry. I can't
find that card.
Perhaps you're
mistaken about the date.
No, I'm certain of the date.
You see, it has to
do with a murder.
This murder.
Well, then, maybe you
could come back later.
Tomorrow, when
we're not quite so busy.
I think the police will
be here quite soon.
I'm sure they'll insist
you drop everything
to find that card.
Mr. Mason...
Could I please talk to you?
Of course.
Ever since yesterday,
I've been looking at the paper
and trying not to believe,
and afraid I had to believe.
Even thinking of
telling the police.
Could I talk to you first?
You see,
I took that book.
It'll be a little
awkward talking here.
Is there someone who
can take over for you?
Yes. Miss Fairchild.
The park is nearby.
Would that be all right?
I've been working in the library
for about six months.
I came here from the east.
You know, I...
I never realized
how lonely I was
until George Wallman came along.
George Wallman?
Yes, this... This
is his picture.
That's the way he looked.
Charles Sabin.
Oh, I know he was a
good deal older than I,
but, you see, it didn't matter.
I had waited a long
time for the right man.
You met at the library?
Yes, we became acquainted
because we both enjoyed
the same kinds of books.
He had the most
wonderful philosophy.
I thought he was the nicest,
kindest man I'd ever known.
And then,
two weeks ago, we...
We went to Las Vegas
and got married quietly.
And you spent your
honeymoon in that cabin?
Yes.
Exactly...
when was that?
Well, we arrived
September the 11th
and left on the 16th.
That was Saturday morning.
George said that the own...
The owner wanted
to use it for a few days.
And you left the book there.
Did you leave anything else?
Yes.
A slip and a pair of stockings.
Yes.
And... And a gun.
You know, I...
I have the most awful feeling
it was that gun that
killed my husband.
Tell me about it.
Well, when I used to
work in the library at night,
I was the last one to leave,
and they thought
I should have it,
so I... I put the gun
in the glove
compartment of my car,
and on the way up to
the cabin, George found it.
He took it into the cabin?
Yes.
Where did you go
after your honeymoon?
He said he had to go
away for a few days.
He didn't say where,
but he was very cheerful.
He...
He was certainly mysterious.
Yes, I... I told him that,
and he just asked
me if I believed him,
and I had to tell him I did.
I trusted him
with my whole life.
And now that part's gone,
and I don't want
the rest without him.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Feel like going on?
That's all.
I never saw him again,
and I never heard
from him again.
Anything.
They'll trace the
book to you, of course.
And if it was your gun
that killed Mr. Sabin,
they'll trace that too.
Do you understand?
Did you locate Paul?
Uh-huh. He's checking
on all long-distance calls
that were made
from Mr. Sabin's cabin
since he went
there Saturday night.
Do... Do you think
they'll think I killed him?
Yes.
Come right in, Mr. Bascomb.
Sheriff.
This is Mr. Sprague,
our district attorney.
Mr. Sprague. How do you do?
Have a seat, Mr. Bascomb?
Thank you.
Smoke?
Uh, no thanks.
Come on in, Miss Monteith.
This'll just take a second.
I want you to take a good look
at this gentleman
here, Miss Monteith,
and tell us if you know him.
Do you ever remember
seeing him before?
No, I... I'm sure I've
never met this gentleman.
And I...
I don't ever
remember seeing him.
All right. That's all.
That's the woman, all
right. No question about it.
She was driving up
towards Sabin's cabin
along about 10:30, 11:00.
The road's real narrow there.
Had to slow down
to a crawl to pass.
I got a good look at her.
Hi, Perry.
I was just about to call you.
Turned up something?
Yeah.
Not about the phone calls,
but some of the other things.
First, there's a will.
It divides the property
between Mrs. Sabin and
Charles' brother, Arthur Sabin.
That's the first
I've heard of him.
Anything else on him?
No, not yet.
But I've got what
you wanted to know
about the daughter,
Helen Watkins.
She did not go right
to the Windsor Hotel
like her mother said.
She didn't arrive
there till Tuesday.
Registered or not registered,
the maids know how
many beds were slept in.
Do you know where
she was during that time?
Uh-huh. She'd run
away from school
and was working in a
restaurant in Logan City.
Her mother found her
and took her to the hotel.
Perry, is she your client?
No, I just agreed to look
into the general situation
because Mrs. Sabin was afraid
the police might suspect Helen.
I have a hunch she
was holding back on me.
In fact, I think she's
very much afraid
that Helen did kill her husband.
I better see her again.
Stay with it, will you, Paul?
Mm-hm.
Of course, I was completely
stunned to learn about it.
Yet I don't suppose that
Charles would have had
any moral scruples
against bigamy.
It probably amused him
to live two lives at once.
I suppose it might have.
Well, in any case,
we can stop worrying
about Helen now.
This... woman is
obviously guilty.
The parrot was saying
"Ellen," of course.
But I do thank
you for standing by.
Not at all.
You, um...
You understand, my
cousin Stanley is a lawyer,
so naturally, I'll...
That is, he will probably
handle things for me
with regard to the estate.
Since he is my cousin,
that's no reflection...
I understand perfectly.
I'm delighted you have
someone to handle the
matter for you, Mrs. Sabin.
Oh, good. Well...
And by the way,
what do you know about
Arthur Sabin, Charles' brother?
Well, very little, really.
Where does he live?
I-I don't know.
He's rather a
strange man, I gather.
Just drifts from one
place to another, I think.
I've never met him.
Were they fond of each other?
I believe so, in a way.
Charles once said
that Arthur was
the only man in the
world he could really trust.
Well, goodbye,
and thank you very
much for coming.
Goodbye.
And Paul Drake, my
private investigator,
reports that Mr. Sabin
telephoned you, Mr. Bolding.
Yes. I got a call from
Mr. Sabin on Monday the 18th,
about 4 in the afternoon.
He discovered
several forged checks
along with his last
bank statement.
About $10,000,
as a matter of fact.
He thought he knew
who the forger was,
and had sent me the checks
along with a sample of
handwriting to compare.
May I see them?
Yes.
Whose handwriting
is on the letter?
The stepdaughter, Helen Watkins.
Did she forge the checks?
Definitely not.
Was Sabin pleased about
that when he called Monday?
Oh, I don't know.
He merely said he'd
send along some samples
of some other
people's handwriting,
but I never got them.
I see.
When you told the
police about this,
did they come here and
examine the checks and the letter?
Yes, uh, Sheriff Barnes
and a Mr. Langley
went into it rather thoroughly.
But they didn't take the letter
and the checks as evidence,
just told me to be sure
I could produce them
if they were called for.
I don't think they feel
these were connected
with the murder.
Thank you again, Mr. Bolding.
I appreciate your help.
Not at all.
All we want to
get at is the facts.
We want to find out
how this man died.
Somebody killed him.
If we know who it
was, then we'll say so.
But if we're not
sure, we won't say.
Now, we're not here to
try anybody for anything.
We're just here to determine
how Charles Sabin met his death
up in that cabin.
Now, the coroner... That's me.
Is in charge of inquest.
The district attorney here
asks questions generally
when he wants to.
That doesn't mean
he runs the inquest.
It just means he's
here to help us.
Also, we have
Mr. Perry Mason with us.
He represents Miss Monteith,
who's being held on
suspicion of murder in this case,
as you probably all know.
