Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 3, Episode 3 - The Case of the Garrulous Gambler - full transcript
At a beach-house poker game, Larry Benton accuses Mike Granger of cheating. They fight and Granger is killed with his own gun. Johnny Clay offers to dispose of the body. One of the poker players, Ben Wallace, tries to blackmail Larry, knowing that his brother is wealthy oilman Steve Benton. But the whole thing is a set-up because Granger is alive and in on the plot. Steve Benton confronts his brother with $20,000 of forged checks to Clay, then consults Perry Mason about the issue. Larry steals $20,000 from Clay to cover the forged checks, but Steve goes to return the money. He finds Clay dead and wipes off fingerprints. Discovered in the act by Wallace, Steve is charged with murder. Perry proves there is no honor among thieves in solving the case.
You call these cards, Granger?
Can't win every hand.
Can't do it with these cards.
Oh, stop crying, boys.
Thanks, honey.
Anybody else?
How about you, Mr. Wallace?
No, thank you.
How many, Clay?
I'll take one.
He flushing, Doris?
Well, I've had
enough for one night.
Here's my stack.
I'm exactly even.
I'm glad you could
join us, Mr. Earnshaw.
I'll try you again the
next time I'm in town.
That's all right,
I'll get the door.
Good night, everybody.
Night. Night.
You all right if we
go on with the game?
Wallace?
I'm out!
Now let's see who's
got all the power.
What do you say, Benton?
I'll take two.
Dealer takes three.
All right, Clay. It's your bet.
I'll check.
That case, I'll bet two blues.
Your two, two better.
I'll fold.
You drew three cards?
That's right.
I ought to raise
you back. What...?
What you got?
Read 'em and weep.
I discarded the
seven of diamonds.
Ah, you're crazy.
Wallace, you saw my hand. Oh.
I... I don't remember.
Well, I do.
You calling me a cheat?
Take it easy, Granger.
He didn't mean to put...
Stay out of this, Clay.
This is between
myself and Benton.
I figure you owe me an apology.
Now, come on fellas,
let's break this up.
Somebody could get hurt.
What do you say, Mr. Benton?
I'm getting out of here.
Is he...?
I-I... I didn't mean it, Johnny.
Y-you saw it was his own fault.
I know it.
Well, what should we do, Johnny?
Let me think.
I know what we should do.
We should call the cops.
Oh, no, Johnny, we can't.
Yeah. It'd be a rat race.
They'd be asking a lot of
embarrassing questions.
Well, then what, Johnny?
I'm in an awful spot.
There are other things
you don't know about.
Wait a minute.
Granger hasn't got any
family. Nobody will miss him,
and nobody will ask
questions if he just disappears.
Disappears? How?
There's a lot of beach
around this house.
Look, Larry... you get lost.
The less you know, the
better. Doris, get his coat.
I'm sorry to bother
you, Mr. Larry,
but you have a visitor. Who?
He wouldn't give me
his name, just his card.
He said you'd understand.
Hi, Larry.
What's the idea, Wallace?
Hey, this is a nice
place you got here.
Oh, I hope you don't
mind me helping myself.
See, I'm a sucker for flowers.
What do you want, Wallace?
Well, I don't know exactly
how to put this kid, but, uh,
last night when
that trouble started
between you and Mike
Granger... You left in a hurry.
Yeah. Heh-heh. You
see, I'm the sort of a guy
that, well, likes to
stay clear of the cops.
How about you?
You can let that go
until later, Mickey.
Yes, sir.
All right, Wallace. What is it?
Well, about five minutes
after you left last night,
Johnny Clay come out
carrying Mike Granger.
He looked awful dead to me, kid.
You're out of your mind.
So why do you
suppose he buried him
in back of his beach house?
Look, Wallace, it
was an accident.
Oh, sure it was. You didn't
know the gun was loaded.
It wasn't even my gun.
You know that yourself.
So you could've taken it away
from Granger and then shot him.
No. He was holding
it when it went off.
Ask Johnny and Doris.
Look, kid, let me tell you
something about
Johnny and Doris.
Do you think they'd
have covered for you
if they could afford the cops
snooping into their lives?
So do you think they're gonna
protect you from the police?
Y-you don't understand.
