All language subtitles for The FBI s05e06 Gamble with Death

Here he comes.

Any plans for an appeal?

Mr. Pace, any comment on your client's
conviction?

Well, I think the jury made a terrible
mistake.

Do you still insist John Springer is
innocent?

Yes. Anything you can add to that, Mr.
Springer? No, nothing.

I'm innocent.

I didn't kill Sharon.

I didn't kill anybody.

What are you going to do now?

All right, boys, that's enough.

That's enough.

A Quinn Martin production starring
Ephraim Zimbliss Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott, William
Reynolds, with guest stars

Michael Callen, Anne Helm,

Simon Scott, and special guest star
Lorraine Day.

Tonight's episode.

Gamble with death.

Three days after John Eldon Springer's
conviction and futile attempt to escape,

a special delivery letter arrived at the
Boston home of Alexander York, a key

prosecution witness in Springer's murder
trial.

Because of the letter's apparent
urgency,

Mrs. York opened it and read the
message.

Inasmuch as the letter was obviously an
extortion attempt threatening York and

his family, she immediately tried to
telephone her husband.

Unable to reach him, she placed a
frantic call to the local office of the

where Inspector Lewis Erskine and
Special Agent Tom Colby were just

their final report on a major kidnapping
investigation.

Inspector Erskine, may I help you?

Inspector, a letter just came in from my
husband's special delivery.

I opened it because it was marked
urgent.

Someone is trying to blackmail my
husband.

Would you read it to me, please? I'll
have someone take it down.

Well, the words were cut out of
different publications and pasted to

of brown wrapping paper. It says, Mr.
York...

It was you, not John Springer, who
murdered Sharon O 'Neill.

I saw you kill her.

For $50 ,000, I will keep quiet, or else
you and your family will die.

Don't contact police.

Await instructions.

Has your husband seen this?

I haven't been able to reach him, but he
should be home shortly.

What's your address, please?

1317 Maple Road.

All right, Mrs. York.

Hold on to the note and the envelope it
came in.

I wouldn't mention this to anyone else.
I'll be right out.

I understand you're just talking to Mrs.
York, Lewis.

Yeah, extortion complaint.

Connection with the Springer case.

Wasn't York the star witness?

As long as we're here, I suppose we
ought to interview her.

Call the Bureau, will you, Tony? Tell
them we'll be taking a later plane.

Ellen, what's wrong? You're as white as
a ghost. I've been trying to reach you

all over town. Why? What happened?

Where did you get this?

Just a little while ago. Special
delivery.

I wonder what kind of a mind sits down
and dreams up this kind of stuff.

No, don't.

The FBI wants to see it.

FBI?

I couldn't reach you, so I called them.

They said to keep the note in the
envelope.

Well, you shouldn't have bothered them.

Well, Alex, I was frightened and...
Frightened of what?

You sound as if you believe this
nonsense.

Of course not, but...

Mrs.

York? Yes?

F .B .I., Inspector Elkin.

This is Dr. Egan's home.

My husband just got home.

Alex York, Inspector.

How do you do?

Agent Colby. How do you do?

Is that the note?

Yes.

I'm sorry. I didn't realize it deserved
so much attention.

Well, mailing an extortion letter is a
federal offense, Mr. York. I see.

Won't you sit down?

Do you have any idea who sent it to you?

No. Well, I suppose crank letters like
this are very common during a murder

trial.

My husband was a witness at the John
Springer trial.

Yes, I'm aware of that.

The girl he murdered worked at my
shipyard.

Incidentally, do you two have children?

Yes, a boy and a girl, but... They're
both away at college right now.

We'll need their addresses.

I'll get them for you.

Inspector, I didn't think they allowed
mail like this to be sent from prison.

They don't.

You gentlemen are beginning to get me
worried.

Do you really think there's something to
it?

I mean, you must receive mail like this
all the time.

We do.

Probably this will turn out to be
another of them.

Here they are.

Thank you.

Well, I guess this is all we'll be
needing for now.

Thank you for coming by so quickly.

If you get another letter, you'll let us
know, won't you? Of course.

Good day.

Hi, Johnny.

How you feeling?

Well, I had a long time to heal.

You okay, Anne?

I'm fine.

Baby's due in seven weeks.

Yeah.

You look wonderful.

You mean bulky, but I feel good.

Hey, I spoke to your lawyer, Johnny. He
said the appeal may go through.

Don't they always say that?

Come on, now, you've got to stop
thinking that way. We're all doing

we can to help you. Oh, I know, I know.

I'm sorry.

Just that... How can anybody help me
now?

I'm not sure. There might be a way.

Yeah?

No, you're kidding.

