All language subtitles for Perry Mason S03E24 The Case of the Ominous Outcast.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en.CBS

Hey, wait a minute.

You're not locking up, are you?

I was just gonna
check in at the hotel

and come right
back for a haircut.

Little lunch, little fishing
in the crick, little nap

and, uh, back at 2...

Yeah, well, I'll be thrown
into the dog pound by then.

Is there another barber in town?

Come in. I'll cut the grass.

Probably wouldn't
catch anything anyway.

Ha! Thanks.

The fishing's been pretty
good up Rainbow Ranch.

I've been spending
my vacation there.

This sure is beautiful country.

Stranger here, eh?

Yeah, that's right. I've never
been here before in my life.

Never even been in California.

Ever try a beaver?

A beard?

I'm not the type.

Good chance to see
what you'd look like.

There. That's what I mean.

Listen, my boss would
take one look at this and...

Hey, that doesn't
look so bad after all.

Bad?

It's downright striking.

Okay, I'll be fearless.
The haircut can wait.

Now, hold on. I
was just testing.

I didn't mean you to go
walking around in the thing.

Oh, relax. Maybe I like it.

Here. Go get
yourself some lunch.

And thanks again.

Yes?

Oh, uh, I'd like a room, please.

I'll just be staying
one night, I guess.

Uh, I'd like a bath, of course.

The barber said
there'd be... Amy.

This here's Mr. Bob Lansing.

That's his name. He's
from Salt Lake City.

He's just traveling
through, that's all

He's a stranger.

I'm afraid we're all full up.

Uh, no, you're not. Now, Amy.

I don't care what he is
or who he calls himself.

There's no room in
my hotel. Goodbye.

Well, hello, there. Small world.

Remember me? I was
up at Rainbow Ranch.

Oh, yeah. Flaherty's
the name. J.J.

I travel in hardware, mostly.

Everybody's crazy in this town.

What's wrong? No rooms.

She's lying. I know she is.

Well, maybe you scared the
poor woman with your beard.

No wonder. You need a guitar.

Okay. Who cares?

So long, Mr. Flaherty.

Maybe I can make
Las Vegas by dark.

You said at supper last
night you had an errand to run

over here in Outcast. I
thought you'd stay over a day.

Yeah, that's right. It's
just a favor for a friend.

To look up some guy here.

I didn't think it was
too important though.

All I mean is, son, if
you wanna see this guy,

I know a better
place to stay than this.

It's a new motel. It's
got air conditioning.

Care to join up?

Why not?

So, uh, she just up
and spit in your eye.

Is that it? Well,
it wasn't only her.

No, thanks. The barber gave
me kind of a strange look too.

Then this guy in
the hotel lobby,

he even gave me a funny look.

Uh, it's the beard, that's all.

Hey, what was the name of
that guy you wanted to look up?

There's a phone book here.

Oh, I've got his
address, thanks.

Say, by the way, Mr. Flaherty,

what happened to the fishing?

You got to the ranch yesterday.
Why'd you leave so quick?

What's the matter,
you think I'm prying?

Maybe you think I've
been following you?

Oh, of course not.

Look, all I'm gonna do
is see a guy named Bell.

A friend, a very old friend,
an old man in Salt Lake,

he asked me to thank Mr. Bell
for some things, that's all.

See, this old man in Salt Lake,

he's, uh... He's headmaster
of an orphanage.

It's the same
orphanage I grew up in.

Only now everybody around
here's looking cross-eyed at me.

See you later.

It's Frederick W.
Bell's office, isn't it?

Yes. Thank you.

Oh, just a minute. If you'll
wait until I announce you...

I don't wanna be announced.
But he's busy. Please.

Maybe I wanna
surprise him. Here, now,

what's going on?

Are you Mr. Bell? Yes.

Then I guess you're
not my father, are you?

Or my uncle, or my brother.

Your what?

What on earth are
you talking about?

Well, I wish I knew.

Uh, I sort of expected
you to look like me, I guess.

Or I'd look like you.

I must look like
somebody around here.

It's all right, Betty. You
can go to lunch now.

I'm sorry, sir.

Dr. Kennedy in Salt Lake

asked me to drop by, that's all.

But when everybody in
town seemed to recognize me,

I thought he might have
had something else in mind.

But I guess he just
wanted me to stop by

and thank you for your gifts.

