All language subtitles for Perry Mason S02E15 The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

We've had a wonderful time.

Oh, not nearly as
much fun as I've had.

Oh, my gifts are so beautiful.

How can I ever thank you all?

We'll get it back
when we get married.

That is, if we ever do.

I promise to throw you
all half the bridal bouquet.

Good night, Millie.

Good night, and thank you.

Good night.

Such a wonderful
time. Oh, thank you.

Good night. We had fun.

Good night.

Ah. Ha-ha. Woo. Heh-heh.

I feel like I've been drinking
champagne instead of coffee.

I don't blame you.

My gosh, your
picture in the paper

and church wedding six days off,

honeymoon in Hawaii.

Golly. Oh, and don't forget Bob.

Oh, yes, Robert Wallace,

tall, dark and mysterious,

with half the girls in
Marshall City after him.

But I happened to be the
one sitting at the next desk

at Marshall City Power and Light

in the accounting department.

Oh, don't be silly, it
wasn't anything like that.

Listen, Millie, you're
the best of the lot,

and you deserve the best.

Look, are you sure you
don't want me to stay

and help you with this mess?

Oh, heavens, no. I
wouldn't dream of it.

Besides, Bob's coming over,

and I wanna start
training him right.

Oh, fine. Bye-bye,
sweetie. Ha, ha, ha.

Good night, and thank you.

Bye-bye.

Hello?

Oh, Bob, I thought you
were on your way over.

What?

I said, not tonight or ever.

Our little romance
is finished, Millie,

and it's devil
take the hindmost.

Bob...

Honey, you know, sometimes
I can't tell when you're joking.

Now, what makes
you think I'm joking?

I have here in my pocket,

taken from the firm
for which we both toil,

the sum of $9,000.

Nine thousand dollars?

Yeah, you see, I did a
little juggling with the books.

They'll discover the loss
on Monday, but I'll be gone.

So will you, if you're smart.

Why? I have nothing to hide.

I know that, Millie.

It might be tough to prove.

You see, I did most of
the juggling in your books.

I gotta go now.

Five gallons, please.

How'd you like to trade cars?

Oh, no thanks.

I didn't think you would.

What happened?

He says I burned out a bearing.

Oh, I'm sorry.

How about a lift?

Where to?

Any place I can catch a bus.

I gotta be in L.A.
in the morning,

to meet some friends.

What about your car?

I'll pick it up here
when it's fixed.

I could take you
over to Highway 395.

You could catch a bus there...

You're a doll.

Been crying,
haven't you, Millie?

Yeah, a little.

Boyfriend trouble?

Forget it, honey.

Running after a
guy'll get you nowhere.

I speak from
practical experience.

But this last time,

instead of driving
around, I'm driving straight.

A thousand miles straight,
into a brand-new world

where nobody's ever
heard of Fern Driscoll.

Oh, I thought you were
meeting friends in Los Angeles.

I just said that.

I don't know anybody in L.A.

And nobody knows me.

It'll be like being born again.

How's about joinin' me?

I'm afraid it wouldn't
work for me, Fern.

Well...

it was just an idea.

Pull over to the side.

I mean right now, sister!

What? Shut up!

Just step on the brakes...

What are you doing...?

Excuse me.

Would you please pass the sugar?

Thanks.

You just get here
in Los Angeles?

Mm-hm.

Oh, would you take these too?

Every day, I always think I
can eat everything in the joint.

I always wind up
with toast and coffee.

That wouldn't be the
rooms-to-let section, would it?

Yes. That's funny.

I have a to-let problem myself:

An apartment I can't quite swing
on $85 a week take-home pay.

Eighty-five a week?

Gee, that sounds like a lot.

Not here in Los Angeles.

It's barely enough
to make ends meet.

Oh, would you be interested?

Well, what's the apartment like?

Well, one bath, two
bedrooms, and, of course, me.

I sing in the shower
and smoke in bed

and hate to do dishes,
but on the other hand,

I'm pretty good at
minding my own business.

Look, I have the day off,

and the apartment's only
a few blocks from here.

Would you like to come
and have a look-see?

Oh, well... maybe
until I get settled.

Good.

Oh, by the way, my
name's Laura Richards.

And I'm Fern Driscoll.

Oh, well, that'll be
easy to remember.

