05x12 - The Case of the Brazen Bequest

[bunniefuu]

(theme song playing)

I'm sorry, Wilson,

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

Something a little less...
indiscreet.

Indiscreet?

A drum majorette?

Dr. Cromwell, this
is practically prim,

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

I remember it well.

But... last year,
James Vardon was not

about to give the school
a million-dollar endowment.

We need that money, Wilson.

It means a whole new future
for the school.

We can't afford
to jeopardize it.

Jeopardize it?
With this?

Mr. Vardon has some curiously
straitlaced notions.

Boy, he must have.

I mean, what is it
with him, anyway?

Does he want the whole
world scrubbed antiseptic

just because he made
his money in soap?

(laughs) You should be
majoring in psych,

instead of journalism.

Well, okay, Dr. Cromwell.

I'll try
and come up with something.

(door shuts)

(whistles)
Cromwell.

Knock it off and get out here,
will you?

We've got trouble.

What's the matter,
Marcus?

Don't tell me
someone spiked the tea.

Oh, no such luck.

It's that Haskell idiot.

If you don't peel him
off our backs,

there's going
to be open rebellion.

You and your
commencement rehearsal--

fouling up a perfectly
good faculty garden party.

If this is a sample,
Heaven help the college

when you take over as president.

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

Anyway, it
wasn't my idea--

Haskell insisted on it.

There is no benefactor
like Vardon,

and Robert Haskell
is his prophet.

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

Oh, Mr. Haskell,
do have some tea.

Oh, thank you, no,
Mrs. Cromwell.

I don't have time now.

Everything must
be just right

for Mr. Vardon
at the commencement.

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

After all, the exercises
are still a week away.

Pete, bring the
sandwiches, will you?

You're very kind,
Mrs. Cromwell.

But at another time.

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

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

But you got
to hand it to him.

He sure is on the ball
for Mr. Vardon.

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

Mr. Vardon would not like
to receive his honorary degree

on a bare platform.

Customarily, we drape it
in the college colors.

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

That'll be fine.

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

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

Oh, there you are,
Dr. Cromwell.

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

Oh, not at all.

Though we have had
other commencements, you know.

Why don't you relax
and enjoy the party?

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

the student body will be
seated out there, right?

The graduating class
will march up here,

receive their diplomas
and go out over there.

Now, where will
Mr. Vardon be?

Seated on the stage,
as the guest of honor.

I see.

I have a suggestion.

Wouldn't it be
more impressive

if Mr. Vardon arrives
during the ceremonies?

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

where that taxi's
coming now.

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

(woman grunts)

(groans)
Ah, ah!

(woman yells)

Hi, everybody!

Hey, start the music, huh?

(groans)
Oh!

(laughing shrilly)

Hi, there.
Are you all right?

(laughing)
Sure. I'm all right, fellas.

I'm...

perfectly all right.

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

(laughing)

Huh?

(whimpers)

Oh, leave me alone.

I just want to see Curly.

(panting)

Old Curly.

That's all.
Old Curly.

Curly, he'll take care of me.

(engine starts)

Dispatcher?

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

It's very important.

No, not regarding an accident.

It's about a passenger he drove

to the college campus
a while ago.

(doorbell rings)

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

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

Uh, well,
all right, Wilson.

Come in.

I dug up this shot
of the campus.

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

but I figure
I can dress it up

with a couple
of mortised inserts--

maybe a picture of you up here
as incoming president

and then a shot
of Mr. Vardon down here.

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

Wilson?

You're not carrying
anything on...

about what happened today.

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

asking this Curly she was
looking for to come forward

and identify himself.
Wilson!

Oh, I'm just kidding, sir.

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

I wouldn't poke fun
at a sick person.

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

They took her
to Mercy Hospital.

No, I...

I didn't know.

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

for that regents' meeting
with Mr. Vardon.

d*ck, you will forgive me

if I interrupt.

I'd forgive you anything,
Mrs. Cromwell.

