Original subtitles

Have you noticed anything missing from the house?

Mr. Bellingham never kept anything like money or jewelry lying around.

At least I never saw anything like that out in the open.

Mrs. Bellingham mostly keeps her good jewelry in the bank vault.

She's in San Leandro.

Busy thing with friends.

When I came this morning and I saw what had happened to Mr. Bellingham, I called

her right first thing, and her friends are bringing her back.

Thank you.

You can wait in the house.

Uh, nothing left here for me.

Have I notified the family doctor?

Not yet.

Can you give me an approximate time of death?

Hmm, 10, 12 hours.

See ya. Yeah, hold it. Stick around a few minutes, will you, Doc? What for?

an accidental death.

Maybe.

What do you mean, maybe?

Guy climbs out of a pool and like a stupid jerk, he turns on the television

Zap!

What's there to think about? That's to think about.

He wears glasses. He drinks martinis. But the picture and the eyeglasses are

there. And the television set.

Master's voice, Sergeant, huh?

All right. Seems strange.

Murder is strange.

Accidental death is strange.

Yeah, but the eyeglasses.

Look, kid.

If people didn't do so many stupid things, there wouldn't be accidental

But they do, and there are. They handle electrical gadgets with wet hands.

They forget to put on glasses.

Sometimes even forget to drink drinks.

It's dumb.

It's unfortunate. It's sad. But it ain't necessarily murder.

It ain't necessarily not murder.

Write him up, DOA. I'm sending for photo and fingerprint units.

You're putting your backside in a sling.

It's my backside.

is found dead, having just handled an electrical appliance while dripping wet.

Appearing to have... Only you say he didn't because his eyeglasses and

pitcher were 30 feet away.

And two pieces of heavy -duty insulation on the ground.

Which could have been there for weeks.

You are running my battery down.

That's fresh insulation, no sign of weathering. Also, I checked with the

There's been no electrical work done around the place. Maybe he was a do -it

-yourselfer. He wasn't. Maid says he wasn't. She'd know. Ed, it's still

thin. There's more.

Take a look at this one.

Back of head and upper torso.

Across the neck, just under the hairline.

That's apparently a burn.

As if he were wearing something on a chain around his neck.

To say Christopher?

Maybe. Maybe.

Fact. He was wearing something metal around his neck because that is a burn

mark. And there's another one on his chest.

Fact number two. Whatever he was wearing wasn't there when I got there.

Query. What is it?

Where is it? And how did it depart?

You did a real search?

You think I'm asking for traffic duty? Don't answer one question with another.

I searched your way, and there was nothing around that pool or in it that

have caused that mark.

When the body was found, it was wearing swim trunks and a wristwatch. That's

all.

Watch is waterproof. Nothing suspicious.

What time do you figure this happened?

The doc says evening, 10, 11.

Watch has stopped at 3 .30.

Did I do wrong? You bet your bad you did. Calling it possible felony? No,

you're investigating a case and you're suspicious, it is suspicious.

Then don't waste time checking with me. What about the widow?

Out of town. She's on her way back. Well, the house isn't out of town.

You ought to be tearing it apart.

Looking for what? You're the one that's suspicious.

In this business, you don't know what you're looking for until you find it.

you don't find it until you look.

And you cannot look here.

You didn't have to congratulate him. Just, Ed, you did right was enough.

Can you stop improving my character, young lady? Perhaps you'll have some

for police work.

No offense.

Because somebody ought to be checking the Hall of Records, finding out who

Bellingham was.

Bye.

I haven't time. The doctor said regular work is essential for continued good

health. My regular work, you'll continue to get it.

Yes, Colonel.

I'd appreciate any further information you might have.

Will you call me?

Thank you.

Well, hello, Ed.

Mrs. Bellingham's back. She was hysterical, and they gave her a

talk to her as soon as it wears off.

Did you find anything in the house? Nothing significant.

Nothing of apparent significance.

Is the dress booked?

Yes.

