The Untouchables (1959–1963): Season 1, Episode 15 - Star Witness - full transcript

When mobster Luigi Renaldo goes out of town, his enforcer, Paolo Rienzi decides to bring in a couple of out-of-town men to teach William Norbert, their accountant who tried to quit his job with them, a lesson. They administer a beating a severe beating and Eliot Ness is soon trying to get Norbert to cooperate with the Untouchables. Norbert isn't too keen at first but an attempted hit convinces him to testify against Rinaldo. Norbert has an amazing facility with numbers and essentially keeps the mobs books in his head. As their entire case rests on his testimony Norbert, along with his wife and daughter, are under constant police protection but that doesn't stop Renaldo from going after them.

Just keep walking.

Now wait a minute,
wait a minute.

I-I'll make a deal with you.

No deals. We've
been waiting for you.

Listen, I'll go
anywhere with you.

I'll do anything you want,
but my little girl's in there.

I got to see her for
just five minutes.

Just five minutes, please!

No dice. You go where
we want you to go now!

(yells)

(theme music plays)



Tonight's episode...

Starring Robert
Stack as Eliot Ness.

Co-starring Marc Lawrence.

With special guest
star Jim Backus.

WALTER WINCHELL: In 1934 the
Great Depression was four years old.

Al Capone had shifted
his place of residence

to a federal penitentiary.

But the criminal empire
which Capone had founded

refused to fall apart.

It continued to operate its
multi-million dollar rackets

behind legitimate
business fronts.

Once such front was
a firm calling itself

Midwest Enterprises, Inc.

Its president was a man
named Luigi Renaldo,



once one of Capone's lieutenants

and now a powerful figure
in Chicago's vice syndicate.

Second in command
was his enforcer...

A compulsive young
triggerman named Paolo Rienzi.

Paper says it's hot in Florida.

Yeah. Make sure it don't
get too hot here, huh?

Don't worry. Have a good trip.

Tommy, I want
you to call a couple

of out-of-town boys for me.

What for?

I got a little job for 'em.

What kind of a job?

Don't ask questions.
Just do as I say.

Paolo, you start
with the rough stuff,

Luigi ain't gonna like it.

Luigi ain't here!

He left me in charge.

I give the orders now.

Well, we got enough...

The job that Rienzi ordered
was to be done on a man

named William Norbert...

An accountant who had
worked for Midwest Enterprises.

Norbert was 42 years old,
married and lived quietly

in a North Shore suburb
with his wife and child.

Norbert was a
genius for figures...

All of them stored
neatly in his head.

He was known
among his associates

as a man who never
made a mistake.

But he made one...
he tried to quit.

Who are you?

What do you want?

Shut up.

Look straight ahead.

(traffic signal dings)

It must be a mistake.

Did Mr. Renaldo send you?

No! No!

Please! Please!

No, there's a mistake!

No, a-ask Mr. Renaldo, please!

We don't have to
ask anybody. No!

No!

This'll teach you to
keep your mouth shut.

Please, no more.

Take me to Mr. Ren... Oh!

Let's go.

WINCHELL: In the early 1930s,
before Las Vegas became synonymous

with slot machines and divorce,

Florida was the gambling
Mecca of the country.

The take was enormous.

And wherever the take was big,
the crime syndicate was there.

On the 15th day of each month,

five of its top members
arrived at the Club Sorrento

for their regular
business meeting.

Charles "Fingers"
Maccioli of Seattle,

a three-time
loser in the courts,

but a very steady
winner at the crap table...

Marcus Campanello, who
controlled the numbers racket

and red-light district
in Kansas City...

Albert Cicciano
of New York City,

Dannemora, Joliet
and Sing Sing...

Pietro "Little Pete"
Stefano from Cincinnati...

And last, but not least,

Luigi Renaldo from Chicago.

The agenda for these
monthly meetings never varied.

The subject was always
the same... money.

In the payoff room
of the Club Sorrento

no books, ledgers or
financial statements were kept.

Only a summary on a
single piece of paper.

No dividend checks were issued.

Everything here
was strictly cash.