(chuckles)

(chuckles)

What I mean is, uh, uh...

thanks a lot
for okaying the cover, sir.

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

I hope so, and,
uh, thanks again.

(door closes)

Charles, you better hurry up.

Just a couple of
minutes, Mary.

As soon as I make
one phone call.

Is there something
bothering you?

You seem so preoccupied.

Only because of the
Vardon endowment.

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

Now, I do have
this call to make.

(phone rings)

Cromwell speaking.

Oh, yes, Haskell.

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

He'll pick you up in his car.

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

He sounded a little jumpy.

Not that I blame him,

with a million dollars
about to drop in his lap.

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

Well, I am.

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

Oh, I've got nothing
against him personally.

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

Bob, when I sold out
and retired,

I kept you on
to manage my investments,

not to question my spending.

Remember?

Well, if you
go through with this,

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

Oh, is that what's worrying you?

Afraid you'll be out
of a job someday!

That's hardly fair,
Mr. Vardon.

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

At my age,
there's a future?

(chuckles)
No, Bob.

I want my money
to do some good

while I'm still
here to see it.

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

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

This year, not next.

(door opens)

You really should
move around a little.

Or at least let me
bring you some coffee.

You've been
sitting there for hours.

Oh, I'm quite
all right.

I don't need
anything.

Ah...

Hi, Maizie.

Who scalped you, Curly?

The years carry tomahawks.

Funny, I knew you'd be here.

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

Boy, not much like
that h*nky-tonk

down in Panama, is it?

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

Doctor's orders.

Oh, tell him to
go fly a kite.

Curly and me got
a lot of remembering to do.

Not much time to do it in.

Curly, I...

I'm sorry about this afternoon.

I didn't mean to drink and...

Then I got

all confused and...

Nah. No. Forget it.

Curly?

You were the nicest thing
that ever happened to me

in my whole life.

You know something?

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

From that brawl, right on down
through the years,

when you got to be somebody.

Well, I even kept the
clippings in a book.

"My little sailor boy,"

I'd say to myself.

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

I took your advice, Maizie.

I came back and went to work.

Curly, listen.

I got a couple
of grand stashed away.

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

Hold me, Curly.

Don't let me go!

(breathing heavily)

Nurse!

You're going
to be all right.

Here's Dr. Hunterlin.

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

Shove off, Doc.

(weakly):
Curly'll take care of me.

He remembered me.

Honey...

you had such pretty,

wavy hair.

Is there anyone
we should notify?

I don't know.

Look here, Doctor.

There's something
I'd like to explain.

I mean, about my knowing her.

You see, that wonderful woman...

That poor creature.

She must have been loads
of fun in her day.

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

Miss Talbot, she is
not to be discussed,

particularly not in
connection with Dr. Cromwell,

for reasons that must
be obvious to you.

If that's the way
it is, though,

I think you should know
about the paper

she signed and had me
witness before you came.

Paper?

She acted like
it was important.

Something about...
a surprise for Curly.

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

Gone? Where?

Well, I wouldn't know.

Unless she gave it
to the orderly

while I was relieving
the duty desk.

You might ask him--
his name's Jonas.

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

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

She said it was her will.

Her will?

Are you sure of that?

That's what she said.

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

Did you notice how she
addressed the envelope?

No, sir. Made sure
it had a stamp

and sent it on its way.

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

Years ago, before
I was dry behind the ears,

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

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

well, I'd rather not
go into details.

Now, I know it may
sound callous

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

but if Mr. Vardon learned

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

he'd cancel
his gift to the college,

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

So you'd like to keep
the relationship concealed?

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

So...

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

before Vardon learns about it?

Not if it's probated,
Dr. Cromwell,

as under the law it must be.

The will then becomes
a matter of public record.

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

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

That $ , .

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

whatever it might be?

The beneficiary
has that right, yes,

but that wouldn't
suppress the will.

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

But I don't.

There is one hope, Dr. Cromwell.