Cleaner, broker, liquor dealer, doctor, and so forth. Nothing exciting.

Quite a house.

Apparently, he had money.

Did he?

George Bellingham, 45, two years at Cal.

Drafted 1942, discharged as Master Sergeant 1946.

Came home with a silver star from the Italian campaign and an Italian war

Founded Econo Products, 1948.

Bellingham sold Econo for a quarter of a million two years ago and remained with

the company as consultant to $25 ,000 a year.

No arrests, no convictions, no nothing. End of report.

Any questions?

The war bride?

She's the current Mrs. B, the first and only.

All right.

Ed, I had a look at this watch.

It's a G .I. watch, the kind issued to troops in World War II.

Good watch, but the mainspring is broken and seems to have been so for some

time.

Query, why did rich Mr. B wear a broken Army watch?

Maybe he was sentimental about it. Something to do with his military

the Silver Star? Maybe.

Or maybe for another reason.

A watch is a good place to hide certain kinds of information.

So I took off the back.

I noticed something scratched inside.

Don't strain your eyes.

I already strained mine and copied the whole thing.

Right there.

Code? Before we call in a cryptologist, what else could it be?

Oh, come, come. Six eight -digit figures?

What are eight digits used for?

Five of those start with three. One starts with one.

Does that help?

Do you know?

Social security numbers.

Social security numbers have nine digits.

Name, rank, serial number. Exactly.

Army service numbers.

Called by millions of G .I.'s dog tag numbers.

They started with a three if you were drafted and a one if you enlisted,

those proportions about right.

Seemed reasonable enough, so I called the Pentagon to get some names to go

those numbers.

Struck oil.

The number at the top belongs to George Bellingham, the late George Bellingham.

The others?

From the top, together with their places of enlistment or induction, Bellingham,

San Francisco, Peter Spangler, Chicago, John Corman, Des Moines, Arnold

Michelin, Boston, Andy Sheldon, Philadelphia, Kim Sue, Seattle.

Never heard of any of them. Nor did I.

I'm having their records sent out here.

Pentagon's going to call me.

Ironside.

It's them.

Yes, Colonel.

Where was that?

And Sue?

I see.

No, I understand.

It's very kind of you.

You'll send the records?

Thank you, Colonel.

Well, we seem to be on to something.

Observe that two of these numbers, Michelin here and Sue, have two digits

circled, distinguishing them from the others.

These two, Michelin and Sue, died recently in San Francisco.

How did they die?

We'll have to find that out. All the Army knows is that a $200 death benefit

paid out in each case.

Of the six men whose serial numbers were scratched into Bellingham's watch case,

three, including Bellingham, died in our city, though only Bellingham was born

here.

Bellingham's death was highly suspicious.

Query.

How did the other two die?

Query.

Where are the other three, and what are they doing?

Query.

What are we doing here when we should be looking for the answers?

I am sorry that I could not see you before.

I know you will understand about the shock.

Of course. We'll come back tomorrow.

No, I want whoever did this to be caught and quickly.

We're investigating your husband's death.

Other matters... His life, mine.

I feel you should know. You will hear it said that when the war came to an end,

I was a gamina, a vagabond.

A bar girl who drank with the soldiers in Bonsarno.

And that one of the soldiers who came to that bar was George Bellingham.

And I became Mrs. Bellingham to escape, simply to come to America.

Was your husband in the habit of swimming at night?

Yes, before bed and once again early in the morning. Did he often watch

television after his swim?

Yes, but he was careful.

Did he have any enemies, business rivals, that sort of thing?

Not that I know of.

Just one more question.

Did he wear anything around his neck?

Yes. U .S. Army ID, his dog tag. He called it. He always wore it. Did he

say why he wore it?

He never said.

Bellingham. Well, enough of him for the time being.

The late Kim Sue.

Born Canton, enlisted from Seattle.

Died last year in San Francisco of indisputably natural causes.

To wit, a kidney ailment. Age at death, 66.

66? How old was he when he went in?

He was 40, and he had to sign a waiver to get in.

