All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E12 The Case of the Brazen Bequest.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

I'm sorry, Wilson,

but, uh, you'd better use
some other cover design.

Something a little
less... indiscreet.

Indiscreet?

A drum majorette?

Dr. Cromwell, this
is practically prim,

compared to the pin-up we had
on last year's commencement issue.

I remember it well.

But... last year,
James Vardon was not

about to give the school a
million-dollar endowment.

We need that money, Wilson.

It means a whole new
future for the school.

We can't afford
to jeopardize it.

Jeopardize it? With this?

Mr. Vardon has some
curiously straitlaced notions.

Boy, he must have.

I mean, what is it
with him, anyway?

Does he want the whole
world scrubbed antiseptic

just because he made
his money in soap?

You should be majoring in psych,

instead of journalism.

Well, okay, Dr. Cromwell.

I'll try and come
up with something.

Cromwell.

Knock it off and get
out here, will you?

We've got trouble.

What's the matter, Marcus?

Don't tell me someone
spiked the tea.

Oh, no such luck.

It's that Haskell idiot.

If you don't peel
him off our backs,

there's going to
be open rebellion.

You and your
commencement rehearsal...

Fouling up a perfectly
good faculty garden party.

If this is a sample,
Heaven help the college

when you take over as president.

You're only saying
that because it's true.

Anyway, it wasn't my idea...

Haskell insisted on it.

There is no
benefactor like Vardon,

and Robert Haskell
is his prophet.

Let's go, before your wife
slips a mickey in his tea.

Oh, Mr. Haskell,
do have some tea.

Oh, thank you,
no, Mrs. Cromwell.

I don't have time now.

Everything must be just right

for Mr. Vardon at
the commencement.

I'm sure he won't mind
your taking one moment off.

After all, the exercises
are still a week away.

Pete, bring the
sandwiches, will you?

You're very kind, Mrs. Cromwell.

But at another time.

Next time, we'll
hit him on the head.

Yes, ma'am. That
would slow him down.

But you got to hand it to him.

He sure is on the
ball for Mr. Vardon.

I trust, Mr. Grove, that
the stage will be decorated.

Mr. Vardon would not like to
receive his honorary degree

on a bare platform.

Customarily, we drape
it in the college colors.

Unless, of course, you'd
prefer something else.

That'll be fine.

Now, if you people will
be kind enough to, uh...

sit in the chairs. I'd
like to get the full effect.

Oh, there you are, Dr. Cromwell.

I hope you don't mind my
checking on these things.

Oh, not at all.

Though we have had other
commencements, you know.

Why don't you relax
and enjoy the party?

Duty before pleasure,
Dr. Cromwell. Now...

the student body will be
seated out there, right?

The graduating class
will march up here,

receive their diplomas
and go out over there.

Now, where will Mr. Vardon be?

Seated on the stage,
as the guest of honor.

I see.

I have a suggestion.

Wouldn't it be more impressive

if Mr. Vardon arrives
during the ceremonies?

I mean, his car could
come in the driveway there,

where that taxi's coming now.

The car would stop,
and he'd get out.

Ah, ah!

Hi, everybody!

Hey, start the music, huh?

Oh!

Hi, there. Are you all right?

Sure. I'm all right, fellas.

I'm...

perfectly all right.

I sure sat down in the
wrong pew, didn't I?

Huh?

Oh, leave me alone.

I just want to see Curly.

Old Curly.

That's all. Old Curly.

Curly, he'll take care of me.

Dispatcher?

I'm trying to locate
one of your taxi drivers.

It's very important.

No, not regarding an accident.

It's about a passenger he drove

to the college
campus a while ago.

Hi, Dr. Cromwell.
I'd like to check

the new cover with
you, if you got a minute.

Uh, well, all right, Wilson.

Come in.

I dug up this shot
of the campus.

It's, uh... It's
been used before,

but I figure I can dress it up

with a couple of
mortised inserts...

Maybe a picture of you up
here as incoming president

and then a shot of
Mr. Vardon down here.

Uh, yes. Yes, I think
that should be all right.

Wilson?

You're not carrying
anything on...

about what happened today.

Well... Well, I had kind of
thought about, uh, running a box

asking this Curly she was
looking for to come forward

and identify himself. Wilson!

Oh, I'm just kidding, sir.

I mean, even without
Mr. Vardon to worry about,

I wouldn't poke
fun at a sick person.

She had a heart attack
in the cab, you know.

They took her to Mercy Hospital.

No, I...

I didn't know.

Charles? Dear, you haven't
much time to freshen up

for that regents'
meeting with Mr. Vardon.

Dick, you will forgive me

if I interrupt.

I'd forgive you
anything, Mrs. Cromwell.

What I mean is, uh, uh...

thanks a lot for
okaying the cover, sir.

Not at all. I'm
sure it'll be fine.

I hope so, and,
uh, thanks again.

Charles, you better hurry up.

Just a couple of minutes, Mary.

As soon as I make
one phone call.

