Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 19 - The Case of the Caretaker's Cat - full transcript

Miss Devoe.

Miss Devoe!

Hello?

Yes, this is the
Baxter residence.

I'll see if he can talk.

It's Mr. Hilliard from the bank.

Peter Baxter speaking.

I'm sorry to inconvenience
you, Mr. Baxter,

but it is a large
amount of cash,

and I would like a verification.

Well, yes, sir. It's James
Hing, your caretaker.



Confound it, Hilliard, can't
you follow instructions?

Cash it.

Yes. Give him the money.

Thank you, sir.

"I leave 50,000 to the
American Heart Association,

"50,000 to the American
Cancer Society...

"$100,000 to
establish a trust fund

"to provide two
scholarships yearly

"to the California
Institute of Technology.

"My personal
bequests are as follows:

"to my grandson,

"Kenneth Baxter...

"one dollar.

"To my grandson,
Stuart Baxter...



"one dollar.

"To my granddaughter,
Winifred Oakley...

"one dollar.

"I hereby bequeath and devise

"the rest and
remainder of my estate,

both real and personal, to
James Hing, my caretaker."

Hing?!

Why, the old man must've
been out of his mind!

Now I see why
grandfather and Hing

had their heads together
so much the last few weeks.

We're his blood relations!

He's... He's just a caretaker!

But a rich caretaker, Stuart.

Three-and-a-half-
million dollars rich.

He told us he was
giving his money to us:

Stuart, Winnie and me.
Didn't he, Mr. Roland?

That was his intention
two weeks ago.

His will bequeathed
one third to each of you.

But then your
grandfather changed it.

Well, we'll change it back!

Now, just a minute, Hing.

Do you actually think
you're going to keep

that whole inheritance?

In all the time I worked
for your grandfather...

I have never
contradicted his wishes.

Would you expect
me to start now?

Thank you, Mr. Roland.

Good afternoon.

You have no idea why Mr. Baxter

wanted to leave
you all his money?

No, sir.

I noticed that
Kenneth Baxter and...

Stuart Baxter are
the contestants

who wish to keep the
will from being probated.

Are they brothers?

They are cousins.

You said there was
a granddaughter?

Yes. Winifred Oakley.

She is not contesting the will.

Not yet, anyway.

But her doctor friend
is not of the same mind.

And what's his name?

Douglas Keene.

Do you think they
can do it, Mr. Mason?

I mean, break the will?

I'll need time

to appraise the situation
carefully, Mr. Hing.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

I am very grateful that
you are representing me.

Oh. I almost forgot.

I would like to pay you a
little something on account.

Well, we'll talk about it later,

when your funds
aren't all tied up.

Oh, I have money, Mr. Mason.

Will 500 be sufficient?

That, uh... part of the estate?

Oh, no. I saved it.

I have saved all my life.

I have your receipt
here, Mr. Hing.

There you are.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Mr. Hing.

He seems a curious mixture.

Of what, Della?

Mm.

Of a man not quite
sure of himself.

Yet knowing exactly
what he wants,

and quietly getting it.

I wonder what
Peter Baxter was like.

Gertie, see if you
can reach Paul Drake.

Dr. Jackson.

Calling Dr. Jackson.

Oh, Dr. Keene.

There was a James
Hing here to see you.

Hing?

Uh, what did he want?

I told him you
were out to lunch.

But I guess he didn't wait.

And then there was
a police detective.

A Lieutenant Tragg.

Oh. Well, did he
say what he wanted?

No, doctor.

I see. Thank you, nurse.

Dr. Lindley.

Calling Dr. Lindley.

What's the matter, Winnie?

Well, don't you smell it, Doug?

Gasoline or something.

Yes.

Hm. Here it is.

"Volatile spirits."

Well, what's that?

A highly inflammable
paint thinner.

Say, this is it.

What?

Well, didn't you know
the arson squad's

been investigating the fire?

Yes. But what's that have to do

with volatile spirits?

They think that was the
agent used to start the blaze.

What do you suppose
Hing was doing here?

You think he put that
bottle of volatile spirits

in your closet?

Yes, because he's trying
to throw suspicion on me.

Because he killed
your grandfather,

and he's getting desperate.

I don't believe it.

You're closing your eyes.

You know your
grandfather would never...

Would never cut you off,
if he was in his right mind.

Winnie...

you're the only
person he ever loved.

And it's a million
dollars, honey.

A million dollars.

Why, that'd set us up
for the rest of our lives.

And all you have to do is
go along with your cousins

Stuart and Kenneth.

They need your help.

The money seems to
mean so much to you.

It does.

More than we mean to each other?