Come on, now, would I kid you about a
thing like that, huh?

Look, uh... Johnny, are you... positive
york was the guy who was secretly seeing

sharon well she she never said so in so
many words you know she

she said she had a friend that was
taking care of her um some man that

would give her all the things she wanted
she wanted plenty to well suppose

it was your just suppose it still
doesn't mean he murdered her

Well, why else would he lie at the
trial?

Well, maybe he just made an honest
mistake. It's happened before.

Do you really think that?

Oh, well, I... I wouldn't blame you if
you did.

You know, there was a minute back there
in court when York was on his stand.

He almost had me convinced that I was
the one he saw.

But Sharon never mentioned his name.

Well, she...

She said something about, did I ever
meet his wife or something like that.

Look, Harry, you've got problems enough
of your own. You know, what with the

baby and everything.

Besides, that trial must have cost you
every last penny you had.

We'll manage, Johnny.

Easy come, easy go.

I don't know what you've got in your
head, but I think maybe the best thing

right now is... Hey, cut it out, Johnny.
What's a brother for?

Do you really think you can prove that
York lied?

Hey, I'm not going to kid you. It's a
long shot.

But if what you think is true, it might
just work.

Honey, you're talking in riddles.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to.

I just can't.

Harry, don't you know that false hope is
worth the none at all?

That's easy for us to say. We're not in
there.

Besides, wild as it is, it might just
work.

What might just work?

Honey, you know what I'm in the mood
for? Pizza.

Harry, you're not going to do anything
foolish, are you?

Now, did you ever know me to do anything
like that in my life?

Always that first time for everything.

Honey, we can't afford any more trouble.
I mean, with the baby coming and all.

Look, I'm an honest, hard -working
salesman. Maybe a little on the dull

but I do know the difference between
legal and illegal.

And I promise you there is nothing to
worry about, okay?

I wish I could put my finger on it.

It's almost as though he was too casual
about the note.

Somehow I got the impression he didn't
want us to investigate.

What was Mrs. York's attitude?

Well, she's a great deal more concerned
than her husband.

Do you have any record of previous
extortion letters there?

No, this is the first one.

As soon as it arrives, I'll send it over
to the documents section for comparison

with anonymous extortion notes we have
on file.

Arthur, if it's all right with you, I'd
like to stay on a few days.

Just let me ask you something.

You suppose there's any possibility the
extortionist might have something?

Seems hard to believe, doesn't it?

But if he has, York's moves in the next
couple of days should tell us a great

deal.

Well, you'd better stay there and clear
it up.

I'll let you know just as soon as we
have anything.

Thanks, Arthur.

Tony, find out where Alex York does his
banking, will you?

If he withdraws any large sums, we
should know about it.

According to our current production
schedules, the hull should come up the

blocks by the end of June.

With any luck, the ship should be in the
water no later than...

Mr.

York's office.

Is Mr. York in?

May I ask who's calling?

The name's Jones.

I sent him a special delivery letter.

One moment, please.

Mr. Jones?

Jones?

Something about a special delivery
letter.

All right, I'll take it.

We'll finish that letter after lunch.

An eyewitness.

I saw you kill Sharon O 'Neil.

If this is some kind of a sick joke...
No, it's not.

I want $50 ,000 in cash.

You know what they do to people like
you?

Did you think you could murder a girl in
cold blood and just walk away with no

one knowing?

Who is this?

$50 ,000, York.

In small bills or I go to the police.

If you had any evidence, you would have
testified at John Springer's trial.

No one pays you for going on the witness
stand and being a good citizen.

Not the way you're going to pay me.

How do I know you have any evidence?

I told you.

I saw you.

I was there. I can prove it.

You're bluffing.

Okay, York.

Suit yourself.

Why now?

No.

Wait a minute.

I'm waiting.

How do I deliver the money?

Just get it. I'll call again.

Hi, honey.

Oh, I got the cutest little yellow
outfit. Only three dollars.

What's wrong with you?

Uh, nothing.

Oh, something's the matter. No, honey.
Is it Johnny? No, no, it's not Johnny.

Everything's fine.

I've watched other people pull off
fantastic deals, run big bluffs, and

always envied them.

Wondered where they got the nerve.

But the funny thing is, it isn't that
hard. It really isn't that hard if you

just have enough guts to stick to your
guns.

People pay your price.

I am of the slightest idea what you're
talking about.

Are you sure you're all right?

I never felt better in my life.

Happy days.

arranged this call, referred to it as
issuing a contract, I believe.

Yes.

I don't care what it costs.

Fine.

Have your man contact me as soon as...

You mind if I eat my lunch while we
talk?