For the period ending May
15: take, two million-seven.

Operating costs, a million-two.

Profit, one-five.

Dividends, 300 Gs.

Ten... ten... ten...
ten... and ten.

Ten... ten... ten...
ten... and ten.

(phone ringing)

Yeah.

For you.

Yeah. Renaldo.

I'll be right up.

I, uh, got a visitor upstairs.

You want we should wait?

No, no, no, keep... keep going.

I'll be back.

Ten... ten... ten...

ten.

Yes?

You're Mr. Renaldo?

That's me.

A "pick up for questioning"
just came in on you

from Chicago.

(chuckles)

You know, every time
something happens in Chicago

they go running to Luigi.

Okay, okay, what's it this time?

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

Sheriff asked me
to bring y'all in.

Do you... do you mind
waiting five minutes?

What for? I want to

make a phone call to Chicago.

Go on, give him a
drink. Bring his drink.

Get the bottle.

Operator, I want Willie Sharf

person-to-person Chicago.

Superior 2-0-0-9-8.

Yeah, tell him Luigi
Renaldo calling.

Logan 6-2-1-3. Yeah.

Hey, you're a very
nice fella for waiting.

I like that.

This stupid business we'll
fix in two or three minutes.

You... you watch.

Hey, Willie, Willie,
what's this stinkin'

"pick up for
questioning" business?

Huh?

Oh... oh, that stupid Rienzi.

Well, I'll take care of
him when I get back.

In the meanwhile,
get rid of this

"pick up for questioning"
business. Huh? Eh...

Take a couple of
minutes. It'll be all right.

What's it all about?

I don't know.

Some guy who
used to work for me,

they beat him
up... An accountant.

You know me... I... I can't
add without my five fingers.

This guy's like a machine.

He can add the boxcar
numbers on a through freight

and give you the answer
before the caboose is out of sight.

(phone ringing)

Smart guy.

For you.

Deputy Martinson.

Yes, Chief.

Okay. Sure.

Chicago just
cancelled the pickup.

They got nothing on Luigi.

I'm 100% legit. Huh?

Go on, take the bottle.
Take the bottle home.

Huh? On Luigi.

WINCHELL: While Luigi
Renaldo was proclaiming

his innocence in Florida,

Chief Assistant United
States Attorney Floyd Wheaton

assigned Eliot Ness to the case.

Ness moved swiftly to
capitalize on the beating

of William Norbert.

Look, j-just leave
me alone, will ya?

A-All day long, people
in and out of this hospital.

Nine reporters.

People I've never seen before

asking me all kind of questions.

I don't know why the
hospital lets them in.

Just leave me alone.

You won't have to talk,
Mr. Norbert. Just listen.

What I have to tell
you may save your life.

I don't know anything.
Just leave me alone.

The government's been building
a case against Luigi Renaldo

for the past two years.

Your testimony would clinch it.

Mr. Renaldo's always
treated me very fairly.

How? By sending a pair of
hoodlums to beat you up?

You don't know that.

Yes, we do. We even
know their names.

Well, then you do
something about it.

Knowing who did it and
proving it are two different things.

They have 20 witnesses ready to
swear they were someplace else.

I can't tell you anything.

Just leave me alone.

Please, Mr. Ness.

All right, but I want your
husband to realize one thing.

This time he got
off with a beating.

Next time he might
not be so lucky.

My husband's a man of honor.

If he promised
Mr. Renaldo he wouldn't talk,

then he's not going to talk.

Your husband may be a
man of honor, Mrs. Norbert,

but Luigi Renaldo is not.

Nobody quits the rackets.

When you're dismissed,

they dismiss you
with a pat on the back

administered by
machine gun bullets.

They'll never find us.

We're selling our
house and moving away.

If they want you, Mrs.
Norbert, they'll find you.

Your best chance... I
think you're only chance...

Is to accept our protection

while your husband helps us
put Renaldo where he belongs.

We'll take our chances.

Well, if you change your mind.

Who asked you? Who
asked you? Who asked you?

Punk!