Well, I, uh...

guess I kind of wound
up, didn't I? Heh.

I'm sorry, honey.

You do what you think is best.

Hello. Mr. Mason's office.

Well, I'm sorry, he's
gone for the day.

Who's calling, please?

This is James Hing.

Do you know where
I can reach him?

Oh, I'm afraid that's
impossible, Mr. Hing.

Mr. Mason drove
down to San Diego,

and I don't expect
him back till midnight.

But I must see him before 11:00.

It is very important,
Miss Street.

Everything depends on it.

Well, I'll see what I can do.

Uh, where can he reach you?

At police headquarters.

They are holding me for murder.

I know it looks bad, Mr. Mason.

I did get the money
from the bank...

and I did bury it.

And you bought
the volatile spirits?

Yes, sir.

And started the fire?

Yes, sir.

And knew that a helpless
old man, an invalid,

was going to be trapped
in an upstairs bedroom?

You own a cat named Monsoon?

Yes, sir.

Two hours before
the fire broke out,

you took the cat to a vet.

You picked him up
the following day.

That doesn't mean anything.

It might mean a
great deal to a jury.

There was nothing
wrong with the cat,

yet you removed it
from the premises.

Why?

You must've known everything

was gonna be destroyed.

I did not murder Mr. Baxter.

Then who did?

You're not giving me very
much to work with, Mr. Hing.

I am telling you
everything I can.

What does that mean?

Why did you go to the
hospital this afternoon?

I went to see Dr. Keene.

What for?

When you found he wasn't there,

why didn't you
wait for his return?

I decided not to.

What made you go
to the hiding place

and dig up that money tonight?

Why was it so necessary
to see me before 11:00?

Why was it too late after 11?

You... asked me to
represent you, Mr. Hing.

I can't do that without
your complete confidence.

I am sorry, Mr. Mason.

So am I.

Very sorry.

Under the circumstances,

I think perhaps
you'd better find...

other counsel.

Well, that's the way it goes.

Client either lies
to his attorney

or won't talk at all.

Why was Hing
digging up that money?

Hm. Probably to
make his getaway.

Why did he have to see
me before 11:00 last night,

and why was it too late?

Paul, I'm going down
to police headquarters.

Mr. Mason.

I didn't expect
to see you again.

Just one more
question, Mr. Hing.

Yes, sir?

The reason you dug
up that money last night.

The reason you had
to see me before 11:00.

You had an appointment
with him, didn't you?

With whom, Mr. Mason?

Peter Baxter...

the man who
supposedly died in the fire.

He's alive, isn't he?

Those are the facts, sir.

The whole truth.

I was supposed to
meet Mr. Peter Baxter

last night at 11:00
out at the palisade

to give him the $5,000.

And the fire, everything else,

was a conspiracy between you two

to fool everyone into
thinking he was dead?

Yes, sir. Why?

He wanted to find out...

what his heirs would do

if he cut them off.

Well, what did he
expect them to do?

I don't know.

I just know he
wanted to test them.

What about the body that
was found in the room?

He said it would be
burned beyond recognition.

Where did he get the body?

He didn't tell me that.

I think he had a
doctor helping him.

This doctor was to
arrange everything.

Getting him out of the house,

getting the other body in.

I think also they
were going to put

some kind of chemical
beneath the bed

to help the fire
burn more rapidly.

Do you know who the doctor was?

No, sir.

All I know is that if
a light was burning

in the bedroom
window at a certain time,

I was to start the fire.

It's incredible that
anyone could conceive

a plot so fantastic,
and further,

that you would be a party to it.

I have worked for Mr. Baxter
for almost 25 years...

and I would do
it again for him...

out of loyalty, respect...

and out of love.

Where is Mr. Baxter now?

I don't know.

According to the police,
you were alone at the house

on the night of the fire.

That is not true.

That bank manager,
Mr. Hilliard, was there...

for a while, when I
took the cat to the vet's.

Was Mr. Hilliard gone
when you returned?

Yes, sir.

It must have occurred to you
that something might go wrong.

That you...

might be accused of murder.

I know that.

Mr. Baxter thought
of that himself.

There is an envelope
in Mr. Roland's office.

What's in the envelope?

An explanation...

of how everything I did,

I was acting under
Mr. Baxter's instructions.

Mr. Mason... please don't upset

what Mr. Baxter is trying to do.

He went to a lot of trouble.

Oh, I can see that.

How do you know there
is such an envelope?

Have you talked with Mr. Roland?

Why, no.

But eventually, Mr. Baxter
will show up in person

to explain everything.
Suppose he doesn't?

Don't you realize you've
put your life in his hands?

Mr. Mason...

will you change your mind
about representing me?

