All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E16 The Case of the Shapely Shadow.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

♪♪

Therefore, I will
expect your full support

in the forthcoming
shareholders' meeting,

and, in return, may anticipate
the same kind of support

under similar circumstances in
any corporation under your control.

Oh, by the way,
thank him very much

for that bottle of whiskey
he sent me last Christmas.

Yours truly, et
cetera, et cetera.

Oh, and, Janice, no file
copy on this as before,

and destroy your notes.

All right, who's next?

Northern California Realty.

Skip them. They
don't have any votes.

Mr. Theilman, do you want
just the ones who have stock...

I want just the ones I tell you!

Yes, sir.

Uh, Standard Investments.

Ah, yes. Standard Investments.

Gentlemen...

No, no. Change that.

Address this one personally
to the president of the company,

what's his name,

and mail it directly to his
home. All right, what's next?

Mr. Theilman, couldn't I
get you a sandwich, please?

No, thank you. Let me see
that list, see who's next on it.

If you'd just have a cup
of coffee, or I could...

Janice, I already told
you I'm really not hungry.

Don't answer that.

Why? Why not?

Oh. All right, go ahead.

Mr. Theilman's office.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Theilman.

I'm sorry, but your husband
just stepped out for a moment.

Could I have him call you back?

All right. All right.

She'll call you. It's something about
meeting her downtown for dinner.

I'm still not in.

Why don't you type those up? I
have something else I want to do.

But what?

I mean, well, there's
nothing on your calendar...

..urgent, that is...

And, Mr. Theilman, you've
been working so hard.

How about if I bring
you in that cup of coffee

and some cake I
have in my lunch?

Janice, you're going to make
somebody a wonderful mother someday.

Go on. Get out of here.

Go on.

Well, there she is,
Miss Hurry Hurry.

And she's blushing.

Fred, if you don't
mind, I'm busy just now.

Oh, yeah? Doing what?

What's old Morley T up to these
days, anyway? What's going on?

- Give, give, give, huh?
- Give me that.

Janice, Fred.

Your, uh, boss
still busy, Janice?

Yes, he is, Mr. Troy. But if you're
expecting to have lunch with him...

Oh, no, no, never mind. I've got
to get back to Bakersfield, anyway.

Uh, you don't know what
exactly he's busy with, do you?

Oh, just the usual
little details, I think.

Oh, yes, yes, of course.
Didn't mean to pry.

Goodbye.

Uh, goodbye, Mr. Troy.

Ah, there sits our
perfect secretary.

"Just the usual little
details," she says.

That to a former partner, yet.

What did you find in the boss'
wastebasket this morning?

I beg your pardon?

I saw you snooping
around in there.

I was looking for
my fountain pen.

Janice, I want you to go...

What the devil are
you doing here?

Well, I was, uh...

Beat it, Fred. She
has work to do.

Yes, sir.

You've got to learn
how to handle men.

You know what he's like.

Uh, come on back in here.

Yes, sir?

Oh, Janice, I want you
to buy me a suitcase.

A suitcase?

Oh, Mr. Theilman, what's wrong?

If you'd just tell
me so I could help.

Now, Janice, don't look at me
like that. I'm not going anyplace.

I'm not running away or
anything. I just need a suitcase.

Yes, sir. A suitcase.

Come in, Miss Wainwright.

Oh, Mr. Mason, thank you.

Thank you for seeing me.

Here. Won't you sit down?

I'm in a terrible rush. I have
a taxi waiting downstairs.

Miss Street tells me that you work
for a man named Morley Theilman.

Yes. I've been
with him six years.

And that you're worried about him
and that you need a lawyer's advice.

Well, I'd like to know if I
can legally open that suitcase.

Well, that might depend on
to whom the suitcase belongs.

Oh, it belongs to
Mr. Theilman. And it's locked.

You see, I went out this
noon to buy it for him.

Uh, it has two keys,
and I kept one of them.

I usually keep extra
keys and things.

Mr. Theilman is so absentminded.

Tell me, is
Mr. Theilman married?

Yes, he's been married
nearly four years now.

Happily?

Why, I think so. But what
does that have to do with...

If Mrs. Theilman is young,
perhaps she's also jealous.

Are you afraid that if you wore the
right lipstick, she might notice you?

I'm afraid she might
get me fired, yes.

But I'm not in love with Mr. Theilman,
if that's what you're trying to suggest.

Now will you be equally as frank as
to why you wish this suitcase opened?

I think there's money in it.

Money?

I think Mr. Theilman's
being blackmailed.

Here. Look at that. I found
that in his wastepaper basket.

