All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E20 The Case of the Poison Pen-Pal.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

♪♪

Sit down, sit down.

Peter, the details of the merger between
Gregson Canneries and Super Brands.

Why, it's a complicated
arrangement involving distribution,

marketing, the Super Brands
complex of retail outlets.

Never mind that.

Only the basic
financial arrangement.

As part of an ownership transfer,
Super Brands agrees to buy from us

51% of Gregson stock.

At what price?

Market value of the stocks at the
time the merger was agreed upon.

$9.00 per share.

Regardless of what
the shares cost us.

Carl?

Aside from the family stock
owned by the three of you

and my own small holdings,

we are 65,000 shares
short of the amount of stock

that we agreed to turn over to
Super Brands at $9.00 a share.

Yesterday afternoon, I gave
orders to start buying quietly quietly.

And what was this
morning's opening price?

$10 a share.

What?

Tell him the rest, Carl.

Five minutes ago, the stock
had already risen to $12 a share.

As it stands right now, we're bankrupt
if the merger doesn't go through,

and we're bankrupt if it does.

If you, young man, paid
more attention to your job

and less to your
outside interests,

this wouldn't come as
such a shock to you, either.

Is this some sort of joke?

Gregson Canneries
stock hasn't fluctuated

one point up or down
in the last thirty years.

Why now?

Exactly, why now?

Unless someone deliberately leaked
information on that forthcoming merger.

Which means, Peter, that dear Aunt
Wilma is convinced one of us talked.

I'm sorry, I just
won't buy that.

You never did have sense in judging
who could or couldn't be trusted.

Let's not bring up
Karen Ross again.

I fired her. That
ended that episode.

Yes, you fired your
devoted secretary

because it was either that or reflect
on the character of your dead wife.

But all right, Peter, suppose
we test your present judgment.

Which one of the
four of us broke a trust

and destroyed the company?

Which one of us feathered his own
nest at serious cost to the other three?

Which one, Peter?

Very well.

Super Brands must agree to a
change in the merger agreement.

Peter, you'd better
fly to Chicago at once.

Not today.

And why not today?

Well, I have some appointments,
business appointments.

Something very
important I can't break.

My secretary has your tickets.

You're going to Chicago, Peter.

And today.

Gee, Agnes, it's awfully heavy.

Isn't that a lot of food?

Of course. There's
enough there for a week.

And if your father
had any sense at all,

the two of you would get on that boat,
sail out of the bay, and not come back,

till that food was gone.

That's silly.

You know Daddy can't
stop working that long.

It isn't work that chains him to that
office. It's her, the old She-Dragon.

I'll bet Daddy
forgot his key again.

Oh, Mrs. Holman.

Sandra, is that what you're wearing
to your dancing class this afternoon?

I'm awfully sorry, Mrs. Holman,

I forgot to tell you not
to pick me up today.

I'm skipping dancing class.

Skip... Agnes?

Yes, Mrs. Holman, Sandra and
Mr. Gregson are going out on the sailboat.

Well, what a nice day to
finally start your vacation.

But Daddy couldn't take time to
go to the redwoods last month,

and we never did see the circus.
But today I got off from school and...

I know, I know, I've
heard all the excuses.

My husband Carl works just
as hard for Gregson Canneries

as your father does, Sandra.

And you might as well get used to it.
Men like that don't love a single thing

but work, work, work.

That's not true. It's
mean to say that.

If anybody's mean, it's
your precious Aunt Wilma.

As long as she gets her way, she
doesn't care what promises are broken,

or what hearts, including
yours, young lady,

when your father comes home and
tells you that something's come up.

No he won't. My daddy
promised we're going this time.

He promised
nothing would stop us.

He promised.

Just you wait and see.

Daddy... Please...?

I'm sorry, baby,
terribly sorry...

About the boat, about
fishing, about everything.

But last month and before that.

I know. Once I finished
the work I was doing,

I said I'd be free to
spend some time with you.

And you finished,
you told me you did.

Yes, I finished,

but some irresponsible fool went
blabbing off about our business plans,

and now we're faced
with an emergency.

That's the only thing that could
have forced me to break our date

and fly to Chicago.

You understand that?

Yes, but it doesn't help much.

Sandra.

Yes, Daddy?

This half-finished letter
to someone named "Jill".

Oh, Jill is my pen-pal. Don't you
remember me telling you about her?

We write to each other
almost every day now.

But this letter mentions
something about the canneries.

Sandra, this is important.