Have you told me the truth?

All of it?

Yes, sir.

All right, Mr. Hing.

Yes, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Hing told Perry Mason
about the sealed envelope.

Uh, do you have it?

You can tell Mr. Mason
that if I had such an envelope,

and my instructions were
not to reveal its existence,

I should have to
refuse to answer.

And if you had such an envelope,

you wouldn't know
what was in it?

If my instructions were
not to open it, how could I?

Suppose... the contents

would supply vital evidence

in a murder trial.

I believe it would
take a judicial order

to force me to admit

the existence of
such an envelope...

or to disclose its contents.

I see. Uh... thank
you, Mr. Roland.

Also, Mr. Drake, uh,

just to, uh, clarify
the matter...

even if I did not have
such an envelope, uh,

I would still have
to refuse to answer.

I understand. Thank you, sir.

Wasn't a ridiculously large
sum of money, Mr. Mason.

But it was large enough to
me to verify it with Mr. Baxter.

And he instructed you
to honor the check?

Yes, he did.

Then what prompted
you to visit him

later that day, Mr. Hilliard?

Bank business.

You see, since it
wasn't convenient for him

to come to the bank, I
made at least one trip a month

to his home.

What time of day was this, uh,

last visit?

About 7 in the evening.
Perhaps a little later.

Who else did you see there?

Oh, no one.

Not even Mr. Hing?

Well, now, I can't swear
that he wasn't there,

but I actually didn't see him.

And how did you
get into the house?

Oh, Mr. Baxter
said the front door

were to be left open for me.

I see.

Uh, would you... happen to know

who is the executor
of the Baxter estate?

Yes, Mr. Mason.

I am.

Thank you, Mr. Hilliard.

I was just wondering how
badly the body was burned.

Why do you ask that, Perry?

Uh, did you have any
trouble with identification?

Well, should we have?

I thought perhaps you might.

Do you have any
reason to believe

that it is not Peter Baxter?

Yes, I do.

Put your mind at rest.

The corpse is Peter Baxter.

No doubt at all?

It's Peter Baxter
all right, Perry.

And I'm afraid your
client murdered him.

We'll have to find out, Paul.

What if Roland actually
doesn't have an envelope?

He'd better have.

Hing tells us it
wasn't Baxter's body.

We found out it was. Now,
if there's no envelope...

I'm gonna do something,
stir things up a bit.

"Stir things up?"

We're in a bad spot. May
have to prod things along.

Get the principals to thinking
something's in the wind.

Get them to working
at cross-purposes.

How?

Can you plant a story?

Sure. If it's newsworthy...

and true.

Well, this could be true.

In any case, all we need is
a rumor to start things going.

Now, Perry, wait a minute.

Now, look, Paul...
I'm forced to assume

that my client is
telling the truth.

That Baxter and Hing
did cook up a deal.

I must rely on the theory

that someone overheard
their conversation.

Tsk. All right.

I'll go along with
you as long as I can.

But don't be taken in

by your client's
seeming simplicity.

The whole thing
has no corroboration.

However, I'll do my best.

What story do you want planted?

That there's a frantic
investigation going on

regarding a later will...

dated after the one
entered for probate.

I'll tell the press

the rumor comes from
an unimpeachable source.

Thank you.

Can we make the
afternoon edition?

We can try.

Mm-hm.

Yes, Mr. Burger.

I'll give him your message.

Thank you.

Take it that was
the district attorney.

Mm-hm. Second call.

Anybody else? Mr. Roland?

Yes, Mr. Roland
said he'd call back.

Dr. Keene called twice.

Winifred Oakley called.

And there's someone
waiting to see you:

Stuart Baxter.

Do you want to see him?

By all means.

Will you come in?

Mr. Stuart Baxter.

How do you do, Mr. Baxter?

Sit down, won't you? Thank you.

Oh, I, uh...

see you got the paper.

Rather interesting.

May resolve our conflicts,

if there is a new will.

Have you spoken to
Mr. Roland about it?

No, I... just saw the headline

and came right here.

Now, look... Mr. Mason, uh,

I'm not a gambling man.

And I'm not a pig.

You know, "Live and
let live" is my motto.

Now, If you were to say to me,

"Stuart, let's make a deal."

Uh, new will or no new
will, c... Call off your contest.

Let's split the estate
among the heirs and Hing.

Share and share alike.

But that might be obviating

your grandfather's
real interests.

Now, you must realize,
if there is a later will,

Hing will probably be cut out.

Mm. Possibly.

And if Hing's found guilty,
he can't inherit either.

That's true.

Well, what do you say?

Well, I'm obligated to
convey your offer to my client...

but I'm not going to
recommend accepting it.

