Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 2, Episode 6 - The Case of the Buried Clock - full transcript
While his father-in-law Dr. Blane who is chairman of the bank board talks with a bank officer, Jack Hardisty working at the bank calmly steals $100,000 in cash from the bank vault as he closes up and leaves the bank. He is to join his wife and Dr. Blane at his summer house for supper but is late. After he arrives, he has a chat with Dr. Blane which turns into a loud argument. Jack confesses he took the money and with bank examiners coming next week he would like Dr. Blane to help payback the money that he spent on gambling. Dr. Blane calls Perry to get Paul Drake to help investigate. Perry and Della will also visit Dr. Blane that evening to help. Paul's man lost Jack's trail so Paul goes to Jack's house where he finds Dr. Blane searching the house and Jack shot dead. They then call the Sheriff. The murder weapon turns out to be a pistol a neighbor loaned to Dr. Blane as well as Jack and Sue but was missing from Dr. Blane's car. Sue is having an affair with the neighbor Philip Strague. With Dr. Blane the only person who seems to have the time to kill Jack and the missing money, Dr. Blane is charged with murder.
Well, if you're going to be
at your lodge all summer,
Dr. Blane, I guess I'd
better not send any mail
to your house here in the city.
Well, no harm if you do.
The house here
in town is still open.
Sue likes to drop
in once in a while.
Glad to get away from
her house, I guess.
Come to think of it, I haven't
seen Sue for long time.
Me either.
Well, you know the old saying:
Marry a daughter,
lose a daughter.
I practically
wouldn't see her at all
if she and Jack weren't
spending the weekends
up at the lake with me.
Oh, uh, Jack.
This money is all in
order. Will you lock it up?
Sure thing, Mr. Randall.
How's that son-in-law
of mine behaving?
Oh, uh, he's doing fine.
That's the sickest "fine"
I've heard in a long time.
You don't have to
lie to me, Randall,
just because I'm
chairman of the board here.
♪ Big ones for me
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
♪ Big ones for me
Little ones for you ♪
♪ Big ones for me
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
♪ Little ones for you
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
Mm-hm.
Mm-hm.
Well, then you think I
should call the board meeting
after the bank examiners
are finished here next week?
Yes, I do.
Well, that's it, Mr. Randall,
all nailed down.
All right, Jack. See ya Monday.
Aren't you coming up to
the lake for the weekend?
Sure.
Got my bag all packed. See?
Sue went ahead without me.
Well, fine.
Will you be there for dinner?
Yeah, I think I will be.
But if I'm not, you go ahead
and start without me, hm?
Well, goodnight.
Well, where have you been?
I thought you were coming
straight from the bank.
Well, honey, I had
something to do.
Well, Jean and Phil
Strague are inside.
Will you try to be fairly
civil while they're here?
Well, Sue, when have I
ever been otherwise, huh?
Hi, Jean. Hi.
Phil.
Hi. Wanna shoot some bridge?
I'll even take my
sister as a partner.
Oh, Phil.
That sounds very exciting,
but there's something
else I gotta do right now.
Is your father
here? In the study.
Oh, uh, by the way,
honey, don't block the door.
I may come out
faster than I go in.
Oh, Jack.
Yeah?
Doc?
Well, who did you expect?
I got something to say to
ya, doc, if you got a minute.
All right. What is it?
Beautiful night, huh?
Yeah. What do you want?
That's doc, right
down to brass tacks.
No small talk.
Well, I guess maybe
it's the best idea.
Don't prolong the agony.
Uh, doc, I got a...
Kind of a confession to make.
What is it this time?
Well, the fact is, I
seem to have stolen
a little money from the bank.
I might have known.
How much?
Just about all of it, I guess.
All the cash, that is.
About a hundred grand.
What?! You miserable...
Now, doc, don't get upset.
You know how bad it is for ya.
I haven't spent it yet.
It's a good thing.
You'd better not, either.
That is, not all of it.
What do you mean?
Well, I kinda made some
investments, you know...
Investments! You
mean horse races.
Now, look, doc, you
play the stock market.
I mean, if you got a stock
that goes up, you win.
If it goes down, you lose.
Go on.
Well, it's gonna come to
light Monday, you know,
with the bank
examiners coming in,
so I thought, why be a piker?
So this afternoon I kinda
swept the cupboard clean.
Now, look, doc, don't get upset.
Nobody knows about it yet.
If you're half-way reasonable,
I think maybe we can make
some kind of an arrangement.
Okay?
And I'm sure you
wouldn't wanna drag Sue
through a mess like this.
After reviewing your
letter of the ninth,
I'm sure that this is
a reasonable solution
to the problem,
and that the matter
can be settled amicably
and out of court.
Yours sincerely.
Yes, Gertie.
Dr. Blane, of Bear Lake Valley.
Put him on, Gertie.
Good morning,
doctor. How are you?
Well, right at
this minute, Perry,
I'm just about ready to explode.
What's wrong?
Oh! It's that son-in-law
of mine, Jack Hardisty.
He never was any
good to begin with,
and now what's happened, well,
h-he's stolen some
money from the bank
where I got him the job.
How did you find out about it?
He told me and laughed.
Oh, he knows I
guaranteed his bond,
so he made me a proposition.
He said he'd return 75,000
if I'd make up the rest
and not prosecute.
Well, that's just
plain blackmail.
Has he been arrested?
No, not yet.
I'd like to get this
straightened out
without any publicity.
Look, didn't you tell me once
that there was a very good
private detective agency
that did all your work?
Yes, the Paul Drake Agency.
Would you like Paul
to get in touch with you?
I certainly would.
All right, you'll hear
from him shortly.
I think I'll take a
little trip up there too.
Blackmail can be a
pretty nasty business.
Too many cases
end in serious trouble.
Quite a house this Hardisty has.
Must be a lot of rich
people in this Sierra City.
I can't see much
of it from here.
Why don't you check the layout.
I'll stand by.
Okay.
Ah.
Hello?
Yeah?
Oh?
Where'd you get that idea?
Yeah?
Yeah, we can talk about it.
When?
Yeah. I'll be alone.
Okay, I'll be there.
Hi, Perry, Della.
Well, where's the
welcoming committee?
Dr. Blane inside? No, he's not.
Sue either, for that matter.
I got here about
ten minutes ago,
and the housekeeper
told me Dr. Blane left
about, oh, five
minutes before that.
Well, at least we
can go on inside.
Uh, just a second,
before you go in.
I've run into some trouble.
What is it?
Well, I had two
men tailing Hardisty.
One of them just called
and said they lost him.
Oh? When was this?
A little past 5.
Hardisty went through a signal
just as the light was changing,
so my men had to
go through on the red.
Might know, there was a
cop right there to pinch 'em.
Where'd it happen?
Los Angeles, near Union Station.
And you haven't been able to
pick up any trace of him since?
They figured Hardisty
might be about to skip out,
but Faulkner
checked all the trains.
No sign of him.
Well, um, what about his car?
No luck there either.
They checked all the
auto parks at Union Station.
You know how many
of those there are.
I know.
When Hardisty left his house,
was he carrying anything that
could have been the money?
Well, my man couldn't
see him too clearly,
so it's possible he could
have put something in the car.
It isn't a very likely
place to hide $100,000.
Hm.
What were you planning to do?
Well, I was going to Sierra City
in case Hardisty decided
to come back home.
He, uh, hasn't had
time to make it yet,
but he will have long
before I can get there.
All right, Paul.
Della and I'll be here.
We'll take any message
your men may call back.
Fine. See you later.
Who are you?
Paul Drake.
Oh. I'm Dr. Blane.
Look... Look what's happened.
I am.
It's Jack.
He's dead.
Yeah, so I see.
How did it happen?
Well, I don't know.
I-I-I just got here
about five minutes ago,
a-and there he was.
Have you called the police?
No.
W-well I was
looking for the money.
You gonna call 'em?
Unless you want to.
You should have already, doctor.
Believe me, we
have no other choice.
No.
No, of course not.
Go ahead.
No sign of a gun around here.
You, uh, looked
in both their cars?
Yes, sir.
Well, keep looking.
I'd hate not to find it.
We can't find the gun anywhere.
Well, whoever it was would
probably take the gun with him,
wouldn't he?
I guess so.
Do you have a gun, doc?
A pistol? Uh...
I know you wouldn't
shoot anybody,
but you understand I
gotta ask all these things.
Oh, sure, Bert. Of course.
No. No, I don't own a gun.
Maybe I better write
some of this down.
Now, when did
you get here, again?
Oh, about ten
minutes of 8, I'd say.
That's as close as I can tell.
Well, you didn't call us then.
No. No, I didn't.
Hi. Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't
know you had guests.
I've just been
resetting the cameras
and I-I thought I'd stop by
for a minute or two and...
Well, I-I think I'll...
Come on in. Heh.
As a matter of fact, we have
a rather distinguished guest.
Uh, Mr. Rodney Beaton,
this is Mr. Perry Mason.