No.
No, I don't.
Well, maybe you'll have
better luck with a jury.
Personally, I
wouldn't give odds.
Wallace.
What do you want?
Money.
You know me,
Larry. I'm not a pig.
I'll take 5 grand,
forget the whole thing.
Where would I get
that kind of money?
You kidding?
Well, this place
belongs to my brother.
So?
I'll have to think it over.
No, sure, Larry. I'm
not gonna rush you.
I'll be back tomorrow.
That doesn't give me much time.
I got confidence in you, boy.
Lots of confidence.
Johnny.
I'm scared.
Come here.
Now, listen, honey.
There's absolutely nothing to...
Hello?
That you, Johnny? JOHNNY: Yeah?
Ben Wallace. I just saw our boy.
We're in. The
first bite's 5 grand.
He give you trouble?
No, not a bit.
I told him I'd be back
tomorrow for the dough.
Nice going, Wallace.
We play this pigeon
right, we'll make a fortune.
Right.
What did I tell you, sweetie?
There's not a thing
to worry about.
Hello?
Yeah, Johnny?
It is?
So all you have to do
is stay out of circulation,
and we'll milk this
for all it's worth.
You got enough
magazines and things
to keep you from getting bored?
Who's bored? I got dreams.
What? Don't worry.
Nobody will ever find
me where I'm holed up.
And Johnny, just keep in touch.
I want a running account of
how the money's coming in.
Okay.
Would you please ask
my brother to step in here?
You wanted to see me?
Yes, I did.
Sit down.
Want you to take
a look at these.
They're all alike,
and all signed by me.
So naturally the bank
accepted them without question.
Well...?
Well, what?
You know that's
not my signature.
You've had enough
practice copying it.
That's right. Throw it up to me.
All right, so I made a mistake.
Mistake?!
You've made hundreds of them.
Sure.
And my biggest mistake
was to be your brother.
But you can't really
hold that against me.
I'm sorry, kid.
Sure you are.
Look, I've always tried
to do my best for you.
Let's not start that.
Everybody knows how
much you did for me,
and how I'm the
ungrateful kid brother.
But then, look at
the paragon of virtue
I'm being compared with.
Well, I'm sick and
tired of competing.
I just want to know what
kind of a jam you're in.
Now, who's Ben Wallace?
I know he's got some sort of
connection with Johnny Clay.
And you've been seeing
a lot of Mr. Clay lately.
Where did you pick that up?
A detective named Paul Drake.
So you've been
checking on me again.
Look, I just don't want
you to get into trouble.
Now, what's this
Clay got on you?
Why don't you ask
this Paul Drake?
He seems to know
all the answers.
Larry!
Larry!
After I spoke to Mr. Drake,
he suggested I
have a talk with you.
I'd say a talk with Mr. Clay
would be more profitable.
I tried it, but I
didn't get very far.
He said he wasn't
my brother's keeper.
What makes you think
your brother needs a lawyer?
I'm a hunch player, Mr. Mason.
Many's a time
I've drilled a well
where there was no
indication of oil for 50 miles.
Now you have a
hunch that your brother's
being blackmailed.
It can't be anything else.
How big are those poker games?
Two-dollar limit.
Oh, your brother could
lose a few hundred dollars
in a game like that,
but hardly 20,000.
That's the way I figure.
Mr. Mason, he's in trouble,
and I've gotta help him.
Isn't it about time he
learned to help himself?
I just want him to have the
things that I missed out on.
All right, Mr. Benton.
I'll look into it.
Good.
Goodbye, Miss Street. Goodbye.
Thanks.
Well, what do you think?
I like him. What else?
Oh, he's a good, solid citizen.
Not overly imaginative, but...
if he thinks his brother
is headed for trouble,
I'll bet he is.
Gin.
Oh, no, honey. Not again.
Hi, Johnny, Doris.
Well, what happened to you?
What the devil are
you doing here?
I had to talk to you.
What is it? Granger
getting restless?
Yeah, but he's all right.
He's complaining about
not getting any dough yet.
And that fleabag he's
in makes him feel like
he's back in stir.
But he's behaving.
So, what are you doing here?
Larry got that money
by forging checks.
So what?
I don't like it, Johnny.