He's going to be
allowed to ask questions.
And of course, you, the jury,
is allowed to ask questions.
I want it understood
there's not going to
be any technicalities
or any long-winded objections.
We're just gonna move
right along with this thing
and try to dig up the facts.
If I get my order of
proof all cockeyed
or something like that,
that's my responsibility.
Now then...
Of course, the coroner's idea
of what is a technicality
may be different from mine,
in which event...
In which event what
the coroner thinks
is what's gonna count.
I think first we'll hear
from the neighbor who
discovered the body.
Come up here.
Then when I didn't
see him all that week,
I guessed he'd been
called back to Los Angeles.
But when I drove by
his place last Monday,
I noticed the car
was still there.
Now, I thought that
was kind of funny,
so I went up and
looked in the window,
and there he was.
Now, I... Wait a minute.
Members of the jury,
I'm not going to ask you
to do more than take a
quick look at the body,
'cause on account of the weather
and the length of time
before it was discovered.
But I can say this:
We got a record of
Charles Sabin's fingerprints
from Washington,
and no mistake about the
fingerprints being the same.
Now, then, uh,
what did you see in the window?
Well, I couldn't see too much,
on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.
But the body was clear enough,
and there was this parrot
walking around squawking,
and I saw his papers
on the table where
he'd been working.
His boots, fly rod, and
the parrot, like I said.
I guess that's about all.
Any questions of
this witness, Ray?
Mr. Bascomb, when
you drove up there
on Tuesday the 19th,
did you see anyone
that you later
regarded as significant?
Yes.
Miss Monteith over there.
Ellen, why were you there?
I thought if the owner
had left the cabin,
I might get my things.
But when I saw the car there,
I drove on by.
All right.
Any questions of this
witness, Mr. Mason?
Uh, yes, if you please.
You said you
didn't see Mr. Sabin
during that week, Mr. Bascomb.
Would you normally
have expected to see him?
As a rule, yes, only
not so much this year.
Oh?
You see, there's a
piece of stream up there.
The best fishing water
runs through private property.
Well, Sabin had bought that
and posted "Keep out,
no fishing" signs there.
So I assumed he
could be fishing in there.
He'd done that recently?
Yes.
Matter of fact, I was trying
to buy that property myself.
He must have heard about it.
Anyway, he stepped in and
bought it. Doubled my price.
Hmph. That's the
way he operated.
He had no friends
where a dollar was concerned.
I don't suppose that did
the business at your
lodge much good.
It certainly did not.
So you didn't go or let
any of your guests go
into that area to fish?
With those signs up there?
Ha! He'd just as soon shoot you
as not if he
could do it legally.
And during that week,
you didn't see or hear
anything that would indicate
that Charles Sabin
was dead or alive?
No. No, I didn't,
and that's a fact.
Thank you, Mr. Bascomb.
Thank you, Mr. Templet.
That will be all, Mr. Bascomb.
Now, I think we'll
have the sheriff tell us
what he found when he
first went up to the cabin.
Results of the lab
report and all that.
It'll probably take
us up to just about
time to adjourn for lunch.
All right, all right,
let's come to order,
Let's get to work.
What's this?
This is the parrot
who was undoubtedly an
eyewitness to the murder.
It was nice of you to
come, but you needn't stay.
Who's Helen?
Awk! Let's get outta
here. Awk! Whoo-hoo.
Who's Helen?
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot! Awk!
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot!
I want his words made
a part of the record.
Awk!
I'll have a martini. Awk!
Just a moment.
Am I to understand
you're adopting this
parrot as a witness?
The parrot made a
perfectly audible statement,
and I want it in the record.
But he hasn't been sworn.
Don't be ridiculous.
You can't swear a parrot!
Also, if he's going
to be a witness,
I think I have the
right to cross-examine.
I didn't say he had
to be a witness.
I said that he made a
perfectly plain statement,
and I want it in the record.
Now that's clear
enough, isn't it?
Awk! I'll have a martini. Awk!
All right, all right,
just a minute.
The parrot can't be
a witness, of course,
but he did say something.
What those words are
is going in the record
for what they're worth.
I think the jury
understands the situation.
Now, then,
did I understand you
wish to cross-examine?
Uh, why, uh...
Why, yes, if you don't mind.
Go ahead.
I'd like to enlist Mrs.
Sabin's help, if I may.
Mrs. Sabin, will you
come forward, please?
Mrs. Sabin,
I take it that Casanova
has quite a vocabulary.
Yes, he has, except that...
Except what?
I've never heard him
say some of these things.
Mrs. Sabin, do you think
this bird is Casanova?
Well, he looks like
him, but I'm not sure.
Does Casanova have
any particular tricks?
Yes. If you extend
your finger and say...
Will you show us what
you mean, please?
Aah!
Oh!
Ooh!
He's supposed to
get on my finger.
Casanova, are you a lazy bird?
I'll have a martini. Awk!
Oh, Mr. Mason, this bird
is definitely not Casanova.
He always says,
"I'm a very busy bird."
Thank you, Mrs.
Sabin. That will be all.
Does it make any difference
whether this is Casanova
or not, Mr. Mason?
Just so it's the same
parrot that was in the room
when the body was discovered.
There's no doubt about
that, is there, Mr. Sheriff?
That's right. There's no
doubt about the parrot.
It's been in my custody.
Mr. Bascomb, what about it?
That the same bird?
That's the same bird, all right.
I don't know whether
the coroner knows it,
but the moment that Perry
Mason entered the case,
Charles Sabin's
secretary showed up
and tried to take the bird away.
Now, hold on,
Mr. District Attorney.
How do you know that
Perry Mason is in the back
of this attempt
to take the bird?
I don't know, but there's no law
that tells me I can't
do my own thinking.
Cover the bird.
I'd like to call on
Miss Monteith next,
but since she's being
held on suspicion of murder,
Mr. Mason will probably
have her decline
to answer any questions.
On the contrary,
I'm perfectly willing
for Miss Monteith to answer
any reasonable questions.
But I must confess, I
do not see the value
in her testimony at this point.
Well, I can.
Maybe we'd better
call on Mr. Langley first.
Then the jury will have
the benefit of his testimony
when they hear hers.
Mr. Langley, would you
take the stand, please?
Now, what I want here
is for Mr. Langley to tell us
what he thinks of
the different things
the sheriff described
in the cabin,
the results of the lab report.
What he thinks they indicate.
You'll probably object to this
as a conclusion of the witness.
But seems to me
we have a man here
with a lot of
valuable background.
I think the jury ought
to have the benefit.
Oh, I quite agree.
It seems to me a
perfectly proper way
to get at the ultimate
facts of the case.
Good.
All right, you go
ahead, Mr. Langley.
Thank you. Ahem.
Well...
the evidence is conclusive
that Ellen Monteith
killed Charles Sabin.
First, she had motive.
Now, Sabin had married
her under an assumed name
and placed her in the
position of a bigamous wife.
Second, the murder
weapon was registered to her,
and, uh, well, she
admits it was hers.
And third, she was
present at the cabin
at exactly the time
Sabin was killed,
between 11 and 12
Tuesday morning the 19th,
So... Well, she
had the opportunity.
How do you fix the exact time?
We know that Sabin
was at the cabin
on the evening of
Monday the 18th
because he
telephoned from there.
