Perry Mason (1957–1966): Season 3, Episode 9 - The Case of the Artful Dodger - full transcript

Long distance. I want to
call Los Angeles, California.

Person-to-person
to Mr. Allen Sheridan

at Hollywood 2-4699.

Hello.

Oh, hello, Aunt Sarette.

How's the weather in
New York? How's the...?

I haven't received
your check yet, Allen.

It's been three months now.

You haven't sent me a
penny in three months.

Problems, Auntie.

This Ralph Curtis
I wrote you about.



Didn't get a letter?

Well, now, don't tell
me I forgot to mail that.

Well, anyway, you know
what a soft touch I am

for a guy with troubles.

I just couldn't put him off.

So the money I was
supposed to send you, I gave...

Allen, I've never even
heard of this Ralph Curtis.

Now, tell me the truth.

Aunt Sarette.

Ralph Curtis is a guy I used
to play poker with in New York.

Well, if you've thrown
it away gambling...

Look, I'm going to
a meeting right now.

I'll take care of everything.

I'll send you the money
over the weekend. I promise.



Allen, you promised
your father too.

And it's in his will.

You've got an obligation to me.

Oh, for the love of...

Look, I gotta go. Goodbye.

Don't you dare hang up on me.

Curtis... Ralph.

604 West 8th.

No, he hasn't sent me any money.

I haven't heard from
him for six months.

Well, I've got these doctor
bills, and I'm all alone too.

Well, you shouldn't
say that, Miss Winslow.

Hello, Miss Winslow?

Hello? Hello?

Information?

The phone number of
American Airlines, please.

Yes. I'll hold on.

Oh. I was giving you

just three-and-a-half
minutes more.

And after that,
I was going to...

wait for a while.

I was held up by a phone call.

Oh?

My Aunt Sarette in New York,

just wishing me
a happy birthday.

What's the matter?

Sneak a look over at the guy

sitting at the bar.

Dark sport coat, white tie.

Darling, what's the
matter? You look petrified.

Who is he?

Lou Caporale.

He's a gambler.

Joyce, I owe him $5,000.

I can't pay it.

What can he do about it?
He can't sue you, can he?

Well, there's, um,

nothing he can do
if he can't find me.

What do you mean?

Joyce, I've made
a plane reservation.

You have?

Well, what do you
expect me to do,

stay around here and get killed?

Just you, Allen? Alone?

He's coming over. Well,
I just thought we might

take in a show tomorrow
night, because if we're gonna

play tennis Sunday morning...
Anybody who didn't know

any better, Allen, would
think you were avoiding me.

Well, that's...

That's quite a trick
these days, Lou.

You're everywhere.

It runs in streaks.
You should know.

For a while, you
see a guy every night,

then you don't see him at all.

I was coming around
when I raised the money.

That's good, Allen.

Come around anytime.

Like tonight, okay?

Tonight?

Well, you're, uh...
You're busy right now.

And I wouldn't dream of
interfering with your fun.

Live it up while
you got the chance,

like there's no tomorrow.

That sounds very much
like a threat, Mr. Caporale.

No.

If I'd said,

"Get the 5 grand,
or you'll bleed,"

now, that's a threat.

But I didn't say
anything like that, did I?

So, um, I'll see
you tonight, kid.

My door's always
unlocked to you.

Allen, what are you going to do?

Here.

It's every last penny
I could scrape up.

Put it in your purse. What for?

I want you to pick up
my plane reservation.

The guy's got me
watched all the time.

Can't let him think
I'm running out on him.

Who else are you
running out on, Allen? Me?

Baby.

I've got to protect
myself, just in case.

Look, I've got a scheme
to get the money.

And if I get it, I won't
need that plane ticket.

Ho-ho.

Honey. Trust me, huh?

Look, the reservation's under
the name of William Wyatt.

You go there, meet me at
my business manager's office.

Three o'clock, okay?

Don't forget the
name: William Wyatt.

Sit down, Allen. I'll
be finished in a minute.

Victor...

I need $5,000.

Doris, would you bring in

Mr. Allen Sheridan's
accounts, please.

Thank you.

What's the sudden
need for money?

Finally answering one
of your aunt's letters?

I owe it to a gambler.

Oh. Come on, Allen.

I've played poker
with you, remember?

More likely the
gambler owes it to you.

Victor, I've got to
have that money.

I hired you to handle
my financial affairs,

not to make jokes.

Now, please. By tonight.

Here you are, sir.

Thank you.

Well, Allen, your balance
amounts to exactly $14.

I know how little I've got.