Is there something
bothering you?

You seem so preoccupied.

Only because of the
Vardon endowment.

Once that's settled, I
promise not to be so neglectful.

Now, I do have
this call to make.

Cromwell speaking.

Oh, yes, Haskell.

Mr. Vardon will be leaving
the hotel in a few minutes.

He'll pick you up in his car.

Very good. I'll tell
him you'll be ready.

He sounded a little jumpy.

Not that I blame him,

with a million dollars
about to drop in his lap.

You're not exactly fond of
Dr. Cromwell, are you, Bob?

Well, I am.

Isn't often you meet a
man of his moral fiber.

Oh, I've got nothing
against him personally.

It's just this endowment
that he's talked you into.

Bob, when I sold
out and retired,

I kept you on to
manage my investments,

not to question my spending.

Remember?

Well, if you go
through with this,

there won't be nearly as
many investments to manage.

Oh, is that what's worrying you?

Afraid you'll be out
of a job someday!

That's hardly fair, Mr. Vardon.

It's not my future I'm
thinking of. It's yours.

At my age, there's a future?

No, Bob.

I want my money to do some good

while I'm still here to see it.

And I think a few up-and-coming
educators like Cromwell

are exactly the men to put
that money to the very best use.

This year, not next.

You really should
move around a little.

Or at least let me
bring you some coffee.

You've been sitting
there for hours.

Oh, I'm quite all right.

I don't need anything.

Ah...

Hi, Maizie.

Who scalped you, Curly?

The years carry tomahawks.

Funny, I knew you'd be here.

I'd even have bet a
fifth of tequila on it.

Boy, not much
like that honky-tonk

down in Panama, is it?

All right, young lady. You're
supposed to be resting.

Doctor's orders.

Oh, tell him to go fly a kite.

Curly and me got a lot
of remembering to do.

Not much time to do it in.

Curly, I...

I'm sorry about this afternoon.

I didn't mean to drink and...

Then I got

all confused and...

Nah. No. Forget it.

Curly?

You were the nicest thing
that ever happened to me

in my whole life.

You know something?

I used to save those things I
read about you in the papers.

From that brawl, right on
down through the years,

when you got to be somebody.

Well, I even kept the
clippings in a book.

"My little sailor boy,"

I'd say to myself.

"I'm going to see him again
someday before I... die."

I took your advice, Maizie.

I came back and went to work.

Curly, listen.

I got a couple of
grand stashed away.

I want you to use it to
help some other kid get...

Hold me, Curly.

Don't let me go!

Nurse!

You're going to be all right.

Here's Dr. Hunterlin.

Now, you be a nice girl
while he tries to help you.

Shove off, Doc.

Curly'll take care of me.

He remembered me.

Honey...

you had such pretty,

wavy hair.

Is there anyone
we should notify?

I don't know.

Look here, Doctor.

There's something
I'd like to explain.

I mean, about my knowing her.

You see, that wonderful woman...

That poor creature.

She must have been
loads of fun in her day.

Why, even as sick as she was,
the way she kept wisecracking...

Miss Talbot, she is
not to be discussed,

particularly not in
connection with Dr. Cromwell,

for reasons that must
be obvious to you.

If that's the way it is, though,

I think you should
know about the paper

she signed and had me
witness before you came.

Paper?

She acted like it was important.

Something about...
a surprise for Curly.

And then when I came
back later, it was gone.

Gone? Where?

Well, I wouldn't know.

Unless she gave
it to the orderly

while I was relieving
the duty desk.

You might ask him...
His name's Jonas.

Well, she asked me if
I'd mail a letter for her.

She wanted me to put
it in the box right away.

She said it was her will.

Her will?

Are you sure of that?

That's what she said.

Anyway, she was such a nice
gal, I took it right downstairs.

Did you notice how she
addressed the envelope?

No, sir. Made
sure it had a stamp

and sent it on its way.

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

Years ago, before I
was dry behind the ears,

Maizie Freitag saved me from
a very ugly situation, Mr. Mason.

It was nothing to
be ashamed of, but...

well, I'd rather
not go into details.

Now, I know it may sound callous

to want to deny someone
who did so much for me,

but if Mr. Vardon learned

that I even so much as
knew a woman like Maizie,

he'd cancel his
gift to the college,

and we'd lose the Sumner
Foundation million, as well.

So you'd like to keep the
relationship concealed?

Not for myself...
but for all the others.

So...

isn't there some legal way
to hush up this will of hers,

before Vardon learns about it?

Not if it's probated,
Dr. Cromwell,

as under the law it must be.

The will then becomes
a matter of public record.

However, it's possible she
didn't actually name you.

No, I'm... I'm sure she did.

That $2,000.

Now, see here, couldn't
I refuse the bequest,

whatever it might be?

The beneficiary
has that right, yes,

but that wouldn't
suppress the will.

If only I knew who had
it, where it was sent.

But I don't.

There is one hope, Dr. Cromwell.