He left a son, one Leon Su, a karate instructor in Chinatown.

The late Arnold Michelin, who was not unknown to the police, as the saying

Breaking and entering, Jack Rowling, Petticon, that sort of thing. He died in

warehouse fire about six months ago.

You mean the one in Oakland?

Yes.

Michelin was found with a lump on his head and an overturned oil heater at his

feet. Either he stumbled, bumped his head, and kicked over the oil heater, or

was clobbered and the fire started by his assailant. Which question the

investigating officers, as I remember it, were never able to resolve.

That's right. Interesting.

Fascinating. What about the others?

The ones that are still alive?

There's a little bit there to feed the imagination, too.

They all live in San Francisco and have for years.

Johnny Corman, itinerant musician and A &R man.

Andy Sheldon, advertising photographer, highly successful.

Pete Spangler, sometime dishwasher, auto polisher, pool hall rack man, and

full -time wino.

Have you got an address in Sheldon? Yes.

Then I suggest we start there.

Mark, you better neaten up.

Maybe Sheldon will take your picture.

Think I could do commercials?

Friends, are you satisfied with your present toothpaste?

If not, may we suggest you try minty, good -tasting Barfo?

What do you think? I'll buy ten.

Let's get the wagon.

Are we going to?

I have a better use for your considerable talents.

Well, Chief.

I do believe you've paid us a compliment.

Must be off my feed. Try Barfo. It'll set your world right.

All right, comedians. While I'm gone, I want you to check out every one of these

men and see if you can come up with anything.

Present whereabouts, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Right?

Right, sire.

Okay, we're off.

No, no, no, sweetie birds.

The three of you look like you're just trying to make love to a shirt.

I know it's what I told you to do, but it's just not working.

And you, you look like you've been to two other islands already.

Look, forget the shirts, huh?

Please. I mean, try to forget the shirts, huh?

The three of you have been on a desert island for a whole year.

No men.

No TV.

Suddenly this joker swims ashore with his button -down tapered washing wear,

looking refreshed.

And you go ravenous, right?

It's a man.

A real live man.

All right, kiddies.

Sick 'em.

Go get it, huh?

Go. Hold it right there.

That's it.

Very good. And some more.

Sick 'em, girls.

Ready?

Good.

Hold it right there. Don't lose it now, kids. Don't lose it.

All right, back a little, sweetie. Up with the light. This one. That's it.

Once more. Once more. Now really go. Go, baby.

Get him.

Good.

Now what?

Hold it right there.

Now really go.

Check him.

Again.

All right.

That's it. Hold it. Now really get him. Don't lose it now.

Delicious.

Absolutely delicious.

See, it's not so bad when you have the right frame of reference, right?

Take a break.

Bernie, fill this up, will you?

Sorry to keep you waiting, Chief.

Great. Never touch it.

Now what can I do for you?

These mean something to you?

No, I don't, uh... Wait a minute.

It's from the Army.

Man, you're going back to year one.

Without the ranks, the names almost didn't register.

You serve with them?

Yeah, I could have.

You see, this goes back to the, uh...

End of the Italian campaign. We were way up north near the Tyrol.

Special forces unit, you know, sabotage, demolition.

Would you believe I spent my youth spreading terror and confusion behind

enemy lines?

It's a far cry from this. You could have served with some of them.

Yeah.

Michelin, I don't remember him.

There was a Chinese.

Name could have been Su.

Now, there was a little guy from Boston. Now, that could have been Michelin.

What's this all about, anyway? What about the other three?

Johnny Corman, Pete Spangler, they're around San Francisco. I bump into them

once in a while.

Bellingham, him I remember.

He was our squad leader.

Great guy.

Is that the Bellingham I read about in the paper, the one that electrocuted

himself?

You know, I just didn't connect the name.

I mean, demolition is mostly electronics, you know.

I certainly wouldn't figure that Bellingham would get caught.

That's it, isn't it?

That's it. You didn't figure he'd do that either. You seen Bellingham since

war?

