Human Monster, The (1939)

[bunniefuu]

It's probably a series of coincidences,

but the home office is kicking

and I'm handing the kicks on to you.

I'm told we're indifferent, complacent,

lax, and unimaginative.

That we never move until
public opinion makes us

and then it's usually too late.

And there's some truth in the accusations.

Five insured persons
have been found drowned

in the last eight months

and not one of you has brought in

a scrap of evidence as to who benefited,

though all the claims, heavily
underwritten, have been met.

What can we do without a
lead from the so's office?

They can't move without evidence.

You will have to work alone.

Persuade where you can't command.

Who's got e area?

I have.

Three of the five cases are yours.

You'll have to go through
your insurance companies

with a fine toothed comb.

Yes, sir.

That's all.

If, as I say, it is simply
a series of coincidences,

let me have something
definite enough to publish.

All right.

Oh, uh, holt.

Yes, sir?

The extradition of the
man grogan from America.

He arrives the day after tomorrow

and I've made my arrangements, sir.

They think so much of
your prodigy in America

that they've sent a lieutenant O'Reilly

from the Chicago police
department along with him.

He'll be staying a while to
study our antiquated methods.

I'll attach him to you, then
he won't learn anything.

Yes, sir.

Hello, extension seven?

Send me up a pot of tea.

Dr. orloff, I can only
be terribly grateful

to you for this loan.

I know you for an honest man, Stuart.

I can read it in your eyes,

so I trust you.

You do know that in
the event of my invention

being accepted by the government,

I'll be wealthy again.

If you'd like me to sign a...

Yes.

You might do that.

Would you care to make over
your life insurance to me?

I am not insured.

But you should be.

That's the insurance broker
speaking, the businessman.

The most charitable man I know.

And the greatest of these is charity.

Yes.

Now, all I want you to do
is to sign this simple note

to pay me back the sum I
am so happy to lend you.

You're a very good man, Dr. orloff.

I wanted to be, Stuart.

I wanted to devote my life
to the healing of mankind.

I wanted to be a doctor.

But they got together,
those narrow minded,

prejudiced medical men to
see how they can rule me.

Brilliant, but
unbalanced, that was the verdict.

And so I serve the blind.

You mean you...

Here in greenwich, Mr.
Dearborn, himself blind,

runs a home for blind vagrants.

If you would like to
express your gratitude

for the little thing that I have done,

send him a donation.

Or better still, go and
see his home yourself

and learn the joy of giving charity.

I will.

Here.

Here is the address.

Call on him tomorrow evening.

I'll let him know that you are coming.

I most certainly will.

Do.

Goodbye.

Goodbye and thank you again.

Grogan arrives the day after
tomorrow under police escort.

He will be allowed bail, pay it.

You're dumb Lou, aren't you?

Good luck to you.

Send this in all the evening papers.

And open the window.

Get out.

Dr. orloff?

Yes.

I am Dr. orloff.

I'm a detective inspector
from Scotland yard.

How can I help you?

Well, for certain purposes,
we are making a check

on all recently insured persons.

May I ask with what object?

Well, it's a formality concerning

a case under investigation.

They're asking the cooperation of all

insurance companies within a certain area.

Only too willing to help you if I can.

Thank you.

May I see your books?

Uh, certainly.

We don't do a great deal of business.

We have only very small
connections, you know.

Any particular name you are looking for?

Yes, ingle.

Ah, yes, a sad case.

Why ingle should take his life...

The verdict was found drowned.

Was it?

I had forgotten.

Ingle was insured for 20,000 pounds.

Yes.

Who was the beneficiary?

A woman, I think, not his wife.

It was all quite in order.

Where is she to be found?

I can give you an address,

but I have a notion she went abroad.

I'd like it, please, together with his

surrendered policy.

Oh, certainly.

Did you insure a miss Ursula sable?

Yes.

She was found drowned too, wasn't she?

Yes, an extraordinary coincidence.

Am I being suspect of foul play?

No, Dr. orloff, but
in the public interest,

cases like these must be investigated.

Oh, I appreciate that.

Who benefited in the case of miss sable?

Actually, I have to look that up.

Yes, Saul, Samuel, sable.

Oh, yes, Mr. Carlo hesher,
a Romanian, I think.

The policy was drawn up as
a guarantee for money left.

