Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 2 - The Case of the Lucky Loser - full transcript

I do wish I were going
with you to Mexico

instead of staying
here in Los Angeles.

Well, this trip's gonna
be too dangerous, Harriet.

It's in the most
rugged territory

in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

It's no place for a
woman, especially my wife.

It's almost no place

for an amateur
archaeologist either.

Thanks for coming as
far as Colegrove Station.

Write every day,
Lawrence. Don't forget.

I won't.



Colegrove Station.

Goodbye, my darling.

Goodbye.

Uh, better get a cab
before they're all gone.

Thank you very much.

Darling, I could
hardly wait to see you.

All right.

Give me the keys to the car.

I'll go home and say good
night to my father-in-law

and let him know I've
returned from the station.

I'll see you later.

All right, Egan, it's
me, Lawrence Balfour.

Turn on the lights.

Hello. Steven Boles speaking.



Steve, this is Larry Balfour.

I'm in trouble,
terrible trouble.

Mr. Balfour, I thought you
were on your way to Mexico.

What happened?

I shot a man. I killed him.

You what?

I followed Harriet off the
train at Colegrove Station.

I overheard her make an
appointment to meet someone.

Look, Steve. You've
got to help me.

Well, I will, of course,
Mr. Balfour. Where are you now?

Home. I came home.

Where did this happen?

At, uh... At Sleepy
Hollow, cabin number 5.

I see. And who is the man?

George Egan.

Where's your wife?

I don't know. She left
before I killed him. She...

Did anyone see you
come in the house?

I don't think so.

My father must be asleep,
and the servants too.

What about your nephew, Ted?

Is he back from that
party yet? Is he asleep?

I don't know. Look...

What am I gonna do,
Steve? I can't go to a lawyer.

Mr. Balfour, get out
to the Valley Airport.

I'll have our private
plane standing by

ready to fly you to Tucson.

Now, you'll arrive there
before the train does.

When it stops,
get back on board,

and remember, you've
never been off that train.

Do you understand, sir?

But... what about the body?

Never mind about that.

I'll take care of
everything here.

Thank you. Thank
you very much, Steve.

Well, it was
hit-and-run, all right.

He even stopped to take a look.

When I came
along, he gunned out.

And you're sure this
is the license number?

Sure. Just so happens I got
good eyes and a good memory.

That's it. K-Y-L-9-0-7.

Sure hope you get him, officer.

We will.

But, gentlemen,

you cannot disturb
Mr. Theodore Balfour

so early in the morning.

Thurston, what is it?

These gentlemen from the police

insist on talking
to Mr. Theodore.

What do you want?
I'm Mrs. Balfour.

Mrs. Theodore Balfour?

No. My husband
is Lawrence Balfour.

He's Theodore's uncle.

I see. Well, we have some
questions for Theodore.

All right.

I'll take them. Follow me.

Theodore Balfour?

Yes?

You own a convertible,
license K-Y-L-9-0-7?

Yes.

Had a few too many
last night, eh, Mr. Balfour?

I... I don't seem to
remember too much

about last night at all.

I don't usually drink.

Did you use your car?

Now, I know I went to a party.

A going-away party
for my uncle Lawrence.

It was at Florence Ingle's.

Remember driving
home, Mr. Balfour?

What happened?

You know, the...

The harder you try
to remember the...

What's this all about, anyway?

We've just inspected
your car, Mr. Balfour.

For what?

We believe it was involved
in a hit-and-run death.

Better get your shoes on.

He didn't do it, Perry.

I know Ted.

I've known him since he was 15.

Well, Balfour admits
drinking that night.

Yes, he had a few
drinks at my farewell party,

for his uncle Lawrence.

What time did you say he
left the party, Miss Ingle?

Oh, about 11, 11:30.

Thank you.

According to the police,

the accident happened
around half past 1.

Will you at least talk to him?

I'm sorry, Florence. I can't.

Why not?

Well, in the first place,

the Balfour family
retain an army of lawyers.

And the second place, it
would be completely unethical.

I see.

Then I'll talk to him first.

Florence...

why all this interest
in young Ted?

Well, I'm concerned about him.

That the only reason?

Uh...

Well, uh...