We know he got up
early the next morning,
because the alarm
was set for 5:30.
Now, he had a hasty breakfast
of two eggs, some
bacon, and coffee
and went out and
caught a limit of fish.
Now, when he got back
between 10 and 11...
How do you know
when he got back?
Well, uh, h-he
couldn't have caught
a limit of fish much
earlier than that.
Why couldn't it have been later?
For one, Sabin was wearing
a sweater and slacks.
Now, the sun doesn't
hit the roof of that cabin
till, uh, oh, a little after 11.
But when it does, that
room heats up very rapidly
and stays hot till about 4:00,
So i-it had to be before noon,
or, uh, he'd...
He'd have been
uncomfortable in a sweater.
Why couldn't it
have been after 4:00?
Because there was a
fire laid in the fireplace,
and it hadn't been lighted.
If it was after 4 and
had started to cool off,
he'd have lighted his
fire for the evening.
I see.
Well, that seems to cover
the situation very thoroughly.
Go ahead.
May I ask a question or two?
Certainly.
Just a couple of little points
I'm not quite straight
on, Mr. Langley.
As I understand it,
Sabin was so hungry when
he got back from fishing
that he stopped to fix
himself something to eat
before cleaning the fish
or putting them away.
Yes.
And apparently he also
laid a fire in the fireplace
before putting the fish away.
Why the rush to do that?
Well, he...
He must have laid
the fire the night before.
And according to your
theory, he either laid that fire
Monday night on
top of hot ashes,
or else he laid it the next day,
right after getting
back from fishing
and before cleaning his fish.
Now, does either one
seem logical to you?
Well, it's a minor item.
You frequently
encounter trivialities
which aren't quite
consistent with the, uh...
The broad picture.
All right.
Now, I believe the alarm
clock, which was set at 5:30,
was on the table by the bed.
That's correct.
Is it your experience,
Mr. Langley,
as an expert interpreter
of circumstantial evidence,
that a sleeper will permit an
alarm to completely run down
without shutting it off?
I believe he didn't
even bother to shut it off.
H-he was in a
hurry to go fishing.
Despite the fact that he
was in a hurry to go fishing,
he stopped to fix his breakfast,
washed his dishes, made the bed,
and then he laid a
fire in the fireplace.
All this is absurd!
Yes, it is...
If you assume that
Mr. Sabin was killed
on the morning of
Tuesday the 19th.
But there's nothing absurd
about it when you realize
that he was actually
killed the night before.
Monday?!
Why, that's impossible!
The fishing season didn't
open until Tuesday morning,
and Charles Sabin
would never have fished
before the season opened.
Why, we know that from
a dozen different sources.
I'm sure Mr. Sabin
wouldn't have fished early.
But do you think his murderer
would have had the same
respect for the game laws?
Now, just a minute, Mr. Langley.
Mr. Mason has drawn some
entirely different conclusions
from this evidence,
and I want to hear
his explanation.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Well, everything indicates
that Sabin was killed
on Monday night instead
of Tuesday morning.
The bed was made because
it hadn't been slept in.
The alarm had run down
because the only occupant
of the cabin was dead
when it went off.
There was still a fire
laid in the fireplace
because he hadn't
used it on Monday night.
The fact that Mr. Sabin
had put a sweater on
places the time of the murder
at around 4 in the afternoon.
It was cooling off,
but it still hadn't gotten
cool enough for a fire.
Anything else?
Yes.
The murderer was
someone Sabin knew,
because he let him in.
It was someone who
had planned the murder,
because he had
gone to the trouble
of finding a similar parrot
and then taking weeks or months
to teach the parrot lines
which would subsequently
divert suspicion from himself.
What about the fish and the gun?
Well, he caught the
fish for the purpose
of confusing the
police about the time.
Now, it may be he knew
the gun was in the cabin,
or it may be he saw
it after he got there
and decided to use it
instead of whatever
weapon he had with him.
How could Sabin have been killed
at 4:00 Monday afternoon
and still call his
secretary long-distance
that night at 10:00?
He couldn't.
You think the deceased
didn't call Mr. Waid
at the airport that night, then?
I'm convinced he didn't.
You're excused, Mr. Langley.
Let's just find out
what Mr. Waid has
to say about this.
Will you take the
stand, please, Mr. Waid?
Just a minute, young man!
Raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear the
testimony you're about to give
to be the whole truth
and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?
I do.
Be seated.
Mr. Mason, you got us
started down this track.
Do you wanna question him?
Very well.
Mr. Waid, did you receive a
telephone call at the airport
from Mr. Sabin at
10:00 on Monday night?
No.
Were you at his cabin
that afternoon at 4:00?
No!
When were you there?
Look, Mr. Mason,
I didn't kill him.
He was already dead.
Perhaps you'd
better tell us about it.
All right, I'll tell
you about it.
I was financially involved.
I had forged some... Some checks
in order to get
some working capital.
I was going to return the money,
but Mr. Sabin came
back unexpectedly
and found my account short.
Since you, uh...
Since you claim
you didn't kill him,
will you admit that
as a last alternative
you were planning to kill him?
I must have been insane.
I could never have
gone through with it.
When I saw him lying there dead,
I didn't know what to do.
But you had planned to kill
him that Monday at the cabin?
Yes, if it worked out.
And then I went to a
little shack near the cabin,
where I tapped the phone.
You took the parrot with you?
Yes.
I bought him...
I bought him several months ago
and taught him to
say those things,
just to confuse matters.
I knew they wouldn't go too
hard on Helen. She's only a kid.
The real Casanova
is at my apartment.
What happened when
you got to the shack?
Well, when I...
When I heard him talk to Denver,
I-I knew I could go there
and attend to the business.
And right after that,
he spoke to Bolding.
Well, don't you see?
I couldn't have killed him then.
Bolding had the forged checks,
and they were
bound to be found out.
And the police would
know that I'd forged them.
I didn't dare to kill him.
And then?
Well, then I...
I decided to throw
myself at his mercy.
When I got there, he was dead.
Was the door to
the cabin locked?
Yes.
But I have a key, and
when there was no answer,
I... I opened it and went in.
And there he was,
lying on the floor.
And even though you had
nothing to do with his death,
you still went ahead
and set up this
complicated alibi.
But Bolding had the forged
checks, don't you see?
They were bound to
think that I was the killer.
I wasn't sure my
alibi was right,
but it was my only hope then.
I had to go through with it.
All right. Exactly
what did you do?
Well, then I went
back to the shack
and got the fish I'd caught
and the parrot I'd trained,
and I brought them back.
And then I
wound and set the alarm clock
and I put the
phone out of order.
Then I took Casanova
back to my apartment
and I went out to the
airport and hung around
a pay-phone booth
for several hours
where plenty of
people could see me.
And then, near 10:00,
when nobody was near,
I pretended to
hear the phone ring,
and I answered it.
Then I caught the
10:00 plane to Denver.
That's about all, I guess.
That's just about
enough, I'd say!
Sheriff, put this man in custody
on suspicion of murder.
We'll file formal charges
when we're through here,
and that shouldn't
take much longer.
You don't believe him?
Believe him?
Why, it's the flimsiest,
most obvious fabrication
I've ever heard.
Don't tell me you believe him.
Why, yes, I think I do.
What?
Are you serious, Mason?
Quite serious.
Perhaps if I might ask
another question or two?
