Original subtitles

You know why I'm here. Why did you do it?

Do what?

Carlos, isn't it?

Outside the city?

Yes, General. I'll be there as quickly as I can.

What do you think?

Perfect. The other shot's just as good.

What about this one?

That one's no good.

Infrared bulb must have been out of sync with the shutter.

But the other two shots are beautiful.

If Fire Reading General won't have time to worry about reforming San Carlos,

he'll be too busy worrying about his wife.

General Brandon, this is the best news the town of San Carlos has had in a long

time. When the people here incorporated as a separate municipality, they assumed

that being outside Los Angeles and therefore its tax rolls would be a

What we failed to realize was we were placing ourselves beyond Los Angeles

law enforcement, making ourselves easy prey to racketeers. So it's no wonder

that George Emery was able to move in and practically take over San Carlos.

This special enforcement commission could very well be the answer.

Let's understand each other, gentlemen.

I said I'd received a request from the governor to head this commission.

I did not say I agreed.

Neither did I say I'd refused.

My answer to the governor depends on you gentlemen and Frank Cummings when he

gets here.

You three men asked the governor to appoint me.

Now, I will accept on one condition that you, Mr. Mason, and you, Mr. Overton,

and Mr.

Cummings will serve with me on the commission.

General, this is hardly the job.

Let me tell you about a few jobs that our government has thought up for me in

25 years.

Yes, I know.

A soldier, diplomatic troubleshooter.

No one's earned their retirement more than you have.

Putting the golf clubs back in mothballs for a while.

That'll be easy, but telling Laura, my wife... I imagine Mrs. Brandon has been

looking forward to your retirement.

Making plans.

She's a good soldier, that girl.

All these years, when I've had to be away one, two, three, four at a time,

never complained.

That's... Why, I hate to disappoint her so now.

General, I can't speak for Mr. Overton or for Mr. Cummings, as for myself.

If you can face Mrs. Brandon, I can face serving with you.

And I can face George Emery.

But, General, I warn you, that must be Frank.

Mr. Mason, the roof's caved in.

Here.

Just as I was getting ready to come over here, this was shoved under my door.

General Brandon refuses the appointment to head the Enforcement Commission or

the newspapers get these pictures in time for the morning edition.

Surely no newspaper would print such scurrilous pictures. At least one would.

San Carlos Press.

George Emery owns it.

Let me see those.

My wife? My aide?

I'll bet George Emery is responsible for this frame.

Of course.

Emery must have set the whole thing up.

But... How could he know about the governor's offer? Only we knew.

And young Cotton.

Maybe you trusted your aide too much? I won't believe that.

General, what we must do as quickly as possible is to prove those pictures were

falsely devised.

Prove it? How?

When?

If I don't refuse this appointment, these pictures will be in print the

thing in the morning. I expected Emery to fight with bare knuckles, but that

he'd stoop so low as to smear my wife.

Well?

Well what, Roger?

You two were photographed in this position, and you didn't even know the

photographs were being taken?

No.

You don't trust me.

Is that what you mean?

No, it's not what I mean, but when someone shows a man pictures like these,

think I'm entitled to some explanation.

You think there was something between me and Warren? I didn't say that.

But you were thinking it. No, I wasn't.

But when I get into a fight, I want to know all about the situation.

And I am in a fight right now with George Emery.

Believe me, dear, all the years that we were separated, I never had a single

doubt about you.

It never entered my head to doubt you.

All right.

Once more.

Warren came into the bedroom.

He said he'd gotten a call or a message that I'd taken sleeping pills, tried to

kill myself.

Warren could be that naive?

You don't believe me.

I do.

But whether I believe you or not, Emery still has these pictures to use against

me.

And I've let you down.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

Where are you going?

I'm going to Los Angeles to see the man responsible for these.

Warren?

Oh, thank goodness I caught you, Ed.

This is Laura.

Well, so much for all our hopes of getting rid of George Emery.

Men of Brandon's stature and reputation are rare.

Without him, I'm afraid we're licked.

We should have stopped him before he ever went out that door.

Suppose it was your wife in those pictures.

All right.

So what do we do?

Just give up?

Leave San Carlos in the hands of Emery's thugs?

No one's suggesting that.

In a way, we're responsible for what's happened.

Men like George Emery exist only because there aren't enough good men willing to

get involved in public life.

That's true.

