All language subtitles for Perry Mason s01e30 Screaming Woman.

Who could be here at this hour?

It's bolted.

Open up.

Open up, I say.

Leona, see if you can find Harvey.
Ask him to bring a crowbar.

Yes, Dr. Barnes.

Mrs. Davis?

Good evening, Dr. Barnes.

Or should I say, good morning.

Oh.

It's gone.

You'll be good enough
to return that book, Mrs. Davis.

- Or else you'll call the police?
- Now, listen to me--

Yes, doctor, you were saying?

You'll pardon me
for seeming melodramatic,

but I have a great horror
of being manhandled.

Shall we discuss the situation
like civilised human beings?

You call yourself a human being?

Oh, please, Miss Walsh.

Now, the situation as I see it is this:

I have something you want. A book.

And you have something I want:
a baby.

I suggest we trade.

Do you think I'd entrust a baby
to your care?

Your action here proves
that you're mentally unstable.

- You need psychiatric help.
- Shut up!

How dare you speak to me like that?

Now, my husband thinks
I'm going to have a child.

His child. So do thousands
of other people throughout the country.

I've told them all about it
in my newspaper column.

The fact that you've deceived
your husband as well as your readers

is no fault of mine.

Who are you to point fingers?

If you ruin my life,

I'll ruin the lives
of every person in this book.

Now, think it over.

- Just a minute.
- You have my address.

If you want to talk business,
I'll be free at 10:00 tomorrow morning.

Remember that, doctor,
10 precisely.

Because that's when I begin
dictating my column.

Unless you want this to be
the lead story, you'll be there promptly.

Good night, Miss Walsh.
It was so nice seeing you again.

Would you like to dictate
your column now, Mrs. Davis?

It's only 9:47. We'll begin at 10.

Making coffee?

Yes, it'll be ready
in just a few minutes.

[DOORBELL BUZZES]

See who that is.

I'd like to see Mary K. Davis, please.

MARY:
Come in, Miss Walsh.

Where is the good doctor?

He had to go out on an emergency.

And he sent you as his ambassador.
How nice.

- Won't you sit down?
- No, thank you.

This is my secretary,
Miss Connie Cooper.

How do you do? If you'll excuse me--

Stay right where you are, Connie,
I think this will interest you.

You can speak freely, Miss Walsh.

Mrs. Davis, I'm pleading with you
to return that book.

I'm not asking for myself
or Dr. Barnes,

we knew what we were doing,

but the lives and happiness
of many innocent people are at stake.

That's very pretty, Miss Walsh.

But I'm interested in only one thing.

Will Dr. Barnes
turn over a baby to me?

- He can't.
- Why can't he?

I can give a child everything.
Money, position.

You know who my husband is?

I know, he's Ralph Davis
of the State Department.

Well, here's something
you probably don't know.

My husband wants a divorce.

Right now he thinks
I'm carrying his child.

That's the only thing
that's stopping him.

- I'm sorry.
- I don't want your sympathy.

I want to know if Dr. Barnes
is prepared to trade.

Mrs. Davis, I beg you.

Please return that book.

There's no use appealing
to my better nature, Miss Walsh.

I don't have one.

I gave Dr. Barnes until 10:00
this morning to make up his mind.

I'll give him 24 hours more.

Twenty-four hours, that's all.

Goodbye, Miss Cooper.

Connie?

You told them all about me,
didn't you, Connie?

Yes. Yes, I told them I didn't think
you were fit to care for a child.

How do you think
Bob Shroeder will feel

when I tell the world
what his mother was?

Because I know what she was,
Connie,

and believe me,
it's nothing to be proud of.

Mrs. Davis, if you dare
to print one word about that, I'll--

Yes?

I'll tell your husband everything.
I swear I will.

Go ahead, he's in Washington, D.C.

Call Washington and tell him.

Or better still, call his girlfriend,
Susan Marshall, right here in town.

I think she has
a private pipeline to him.

Call her and tell her
that there's no baby.

She'd love to tell Ralph.

Go ahead, tell her.

It's all your fault.

I was so frightened,
I didn't know what to do.

And then I thought
of coming to see you, Miss Marshall.

But why me?

Well, I know how you and Mr. Davis
feel about each other,

and I thought
if you would just talk with him...

