Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 14 - The Case of the Glittering Goldfish - full transcript

You're just in
time, Mr. Rollins.

I was just explaining
things to Mr. Huxley.

Don't let me interrupt.

Now, these two goldfish

are suffering from gill fever.

How much longer would
you say they can live?

If it's really gill
fever, an hour or two.

Right, but watch.

Now, I spread a small
amount of my preparation

on this piece of screening...

and place it in the water.



And within a
remarkably short time...

Kind of a miracle,
isn't it, Mr. Huxley?

I wouldn't go so
far as to say that,

but it's certainly impressive.

Would you be interested in
merchandizing the preparation

throughout the country?

I may do better than that.

Let me see the formula, Wyatt.

I'd rather wait till
we've seen a lawyer.

Oh?

You do employ Mr. Wyatt,
don't you, Mr. Rollins?

Oh, yes, for more
than two years.

Well, since Mr. Wyatt
performed these experiments

on your time and
with your materials,



you are the sole and
complete owner of the product.

Tom and I plan to share equally.

Well, I've investigated
your rights.

They'll stand up
in a court of law.

Well, I've no intention
of making any such claim.

But I do.

When Mr. Rollins
sold me this shop,

he sold me the real estate,
the inventory, the goodwill

and the rights to every
activity connected with it.

Give it back.

No, Tom, no. It
won't do any good.

Get out. Get out.

Oddly enough, those
were the same instructions

I was going to give you two.

I want this shop closed tonight.

Did Huxley know about
Mr. Wyatt's research

when he offered to buy the shop?

Oh, yes.

I sold out to him

to get more money
for Tom's research.

You never told me, Mr. Rollins.

I didn't want to trouble
you with money problems.

Well, I wish you'd
said something.

You know the plans I had.

You know I was counting
on every penny to...

I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.

Well, what's the
verdict, Mr. Mason?

Unfortunately, you
people walked into a trap.

Inventions made on company time,

with company funds,
belong to the company.

When the company is sold,

goodwill and undisclosed assets

go along with that sale.

Then there's nothing
we can do now?

Well, I didn't say that.

Let me study this,
and I'll get back to you.

What do you think, Tom?

I think that

a man like Huxley
isn't fit to live.

He's not content with
just stealing you blind.

He wants everything.

Now, Tom didn't mean that
the way it sounded, Mr. Mason.

Will you see what you can do?

Yes, I will.

Anything new, Miss Wilson?

The red bettas arrived
from Hong Kong.

It's about time.

Where's Mr. Myers?

He hasn't come
in yet. All right.

Too bad he doesn't
have a bed in his office.

I don't recall buzzing
you, Miss Sherwood.

So it's Miss Sherwood now?

Just what do you
think you're doing?

I thought I was
running a business here.

Of course, you'd never guess it

from the outfit you're wearing.

Why don't you just come
right out and say it, Jack?

All right, I will.

I think you'd be happier
elsewhere, Donna.

You can leave tonight.

Miss Wilson?

Would you please come in here?

Of course, Mr. Huxley.

And don't you forget it.

I-I'm sorry.

That's quite all
right, Miss Wilson.

Miss Sherwood was just leaving.

As a matter of fact, she
was leaving permanently.

I know it'll be a
tremendous loss

to the organization,

but I think we'll survive.

Oh, Miss Wilson.

With Miss Sherwood leaving,

that means there's gonna
be a lot more work for you.

The accountants will be
coming in on Thursday,

and I'm afraid that we'll
have to work late tonight.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Huxley.

I-I have an engagement.

Break it.

Well, I can't.

Miss Wilson, I'm running
a business organization,

and occasionally, we have to
ask our coworkers to stay late.

Well, if it's
absolutely essential...

It is.

You won't regret your decision.

When you get to know me,

you'll find I can
be very generous.

Am I intruding?

I wouldn't turn my back
on you for a moment.

What's this deal
with Fred Rollins?

It's nothing that concerns you.

I'm not so sure.

You know, Myers,

it's no good for partners
not to trust one another.

You ought to sell out to me.