No. You know his wife?

His wife?

Last I heard, he was gonna marry some dame in a saloon out of Bolzano.

Did he?

Yeah.

What do you know about that?

No, I haven't seen her. Not since I bought her a drink on VE Day. Where can

find Corman and Spangler?

Uh, Corman, he's with the house band of Barbary Records. I did a cover album for

him not long ago.

Pete Spangler?

Man, he's out of sight.

He hit me for a buck on a street downtown about a year ago. Wanted to try

friendly neighborhood flophouses.

Ever wear your dog tags?

You've got to be kidding.

I don't eat C -rations anymore, and I don't live in a pup tent.

Now, if you'll excuse me. Yeah.

May I use your phone?

Be my guest.

All right, pretty birds.

Let's see if we can get some sex into this shirt.

All right. Horns up, kiddies.

We can recapture that sexy shirt fix.

Hey, Bernie, put that light up a little closer.

Ed, reach Corman through Barbary Records.

We're going down to Skid Row to find Spangler.

We've got a new job, there's nobody here.

Put on your makeup, try to afford space in here.

And you turn away.

I remember everybody I ever met.

Maybe that's my trouble.

I was in the army with them.

Have you seen them since?

All the time.

I'm a social rambler.

No, not all of them. Not anymore.

Sue's dead.

Poor old Michelin.

Bellingham, too.

That's what interests you, isn't it?

You don't think old George electrocuted himself?

I'll tell you something, neither do I.

Not old George.

How about Mrs. Bellingham?

She's a great kid.

Back in Italy, it always was a pleasure to buy her drinks.

Even when you knew it was only sugar water.

I meant since then. Sure, I've seen her.

As a matter of fact, I played a club date at a party she and George gave

six months back.

I was happy for her.

Always glad to see another hustler strike it rich.

What about Spangler?

You looking for him?

Well, Ratsaruk.

He's got a drifter's heart. I think he blew town.

If you'll pardon me, I gotta go hustle myself a dollar.

Thanks.

No rooms until after seven.

What?

Some of our regular clientele don't know until after seven whether they'll be

staying on or not. I am not looking for a room.

Then blow, because that's all we got.

Go on.

Look, Chief Ironside sent me.

He's right outside. I can get it.

But he won't like it.

What do you want?

We're looking for a guy named Spangler.

Pete Spangler? Yeah, you know him?

Sure. But he ain't staying here.

Is that straight?

Look for yourself.

I swear to you, I ain't seen him two, maybe three weeks.

He only stays here when he's got money.

What's he done?

Nothing.

He made a complaint that this place is violating the sanitary laws.

Something about bed bugs.

And he forgot to sign it.

What is this?

You didn't bring us down here to identify Spangler. Pete's got a record.

must have pictures.

Maybe he has more questions.

Maybe we don't want to answer.

Maybe. No questions.

What then? I've got something to say.

So say it.

Now, you guys keep this up. Everybody winds up dead except one, and that one

spends the rest of his life in jail, and nobody grabs the brass ring.

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

You know what he's talking about, Andy?

I don't think he knows. I don't.

But once there were six, and now there are two. I know that much.

I think you've been working too hard, Chief.

Okay, that's all. You may go now.

That's a pleasure.

There's a cut across Spangler's neck, like a chain had been pulled off.

You expected that, didn't you, Ed?

Yes.

Find out what time this place opens.

It's our first order of business.

Have Eve go to this karate school tomorrow.

Miss Whitfield?

Your chief called me. He read me a list of names.

Yes. I'm sorry, but they are entirely unfamiliar to me. Except for my father,

course. Your father. What was he like?

That's a strange question to ask a son.

Mr. Su, when your father died, were you his heir?

Well, you might call it that.

He left me the bed he slept in and the clothes he wore. There was nothing else.

Nothing.

No souvenirs?

No mementos?

I think I know what you mean.

He wore a metal tag on a chain around his neck.

His name was stamped on it and six numbers.

I took it for a keepsake.

