Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 3 - The Case of the Pint-Sized Client - full transcript

Well, like they say,
here's mud in your eye.

It's good whiskey, Anderson.

Thanks for the bottle.

How about it, Crowley?

Couldn't I let you
know tomorrow?

Tomorrow's too late.

I'm a three-time loser.

You gotta understand
my position.

They get me
this time, it's life.

You're right, Pop.

You said he wasn't
the man for us.



Let's get out of here.

No, wait.

How much would it pay?

Five hundred for your end.

Would... Would you go 700?

Okay, got yourself
a deal, Crowley.

One, two, three,
four, five, six, seven.

Half now and half
when you finish the job.

Frank, you can trust me.

Yeah.

But I can't trust this.

You've played the
scene before, Crowley.

From now until tomorrow
afternoon at 3:00,

you're gonna stay sober.



And here's the floor plan.

The Hargrove Finance
Company on South Burlington.

Hargrove Finance?

You know their motto: "See
us when you need money."

Well, that's just what
Pop and I had in mind.

Well, they were
supposed to fix it last week.

You can hardly hear
yourself think, much less...

All right, everybody,
let's get with it.

If you cooperate,
nobody gets hurt.

Which one is Hays?

All right, Hays, you know
the combination to the safe.

Open it.

Give it a whirl, Pop.

Who was it?

Got it.

Okay, Crowley, let's go.

You, uh, have a visitor
waiting to see you.

I think it's a client.

Well, didn't you...?

Blond or brunette?

Brunette.

All right, send her in.

Him.

Fourteen years old.

What?

You know:

Fourteen.

All right, Della, bring
the gentleman right on in.

Mr. Mason, this
is Nicholas Renzi.

How do you do, Mr. Renzi?

Hi.

Why don't I leave
you gentlemen alone,

and then you can
talk man-to-man?

All right. All right.

All right, Nicky,
what can I do for you?

Well, I don't know.

I heard you were the
best lawyer in town,

and my grandfather says
to always go to the top

when you want results.

So I came to ask you something.

Is "finders keepers"
according to Hoyle?

Well, if you
mean, "Is it legal?"

it depends on what you
found and where you found it.

I'm not saying I found nothing.

I'm just supposing.

Well, just suppose
a few more details.

Well, what's the difference?

Details.

You find something,

you ought to be able to keep it.

Possession is
nine-tenths of the law.

Did you come here to
ask me about the law

or tell me about it?

Look, Mr. Mason,

suppose you find
something and return it.

Does the owner have
to give you a reward?

No.

You know something?

I don't think the law is fair.

Well, it tries to be, Nicky.

If you'd be a little
more specific,

perhaps the law could help you.

Now, just what is it you found?

Well, thanks anyway, Mr. Mason.

Just what do I owe you?

Well, since I haven't been
able to give you any advice,

there's no charge.

Would it be asking too
much of you to move?

Oh, excuse me, Mrs. Anderson.

Do you have any idea
when Frank will be home?

Why don't you leave
your phone number

and I'll have him call you?

Yeah, we'll wait,
if you don't mind.

Would it do me any
good if I did, huh?

Well, Sergeant Bender.

That's who it is.

Hope Iris made you feel at home.

Oh, yeah, I offered him

a nice, cold bottle
of strychnine.

You mustn't mind
my wife, sergeant.

She's always clowning.

What can I do for you?

Do you mind telling
me where you were

this afternoon about 3:00?

This afternoon? Let me think...

At the track! I had two winners.

Good for you.

You sure you weren't

watching them run at
Hargrove and Company?

Hey, I heard about
that driving home.

They had a holdup, didn't they?

What do you know
about it, Anderson?

Has all the earmarks
of one of your jobs.

You know, I could
sue you for slander.

Or is it libel?

Wanna search the place?

Ah, you're too smart
to stash the stuff here.

Well...

if there's anything else I
can do for you gentlemen...

let me know.