Well, has Mr. hesher
returned to Romania?

His last address was the
midland hotel in Manchester.

Well, thank you, Dr. orloff.

Have you all the information you wanted?

I may have to call on you again.

I am always willing to help.

Thank you.

Answer it, Jake.

Hmm, you've been a long time, Lou.

Darkness spread over the earth

and neither was the light in the heavens

nor on the waters of the earth.

The eyes of men were blinded

because of their inequities

and the hardness of their hearts,

so they remained for seven days

that were seven nights

and voices of mankind arose, lamenting,

give unto us a sign that we may see

for we repent our sins and
will not trespass again.

And on the seventh day, the
sun shone in the heavens,

giving light on mountain and on valley,

on river and the multitudinous sea.

And they who were blind

did see again.

Oh, hello, Lou.

I wish to see Mr. dearborn.

Why, what's this?

Stuart, I'm glad I'm here.

Mr. dearborn has been called
away on an errand of mercy.

The pleasure of showing
you around will be mine.

Come this way.

Here's where they are
taught useful occupations.

Dearborn believes that by
contributing to their own keep,

they will preserve their
independence and self respect.

See how nimbly they work,
their fingers are their eyes.

Through there are the
kitchen and the dormitories.

It's a splendid work.

Something I'd like my daughter to see.

Daughter?

What daughter?

I thought you had no relatives.

Where is she now?

On her way back from America.

Will she live with you?

I suppose so, for a while, anyhow.

Well, that's surprising.

Uh, where were we?

Oh yes, yes, I wanted to show you my

special department upstairs,
the medical clinic.

It's odd, Mr. Stuart, isn't it,

how life has compensated me.

Compensated?

Oh, yes, with the care
of these poor creatures.

Ooh!

I'm very sorry, have I hurt you?

No more than a
steamroller would have done.

Nice work, flat foot.

Hey, uh, are you holt?

I'm O'Reilly, Chicago police department.

Hello, hi.

Go on, well educate him.

I say, I'm sorry about that girl.

Ah, she'll get over it.

Here's your man, grogan.

Oh, good to have you back, grogan.

Yes, I'll bet you are.

I won't keep you a minute.

Hey, wait a minute.

I say, I really am awfully sorry.

Is there anything I can do?

No, thanks, I'm taking no more risks.

Taxi?

Oh, I say, wait a minute.

Hey, you wait a minute.

Ha, ha, ha.

Home, James.

Well, grogan, how are you?

Colossal.

I hope you've lost the perishing key.

Yes, where is the key?

Key, oh, I've got it here.

I had it, uh, somewhere...

Is it in your trouser pocket?

Um, you try.

Hey, wait a minute, I know where it is.

Where?

The captain has got it back in Chicago.

I could sock you right on the nose.

I got a good mind to let you.

Well, and who's supposed
to be looking after you two?

Oh, that's all right, officer,

this is my way of being a joker.

I'm inspector holt of Scotland yard.

Oh, and who's he
supposed to be, Dr. Watson?

Come on.

Now, listen to me, will you and...

Hey, wait a minute tell him who we are.

You'll look very silly when I

get back to the yard, sergeant.

I'll look pretty silly if you don't

you'll be missing a couple of them

if you don't look after him a bit better.

I think your english
police are wonderful.

You've done very well.

I always said you'd go far.

My only fear was how far.

With the greatest difficulty, I have

kept your lower form antics
out of the public papers.

Lieutenant O'Reilly, I have to inform you

that the yard is a dour,
soulless place of business,

where hijinks, jitterbugs, and horseplay

of the more imaginative kind
are severely discouraged

have a cigar, commissioner.

I don't smoke cigars.

I understand that bail
for the man, grogan,

has been offered and will be
accepted by court tomorrow.

You want to hold him?

No, sir, not as long as
he's under observation.

Very well.

Yes, this is the commissioner.

Yes.

What?

Oh, it's for you, holt.

Hello?

Yes, holt speaking.

British emergency call coming through.

Hello, river police, you're through.

What's the place?

Surrey, old stairs.

All right, don't touch anything.

Yes, I'm coming now, yes, instantly.

Exchange, transfer me.

I want transport m1,
another river case, sir.

Holt speaking.

I want a car at the front
entrance in four minutes.