Is that a suggestion
or a proposition?

Both. You're broke.

You owe the bank over $10,000.

Yes, I thought you'd know.

Think it over.

Metcalf, wake up. Hm? Yeah.

You've got some
work to do for me.

Heh. Work. Heh-heh.

Optimist. Heh-heh.

Analyze that.

What is it?

That's for you to find out.

But it may take weeks.

No, you're going
to do it tonight.

But I-I'm busy.

I-I've got a lot of
work to do tonight.

I've got all... All this
work and a lot more to do.

Come on, come on.

Yes?

Nora, don't wait dinner for me.

I have some work
to do at the shop.

Blond, brunette, or redhead?

Not that I care particularly.

Hold on a minute.

How much longer
will you be, Metcalf?

About an hour.

Well, hurry it up,
and then get out.

I'd like to see you
one of these nights.

There's some bills you
ought to take care of...

Hi.

Hello, beautiful.

Hello, greenie.

Don't you snap at me. Heh-heh.

Big night, eh? Heh.

Awake, promiscuous Prometheus.

The morning in the bowl of
night has cast the stone that...

Hey, wake up.

Hello.

Oh, hello, Mr. Myers.

Who is this? Metcalf.

Listen, you idiot, do you
realize what time it is?

Yes, it's almost six.

Well, I thought you'd forgive
me under the circumstances.

You see, Mr. Huxley is dead.

Morning, Miss Street. Perry.

Last night I went over
the Rollins-Huxley contract,

found a nice lovely
flaw in paragraph three.

Well, you weren't the only
one that was busy last night.

Mr. Huxley was murdered.

I heard it on the radio
on my way in to work.

Call Tom Wyatt at the shop.
There's no answer. I just tried.

Do you have his home address?

Mm-hm, he lives with
Mr. Rollins. It's right here.

All right. Get your coat.

I really think you ought
to let a doctor look at it.

There's always a
chance of infection.

Who is it?

This is Perry Mason.

Hello. Hello.

Hello, Mr. Rollins. Mr. Mason.

I take it you heard the news.

What news? Where
were you last night?

He was with me. I was here.

Were you with him?

Thank you, Mr. Rollins.

I was alone.

And you have no
one to vouch for you?

Well, why should I have to?

Mr. Huxley was
murdered last night.

How'd that happen?
Perry, Lieutenant Tragg.

They obviously know about
the contract with Huxley.

Well, who could have told them?

Huxley's lawyer.

He might even have told them
that Huxley bought your place

just to gain control
of Wyatt's preparation.

All right, Tom. Let them in.

What'll I tell 'em?

The truth.

- Wyatt?
- That's right.

My name is Tragg.
Lieutenant Tragg.

May I go in?

Counselor, how are
you? Couldn't be better.

I'm glad to hear that.

Della, you... You look lovelier
than ever, if that's possible.

Oh, how very sweet
of you, lieutenant.

Well, it's no more
than you deserve.

You just...

Ahem. Well, is Mr. Mason
representing you?

Well... Yes, I am.

I suppose you heard
that a J.B. Huxley

was murdered last night.

Somebody fed him a
morphine cocktail about 11:30.

I wouldn't know about that.
I understand that you feel

Mr. Huxley took advantage
of you in a business deal.

He did. That prompts
my next question:

How did you do that?

That slipped out of my hands.

My hands were
wet, and I dropped it.

It couldn't happen that
way in a million years.

What's the true
story, Mr. Wyatt?

Why, lieutenant?

Apparently, Huxley's
killer entered the shop

by breaking a window in the lab.

We found blood
all over the place.

I'm sure you'll
have no objection

if we compare the
blood type with yours?

You'd better go with him, Tom.

Well, Nora, what do you say?

I don't need to tell you
how important this is.

I'd like an answer immediately.

Can't we discuss it
some other time, Dan?

After all, they haven't
even buried Jack yet.

Let's not play games, honey.

Get out.

All right, if you can afford

to throw away $50,000
a year, congratulations.

Dan...

are you just talking
telephone numbers?

That was a
conservative estimate.

