Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 20 - The Case of the Stuttering Bishop - full transcript

Perry Mason becomes involved in the case of a Australian Bishop who is searching for a young woman who was abandoned as a child. Bishop Mallory has been putting vague ads in local newspapers to try and find the girl, the granddaughter of the rich Charles Burrows. The grandfather disinherited his son when he married and the son died before the missing daughter was born. The baby was then given up for adoption. He thinks he's found the right girl in Carol Delaney even though she doesn't believe him but it's clear that others have interest in the Burrows estate, especially Wallace Lang who has the Bishop beaten up to get him to leave town. Burrows himself thinks he's already found his granddaughter and is prepared to change his will in her favor regardless of the relationship. When Burrows is found stabbed to death in his study, Carol is charged with murder and Perry defends her plus the Bishop is missing.

Good evening, Bishop. Yes?

You are Bishop Mallory?

That's right.

My name is Lang.

I'm an advertising
consultant for the Tribune.

You've been running
this ad in our paper

for the past two months.

"I'm looking for a young lady,
approximately 24 years of age,

"prefer someone from the
Midwest who can speak French

and play the piano."

Well?



I was wondering if
you found the girl.

We're doing a survey on
the effectiveness of our ads.

It's rather late to be
doing research, isn't it?

We work around the clock.

May I see your identification?

Show him your
identification, Leo.

I, uh...

Must have left it
in my other suit.

You'll have to
forgive him, Bishop.

He's always forgetting things.

You're working for Charles
Burroughs, aren't you?

I thought I was
asking the questions.

Did you find the girl?

You're fighting me, Bishop.



All right, Leo.

Oh, don't move!

H...

How did you get in here?

The door was open.

Who are you?

Don't you remember anything?

I called about 5:30
in answer to your ad.

And you told me to come up
this evening for an interview.

You must be Carol Delaney.

Mm-hm.

I called the desk, and they're
sending you up a doctor.

Get me the desk, please.

Hello, this is Bishop Mallory.

No, I'm perfectly
all right, I...

There's absolutely
no need for a doctor.

Of course I'm sure.

Where do you come from?

The Midwest.

Where in the
Midwest? Des Moines.

What was your
father's first name?

Paul.

A-and your mother's?

Vivian.

Is either of them alive?

No, they were both
killed in an auto accident

about eight months ago.

Do you have any
u-unusual birthmark?

Y-you'll have to forgive
the catechism, my dear,

but I-I had to be sure.

Suppose I told you

that you were the grandchild
of a multimillionaire?

What would you say to that?

I'd better get you a doctor!

I tell you, I'm
perfectly all right.

I've been searching
for you since November.

My name is Mallory.
Bishop Arthur Mallory.

I'm from Sydney, Australia.

I came over on the
Princeton five months ago.

This is from the
ship's newspaper.

It's very interesting.

But you don't
understand. That's you.

You're Charles
Burroughs' granddaughter.

I can help you prove it.

Please, you've
got to believe me.

Your father was
Charles Burroughs, Jr.

My father was Paul Delaney.

No, your real father died
before you were born.

He had been disinherited
when he married your mother.

C-consequently, you can
understand her bitterness.

S-she would have nothing
to do with your grandfather,

s-so she came to me.

She had no one else to turn to.

There was a wonderful family

in my congregation
named "Delaney."

They wanted a child desperately.

And, of course, you made
the necessary arrangements.

They changed your
name from Janice to Carol.

And where did all
of this take place?

Near Albany, New York.

T-that was my first pastorate.

S-shortly thereafter,

I was transferred to Australia.

Well...

it was very nice
meeting you, Bishop.

You don't believe me?

Well, let's just say

that I'm perfectly satisfied
being Carol Delaney.

But... how would I know all
about your foster parents?

How would I know their names?

Because I told you.

And all you did
was agree with me.

Why didn't you
come out in your ad

and ask for Carol Delaney?

I was afraid your life
would be in danger.

And I guess the
reason you didn't call

was because my
phone number isn't listed.

Exactly. Ha, ha.

Well, it was a nice try, Bishop.

Better luck with the next girl.

So I said to him,
"Thank you very much,

but, no, thanks."

You mean, you
walked out just like that?

Well, I don't see
what the Bishop

could have said for an encore.