Maybe we ought to cut out.
Are you kidding?
We got a career in this thing.
Now, look... while I'm
running this operation,
we do it my way.
We're clean so far, and
we can keep it clean.
And profitable. Until
I blow the whistle.
Now you take care of your
end and I'll take care of mine.
Okay. If that's the way
you want it, Johnny.
That's the way it's gonna be.
Mrs. Bradley?
My name's Paul Drake.
I told Mr. Phillips I'd
have the rent on Friday.
My baby's been sick, and I
haven't been able to work.
You don't understand,
Mrs. Bradley.
I'm not a bill collector.
I'm a detective.
I'd like to ask you
a few questions.
May I come in?
Thank you.
You'll have to excuse
the way the place looks.
That's, uh, perfectly all right.
You said you were a policeman?
No, I'm a private detective.
But I thought... Mrs. Bradley...
do you know this man?
Where did you get this?
Then you do know him?
He's my husband.
Where did you get it?
One of my operatives
took it this morning.
You mean Johnny's here?
In Los Angeles?
Yes, but...
he calls himself
Johnny Clay now.
His name's John Bradley.
He...
He left me two years ago.
I never knew why. I...
I just came home one day, and...
And he was gone.
Where is he, Mr. Drake?
Please tell me.
Please.
Once I found out his
real name was Bradley,
it was strictly routine.
How did you find out
his name was Bradley?
Checked the set of
prints I lifted off his car.
He'd done time.
Also, I spoke to his wife.
She's in a bad way.
Did you tell Mrs. Bradley where
she could find her husband?
No, I didn't.
I thought you ought
to hear about it first.
Does he have any close friends?
Well, I don't know if
you'd call 'em friends,
but he used to play
poker every week,
and there were
always two regulars.
A Ben Wallace and a
guy by the name of, uh,
Mike Granger.
This Granger served
time for assault.
Anything on Wallace? Nope.
Where can we find this Granger?
We can't.
He had a room at
the Byrnes Hotel.
A week ago, on August 15th,
he told the clerk he was
gonna play a little cards.
He hasn't been back since.
And 24 hours later, Larry Benton
forged his first
check for $5,000.
Hm, like the man says,
lots of bits and pieces,
but they just don't add up.
Hm.
Have to keep after
this Granger, Paul.
You know, what this
thing needs is a catalyst.
Did Clay have a girlfriend?
Yeah. Girl by the
name of Doris Shackley.
I got the impression
she's crazy about him.
I wonder what would happen
if she suddenly heard that
he was married and
had deserted his wife?
She may know it already.
Let's find out.
Pardon me.
Is Mr. Bradley at home?
Well, you've got the
wrong house, mister.
There's no Bradley here.
Isn't this 1417 Ocean Drive?
Yes.
Maybe you know him
better as Johnny Clay.
Who are you?
My name is Mason. Perry Mason.
Oh. You're that
lawyer, aren't you?
Well, I don't know
if I'm "that" lawyer,
but I am an attorney.
What do you want with Johnny?
I'd like to talk to him...
about several things.
Such as?
His wife, for one.
Heh. You don't know
what you're talking about.
Johnny isn't married.
Yes, he is.
His wife's name is Nora Bradley.
He deserted her and their child
two years ago.
That's a lie.
She's living, if
you can call it that,
at 217 Sinclair Avenue.
No. You're lying.
You're lying.
I am sorry, Miss Shackley.
I wish I were.
And you have no idea
where my brother went?
I asked him, but
you know Mr. Larry.
He just drove off.
So you've been
checking on me again.
All right, Mickey.
You can serve dinner
whenever you're ready. Yes, sir.
Where have you been?
What's the matter? Did
you call your detectives off?
I just talked to Perry Mason.
He might be able to help us.
I don't need any help.
You sign my name to $20,000
worth of checks and you have...
I knew your money
was all you cared about.
Well, here.
How did you get this from Clay?
I just walked up
to him and said:
"Johnny, my brother
is unhappy with me.
Will you please
give me $20,000?"
Very funny. You stole it.
You got your money.
What are you griping about?
You idiot. Do you want
to go to jail for robbery?
What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna get to the
bottom of this thing right now.
Hold it.
Just stay right where you are.