Who told you to sic those
goons on-on-on Norbert, eh?

Did I tell ya? Did I tell ya?

No, Luigi, I... I
thought... You thought?!

The minute I turn my back,
you start pushing people around.

We just pushed him a little,

so he'd keep his mouth shut.

Not hard. Not hard, huh?

Don't you know there's some
people you can't push around?

Don't you know that?

Norbert I handled
just right. I let him quit.

He steps out of line,
I take care of him.

Suppose now he gets sore, huh?

He goes to the feds and...
and spills what's up there.

You want Eliot Ness
climbing all over us?!

Huh? Well, that's what
you're going to get us.

(phone ringing)

Yeah.

Send him in.

Sure.

Willie... Willie, baby!

Come on in, Willie.

You! We were... we
were just talking about you.

Hey, you know Rienzi.

Say hello to Willie.

Hello.

I love this guy.

You know why?

He's got genius up here.

I, uh, just got out of the
hospital, Mr. Renaldo.

You said you wanted to see me.

Yeah, Willie, I heard.

And I'm sorry.

I-I was in Florida
when it happened.

I come right back.

This is bad
business. Yes, it was.

And Willie, my word of honor...

I know nothing about it, huh?

I was gone just three
days, three days,

and two meatballs
I pay $50 a day

think they can earn their
pay without telling Luigi!

I tell you, it won't
happen again, I promise.

I promise.

Well, thank you,
but, uh, when I quit,

I thought we
understood each other.

We did and we still do!

Willie, Willie... (chuckles)

I know you won't tell
nothing to the feds, eh?

What, what are you
gonna tell 'em, huh?

We, we kept no books, huh?!

Am I right? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

(sighs)

You're a, you're a good man.

I... I hate to lose you, but
what, what can I do, eh?

(phone rings)

One minute.

Yeah?

Yeah, yeah, it's
okay, it's all right.

Sure.

Well, Willie, you
come back anytime.

A-Always glad to see you.

Well, thank you.

Uh, I'm moving my
family out of Chicago.

My wife and I think
it's best for our little girl.

Oh, sure, that's right.

Look, uh, you
keep in touch, huh?

Write a little
postcard. Let me know.

Let me know how
you're doing, huh?

All right, I'll drop
you a line. Sure.

Willie, take care,
huh? Take care.

So long.

Sure, bye-bye, Willie.

Hey, he's okay!

He's not sore!

You know what
that phone call was?

Eliot Ness. He was
with him at the hospital.

You know what that means?

You started something,
now I got to finish it.

Hey, there he is.

Yeah, let's go.

(tires squealing)

Will, what is it?

Millie, get back!

Get back!

I'd like to speak to Eliot Ness.

This is William Norbert.

Do you have any relatives
away from Chicago

with whom you could
stay, Mrs. Norbert?

Well... Whoops.

Oh, Jen.

Sorry, Mommy.

I have an aunt in Kansas City.

Aunt Helen would be
glad to let us stay with her.

It's a big house.

How long would it be, Mr. Ness?

Several months, at least.

The law's full of delays.

Well, where will William go?

He'll stay with us
till after the trial.

We've never been separated.

It'll be safer for
everyone, Mrs. Norbert.

We'll have you and
the little girl guarded,

but the farther away you are
from Mr. Norbert, the better.

Do you think

they would dare
attack my family?

Mr. Norbert, Luigi Renaldo knows

that inside your head's
enough information

to blow him into Alcatraz.

He'll stop at nothing
to silence you.

We have a plan for
keeping you safe,

but we also want to make sure

that nothing happens
to your wife and child.

WINCHELL: For ten years,
William Norbert's remarkable memory

had stored away
facts and figures

on the operations of Midwest
Enterprises, Incorporated.

Now under the shrewd
probing of Eliot Ness

and his agents
working night and day,

this knowledge was shaped
and molded into a legal weapon

to destroy Luigi
Renaldo and his mob.

Let me see if I
have this straight.

Midwest Enterprises has
four main sources of revenue

that don't show on the books.