If Miss Freitag mailed
her will directly to the court,

it might be delayed
on the clerk's desk

for a few days, pending
petition for probate.

I could ask Paul Drake

to inquire into the
matter, if you wish.

But what good
would that do? He...

He couldn't get
it back, could he?

No. But at least
you'd be informed.

You would know best how
to cope with the situation.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mason.

Meantime, I'll make
some inquiries of my own

in Euclid Heights.

Well, she must've
been belting that sauce

pretty hard before
I picked her up.

Nothing she said made
much sense to me,

and I certainly
didn't talk to her.

But you don't remember
where you picked her up?

Well, it was someplace
on the River Road,

but exactly what cross...

Your company record
book says Wilson Street.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

You know, a guy's got so many... Th-That's
near the Travel Rest Lodge, isn't it?

Yeah. Well, did she come out of
the lodge? Was she staying there?

Well, come to
think of it, uh, yeah,

she did say she
was staying there.

Yes, here it is.

Miss Freitag checked in
about 9:00 in the morning.

Stayed in her room till,
oh, 1:30, quarter of 2:00...

You say she had a reservation?

Yeah, for one night...
Paid in advance

by Mr. Haskell over
at the Park View Hotel.

Haskell? Robert Haskell?

That's right. Quite an
important man, I understand.

I don't know what the
connection with that woman was,

but you might ask
Jerry... He's our barkeep.

I saw Mr. Haskell talking
to him after he'd stopped by

to reserve the room. Thank you.

Sure, I'm sure it was Haskell.

He's been here before.

First time he's ever
tipped me, though.

Tipped you for what?

Oh, for stocking
the woman's room

with liquor before
she checked in.

When I saw what she looked like,

I didn't think it was
a very good idea.

Maybe some sort of
a joke or something.

Anyway, I saw him slip
ten bucks to the cabdriver.

A cabdriver?

He told him to pick
the dame up later

and float her out to
the college campus...

Something about a...
an old pal out there

she was gonna surprise.

Haskell, I want to talk to you.

Open up, I know you're in there.
They said so down at the desk.

Hask...

When I found there
was no Freitag will

in probate downtown, I
drove out to Euclid Heights

and ran into something else.

And that was?
Remember you wondered

why Maizie would pop
up out of Cromwell's past

at just the moment it
would most embarrass him?

You said it puzzled you.

Still does, Paul.

Now, coincidence
might be the answer,

but don't you think
there's the possibility

this whole thing might
have been contrived

by someone with ulterior motive?

Well, motives I wouldn't
know about, but...

I did backtrack
Maizie to a motel.

Now, the reservation
was made and paid for

by one Robert Haskell,

who just happens to
be a financial watchdog

for Cromwell's
millionaire, James Vardon.

Well, now.

There's more.

It was also Haskell
who saw to it

that Maizie was stoned and
then sent out to the campus.

And on top of that,

somebody else checked
all this just ahead of me.

It wasn't Cromwell, was it?

Could be.

Well, Paul, what do you think?

Well... I think we
should go and have

a little talk with
this Robert Haskell.

Mr. Haskell?

Mr. Haskell?

Paul.

Well, let's see what we have.

Victim's name
was Robert Haskell.

He worked for a James Vardon.

You found the body
at approximately 2:10,

called us without
disturbing anything

and didn't see anyone
until we got here.

Neither of you knew
Haskell personally,

have no idea who killed
him or ransacked the room.

Is that the story?

Complete and correct.

Not quite.

You still haven't told us
what you were doing here.

I wanted to talk to Haskell
on behalf of my client.

Mm-hmm.

What client?

I'm sorry, that's
privileged information.

Of course.

How dense of me.

Man out here named Vardon
wants to talk to you, Sergeant.

And by Heavens, I intend
to. Who's in charge here?

I am. I just heard about Bob.

I want to know what's
being done about it.

Vardon? Oh, yes, Haskell
was employed by you.

He was almost a son to me.

I'm asking you what's
been done to find his killer!

Let me ask the
questions, Mr. Vardon.

I'll get in touch if I
want you, Mr. Mason.

You can begin by telling
me what enemies he had.

Enemies? Bob had no enemies!

He had one.

Hello. Dr. Cromwell's residence.

Oh. Well, I've been
downtown shopping.

I just this moment got in.

Yes, I know... I heard it on
the car radio coming home.

Wait a minute,
somebody's at the door.

What?

Well, of course I
have to answer it.

Why shouldn't I?

Well, what's happened? Wh...

Wait a minute.

Mrs. Cromwell?

My name is Mason.

May I speak with your husband?

Oh, I'm sorry, but he's not in.

Perry Mason, the attorney?

Yes.

I'm very anxious
to find Dr. Cromwell.

Why?

There's been some
trouble, I'm afraid...

A man by the name of Haskell.

Oh, yes, I know about that,

but my husband doesn't have
anything to do with it, does he?

No, I'm sure not.

If you can just
help me locate him.

Perhaps he's at the college.