Victor...

I want you to loan me the 5,000.

Allen, I'm afraid
I'm going to say no.

Oh, it isn't the loan. Even
if you had that much money

in your account, I
would still have to refuse,

for your own good.

For my own good.

Victor, try to understand.

I've gotta pay up that
$5,000 by 10:00 tonight,

or they're gonna kill me.

You know, I've never
lost a client that way yet.

Oh, you can think of
a better way than this

to put the bite on me.

Miss Fulton.

Am I interrupting?

No, no, no, of course
not. You've just saved me

from a very hairy old
story... Allen, he's here.

He's almost behind me.

Who?

Did you get the ticket?

Yes, it's in my purse.

Your plane leaves at
7:00 tomorrow morning.

Allen, I didn't realize
you wanted to get

so far out of town
as Mexico City.

Baby, baby. I ask
you to trust me.

I'm still trying to
get the money.

Excuse me, are you
looking for someone?

No, I know where he is.

I'm just waiting.

Well, this happens to
be my place of business.

Do you mind telling
me...? I know where I am

and who you are too,
so we don't have to waste

time talking, do we?

Just save that for Allen.

He could use all the
time he can get today.

There's a door into the back
hall. You can go out that way.

Victor... Go on. Go on.

I'll see what I can do.

It's 5:00.

Where's the girlfriend?

I took her home.

Like, she didn't want to
be around when you bleed?

You know, I thought of
throwing in a little physical stuff,

but, uh, what if somebody
got scared and hit me back?

It was a great performance, Lou.

Early George Raft
and a touch of beatnik.

Did it sell?

All the way around.

I just talked to Victor.

He'll bring you the
cash this evening.

Five thousand bills.

You'll get your 500,
boy. You earned it.

Only listen, Allen. Didn't you
tell me that you were gonna get

some really big moola on
your birthday or something?

Lou, ever since I came
here six months ago,

this guy Victor's
been dipping into me,

just for handling my allowance

and keeping a few
people off my neck.

Do you know how
much I paid that leech?

Five thousand bills?

You guessed it, boy.

Now, you don't
think he's gonna see

any of that money back, do you?

But if he kept people
off your neck, Allen?

Are you kidding?

Guy in New York that
keeps crying to me for help.

Then there's my old biddy aunt
who keeps whining for dough.

Now this Joyce
keeps hinting around.

I don't know what she wants.

Lou...

I'm gonna let you
in on a little secret.

This is it. This time
I'm gone for good.

I'd sure hate to see Joyce's
expression when she finds out

that you really do leave town.

You know that trust fund money?

Well, they turn it
over to me tomorrow.

One hundred and sixty-two
thousand silver sinkers.

All mine.

Whew.

Now, you just bring that chicken
feed for traveling expenses.

When will you be home?

Ten o'clock tonight?

Uh-huh. Ten o'clock.

Anybody home?

Allen?

Allen?

Allen?

Allen?

Allen?

Oh.

If you've been on
the plane all night,

I'm sure you can
use some coffee.

Yes. Thank you, dear.

That's very thoughtful.

Is this your first
trip to Los Angeles?

Yes. I came out
to see a relative:

Allen Sheridan.

His father is my
cousin, Henry Sheridan.

Well, then...

what brings you
first to a lawyer?

Well, I...

I may need some help.

You see, a number
of years ago...

I gave up an apartment,
my way of life, in Cincinnati

to go to New York.

Henry's wife had died,

and he needed someone
to look after the large house,

to manage things.

I understand.

But... last year,

Henry died too.

He didn't leave me anything.

Not... specifically.

Was there a will?

Everything reverted
to a trust fund.

His son, Allen Sheridan,

was his first heir.

He was to receive
control of the money

on his 30th birthday.

Until then, he has a
$2,000-a-month allowance.

You say "first heir"?

Henry wanted me
to be taken care of.

He said so in his will.

It's just that...

That it was up to
Allen's discretion

how much money I
should have. That's all.

But, um...

I'm the next heir.

The next in line, in case
anything happened...

to... well...

Miss Winslow, have
you been unsuccessful

in getting money from him?

Is that the trouble?

Well...

Allen came out here
six months ago...

and during the last three
months, he hasn't sent me

a single penny.

I finally wrote to his
business manager.

Someone named,
uh, Victor... Latimore.

But he won't answer me either.

Now, when is this, uh...

birthday you spoke of?

Today.

Oh. Mr. Mason.

It isn't that I'm
greedy for myself.

You see, I'm still living
in the family house...

and I've had to contract
bills in my own name.