Well, how do you know

he wasn't telling
the truth? Oh, now...

Do you realize who
Charles Burroughs is?

The guy's worth 5 or 6 million.

Now, you get on that
telephone and call the Bishop...

I don't like to be
given orders to, Larry.

Aw, honey, I didn't
mean it like that.

I only meant it
for your own good.

But if Charles Burroughs
really is your grandfather...

Oh, now, Larry, please, I...

Well, how do you know?
Stranger things have happened.

Not to me.

All right, honey,
I'll grant you,

999 chances out of
1,000, the guy's a phony.

But there's always
that one chance,

and if you hit,
you got millions.

Now, those aren't bad odds.

Well, why would a guy
make up a story like that?

At least you can investigate.

If the guy's a phony, you can...

Miss Delaney? Yes?

I wonder if you could
spare me a few minutes?

My name is Lang. I'm
employed by Charles Burroughs.

Oh, come right in.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't know you had company.

Oh, that's all right.

Your... husband?

No, just a friend.

Kenyon's the name. Larry Kenyon.

Do you think you could
give us a little privacy?

Oh, he can hear
anything you have to say.

You were up to see an
Arthur Mallory tonight.

What did he tell you?

I don't think it's any
of your business.

You're not buying his story

that you're Charles
Burroughs' granddaughter?

I didn't, originally.

Meaning now you're
changing your mind?

I was just wondering
what you're doing here.

Well, I dropped by to
give you some advice.

Mr. Burroughs
doesn't like publicity.

So?

So that's what
I'm doing here. I...

I keep his name
out of the papers.

Now, why don't
you be a good girl

and forget all about this?

Otherwise?

Otherwise, you might be
buying yourself a lot of trouble.

You play ball with
that phony Bishop,

and Mr. Burroughs
is bound to feel

that you're just as
crooked as Mallory is.

You know the old
saying, "birds of a feather."

I think you've said
just about enough.

So do I.

If you have any
influence on this girl,

you'll advise her to
keep her skirts clean.

It's been nice knowing you.

You see, honey?

That proves there's something

to the Bishop's story.

Now, promise me
you'll see a lawyer.

Well, I don't know, I...

Oh, promise me!

All right. Oh.

Under the circumstances,

C-Carol felt we should
consult an attorney.

You say that this man Lang

is the same man
who assaulted you?

Yes.

Then...

let's swear out a
warrant for his arrest.

No! No! You can't do that.

I-I can't a-afford
that kind of publicity.

My superiors would
be terribly upset.

Tell me, Miss Delaney...

do you, uh, honestly believe

that Charles Burroughs
is your grandfather?

Of course she does. Well...

Excuse me, Bishop.
Do you, Miss Delaney?

Well, I really don't know
what to believe anymore.

That's why I wanted
to see a lawyer.

When the Bishop
told me that story,

I thought he was a crook.

I'm sorry, Bishop, but I...

Don't apologize, my dear.

I-I don't blame
you in the slightest.

Now you've changed your mind?

Well, let's say that
Mr. Lang changed it for me.

Why, I wouldn't
trust him as far...

As far as you'd trust me.

Y-you understand, w-we
aren't asking for charity.

If you can establish
that Carol is really

the grandchild of Mr. Burroughs,

I-I would say that a fee of
$50,000 is not unreasonable.

Bishop Mallory, what's
your interest in this?

There are rewards
other than financial.

Uh, let me think about it.

T-that's all we ask.

Goodbye, Miss Street.

Come, my dear.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

That's the first time I've
ever heard a stuttering Bishop.

He must be quite a
sensation in the pulpit.

You mean, you think
he's not a Bishop?

Well, I certainly
think it's funny

there's no one alive who
can vouch for his story.

Della, see if you can
arrange an appointment with...

Mr. Burroughs? Mm-hm.

Is it Mason?

I think so.

Now, don't forget, Grandpa,

you're not going
to let him upset you.

You promised me.

Don't you worry
about me, Janice.

Now, you know somebody has
to. You're such a big baby. I...

Yeah?

Mr. Mason is here.

Well, what are you
waiting for, applause?

Tell him to come in!

Really, Uncle Charles.

Sometimes you can be...

That wasn't nice, Grandpa.
You're much too hard on Philip.