Why don't you try there?

Uh, yes, and, uh, I'll call you

if I hear from him, right away.

Would you...

happen to have a recent
picture of him I might borrow?

Uh, they must have one
down at the Vanguard...

That's the
undergraduate magazine.

Oh, wait a minute,
our... our daughter

took a snapshot of
us just the other day.

Yes.

Here it is.

It's rather casual, but...

Thank you, Mrs.
Cromwell. This will do nicely.

Now, what on earth is wrong?

What happened?

You did what?!

No...

No, never mind.

Where are you?

All right, wait there.

Don't leave. I'll
be right there.

Yes, sir, if it hadn't have been

for the regular desk
clerk's afternoon off,

he'd have said the same thing.

This is the man, all right.

You're positive?

Oh, absolutely.

There was a Paul
Drake by here later,

and he wanted some information
on the Freitag woman, too.

But this is the first
one that asked me.

And when I told him

what Mr. Haskell
arranged for out here...

The liquor and the cab...

He took off mad
enough to blow a fuse.

I see.

Well, thank you very much.

Not at all.

Say, that woman's
quite a looker.

She's been in here, too.

She's, uh... been here with
the man in the snapshot?

No, a younger fellow...

A college student,
if I had my guess.

And I remember him
for a different reason, too.

He came back later

to pick up the handbag
the lady left here,

and you have never
seen a kid so shook up

when I told him Mr. Haskell

already had it.

Uh, the young man who
was here with this lady,

can you describe him?

Yeah. He was about,
oh, medium height.

He had sandy hair...

and he had a scar right here,

like he'd sliced himself the
first time he ever shaved.

What you've told
me's bad enough.

You had a fistfight
with Mr. Haskell

because he wouldn't
return my handbag.

Now he's dead.

Why was it so
important, Dick? Why?

I...

I wanted to protect
you from scandal. I...

I was afraid he'd
tell your husband.

Tell him what?

If you only knew.

The trouble is, that
night in the cocktail bar,

I... I-I slipped a poem
into your handbag

when you weren't looking.

It was a...

a-a love poem I-I wrote and...

signed and put your name on.

Oh, Dick, you didn't.

That's why I insisted
on going back after it

when you left it. I...

Well, I-I wanted to
tear up that crazy poem

before you saw it.

I... I got to thinking
you might laugh.

But... well, Haskell
had your purse by then.

Now the police'll
find that crazy poem,

and it'll... it'll be
in all the papers,

and... your husband'll know
it came from your handbag.

"You hold my heart
in thoughtless hands."

Mr. Mason, there's no
point in being persistent.

I tell you I simply don't
know where Dr. Cromwell is.

And that's exactly what I told
the police not five minutes ago.

All right. But what about
the young man I described?

What about him? We're in
a world full of young men.

You quite sure you
don't know him, Dr. Tate?

When you've been around
a campus as long as I have,

they all begin to look alike.

My investigator
says he drives a car

registered under the
name of Richard Wilson.

The college office

says that a senior
named Dick Wilson

takes two courses from you.

All right.

What is it about Wilson
you're interested in, Mason?

His relationship
with Mrs. Cromwell.

Now, see here, the Cromwells

happen to be very
dear friends of mine.

I take it there has
been gossip, then.

There's gossip on every campus.

You'd need a computer to
count the undergraduates

who've had callow
crushes on faculty wives

or coeds who've
fallen for instructors.

I'm only concerned with
things affecting Dr. Cromwell.

Look here, Mason.

Robert Haskell had
that same malicious habit

of digging up scandal
about everybody.

Perry.

Excuse me, Dr. Tate.

Anything more, Paul?

Well, Maizie's will still
hasn't arrived at probate.

But I understand
the police have been

down at Mercy Hospital
talking to a nurse.

Something about a Curly Oliver.

He was the guy
Maizie kept calling for

just before she died.

Well, that certainly gives
us less and less time.

How right you are. Sergeant
Landro's just over there

talking to a man named Grove,

checking up on the
endowment thing

and on Cromwell.

Oh, Mason, wait.

Look here, is Cromwell
really going to be in trouble?

Would you like an
opinion or a fact, Dr. Tate?

There's an old office that
I didn't mention to anyone.

It's in the old lab building.

Charlie goes there sometimes.

Charles.

I was afraid I
wouldn't find you.

Mary, where have you been?

I called the house and
called it and called it.

Darling, listen. There...

There's something I
want to explain to you.

There's nothing to explain.

But I think you should
be at home now, in case...

No! Not until I find out
what's troubling you.

Mary, now, we both
know what this is all about.

As far as young Wilson's
poem is concerned,

those things happen; forget it.

You don't have to explain
it to me or anyone else.

No one'll ever see it.

I burned it.

And your handbag is
where it could've been

mislaid accidentally,
under the seat of the car.

Then you found my handbag.

Where?

Where you
overlooked it, I guess.

Though it was in plain view.

In Haskell's hotel room.

Charles.