Shall we shove off, Fern?

Oh, uh, okay.

Oh, what a dump.

It's your own fault.

You should have stayed
home in San Francisco

where you belong.

And let you come down
here alone and play around?

How many times
do I have to tell you

that this is business?

Ha! I suppose it was business

when I caught you with
that redhead in San Diego.

No, sirree.

From now on, wherever you go...

I told you I was answering
the phone around here.

All right, answer it.

Hello?

Oh, it's you.

Fred Ernshaw.

Who'd you think it
would be, Miss Universe?

Yeah, Ernshaw?

She has? Where?

2211 North
Champion, Apartment 4.

She moved in with a dame
named Laura Richards.

You sure it's the right girl?

Well, of course I'm
sure it's the same girl.

I traced her all the
way from Bishop Falls.

She's got an overnight
case labeled "F.D.",

and I just heard her introduce
herself as... As Fern Driscoll.

Okay, okay.

Don't blow a fuse.

You can go back to San
Francisco if you want to.

It's all right with me.

I'll take it from here.

I'll bet you will.

You know, it's funny
how it always works out.

I do all the work, and
you take the credit.

If you don't like it, Ernshaw,
you know what you can do.

May I call a number,

or would you like
to do it for me?

Now, Carl, I...

Don't "Now, Carl"
me. I'm fed to the teeth.

Operator, get me the
Claymore, Room 929.

Answering my calls,
opening my mail, following me.

Isn't one detective
in the family enough?

Yes, and so is one woman.

Carl Davis, sir.

I've got some more
dope on the girl.

She's living at, uh...

2211 North Champion, eh?

Well, go see her,
Davis, and report back.

And keep my name out
of this, you understand?

I understand, sir.

I'll call you in an hour or so.

Where do you think you're going?

It's none of your business.

Now, you listen to me.

That's all I've been doing
for the past eight years:

Your bell must be out of order.

Oh, yes, I know.

Are you Fern Driscoll?

Yes. My name is Carl Davis.

I'm an insurance
investigator. May I come in?

Oh, well, if you're selling
something, Mr. Davis...

I'm not selling a thing.

I just wanna ask
you a few questions

about an automobile accident.

An automobile accident? Yes.

It happened about a week
ago around Bishop Falls.

It seems that this, uh,
car went outta control,

which is very
sad, Miss Driscoll.

The car caught fire.

The driver was burned to death.

Isn't it awful?

Her name was Mildred Crest.

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

That's funny. It was
in all the papers.

This, um, Mildred Crest
was wanted in Marshall City

for embezzling money from
the Light and Power Company

where she and her boyfriend,
Bob Wallace, worked.

Tell you, this gal
really had problems.

According to the autopsy,
she was going to have a baby.

Interesting?

No, not to me.

It gets better as it goes along.

You see, an alert
investigator, me,

found a locket near
the scene of the wreck.

On it are the initials F.D.

Now, look, Mr. Davis...

From then on, it was a cinch.

I found a garage where this
Millie Crest gave a gal a ride.

What do you want?

I got a hunch that you
were driving Miss Crest's car

at the time of the accident.

I want a statement
to that effect

for my insurance company.

Why should I give you
any kind of a statement?

Well, to put it bluntly,
to avoid being charged

with having left the
scene of a fatal accident.

I see.

Now, this other thing,
Miss, uh, Driscoll.

I checked on you
back in your hometown.

It seems that you left hurriedly

with something very
interesting in your possession.

Something that a certain man

would pay money
to get his hands on.

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

Well, does the
name Johnny Baylor

mean anything to you?

No.

Look, I happen to know it does,

so let's stop fencing around.

You sign the statement,

turn over you-know-what to me,

and I'll forget that
I ever saw you.

Whatever it is you think I
have, Mr. Davis, I haven't.

Okay, play it your way,

but I'll be back tonight.

Say, around 7:00.

If you don't come through then,

I'll call the cops.

Well, Laura...

I didn't know you were home.

I came in the back way.

I told you I was pretty good

at minding my own
business, but, uh,

I was in the kitchen just now

when you and your, uh,
boyfriend were talking.

Uh, well, uh, he's not
exactly my boyfriend.

I gathered that.

What's with that, uh,

you-know-what he
was talking about?