Not at all.

One of the prosecution witnesses,
Alexander York, received a threatening

yesterday.

It was unsigned, accusing him of
murdering Sharon O 'Neill.

Can't blame that on Johnny.

Boy's lying in a prison hospital.

I thought you might be able to tell me
something about his friends.

He hasn't any.

What about relatives?

One brother.

If he wrote a letter like that, he'd
scare himself to death.

Excuse me.

According to the transcript of the
trial, your client accused York of

false testimony.

That's right.

Ulcers, like a red -hot poker right
here.

Mind telling me about it?

No, I first noticed it when I started
eating spicy... The testimony, Mr.

Paisley. Oh, yes.

Well... Johnny and Sharon had a little
romance going until Sharon started

another man, someone that could take her
places and give her things that Johnny

couldn't afford.

Johnny always thought the man was
Alexander York.

Now, Alex York sat there in court and
swore that he was working late that

He heard this scream from outside
somewhere in the shipyard.

He went out to investigate.

He saw Johnny dragging Sharon's body
toward the end of the pier.

But by the time he got there, Johnny had
dumped the body in the bay and

disappeared.

And Springer denies the story?

Every word of it.

Unfortunately, he has no alibi for where
he was that night.

No other witnesses?

No, only York.

His testimony was the emotional turning
point of the trial.

That and some circumstantial evidence
was all that was needed to convict

Springer. And that's it.

No wonder my ulcer's acting up.

Well, thank you, Mr. Paisley.

I want this section finished by Friday,
Mac. Put on some more men if you have

to.

I'm sorry, I'm very busy.

My name's Weber.

I think you've been expecting me. We
have a contract.

Your organization works fast.

I'm impressed.

It's all included in the price.

Well, when will Mr. Paisley be back?

Well, why can't I see him then? I can be
there in about 20 minutes.

Got to see him today. Tomorrow's too
late.

You don't understand. This is a matter
of life and death.

I promise it won't take too long.

Fine. Thank you.

Harry, who was that on the phone?

Just a customer, honey. I've got to go
see him.

What about a matter of life and death?

Well, it worked, didn't it? I got the
appointment.

Honey, it's the new me.

Demand and ye shall receive. It's that
simple.

Honey, you're crazy. Yeah, like a fox,
you'll see.

Oh, honey, I don't know what's gotten
into you lately, but you... But you like

me better this way, don't you?

I don't know.

I didn't mind you the old way.

Hey, look, I've got to go. I'll be home
early.

Why don't you take a nap or something?
Tonight, maybe we'll go out to dinner,

okay?

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Mr. York just drew $8 ,000 cash from his
personal account.

That's a long way from $50 ,000.

Has he cashed in any other assets?

Savings, insurance, securities?

Not that we've been able to determine,
Inspector.

Yes.

Oh, yes, Mr. Ward.

Yes, Arthur.

Luce, I'm in the lab.

I'm afraid we haven't got much for you.

We compared the extortion note, but we
can't come up with an identification.

No good latent?

Nothing readable, no.

Is there a pattern? I mean, does it tie
in with other cases where prosecution

witnesses have received threatening
letters?

No. It's a strange case, Lewis. I can't
recall seeing one quite like it before.

We'll let you know as soon as anything
develops.

All right, Arthur. Thank you. Good luck.
I'll talk to you later.

Any luck back there?

At the farm.

Tony, if anything breaks, we'll be at
the state prison. Okay.

Harry, these hypothetical cases make me
very nervous.

Get to the point.

Okay.

Suppose, just for example, someone tells
York he witnessed the murder.

Is he telling the truth?

No, no, it's a bluff.

But say York doesn't know that. Now,
suppose he gets scared, makes a deal to

the man to keep quiet.

A man would have to be guilty to do a
thing like that.

Exactly, by making the deal he proves
his guilt, right?

Possibly.

But you see, that raises a number of
legal questions which the court would

to consider.

But it might get them thinking, thinking
enough to reopen the investigation.

Might.

Might also get the man who dreamed it up
a jail sentence for extortion.

Harry, the FBI talked to me today about
an extortion letter to Alexander York.

Now, I can't just pretend this
conversation never took place and looked

other way.

What do you mean?

You wrote that letter, didn't you?

Let me finish, Mr. Paisley.

This fellow was planning to go to the
police. He wants them there when the

murderer delivers the money.

You want some free advice?

Well, it's about the only kind I can
afford these days. Forget about the

thing. Would you, Mr. Paisley, if it
were your brother in the state

penitentiary...

York. Who is this?

An eyewitness.

I saw you kill Sharon O 'Neil.

If this is some kind of a sick joke...
What are you doing?