But don't you understand?
His wife means it.

She'll print that story in her column.
She doesn't care who she hurts.

I'm terribly sorry, Connie.

There's nothing I can do.

I wish there were.

Well, thank you for seeing me.
I'm sorry if I was any trouble.

Oh, it was no trouble at all.

- Bye.
- Goodbye.

You can come out now.

Leave it to Mary K.

That's the woman
you wanted me to go back to.

You have to, Ralph.

You realise what you're saying?

You think I want to give you up?

You're not making sense.

We can't let her hurt
all those innocent people.

- Listen to me, Susan. I love you.
- No, please, Ralph.

I went back to Mary K. five months ago
because you asked me to.

What does it take to convince you
that she's impossible?

She lied to me. She told me
she was going to have a child.

Well, now I've got my out.

No, darling, that isn't the point.

She'll publish
the contents of that book.

Could you stand by
and let her do that?

The Ralph Davis I know couldn't.

Dr. Barnes is right.

She is insane.

She isn't fit to have a child.

She isn't even fit to live.

I think you were perfectly right
in coming to me, Miss Cooper.

I can't imagine what possessed
Mary K. to do a thing like that.

I'll have to have a talk
with my favourite client.

[PHONE BUZZES]

Oh, excuse me.

Yes?

Well, I can't see him right now.

All right, I'll come out.

If you would be good enough to excuse
me for a few minutes. I'll be right back.

I don't trust the man, Connie.

But he's Mary K.'s lawyer.

All the more reason.

The most important thing
was to keep this whole business quiet.

Now everybody knows about it.

Well, I just can't seem to do
anything right.

Oh, look, I didn't mean it that way.

You were only trying to help.

No, I know. But look what a mess
I've made out of everything.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

Have I interrupted something?

Mr. Jarech, Connie and I have just
been talking things over and decided--

And apparently, you convinced her
that coming here was a mistake.

Let me tell you something,
Mr. Shroeder.

This was the wisest thing
you could have done.

Come on, Connie.

Leave everything to me.

Miss Kelly?

Will you call Mary K. Davis

and ask her if she can have cocktails
with me at 6 at the Mudlark.

[CHATTERING]

So my favourite client isn't satisfied
with just slander and libel suits,

now she's stealing books.

Where is it, Mary K.?

Really, Arthur, I'm beginning to think

that you lured me here
under false pretences.

I think you're more interested
in that book than you are in me.

I don't know
where you get your ideas.

I told you Dr. Barnes
agreed to meet us here.

You've told me a lot of things
in the last five years.

Any resemblance to the truth
is purely accidental.

Are you questioning my honesty?

If I didn't question your honesty,
you wouldn't be my lawyer.

[CHUCKLES]

You're wasting your time, Arthur.

You can indulge in any little blackmail
you want to on the side.

But not with that book.

It's buying my husband back for me.

At least you will
have dinner with me?

Why not? Don't get up.

Just going to the powder room.

Oh, I wonder if you could
do me a favour, dear.

I need to have a pen and ink
and a special-delivery stamp

and an envelope
that's big enough to mail this.

- I can get them from the cashier.
- Thank you.

Oh, that's quick.

I've ruined it.

- Think you could get me another?
- Yes, I'm sure I can.

Perry Mason, please.

I'm afraid my name
wouldn't mean anything to him.

It's Leona Walsh.

Well, I'm sorry,
Mr. Mason's busy right now.

Could I help you?
I'm his secretary, Della Street.

Would it be possible
for Mr. Mason to see me tonight?

I could be at your office
in 20 minutes.

Would you mind
telling me what it is?

Oh, I couldn't possibly go into it
on the phone.

But believe me, Miss Street,

the lives and happiness
of dozens of children are involved.

All right, Miss Walsh.

Mr. Mason will see you at 7:00.

Now, Miss Walsh,

tell me about this book.

Dr. Barnes kept it
as a record of his patients.

There must be more to it than that.

A certain type of patient.

Women who wanted children
and couldn't legally adopt them

and women who had children and--

And weren't married.

How'd it work?

Well, you know, adoption agencies ask
all sorts of impossible requirements.

Those requirements are designed
for the protection of the children.