I think Lawrence
would appreciate it if...

If that's what you mean, Perry.

I'll call you.

All right.

Oh...

Miss Ingle, may I come in?

Yes, of course. Thank you.

Won't you sit down?

No, thank you. I don't
believe I'll be here that long.

Ted tells me that
you went to see him.

That's right. I wanted
him to talk to Perry Mason.

Didn't you think the Balfours
would protect their own?

I was sure they
would. But, uh...

Mr. Mason's a very
close friend of mine.

So is Lawrence Balfour.

Now, if you really want to help
Ted, you can do so very easily.

By providing him with an alibi.

What kind of an alibi?

I want you to testify

that Ted left your
party very late last night,

say about 2:00 in the morning.

But that's not true.
Ted left around...

I know. It doesn't matter
whether it's true or not.

Now, just a moment, Steve.

Then I can see that I'll
have to spell it out for you.

Ted is innocent.

That business with the
car and the body, I did that.

And it was not
hit-and-run, it was murder.

You killed somebody!

Lawrence killed somebody.

Lawrence!

Yes, George Egan.

But that's Harriet's...

Former boyfriend.

Lawrence caught them
together, unfortunately.

Why unfortunately?

Because I had the
goods on Harriet already.

Fully documented.

A divorce would have
been a lead-pipe cinch,

and that's exactly what you
wanted, wasn't it, Miss Ingle?

A chance to become
Mrs. Lawrence Balfour?

Only Lawrence
walked in on them first.

Then... you were
protecting Lawrence?

My job is to protect
all the Balfours.

I tried to make the murder
look like a hit-and-run accident.

I took the body out
to Sycamore Lane

because all the land around
there belongs to the Balfours

except for one small piece which
belongs to a man named Haley.

And he just happened
to be on that back road

at 1:30 in the morning.

Does that mean they'll
find out about Lawrence?

Not if you help me protect Ted.

I'll not have Ted go to prison.

No, of course not.

So about all you
have to consider

is whether you're
willing to help.

You know I am.

I thought so.

Haley, I figured
you'd have this place

looking a lot
better by this time.

It takes a lot of time
building up a resort like this

if you don't have
the money, Mr. Boles.

Money's all around
you, that's for sure.

You mean the Balfours?

I guess they don't cotton
much to my run-down property,

much less to me.

I don't know. I've been
talking to the Balfours.

In fact, they asked
me to come down here

and see if I couldn't make
life a little easier for you.

A little easier for me?

Why would they do that?

Well, they figure if they
were to loan you the money

to improve the
value of your land,

naturally, it would improve
the value of their property too.

And they'd do that,
after what I did to them?

Well, when you
come right down to it,

you haven't actually done
anything to them... yet.

Of course, you could
cause them a little trouble

if you were to repeat
that story in court

the same way you
told it to the police.

But then, on the other hand,
you could be not quite so sure

about what you saw
or thought you saw.

After all, it was
a very dark night.

A man can make a mistake
about things like that.

Well, a good neighbor's
a good neighbor.

I see what you mean.

You really think they'd
loan me some money

to build my place up?

I'm sure they would.
They figure about $25,000.

Twenty-five thousand dollars?

Well, I guess I really
wouldn't be doing

anything wrong, would I?

After all, like you said,

it was a black night.

A fella could barely see.

I mostly thought I
saw what I did see.

You're a good man, Haley.

Let's you and I go
over to your house,

and we'll straighten this
thing out right here and now.

No, no. Come on.
Get right in here.

That?

Sure.

Swell.

I know what I said

in that written statement I
gave the district attorney,

but I'm not real sure
that license was 9-0-7.

Could have been 9-0-9...

Or 7-0-7.

Those numbers look
almost alike on a dark road,

and the light wasn't good.

I'm not real sure
what kind of car it was.

You know, if I made a mistake,

I'd have that on my
conscience the rest of my life.

Any time there's a deal made

by a deputy district
attorney outta this office,

I wanna know about it first.

But you were out
of town, Mr. Burger.

That doesn't rule out
the telephone, Faris.

After Haley reversed himself
on the stand, I had no case.

Yeah, I know.

Do you suppose
Haley was paid off?