Well, this is indeed
an honor, Mr. Mason.
I've heard a great deal
about you, of course.
I suppose everybody has.
Ah, thank you.
Your name is certainly
familiar to me, Mr. Beaton.
And Miss Street is
Mr. Mason's secretary.
Delighted. Rodney Beaton.
Haven't I seen some of your
photographs in Geographic?
Uh, wildlife, I believe.
It's wonderful to find somebody
that actually remembers
your work by name.
Rather compensates for
the, uh, paltry financial returns.
You said you were
resetting cameras?
Night shots?
Uh, yes.
I rig a camera with
a flash attachment
and focus it on some
spot on a game trail, or...
Or near a spring.
Then I run a thread
from the shutter release
down through a
little ring on the tripod
and across the trail.
Any animal that comes along
trips the shutter, and flash.
Excuse me.
Oh, Phil. Come on in.
This is our neighbor
on the other side.
Miss Street, may I
present Phil Strague...
Hello, Miss Street.
- -and Mr. Perry Mason, Phil.
How do you do? Mr. Strague.
Didn't Jean come with you?
No. I came by
earlier this evening
to see if I could
stir up some bridge,
but when I saw the
one strange car here...
It must have been
yours, Mr. Mason.
I went on back to my place.
I hope you'll be here tomorrow.
My sister'll die if she
doesn't get to meet you.
She's quite a fan of yours.
Thank you. I look forward to it.
Are you a photographer,
Mr. Strague?
No, I'm working on a
book, or supposed to be.
Uh, Mr. Beaton
was just telling us
about his wildlife
photography, that's why I asked.
Oh, Rod. I'm awfully sorry,
I'm afraid I spoiled
one of your pictures.
I must have got off
on the wrong trail
coming over earlier tonight,
and I set off a flashbulb.
Yes, I know.
I saw your tracks.
I think this is Dad.
Uh, Phil, you, uh, didn't trip
it again just now, did you?
No, I was careful this time.
Oh, Perry, am I glad to see you.
Dad, what is it?
Is something wrong?
Yes, honey, there is.
Jack's been... shot.
Is he...?
Now, come along, dear.
Maybe we'll be able to
get you a little something.
No! I'm all right.
Then I came on home.
I'm a little
surprised the sheriff
let you go so easily.
Why not?
He knows I
wouldn't kill anybody.
That's what I hate about this.
We've never had
any notoriety before.
Or anything like this, ever.
Well, you're in for
some now, I'm afraid.
But outside of that,
I don't think you have
much to worry about.
No.
Except, well, I'm a little
worried about Sue, Perry.
Oh, she... She didn't
do it, of course, but...
she won't tell me
where she was tonight.
And well, I... I did have
a gun, and it's gone.
I thought you told the
sheriff you did not have a gun.
No, I said I didn't own one.
I don't.
I did have one.
It belonged to Phil
Strague. He loaned it to us.
Who's "us"?
Oh, all three of us:
Jack, Sue and myself.
We were doing
some target shooting,
Rod Beaton and
Phil got us started,
and Phil let us have
this pistol to practice with.
Now it's gone.
When did you first miss it?
Just tonight.
When I looked in the glove
compartment of the car
where we kept it, it was gone.
And you think Sue took it?
Oh, no, no. Of
course she didn't.
But I can't help worrying.
Doctor, don't you know
that the sheriff is gonna learn
about that gun, even
if he doesn't find it?
Well, I...
I guess maybe he will, at that.
It was a serious mistake
not to tell him
about it tonight.
A mistake that
should be corrected.
Well... all right.
Della.
Do you want me to get
the sheriff on the phone?
Please.
Did anyone else know about
that money Hardisty stole?
Oh, sure.
Rod Beaton and the
Stragues were here last night.
And my daughter, of course.
And after I'd kicked Jack
out, I knew from their faces
they must have overheard
the fight, so I told 'em.
The Stragues and Beaton,
are they close friends?
No. Just neighbors.
They couldn't locate the sheriff
but I left word for
him to call here.
Good.
Did you make a date
with Jack Hardisty?
Did you call him before
you went to his house?
No.
How did you know he'd be there?
Well, I didn't.
I... I just assumed
he would, I guess.
Look, I was in such a
stew about this whole thing
that it finally got
too much for me,
so I just got in the
car and went down.
Yes, what is it?
Dad... the sheriff's here.
He wants to talk to you.
Well, ask him to come in, Sue.
Shall I tell him
about the pistol?
Tell him the exact
truth about everything,
unless I tell you not to answer.
All right.
Come on in, Bert. Hi, doc.
Mr. Mason, this is...
Sheriff Elmore and I have met.
Well, Mr. Mason, I never
expected to see you here.
Good to see you again, sheriff.
How do, Miss Street?
Hello, sheriff.
Come on in, Bert. What is it?
Is, uh, Mr. Mason your lawyer?
No, he's my friend.
He came up for the weekend.
I'd like to have
him stay, though,
if you wanna talk about
Jack's death anymore.
Oh, sure.
Sure, that's all right.
As a matter of fact, we
tried to get you on the phone.
Dr. Blane has something
he wants to clear up.
Oh? What's that?
Well... Well, you
see, Bert, um...
What I told you earlier...
That is, well, I don't
actually own a gun,
but I did have one in the car.
Oh, I know.
I should have told you.
But I was nervous
and... And upset.
Is it there now?
The gun, I mean?
No. It's gone.
Is this it?
Yes.
Where'd you find it?
Down at Jack Hardisty's.
One of my boys found
it in the fork of a tree.
Was it tested for fingerprints?
Yeah.
It had been wiped clean.
At least, I guess it had.
There weren't any prints.
What about ballistics tests?
We'll get to that first
thing in the morning.
Doc, your housekeeper said
you left here about quarter of 6.
Is that right?
Well, I'm not certain, but
that sounds about right.
And you said you
got down to Sierra City
about 10 minutes of 8.
Isn't that pretty slow?
Better than two hours.
It only took us an hour
and a half to come up.
Well, when I got
halfway down there,
I-I changed my
mind and turned back.
Have, um, you been having
any trouble with Jack Hardisty?
A little.
You see, I started
down to his place
to try to talk him
into something.
Then I realized it was hopeless.
That's when I turned back.
But as I was driving along,
I suddenly remembered this
gun in the glove compartment.
And I thought if I
took it in there with me
and pretended to get real mad,
maybe I could scare him into it.
So I turned around again
and started back.
But when I got there
and looked for this
pistol, it was gone.
Well, uh, what was this you
were trying to talk him into?
He'd stolen some
money from the bank.
Well...
maybe we'd better
sit down for a minute.
But Dad couldn't
possibly have done it.
You know that, Mr. Mason.
It's just insane.
We know that, Sue,
but we must consider
how the facts appear
to the district attorney.
I met Mr. Hale. He's
a fine prosecutor.
But Dad just
couldn't kill anyone.
Mr. Hale must know that.
Dad's a doctor.
He's been saving lives too
long to take one. Anyone's.
I know.
Speaking of your father...
he's very upset
that you wouldn't say
where you were last night.
Would you tell me?
Mr. Mason, I wasn't anywhere
near my house last night.
There's no use telling
you where I was,
because I can't prove it...
and it would be embarrassing.
Listen to me, Sue.
If I'm gonna help your father,
I'm gonna need your
help, everything you know.
If it has nothing to
do with this case,
I assure you it
will go no further.
Well...
for a long time now, there's...
been nothing
between Jack and me.
I'd have divorced him,
but he threatened
to make a scandal,
for no reason, really...
then.
But lately...
I've been seeing Phil Strague.
We've been meeting
at Dad's house...
The one in Sierra City, that is.
And you went out
there last night?
Yes, but he didn't come.
Oh, we got mixed up, I guess.
He said he thought we
were to meet up here.
So if it turns out I
should need an alibi...
I guess I'm out of luck.
Well...
that was the district
attorney on the phone.
We've agreed to a preliminary
hearing Tuesday of next week.
Will that give you enough time
to check on the people
we're interested in?
I hope so.
Perry, did you point out that
it makes absolutely no sense
for Dr. Blane to have
killed Hardisty for $100,000,
which he will just have to
return to the bank anyway?
Yes, but the district attorney
had another angle on that, Paul.
He said there was
only Dr. Blane's word
that Hardisty had
stolen the money,
that Dr. Blane could have been
in league with his son-in-law.
He played the
market extensively.
He might have cooked up
this story to cover his crime.
That could be.
Well, anything else in here?
Yeah. Here is a funny thing.
The only fingerprints
in the Hardisty house
were Hardisty's,
Sue's and Dr. Blane's.
And one thing more:
In the dish drainer,
there were three washed glasses.
Is that all?
Yeah, that's it.
Now, you want me
to check on everyone
who knew Hardisty had the money.
Well, it'll give us a motive
for someone to
have killed Hardisty.
The only problem is
to find the someone
who had the opportunity.