He'd torn it up but I put
it back together again.

"Failure will be fatal."

And this is the
envelope it came in.

It's properly addressed
to Mr. Theilman.

Return address General
Delivery. A.B... Who's A.B. Vidal?

I haven't the slightest idea.

Do you want me
to call the police?

Why, no. That's why I'm
here, don't you understand?

Mr. Theilman obviously got
those telephone instructions,

and that's when he told me
to go out and get the suitcase.

Then he took it into
his private office,

and when he came out, it
was locked and heavy like this.

Then he told me I was to
take it down to the Union Depot,

to the place where they have
lockers... Baggage lockers.

And leave the suitcase there?

Yes. In a certain
numbered locker

or one right next to
it, whichever's open.

Then I'm to take the
key, put it in an envelope,

and mail it to that same person.

A.B. Vidal, General Delivery.

That's right.

Well, if that doesn't sound
like blackmail, Mr. Mason.

Uh, Miss Wainwright, do you happen to
have any of your own money with you?

If I'm to represent you,
there will be a retainer.

I guess I have a few dollars.

One will be enough.

Della will make
you out a receipt.

Now, may I have the
key to the suitcase?

Oh, yes.

Will you swear to me that you
haven't yet opened this suitcase?

I swear.

Oh, my good heavens.

All $20 bills.

There must be
over $100,000 there.

Now I'd like both of you
to read off the numbers

on as many bills during the
next five minutes as you can.

Della, get the tape recorder.

I shouldn't stay
much longer than that.

Someone may be watching that
locker or watching me, don't you think?

I'm sure of it. There is
going to be someone.

Della's going with you.

I want her to make sure that this
suitcase stays closed after I've closed it,

also that you leave the
suitcase in the right place.

But Mr. Theilman
expects me to...

To follow his
instructions to the letter.

And that's exactly what
you're both going to do.

Sure I know somebody
down at the post office.

Mr. Mason asked me to tell you

that Della mailed the
envelope at a quarter to 4.

That means it won't reach General
Delivery downtown till morning.

He thought there
might be some way

for you to find out when
the letter is picked up.

I know. He wants me to see if
I can spot this guy A.B. Vidal.

David, tell Perry

that this time I'd like my expense
checks signed in advance.

- What do you mean?
- He'll get the message.

Tell Judge Evans I'm very interested
in this particular meeting of the Bar

and I'm certainly looking
forward to seeing him.

I'll get it.

Mason speaking.

Mr. Mason,
Mr. Theilman's disappeared.

Who's disappeared?

My boss Mr. Theilman.
He's just vanished in thin air.

Oh, but, Mr. Mason, I'm not
at the office. I'm still at home.

You see, the police have
been here. They just left.

Della, get Paul back in here.

What did the police
want from you, Janice?

Well, I guess they came
here looking for him.

I told you what his
wife thinks of me.

Yes. She's the
one who reported it.

She called them because he
didn't return home last night.

Suppose I get in touch
with you later today, Janice?

Yes. Don't worry, I will.

Perhaps David ought to go
over and pick up Janice right now.

We'd better have
a little longer talk.

Why is it?

Every time a beautiful
girl walks into this office,

my normally
intelligent friend...

She wasn't so beautiful, Paul.

That's what intrigued me.

You're worse off than I
thought. What's her story now?

I'll tell you on the
way to Union Station.

Now, understand, Mr. Mason,

it wouldn't be right for me to let
you touch anything inside a locker.

Not when somebody's
still got the key out.

Don't worry, Smitty. We just want a
look. The stationmaster said it was okay.

Section O.

Yes. Here it is.

These are 24 hour
locks, you know.

But the whole business can
be lifted, lock and all, for repairs.

You're sure that envelope that
contains the key is still unclaimed?

Still in the post office.
Hasn't been touched.

See? Lifts right
out. Just like this.

Excuse me, Smitty.

Empty.

Surprised?

Mr. Mason?

Were you successful, David?

No, I can't find
Janice Wainwright.

I went to her apartment
as Della said you asked,

but she must have skipped
out just before I got there.

And her office said that she
told them not to expect her in.

So now they've all
disappeared... Man, money, girl.

Oh, brother.

Mrs. Theilman, I'm sorry I can't
ethically tell you just who my client is,

but I assure you I'm just as anxious
as you are to find your husband.

Just what is it you want to
know from me, Mr. Mason?

A little more about how and
perhaps why he disappeared.

I told the police. I think
Morley was being blackmailed!

What gave you that impression?
Was he in trouble of some sort?