I may take you up on that.

So you're up to
your old tricks, huh?

Baby doll, what are you saying?

What do you think you're doing?

I asked you something, Iris.

I told you the last time, Frank,

you ever get mixed
up in anything crooked,

I'd leave you.

I told you I'd never let you go.

You remind me of my old man.

Always using his muscles.

Come in.

Oh, hello, Mr. Kolichek.

Hello.

Mr. Renzi...

You know, I like Nicky.

Everybody likes Nicky.

Yes, he's a nice boy.

Fine boy.

That's why it's so hard.

What's so hard?

One thing I don't like.

A tattletale, you know?

But what can I do?

Some things,
parents got to know.

Or in this case, a grandparent.

It works! It works!

Just that one little thing.

I knew I would
get it, I was sure.

Mr. Renzi.

I'm trying to tell you
something about Nicky.

That he's a fine
boy? Yes, I heard you.

You heard me.

But this you didn't hear:

Today, Nicky comes
into my emporium

and spends $50.

Fifty dollars?

I didn't think you knew.

I thought I should tell you.

Where would Nicky get $50?

He found it.

Fifty dollars.

A young boy.

It's possible.

But I thought you should know.

Thank you, Mr. Kolichek.
I'll talk to Nicky.

Won't you sit down?

I have some wine.
No, no. No, thanks.

I... I have to get
back to the store.

I just thought
that you should...

Hey, Gramp.

Well, uh...

Well, goodbye, Mr. Renzi.

What did he want?

Where did you get
that money, Nicky?

What money?

Don't lie to me, boy.

Mr. Kolichek told me.

The old blabbermouth.

He doesn't want
you to get into trouble.

Well, he ought to
mind his own business.

What is this, Nicky?

I found it in the old shack.

All this money? You found it?

You believe me,
don't you, Gramp?

I didn't steal it.

If you tell me, I believe you.

But anyway, we must take it
back to the proper authorities.

I knew you'd say that.

Now, please, no more arguments.

We take the money to the police.

The $50 you spent, well,

I'll find some
way to pay it back.

You won't have
to return your toys.

Toys? Who buys toys?

All right, baseball
equipments, whatever.

You can keep it.

A coat?

But it's too big for you, boy.

Much too big.

Is it...? Is it for me?

Last winter you were cold
and shivering all the time.

Oh, I'll get it, Gramp.

I'm looking for Anthony Renzi.

I am Anthony Renzi, officer.

What is it...? What
is it you want?

Hey, uh, I think I found
what I'm looking for.

We were just about
to take it to the police.

I told the officer.

That's the truth! Honest!

Uh, get the, um...

Where were you at 4
yesterday afternoon?

Yesterday?

Home. I was home all
afternoon. That's right.

I seen him when I
come home from school.

Yes, Nicky gets home every
afternoon shortly before 4.

Where were you last night
between 9:00 and midnight?

Again, home.

Alone? I was there.

Anyone else?

No.

This belong to you?

I have such a tool.

It has your initials on it.

Oh, Nicky must've
left it in the shack.

He told you he pried
the boards loose

to get the money. NICKY: Yeah.

I think we'd better go inside.

What are you gonna do to him?

That's all right, Nicky.

You stay here.
I'll be right back.

Unit 71, are you 10-4?

24 and 344.

That's, uh, an
eighth of a mile east

of the, uh, Mission
Valley overpass.

Do you know this man?
His name is Anderson.

Frank Anderson.

This'll...

Excuse me.

Hi, beautiful. Hi, Paul.

Hello, Nicky.

Hello, Mr. Drake.

Anything new? Plenty.

The police just searched
the Renzi flat again.

They had no right to do that!

Why not, Nicky?

What's the matter, Paul?

They found another
$12,000 of the holdup money

stashed in the kitchen.

Okay, but my
grandfather didn't do it.

I did.

That's the truth, honest!