We'd get orders
from all over the world

for Wyatt's preparation.

What would I have to do?

All you'd have to say
is that you were present

when I gave your
husband $6,500 cash

as my share to
buy Rollins' shop.

That's how Huxley & Myers
gained control of Wyatt's formula.

That's all?

It's as simple as that.

Is that why you killed him?

What are you saying?

You needed money.

If you felt my husband was
taking advantage of you...

You're cute, Nora.

You're pretty darn cute.

Flattery will get you nowhere.

Why should I perjure
myself for you?

If my husband bought
the Wyatt preparation

with his own money,

then it becomes
part of his estate.

Oh, oh, I see.

And as the widow, then
you'd get everything, is that it?

I'm glad you see my point.

Well, now, being a gentleman,

I naturally hate
to bring this up,

but, uh, where
were you last night?

Right here.

I came by at 10:00, Nora.
There was no answer.

I went to bed early.

Your car was out of the garage.

And just on a hunch,
I drove by the shop.

I saw your car.

It was parked a
block down the street.

The district attorney is going
to think it mighty peculiar

that you picked last
night, of all nights,

to spy on your husband.

You're pretty cute yourself.

Thank you.

Now that I think about
it, it all comes back to me.

You came here
one night last month

and gave my husband
a check for $6,500,

as your share in
Mr. Rollins' shop.

No, it was cash.

Of course. How stupid of me.

And at 20 minutes to 11,

Myers left Mrs. Huxley's home.

Now, he was there
for over two hours,

but I don't know...

Oh, come in, Mr. Metcalf.

I'm sorry to have
kept you waiting.

I believe you know Paul Drake.

Sure, I'm so glad
you could come.

I wouldn't have missed it
for anything in the world.

Won't you sit
down? Ah, thank you.

This is a lovely
place you have here.

And what a perfect
spot for an aquarium.

That's an idea.

You'd be surprised what you
can learn about people from fish.

You know, they come
in all kinds, all shapes.

Some of them even
wear black stripes.

Which should have provided
a moral for the late Mr. Huxley.

You thought he belonged in jail?

Well, he defrauded Mr. Wyatt.

Well, then you know
about Tom's formula?

Oh, yes, yes. Mr. Huxley
asked me to break it down.

Were you successful?

Uh, I must refer
you to the police.

I believe they found
my analysis on the body.

Who do you think killed him?

Heh. Offhand, I would say
the possibilities were limitless.

To know Mr. Huxley
was to hate him.

He had the avariciousness

of a Siamese fighting fish.

The appetite of a shubunkin
and the... The libido of a guppy.

Oh, thank you.

What do you mean the,
uh, libido of a guppy?

Well, you see, Mr. Huxley
liked to live dangerously.

One mate wasn't enough.

Who was his current pilot fish?

That's pretty good.

Her name is Donna Sherwood.

Beautiful creature. With
the instincts of a firemouth.

I, uh, don't believe I
quite understand that.

You would if you knew Donna.

Uh, but I have reason to
believe she was on her way out.

Mr. Huxley was
grooming a successor.

Sally Wilson.

She was the, uh,
bookkeeper at Huxley & Myers.

Yes, but she may have
improved her position.

She was working very
closely with Mr. Huxley

on the night of the murder.

I think he had plans for her.

Do you know what time she left?

I do know she was still in
his office when I left about 11.

Thank you very
much, Mr. Metcalf.

I certainly appreciate
your coming by.

Thank you, sir.

Good morning.

What are you doing here?

That's a pretty
ridiculous question.

If you're thinking of
talking to Mr. Myers,

you're wasting your time.

He called me this morning.

Told me he'd regard
it as a personal favor

if I continued with
the organization.

I thought I left it here.

Yes?

Excuse me. Where
might I find Mr. Myers?

Mr. Myers doesn't usually
come in until after 10.

May I help you? My
name is Perry Mason.

You're...

Oh, I-I'm sorry. It's, uh...

It's just that I-I've heard
a great deal about you.

And you are, uh...?

Sally Wilson. I'm
Donna Sherwood.