I just don't know what
to tell people anymore.

And Allen promises...

and promises...

All right.

How can we get
in touch with him?

Oh.

At, um...

Hollywood 2-4699.

Uh, just one moment, please.

Mr. Perry Mason calling.

Hello. I'd like to speak
to Mr. Sheridan, please.

Well, Mr. Mason,
he, uh... He ain't here.

I'm the cleaning woman.

What?

No, he's not asleep. I just
cleaned up his bedroom.

Of course I'm sure.

Mr. Sheridan's just
plain somewheres else.

Oh.

Yes, Mr. Mason. I
know who you are.

I'll leave a note.

Goodbye.

Oh. He's not dead. Perry.

Thank heaven he's not dead.

Oh. Here. Take her.

He's not dead.

What did you say, Miss Winslow?

Oh.

I'm so ashamed of myself
for coming here like this,

Mr. Mason.

I sat in my car
all night last night,

wondering what to do.

But he's all right.

Oh, forgive me.

Suppose you tell
us the whole story.

Thank you.

I need help.

You see, I...

I never know what he's up to.

The tricks he plans

and... the things he says.

Just start at the beginning.

Well... I...

I learned from Ralph Curtis...

that Allen hadn't sent him

any money either.

Thank you.

Hello, Mr. Mason. Sit down.

What can I do for you?

I'm trying to get in touch
with Allen Sheridan.

Oh, what for?

Probably a matter
you'll be handling.

I'm representing
Sarette Winslow.

Oh, yes, in New York.

She's now in Los Angeles.

I'd like to know what
Mr. Sheridan's intentions are,

Mr. Latimore.

Is he going to respect
his late father's wishes,

and provide some
kind of permanent

and regular support
for Miss Winslow?

Well, Mr. Mason,

Allen is hardly the
confiding type, I'm afraid.

I understand he
has other traits:

quick and easy,
generous with promises,

and capricious in
the fulfillment of them.

You left out charm...

and persuasiveness.

I apologize.

You should. Last
night, he persuaded me

to lend him $5,000.

Oh? What for?

He's in trouble...

with a gambler
named Lou Caporale.

You know, of course,
Mr. Sheridan's getting control

of a fortune...

perhaps as early as today.

Today?

Well, he told me
his 30th birthday

wasn't until next year.

Today.

Oh. This, um... Caporale.

You know where I can reach him?

Oh, yes. Ye... Um...

1040 Las Palmas, Apartment 4.

I, uh...

delivered the money myself.

Well, Mr. Latimore...

where is Sheridan?

Oh, I don't know.

Is there anyone else who
might help me find him?

Well, he's been going
around with a young woman.

Excuse me.

Yes, Doris?

Right. And, uh, get Joyce
Fulton's phone number

for Mr. Mason.

Yes, Lieutenant Tragg.

Speaking.

Well, I don't know.

Well, is anything wrong?

Well, why have the police...?

I see.

Homicide.

He said they're
looking for Allen too.

Well, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Latimore.

Better cover the whole area.

You can start up there.

Well, hello, Perry.

What's he supposed to be
doing on the side of the mountain?

Maybe he's buried up
there. What are you here for?

Well, I was in Victor Latimore's
office when you called.

I'm working on an estate problem

that may involve Sheridan.

Uh, don't, uh, touch
anything, Perry.

We're not finished out here yet.

Blood? Yes.

Lot of it.

From the porch? Uh-huh.

It's all cleaned
up nice up there.

Whose blood, lieutenant?

We're checking.

Your client in this,
uh, money affair

wouldn't be a woman, would it?

Why?

Well, we're looking for a woman.

Sergeant...

you can start over to the east,

and then work down
both sides of the road.

Uh, why a woman, lieutenant?

Well, these slatted wooden
porches were never designed

for a... A narrow
kind of heel like this.

You're sure it's
murder, lieutenant?

Well, it's early yet.

I'd like to have a body.

Where is this Allen Sheridan?

He could be anywhere.

Why do you figure it's
a woman, lieutenant?

If there was a murder...

how could she have
transported the body?

All downhill, isn't it?

Steps.

Nice, handy slope.

Now, just suppose that that's

a rental car parked below there.

See how easy it would
be to slide a body down

and right into the trunk.

Or roll it over onto the
rear seat of a convertible?

And then off it
goes, body and all.

Well... we found a few marks.

Little blood on the ivy,
but that's how it was, Perry.

Uh, what prompted you to
say "rental car," lieutenant?

Well, we happen to
know that there was

a rental car here last night.