Are people less fit to bring up children
because they're, well, old?

I know many families
who would love to have a baby.

They'd give it all the affection
and care in the world.

But nothing can be done for them.

I take it your Dr. Barnes set out to
remedy the situation single-handedly?

Yes, he did.

He has his own hospital.

He'd have the expectant mother
come there and be confined

under the name of the married woman
who wanted the child.

And when the baby was born,

a regular birth certificate
would be issued.

I just don't believe it.

The whole idea's insane.

Well, it may be insane, Mr. Mason,
but it worked.

And it's been working
for many years.

How much did Dr. Barnes charge
for these services?

Not a penny.

He just wanted to make sure
that these unfortunate children

would have a chance in life.

He's a great man, Mr. Mason.

He never hurt anyone.

Who stole this book?

A woman named Mary K. Davis.

The columnist?

Can you get it back for me?

Can't give you any guarantee,
Miss Walsh.

Surely you don't expect me
to go out and steal it back, do you?

I've tried that already.

I went to her apartment.

It isn't there.

Well, can you think of
anything better?

Well, suppose, uh--

Suppose I have a talk with Mary K.--

Talk, talk, talk.

Don't you understand, with a woman
like that, words mean nothing?

Just the same, I think--

I made a mistake.

- I shouldn't have come.
- Miss Walsh.

Wait. Miss Walsh.

See if you can get a listing
on Mary K. Davis.

All right.

- Ever hear of the Seaside Hospital?
- No.

Down near Vernon Beach,
run by a Dr. George Barnes.

- Check it out for me, will you?
- Sure.

Okay, here it is.

Mary K. Davis, in Claymore.

Norcross, 4-2-1-1 --

TRAGG:
Yes?

May I speak to
Mary K. Davis, please?

- Who's calling?
- Perry Mason.

Not the Perry Mason?

- Who is this?
- Lieutenant Tragg.

I'm afraid you can't talk
to Mary K. Davis.

Did you talk to Dr. Barnes?

Yes, he claims
he hasn't seen Leona Walsh

since early this afternoon.

But my trip wasn't a total waste.

Her fingerprints were all over
the Seaside Hospital.

And they match the ones we found
in Mary K. Davis' apartment.

I see.

[PHONE RINGS]

Yes?

Well.

Ask her to come right in.

- Good news?
- Couldn't be better.

Come in, Miss Walsh.

How do you do?

I came to give myself up.

I killed Mary K. Davis.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

Miss Leonard, would you come in?

Bring your book, please.

I want you to take down
a confession.

MASON: We really have ourselves
a client here.

You think she's covering
for somebody? Dr. Barnes?

It's possible.

MASON: Hi, Paul.
- Hi, Perry.

You get anything
on the dead woman?

Mary K. was married to Ralph Davis
of the State Department.

Were you able to find out
what Mary K. Davis did yesterday?

I talked to her secretary,
a Connie Cooper.

I told Miss Cooper
I was working for a lawyer.

She, uh, jumped to the conclusion
it was Arthur Jarech.

I didn't bother to correct her.

How does Jarech fit into this?

Well, he was Mary K.'s attorney.

They had cocktails yesterday afternoon
at the Mudlark.

She asked the powder-room attendant
for an envelope.

Wanted to mail a small book,
special delivery.

Mail it? To whom?

[MASON READING ENVELOPE]

Gunther was her maiden name.

Then she mailed this to herself
at the Crane Avenue address.

Uh-huh. She ruined the first envelope
and asked the attendant for another.

You don't know what I had to
dig through to come up with that.

But you did come up with it.

Wonder what Mary K. was doing
at the Woolworth Apartments.

Obviously,
using it for a mailing address.

- What kind of a place is it?
- Just what you'd expect.

Furnished, rents by the day or week.
She took it nine days ago.

Nine days.

Well, if she missed paying
this week's rent

and that envelope hasn't been
delivered yet, there's a chance--

That's a lot of "ifs."

And the last time I heard,

Uncle Sam takes a very dim view
of tampering with the mail.

I still think it's worth a gamble.

Hey, how about this?

Oh, this is fine.
This is just what I wanted.

All right, Mr. Harris,
my sister will take it.

But what do I do
if Mrs. Gunther comes back?