I don't know.

It must have something
to do with the real...

Oh, Laura, can
you keep a secret?

No, I'm a complete blabbermouth.

Besides, your caller
gave me goose pimples.

Well, I've gotta
talk to somebody.

Oh, am I in a jam.

Well, if I were in your shoes,

I'd see a man named Perry Mason.

The lawyer?

Mm-hm.

Let's see if I have this
straight, Miss Driscoll.

The car swerved and went
off the road, then caught fire,

but you were thrown clear
when the car door flew open?

It was a miracle that I was
only knocked unconscious.

And then when I came to,

I could see that the
flames were dying out,

and that...

Miss Crest was dead.

Yes.

The only thing left unharmed

was my bag and
an overnight case.

Go on.

Well, I climbed
back up onto the road

and I started walking,

and about a mile
away I found a motel.

They didn't ask any questions,

so I stayed for
a couple of days.

And then I came out
here to Los Angeles.

Who was driving when
the car went off the road?

I was.

Well, Millie asked me to.

She... She said she was tired.

What did Mildred
Crest look like?

Oh, she was, uh, a
brunette with, um...

Well, Mr. Mason,
to tell you the truth,

it all happened so fast

I really didn't
have time to notice.

The reason you fled was
because you were afraid

they'd blame you for her death?

Partly...

but mostly because I didn't
want my name in the papers.

Mr. Mason, I'm not
a fugitive from justice,

but, well, I left home...

I left home because
of personal reasons.

I found one reference
to the accident.

The story dateline
is Marshall City.

"Mildred Crest,
fiancé Robert Wallace,

"both wanted for embezzlement.

"Wedding only four days off.

According to autopsy,
she was expecting a baby."

Mr. Mason, what should I do?

Mr. Davis is coming
back up to my apartment

at 7:00 tonight.

Just refer him to me.

Tell him you've retained
me as your attorney.

Well, I'm afraid that poses
somewhat of a problem.

You see, I haven't
very much money.

I have got a job
lined up, but...

How much change do
you have in your purse?

Thiry-eight cents.

I'll take it.

Now it's official.

I'm your lawyer.

Is there anything else
you wanna tell me?

No.

All right, then. You run along.

Stop worrying about Davis.

Just phone me the
moment he leaves.

I'll wait here for your call.

Oh, thank you so
much, Mr. Mason.

Goodbye, Miss Street.

Goodbye. Thank you.

You'd better deposit this.

Will you tell me
something, counselor?

Why did you take this?

Well, it puts things
on a legal basis.

And made anything she told
you privileged communication?

Mm-hm.

But why didn't you have
her report the accident?

Della, would you let a
hitchhiker drive your car

10 minutes after
you picked her up?

I have a hunch Miss Driscoll
isn't telling us the truth.

Laura?

Laura, is that you?

I said, your client stabbed
me with an ice pick.

About an hour ago
in her apartment.

No, it's painful, but I
don't need a doctor.

No, either she turns
over those letters to me,

or I'm going to the police.

Where are you?

All right, stay there.

I'll be over.

That was Carl Davis.

Are you going to go see him?

No, I'm going to
see Fern Driscoll.

And then I ran to the door,

but he was already gone.

Oh, I know I should have
called you right away, Mr. Mason,

but, well, I was afraid.

Afraid of what?

Did you know it was Davis

when you struck
out with that ice pick?

Oh, no, the lights were out.

And you didn't hear
the doorbell ring?

Oh, it hasn't worked for weeks.

No signs of tampering,

but a thin blade
could have opened this

without leaving any
marks, or a skeleton key.

Did he get the
letters, Miss Driscoll?

Letters?

What letters?

Davis thinks you have
some letters he wants.

Letters from Johnny Baylor.

I've already told you,

I don't know any Johnny Baylor.

Davis sounded as though
he were sure you had them,

that I'd deliver them to him.

Mildred...

Yes?

Isn't it about time
you told me the truth?

Yes.

That'll be Mason. Let him in.

Mrs. Davis? DAVIS:
Never mind her.

I'm the one you wanna see.

Did you bring those letters?

Not with me.

First I want to find out
more about this, uh, accident.

Accident?

You call being stabbed
with an ice pick an accident?

How do you know
it was an ice pick?