I don't know what you're
talking about, young man.

Now, if you'll please leave.

Oh, it's really quite
confidential, sir.

I mean, if there's
any reason for that.

But Dr. Kennedy said
there'd been several gifts

to the school from here
over a period of years.

I guess he traced them to you.

Anyway, he thought
you'd like to know

how much they were appreciated.

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

Now, don't raise
your voice, dear.

Vivian. For heavens' sakes,
what are you doing here?

Looking for money.

I thought you were going

into Los Angeles
with Tom Quincy.

Now, don't start gossip
about your own wife, dear.

Oh, Vivian, please.

Who's your handsome
young friend?

Vivian Bell. Bob Lansing.

I'll be with you in a minute. The
young man's made a mistake.

Oh.

You see, there are
other Fred Bells.

You've got the wrong
person, that's all.

And, oh, yes,
there's also a town

by the name of
Outcast in Nevada.

In Nevada? No,
there isn't, dear.

Will you please
just wait for me?

Anyway, explain this

to your doctor friend.

And I'm sorry if I just
didn't seem to know

what you were talking about.

Why, Fred, I didn't know

you were having your hair cut?

Uh, howdy, Mrs. Bell.

Hello, Jeff.

Uh, young feller. I guess
you're pretty busy now, sir.

Uh, excuse me.

All right, who is it
everybody thinks I am?

Who do I look like?

I...

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

Oh, really, Fred.

It's bubbling all over town.

They're saying, "He's come back.

"It's his ghost. It's
his son, maybe.

The spitting image of the
town's most awful criminal."

What do you
suppose it feels like

to be the son of a murderer?

"On May 12, 1939, a
man named Lin Aberdeen

"held up the First
Pioneer Bank in Outcast.

"Aberdeen was shot and wounded

"by a guard as he
made his getaway.

"That evening, the bank robber
was spotted in a produce truck,

"trying to leave town.

He was then shot and
killed by deputy sheriff."

Are there any pictures there?

It was in all the
papers at the time.

May I see them?

This isn't a complete report.

I had a man start checking
the minute you phoned in.

He located these
in a couple of hours.

Look. What do you think?

It's your face, all right.

Even without the beard.

They're absolutely identical.

In that gunfight,

Aberdeen killed a
couple of deputy sheriffs.

Shot them down
in cold blood, right?

Uh, the report says that...

So it's true, then?

I am the son of a murderer.

Now, don't jump to conclusions.

Why not?

Mr. Mason, anybody who
didn't grow up an orphan

can never even
imagine what it's like.

Who was my father?
Who was my mother?

It's all you ever think about.

Well, it is true that there
was an infant son somewhere.

Apparently
Aberdeen's wife was...

Yeah, a son. Sure. Me.

I tell you, you get eyes
in the back of your head.

Every time somebody
gives you a funny look,

you say "Maybe that's
a relative of mine."

And the second I
walked into that dirty town,

everybody in the
place started to...

Now, Bob, take it easy.

Look, you don't understand.

My big mystery turns
out to be a killer, that's all.

Pa?

Oh, he was such a big hero

they shot him
down in the streets.

You know, I think it
was very wise of you

to come into Los
Angeles to see an attorney.

Well, I thought maybe
you could help me

check out all the
records and things.

You'd be even wiser, Bob,

if you'd leave this whole thing

in the hands of
Dr. Kennedy and myself.

Sometimes the truth
is not found easily.

Why would that Mr. Bell

send presents to the orphanage?

Why would he?

I'm afraid that's his business.

And, uh, the law
protects his privacy.

Yeah, but, Mr. Mason, everybody
in that town acted strange.

Why? What's wrong
with those people?

Mm-hm. Money, I guess.

Money?

When Aberdeen robbed that bank,

he got away with
nearly $100,000.

Somehow, before he was killed,

he got rid of that money.

It was never
recovered. Never found.

Can you imagine all the local
gossip there must've been?

It's no wonder that face
of yours created such a stir.

Huh.

So I'm a clue in a
treasure hunt too.

Okay, thanks very much,
Mr. Mason, for everything.

Miss Street.

I'll stir them up, all right.

I'll find the truth.

Bob.

You ought to let us handle it.

How can I?

I told you, you don't
know how I feel.

The boy's come back from Los
Angeles and he's pretty upset.