Well, go ahead.
Mr. Waid, did you leave
everything at Mr. Sabin's cabin
exactly as you found it
except for the things
that you told us about?
Yes, sir.
Now, the gun was wiped
clean of fingerprints.
Did you do that?
Oh, no, I figured if there
were any prints on it,
I sure didn't want
to disturb them.
What about Mr. Sabin's papers?
Well, I did look through them
to see if any of my
checks were among them.
Then you left the
papers just as they were?
Well, no. As soon as
I finished with them,
I put them all into a briefcase
just to get them out of the way.
And when you left, the
papers were all in the briefcase?
Well, yes, sir.
But when you
arrived at the cabin
on the day Sabin was murdered,
you found the papers
lying on the table?
Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Would you please read back
that part of
Mr. Bascomb's testimony?
The part where the
coroner asked him, uh,
what he saw when he
looked in the window?
Yes, sir.
Let's see... When would that be?
There was just four lines,
probably 20 or 30 pages ago.
Bascomb: "I couldn't
see too much,
"on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.
"But the body was clear enough,
"and this parrot, walking
around squawking.
"I could see his papers
on the table where
he'd been working..."
Hold it. Just a minute.
And you mean Bascomb.
Where is he?!
Why, um, he walked out.
You saw him leave
and didn't stop him?
Isn't it a further
indication of guilt?
George!
Oh, George!
There, there,
dear. It's all right.
Perry, what...?
Miss Monteith,
or perhaps I should say
Mrs. George Wallman,
has just discovered that her
husband isn't dead after all.
What?
Then you mean she wasn't
married to Charles Sabin at all?
That's right.
But I have an idea she
still doesn't know who she is.
I think she's really
Mrs. Arthur Sabin.
Arthur Sabin?
That's right.
I'm Arthur Sabin,
although I haven't used
the name in quite a while.
Just a minute. This
thing's getting out of hand.
It usually does, Mr. Coroner.
When it comes to murder,
it happens all the time.
Now, I wouldn't say that
Arthur and Charles Sabin
looked that much
alike, would you?
Well, enough to understand
how Ellen could make a mistake.
Remember, you saw Arthur
before he had a chance to dress up.
He'd just returned from
the desert this morning.
He came here just as
soon as he saw a paper.
Hey, come to think about it,
you weren't even
surprised when you saw him.
Did you know about
this all the time?
No, but it had
been bothering me.
How could Charles Sabin be
such a total loss to everyone
and still be George Wallman,
the kindest, gentlest man
Ellen had ever known?
That's why Arthur
changed his name...
Excuse me.
- -from Sabin to Wallman,
because everybody kept trying
to reach Charles through him.
And you take this Waid.
Now, if you knew he
was lying about his alibi...
Why didn't everything
else point to him?
Exactly. Well, it did.
At first I thought that Bascomb
had made an honest mistake
about seeing those papers.
But when the
secretary Waid came out
with the logical story of
putting the papers away,
why, everything fit.
That ought to teach
you a lesson, Miss Street.
How do you mean?
Waid saved his life by
putting those papers away.
If you're going
to be a secretary,
you'd better be neat.
you were back, Charles.
I didn't hear you.
Where's Waid? I want him.
Awk! Pretty Polly, pretty
Polly. Polly wanna cracker.
Hello, Casanova.
Polly want a cracker. Awk!
Polly want a cracker. Awk!
"Hello, Stephanie."
Are you a lazy bird?
I'm a very busy bird.
Oh, you are, are you?
Busy bird, busy bird. Awk!
Good afternoon, Mr. Sabin.
Waid, this bird looks seedy.
You haven't been
taking good care of him.
Yes, I have, Mr. Sabin, really.
Where the devil are
my canceled checks?
Well, they... They
should be right there, sir.
I've gone through
all of them, you know.
My fishing gear
ready? Uh, yes, sir...
Oh, here they are.
If I get word on
those mineral rights,
I want you fly out to Denver
and pick up the options right away.
Stay in your apartment
Monday until you hear from me.
If you don't get word
by late afternoon,
go out to the airport
and wait for my call there.
I'll let you know. Yes, sir.
Are you ready to
leave for the cabin?
I've decided to go immediately.
We're not even packed. You
said you wanted to go tomorrow.
I've changed my
mind. We'll go right now.
Don't you talk to my
mother that way again!
I may be your
stepdaughter, but I know you!
And I know you,
Helen. I found out!
Pretty bird, pretty bird.
Charles.
What did you mean when
you said you had found out?
I mean she's a thief.
And she must be
an idiot besides,
if she expected
to get away with it.
So now it's Helen, is it?
Everyone in the whole world
is trying to steal from you.
Well, this is just
too much, Charles.
I'm not going with you now.
I'm not going with you ever!
Waid, put my things in the car.
Helen, give me that
gun. Don't shoot.
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot!
Yours very truly, etc., etc.
Send that airmail,
will you, please?
Mm-hm.
This one should interest you.
They want a lock of your hair
to auction off
at a club benefit.
Well, you've got to be kid...
Della, did you write this?
No! That's a bona
fide request for a lock...
Yes, Gertie?
Mrs. Charles Sabin is here.
Um, have her come in.
Have her come in, Gertie.
Won't you come in?
How do you do, Mrs. Sabin?
How do you do, Mr. Mason?
This is my daughter,
Helen Watkins.
Miss Watkins.
And my secretary, Miss Street.
Hello. Sit down, won't you?
Thank you.
Now, then,
how can I help you, Mrs. Sabin?
You've been handling some of
my husband's business
affairs, haven't you, Mr. Mason?
Yes.
He's been murdered.
I saw nothing in the papers.
Well, there wasn't time.
They just found the
body this morning.
A Mr. Bascomb found him
in our cabin up
above Logan City.
The police have
just been to see me.
I'm very sorry, of course.
Oh, thank you.
I came to see you because...
She's afraid
they'll think I did it,
because I hated him!
Of course, I don't think
anything of the kind,
but I'm afraid the police will.
You see, Casanova...
He's my husband's parrot.
He was up there
with him at the time.
And he keeps
saying over and over:
"Helen, give me
that gun! Don't shoot!"
I see.
They think the parrot saw
the murder committed?
Or heard it.
And it's not true.
She's been with
me the whole time.
The whole time!
Now, when did it happen?
About a week ago.
They think he was
killed last Tuesday.
He went up to the
cabin... Saturday night.
Alone?
Yes.
We had planned
to go with him, but...
Go on, please.
Well, after he
left for the cabin,
Helen and I packed our things,
and I drove her to her
school at Hollymount.
It's not far from Logan City.
Then I came right back to town
and I went to the Windsor Hotel.
You didn't go home?
No, I had decided
to get a divorce.
I've been at the Windsor
ever since that Saturday night,
and this bad girl,
she didn't stay at school.
She followed me to the hotel.
Well, I don't see
that you can be in much
trouble, Miss Watkins,
if you and your mother were
together all this last week.
You can certainly find
witnesses to prove that.
The hotel register, people
who saw you together.
That's just it.
She wasn't registered
until Wednesday.
I just took her to my room.
I-I never thought
to register her
for several days,
and that was after the
police say that he was...
Mr. Mason,
I didn't kill my stepfather.
Oh, of course
you didn't, darling.
Of course you didn't.
Sheriff Barnes?