A Club Sorrento in Miami,

Luigi's share of the
numbers racket here in town,

his cut of the racetrack
bookies in Kansas City,

St. Louis, Denver, Los Angeles.

Excuse me, Eliot,

I wonder if Mr. Norbert
could take a minute

to finalize these figures
he gave us yesterday.

Eh...

No, the St. Louis figures
should be $102,406.

Well, that's the figure
you gave us yesterday.

I don't think so.
Where are my notes?

Right here, sir.

There you are, $102,406.

He's right. How about that?

Excuse me, Mr. Norbert.

That memory of yours
is pretty phenomenal.

Oh, I remember numbers

the way some people
remember names

or capitals of states.

We gonna quit tonight?
I'd like to telephone Millie.

You can quit, but
you can't telephone.

Write her a letter.

We'll send it to Washington

and have them
re-mail it from there.

How much longer will
we be on this paperwork?

A couple of days.
Why, getting restless?

Oh, I don't know.

I used to sleep like a top.

Now I wake up 3:00 or 4:00...

I can't get back to sleep.

Worst part is being away

from my wife and my child.

After we get Renaldo indicted,

maybe we can sneak a little trip

to Kansas City, hmm?

It's beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

I was sure you'd feel that way.

How soon do we move?

The only thing that
makes me hesitant

is that this... In fact,
the whole case...

Depends upon one
man and his memory.

Can we convince a jury

that Norbert's brain
is capable of retaining

such a mountain of evidence?

Floyd, I've seen
this man in action.

If we can demonstrate

his qualifications in court,

I'm convinced a judge and
jury will be so impressed,

our side will win a
verdict in all 12 counts.

Eliot, if you're that confident,

I say let's go.

Renaldo's been
expecting us to act.

We mustn't keep him waiting.

WINCHELL: In July 1934, Luigi
Renaldo was arrested and booked

on a dozen charges, all
relating to the operations

of his Midwest Enterprises.

At the preliminary hearing,

where the evidence was
weighed and examined,

the chief assistant U.S.
attorney gave the court

a demonstration of William
Norbert's facility with figures

and his astonishing
memory of the inner workings

of Renaldo's company.

14,223... 47,926...
29,791... 10,330...

39,107... 19,888...
22,445... 22,777...

14,223... 29,791...

What kind of circus is this?

So he can add
things in his head.

So what? Do something.

CLERK: 926... If it
please the court...

CLERK: 22,777...

On behalf of my client,
I really must protest.

I must ask counsel
not to interrupt.

The court has
given its permission

for this demonstration
as a means of showing

whether Mr. Norbert can
qualify as an expert witness.

But, Your Honor...

If counsel's interruptions
upset Mr. Norbert,

who's adding these
figures in his head,

the court will order

the demonstration
to begin again.

What say you, Mr. Norbert?

Would you like to start over?

No, that's, uh, that's
quite all right, Your Honor.

Clerk will proceed.

And please, no
more interruptions.

CLERK: 30,103... 19,888...

22,445... 10,330...

39,107... 22,777... 14,223...

47,926... 29,791...
78,778. That is all.

Please make your totals.

462,807,507.

Is that the correct
answer, Mr. Clerk?

Yes, Your Honor, it is.

Is that the sum you two
gentlemen have arrived at

via the machine method?

Yes, Your Honor.

Now that this most unusual
proceeding has ended,

I would like to
enter an exception.

Clerk will note the exception.

We're not questioning
the... the witness' ability

to remember numbers,

or to add as accurately
as an adding machine.

We are challenging his fitness

to say that he remembers details

of business transactions
which took place years ago!

Your Honor, it is the
government's contention

that this witness can and
does remember the operations

involved in this case,

and that his testimony without
written documents or ledgers

is as valid and authoritative
as a set of books.

Both points merit the
court's serious consideration.

This seems an appropriate
time to call a halt.

This hearing is
adjourned until 2:00 p.m.

Take a good look at that Judas.

This is the way
he pays Luigi back

for years he worked for me;

good pay, good job.

I treated him like
one of the family.

Now he got us to the
feds with a lot of lies.