If Miss Freitag mailed her will
directly to the court,

it might be delayed
on the clerk's desk

for a few days,
pending petition for probate.

I could ask Paul Drake

to inquire into the matter,
if you wish.

But what good
would that do? He...

He couldn't
get it back, could he?

No. But at least
you'd be informed.

You would know best
how to cope with the situation.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Mason.

Meantime, I'll make
some inquiries of my own

in Euclid Heights.

Well, she must've been
belting that sauce

pretty hard
before I picked her up.

Nothing she said
made much sense to me,

and I certainly
didn't talk to her.

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

Well, it was someplace
on the River Road,

but exactly what cross...

Your company record book
says Wilson Street.

Yeah, that sounds
about right.

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

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

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

she did say she
was staying there.

Yes, here it is.
(piano tune plays)

Miss Freitag checked in
about : in the morning.

Stayed in her room
till, oh, : ,
quarter of : ...

You say she had
a reservation?

Yeah, for one night--
paid in advance

by Mr. Haskell over
at the Park View Hotel.

Haskell?
Robert Haskell?

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

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

but you might ask Jerry--
he's our barkeep.

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

to reserve the room.
Thank you.

Sure,I'm sure
it was Haskell.

He's been here before.

First time he's ever
tipped me, though.

Tipped you for what?

Oh, for stocking
the woman's room

with liquor before
she checked in.

When I saw what
she looked like,

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

Maybe some sort
of a joke or something.

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

A cabdriver?

He told him to pick
the dame up later

and float her out
to the college campus--

something about a...
an old pal out there

she was gonna surprise.

Haskell, I want to talk to you.

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

Hask...

When I found there
was no Freitag will

in probate downtown,
I drove out to Euclid Heights

and ran into
something else.

And that was?
Remember you wondered

why Maizie would pop up
out of Cromwell's past

at just the moment
it would most embarrass him?

You said it puzzled you.

Still does, Paul.

Now, coincidence
might be the answer,

but don't you think
there's the possibility

this whole thing might
have been contrived

by someone with
ulterior motive?

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

I did backtrack Maizie
to a motel.

Now, the reservation
was made and paid for

by one Robert Haskell,

who just happens to be
a financial watchdog

for Cromwell's millionaire,
James Vardon.

Well, now.

There's more.

It was also Haskell
who saw to it

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

And on top of that,

somebody else checked all this
just ahead of me.

It wasn't
Cromwell, was it?

Could be.

Well, Paul, what
do you think?

Well... I think we
should go and have

a little talk with
this Robert Haskell.

MASON:
Mr. Haskell?

Mr. Haskell?

Paul.

Well, let's see what we have.

Victim's name was
Robert Haskell.

He worked for
a James Vardon.

You found the body
at approximately : ,

called us without
disturbing anything

and didn't see anyone
until we got here.

Neither of you knew
Haskell personally,

have no idea who k*lled him
or ransacked the room.

Is that the story?

Complete and correct.

Not quite.

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

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

Mm-hmm.

What client?

I'm sorry, that's
privileged information.

Of course.

How dense of me.

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

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

I am.
I just heard
about Bob.

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

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

He was almost
a son to me.

I'm asking you what's been
done to find his k*ller!

Let me ask the questions,
Mr. Vardon.

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

You can begin by telling me
what enemies he had.

Enemies? Bob
had no enemies!

He had one.

(phone ringing)

Hello.
Dr. Cromwell's residence.

Oh. Well, I've been
downtown shopping.

I just this moment got in.

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

(doorbell rings)

Wait a minute,
somebody's at the door.

What?

Well, of course
I have to answer it.

Why shouldn't I?

Well, what's happened? Wh...

(doorbell rings)

Wait a minute.

Mrs. Cromwell?

My name is Mason.

May I speak with
your husband?

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

PerryMason,
the attorney?

Yes.

I'm very anxious
to find Dr. Cromwell.

Why?

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

a man by the name
of Haskell.