You'll need some help
defending Hing. Uh...

I got some information.

I'll testify for him in court.

What information?

About my cousin, Kenneth Baxter.

Now, he and that
nurse, Edith Devoe,

have been seeing
each other on the sly.

Now, she must've found
out grandfather was going to

change his will,
told Kenneth about it.

So, uh, to prevent
his being disinherited,

Kenneth killed him.

You'd sacrifice your
cousin that way?

We... Why not, if it's true?

Well... what about it, Mason?

Uh, look what I'm
offering you and Hing.

I'll take it under advisement.

Would you, um...

care to go out this way?

Yeah.

Someone else to see
you: Kenneth Baxter.

Show him in.

All right.

Will you come in?

Thank you.

Mr. Kenneth Baxter.

Evening, Mr. Baxter.
What can I do for you?

Mr. Mason.

Oh, I see you have the paper.

Oh, yes.

Any truth to the rumor
about the new will?

That's what I came
here to ask you.

I suggest you ask Mr. Roland.

Have you been in touch with him?

It's occurred to me that
we could get together

with profit on this
whole business,

will or no will,

and come to some mutually
satisfactory arrangement.

You mean split the estate
four ways, no matter what?

Of course, I can't speak

for the others...

but I'd be perfectly willing

to listen to a
proposition like that.

Nobody gets hurt...

And everybody makes a profit.

Exactly.

And I might even be
able to help you save Hing.

Oh?

I happen to know
that my cousin, Stuart,

and Edith Devoe, my
grandfather's nurse,

were awfully chummy, and they...

Were you going to suggest
that you would testify

that your cousin, Stuart Baxter,

had the motive and opportunity
to have killed your grandfather?

Well, yes. He did. He...

He was carrying on
with Miss Devoe and...

All right.

Just a moment.

Hello? Yes, Della?

Who?

Hold on, would you?

I'm sorry, Mr. Baxter.

You had no appointment,
but I tried to squeeze you in.

However, now I have an
important telephone conference.

You'll have to excuse me.

Well, looks like we're
making progress.

All right, Della, put him on.

Yes, Mr. Roland?

Mr. Mason. I don't
quite appreciate

this arbitrary
announcement of a later will.

I drew up Mr. Baxter's
last will and testament.

The one now offered in probate.

I'm more concerned with a
sealed envelope, as you know.

I'll tell you the same thing

that I told Stuart
and Kenneth Baxter.

There is no new will.

There is no envelope, no letter.

And there are no
instructions, no explanations.

I don't know what Mr. Hing
hopes to accomplish

by this fabrication
of an envelope.

There's not a word of
truth to his whole story.

That's definite, Mr. Roland?

That's definite.

I wasn't exactly jumping for joy

when Mr. Baxter died.

It was an excellent job.

Thirty a day, seven days a week.

Are you, uh...

married, Miss Devoe?

No.

On the evening of the
fire, you were off duty?

Yes.

On that particular evening,
was Mr. Baxter under sedation?

Now, that's a strange thing.

He refused to take his
sedative that evening.

Oh, why?

I was leaving about...

7:00.

He said if he wanted his
pills, he'd take them later.

He said he was going
to watch television.

Was that customary?

No. He'd never done it before.

Miss Devoe, I have reason
to believe that Peter Baxter

and James Hing...

conspired to burn the house down

and make it appear that...

Peter Baxter died in the fire.

Why would they wanna
do a thing like that?

Mr. Baxter wanted
to test his heirs.

See how they'd behave
after he was dead.

Sounds like Mr. Baxter.

I think someone
in that household

learned about the plan and...

took advantage of it.

Killed the old gentlemen.

Now, uh...

who could have learned about it?

Why ask me?

You were close
to him all the time.

I'm sorry. I... I can't help.

Did you know he
was changing his will?

No, Mr. Mason.

Frankly, it didn't interest me.

And it still doesn't.

Except...

Except what?

The only person who
really cared for him.

Winifred Oakley.

It's a tough break for her.

Thank you, Miss Devoe.

Do you solemnly swear

that the testimony
you're about to give

is the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth?

I do. Be seated.

Come on.

Now, doctor, you performed
the autopsy on the body

of the deceased,
is that correct?

Yes, sir, I did.

We were given a dental chart.

We compared the chart
with the teeth of the deceased.

Uh, we had the
assistance of a dentist

during that examination.

Was there anything else, doctor?

We noticed, uh, metallic plates
screwed to the right femur, uh,

for purposes of repairing
what was evidently

an old and rather
complicated fracture.

And what were your conclusions?