Coulda been. The Balfours
don't like being stepped on,

and they own half of the state.

Well, maybe they
don't own our half.

I want the body of
George Egan exhumed.

Faris, you'll need
an order to do it.

Right.

Mr. Mason, won't you come in?

Thank you.

The family's waiting upstairs.

Ted's lawyer had him on the run,

and then he makes this deal

with the district
attorney's office

and gets Ted convicted.

Why, Mason?

Apparently, your
grandson's lawyer

wanted to keep the
defendant out of jail.

Is that what you'd have done?

I don't know. I'd have
to study the case.

All right, then, go
ahead and study it.

Ted's lawyer's finished.
He's paid off and discharged.

The case seems
closed, Mr. Balfour.

What do you want
me to do about it?

Reopen it.

Get the decision
reversed. Have it set aside.

All I know is I don't want
a conviction against Ted.

I don't want any
mulling compromise.

I want him to
fight for his rights.

A Balfour always fights.

When we know we're in the right.

Who's "we"?

I thought I became a Balfour
when I married Lawrence.

Maybe when you act like a wife.

Well, Mason, I want
this case cleaned up.

And I want it
cleaned up so clean,

it'll shine like a new penny.

Since I'd be representing
you, Mr. Balfour,

I'd like to know what you want.

Does it matter what I want.

There's the man
who's hiring you.

I'd still like to know
what you want.

The truth.

I want to know the
truth. Did I do it?

Was I guilty? Did
I kill someone?

I think we should
leave well enough alone.

Boles, I've been
over all this with you,

and we're not dropping it.

Well, Mason, would
you represent Ted?

Yes.

Good.

I-I-I'm tired now.

Mason, I... I want a
few words with you.

Did you hear him, Mason?

The boy has the fire in him.

All he has to learn
is to face up to life.

Someone has to carry
the Balfour banner,

and he's my only hope.

Lawrence is too busy

digging up fossils
or lost treasure.

My other son could have done it.

But that's Ted's father...

But the war...

So that leaves only Ted.

That Harriet is a
selfish woman, Mason.

My son Lawrence got taken.

Personally, I wouldn't trust her

as far as I could
throw this bed,

and I have trouble
just lifting the covers.

You understand me?

Yes, I understand you.

She's even hypnotized Ted.

It's an open secret
that at one time

he was in love with her,

and for all I know,

he may still be
carrying a torch.

Well, all right, all right.

Remember, I'm
paying the freight,

but you're representing Ted.

He's my last hope.

Fight for him, Mason,

and... teach him how to fight.

Hello?

Miss Ingle?

Speaking.

Mr. Mason calling.
One moment please.

How are you, Florence?

I suppose you've heard
I've just been retained

by the Balfour
family to defend Ted.

Yes, and I'm delighted.

Well, I've just been
going over the transcript

of Ted's jury trial, and
something bothers me.

What time did you say he
left your party that night?

I said about 2 or 2:30.

When you were in my office,
you said he left around 11:00.

You asked me a question,
Perry, and I answered it.

I said Ted left around
2:00 in the morning.

I wish you wouldn't
pursue it any further.

All right, Florence. Thank you.

What did she say?

Hi, Paul.

Would you be interested
in a little information

on the matter of George
Egan, hit-and-run victim?

The DA ordered the body exhumed,

and guess what
they found in his skull.

A bullet, which, uh,

makes it a little more
your kind of case, Perry.

Murder.

This is on a writ
of habeas corpus

in the case of Theodore Balfour.

If the court please,

we would like to insist
upon the defendant's release.

Release?

Your Honor, the
defendant is now charged

with first-degree murder.

He's not entitled to be
released on habeas corpus.

But our writ is based upon
the constitutional provision

that no man shall be
twice put in jeopardy

for the same offense.

Your Honor has quite
recently reviewed the evidence

in the case of People v. Balfour

and found him guilty of
involuntary manslaughter.

Your Honor...

Now, just a moment, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Mason, do you contend

that because the people
mistakenly assumed

this was a hit-and-run case

and prosecuted the
defendant under such a charge,

that the people are now
barred from prosecuting him

for first-degree murder?