Oh, yes, I know about that,

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

No, I'm sure not.

If you can just
help me locate him.

Perhaps he's
at the college.

Why don't you try there?

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

if I hear from him,
right away.

Would you...

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

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

that's the
undergraduate
magazine.

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

took a snapshot of us
just the other day.

Yes.

Here it is.

It's rather casual, but...

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

(door closes)

(exhales):
Now, what on earth is wrong?

What happened?

You did what?!

No...

No, never mind.

Where are you?

All right, wait there.

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

(piano tune plays)
JERRY:
Yes, sir, if it hadn't have been

for the regular desk clerk's
afternoon off,

he'd have said
the same thing.

This is the man,
all right.

You're positive?

Oh, absolutely.

There was a Paul Drake
by here later,

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

But this is the first one
that asked me.

And when I told him

what Mr. Haskell
arranged for out here--

the liquor and the cab--

he took off mad enough
to blow a fuse.

I see.

Well, thank
you very much.

Not at all.

Say, that woman's
quite a looker.

She's been in here, too.

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

No, a younger fellow--

a college student,
if I had my guess.

And I remember him for
a different reason, too.

He came back later

to pick up the handbag
the lady left here,

and you have never seen
a kid so shook up

when I told him Mr. Haskell

already had it.

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

can you describe him?

Yeah. He was about,
oh, medium height.

He had sandy hair...

and he had a scar right here,

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

MARY: What you've told
me's bad enough.

You had a fistfight
with Mr. Haskell

because he wouldn't
return my handbag.

Now he's dead.

Why was it so
important, d*ck? Why?

I...

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

I was afraid he'd
tell your husband.

Tell him what?

If you only knew.

The trouble is,
that night in the cocktail bar,

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

when you weren't looking.

It was a...

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

signed and put
your name on.

Oh, d*ck, you didn't.

That's why I insisted
on going back after it

when you left it. I...

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

before you saw it.

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

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

Now the police'll
find that crazy poem,

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

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

"You hold my heart
in thoughtless hands."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

they all begin to look alike.

My investigator says
he drives a car

registered under the name
of Richard Wilson.

The college office

says that a senior
named d*ck Wilson

takes two courses from you.

All right.

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

His relationship
with Mrs. Cromwell.

Now, see here, the Cromwells

happen to be
very dear friends of mine.

I take it
there has been gossip, then.

There's gossip on every campus.

You'd need a computer
to count the undergraduates

who've had callow crushes
on faculty wives

or coeds who've fallen
for instructors.

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

Look here, Mason.

Robert Haskell had
that same malicious habit

of digging up scandal
about everybody.

DRAKE:
Perry.

Excuse me, Dr. Tate.

Anything more, Paul?

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

But I understand
the police have been

down at Mercy Hospital
talking to a nurse.

Something about
a Curly Oliver.

He was the guy Maizie
kept calling for

just before
she died.

Well, that certainly gives us
less and less time.

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

talking to a man
named Grove,

checking up on the
endowment thing

and on Cromwell.

Oh, Mason, wait.

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

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

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

It's in the old lab building.

Charlie goes there sometimes.

Charles.

I was afraid I
wouldn't find you.

Mary, where have you been?

I called the house
and called it and called it.

Darling, listen. There...

There's something I
want to explain to you.

There's nothing to explain.

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

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

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

As far as young Wilson's poem
is concerned,

those things happen;
forget it.

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

No one'll ever see it.

I burned it.

And your handbag is
where it could've been

mislaid accidentally,
under the seat of the car.

Then you found my handbag.

Where?

Where you overlooked it,
I guess.

Though it was in plain view.

In Haskell's hotel room.

Charles.

You thought I...

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

Go home and look after her.

I'll take care
of the rest of it.

Oh, darling,
you thought I...

Then you were there.

In his room.

Hurry, darling.

You can go out the back way.

Hello, Doctor.

Mason.

How did you find me?

Did you tell him?

No. I've...