The Pleas-U-R-Drive
Car-Rental people always have

an identifying star
on the windshield.

And we have an
eyewitness, Perry.

We know, uh, who
rented it and where.

Now, I think you understand...

that we're looking for a woman

by the name of Sarette Winslow.

Right now, all we want
her for is questioning.

But I'm going on
record with you.

We want her. Mm.

Well, I'm sure you can
always get her, lieutenant.

With a warrant.

Della. Paul.

Hi, Perry.

Miss Winslow settled?

Mm-hm. I took her to a hotel.

Tragg believes
that Allen Sheridan

was murdered last night.

Believes?

Uh, no corpse has been found.

Paul, Sheridan left New York

six months ago. I want to know

the circumstances.

Della, what was the name

of that man Miss
Winslow mentioned.

Someone you might check with,

Uh, Curtis? Uh, Ralph Curtis.

He lives in Manhattan.

I want to know all about

Sheridan's financial dealings
in New York and here.

All about Victor Latimore

and his management business.

Perry, do you believe that

Allen Sheridan's been murdered?

Well, it could be another
case of his artful dodging.

As far as his being murdered...

for Miss Winslow's sake,

I certainly hope not.

Okay, Perry. Anything else?

Mm-hm. Complete background

on Lou Caporale, gambler,

1040 Las Palmas, Apartment 4.

Della, call this
Miss Joyce Fulton...

Oleander 2-1652.

Okay, Rudy.

Good day, sir. I'm
to see a Miss Fulton.

Miss Fulton. Oh,
yes. Right this way.

Miss Fulton? Mr. Mason.

Uh, nothing now, thank you.

Very well.

I hope this was a
convenient place for you.

Oh, fine.

Well, now to the point.

How long have you
known Allen Sheridan?

Two months. It seems longer.

Did you see him last night?

Sure. He took me to dinner.

And after dinner?

I drove him home.

Look, Mr. Mason, I've
told all this to the police...

and I haven't seen
Allen since last night.

But what time last night?

About 9:00.

And since 9:00 last night,

you've neither seen
nor spoken with him?

No.

And from what you
told me on the phone,

he hasn't been home, and, heh,

no one seems to
know where he is.

So... I can only assume
that he left according to plan.

Mm?

What was the plan?

Well, I'd rather not say.

Oh, I mean, I'm sure you're
not working for Lou Caporale,

but... I think the fewer
the people that know,

the better it'll be for Allen.

Caporale was
paid off last night.

Really?

Victor Latimore paid him off?

So he says.

Well, I guess I was right.

Imagine, running all
the way to Mexico City

just to evade
my little clutches.

That where Sheridan
went, Mexico City?

Well, I guess so.

He was supposed to
leave at 7:00 this morning,

only not if Victor...

Oh, boy. The circles
that man can swim in.

Now, you said you
drove him home last night.

In his car?

No, mine.

Didn't he have one?

Yes. It's a convertible.

Only he said he loaned
his to someone else.

To a friend, he said.

And Paul, see if a man answering
the description of Sheridan

boarded the 7 a.m.
flight for Mexico City.

Fine.

Now, what were you gonna
say about that convertible?

Oh?

Yes, I have it.

Globe Studios.

Sorry, we're checking.

This car belong to you?

No. What's it all about?

Got a driver's license?

Oh, sure.

"Louis Caporale."

It's registered under the
name of Allen Sheridan.

He's a friend of mine.

Uh, thank you, officer.

I think I can handle it now.

Mr. Caporale, my name is Mason.

I think you have, uh,

more than one
profession, don't you?

What do you mean?

Today you're an actor,

last night you were a gambler...

collecting a $5,000 debt.

Well, a bit player's got to have

something working
on the side for him.

What's your line, Mason?

I'm trying to locate
Allen Sheridan.

Um, I don't know where he is.

When was the last
time you saw him?

Do I have to answer
your questions?

Do you have something to hide?

No, no. Nothing, nothing.

Where'd you get the car?

Oh, now, look,
Allen loaned it to me.

I was doing a favor for
him. I needed transportation.

I explained it all
down at headquarters.

I don't have to
go over it with you.

Did they tell you
down at headquarters

that they think he may
have been murdered?

Why, no.

That they suspected his
body was hauled away in a car?

You mind opening the
trunk, Mr. Caporale?

Something in it?

Well, how should I know?

I never had any
reason to open the trunk.

I have no idea
what's back there.

Then you don't mind?
Now, look, Mr. Mason.

This isn't my car.

I don't know
what's back in there.