I knew Gramp would want
me to give all the money back,

so I held out some
and hid it in the kitchen.

Well, that's just how
it happened, I swear!

You believe me,
don't you, Miss Street?

Of course, Nicky.

No, you don't.

I can tell.

And if you don't believe me,

what chance has
Gramp got with the cops?

Nicky...

Oh, Nicky, it's all right.

It's all right.

Nicky didn't mean

to do anything wrong, Mr. Mason.

He just thought he
was being smart.

You know how this
will look to the court?

As though you hid that $12,000.

And the police
have an eyewitness

who claims that
you opened the safe

at Hargrove and Company.

Who say such a thing?
Let him say it to my face.

Remember the police lineup?

A Hargrove employee
named Lois Gilbert

identified you as
the man at the safe.

She's wrong!

Miss Gilbert says even
though you were wearing

a stocking over your face,

she's positive about
the identification.

We can't discount
that, Mr. Renzi.

She identified Anderson
down at the morgue

as the man who slugged Hays.

He was wearing a
mask at the holdup too.

Anderson lived in
your neighborhood

about eight or nine years ago.

That's how he knew about
that abandoned house.

Do you recall meeting
him at that time,

even casually?

Never!

I can see by your face
it doesn't look good.

Well...

They have a lot on their side.

But we have the
truth on our side.

Oh! You are Mr. Perry Mason?

I'd like to see Mr. Hays.

There are some questions...
I beg your pardon?

I said, I'd like
to see Mr. Hays.

What was that? Just
a second, please.

Oh, this air
conditioner. Honestly.

There, that's better.

Now, what were you saying?

I'd like to see Mr. Hays
about the robbery.

Why, certainly.

It was just dreadful, you know.

I never was so
frightened in my entire life,

but I was the one who
set off the alarm, you know.

You probably read about it.

I'm Lois Gilbert,

and my picture
was in the papers.

Yes, I saw it.

Yes.

Uh, Mr. Hays, this is Mr. Mason.

He's a lawyer.

He wants to ask you
about the robbery.

Oh, of course.

I represent Anthony Renzi.

I understand you
people identified him

in the police lineup.

I don't know what you mean

by "we" people, Mr. Mason.

I haven't, and what's more,

neither did Mr. Koch.

Oh, but, Mr. Hays,
you were knocked out.

You never had a chance

to notice this
man's peculiarities.

What peculiarities,
Miss Gilbert?

There's nothing particularly
distinctive about my client.

He's an old man with no
pronounced characteristics.

And the man at the safe
wore a stocking over his face

that was bound to
distort his features.

Mr. Koch told the police

they looked like a character
out of a horror movie.

How could you possibly
make a positive identification?

Uh, well, uh...

The way he held his
head to one side, and, um...

And the way he
shuffled when he walked.

You couldn't be mistaken?

Oh, no.

That's the one they call Pop.

Even the voice.
There's no doubt about it.

I have an excellent ear.

What about the third
member of the group?

Would you be able
to recognize him?

You mean Riley?

Riley? How'd you learn his name?

Oh, well, when I
set off the alarm,

one of the men got excited

and he called the
other man Riley.

Tell me something, Miss Gilbert,

weren't you a little
excited yourself?

Nice meeting you, Mr. Hays,

Mr. Koch.

Yeah?

Mrs. Anderson? That's right.

My name's Paul Drake.

Bully for you.

May I come in? You're in.

What's the matter?

Don't you approve
of my widow's weeds?

Uh, I didn't say anything.

You looked.

Do you blame me?

I'm an entertainer.

This is what I work in.

And the show must
go on, is that it?

My husband didn't
leave any insurance.

Do you know what
a funeral costs?

I have an idea.

Then no cracks.

What are you, anyway?

Another cop or a reporter?

I'm a private detective.

I'm working for a
lawyer, Perry Mason.

Oh, yeah.