In case he should forget
to make a mess of it,

you'd better go along with him.

Yes, sir.

Anything been touched?

Not a thing, sir.

Step back.

Hey, what is this, quicksand?

Take a dredger a couple
of weeks to get that up.

Tailors, hillingram and Curtis.

Name, Henry Stuart.

142 billingham mansion.

Part of a broken cuff
link, it's marked hs.

You can't make a homicide
case out of half a cuff link.

Ambulance is coming, sir.

All right, have him
taken to the mortuary

tell the doctor run
the rule over him.

Aye.

Keep back, keep back, please.

Make way there, come on, get back.

Fenton, issue the usual notices

and try and get him identified.

You're taking a lot of
trouble with this case.

Well, perhaps I think it's worth it.

Well, maybe I got a thing to learn.

Maybe you have.

That'll be all.

You can cover him up now.

What do you make of it, doc?

Oh, simple case of drowning.

Mucus froth about the nose and mouth,

water in the air passages and lungs,

about a pint of it in the stomach.

No marks of v*olence?

None whatsoever.

It ain't even m*rder class b.

It's either an accident or su1c1de.

How long has he been dead, doctor?

About three hours.

Was the water you found
in the stomach muddy?

I haven't had time to analyze it yet.

Oh, let me know when you do, will you?

A relative has just arrived,
sir, to identify the body.

Well, you wait here, will you?

Right.

- Miss?
- Stuart.

Do you remember me?

I remember.

What's happened to my father?

There's been an accident.

He's dead?

Well, it may not be your father,

but we have to make sure.

You must be brave.

Are you ready?

Yes.

Tis?

He was found drowned in the thames.

I think he d*ed quite
painlessly, miss Stuart.

I can't believe it.

Perhaps you can help us
to throw some light on it.

I can't now.

Can't she take it, that girl?

Without a whimper, too.

Yeah, she's plucky, all right.

For her sake I hope we
get an accident verdict.

Sergeant Harris just found this, sir.

It was tucked away in the
bottom of the deceased's pocket.

What've you got now?

Looks like a bit of
braille writing to me.

Coming?

What I'd like to know
is how that cuff link

got torn away.

Yes, I'm coming.

Say, what do you guys
think this place is?

Sorry, grogan, we've had a busy night.

We're sleeping 'em four
in a bed in some places.

Josie just got him a bunk.

Sleeping?

How can anyone sleep next
to that laughing jackass?

We all got our troubles, friend.

Ah!

Put a sock it in, chum.

What you in for?

I'm a disgrace.

A disgrace to the family.

Well, that's nothing to laugh about.

What you been up to, m*rder?

No.

Drunk and incapable.

Well, what's wrong with that?

I'm charged
with drunk and incapable

and they won't change it.

Hmm.

What do you want to be
charged with, highway robbery?

No, I want to be charged
with drunk and disorderly.

Then you're in a tough spot.

There you are, my dear, drink
that and you'll feel better.

Inspector holt can't be long now.

I'll see if he's arrived.

No, I don't go out for that much either.

Give me a g*n and a bunch
of hijackers and I'm okay.

Hey, wait a minute.

Tell me I'm seeing things.

What is that?

Hey, that's beautiful.

You fellas get one each, huh?

Miss Stuart's waiting
in your room, inspector.

Oh, thank you.

Lieutenant O'Reilly, this
is police constable griggs.

Glad to know you, babe.

You certainly gave me a shock.

Lieutenant O'Reilly
thought that you were here

to supply love and comfort
to overworked detectives.

Yeah, that's me.

Then it may interest
lieutenant O'Reilly to know

that my main duty lies in the
promotion of public morality.

Morality, what's she
mean by that last cr*ck?

I'm sorry I had to keep you waiting.

Pull up a chair, O'Reilly.

I need hardly say how deeply
I sympathize with you.

May I say at once that I know

my father couldn't have committed su1c1de.

Won't you sit down?

You're sure your father
wasn't worried about anything?

No, I don't think so.

Was he in any kind of difficulty?

Not that I know of.

Well, it wasn't an accident.

You mean it was either su1c1de...

Or m*rder.

Had he any enemies?

I don't know, but I'm going to find out.

Did he know anybody who was blind?

I don't think so, not to my knowledge.

Could he read the writing of the blind?

Braille, I mean.

Why do you ask?