Do him good.

What kind of a man
would be satisfied

acting as my
so-called secretary?

There's nothing to do
but listen to my insults.

If he had any backbone,
he'd tell me to go fly.

You would.

Oh, come in, Mason.

My granddaughter:
Janice Burroughs.

How do you do? How do you do?

Won't you sit down?

Thank you. What's on your mind?

I was, uh, consulted
this morning

by a Bishop Mallory on
behalf of Miss Carol Delaney.

You know, Mason,
you surprise me.

I didn't think a
man of your ability

would be so gullible.

What do you know about
this so-called Bishop?

Suppose you tell me.

You've had time to
do a lot more checking.

He's an out-and-out fake!

Oh, there was a
Bishop Arthur Mallory

in Sydney, Australia,
but it isn't the same man.

The real Bishop left on a
sabbatical five months ago.

He told no one
where he was going.

That was a heaven-sent
opportunity for your client.

Well, he isn't my
client. Not yet, anyway.

Now you're using your head.

According to the Bishop...

According to the Bishop,

my granddaughter
had dark-brown hair,

green eyes and a
birthmark on her forearm.

Don't you believe it.

I had one of the smartest
detectives in the country

looking for years.

A man named Wallace Lang.

May I ask where
Mr. Lang found you?

No, sir, you may not!

Well, I don't mind.

Though I do!

Janice, would you mind
leaving us alone for a minute?

Now, go on, honey.
I'll be all right.

I just wanna set
this fellow straight

on a couple of things.

You know, Mason, you're
supposed to be smart.

Thank you. Hmm.

Eight years ago, I directed
the executor of my will

to do everything in his
power to find my grandchild.

If she had been found,
everything would go to her.

Well, tomorrow morning at 9:00,

I'm signing a new will.

I'm leaving
everything to Janice.

Notice I didn't say
I'm leaving everything

to my granddaughter.

I said to Janice.

I'll specify it
makes no difference

whether she's
related to me or not.

Now, how do you
like those apples?

It's your money, Mr. Burroughs.

Uh, just one question.

If you, uh, make the
type of will you describe,

isn't that an
unconscious admission

that you're afraid
Miss Burroughs' claim

won't hold up?

Think it over.

Who's there?

It's me, honey.

Oh, I'll be right out.

Funny thing.

I was talking to a lawyer
today named Whittaker.

Real sharp character.

I told him a little...

Want me to answer that?

Please.

Hello?

Let me talk to Carol Delaney.

Tell her it's Charles Burroughs.

Well... Well, just a moment.

Carol.

It's Burroughs.

Well, I don't want
to talk to him.

If he has anything to say,

you just tell him
to call Mr. Mason.

Sorry, Mr. Burroughs,
but she just stepped out.

Don't insult my
intelligence, young man.

I know she's right there.

You tell her I want
to see her at 5:30.

And tell her I don't
like to be kept waiting.

I'd just about given
you up for lost.

I covered a lot of
ground with Paul.

Any calls?

Mm-hm. Here they are.

Philip Burroughs has been
waiting in my office since 5:30.

Five-thirty? Mm-hm.

Better have him come in.

Right.

Will you come in, please?

Oh, thank you.

Mr. Burroughs, I'm sorry
to have kept you waiting.

I hope you understand.

Coming here was not my idea.

My uncle sent me. I...

Oh, really. This is
most distressing.

Perhaps you'd
better get it over with.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Well...

My uncle wanted
you to have this.

There's $5,000 in there.

And all I have to do is
convince Miss Delaney

to forget the whole thing.

I know it sounds
suspiciously like a bribe,

but, believe me, that
was the furthest thing

from my uncle's mind.

I told him he was wrong.

And that pleases you?

Oh, no end.

My uncle rarely
makes a mistake. Heh.

I'd be less than
human if I weren't...

delighted at one
of his few errors.

Good night, Miss Street.

Where's your grandfather?

I don't know.

I just got home
five minutes ago.

He's probably...

Blood.

Uncle Charles!

There's something
wrong with this light switch!

I'll try the desk lamp.

Oh, let's stop the
play-acting, darling.

I suspect your
affection for the old boy

was even less than mine.

Oh, I wouldn't go, my dear,

unless you want me to
phone for the police right now.