So when a man with a sense of duty as strong as General Brandon's does appear,

we put an intolerable load on his shoulders.

Now we've asked him to take on one more burden.

And if he does, he's liable to see his whole private life completely destroyed.

We have only one chance.

That's to prove that Emery set this thing up.

matter with you warren told you i'd meet you outside open the door look kid i

said open it i want to stand here and be seen with you

i heard of some low trick but

how anyone could set up his own nephew for a frame you're gonna come with me

and admit what you did look what's it with you kid are you gonna deny you took

those pictures for your boss hot pictures of me and mrs brandon in that

room

You were with the General's wife in a motel room. Of course, you don't know a

thing about it, huh? Look, all I know is I moved heaven and earth to get my

nephew a place with the finest guy that ever lived.

And how do you pay me back?

By fooling around with his wife.

I wasn't fooling around, I was framed.

Set up by the man you work for, George Emery.

Emery?

I get it now.

Emery's afraid of Brandon.

It's just the kind of thing that he would do to protect himself.

Look, Warren, I didn't take those pictures.

You know, I'd never do anything to hurt General Brandon.

What a mess.

I worked for Emory, sure.

I was out of the service.

Emory made it sound great.

Even clean.

It was an easy touch.

I had you to get through school. I had to pay for that fancy degree.

I guess I looked the other way when I shouldn't have.

But I never expected my old CO would show up here to fight Emery.

That Emery would use you against him.

Then if you didn't take the pictures, you don't have the negatives.

No, of course not.

We only have until press time to get them back.

After that, it won't make any difference.

Where are you going?

There's something I have to do. Now, Warren, you're in mouth trouble already.

Don't make it worse.

taking those pictures, and I didn't hire anyone else to do it.

There's one little thing you're forgetting.

You're not...

Well,

a white knight.

Sir Galahad in person.

Where's your horse?

I want to talk to you, Emery.

I just talked to your boy, Warren Cotton, and I don't like having guns

me. Warren was here?

You expect me to believe that you didn't send him here to threaten me? I do my

own threatening, Emery.

Look, it's after midnight.

I was going to bed.

You listen to me first.

of those photographs, you're barking up the wrong guy.

I had nothing to do with taking them.

You seem to know they were taken.

I told you. Your flunky came busting in here with a gun.

He was gonna blow my head off if I didn't give him the negatives.

Maybe the kid is smart, General.

But he's a lousy recruit for your army of redemption.

Old as I am, I took that gun away from him in about two seconds.

And now I'm telling you once and for all.

I don't have your negatives, and I don't know anything about them.

If I have to use force to make you give them to me, I will.

I'm pretty good with ducks and rabbits, General.

But I never bagged me a genuine army officer before.

That's my pistol.

I'm surprised at you, General.

Didn't you ever learn not to leave guns and wives lying around loose?

So help me, Emery, I'll kill you for saying that. Not tonight, General.

It's very late.

And I'm very tired.

This is General Brandon.

Mason.

Yes, he's here with me now.

Laura, she just stepped out.

There's no point in you going there now. I've already seen Emery.

And you saw George Emery? I'm not sure that was wise.

He denied all knowledge of the photographs.

I am afraid we're licked, Mason.

It's after one.

I can't throw my wife to the wolves. Enforcement commission or no enforcement

commission. I can't honestly say I blame you.

Ask him about the leak.

General, did you find out how Emory knew about the governor's decision to

appoint you?

No, I didn't.

But Warren said he didn't mention it to Emory or anyone else. And I believe him.

Laura, where have you been?

Out. Just out.

If you believe Warren, General, I have to accept that.

I see.

Well, please don't make any statement until you hear from me again.

Yes, everything we can.

Good night.

The leak wasn't through Warren.

Well, then who?

It was only your three -man committee, the General himself, and Warren Cotton.

What about Mrs. Brandon?

General told me earlier that she didn't know about the appointment. He was

somewhat hesitant about telling her.

I can understand that.

Well, Emery just didn't divine it out of thin air. To take those photographs,

write that note in time to stop the general from accepting he had to know.

The only lead we have, if it is a lead, is the tie -in you discovered between

Warren Cotton's uncle and George Emery.

And that Uncle Bill is a professional photographer, runs a photo shop, and

have taken those pictures. Don't forget that.

Well, let's go.

Where? To the photo shop.

Sorry, Della, but you better stand by for calls. But, Terry... And call.