What's that have to do with me?

Well, he's asking questions
all around, Mr. Quincy.

You know, a kid like that
gets a bee in his bonnet...

So the whole town's
gone batty again

looking for Aberdeen's money.

Well, that happens periodically,
every year or two, Mr., uh...

Flaherty. J.J.

So don't bother me with it.

They're a bunch of fools.

It doesn't take
much to stir them up.

Well, I don't just
mean the money.

At least not just yet, I don't.

Thought you said you represented
some insurance company.

That's right, sir, The
robbery was a bonded loss.

Naturally I wanna
find the honeypot first.

Well, I'll tell you
what, Mr., uh...

Flaherty.

You just stay on the case
another 20 years or so,

and maybe you'll get it solved.

But if you think
that boy showing up

is gonna lead you to anything,
you're... You're mistaken.

Yes, sir, but, uh, suppose
I mention the name Bell?

Fred Bell. He works for me.

That's what I hear.
Manages your trucking firm.

One of my firms.

Big position though.

He used to be just a clerk.

In 1939, yeah.

In the bank though.

Matter of fact, he was
the clerk in the bank

on the day it was held up.

That's the way I understood it.

Well, you're the
detective, Mr. Flaherty.

Go ahead.

I'm not just scratching fleas.

You aware this Fred Bell
has been sending gifts

to an orphanage for
more than 20 years?

The same orphanage

this Bob grew up in?

Well, uh,

maybe it's charity.

Or maybe an interest
in somebody there.

I'm not gonna add two
and two and give you seven.

Fred's always been a
pushover for Girl Scout cookies,

Christmas turkeys.

The, uh, boy doesn't
know all this yet.

I had a friend do some
checking for me in Salt Lake City.

The gifts were all in cash.

They added up to more than...

$40,000.

So you give it some thought, hm?

Oh, just any little help
you can come up with.

I'll be glad to cut
you in on the reward.

Of course you're
pretty well fixed here.

But rewards, they
accrue interest.

Indeed they do, Mr. Quincy.

Where is he? Who, dear?

That fool husband of yours.

I'm not going to tell you
until you change your jacket.

We're going dancing.

Where is he?

Well, he's probably
watching television.

You know how much
he likes westerns.

Did Flaherty upset
you that much?

You know Fred's been sending
money someplace for years?

I found out about it
this afternoon. Why?

What's he think
he's doing, anyway?

That fool.

Blasted, blasted fool.

Once a thief, always a thief.

Wait a minute!

Hey, wait a minute!

I wanna talk to you!

No. Please, not here.

Listen... No!

Mr. Bell.

Oh, Mr. Bell.

It's me, Jeff Douglas.

You got a few minutes?

I didn't hear
your television on.

You asleep in there?

Mason, eh?

Perry Mason, the attorney?

Well, well, well.

Well.

If I wasn't such a fair-minded
person, Mr. Mason,

I wouldn't let you have
a room in my hotel.

Why, thank you.

And, uh, my secretary
may need some space

to transcribe some notes.

But her typing won't
make much noise.

You're here to see that
young man in jail, aren't you?

I didn't know he'd asked
for any anybody yet.

I am planning to
see Bob Lansing, yes.

Bob Aberdeen, it ought to be.

You won't do him any
good, Mr. Mason. He's guilty.

You seem remarkably
well-informed.

Well, I ought to be.

Twenty years ago, that
boy's father killed my brother.

He was deputy sheriff and his
wife was gonna have a baby.

I saw my brother die
right out there on that street

where that crosswalk is now.

I see.

Lin Aberdeen cheated this town

out of a fair trial
and conviction.

But just you watch.

We'll give his son the
gas chamber, all right.

Della, take the bags upstairs.
I'll meet you at the courtroom.

I know I didn't do
what you told me.

About letting you handle things.

About not coming
back to Outcast, at least.

Well, I did come back.

Maybe I wanted to make trouble.

To stir things up.

Sure, I wanted to.

You wanted to kill him?

No.

To make people think I
knew where the money was,

that's one crazy idea I had.

Lin Aberdeen's money?

Sure, my father's.

If people wanted
something to point at,

I'd give them
something to point about.

You were feeling pretty
sorry for yourself, weren't you?

Maybe.

What time last
night did you decide

that Mr. Bell had
found the money?

Oh, you figured
that out too, huh?