That's right. What
can I do for you?
My name is Perry Mason.
Charles Sabin
was a client of mine.
Mrs. Sabin asked me come
up here and look things over.
With your permission, of course.
This is Miss Della
Street, my secretary.
- How do, ma'am?
- How do you do?
Well, I'm pleased to
meet you, Mr. Mason.
This is Mr. Langley. You
may have heard of him.
He teaches criminology
at our college here,
and lives in Logan City.
A pleasure, Mr. Langley.
How do you do?
I've asked Mr. Langley to
give me a hand on this case.
I'd appreciate any ideas
that you might
have too, of course.
Come right in, Mr. Mason.
Uh, Miss Street...
I'll just wait out
here, thank you.
All right, fine.
If you'd rather.
The parrot was out
of the cage, loose,
and the door was propped open.
This is where the
cage was sitting.
Polly want a cracker?
It was nice of you to
come, but you needn't stay.
Who's Helen?
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot! Awk!
He says that more
than anything else.
Mrs. Sabin's daughter
is named Helen.
I understand she hated Sabin.
Yes, I know.
That's where the gun was lying.
That little circle.
No fingerprints.
Do you, uh...?
Do you know how
long the body was here
before it was discovered?
Well, we think so.
Mr. Sabin had only
caught one string of trout.
And I think that must
have been Tuesday,
the day the season opened.
He got up early.
This clock is run down,
but it was set for 5:30.
The alarm run down too?
Oh, yes.
No doubt he was hungry
when he first got
back from fishing,
so he ate right away.
Didn't bother to clean his fish
or put them in the refrigerator.
So we can say
he was killed a little
after 11 Tuesday morning,
just after he'd had his lunch,
but before he'd had
time to clean his fish.
Helen, give me that gun!
Don't shoot! Awk!
Uh, we found some clothes.
A woman's slip and
a pair of stockings.
Mrs. Sabin said
they didn't belong
to her or her daughter.
What did you expect them to say?
Well, they come
up here all the time.
It wouldn't mean anything if
the clothes belonged to them.
They could be trying to throw
suspicion on another woman.
Yeah...
Or there could be another woman.
What is it?
I'm Richard Waid,
Mr. Sabin's secretary.
Sheriff Barnes?
That's right. Come on in.
Thank you.
This is Mr. Edward Langley.
How do you do? Mr. Waid.
And Mr. Perry Mason.
Mr. Waid.
Uh, Mrs. Sabin sent me up
to bring the parrot
back with me.
She also wanted me
to collect Mr. Sabin's
personal things.
I don't blame her.
Waid, where were you last
Tuesday morning at 11:00?
Well, I was in Denver
on business for Mr. Sabin.
What time did you
leave for Denver?
Monday. Right after he called
me at International Airport.
Did Mr. Sabin
phone you from here?
Well, no, sir.
He said his phone
was out of order,
and he went down
to a pay-phone booth.
Let's get outta here!
Let's get outta here! Awk!
That's right. It's dead.
Sheriff, I want to thank
you for your cooperation.
It's been a pleasure.
Glad to have met you,
and thanks for your
interest in the case.
Not at all. Mr. Waid.
It was nice of you to come...
Mr. Langley.
What are you doing
to the wildlife, Della?
Well, I was feeding them,
and now you've
frightened them away.
Oh, you should've seen
the first one I was feeding.
He could hold five at a time:
Two over here,
and two over here
and one right here.
And look. See the bird?
He kept swooping down and
trying to steal them from the squirrel.
What are you looking at?
That wire up there. See it?
Oh. Yeah.
Somebody's tapped Sabin's phone.
I think I'll have a look.
You better stay here.
You'll ruin your stockings.
Oh, stockings are expendable.
Oh.
Well, someone's
been here recently...
and someone's
been eavesdropping.
Miss Monteith?
Yes? May I help you?
I wonder if you could tell me
who checked out a certain book
on the 11th of September.
It was due back today.
Why, yes, that's possible,
though it's a little trouble.
However, if it's important...
It might be quite important.
I'm a lawyer. My name is Mason.
It's in connection with
a case I'm working on.
The book is a cookbook
by Valentine Prosper.
Valentine...
I'll s-see if I can find it.
I'm sorry. I can't
find that card.
Perhaps you're
mistaken about the date.
No, I'm certain of the date.
You see, it has to
do with a murder.
This murder.
Well, then, maybe you
could come back later.
Tomorrow, when
we're not quite so busy.
I think the police will
be here quite soon.
I'm sure they'll insist
you drop everything
to find that card.
Mr. Mason...
Could I please talk to you?
Of course.
Ever since yesterday,
I've been looking at the paper
and trying not to believe,
and afraid I had to believe.
Even thinking of
telling the police.
Could I talk to you first?
You see,
I took that book.
It'll be a little
awkward talking here.
Is there someone who
can take over for you?
Yes. Miss Fairchild.
The park is nearby.
Would that be all right?
I've been working in the library
for about six months.
I came here from the east.
You know, I...
I never realized
how lonely I was
until George Wallman came along.
George Wallman?
Yes, this... This
is his picture.
That's the way he looked.
Charles Sabin.
Oh, I know he was a
good deal older than I,
but, you see, it didn't matter.
I had waited a long
time for the right man.
You met at the library?
Yes, we became acquainted
because we both enjoyed
the same kinds of books.
He had the most
wonderful philosophy.
I thought he was the nicest,
kindest man I'd ever known.
And then,
two weeks ago, we...
We went to Las Vegas
and got married quietly.
And you spent your
honeymoon in that cabin?
Yes.
Exactly...
when was that?
Well, we arrived
September the 11th
and left on the 16th.
That was Saturday morning.
George said that the own...
The owner wanted
to use it for a few days.
And you left the book there.
Did you leave anything else?
Yes.
A slip and a pair of stockings.
Yes.
And... And a gun.
You know, I...
I have the most awful feeling
it was that gun that
killed my husband.
Tell me about it.
Well, when I used to
work in the library at night,
I was the last one to leave,
and they thought
I should have it,
so I... I put the gun
in the glove
compartment of my car,
and on the way up to
the cabin, George found it.
He took it into the cabin?
Yes.
Where did you go
after your honeymoon?
He said he had to go
away for a few days.
He didn't say where,
but he was very cheerful.
He...
He was certainly mysterious.
Yes, I... I told him that,
and he just asked
me if I believed him,
and I had to tell him I did.
I trusted him
with my whole life.
And now that part's gone,
and I don't want
the rest without him.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Feel like going on?
That's all.
I never saw him again,
and I never heard
from him again.
Anything.
They'll trace the
book to you, of course.
And if it was your gun
that killed Mr. Sabin,
they'll trace that too.
Do you understand?
Did you locate Paul?
Uh-huh. He's checking
on all long-distance calls
that were made
from Mr. Sabin's cabin
since he went
there Saturday night.
Do... Do you think
they'll think I killed him?
Yes.
Come right in, Mr. Bascomb.
Sheriff.
This is Mr. Sprague,
our district attorney.
Mr. Sprague. How do you do?
Have a seat, Mr. Bascomb?
Thank you.
Smoke?
Uh, no thanks.
Come on in, Miss Monteith.
This'll just take a second.
I want you to take a good look
at this gentleman
here, Miss Monteith,
and tell us if you know him.