I wouldn't worry.

Well, she left some stuff here.
There's some in the bedroom too.

Oh, that's very simple,
you could put it in the storeroom.

You do have a storeroom, don't you?

- Well, yeah, but I--
- That's fine. Then there's no problem.

- How much is it, Mr. Harris?
- Thirty dollars a week, in advance.

My brother
will bring my things over later.

Here you are.

- I'll make out a receipt.
- Never mind, Mr. Harris.

You can bring it up later. Thank you.

Well, we're on our way.

Honey, don't forget, now.

When the letter gets here,
don't open it.

Just put it in with Mary K.'s things.

And don't tell the mailman
that you're Mrs. Gunther.

Now, I'll be outside in the car.

Two honks on the horn
means that Tragg's on his way.

So just leave without the letter.

Mr. Drake,
haven't you forgotten something?

Huh, what?

How do I signal you?

Well, if anything goes wrong, you can
just throw your shoes out the window.

Believe me, if anything goes wrong,
I'll be wearing them.

I'm looking for Constance Cooper.

Could you come back later?
She's not feeling very well.

Who is it, Bob?

Excuse me.

Cooper, my name is Mason.
I'm an attorney.

I represent Leona Walsh.

Look, can't this wait?

Connie's been through a great deal
in the past 24 hours.

No, Bob, it's all right, really.

This is my Robert Shroeder,
my fiancé.

How do you do?

- Won't you sit down?
- Thank you. I won't be staying long.

Well, how can I help?

Do you know Leona Walsh?

Yes, we've met.

What about you, Mr. Shroeder?

What about me?

- Do you now Miss Walsh?
- Yes.

Did Dr. Barnes introduce you?

I don't remember
who introduced us.

But you do know Dr. Barnes?

He's an old friend of mine.

- I see.
- No, you don't see a thing.

I might surprise you.

I know about Dr. Barnes'
record book.

Mr. Mason, do you have it?

- No, but I think I know where it is.
- Where?

Are you one of the people
mentioned in that book?

No, no, he isn't.

I think we'd better tell him the truth,
Connie.

It's all my fault, Mr. Mason,
you have to believe that.

If it weren't for me, Mary K. wouldn't
have known the book or the doctor.

Oh, like a fool, I told her everything.

Did you know about this?

Where were you
around 6:30 last night?

I was at the--
Well, I don't need an alibi, Mr. Mason.

He was with me.
We had dinner together.

Where?

Someplace up the beach,
I can't remember the name.

[DOORBELL BUZZES]

Bob.

- Hello, Robert. How are you?
- Fine, sir.

- Mr. Davis, I'm so glad to see you.
- Hello, Connie.

Mr. Davis, Mr. Mason.

He's an attorney.

Yes, I thought I recognised you.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

You're defending that nurse,
Leona Walsh.

Yes, I am.

Why did she do it, Mason?

I don't think she did.

According to the newspapers,
she's confessed.

Claimed it was self-defence.

And that's good enough for you?

Yes, Mary K. was very excitable.

I can understand
how she might've gone berserk,

Miss Walsh would've had
to defend herself.

You're a very tolerant man,
Mr. Davis.

Most people in your position
would insist on an eye for an eye.

That wouldn't bring Mary K.
back to life.

You're not thinking of Mary K.
or Leona Walsh.

You're thinking of yourself.

- Am I?
- I believe so.

If I'm able to prove
Miss Walsh's innocence,

the police will have to find themselves
a new suspect. It might even be you.

Or Susan Marshall.

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

That's the standard reply.

- Good day, Miss Cooper.
- Mr. Mason.

Oh, Mr. Shroeder,
I'll want to talk with you again.

- Where can I reach you?
- At Brownell Junior College.

I'm a teacher.

I'll let myself out.

[KNOCKING]

- Yes?
- Special delivery for Mary K. Gunther.

Oh, thank you.

Mrs. Gunther,
do you know anybody in the building

by the name of Saul Antonio?

He, uh-- I've got a wrong address
on him here.

- No, I'm sorry, I don't.
- Have a nice day. Well, thank you.

[DOORKNOB RATTLING]

And you didn't see
this mysterious intruder?

No, and I certainly didn't want
whoever it was to see me.