Take a look there.

What about that drink, Marge?

Stuck into my chest
right up to the hilt.

Just leave it there.

Carl, let me call a doctor.

I said no.

Why don't you go take
a shower or something?

You look a mess.

Suppose you tell me
how all this happened?

Well, about 7:00, I
went to her apartment.

Fern Driscoll's apartment?

Yeah.

She knew I was coming.

And how.

I knocked.

She opened the door
and said, "Come in."

And when I did: bingo.

She let me have
it with the ice pick.

I was so startled,

I ran like a rabbit.

If what you say is true,
you should go to the police

whether you get those
letters back or not.

Uh-uh. Going to the police
would cost me a cool $10,000.

Oh? How?

What'd she tell you
about those letters?

Practically nothing.

Well, as long as I hold
the aces, I'll level with you.

You've heard of Harriman Baylor?

The senator?

That's right.

Well, it seems that
this Fern Driscoll

and the senator's son
were engaged in a romance.

About ten days
ago, they broke up,

due to the old man's
opposition, I hear.

Gossip has it that she was
gonna start a paternity suit,

naming Johnny as the defendant.

Anyhow, she came out here,

bringing along a
batch of torrid letters

that the boy had written her.

And which he now wants back?

Well, I don't know
about the boy,

but the senator sure does.

There's no telling what
the boy put in those letters.

The senator's got a tough
election ahead of him.

You know, your wife was right.

Huh?

You should see a doctor.

That type of wound
can be dangerous.

The doctor would have to
file a report with the police.

Not if I call my doctor.

He'd report only to me.

How's that?

He'd just be
appraising the injury

in order to assess damages,

as for a civil suit.

I wouldn't have to tell
him what happened?

You wouldn't have
to tell him a thing.

Let me think about it.

It's now five minutes of 10.

You'll have half an hour in
order to make up your mind.

I'll be in the coffee
shop when you decide.

I think I have time
for some apple pie.

Allow me.

Are you, uh...? You can
go ahead, I'll be right up.

Thank you.

I, uh, spotted you
from the lobby.

Well, nice of you to stop
and pay your respects.

Oh, I had an ulterior motive.

Do you mind if I, uh, ask
what you're doing here?

Well, I might ask you
the same question.

Yeah, might.

And we both might
have the same answer.

Man named Carl Davis?

Room 505?

Right?

Well, he's part of the answer.

We had a report
he's, uh, been stabbed.

Oh, lieutenant,
I think you'll find

this is a purely civil matter,

one involving a
possible damage suit.

A civil matter?

Let's go check.

That is, if you don't mind.

Right down the hall, lieutenant.

Imagine my surprise
when I found you alone

at that counter. Why?

Well, usually when I find
you in a strange restaurant,

it's because I'm attracted
by Della's pretty face.

I was just coming
for you, lieutenant.

What's up?

Well, I sent Faulkner
to Marshall City

to check on Mildred Crest.

Who did you assign

to dig into Carl Davis' past?

Burroughs.

He says that Davis worked

with a guy named Fred Ernshaw.

That Ernshaw did most
of the legwork for the team,

and Davis took the bows.

Well, follow up on that.

I'd also like to know
more about Fern Driscoll,

particularly her relationship
with Johnny Baylor.

Did you know that his
old man was in town?

Senator Baylor?
Yeah, flew in yesterday.

Staying at the Claymore
Apartment Hotel.

Here's...

a picture of him as he
arrived at the airport.

According to the story,

he broke off his campaign

due to an attack of bursitis.

Did you talk with him?

He isn't taking any calls.

That's unusual for a politician.

All right, Paul. All I
can say is: keep digging.

Della. Mm-hm?

Call Mildred Crest.

Tell her if the police come,

she's to refuse to
make any statement

except in the presence
of her attorney.

What are you going to do?

Pay my respects to the senator.

Who the devil are you?

My name is Perry Mason.

The lawyer? Yes.

Well, I can't see you now.

I can't see anybody.

Including Carl Davis?

What do you know about Davis?

One very important thing:

He's dead.

Dead?

Are you sure?

Positive. He was
stabbed to death.

Well, that's incredible.

Why, senator? Well, he...

He didn't seem to
have a care in the world

when I talked to him.

It was just last night.