Except for your client and
his daughter, you mean.
Yeah. Except for my
client and his daughter.
Morning, Della.
Morning, doctor.
Good morning, doctor.
You certainly look calm enough.
Why not? The whole thing's
ridiculous in the first place,
and Darwin Hale knows it.
Bert Elmore too,
for that matter.
Good morning, Mr. Mason.
Welcome to Sierra County again.
Good to see you again, Mr. Hale.
Dr. Blane.
Everybody rise
and face the flag.
Now then, Dr. Ritchie,
did you examine the
body of the deceased
as soon as you
arrived on the scene?
I did. From your examination,
could you determine
the time of death?
Yes, fairly accurately,
as it happens.
I arrived shortly
after the shooting
and made a careful examination
of the body as to temperature,
blood coagulation and
certain other medical tests.
In my opinion, the death
occurred between 7:35 and 7:45,
or approximately at 7:40.
If it please the court,
I agree with Dr. Ritchie
that the physical evidence
bears out his conclusion.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
Now, Dr. Ritchie,
I believe you also
performed the autopsy,
to determine the cause of death?
That's right.
Death was instantaneous,
caused by a gunshot wound.
Did you remove the fatal bullet?
Yes, I turned it over
to the ballistics expert
in the sheriff's office.
Now, then, Dr. Ritchie,
did your autopsy
disclose any condition
which you might regard
as unusual or unexpected?
Yes, sir. A drug had
been administered.
Scopolamine.
Will you please
describe the nature
of this scopolamine
drug to the court?
Well, it, uh...
submerges certain
inhibitory areas of the brain
without affecting
other functions.
Might it be used as
sort of a truth serum?
Yes, definitely, in some cases.
It leaves the memory, hearing
and powers of speech unimpaired.
However, it's not as
dependable as sodium pentothal.
Well, would it have an
advantage over sodium pentothal
in some other way?
Yes.
The pentothal
requires an injection,
whereas the scopolamine
could be given in a drink.
How long does it
take to have effect?
Oh, 20 to 30 minutes.
Can you say definitely
how the scopolamine
was administered
to the deceased?
Yes. Orally.
Thank you, Dr. Ritchie.
Cross-examine.
No questions.
I call as my next witness,
Sheriff Bert Elmore.
You may be excused, doctor.
Sheriff, did you make
a test of the driving time
between the defendant's lodge
and the home of the decedent?
Yes, sir. Driving normally,
never exceeding the speed limit,
the exact time was one
hour and 31 minutes.
I see.
Now, Dr. Blane's housekeeper
testified he left home at 5:45.
Waiting one hour and 31 minutes,
we get 7:16, I believe.
Sheriff, did Dr. Blane tell
you what time he arrived
at the home of the decedent?
Yes, he said he got
there at 10 minutes of 8.
Seven-fifty.
Yes, sir.
Now, on Sunday, the day after
Jack Hardisty was murdered,
did you have your men
search the defendant's lodge
at Bear Valley Lake?
Yes, sir.
Did they find
anything significant?
Well, they found a little
bottle of scopolamine
in the doctor's cabinet.
Thank you.
Will you examine, Mr. Mason?
Sheriff, I believe you testified
that you found half
a bottle of whiskey
in the kitchen of the
decedent's house?
That's right.
Now, the three glasses
you found in the dish drainer,
did they show any
traces of whiskey?
No, sir.
Traces of scopolamine?
No, sir.
Thank you, sheriff.
No further questions.
Now, Mr. Strague, I
show you this pistol,
introduced in evidence
as people's exhibit A
and identified as
the murder weapon.
And I ask, do you recognize it?
Yes. It's mine.
In whose possession
was it when last you saw it?
Dr. Blane's.
I loaned it to him.
Your witness.
Thank you.
Oh, uh, excuse me.
Thank you.
Mr. Strague, in lending
this pistol to Dr. Blane,
weren't you actually lending it
to Sue and Jack
Hardisty as well?
Oh, sure, all of them.
And they all knew
where the pistol was kept?
Yes, in the glove
compartment of the doctor's car.
And you knew, of course.
Anyone else know?
Well, I guess Rodney Beaton did.
I object, Your Honor.
This is an assumption.
Strike the answer.
Very well.
Thank you,
Mr. Strague. That's all.
You may step down, Mr. Strague.
Miss Strague, you
heard the testimony
regarding scopolamine? Yes.
Did you know anything about
scopolamine before today?
Oh, well, yes, I did.
There was an article about it
in a magazine
over at Dr. Blane's,
about its being a truth drug.
We were all discussing it.
Now, uh, at this time,
did you know about the money
Dr. Blane said had been stolen?
Yes.
You'll have to pardon this
next question, Miss Strague,
but I want to establish
exactly where everyone was
at the time of the murder,
particularly the people
who knew the victim
might have a large sum
of money in his possession.
Therefore I ask, where
were you at this time?
I was at our cabin.
Did you see or talk to
anyone who can confirm this?
Well, yes, my brother.
We were together all evening,
in fact, until about 10,
except for a few minutes
when he went over to the Blanes'
to see if anyone
wanted to play bridge.
Thank you, Miss Strague.
Your witness.
As I understand
it, Miss Strague,
your brother can
confirm your alibi,
and you, of course,
can confirm his.
Is that right? Yes.
Well, now, with no intention
of discounting the value
of this mutual protection,
may I ask if there
is someone else
who can confirm your story?
No, there isn't.
Thank you. That's all.
You may step down, Miss Strague.
Your Honor, since
counsel for the defendant
has questioned Miss Strague's
account of her whereabouts
at the time of the murder,
and in connection with this,
I should like to recall
Mr. Philip Strague to the stand.
Very well.
Will you return to the
stand, please, Mr. Strague?
Mr. Strague, will you tell
the court where you were
on the evening of this
murder from, say, 6:00 until 10?
Well, I spent most of
the time at the cabin,
except for a few minutes
that I went over to
Dr. Blane's house.
But I noticed a
strange car outside,
and I realized they had
company, so I went back home.
Then I went over later too.
But that was about 10, I think.
Do you recall about
what time it was
when you went over to
Dr. Blane's the first time?
Oh, 7:30, 8, somewhere
around there, I guess.
Was your sister
there with you at home
before you went over to
Dr. Blane's this first time?
Yes, sir, the whole time.
Was she there when you got back?
Yes, sir.
Now, Mr. Strague,
when you went over to
Dr. Blane's the first time,
about 7:30 or 8, do you
recall anything happening
which was unusual
or out of the ordinary?
Well, no. I don't seem to...
Oh, I accidentally
set off one of Rod's...
Mr. Beaton's.
Flash things. Bulbs.
I got off on the wrong trail.
Was there any mention made
of this when you went back
to Dr. Blane's later
in the evening?
The second time.
Yes, I told Rod about it.
Was there anyone else
present when you told Mr. Beaton
you had accidentally
tripped his flash?
Your Honor, on
the ground it calls
for self-serving declaration,
that question is objected to.
However, if it please the court,
since I was there myself,
I withdraw the objection.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
You may answer the
question, Mr. Strague.
Yes, sir. Sue... Mrs. Hardisty.
Was there, and Mr. Mason,
and his secretary, Miss Street.
I see.
Now, Mr. Strague, I
show you this picture
and ask, do you recognize it?
Why, that's me.
Did I take this when
I tripped the flash?
Yes, I guess it would.
Then it is a
picture of yourself?
Yes, that's me.
Your Honor, I ask
that this photograph
be accepted in evidence
as people's exhibit C.
I will later present testimony
identifying it positively
and tying it in as to
exact time and place.
Mr. Mason?
No objection.
Mr. Drake, when you arrived
at the decedent's house at 7:55,
was the defendant there?
Yes, he was. What was he doing?
Looking around.
Wasn't he searching the place?
He said he was.
Did he say how
long he'd been there?
Yes. Five minutes.
And he hadn't called the police?
He hadn't? I'm
asking you, Mr. Drake.
Had he? I don't know.
Mr. Drake, did the defendant
say he had not called the police?
Yes.
Thank you.
Your witness, counselor.
Mr. Drake, when
Dr. Blane told you
that he'd been at the Hardisty
house only five minutes,
did you make any effort
to determine the accuracy
or inaccuracy of his statement?
Yes, I did. What did you do?
Immediately after
I called the police,
I went out to check
the defendant's car.
I felt the hood on the outside,
lifted it, sniffed the air in
the engine compartment,
felt the radiator,
the cylinder head
and the exhaust manifold.
At the time of this examination
of the defendant's car,
how long would you say
the motor had been idle?
Eight or nine minutes,
not over 14 at the
outside or under six.
Thank you,
Mr. Drake. That's all.
Does the district attorney
have any further questions?
Yes, if the court
please, one or two.
Mr. Drake,
as practiced as you've
become in these estimates,
they are nevertheless
still estimates, are they not,
as distinguished, say,
from measurements?
Yes.