Do you ever remember
seeing him before?
No, I... I'm sure I've
never met this gentleman.
And I...
I don't ever
remember seeing him.
All right. That's all.
That's the woman, all
right. No question about it.
She was driving up
towards Sabin's cabin
along about 10:30, 11:00.
The road's real narrow there.
Had to slow down
to a crawl to pass.
I got a good look at her.
Hi, Perry.
I was just about to call you.
Turned up something?
Yeah.
Not about the phone calls,
but some of the other things.
First, there's a will.
It divides the property
between Mrs. Sabin and
Charles' brother, Arthur Sabin.
That's the first
I've heard of him.
Anything else on him?
No, not yet.
But I've got what
you wanted to know
about the daughter,
Helen Watkins.
She did not go right
to the Windsor Hotel
like her mother said.
She didn't arrive
there till Tuesday.
Registered or not registered,
the maids know how
many beds were slept in.
Do you know where
she was during that time?
Uh-huh. She'd run
away from school
and was working in a
restaurant in Logan City.
Her mother found her
and took her to the hotel.
Perry, is she your client?
No, I just agreed to look
into the general situation
because Mrs. Sabin was afraid
the police might suspect Helen.
I have a hunch she
was holding back on me.
In fact, I think she's
very much afraid
that Helen did kill her husband.
I better see her again.
Stay with it, will you, Paul?
Mm-hm.
Of course, I was completely
stunned to learn about it.
Yet I don't suppose that
Charles would have had
any moral scruples
against bigamy.
It probably amused him
to live two lives at once.
I suppose it might have.
Well, in any case,
we can stop worrying
about Helen now.
This... woman is
obviously guilty.
The parrot was saying
"Ellen," of course.
But I do thank
you for standing by.
Not at all.
You, um...
You understand, my
cousin Stanley is a lawyer,
so naturally, I'll...
That is, he will probably
handle things for me
with regard to the estate.
Since he is my cousin,
that's no reflection...
I understand perfectly.
I'm delighted you have
someone to handle the
matter for you, Mrs. Sabin.
Oh, good. Well...
And by the way,
what do you know about
Arthur Sabin, Charles' brother?
Well, very little, really.
Where does he live?
I-I don't know.
He's rather a
strange man, I gather.
Just drifts from one
place to another, I think.
I've never met him.
Were they fond of each other?
I believe so, in a way.
Charles once said
that Arthur was
the only man in the
world he could really trust.
Well, goodbye,
and thank you very
much for coming.
Goodbye.
And Paul Drake, my
private investigator,
reports that Mr. Sabin
telephoned you, Mr. Bolding.
Yes. I got a call from
Mr. Sabin on Monday the 18th,
about 4 in the afternoon.
He discovered
several forged checks
along with his last
bank statement.
About $10,000,
as a matter of fact.
He thought he knew
who the forger was,
and had sent me the checks
along with a sample of
handwriting to compare.
May I see them?
Yes.
Whose handwriting
is on the letter?
The stepdaughter, Helen Watkins.
Did she forge the checks?
Definitely not.
Was Sabin pleased about
that when he called Monday?
Oh, I don't know.
He merely said he'd
send along some samples
of some other
people's handwriting,
but I never got them.
I see.
When you told the
police about this,
did they come here and
examine the checks and the letter?
Yes, uh, Sheriff Barnes
and a Mr. Langley
went into it rather thoroughly.
But they didn't take the letter
and the checks as evidence,
just told me to be sure
I could produce them
if they were called for.
I don't think they feel
these were connected
with the murder.
Thank you again, Mr. Bolding.
I appreciate your help.
Not at all.
All we want to
get at is the facts.
We want to find out
how this man died.
Somebody killed him.
If we know who it
was, then we'll say so.
But if we're not
sure, we won't say.
Now, we're not here to
try anybody for anything.
We're just here to determine
how Charles Sabin met his death
up in that cabin.
Now, the coroner... That's me.
Is in charge of inquest.
The district attorney here
asks questions generally
when he wants to.
That doesn't mean
he runs the inquest.
It just means he's
here to help us.
Also, we have
Mr. Perry Mason with us.
He represents Miss Monteith,
who's being held on
suspicion of murder in this case,
as you probably all know.
He's going to be
allowed to ask questions.
And of course, you, the jury,
is allowed to ask questions.
I want it understood
there's not going to
be any technicalities
or any long-winded objections.
We're just gonna move
right along with this thing
and try to dig up the facts.
If I get my order of
proof all cockeyed
or something like that,
that's my responsibility.
Now then...
Of course, the coroner's idea
of what is a technicality
may be different from mine,
in which event...
In which event what
the coroner thinks
is what's gonna count.
I think first we'll hear
from the neighbor who
discovered the body.
Come up here.
Then when I didn't
see him all that week,
I guessed he'd been
called back to Los Angeles.
But when I drove by
his place last Monday,
I noticed the car
was still there.
Now, I thought that
was kind of funny,
so I went up and
looked in the window,
and there he was.
Now, I... Wait a minute.
Members of the jury,
I'm not going to ask you
to do more than take a
quick look at the body,
'cause on account of the weather
and the length of time
before it was discovered.
But I can say this:
We got a record of
Charles Sabin's fingerprints
from Washington,
and no mistake about the
fingerprints being the same.
Now, then, uh,
what did you see in the window?
Well, I couldn't see too much,
on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.
But the body was clear enough,
and there was this parrot
walking around squawking,
and I saw his papers
on the table where
he'd been working.
His boots, fly rod, and
the parrot, like I said.
I guess that's about all.
Any questions of
this witness, Ray?
Mr. Bascomb, when
you drove up there
on Tuesday the 19th,
did you see anyone
that you later
regarded as significant?
Yes.
Miss Monteith over there.
Ellen, why were you there?
I thought if the owner
had left the cabin,
I might get my things.
But when I saw the car there,
I drove on by.
All right.
Any questions of this
witness, Mr. Mason?
Uh, yes, if you please.
You said you
didn't see Mr. Sabin
during that week, Mr. Bascomb.
Would you normally
have expected to see him?
As a rule, yes, only
not so much this year.
Oh?
You see, there's a
piece of stream up there.
The best fishing water
runs through private property.
Well, Sabin had bought that
and posted "Keep out,
no fishing" signs there.
So I assumed he
could be fishing in there.
He'd done that recently?
Yes.
Matter of fact, I was trying
to buy that property myself.
He must have heard about it.
Anyway, he stepped in and
bought it. Doubled my price.
Hmph. That's the
way he operated.
He had no friends
where a dollar was concerned.
I don't suppose that did
the business at your
lodge much good.
It certainly did not.
So you didn't go or let
any of your guests go
into that area to fish?
With those signs up there?
Ha! He'd just as soon shoot you
as not if he
could do it legally.
And during that week,
you didn't see or hear
anything that would indicate
that Charles Sabin
was dead or alive?
No. No, I didn't,
and that's a fact.
Thank you, Mr. Bascomb.
Thank you, Mr. Templet.
That will be all, Mr. Bascomb.
Now, I think we'll
have the sheriff tell us
what he found when he
first went up to the cabin.
Results of the lab
report and all that.
It'll probably take
us up to just about
time to adjourn for lunch.
All right, all right,
let's come to order,
Let's get to work.
What's this?
This is the parrot
who was undoubtedly an
eyewitness to the murder.