Why didn't I leave
that envelope there?

Well, you couldn't drop it
on the floor.

I don't have to tell you
that that is dynamite.

I know.

But when I have a client
who's in danger,

I think I'm entitled to use dynamite.

Well, I'd sure hate
to try and convince Burger.

- Della?
- Mm-hm?

Della, you personally know
that Mary K. Davis is no longer

- at the Woolworth Apartments, right?
- Right.

Well, obviously
there's only one thing to do.

Write on the envelope:

"This party no longer here.
Return to sender."

I can't,
there's no return address there.

I know that.

But we do know that
that book belongs to Dr. Barnes.

You, uh, think it would be all right
if I wrote Dr. Barnes' name, then?

I am getting out of here.

I never thought Alcatraz
was any place to spend a vacation.

[BUZZES]

- Paul, wait.
- Yes, Gertie?

Arthur Jarech to see you.

This guy is slick, Perry.

I'll, uh, be in my office
if you need me.

Have him come in.

Send him in, Gertie.

Good afternoon, counsellor.

Mr. Jarech.

I thought I'd drop by for a little chat.

A private chat.

Miss Street always
sits in on my conferences.

I'd prefer no witnesses.

Only increases my desire
to have one.

All right,
I'm not going to pull any punches.

I want that book.

I talked to the powder-room attendant
at the Mudlark.

She told me about the torn envelope
your Mr. Drake made away with.

Need I say more?

- Considerably.
- All right.

I went to the Woolworth Apartments.
I spoke to the manager there.

He told me he'd rented
Mary K. Gunther's apartment

to a very attractive young lady.

May I say, my dear,
he didn't exaggerate one bit.

Go on.

I think the district attorney would say
I'd made out a prima facie case.

Look, Mason,

that book contains
some very influential names.

Names you propose to blackmail?

No, not blackmail.

Why, some of the names
in that book spend thousands a year

for legal work.

All they have to do
is to give us that work

and we can get out
of this slimy rat race of criminal law.

The practise of criminal law isn't slimy
unless you make it that way.

And it isn't a rat race
unless you run with rats.

Save it for a jury.

If you don't give me that book,

I go to the district attorney,
tell him that it exists

and that you have it.

MASON:
Mr. Jarech?

Give the district attorney my regards.

Della,

see if you can arrange
an appointment with Dr. Barnes.

So Jarech is attempting
to blackmail you

and you are attempting
to blackmail me.

Oh, I'm not blackmailing you, doctor.

I'm only saying
that when the district attorney finds out

about your book of names,

Leona stands every chance
of being convicted of this murder.

Mr. Mason, there's more at stake here
than my life or Leona's.

She knows that.

Just that we made the mistake
of keeping records.

Those families
mustn't be made to suffer for it.

I'm not asking that.

Jarech can only talk about the book,
he can't produce it.

I promise you
those names will be protected.

I wish I could believe that.

Now, you listen to me carefully,
Dr. Barnes.

I have every reason to believe

that the contents of this envelope
belong to you.

We even took the chance of writing
in your name and address as sender.

However, subsequent research
has convinced me

that that action was illegal.

Consequently, I must turn
this envelope over to the police.

No, you can't do that.

I'm sorry, doctor.

I have no other choice.

Is there a water cooler
down the hall?

I'm afraid you're a little late.

I'm afraid I am.

I don't know how tell you
how grateful I am--

Listen to me, Dr. Barnes,
I have just one question.

Did you kill Mary K. Davis?

No.

I can tell you this.

Leona Walsh was wrong,
very wrong to do it.

She should have left that for me.

You mean, if you had done it,
it would have been right?

You just don't understand.

I do understand, doctor,
I just don't agree.

- More trouble?
- Mm-hm.

A subpoena duces tecum.

They want me to appear in court,
Thursday, February 11th,

with a little book
belonging to Dr. Barnes.

- So Jarech did go to the DA.
- Obviously.

How can I produce something
I've never seen and don't have?

Poses quite a problem, doesn't it?

You may proceed, Mr. Burger.
Call your next witness.

Your Honour, this time,

the prosecution desires
to call Miss Della Street to the stand.

Miss Street will be a hostile witness

since she's the secretary
of Perry Mason,

who is representing the defendant.