Have you ever seen them operate?

Suppose they should
learn of a marriage

that took place in Allentown...

four years ago.

Oh, yes.

I know all about it.

Where were you tonight?

When I left at 4, he
was perfectly all right.

He was perfectly all
right when I left at 5:30.

He was napping.

I-I could hear him
snoring as I went by.

Where did you go?

You know perfectly well

I go riding every
day at this hour.

Oh, really, my dear?

I thought you could do better.

It's the truth.

And while we're on the
subject, where were you?

You say he was asleep
when you left at 5:30?

Well, at 5:30, I was
in Mr. Mason's office,

running an errand
for his majesty.

I left there at 6:30.

It took me half an
hour to drive home.

Well...

it would seem that I
can account for my time...

oh, a little better
than you can yours.

I didn't kill him.

Well, frankly, I don't
care one way or the other.

I'm simply pointing out how
it might look to the police.

But... you know, I might
be able to help you.

How? Now, my dear,

you know what a
mercenary soul I am.

And if I'm any judge of things,

Uncle Charles
didn't leave me a sou.

I'll give you $10,000.

No, my dear.

You'll give me 50
percent of the estate.

Well, I-I-I'd have to
discuss that with...

Mr. Lang? Oh, there isn't time.

Make up your mind,
dear. Time's a-fleeting.

All right.

Now... the first thing
to do is to set the stage.

I know that he had a
5:30 appointment with a...

Carol Delaney.

Did she keep it?

There was somebody
in the driveway

when I... went out.

Did Uncle Charles talk to her?

I don't know.

Besides, what
difference does it make?

It might make all the
difference in the world.

I'm telling you,
lieutenant, for the last time,

I don't know anything about it!

Why, I haven't even
met Charles Burroughs.

Didn't you go to
his home last night?

Yes. He called and asked
me to come to see him.

She's telling you the
truth. I talked to him myself.

What time did you arrive there?

About 5:30, but I didn't go in.

I'm telling you I didn't go in.

I rang the doorbell
three or four times,

and I waited about 20 minutes.

And when nobody
answered, I just left.

And you never
entered the house? No!

Just turned around and
took the next bus back?

Excuse me, lieutenant.

Found this in the kitchen.

Didn't a, uh, knife
come with this set?

Yes.

I didn't find one.

I think I know where it is.

I'm afraid you'll have
to come with me.

And that's the whole
story, Mr. Mason.

Somebody stole that
knife from my apartment.

Why, you can open
my door with a hairpin.

You can't open the door to
Mr. Burroughs' study with one.

That door locks
only from the inside.

Now, if you were in
there... Well, I wasn't!

Did they find my
fingerprints in there?

No, the room had
been wiped clean.

Well, I didn't do it.

And that's the truth!

Of course, none of this
answers the big question.

Why did you go out
to see Mr. Burroughs?

I told you. He called me.

And I told you
to refer him to me

if he got in touch
with you directly.

Well...

Well, Bishop Mallory
called me around 2:30,

and I told him about
Mr. Burroughs' call.

I wasn't even going!

And he said he'd received

a similar call from
Mr. Burroughs

and he'd meet you out there?

That's right.

He said he was
going out about 5:00,

that Mr. Burroughs
wanted to talk to him first.

Did he happen to mention
that I had informed him

that Mr. Burroughs
was preparing a new will,

leaving everything to Janice,

whether they
were related or not?

Yes.

Well, obviously you didn't
meet the Bishop out there.

Now, what happened?

I don't know!

Why don't you ask him?!

I tried to. Unfortunately,
we haven't seen him

since yesterday
afternoon at 4:30.

You mean, he's disappeared?

That's exactly what I mean.

All I can find out is:

the Bishop took a
cab from the hotel

to the Harris Car-Rental
Agency on Fillmore.

He rented a
brand-new convertible.

He shouldn't be too
hard to find, Paul.

A Bishop in a convertible.

Well, all he's gotta do
is change his clothes.

But it isn't so easy to
change his speech pattern.

Isn't it?

Well, the desk clerk
at the Quentin Hotel

told me the Bishop was
a guest there for a month,

and he never noticed
anything wrong with his speech.

No further word from Australia?