That the body burned
in the fire on February 1st

at the Baxter home
was unquestionably

the body of Peter Baxter.

Thank you, doctor. Your witness.

Doctor...

you found evidence
that the deceased

was under heavy sedation
at the time of death?

Yes, sir, I did.

Is it possible that the
heavy sedation itself

may have caused the
death of the decedent?

Yes.

Thank you, doctor. That's all.

Now, Mr. Nelson, I
show you this exhibit,

which we found at
the scene of the fire,

and ask if you can identify it.

I sure can.

Came from my paint store.

See? All my merchandise

is rubber-stamped on the bottom.

So it is.

Now, Mr. Nelson, do you
have any personal recollection

of the sale of this item?

Absolutely.

You see, we don't have
much call for volatile spirits.

So when this fella
came in the store...

Just a second. When...

When you say "this fella,"
to whom are you referring?

Him. The defendant. Mr. Hing.

All right. Go ahead.

I was about to say,

volatile spirits is a
dangerous combustible.

So I asked him what
he was gonna use it for.

When he said he
wanted a paint thinner,

I tried to recommend
something safer,

but he was kind of...

obstinate, you might say.

So I gave him what he wanted.

And what he wanted
was volatile spirits?

That's what he wanted.

Thank you, Mr. Nelson.

Your witness.

No questions.

Call your next
witness, Mr. Burger.

Mr. John Hilliard, please.

Uh, Mr. Hilliard,
you are the executor

of the estate of the
late Peter Baxter?

I am.

During his lifetime, did you
have any business relationship

with the deceased?

Well, yes.

As vice president and
general manager of the bank,

I handled all his funds there.

Uh, did you, under
instructions from the deceased...

deliver $5,000 to the
defendant, James Hing?

Yes.

Do you know anything
about a private conversation,

or a series of
private conversations,

between the deceased and
the defendant, James Hing?

Objection, Your Honor.

Incompetent, irrelevant
and immaterial.

Any conversation between
decedent and defendant

overheard by Mr. Hilliard is
not binding on the defendant,

unless it is a part
of the res gestae.

Your Honor...

the conversation I wish
to get into the record

occurred on the day of the fire,

and is indeed, I believe,
part of the res gestae.

Unless you can connect it
more particularly, Mr. Burger,

I will sustain the objection.

Then if it please the court,

I should like to
withdraw this witness

and call Edith
Devoe to the stand...

in order to lay a more
proper foundation.

Reserving, of course,
the privilege of recalling

this witness later.

Mr. Mason?

If my cross-examination
is also deferred,

I have no objection, Your Honor.

Call Miss Devoe to the stand.

The witness may stand down.

Miss Devoe... how long
were you employed as a nurse

by the late Peter Baxter?

Eight months.

Are you acquainted with
the defendant, James Hing?

Yes, I am.

Did he and the
deceased ever have long,

private conversations? Yes.

Well, did they have a
long, private conversation

on the day of the fire?

Yes.

Would you please tell this court

what happened prior to
that particular conversation?

Well, Hing came into
Mr. Baxter's room...

and told me he wanted to
be alone with Mr. Baxter.

All right. Go ahead.

I did leave...

but one point, I returned.

I heard Hing say
to Mr. Baxter...

"All right. We'll do it now."

And then he saw
that I was in the room,

and he asked me to leave again.

So I left.

Wasn't Mr. Baxter
normally an aggressive,

domineering sort of man?

Yes.

That time, though, he seemed...

very submissive.

As if...

As if Hing had some

strange kind of
influence over him.

Objection!

I'll stipulate that
that last remark

may be stricken from the record

as being a conclusion
of the witness.

Thank you, Miss Devoe.

Cross-examine, counselor.

Miss Devoe... do you recall

a visit I had with you
at your apartment?

Yes.

At that time, did
you not tell me

you knew of no
private conversations

between Peter Baxter
and the defendant?

I told you I didn't know of
any private conversations

that'd been overheard

by any other member
of the household.

Did you...

personally overhear one?

No. The door was closed.

So that you couldn't
have overheard a thing?

No.

Why did you listen?

To find out if I was right.

I thought Hing had a
mysterious influence

over Mr. Baxter.

But you did not overhear
their conversation?

No.

Then your impression
that the defendant

had some mysterious
hold over the decedent

still remains unverified?

Yes.

Thank you, Miss Devoe.
No further questions.

Gordon T. Roland.

Mr. Gordon T. Roland

to the stand.

Mr. Roland, as attorney
for the late Peter Baxter,

among other services,
you prepared his will.

Is that correct?

I did.

And after his death, you
entered that will for probate?

Yes, sir.

Is the defendant, James Hing,

a legatee under
the terms of that will?