No, no, nothing I know about,
but I saw a note in his jacket pocket.

Well, you see, he was in a hurry
and wanted me to empty his pockets

and to put his things in a
clean suit while he showered.

He drove up to Bakersfield yesterday
afternoon, you know, unexpectedly.

What about the note?

It was made up of words
cut out of a newspaper.

I'll never forget them.

It said, "Get money. Instructions
on telephone. Failure will be fatal."

The note was just
loose in his pocket?

Well, there was an envelope.

Return address?

Yes, it was typed...

Someone named A.B. Vidal,
General Delivery, Los Angeles.

Did your husband have any
explanation about this Vidal person?

Well, I didn't talk to
my husband about it.

You didn't talk to him about it?

Well, don't look so surprised.

I was shocked, of
course. I was frightened.

But I'm not the sort of wife to
go demanding explanations.

- Not even when...
- Mr. Mason,

I know my husband. He
divorced his first wife Carlotta

because she wouldn't
let him out of her sight.

She wouldn't leave him alone.

And she let herself go till she
looked like an absolute barrel.

Well, I've tried not to make
any of the same mistakes.

All right. So you, uh...

kissed your husband goodbye,

and sent him on his
way to Bakersfield.

Yes, about 3:00.

Then he phoned about 8
and said he was having dinner

and wouldn't start home
till about nine or ten,

so I shouldn't wait
up. But of course I did.

Do you know why he went
to Bakersfield, Mrs. Theilman?

To see just one
person, so far as I know.

An old partner of
his. Mr. Cole B. Troy.

We did some speculating
together, Morley and I.

We started a subdivision
between here and Palmdale.

But it didn't do so well, so we
closed things down last year.

Is that what he came up to see
you about yesterday, Mr. Troy?

Yes. That and some
little investment things.

I'd been in Los Angeles in the
morning, but Morley was all tied up then.

Later he found time, I guess,

because he phoned and said "Let's
get things cleaned up and out of the way."

So he drove up
here to Bakersfield.

Yes, we met here in the office,

then we went to dinner.

That's when he phoned his wife.

Came back here
for half an hour or so,

and then he left about 9:00.

Maybe this isn't
anything, but maybe it is.

I told the police. They sort of
shrugged, but I guess they were curious.

Told them what?

Well, there just might
have been someone

either following Morley
or waiting to meet him.

You see out there?

That street at night is
deserted, and it's pretty dark.

I don't know why, but I happened to
glance out there just after Morley left.

I noticed him walking
across from the building.

His car was parked up
that side street, out of sight.

Go on.

Well, the only other person on the
sidewalk was someone over past the corner.

Nothing much more
than a shadow, really.

Then I noticed she
must have been waiting

because she walked after him,
and then she disappeared too.

She? Could you recognize
her? Describe her?

Well, I couldn't see her face.

But you know how it is.

A pretty young thing
walking across the street.

A man's never too old.

Perry, it's Janice, all right.

In Las Vegas?

I just talked to my operative
on the phone again.

Janice is at the
railroad station

checking on when the City of Los
Angeles comes through, headed east.

He figures she's expecting
to meet somebody who's on it.

That would be in
about two hours.

Guess who she's meeting.

A certain man with a
suitcase? Say, uh, Morley L. T.?

Who else?

And all this "Mail the key
to General Delivery" stuff

was just so much red herring.

All right.

Anyone using newspaper clippings
to put together a blackmail note

would hardly have used his
own name on the envelope

as a return address.

This thing has just been
phony since the word go.

Della, call the airport.

We're going to beat
that train to Las Vegas.

Did you keep the taxi waiting?

I promised him a
20. Is she still here?

Down the platform.

Oh, Mrs. Theilman. Here I am.

Janice, dear!

My, you look so lovely.
You look beautiful.

Well, I guess there has
been a little improvement

since we last saw each other.

About 40 pounds of it, in fact!

Oh, darling, you
remember my brother.

- She sure better.
- I certainly do. Hello, Henry.

Hello, Janice.

Oh.

Uh...

this is Mrs. Theilman
and her brother Mr. Battle.

Miss Street, Mr. Mason.

- Hello.
- How do you do?

- The first Mrs. Theilman, I take it.
- Yes.

I'd like to talk to Mr. Mason
alone. Would it be all right?

Oh, of course, dear. We have
to see about our rooms anyway.

So why don't we just run along to
the Little Casino and you catch up?

Thank you, Mrs. Theilman. I
have a taxi waiting, if you'd like.

- Oh, good.
- I'll show you out.

Here. I probably owe
you much more than this.