Now, Mr. Drake, I
may assume, I trust,
that when you work for someone,
you try to give them dependable,
thoroughly loyal service?
Yes, sir.
And at the time you
made this estimate,
you were employed
by the defendant
at a very generous rate of pay?
But that would
in no way affect...
The question requires only a
simple yes or no, Mr. Drake.
Yes.
Thank you.
Make it about 15 feet, Della.
All right.
Sorry I'm late, but I
stopped to bring some lunch.
Hi, Paul. Watch
out for the thread!
Make yourself
comfortable, won't you?
I, uh, have some more
recent dope on the Stragues.
As you remember,
all we knew before
was that he'd been in the Navy
and was discharged
eight years ago.
Yes.
The Stragues came to Sierra
City from the Bay Area not long ago.
It seems that Phil Strague
was on very friendly terms
with a married woman
there, one of the old families.
Now, we don't know
exactly what happened,
but we do know that they
left the Bay Area suddenly
and bought a new
car shortly afterward.
Paul, do you have any contacts
in the post office department?
Yeah, I, uh... I know
an inspector pretty well.
Perhaps you can find
out if Hardisty rented a box
in the main post office
next to Union Station
between 5:05 and
5:20 on that day.
If he did, I'd like to find out
if there's any mail in that box.
All right, I'll get right on it.
Perry, is this what
you're thinking:
That Hardisty was
killed about 7:30,
but in order to be
given the scopolamine
and have time
for it to take effect,
he had to be home
no later than 7?
Now, if he had just
moved the money...
But, uh, why would
he rent a box?
After all, he can't
put $100,000 in it.
He could have used
it to send himself a key
or a claim check.
But suppose somebody had
given Hardisty this truth serum
to get him to tell where
he had hidden the money,
and he told them where
he'd hidden the money
in the first place:
in his own home.
Actually, he'd
moved it after that.
But they killed him,
and when they went
to look for the money,
it was gone, and they
haven't been able to find it yet.
I agree with you, Della.
That's exactly how it happened.
Well, I finally
figured that one out.
Or wait a minute, does
that get us any closer
as to who killed Hardisty?
Not a bit closer.
Come on, Della.
Have yourself a nice picnic.
Mr. Beaton, on
the Saturday night
Jack Hardisty was killed,
were you sitting
on your cabin porch
watching for a photoflash,
as you described?
Yes.
Did you see any? Yes, I did.
Do you recall about what
time it was you saw this flash?
Yes, it was about 7:30.
I see.
Mr. Beaton, I show
you this photograph,
the people's
exhibit C, and I ask:
Is it a print from the same
negative exposed in this camera
about 7:30 the night
Jack Hardisty was killed?
Yes, it is.
Thank you. That's all.
Cross-examine.
Mr. Beaton, how long were
you on your cabin porch
the night of the murder?
From, uh, 6 until nearly 10.
Did you see anyone or
talk to anyone at that time
who can confirm this?
Well, no, um...
I saw the flash when
Phil... I mean, Mr. Strague.
Tripped the camera at
7:30, and I made a note of it,
and he can confirm that time.
Mr. Strague testified
that he mentioned
that fact to you
later that same night.
Wasn't that the first time
that you knew that he
tripped your camera?
Oh, no.
I knew it when I
reset the camera,
before I even saw him.
I could see his tracks.
Would you describe
these tracks for us?
You're an experienced
tracker, I take it?
Yes. Fair.
Well, nothing
unusual. Clear enough.
He was just walking right along,
heading down toward
Dr. Blane's lodge.
A deer came along after he did.
I see.
Your Honor, may I have a moment?
Of course, Mr. Mason.
Perry, your hunch was right.
Hardisty did rent a
post box that afternoon,
and there's one letter in it,
addressed simply
to the box number.
Mr. Beaton, how long does it
take you to reset your camera?
Oh, not long... One
moment, please.
For the sake of clarity,
would Your Honor permit
Mr. Beaton to
demonstrate as he testifies?
I don't think the prosecution
could object to that.
You may step down, Mr. Beaton.
Well, first of all, of course,
I put in a new flashbulb.
Then I re-cock the shutter,
and turn over the film holder.
Withdraw the slide... so.
If the thread is broken,
I have to attach a
new one to this trip arm
that operates the
flash and the shutter.
I string it down the tripod
leg and out across the trail
to where I tie it off.
All right?
You, uh, don't change the
focus or the diaphragm opening
or something of that nature?
No, no. That's all set,
and I leave it alone.
I believe you told
me that you shoot
with the lens
practically wide open.
Yes, I usually shoot
at f4. The lens is 3.5.
Thank you, Mr. Beaton.
That's all.
Your Honor, that will
conclude our case.
Very well.
Does counsel for the defendant
wish to present any
evidence in this case?
Naturally, it's only a
preliminary hearing,
and while the people's case
is by no means conclusive,
as matters stand, the court
would consider it mandatory
to bond the
defendant over for trial,
and it would require
really conclusive evidence
on his behalf to
alter this opinion.
I appreciate the
court's frankness.
I have no wish to put on a
case or call a lot of witnesses.
However, as long as
the witnesses are present,
I should like to
recall one of them
to complete the
development of a certain point.
Very well. Proceed.
Will Mr. Philip Strague
please return to the stand?
Mr. Strague, I just want
to check on a point or two
in connection with the
flash picture taken of you
by Mr. Beaton's camera.
Yes, sir.
As I recall your
earlier testimony,
you said that this happened
while you were on your
way to Dr. Blane's lodge
about 7:30 that night.
Yes, sir.
Now, referring to your tracks,
which Mr. Beaton says he saw,
I believe he testified
that there was nothing
unusual in them,
that you were just
walking right along,
headed for Dr. Blane's.
Now, does that agree
with your recollection?
Yes.
Would you tell me why?
Why what?
Would you tell me why
those tracks showed
that you were just
walking right along?
Well, because that's
what I was doing.
I don't understand. Why not?
If I were walking along
in the woods at night,
and suddenly the blinding
brightness of a flashbulb
exploded in my face,
I believe it would
startle me, Mr. Strague.
Yet apparently, on
the night in question,
this did not startle you at all.
I ask you, why not?
Well... I don't know.
I guess I was thinking
about something.
Concentrating, you know.
But you not only did not stop,
you did not even slow down.
Well, it didn't matter
much, I guess,
not being able to see,
dark as it was anyhow.
I believe you know a good deal
about photography, Mr. Strague,
having served in the
Navy as a photographer.
Oh. Oh, yes. That was
such a long time ago,
I've forgotten
most of it, probably.
While we're at it, haven't
you forgotten something else?
How do you mean?
Haven't you forgotten
to tell this court
that Jean Strague
is not your sister
but is, in reality, your wife?
Haven't you?
I didn't think it
was n-necessary.
But you haven't
forgotten that she is.
No, sir.
Let's see how much of your
photography you can remember.
For instance, if you stop
a lens down to f22 or 32
without changing
the shutter speed,
you will virtually
eliminate any exposure.
Does that sound right?
I... guess so.
Of course you know
that you can replace
one film holder with another.
I guess.
And let us suppose that
early on the night in question,
you stopped down the
lens on Mr. Beaton's camera,
replaced the film holder
with one that contained
an exposed shot of yourself.
Thus when the camera
was tripped at 7:30,
Mr. Beaton saw the flash,
but no picture of you
was taken at that time,
because at that time
you were actually engaged
in the murder of Jack Hardisty.
That's a lie.
It's just a wild piece of
invention, and you know it!
Even if that could be done
to a camera, I couldn't do it!
How could I trip
the flash at 7:30
and be somewhere
else at the same time?
It wouldn't be difficult
at all, Mr. Strague.
If Your Honor please, may
I demonstrate this point?
Yes, Mr. Mason.
I'd like to see
how this is done.
Now, Mr. Strague,
suppose you had set this alarm
so that it would go off at 7:30.
And then you had attached the...
trip cord from the camera...
to the alarm winding key.
And then you had
buried the clock facedown
very near the camera.
Now, when the alarm went off
and tripped the camera, you...
and your wife were at
Jack Hardisty's home,
having made a date
with him there for 7:30.
Which one of you did
the killing, Mr. Strague?
No! You can't drag me into this!
I went along with
the scopolamine
to get the money,
but I wanted no
part of the murder!
No! No, I tell you! It's a lie!
He can't prove that!
He can't prove a thing!
Your Honor, the defense rests.
Perry, come on, now, admit it.
When you started on your
cross-examination of Beaton,
you had no idea how
that footprint business
was gonna turn out.
Of course. I was lucky, Paul.
Thanks.
You know, cross-examination
is like prospecting.
You see something
that looks promising,
you work a vein
for all it's worth.
If you're lucky, you
may hit a bonanza.
In a way, it's no different
from what the
Stragues were doing.
They started with a badger
game to shake down Sue Hardisty,
and then went on to
bigger and better things
when they saw Jack
Hardisty with all that money.