When you write
to your friend Jill,

do you ever write about
things you hear me talk about?

Sure, I write her all about
you and the company,

your being president
and everything.

Sweetheart, do you
know what a merger is?

No, but I know it's what you
said you had to finish working on

so we could have a vacation.

Have you ever written to
this Jill about this merger?

Sure.

Is something the matter, Daddy?

Now, Sandra, try to remember.

Did this Jill ever ask questions,
specific questions, about the merger?

Well, let's see.

Last week she wrote about
how her mother has a friend

who knows all about business things
and says you must be real smart, Daddy.

Only please would I write when
this merger thing was going to be.

Is that what you
wanted to know, Daddy?

I keep all her letters if you
want me to look some more.

Cab's still waiting.

You'll miss your plane if
you don't hurry, Mr. Gregson.

- Goodbye, honey.
- Bye, Daddy.

Gregson? Peter Gregson.

- Mr. Willoughby.
- What's the matter?

Your Aunt Wilma forbid you to shake
hands with your big bad competitor?

Wouldn't be flying
east, by any chance?

Would you?

As far as Chicago.

That's interesting,
Mr. Willoughby.

I happen to be
going there myself.

I shouldn't wonder.

Wouldn't have anything to do
with the sudden hike in the price

of Gregson stock
today, would it?

If you'll excuse me, I
have a phone call to make.

Acme Detective Agency?
Mr. Woodfern, please.

Main thing you're after, then,
is the identity of the person

referred to as "my
mother's friend."

Oh, there's a topnotch
detective agency in Los Angeles.

They do work for us down there.
I'll have them get on it right away.

Call me in Chicago the
moment there's anything to report.

And, Mr. Woodfern, whatever information
you have to get from my daughter,

try not to alarm her.

And Jill lives at 1963
Sunshine Lane in Los Angeles.

That's spelled...

Never mind, honey. I
know how to spell that.

What I'm doing for your
father doesn't amount to much.

But I think you'd better give
me the girl's name again.

Well, her name is Jill Thatcher.

T-H-A-T-C-H-E-R.

"Dear Pen-Pal, we just finished
dinner, and Mother is going out.

I like it when she
does, because then..."

Jill, answer the door.

All right, Mother.

Well, how's my
best girl tonight?

I'm fine, Mr. Clark.

I'll only be a second, Matt.

Take your time, Doris.

You know I like to
shoot the breeze with Jill.

What do we got
here? Another letter?

Seems to me every time I come
here you're writing to your pen-pal.

Mr. Clark, are you really going to
take me to San Francisco to see her?

Sure thing, some day.

I like to meet the kid myself if
she's anything like her letters.

I've been thinking about that.

Whether I really ought to
go on letting you read them.

Well, honey, you show them to
your grown-up friend up the street.

Well, that's
different. You see...

Jill.

Yes, Mother.

If you want to spend the night over there,
you'd better get your things together.

I already have.
They're right here.

I know what.

I'll write to Sandra
and ask her permission

No, honey, we'll
forget the whole thing.

Matt, I'll only be a minute.

Hi, Jill. Hello, Doris.

Hi, I brought my pajamas.

Oh, good girl. Have a
good time tonight, Doris.

Thanks again. Be
a good girl, honey.

Okay, Mom.

All right, buddy,
you can get out now.

Wait a minute, fellas,
what all this about?

You broke into my
house this afternoon.

I what?

You broke in and stole
some letters just like these.

And you would have stolen
these if I hadn't set a trap for you.

I want this man arrested.

As he told you last
night, Miss Ross,

Mr. Drake and I have worked
together for a number of years.

I'd vouch for him under
any circumstances.

Then why was he following me?

At the risk of repeating myself, I'm
a private detective. I was hired to.

By whom?

I can't tell you that.
It wouldn't be ethical.

Oh, I suppose it's ethical
to break into my house.

Here we go again.

Would you have any way of
knowing what time that occurred?

Yes, 4:00. My neighbors
heard my dog barking.

Well, at 4:00, we had to
reach Mr. Drake in a hurry

so I can vouch for
him then Miss Ross.

Mr. Drake couldn't
possibly have been guilty

of breaking and entering
your house at four o'clock.

Then who was?

It would seem to me the question
is not so much "who" as "why."

Maybe I already know why.

Oh?

Yes, last year I was
in a little bit of trouble.

But those letters from
San Francisco tie in with it?

How did you know they
were from San Francisco?

Then you were hired
from there, weren't you?