I don't know.

Probably lead nowhere.

Now, look here, I don't
want you to communicate

with any stranger without
first letting me know.

You don't think I'm in any danger.

I don't know what I think yet,

but I'd like you to do as I ask.

Very well.

Oh, Jackson, show miss
Stuart out, will you?

And ask sergeant Morrison to come in.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Your bag, miss Stuart.

So that's why you're so
interested in this case.

We're not all like you.

What do you mean?

Oh, ask a policewoman.

Well, did he fall for it?

He did.

Hey, what's going on around here?

He's been spending the
night in the cell with grogan.

Did he steal anything?

Made a grab for me paper.

What'd he want?

The agony column.

This.

G-r-Oo j-u-h-h-b-i-d.

Hey, what is this?

Ask codes what they
make of this, will you?

Right, sir.

And I'll have grogan up now.

Do you want me again, sir?

No.

Send up 249, please.

Now, holt, this is where I come in.

Just leave that bird
to me for a few minutes

and I'll have him talking
faster than Max Miller.

There's no third degree
in this country, O'Reilly.

We catch our crooks by kindness.

You'll see.

Ah!

Listen, you can't do this to me, holt.

Take it easy, grogan.

I'm entitled to a night's
rest the same as anyone else.

All right, Fred, I'm gonna see

you're made more comfortable.

Look, holt, let me have
this guy for just two minutes.

Now, listen, Fred, I don't want to

press this charge against you.

When you go up in front of
the beak in the morning,

I'm not going to oppose bail.

Why don't you give
him a civic reception?

Who's standing your bail, grogan?

Just a friend, a loving friend.

Oh, you don't feel like telling me.

Not when I'm going to let
you out in the morning?

Just put yourself in
my place, inspector.

All right, grogan.

And you won't oppose the bail?

No, no, I won't oppose it.

If ever I have a son,
which is extremely unlikely,

I'll name him Larry.

Come on, Fred, back to bye-bye.

There's no need to use your hands.

This is no police
station, it's a sanitarium.

There's always tomorrow, O'Reilly.

Come in.

Oh, did they make anything of it?

Yes, schoolboy code.

Gro, obviously grogan, written
in plain to attract his eye.

The rest is simple code.

The first letter in this case, g, is a.

H is b and so on.

What's the message?

Gro communicate orloff.

Orloff?

Doctor orloff.

Any good?

Well, I don't know.

Except that grogan's
strong suit is forgery.

And that piece of paper I
found in Stuart's pocket

was a message in braille.

Come along, St. Patrick, we will see what

the photographers have
made of their end of it.

Oh, grogan's going out
on bail tomorrow morning.

Have him tailed from the
moment he leaves the courts.

Very good, sir.

Call me every four hours
unless it's something hot.

Yes, sir.

You've got the prints
of the Stuart's exhibit?

Um, yes, they're just through.

Project them, will you?

Uh, Mr. porthrow, project these.

Put another one in, will you?

Have you got a table of the tides?

Now, the pathologist's report says

that Stuart d*ed three
hours before we found him,

near high water Mark at 10:00.

What was the time of low tide
on the night of the fifteenth?

6:30, sir.

Then Stuart was drowned
near high water Mark,

five and a half hours before
the tide reached there.

Sure, sure, but the
poor palooka was drowned,

wasn't he?

And there are no marks of v*olence.

Thames water is muddy, O'Reilly.

Well, don't I know it, I lost a

presentation cigar case in that mud.

Hello, give me extension five, will you?

Dr. wiley there?

Inspector holt.

Dr. wiley.

Hello?

Yes?

It has just been analyzed.

I've got the tube here before me.

The water in the man's stomach

was just clean, clear tap water.

Thanks, Andy.

Send up the sample, will you?

Tap water, not river water.

Stuart wasn't drowned in the thames,

he was drowned somewhere else
and dumped there afterwards.

Well, for the love of Pete!

Extension eight, please.

Hello, Mr. Slade?

Oh, hello, Tim.

Have you had the report
on the braille writing?

Oh, good, I'll come along.

Oh, and Tim, order some tea, will you?

Have those sent up to my office, will you?

Hello, Tim.

This is lieutenant O'Reilly.

Lieutenant O'Reilly,
Chicago police department.

Where's the tea?

It's coming.