I just want to know what's going on,
Harry.

Hey, now, what are you getting upset
for? I just want to know what's going

Nothing. Nothing is going on. Oh,
nothing. Nothing. You call witnesses

You call that nothing?

Now, listen to me. It's just a bluff.

I mean, I'm not really going to go
through with it. The police are going to

there. The police.

You don't understand.

All right, I want you to listen to this.
Now, just listen.

He's as good as admitted he killed that
girl.

How do I know you have any evidence?

I told you.

I saw you.

She frightened the man out of his wits.

It's because he's guilty. That's why
he's frightened.

Oh, honey, will you just think it
through? I've already thought it

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm
afraid.

I just think we'd better talk to Mr.
Paisley about this. I already have.

And he goes along with it?

Well, of course.

I don't want you to do anything. I don't
want you to do anything because I know

you're going to get into trouble. Amy,
it's going to be all right.

Now, where are you going? I'm going to
see Mr. Paisley to find out what he

really said. I can't turn my back on my
own brother.

Amy, wait.

Harry, I'm going.

Please, Amy.

No, I'm going.

Amy.

How is she, doctor?

I'm afraid we weren't able to save the
baby.

And Amy, how's my wife? Well, there's
been quite a bit of internal

We hope we've stopped it.

You hope?

Well, we won't know for a while yet.

I'm sorry, Mr. Springer. I wish I could
be more encouraging.

We're with the FBI.

We'd like to ask you a few questions if
you feel up to it.

About what?

During your trial, you accused Alexander
York of perjury.

Yeah, that's right. Why?

Well, York's received a letter stating
that the signer had seen him murder

Sharon O 'Neill and that he wanted $50
,000 to keep quiet.

You don't seem surprised.

Why should I?

I always said York was the one that
killed Sharon.

At this point, all we know is that
someone's trying to blackmail him.

Whether, in fact, the extortionist
witnessed the murder is only conjecture.

Well, who do you think it is?

We're hoping you might be able to tell
us.

Has York paid that ransom yet?

Not as far as we know.

Yeah, but, I mean, like, if he does,
wouldn't that be an admission of guilt?

No, sir.

Not in a court of law.

You see, even if someone had actually
seen York commit the murder, as a

blackmailer, his integrity on the
witness stand would be seriously

The sooner we find this individual, the
more credibility his testimony may have.

Yeah, but, I mean, why did the
blackmailer wait until now?

I mean, why didn't he make his move
before the trial?

I would be crazy enough to pull a bluff
like that in front of myself.

Mr. Springer, when's the last time you
saw your brother?

My brother.

My brother's the biggest square alive.

What did you talk about the last time
you were together?

Did he mention York or a letter?

He had some wild idea on his mind.

It couldn't be it.

Well, I know it couldn't.

the coast at ocean bluff five o 'clock
this afternoon you'll see a stone wall

leave the money there the man who picks
up that briefcase is the one i want

killed

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.

It's all right.

I'm from the hospital business office.
Your wife was brought in this morning.

Yes.

I'm sorry to bother you at a time like
this, Mr. Springer, but you didn't list

any insurance on your form.

Yeah, well, that's because I don't have
any.

But I did leave a check for the deposit
with the office.

Could you step into the office for just
a moment, please?

Is something the matter?

It'll only take a moment.

Bounced, didn't it?

These things always seem to happen at
once, don't they?

Yeah.

What are the charges?

So far, surgery, anesthesia, oxygen,
intensive care.

I hate to burden you at a time like
this, but when there's no insurance,

required to make some... Perhaps you
could borrow from some friend.

Or we might put you in touch with a loan
agency that would... Don't you

understand? I don't have anything.

I'm broke.

I just lost my child, and my wife is in
the other room fighting for her life.

Does anyone care? Does anything matter
in this life except a few measly bucks?

Is that all it comes down to?

All right.

I'll get it.

Mr. Springhart. I didn't mean...

Come

on, get going.

What's wrong, Alex?

Oh, I'm just tired, I guess.

Is it the extortion note?

I'd almost forgotten about that.

I wish you could tell me what's
happening.

Nothing's happening.

Nothing very important, anyway.

It's important enough for quite a few
drinks.

A lot of things important enough for
that.

You've been drinking ever since you got
the extortion note.

What are you trying to say, Helen?

Let me help you.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to snap at you.

I love you very sincerely.

Sincerely.

That's a...

Strange word for people who've been
married some 20 -odd years.

I didn't mean it the way it sounded.

You knew her, didn't you?

Who?

Sharon O 'Neil, the murdered girl.

That doesn't even deserve an answer.

I'm entitled to one.

Alex, look at me.