No comment.

No comment is necessary.

If I needed any proof,
you've gave it to me.

Miss Ross.

I happen to be flying to San
Francisco this afternoon on a case.

If I can be of any help
to you while I'm there.

Why do you say that?

From what you've said, or
rather from what you haven't said,

I gather you might
need a lawyer.

No, thank you. Goodbye.

Welcome home.

I hope you had a pleasant
boat trip around the bay.

Where's Sandra?

Upstairs. She's
locked in her room.

- Locked in her room?
- Don't look at me.

The old She-Dragon
locked her in.

Agnes, I told you.

Don't tell me. Tell your
Aunt Wilma yourself.

Tell her where to get
off, once and for all.

Why did she want
to punish Sandra?

Something to do with that
private detective, I suppose.

He called. He said it was important
and he said couldn't reach you in Chicago.

So you told him to
contact Aunt Wilma?

Well, I figured it was
company business.

I didn't expect to see her
nibs come storming in here,

screaming about some letters,
frightening that poor child half to death.

I didn't do anything
wrong, did I, Mr. Gregson?

- Baby.
- Daddy. Daddy

It's all right, it's all right.

Now you want tell
me what happened?

She... she was screaming
and she came in here

and she took away
all of Jill's letters.

It's all right. Now,
don't cry, Sandra.

But, Daddy, she hit me.

She hit you?

Daddy?

Aunt Wilma?

Aunt Wilma.

Operator, this is an emergency.
Get me an ambulance. Hurry.

Mr. Mason?

Mr. Mason, I'm so
glad I found you.

Hello, Miss Ross.

I phoned one
hotel after another.

I was afraid you might have
flown back to Los Angeles.

Did you... did you read
this morning papers?

Yesterday you said I might
need a lawyer. Today I do.

Are you still
willing to help me?

Well, I'm due at the courthouse.

You mind riding along?

No.

I used to work for
Gregson Canneries

as private secretary to Peter
Gregson and her nephew.

I was fired.

What reasons were given?

Gregson's had developed a new
processing machine for frozen foods.

It didn't worked out at the
time, but it was known fact

that other companies would give a
small fortune for the specifications.

Especially our chief
competitor, Ben Willoughby.

Well, when Lucy Gregson,
that was Peter Gregson's wife,

was killed in an
automobile accident.

And the police found the portfolio with
the specifications in the wrecked car.

Nothing wrong
with that, was there?

Yes.

The specifications were supposed
to be locked in the office safe.

Mr. Gregson was out of town.

He used to keep an extra car at
the office, one that I sometimes used.

That day Lucy Gregson called
me from some cocktail party

and said she
wanted to use the car.

She also told me that she'd
heard from Mr. Gregson

and that he told her to call me and
tell me he needed those specifications

as soon as he returned to town.

So you put them in the car.

Yes, Wilma Gregson said that I
had stolen them and put them there.

That I would have sold them if
Lucy hadn't gone off in the car.

How could she possibly
have made that accusation?

Peter Gregson had
never called his wife.

He never told her to call me
to get those specifications.

You mean his wife lied? Why?

I don't know.

But if I defend myself, I would have
to accuse the dead wife of a man

I was supposed to be...
Well, overly involved with.

Were you?

Mr. Mason, Lucy
Gregson was sick.

She was on her way to
being a hopeless alcoholic.

Most people didn't know about it

because Peter managed to keep
her out of trouble and I helped him.

I guess by helping him to take
care of her and take Sandra

when her mother was drinking.
People got the wrong idea.

So you allowed yourself to
be fired, and then you left town.

Miss Ross, why did
you come back here?

After I left your office and went home, I
received a phone call from Wilma Gregson.

You see, Sandra's pen-pal, Jill,

had left some of Sandra's
letters with me to read.

The ones you accused
Paul Drake of having stolen?

Yes, but it wasn't Mr. Drake.

It was Wilma Gregson
who had them taken.

She admitted it on the phone.

She was quite nasty and
threatened me with all kinds of things

if I didn't keep
away from her family.

So you flew to San Francisco.

Yes, to plead with
her, to reason with her,

and to warn her that if
she didn't leave me alone

I'd finally have to fight back.

Did you reason with
her? Did you warn her?

Yes and it was strange.

She didn't say anything
to me for the longest time.

And then suddenly, quite
nicely, she asked me to leave

and come back about 11.

I did and when I got there

there were police cars out in front
of the house and an ambulance.