He's defending the guy
who killed my husband.

Mason thinks he's innocent.

Oh... That's all that matters.

What do you want here?

Do you know the names

of any of your husband's
close associates?

No.

Did he ever mention
a man named Riley?

No, no. Are you
sure, Mrs. Anderson?

This is very important.

No, I don't know. I don't know.

He never mentioned a
man named Riley, no.

Well, who are some
of the men he...?

That's, uh, pretty
expensive confetti.

Oh, that's stage money.

Sure had me fool...

Is there anything else I
can do for you, Mr. Drake?

I don't think so.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Mm-hm.

Well, I'd swear
that's what they were.

One hundred dollar
bills torn in half.

There must've been at
least five or six of them.

Oh, it couldn't be part
of the holdup money.

The police got all that.

Yes, Gertie?

Just a minute.

There's an Eddie
Merlin outside to see you.

Oh, yeah, he's that stool
pigeon I told you about.

I'll take him into my office.

Bring him in here.

Gertie, will you
send him in, please?

Well, if Eddie can't
help us, no one can.

He's the best songbird
in the business.

Hello, Eddie.

Eddie, this is Mr. Perry Mason

and Miss Della Street.

How do you do?

Hello.

Likewise. Come
on, Eddie, sit down.

What's on your mind, Mr. Drake?

What can you tell us
about Frank Anderson?

Let's go to your office.

You can trust them.

Frank Anderson?

Mm-hm.

Came from Chicago
about eight years ago.

Used to run with the
Willard mob there.

Was he ever mixed up
with a man named Riley?

Riley?

Uh... No.

You're not being
very helpful, Eddie.

Sorry, Mr. Drake.
That's how it goes.

Now, wait a minute.

That ring a bell?

What do you mean,
"Does that ring a bell"?

Well, that piece
by itself is no good.

Do you know anyone
that Anderson mistrusted

for one reason or another?

Mistrusted enough

not to pay him until
the job was done?

I don't think I follow you.

I think you do.

Sometimes a fella
likes to lush it up.

A guy'd be nuts to
pay him in advance.

What kind of fella?

There were a lot of guys.

Name one.

Arthur Crowley.

Crowley?

C-R-O-W-L-E-Y?

Yeah.

Thanks.

You can go out this way, Eddie.

Miss Gilbert did say the
man's name was Riley.

Riley, Crowley.
It's close enough.

You gotta find him, Paul.

How many men do
you want me to put on it?

All you need.

Now, lieutenant,

I show you this
crowbar or jimmy,

which has previously been
marked for identification,

"People's Exhibit A."

Have you ever seen it before?

Yes, I have.

When?

When I discovered the body,

I found this instrument,
uh, lying beside it.

Your Honor, I move
that this crowbar,

previously marked
for identification

"People's Exhibit A," be
accepted into evidence.

It will be accepted and
given the same number

as the mark for identification.

Concerning this
crowbar, lieutenant,

how are you able to identify it?

Well, from the
bloodstain markings,

which have not been removed.

Also you will notice initials
scratched on the handle: "A.R."

I call your attention now

to the search you made
of the defendant's rooms

and ask you to tell this
court what you found there.

Yes, I found a
couple of old safes,

some locks, tools,

and literature describing
how locks are made.

Uh, were the tools
marked in any way?

Yes, they all had the
initials A.R. etched on them.

The same marks that we
found on the murder weapon?

That's correct.

Lieutenant, did you
make a second visit

to the defendant's
rooms on August 4th?

Yes, I did.

For what purpose?

Well, we found,
uh, all the money

from the Hargrove
robbery except $12,000.

And what was the result
of your second search?

Well, we found
$12,000 in a bag of flour

in the defendant's kitchen.

I see.

Thank you, lieutenant.

You may cross-examine.

Now, lieutenant,

I take it you examined
the murder weapon

for fingerprints?

- Yes, I did.
- Were there any?