The point is,
Dr. Cromwell,

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

I don't know
what you mean.

Dr. Cromwell,
I came here to help you.

Obviously, you've been
avoiding everyone.

Now, there's no time
for equivocations,

either from you
or from Mrs. Cromwell.

Leave her out of this,
Mr. Mason.

I don't want Mary
so much as mentioned

in connection with Haskell.
Is that clear?

She's going home now.

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

We'll talk now, Curly.

That's for me to decide.

What did you call me?

Curly.

And you responded automatically.

But... how did you know?

Simple addition.

Doctor, you can't
delay any longer.

The police have already
been to Mercy Hospital.

Yes, the nurse who
witnessed Maizie's will.

The doctor who was the...

Hello, Mr. Mason.

Dr. Cromwell.

Yes.

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

for questioning
in connection with

the m*rder of Robert Haskell.

I warn you that anything
you say at this time

may be used
against you.

I arrived at the hotel at :
and immediately noticed

decedent's face bore
subcutaneous discolorations

characteristic of fist bruises.

I also observed a lateral
mid-temporal skull fracture,

which my subsequent
autopsy examination confirmed

as having been
the cause of death.

HORNER: In your
opinion, Doctor,

how was this fatal
skull injury

inflicted?

Well, decedent had
obviously been knocked down.

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

HORNER: Now, did you
form a conclusion

as to the time
this had happened?

Well, I would venture
the death had occurred

between minutes and
a half hour prior to my arrival.

Certainly, Haskell
died no earlier

than five minutes
before : .

Now, Mr. Wilson,
at what time

did you accost Mr. Haskell
outside of his hotel?

About : , or maybe
a few minutes before.

Had he then any
facial contusions?

No, sir.

Did you hit him?

Well, I... I tried,

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

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

Yes, sir.

And I thought
about following him,

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

So that's the last I saw of him.

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

marked People's Exhibit Number
One and previously introduced

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

And I ask you
if you recognize this

as belonging
to Mrs. Cromwell.

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

that's the bag
I fought with Haskell about.

Was it in the possession
of the decedent

on the day of his death?

Objected to as
calling for a response

not within the knowledge
of the witness.

But he said he had it.

I withdraw the
question, Your Honor.

Cross-examine.

Mr. Wilson...

after being ingloriously knocked
flat by a much older man,

you say you just thought
about going after him?

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

I already said I started
after him into the hotel.

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

Where were you when
you changed your mind?

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

I-I realized it was crazy...

In which corridor,
Mr. Wilson?

Look, I already said
all this to the police.

I didn't see him again.

Which corridor?

The-the one
that goes to the rooms.

MASON:
Which floor?

WILSON:
Well, the third floor...

MASON:
The floor on which
Mr. Haskell's room

was located,
is that correct?

Yes, sir.

Now, how many people
were in that corridor?

Nobody was there.

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

Did you knock
on his door?

Yes, I started to...

And then you
stopped. Why?

Why, Mr. Wilson?

Did you see something?
Did you hear something?

WILSON (sighs):
All right.

Yes.

There was somebody there
in the room.

I... I heard Haskell
yelling at him.

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

And then Pete said,

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

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

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

Now, just a minute.

You said, "Pete."
Pete who?

You recognized
the other person's voice?

WILSON:
Sure.

It was Pete Gibson.

Bailiff, stop that man.

Mr. Horner,
the court

appreciates that
the prosecution may not wish

to vouch for this man
as a prosecution witness.

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

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

I'm going to have him
put on the stand

as the court's witness
and question him

as such.

Now, uh, the procedure
is irregular,

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

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

I had a right to.

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

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

Go on, Mr. Gibson.

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

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

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

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

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

that he was k*lled
a little before : ?

Well, I can prove
by Dr. Tate

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

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

but I notice he's here.

So if it'd please
the court...

You intend to call Dr. Tate

before cross-examination
of Mr. Gibson?

Mr. Gibson has not
yet been adjudged

a prosecution
witness, Counselor.