If there's anything I
can do, Mr. Mason,

anything at all,
please feel free.

You were Mr. Huxley's
private secretary?

Mm-hm. Would you excuse me?

I-I've got to get back to work.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

I understand
Mr. Huxley worked late

on the night he was murdered.

Yes, that's right.

What time did you
leave? I wasn't here.

Oh? I just assumed
as his secretary...

Mr. Huxley didn't require
my services that night.

I left shortly after 4:00.

Miss, uh, Wilson
worked with him.

Then perhaps I
should see Miss Wilson.

Mr. Mason, if there's
anything else I can tell you,

please don't hesitate to call.

As a matter of fact,

you might do better
trying me at home.

I live at the Claymore.

I'll remember that.

Excuse me, Miss Wilson.

I'm very busy, Mr. Mason.

This won't take long.

I believe you worked
with Mr. Huxley

on the night he was murdered?

That's right, till 11.

Was Mr. Huxley all
right when you left?

Well, he complained
of a slight headache.

He thought he'd better lie
down before he drove home.

Do you know my client?

Your client? Tom Wyatt.

Mr. Huxley sent me out

to Mr. Rollins' shop
several months ago

to get some papers signed.

I met Mr. Wyatt there.

Would you know if Mr. Wyatt
was here around 11:00

on the night of the murder?

I'm sure he wasn't.

You're sure he wasn't?

Around a quarter of 11:00,

I started to go to the
washroom to clean up,

and I noticed
that Darrell had...

That's Darrell Metcalf.

Had left the lab window open,

and papers were
blowing all over the place,

so I thought I'd
better close it.

But, uh, clumsy me, I tripped.

Are you trying to tell me

that you were the one
who broke that window?

I'm afraid so.

Cut?

Who applied the bandage?

Mr. Huxley.

You told that to the police?

If you'd, uh, like
me to testify...

You may have to do just that.

Thanks a lot, Miss Wilson.

He called in about
a half-hour ago,

said that he couldn't see
Myers, but I know he talked to...

Hi.

It looks like he discovered
gold among the goldfish.

I did.

I had a very interesting
talk with the Wilson girl.

She's ready to swear
she was responsible

for that broken
window in the lab.

I hope she doesn't. She'll
be committing perjury.

All right, Paul. Let's have it.

Sally Wilson left the office at
5:30 the night of the murder.

She went directly to
the Dartmouth Grill,

where she met her boyfriend

and told him she had
to go back to work.

He was not exactly
delighted at the news.

This boyfriend
wouldn't be Tom Wyatt?

He would.

Does Mr. Burger know about this?

He got it from the
same source I did:

Frederick Rollins.

Della, see if you can get
Mr. Rollins on the phone.

Mm-hm.

Hello?

Mr. Rollins? Yes?

This is Perry
Mason. Oh, of course.

I was wondering if
you could come by

my office this afternoon.

Well, uh, I'm afraid not.

You see, I'm going to see Tom.

I was gathering some
things he might need:

his razor and shaving cream.

There's one thing he
needs even more: friends.

Did you talk to the
district attorney?

Oh, yes, yes.

I told him all about Tom
and Sally being engaged.

You did?

Yes, I heard you advise
Tom to tell the truth,

and I thought you'd
want me to do the same.

Was I wrong?

No, you were perfectly right.

Well, I'll see you in court.

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.

Now, officer, I
direct your attention

to state exhibit number 3:

the drug-record book of the
Winston Pharmaceutical Company.

And I ask you if
you were the officer

who picked this book up?

That's right, sir.

Would you read for us, please,

this item dated November 4th?

"Purchaser, Thomas Wyatt.
Product, morphine sulfate.

The amount, 15 grams."

And it was signed
by Thomas Wyatt.

Did you ask the
defendant if he indeed

signed this book?

Oh, Mr. Wyatt admitted he did.

He claimed that he
needed the morphine

for his laboratory work.

I see. Thank you, officer.

You may
cross-examine, counselor.

No questions.

The witness will stand down.

I call Sally Wilson
to the stand, please.