You thought I...

We have a daughter to
think about now, nothing else.

Go home and look after her.

I'll take care
of the rest of it.

Oh, darling, you thought I...

Then you were there.

In his room.

Hurry, darling.

You can go out the back way.

Hello, Doctor.

Mason.

How did you find me?

Did you tell him?

No. I've...

The point is, Dr. Cromwell,

I did find you, as the
police will find you.

I don't know what you mean.

Dr. Cromwell, I
came here to help you.

Obviously, you've
been avoiding everyone.

Now, there's no time
for equivocations,

either from you or
from Mrs. Cromwell.

Leave her out of
this, Mr. Mason.

I don't want Mary so
much as mentioned

in connection with
Haskell. Is that clear?

She's going home now.

If you want to talk to
me after she leaves...

We'll talk now, Curly.

That's for me to decide.

What did you call me?

Curly.

And you responded automatically.

But... how did you know?

Simple addition.

Doctor, you can't
delay any longer.

The police have already
been to Mercy Hospital.

Yes, the nurse who
witnessed Maizie's will.

The doctor who was the...

Hello, Mr. Mason.

Dr. Cromwell.

Yes.

Sorry, Doctor, but I'm
taking you to headquarters

for questioning
in connection with

the murder of Robert Haskell.

I warn you that anything
you say at this time

may be used against you.

I arrived at the hotel at
2:30 and immediately noticed

decedent's face bore
subcutaneous discolorations

characteristic of fist bruises.

I also observed a lateral
mid-temporal skull fracture,

which my subsequent
autopsy examination confirmed

as having been
the cause of death.

In your opinion, Doctor,

how was this fatal skull injury

inflicted?

Well, decedent had
obviously been knocked down.

Uh, in falling, his head
struck a corner of a bureau.

Now, did you form a conclusion

as to the time this
had happened?

Well, I would venture
the death had occurred

between 15 minutes and a
half hour prior to my arrival.

Certainly, Haskell
died no earlier

than five minutes before 2:00.

Now, Mr. Wilson, at what time

did you accost Mr. Haskell
outside of his hotel?

About 1:00, or maybe
a few minutes before.

Had he then any
facial contusions?

No, sir.

Did you hit him?

Well, I... I tried,

but he beat me to the
punch and knocked me flat.

After which, you say, he
went back into his hotel.

Yes, sir.

And I thought
about following him,

but then I changed
my mind, like I told you.

So that's the last I saw of him.

Now, I show you this
handbag, Mr. Wilson,

marked People's Exhibit Number
One and previously introduced

as having been found in
Dr. Cromwell's automobile.

And I ask you if
you recognize this

as belonging to Mrs. Cromwell.

Yes, sir, that's, uh...

that's the bag I fought
with Haskell about.

Was it in the possession
of the decedent

on the day of his death?

Objected to as
calling for a response

not within the
knowledge of the witness.

But he said he had it.

I withdraw the
question, Your Honor.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Wilson...

after being ingloriously
knocked flat by a much older man,

you say you just thought
about going after him?

Well, no, of course not. I...

I already said I started
after him into the hotel.

I... I just changed
my mind, that's all.

Where were you when
you changed your mind?

I-In one of the
corridors, I-I guess.

I-I realized it was crazy...

In which corridor, Mr. Wilson?

Look, I already said
all this to the police.

I didn't see him again.

Which corridor?

The-the one that
goes to the rooms.

Which floor?

Well, the third floor...

The floor on which
Mr. Haskell's room

was located, is that correct?

Yes, sir.

Now, how many people
were in that corridor?

Nobody was there.

Yet you changed your mind
about entering Mr. Haskell's room.

Did you knock on his door?

Yes, I started to...

And then you stopped. Why?

Why, Mr. Wilson?

Did you see something?
Did you hear something?

All right.

Yes.

There was somebody
there in the room.

I... I heard Haskell
yelling at him.

"What's the big idea," he
said, "searching my room?"

And then Pete said,

"I want the money you
promised me, you dirty welsher."

Well, I-I... I was afraid
there'd be worse trouble

and I'd be caught
there, so I, so I beat it. I...

Now, just a minute.

You said, "Pete." Pete who?

You recognized the
other person's voice?

Sure.

It was Pete Gibson.

Bailiff, stop that man.

Mr. Horner, the court

appreciates that the
prosecution may not wish

to vouch for this man
as a prosecution witness.

And certainly the defense should
not be bound by his testimony.

But since the court wishes to
find out what this man knows,

I'm going to have
him put on the stand

as the court's witness
and question him

as such.

Now, uh, the
procedure is irregular,

but the court feels it to be
in the best interest of justice.

Sure, Mr. Haskell caught
me going through his room.

I had a right to.

He owed me money,
and he wouldn't pay it.

Every time I asked
him for it, he put me off.

Go on, Mr. Gibson.

So, I-I figured I'd maybe
find some cash in his room.

That or something I could
hock for what I had coming.