What'd you make of that braille writing?

Very little.

The water's obliterated the greater part.

The first three letters are m-u-r.

Is that all?

That's all.

Well, there are very few
words beginning with m-u-r

and one of them is...

m*rder.

You said it, big boy.

I'll keep that, Tim, and
you can drink my tea.

Remember Tim, Chicago police department.

Goodbye, Mr. o'brien.

Say, honey, you don't have to

take care of my morality
in the daytime, do you?

Here, it's done.

And you wouldn't have made me do it

if I hadn't needed the money.

It's not the first time you've

signed a signature that wasn't your own.

It's the first time I've signed one

of a guy what's been m*rder*d.

There is no question of m*rder.

Oh, yes there is.

The cops are saying there is and

the papers are saying so, too.

So, you won't be able to come near me

over price amounts, will you?

Are you threatening me, grogan?

No, no, I'm not threatening you.

Don't you worry, I won't
squeal, I'm not that kind.

No, you won't squeal.

I'll see to that.

Here, what about the dough?

I'm not in the habit
of breaking promises.

Put your things away.

Taking out a policy, grogan?

You know Mr. grogan, inspector?

Yes, I do.

How can I help you this time?

Listen, I thought you
was gonna lay off me.

What's this man doing here?

I don't understand you, inspector.

I don't like hearing
meself talked about,

so I'll just hop it home...

All right, O'Reilly let him go.

In case you are not aware
of it already, Dr. orloff,

I think you ought to know
that grogan's out on bail

and that his specialty is forgery.

Taxi!

Milligan Avenue, mate.

Yes, I know all about grogan, inspector.

My volunteer activities include

the vice presidentship of the
prisoners relief association

and grogan was asking
my help in his defense.

The nerve of that guy,

asking you to put up the
Jack for his mouthpiece.

Your colleague is a foreigner.

I'm not a foreigner,
doc, I'm an American.

Over here for a nice little rest

and the first thing I
run into is a m*rder.

m*rder?

Man named Stuart, found
drowned in the thames.

Oh, yes, I read that.

Poor Stuart.

But surely it wasn't m*rder?

You knew Stuart?

Er, not intimately, but enough to know

that he was in a hopeless financial mess.

I did try to help him.

Was Stuart insured with your company?

He was, yes.

And you enter your
clients alphabetically

in your ledgers?

You mean you didn't see his name

entered on the same
list with miss sable's.

Mr. Stuart's policy is
in a different category.

If Stuart was in financial difficulties,

how'd he pay his premiums?

As a matter of fact, uh,

I've paid the last two for him myself.

Perhaps you would like to see the policy.

Will you be good enough
to find Mr. Henry Stuart's

life policy?

Uh, by the way, I have finished this.

You may return it.

Who benefits by the policy?

Stuart's daughter?

Uh, no, inspector, I'm the beneficiary.

You see, Stuart made over the policy to me

when he couldn't meet the premiums,

in return of the loan of 2000 pounds.

This is the policy and this
is the receipt for the loan.

Suspecting a forgery, inspector?

You mind if I fill my pen?

Uh, this is copying ink.

Use this.

I hope you are satisfied.

As satisfied as a detective ever is.

Thank you.

Don't hesitate to call on me

whenever I can be of assistance.

I won't.

So long, doc.

Give me the list of the underwriters

covering the Stuart policy.

General life, 9,000.

Chapman and underhill, 5,500.

Approved annuities, 5,500.

All together 20,000 pounds.

Claim on them at once.

And uh, find me poor Stuart's
number in the phone book.

I want to communicate with his daughter.

Here, whatcha?

Oh, blimey!

No!

Hey, you're wearing me out.

Where are we headed for now?

We interview Mr. grogan on the

fascinating subject of forgery.

You're working too fast,
what about the m*rder?

Grogan?

Grogan.

Grogan?

Lord almighty.

All right, do what you
can with the poor devil.

I'm afraid we're too late, though.

Don't they ever sh**t
anybody in this country?

Now listen O'Reilly,
we're onto something,

we ought to work fast.

You mean faster.

Put the light on, will you?

Hello, give me whitehall
1212, quickly, please.

Poor old Fred.

Hello?

Hello, send a doctor round to
grogan's pad at once, please.

And listen, you can take
the men off his tail,

he's slipped past you
for good, I'm afraid.