Miss Wilson, you're acquainted
with the defendant, Mr. Wyatt?

Yes, I am.

As a matter of fact, you and
he are engaged to be married?

That's right.

Would you tell us,
please, in your own words,

everything that you did the
night of Mr. Huxley's death,

from 5:30 until midnight?

First I went to the Dartmouth
Grill, where I met Tom,

and we were supposed
to have dinner together,

but I had to go back to work.

Well, what was the
defendant's reaction to this?

He understood perfectly.

Miss Wilson, isn't it a fact that
when you told the defendant

you had to go back and
work with Mr. Huxley,

he created such a disturbance

that the manager
of the restaurant

had to come and quiet him?

Your Honor, please, I must
object to the district attorney

cross-examining his own witness.

I think Mr. Burger has proven
that the witness is hostile.

You may proceed.
Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Miss Wilson,
I ask you again:

What was the reaction
of the defendant

when you told him you
had to go back to work?

He said he didn't want me to go.

You quarreled? Yes.

But, nevertheless, you
did go back to the office?

Mr. Huxley was waiting for me.

He had been drinking.

We worked for a couple of hours,

and then he closed the
books and said he thought

that we had done
enough work for one night.

And then what happened?

He made advances to you?

Yes.

And your fiancé was
waiting outside the window

when he heard
your cries for help?

No, that's not true.

I didn't know he was outside

until he broke
through the window.

He was going to kill Mr. Huxley

with his bare hands,
but I stopped him.

I don't know how, but I did it.

That's the truth.

All right. What happened then?

Tom drove me home.

Now, all this time he
was bleeding profusely

from this cut in his
hand, is that right?

Yes.

And you didn't do
anything to try to stop

the flow of blood?
To bandage it?

I... I just wanted to
get him out of there.

I tried to bandage it for him

when we got back
to my apartment.

How long was Mr. Wyatt
at your apartment?

Till about 3:00 in the morning.

Don't you understand?

He... He couldn't
have killed Mr. Huxley.

I was with him every
minute of the time.

Thank you, Miss Wilson.

That's all.

Cross-examine.

Miss Wilson, you testified

that after the defendant
struck Mr. Huxley,

you immediately left, and
Mr. Wyatt drove you home?

That's right.

But you were
excited when you left.

In your haste, didn't
you forget something?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, it would be
quite understandable

if you forgot, let us say,
your gloves or your purse,

or that Tom went back into
the shop for a few seconds.

No, I said he
didn't go back at all,

because I was with him
every minute of the time.

Thank you, Miss
Wilson. That'll be all.

Mr. Burger?

I have no questions
on redirect, your honor.

Stand down, please.

I call Lieutenant Arthur Tragg.

We found this in the
defendant's bathroom.

I checked the linen
supply company.

The subscriber
was Huxley & Myers.

How did the defendant

explain his possession
of this towel?

He refused to.

And yet the previous
witness testified that he made

no attempt to bind up his
wound while she was with him.

Doesn't that seem
to indicate clearly

that the defendant
must have gone back...

I object, your honor.

The district attorney
knows full well

the impropriety of the question.

Yes, we'll have no
more of that, Mr. Burger.

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

Tom went back to get my purse,

but he wasn't gone
for more than a minute.

He called me a couple of names,

and I hit him again.

That's when I got the
towel from his desk.

I show you this piece
of broken window glass

from the lab at
Huxley & Myers' store,

and I ask if you checked
it for fingerprints?

Yes, sir, it has a right
thumb and forefinger

etched in blood, down here.

Were you able to
identify those prints?

They belong to the
defendant, Thomas Wyatt.

Thank you, lieutenant.

That will be all. Cross-examine.

Lieutenant, the
coroner testified

that the victim had
imbibed alcohol.

Did you find any physical
evidence of this at the scene?

Yes, sir, there was a bottle
of whiskey and two glasses.

One of them had,
uh, lipstick on it.

What about fingerprints?

On the glass that
had the lipstick,

we found the fingerprints

of Miss Wilson
and Darrell Metcalf.

What about the other glass?

Only the fingerprints
of the deceased.