He must have, Mr. Mason.

Years ago he must have.

And made those payments
to your orphanage ever since?

Sure. Conscience money.

Maybe he really was
mixed up in that bank robbery

or killing those
deputies or something.

So last night you
went out to his house

to accuse him of those crimes?

No, I just wanted to
ask him. To find out.

And he resisted you?

Well, I didn't fight him.

They had to take three stitches
in your scalp, I understand.

I fell.

That was from the corner
of the table or something.

Mr. Bell's skull was fractured.

He was literally
beaten to death.

But I didn't do it!

Then who did, the barber?

I don't know.

I was unconscious
for a while, I guess.

I... I must've been.

I, uh, talked with
Dr. Kennedy last night.

In Salt Lake City? Mm-hm.

I asked him if he had
any particular reason

for asking you to
contact Mr. Bell. He didn't.

He simply wanted you to see him

because you were
vacationing in the area.

Well, did you ask him
anything about my background?

Yes.

He said you'd been
left in a bus station.

That they could never
locate the Mexican woman

who'd been traveling
with you from California.

But when? When was it?

Two weeks after the robbery.

You were just a few
years old at that time.

About the same age
as the Aberdeen boy.

Well, I guess I did enough

feeling sorry for
myself last night.

If you're worried about
handling my case...

Bob.

I've already opened an
office in my hotel room.

Now, let's go over

the whole story again

right from the beginning.

It's dreadful my not being
able to help you, Mr. Mason.

But I didn't even learn

I was a widow
until after midnight.

You'd been over here
at Mr. Quincy's house

earlier in the evening?

Yes.

We're on several
committees together,

Mr. Quincy and I.

So I understand.

What time did you
leave here, Mrs. Bell?

About 10:30.

That awful man,
Mr. Flaherty, made Tom angry.

And Tom tried to get my
husband on the phone and couldn't,

and that made it worse.

So I went out by myself.

The police found me later

at the little lounge
down the highway.

Then when was the last
time you saw your husband?

At dinnertime. About 8:00.

Did your husband
ever discuss, uh,

certain gifts he'd sent
to, uh, Salt Lake City?

My husband did not discuss
his finances with me, Mr. Mason.

But at dinner...

did he say anything about
expecting to see anyone?

Oh, you have the
wrong idea, Mr. Mason.

The last time I saw my husband

was when I was
going out for dinner.

He was just sitting there.
He didn't say anything.

I don't even remember
if he said good night.

You had a rather unusual
marriage, didn't you?

There are only unusual
people, Mr. Mason.

Tom and I wanted to get married

but my husband did
not believe in divorce.

All right, gorgeous, I have it.

J.J. Flaherty.

Mm-hm. He's some sort
of an insurance investigator.

And, uh, Mr. Quincy,

find out what his
financial holdings are

throughout the state.

Oh, and Paul,

see if there's an underwriter's
report on the robbery.

May 12th, 1939.

All right. I have that.

Now, when does
Perry want me up there?

The hearings will
start tomorrow,

so we don't have
much time, but...

Wait a minute.

Paul, there is something else.

Perry wants you to double-check
every newspaper on the robbery.

It might help us to know
if there was even a hint

that Aberdeen
might've had an acco...

Accomplice?

Is that what you were gonna say?

Well, Perry better check
the newspaper files there.

It's probably only
a weekly but...

Della?

Two heads of
lettuce, please. Yes.

And a box of strawberries,
nice and fresh.

If you please.

Five pounds of potatoes.

Am I going too fast for you?

Potatoes.

No organization.

I don't know where
Fred's mind was,

but his books are in a mess.

It'll take me six months
to get this cleared up.

How long was he manager
of your trucking business?

You mean, why
did I keep him here?

Set up like this?
Fancy house and all?

You figure that out, Mr. Mason.

Nearly everyone else has.

I've, uh, spoken with Mrs. Bell.

I gather you're to be
congratulated soon.

If we get married
that'll be our business.

Tell me, did you know
Fred Bell as early as 1939?

We grew up together around here.

How about Lin Aberdeen?

Was he ever a friend of Bell's?

Search me.

Could've been.

Aberdeen came here a few
months before he robbed the bank.

Got fired from a janitor's job,

mowed a few lawns.

Oh?

What's the matter, Mr. Mason,

you worried about where
all my money came from?