According to the
last cable I got,

the real Bishop's due
back the middle of June.

However, I did run down a
Dr. Stratford in San Fernando.

He and the Bishop went to
school together 30 years ago.

He says he can identify
him if he could see a picture.

All right, let's get one.

I tried. Seems Bishop
Mallory is camera-shy.

Oh?

What'd you find out
about Janice Burroughs?

Not one single blessed thing.

She wouldn't even
talk to my man.

Paul, do you know an operative

who could do a little acting?

A woman about 48,
one we could trust.

Yeah, I think so.
All right, get her.

Now? Now.

All right, Della,
let's get to work

on a script for this lady.

I appreciate your courtesy
in seeing us, Miss Burroughs,

especially at this time.

But Mr. Mason felt you
should hear this lady's story.

Her name is Blanche Atkins.

She came up to see him tonight.

Right after I seen your
picture in the paper.

Oh, honey, you
shouldn't wear black.

It don't do a thing for you.

Will you get to the point?

Well, like I said,

the minute I saw your
picture, it rang a bell.

Heh. I said, "There's
my kid Ruthie.

She's the spittin'
image of her old man."

Are you trying to say that...

you're my mother?

Well, I... know I
did a lousy job,

puttin' you in that orphanage

when you were only
six weeks old, but...

What else was I to do?

What orphanage was that?

St. Michael's.

I was raised in the
Wyckoff Orphanage

in Pittsburgh.

Honey, I left you
at St. Michael's.

Then the place burned
down a couple of months later.

That's when they
sent you to Wyckoff.

Didn't they call
you "Ruth Fulton"?

No. My name was Mildred White.

Mildred white?

I, uh, think there's
been some mistake.

I don't think so.

I'll say one thing for Mason:

he doesn't miss a trick.

Hello, Blanche.

You know her?

She's an operative. I
used her once myself.

I'm sorry, Miss Burroughs,
but you left us no choice.

Mason's got a client
charged with murder.

Say, Drake...

give my regards to the Bishop.

Where's Philip?

In his room.

Yes?

Phil, will you come
down here for a minute?

Why?

I wanna talk to you.

I heard from the
attorneys this afternoon.

I'll be right down.

Why don't you
go for a little walk?

What are you gonna do to him?

Just gonna point out
the error of his ways.

I wanna remind him a
gentleman never blackmails a lady.

Go on, baby.

You're probably
wondering why I came here.

Thank you. Chair?

I'd like to help Miss Delaney.

Well, you're very generous.

Suppose I told you that my
cousin Janice and Mr. Lang

are man and wife?

Are they?

You might consult
the Marriage Bureau

in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Uh, that eye.

Lang do that?

I told Janice I'd
keep my mouth shut.

But under the circumstances,

I feel released
from that promise.

This is a letter Lang sent her

shortly after she came
to live with my uncle.

Janice must have been
out of her mind to keep it.

"Dear Janice...

"everything's going
to be completely okay.

"Burroughs is 100 percent sold.

"Just play it as
we rehearsed it,

"and we won't have
a thing to worry about.

Love, Wally."

When did you find this?

A week after my uncle's funeral.

Please, don't ask me where.

May I keep it?

Of course.

Thank you for coming by.

The pleasure was all mine.

Goodbye, Miss Street.

Goodbye.

He's a nice fellow.

He has all of the finer
instincts of a scorpion.

Do you think there's
anything to that?

I wouldn't be surprised.

He was probably trying
a little polite blackmail

against Janice, and
Mr. Lang took a hand.

Oh, but if we can prove
that Janice was the phony...

We may be in real trouble.

Mr. Burroughs' will was
made eight years ago.

He left everything
to his grandchild.

And if we prove that
Carol is the grandchild...

We give the district attorney
a precise and positive motive.

If the court please...

Is there a problem, Mr. Weston?

I thought by this time that
Mr. Burger would be free.

I've just received
word requesting

that I continue with the hearing
since he is still unavailable.

You may proceed, Mr. Deputy.

Thank you, Your Honor.

And now, doctor, will
you answer the question

I had previously posed
before our, uh, interruption?

Yes.

I saw the body at
approximately 10:27 that evening.

Death had been instantaneous.

The victim had been stabbed
four times with this knife.