I want you to check the other papers. Find out if anyone besides Emery's paper

has been approached with the photographs.

Our chances of stopping those pictures from being printed are ticking away

minute by minute.

This is General Brandon.

I'd like to speak with the governor, please. I believe he's expecting a call

from me.

Yes, thank you. I'll hold on.

No, thank you. I'll call back later.

Major General Roger Brandon?

Yes. Ann Carlos, Police General.

This is Lieutenant Drum of the Los Angeles Department.

What can I do for you, Lieutenant?

General, I'm placing you under arrest on suspicion of murder.

What murder?

George Emery.

George Emery has been murdered?

General Brandon, I'm required to inform you of your rights. You don't have to

answer any questions, but anything you say now may be later used as evidence

against you.

You have a right to call your attorney.

Get on the telephone, dear.

Try and reach Perry Mason.

All right?

I think somebody slugged me.

It looks as if you've been burglarized.

Oh, I don't keep enough cash in the register to feed a midget.

And what were they after?

I don't know.

If you hadn't broke in here, the smoke would have killed me.

Thanks, mister.

Mason. I'm Bill Cotton.

Mason?

Perry Mason.

General Brandon's brain trust.

I'd like to talk with you. Don't talk to me. Talk to Warren.

Don't you want to help your nephew?

How can I help him if I don't know anything?

Whoever did this to you thought you knew something.

Perhaps the location of certain negatives.

I don't have the negatives. I didn't develop those pictures.

Like I told Warren, I... Warren was here?

Yeah, he thinks I took the pictures, too.

I wouldn't do anything to hurt General Brandon, you can believe that.

I can, but I don't.

We know you're involved with George Emery and...

Yeah?

It apparently happened sometime between one and two in the study of his home.

George Emery's been killed.

The police have picked up General Brandon.

Go ahead, Della.

The general's wife called right after Steve Drum took him to headquarters.

Now, shall I call her and tell her that you'll be in touch with the general?

Yes, but first I'll stop at Emery's place.

Right.

The general didn't do it.

How do you know that?

Well, I know the general. That's enough.

I work for Emory.

This place is a pigeon drop for Emory's payoffs.

There's just one thing here now, but maybe that's the reason somebody wanted

burn the store down.

Earlier tonight, Emory asked me to keep this privately.

I learned a long time ago not to open his stuff.

Well, he can't object now.

What do you want that thing for?

It looks like it's an out from the same setup as these two shots.

But it's so far underexposed, I don't think you could make a print from it.

Why did he want me to keep it? Why didn't he just throw it away?

I don't know.

But until we have an answer, would you mind if I keep it?

Be my guest.

Oh, and look, Mr. Mason.

If there's anything I can do to help General Brandon, not anything at all,

yell for me, okay?

take you long to get here.

Thanks for letting me in, Steve. Unusual circumstances.

George Emery was the big wheel in San Carlos, but he was killed right here in

the Los Angeles city limits.

You didn't waste much time picking up General Brandon for the killing.

Brandon already admitted that he was here with George Emery at the proximate

time of the murder, between 1 and 1 .30.

Has he said anything else without counsel?

You mean that I break him down?

No, Perry, I didn't.

I showed him this in Emery's own handwriting.

What was he going to do, deny that he was here?

This calendar pad proves only that Emery could write the general's name and the

general's wife's name.

Well, I imagine you'll be able to put together a theory of some sort.

It's no theory.

The general's a straightforward man.

He volunteered the information about the frame Emery pulled.

Before or after you advised him of his rights?

After, Perry.

And since Emory's murder effectively kept the pictures out of his newspaper,

this place has evidently been ransacked in search of the negatives, I think

we've got a case. A good case.

And you know it.

Twenty years of being the perfect wife.

Of being left alone half the time, but keeping that stiff upper lip.

And it's all forgotten just because some tin horn political animal produces some

photographs.

I'm sick and tired of it.

And I'm not going to listen to any more accusations.

No one's accusing you of a thing, Mrs. Brandon.

The general didn't believe it. He has complete faith in you.

Of course he does.

That's why he kept throwing questions at me as if I were the defendant at a

court -martial.

That's why he went rushing out of here to see Emery when I begged him not to.

Mrs. Brandon, how well did you know George Emery?

What?

I didn't know him at all.

Where were you earlier tonight, when I called the general before Emery's body

was discovered?

I took a walk.

And don't ask me where and don't ask me why.