Well, I'll tell you.

I was poor, ambitious,
and during World War II

I was lucky enough
to miss the draft.

Now, if you'll let me
get back to my books.

Anything there in Bell's records

to suggest a money shortage?

Or maybe a surplus?

What if Bell did have all
that loot all these years?

Wouldn't help the
boy's case any.

On the contrary, Mr. Quincy.

One way or another
that loot, as you call it,

is a motive for murder.

For almost every
person in this town.

Thank you, Miss
Gordon. You're welcome.

It's been some
time since I worked

for the insurance company, yes.

My investigator said five years.

I'm on my own
now, you might say.

What they used to call a
bounty hunter, is that right?

Well, I'll sure split.

Uh, give you anything
that'll help your boy.

But I'm afraid, as
far as digging up

an old accomplice goes...

There were plenty of
witnesses to the fact

that Aberdeen was alone
when he held up the bank.

I've dug that far myself.

And check, uh, if
anybody gave him a hand

between then and the evening
at the time he was killed.

It would be pretty hard
to turn up any evidence

of any man it could be.

You mean, there might
have been a woman?

Well, now, I haven't
scratched there yet, but, uh...

Hey, where are you going?

When did this happen?
Early this morning.

Little weekly
newspaper they got here.

Fire burned out
every file they had.

"Keep out.

Property of Tom Quincy."

Sure, Quincy owns
everything in this town.

Th-there he was.

Uh, him, the defendant,

trying to get out the
back way and couldn't.

Mr. Bell, he was
down on the floor.

I, uh, think I asked you
what time it was, Mr. Douglas.

I don't want our friend
from Los Angeles

to be objecting
to all this talk.

It was about 11:15 I
walked in there, sir.

Thank you. Your witness.

Did you at any time see
the defendant strike Mr. Bell?

Well, uh, no. I just
got there. You see...

Did you, uh, hear
any sounds of struggle

as you approached the house?

No. Of course, I
wasn't listening.

And I walk pretty fast.

Why were you in such
a hurry to see Mr. Bell?

I'd heard the defendant

asking about him in a
couple of bars earlier.

I guess I was
curious, that's all.

In a couple of bars?

You mean, you were
following the defendant

from place to place?

Your Honor.

Well, I'm not the only one.

Half the town
was out that night.

I'll withdraw the question,
if you think it's irrelevant.

Thank you, that's all.

Mr. Bell died of a massive
intracerebral hemorrhage.

This was caused by several
blows with a blunt instrument.

Such as the heavy bookend
I've just showed you?

Yes.

And did the samples of
blood found on the bookend

match that of the victim?

They did.

May it please the court,
I would like to introduce

this murder weapon
as People's Exhibit A.

Any luck, Paul?

No, but I have these
notices planted all over town.

Uh, counselor?

I have no objection
to the exhibit.

So mark it.

Thank you, doctor.

There'll be no
further questions now.

Uh, doctor,

could the blows
that killed Mr. Bell

have been struck by a woman?

I suppose so.

That's a pretty heavy bookend.

Thank you.

Now, when you were first
called to the scene of the crime,

did you also have reason
to examine the defendant?

Objection, Your Honor.

There's a regular
time for the defense

to present its own testimony.

Well, now, it seems
to me you suggested

there was a fight,
Mr. Prosecutor.

Well, now, in a fight
it isn't always possible

to separate the blows.

Now, I think I'd call
that laying a foundation.

Overruled. Proceed.

Well, doctor?

I examined the boy, yes.

He had one contusion
with slight lacerations.

Exactly where was that?

The parietal region.

Now, that's right on
top of the head, isn't it?

Yes.

Uh, doctor, do
you think it possible

for someone to stumble
or fall in such a manner

so as to injure the
very top of the head?

You mean, uh, bump
it on something?

Well, I suppose in
certain circumstances.

I'll ask a much
easier question, then.

Isn't it much more possible

that the defendant
was struck by that blow

after he was down and
already stunned or unconscious?

Objection, Your Honor.

Of all the argumentative...

I'll sustain that
one, all right.

No further questions.

At what time did he
leave the motel room?

Well, Bob came back from
Los Angeles just after supper.

It was about 7:30.

And we gabbed for a few
minutes and then he went out.

It was about, uh,
20 of 8, I'd say.