I, uh, I guess I've caused
you a good deal of trouble.

Yes, you have.

I'm sorry.

As a matter of fact,

there wasn't any blackmail,
there wasn't any blackmailer.

Am I correct?

I guess so.

Uh, Mr. Theilman hasn't
quite told me everything yet,

but he did tell me I could take
some money from his desk to pay you.

Never mind him.
What's your story?

Oh, it's not a
story. It's the truth.

When I first came to your office, I
actually thought he was being threatened.

But evidently it has to
do with this stock thing.

What stock thing?

Well, that's why I'm
here to meet his first wife.

He'll join us later. He's driving
down from the Palmdale subdivision.

That's where he
stayed last night.

He asked you to give me a song
and dance about his disappearing

and then to disappear yourself?

Oh, no. I didn't know
anything about this

until after I talked to
you on the telephone.

He called just
after you hung up,

and he asked me
not to tell anybody

but to get some cash

and spend the day in the
beauty parlor if I wanted

because I was to drive here
in the evening to Las Vegas

to meet Carlotta, and then I...

Well?

Do you know those men?

Well, Tragg. What are
you doing in Nevada?

Probably the same
thing you are, Perry.

I want to ask this young
lady some questions

concerning the murder of her
employer, Mr. Morley L. Theilman.

Mr. Theilman is... is dead?

I used the word
murdered, I believe.

Oh, no.

But... But it can't be.

He was alive, he
was all right when I...

Janice, I know how you feel.

But please don't
say one more word.

You're not on your own
bailiwick here, Mr. Mason.

This is the State of Nevada.

Excuse me, Perry. This is
Lieutenant Sophia, Las Vegas Police.

Better come along with
us, Miss Wainwright/

Terribly sorry, Perry.

Mrs. Theilman.

Oh, Mr. Mason, I just heard
about my husband... I mean Morley.

Yes, I know. We've been trying
to find you for nearly an hour.

Mrs. Theilman, would
you mind telling me

what brought you to Las Vegas?

Do you really want to know?

I came here to get
my husband back.

Why do you think I
lost so much weight

and bought all
these new clothes?

For weeks, people have writing
to me, wanting to buy my stock.

They used all kinds
of strange names.

There was obviously
some sort of thing going on.

Then someone telephoned me.

I knew he must be representing
Morley, and I told him so.

I also told him I wouldn't
sell or give proxies or anything

unless Morley would agree to
meet me and talk it over with me.

I understood there were
reasons for being secret about it,

and so I suggested we
meet here in Las Vegas.

It's where we spent
our honeymoon.

Suppose you just
save that for us, madam.

Look here, Tragg...

Mr. Mason, you're not
even admitted to practice law

before a traffic
court in Nevada.

Now goodbye. Oh, my car
will take you to the airport.

Uh, terribly sorry.

Theilman was shot.

.38 caliber gun which
hasn't been found yet.

Body was in a bedroom.

This building was
a display house.

The company used it as an office,
but it's been closed for some time now.

And that blackmail note signed A.B.
Vidal. The one Mrs. Theilman saw.

- Was it still in his pocket?
- Mm-hmm.

And oh, did you know that his present
wife once called herself "Day Dawns"?

Her legal name was
Agnes... Agnes Baker Vidal.

A.B.

Huh.

But she certainly wouldn't use
her own name on those envelope.

No, no, she wouldn't
have sent them.

But why would someone
else have used the name?

I have a hunch the police
will figure it out. Look.

See those tire tracks?

There was a thundershower
there during the night.

Now, two cars must have
arrived before the rain started.

One of them was Theilman's
car, and it's still there.

- It's parked around back.
- And the other car?

It's the one that
left the tracks,

but just going away,
leaving after the rain

and after the time Theilman
apparently was killed.

And there's just no argument about
whose car that was... Janice Wainwright's.

Perry talked to her downtown.

Janice insists she's just never
been to that subdivision place. Never.

You want to bet? And want to
bet she wasn't the shapely shadow

that guy saw up in Bakersfield?

Paul, I want to believe Janice,
but obviously you don't know

the police just
subpoenaed our records.

They what?

Including the recorded tape

with the numbers from the $20
bills in the suitcase, remember?

But how did Tragg
find out about that?

Oh, no. You mean Janice spilled?

Told them everything?

Suitcase? Money?
Baggage locker? The works?

Oh, Perry, you're not going
to stick with a client like that!

Yes, Paul, I am.

Prosecution intends to prove

that the deceased, Morley
Theilman, for reasons of his own,

had amassed nearly
$200,000 in cash.