You know, I
wouldn't be surprised
if maybe the cops
will wanna talk to you.
Operator, get me the police.
I told you all of it.
The truth. All I know.
Did you?
Did you tell me why you
first went to see Clay?
What made you suspect
that your brother killed him?
I didn't.
Then why'd you wipe
the murder weapon clean?
Don't you realize you destroyed
any chance the police might have
of finding the real killer?
Or would that be you, Steve?
No. I was only
there for a minute.
He was dead when I walked in.
Then the question is,
was he dead when
your brother walked in?
My brother wasn't there.
Look, Mason...
if you involve Larry in this,
I'll get another attorney,
so help me.
That's your privilege.
But at no time while
I'm representing you
will I work in a straitjacket.
Mason.
Go ahead. Do
what you think best.
Well, counselor.
Been in to see your client?
That's right, lieutenant.
I hope you advised
him to change his story.
What story?
That he'd only been in
Clay's living room for a minute
when Wallace walked in.
Well, what's wrong with that?
Well, if he never
left the living room,
how come I found
his fingerprints
all over the bathroom?
Gives you something
to think about, doesn't it?
We'd like to see Larry Benton.
You're Mr. Mason, aren't you?
That's right.
Come in, please.
He asked me to
say he wasn't home.
Oh? But where is he?
In the study.
Who the devil are you?
My name is Mason.
This is Miss Street.
She called you this afternoon
and asked you to
drop by my office.
I was busy.
I can see that.
Hey, what's the idea?
The idea is I
want to talk to you,
and I don't want
any muddy answers.
Now, I suggest you sit down.
Della?
Do you realize your brother
is faced with a
first-degree murder charge?
Why don't you ask me
how much sleep I've gotten
since they arrested him?
I'd rather know why Steve
went to Clay's beach house.
What reason did Steve
give? I'm asking you.
He went there to have it
out with him about the money.
The 20,000 the police
found in that briefcase?
I'd brought it here to give him.
How'd you get it?
Just walked in and took it.
Oh, it wasn't that simple.
Didn't Clay try to stop you?
He wasn't home.
That's the truth.
How'd you get in?
Where'd you get this?
There's no point in
involving an innocent party.
Now, listen, young
fellow, you're in no position
to decide who's innocent.
Now, where'd you get it?
I got a phone call from
Doris Shackley last night.
She told me Clay
masterminded the plot
to shake me down.
Why was Clay blackmailing you?
They made me
think I'd killed a man.
Mike Granger?
How did you know?
He hasn't returned to
his hotel since that night.
Sure.
He's holing up somewhere.
It was all a frame.
Granger wasn't hurt at all.
Clay and Ben Wallace
cooked up the whole thing.
That still doesn't
explain how you got this.
Doris told me if I
wanted to see Clay,
I'd find the key under the mat.
He wasn't there. I swear.
I only stayed a
couple of minutes.
I left around 7:00.
It must've taken you more
than a couple of minutes
to find that money.
No. She said it was
in a briefcase in the closet.
Doris was certainly
obliging, wasn't she?
You told Paul you
wanted a catalyst.
Well, you really got one.
Let's go.
Mr. Mason.
Steve didn't kill him.
He'll appreciate the
vote of confidence.
Paul, you have to
find Mike Granger.
I've tried. Well, try again.
He must be around somewhere.
He was part of this badger game,
Clay double-crossed him, and...
Yes, Della?
Mrs. Bradley's here.
Oh, send her in.
I'll get the door.
Come in, Ms. Bradley.
Mrs. Bradley, this
is Perry Mason.
How do you do?
Won't you sit down?
I must tell you how
much I appreciate
your coming down
at a time like this.
Well, Mr. Drake
was very kind to me.
I, uh, hope the
baby's feeling better.
Would you like some coffee?
No, thank you.
Tell me, uh...
when was the last
time you saw Mr. Clay?
His name is Bradley.
John Nelson Bradley.
Yes, I'm sorry.
It was about two years ago
when he left me and the baby.
And you never
saw him after that?
H-how could I? I didn't
know where he was.
But Mr. Drake told you he
was living in Los Angeles
under the name of Johnny Clay.
He didn't tell me where.
But you could've looked
him up in the phone book.