Yes, Gertie?
Dr. Blane.
Put him on, Gertie.
Hello, doctor.
Well, good.
Yes, I guess we were all lucky.
Of course I will.
Thanks for calling.
Well, they found the money.
Hardisty put it in a bag that
he checked at Union Station.
Then he mailed the
baggage check to himself
in care of that post
office box he rented.
That's it.
It all proves one thing:
Strague made his biggest
mistake when he buried the clock.
Everybody knows
that's no way to kill time.
Ooh. Ooh.
No.
at your lodge all summer,
Dr. Blane, I guess I'd
better not send any mail
to your house here in the city.
Well, no harm if you do.
The house here
in town is still open.
Sue likes to drop
in once in a while.
Glad to get away from
her house, I guess.
Come to think of it, I haven't
seen Sue for long time.
Me either.
Well, you know the old saying:
Marry a daughter,
lose a daughter.
I practically
wouldn't see her at all
if she and Jack weren't
spending the weekends
up at the lake with me.
Oh, uh, Jack.
This money is all in
order. Will you lock it up?
Sure thing, Mr. Randall.
How's that son-in-law
of mine behaving?
Oh, uh, he's doing fine.
That's the sickest "fine"
I've heard in a long time.
You don't have to
lie to me, Randall,
just because I'm
chairman of the board here.
♪ Big ones for me
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
♪ Big ones for me
Little ones for you ♪
♪ Big ones for me
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
♪ Little ones for you
Da-da dum, da-da dum ♪
Mm-hm.
Mm-hm.
Well, then you think I
should call the board meeting
after the bank examiners
are finished here next week?
Yes, I do.
Well, that's it, Mr. Randall,
all nailed down.
All right, Jack. See ya Monday.
Aren't you coming up to
the lake for the weekend?
Sure.
Got my bag all packed. See?
Sue went ahead without me.
Well, fine.
Will you be there for dinner?
Yeah, I think I will be.
But if I'm not, you go ahead
and start without me, hm?
Well, goodnight.
Well, where have you been?
I thought you were coming
straight from the bank.
Well, honey, I had
something to do.
Well, Jean and Phil
Strague are inside.
Will you try to be fairly
civil while they're here?
Well, Sue, when have I
ever been otherwise, huh?
Hi, Jean. Hi.
Phil.
Hi. Wanna shoot some bridge?
I'll even take my
sister as a partner.
Oh, Phil.
That sounds very exciting,
but there's something
else I gotta do right now.
Is your father
here? In the study.
Oh, uh, by the way,
honey, don't block the door.
I may come out
faster than I go in.
Oh, Jack.
Yeah?
Doc?
Well, who did you expect?
I got something to say to
ya, doc, if you got a minute.
All right. What is it?
Beautiful night, huh?
Yeah. What do you want?
That's doc, right
down to brass tacks.
No small talk.
Well, I guess maybe
it's the best idea.
Don't prolong the agony.
Uh, doc, I got a...
Kind of a confession to make.
What is it this time?
Well, the fact is, I
seem to have stolen
a little money from the bank.
I might have known.
How much?
Just about all of it, I guess.
All the cash, that is.
About a hundred grand.
What?! You miserable...
Now, doc, don't get upset.
You know how bad it is for ya.
I haven't spent it yet.
It's a good thing.
You'd better not, either.
That is, not all of it.
What do you mean?
Well, I kinda made some
investments, you know...
Investments! You
mean horse races.
Now, look, doc, you
play the stock market.
I mean, if you got a stock
that goes up, you win.
If it goes down, you lose.
Go on.
Well, it's gonna come to
light Monday, you know,
with the bank
examiners coming in,
so I thought, why be a piker?
So this afternoon I kinda
swept the cupboard clean.
Now, look, doc, don't get upset.
Nobody knows about it yet.
If you're half-way reasonable,
I think maybe we can make
some kind of an arrangement.
Okay?
And I'm sure you
wouldn't wanna drag Sue
through a mess like this.
After reviewing your
letter of the ninth,
I'm sure that this is
a reasonable solution
to the problem,
and that the matter
can be settled amicably
and out of court.
Yours sincerely.
Yes, Gertie.
Dr. Blane, of Bear Lake Valley.
Put him on, Gertie.
Good morning,
doctor. How are you?
Well, right at
this minute, Perry,
I'm just about ready to explode.
What's wrong?
Oh! It's that son-in-law
of mine, Jack Hardisty.
He never was any
good to begin with,
and now what's happened, well,
h-he's stolen some
money from the bank
where I got him the job.
How did you find out about it?
He told me and laughed.
Oh, he knows I
guaranteed his bond,
so he made me a proposition.
He said he'd return 75,000
if I'd make up the rest
and not prosecute.
Well, that's just
plain blackmail.
Has he been arrested?
No, not yet.
I'd like to get this
straightened out
without any publicity.
Look, didn't you tell me once
that there was a very good
private detective agency
that did all your work?
Yes, the Paul Drake Agency.
Would you like Paul
to get in touch with you?
I certainly would.
All right, you'll hear
from him shortly.
I think I'll take a
little trip up there too.
Blackmail can be a
pretty nasty business.
Too many cases
end in serious trouble.
Quite a house this Hardisty has.
Must be a lot of rich
people in this Sierra City.
I can't see much
of it from here.
Why don't you check the layout.
I'll stand by.
Okay.
Ah.
Hello?
Yeah?
Oh?
Where'd you get that idea?
Yeah?
Yeah, we can talk about it.
When?
Yeah. I'll be alone.
Okay, I'll be there.
Hi, Perry, Della.
Well, where's the
welcoming committee?
Dr. Blane inside? No, he's not.
Sue either, for that matter.
I got here about
ten minutes ago,
and the housekeeper
told me Dr. Blane left
about, oh, five
minutes before that.
Well, at least we
can go on inside.
Uh, just a second,
before you go in.
I've run into some trouble.
What is it?
Well, I had two
men tailing Hardisty.
One of them just called
and said they lost him.
Oh? When was this?
A little past 5.
Hardisty went through a signal
just as the light was changing,
so my men had to
go through on the red.
Might know, there was a
cop right there to pinch 'em.
Where'd it happen?
Los Angeles, near Union Station.
And you haven't been able to
pick up any trace of him since?
They figured Hardisty
might be about to skip out,
but Faulkner
checked all the trains.
No sign of him.
Well, um, what about his car?
No luck there either.
They checked all the
auto parks at Union Station.
You know how many
of those there are.
I know.
When Hardisty left his house,
was he carrying anything that
could have been the money?
Well, my man couldn't
see him too clearly,
so it's possible he could
have put something in the car.
It isn't a very likely
place to hide $100,000.
Hm.
What were you planning to do?
Well, I was going to Sierra City
in case Hardisty decided
to come back home.
He, uh, hasn't had
time to make it yet,
but he will have long
before I can get there.
All right, Paul.
Della and I'll be here.
We'll take any message
your men may call back.
Fine. See you later.
Who are you?
Paul Drake.
Oh. I'm Dr. Blane.
Look... Look what's happened.
I am.
It's Jack.
He's dead.
Yeah, so I see.
How did it happen?
Well, I don't know.
I-I-I just got here
about five minutes ago,
a-and there he was.
Have you called the police?
No.
W-well I was
looking for the money.
You gonna call 'em?
Unless you want to.
You should have already, doctor.
Believe me, we
have no other choice.
No.
No, of course not.
Go ahead.
No sign of a gun around here.
You, uh, looked
in both their cars?
Yes, sir.
Well, keep looking.
I'd hate not to find it.
We can't find the gun anywhere.
Well, whoever it was would
probably take the gun with him,
wouldn't he?
I guess so.
Do you have a gun, doc?
A pistol? Uh...
I know you wouldn't
shoot anybody,
but you understand I
gotta ask all these things.
Oh, sure, Bert. Of course.
No. No, I don't own a gun.
Maybe I better write
some of this down.
Now, when did
you get here, again?
Oh, about ten
minutes of 8, I'd say.
That's as close as I can tell.
Well, you didn't call us then.
No. No, I didn't.
Hi. Hi.
Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't
know you had guests.
I've just been
resetting the cameras
and I-I thought I'd stop by
for a minute or two and...
Well, I-I think I'll...
Come on in. Heh.
As a matter of fact, we have
a rather distinguished guest.
Uh, Mr. Rodney Beaton,
this is Mr. Perry Mason.
Well, this is indeed
an honor, Mr. Mason.
I've heard a great deal
about you, of course.
I suppose everybody has.
Ah, thank you.
Your name is certainly
familiar to me, Mr. Beaton.
And Miss Street is
Mr. Mason's secretary.
Delighted. Rodney Beaton.
Haven't I seen some of your
photographs in Geographic?
Uh, wildlife, I believe.
It's wonderful to find somebody
that actually remembers
your work by name.
Rather compensates for
the, uh, paltry financial returns.
You said you were
resetting cameras?