Ah. You, uh, didn't
accompany him?

I hadn't eaten.

You see, I'd been nosing around

the newspaper
office pretty late.

I guess I had the same curiosity

about old papers as
Mr. Mason seems to.

Uh, to tell you the truth,

I didn't find anything
worth paying money for.

I'm sure you could find a
better time to talk to Mr. Mason.

Just answer the
questions. Yes, sir.

So the last time you
saw the defendant

was at 20 minutes
to 8, Mr. Flaherty?

I didn't see him at all

except that afternoon
in my husband's office.

That was the only time.

And did your husband later
discuss that visit with you?

Or in any way mention
the defendant's name?

He did on my way
out that evening.

My husband was
sitting on the porch

and I asked him

if there was
anything I could do.

Do about what?

What was the reason
for your concern?

Well, he seemed
worried and upset.

Defeated, you might say.

I see.

And, uh, what was your
husband's answer, Mrs. Bell?

He said there was
nothing anybody could do.

Please tell us his
exact words, if possible.

The last words spoken
to you by the deceased.

He said,

"Do you know who that boy is?"

And I said, "No."

And he said,

"It's Bob Aberdeen."

Aberdeen?

Are you sure your husband
didn't say "Lansing"?

Was he so positive who he was?

He said "Aberdeen."

That's all.

Cross-examine.

Uh, Mrs. Bell,

how old are you?

Objection.

Aside from its
lack of diplomacy,

the question is completely
irrelevant and immaterial.

Sustained.

I'll avoid the direct
question, Your Honor.

However, since the
prosecution has introduced

the name Aberdeen,
could you tell us,

Mrs. Bell, what the
name meant to you?

Had you ever met Lin
Aberdeen, for instance?

It's possible. He...

He was in town a few
months before his death.

Yes, 1939.

But in what way
might you have met?

Would he have
patted you on the head

or perhaps asked you for a date?

It wouldn't have been
either, Mr. Mason.

In 1939, I hadn't even
graduated from high school,

Yes, of course.

You left Mountain Union
High, without graduating,

in 1936.

Objection.

Strike that last question.

Your Honor,
perhaps I should drop

this entire line of inquiry.

That would be
well-advised, counselor.

Now, concerning
your husband's, uh,

last words about the defendant.

He only said, "Do you
know who that boy is?"

And then he said...
"That blasted boy!"

What?

That's what he said.

"That blasted ugly delinquent."

"That dirty troublemaker."

Yes. He's come here to kill me."

That's what he really said.

"He's just like his father.

"He's a lying, stealing,

murdering, thieving..."

Your husband really
said all those things?

Before I reprimand
the witness, Mr. Mason,

if you wish to make objection,

I'll strike these last words.

But why should we just strike
the last words, Your Honor?

Because, obviously, this witness
became hysterical with anger.

She was making a statement
with the sole purpose

of getting back at you

and wasn't trying
to tell the truth.

Exactly.

But how do we know that just
the last words were perjured?

Why not the entire testimony?

Well, would you
like to make a motion

to strike her entire
testimony on that ground?

No, Your Honor.

I prefer to let her
testimony stand

just as it is.

You may step down.

I told the defendant I wouldn't
serve him any more drinks.

Why not? He kept
trying to pick fights

with anybody who wouldn't
say his old man was a great guy.

So I told him to get out.

Before he left were there
any particular questions

that he asked you?

Yes, uh,

he asked where the
local graveyard was

and I... I told him.

And then he asked how he
could find Mr. Bell's house.

And dumb me, I
told him that too.

Mr. Bell told me
he was in trouble.

There was people in Salt Lake
who talked too much, he said.

Uh, just a moment, Mrs. Douglas.

Let's set things in order.

Just where did you see Mr. Bell?

He was sitting on
his own front porch

all alone on the
night of the murder.

And, uh, how did you happen
to see him there on the porch?

Well, I was out looking for
my husband, Jeff Douglas.

I wanted him to come home.

Didn't want any of that Aberdeen
nonsense around my family.

Only, Mr. Bell, he
hadn't seen Jeff.

Ah. Now, Mrs. Douglas,

since you spoke to the deceased

just moments before his death,

tell us exactly what happened.

Well, when I asked
him about Jeff,

he just mumbled about Salt Lake

and something about
people handing out

figures they shouldn't.
Uh, use only Mr. Bell's

exact words, please.