Any one of these wounds
might have proved fatal.

The first penetrated the heart.

Were you able to
fix the time of death?

I would say death occurred
between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

Thank you very much, doctor.

You may cross-examine.

Doctor, I have
only one question.

From the position of the body,

can you tell us if
Mr. Burroughs was sitting

or standing when
the blows were struck?

Well, that's difficult to say.

Well, could he
have been reclining?

It's possible.

By any chance, was the
deceased under sedation

at the time of death?

Yes, we did find
traces of Nembutal.

Thank you,
doctor. That'll be all.

You may stand down.

When was the last time
you recall seeing this knife?

On February the 6th.

That would be the
day before the murder.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Take the witness.

No questions.

You may stand down.

Your Honor, I would like
to call Philip Burroughs.

Mr. Philip Burroughs
to the stand, please.

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. MAN: Be seated, please.

That's when I called the police.

They arrived about
ten minutes later.

Mr. Burroughs, how long had
you lived with the deceased?

Fifteen years.

And just what were your duties?

I acted as my uncle's secretary.

On the day of his murder,

had your uncle given you
any special instructions?

Yes, sir.

Now, in performance
of those instructions,

just what did you do?

Well, I phoned his attorneys,
Logan and Standsbury.

I told Mr. Logan

that my uncle wanted to
see him the following morning

to sign his new will.

And that night he was murdered?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Burroughs, are you
familiar with the terms

of the existing will?

I object, Your Honor. This
is not the best evidence.

Let the document
speak for itself.

I am perfectly
agreeable, Your Honor.

As a matter of fact,

I subpoenaed Mr. Logan to
appear here this afternoon.

My question, however, was
only to the witness's knowledge.

In that event, Your Honor,

we further object
to the question

as an attempt on the
part of the prosecutor

to cross-examine
his own witness.

It's immaterial whether or not
this witness has any knowledge

of the terms of
his uncle's will.

In view of the evidence

that Mr. Logan will be
a witness this afternoon,

the court will
sustain the objection.

Have you any further questions?

No, sir.

Mr. Mason?

Now, Mr. Burroughs,
you testified

that you were the one
who discovered the body.

That's right.

What time did Janice
Burroughs enter the room?

A few seconds later,

after I managed to
turn on the desk lamp.

I seem to recall there was
a light switch near the door.

It didn't operate.

That switch lit the table lamps,

but someone had turned
off the lamp separately.

There were no overhead
fixtures in the room?

Mm, no, sir.

Is the name S.J.
Hyers familiar to you?

I believe I've heard
the name somewhere.

Could that "somewhere"
be San Diego?

Possibly.

Did you have any
dealings with Mr. Hyers?

I borrowed some money from him.

How much money?
Twenty-thousand dollars.

How was the loan secured?

You merely walked
into Mr. Hyers' office,

and he gave you the
money just like that?

Well, naturally, I signed
some sort of a paper.

I expected a share
in my uncle's estate.

Then the debt became payable
upon the death of your uncle?

There's no need
to put it that way.

It's the truth, isn't it?

Yes.

I have no further questions.

I have one or two
questions on redirect.

Mr. Burroughs,

do you have any
money of your own?

Very little.

Then if this debt became payable

on the death of your uncle,

wouldn't you say it would
be to your advantage

to keep your uncle
alive as long as possible?

Of course.

Thank you.

You may stand down.

Call your next witness.

I call Wallace Lang.

Mr. Wallace Lang
to the stand, please.

I first went to work
for Charles Burroughs

about seven years ago.

He hired me to
find his grandchild.

Then he put me on
a permanent basis

as a kind of troubleshooter

for the Burroughs
Construction Company.

Mr. Lang, what was the
nature of your last assignment?

Well, in October of this year,

Mr. Burroughs was
approached by a man

who called himself
Bishop Mallory.

Mallory claimed the defendant
was Mr. Burroughs' grandchild.

And you investigated that claim?

Yes, sir, I did.

Mallory had inserted a
vague ad in the newspapers,

one that would have fit
a hundred different girls.

He told me he was to interview
a Carol Delaney that evening.

He felt since she needed a job,

she'd cooperate with him.

Thank you, Mr. Lang.

You may cross-examine.

Mr. Lang,

you say you investigated
Bishop Mallory's claim?