I was frightened,
so I drove away.

Miss Ross, what if Wilma Gregson
were to regain consciousness

and name her assailant?

I only hope she does.

You mean to say Karen Ross was
here in San Francisco last night?

Oh, no.

Mr. Gregson, you ordered
the Acme Detective Agency

to discontinue its investigation the
moment Karen Ross's name came up.

Is that correct?

That girl's suffered enough
at the hands of my family.

Let's not discuss
for the moment.

Now, in regard to this merger,
how did you make out in Chicago?

Super Brands turned me down.

Dropped the entire merger
deal like a hot potato.

What people on this end would have
gotten that information through you?

Well, Aunt Wilma, of course,
and two others that I know of.

Carl Holman, our general manager,
and my cousin, Lee Gregson.

I doubt if Aunt Wilma told
anyone else on the board.

How did the stock do today?

Dropped all the way back
to normal. Closed at 9 points.

Then it's not unlikely that whoever
started the rise also started the fall

by dumping their
shares at peak value.

Yes, at quite a profit.

If Aunt Wilma recovers,
I guess we'll all be fired.

Daddy, uh...

Mr. Gregson, I'd
like to talk to Sandra.

Sandra, would you let me see
your pen-pal letters from Jill?

Aunt Wilma took them all away.

Jill wrote about someone
she called her mother's friend.

She asked questions
about the merger, didn't she?

Yes.

Did she ever mention a
man named Matt Clark?

Yes, he's a friend
of Jill's mother.

He's a pilot for an airfreight line
between here and Los Angeles.

All right, Paul.

You want to help Karen?

Yes, Sandra.

I like Karen an awful lot.

My Daddy doesn't, but I do.

Sandra, that's not true.

Now, I know how much you
missed Karen when she went away,

but I did, too.

It was just something that none
of us could do anything about.

You got to believe that.

Been looking for you, Clark.

Yeah? Well, look
again some other time.

I just don't happen to be in
the mood for conversation.

So I gather.

They told me over at the airfreight
office you'd been grounded.

Wouldn't be making your
scheduled flight back to L.A. today.

Hey, who are you, anyway?

They also told me I
might find you here.

Are you sure you got the right guy?
The name is Matt Clark, I live in L.A.

Mm-hmm, but you spent last
night right here in San Francisco.

So what?

By the way, you notice those
headlines about Wilma Gregson?

Never heard of this
Wilma dame before.

The name Gregson isn't familiar?

Why, should it be?

For one thing,
the pen-pal letters.

Now, wait a minute. I don't
even write my own mother.

We could always ask
the little Thatcher girl.

Okay, so Jill does have a
pen-pal up here by that name.

I still don't savvy
what you want with me.

This morning you gave two
weeks' notice that you were quitting.

So what's that
got to do with it?

Might possibly mean you've
suddenly come into a lot money.

How?

Buying low and selling high.

What?

Gregson stock.

There's somebody
in there to see you.

Me?

And when you're finished, it's to
your room and to bed, young lady.

- Mind now.
- All right, Agnes.

Karen.

Sandra. Oh, Sandra, darling,
it's so long since I've seen you.

Let me look at you.

You're pretty than ever.

Oh, Karen, I've
missed you so much. I...

Sandra, what's wrong?

Did... Did you see Aunt Wilma?

I mean the picture
in the paper of her?

Yes, yes, darling. Now,
don't think about that.

But she was... And now Daddy's in
some kind of bad trouble, and you, too.

I know it.

And it's on account of me, me
and my pen-pal, and those letters.

But you mustn't blame
yourself. You did nothing wrong.

Maybe if I saw those
letters it might help.

It would help you and Daddy?

I don't know, it might.

If you have those letters, Sandra,
would you give them to me?

I... I have to look for them.
You'll wait down here?

Yes, darling, of course.

Perry, I stumbled onto something
at a hotel car rental agency.

The night Wilma Gregson was
assaulted, Karen Ross rented a car.

And today that car was
impounded by the police

who also had a search warrant to
go through her room at the hotel.

The way they're acting,
you'd think Wilma was dead.

That's why I asked
you to meet me here.

Wilma Gregson's taken
a turn for the worse.

Right now, she's in surgery.

The family's in there.
We better join them.

Paul, other than the family, I
wish you'd try to reach everyone

Wilma contacted after she
talked to Karen last night

All right.

Mr. Mason, have you...

We tried a craniotomy to
relieve the pressure on the brain.

There wasn't much hope
even before we began.