I just walked.

Walked around in circles.

You were nowhere in the vicinity of Emery's home?

I said I walked. I could hardly have walked into Los Angeles.

Miss Brandon, did you talk to George Emery tonight?

Or at another time? He'd written your name on his calendar.

That might mean nothing.

Yes.

I talked to him.

You see...

I was afraid of what might happen when Roger confronted Emery.

I begged Emery to tell him the truth about the photographs.

It shows how clearly I was thinking at the time.

What was Emery's answer?

Well, he said he hadn't seen my husband. He wouldn't let him in if he came.

And he didn't have any photographs taken.

Anything else?

Well, there was a pause.

I heard someone, a man, I think, in the background talking very loud.

And then I heard Emory talking, too.

Can you remember exactly what he said?

The other person?

Yes.

I couldn't make it out.

He was yelling, that's all.

What about Emory?

I'm not sure.

I picked up a few words, then he put his hand over the phone.

I think I heard something like, I've taken my last offer.

Or he could have said, order.

Then Emory was back on the phone and he... Said goodnight, Mrs. Brandon, and

hung up.

I'll be talking to the general in the morning. I'll arrange for you to see

By then, Emery's murder and your husband's arrest will be on every front

the country.

Now, don't give any interviews.

Don't discuss the case with anyone.

All right?

Mr. Mason, I'm sorry if I... Well, he makes me mad at the

devil sometimes.

But I love that old ramrod, Roger Brandon.

And I'm glad that you are on our side.

Name is Brent.

Laura.

Yes, those are the exact words I used to Lieutenant Drum.

Do you have any idea how your gun came to be at Emory's place?

Emory had it before I got there. You saw it?

When Warren Cotton heard about the pictures, he took the gun and went to

to try to get the negatives back and undo the damage he'd already caused.

But Emory took the gun away from him. But that was before I arrived.

Warren told you this?

No, George Emery did, but Warren confirmed it later.

Warren's word wouldn't be enough in court.

And the only confirming witness is dead.

Mason, from what Lieutenant Drum said about the time of death, Emery must have

been killed right after I left.

And I just remembered, when I got to the house, I heard the voice of another man

inside. He and Emery were arguing, but...

When Emery let me in, there was no sign of that man.

In fact, Emery said he was ready to go to bed, but that couldn't have been

Mr. Mason, when I left, that man was still in the house, and Emery was still

alive.

And what's your appraisal of the case against the general?

Very strong.

Maybe a chain of...

circumstantial coincidences, but the general did admit to the police that he

there. He certainly had motive.

Things weren't tough enough before.

Now the general's got us mixed up in a murder.

Aren't you forgetting, Frank, that he'd be free and clear, enjoying his

retirement if it weren't for the three of us?

The least we can do now is to support him.

Perry, I'll contribute any amount of money to help the general.

Thank you.

What the general needs at the moment is our good faith, even if it means putting

the old Overton name on the line.

Well, I think that goes without saying.

Does it?

We're agreed on that.

If we did anything else, how would it look?

Frank and I will be standing by just in case there's anything we can do.

If there is, you can be sure I'll call on you.

You look like honorary pallbearers trying to make a good impression.

He'll never succeed.

Stanley Overton is so zealous in guarding his family name, he has

remembering it's the general who's in trouble.

What did you think of Frank Cummings?

Well, he was the first person that called for an enforcement commission to

to get rid of George Emery.

And wasn't he the one who first suggested approaching the general?

And why was he so reluctant to stand by the general now?

We ran down the lot number on the edge of the negative.

Well, it might mean nothing at all, thousands of the same batch with the

number. But this entire lot was sold to a distributor who supplies a chain of

drugstores. And you know who owns the drugstores and the distribution company?

Frank Cummings? Frank Cummings. So we know this little piece of film was sold

one of his stores.

But we don't know to whom.

Well, we know that for some reason this negative was valuable to George Emery,

and he gave it to Bill Cotton to keep for him.

Of course, it may not mean anything.

Paul, remember the reason that Cummings gave for fighting the Emery machine?

He said that all the San Carlos merchants were forced to pay off in

stay in business.

Yeah, all but Cummings.

I recall his telling us he'd refuse to knuckle under.

Yeah, but he did business in San Carlos for years.

How'd he manage that? He amassed a fortune.

Unless Frank Cummings was also paying off to George Emery.

Why have you been bugging me? What's so important?