Well, I have no objection

to his being considered
as such, Your Honor.

Very well, then. So ruled.

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

You may step down, Mr. Gibson.

Of course I know Gibson.

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

for the past ten years.
Thank you.

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

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

Oh, yes, definitely.

I offered him a lift
to the campus,

but he had the college
utility pickup,

so we drove
off separately.

HORNER: Did you notice
the time, Dr. Tate?

Yes, I did.

The campus tower clock
strikes every quarter hour.

You can hear it all over town.

It rang :
as I got into my car.

I remember setting
my dashboard clock with it.

So then if Haskell wasn't
k*lled until around : ,

you are in a position
to establish at least

a partial alibi
for Mr. Gibson.

Well, more than partial.

I saw Gibson
already on the campus

when I got back there at : .

Thank you.

That's all.

Any questions, Mr. Mason?

Not at this time, Your Honor.

I would also like to postpone
my cross-examination

of the witness Gibson
until I've had time

to study and consider
the testimony.

Very well.

I remember what time it was

because I was to
get off at : ,

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

So I decided to leave the sheets
and the towels outside

for the other chambermaid
to attend to it.

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

and hurry down the stairs.

Now, is that
what impressed you--

his using the stairs
instead of the elevator?

No, no.

Lots of folks do.

What really struck me

was that he was carrying
a lady's handbag.

Men don't usually like to.

Anyhow, my husband gets
embarrassed if I ask him

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

Now, is this the handbag
you saw him bring

from Mr. Haskell's room?

Well, or one about like it.

The same big initials and all.

Now, I ask you to look around

and tell me if you recognize
the man you saw.

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

Well, Dr. Cromwell
had worked very hard

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

and to obtain it during
the present fiscal year.

Well, we're only concerned
with the general background

of Mr. Haskell's relationship
with the college

and the defendant,
Mr. Grove.

Now, my question is...

Yes, I know, sir.

You're seeking motive.

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

And as such,

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

To investigate,
to open our books

and pry in our private lives.

To make himself
thoroughly offensive.

And did he
ever discuss

any of his findings
with you personally?

Well, he admitted that he
was against the endowment,

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

HORNER: And did you discuss
this matter with the defendant?

Don't be ridiculous.

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

Mr. Vardon, let me ask you...

was Mr. Haskell a wealthy man?

No.

All he had is what I paid him.

About , a year.

Yet did he,
over the past four years,

maintain trading accounts

with several different
brokerage houses?

Well, I would say
that was his privilege.

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

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

figures which I'm prepared
to offer in evidence.

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

Is it possible
that Mr. Haskell

could have invested
as much as $ ,

in highly speculative issues,

issues which at
current market prices

happen to be down a quarter
of a million dollars?

One moment, Mr. Prosecutor.

May I see those papers?

Mr. Mason?

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

I'm aware of the evidence.

Very well. Proceed.

Mr. Vardon, I show you
a list of securities

hypothecated
by Mr. Haskell

to obtain credit for
his speculations.

I ask you if these items
are familiar to you.

Why, yes.

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

Precisely.

Now is it possible
that Mr. Haskell

could have used
his power of attorney

to put them up as security

to finance his own
stock market operations?

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

Had Haskell been forced to
sell his speculative issues

at current
market prices,

he would have
been out

a quarter of
a million dollars.

He thus would have
been unable to redeem

your gilt-edged securities

and replace them
in your portfolio,

is that not correct?

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

to keep me from giving
money to the college.

It would have brought
on an immediate audit.

There, is that what
you wanted me to say?

Yes. Thank you
very much.

No further questions.

Do you state under oath,
Mr. Vardon,

that you were unaware
of all this

until after Haskell's death?

I was completely
ignorant of it.

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

I would've...

You'd have done what,
Mr. Vardon?

What would you have done
to Mr. Haskell?