Your Honor, it's perfectly clear
what transpired in this case,

an attempt was made
to dispose of the victim

by making it appear that
the man had been killed

in a hit-and-run accident.

We're perfectly willing
to move to dismiss

the former charges of
involuntary manslaughter

against Mr. Balfour

so that he can be prosecuted
for first-degree murder.

The motion is out
of order, I believe.

The defendant has been
tried, convicted and sentenced

for the death of George Egan.

The court is very much concerned

with this point of once
in jeopardy, Mr. Mason.

Do you have any authorities

that bear on such
a case as this?

I do.

Among other
citations listed here,

Your Honor will be
interested in the case

of The People v. McDaniels,
137 California 192.

Once a defendant has
been placed on trial,

jeopardy has attached.

If the prosecution, as a
result of poor judgment,

poor investigative
work or poor thinking

charges the man
with a lesser offense,

then it is barred
from prosecuting

for a greater offense
at a later date.

Mr. Mason, I feel a higher
court should pass on this matter.

If I grant the habeas corpus,

the defendant
will simply go free.

If I hold the defendant
for trial by denying the writ,

the motion can be
carried to a higher court

on a plea of once in jeopardy.

The court denies
the habeas corpus.

The prisoner is remanded
to the custody of the sheriff.

Well, we can get just so far
with George Egan's background.

How far?

Up to about 14 months ago.

Before that, he lived here
in Los Angeles, worked here,

and even belonged
to a country club here.

Then?

Well, then he just disappeared,

till he showed up in the morgue.

What about this Steven Boles?

Anything on him?

Yeah. He's a very clever
and a very powerful man.

He's the Mr. Fix-it
for the Balfour empire.

His salary is $100,000 a year.

He has a staff of 150
people working for him,

and he has complete autonomy,

answerable only to
Addison Balfour himself.

And his conscience.

I'd keep on it, Paul.

One other thing, I wanna get
in touch with Lawrence Balfour.

All right. I'll send a man
to Mexico if I have to,

but the way I
understand it, where he is

is like the Grand
Canyon, only more rugged.

Mr. Boles can be
pretty rugged too.

What kind of a talk
is this, Mr. Boles?

Everything open, aboveboard.

Thank you.

The first thing is,

if you have any doubts
of Ted's innocence,

forget them.

You speak with authority.

With knowledge, Mr. Mason.
I know the whole story.

Go on, Mr. Boles.

Thank you.

When Lawrence left
that night for Mexico,

Harriet rode with him as
far as Colegrove Station.

Uh, sit down.

She went direct from the train
to a cabin in Sleepy Hollow,

thinking all the while that
Lawrence was still on the train.

And he wasn't.

No. He knew what she was up to,

and he followed her to the cabin

and he took Ted's
revolver along with him.

And then?

Harriet left the cabin,

and then Lawrence
did a very stupid thing.

He wanted to confront Egan,
so he went into the cabin,

and in the darkness,

Egan aimed a
flashlight at his eyes.

This started a fight.

And during the fight,

Lawrence accidentally discharged
Ted's .22-caliber revolver.

Egan fell to the floor
with a bullet in his head.

Then Lawrence had sense
enough to go home and call me.

I told him to fly to Tucson,
get back on the train,

and I'd take care of
everything here in town.

And so you did.

Yes. I took the
body from the cabin,

made it appear as a
hit-and-run accident.

Why did you use Ted's car?

Mr. Mason, my own car happens
to be a small sports-car model

and not up to the job
that had to be done.

There were three cars
in the Balfour garage,

and only Ted's car had
the keys in the ignition.

What did you do with Ted's gun?

It's at the bottom of the
Pacific three miles out.

I see.

I suppose you were the one

that engineered Florence
Ingle's phony alibi for Ted.

Yes. Yes, I was.

But you have given us
something better, Mason.

You've given us an out.

Have I?

Certainly, with that very
clever point you made

about once in jeopardy.

I may not be able
to work it that way.

Oh? Why not?

Suppose I put in a
plea of once in jeopardy

and the judge overrules it.

So you'll go right
on with the trial.

But you don't
take any part in it,

and you don't put on any
witnesses of your own,

so if the jury comes in
with a verdict of guilty,

you're in a perfect position
to take it to a higher court

on your plea of
once in jeopardy.