Two years after we were married, the
phone rang, and a man said, tell your

husband to stop playing around with my
wife.

I cried for weeks.

I didn't know what to do about it.

I wanted to bring it out in the open,
but I didn't have the nerve.

I was afraid you would leave me.

Helen.

And so I thought, it'll be just this
one.

It will pass.

But I was wrong.

And when the others happened, I started
to rationalize.

Some men just have to get involved with
other women.

It's a sickness like gambling or
drinking.

I made it.

Myself.

Children were crazy about you.

There was always the hope someday you'd
grow up.

It hurts, Alex.

Even after 20 years, it still hurts.

Please

try

and understand.

You murdered the girl, didn't you?

You couldn't have missed him by more
than ten minutes, Inspector.

Yes?

For you, Inspector.

Erskine. It's Tony, Lewis.

Yes, Tony.

I just got a call from Andrew Paisley,
John Springer's lawyer.

He seems to feel that Harry Springer
might be involved in the extortion.

He's worried that Springer is setting up
York to gain a tacit admission of

guilt.

All right, Tony. Thanks very much.

Miss Swenson, this is Inspector Erskine.

Do, Inspector.

Miss Swenson saw Springer leave the
hospital.

Do you recall the number of the cab,
Miss Swenson?

No, Inspector. I'm sorry.

The address you gave the driver?

Right now.

Do you remember the name of the cab
company?

Yes, it was a Madison cab. I'm sure of
that. That was it.

Madison. Well, thank you very much.
You're welcome, Inspector.

Thank you.

May I use the telephone?

Of course.

Don't you see? It was an accident.

I didn't intend to kill her.

Why?

Somehow she got the idea I was going to
marry her. When I tried to end it, she

started to call you.

I tried to take the phone away from her.

She fell.

Get her head against the edge of her...

He's some heavy machinery.

What about the boy?

John Springer, the one who went to
prison?

Helen, I'm not trying to justify what I
did.

But I wasn't the only one involved. It
was you and the children.

You let him go to prison for us?

Why is it so hard to accept that I would
want to protect my family?

Alex, who are you trying to protect?

Your family or yourself?

Two face backs, Helen.

What would you and the children do if I
go to prison?

Four youthful, exciting lives thrown
away for a gesture.

What about John Springer's life?

All right.

What about John Springer's life?

What has he got to offer the world?

Does he have a lovely wife and two
wonderful children?

Does he run a shipyard with a thousand
employees?

Helen, in your heart.

How can you compare his life with ours?

In a way, I'm responsible, too.

I should have spoken up long before.

We don't even speak the same language.

Springer's going to be all right, I
promise. I'll make it up to him.

Inspector Erskine, please.

Right.

Agents interviewed the cab driver.

The cabbie remembers dropping Springer
at a place called Ocean Bluff.

He remembers him because he acted very
nervous, kept changing his mind.

How far is Ocean Bluff from here?

Not far, if you use the expressway.

Thank you.

This is 17 to all units.

Receipt to Ocean Bluff.

17 out.

You can pin down. I'll work my way
around.

Tell Unit 6 to come in by the main
highway.

Drop the gun.

I

swear,

it wasn't for the money.

But when he didn't hang up after I told
him I saw him kill Sharon, I felt like I

had a tiger by the tail.

I could feel my heart actually stop. I
couldn't back out. I was already

committed.

When did you decide to take the money
instead of going to the police as you

originally planned?

At the hospital. That's when everything
caved in.

Too bad you didn't think about the
consequences.

Yeah, well, at a time like that, all I
could think about was my wife.

Everything that had happened.

I didn't care what happened to me, just
that Amy get through it.

Later, I figured I'd tell you.

Maybe I could still do Johnny some good
by confessing everything. I don't know.

All right, we'll have this segment typed
up and you can read it over.

What happens to York now? Will Johnny's
case get reopened?

Well, it's ironic.

While you were out trying to collect the
payoff, Mrs. York called here.

York admitted what he'd done.

He asked to make a full confession.

You mean if I hadn't gone out to that
meeting?

That's right.

It almost cost you your life for
nothing.

Well, won't this mean that Johnny will
be cleared?

It looks that way.

As soon as York gave his statement to
the police, the warden gave your brother

the news.

Gee, that's great.

Does he know about me?

Not yet.

Will I get a chance to see him?

I think that can be arranged.

Thank you, Inspector.

Was that the hospital?

Your wife's out of danger. She's going
to be fine.

Harry Springer was convicted of
extortion and placed on probation.

Alexander York was found guilty of
manslaughter in the death of Sharon O

He is currently serving his sentence in
a state penitentiary.

you