Strange.

I know I put it there.

It's gone.

I'm sorry. Is it important?

I'm not sure.

Are you sure that there were just six numbers and not eight?

Positive.

At the top, his name. At the bottom, four numbers grew close together.

Then a little hole.

Then two more numbers.

The hole should have been at the top.

Ah, there was a hole at the top.

That was where the chain went.

I'm speaking of a second hole between the two groups of numbers.

Well, we're getting somewhere. I just wish I knew where.

I'm getting closer to Market and Powell.

Patience, Sergeant, patience.

Kim Sue's serial number.

Now, according to Leon Sue, when he saw the dog tag, there were four numbers,

then a hole, then two more.

So the two missing digits are the same two circled in Bellingham's watch.

Meaning? I was hoping you wouldn't ask.

Why don't you ask me how the numbers were punched out? How were the numbers

punched out?

I don't know.

At least I have a theory.

One dog tag, courtesy of Patrolman Ramsey, recently of the United States

The digits are of such a size that to remove two and only two would require a

hole three -tenths of an inch in diameter.

That's your theory? I didn't think I had to spell it out for you.

Now, assume the hole was made overseas during the war.

The army, I suppose, did not carry a supply of metal punches.

But the manufacture of three -tenths of an inch holes was its principal

business. A rifle, a .30 caliber rifle, M1 or carbine.

Why?

Why is always the last question to be answered. Six men served together

overseas. One brought home an Italian wife.

All brought home something that brought them all to San Francisco.

Held them together.

No. Know what? She's not Italian.

At least Italian wasn't her first language. Her accent's wrong.

She described herself as a gamina, which is a French word with an Italian

ending. The sort of thing... What difference does her nationality make?

Never assume that an answer is unimportant if you don't know what it

From the wit and wisdom of Robert T., where are you going?

We are going back to work.

records that you sent me and the Defense Department files, I've reconstructed

the movements of your friends quite accurately.

I thought they might even be on that film.

No such luck. Your information was correct, Bob.

They were essentially rangers operating largely independently with missions

assigned from higher headquarters.

Excuse me, may I?

What was the military situation at that time?

A mopping up operation.

The Italians had surrendered.

The Germans were in full retreat.

Great confusion.

In this confusion, is it possible that these six soldiers might have come into

possession of something of great value?

You mean looting?

Something like that.

Well, a German pay train was blown up.

Nobody had found the money. Turned out to be worthless, though.

I'm thinking of something that wasn't worthless.

Yeah.

Well, a currency exchange office got hit by a small arms fire and grenades one

night. We couldn't figure it out. It was supposed to be way behind the lines. Of

course... You never knew where the lines were those days.

How much?

About two million, I think.

Mostly dollars.

Some gold, pounds, francs, that sort of thing.

We figured it for some sort of guerrilla action. There were guerrillas around

Bolzano. Bolzano?

That's where Bellingham got married.

Yes, it's right here on his service records.

Permission granted to marry Andra Portier.

Residence, Bolzano, Italy.

Nationality, Swiss.

And the date.

You figure your people were involved in that robbery?

It's a possibility.

Well, please keep us informed.

There were two men killed in that raid.

We don't ever close the books on murder.

Neither do we, General.

Neither do we.

I've got the pieces.

Why can't we solve the puzzle?

For one thing, we don't know which pieces belong.

And for another thing, I don't know why a Swiss national had to marry an

American to get into this country. The Swiss quota's never been filled.

Six guys with guns and grenades and a war ending and confusion.

That belongs.

And the two million dollars?

Something big. And the dog tags.

One with two numbers shot out.

Probably all with two numbers shot out. And a warehouse fire in Oakland 20 years

later and a man electrocuted in a swimming pool.

And a woman who says she's an Italian but is really Swiss.

The lie, that's what's important.

A lie by a witness is always important.

Robert... You are right.

I am?

She is. Two million dollars, don't you see? They grabbed it and that was easy,

the war and all.

Then what?

Bring it home in a barracks bag?