She was too far gone when
they brought her in last night.

I'm sorry Wilma Gregson's dead.

I guess I better go make
some arrangements.

I'm afraid for now that's
a matter for the police.

- She wouldn't like that.
- Carl.

She's dead, Carl.

You'll never again have to jump up
and run just because she clears her throat.

Never again, Carl.

Oh, the years we waste
and the tears we waste

and the work of
her head and hand

belong to the woman
who did not know.

Did not understand.

Isn't anybody gonna
cry for dear Aunt Wilma?

Oh, shut up, Lee.

The hand that fed you
is dead. Don't bite it now.

- Peter Gregson?
- Yes.

Telephone.

Hello.

Peter, something's happened to
Sandra. We can't find her anyplace.

She's not in the house.

Peter, Sandra's gone.

And then she said... Agnes,
for Pete's sake, be quiet.

And then she said she'd
bring you the letters?

Yes, but I... I thought she
went upstairs to get them.

But they weren't upstairs
and Sandra knew that.

That's right, Aunt Wilma
took them from her.

Why didn't she tell me?

Wait a minute. Here
she is now with the police.

Sandra.

Good evening. I'm
Inspector Wade. Homicide.

Where did you find
the child, Inspector?

Wilma Gregson's house.
We've kept it under surveillance.

This youngster not only knew
a shortcut from here to there,

but was able to get in the
house through the back way.

Luckily for us, too.

Well, San Francisco police are different,
they admit it when they're lucky.

Why not, Mr. Drake?

Oh, yes, we know
who all of you are.

Now you, Miss Ross, you should
be interested in how we were lucky.

As Miss Ross' attorney perhaps
I'd be equally interested, Inspector.

I guess you would, Mr. Mason.

You see, Sandra had a pretty good
idea where Wilma might hide things.

Anyway, she found something our own
search of the premises hadn't turned up.

A bundle of letters.

Are you implying those letters
in some way affect Miss Ross?

Along with what we found in her
hotel room and the car she rented, yes.

Maybe even more when
we get her blood typed.

I'm sorry, Miss Ross. I'll have
to ask you to come downtown

for questioning on the
murder of Wilma Gregson.

Now then, Mrs. Holman.

On the night in question, did you
see the defendant Karen Ross?

Oh, yes.

Under what circumstances?

Well, I was over
at Aunt Wilma's.

It was the servant's
night off, you see,

and I'd taken a casserole
over for her dinner.

My husband was still at the
office, so I stayed for a cup of coffee.

And then just as I
was about to leave,

the doorbell rang.

What time was this?

A few minutes after 9.

Well, when I answered
the door, there stood Karen.

About the last person in
the world I expected to see

considering how Aunt
Wilma felt about her.

That's an opinion of
the witness, Your Honor.

The last answer
will be stricken.

Well, what happened was that
as soon as Aunt Wilma heard me

mention Karen's name she came
storming out and ordered her to leave

And did the Defendant leave?

No. Matter of fact, she walked right
in, and looked her straight in the eye,

and she said, "I'm going to make
you listen to me, whatever it takes."

And what was Wilma
Gregson's reply?

Well, they just stood
there looking at each other.

And finally Aunt Wilma said,
"You needn't wait, Florence."

In that tone that
meant I'd better go,

so of course I left at once.

But just as I was
closing the door,

I heard her say "This had
better be good, Miss Ross."

I show you now this candelabra,
Doctor, and ask if you have examined it.

I have.

With what results?

The residue of scalp
tissue and blood

adhering to the base match both
the tissue and blood of the victim.

That was the murder weapon.

There's no doubt of it.

Unfortunately, it was a
gift to Aunt Wilma from me.

And, uh, when did
you present it to her?

Late that afternoon on my
way home from the office.

And where was it
when you saw it last?

She unwrapped the thing
and set it down on an end table.

So that it was at hand for
anyone who, in a fit of passion...

Objection.

Well, it seems rather apparent there
was a certain amount of passion involved.

However, Mr. Mason,
I'll withdraw the question.

Your witness.

That gift for your aunt,
Mr. Gregson. Where did you get it?

Well, there's an old duffer
that lives up at Lake Tahoe

that does marvelous
things with manzanita.

I had him make one up.

You go to Lake Tahoe often?

Yes. I suppose you might call
it my favorite recreation spot.

The lake or the casinos?

I beg your pardon?

Isn't it true that this gift was in
the nature of a peace offering?