I, I cheated the
government, he says, huh?

He didn't blow
the whistle on you

because you tried
to kill him, Luigi,

or because you were
cheating the government.

He just got sick of
seeing you strut around

on those built-up heels

smelling of that cheap
perfume you use.

You tell that
loose-mouthed stooge

I got a good memory,
too. You tell him

Luigi Renaldo never
forgets an insult.

I'll send any
apology to Alcatraz.

And now back to...

WINCHELL: Luigi Renaldo
was indicted on all 12 counts

and his bail set at $100,000.

It was posted the same day,

and Luigi walked
from jail a free man.

With the indictment secured,
Floyd Wheaton was faced

with the problem of
bringing the mobster to trial.

Every time a date was set,

Luigi's attorneys asked,
and got, a postponement.

Eliot Ness was faced
with a problem, too.

His was the job

of keeping William
Norbert out of the reach

of Renaldo's gunmen.

Getting mixed up with
Renaldo was pretty stupid,

but when I got out of
college, a job was a job.

Besides, it paid well.

How long before you realized

that Renaldo was part
of the Capone mob?

Mm, took quite a while.

Maybe I was dumb, but
the numbers were the same

whether you write
'em in a ledger

or keep them in your head.

You must have had
some suspicions.

After I got married, Millie
began asking questions

about my job and the
people I worked with.

And I began
noticing little things.

But even after I realized
Renaldo was mixed up

with the mob,
I still didn't quit

'cause I liked my job

and I even liked Mr. Renaldo.

I'm sure he was the
apple of his mother's eye.

I want you to
understand one little thing.

I'm not a fighter.

I don't like what I'm doing now.

I wasn't cut out to
be a crime crusader.

Not many of us are. There
are always dirty jobs to do,

and somebody has to do them.

Well, I hope we get this
one over with real soon.

(knocking at door)

FLAHERTY: Eliot. Marty.

I checked the train...
Everything's clean.

Thanks, Marty.

Hope you like traveling...
You're gonna be doing

a lot of it the next
few weeks. Where to?

Oh, here, there and everywhere.

You mean jumping
from place to place?

Yes. Why? Does that bother you?

No, but I get awful train-sick.

WINCHELL: Eliot Ness had
experienced the power of the criminal mob

to destroy its enemies before.

He was taking no chances
with William Norbert.

Back and forth
across the country,

the accountant was carried,
always escorted by Ness's men.

The little group never
stopped in one place

for more than a few days.

The strain of constant travel,
of moving like a hunted man...

Always wary, always
alert... Was nerve-shattering.

Norbert developed
insomnia, lost weight,

fell a victim to ulcers.

The only enjoyment he found

in his merciless,
nomadic existence

was an occasional brief visit
to his family in Kansas City.

Queen, king and
ace... That puts me out.

Oh, fudge! I was
ready to go out next.

(chuckles) Four, six, eight.

Look at me... I'm
stuck with seven.

Daddy, you can't add
straight... that's nine.

(chuckling):
That's right, Jenny.

Maybe you ought to get him

a little adding
machine for Christmas.

And, Jenny, you move the cards,

because I'm gonna
serve this right here.

Yes, Aunt Helen.
Ah, boy, there you are.

I hate to break this up, but we
got to move on in the morning.

But I thought you were
staying until Friday.

It's too dangerous... we're
making this stop too often as it is.

How's Norbert
taking it? Not too well.

We're leaving him in
St. Louis with Flaherty

and cutting back to Chicago.

Maybe we can get Floyd to
push a little harder for a trial date.

Renaldo and that
high-priced mouthpiece of his

can't keep it postponed forever.

Well, they've done a
pretty good job so far.

Yeah.

WINCHELL: But Eliot Ness was
not the only one who was worried.

Luigi Renaldo's attorneys

had finally run out
of legal gimmicks,

and Luigi was beginning
to get desperate.

All right, all right,

what's the excuse
this time, huh?

What's, uh, what's the matter?

What's the matter with
you marble heads, huh?

It's two months.

Two whole months,

and nobody can put their
hands on that... on that louse?