Night shots?
Uh, yes.
I rig a camera with
a flash attachment
and focus it on some
spot on a game trail, or...
Or near a spring.
Then I run a thread
from the shutter release
down through a
little ring on the tripod
and across the trail.
Any animal that comes along
trips the shutter, and flash.
Excuse me.
Oh, Phil. Come on in.
This is our neighbor
on the other side.
Miss Street, may I
present Phil Strague...
Hello, Miss Street.
- -and Mr. Perry Mason, Phil.
How do you do? Mr. Strague.
Didn't Jean come with you?
No. I came by
earlier this evening
to see if I could
stir up some bridge,
but when I saw the
one strange car here...
It must have been
yours, Mr. Mason.
I went on back to my place.
I hope you'll be here tomorrow.
My sister'll die if she
doesn't get to meet you.
She's quite a fan of yours.
Thank you. I look forward to it.
Are you a photographer,
Mr. Strague?
No, I'm working on a
book, or supposed to be.
Uh, Mr. Beaton
was just telling us
about his wildlife
photography, that's why I asked.
Oh, Rod. I'm awfully sorry,
I'm afraid I spoiled
one of your pictures.
I must have got off
on the wrong trail
coming over earlier tonight,
and I set off a flashbulb.
Yes, I know.
I saw your tracks.
I think this is Dad.
Uh, Phil, you, uh, didn't trip
it again just now, did you?
No, I was careful this time.
Oh, Perry, am I glad to see you.
Dad, what is it?
Is something wrong?
Yes, honey, there is.
Jack's been... shot.
Is he...?
Now, come along, dear.
Maybe we'll be able to
get you a little something.
No! I'm all right.
Then I came on home.
I'm a little
surprised the sheriff
let you go so easily.
Why not?
He knows I
wouldn't kill anybody.
That's what I hate about this.
We've never had
any notoriety before.
Or anything like this, ever.
Well, you're in for
some now, I'm afraid.
But outside of that,
I don't think you have
much to worry about.
No.
Except, well, I'm a little
worried about Sue, Perry.
Oh, she... She didn't
do it, of course, but...
she won't tell me
where she was tonight.
And well, I... I did have
a gun, and it's gone.
I thought you told the
sheriff you did not have a gun.
No, I said I didn't own one.
I don't.
I did have one.
It belonged to Phil
Strague. He loaned it to us.
Who's "us"?
Oh, all three of us:
Jack, Sue and myself.
We were doing
some target shooting,
Rod Beaton and
Phil got us started,
and Phil let us have
this pistol to practice with.
Now it's gone.
When did you first miss it?
Just tonight.
When I looked in the glove
compartment of the car
where we kept it, it was gone.
And you think Sue took it?
Oh, no, no. Of
course she didn't.
But I can't help worrying.
Doctor, don't you know
that the sheriff is gonna learn
about that gun, even
if he doesn't find it?
Well, I...
I guess maybe he will, at that.
It was a serious mistake
not to tell him
about it tonight.
A mistake that
should be corrected.
Well... all right.
Della.
Do you want me to get
the sheriff on the phone?
Please.
Did anyone else know about
that money Hardisty stole?
Oh, sure.
Rod Beaton and the
Stragues were here last night.
And my daughter, of course.
And after I'd kicked Jack
out, I knew from their faces
they must have overheard
the fight, so I told 'em.
The Stragues and Beaton,
are they close friends?
No. Just neighbors.
They couldn't locate the sheriff
but I left word for
him to call here.
Good.
Did you make a date
with Jack Hardisty?
Did you call him before
you went to his house?
No.
How did you know he'd be there?
Well, I didn't.
I... I just assumed
he would, I guess.
Look, I was in such a
stew about this whole thing
that it finally got
too much for me,
so I just got in the
car and went down.
Yes, what is it?
Dad... the sheriff's here.
He wants to talk to you.
Well, ask him to come in, Sue.
Shall I tell him
about the pistol?
Tell him the exact
truth about everything,
unless I tell you not to answer.
All right.
Come on in, Bert. Hi, doc.
Mr. Mason, this is...
Sheriff Elmore and I have met.
Well, Mr. Mason, I never
expected to see you here.
Good to see you again, sheriff.
How do, Miss Street?
Hello, sheriff.
Come on in, Bert. What is it?
Is, uh, Mr. Mason your lawyer?
No, he's my friend.
He came up for the weekend.
I'd like to have
him stay, though,
if you wanna talk about
Jack's death anymore.
Oh, sure.
Sure, that's all right.
As a matter of fact, we
tried to get you on the phone.
Dr. Blane has something
he wants to clear up.
Oh? What's that?
Well... Well, you
see, Bert, um...
What I told you earlier...
That is, well, I don't
actually own a gun,
but I did have one in the car.
Oh, I know.
I should have told you.
But I was nervous
and... And upset.
Is it there now?
The gun, I mean?
No. It's gone.
Is this it?
Yes.
Where'd you find it?
Down at Jack Hardisty's.
One of my boys found
it in the fork of a tree.
Was it tested for fingerprints?
Yeah.
It had been wiped clean.
At least, I guess it had.
There weren't any prints.
What about ballistics tests?
We'll get to that first
thing in the morning.
Doc, your housekeeper said
you left here about quarter of 6.
Is that right?
Well, I'm not certain, but
that sounds about right.
And you said you
got down to Sierra City
about 10 minutes of 8.
Isn't that pretty slow?
Better than two hours.
It only took us an hour
and a half to come up.
Well, when I got
halfway down there,
I-I changed my
mind and turned back.
Have, um, you been having
any trouble with Jack Hardisty?
A little.
You see, I started
down to his place
to try to talk him
into something.
Then I realized it was hopeless.
That's when I turned back.
But as I was driving along,
I suddenly remembered this
gun in the glove compartment.
And I thought if I
took it in there with me
and pretended to get real mad,
maybe I could scare him into it.
So I turned around again
and started back.
But when I got there
and looked for this
pistol, it was gone.
Well, uh, what was this you
were trying to talk him into?
He'd stolen some
money from the bank.
Well...
maybe we'd better
sit down for a minute.
But Dad couldn't
possibly have done it.
You know that, Mr. Mason.
It's just insane.
We know that, Sue,
but we must consider
how the facts appear
to the district attorney.
I met Mr. Hale. He's
a fine prosecutor.
But Dad just
couldn't kill anyone.
Mr. Hale must know that.
Dad's a doctor.
He's been saving lives too
long to take one. Anyone's.
I know.
Speaking of your father...
he's very upset
that you wouldn't say
where you were last night.
Would you tell me?
Mr. Mason, I wasn't anywhere
near my house last night.
There's no use telling
you where I was,
because I can't prove it...
and it would be embarrassing.
Listen to me, Sue.
If I'm gonna help your father,
I'm gonna need your
help, everything you know.
If it has nothing to
do with this case,
I assure you it
will go no further.
Well...
for a long time now, there's...
been nothing
between Jack and me.
I'd have divorced him,
but he threatened
to make a scandal,
for no reason, really...
then.
But lately...
I've been seeing Phil Strague.
We've been meeting
at Dad's house...
The one in Sierra City, that is.
And you went out
there last night?
Yes, but he didn't come.
Oh, we got mixed up, I guess.
He said he thought we
were to meet up here.
So if it turns out I
should need an alibi...
I guess I'm out of luck.
Well...
that was the district
attorney on the phone.
We've agreed to a preliminary
hearing Tuesday of next week.
Will that give you enough time
to check on the people
we're interested in?
I hope so.
Perry, did you point out that
it makes absolutely no sense
for Dr. Blane to have
killed Hardisty for $100,000,
which he will just have to
return to the bank anyway?
Yes, but the district attorney
had another angle on that, Paul.
He said there was
only Dr. Blane's word
that Hardisty had
stolen the money,
that Dr. Blane could have been
in league with his son-in-law.
He played the
market extensively.
He might have cooked up
this story to cover his crime.
That could be.
Well, anything else in here?
Yeah. Here is a funny thing.
The only fingerprints
in the Hardisty house
were Hardisty's,
Sue's and Dr. Blane's.
And one thing more:
In the dish drainer,
there were three washed glasses.
Is that all?
Yeah, that's it.
Now, you want me
to check on everyone
who knew Hardisty had the money.
Well, it'll give us a motive
for someone to
have killed Hardisty.
The only problem is
to find the someone
who had the opportunity.
Except for your client and
his daughter, you mean.
Yeah. Except for my
client and his daughter.
Morning, Della.
Morning, doctor.
Good morning, doctor.
You certainly look calm enough.
Why not? The whole thing's
ridiculous in the first place,
and Darwin Hale knows it.
Bert Elmore too,
for that matter.
Good morning, Mr. Mason.
Welcome to Sierra County again.
Good to see you again, Mr. Hale.
Dr. Blane.
Everybody rise
and face the flag.
Now then, Dr. Ritchie,
did you examine the
body of the deceased
as soon as you
arrived on the scene?