That you had run up such excessive
gambling debts at Lake Tahoe

that your aunt had
given you an ultimatum?

Your Honor, aside from trying
to fish in an irrelevant waters,

Counsel is badgering
this witness.

Not at all. However, I'll
ask a different question.

Now, we know that your Aunt
Wilma had become highly dissatisfied

with the handling of certain
recent business matters.

Did she by any chance discuss

firing you that night?

Well, yes, as a matter
of fact, she did fire me.

Inspector Wade, I direct your attention now
to the car that was rented by Karen Ross.

Did the police have
occasion to examine it?

Thoroughly.

There was an identifiable
bloodstain on the foot-accelerator.

Tests proved that it
was blood group AB,

coinciding with that of
the victim, Wilma Gregson.

The autopsy surgeon has testified
to the fact there was external bleeding

as a result of the fatal
blow decedent received.

Did your investigation also show
sings of such external bleeding?

Yes, the victim bled from the scalp
onto the rug, which has a thick pile.

We found a depression in the rug indicating
from the partial impression remaining,

that a woman had stood
on that bloodstained spot.

Inspector Wade, I show
you now this woman's shoe

and ask if you if you
ever seen it before.

Yes, it has my mark.

What can you tell
the court about it?

We found it in the hotel
room of the defendant,

On the instep we found a stain of
blood of the same type as the victim's.

With the court's permission, I
would like to introduce this shoe

into evidence as
People's Exhibit 7.

Any objection, Mr. Mason?

None, Your Honor.

- Cross-examine.
- No questions.

Then may it please the court.

I ask permission for counsel
to approach the bench.

Granted.

Your Honor, much
against its wishes,

the state finds it necessary
to call a child as witness.

Sandra Gregson.

Your Honor, in order to spare
this youngster further upset,

I am willing to consider a
stipulation as to the evidence

the prosecutor
wishes to get from her.

I appreciate your
concern, Mr. Mason,

but it is essential to the State to
have Sandra confront the defendant.

Then I respectfully submit

that this testimony
be taken in chambers.

Hello, Sandra. Would you
like to have your father stay?

Please.

I must caution you that often

a parent's slightest change of expression
will influence a child's testimony.

I'll be very careful.

Now, Sandra, do you
know the difference

between telling the
truth and telling a lie?

Yes, sir.

And do you know what it means
to swear you'll tell the truth?

Yes, sir.

That is what we
want you to do now.

Do you solemnly swear to
tell the truth, the whole truth,

- and nothing but the truth?
- Yes.

Sit over there, dear.

Now, Sandra,

we want you to tell us about
the night Aunt Wilma was hurt.

You mean after she had
locked me in my room

and Daddy started
over to her house?

Yes.

Well, Daddy looked
so angry, I was scared.

And so I got up and ran all the
way over there by a shortcut I know.

And who got there
first? You or your father?

I did.

And when I was stopping to
catch my breath, I saw... oh, please,

I didn't ever want to tell.

If it's the truth, Sandra,
you mustn't hold it back.

Now what was it you saw what?

Karen.

She ran out of Aunt Wilma's
house and jumped into the car

and drove off.

When I got back to the
house it was a little before 11.

The front door was
open, so I just went in,

and I saw her lying
there on the floor.

I thought she was dead.

I was frightened, so I
ran out and drove off.

After a little while, I calmed down
and I realized I ought to go back.

When I did the ambulance
was there already.

Mr. Mason.

Please forgive me for
not keeping faith with you.

Well, it was late in the afternoon
when I got back to my hotel.

The afternoon of the day
decedent was attacked, Mr. Clark?

Yes, she was
attacked that night.

Anyway, there's a message
waiting for me at the hotel.

A Mr. Carl Holman
wanted me to call.

So I phoned his office, but
he'd already gone for the day.

I kept on trying to get
hold of him, but no luck.

And when you phoned his office
did you reach Mr. Holman's secretary

and did she tell you why Carl
Holman wished to speak to you?

Yes, it had to do with my buying
up some Gregson Canneries stock

down in Los Angeles.

And had you
purchased such stock?

Oh, yeah, about $4,000 worth.

All the dough I could
get my hands on.

But holy smoke, just what I bought
wouldn't make any stock go up and down.

But tell me, why did you
purchase this particular stock?

Because of what I read in Jill Thatcher's
pen-pal letters from the Gregson kid

about the merger.

And do you know, of
your own knowledge,

whether anyone else ever
read these pen-pal letters?