He is.

And what is the amount
of his inheritance?

More than $3-and-a-half million.

I see.

Uh, Mr. Roland, there's been...

talk in the newspapers

and rumors about a later will.

What do you know
about any such will?

Nothing.

There's also been talk
about a mysterious envelope.

Do you know anything
about an envelope or a letter

connected in any way
with the deceased?

No. I do not.

Thank you,
Mr. Roland. That'll be all.

Your witness.

I have no questions
of this witness.

Gentlemen...

I'll take this opportunity

to recess for the lunch hour.

Court is adjourned till 2 p.m.

Mr. Mason, you were right.

It was unwise for me to believe

that this plan
could not be upset.

I just don't believe
Hing made up this story.

Paul...

find out who the
insurance carriers are,

and how much of a claim
they paid on the fire damage.

On my way.

Your Honor,

information of paramount
importance has come to hand.

Before proceeding, I
would like to recall a witness.

Mr. Burger?

Which witness?

Mr. John Hilliard.

No objection, Your Honor.

Call Mr. John
Hilliard to the stand.

Mr. John Hilliard to the stand.

You're still under
oath, Mr. Hilliard.

Mr. Hilliard, you've testified

that you were the executor
of Peter Baxter's estate?

Yes.

I have here a memorandum
from the Norwood Fire/Casualty,

an insurance company.

They report that no
claim has been made

on behalf of the Baxter
estate for fire damage.

That's right.

Why didn't you enter a claim?

Well, the insurance
had been cancelled

two days before the fire.

Oh?

Who canceled it?

I did. Acting on
Mr. Baxter's order, of course.

Did you ask him why he
canceled the fire insurance?

Yes. And, as usual,

he said I should just
mind my own business

and follow instructions.

Are you aware that it's a felony

to set fire to one's own house

and then claim insurance?

Yes.

And since Peter Baxter did
not want to commit a felony,

he instructed you to
cancel the fire insurance.

Well, I... I don't know
his reason, Mr. Mason.

He didn't tell me. I just
followed instructions.

Mr. Hilliard, a man
is on trial for his life.

Now, we believe Peter
Baxter left an envelope

with a letter in it.

We know he didn't
leave it with his attorney.

You are his executor.

You had a visit with him
on the evening of the fire.

Now, he gave you
that envelope, didn't he?

Yes.

What's in it?

I don't know.

Well, what were his
instructions about it?

Not to reveal its existence,
and to keep it sealed

for three months
after his death.

And it still remains sealed?

Yes. There's still
seven weeks left.

Where is the envelope?

At the bank, in the vault.

I ask the court to...

order Mr. Hilliard

to produce and
open this envelope.

Mr. Burger?

If it please the court...

Your Honor...

even if this envelope contains

the explanation the
defense is hoping for...

Namely, a plot to pretend
this murder happened

the state contends this very
letter gives the defendant

the opportunity and the
motive to commit the murder,

hoping to be protected by
the explanation in the letter,

and thus able to benefit
from the will leaving him

the decedent's entire fortune.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor...

defense does not know

exactly what is
in that envelope.

However, it may
contain a later will

which contradicts the provisions

of the present will.

If this is true...

the defendant's failure
to inherit under a later will

would leave the
prosecution without

a motive for murder.

We'd better examine
that envelope, Mr. Hilliard.

You will produce it in court
tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.

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

You may step down.

I was on duty at the desk

when that gentleman came
up and asked to see Dr. Keene.

Let the record
show that the witness

was pointing to the
defendant, James Hing.

Now, Miss Watson,
how long was this

after Dr. Keene left his room?

About ten minutes.

What did you tell the defendant?

I told him Dr. Keene
was out to lunch,

and I didn't know exactly
when he'd be back.

And what did he do then?

Well...

he said he'd wait
for a while anyway.

And he did.

Later when I looked
up, he was gone.

Thank you, Miss Watson.

Your witness, counselor.

Miss Watson, when
you saw the defendant,

was he carrying something?

No. Not that I could see.

Thank you, Miss Watson.
No further questions.

One moment.

Your Honor, I have
one question on redirect.

Miss Watson, could you see
both the defendant's hands?

No. I only saw his left hand.

I never did see his right hand
or the right side of his body.

Thank you, Miss Watson.

Yes. That's the
odor. Volatile spirits.

And I recognize that bottle.

It's the one I found in
the closet of my room.

Had you ever seen
the bottle before?

No, sir.

Had you ever noticed
the odor of volatile spirits

in your room before?

Well, not before I, uh, left

to take Miss Oakley to lunch.

So to the best of
your knowledge,

this bottle was planted in your
room during the lunch hour?