He's got enough up here
to put you, you and me away

for 20 years.

And nobody can find him, huh?!

But he's like a
grasshopper, Luigi.

By the time we get a
line on where he's been,

he's jumped to
Atlanta, San Francisco.

What about the wife
and kid? (speaks Italian)

They're hiding someplace.
Well, he's not with them.

He travels around a lot. Yeah.

Like somebody was
giving him a hotfoot.

I got an idea may bring
him out in the open.

Hey, he's crazy about
the wife and kid, huh?

Yeah.

Look, Paolo, find out what town
he spends the most time in, eh?

I'll lay you guys odds,
C-notes to confetti,

that's where you
find the wife and kid.

Hey-hey, I'll bet you're
right! "Hey-hey, I'll bet..."

Go on, go on, find him. Come on!

And you, too! Go on!

(orchestra playing waltz)

Hey. The kid dances good.

Yeah.

(music slows)

(music ends)

(door closes)

Well, how was the recital?

I was wonderful! Wasn't
I, Mr. Youngfellow?

Jenny.

From now on, every
time you dance, Pavlova,

my carriage shall be waiting
for you at the stage door.

You should let others
sing your praises,

dear, you know? I
had to tell the truth.

Mr. Flaherty asked.

(laughs): Go upstairs and
take off your costume, huh?

I'm gonna call
Lucy and tell her.

She had a cold and
missed the recital.

All right. (laughs)

Oh, I wish her father
could have seen her.

How about a nice cup of tea?

Make it coffee and
I'll join you. All right.

That's a cute kid. Wonderful.
You should've seen her.

And Mrs. Correll said

it was the best recital
her group ever had.

My costume was a dream.

I thought you'd like
some... I had it all ready.

Oh, Aunt Helen,
you're wonderful.

How's this? All right?

I think that's fine.

I'd love for you to see it,

but I'm not supposed
to leave the house.

I don't know
why... I'm just not.

Well... I don't see
any reason why not.

Oh, fine. Say, what
about Pavlova...

Wouldn't she like some
of these cakes? I'll call her.

Uh, let me do it.

Jenny?

Hey, up there! Pavlova!

She couldn't have
gone out, could she?

I don't think so.

Jenny!

Jenny?

That's her, George.

(screams)

Both her legs?

(sighs): Well, see
that she has the best.

No.

I'll tell him myself.

Right.

Does that milk-and-honey
mix really help your ulcer?

(sighs): Who can tell?

And the rivers of Heaven
are supposed to flow with it.

That's what the Bible says.

Makes it pretty sticky for
the fish, wouldn't you say?

(both laugh)

Hey-hey, that's the
first joke you've made

since we got to Nashville.

You must be feeling
better. I'm feeling lousy.

I won't feel right till
this whole thing is over.

Food, no sleep.

I've got a hunch it
won't be much longer.

(four rhythmic taps at door)

Yeah? It's Ness.

Didn't expect you. Is
there anything wrong?

Bill, I'm afraid I
got some bad news.

Millie? No, Jenny.

A truck ran her down.

Now, the doctor
says she'll be all right.

But both her legs are broken.

Oh, no.

How'd it happen?

I'll give it to you straight...
We think Renaldo's men did it.

How could they?! Look,
I-I've got to get to her.

That's just what you
mustn't do. I know...

Don't you see it's
what Renaldo wants?

He couldn't find you,
so he found Jenny

to smoke you out,
make you show yourself.

Well, if that's what he
wants, that's what he'll get.

Do you expect me to stay
here at a time like this?

My little girl needs me!
Of course she needs you,

but you'll be no
good to her dead.

And you'd never
get to her alive.

Somewhere between
here and Jenny,

Renaldo's torpedoes'll
cut you down.

Look, look, I-I told
you from the beginning,

I wasn't cut out to be a
crusader or-or a policeman.

What do I care about Renaldo?

Let him make a billion
dollars selling dope, bribes,

gambling, trafficking...
What do I care about him?

All I'm concerned about
is my wife and my little girl.

I'm concerned about them, too.