Oh, you can't do that, Mr. Burger.

Any communication made by a client
to an attorney is confidential.

The same holds true of the
confidential secretary of an attorney.

Your Honour,
I'm not seeking testimony

about any communication at all.

I'm trying to recover stolen property.

- Stolen property?
- Yes, Your Honour.

I intend to prove
that certain personal property

belonging to Dr. Philip Barnes
was stolen from his office.

And that this stolen property
was received by Miss Della Street.

I have already served
both Mr. Mason and Miss Street

with a subpoena duces tecum.

Well, this is highly unusual.

I agree, Your Honour,
it is most unusual.

I have some authorities here

to the effect that
privileged communication

relates only to those disclosures
made by a client to an attorney

when he is seeking advice
as to his legal rights.

It does not stretch so far
as to cover an attorney

who practises
concealment of evidence.

It certainly does not stretch far enough
to cover the secretary of an attorney.

Concealing evidence, you say,
Mr. Prosecutor?

Yes, Your Honour,
concealing evidence

that is of primary importance
to this case.

Very well.

Is Miss Street in court?
Will she take the stand?

Raise your right hand, please.

Do you swear the testimony
you're about to give

now pending in this court
to be the whole truth?

- I do.
- State your name.

- Della Street.
- Be seated.

Miss Street,
you are employed by Perry Mason

- as a confidential secretary?
- Yes, sir.

Were you ever in a furnished
apartment at 1427 Crane Avenue?

An apartment occupied by
Mary K. Davis, alias Mary K. Gunther?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Mason took you there?

No, sir.

Well, Mr. Mason sent you there?

Yes, sir.

While you were in that apartment,
did you take into your possession

a special-delivery letter or envelope?

Objection, Your Honour.

Miss Street might well have taken
two, three, even ten such deliveries.

Would the district attorney
be more specific?

Be more specific, Mr. Burger.

Mr. Hill, would you stand up, please?

Do you recognise that man?

Yes, sir.

Would you identify him for us?

He's a mailman.

Thank you, sir.

He's the mailman who handed you
a special-delivery letter

at the apartment
at 1427 Crane Avenue.

Yes, sir.

And you gave that envelope
to Perry Mason?

Objection, Your Honour.

That question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Unless the district attorney
first discloses

what was in such an envelope

and that it has a bearing
on this case.

Objection sustained.

Your Honour,
Mr. Mason is grabbing at straws.

The court has ruled, Mr. Burger.

The objection
is based on technical grounds.

Nevertheless,
the objection is well-taken.

Miss Street,

did you know that Mary K. Davis
had stolen a notebook

from the office of Dr. Barnes?

Objected to on the grounds that the
question calls for hearsay testimony,

that it calls for a conclusion of the
witness, that it is not the best evidence

and furthermore, it is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Sustained.

Miss Street,

did you give to Mr. Perry Mason

any envelope that you received
at 1427 Crane Avenue?

Objected to as assuming facts
not in evidence.

The court has already ruled

that any evidence as to anything
Miss Street might have received

on the day in question is incompetent,
irrelevant and immaterial.

Unless the prosecutor
first has connected it with this case.

Mr. Prosecutor, the court is going
to sustain the objection.

If it is your contention
that this witness received property

stolen from Dr. Barnes,

that is evidence
connected with this case.

You will first have to show, in fact,
that such a notebook was stolen,

that it is pertinent,

then you can ask the witness
questions concerning it.

If the court would just understand

the significance
of what I am trying to get at,

and the clever way
in which the defence counsel

has been trying to block me,

the court would realise that I have to
fight it out on this line if it takes all day.

That is your privilege,
Mr. District Attorney.

The court
has the afternoon available.

Miss Street,

on the day in question,
you received certain property

which you had reason
to believe was evidence in this case

and you concealed that evidence,
didn't you?

Just answer me yes or no.

Objected to on the ground that it calls
for a conclusion from the witness.

The defendant in this case

is not bound by what Miss Street
may have thought she was receiving

or what Miss Street thought
might have been evidence.

The objection is sustained.

Your Honour, because of the way
the defence counsel has hedged

and dodged
in this ridiculous manner,

it'll be necessary
for the prosecution

to prove that this evidence exists
and to introduce it to this court

by a series of a lengthy examinations
of witnesses.