Yes, sir.

Now, doctor...

where were you on the
night of February 1st?

That's the night of the fire.

Well, Miss Oakley
and I went to dinner,

and then to a play.

And where did you get
the tickets for that play?

From the defendant.

When I called to
take Miss Oakley

to dinner that evening,

he gave us the tickets,
and said they were a gift

from her grandfather,
Mr. Peter Baxter.

I think that'll be all,
doctor. Thank you.

Your witness.

Dr. Keene... how
long were you gone

from your room at the hospital?

When I went to lunch?

Oh, 20 minutes. Possibly 30.

Now, you left your door
open. Is that customary?

Oh, yes. I have nothing
there really worth stealing.

So anyone could
have entered your room

during that 20-to
30-minute period?

Well, in a manner of speaking.

There... There are nurses
and doctors and orderlies

around all the time.

Doctor, as a resident physician,

do you have access to
the hospital's drug supply?

Access?

Well, no, not indiscriminately.

Uh, narcotics and anodynes
have to be signed for.

Where would you sign for them?

With the nurse on
duty at the dispensary.

It's been established that...

Peter Baxter refused to
take his normal sedative

on the night of the fire.

Yet the autopsy
surgeon testified

he was under heavy
sedation at the time.

Could the heavy sedation itself

have caused his death?

Oh, of course. If it
was heavy enough.

Could react just like poison.

Now, doctor, you testified
that on the night in question...

you went to dinner
and the theater

with Winifred Oakley?

That's right.

Did you miss the
first act of the play?

Wha...

How did you know?

It's customary to...

check on the
whereabouts of principals

at the time of a murder.

Well, when, uh...

Winifred and I
arrived at the theater,

there was a message for me.

It's part of a doctor's
life, Mr. Mason.

He can be called
out of a theater

or off the golf course.

I had to visit a patient.

Where?

At the hospital.

Now, to get to the
hospital from the theater...

would it be out of your way
to stop at the Baxter home?

No.

Did you stop at the Baxter home?

I certainly did not.

Now, tell me, doctor...

did you take any
narcotics or sedatives

from the hospital
recently, signed for or not?

I didn't take any
narcotics or sedatives

out of the hospital...

period.

Thank you, doctor.
No further questions.

I call Kenneth Baxter.

Mr. Kenneth Baxter, please.

Mr. Baxter, on the
night of February 1st...

That's the night of the fire

did you see the
defendant, James Hing?

I did.

About what time?

About 6:00.

He said my grandfather
had two tickets

for a play that night

for Stuart and myself.

When you say "Stuart,"

you're referring to your
cousin, Stuart Baxter?

That's right.

Did your grandfather do
things like this very often?

No. I was rather surprised.

But you did accept the
tickets from the defendant

and go to the theater?

I did.

I think that's all, Mr. Baxter.
Thank you very much.

Your witness.

Mr. Baxter...

why were you surprised

at getting the tickets
from your grandfather?

Well, we weren't
exactly bosom pals.

He disapproved of you?

At times. What times?

I guess whenever
he thought about me.

That's why I wasn't surprised

when I heard he
was going to test us,

and there might be a later will.

Have you seen any such will?

No, I haven't.

Now, on the night in question,

did you and Stuart Baxter
leave the house together?

I left the house about 6:30.

I met Stuart after
dinner at the theater.

After the theater,
did you and Stuart

return to the house together?

Yes, sir. It was about 12:00.

The fire had
already been put out.

Thank you.

Oh, uh...

by the way.

Did you ask nurse Devoe
to join you that evening?

Um, no. Why should I?

No reason.

Your Honor... at this point,

I would like to
recall nurse Watson.

Miss Watson is a
sometime custodian

of the dispensary
at the hospital.

If it please the
court, this is all part

of the defendant's case.

Counsel for the defense
shouldn't be allowed

to prove his case by
cross-examination alone.

Nor should he be
allowed to prove it

by recalling witnesses
for cross-examination.

I think we can take advantage

of the relative
informality of this hearing

to pursue the evidence
when it leads us on.

The witness may step down.

Miss Watson, please.

Then it's rather
a routine matter

for a doctor to request
and sign for narcotics?

Yes, sir.

How difficult would it be

for someone not connected
with the hospital to...

get to the dispensary
and into the narcotics?

Practically impossible.

There's someone
on duty all the time.

As a matter of fact,
anyone not in uniform

would stick out
like a sore thumb

in the dispensary or
the doctors' quarters.

In other words,
anyone with a uniform

would have escaped your notice?

That's not true, Mr. Mason.

It all depends on the...

Go on, Miss Watson.

Oh, that's funny. It
just came back to me.

