Original subtitles

Well, as Mother used to say, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Actually, what you have just seen is not to be taken seriously.

It was all make -believe, all play -acting.

Of course, the gun is genuine and was loaded, but the doctor isn't a real

doctor, he's an actor.

I think it's interesting that the duel is no longer considered good form.

While cold -blooded murder is more popular than ever, there seems to be no

to stay the mark of civilization.

Tonight's story is about murder, and we call it Safety for the Witness.

Our next minute is devoted to a television commercial, and I call

Mrs. Crawford.

This is a magnificent rifle, Mr. Jones. What caliber?

300 Magnum. It comes complete with telescopic sight.

It's hardly sporting for anything smaller than Rhino.

You might say it was designed for those who want to be sure.

Well, my husband has a little affinity to them. As a matter of fact, on our

safari, he was trampled by zebras.

Oh? Yes, it was during the cocktail hour, and he mistook a small herd of

for the young.

striped awning that we just bought from Abercrombie's.

Well, in future, we must watch what goes into his canteen.

Naturally, Mrs. Crawford.

Be with you in a moment, Lieutenant.

I think this rifle will do very nicely, Mr. Jones. You might ship it to me, care

of my daughter in California.

We shall go north from there to Dilucent. You know her address, don't

certainly, Mrs. Crawford.

Thank you.

Thank you again, Mrs. Corbett. Thank you.

You run a nice shop, Josie. It's a classy old dog.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

And you also do business with some of the town's prized hoodlums.

Well, I suppose that's true enough.

It takes all kinds, you know.

When was the last time you sold a gun to Dan Foley?

Mr. Foley?

Let me see.

On January 3rd of this year, I sold a pocket model coat to Mr. Foley. He had a

permit, of course. The registration number... I can see the registration

You also have it entered here that you serviced the gun on May 24th.

What was the matter with it?

Well, he had complained that the action of the gun was sluggish.

Was it?

As a matter of fact, it was.

It had rusted some.

He'd been on a picnic target shooting with Mr. Felix.

Tarzan Joe Felix?

Well, yeah.

That gorilla.

They've always been very courteous to me, sir.

I didn't know Mr. Foley was in trouble again.

I didn't say he was in trouble. We're just playing it safe.

We picked up a pallet Mr. Foley's for waterfront killing two hours ago.

We want to protect the witness.

The witness?

Oh, that's too bad.

I'm sorry to hear a thing like that.

What do you mean it's too bad and you're sorry to hear it?

You can't get a conviction without a witness, can you?

That's just the point.

You know, Lieutenant, it seems to me that, somehow or other, the law should

changed. What are you getting at? Well, let me put it this way.

Some of my best friends have been witnesses.

I don't like your attitude, Jonesy.

Well, I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

Are you trying to say that we don't protect our witnesses?

I'm not venturing to guess, Lieutenant.

If you'll forgive me, I'm just recalling the statistics.

So long, Josie.

Goodbye, Lieutenant.

Good evening, Mr. Foley.

Good evening, Mr. Felix.

Sorry, Jonesy. Just too bad it had to be you.

Jonesy?

Who did it, Jonesy?

Tell your pals.

Who shot you full of holes?

Jonesy, it's been three weeks now.

This is Commissioner Cummings with me, Jonesy.

We got the DA and the mayor on our backs.

Do you hear me?

The door was open. We just walked in. That door wasn't open and you know it.

There are two of your brass button dandy stationed outside just to see that it

isn't open.

Look, ma 'am. Wait a minute, Flanley.

Flanley, we don't have to apologize.

We're here investigating a murder. We don't have to worry about hospital

protocols. Who are you?

Well, young lady, I happen to be the police commissioner of this city.

I see.

Well, then you ought to have a lot more sense than you're showing, Commissioner.

This man is a victim, not a criminal.

And when Dr. Fisbaum says that he may be interviewed, we'll let you know.

Because it's Dr.

Fisbaum's orders that we go by here.

Dr. Thistbaum said that after three weeks we could talk with her. It isn't

weeks yet. It's 20 days.

My suggestion to you is that you try again tomorrow.

Young lady, I'd like to remind you again that we have a job to do. A man was

killed and we need a witness.

You had a witness.

That's what the commissioner means.