He had an unlisted number.
Then you did try to find him?
Well, of course I did.
Is there anything
wrong with that?
I've been searching for
my husband for two years.
I wanted him back.
You're very tolerant.
I loved Johnny.
No matter what he
did, I wanted him back.
Then you must've been
very grateful to Doris Shackley.
Who?
Doris Shackley.
Didn't she tell you where you
could locate your husband?
I don't know what you're
trying to do, Mr. Mason.
I only came here because
Mr. Drake asked me to.
I hope you understand
my position, Mrs. Bradley.
My client is charged
with first-degree murder.
Mrs. Bradley...
I wish you'd accept
this in the spirit
in which it's offered.
I know you must have
had some expenses.
I don't want your money.
I knew she wouldn't take it.
Why?
Mm. She just didn't
impress me as that kind.
Did she impress you as the
kind who would file a claim
for her husband's
insurance less than 24 hours
after he was murdered?
She do that?
Yes, she did.
Good morning.
What do you want?
Well, inasmuch as you
refused an invitation to drop by...
I've got nothing to say to you.
But I might have something
to say to the district attorney.
Mr. Burger takes a very dim view
of a witness disappearing
24 hours before a hearing.
May we come in?
I understand you
followed through
on Nora Bradley.
Well, didn't you look into
Johnny's marital
status with Nora?
I couldn't be bothered.
I thought you were
in love with Johnny.
I've been in love
a hundred times.
Someday I might even
write a book about it.
I'll send you a copy.
All right.
Anything else you wanna know?
Where can I find Mike Granger?
Try the Byrnes Hotel.
That the best you can do?
Sorry.
Do you think Mr. Wallace
might be more helpful?
I wouldn't know.
Come on out, join the party.
Next time you go calling,
park more than a block away.
Anyone can read
a registration slip.
Thanks. I'll remember it.
You got anything more
to say to these two, Doris?
Then why don't
you both clear out?
I'd still like to
find out how to
locate Mr. Granger.
Well, why don't you
ask Larry Benton.
Ben!
Allow me.
Weren't you ever taught
not to point these things?
Let's go, Paul.
Oh, uh...
try ice packs.
It'll reduce the
swelling in no time.
Well, don't just stand
there. Get some ice.
Sorry to disturb
you, Perry, but...
uh, you have company.
I hope you forgive
this intrusion.
I'm always glad to
see you, lieutenant.
Well, let's say
sometimes you're...
gladder than others.
I hate to interrupt
your homework,
but, uh, Mr. Burger
wonders if you're familiar
with that section
of the penal code
which covers
intimidating a witness,
for the state.
What did Mr. Wallace say?
That you and Paul
Drake manhandled him.
Well, I'm sure I
don't have to tell you
that Wallace is lying.
Unfortunately, he
has a witness to
substantiate the charge.
Doris Shackley? Moreover,
you removed from his person
and against his will
a valuable weapon.
A .38 caliber Smith
& Wesson revolver
that he is duly
licensed to carry.
Mr. Burger knew that
you were discouraged
about Benton's chances...
but he didn't think you
were this desperate.
Well...
see you in court.
On examination we
found that the deceased
had been struck
four times on the head
with a blunt instrument.
And any one of the blows
might've proved fatal.
The examination disclosed
death was instantaneous.
Now, Dr. Victor...
would you say that this
was such a blunt instrument?
In my opinion, yes.
And is this poker the one
that was found at
the scene of the crime,
and subsequently
examined by you?
Yes, sir, it is.
If it please the court,
I should like this poker
marked for identification.
Mr. Mason?
No objections.
Now, Dr. Victor...
were you able to
establish the time of death?
I would say the victim died
between 7 and 8:30 p.m.
on the evening of
September 12th.
Thank you, sir. That'll be all.
Your witness.
No questions.
In accordance with
our usual procedure,
we subjected this
to a precipitin test.
And on this end, we
found traces of blood.
I see.
Now, lieutenant, can you
identify this object for us?
Oh, yes, sir. That has my mark.
Where and how did you find it?
Well, I removed it from
the defendant's coat
when I searched him
at the scene of the crime.
And would you tell us
please what these spots are?
They're bloodstains.