You're telling me how
to conduct the case?

Yes, I am telling you
because I pay the bills,

and I figure this
is our best gamble.

I play the percentages.

So do I, for my client.

Then you'd better add up
all the figures again, Mason,

because if you try
to double-cross me,

I'll make you the sickest
lawyer in this state,

and don't you ever
think I can't do it!

If you have any
idea of how powerful

Balfour Allied Associates is,

multiply it a hundred times!

We cannot be hurt!

We're not about to let
some outside lawyer

foul up the gears.

All right, Boles. Now I
know where you stand.

Just so you don't make
any mistake about me,

remember this:

I don't suborn perjury.
I rely on the truth.

Oh, uh...

This is for you.

Yes? What is it?

A subpoena ordering
you to appear as a witness

for the defense.

This just came registered
mail, special delivery.

They didn't waste
any time, did they?

"Dear sir, you
are hereby notified

"that effective immediately
you are relieved of all duties

"in connection with the
defense of Theodore Balfour.

Very truly yours,
Addison Balfour."

Succinct and official, isn't it?

Yes, Gertie?

Who?

Just a minute.

It's Thurston.

The Balfour butler?

Mm-hm.

Send him in.

Send him in, Gertie.

Good morning, Thurston. Come in.

How do you do, Mr. Mason, sir?

This is my secretary,
Miss Street.

How do you do?

Is that the notification
of your discharge, sir?

Yes, how'd you know?

A man in my position
hears many things.

That's why I had to
see young Mr. Theodore.

I've just been to the jail.

Oh? Here. Sit down.

Thank you, sir.

Mr. Mason, I'm aware
of what you can do

for young Theodore.

More than they can
with all their money.

Mr. Boles is a very clever man.

He usually knows
what he's doing.

Then why did he
send these telegrams

to Mr. Lawrence Balfour
in Chihuahua, Mexico?

"Reply your wire.

"Remain Chihuahua.

"No need return till
you hear from me.

Signed, Boles."

He shouldn't have
done that, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Lawrence should
be here at a time like this.

I told young Mr. Theodore

that I was coming
here to see you.

What did he say?

I've known the boy many years.

I... I can talk to him.

He said if you were willing
to stay on as his attorney,

he was willing too.

I'm willing, Thurston.

And ignore the fact that
you've been discharged

by Mr. Addison Balfour?

Why not?

Addison Balfour wanted
me to teach Ted how to fight.

We haven't finished
our lesson yet.

Now, Mr. Schmidt,
do you do all kinds

of pistol- and gun-repair
work in your shop?

I do.

Would you look at the
defense table, please?

I ask if you recognize the
defendant, Theodore Balfour.

I do. I...

I've done lots of
work on his guns.

Would you tell this court,
please, what transpired

between you and the defendant

on Wednesday,
August 6th, of this year?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Theodore Balfour
brought his .22 revolver

to hone down the trigger pull.

I see. And did you test
fire this particular revolver

in your basement range?

I did.

I show you now this envelope
which contains eight bullets,

and I'll ask you to
examine them, please.

Yes, sir. I saved them.

They come from the
.22 Mr. Balfour brought in.

The same gun I returned to
him on the 5th of September,

with the trigger
adjusted, of course.

I ask that this envelope
containing the eight bullets

be marked people's Exhibit B.

No objections.

You may cross-examine.

No questions.

Therefore, as an
expert on ballistics,

I consider this conclusive proof

that the fatal
bullet, Exhibit A,

and these eight
bullets, Exhibit B,

were fired from the same gun.

I see. Thank you, sir.

Your witness.

No questions.

Now, let me understand
the position of counsel.

Is it his intention,

because the court has overruled
the point of once in jeopardy,

to take no part in this trial?

Because if it is the court
warns that it is counsel's duty

to see that the defendant
is properly represented.

I understand, Your Honor.

I've refrained from
cross-examining these witnesses

because I have no
questions to ask them.

I do intend to participate
actively in this trial.

Very well.

You may proceed with
the case, Mr. Prosecutor.

I call Harriet Balfour
to the stand, please.

Now, Mrs. Balfour,

do you recall the evening
of October 19th of this year?

Quite well.