But I never laid a hand
on him, I swear I never.

We, uh, did some yelling, but
there wasn't any rough stuff.

Uh, didn't the doc
say a little while ago

that he was killed
a little before 2:00?

Well, I can prove by Dr. Tate

that I was out of the hotel
a few minutes past 1:00.

Uh, Your Honor, I didn't intend
to call Dr. Tate at this time,

but I notice he's here.

So if it'd please the court...

You intend to call Dr. Tate

before cross-examination
of Mr. Gibson?

Mr. Gibson has not
yet been adjudged

a prosecution
witness, Counselor.

Well, I have no objection

to his being considered
as such, Your Honor.

Very well, then. So ruled.

And you may call
Dr. Tate to the stand, yes.

You may step down, Mr. Gibson.

Of course I know Gibson.

He's been a combination
handyman-janitor at the college

for the past ten
years. Thank you.

Now, calling your attention
to the afternoon in question...

did you see him coming out of
the hotel, as per his testimony?

Oh, yes, definitely.

I offered him a
lift to the campus,

but he had the
college utility pickup,

so we drove off separately.

Did you notice
the time, Dr. Tate?

Yes, I did.

The campus tower clock
strikes every quarter hour.

You can hear it all over town.

It rang 1:15 as I
got into my car.

I remember setting my
dashboard clock with it.

So then if Haskell wasn't
killed until around 2:00,

you are in a position
to establish at least

a partial alibi for Mr. Gibson.

Well, more than partial.

I saw Gibson
already on the campus

when I got back there at 2:00.

Thank you.

That's all.

Any questions, Mr. Mason?

Not at this time, Your Honor.

I would also like to postpone
my cross-examination

of the witness Gibson
until I've had time

to study and
consider the testimony.

Very well.

I remember what time it was

because I was
to get off at 2:00,

and I hadn't cleaned up
Mr. Haskell's room yet.

So I decided to leave the
sheets and the towels outside

for the other
chambermaid to attend to it.

That's when I saw a
man come out of the room

and hurry down the stairs.

Now, is that what
impressed you...

His using the stairs
instead of the elevator?

No, no.

Lots of folks do.

What really struck me

was that he was
carrying a lady's handbag.

Men don't usually like to.

Anyhow, my husband gets
embarrassed if I ask him

to take mine for a minute
in a store or somewhere...

Now, is this the handbag
you saw him bring

from Mr. Haskell's room?

Well, or one about like it.

The same big initials and all.

Now, I ask you to look around

and tell me if you
recognize the man you saw.

Well, yes, sir. That's him
right there... Dr. Cromwell.

Well, Dr. Cromwell
had worked very hard

to obtain a million-dollar
endowment from Mr. Vardon,

and to obtain it during
the present fiscal year.

Well, we're only concerned
with the general background

of Mr. Haskell's
relationship with the college

and the defendant, Mr. Grove.

Now, my question is...

Yes, I know, sir.

You're seeking motive.

Mr. Haskell was just a
go-between for Mr. Vardon.

And as such,

Mr. Haskell was here,
apparently, to ask questions.

To investigate,
to open our books

and pry in our private lives.

To make himself
thoroughly offensive.

And did he ever discuss

any of his findings
with you personally?

Well, he admitted that he
was against the endowment,

if that's what you mean...
At least at the present time.

And did you discuss this
matter with the defendant?

Don't be ridiculous.

I wanted us to have the
money as badly as he did.

Mr. Vardon, let me ask you...

was Mr. Haskell a wealthy man?

No.

All he had is what I paid him.

About 15,000 a year.

Yet did he, over
the past four years,

maintain trading accounts

with several different
brokerage houses?

Well, I would say
that was his privilege.

As I told you last
night, Mr. Horner...

I'm afraid we have a few more
figures since then, Mr. Vardon,

figures which I'm prepared
to offer in evidence.

But to save time,
I'll simply ask you.

Is it possible that Mr. Haskell

could have invested
as much as $750,000

in highly speculative issues,

issues which at
current market prices

happen to be down a
quarter of a million dollars?

One moment, Mr. Prosecutor.

May I see those papers?

Mr. Mason?

I have no objection to this
line of questioning, Your Honor.

I'm aware of the evidence.

Very well. Proceed.

Mr. Vardon, I show
you a list of securities

hypothecated by Mr. Haskell

to obtain credit for
his speculations.

I ask you if these
items are familiar to you.

Why, yes.

Yes, they're identical to a
number of my own holdings.

Precisely.

Now is it possible
that Mr. Haskell

could have used
his power of attorney

to put them up as security

to finance his own
stock market operations?

Why, it's obviously what
an audit will discover.

Had Haskell been forced
to sell his speculative issues

at current market prices,

he would have been out

a quarter of a million dollars.

He thus would have
been unable to redeem

your gilt-edged securities

and replace them
in your portfolio,

is that not correct?

And of course, that's
why he was so anxious

to keep me from giving
money to the college.

It would have brought
on an immediate audit.