We propose to show that
the defendant knew about this,

that she actually
had in her possession

a suitcase containing
all that money,

and that she used it to dupe
her attorney, Mr. Perry Mason,

into believing that
he was helping her

protect the interests
of her employer

when in actual fact she
meant to kill Mr. Theilman

and to steal the money.

We intend to demonstrate further

that this young woman met
her employer in Bakersfield,

that they then drove together
to the scene of the crime,

where they spent
most of the night.

And by circumstantial evidence
which cannot be refuted,

we will prove that Janice
Wainwright left that rendezvous

only after murdering
her employer,

and that she drove later, the
following evening, to Las Vegas

in hopes of
maintaining the pretense

that Morley L.
Theilman was still alive.

It's impossible, of course,

to estimate the exact amount
of precipitation that occurred.

It was only a brief shower.

But it was certainly sufficient to
moisten the ground for several hours.

And what time did
this rainfall occur?

Oh, about 5:00,
according to my estimate.

5 a.m. in the morning.

Exhibit 10 is the impression
of the track in that mud.

Exhibit 11 is an impression which
I made at the police laboratory,

using the right front tire
of the defendant's car.

And, as everyone can see,
I'm sure, these are identical?

Absolutely identical.

Now, did you make a similar check
of the tracks of the left front tire?

Also identical.

Doctor, you have testified that
you arrived to examine the body

at about 7:30 on the
evening following the murder.

That's correct.

And that in your opinion,
Mr. Theilman's death occurred

between the hours of midnight
and 5 a.m. the preceding morning?

I've said that several
times, Mr. Mason.

Yet you also have conceded that
rigor mortis is not a constant factor.

That from the
evidence of rigor mortis,

death could have occurred as
late as 10 or 11:00 that morning.

There were other
factors, I told you.

Post-mortem lividity, I believe.

That's one I mentioned.

And it was fully developed
in the body you saw?

Yes.

But isn't there some question
as to the longevity of such lividity?

It varies in many cases.
However, in this case...

There were still
other factors. Yes.

Tell me, Doctor, was one of those
factors the evidence of the tire tracks?

I beg your pardon?

You were there when
the police discovered them.

Can you honestly say that your opinion
wasn't influenced by that evidence?

By knowledge of
the time of rainfall?

Most certainly not! I
stated my expert opinion

that death occurred between
the hours of midnight and...

Doctor...

Doctor, did you write an article

for the October issue of the
Journal of Forensic Medicine?

I have written several articles.

Oh, Doctor.

You've written many articles.

But in this
particular article...

did you say that "When the medical
examiner is unable to view a body

"until six or eight
hours after death,

then determination of exact
times is well-nigh impossible?"

Did you say "Many a so-called
expert has been trapped into errors

of as much as 24 hours by
unusual conditions of one thing"...

I was talking about
exact times, Mr. Mason.

Did you write that article?

Yes.

Well, Mr. Burger, I'm only the
assistant company bookkeeper, really.

Yes, but you heard the
testimony of the banker

that during recent weeks
Mr. Theilman had been making

substantial withdrawals
from his private accounts.

He asked for this money in cash.

Specifically, he
asked for it in $20 bills.

I found he took out
everything he could in $20 bills.

Why didn't anyone from the company
realize what he was doing at the time?

That was a separate fund,
set up for his private use.

We didn't handle
the books on it.

Who did handle the books?

Who would have known
about those withdrawals

except Mr. Theilman himself?

His secretary...
Janice Wainwright.

His secretary? His
personal secretary?

She sure was.

What do you mean by that?

Well, I mean she
did everything for him.

She followed him around
like a slave or something.

She went out with him at night.

Everyone in the office
has seen him kiss her.

Objection, Your Honor!

Sustained. That's hearsay. Strike
that last answer from the record.

Mr. Carlyle, did you ever see
Mr. Theilman kissing his secretary?

Yes, sir. Several times.

Yes, Mr. Burger, I
knew perfectly well

that Janice Wainwright
was in love with my husband.

Objection!

Sustained.

I believe that's
enough on that subject.

Now, Mrs. Theilman,
you testified previously

that you once danced professionally
under the name of Day Dawns,

but that your true maiden
name is Agnes Vidal.

Returning to the subject
of this blackmail letter,

I ask you to tell us,
please, how you felt

when you saw the name A.B. Vidal

used as a return
address on this envelope.

Well, it's obvious.

I felt that some blackmailer
was using my name

to impress my husband
that he knew all about me.

I think that'll be all, Mrs.
Theilman. Thank you.