Ah, stash it. But in such a way that each man knew the others couldn't get at

alone. The numbers.

Anybody can find a serial number. But only I could know...

Which two digits I shut out of my dog tags.

I don't see how that... As far north as you can get and stay in Italy. If you go

north, Austria. Northwest, Switzerland.

Meaning, money plus numbers plus Switzerland equal banks.

Swiss bank. Numbered accounts.

Exactly. Deposit with a number.

To be withdrawn by a number.

Someday. No signatures, no identification.

Anonymous and safe.

Not just safe against the world.

Safe against each other.

No one member could grab the treasury because each member had only one -sixth

the number.

Beautiful.

Ironside.

Yes, Mrs. Bellingham.

A man named Corman.

Do you know Corman?

I've met him. He's a musician friend of my husband's.

He phoned and said that I had something he wanted.

He didn't say, I don't know. I told him that I didn't know. He became very

angry. He said that he's coming to get it and he's bringing a friend.

I'm really quite frightened.

Now, sit tight.

Don't open the door to anybody until we get there.

Let's go.

You could have called a precinct to us. It takes us a while to get out here.

Sorry about that. I like to keep the wheels on the ground once in a while.

Take it easy. You're doing fine.

This is the showdown, Ed. She's part of it.

I can't quite see what part.

Can't you?

You were the one that figured out she was Swiss.

Well, I know it fits in. It's essential.

Switzerland was neutral.

Belliam and his friends couldn't walk in in grimy U .S. Army fatigues and hand

the boodle through the wicket they needed to cover.

A Swiss national. Then she knew. She had to know.

Exactly how much she knew.

That's her street, next left.

Hang on.

Hold it.

That was her, Mrs. Bellingham. Yeah, I saw her. Turn around.

That was Corman. It's somebody with him.

Got to be Sheldon. Don't get too close. Don't worry.

They're going into the car barn.

Keep going straight ahead. Make a left.

If she's trapped in there... There's a side entrance.

Those are the cars.

They've got to be in there.

All right, let's go.

All right, let's split up according to plan.

Mark?

Mark, you find the lights.

Cow flick.

How do you know?

French speaking Swiss.

What did she say?

Dirty cop.

What I don't understand is why they waited 25 years to get the money in the

first place.

Not all of them did. What do you mean?

Well, it's a little complicated.

Well, shoot.

Okay.

Bellingham's wife took the money, but never put it in the account they all

thought it was in.

Bellingham had her put it in a different account.

And the two of them had been tapping that one for years.

You with me so far?

Right. That's why they were living so well. Exactly.

They couldn't have lived that way on his salary alone.

Well, what about the others?

Bellingham was stalling.

He kept telling them that they'd have to wait until things cooled down, that $2

million was worth waiting for.

Now, this worked for a few years, but the rest of the group was getting

impatient.

Then when Kim Sue died, Bellingham pounced on that. He stole Kim Sue's dog

Then he told the others it had been lost, thus preventing them from

the correct account number.

Precisely.

Then Bellingham decided to get them off his back once and for all, so he spread

the rumor that one of them had stolen Kim Soo's dog tag and was out to get the

other tags.

He figured that greed being what it is, they'd all kill each other off and he'd

be sitting pretty.

He started the ball rolling by knocking off Michelin. The cat just never figured

that one of the others would knock him off. Beautiful.

Particularly since it was his own wife.

She and Belliam had hated each other for years, but they were forced to stay

together because of the money.

She saw her chance to get rid of him and have one of the others blamed, leaving

her with all the money. Pretty cold -blooded.

Only Sheldon and Corman suspected her and applied the pressure.

She knew they wouldn't give up, so she planned to kill both of them, figuring

one would suspect her, a woman, of being able to kill two men. Except the world

-renowned Archfell.

of the underworld, Robert T.

Ironside. Amen.

And now, kiddies, are there any more questions?

Yes, teacher.

I have a question.

What is it? I lost you on the second murder.

Could you go back and explain it again?