That was the night my
husband left for Mexico.

On that evening,

did you have a conversation
with the defendant?

Yes, sir, at the farewell party.

And at the time of
that conversation,

was the defendant under
the influence of liquor?

Oh, no, no.

He may have had
a highball or two,

but he certainly wasn't drunk.

Well, what did he say to you?

Well, he said that he understood

that George Egan
was back in town.

He said that he wanted
to have a talk with George.

That if he,

Ted Balfour, could
respect the fact

that I was a married woman,

he thought that George
ought to respect that too.

I never said anything like that.

I never did. How
could I, Mr. Mason?

And in what tone was
this said, angry, mild?

Object, Your Honor.

The question is
leading and suggestive.

It calls for a conclusion
from the witness.

I think it is proper
for the witness

to testify as to emotions

if they were plainly
indicated by the tone of voice.

But the question would
seem to be leading.

Very well, Your Honor.
I'll withdraw the question.

What else transpired between
you and the defendant?

Why, I told him his
suspicions were ridiculous,

that I hadn't even
seen George Egan

for more than a year.

And that was all he said to you?

Yes.

That's all I can remember.

Thank you, Mrs. Balfour.

Your witness.

Now, in this, uh, conversation
with the defendant,

there was the inference

that you had not
always been loyal

in your marriage to
Lawrence Balfour,

was there not?

Not loyal? Of
course I'd been loyal.

Then there were suspicions

that you had not
been a good wife?

Oh, no, no, there weren't.

Didn't you say the defendant's
suspicions were ridiculous?

Oh.

That's all for the moment.

I call Steven Boles
to the stand, please.

Now, Mr. Boles, as an employee
of Balfour Allied Associates,

what specific duties
did you perform

on the night of the
murder, October 19th?

Mr. Lawrence Balfour was
leaving for Tucson, Arizona.

He was to go to
Mexico from there.

I saw him safely
aboard the train.

That completed your
duties for the evening?

Yes. I went home.

Then did you subsequently
receive a phone call

on the morning of the 20th?

I did, about 1:00
in the morning.

And who was that
phone call from?

The defendant, Theodore Balfour.

What did Theodore
Balfour say to you

in that phone conversation?

He said he was in trouble

and to please come to
him as soon as possible.

And what did you do?

I went to him.

Well, that's not
true. Why are you...?

But he's lying.

Now, I admonish the
defendant to restrain himself

from any further
demonstrations of this nature.

You may proceed, Mr. Prosecutor.

Thank you, Your Honor.

What did the defendant say
to you in this conversation?

He told me what had
happened that night.

He said he'd had
too much to drink,

didn't remember driving home,

but that during the
middle of the night

he awakened and remembered

that he was to drive out
to a Sleepy Hollow cabin

and to wait there for a
man he called George Egan

to have a showdown with him.

Well, did he explain to you
what the showdown was about?

Just that this Egan had been
making improper advances

to Mrs. Lawrence Balfour.

Ted wanted him to stop.

I see.

Go on, Mr. Boles.

He said that he drove out
to the Sleepy Hollow cabin,

busted in on Egan,

Egan attacked him with
a chair, this started a fight.

Now, he said that he'd taken
a small-bore gun with him

to frighten Egan with,

and that during the
fight it had gone off.

He said it was an accident.

And then what did he say he did?

He said he drove Egan's
body out to a deserted road,

ran over it several
times with his car

to make it look like an accident

so the police wouldn't
look for a bullet.

Go on.

He asked me to
take charge of things.

I told him

that since this obviously
was a case of self-defense,

he should report
it to the police

and tell them that he
had acted in fear of his life.

Then what did you do?

I went home.

The next morning I learned
that he was to be prosecuted

for an involuntary
homicide with a car.

And what did you do after that?

I did nothing.

I see. Thank you.

Your witness.

Before cross-examination starts,

I see it is the hour for
the noon adjournment.

The court will now
take a recess until 2:00.

Well...

I anticipated

they would try to make
things tough for me,

but I didn't think Boles
would get on the stand

and commit deliberate perjury.

So ruthlessly. It's
kind of frightening.

And in another way,
it's a clever story.