I did. From your examination,
could you determine
the time of death?
Yes, fairly accurately,
as it happens.
I arrived shortly
after the shooting
and made a careful examination
of the body as to temperature,
blood coagulation and
certain other medical tests.
In my opinion, the death
occurred between 7:35 and 7:45,
or approximately at 7:40.
If it please the court,
I agree with Dr. Ritchie
that the physical evidence
bears out his conclusion.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
Now, Dr. Ritchie,
I believe you also
performed the autopsy,
to determine the cause of death?
That's right.
Death was instantaneous,
caused by a gunshot wound.
Did you remove the fatal bullet?
Yes, I turned it over
to the ballistics expert
in the sheriff's office.
Now, then, Dr. Ritchie,
did your autopsy
disclose any condition
which you might regard
as unusual or unexpected?
Yes, sir. A drug had
been administered.
Scopolamine.
Will you please
describe the nature
of this scopolamine
drug to the court?
Well, it, uh...
submerges certain
inhibitory areas of the brain
without affecting
other functions.
Might it be used as
sort of a truth serum?
Yes, definitely, in some cases.
It leaves the memory, hearing
and powers of speech unimpaired.
However, it's not as
dependable as sodium pentothal.
Well, would it have an
advantage over sodium pentothal
in some other way?
Yes.
The pentothal
requires an injection,
whereas the scopolamine
could be given in a drink.
How long does it
take to have effect?
Oh, 20 to 30 minutes.
Can you say definitely
how the scopolamine
was administered
to the deceased?
Yes. Orally.
Thank you, Dr. Ritchie.
Cross-examine.
No questions.
I call as my next witness,
Sheriff Bert Elmore.
You may be excused, doctor.
Sheriff, did you make
a test of the driving time
between the defendant's lodge
and the home of the decedent?
Yes, sir. Driving normally,
never exceeding the speed limit,
the exact time was one
hour and 31 minutes.
I see.
Now, Dr. Blane's housekeeper
testified he left home at 5:45.
Waiting one hour and 31 minutes,
we get 7:16, I believe.
Sheriff, did Dr. Blane tell
you what time he arrived
at the home of the decedent?
Yes, he said he got
there at 10 minutes of 8.
Seven-fifty.
Yes, sir.
Now, on Sunday, the day after
Jack Hardisty was murdered,
did you have your men
search the defendant's lodge
at Bear Valley Lake?
Yes, sir.
Did they find
anything significant?
Well, they found a little
bottle of scopolamine
in the doctor's cabinet.
Thank you.
Will you examine, Mr. Mason?
Sheriff, I believe you testified
that you found half
a bottle of whiskey
in the kitchen of the
decedent's house?
That's right.
Now, the three glasses
you found in the dish drainer,
did they show any
traces of whiskey?
No, sir.
Traces of scopolamine?
No, sir.
Thank you, sheriff.
No further questions.
Now, Mr. Strague, I
show you this pistol,
introduced in evidence
as people's exhibit A
and identified as
the murder weapon.
And I ask, do you recognize it?
Yes. It's mine.
In whose possession
was it when last you saw it?
Dr. Blane's.
I loaned it to him.
Your witness.
Thank you.
Oh, uh, excuse me.
Thank you.
Mr. Strague, in lending
this pistol to Dr. Blane,
weren't you actually lending it
to Sue and Jack
Hardisty as well?
Oh, sure, all of them.
And they all knew
where the pistol was kept?
Yes, in the glove
compartment of the doctor's car.
And you knew, of course.
Anyone else know?
Well, I guess Rodney Beaton did.
I object, Your Honor.
This is an assumption.
Strike the answer.
Very well.
Thank you,
Mr. Strague. That's all.
You may step down, Mr. Strague.
Miss Strague, you
heard the testimony
regarding scopolamine? Yes.
Did you know anything about
scopolamine before today?
Oh, well, yes, I did.
There was an article about it
in a magazine
over at Dr. Blane's,
about its being a truth drug.
We were all discussing it.
Now, uh, at this time,
did you know about the money
Dr. Blane said had been stolen?
Yes.
You'll have to pardon this
next question, Miss Strague,
but I want to establish
exactly where everyone was
at the time of the murder,
particularly the people
who knew the victim
might have a large sum
of money in his possession.
Therefore I ask, where
were you at this time?
I was at our cabin.
Did you see or talk to
anyone who can confirm this?
Well, yes, my brother.
We were together all evening,
in fact, until about 10,
except for a few minutes
when he went over to the Blanes'
to see if anyone
wanted to play bridge.
Thank you, Miss Strague.
Your witness.
As I understand
it, Miss Strague,
your brother can
confirm your alibi,
and you, of course,
can confirm his.
Is that right? Yes.
Well, now, with no intention
of discounting the value
of this mutual protection,
may I ask if there
is someone else
who can confirm your story?
No, there isn't.
Thank you. That's all.
You may step down, Miss Strague.
Your Honor, since
counsel for the defendant
has questioned Miss Strague's
account of her whereabouts
at the time of the murder,
and in connection with this,
I should like to recall
Mr. Philip Strague to the stand.
Very well.
Will you return to the
stand, please, Mr. Strague?
Mr. Strague, will you tell
the court where you were
on the evening of this
murder from, say, 6:00 until 10?
Well, I spent most of
the time at the cabin,
except for a few minutes
that I went over to
Dr. Blane's house.
But I noticed a
strange car outside,
and I realized they had
company, so I went back home.
Then I went over later too.
But that was about 10, I think.
Do you recall about
what time it was
when you went over to
Dr. Blane's the first time?
Oh, 7:30, 8, somewhere
around there, I guess.
Was your sister
there with you at home
before you went over to
Dr. Blane's this first time?
Yes, sir, the whole time.
Was she there when you got back?
Yes, sir.
Now, Mr. Strague,
when you went over to
Dr. Blane's the first time,
about 7:30 or 8, do you
recall anything happening
which was unusual
or out of the ordinary?
Well, no. I don't seem to...
Oh, I accidentally
set off one of Rod's...
Mr. Beaton's.
Flash things. Bulbs.
I got off on the wrong trail.
Was there any mention made
of this when you went back
to Dr. Blane's later
in the evening?
The second time.
Yes, I told Rod about it.
Was there anyone else
present when you told Mr. Beaton
you had accidentally
tripped his flash?
Your Honor, on
the ground it calls
for self-serving declaration,
that question is objected to.
However, if it please the court,
since I was there myself,
I withdraw the objection.
Thank you, Mr. Mason.
You may answer the
question, Mr. Strague.
Yes, sir. Sue... Mrs. Hardisty.
Was there, and Mr. Mason,
and his secretary, Miss Street.
I see.
Now, Mr. Strague, I
show you this picture
and ask, do you recognize it?
Why, that's me.
Did I take this when
I tripped the flash?
Yes, I guess it would.
Then it is a
picture of yourself?
Yes, that's me.
Your Honor, I ask
that this photograph
be accepted in evidence
as people's exhibit C.
I will later present testimony
identifying it positively
and tying it in as to
exact time and place.
Mr. Mason?
No objection.
Mr. Drake, when you arrived
at the decedent's house at 7:55,
was the defendant there?
Yes, he was. What was he doing?
Looking around.
Wasn't he searching the place?
He said he was.
Did he say how
long he'd been there?
Yes. Five minutes.
And he hadn't called the police?
He hadn't? I'm
asking you, Mr. Drake.
Had he? I don't know.
Mr. Drake, did the defendant
say he had not called the police?
Yes.
Thank you.
Your witness, counselor.
Mr. Drake, when
Dr. Blane told you
that he'd been at the Hardisty
house only five minutes,
did you make any effort
to determine the accuracy
or inaccuracy of his statement?
Yes, I did. What did you do?
Immediately after
I called the police,
I went out to check
the defendant's car.
I felt the hood on the outside,
lifted it, sniffed the air in
the engine compartment,
felt the radiator,
the cylinder head
and the exhaust manifold.
At the time of this examination
of the defendant's car,
how long would you say
the motor had been idle?
Eight or nine minutes,
not over 14 at the
outside or under six.
Thank you,
Mr. Drake. That's all.
Does the district attorney
have any further questions?
Yes, if the court
please, one or two.
Mr. Drake,
as practiced as you've
become in these estimates,
they are nevertheless
still estimates, are they not,
as distinguished, say,
from measurements?
Yes.
Now, Mr. Drake, I
may assume, I trust,
that when you work for someone,
you try to give them dependable,
thoroughly loyal service?
Yes, sir.
And at the time you
made this estimate,
you were employed
by the defendant
at a very generous rate of pay?
But that would
in no way affect...
The question requires only a
simple yes or no, Mr. Drake.
Yes.
Thank you.
Make it about 15 feet, Della.
All right.
Sorry I'm late, but I
stopped to bring some lunch.
Hi, Paul. Watch
out for the thread!