Shall we see?

Mr. Mason?

Call for you.

A Mr. Drake.

Would you ask him to
hold on for a moment?

Yes, hello?

Perry, did you catch Caporale?

Yes, Paul.

Good. Look, I think I
have something for you.

I just talked to
the airline people.

A William Wyatt took off
for Mexico City at 7 a.m.

William Wyatt.

They remembered this
guy at the check-in counter.

Said he was all bent
over, as though in pain.

I asked whether he could
have been hurt or wounded,

and they said he virtually
had to be carried onboard.

Go on.

And from what I can make out,

Wyatt answers the general
description of Allen Sheridan.

All right, thanks, Paul.

I'll see you tonight
at the office.

Oh. Afternoon, Perry.

I really came to find you,
Mr. Caporale. I need your help.

Uh, is this the, uh,
Allen Sheridan car?

That's right, lieutenant.

And Mr. Mason had me
open the trunk for him.

Why, Perry, you
weren't looking for

something in there, were you?

I guess I'm always
looking, lieutenant.

You should have been
looking down the county road

about five miles from
the Sheridan home.

Want to come along
while Mr. Caporale

identifies the body?

That's him.

That's Allen Sheridan.

That, uh, warrant you
wanted for Sarette Winslow...

You wanna look it over
and see if it's in order?

So...

Sheridan established
the fictitious William Wyatt,

and then to raise travel money,

he swindled his own business
manager out of $5,000.

So he could run
out on everybody.

Miss Winslow, Victor Latimore,

his latest girlfriend,
Joyce Fulton.

Mm-hm. Quite a boy.

Quite a scheme.

Except someone moved in and
took advantage of all his plotting.

Somebody now calling
himself William Wyatt?

Mm-hm.

Hi, beautiful. Hello, Paul.

Oh, Paul. Any luck?

Well, here's the
rundown from New York.

It comes from
Gebhardt and O'Riley,

trustees for the estate
of Henry Sheridan.

Go on. For some time now,

Allen Sheridan's had
it arranged with them

to transfer the
bulk of his estate

as soon as he turned 30.

Which he's just done. Check.

Comes to $162,000.

I suppose he had the funds
transferred to Mexico City.

To the Bank of Mexico in
the name of William Wyatt.

And hold onto your hat.

The funds were
not only transferred,

they were cashed.

In Mexico City? Mm-hm.

When? Just before
the banks closed,

by someone who
properly identified himself

as William Wyatt.

All right, Paul.

I want you to find
this William Wyatt.

All right, Perry.

Then the defendant,
Sarette Winslow,

confronted Allen
Sheridan, her own cousin.

And when he resisted
her pleas for money,

she contrived to kill him.

Her motives were
anger and greed.

And finally, Your Honor,

we intend to demonstrate
how, within that same hour,

the defendant returned
to the scene of her crime

to obtain and
cold-bloodedly to dispose of

the body of her victim.

Mr. Mason?

The defense will reserve
its remarks at this time,

Your Honor.

Proceed with the prosecution.

I call Dr. Hoxie to
the stand, please.

Causing a fracture just
above the right temple.

The second blow struck on
the opposite side of the head

on a line below the ear,
down across the throat,

severing the
external carotid artery.

And, doctor, I show you
this section of a glass ashtray,

and ask if this could
have caused such wounds.

Yes, sir, it could.

The jagged edge,
the weight, everything.

Thank you, doctor.

Your witness.

No questions.

We smoked a
cigarette on the porch,

and we used this ashtray.

Only it wasn't broken then.

It didn't have that jagged end.

When was this, Miss Fulton?

After we came back
from dinner that night.

And I recognize the ashtray

because it was one I gave him.

Now I show you this blanket
and ask if you've seen it before.

I have. Allen used to
leave it out on the porch.

He used to take sunbaths on it.

I think that'll be all, Miss
Fulton. Your witness.

You seem quite familiar
with the household details

of Mr. Sheridan's
home, Miss Fulton.

How is that?

Well, I suppose
because I've been there

quite a number of times.

And just what was the
relationship between you

and Allen Sheridan?

Well, I'm not sure
that I really know.

Allen would never
quite declare himself.

And I assure you that I
hadn't made up my own mind

about things either.

And Miss Fulton...

you said earlier that
you left his home,

and that you last
saw Mr. Sheridan

about 9:00 on the
night he was killed.

Is there any way
you can verify that?

No, Mr. Mason.

There isn't.

Thank you, that'll be all.

Lieutenant Arthur Tragg, please.