It gives the jury a
chance to disagree

or to find my client guilty
of second-degree murder.

So in a manner of speaking,
he's still protecting Ted.

Well, he told me he was
going to be playing percentages,

and he certainly is.

Did you send your man
to Chihuahua, Paul?

He's there now, waiting
for Lawrence Balfour

to come back from the wilds.

There doesn't seem to be any
way to get out there after him.

Well, you better phone your
man. I want him to get me copies

of those wires that were
sent to Boles and Lawrence.

All right. Perry, here
are some bits and pieces

we picked up on Boles.

Records, bank
accounts and so on.

Which brings us to
one George Egan.

What about him?

The reason George Egan
left California 14 months ago

was that Boles sent him away,

paid him and bought him off.

Why?

That I have not
been able to find out.

You were going to get me
duplicate driving licenses

on Egan, Boles and
Lawrence Balfour.

Did you get them?

They're on their way
from Sacramento.

Should be in this
afternoon's mail at the latest

I'll need them as
soon as they arrive.

And, Paul, can you get me a
set of the decedent's fingerprints?

Sure. They take 'em as routine.

I'll pick them up
this afternoon.

That's not soon enough.

All right, right after lunch,

which, uh, I haven't had yet.

No time, Paul.

We're due back
in court right now.

Mr. Boles, do you remember
an occasion a short time ago

when you and I had
a talk at your office?

Perfectly.

At that time, didn't you tell me

that Lawrence Balfour had
confronted George Egan,

that Balfour had
done the shooting,

that he called you,

that you told him he should
fly to Tucson, rejoin his train,

that you would take
care of everything here?

You mean I told you that?

Didn't you?

Why, that's preposterous.

Then did you not tell me

that you took the
body out to the highway

and made it appear
a hit-run accident?

Certainly not!

Mr. Mason, just
what is the purpose

of this fabrication?

May I ask the court's
indulgence for a few moments?

Certainly, Mr. Mason.
Would you like a brief recess?

Thank you. I don't think
that will be necessary.

Do you have everything, Paul?

Duplicate licenses
from Sacramento,

a copy of the dead
man's fingerprints,

and I talked to my
man in Chihuahua.

There have been no telegrams

from Lawrence Balfour to Boles,

No telegrams?

None. Perry, take a deep breath.

What for?

We traced George Egan
to Norman, Oklahoma.

He died there eight months ago.

Of course.

Of course he did, Paul.

Uh, thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Boles,

did you know the so-called
decedent, George Egan?

The "so-called" decedent?

What does defense
counsel mean by that?

We've established the
identity of the decedent.

Your Honor,

certain papers were
found on the mutilated body.

Identification seemed
routine and went unchallenged.

However, information
has just come to me

that George Egan died
of a coronary thrombosis

on February 14th of this
year in Norman, Oklahoma.

All other vital statistics
verify this George Egan

as the same George Egan

whose identity was
presumed by the prosecution.

May I see that
information, Mr. Mason?

Also, Your Honor, I
submit a photostatic copy

of George Egan's
driver's license

with its identifying thumbprint

and this set of prints taken
from the murder victim.

Your Honor will note that
the prints do not match.

Now, Your Honor, I would
like the witness to answer

whether or not he
knew George Egan.

Answer the question, Mr. Boles.

I may have.

He was a former
friend of Harriet Balfour.

He left Los Angeles
14 months ago.

He took a position with
Balfour Allied Associates

in Norman, Oklahoma.

Who gave him that job?

I may have.

What were his
duties in Oklahoma?

I may have just wanted
him out of Los Angeles.

What it all boils down to is
that you bribed George Egan

to stay away from
Harriet Balfour.

He was a potential
source of trouble.

I try to think ahead.

Didn't you make a trip to
Oklahoma eight months ago,

just after his death,

in order to
supervise the closing

of George Egan's estate?

I may have.

We've had enough of these
"may haves," Mr. Boles.

All right, then. I did.

And therefore it was
someone else who died

in the Sleepy Hollow
cabin, wasn't it, Mr. Boles?

I can't say positively.

Can't you?

How did Egan's identification

get on the now
unidentified body?

All right, then. Let's
get back to that body.

If he wasn't George
Egan, who was he?