Now, Sergeant, it has
been established in testimony

that the decedent
was instrumental

in bringing a woman here to town
named Maizie Freitag,

for the purpose of embarrassing
and discrediting Dr. Cromwell.

We have heard both
a doctor and a nurse

admit that they saw
the woman die

with Dr. Cromwell
holding her hand.

Now I ask
you, Sergeant,

do police files contain
any reference

to a man known
as Curly Oliver?

Objection, Your Honor.

The question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Your Honor, I intend to
show that this Curly Oliver

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

I further intend to show that
this identical individual,

years ago in Panama City,

was involved in a barroom
m*rder by stabbing.

Now, this present witness

has investigated and made
himself familiar with the case,

which is still open

in Panama.

To which we would
object, Your Honor,

on the ground that the
investigation by this witness

would be predicated upon
hearsay testimony.

Your Honor, we have

no intention of relying
on this witness

to establish the
facts of the case,

but to provide additional
motivation for Haskell's m*rder.

I further intend to show

that there is still
a fugitive warrant out

for this man known
as Curly Oliver--

whose escape from the police
years ago

was aided and abetted
by a bar girl

known as Maizie Freitag.

The very same Maizie Freitag
who was brought here

by Haskell and who died
with the defendant

at her bedside.

Talk about a tailor-made
m*rder motive.

I can already hear Horner
pouring it on a jury.

"Ladies and gentlemen,
it must be obvious to you

"that a man with one homicide
charge already against him

would, in order to conceal
his past, k*ll again."

Just because he was accused,

doesn't mean he was guilty
of stabbing anyone.

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

He didn't even see
the man get k*lled.

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

from his ship.

He ran, didn't he?

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

He was the only
stranger there-- ,

scared to death, being
chased by the police.

That's when Maizie Freitag
took him in.

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

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

and helped him get out

of the country a
couple weeks later.

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

He just took the name
Curly Oliver

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

After he came home, he went back

to being
Charles Cromwell, that's all.

Argue all you like,
but he's still painted

into a heck of a corner.

Paul, we only have the weekend,

but I want a complete background
on Pete Gibson.

Also, on Mr. Grove.

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

Della.
Mm-hmm.

I'd like the earliest
plane reservation to Panama.

Also, put in a call
to Panama City--

Señor Rafael Dominguez
y Sandoval.

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

two years ago.

He's a great lawyer.

And politically,
a most influential man.

Photostatic copies
of the police file,

amigo mio.

And names of all persons
found in the barroom

when the stabbing occurred.

I'm very grateful, my friend.

Por nada.

To you, my door is always open.

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

Not the police record,
this one.

But you see, the stabbing victim
was the older brother

of someone who now has
much importance in Panama.

Someone who has
watched every lead

the police have taken
to locate the m*rder*r.

Plus, a great many leads
of his own.

Someone who would step in

the moment something new
developed in the case.

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

Señor Sandoval,

who is this someone
you just spoke of?

Myself, Señor Mason.

Well, of course
I talked to Mr. Haskell.

Several times.

Now, I've already said that.

You also testified that
Haskell owed you money.

How much money,
Mr. Gibson?

Uh... $ .

I needed it bad.

I was being pushed for it.

What service worth $ had
you rendered Robert Haskell?

I-I-I don't recollect.

Perhaps we can help
your recollection.

How did you get your job
at Euclid College?

Well, Mr. Gibson?

Uh... it was ten years ago.

I walked
into Dr. Cromwell's office.

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

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

You just walked in
and asked for a job?

Did you have any sort
of recommendation?

Any sort of letter
with you?

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

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

That's all it said.

And who had signed that note?

Maizie Freitag.

Now, Mr. Gibson,

in consulting certain
personal records

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

of Maizie Freitag.

What of it?

Well, did you discuss
that friendship

with Dr. Cromwell?

No, sir.

Uh, Maizie told me not to.

She told me, "Don't impose."

She said just show
the man this note

if I was ever really
in trouble for work.

So-so that's what I done.

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

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

I just said
I barely met her,

and that's all we ever
talked about it.