Well, all that stuff
didn't make sense,

so I didn't pay attention.

Only then I asked
him if he wasn't sick

and he said,

"Amy, I'm so sick
I'm gonna be dead."

Well, that scared me,
so I asked him why

and he said, "Bob
Aberdeen's here.

And now he'll get me."

So I said, "Don't you want me
to call somebody or something?"

And he said, "No. Go away.

It won't do no
good. He'll get me."

So then I went away

and that was all
there was to it.

Your witness.

Your Honor, my
cross-examination of this witness

may be fairly extensive.

Even setting aside
hearsay elements.

Well, it's after 4:30, if
you'd care to recess.

Mr. Prosecutor?

I have no objection.

This court is recessed
until 9:30 tomorrow morning.

Well, here are some more.

I found an old lady who has
her shelves lined with them.

Uh, any luck?

Not so far.

You know, it would
help if you were sure

what we were looking for.

Something worth burning
down a newspaper for.

There's an awful
lot here about Hitler.

And the closing of
the local CCC camp.

Well.

How about the Duke of Windsor?

Wait a minute. Here's
something about a bankruptcy.

Some little trucking company.

What's the date?

April 15, 1939.

That's before the robbery.

Well, look here. Look here.

"Unsuccessful
attempt to get going,

"our sympathies to young

Tom Quincy."

All right, everything
around this date.

Now let's really get to work.

Uh, a moment, Your Honor.

The defense does not wish
to cross-examine this witness.

Oh?

Well, last night you
suggested a rather lengthy

cross-examination
of this witness.

Uh, defense now feels it might
be best to allow the prosecution

to finish its case as
quickly as possible.

I therefore have no
questions of Mrs. Douglas.

Very well. Uh,
you may be seated.

I call Mr. Tom
Quincy to the stand.

The last time I saw Fred Bell

was in the office
that afternoon.

However, at that time
he made no mention at all

about the boy being here.

Uh, so it wasn't until
Mr. Flaherty called on you

later in the evening that you
had any idea what was going on?

That is correct.

Was that also
the first you heard

of certain gifts which Mr. Bell

may have made to
a certain orphanage?

It was.

Now, Mr. Quincy,
since that time,

have you discovered
any further information

concerning such gifts?

I have.

Would you please tell the
court in your own words?

Bell made deposits
and withdrawals

in a separate fund
that he had control of.

Would you clarify, please?

Well, apparently
Bell used this fund

to build up large
stores of cash.

And then he'd balance it

by sending those
gifts to Salt Lake City.

Uh, one moment.

Mr. Mason, you may
have objection here

if financial records
are gonna be discussed

without being produced.

May it please the court,

our only present purpose is
to confirm a source of anger

between the defendant
and the deceased.

To confirm a motive for murder.

Uh, defense is quite
willing to concede

that money stolen from
a local bank in 1939

may quite well have become

a part of the murder
by way of motivation,

or perhaps by setting
in motion causes

which culminated in murder.

Thank you.

That's all for
this witness then.

Now, these deposits
you say Mr. Bell made

to a certain account.

Uh, is it your
belief, Mr. Quincy,

that they came from
that stolen money?

Well, I'd never be able to
prove such a thing, of course.

Could you tell if the, uh,
money came from blackmail?

I don't understand the question.

Very well, I'll ask a quite
different question, then.

Mr. Quincy, did you set fire

to your own newspaper
office the other day?

Your Honor, I object.

Sustained.

I'd like to answer that
question, Your Honor.

I absolutely did not.

I've only owned that
newspaper for a few years

and I don't know of anything
in it that was worth burning.

Never mind, Mr. Quincy.

Strike both question and answer.

Mr. Quincy, I read in the
paper that in April of 1939,

you were filing
bankruptcy proceedings,

but there was only one notice.

A careful reading
of the newspapers

for the next two years

showed that the bankruptcy
must have been stopped.

That somehow you must
have stayed on in business.

Well, it wasn't much of a
business in those years.

I had a couple of used trucks,

I managed to get
a few hauling jobs

and keep my head above water
That's about what happened.

But then in late
l941, or early '42,

you went to San Francisco.

By the time you
returned to town,

you'd become quite
successful in several new lines.

There was a war on, remember?

I told you I was lucky
enough to miss the draft.