We need a witness to tell us who killed the witness.

It's our first obligation to protect... I understand what you're trying to say.

You want a new clay pigeon to replace the old.

Now, Miss Copeland... You may try again, Commissioner.

The patient is resting now, and come back with Dr.

Fisbone's permission, if you please.

We're having turkey for lunch, and I saved a big portion, especially for you,

because I know you like it so.

Mr. Jones.

It was Big Dan Foley and someone by the name of Mr. Felix who shot you, wasn't

it?

I heard you talking in your sleep this morning and... You were saying,

good evening, Mr. Foley and good evening, Mr. Felix.

But it wasn't your natural voice.

I can tell you, Mr. Jones, it doesn't pay to be polite to people like that.

Not even in your dreams.

They're killers, Mr. Jones.

I know.

I haven't told anybody.

Not even Dr. Thispin. Although I know he could be depended upon to cooperate in

every possible way.

It's my fault.

For talking in my sleep.

I didn't know anyone knew.

But if the... Police can't protect their own witnesses.

What are you going to do?

You're an intelligent man, Mr. Jones.

So answer me.

What in the world are you going to do?

I hope you enjoyed your stay with us, Mr. Jones.

You were all very kind.

It's so unusual for a patient to leave in the middle of the night.

A lot come in that way.

Not against regulations, is it? Oh, no.

Dr. Fisbaum even left word that we're not to charge you for the extra half

He understands the situation so well.

As all of us do, Mr. Jones.

Thank you.

Take care of yourself, Mr. Jones.

That's a nice man.

A nice little man.

I bet you eight to five he doesn't live till Tuesday.

Yes, sir.

I'd like the front room with a view, please.

Something on the sixth or seventh floor.

You're not the type that jumps or anything, are you, Mike?

Oh, no, no, no, sir. I've been here before.

Several times when I've worked late at the store.

I find it much more pleasant with a view.

That'll be three and a half dollars.

I'll put you in room 621.

I'm sure that'll be fine.

Thank you.

What do you think's the matter with Lynch's coffee?

I don't know. Different theories about this, Joe.

Some wise guy said he thins it out with needle beer.

Personally, I think he dropped his sleeve garters in the coffee urn.

Yes, sir. What can I do for you?

I want to report two murders.

You what?

I want to report two murders.

Whose murders?

Big Dan Foley's and Tarzan Joe Felix's. You mean you saw a murder?

From a distance, yes.

I committed both murders myself.

Oh, I see. That's a very interesting thing to hear.

You killed Big Dan Foley and Tarzan Joe Felix, huh?

Now, for a minute, Buster, you had me going. There's too many dingbats like

running around loose in this town. Get out of here. I killed them both with a

high -powered rifle from the sixth floor of the Hotel Marc Jerome.

Buster, you keep talking like that, you're going to get yourself in a whole

of trouble.

Now, what's your name?

Cyril T. Jones.

I'm a custom gunsmith at 327... Hey, wait a minute.

You're the fellow that was shot a few weeks back.

And you wouldn't talk for the lieutenant or the commissioner.

You wouldn't open your little bitsy lips.

Yes, sergeant.

That's right, I'm the one.

Hey, Feeney, come in here.

We got a new kind of a nut fresh off the tree. Come in here and get a grip on

him, will you?

Give me the lieutenant.

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, what did you say your name was?

Cyril T. Jones.

Cyril P. Jones.

T.

T.

What's this supposed to be?

It's a receipt for the 300 Magnum rifle I mailed to California.

Oh, boy.

This is going to do me a lot of good. So far, the lab hasn't even been able to

determine what kind of gun killed Felix and Foley. All they've been able to come

up with is a few scraps of soft lead.

I know, sir.

May I have a drink of water?

Help yourself.

As I told you, Commissioner, I fired down the bullets in such a way that they

were bound to disintegrate on impact.

I never heard of such a thing in all my life.

Sure, sir.

Naturally, in my line of work, I'm better equipped than the layman to carry

such a plan.

Oh, you are a crackerjack, Mr. Jones.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant.

Flanley must have gone out to that hospital 14, 15 times.

You never peeped a word.

I know that, but I should have.

I can see that now.

I probably would never have had a chance to do this thing if I had confided in

you or the lieutenant.

Why?