But I want you to
realize what you're doing.

If you get yourself killed,
there'll be no one around

to take care of Millie and
Jenny... is that what you want?

Would you just let
me alone, will you?

Come on.

Just... just let me
alone, will you?

What do you suppose he'll do?

I don't know...
It's a rough choice.

He adores that little girl.

What do we do if he
insists on going to her?

Go with him, try to protect him.

I'll have the office send
every man available.

(phone rings)

Hello?

Oh, Floyd, that's good news.

It couldn't come
at a better time.

The important thing is
you got the trial date set.

We almost lost our star witness.

Good.

That's fine. Thanks.

That was Floyd.

He finally got a trial date set

Renaldo's lawyers
can't squirm out of.

Let's tell Norbert.

Willie's gone.

(sighs): Can you blame him?

Come on.

Just keep walking.

Now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.

I-I'll make a deal with you. No
deals... we been waiting for you.

Listen, I-I'll go anywhere with
you, I'll do anything you want,

but my little girl's in there.

I-I got to see her
for just five minutes.

Just five minutes,
please! No dice!

You go where we want
you to go now! (yells)

WINCHELL: With one of
Renaldo's gunsels dead

and the other in custody,

Eliot Ness turned his
attention to the trial.

The Assistant United States
Attorney, Floyd Wheaton,

had accepted a change of venue.

Woodland, Illinois...

A small, orderly city
with trim Victorian houses

and tree-lined streets...

Had been selected
for the proceedings.

The courthouse was repainted,

and the town put on a
new face for the event.

Eliot Ness wondered why
Renaldo preferred it to Chicago.

I was willing to let
them pick the battlefield

just to get Renaldo into court,

but what I can't figure
out is why they want

the trial here in a
town like Woodland.

I have a hunch we'll know
that in the next day or so.

You just be sure you get
Norbert in here in shape to testify.

We'll have him... after what
they tried to do to his little girl,

he's ready to walk
through fire. How is she?

She's had to give up the
idea of being another Pavlova.

Otherwise, she's fine.

WINCHELL: Three days before
the trial, Ness and his agents

moved into Woodland to
set up a command post.

They chose the gym of
the vacant girls' high school.

Ness had learned that
Renaldo was importing hoodlums

from Detroit, Cleveland,
St. Louis and New York.

He posted his men in key spots,
prepared for any eventuality.

Flaherty was seated
on a park bench

near the entrance
to the courthouse.

Rossi was posted
inconspicuously at the corner.

While the most
unusual post of all

was assigned to
Agent Youngfellow.

You ever do any
flagpole-sitting?

I've done some oddball things,
but never anything like this.

I've arranged to get
you some lessons.

Come on.

(pole squeaking)

WINCHELL: Jackstraw Wilson,
an old-time circus and carnival man,

who had turned to flagpole-
sitting during the Depression,

instructed
Youngfellow in the art.

From the top of the
swaying flagpole,

and using powerful binoculars,

Youngfellow was able
to cover every street

leading into the
courthouse square.

On the first day, all was quiet.

There was no sign
of Luigi Renaldo

or the hoodlums he had hired
to eliminate William Norbert.

The second day,
there was still no sign

of the enemy, nor the third,

but on the morning
of the fourth day,

the day of the trial, and
before the town was awake...

(blows into mouthpiece)

Five limousines.

Estimate 15 to 20 men.

Looks like they're getting
set for the Battle of the Marne.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

I'm sorry, gentlemen,
all my rooms are taken.

They have been since last week.

It's all right, lady.

We're just coming to
deliver this here suitcase...

To our cousin, upstairs.

Mr. Firenzi?

Oh. Well, step right in.

He said he was expecting you.

I'll show you the way.

Mr. Firenzi's such
a quiet young man.

He never leaves his room.

I tell him he ought to get out

once in a while and
breathe some fresh air

and maybe look at the girls.

(giggles)

Oh, my.

That suitcase looks heavy.

Oh, y-yeah, we brought
our cousin some clean shirts.

Mr. Firenzi?

MAN: Yeah?

Are you awake?