The prosecution therefore requests
a recess until tomorrow,

when we will start
this long and costly procedure.

Mr. Burger, the court realises

that these objections
have been highly technical

and that the rulings of the court
have been technical,

but technicalities exist
for the expressed purpose

of protecting the legal rights
of persons charged with crimes.

The only difference between

a technical and a constitutional
safeguard is one of degree,

and that degree may exist
solely in the mind of the prosecutor.

Court stands adjourned
until tomorrow morning at 10.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Well, where do we go from here?

That depends on Mr. Burger.

If I know my esteemed colleague,
tomorrow in court, he'll do it right.

Well...

If Burger will prove
that a book was in existence,

that Mary K. took that book
into her possession,

he'll establish by proper evidence

that Dr. Barnes' book could have been
the motive for her murder.

Then we'll all go to jail.

Why didn't I leave that envelope
in the apartment like we planned it?

Well, Della,
you did the only thing possible.

Now it's up to me
to justify your actions.

Della, could you tell whether
it was a man or a woman

who entered the apartment?

No, I couldn't.

Well, have you any idea
how long this person stayed?

No, I--

I just heard a noise
that sounded like somebody

jumping up and down on crockery.

So I figured I'd better get out
while the getting out was good.

Wait a minute.

All along we've been assuming
that whoever came to the apartment

was after that book,
suppose it was something else.

- What?
- Come on, Paul, let's find out.

Bye, beautiful.

It's over here.

I put her junk in this box.

More dictating cylinders.

They're all busted up.

Maybe that's the noise Della heard.

- What happened to the machine?
- The what?

The dictating machine. Mrs. Gunther
had one in her apartment.

Oh, the machine. I put it in here.

Well, after all, Mrs. Gunther owed me
a couple of days' rent.

I figured I was entitled to it.

I'm not gonna question your claim.

I'd like to, uh, borrow that
for a couple of days.

Sure. Gee, thanks.

[BUZZER SOUNDS]

That's the desk. I gotta get upstairs.

You'll turn off the light
when you leave and slam the door?

Sure.

- Dig out the biggest chunk, will you?
- How's this?

Try it.

MARY:
The Terrible Hunt by Mary K. Davis.

This is probably
the most fantastic story I've written.

Certainly my biggest.

A story of a human being's
search through the years

for an answer too horrible to know.

A story of--

- Play it again?
- No.

Well, she must have been
dictating a story.

About whom, I wonder.

Take your pick: her husband,
Susan Marshall, Dr. Barnes,

Bob Shroeder,
could have been anyone.

I've got a hunch that--

Paul, I want to find an actress
who can do voice impersonations.

Well, I know an actors' agent,
if I can wake him up.

Well, wake him up.

I wanna see that actress in my office
first thing in the morning.

- And, Paul--
- I know.

Bring, uh, some more cylinders.

Yes. Okay, then--

I'll take it.

All right, you take it.

Slam the door.

CLAY: Perhaps some people
may say that I am needlessly hurting

an innocent person by this story.

That as a result,
a life may be ruined.

This is a calculated risk,
but the truth must prevail.

Well, that was a fine performance,
Miss Clay.

Paul, will you see
that Miss Clay gets home?

With pleasure.

- Bye, Mr. Mason.
- Goodbye.

If ever there's anything else
I can do for you.

- Well, I think that, uh--
- We'll call you.

See you later.

- Do you think it'll work?
- Has to.

Well, hello, everybody.

Well, lieutenant,
what are you doing here?

Oh, it's a long, dull story.

It's come to the attention
of the district attorney

that, uh, you people
are withholding evidence.

I believe it's in the form
of broken, um, dictating cylinders.

Something like these.

Put that down, Tragg.

Well, here,
this looks like a good one.

Listen, Tragg,
you can't walk off with those.

I wouldn't bet on that if I were you.
And here's the dictating machine.

- Where's your warrant?
- Don't need one.

- This is evidence in a murder trial.
- You still need a warrant.

- Say, you may be right.
- I am.

Wish I could take your word for that.
But Mr. Burger might feel differently,

I'll let him decide.
He'll see you in court anyway.

Here.

Bye.