Because they would have killed me.

Who would have killed you?

Mr. Foley and Mr. Felix.

They knew I had seen them kill Mr. Grimes.

So I had no choice.

Except to kill them first.

We offered you police protection, didn't we?

Didn't we?

Yes, sir. You did.

Now, I'll have no more smart remarks out of you, Mr. Jones.

May I have another drink of water?

Help yourself.

Now, let me tell you this here and now. This case you're trying to build up

against yourself is pretty thin.

A little mouse of a man comes in here and tries to tell us that he killed the

two worst hoodlums in town with an elephant gun.

Fine, only the elephant gun is somewhere in the mail between here and

California.

Well, you're not talking to an elephant now, Mr. Jones. You're going to have to

do a lot better than that to convince me.

But, Commissioner, I'm confessing to these murders. It's a simple matter of

conscience. Conscience went out of fashion.

And don't give me that talk about confession.

We get guys in here at least once a week who'll swear that they shot McKinley.

How long have you known this guy?

Oh, a long time, Commissioner.

Ten or twelve years, anyhow.

That's why I'm worried.

What are you worried about?

Well, as far as anyone knows, Jonesy's never told a lie in his life.

He'll even give you six nickels changed for a quarter if you don't watch out.

Are you trying to tell me that maybe he's telling the truth?

I'm afraid so, Commissioner.

Either that or he thinks he's telling the truth.

You know... A guy with as many bullet holes in him as Jonesy could be getting

too much oxygen.

It makes you flighty, some people say. But, Lieutenant, as I said before, it's

matter of conscience. I'm entitled to be put under arrest.

Jonesy, listen.

The way things are going now, you'll only embarrass the department.

Give us one bit of proof that you shot those two guys, and I guarantee you

throw you in the can.

Did anybody see you do it?

No one.

As I told you, Lieutenant, I was diabolically shrewd.

Diabolically shrewd.

You see what I mean?

The guy won't ever be right.

All right.

Book him.

Lock him up for safekeeping.

For murder, Chief?

No, no.

Vagrancy. Anything is handy.

First I gotta talk with the district attorney.

If you did knock off those two gorillas, Jonesy, why couldn't you have kept your

big mouth shut?

Come on.

A confession is

the last thing in the world I want from Jones.

Don't you realize what he'd be confessing to?

Well, don't you?

Yeah. Yes, sure, sure.

He'd be confessing to a couple of murders.

Murder, you say?

Listen, murder is simple enough.

This little bunny is about to inform the whole world that it isn't safe for any

witness to walk the streets of this city. Now, that's what he's confessing

And he's got a chest full of holes to prove it. Now, Tom, that isn't fair to

police department. You know it. No?

Well, then let me ask you how long you were able to keep Henry Grimes alive.

or the six other witnesses who were murdered this year.

Now, if I take this to the grand jury, what have I got?

To save his own hide, a nice little man eliminates the same gun -happy gorillas

that your department was never able to clamp in jail. Now, that's what I've

Am I supposed to convince an intelligent panel that this man is really a

murderer?

He's two -thirds of a hero right now.

Come on,

Jonesy.

Time we got underway.

Is it time for my arraignment, Lieutenant?

I'll arraignment you. I ought to shake the custard out of your skull.

Is there something wrong?

Yes, there's something wrong. You don't belong here. You're wasting my time, so

get out.

You mean you're moving me to another cell?

I mean that I'm moving you to the great outdoors.

And it's too bad it's not the South Pole.

You're a free man, Jonesy.

How can I be a free man? I'm a murderer.

You better change your brand of snuff, Jonesy, and will you get going?

Lieutenant, I confess to this crime.

I know my rights and I won't be treated like any ordinary citizen.

Look, you will be treated any way that we want to treat you. Those are the

commissioner's orders.

We don't want any arguments.

Get going.

Get out.

Thus it is that Mr.

Jones learns the sad truth about murder.

Committing it is not difficult.

It's being convicted that's the trick.

Fortunately, the next city administration was a thoroughly

granted him his request.

And now I shall be back in a minute after this brief you -know -what

from you -know -whom.

My worthy opponent has taken what I consider an unfair advantage of my poor

shooting and insisted that we go through this again.

Afterwards, I shall be back next week with another story.

Ready?

Good night.