The same blood
type as the deceased.
Thank you, lieutenant.
Think that'll be all.
Cross-examine.
Lieutenant, you
testified you saw the body
at the scene of the crime.
Yes, sir.
Would you say there was
a great amount of bleeding?
Well, there always is
in cases of this kind.
Was the defendant
splattered with blood?
Well, his handkerchief was.
What about Mr. Benton himself?
Well, there were
a few bloodstains
on, uh, the cuffs of his pants.
Anywhere else?
His hands, for example?
No. No, sir.
Well, in your experience,
wouldn't you say
that was unusual?
Yes. Yes, sir.
Thank you,
lieutenant. That's all.
You may stand down, lieutenant.
Just a minute, lieutenant.
I have one or two
questions on redirect.
Let's see if we
can't clear up a point
that Mr. Mason seems to
consider a contradiction.
You testified that the defendant
said he was only
in the living room.
Is that correct?
That's right.
Did you find his fingerprints
in the living room?
Yes, sir.
Were his fingerprints found
anywhere else in the house?
In the bathroom.
Whereabouts in the bathroom?
Near the washbowl.
I think that may help Mr. Mason.
Thank you, lieutenant.
Hm.
Have you any
questions on re-cross?
Yes, Your Honor.
Lieutenant, isn't it true
that there's no possible way
for an expert to tell when a
set of fingerprints were left?
Yes, sir.
Did you ask Mr. Benton
if he'd ever paid a visit
to the deceased before?
He didn't claim he had.
But you did not ask him
that specific question?
No, sir.
Thank you.
I call Lawrence Benton
to the stand, please.
I don't know.
I may have seen
it. I'm not sure.
It has the name "John Clay"
stamped in the middle of it.
Doesn't that help at all?
No, sir.
The sum of $20,000 was found
in that briefcase, Mr. Benton.
Isn't it true that the deceased
originally got that
money from you?
Objection.
The district attorney
is leading the witness.
If Your Honor please,
it seems to me the court has
seen enough of this witness
to be convinced
of his hostility.
You may ask your
leading question.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Your Honor...
I further object on the
ground that the question
calls for a conclusion
of the witness.
So far there's been
nothing in the testimony
to show that this
particular money
can be identified in any way.
The witness can testify
as to whether he was
being blackmailed,
but he cannot testify as
to this particular money
unless he has a list of
the numbers on the bills,
or can otherwise identify it.
I think the point is well-taken.
Your Honor...
Objection is sustained.
Mr. Benton...
why was Johnny
Clay blackmailing you?
Because I wouldn't
listen to my brother.
He was always
trying to protect me,
and like a fool, I
hated him for it.
And in order to protect you
from Clay, he had to kill him.
That's a lie.
Johnny was dead
when Steve walked in.
Were you there, Mr. Benton?
Your witness.
No questions.
Then, a couple of days
before Johnny was murdered,
the defendant
dropped by to see him.
He showed Johnny
some canceled checks.
Did you have a chance
to see those checks?
Yes. There were four of them.
For $5,000 each.
Made out to cash.
Are these the checks?
Yes.
He claimed Johnny
wound up with the money.
Johnny told him he was crazy.
What did the defendant do then?
He hit Johnny...
and then he told him
if he didn't lay
off his kid brother,
he'd be back and
take care of him.
Are you certain those
were his exact words?
Quote, "I'll take care
of you," unquote?
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Miss Shackley.
That'll be all. Your witness.
Miss Shackley,
you testified that
two days before
Mr. Clay's murder,
you witnessed an altercation
between him and the defendant.
That's right.
And the defendant struck
the deceased at that time?
He certainly did.
Johnny had a nosebleed that
looked like it would never stop.
There was blood
all over the place.
I suppose it also
splattered on the defendant.
Yes.
Uh, where did Mr. Benton
wash up before he left?
Did he wash in the
bathroom at that time?
I don't remember.
You're under oath,
Miss Shackley.
I said I don't remember.
Would you remember a call
you made to Nora Bradley
on the night of the murder?
I didn't call her.
Then you believed
me when I told you
the deceased was married?
It didn't make any
difference to me.
Then why did you
call Larry Benton
and tell him that Mr. Clay
was behind a blackmail scheme
to shake him down?