General Brandon.

He's important.

Of course he's important, but why... What happened between you and Emery when

you went there with the general's gun in your pocket?

I told you.

And I told General Brandon's lawyer.

I threatened Emery with a gun.

Told him I wanted him to kill the pictures and give me the negatives.

And he said he had nothing to do with the frame and he knew from nothing about

the negatives.

That's right.

You know, I thought maybe you had grown up.

But you meekly let him take that gun out of your hand and you walked out of

there with your tail between your legs.

I know how it sounds. Oh, do you?

Then you'll know why I don't buy it.

None of it.

Now, you listen to me.

If you pull the trigger of that gun and kill George Emery, I want you to say so.

In court.

You'd do almost anything for General Brandon.

If I have to, yes.

Even kill George Emery yourself.

Now you watch it, kid.

Don't try putting this on my back.

You could have pulled the trigger too, you know.

You could have gone there.

The gun he took from me was in the study.

And you had more reason than I had.

Not just for the general, but the fact he was double -crossing you by framing

me.

Your Honor, I believe this country owes a tremendous debt to General Roger

Brandon.

He has served our nation for a lifetime with valor and with honor.

Unfortunately, we are not able to repay any part of that debt in this courtroom

today.

Because here we are concerned with cold -blooded murder.

And here we are obliged to prove the truth about that murder.

And the truth is that General Brandon, just as he fought the enemies of our

country with violence and abandon...

So he demonstrated the same characteristic violence when he came

with his own personal enemy, the deceased George Emery.

Granted that George Emery was the head of a corrupt political machine that was

feeding off a small community called San Carlos.

Granted that General Brandon, by appointment of the governor, had agreed

more to take up arms against an enemy.

He was not empowered personally to mete out justice.

That remains the province of the law.

According to the law, George Emery was murdered.

And so, Your Honor, the state will prove, according to the law, that

Roger Brandon is guilty of that murder.

I show you this weapon, Lieutenant Drum, marked People's Exhibit 1. I ask if you

recognize it.

Yes, Mr. Berger, this is the gun that we found beside the body of the deceased.

Did you subsequently have it subjected to any tests or examinations? Yes, sir.

was present when we tested it for fingerprints.

Let's see.

Ballistic tests were made. A bullet fired from this gun was checked by

comparison microscope with a bullet taken from the body of the decedent. And

what were the results of these two tests?

Fingerprints of the defendant, General Brandon, were found on the slide.

Striations on the bullet fired by ballistics matched perfectly those found

the fatal bullet. In other words, Mr. Berger...

That is identified as the murder weapon.

And did you check its registration, Lieutenant?

Yes, sir, I did.

It was registered to General Brandon.

All right, Lieutenant.

Now, would you relate for us, please, the events that took place when you made

the arrest in this case?

I went to the Royal Beach Motel accompanied by the San Carlos police,

General Brandon of his rights, told him that he didn't have to make any

statement, but he ignored that.

You mean the general did make a statement?

He admitted that he was with George Emery at approximately the time of the

murder.

Lieutenant Drum, defense is satisfied

that the general's pistol was the death weapon and that his fingerprints were on

the gun.

Wouldn't it appear more incriminating if the weapon had been wiped clean?

And wouldn't the fact that it was not tend to indicate that someone besides

General Brandon carried the weapon into George Emery's study? Not to me.

Unfortunately, the only other person who could testify, other than General

Brandon, is dead.

Exactly.

So that if the weapon were there in Emery's study, it could have been used

any of his enemies, and he had many, to kill him. Is that not correct?

Objection. Sustained.

We'll draw the question.

I'm through with the witness, Your Honor.

Just one moment, please.

Lieutenant Drum.

Is there any evidence at all that someone else, someone other than General

Brandon, carried that gun into the study that night?

No, sir, none that we could find.

And even assuming that someone else carried it in there, would that

in any way contradict the evidence that it was General Brandon who picked it up

and used it to kill his enemy?

I don't see how, Mr. Berger.

That's all.

Yes? I received a call from General Brandon earlier in the evening.

asking me to come to a secret meeting in his San Carlos office.

Would you tell the court, please, why you were late arriving at that meeting,

Mr. Cummings?

Well, something had happened.

An envelope had been shoved under my door.

What did the envelope contain?

Some photographs.

Are these the photographs, Mr. Cummings? Marked People's Exhibit 2 and 3. Are

these the photographs you found in that envelope?