Now I want...

What?

When?

No, don't do anything,
I'm coming along now.

Diana Stuart's gone
over to orloff's house.

How do you know?

She telephoned.

That girl wants her so and so smacking.

Nice work if you can get it.

Miss Stuart, I asked you to visit me

because in a way I feel
a certain responsibility

for your welfare.

Thank you, Dr. orloff,
but there's really no need.

I have a little money of
my own and I shall work.

What do you intend to do?

First of all, find the
man who k*lled my father.

You're very determined.

Wouldn't you feel the same?

Of course.

But don't let your sorrow
dwell on your mind.

Work will help to heal it.

Now, I have a very dear friend,

runs a home for the blind.

He himself is blind, needs a secretary

who can see to help him.

Oh, I should be very
grateful, Dr. orloff.

Then I will arrange it now.

You are very kind.

Dearborn, this is orloff.

Oh, the young lady I spoke you about.

Yes.

She's very interested.

Yes, yes, she's ready to
commence work right away.

Quite right.

Yes, goodbye.

There.

Thank you, Dr. orloff.

And the question of salary
you can safely leave to me.

And now I'll say goodbye.

My man has a taxi waiting for you.

Now, don't brood on the past.

Think on the future.

See miss Stuart to her taxi.

Goodbye, miss Stuart.

Goodbye.

Where to, miss, please?

Bellingham mansions, palace gate.

Bellingham mansions, palace gate.

Driver, stop, you're
going the wrong way.

All right, miss Stuart,
I know my way about.

You!

And the I on the back is for Larry.

Didn't I tell you...

And I phoned your office.

And Dr. orloff wanted to
talk to me about father, so...

Now, listen.

Another man was k*lled tonight

because he knew something
about your father

and it might just has
easily have been you.

Oh, but that's awful.

But it couldn't have
made any difference to me

seeing Dr. orloff.

All he wanted to do was to help.

He's found me a job with Mr. dearborn

at his home for blind men.

You've got plenty of guts, haven't you?

And you want to see this thing through?

You know I do.

Right.

Now, somewhere between orloff's office

and the dearborn place is the answer.

That's all I know.

Now, you go there, keep your eyes open

and keep in touch with me.

I'll never be far away from you.

All right.

And now, where to, lady?

Bellingham mansions, please.

Whoa!

I devoted my life to
this work, miss Stuart.

But I cannot help these poor fellows

as much as I would like to.

My own blindness prevents me.

Hard to believe you're blind.

You move about so easily.

Haven't you heard of the
sixth sense of the blind?

Every sorrow in the world
has its compensation.

Now, come, let me show
you these poor fellows.

Listen, men.

I want to introduce miss Stuart to you.

She is going to work here and help us.

Are her eyes dark like ours?

No, she can see.

See?

All right, men.

Go back to your work.

We'll ask the doctor,
Lou, what it is.

I'll ask him.

This is our little hospital.

It was given us by Dr. orloff.

If anyone gets ill, he comes
here and attends to them.

Well, how's the patient?

What's wrong with him?

Nothing serious.

Dumb Lou is a very good
musician, miss Stuart.

I should like to hear him play one day

when he feels a bit better.

Lie still.

Lie still and rest.

Come, miss Stuart, we
shouldn't disturb him anymore.

You heard what he said,
Lou, you must lie still.

Somebody's here.

Who is it?

I'm inspector holt of cid.

I had an inquiry to make,

so I took the Liberty of coming right in.

I'm at your service, inspector.

Here is a piece of paper.

On it is written a message in braille,

I wonder if you'd be good
enough to read it to me.

The first letter is m.

I can't tell you what the rest are.

They are not decipherable.

That's a pity.

What is the import of the paper?

They were found in the
pocket of a drowned man.

You distress me, inspector.

So unless you wish my help further,

I will ask you to excuse me.

Certainly, Mr. dearborn, and thank you.

Ring him at six.

All right.

Thank you.

Miss Stuart, after you've
prepared the paying in book

for the bank tomorrow, you may go.

And should Dr. orloff arrive,

please tell him I'm very anxious

that he attends to Lou without delay.

Very well, Mr. dearborn.

You think the old boy was foxing?

What ever gave you that idea?

All right, let's head back.

How is he?

Did my injection have the desired effect?