Your witness.

What was there in your past

that would have made the
use of your maiden name

have connotations of blackmail?

Now just a minute.

You opened the door, Mr. Burger.
Answer the question, please.

What was it, Mrs. Theilman?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I testified that I saw Mr. Theilman
cross the street and enter the side street

and then I lost sight of him.

Exactly. You also
told the prosecutor

that you were watching the shadowy
young woman as she followed Mr. Theilman.

That's right. She was
about 20 feet behind him.

Then which one were
you really watching?

Well, both of them.

Your eyes were focused on
two moving objects 20 feet apart?

No, of course not.

Then where were they focused?

I guess sort of between
Theilman and the girl.

In other words, while a
good-looking young woman

with a figure you have described
as distinctive and shapely

was crossing the street, you kept
your eyes 10 feet ahead of her?

I didn't mean that. I looked
back and forth at both of them.

Naturally. I must have.

Can you describe the way
this young woman walked?

I've already done
so. It was graceful.

Yet you took your eyes off this
graceful, swaying young woman,

not once but many times, to
look at Morley L. Theilman?

No, of course not.

I looked mostly at the woman.

I said that before
without thinking.

You answered a question
without thinking while under oath?

Well, I...

Tell me, were you thinking

when you suggested that
the woman joined Mr. Theilman

when you've just now
admitted she only followed him?

That's what I meant to say.

Were you thinking when
you told the prosecutor

that in your opinion Janice
Wainwright's figure is identical

with that of the young
woman you saw?

I merely said...

Couldn't the figure you saw just as
likely have been that of Miss Street?

Or that young lady
there? Or that one?

I expected to meet my former
husband in Las Vegas, yes.

And you were surprised
to see his secretary there?

Well, when I saw her alone.

Had you been told
that she'd be there?

Well, you see, I...

Answer my question, please.
Had Morley Theilman in any way...

Through a message,
through his lawyer,

in any manner whatever...

Even faintly indicated that his
secretary would accompany him

on this stock-buying rendezvous?

No.

Thank you, Mrs.
Theilman. That'll be all.

Then Miss Della
Street... her, over there...

She said, "Stick around at the
railroad station." They'd be needing me.

I says okay, so later on she slipped
me a bill for waiting several places.

- She gave you a bill?
- Yes, sir.

What kind of a bill?

20.

Mr. Roberts, I show
you now this $20 bill,

serial number LA4961136B.

I ask you if you have
ever seen it before.

Yeah, it's got my initials
right there in the corner.

Very well. I now ask you to
compare this serial number

with a number on one of these
lists just received in evidence

and confirm for us that this $20
bill given you by Miss Della Street

was one of those from
Mr. Theilman's suitcase.

I said she gave it
to me! Miss Street!

But you admit you had
many other fares that night.

She gave it to me!

You admit you had
a pocket full of bills.

It was her!

You admit the police told you
of the significance of the bill

before asking where it came from!
Now how can you possibly swear...

Because I can swear,
and I just did, and that's it!

Yes, that's the
blackmail message

first seen by Mrs. Theilman
in her husband's pocket,

and, um, then later
found on his body.

Would you tell us what you
had done to this message

at police headquarters,
Lieutenant?

I had experiments made
in duplicating the message.

I bought the Los Angeles
Chronicle and a Los Angeles Bulletin

under the date
preceding the murder.

I found it was possible to
duplicate that identical message

with words from the
headlines of the two papers.

I have it with me right here.

Well, you see, uh,

my newsstand is downstairs
in the same building.

And, uh, I... I know
Miss Wainwright.

She came downstairs that day to buy
a copy of the Chronicle and the Bulletin.

How do you happen to
remember this so clearly?

Well, because about... It
was about a half hour later,

she came back down again

and bought another copy of
the Chronicle and the Bulletin.

Really?

But you've done so well.

You got them to laugh at
Mr. Troy and his shapely shadow,

and you even got
the doctor to admit

he might be wrong as to
the time Mr. Theilman died.

Janice, I've just been
throwing sand in their eyes.

But now their case is finished,

and look at all the facts they're
going to be able to assemble.

You knew about the money.

You prepared those
blackmail notes yourself.

Oh, no.

I went down to get those newspapers
because Mr. Theilman asked me to.

We were always cutting
out real estate ads.

I know. You were always
acting under his instructions,

even after the time they
figured he'd been killed.

Mr. Mason, listen.

He called me just after I
talked to you that morning,

and he asked me
to stay out of sight,

to spend the day in the
beauty parlor if I liked.

That certainly sounds
like an employer.