Yes, sir, they are.

Can you tell us now if the two people shown in these photographs are known to

you? Well, Laura Brandon, the wife of General Brandon, and Warren Cotton,

General Brandon's civilian aide. And will you please tell us now what else

found in the envelope that indicated the intended purpose of these photographs?

Well, there was a note in there.

It said that unless General Brandon refused the governor's appointment to

the enforcement commission, that these photographs of his wife and Warren would

be turned over to the newspapers.

In other words, they were to be used as blackmail.

Yes, sir.

I took the photographs and the note over to the meeting and showed them to

General Brandon.

What was the General's reaction?

He was furious.

I don't think I've ever seen a man so angry.

I think if George Emery had been there, the General would have strangled him

with his bare hands.

Objection. Sustained.

Clerk will strike the witness's last remarks from the record.

Did the General make any remark at that time?

Well, he said that he didn't think any man could be so low as to strike at

another man through his wife. And after he had made that comment, what did he

do? He grabbed the photographs and the note and stormed out of the room.

Do you know where he was going, Mr. Cummings?

To see George Emery, I suppose.

Objection.

Calling for a conclusion from the witness.

I withdraw the question, Your Honor.

I'm finished with this witness.

Mr. Mason?

Your Honor.

We would prefer to delay cross -examination of this witness until we've

opportunity to lay out our defense.

Witness is excused, subject to recall by the defense.

Your Honor, for purposes of this preliminary hearing, that's all the

wish to present.

We have demonstrated that General Brandon, a professional man of

reacted violently to an attempt to smear his wife's name.

We have demonstrated further that he went by his own admission to the home of

the man he held responsible, and there, confronting his enemy, George Emery,

we firmly believe he then pulled the trigger on his own gun and shot his

to death.

We have shown that he had motive, opportunity, and the murder weapon, and

thus must ask.

that General Brandon be bound over for trial in Superior Court for the murder

George M.

Then you served in two wars with General Brandon.

Yes, sir.

Until a landmine blew up my photo jeep, took away part of my leg.

And it was General Brandon who saved your life.

Yes, sir.

He's about the finest man I ever knew.

Objection. So stand.

Witness will confine himself to direct answers.

Now, Bill, I wonder if you'd describe for us your association with George

He set me up in business. The photo shop, so he could use the place as a

Pigeon drop.

See, Emery thought that his pigeons could make the payoff through the store

without attracting attention.

What they'd do is they'd bring in...

Envelopes with the store name, pretending they had pictures to be

But in reality?

All there was in the envelopes was cash.

Payoff money for George Emery. And who were these pigeons?

Everybody who did anything at all in San Carlos.

Well, anybody that wanted the zoning change or building permit.

Okay to run a crap table, butter and eggs game.

Bill, I want you to look around this courtroom.

Do you recognize any of those pigeons?

I know one.

That man sitting there next to Mr. Overton.

You must be mistaken, Bill.

The gentleman you've pointed out is Mr. Frank Cummings.

The leader of the fight against the Emory machine.

He was there regular as clockwork. He was in my store every week with films to

be developed.

Your Honor.

I would like to recall Mr.

Frank Cummings to the stand.

You've heard yourself accused of trafficking with the enemy, doing

George Emery, while pretending to lead a movement to oust him from control of

San Carlos.

Well, Mr. Cummings?

It's true.

I did pay off to George Emery.

But I was not pretending to lead a reform movement.

I broke off with Emery months ago.

He was bleeding me and everybody else white. And I haven't paid him one red

since. And I haven't been near that photo shop.

We have only your word for that.

You've also given us your word that the envelope with the photos was shoved

under your door.

And that you don't know their origin. Now, did you by any chance take them?

Of course I didn't. That's preposterous. More pay to have them taken?

Offense Exhibit B.

Film negative traced to George Emery and entrusted to the care of Bill Cotton by

Mr. Emery.

Now, the edge number of this cut film negative identifies it as coming from

of your drugstores.

What does that prove?

By itself, very little.

But added to the fact that only four persons, the General, myself, Stanley

Overton, and you, Mr. Cummings, knew about the committee meeting and the

Governor's appointment.

That only four of us knew about the motel room maintained by the General and

Mrs. Brandon.

Only four of us knew Warren Cotton had a personal key to that room.

Only four of us could have arranged to have taken those pictures.

But only one.