Try to find Mr. dearborn, Jake.

I shall have to make
another experiment.

Sit up.

You have been very foolish, Lou.

You have been writing
on little bits of paper.

The police have been here.

They might come back, Lou.

They might ask you questions.

You're blind and you can't
speak, but you can hear

and that will never do.

What? What, what was that?!

Hello, Dr. orloff.

Good evening, miss Stuart.

Lou is all right now, I
have been attending him.

Good evening.

Goodnight.

You know where
the young lady lives, Jake.

She's a difficult young woman, Jake.

Perhaps you'd better see her safely home.

It's ironic that Stuart
should be carrying in his pocket

a message that was to cause his own death.

A message sent to a blind man

yes?

Investigation bureau.

Henry Stuart was insured by the

greenwich insurance
company for 20,000 pounds.

Three firms underwrote the
policy for the full amount.

Got him.

Who?

Orloff, Dr. orloff.

You mean that nice doctor guy?

Now, listen, I've been checking up

on that nice doctor guy.

Doctor, I thought it
was bogus, but it isn't.

He'd be a practicing physician today

if a megalomaniac streak hadn't

got him into trouble years ago.

Now he runs an insurance company.

He takes out bogus policies,

forges the signatures of
carefully selected people

and lays off to some of the underwriters.

Yeah?

He waits a reasonable
time in paying the premiums

and everything is
straight and above board.

Then neatly bumps them off.

Collects the money
from the underwriters,

makes a fictitious entry in his book

saying the money has been paid out

to persons who don't exist.

Hello?

Hello, Diana, yes, I'm glad you rang.

Listen...

You listen.

Just before I left, I had to
go through dearborn's accounts

and I found a check from my father

that hadn't been paid
in attached to a letter

saying that Dr. orloff
was arranging for him

to pay a visit to the home.

Does it say when he was going?

Yes, he was to go on the
evening of the fifteenth.

The evening of the
night before we found him.

Does it say anything else?

No, what do you want me to do?

Just a minute, something's
happened to the lights.

Hello?

Hello, hello?

Diana, what's happened?

Diana!

What's the matter?

I don't know what.

For god's sake, get me a car and hurry!

Bellingham mansions, palace court.

Come on, let's bust.

Right, ready?

It was Jake!

Jake, the man from the blind home.

Larry, you don't want me to
go back there now, do you?

I can't, I daren't!

Yes, you dare.

I've got to have sufficient
proof that orloff's a m*rder*r

and his last victim was your father.

All right, I'll do it.

But you will be near, won't you?

I will.

Ah, I missed him.

There's a fire escape out there.

Still, it was good to hear
the old music box again.

Well, what next, Sherlock?

Well, as the walrus
said to the carpenter,

the time has come.

We'll call out the squad and
surround orloff's office.

Atta baby!

I'm coming with you.

You bet your life you are.

All right, stay with miss Stuart,

I'll call you if I want you.

Search that room!

Boy, oh boy!

Well, it looks like he b*at you to it.

Yes.

What a payoff.

He won't get far.

Hello, Scotland yard.

Hello, holt speaking.

Get this over to the hue and cry.

Wanted for m*rder, doctor orloff,

48, hair graying, blue eyes.

In spite of a nationwide search,

orloff has so far
managed to evade capture.

Every hour reveals the magnitude of the

insurance crimes he so
diabolically engineered.

It's incredible this
man, who is our benefactor,

should have m*rder*d your father.

Come in.

Uh, who is it?

Inspector holt.

Oh, I remember.

What is it this time, more braille?

No.

Tell me what you know about Dr. orloff.

Dr. orloff, as I knew him,

he was one of the kindest men I ever met.

He was our most generous supporter.

Oh, no, he wasn't.

He used you.

He gave money to your institute

in order to get the
blind men here as dupes.

Mr. holt!

I shall like to see
this hospital of his.

I will take you there.

You didn't say anything
about Jake, did you?

No.

Don't.

Holt wants to keep him on the sidelines.

One of our inmates is
a patient in the hospital

at the moment.

We shouldn't disturb him
any more than we can help.

I'm investigating a
m*rder case, Mr. dearborn.

Yes, I understand that.

This is the man, Lou.

What's the matter with him?

Some nerve trouble.

There's a gentleman here to see you, Lou,

a police inspector.