Make yourself
comfortable, won't you?
I, uh, have some more
recent dope on the Stragues.
As you remember,
all we knew before
was that he'd been in the Navy
and was discharged
eight years ago.
Yes.
The Stragues came to Sierra
City from the Bay Area not long ago.
It seems that Phil Strague
was on very friendly terms
with a married woman
there, one of the old families.
Now, we don't know
exactly what happened,
but we do know that they
left the Bay Area suddenly
and bought a new
car shortly afterward.
Paul, do you have any contacts
in the post office department?
Yeah, I, uh... I know
an inspector pretty well.
Perhaps you can find
out if Hardisty rented a box
in the main post office
next to Union Station
between 5:05 and
5:20 on that day.
If he did, I'd like to find out
if there's any mail in that box.
All right, I'll get right on it.
Perry, is this what
you're thinking:
That Hardisty was
killed about 7:30,
but in order to be
given the scopolamine
and have time
for it to take effect,
he had to be home
no later than 7?
Now, if he had just
moved the money...
But, uh, why would
he rent a box?
After all, he can't
put $100,000 in it.
He could have used
it to send himself a key
or a claim check.
But suppose somebody had
given Hardisty this truth serum
to get him to tell where
he had hidden the money,
and he told them where
he'd hidden the money
in the first place:
in his own home.
Actually, he'd
moved it after that.
But they killed him,
and when they went
to look for the money,
it was gone, and they
haven't been able to find it yet.
I agree with you, Della.
That's exactly how it happened.
Well, I finally
figured that one out.
Or wait a minute, does
that get us any closer
as to who killed Hardisty?
Not a bit closer.
Come on, Della.
Have yourself a nice picnic.
Mr. Beaton, on
the Saturday night
Jack Hardisty was killed,
were you sitting
on your cabin porch
watching for a photoflash,
as you described?
Yes.
Did you see any? Yes, I did.
Do you recall about what
time it was you saw this flash?
Yes, it was about 7:30.
I see.
Mr. Beaton, I show
you this photograph,
the people's
exhibit C, and I ask:
Is it a print from the same
negative exposed in this camera
about 7:30 the night
Jack Hardisty was killed?
Yes, it is.
Thank you. That's all.
Cross-examine.
Mr. Beaton, how long were
you on your cabin porch
the night of the murder?
From, uh, 6 until nearly 10.
Did you see anyone or
talk to anyone at that time
who can confirm this?
Well, no, um...
I saw the flash when
Phil... I mean, Mr. Strague.
Tripped the camera at
7:30, and I made a note of it,
and he can confirm that time.
Mr. Strague testified
that he mentioned
that fact to you
later that same night.
Wasn't that the first time
that you knew that he
tripped your camera?
Oh, no.
I knew it when I
reset the camera,
before I even saw him.
I could see his tracks.
Would you describe
these tracks for us?
You're an experienced
tracker, I take it?
Yes. Fair.
Well, nothing
unusual. Clear enough.
He was just walking right along,
heading down toward
Dr. Blane's lodge.
A deer came along after he did.
I see.
Your Honor, may I have a moment?
Of course, Mr. Mason.
Perry, your hunch was right.
Hardisty did rent a
post box that afternoon,
and there's one letter in it,
addressed simply
to the box number.
Mr. Beaton, how long does it
take you to reset your camera?
Oh, not long... One
moment, please.
For the sake of clarity,
would Your Honor permit
Mr. Beaton to
demonstrate as he testifies?
I don't think the prosecution
could object to that.
You may step down, Mr. Beaton.
Well, first of all, of course,
I put in a new flashbulb.
Then I re-cock the shutter,
and turn over the film holder.
Withdraw the slide... so.
If the thread is broken,
I have to attach a
new one to this trip arm
that operates the
flash and the shutter.
I string it down the tripod
leg and out across the trail
to where I tie it off.
All right?
You, uh, don't change the
focus or the diaphragm opening
or something of that nature?
No, no. That's all set,
and I leave it alone.
I believe you told
me that you shoot
with the lens
practically wide open.
Yes, I usually shoot
at f4. The lens is 3.5.
Thank you, Mr. Beaton.
That's all.
Your Honor, that will
conclude our case.
Very well.
Does counsel for the defendant
wish to present any
evidence in this case?
Naturally, it's only a
preliminary hearing,
and while the people's case
is by no means conclusive,
as matters stand, the court
would consider it mandatory
to bond the
defendant over for trial,
and it would require
really conclusive evidence
on his behalf to
alter this opinion.
I appreciate the
court's frankness.
I have no wish to put on a
case or call a lot of witnesses.
However, as long as
the witnesses are present,
I should like to
recall one of them
to complete the
development of a certain point.
Very well. Proceed.
Will Mr. Philip Strague
please return to the stand?
Mr. Strague, I just want
to check on a point or two
in connection with the
flash picture taken of you
by Mr. Beaton's camera.
Yes, sir.
As I recall your
earlier testimony,
you said that this happened
while you were on your
way to Dr. Blane's lodge
about 7:30 that night.
Yes, sir.
Now, referring to your tracks,
which Mr. Beaton says he saw,
I believe he testified
that there was nothing
unusual in them,
that you were just
walking right along,
headed for Dr. Blane's.
Now, does that agree
with your recollection?
Yes.
Would you tell me why?
Why what?
Would you tell me why
those tracks showed
that you were just
walking right along?
Well, because that's
what I was doing.
I don't understand. Why not?
If I were walking along
in the woods at night,
and suddenly the blinding
brightness of a flashbulb
exploded in my face,
I believe it would
startle me, Mr. Strague.
Yet apparently, on
the night in question,
this did not startle you at all.
I ask you, why not?
Well... I don't know.
I guess I was thinking
about something.
Concentrating, you know.
But you not only did not stop,
you did not even slow down.
Well, it didn't matter
much, I guess,
not being able to see,
dark as it was anyhow.
I believe you know a good deal
about photography, Mr. Strague,
having served in the
Navy as a photographer.
Oh. Oh, yes. That was
such a long time ago,
I've forgotten
most of it, probably.
While we're at it, haven't
you forgotten something else?
How do you mean?
Haven't you forgotten
to tell this court
that Jean Strague
is not your sister
but is, in reality, your wife?
Haven't you?
I didn't think it
was n-necessary.
But you haven't
forgotten that she is.
No, sir.
Let's see how much of your
photography you can remember.
For instance, if you stop
a lens down to f22 or 32
without changing
the shutter speed,
you will virtually
eliminate any exposure.
Does that sound right?
I... guess so.
Of course you know
that you can replace
one film holder with another.
I guess.
And let us suppose that
early on the night in question,
you stopped down the
lens on Mr. Beaton's camera,
replaced the film holder
with one that contained
an exposed shot of yourself.
Thus when the camera
was tripped at 7:30,
Mr. Beaton saw the flash,
but no picture of you
was taken at that time,
because at that time
you were actually engaged
in the murder of Jack Hardisty.
That's a lie.
It's just a wild piece of
invention, and you know it!
Even if that could be done
to a camera, I couldn't do it!
How could I trip
the flash at 7:30
and be somewhere
else at the same time?
It wouldn't be difficult
at all, Mr. Strague.
If Your Honor please, may
I demonstrate this point?
Yes, Mr. Mason.
I'd like to see
how this is done.
Now, Mr. Strague,
suppose you had set this alarm
so that it would go off at 7:30.
And then you had attached the...
trip cord from the camera...
to the alarm winding key.
And then you had
buried the clock facedown
very near the camera.
Now, when the alarm went off
and tripped the camera, you...
and your wife were at
Jack Hardisty's home,
having made a date
with him there for 7:30.
Which one of you did
the killing, Mr. Strague?
No! You can't drag me into this!
I went along with
the scopolamine
to get the money,
but I wanted no
part of the murder!
No! No, I tell you! It's a lie!
He can't prove that!
He can't prove a thing!
Your Honor, the defense rests.
Perry, come on, now, admit it.
When you started on your
cross-examination of Beaton,
you had no idea how
that footprint business
was gonna turn out.
Of course. I was lucky, Paul.
Thanks.
You know, cross-examination
is like prospecting.
You see something
that looks promising,
you work a vein
for all it's worth.
If you're lucky, you
may hit a bonanza.
In a way, it's no different
from what the
Stragues were doing.
They started with a badger
game to shake down Sue Hardisty,
and then went on to
bigger and better things
when they saw Jack
Hardisty with all that money.
Yes, Gertie?
Dr. Blane.
Put him on, Gertie.
Hello, doctor.
Well, good.
Yes, I guess we were all lucky.
Of course I will.
Thanks for calling.
Well, they found the money.
Hardisty put it in a bag that
he checked at Union Station.
Then he mailed the
baggage check to himself
in care of that post
office box he rented.
That's it.
It all proves one thing:
Strague made his biggest
mistake when he buried the clock.
Everybody knows
that's no way to kill time.
Ooh. Ooh.
No.