You talked to him
about Fern Driscoll

and your son's letters?

How do you happen to know
so much about my affairs?

That's something
I can't tell you.

In that case, we'd better
terminate this interview

right now. All right, senator,

but you'll be the loser.

I'm not running for reelection.

Mr. Mason.

What is it you want?

I wanna know just how
you were concerned

with Carl Davis.

Well, uh...

he was investigating
an automobile accident

in which Miss
Driscoll was involved.

On checking back, he discovered

that, uh, she was
friendly with my son.

He got in touch with me.

Well, I told him
if he discovered

the whereabouts
of Miss Driscoll,

that, uh, I'd be interested.

When did you next see Davis?

Well, two days later.

He called me long-distance to
say he'd located Miss Driscoll.

That's why I flew out here.

And what, exactly,
was Davis to do for you?

Well, he was to obtain

my son's letters
to Miss Driscoll.

Why were you so
anxious to get them?

Well, I'll give you a sample.

Don't ask me where I got it.

"My darling Fern, I
can't apologize enough

"for the way my
father is behaving.

"Now he wants
me to go to Alaska.

"He claims it's business,
but I know better.

"He says you're not
good enough for me.

"And this from a man who
poses as a friend of the people.

"If the voters knew
him the way I do,

"they'd ride him out on a rail.

He'll break anyone
who stands in his way."

Huh! This isn't exactly
the kind of material

you want the opposition
to get ahold of.

Particularly if it's true.

What makes you think...?

Well, there were
eight more letters.

Davis said he
could get 'em for me.

How much were you to pay him?

His customary fee,
and $100 a day.

He mentioned a
$10,000 fee to me.

Are you suggesting that
I was being blackmailed?

I had that in mind.

How could I reach your son?

Suppose you leave
my son outta this.

If I did, I wouldn't be serving

the best interests of my client.

So that's it.

You're representing
that scheming blond,

Fern Driscoll.

Oh, you're wrong, senator.

I represent a young lady
by the name of Mildred Crest.

Well, that's the girl Davis told
me was killed in the accident.

He was wrong also.

So the dead girl is...

Fern Driscoll.

Oh, excuse me.

Yeah?

From where?

Well, all right. Send him up.

Hmph.

That's the police.

It might be better if I left.

Well, just tell me this:

Does this other girl
have my son's letters?

I don't know. This whole thing

could be so very embarrassing.

Mason, I'll give you
$10,000 to represent me.

I've already accepted
a fee from Miss Crest.

How much did she give you?

Thirty-eight cents.

Morning, beautiful.
Good morning, Paul.

Where's, uh...? Where's Perry?

Oh, he should be
back in a moment.

Say, any clue as to what
Laura Richards was doing

in the senator's hotel?

I don't know, but I know
who she was talking to:

Davis' partner, Fred Ernshaw.

Did you talk to Ernshaw?

Yeah. He wouldn't even
give me the right time.

Maybe Mrs. Davis could help you.

Uh, maybe. But
the police know...

Afraid the police know
a lot of things, Paul.

They know my client's
real name is Mildred Crest.

They just booked her
for first-degree murder.

And the prosecution
expects to prove

that Mildred Crest killed
the decedent, Carl Davis,

to escape the consequences of
other crimes she had committed.

These included embezzling
funds from her employer,

the deliberate wrecking
of her car in order to...

Just a moment, counselor.

Has the defendant been
charged with these other crimes?

All but one, Your Honor.

She has so far not been charged

with the murder
of Fern Driscoll,

whose identity she assumed
after the fatal car wreck.

You'll bear in mind,
Mr. Prosecutor,

that the law is
particularly zealous

to guard the rights
of a defendant.

That evidence of other crimes

is not admissible

except for the purpose
of showing a pattern

in the case of similar crimes.

Or for proving motivation
when that becomes necessary.

Or where it is part
of the res gestae.

I know the rule, Your Honor,

and I intend to
stay within the letter.

Does the defense wish
to make any statement?

No statement at
this time, Your Honor.

Whereupon I contacted
the sheriff at Bishop Falls,

and he turned it over to me.

He found it about 100
yards from the crash.

Were you able to establish
the ownership of the gun?

Yes, sir. It was registered
to Theodore Duncan

of Des Moines, Iowa.