Did you remove any other
evidence from the premises?

Yes, sir, there was
a pint-size container

containing a paste compound.

It was in the wall safe,

and I sent it down
to the crime lab.

Why?

Well, it had the defendant's
name written on it:

"Property of Tom Wyatt."

We analyzed the paste.

It contained morphine
sulfate, among other things.

Was there any other
name on the container?

The name, uh, Frederick
Rollins was printed there too.

Thank you, lieutenant.
No further questions.

You may stand down.

And then at 4:00, I relieved
the switchboard operator

for her coffee break.

Go on, Miss Sherwood.

About five minutes later,

a call came through
for Mr. Huxley.

I asked who was calling,

and the man said
he was Tom Wyatt.

Mr. Huxley had left instructions

that he didn't
wanna talk with him,

so I told Mr. Wyatt
that Mr. Huxley was out.

And then what happened?

Mr. Wyatt started calling
me all sorts of horrible names.

He said I was trying to
cover up for Mr. Huxley,

that he was coming down
to the shop and kill the louse.

Are you sure that he
said that? I'm positive.

I never heard a man be
so abusive in all my life.

Thank you, Miss Sherwood.

Your witness.

Now, tell me, Miss Sherwood,

how did you feel when you
heard your employer threatened?

I got frightened.

That's understandable.

You immediately
informed Mr. Huxley?

Well, no, you... You see, I-I...

I left for the day right after

the switchboard
operator came back.

Then apparently you didn't
take Mr. Wyatt's threat seriously.

Of course I did.

Could it be, then,
that you were pleased

to hear that Mr. Huxley
was in danger?

I resent that.

You make it sound
like I hated Mr. Huxley.

Didn't you? He
fired you that day.

He did not.

Then why was it necessary

for Mr. Myers to call
you the next morning,

and ask you to return to
work as a personal favor?

Well, didn't you return
at Mr. Myers' request?

So, what?

So...

thank you, Miss Sherwood.

That's all.

The witness may stand down.

Mr. Myers, how long were
you associated with Mr. Huxley?

Over 11 years.

Were you involved
with him in the purchase

of the assets of the
business of Frederick Rollins?

Oh, yes, it was a
partnership transaction.

We went into it together.

We felt that Tom Wyatt

had made a very
valuable discovery.

And did you have a
conversation with the deceased

about Tom Wyatt on
the day of the murder?

Yes, sir, I did.

Would you relate that
conversation to us?

Well, shortly before
I left for the day,

I went into Jack's office,

and, uh, it was
then that I noticed

that the pocket on
his coat had been torn.

I asked him how it had happened.

He told me he had been to visit

Tom Wyatt and Mr. Rollins,

and that Wyatt had
attempted to hit him.

The coat was torn
when Jack pulled away.

Thank you, Mr. Myers.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Myers, I
believe you testified

that Rollins' shop was
purchased with company funds.

I did.

Then the books of the company

will show a record
of that transaction?

The books don't always
record every transaction.

Then how was this
particular transaction handled?

I went over to Jack's
house one night.

I don't remember the exact date.

It was one night last month,

shortly after he'd had
the agreement drawn up

with Fred Rollins.

I gave him $6,500
cash as my share.

Mrs. Huxley saw me.

Where do you live, Mr. Myers?

Pasadena.

So you drove almost 50 miles

to see the deceased at
his home in Santa Monica,

when you could have
accomplished the very same thing

the next morning at the office?

Well, isn't that
true, Mr. Myers?

Yes.

Thank you. That's all.

The witness may stand down.

Then Mr. Myers gave my
husband $6,500 in cash

to buy Mr. Rollins' shop.

Can you present this
court any evidence

to prove that your
husband bought

all right, title and interest

in the defendant's formula?

Well, I have the contract here.

Thank you. If it
please the court,

I should like this
entered in evidence

and marked as an
exhibit for the people.

Your witness.

Mrs. Huxley, are you aware

that at no place
in this agreement

does it state that your
husband was acting

for Huxley & Myers?

According to this, he
was acting only for himself.