It was nice of you to
come, but you needn't stay.
Who's Helen?
Awk! Let's get outta
here. Awk! Whoo-hoo.
Who's Helen?
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot! Awk!
Helen, give me that
gun! Don't shoot!
I want his words made
a part of the record.
Awk!
I'll have a martini. Awk!
Just a moment.
Am I to understand
you're adopting this
parrot as a witness?
The parrot made a
perfectly audible statement,
and I want it in the record.
But he hasn't been sworn.
Don't be ridiculous.
You can't swear a parrot!
Also, if he's going
to be a witness,
I think I have the
right to cross-examine.
I didn't say he had
to be a witness.
I said that he made a
perfectly plain statement,
and I want it in the record.
Now that's clear
enough, isn't it?
Awk! I'll have a martini. Awk!
All right, all right,
just a minute.
The parrot can't be
a witness, of course,
but he did say something.
What those words are
is going in the record
for what they're worth.
I think the jury
understands the situation.
Now, then,
did I understand you
wish to cross-examine?
Uh, why, uh...
Why, yes, if you don't mind.
Go ahead.
I'd like to enlist Mrs.
Sabin's help, if I may.
Mrs. Sabin, will you
come forward, please?
Mrs. Sabin,
I take it that Casanova
has quite a vocabulary.
Yes, he has, except that...
Except what?
I've never heard him
say some of these things.
Mrs. Sabin, do you think
this bird is Casanova?
Well, he looks like
him, but I'm not sure.
Does Casanova have
any particular tricks?
Yes. If you extend
your finger and say...
Will you show us what
you mean, please?
Aah!
Oh!
Ooh!
He's supposed to
get on my finger.
Casanova, are you a lazy bird?
I'll have a martini. Awk!
Oh, Mr. Mason, this bird
is definitely not Casanova.
He always says,
"I'm a very busy bird."
Thank you, Mrs.
Sabin. That will be all.
Does it make any difference
whether this is Casanova
or not, Mr. Mason?
Just so it's the same
parrot that was in the room
when the body was discovered.
There's no doubt about
that, is there, Mr. Sheriff?
That's right. There's no
doubt about the parrot.
It's been in my custody.
Mr. Bascomb, what about it?
That the same bird?
That's the same bird, all right.
I don't know whether
the coroner knows it,
but the moment that Perry
Mason entered the case,
Charles Sabin's
secretary showed up
and tried to take the bird away.
Now, hold on,
Mr. District Attorney.
How do you know that
Perry Mason is in the back
of this attempt
to take the bird?
I don't know, but there's no law
that tells me I can't
do my own thinking.
Cover the bird.
I'd like to call on
Miss Monteith next,
but since she's being
held on suspicion of murder,
Mr. Mason will probably
have her decline
to answer any questions.
On the contrary,
I'm perfectly willing
for Miss Monteith to answer
any reasonable questions.
But I must confess, I
do not see the value
in her testimony at this point.
Well, I can.
Maybe we'd better
call on Mr. Langley first.
Then the jury will have
the benefit of his testimony
when they hear hers.
Mr. Langley, would you
take the stand, please?
Now, what I want here
is for Mr. Langley to tell us
what he thinks of
the different things
the sheriff described
in the cabin,
the results of the lab report.
What he thinks they indicate.
You'll probably object to this
as a conclusion of the witness.
But seems to me
we have a man here
with a lot of
valuable background.
I think the jury ought
to have the benefit.
Oh, I quite agree.
It seems to me a
perfectly proper way
to get at the ultimate
facts of the case.
Good.
All right, you go
ahead, Mr. Langley.
Thank you. Ahem.
Well...
the evidence is conclusive
that Ellen Monteith
killed Charles Sabin.
First, she had motive.
Now, Sabin had married
her under an assumed name
and placed her in the
position of a bigamous wife.
Second, the murder
weapon was registered to her,
and, uh, well, she
admits it was hers.
And third, she was
present at the cabin
at exactly the time
Sabin was killed,
between 11 and 12
Tuesday morning the 19th,
So... Well, she
had the opportunity.
How do you fix the exact time?
We know that Sabin
was at the cabin
on the evening of
Monday the 18th
because he
telephoned from there.
We know he got up
early the next morning,
because the alarm
was set for 5:30.
Now, he had a hasty breakfast
of two eggs, some
bacon, and coffee
and went out and
caught a limit of fish.
Now, when he got back
between 10 and 11...
How do you know
when he got back?
Well, uh, h-he
couldn't have caught
a limit of fish much
earlier than that.
Why couldn't it have been later?
For one, Sabin was wearing
a sweater and slacks.
Now, the sun doesn't
hit the roof of that cabin
till, uh, oh, a little after 11.
But when it does, that
room heats up very rapidly
and stays hot till about 4:00,
So i-it had to be before noon,
or, uh, he'd...
He'd have been
uncomfortable in a sweater.
Why couldn't it
have been after 4:00?
Because there was a
fire laid in the fireplace,
and it hadn't been lighted.
If it was after 4 and
had started to cool off,
he'd have lighted his
fire for the evening.
I see.
Well, that seems to cover
the situation very thoroughly.
Go ahead.
May I ask a question or two?
Certainly.
Just a couple of little points
I'm not quite straight
on, Mr. Langley.
As I understand it,
Sabin was so hungry when
he got back from fishing
that he stopped to fix
himself something to eat
before cleaning the fish
or putting them away.
Yes.
And apparently he also
laid a fire in the fireplace
before putting the fish away.
Why the rush to do that?
Well, he...
He must have laid
the fire the night before.
And according to your
theory, he either laid that fire
Monday night on
top of hot ashes,
or else he laid it the next day,
right after getting
back from fishing
and before cleaning his fish.
Now, does either one
seem logical to you?
Well, it's a minor item.
You frequently
encounter trivialities
which aren't quite
consistent with the, uh...
The broad picture.
All right.
Now, I believe the alarm
clock, which was set at 5:30,
was on the table by the bed.
That's correct.
Is it your experience,
Mr. Langley,
as an expert interpreter
of circumstantial evidence,
that a sleeper will permit an
alarm to completely run down
without shutting it off?
I believe he didn't
even bother to shut it off.
H-he was in a
hurry to go fishing.
Despite the fact that he
was in a hurry to go fishing,
he stopped to fix his breakfast,
washed his dishes, made the bed,
and then he laid a
fire in the fireplace.
All this is absurd!
Yes, it is...
If you assume that
Mr. Sabin was killed
on the morning of
Tuesday the 19th.
But there's nothing absurd
about it when you realize
that he was actually
killed the night before.
Monday?!
Why, that's impossible!
The fishing season didn't
open until Tuesday morning,
and Charles Sabin
would never have fished
before the season opened.
Why, we know that from
a dozen different sources.
I'm sure Mr. Sabin
wouldn't have fished early.
But do you think his murderer
would have had the same
respect for the game laws?
Now, just a minute, Mr. Langley.
Mr. Mason has drawn some
entirely different conclusions
from this evidence,
and I want to hear
his explanation.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Well, everything indicates
that Sabin was killed
on Monday night instead
of Tuesday morning.
The bed was made because
it hadn't been slept in.
The alarm had run down
because the only occupant
of the cabin was dead
when it went off.