It was stolen from
Mr. Duncan last year.

Consequently, the
registration of this gun

has no bearing on the case?

That is correct.

Now, lieutenant, I
show you this ice pick,

tagged as having been
taken from the decedent's room

on the night of his death.

I ask if this is the ice pick

you removed from his dresser?

Yes, sir. It has my mark on it.

If it please the court,

I should like this ice
pick entered in evidence,

provided the defense
has no objection.

No objection.

The ice pick will be received.

Then Carl... Uh, Mr. Davis,
told me to wait downstairs

while he went upstairs
to have a talk with her.

By "her" you refer to the
defendant, Mildred Crest?

That's right. Only at the time,

we thought her name
was Fern Driscoll.

Go ahead, Mr. Ernshaw.

I waited outside the
apartment building

for about ten minutes,

and then Carl came down.

He was holding
himself l-like this:

He had an ice pick in his hand.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Ernshaw, when you
discovered Mr. Davis was wounded,

what did you do?

Well, I wanted to drive
him to see a doctor,

but he didn't like that idea.

So I drove to a drugstore
and picked up some bandages,

and fixed him myself.

I learned a little about
first aid in the Army.

And you drove to his hotel?

That's right.

I see.

Now, Mr. Ernshaw,

I believe you testified earlier

that, uh, you and the
deceased were partners.

Yes. Equal partners?

Practically.

Mr. Davis' income was
almost three times yours.

Well, heh, he had
the connections.

Isn't it true that you
did most of the work?

Yes.

You recognize this?

Yes.

Would you please tell the court

what it is?

It's a form letter I sent
to all our accounts,

stating that I was
thinking of leaving Davis

and setting up my own outfit.

Thank you, Mr. Ernshaw.

That'll be all.

Miss Richards, have
you ever seen this before?

Yes, I bought it
about six months ago.

Did the defendant know there
was an ice pick in the apartment?

Yes, she asked me if we had one

the day she moved in.

Thank you, Miss Richards.

Your witness.

Miss Richards,
you testified earlier

that you were not
present at your apartment

when Mildred Crest was arrested.

That's right.

Where were you?

I was out with a fella.

Has this fellow a name?

Fred Ernshaw.

Where did Mr. Ernshaw take you?

To the Claymore
Hotel Apartments.

Your Honor, I don't see what
the social life of the witness

has to do with the
death of Carl Davis.

Mr. Mason?

I intend to provide
a link, Your Honor.

You may proceed. Thank you.

Why did Ernshaw

take you to the
Claymore, Miss Richards?

He took me to see a...

A man who was
very much interested

in Fern Driscoll.

You mean Mildred
Crest, don't you?

Yes, but he didn't
know that then.

And you were going to sell him

certain information?

Yes. Did he buy?

We couldn't get through to him.

What's the name of this man

you couldn't get through
to, Miss Richards?

Senator Harriman Baylor.

No further questions.

You may step
down, Miss Richards.

Your Honor, I had
sincerely hoped

that it would not be necessary

to involve a prominent statesman

in an affair such as this.

I now find that I am
forced to call to the stand

Senator Harriman Baylor.

Senator Harriman Baylor
to the stand, please.

Raise your right hand.

If it please the court,

Senator Baylor is
suffering from a bursitis.

I'll be necessary for
him to raise his left hand.

Very well, hold up your
left hand and be sworn.

Do you solemnly
swear to tell the truth

and nothing but the truth?

I do. State your name.

Harriman Baylor.
Be seated, please.

And you had no
contact at any time

with either Fred Ernshaw
or Laura Richards? No, sir.

What was your
relationship with Carl Davis?

I had employed him
to find Fern Driscoll.

Could you tell
this court, senator,

why you wanted to find her?

Well, the reason
for that, counselor,

is extremely personal.

Could this extremely
personal reason

have anything whatever

to do with the
death of Carl Davis?

You have my word it does not.

Thank you, sir.

Your Honor,

the prosecution is
completely satisfied

that Senator Baylor has
no knowledge whatever

of any facts
concerning this case,

other than certain
private matters

connected with the
background of Fern Driscoll.

I hope that the defense
will not find it necessary

to invade this area of privacy.

Are you turning the witness
over for cross-examination?

I am, Your Honor.