What do you mean?

The cap I saw.

What cap?

Well... I'd never
seen one like it before.

I remember when I saw
it, I thought to myself,

"Hey. That's kind of...

"cute.

I wonder where it's from."

Don't all nurses wear caps?

Yes, sir.

But each school of nursing
has its own distinctive cap.

And a nurse graduating
from an institution

will wear its cap for the
rest of her professional life...

no matter where she may work.

I see.

And this was a strange cap?

Yes, sir. I was gonna ask
the nurse who was wearing it

where it was from.

Why didn't you?
Before I had a chance,

she turned a corner
and disappeared.

Well, what corner was this?

Leading to the
doctors' quarters.

When did all this take place?

The same day the
defendant, Mr. Hing,

came up and asked
to see Dr. Keene.

Do you recall the time?

Around noon.

I ask you now to look
around this courtroom

and see if you can
identify this nurse.

Yes, sir. I have looked around.

There she is.

Let the record show the witness

is pointing to a
previous witness

named Edith Devoe.

Thank you, Miss
Watson. That's all.

Mr. Burger?

No questions.

Miss Devoe, will you
step forward, please?

The witness may step down.

I've anticipated you, Mr. Mason.

Do you have some
questions to ask Miss Devoe?

Thank you. Yes,
I do, Your Honor.

You may take the stand.

You're still under
oath, Miss Devoe.

Now, Miss Devoe...

did you enter the hospital

and deposit a bottle
of volatile spirits

in Dr. Keene's room

in order to throw
suspicion on him?

I was in the hospital.

You kept a supply of
sedatives in the Baxter home?

Yes.

You left the Baxter
home around 7:00.

Did you return later?

Not that night.

Then perhaps you
worked with an accomplice.

Someone for whom
a motive existed.

Because there was no motive
for you to kill Peter Baxter,

was there?

Who put you up
to it, Miss Devoe?

Would you have us believe
you killed Peter Baxter

for no reason at all?

I didn't kill Mr. Baxter.

You prepared the sedative.

But I didn't kill him.

Then who did?

Stuart.

Stuart Baxter.

Well, she's lying!

It's no use, Stu.

He came back to the house

at theater-intermission
time, Mr. Mason.

He gave the old man
the extra sedative.

Not me.

We checked on Stuart Baxter.

He did not leave the
theater during intermission.

Now, Miss Devoe...

you've shifted
all over the place,

trying to plant suspicion
anywhere and everywhere.

On Stuart Baxter,
Dr. Keene, James Hing.

That's not so.

The afternoon I spoke with you,

I told you about a test will

and the plot between
Hing and Peter Baxter.

Now, you were the only one

I told about this
so-called test.

Yet, when Kenneth Baxter
appeared on the stand,

he knew all about it.

How, Miss Devoe?

How would he know about it

if you hadn't told him?

It's Kenneth Baxter
you've been in love with,

is it not?

And it was Kenneth Baxter
who left the theater that night

during intermission.

That's not so!

It wasn't Kenneth. I had
nothing to do with him!

It's all right, Edie.

Don't worry.

I knew I'd be caught.

I knew it from the beginning.

I never got away with
anything in my whole life.

All right, thank you, Hamilton.

Goodbye.

Mr. Burger have any
more information?

Mm-hm.

Miss Devoe admitted that
she tricked Peter Baxter

into taking a sedative
in his chocolate,

even though he
had before refused it.

So at the time he was
supposed to be calling

his doctor friend for
the substitute corpse,

actually, he was sound asleep.

Well, then that's when Kenneth
came back from the theater...

and gave him the
overdose that killed him.

But if Mr. Kenneth
overheard everything

Mr. Baxter and I were...

Not everything.

He only heard that Mr. Baxter
was changing his will.

He knew nothing about the test.

A man knows so little.

Sometimes a man knows
more than he admits.

Why did you say you did not
know what was in the envelope?

I was not at liberty
to do so, Mr. Mason.

In other words, Peter Baxter
didn't want his heirs to know

that if anyone contested
the will, they'd be cut off.

Yes. It was a test of loyalty.

What about your own loyalty?

Didn't you go to the hospital

planning to tell
Winifred the truth?

I did not, Mr. Mason.

I went to tell Dr. Keene
not to force Miss Winifred...

to join Stuart and Kenneth
in contesting the will.

But you couldn't tell him?

No, I couldn't.

So you were loyal to
Peter Baxter too, Mr. Hing.

All along, all the way.

At the end, he was
like a sick eagle.

He was strong
and fierce all his life.

And yet, through
this whole thing...

I felt like I was
protecting him.

Strange, isn't it?

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.