There was still a fire
laid in the fireplace
because he hadn't
used it on Monday night.
The fact that Mr. Sabin
had put a sweater on
places the time of the murder
at around 4 in the afternoon.
It was cooling off,
but it still hadn't gotten
cool enough for a fire.
Anything else?
Yes.
The murderer was
someone Sabin knew,
because he let him in.
It was someone who
had planned the murder,
because he had
gone to the trouble
of finding a similar parrot
and then taking weeks or months
to teach the parrot lines
which would subsequently
divert suspicion from himself.
What about the fish and the gun?
Well, he caught the
fish for the purpose
of confusing the
police about the time.
Now, it may be he knew
the gun was in the cabin,
or it may be he saw
it after he got there
and decided to use it
instead of whatever
weapon he had with him.
How could Sabin have been killed
at 4:00 Monday afternoon
and still call his
secretary long-distance
that night at 10:00?
He couldn't.
You think the deceased
didn't call Mr. Waid
at the airport that night, then?
I'm convinced he didn't.
You're excused, Mr. Langley.
Let's just find out
what Mr. Waid has
to say about this.
Will you take the
stand, please, Mr. Waid?
Just a minute, young man!
Raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear the
testimony you're about to give
to be the whole truth
and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?
I do.
Be seated.
Mr. Mason, you got us
started down this track.
Do you wanna question him?
Very well.
Mr. Waid, did you receive a
telephone call at the airport
from Mr. Sabin at
10:00 on Monday night?
No.
Were you at his cabin
that afternoon at 4:00?
No!
When were you there?
Look, Mr. Mason,
I didn't kill him.
He was already dead.
Perhaps you'd
better tell us about it.
All right, I'll tell
you about it.
I was financially involved.
I had forged some... Some checks
in order to get
some working capital.
I was going to return the money,
but Mr. Sabin came
back unexpectedly
and found my account short.
Since you, uh...
Since you claim
you didn't kill him,
will you admit that
as a last alternative
you were planning to kill him?
I must have been insane.
I could never have
gone through with it.
When I saw him lying there dead,
I didn't know what to do.
But you had planned to kill
him that Monday at the cabin?
Yes, if it worked out.
And then I went to a
little shack near the cabin,
where I tapped the phone.
You took the parrot with you?
Yes.
I bought him...
I bought him several months ago
and taught him to
say those things,
just to confuse matters.
I knew they wouldn't go too
hard on Helen. She's only a kid.
The real Casanova
is at my apartment.
What happened when
you got to the shack?
Well, when I...
When I heard him talk to Denver,
I-I knew I could go there
and attend to the business.
And right after that,
he spoke to Bolding.
Well, don't you see?
I couldn't have killed him then.
Bolding had the forged checks,
and they were
bound to be found out.
And the police would
know that I'd forged them.
I didn't dare to kill him.
And then?
Well, then I...
I decided to throw
myself at his mercy.
When I got there, he was dead.
Was the door to
the cabin locked?
Yes.
But I have a key, and
when there was no answer,
I... I opened it and went in.
And there he was,
lying on the floor.
And even though you had
nothing to do with his death,
you still went ahead
and set up this
complicated alibi.
But Bolding had the forged
checks, don't you see?
They were bound to
think that I was the killer.
I wasn't sure my
alibi was right,
but it was my only hope then.
I had to go through with it.
All right. Exactly
what did you do?
Well, then I went
back to the shack
and got the fish I'd caught
and the parrot I'd trained,
and I brought them back.
And then I
wound and set the alarm clock
and I put the
phone out of order.
Then I took Casanova
back to my apartment
and I went out to the
airport and hung around
a pay-phone booth
for several hours
where plenty of
people could see me.
And then, near 10:00,
when nobody was near,
I pretended to
hear the phone ring,
and I answered it.
Then I caught the
10:00 plane to Denver.
That's about all, I guess.
That's just about
enough, I'd say!
Sheriff, put this man in custody
on suspicion of murder.
We'll file formal charges
when we're through here,
and that shouldn't
take much longer.
You don't believe him?
Believe him?
Why, it's the flimsiest,
most obvious fabrication
I've ever heard.
Don't tell me you believe him.
Why, yes, I think I do.
What?
Are you serious, Mason?
Quite serious.
Perhaps if I might ask
another question or two?
Well, go ahead.
Mr. Waid, did you leave
everything at Mr. Sabin's cabin
exactly as you found it
except for the things
that you told us about?
Yes, sir.
Now, the gun was wiped
clean of fingerprints.
Did you do that?
Oh, no, I figured if there
were any prints on it,
I sure didn't want
to disturb them.
What about Mr. Sabin's papers?
Well, I did look through them
to see if any of my
checks were among them.
Then you left the
papers just as they were?
Well, no. As soon as
I finished with them,
I put them all into a briefcase
just to get them out of the way.
And when you left, the
papers were all in the briefcase?
Well, yes, sir.
But when you
arrived at the cabin
on the day Sabin was murdered,
you found the papers
lying on the table?
Yes, sir.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Would you please read back
that part of
Mr. Bascomb's testimony?
The part where the
coroner asked him, uh,
what he saw when he
looked in the window?
Yes, sir.
Let's see... When would that be?
There was just four lines,
probably 20 or 30 pages ago.
Bascomb: "I couldn't
see too much,
"on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.
"But the body was clear enough,
"and this parrot, walking
around squawking.
"I could see his papers
on the table where
he'd been working..."
Hold it. Just a minute.
And you mean Bascomb.
Where is he?!
Why, um, he walked out.
You saw him leave
and didn't stop him?
Isn't it a further
indication of guilt?
George!
Oh, George!
There, there,
dear. It's all right.
Perry, what...?
Miss Monteith,
or perhaps I should say
Mrs. George Wallman,
has just discovered that her
husband isn't dead after all.
What?
Then you mean she wasn't
married to Charles Sabin at all?
That's right.
But I have an idea she
still doesn't know who she is.
I think she's really
Mrs. Arthur Sabin.
Arthur Sabin?
That's right.
I'm Arthur Sabin,
although I haven't used
the name in quite a while.
Just a minute. This
thing's getting out of hand.
It usually does, Mr. Coroner.
When it comes to murder,
it happens all the time.
Now, I wouldn't say that
Arthur and Charles Sabin
looked that much
alike, would you?
Well, enough to understand
how Ellen could make a mistake.
Remember, you saw Arthur
before he had a chance to dress up.
He'd just returned from
the desert this morning.
He came here just as
soon as he saw a paper.
Hey, come to think about it,
you weren't even
surprised when you saw him.
Did you know about
this all the time?
No, but it had
been bothering me.
How could Charles Sabin be
such a total loss to everyone
and still be George Wallman,
the kindest, gentlest man
Ellen had ever known?
That's why Arthur
changed his name...
Excuse me.
- -from Sabin to Wallman,
because everybody kept trying
to reach Charles through him.
And you take this Waid.
Now, if you knew he
was lying about his alibi...
Why didn't everything
else point to him?
Exactly. Well, it did.
At first I thought that Bascomb
had made an honest mistake
about seeing those papers.
But when the
secretary Waid came out
with the logical story of
putting the papers away,
why, everything fit.
That ought to teach
you a lesson, Miss Street.
How do you mean?
Waid saved his life by
putting those papers away.
If you're going
to be a secretary,
you'd better be neat.