Your cousins are here.

Donny.

Make him take
better care of himself.

I declare he'd have
starved to death

if I hadn't brought
him some sandwiches.

You know I'm going
to the store right now.

Let me fetch you something.

No, no, no. Thank
you, Mrs. Mathias.

My cousin will take
care of everything.

Well...

You sure took your
time in getting here.

That old dame's
been driving me nuts.

She never stops yakking.

We took our time because
this can't go wrong.

This is Davy, the chaplain.

The boss had him
brought in from Detroit.

Yeah?

Hey. You sure nobody's
sneaked into the courthouse?

Naw, nobody's there.

Not unless they've been

sleeping there
for the past week.

Janitor doesn't open
the joint until 8:00.

Those painters?
They've been there

for the past couple of days.

What about that
flagpole-sitter out there?

Ah, he's been here
since I got here. Why?

Strange. I never saw
one with binoculars before.

This one's a clown.

He comes dressed up.

He does handstands.

Maybe he likes the view.

♪ ♪

Four-eight-four-one.

Mm-hmm.

I want to speak to
Mr. Ness, please.

This is Mrs. Mathias.

Mrs. Mathias.

Go ahead, Mrs. Mathias.

Mr. Ness,

two men with a suitcase
came just a few minutes ago.

If you ask me, that
suitcase has guns in it.

It looks heavy enough
to hold a cannon.

Thanks, Mrs. Mathias.

Good work.

Get your coat.

You couldn't miss.

Ahh...

(crowd murmuring)

Here he is, fellas! Here he is.

(all talking at once)

REPORTER: What
have they got on you?

What have they got on
you? Come on, tell us.

Wait, wait. Stick
around, fellas.

You'll have your answer
in a couple of minutes.

They got nothing on Luigi.

Everybody knows I'm clean, eh?

(reporters clamoring)

(clamoring continues)

(shouting)

Ha! Look! Wait!

You, uh... you talk to Mr. Ness.

He's got all the answers.

He's even got Mr. Norbert, eh?

Huh?! Mr. Ness, eh?

That's right, Luigi.

(clamoring continues)

(loud murmuring)

Order in the court.

If the government's case
is ready, we may proceed.

The government is
ready, Your Honor.

You may call your first witness.

The government
calls William Norbert.

BAILIFF: William Norbert?

William Norbert to
the stand, please!

♪ ♪

(knocking)

Hold it, please.

(gallery murmuring)

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly
swear that the testimony

you give in this case will
be the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the
truth so help you, God?

NORBERT: I do.

BAILIFF: Please be seated.

ATTORNEY: Your Honor...

defense counsel and
I would like to stipulate

to certain testimony
given by this witness

in the preliminary
hearing held in this matter.

To wit: That the witness,
William Norbert, age 42,

was employed by Midwest
Enterprises, Incorporated,

throughout the
approximate period of years

involved in this case,

and that he voluntarily
resigned such employment

effective as of
July 12, this year.

Further, his qualifications as
an accountant and auditor...

(blowing into mouthpiece)

Norbert's just been sworn in.

So, let 'er rip.

Thanks for
everything, Jackstraw!

It's my pleasure,
Mr. Youngfellow.

All right, boys,
let's get 'em up.

Nice and easy, now.

(gunshots)

They're grabbing our cars.

Somebody must
have fingered them.

That flagpole-sitter. Gimme!

(gunshot)

Let's get outta here.

(gunshots)

WINCHELL: With Norbert
safely on the witness stand,

Ness and his men worked fast.

In a series of quick,
stabbing raids,

and with the full cooperation
of the Woodland Police,

the entire Renaldo mob
was taken into custody.

Among the innocent bystanders,
there was only one casualty...

Jackstraw Wilson.

The prisoner will arise
and approach the bench.

WINCHELL: Luigi Renaldo was
convicted on six of the 12 counts.

He was sentenced to serve
20 years on each count...

120 years altogether.

Unfortunately, the
sentences ran concurrently.

Luigi would have been out in 12,

except for a slight mishap.

He died in 1939 at Alcatraz.