That's been explained to me
by my attorney, Dean Walker.

I-I imagine it sounds as though

I'm trying to give
away half interest

of a valuable property,

but I know what my
husband's intentions were.

He wanted Mr. Myers to
be his partner in the deal.

Were you always this scrupulous

about following your
husband's wishes?

Yes, I was.

I was in love with him.

You testified a moment ago

that Dean Walker
was your attorney.

That's right.

When did you first
meet with Mr. Walker?

Last Tuesday, when I spoke
to him about that contract.

Isn't it true that you
first met with Mr. Walker

three weeks before
your husband died?

And weren't your
questions to him then

about grounds for a divorce?

Now, why did you testify
that it was your impression

Mr. Myers was to be a
partner in Wyatt's formula?

And why were you so
willing to give away a fortune?

Did you have reason to believe

that the formula had
no value? Well, I...

Did you have reason to believe
the formula had no value?

Yes, I did. My husband
told me it wouldn't work.

He called me from
the office that night.

Your Honor, I move that the
witness's unsolicited remarks

be stricken from the record.

On the contrary, Your Honor,

if what Mrs.
Huxley says is true,

it goes to the very roots
of the prosecution's case,

as far as motivation
is concerned.

If it please the court,

the prosecution knows
the formula works.

Then you should
have no objection

to proving it in court.

Uh, it seems, gentlemen,

as if we're entering
what I call a gray area.

Now, if we follow
strict legal procedure,

I must overrule in
Mr. Mason's proposal.

Mr. Burger, I think
you'll be the first to agree

that, uh, convictions based
upon mere technicalities

are to be abhorred.

Now, we're not playing
parlor games here.

A person's life is at stake.

I quite agree, Your Honor.

And if the court or Mr. Mason

feels the ends of justice
can be best served

by repeating the test here,
I'm willing to cooperate.

Thank you, Mr. Burger.

Your Honor, I have no further
questions of this witness.

The witness will step down.

As it's nearing the
hour of adjournment,

this court will reconvene
tomorrow morning at, uh, 10:00.

Those poor little fish
don't look too well.

I hope they last
till Paul gets here.

I wonder why Mrs.
Huxley perjured herself.

Why did she say the
formula wouldn't work?

She had no choice.

She was trying to
defend her actions

of giving Myers half ownership.

Obviously, it wasn't
her husband's intent.

Where's that stopwatch?
I want to time this.

Oh. It's right here.

Come in, Paul.

Ah, you're a little late.

I know, but I had to
get this stuff made up.

The goop Burger's using from
your client's original mixture,

and it's locked up where
nobody can get at it.

I had that prepared from
Darrell Metcalf's breakdown.

The temperature's
supposed to be...

Eighty-five.

It is.

Della?

They're dead.

Well, Mrs. Huxley was
right. It doesn't work.

Are you sure these
fish had gill fever?

Well, that's what the
man at the store said.

And Tom said this
was a sure cure.

He could have made a mistake.

But Mr. Huxley himself saw
a successful demonstration

in Rollins' shop.

Don't forget, Mr. Rollins
supplied those fish.

How do we know they
were actually suffering

from gill fever?

I think Mr. Burger may
be in for a slight surprise.

I take a little of
Mr. Wyatt's preparation,

and I spread in on
the mesh, like this.

Now I agitate the water with it

in this fashion.

Now, Mr. Tiller,

while we're waiting
for a reaction,

would you tell us please

what these goldfish
are suffering from?

They are victims of gill fever.

As a qualified expert,

would you say
beyond any doubt...?

Well, Mr. Tiller, what
do you think of that?

It's amazing.

I've never seen
anything like it before.

On the basis of this
test, would you say

that this preparation
is a cure for gill fever?

Absolutely.

Have you any idea as
to the monetary value

of this preparation?

No, but it should
be in great demand

wherever fish are sold.

Thank you, sir.

Cross-examine.

Of the remedy
Mr. Burger just used,

I have only one
question, Mr. Tiller:

Do you know who
prepared that remedy?

I do not.