Wasn't that an act
of a jealous woman?
I was only kidding.
How was I to know Larry
would take me seriously?
I'd say you had
an oddly developed sense
of humor, Miss Shackley.
That'll be all.
You may stand down.
And when I walked
into the beach house,
he was wiping his
fingerprints off the poker.
Now, Mr. Wallace,
when you say "he,"
to whom are you referring?
Him. Steve Benton.
Did you recognize him at once?
Yes. I played, uh, cards
every week with
his brother, Larry.
He showed me a picture of
the two of 'em together once.
I see. Now, when you
recognized Mr. Benton,
what did you say
and what did you do?
I told him to stay where he
was and I called the police.
I think that's all,
Mr. Wallace. Thank you.
Your witness.
Mr. Wallace...
you would have us believe
that you had cornered
a dangerous killer,
and that he obeyed your
command to stay where he was
while you summoned the police?
Oh, uh, I forgot to
mention I had a gun.
Now, I'd like to
pursue the matter
of those weekly card
games, Mr. Wallace.
I object to that, Your Honor.
That question is improper
cross-examination.
Nothing was asked this witness
about any weekly card games.
If the court please...
the district attorney
asked Mr. Wallace
how he recognized the defendant.
The witness responded that
he had seen a picture of him
at one of the weekly card games.
I think Mr. Burger
opened the door.
You may proceed.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Now, Mr. Wallace...
who were the regulars
at those games?
Oh, me, Johnny Clay
and Larry Benton.
What about Mike Granger?
Oh, he played once in a while.
I believe the last card game
in which Mr. Granger
participated was on August 15th.
It's possible. I don't remember.
Perhaps I can
refresh your memory.
There was an argument that night
between Mr. Granger
and Larry Benton.
Mr. Benton accused
Granger of cheating.
Do you remember that? Yes.
Well, what happened?
I don't know. I
left right after that.
Yet you showed up the next
morning at the Benton residence
and demanded $5,000
of the defendant's brother.
That's a lie.
You did not appear at
the Benton residence
the next morning? No!
Will Mickey Fong please stand?
Do you want to change your
testimony now, Mr. Wallace?
All right, I was there.
And for the
purpose of blackmail.
I wouldn't call it blackmail.
What else would you call it?
Isn't it true that you
blackmailed Larry Benton
when, in fact, he had
done nothing at all?
Why don't you ask him?
I'm asking you.
Wasn't this just a
clumsy blackmail scheme
based on a trumped-up killing?
That's what you say.
That's what Doris Shackley said.
She was just trying to
get Johnny in trouble.
Granger's dead. You
can't call that trumped-up.
And Larry Benton killed him?
Yes, I saw Johnny bury the body.
Well, if you saw
Granger being buried,
then you should have
no difficulty in showing
us where he was buried.
Well, it was pretty
dark that night.
I can't be sure just where.
The... general area
will be sufficient.
If it please the court...
Your Honor, in view of
this witness' testimony...
I'd like at this time
to ask for a recess.
I certainly think
it is in order.
Court stands adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow morning.
Any more ideas, Mr. Wallace?
It was around here somewhere.
I told you, it was
dark that night.
But light enough for you to
see Johnny Clay bury a body.
Yes!
Why don't we take
a look over there?
Lieutenant!
Told you I wasn't lying.
No, you weren't.
Nice family you represent.
Your Honor.
Mr. Burger.
May we approach
the bench? You may.
If the court please, at
this time, we should like
to introduce evidence of
the murder of Mike Granger.
If Your Honor please,
I think the introduction of
such evidence is improper.
Your Honor, the state contends
that this prior murder
of Mike Granger
provides the basic motive
for the murder of the
deceased in this case.
While the introduction of
evidence of another crime
is ordinarily improper...
nevertheless, when it
is an inseparable part
of the motivation of
the crime being tried,
the law is that the
evidence can be admitted...
but purely for the purpose
of proving motivation.
That's our sole
purpose, Your Honor.
Very well. You may proceed.
I recall Lieutenant
Arthur Tragg.
And apparently, nothing
was removed from the body.
We found his
wallet in this coat.
And what caused this hole?
The fatal bullet.