And who used
Egan's identification

at motels and
hotels around town,

keeping various engagements
with Harriet Balfour?

Who rented drive-yourself
cars in Egan's name?

And who has been
Harriet Balfour's lover,

the man who waited
for her at that cabin,

the man who flashed his light
in a heartsick husband's eyes,

the one you've
been trying to protect

first, last and
always, Mr. Boles?

You're making a mistake, Mason.

Am I, Mr. Boles?

Aren't you that man?

Aren't you Harriet's lover?

How could I be? He was...

Go on, Mr. Boles.

You were about to say
how could you be her lover

when her lover was
shot by Lawrence Balfour.

But suppose Lawrence's
shot went wild.

Suppose you
dropped to the floor,

pretending to be dead,

your brain working all the time.

You knew Lawrence's
first thought

would be to get
in touch with you.

All you could think of was to
get back to your apartment.

I tell you, you haven't
got this thing figured out.

You're jumping to
a wrong conclusion!

Your Honor...

I think we can put the lie

to this man's complete testimony

if I may recall a witness.

Mr. Burger?

No objection, Your Honor.

I call Harriet
Balfour to the stand.

Remember, Mrs. Balfour,
you're still under oath.

What do you want
with me, Mr. Mason?

I want to ask you
if you left the train

at Colegrove Station

and went directly to
Cabin 5 at Sleepy Hollow

on the night in question.

No, I did not.

And you are now
and always have been

a faithful and constant
wife to your husband,

Lawrence Balfour.

Yes.

Have you been
corresponding with him?

Yes, I write him every day.

I receive his letters in batches

when his runner
gets back to camp.

I see.

Now, would you kindly
explain to this court

how you could possibly
correspond with a corpse?

What do you mean?

It's simple.

The right thumbprint
of your husband,

Lawrence Balfour,

on this copy of
his driver's license

matches the right
thumbprint of the corpse.

No. It can't be. It can't be.

May I see those
documents, Mr. Mason?

Of course, Your Honor.

I think you have identified
the decedent for us, Mr. Mason.

You may proceed.

Now, Mrs. Balfour, did you
go to the Sleepy Hollow cabin

on the night of October 19th?

Yes, yes, I did, but
I didn't stay there.

I returned home.

And was the man in that cabin,

the man you'd been seeing
behind your husband's back,

Steven Boles?

Yes. Yes.

I'm sorry, Steve. I
can't lie anymore.

That's refreshing to hear
you say that, Mrs. Balfour.

Now, while at home,

were you shocked to
discover Lawrence returned?

Home? He never came home.

Didn't you overhear
his phone conversation

with Steven Boles?

What phone conversation?
I don't understand.

That was when he turned on you

and told you he'd discovered
your double-dealing.

That's when he told you

that no matter
what else happened,

you were through, you
were uncovered, wasn't it?

No, no, of course not!

And when he said that,

didn't you then pick
up Ted Balfour's gun,

the gun your husband
had left near the phone,

and didn't you then calmly
put a bullet through his brain?

Mrs. Balfour,

I say an examination of
the rug near that phone

will reveal your
husband's blood,

and even a hundred cleanings
cannot wash away its traces.

Now the truth, Mrs. Balfour,

did you not kill your husband?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

No, Boles acted from the
first to protect the Balfours.

He was true to his trust

until he himself
became involved.

Then it was after Harriet
shot Uncle Lawrence

that she called Boles.

What was he to do?

He was faced with
an accomplished fact.

Harriet probably said to him,
"All right, Mr. Troubleshooter,

fix up this trouble.
Both of us are in it now."

So he made it look like
a hit-and-run accident,

and then sent one
of his men to Mexico

to assume Lawrence's identity.

Boles figured he'd
wait for a suitable time,

go down to Chihuahua,
and dig up some evidence

showing that Lawrence
had died in an accident there.

He even sent wires to Uncle
Lawrence in Chihuahua.

That was his biggest mistake.

One of the messages
read, Reply to your wire.

Investigation revealed
Lawrence never sent a wire.

Mason, you did a
fine piece of work.

Present your bill to
Balfour Allied Associates.

Which bill is that, grandfather?

For legal services or...

for teaching me how to fight?