Sure, Karen Ross, the
defendant, she read them.

You see, she made no bones
about liking the young Gregson kid.

Just as she made no bones about
saying she hated Wilma Gregson.

And did she tell you why
she left Gregson Canneries?

Yes, because she was fired
by her boss, Peter Gregson.

Well, yes, when that incident
involving the specifications arose,

I had to let Miss Ross go.

Mr. Gregson, this is
no time for euphemisms.

Did you or did you not fire her?

I did.

At whose insistence?

Well, Aunt Wilma
wanted her prosecuted.

She was quite upset
with Miss Ross at the time.

Only at the time, Mr. Gregson?

Did the decedent ever
mention her name to you again?

Yes, the day before the assault.

And was this mention made during

the discussion to which
you have already testified to?

The discussion about the leak

involving the proposed merger

between Gregson
Canneries and Super Brands?

Well, what if it was?

Aunt Wilma was wrong
about Karen, that's all.

Uh, Mr. Gregson, I show
you now People's Exhibit 2,

consisting of letters found
at the home of decedent.

What can you tell us
about these letters?

Well, they were written
by my daughter, Sandra,

to her pen-pal in Los
Angeles, Jill Thatcher.

Mr. Gregson, would you be
good enough to read into the record

the portion of this
letter marked in red ink.

"Dear Sandra, you keep asking
how I started writing to you.

"Well, I got your name and
address from a friend up the street.

"It's...

"Karen Ross.

I wasn't supposed to tell you,
but I know you'll keep the secret."

Thank you.

Would you now, if you'll read
the marked portion of this one.

"Be sure to write more about that
business thing you were telling me about.

"That thing your
Daddy called a merger.

"My mother's friend
keeps asking questions.

"And I want to
know something, too.

Who is Mr. Willoughby?"

Naturally I was surprised to
get a call from Wilma Gregson.

We were hardly
on sociable terms.

And when did you receive
this phone call, Mr. Willoughby?

Just about an hour before she
was found with her skull crushed.

And what was her
purpose in calling you?

She demanded to know the
lowdown what happened last year.

And what did you tell her?

That I had never made a secret of the
fact that I wanted those specifications.

And that I knew that several of my people
were trying to get their hands on them,

but that was all I knew. Period.

And in this telephone conversation,
did the name of Karen Ross come up?

Oh, yes, that's exactly what
she was phoning about...

How Karen Ross tied in with the
attempt to steal those specifications.

Wilma said Miss Ross'd been over
and would be back again about eleven.

Thank you. Cross-examine.

Mr. Willoughby, when you
received this phone call,

you just returned
from a trip to Chicago?

Yes.

Did this trip have
anything to do

with a possible merger between
your company and Super Brands.

That's none of your business.

Is that the answer you gave Wilma
Gregson on the phone that night

when she asked you
the same question?

As a matter of fact, yes.

As a matter of fact, didn't she
then threaten you with reprisals?

Next I suppose
you're going to say

I rushed right over there
to have it out with her.

Well, I didn't and I
can prove it by Holman.

That would be Carl Holman,

general manager of Gregson's?

Yes, right in the middle
of our conversation,

I heard someone come
in, heard Wilma talk to him.

Yes, when I came in
she was on the phone.

When she hung up, she
seemed terribly upset.

Did she then discuss
the defendant with you?

Briefly. She seemed impatient. She
said Karen Ross would be back soon.

Anyway, I had a
terrible headache.

Tell me what time did you
leave the decedent's house?

About 10:30. I went straight
home because of my headache.

Thank you.

Your witness.

Mr. Holman, how long have
you been with Gregson's?

Oh, from the week I
graduated from college.

I was engaged to
Florence at the time.

She was distantly
related to Wilma Gregson,

so I had an "in."

I went to work in the cannery
on the night cleanup crew.

Yet four years ago you were considered
for the presidency of the company?

Considered, yes. But what
chance did I really have?

I mean, with Peter
Gregson there?

After all, he was her nephew.

You never did give
up though, did you?

You felt that you'd eventually
make top rung at Gregson's.

Yes, and I would
have if she hadn't died.

No, Mr. Holman.

Because one of the last
thing Wilma Gregson told you

was that you would never
be president of the company.

That you would no longer
even be general manager.

What?

She told you, did she not,
that so long as she lived

you would never work at
Gregson's in any capacity,

not even as a member
of the cleanup crew?

You don't know what
you're talking about.

We know how Wilma Gregson felt
about the management of the company.