Thank you, lieutenant.
Re-cross, Mr. Mason?
Mr. Burger.
Lieutenant, how can you be
sure that the body you discovered
was that of Mike Granger?
Well, for one thing, he
was positively identified
by Doris Shackley
and, uh, Ben Wallace,
who knew him.
And for another?
That jacket was
identified by the cleaners
as belonging to Mr. Granger.
It... bears his mark.
No, you can't see it that way.
Um, they use an ink
that's only visible
under ultraviolet light.
Oh. Would you mind
demonstrating
that for the court?
No, not at all.
The name Wilson
Cleaners is self-explanatory.
And the number 443, I
assume, refers to the customer?
Who happened to be Mr. Granger.
Uh, what do these
other numbers mean?
Those are the dates on
which the coat was cleaned.
Oh, one thing
puzzles me, lieutenant.
Yes, sir?
According to the dry cleaners,
the last time this
coat was serviced
was on the 18th day
of the eighth month.
That's correct. August 18th.
Yet we all heard
Mr. Wallace testify
that Granger was murdered
on the night of August 15th,
three days earlier.
How would you explain that?
I can't.
I'd like to hear, uh...
Mr. Wallace try.
I would be very much
interested myself.
Will Mr. Wallace come forward?
Look... Your Honor,
he's got this all wrong...
You will be quiet, sir!
You have made a serious
accusation, counselor.
Are you saying that this
man is guilty of willful perjury?
Yes, I am, Your Honor.
I further contend he's
guilty of the murders
of Mike Granger and Johnny Clay.
He doesn't know
what he's talking about.
Your Honor.
I know this is most unusual...
but the district
attorney's office
is much more
concerned with justice
than it is with convictions.
I therefore have no objection
to hearing Mr. Mason out.
Very well.
Thank you, Mr. Burger.
The motive for both the
murder of Granger and Clay
was the same.
Twenty thousand dollars
in blackmail money.
Funny, I didn't wind
up with a nickel.
That's why you murdered Clay.
You came to him that evening
and demanded your share
of the blackmail money.
But Clay couldn't
produce the briefcase
because Larry
Benton had removed it.
I tell you, you
got this all wrong.
No, you thought Clay
was double-crossing you.
And after all you'd done.
You even disposed of Granger
so the money would only
have to be split two ways.
Your Honor, he's making this up.
He can't prove a word of it.
I think I can.
Lieutenant Tragg...
has an autopsy been
performed on Mr. Granger's body?
Well, it hasn't been completed,
but I can show you
the cause of death.
This is a, uh,
.38-caliber bullet.
Do you recall my
turning over to you
a .38-caliber gun?
The gun that, uh,
Wallace claimed
that you forcibly
took away from him?
That's right.
How long will it take you
to run a comparison test?
Oh, well, with luck, I could
make the test in 15 minutes,
provided that I get
a... A positive match.
Your Honor, I would like to
request a 30-minute recess.
I'm satisfied that
Lieutenant Tragg
can get a positive
match in that time,
since this fatal bullet seems
to be in good condition.
Well, sir, have you
anything to say for yourself?
The district attorney will take
Mr. Wallace into custody...
and hold for due process,
pending a court hearing.
This court stands adjourned
until 2:00 this afternoon.
You know, there is one
thing I don't understand.
Go on, Paul.
What made you think of
Wallace in the first place?
When I became convinced
that Granger was dead.
And what convinced you of that?
Well, I don't believe
there's honor among thieves.
When that $20,000 showed up,
none of it having
been distributed,
I wondered what had
happened to Mr. Granger.
Yeah. Now that you mention it,
doesn't seem exactly logical
he'd take off without his cut.
Not in a thousand years.
You notice how much
Mr. Wallace was on the scene.
The big problem was
to bedevil Wallace
into leading us
to Granger's body.
You gotta admit
you were pretty lucky.
Suppose Granger
didn't believe in
keeping his dry cleaner so busy.
Oh, I think the results
would've been the same.
I'm sure the autopsy
will show that...
Mr. Granger died
after August 15th.
Any further questions?
Nope.
Well, I have one.
Oh?
Just once, do you suppose
we could get out of
here before midnight?
Let's go, Cinderella.
We'd better hurry.