No, none at all.

Then this must've
been the result

of someone deliberately
wiping the fingerprints

off the murder weapon,
wouldn't you say?

Seems logical.

And does it also seem logical

that a man would
wipe his fingerprints

off an instrument
to avoid detection

and then leave that
instrument lying there

when it had his
own initials on it?

We'll object to
that, Your Honor.

Calls for a conclusion
of the witness.

I'll withdraw the question.

No further cross-examination.

Witness may stand down.

If it please the court,

my next witness is a
friend of the defendant,

and therefore may be hostile.

I respectfully request
latitude in questioning him.

We'll wait until
the situation arises.

Call your witness.

I call Mr. Joseph Kolichek
to the stand, please.

Mr. Kolichek, on the
28th day of last month,

two days before the robbery
of Hargrove and Company,

did you visit the
defendant at his home?

Yes.

And did you at that time
have a conversation with him

on the subject of money?

We had such a conversation, yes.

Would you please tell this court

what was said during
that conversation?

Mr. Renzi told me
he expected soon

a lot of money.

He would buy me a big present.

He would send his grandson Nicky

to a fine school.

But you must understand that...

I understand.

The defendant said
he was going to receive

a large sum of money soon.

Did he say how soon?

A couple of days.

So on the 28th of last month,

two days before the robbery,

the defendant said
he was gonna get

a large sum of money
in a couple of days.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Kolichek.

That's all.

Your witness.

Mr. Kolichek,

how often did
Mr. Renzi say to you

that he expected a lot of money?

Uh, hundreds of times.

Ever since I've
met him. For years.

For years.

And each time, did he say

he was expecting the
money in a few days?

Always.

He was going to get rich quick.

He believed it.

Did he tell you where the
money was coming from?

Of course.

His invention.

Thank you, Mr. Kolichek.
That will be all.

And what happened
then, Miss Gilbert?

Well, the gunman asked

for the combination to the safe.

Now, Mr. Hays is the only one

who knows the combination,

and he refused
to give it to him.

So then the gunman
turned to his partner,

the one he called Pop,

and said, "Give
it a whirl, Pop."

Those were his exact words?

Yes.

Is the man he addressed as Pop

in this courtroom?

Yes. Him.

Let the record show

that the witness
pointed to the defendant.

Thank you, Miss
Gilbert. Your witness.

Now, Miss Gilbert,

I have here a copy
of the daily paper

dated the morning
after the robbery.

I ask you to look at it

and identify this
photograph on the front page.

Why, it's a picture of me.

Yes, it is.

I notice in this picture that
you're not wearing glasses,

but right now you are.

Do you remember if you
were wearing your glasses

at the time of the robbery?

Uh... Yes, I was.

Are you sure?

Uh, well, it really doesn't
matter, Mr. Mason.

I can see perfectly
well either way.

Can you?

Would you be good enough

to remove your
glasses, Miss Gilbert?

Really.

Now, Miss Gilbert,
will you read that sign

at the back of the courtroom?

"No smoking by order
of fire commissioner."

Miss Gilbert, in addition

to identifying the man by sight,

you also claim to
have heard his voice?

I certainly did.

Miss Gilbert, do you
remember my visiting your office

the day after you
identified the defendant?

Yes, very clearly.

You seem to recall everything
quite clearly, Miss Gilbert.

Quite clearly, Mr. Mason.

Do you remember what time
you left your home that morning?

Ten past 8.

And how did you travel? By bus.

What time did you get the bus?
- 17.

Was the bus crowded?

Yes, it was.

Do you remember the temperature?

It was hot.

When you arrived at
your office, was it cooler?

Much.

Then the air
conditioner was working?

Well, of course!

I thought you
said it was broken?

It was just making
an awful noise.

But the air conditioner
itself wasn't affected.

Oh, now, you know
yourself, Mr. Mason,

that when you called on me,

you had to repeat
your questions.