There, is that what
you wanted me to say?

Yes. Thank you very much.

No further questions.

Do you state under
oath, Mr. Vardon,

that you were
unaware of all this

until after Haskell's death?

I was completely ignorant of it.

Why, if I'd known that
Bob was stealing from me,

I would've...

You'd have done
what, Mr. Vardon?

What would you have
done to Mr. Haskell?

Now, Sergeant, it has
been established in testimony

that the decedent
was instrumental

in bringing a woman here to
town named Maizie Freitag,

for the purpose of embarrassing
and discrediting Dr. Cromwell.

We have heard both
a doctor and a nurse

admit that they
saw the woman die

with Dr. Cromwell
holding her hand.

Now I ask you, Sergeant,

do police files
contain any reference

to a man known as Curly Oliver?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Your Honor, I intend to
show that this Curly Oliver

and Dr. Charles Cromwell
are one and the same person.

I further intend to show
that this identical individual,

26 years ago in Panama City,

was involved in a barroom
murder by stabbing.

Now, this present witness

has investigated and made
himself familiar with the case,

which is still open

in Panama.

To which we would
object, Your Honor,

on the ground that the
investigation by this witness

would be predicated
upon hearsay testimony.

Your Honor, we have

no intention of
relying on this witness

to establish the
facts of the case,

but to provide additional
motivation for Haskell's murder.

I further intend to show

that there is still a
fugitive warrant out

for this man known
as Curly Oliver...

Whose escape from
the police 26 years ago

was aided and
abetted by a bar girl

known as Maizie Freitag.

The very same Maizie
Freitag who was brought here

by Haskell and who
died with the defendant

at her bedside.

Talk about a tailor-made
murder motive.

I can already hear
Horner pouring it on a jury.

"Ladies and gentlemen,
it must be obvious to you

"that a man with one homicide
charge already against him

would, in order to
conceal his past, kill again."

Just because he was accused,

doesn't mean he was
guilty of stabbing anyone.

He told me it was nothing
but a free-for-all barroom fight.

He didn't even see
the man get killed.

He was just a kid. He was
sick. He'd been dropped

from his ship.

He ran, didn't he?

Oh, there was a lot of
bad feeling in those days.

He was the only
stranger there... 17,

scared to death, being
chased by the police.

That's when Maizie
Freitag took him in.

By luck, he'd just happened
to save her neck in that fight.

She nursed him back to health,
gave him some good advice

and helped him get out

of the country a
couple weeks later.

All right, but any man
who changes his name...

He just took the
name Curly Oliver

so his family wouldn't find
him when he ran away to sea.

After he came home, he went back

to being Charles
Cromwell, that's all.

Argue all you like,
but he's still painted

into a heck of a corner.

Paul, we only have the weekend,

but I want a complete
background on Pete Gibson.

Also, on Mr. Grove.

Uh, the man who set up the
endowment business. On my way.

Della. Mm-hmm.

I'd like the earliest plane
reservation to Panama.

Also, put in a call
to Panama City...

Señor Rafael
Dominguez y Sandoval.

That's the man who helped
us on the extradition case

two years ago.

He's a great lawyer.

And politically, a
most influential man.

Photostatic copies
of the police file,

amigo mio.

And names of all persons
found in the barroom

when the stabbing occurred.

I'm very grateful, my friend.

Por nada.

To you, my door is always open.

I'm also a little surprised
at such a complete record.

Not the police record, this one.

But you see, the stabbing
victim was the older brother

of someone who now has
much importance in Panama.

Someone who has
watched every lead

the police have taken
to locate the murderer.

Plus, a great many
leads of his own.

Someone who would step in

the moment something
new developed in the case.

But there, I leave you to
search the records for yourself.

Señor Sandoval,

who is this someone
you just spoke of?

Myself, Señor Mason.

Well, of course I
talked to Mr. Haskell.

Several times.

Now, I've already said that.

You also testified that
Haskell owed you money.

How much money, Mr. Gibson?

Uh... $300.

I needed it bad.

I was being pushed for it.

What service worth $300 had
you rendered Robert Haskell?

I-I-I don't recollect.

Perhaps we can
help your recollection.

How did you get your
job at Euclid College?

Well, Mr. Gibson?

Uh... it was ten years ago.

I walked into
Dr. Cromwell's office.

Uh, I-I was new in town, and I
needed a job pretty bad. Uh...

My wife has always
been ill, you see. Uh...

You just walked in
and asked for a job?

Did you have any sort
of recommendation?

Any sort of letter with you?

It was just a
note, uh, that's all.

It said, "Please
give this man a job."

That's all it said.

And who had signed that note?

Maizie Freitag.

Now, Mr. Gibson,

in consulting certain
personal records

in Panama, your name
appeared as a one-time friend

of Maizie Freitag.

What of it?

Well, did you
discuss that friendship

with Dr. Cromwell?

No, sir.

Uh, Maizie told me not to.

She told me, "Don't impose."