Lee Gregson admitted
that she fired him.

Now, didn't she
really fire you also?

Of course not. That's
utterly ridiculous.

You happen to know a man by
name of Mr. Josiah Sellers of this city?

Uh, yes, he's a banker.
He's on our board of directors.

- Well, he's out of town just now.
- Exactly.

Now, since I had reason to believe
that Wilma Gregson might have

contacted quite a number
of people that particular night,

I've had my
investigators checking.

I should warn you that I
have here a copy of a telegram

shown to one of my investigators
by Mr. Seller's housekeeper.

A telegram sent at
10:40 by the deceased.

It reads, "Peter Gregson no
longer satisfactory as president.

"Both Lee Gregson and
Carl Holman fired this date.

I'm calling Board Meeting
soon to vote in replacements."

And it's signed Wilma Gregson.

I can't believe that.

You couldn't believe it
that night, either, could you?

Isn't that what gave
you that headache?

Now, you did not return straight
home as you said, did you?

Yes, I did. I certainly did.

Well, ask Florence.

Ask my wife.

Well, I woke up about a quarter of 11
when I heard Carl drive into the garage.

He came right to bed.

You're a light sleeper?

Indeed, yes.

Mrs. Holman, are
you telling the truth

or are you deliberately lying
to give your husband an alibi

for the time Wilma
Gregson was attacked?

Well, that's ridiculous.

He came in at a quarter of
11. I heard him and saw him.

Suppose I were to tell you somebody
else saw him in a bar, in Oakland,

at a quarter to 12.

Whoever said such a thing
was either mistaken or lying.

Mrs. Holman, why do you think

Wilma Gregson suddenly
turned against your husband?

I can't imagine.

Can't imagine that
she had finally traced

the so-called merger
leak to its actual source?

Why, that's preposterous.

Carl lived for the company.

It was his staff of life,
his meat, his drink.

Nothing could have
made him betray Gregson's

because nothing
else mattered to him.

Nothing.

Including his home,
his marriage, you?

Mrs. Holman, you
have been lying.

Your perjured testimony was intended to
prove not only that Carl Holman was home

at a quarter of 11, but that
you were home at that time.

I was... I was.

Yet Matt Clark testified
he tried to contact

your husband that
night without success.

Would you like to hear him testify
he called your home repeatedly

until past 11:30 and
never got an answer?

No, that won't be necessary.

I did so much for
Carl all those years

I got him into
Gregson Canneries.

Yes, I had to go to Wilma and plead
with her to give him a job, but got him in.

And then I schemed, and I planned, and
I maneuvered to make something of him.

To make him general manager.

Miss Holman, a year ago, someone
made a telephone call to Karen Ross,

impersonating Lucy
Gregson's voice,

and ordering Karen to put
those specifications in the car?

It was you who made
the phone call was it not.

Yes, I thought Peter would
get involved in the scandal.

A drunken wife,
a romance with his

secretary, an attempt
to betray the company.

You thought if Peter were
discharged, or in disgrace,

your husband would become
president of the company?

That accident. How could I
know there'd be an accident?

And it was only Karen that
Wilma blamed, not Peter.

That's why you betrayed
the company, wasn't it?

It was you who leaked
the news about the merger.

You who purchased large blocks of
stock and sold at considerable profit.

You, Mrs. Holman.

I thought I could
destroy the merger

and then Carl would surely be
made president of the company.

And not only that, by
making all that money,

I could prove I was
the smart one... me.

But that night Wilma caught on,

and she fired Carl.

And she threatened
to send me to jail.

So I had to...

You had to kill her.

In a few minutes now, we'll
be leaving for Los Angeles

and everything that happened here
will be just a bad dream, Miss Ross.

I don't know whether
I've wakened from it yet.

Mr. Mason, I don't... I don't
know how to thank you enough

for all you've done for me.

You could start by smiling.
You should be happy.

Oh, I imagine she will be.

Look behind you, Miss Ross.

We're coming with you, Karen.

- With me?
- To help you pack.

Then we're all
going to Las Vegas.

- So you and I can be married.
- Before the boat trip.

Married? Boat?

Not you. You're
staying with Daddy.

I'm taking the boat
trip with Mr. Mason.

Aren't I, Mr. Mason?

You certainly are. You, I,

Paul and Della.

Where all going to
Catalina and back.

Well, don't just
stand there. Kiss him.

Oh, Peter.

Subtitled By J.R. Media
Services, Inc. Burbank, CA