But it was cool, wasn't it?

Yes, it was.

Thank you, Miss Gilbert.

No further questions.

You may stand down.

Well, there's no mistake
about it, Mr. Burger.

I had two different lock experts

look at this so-called
invention of Renzi's.

Does it work?

Apparently his interest in safes

is more criminal than academic.

Yeah? Just a second.

For you.

Tragg speaking.

Hi, lieutenant.
This is Eddie Merlin.

I got a little tip for you.

Talk to Sergeant Whittaker.

I did. He told
me to talk to you.

I know who was in on
the job with Anderson

at Hargrove and Company.

Yeah.

It was Arthur Crowley.

Sure, I'm sure!

But, Iris, Frank promised
me the other half of these bills.

I've gotta have 'em.

I'm hot, the police
are looking for me.

I wish them luck, Crowley.

I only hope when they get you,

they sweat you real good.

You don't understand.
I understand.

My husband's dead
and you got the crust

to come here for money.

I'm entitled to it. Sue me.

I'm not kidding, Iris.

Look, you crumb,
stay away from me.

I want my dough.

So help me, you
take another step

and I'll let you have it.

Hello?

Uh, yeah, I'd be
glad to see him.

Send him up.

If you know what's good for
you, Crowley, you'll clear out.

Was that the cops?

Why don't you stick
around and see?

Mr. Hays, you were
present in the office

at the time of the robbery?

Yes, sir, I was.

But at that time,

and later at the police lineup,

you were unable to
identify the defendant.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

I refused to make
an identification

until I was certain.

But have you since then

given the matter
some more thought?

I have.

And do you feel
the same way now?

I feel the same way about
not making an identification

unless I was certain.

But now I am certain.

I now can recognize the man
who was referred to as Pop.

Is that man in this courtroom?

He is.

Would you mind pointing
to him, please, sir?

He's the defendant,
Anthony Renzi.

Would you explain to this court

what caused you
to change your mind

in this matter?

Well, during the
course of the robbery,

one of the gunmen
hit me with his pistol

and knocked me out.

For a while after that,

I was sort of in
a state of shock.

But later on, I began to recall

something very
familiar about the man.

And you now recognize him?

I recognize him as the
man who visited our office

a few weeks before the robbery.

He visited your office?

Yes, sir. BURGER:
What did he want?

He came to my desk
and asked for information

about opening an account.

I gave it to him.

I was never there.

He's mixing me up
with the other fellow.

I know.

Mr. Hays, how many
people in your office

have the combination
to the safe?

I'm the only one who has
the combination to the safe.

That's done, of course,
for reasons of safety.

And could anyone else
possibly get that combination?

Absolutely not.

I see.

I have no further
questions, Mr. Hays.

Thank you very much, sir.

Your witness, counselor.

Mr. Mason, are you
ready to cross-examine?

If the court please,

this testimony comes
as a complete surprise.

May we request the privilege

of deferring cross-examination
of this witness?

Mr. Burger, have
you any objections?

No, Your Honor.

I'm most happy to give
the defense counsel

all possible latitude.

You may step down.

I call as my next
witness Arthur Crowley.

So you did know Frank Anderson,

the deceased?

Well, yeah, I... I knew him.

Would you describe
to the court, please,

what happened on
the day of July 29th,

the day before the robbery?

Well, like I said,

he came to my place,
and he had a guy with him.

Do you see this guy here?

Well, yeah.

He was the defendant,

Pop Renzi.

I see.

What did Anderson say to you?

Well, he asked me
to go along on a heist,

and I told him to forget it.

I told him I was
a three-time loser

and he was crazy even
to come and see me.

So you took no part
in the robbery at all?

No, sir, I did not.

Well, did Anderson
say anything else to you

about this so-called heist?

Well, he told me I
was a fool to pass it up.

He... He said he
had a great safe man.

Did he volunteer the name
of this great safe man?

Yeah.