The prosecution will stipulate

that remedy came
from the container

identified by Mr. Metcalf
as the one given him

by Mr. Huxley for analysis.

Your Honor, at the risk of
trying Mr. Burger's patience,

I respectfully request
that Mr. Metcalf

testify to this fact.

Mm-hm. Mr. Burger?

Heh-heh. Very well.

I'll call Darrell
Metcalf to the stand.

Mr. Darrell Metcalf
to the stand.

Mr. Darrell Metcalf?

Oh.

I do.

Will the witness please wait
until the oath is administered?

Order. Order in the courtroom.

Now that you've
identified the container

for the district attorney,

would you say that the
compound you analyzed

was some kind of remedy?

I would not.

Why?

I'm a chemist, not a pharmacist.

Are you a qualified chemist?

Yes, sir.

I have a degree in chemistry

from the University
of Oxford, England.

Doctor of Science,
Sorbonne, University of Paris.

Yes, I'm qualified.

And in this demonstration
we've just seen,

are you positive that
the compound used

was the original
Wyatt preparation?

That's what Mr. Huxley
gave me to analyze.

Wasn't it prepared
from your analysis?

Not that I know of.

I show you now
state's Exhibit 12.

This is your analysis?

Yes.

I tried to cure some
sick fish last night

from medicine prepared
from this analysis.

They died.

Why?

How should I know?

Could it be we omitted
some necessary ingredient?

I wouldn't know. I wasn't there.

Would you say that
morphine sulfate

is difficult to identify?

Uh, not particularly.

The autopsy surgeon
had no difficulty

in identifying it
as the toxic agent

that killed Huxley.

That's his job.

And it was your job
to give Mr. Huxley

an accurate
analysis, was it not?

He got what he asked for.

But not what he expected.

Would you please
explain to this court

why you failed to
include morphine sulfate

among the ingredients
listed on this paper?

Was it because you
used the morphine sulfate

for another purpose?

Hm-hm. You've got me there.

You mean, you can't
answer the question?

Not without... Uh,
how do you say it?

Mm, without
incriminating myself.

Is that your answer? Yes.

So let's get on with it

and come to the big
question, shall we?

Will you answer it?

Yes, of course.

Why did you kill Jack Huxley?

The morphine was in my hand.

Used one way, it
could alleviate pain.

Used another way,
it could exterminate

vermin.

And Webster, I believe,
describes vermin

as a noxious, disgusting animal.

That's a perfect
description of Mr. Huxley.

So...

I exterminated him.

It's as simple as that.

But I must admit,

my motive was
rather a sordid one.

You see, I live in
the mud of despair,

and I thought that
with the Wyatt formula,

I might be able to
get away from it all.

With the money I
made from it, I could...

I c...

I could what?

I could drown myself
in a sea of champagne.

Believe me, sir, I'm
deeply ashamed of it.

But no matter what my motive,

one thing I'm sure:

The world will be
a lot better place

without the likes
of Jackson Huxley.

Under the circumstances,

the, uh, case against
Thomas Wyatt is dismissed.

The prosecution will
take necessary steps

against this witness.

Court is adjourned.

Actually, it was fairly simple.

Mr. Metcalf was outside
during the whole thing.

After Tom and Sally left,

why, he went in and
helped Mr. Huxley

pull himself together
by giving him a drink.

Hm. Only this one was loaded
with the morphine sulfate.

It was as easy as that.

Huxley was in no
condition to ask questions

after his fight with Tom.

Perry, what put
you onto Mr. Metcalf

in the first place?

Oh, I... I guess the
glass with the lipstick.

I wondered why he
drank out of that one

instead of Huxley's.

And since the other one
contained the morphine sulfate,

he had to be either lucky, or...

Or...

he knew more than...

"Dear Mr. Mason,

this arrived while you
were at dinner. Gertie."

"I've arranged to
have this delivered

"to show there are
no hard feelings.

"Mr. Burger informs
me if I plead guilty,

"I'll be given life
imprisonment.

"I understand the
warden at San Quentin

"has an aquarium.

"What more can I ask?

Darrell Metcalf."