No, sir, I said I
investigated the claim

of a man who called
himself Bishop Mallory.

Do you know for a positive fact

that this man was not Bishop
Mallory of Sydney, Australia?

He admitted it to me.

Under what circumstances
did he make that admission?

Did you apply force?

No, sir, I did not.

You had an associate
with you at the time.

Did he apply the force?

There was no force
applied by anyone.

You just entered the man's
room and he confessed?

That's about it.

So the man purporting
to be Bishop Mallory

then admitted he was a fraud?

Yes, sir.

What was his real name?

I don't know.

The man just said he was a
fraud and you were satisfied?

You didn't ask his real
name or where he came from?

I guess I made a mistake.

I would guess you made several.

Do you know where
he disappeared to?

No, sir.

Let's, uh, turn our attention
for the moment to the deceased.

How did you convince
Mr. Burroughs

that Janice Burroughs
was his grandchild?

I had documentary proof.

What do you call
documentary proof?

Your Honor!

I think this is
wholly irrelevant.

If it please the court,

I think this goes straight
to the heart of the matter.

The state maintains that
my client was involved

in a plot to pass herself off

as the grandchild of
Charles Burroughs.

I have every right to know on
what evidence it was decided

that Janice Burroughs
was the grandchild.

The court is going to
overrule the objection,

but on the grounds that it
may go to the motivation bias

and interest of the witness.

You may proceed, counselor.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Lang, I
ask you once again.

How did you
convince the deceased

that Janice Burroughs
was his grandchild?

Well, first I found
the death certificate

of Charles Burroughs, Jr.

He had died in
Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

His doctor gave me a
lead to Mrs. Burroughs,

and I finally traced
her to Pittsburgh.

Before her death, she lived
with a family named Crane.

Mrs. Crane was with her
the night she left the child

at the Wyckoff Orphanage.

Did the deceased ever
talk to Mrs. Crane in person?

Yes, sir, he did. I brought all
the parties in the case to him.

All those who
were alive, that is.

Then there was no
doubt in his mind at all

that Janice Burroughs
was his grandchild?

Absolutely none at all.

Now, Mr. Lang,

what were your arrangements
with Mildred White?

What do you mean, "what
were my arrangements?"

How would you describe your
relationship with Miss White?

Would you say you
were good friends?

I'd like to think so.

And... nothing more?

Isn't that enough?

If it please the court,

I would like to
introduce into evidence,

subject to identification,

a certified copy of
a marriage license

made out to Wallace
Lang and Mildred White.

Miss White is also known
as Janice Burroughs.

Mr. Weston, I would like
the testimony of this witness

to be examined for
possible charges of perjury

at the conclusion
of this hearing.

Yes, Your Honor.

Your Honor, I have
no further questions

of this witness.

You may stand down, sir.

I think this might be
an appropriate time

for the luncheon recess.

This court stands adjourned
until 2:00 this afternoon.

Any word on the Bishop?

I thought I had a
lead, but it petered out.

Keep on it, Paul.

This is your idea of a
practical joke, sonny.

It's no joke, lieutenant.

You ought to give me
credit for having a little sense.

It was right around here.

Maybe you just imagined it.

I didn't imagine it.

I've been skin-diving for years.

I ought to know
when I see something.

What'd I tell you?

You better send for the crane.

There's a car
down here, all right.

Brand-new convertible.

Anybody in it?

Fella who was driving.

He looked like a minister.

All right, Mr. Weston,
you may proceed.

Your Honor, may we
approach the bench?

You may.

During the recess,

I learned of the discovery
of Bishop Mallory's body.

His car went off the old
wharf into El Camino Bay.

How do you know it
was Bishop Mallory?

Well, he was
positively identified

by an old friend, Dr. Stratford,
who went to school with him.

Were there any
bruises on the body?

Yes, there was. On the temple.

Which he apparently got
when the car went over.

On the another hand,
he might have gotten it

by being hit with a
familiar blunt instrument.

Mr. Mason, are you maintaining

that Bishop Mallory
was murdered?

Yes, Your Honor, I am.

I think his murder alters the
entire complexion of this case.

Under the circumstances,

I'd like the privilege
of recalling a witness.

Which one?

Philip Burroughs.