Only one paid off to George Emery.

You, Mr. Cummings. Well, what of it?

I've already admitted that.

Get Stanley Overton up here on the stand.

He'll vouch for me.

I told him everything. everything when I first suggested to him that we appealed

to the governor to set up this enforcement commission.

He'll tell you that it was my idea to bring you into this.

And he'll tell you that it was my idea to get General Brandon to head this

commission. Get up here, Stanley. Get up here and tell him.

Mr. Overton, I would like to ask you a hypothetical question.

Would it be possible for a man to pretend to oppose corruption and

pretend to be interested in reform, when all the while he was

Still cooperating closely with the common enemy? And by being a trusted

of the reform camp, be able to learn every move planned to stamp out that

corruption?

Why, yes, theoretically, I suppose it would be possible.

But if you're suggesting that Frank Cummings could be capable of such

I just will not buy that.

Every word he told you about our relationship is the truth.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

It must be very gratifying to Mr. Cummings to have such a staunch and

friend.

Now, to get back to the photographs of

Warren Cotton and Mrs. Brandon, there's one point we've all defense and

prosecution overlooked.

Oh, what point is that, Mr. Mason?

Well, it seems obvious now.

Only someone who knew about the governor's appointment well ahead of our

committee meeting could have taken these pictures in time to send them with that

threatening note.

I believe that's patently obvious, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

But George Emery did not know about that appointment.

All along, we've assumed that he was behind this.

But he could not have been responsible.

But according to the testimony, there was no one else who had reason.

Someone playing both sides of the fence could have had reason. Isn't that true,

Mr. Overton?

Yes, I suppose so, but...

Well, I've already told you that... And if the clue is not in these photographs,

perhaps there might be something in this negative.

It's a discarded negative. Mr. Bill Cotton, an expert, will testify that it

would be impossible to get a clear copy from it.

And, Your Honor, that's why I request permission to arrange a brief

demonstration.

But, Mr. Mason, the court is satisfied that the negative is worthless. Not to

George Emery, Your Honor.

It was so valuable to him, he gave it to Bill Cotton for safekeeping. It was so

valuable that someone other than the defendant, for he was already in

tried to kill Bill Cotton to obtain the negative.

It was so valuable, someone tried to burn down his camera shop to destroy the

negative. And these events took place after that same man murdered George

in an attempt to get this negative.

The negative I'm about to show you.

completely worthless. You can't even make out the two people.

You can see fingerprints in the corner there.

Fingerprints that photo experts verify could only have been made by someone

holding the wet negative at the time it was developed.

Someone who had hired the photographer to take the shots, not knowing that he

too was being framed by George Emery at the very same time.

Then if those prints can be identified... Your Honor, they already

identified by a qualified analyst.

They're yours, Mr. Overton.

You killed George Emery when he threatened to use that negative against

Threatened to blacken the fine old family name.

And tell the world what you'd done to a brilliant, distinguished man that

trusted you. Now, why, Mr. Overton?

Even if you were working for or paying off to George Emery, why would he want

frame you?

I worked for George Emery.

He was working for me.

Then you were the real boss of San Carlos?

I don't like that word, boss.

But nevertheless, San Carlos is my town.

I run it.

George Emery was nothing, a figurehead.

I set him up in business.

And then, like so many ungrateful peasants, he had delusions of grandeur.

He wanted to run the show himself.

He didn't need me anymore.

So when you went to him for a photographer to frame the general... He

photographer to frame me, using the negative, unless I let him take over.

That was his ultimatum.

Either I give in or kill him.

That didn't leave me much choice.

It was impossible for me to give in.

It was easy.

Oh, so easy to kill him.

To Major General Roger Brandon, from the grateful citizens of San Carlos.

Grateful?

Grateful for what? What did I do except...

Do my best to make a fool of myself.

One way or another, by being willing to serve, you solve the problem, General.

The Emory machine, or I should say the Boverton machine, is destroyed. And Mr.

Cummings told us they've had a flock of volunteers for the new reform movement.

That just shows you what the example of one man can do.

I can't take credit for that.

Oh, stop asking to be convinced, Roger.

Keep the clubs.

You know you're mad about them.

You'd think the woman would have more respect for my rank, at least. But she

reads me off as if I was a buck private in the rear rank.

Good for you, Mrs. Brandon.

Without a woman to keep them in line, all men, even lawyers and general

officers, would be lost.