Now, I ask if you've ever
seen this blanket before.

Well, when the, uh,
county notified us

that one of their road crews

had uncovered the body of a man,

I investigated personally.

I found this blanket
wrapped around

the body of Allen Sheridan.

And what did you
find on the blanket?

Bloodstains, type B,
same as the victim.

Did you also find...

bloodstains on this ashtray?

No, sir. It had been wiped off.

The porch had
been wiped off too.

Very carefully.

I believe you said that also
applied to the fingerprints.

Yes, sir.

Someone had, uh, tidied up.

Huh. Tidied up. Very
well-put, lieutenant.

However, what about the
pool of blood under the porch?

Isn't that what started
your whole investigation?

Well, it was dark, there
were cracks in the porch,

and that was undoubtedly
the oversight of the murderer.

I see.

Now, I show you this
heel from a woman's shoe.

I ask you where this was found.

It was stuck between the
floorboards on the porch.

Is there anything else you
can tell us about this heel?

We took some scrapings,
and down at the bottom of it,

we found samples of
some blood, uh, type B.

That's the same type
as that of the deceased.

Yes. The wearer of the shoe

had, uh, undoubtedly

stepped in some of the blood.

Well, were there any
fingerprints on this?

Well, um, on the
inside facing of the heel,

there were two
we could identify.

The, uh, thumbprint
of the cleaning woman

who tried to, uh, pull
it loose from the porch.

And whose was the other print?

That of the defendant...

Miss Sarette Winslow.

Now, lieutenant,
during the course

of your investigation
in this case,

was it necessary for you
to examine the records

of automobile rental agencies
in the Los Angeles area?

Yes, I did.

Would you tell us
what you found, please?

On the evening of the
murder, about, uh, 9:00,

the airport office

of the Pleas-U-R-Drive
Car Rentals company

signed out a convertible...

to Miss Sarette Winslow
of New York City.

I think that'll be
all, lieutenant.

Thank you very
much. Cross-examine.

Lieutenant, what prompted
you to look into the records

of the Pleas-U-R-Drive company?

The statement of an eyewitness.

What eyewitness?

Mr. Louis Caporale.

Thank you,
lieutenant. That'll be all.

I started up toward the house

around by the front door.

I looked in, didn't see anybody.

Then this woman came hurrying
around from the other side.

She looked like she
might be a cripple,

or maybe wearing only one shoe.

She got into the car and,
uh, drove away pretty fast.

Now, I ask you to look
around this courtroom

and see if you can
identify that woman here.

Well, sure.

That's her.

Let the record
show that the witness

is pointing to the
defendant, Sarette Winslow.

Thank you, Mr. Caporale.
Your witness.

Mr. Caporale...

after this woman drove away...

just what did you do?

Well, Allen obviously
wasn't home, so I left.

You left?

You saw this woman

mysteriously dashing away
from your friend's home,

and you didn't investigate?

I figured she was just somebody

who couldn't find
him home either.

I thought I'd try him later.

And later, you did
look around a bit more.

Did you go out on the porch?

Yes, I did.

And you didn't see a body?

There wasn't any body there.

Not at 11:00.

Now, would you
please tell the court

what were you
really doing there?

Why were you so anxious

to see Sheridan that night?

Well, I'd borrowed his car.

Now, isn't it true that a
man named Victor Latimore

had come to see you
earlier that evening,

and had given you $5,000?

Oh, now, look.

This was Allen's idea, not mine.

He was just gonna
pay me a few bucks

to pick up the
dough and deliver it,

and maybe act like a...

Well, like a tough
gambler, that's all.

And what did you
do with the 5,000?

Well, I was worried.

So I hid it in back of his car.

Look, that's why I had
the shakes the next day

when you were
looking in the trunk.

But I was gonna turn it in.

In fact, I was on my way
over to police headquarters

when... When you stopped me.

Well... Well, that's what I did.

I turned it over to
Lieutenant Tragg.

Uh, didn't I, sir?

No more questions.

I call Victor Latimore, please.

Now, Mr. Latimore,
are you acquainted

with the defendant,
Sarette Winslow?

Well, I met her through
Allen in New York.

Occasionally, I'd see her at

the brownstone on 55th Street.

Allen, at one time, had
a weekly poker game.

Oh, it was just a friendly
game, not for blood.

Would you mind explaining
to this court, please,

the financial arrangement

between the defendant
and Allen Sheridan?

Well, it was very simple.

While he was still
living on his allowance...

he undertook to send $300
monthly to Miss Winslow.

His father's will suggested
an obligation of this kind.