I'm afraid, Mr. Mason,
that quite a few people

made money during those years.

But only if they
had cash to invest.

Now, my question
is this, Mr. Quincy:

concerning Mr. Bell's records,

isn't it possible that
since the murder,

you might have
altered those records

so as to have concealed
some involvement of your own?

Objection, Your Honor.

Sustained.

You'll just have to
confine yourself to subjects

that are relevant, counselor.

Your Honor.

Now, Mr. Quincy,

Mrs. Bell stated that on
the night of the murder,

she left your house
at about 10:40.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

What did you then do?

I went to bed.

Before or after
Mr. Douglas' visit?

Before or after what?

Your Honor, I would
like the court reporter

to read back certain
portions of testimony

given by Mr. Jeff Douglas.

Wait, Your Honor.

Yes, I was in bed.

And I heard somebody outside,

but I don't know who it was.

You know, I think
it might be easier

to recall the other
witness, counselor.

Y-yes, sir, I said I looked
for Mr. Bell several places.

You stated that you
looked for him downtown,

then at Mr. Quincy's house
on the way back, is that correct?

Uh, yes, sir.

I started to knock,
but I guess Mr. Quincy

was in bed
already, like he said.

Did you happen to notice whether
or not his car was in the drive?

Well, uh, no.

No, I... I'm not sure it was.

Can't you be more
positive than that?

Yes, sir.

I guess the reason
I didn't really knock

was because the
car wasn't there.

Your Honor, in view of the fact

that there may be
conflicting testimony here,

with the court's permission,

I would now like to
cross-examine Mrs. Douglas.

Very well.

Now, please repeat all you can
remember of Mr. Bell's words.

There was people there
who talked too much, he said.

Yes, and, um, giving
out figures they shouldn't.

Uh, figures about money,
is that what you mean?

Exactly.

Because if I recall
the statement

of one other witnesses...

Your Honor, how long
a parade of witnesses?

Hold on, Mr. Prosecutor.

Your Honor, I'm now refering

to the statement
made by Mr. Flaherty

concerning what he
told Mr. Quincy at 10:30.

That is, the private information
about the figures and amounts

of Mr. Bell's donations

to that orphanage.

Proceed.

Your Honor, no one
else had that information.

Yet one half-hour later,
news of it had reached Mr. Bell.

I would like to
know who told him.

I think Mr. Quincy might
return to the stand now.

Uh... Uh, just a moment.

I was there.

I was there, all right, I...

I was mad enough
to wring his neck,

but I... I... I
didn't kill him. I...

I didn't kill him, I...

You see, I... I couldn't have,

because he was
dead when I got there.

Mr. Quincy, I hardly
need remind you

that you perjured
yourself many times.

I know, Your Honor,
I... But I had to lie.

You see, if I... If I'd have
told you I'd been there,

why, I'd have to tell
you the whole truth.

The whole truth
about me and the...

The whole truth about Aberdeen.

Sure, I got the
money, all right.

Aberdeen gave it to me.

He was hurt, he
knew he was gonna die

and so he gave me
the money in return

for taking care of his boy.

You go ahead and you
blame me all you want.

But I didn't kill anyone.

May it please the court,

there is really only
one other person

who could have
murdered Fred Bell,

who could have
first talked with him

and then returned to kill him.

Flaherty, J.J.

I almost got away with it.

Flaherty spotted you
walking toward Bell's house,

followed you back there
to see what would happen.

What happened gave
him the golden opportunity.

Yeah, only why did
he have to kill the guy?

Well, to keep him quiet.

Flaherty had been
working on the case

for a number of years,
hoping, I suppose,

just for the reward.

When he stumbled into the fact
that Quincy had turned $100,000

into $2 million, he
got bigger ideas.

Poor Mr. Bell knew
the whole story.

And with you on the scene,

Bell would have come
out with the whole story.

But with Bell dead,

Flaherty could take over...

The blackmailing of
Mr. Quincy in professional style.

What about the fire?
Did he start that too?

Of course.

He found that same
newspaper item we found,

and he didn't want
anything in the world

to interfere with his plan.

Thanks.

You know, after
all is said and done,

my father was still what he was.

He did try to take
care of you, Bob.

Yeah, I guess so.

Doesn't seem to matter much.

Doesn't matter at all, Bob,

because you are what you are.