I will respect the prosecution's

somewhat unusual plea
for privacy at this time,

but I do ask that I be permitted

to recall this
witness if need be.

I have no objections,
Your Honor.

You may stand down, senator.

Call your next
witness, Mr. Burger.

I call Mrs. Carl Davis
to the stand, please.

After Mr. Mason left,

Carl said he was having a chill,

and he told me to get
him another whiskey.

I thought it was part of the act

he'd been putting on.

Not your thoughts,
please, Mrs. Davis.

Just what happened.

When I wouldn't
get him the whiskey,

he started to get
out of his chair.

And then he
groaned and fell back.

I ran over to
him, and he said...

Did your husband know
he was dying at this time?

Yes...

he did.

If the court please,

I believe this is a
dying declaration

within the meaning of the law,

and that the witness
is entitled to relate

what her husband said.

Any objection from the defense?

No objection.

All right, Mr. Burger.

Now, Mrs. Davis,

tell us what your
husband said, please.

Well, when he started gasping,

I said,

"Carl, what's wrong?"

Did he answer you immediately?

He couldn't.

He was in too much pain.

And then it seemed
to ease up a little,

and he told me he
felt he was going to die.

I know this is very
difficult for you, Mrs. Davis,

but, please, try to tell us
what your husband said.

He said, in a way, it...

It was his own fault.

He was trying to
get some letters

from a girl named Fern Driscoll.

And when he went
into her apartment,

she stabbed him
with an ice pick.

It was dark, but he saw her face

in the light from the hallway.

Did he say anything else?

No...

just closed his eyes.

That's when I called the police.

Thank you, Mrs. Davis.

Cross-examine, counselor.

Your Honor,

a long-distance call
is being held for me.

It may have an important
bearing on this case.

I would like to request
a 30-minute recess

so I might take the call.

I'll do better than
that, counselor.

Since it's already
late afternoon,

court'll be adjourned
until 10:00 tomorrow.

Uh, I stand corrected. Ten
o'clock Monday morning.

Court is adjourned.

Operator, I don't
care if it costs $500.

Keep the connection open.

Where'd you find him?

Just where you figured: Alaska.

His old man owns the
Baylor Lumber Company

20 miles outside of Fairbanks.

Did you tell him what
happened to Fern Driscoll?

I just did.

This is Perry Mason, Mr. Baylor.

All I wanna know is:

Who killed Fern?

I assure you, it
was an accident.

That tells me
nothing, Mr. Mason.

Are you aware that your father

virtually chased
her out of town?

I don't believe it.

Unfortunately, it's true.

And I suspect
it's the real reason

he sent you to Alaska.

But why?

He was afraid she'd
name you in a paternity suit.

That's a rotten lie.

Look, would it help any if I
flew down to Los Angeles?

It certainly would.
All right, then.

I think Coastal has a
flight leaving within an hour.

I'll have Mr. Drake
meet you at the airport.

Paul, when young Baylor arrives,

I'd like the two of you
to cover all the hospitals

within, oh, let us say,

a 20-mile radius
of Marshall City.

Would you mind telling
me what we're looking for?

A young girl about 28,

who, on the night
of November 8th,

suffered a loss of memory.

Well, doctor?

It's possible.

'Course, you've got to remember,
this snapshot was taken,

oh, almost two years ago.

Miss Merrill, I'd like to
see the patient in 314.

When did you say
this lady disappeared?

Sometime on the
evening of November 8th.

Well, this patient
was discovered

on November 10th.

She had been savagely
beaten on the head

with a blunt instrument.

Were there any identifying
marks on the clothes?

Absolutely none at all.

I know the police queried...

Yes?

Fern.

Fern, darling.

Well, Fern,

don't you...?

Don't you remember me?

John?

Could I use your phone, doctor?

Certainly.

Johnny.

Oh.

If it please the court, I
should like to explain...

The court has seen the
morning papers, Mr. Burger.

Yes, Your Honor, but the
fact that Fern Driscoll is alive

in no essential way
alters the state's case.

Perhaps not, Mr. Burger, but
the court is naturally curious

as to the identity of
the unknown woman

whose burned body was
found in the defendant's car.