And how did Allen
Sheridan fulfill this obligation?

Well, he was frequently
late with the check,

and many times he omitted
sending it altogether. I see.

Did you ever have occasion
to talk to the defendant

about this matter?

Oh, she wrote me several
times from New York.

She was upset about Allen.

More specifically, what
was she upset about?

Oh, about not
getting her allowance,

and what was going to happen

when Allen came into his money

in a... A lump sum
on his 30th birthday.

You see, she knew
that his birthday

was on September 5th

of this year.

I thought it wasn't
till next year.

I see. Now, would
you tell us, please,

the terms of Allen
Sheridan's will?

Well, Allen left no will.

Then what happens to his estate?

Well, Miss Winslow
is his only relative,

and, of course,
is his sole heir.

Thank you, Mr. Latimore.

Your witness.

Uh, Mr. Mason...

do you anticipate a
lengthy cross-examination

of this witness?

Well, it's possible
it could take

quite some time, Your Honor.

In that case, since it's
almost the noon hour,

court will recess until
2:00 this afternoon.

Perry...

I finally got a few reports in.

At least we know

where William Wyatt
was in Mexico City.

What about Ralph
Curtis in New York?

That's the second piece
of information we've got.

We can't find him.

But I did get a flash,

if you can call it that.

He did show up in New York.

Uh-huh. When?

Mm, according to a neighbor,

Sunday morning, September 6th.

How long was he there?

I don't know. Not
more than a few hours.

Perry, heh,

you're awful persistent
about this guy, Curtis.

What gives?

Figure it out yourself, Paul.

From all we've learned...

from what you've just told me...

Ralph Curtis and
William Wyatt are...

one and the same person.

And Paul...

you've just got to find him.

All right, Perry.

Now, Mr. Latimore...

you said that you knew
Allen Sheridan in New York.

Well, since I've been
out here on business,

it's only been occasional
visits, of course.

Mm, how long have you been

in the personal
management business?

Oh, about ten years.

I do income taxes, that
sort of thing. Mm-hm.

What percentage did you
take of the decedent's income

as your fee for handling
his so-called allowance?

Well, in... In this
particular case...

25 percent.

Doesn't the normal fee

for the type of
service you render

range from, uh,

oh, say, 3 percent to...

maybe 5 percent?

Oh, but Allen needed
all sorts of special service.

You see, he came out here
with things all tangled up.

Do you, uh, have
Mr. Sheridan's power of attorney?

Y-yeah... Uh... Uh, no.

Uh, pardon me. Did you have

his power of attorney?

Yes, but it was
revoked. Mm, when?

I received notice
of it last week.

Allen had written the
trustees in New York.

Now, if his body hadn't
been discovered...

If he'd just disappeared

would you still have
been able to continue

using that power of attorney?

Well, I...

I suppose, until all the
banks had been notified...

Oh, no.

No, that wouldn't
have been proper.

No.

Now, you testified that...

you were...

part of an occasional poker game

held by Allen Sheridan.

Was a...? A man by
the name of Ralph Curtis

also part of that game?

Yes, sir. Occasionally.

Was Mr. Curtis one
of the special services

you took care of
for Mr. Sheridan?

I don't know what you mean.

I mean the defendant
wasn't the only person

after Sheridan for
money, was she?

Well,

I wouldn't know about that.

Tell me, Mr. Latimore...

were you and Ralph Curtis

blackmailing Allen Sheridan?

I object, Your Honor.

That question is
completely incompetent.

Mr. Mason is
threatening this witness.

Objection sustained.

No more questions.

At this time, Your Honor...

the prosecution would
like to call Ralph Curtis

to the stand, please.

So it was in a
vindictive fit of temper

that Allen Sheridan tripped you

and sent you sprawling headlong

down that flight of stairs,

wasn't it?

Go on, Mr. Curtis.

Uh, that was in
September of 1958...

in Allen's home in Manhattan.

I went to the hospital
for a series of operations,

and it left me as you see me.

And what did Allen
Sheridan do about it?

Well, he never once
came to the hospital.

So when I found out I wasn't

going to get any better...

I had my lawyer
send him a... letter.

That brought him around quick.

What do you mean by that?

He pleaded with
me not to sue him.

Said it would tie up
his funds and so on.

He said he felt he
owed me an obligation...

and that he had an
income of $2,000 a month.

He would pay me half
for the rest of my life.

Well, he'd crippled me.

Well, did he keep his promise?

Well, he sent me
a thousand a month

for two months.

And then he left town.

When was this?