She said just show
the man this note

if I was ever really
in trouble for work.

So-so that's what I done.

Uh... oh, the doc,
he asked questions

and said what a nice
person she was and all, but

I just said I barely met her,

and that's all we
ever talked about it.

How much did you talk
about it with other people?

Not to anyone. Why would I?

Of course.

Why would you?

Until Mr. Haskell came along.

No, no, now... Until Mr. Haskell
came along looking for anyone

to help discredit Dr. Cromwell,

and you needed $300 desperately.

All right, I told
him about Maizie.

But I didn't know much
about any killing down there.

It was only gossip, like
you hear in those joints.

But Haskell
investigated, is that right?

And he sent for Maizie,
knowing the embarrassment

of her presence here

would make it impossible
for Dr. Cromwell

to explain away his
past to Mr. Vardon.

Sure, that's what
we fought about.

Haskell sent for Maizie,
and he signed my name.

He told her that Dr. Cromwell

said it was okay for
her to come up here,

and he signed my name.

And after he used you
like that, you killed him

because he refused to pay
you that $300, isn't that so?

No, I wanted more money.

I wanted a lot more.

But I never killed him.

I swear, I never.

Look, you heard Dr. Tate

say what time I come
out of the hotel, didn't you?

You heard what time he
saw me on the campus.

Yes, I did, Mr. Gibson, but
I'm afraid we'll have to hear

from Dr. Tate again, because
frankly, I believe you're lying.

No, sir, the chimes
were ringing.

It was 2:00 when I saw
him on the campus, all right.

Yet, I have depositions
from three students

who said they saw him
downtown tinkering with his car.

They would have
offered to give him a tow,

but they were afraid of
missing their 2:00 class.

Well, perhaps I was
a few minutes off.

Yes, it could have
been a little later.

Could the mistake have been
in your attempt to furnish Gibson

with an alibi he didn't need,

in order to give yourself an
alibi you do need, Dr. Tate?

I don't understand.

Dr. Tate, do you recall
a conversation with me

in which you stated that
I would need a computer

to count the times
an undergraduate

has had a callow crush on one
of the faculty member's wives?

Or that a coed has
fallen for an instructor?

I may have said that.

Do you also recall stating that
Haskell had a malicious habit

of digging up scandal
about everyone?

I don't see the importance...

Dr. Tate, did you ever teach at
a small New England college?

I beg your pardon?

A college where a
certain young coed

once tried to slash her wrists?

I won't answer that.

I refuse to.

Your Honor, I
would like to recall

another witness at this time.

Who, Counselor?

Mr. Grove, the Euclid
College Treasurer.

I said that Mr. Haskell
asked questions,

that he pried into
our private lives,

but that's all I said.

Well, he was certainly
trying to find means

of bringing pressure on everyone

to stall the endowment, is that

correct?

I suppose so.

Did he try to bring
pressure on you, Mr. Grove?

No.

Now, Mr. Grove, as
an officer of the college,

you have access to all the
faculty personnel records,

do you not?

Yes.

Dr. Tate's record?

Oh, stop it! Stop!

Of course Grove knows!

Charlie Cromwell knows!

It's just not the
sort of thing you tell

the regents, that you
tell the public, that's all.

A poor, tragic girl
trying to kill herself.

Yes, yes, it nearly
wrecked my career once.

But there was

no blame to it, only
in the mouth of a man

like Haskell.

When I discovered
what Haskell was up to,

I went to his hotel.

I was already outraged
over what he was trying to do

to my best friends,
the Cromwells.

When I told Haskell
what I thought of him,

he struck me.

I struck him.

You killed him?

Yes, yes, make me say it.

I struck him, and he
fell against something.

And he didn't move again.

Let me tell you what I am...

A disgusting, frightened coward
who almost let his best friend

be tried for murder!

Where's Dr. Cromwell?

In there, telling Vardon

that before he can accept
any million-dollar endowments,

the regents will have
to approve a $2,000 gift

from the estate of
Miss Maizie Freitag.

The gift to be used
as scholarship loans

to male students.

I have a hunch Vardon'll
second the motion.

There's just one thing, Perry.

If Dick Wilson's
poem was so innocent,

what was Mrs. Cromwell doing
in the cocktail lounge with him?

Discussing a gift from the
graduating class to her husband.

Who told you that?

Dr. Cromwell.

And in a very firm tone, too.

You've just restored my
faith in marriage and men.

Perry, what about
this Panama thing?

After all, if your
friend Sandoval's

keeping the case open...

Apparently, it was
just a barroom brawl.

And apparently, Sandoval
suspected who did the stabbing,

but simply didn't want
to pursue the matter.

All that concerns us is the
fact that it wasn't Curly Oliver...

Cromwell.

I knew he didn't do that.

How?

Well, Mrs. Cromwell told me.

She said that...

Well, she just convinced me

that her husband couldn't
have done such a thing.

There you are.

No logic, but it...

confirms your faith in women.
Confirms your faith in women.