Well, I asked him if I could,

and he said it would
be all right if I wanted to.

Where was your car at that time?

I told you. Down
in the parking lot.

The beauty parlor's right next
door to my apartment building.

In the daytime, your car could have
been taken without your knowledge.

But that night, at
the time it rained,

the parking lot was locked up.

Your car could only
have been taken by you.

Now,

these tracks here in this
photograph were made by your car.

On top of which, they've
now linked the money

from my office back to
you and then to Las Vegas.

But that isn't the
way it happened.

Mr. Mason, everything they have
against me is just circumstantial.

Of course.

Everything that's happened
can be explained by a dead man.

And by you.

Janice, you're simply going to
have to tell them what you know.

You mean on the stand?

You've got to testify in your own
behalf. There's just no other choice.

But I'd be terrified.

All those questions
coming at me.

I'd get all mixed up.

I can't, Mr. Mason.
I just can't do it.

They'd never believe me.

If the Court please, a
matter of some importance

has occurred to me since
last night's adjournment.

I would like to recall one of
the prosecution's witnesses

for further cross-examination.

- Oh? Which witness?
- Mrs. Carlotta Theilman.

What question do you wish
to ask the ex-Mrs. Theilman?

Whether she paid a taxi driver
in Las Vegas with a $20 bill.

Oh, if I could just remember.

I mean, yes, I did use that same taxi
driver... that Mr. Roberts over there...

But so many things
happened that night that...

I mean, I just hate to
swear to anything that...

Perhaps it would help
if you could tell me this.

Have you ever had dealings with
someone calling himself A.B. Vidal?

Oh, yes. That's the
name the man used

who phoned me the day
before I went to Las Vegas.

Did you recognize his voice?

No, but I heard someone in the
background giving him instructions,

and I was pretty sure that was
my husband... I mean Morley.

This man who called,
what did he say to you?

It was another invitation
for me to sell my stock.

Well, I told him in
no uncertain terms

that if the man behind him
wanted to meet me in Las Vegas,

that's the only
way I'd consider it.

So then Morley agreed.

What about money? Were you
expected to pay your own way to meet him?

Oh, no. I received an
envelope by messenger,

and it had a couple
of hundred dollars in it.

Were there any $20 bills
included in that money?

It was all $20 bills.

Thank you, Mrs. Theilman.

Thank you.

You may step
down, Mrs. Theilman.

Mrs. Theilman,

you never told me that you spoke
to anybody in this case named Vidal.

You never asked me.

Mr. Burger, does the return of that
witness in any way change your plans?

Do you still wish
to rest your case?

Yes, Your Honor.

Yes, if we have any
additional evidence to introduce,

we can always do
so by way of rebuttal.

Very well.

Now is the defense
ready to start its case?

We have no evidence on the
part of the defense, Your Honor.

The defense rests. Let's
proceed with the argument.

What?

All right, Mr. District Attorney,
you may open the argument.

Well, Your Honor,
I hardly expected...

Yeah, so I gather.

But since the defense is
not introducing any evidence,

now there can't be any additional
evidence from you in rebuttal.

Yes, I'm aware of
that, Your Honor.

It's just that to present a
full day's argument without...

Excuse me, Your Honor.

What happened?
What did Mr. Mason do?

He's gambling, Janice.

I don't have to go
on the stand, then?

No. You won't have
to go on the stand.

Your Honor.

The prosecution will
waive its opening argument.

Very well.

Mr. Mason, you may
proceed for the defense.

Now, the court will instruct you

that in a case depending
upon circumstantial evidence,

if there is any reasonable
hypotheses other than that of guilt

upon which the evidence
can be explained,

it is your duty to
acquit the defendant.

Therefore, in review:

Morley Theilman was engaged in a fight
to retain control of one of his companies.

His only hope was to obtain
stock held by his former wife.

For reasons of secrecy, he
wished to make it a cash deal,

and he tried to approach
her through proxies.

He had a representative
use the name A.B. Vidal.

Why? Because stock
transferred to that name

would be in the name
of his present, legal wife

and therefore under his
joint ownership and control.

Now, we know Mr. Theilman
assembled the necessary cash,

but he was afraid his
moves had been discovered,

so he put together a couple of blackmail
notes and made sure they were seen.

This would explain and
cover what he was really up to.

Mr. Theilman then went
through the pretense

of having the money
delivered to a luggage locker

from which he, of
course, removed it himself.

When Carlotta Theilman insisted
that he come to Las Vegas personally,

he was still prepared
for the meeting.

He sent her money for the trip,

and one of those $20 bills ended
up in the hands of a taxi driver.