He wants to speak to you.

Lou.

Lou.

Lou!

Is he deaf as well as dumb and blind?

No, no, he should be
able to hear quite well.

Who fitted this place up?

Dr. orloff.

One of his many charities.

Well, what's this?

You have me at a
disadvantage, inspector.

I'm not familiar with any object

unless I handle it myself.

It's an iron t*nk.

You can run water into it.

What's it for?

I'm afraid only Dr.
Orloff could tell you that.

I have no medical knowledge.

Lou.

Lou!

What's the matter, Lou?

I'll send along a doctor to see if

he can do the man any good.

Oh, by the way, have
you got a machine here

for the writing of braille?

Oh, yes, inspector.

I want the man Lou to
answer some questions.

If the poor devil can't
see, hear, or speak,

he can still feel.

So if you will have these
transcribed into braille,

then he can write down the answers.

Miss Stuart and one of the
men can do it right away.

I'll be seeing you later, Mr. dearborn.

You ready, O'Reilly?

Goodbye, inspector.

I'm pleased we can be of assistance.

Thank you.

Miss Stuart?

- Yes.
- Oh.

Here is a list of questions to
be transcribed into braille.

You can read it out and one of the men

will take it down on the stainsby machine.

The machine is kept in the
cupboard by the window.

This is the key.

Mr. dearborn sent me.

Yes, for the braille.

I was just getting out the machine.

There.

Thank you.

Just a minute.

I want you to hurry, men.

Faster, faster.

At what time did he
perform the operation?

Who is it?

Henry Stuart's daughter.

What is it, my dear?

This belonged to my father.

How did it get into this house?

I don't recollect ever seeing it before.

Seeing it?

How could you see it, Mr. dearborn?

Blind.

You're no more blind than I am.

You're a fake!

And you're shielding the
man who k*lled my father.

Since you are so
interested, I'll tell you.

Yes, I am the man who
disposed of your father.

And for the same reasons
I must now dispose

of that poor fool on the bed.

Both got in my way.

No one can hear you!

Please get off!

Please don't.

Let me go!

Inspector holt knows that I'm...

That stupid policeman.

He stood there and asked me
what the t*nk was used for.

Now I will show you.

What you going to do?

You'll see.

Oh, please don't!

Don't!

Don't!

No!

Now.

This building was once a warehouse

and the floor we're on
now overhangs the river.

Below there are mud flats
which have proved most useful.

Eventually, the tide releases them

the rest you will understand.

In your father's case, unfortunately,

we couldn't follow this procedure.

Jake carried him to the river.

Listen, orloff, I'm
to meet holt at 6:00.

If I am missing he'll come straight here.

My dear young woman, I shall soon be

sailing down the river.

I have my own yacht.

They'll know.

The men downstairs know
nothing, they are blind.

Who else will be alive to tell them?

Jake!

River police emergency call.

Report inspector holt.

Dropped anchor off the dearborn home.

River police calling inspector holt.

Craft anchored off the dearborn home.

Right.

Hey, what is this?

We've scared him into action.

Make no mistake this time, Jake.

Goodbye, miss Stuart.

Don't, Jake, please!

Don't, listen to me, Jake!

Listen to me!

Hurry, men, hurry.

Don't!

Don't, Jake, don't!

Please, Jake, don't!

Jake!

Where's Lou, Jake?

Lou?

He's gone, Jake.

Orloff got rid of him like
he got rid of all the others,

out of this window into the river.

Lou!

Lou!

What's the matter?

Stay where you are.

Get on with your work.

Lou!

Lou!

Lou!

Jake!

What are you waiting for?

Do as I've told you.

You k*lled Lou!

I shall have to settle with you myself.

Holden put a cord around the
house, O'Reilly get the door.

Come on, search the place!

All right, keep calm, keep calm.

Get that man some help!

Alright, come on!

Go back!

I'm orloff!

You'll get half the money!

Thank god you're safe!

I hope that guy has sense enough

to look for my cigar case.

Has he gone?

When a dog goes mad,
he has to be destroyed.

Goodbye, kid.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Oh, yeah, I can see
that's the routine, alright.

Put me down for a couple of
bucks for the wedding present.

Hello, morality.

Okay, I'll go quietly.

Quietly back to Chicago for a rest cure.