How much did you talk
about it with other people?

GIBSON:
Not to anyone.
Why would I?

Of course.

Why would you?

Until Mr. Haskell
came along.

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

to help discredit
Dr. Cromwell,

and you needed
$ desperately.

All right, I told
him about Maizie.

But I didn't know much about
any k*lling down there.

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

But Haskell investigated,
is that right?

And he sent for Maizie,
knowing the embarrassment

of her presence here

would make it impossible
for Dr. Cromwell

to explain away
his past to Mr. Vardon.

Sure, that's what
we fought about.

Haskell sent for Maizie,
and he signed my name.

He told her
that Dr. Cromwell

said it was okay
for her to come up here,

and he signed
my name.

And after he used you
like that, you k*lled him

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

No, I wanted more money.

I wanted a lot more.

But I never k*lled him.

I swear, I never.

Look, you heard Dr. Tate

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

You heard what time
he saw me on the campus.

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

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

No, sir,
the chimes were ringing.

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

Yet, I have depositions
from three students

who said they saw him downtown
tinkering with his car.

They would have offered
to give him a tow,

but they were afraid of
missing their : class.

Well, perhaps I was
a few minutes off.

Yes, it could have
been a little later.

Could the mistake have been in
your attempt to furnish Gibson

with an alibi
he didn't need,

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

I don't understand.

Dr. Tate, do you recall
a conversation with me

in which you stated
that I would need a computer

to count the times
an undergraduate

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

Or that a coed has fallen
for an instructor?

I may have said that.

Do you also recall stating that
Haskell had a malicious habit

of digging up scandal
about everyone?

I don't see
the importance...

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

I beg your pardon?

A college
where a certain young coed

once tried to slash her wrists?

I won't answer that.

I refuse to.

Your Honor,
I would like to recall

another witness at this time.

Who, Counselor?

Mr. Grove,
the Euclid College Treasurer.

I said that Mr. Haskell
asked questions,

that he pried
into our private lives,

but that's all I said.

Well, he was certainly trying
to find means

of bringing pressure
on everyone

to stall the endowment, is that

correct?

I suppose so.

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

No.

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

you have access to all the
faculty personnel records,

do you not?

Yes.

Dr. Tate's record?

Oh, stop it! Stop!

Of course Grove knows!

Charlie Cromwell knows!

It's just not the
sort of thing you tell

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

A poor, tragic girl trying
to k*ll herself.

Yes, yes, it nearly wrecked
my career once.

But there was

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

like Haskell.

When I discovered what Haskell
was up to,

I went to his hotel.

I was already outraged
over what he was trying to do

to my best friends,
the Cromwells.

When I told Haskell
what I thought of him,

he struck me.

I struck him.

You k*lled him?

Yes, yes, make me say it.

I struck him, and he fell
against something.

And he didn't move again.

Let me tell you what I am--

a disgusting, frightened coward
who almost let his best friend

be tried for m*rder!

Where's Dr. Cromwell?

In there, telling Vardon

that before he can accept
any million-dollar endowments,

the regents will have
to approve a $ , gift

from the estate
of Miss Maizie Freitag.

The gift to be used
as scholarship loans

to male students.

I have a hunch Vardon'll
second the motion.

There's just one thing, Perry.

If d*ck Wilson's poem
was so innocent,

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

Discussing a gift from the
graduating class to her husband.

Who told you that?

Dr. Cromwell.

And in a very firm tone, too.

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

DRAKE:
Perry, what about
this Panama thing?

After all, if your friend
Sandoval's

keeping the caseopen...

Apparently, it was just
a barroom brawl.

And apparently, Sandoval
suspected who did the stabbing,

but simply didn't want
to pursue the matter.

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

Cromwell.

I knew he didn't do that.

How?

Well, Mrs. Cromwell told me.

She said that...

Well, she just convinced me

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

There you are.

No logic, but it...

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

(chuckles)

(theme music plays)