Is Mr. Philip Burroughs
in the courtroom?

Will you retake
the stand, please?

Uh, that won't be
necessary, Mr. Burroughs.

You're already under oath.

Mr. Burroughs, do you recall
your two visits to my office?

I do.

During your second
visit, you gave me a letter.

Is this that letter?

It is.

If it please the court,

I would like this
marked for identification.

Mr. Weston?

No objections, Your Honor.

Thank you.

Now, Mr. Burroughs, to
whom is the letter addressed?

Miss Janice Burroughs.

And the sender?

Wallace Lang.

Would you read the
letter for us, please?

"Dear Janice, everything is
going to be completely okay.

"Burroughs is 100 percent sold.

"Just play it as
we rehearsed it,

and we won't have a
thing to worry about."

It's signed, "Love, Wally."

Thank you.

Just a moment, Mr. Burroughs.

I have one or two
more questions.

I believe you are the only
child of Kenneth Burroughs,

who was the brother
of the deceased?

That's correct.

As such, you are the
sole surviving relative

of Charles Burroughs?

With the exception
of his grandchild.

Yes.

May I ask where you were

when Charles
Burroughs was murdered?

You ought to know.

I was cooling my heels
in your reception room.

I got there at 5:30
and left at 6:30.

But the coroner testified

that death could have
occurred at any time

between 5:30 and 7.

Where were you at 7:00?

Well, if you can't remember,

I was busy discovering the body.

No, Mr. Burroughs,

you were busy
murdering your uncle.

What are you talking about?

Before you left
home that afternoon,

you gave your uncle Nembutal.

You knew he would
be deeply sedated

by the time you returned
home from my office.

I came to your office
because my uncle sent me!

No, that was your own idea.

What about the money
I tried to give you?

All I saw was a sealed envelope.

You knew I wouldn't accept it.

You planned to
use me for an alibi.

Well, that's ridiculous.

You testified you went
directly home from my office.

What time did you get there?

Well, I told you. At 7:00.

Yet we heard the coroner testify

that he didn't examine
the body until 10:27.

Why didn't you notify
the police immediately?

I was going to, but Janice
wanted to talk to me first.

I submit that you
wanted to talk to her.

I submit that you wanted to
have a nice long talk with her...

so that by the time the
body was examined,

there'd be no way to pinpoint
the exact time of death.

You murdered your uncle
right after you returned

from my office.

Right after you broke
through that door.

Are you insane?

Janice was with me all the time.

Not all the time.

You entered that
room alone. It was dark.

Janice didn't enter until after
you'd turned on the table lamp.

During that interval,

you had ample
opportunity to kill your uncle.

A man can be
stabbed a dozen times

in a few seconds...
if he's unconscious.

What about the
blood on the carpet?

What about the blood?

I say it's just some more
of your dressing the stage.

But let's have it analyzed.

Let's see if it
matches the blood type

of the man you murdered.

I'm finished with the witness.

See, Philip Burroughs
had to do two things at once.

He had to discredit
Janice as the rightful heir,

and he had to
frame you for murder

so you couldn't inherit.

That's why he had
to kill the Bishop.

If the Bishop had appeared,
you would have had an alibi.

And that's how
Mr. Mason got on the track.

Then after he killed
Bishop Mallory,

he went to my apartment
and got the knife.

That's right.

And everything the
Bishop told me is true.

About my real
father, my real mother.

Yes, everything.

I have a letter here
that verifies that.

From whom?

The police found it among
Bishop Mallory's effects.

May I read it to you?

It's addressed to
Bishop Arthur Mallory.

The first part of it restates
the actual events of your life.

It ends like this:

"When I asked you to
find a good home for Carol,

"I gave you my promise

"that I would never again
let her know of my existence.

"I have never lived
a happy moment

"since I made that mistake,

"but live by it, I will.

"You must never
tell Carol about me.

"I only beg you to help
her avoid the suffering

"caused by my ignorant
vanity and foolish pride.

"I ask for no sympathy,
Bishop Mallory.

I can only pray
for forgiveness."

It's signed...

"Mrs. Charles Burroughs, Jr."

My mother?

A human being, Carol.

She made a mistake...
as all of us do.

Are you ready to forgive her?

D-do you have her address?