Well... If the court please,

I believe I can shed some
additional light on this woman.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

The records at the women's
reformatory at Tehachapi

indicate one Brenda Scobie,

convicted of armed robbery
and expecting a baby,

escaped on the day of
Mildred Crest's accident,

using a .25 caliber automatic

to intimidate a guard.

Have you been able to discover

how this Brenda Scobie
gained possession

of Miss Driscoll's car

and her belongings?

Well, it would seem
reasonable, Your Honor,

that Miss Driscoll
stopped her car

in order to give the
escaped prisoner a lift.

That was her undoing.

You mean this Brenda Scobie

assaulted her and took
possession of the car?

Exactly. Shortly thereafter,
the car burned out a bearing.

That's when Miss
Scobie met my client

at Perkins' Gas Station,
and asked her for a ride.

Well, that may very
well be, Your Honor,

but the defendant
here is on trial

for the murder of Carl Davis.

Mr. Mason's theory,
while enlightening,

doesn't alter that
basic fact at all.

You're quite right.

I suggest we proceed, gentlemen.

Mr. Mason, you were
about to cross-examine

Mrs. Carl Davis.

I would like to defer that
for the moment, Your Honor,

and recall Senator Baylor.

Senator Harriman Baylor
to the stand, please.

Your Honor, I request
that this witness be sworn.

Your Honor.

If Mr. Mason will
reflect a minute,

I'm sure he'll remember

the witness was sworn on Friday.

I remember that the
witness raised his left hand

when the oath was administered.

I explained that, counselor.
The senator has bursitis.

Just a moment.

Your Honor, I object
to the district attorney

giving testimony in this case.

Under the law, Your Honor,
the witness is required

to raise his right hand.
Unless incapacitated.

You're unable to raise
your right hand, senator,

because of an attack of bursitis

in your right shoulder?

Or are you unable to raise it

because of a wound
from an ice pick?

A wound from an
ice pick? That's right.

Mr. Mason,

this is a very grave accusation.

I realize that, Your Honor.

And with all due
respect, I would suggest

that the court
appoint a physician

to examine the
senator's right shoulder.

That won't be necessary.

Mr. Mason is correct.

I have a...

severe infection...

due to a wound...

from an ice pick.

Order.

Order!

I don't want to be forced

to clear the courtroom.

I don't understand
this, senator.

Well, I was the one who went
to Miss Driscoll's apartment,

or what I thought was
Fern Driscoll's apartment.

I went there to get
my son's letters.

I rang the doorbell.
There was no answer.

When I found that
the door was unlocked,

well, I went in.

And Mildred Crest surprised you?

I thought no one was home.

I didn't know then that
the doorbell didn't operate.

When she called
out from the bedroom,

you snapped off the lights?

Yes.

We struggled in the
darkness for a moment,

and I felt something
sharp pierce my shoulder.

And I ran out.

On the street, I encountered
Fred Ernshaw and Carl Davis,

who were on their way
up to see the defendant.

Davis helped me
remove the ice pick,

and he agreed to say
that he was the one

who had been wounded.

Why?

He hoped, in that way,

to force the return
of the letters.

And what was your part, senator?

Well, I...

I was to say I
never left the hotel.

I'm sorry, Your Honor. I...

I deserve whatever
punishment the law metes out.

If this is all true...

who inflicted the fatal
wound on Carl Davis?

Only one person could
have done that, Your Honor.

We know now that
Carl Davis had no wound

and that he faked one
only to carry out the plot.

Yet, when the police arrived,

Carl Davis was dead from a wound

caused by an ice pick.

I don't care.

He had it coming to him.

He was gonna leave me.

Leave me. He was
gonna leave me...

Ah, somebody wiring
me birthday greetings?

No, but it's very good
news from Senator Baylor.

All right.

Read it.

"Fern doing beautifully.

"Hope she remembers everything

"except my bad behavior.

With profound respect,
Senator Baylor."

Huh.

There's one thing
that puzzles me:

How you figured
out that business

about Senator Baylor
and the ice pick.

Well, actually...

I have the answer right here.

Remember the
picture you showed me

of Baylor arriving
at the airport?

Yeah.

You told me

he discontinued his
campaign because of...?

Bursitis.

Which hand is he waving?

The right hand.

Which means the bursitis
was in the left shoulder.

Which hand did
he raise in court?

The left...

Bye, folks.