All that is quite obvious.

Now, let's consider
the murder itself.

The murder took place in a
deserted subdivision office

an office in which the
prosecution has tried to suggest

the defendant and the decedent
had an amorous interlude,

after which she killed him and
left, following a thundershower.

Now, the only evidence to support
the fact that she supposedly was there

is that her automobile left tracks in
the soft ground while driving away.

However, let's re-examine
this photograph of the house.

Now, suppose Mr. Theilman did
spend the night there, but alone.

Evidence shows

that after talking to him on the
telephone the following morning,

Janice Wainwright
went to a beauty parlor,

where off and on she
spent nearly the whole day.

It was only necessary for someone
to have taken her car during that time,

drive out to the
real estate office

where by then Theilman
no doubt lay dead,

and return the car.

In order to frame the
case against the defendant

by confusing the time of death,

the murderer had only to see

that the ground at the real estate
office was in some way softened.

Now, the prosecution has assumed

that the ground could only
have been softened by rain.

But look more closely.

This is an enlargement of a section
of that photograph of the house.

You'll notice the hose,

the hose attached to a water
faucet in front of the house.

A brand-new hose,
ladies and gentlemen,

left at a house which hadn't
been used for over a year.

All the murderer needed to do was
to drive the defendant's car up there,

drive it into the dirt

which by now must have had
time to dry up after the rain,

wet down that soil with
water from the hose,

and then drive away,

leaving the tire tracks
we have discussed here.

Thus, every bit of circumstantial
evidence in this case can be accounted for.

And that, ladies and gentlemen,
is a reasonable hypothesis.

We ask and expect a verdict
of acquittal at your hands.

All right, Mr. Burger, you may
proceed for the prosecution.

Very well, Your Honor.

Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,

Mr. Mason has indeed
surpassed himself.

He has created for you a
story which is pure poppycock!

Absolute and complete nonsense.

The defendant in this case is
a shrewd, scheming woman.

She seduced her
employer, she stole from him,

and finally she murdered him.

And as for Mr. Mason's
ridiculous theory about a hose...

This is an abandoned real
estate office we're talking about.

The water's been
shut off for over a year.

How could anyone possibly...

Your Honor, the District Attorney
is stating facts not in evidence.

Since he lost the opportunity to get
these matters in legitimately, in rebuttal,

he is now trying to do it
through prejudicial misconduct.

I ask the court to
declare a mistrial.

A mistrial? How can you...

Mr. Burger, Mr. Mason's
point is well taken.

I doubt that the effects of
your remarks can be removed

by mere admonition of the jury.

Yes, but...

But, Your Honor...
P-Please, Your Honor,

within one hour, I can have water
company records here in this court.

No, I'm sorry, Mr. Burger,
but your behavior...

I can have a witness from the
water company here in court.

Your Honor defense is willing to
withdraw its motion for a mistrial.

I beg your pardon?

You're what, Mr. Mason?

Now, it would seem to me in
the best interests of your client...

Your Honor, defense is very
interested in hearing such a witness.

Yes, that's right, sir. The
water was shut off one year ago.

But wasn't it turned on again?

Uh, yes. Yes, it was.
The morning of the 17th.

The day of the murder.

I guess that's right.

Do your records show who
requested that it be turned on?

Oh, yes.

It's here.

It was billed to Mr. Cole
B. Troy of Bakersfield.

I...

I did it.

I killed him.

I can't thank you
enough, Mr. Mason.

Mr. Troy must have been cheating
your boss for a long time, Janice.

That's right. Troy just about
managed to steal the whole company

without Theilman
realizing who was doing it.

Then Theilman made the awful
mistake of confiding in Troy.

Early next morning, Troy followed Theilman
out to the subdivision to settle things.

There was a lot of money involved.
They got into a fight, and Troy killed him.

And Mr. Troy just
made up the story

about the woman who
followed Mr. Theilman.

That's right, Janice. There
never was a shapely shadow.

Well, I wouldn't
say there isn't one.

Janice, one thing
I couldn't figure

is why you spent that
time in the beauty parlor.

It seemed kind of suspicious.

Paul, you just don't
understand women.

Oh. Well, I think it's
about time I figured out.

Janice, suppose
you and I go to dinner.

I know a lovely little
restaurant down at the beach.

And after that...

Excuse me, folks. I was...

Oh. Hi, Janice. You ready to go?

Yes, Henry. I'm ready to go.

Would you excuse us?

Goodbye, Mr. Mason.
And thanks again.

Bye, folks.

And that... explains that.

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