Your Honour,
may we approach the bench?

Certainly, Mr. Mason.

Your Honour, less than an hour ago,

Lieutenant Tragg illegally removed
some property from my office.

I hereby make a motion
that that property

be returned to me immediately.

Your Honour, the property just
happens to be evidence in this case

which I intend to present
later in the hearing.

I believe my motion
should take precedence.

The court will now hear arguments
on the motion.

You may proceed, Mr. Burger.

Well, if it please the court,

early this morning,
I received an anonymous phone call,

to the effect that Mr. Mason
had removed certain property

belonging to the deceased

from an apartment building where
the deceased rented an apartment

under her maiden name.

I therefore phoned Lieutenant Tragg

and ordered him to go
and reclaim that property.

Without a warrant?

May I remind the court,
this was not only stolen property,

it was stolen evidence.

Which the police have a right
to take into their possession

wherever they find it.

Of what exactly
did this property consist?

Can you put that one on, lieutenant?

Mostly of broken wax cylinders.

What possible use are they
for you in your case?

There's one cylinder
which is not broken, Your Honour.

With, of course, permission, I'd like to
play it for us here through an amplifier.

I object to this, Your Honour.

Mr. Burger obviously has no idea
what is recorded on that cylinder.

Mr. Burger, I assure you, it's irrelevant,
incompetent and immaterial.

Then why are you afraid
for us to hear it?

If it please the court--

I think Mr. Burger's point
is well-taken.

The court will hear the cylinder.

Thank you, Your Honour.

May I borrow your microphone?

Surely.

- Are you ready, lieutenant?
- Yes, I am.

May I have absolute silence
in the court, please?

Go ahead, lieutenant.

CLAY:
The Terrible Hunt by Mary K. Davis.

This is probably the
most fantastic story I've ever written.

Certainly my biggest.

It is a story of a human being's
search through the years

for an answer too horrible to know.

A search
that never should have started.

Some people-- Some people--
Some people-- Some people--

The cylinder is stuck.

Your Honour, with your indulgence,
we'll try again.

Some people may say

that I am needlessly hurting
an innocent person by this story.

That as a result,
a life may be ruined.

[SCREAMING]

BOB:
Connie.

I killed her, I killed her,
but don't play it.

Connie, stop this.

Connie.

[SOBBING]

She was going to print
that story about you.

She was the cruellest person
that ever lived.

She didn't care what she could do.

Whatever it was,
we could have lived with it.

Don't you understand that?

If it please the court,

I now believe that

Leona Walsh's confession was

designed to shield someone else.

And I move that
the charges against her be dismissed.

Your motion is granted.

Charges against Leona Walsh
are dismissed.

The court orders that Miss Cooper
be taken into custody

and that the proper complaint
be lodged against her.

Court is dismissed.

Mary K. had a way
of trying to destroy all of us.

I'm sorry. Truly sorry.

So am I.

So am I.

Well, I guess that about finishes it.

Perry,
who was Bob Shroeder's mother?

You remember the trunk murderess,
the one that was hung, Lita Fisher?

Oh, it was about 1930, wasn't it?

During all those months they were
searching for her, she had a child.

- I feel sorry for Bob.
- He'll make out all right.

What about Connie?

What do you suppose
will happen to her?

Mr. Burger is thinking
of second degree.

Well, after all, there--

There was definitely
a struggle that night.

Incidentally, Dr. Barnes has decided
that this is the right time to retire.

And I needn't add that Mr. Burger
agrees with him 100 percent.

How is our illustrious
district attorney?

Sore.

He's seriously deliberating
bringing charges against you

for unethical conduct.

Me?

Do you know of anyone who could've
phoned his home early this morning

with a tip that you had a wax cylinder

that would solve
the Mary K. Davis murder?

Do we, Paul?

I don't know, do we?

Well, at least Mr. Burger
is no little annoyed at you

for manoeuvring him
into introducing that record

into evidence
when you knew it was a phoney.

Well, I wanted to help him, Tragg.

I tried to point out that it was irrelevant,
incompetent and immaterial.

You might tell him that.

Yes, I already have.
That's how this got broken.

You know, he never should get mad.

Why, he missed me
by at least two feet.

[LAUGHING]

Repair and Synchronization by
Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0