He pointed at him.

And he said Pop Renzi.

That's all.

Your witness.

You... You've talked
about a conversation

between yourself and
a man named Anderson.

Can you tell us
what Pop Renzi said?

He didn't say nothing.

Not one single word? No.

Mr. Crowley, you
referred to yourself

as a three-time loser.

Now, undoubtedly, you've
taken the witness stand

in criminal actions
before, have you not?

Yeah, I've been a
witness before, sure.

Well, have you
on these occasions

ever incriminated anyone else?

I never put the finger
on anyone in my life.

But this occasion is different.

Is that because you know

the defendant is
not part of a mob

and you're not afraid of him?

No, it's because
I'm out on parole.

I gotta cooperate
with the police

if I wanna stay out.

You know that.

I know you seem to be
consorting with known criminals.

I can't help it if
Anderson looked me up.

I told him I wouldn't have
nothing to do with him,

and I didn't.

But you did talk to Anderson?

Well, I had to.

I... I couldn't slam
the door in his face.

Your Honor, may I have
a moment to confer?

Yes, yes, of course.

Mrs. Anderson, is there anything

you'd like to tell me
about this man Crowley?

You're knocking on the
wrong door, counselor.

But any case, you're
being very helpful.

What are you trying to pull?

Recognize this, Mr. Crowley?

You mean, those torn bills?

I mean, these torn bills.

I recognize they're torn.

Will you testify to this court

that you did not go up

to Frank Anderson's apartment

at a time subsequent
to the robbery?

I didn't see Frank Anderson.

I didn't ask you if you
saw Frank Anderson.

I asked you if you went up to
Frank Anderson's apartment.

Yeah, I went up there.

And did you have several
torn $100 bills with you?

Yeah, but that had nothing to do

with this robbery.

Then what did it
have to do with?

Well, Frank...

Frank asked me to
hold on to those torn bills

for a couple of days.

Have you any idea where
the money came from?

No, he... He just asked me
to do him a favor, that's all.

What favor?

Well, to... To... To
hold those torn bills.

You mean, he was willing
to trust you for favors?

Sure he was.

Then why did he
tear the bills in half?

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

That... That was
just Frank's way.

You were willing
to do him a favor,

but you refused to
do anything wrong,

is that it?

That's it.

You must be aware

that association
with known criminals

is a violation of your parole.

Is that wrong, Mr. Crowley?

I have no further
questions, Your Honor.

I would suggest
to the prosecution

that the testimony of this
witness be re-examined

and his contradictions

brought to the attention
of the parole board.

And then I, uh...

Then I was employed
for the next five years

by the Haines
Protection Company,

manufacturers of, uh,

time lock safes
and alarm systems.

And then after that,
my present employment.

If it please the court,

defense will stipulate Mr. Cagle

is a qualified
expert in his field.

Very well. Proceed, Mr. Burger.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Cagle, you've examined

the lock on the
safe in the office

of the Hargrove Finance Company?

Yes, sir, I have.

It operates on a
dial combination.

Would it be possible
to open that lock

without knowing the combination?

Mm, well, I would say
that if the lock was set,

it would take someone

with a great deal of experience

experimenting on
a similar type lock.

A great deal of experience
on a similar type of lock?

Yes, sir, that's right.

I now show you
this exact duplicate

of the safe
located in the office

of the Hargrove Finance Company.

With the court's permission,

I would like to ask
you to step down

and examine the
lock on this safe.

Permission is granted.

How long would it take
you to open this lock

without knowing the combination?

Well, with luck,

sometimes it could be
done in less than a minute.

But it could also take hours.

Let's take a couple of minutes
and see how your luck is.

I object, Your Honor,

on the grounds that this
is not the best evidence.

If Mr. Burger is
attempting to prove

that the safe at the
Hargrove Company office

can be opened by an expert,

I submit that we
must use the safe

at the Hargrove Company
office for this experiment.