March of this year.

Would you tell us, please,

what transpired on Friday,
September 4th of this year?

I received a telephone call

about... 4:00

in the afternoon, New York time.

It was from the defendant,

Miss Sarette Winslow.

And what did she want?

Well, she...
wanted to know if...

Allen had sent me a large
sum of money recently.

Did she say why she
wanted to know such a thing?

Yes. She said that
Allen hadn't sent her any.

And he used the excuse

that he had sent a lot to me.

I told her he hadn't.

But... she became angry.

Might say she...

She even threatened.

She said she wasn't
gonna let Allen

lie his way out of this.

I see.

What else did she
say, Mr. Curtis?

Well, she said...

she was gonna
settle things with Allen

once and for all.

Thank you, Mr. Curtis.

Your witness.

I'm curious to know
why, Mr. Curtis...

when Allen Sheridan
stopped his payments to you,

you didn't seek legal
relief in the courts.

Hm. Because the only
witness to the attack

was Victor Latimore.

And when I asked
him to testify for me,

he said that his
recollection of the accident...

was that it had been my fault.

Why do you suppose he said that?

Mm. 'Cause Allen Sheridan
was paying him to say it.

Twenty-five percent
he got was his payoff.

Uh, Mr. Curtis,

did you volunteer to appear
as a prosecution witness?

Well, uh, I didn't resist.

Well, did you go
to the authorities,

or did the authorities
come to you?

They came to me.

Where?

Here in Los Angeles.

I thought you lived in New York.

On the afternoon of the
murder, you were in New York,

were you not? Yes, I...

I spoke to, uh, Miss Winslow...

in New York.

And when did you arrive
here in Los Angeles?

About 5:30 in the morning...

after Allen was killed.

Five-thirty in the
morning, by plane?

Yes.

On the morning of September 5th,

a little before 7:00,

a man boarded a plane
bound for Mexico City.

He called himself William Wyatt.

He walked in a manner...

crippled and bent,

just as you.

I ask you now, Mr. Curtis...

were you that man?

No.

The man arrived in Mexico City.

He picked up a hotel reservation
under the name of William Wyatt,

and before the day was over,

he withdrew $162,000

from the Bank of Mexico.

I'll ask you once
again, Mr. Curtis:

were you that man?

No.

You're certainly
aware that a man

with your distinctive

appearance and walk

will be easily identifiable...

to the Bank of Mexico

in Mexico City,

to the hotel there.

Even to fellow passengers

on an airplane.

Yes, I...

I did go to Mexico City.

Using the name William Wyatt?

Yes.

All right, I did
take the $162,000.

But I didn't kill him.

I just...

took advantage of what
he had already set up.

It seemed like some sort of...

justice.

How did you know about
this plan of his, Mr. Curtis?

You were in New York
on the day of the murder.

Who told you about the plan?

Well, somebody
must have told you.

I heard about it.

By telephone? Yes.

Who could have
called you, Mr. Curtis?

Could it have been someone

who hated Allen Sheridan

as much as you did?

Someone who, after killing him,

would immediately have

called you?

Well, you're only saying
"could it have been?"

I'm now saying...

who could it have
been, Mr. Curtis?

It must have been
someone very close to you.

Someone also close
to Allen Sheridan.

Someone who knew
about the plane ticket.

Someone who knew about

William Wyatt and Mexico City,

and the money there.

We both know who
that someone could be,

don't we, Mr. Curtis?

I told you not to
come back out here.

Why did you

come back out here, Ralph?

I couldn't leave
you here all alone.

I couldn't.

Not after...

After I killed him.

Yes, I let him die, Ralph.

Look what he did to you.

Just look what he did to you.

She was in love
with Ralph Curtis.

That's why she
followed Allen out here.

To make him pay in some way

for what he had done
to the man she loved.

What happened that night?

Joyce and Allen went back to

his home after dinner.

Joyce told him that
before he ran away again,

he would have to
give Ralph Curtis

a decent settlement.

When he laughed at her,

she hit him twice
with an ashtray.

The first time it broke,
and the second time,

the shattered glass
slashed an artery.

Mm, it shocked and stunned her,

and she went home
as fast as she could.

And that's when I came along?

After she had gone?

That's right.

By the time you had left,

Joyce had had time
to figure out her plot,

and to call Curtis and tell him
to take the next jet plane out.

How did you know
about Joyce, Mr. Mason?

Well, mm, as soon as
we were able to figure out

who was posing
as William Wyatt...

it was comparatively simple.

Oh, I'm so grateful.

And so thankful.