But this safe is
identical with the one

at the Hargrove Company office.

Nevertheless, each safe is known

to have its own character
and present its own problems.

Well, if you think I'm
gonna ask this court

to waste its time by reconvening

at the Hargrove Company
office, I'd rather dispense

with the whole
demonstration altogether.

And I would prefer that you
allow the court to determine

when its time is being wasted.

If Your Honor please,

the defense is now most
anxious to accept Mr. Burger's offer

to demonstrate
how simply the safe

at the Hargrove Company
office can be opened by an expert.

Your Honor, the prosecution
could complete its case

in just a matter of minutes.

I think Mr. Mason
has every right

to insist upon his point.

Moreover, it is
the court's feeling

that time is never wasted
in the pursuance of justice.

This court,
therefore, will adjourn

and reconvene in the offices of
the Hargrove Finance Company

for the purpose of
taking further testimony.

Forty-seven seconds, Your Honor.

I guess luck was on my side.

In other words, it could
have taken much longer?

Oh, yes.

Would you say, Mr. Cagle,

that this represented
the average time

or less than the average?

I'm afraid I couldn't
answer that, Your Honor.

Since the average time is
so important, Your Honor,

I suggest we have Mr. Cagle
go through the operation again

to determine how long it
would take the second time.

If it please the court, I
think I've proved my point.

It seems hardly necessary

to go through the
whole experiment again.

Oh, I think we can spare
the minute it will take.

Go ahead, Mr. Cagle.

All right, Mr. Cagle,
I'll tell you when.

Now.

Who turned that on?

I did.

That's ridiculous,
Mr. Mason. Turn it off.

If Your Honor please,

defense was under the impression

that this experiment
was intended to be

an exact-conditions test.

And according to Miss
Gilbert's sworn testimony,

this air conditioner was on

and functioning in
exactly this manner

during the entire holdup.

Is that not correct,
Miss Gilbert?

Yes, it is.

Well, in that case, Mr. Cagle,

I suppose you'll have to proceed
under the prevailing conditions.

That's impossible.

How do you know until you try?

All right, Mr. Cagle.

Now.

It's impossible to hear a thing

under these
circumstances, Your Honor.

Would you say
under these conditions

that neither you nor anyone
else could possibly open this safe

if he did not know
the combination?

Completely impossible.

Now, Mr. Hays, you
testified that after the robbery,

you subsequently remembered

having seen the
defendant, Anthony Renzi,

in this office when he attempted

to open an account with you?

Is that correct?

That's right.

At that time, did you
give the defendant,

Anthony Renzi, the
combination to this safe?

Of course not!

But you just heard Mr. Cagle.

Without knowing the combination,
no one could open the safe

while the air
conditioner was on.

Yet you testified you
alone had the combination.

Next you'll be saying I
killed Frank Anderson.

I'm saying that now.

You killed Frank Anderson

because you thought
he'd double-crossed you

when you found the money
was missing at that old house.

How did you feel
when you learned

the money had been
taken by a 14-year-old boy?

How did you feel
when you learned

that you had committed
robbery and murder

and all for absolutely
nothing, Mr. Hays?

How did you feel?

You don't believe that,
do you, Mr. Mason?

There you are.

Oop.

Here.

Thank you.

Gramp!

Oh, Nicky, Nicky, Nicky.

Gee, Gramp, Miss
Street says it's all over.

You're not in trouble anymore.

That's right, Nick.

But how can I ever
repay Mr. Mason?

That I don't know.

Well, I'm gonna
take care of it, Gramp.

I told Miss Street
I'm gonna get a job.

Do you know how
long it would take to p...

Pay for the services of
a man like Mr. Mason?

Not long...

if you perfect your invention.

Ah! But it will be perfected!

That I promise.

It will work.

Well, then you'll both
have a lot of money.

Well, yeah, but when?

In a few days,
Nicky. A few days.