Original subtitles

Barnaby Jones, starring Buddy Ebsen.

Also starring Lee Merriweather, with guest stars Mitchell Ryan,

Jacqueline Scott, James Callahan,

Robert Mandan, John Carter.

Tonight's episode, Counterball.

Thank you very much.

May I help you?

Oh, I don't know.

My name is Greg Alban. I received a subpoena to appear in court.

A mistake. I didn't witness any accident.

Well, it looks in order.

There is some mistake. I'm afraid you'll have to explain it to the court. No,

no, you don't understand.

I'll check on it.

You sit right over there.

I'll call you.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, you'll have your questions ready. Judge Lennox

has a full docket. He can only give you five minutes.

Your Honor.

All right, now don't growl.

Is it true, Judge Lennox, that you intend to reject your appointment to the

state Supreme Court?

Gentlemen, you... You know, as well as I do, the governor has made his selection

public. Senator Fox says you're far and away the odds -on favorite, sir.

I know, fellas. You're familiar with my feelings of the importance of the lower

court decisions.

I feel a present bench I occupy is an essential example of that principle.

Now, if I were to get the appointment, there's no way, unless of my good

conscience, could I...

Don't move.

You can count on it.

Where's your gun?

Easy. All right, now your wallet.

Whatever you find in there isn't going to make it all worthwhile.

If you took a correspondence course in armed robbery, the post office must have

lost one of your lessons. There's $5 ,000 in there.

I see it.

What's it for?

My name is Greg Albin, and I want you to find out who murdered me today.

I think you've got it backwards.

On the 5 o 'clock news, I saw you murder Judge Lennox today.

That's what you think you saw.

But my life ended in that courthouse today.

Smartest thing you can do is turn yourself in to the police.

I've been in jail once.

They'll never believe me.

And after the way I was set up, I was framed.

The APB they've got out on you says you're armed and dangerous.

They'll take you, alive or dead.

It doesn't matter.

Unless someone can help me, it's all over for me anyway. But I want you to

find... Out who pulled that trigger.

I'll need more information on this.

Look, I've heard about you, Mr. Jones.

Now, I've risked my life for these few minutes here.

Please find out.

Please.

For my wife and for my kids, I'm not a murderer.

Somebody's got to believe that.

All right, don't move.

You're my only hope, Mr. Jones.

Please.

You close the door, darling.

Close it hard.

Can you hold it?

Morning.

Look, no more, please.

I mean, reporters or police, I said everything I had to say last night.

Mrs.

Albin, my name is Barnaby Jones. I'm a private investigator.

Your husband hired me.

Greg hired you?

I don't understand.

Well, neither do I. She gave me $5 ,000 last night.

This is some kind of a trick, isn't it, Mr. Jones?

Well, it is.

A pretty expensive one, just to answer a few questions.

What do you want to know?

Did he mention Judge Lennox?

He told me he'd been behind bars.

It was Judge Lennox who put him there.

Were you married at the time?

Greg escaped from prison about a year before we met.

He was innocent then, and I believe he still is.

Well, if he's innocent, he ought to turn himself over to the authorities.

I don't know where he is.

And if I did, I wouldn't... Mrs. Alvin, this case has had a lot of exposure.

The police will probably find him within a matter of hours.

The way he talked last night, he didn't intend to be taken alive.

Oh, no.

It doesn't have to end this way.

You can help him?

Well, that's what he hired me for, but I can't help him unless I can find him.

Uh -uh. Don't do that, darling.

Leave.

He started his first machine shop in a little place at 123 Netter.

He kept it for storage at first when he built the...

Big building across town, but whenever he has a problem to think through, he

still goes back there.

Calls it his hiding place.

Thank you.

What the devil are you doing here, Barnaby?

Is Albert in there?

The officers are making a routine check of the property when they spot him.

Two of you guys go around in that alley there. Cover that.

That way.

You two guys get up on the roof.

Give me that bow horn.

albin's arm those are my client business must be getting tough to come by get a

wife and two kids i don't think he wants to see anybody killed except maybe

himself spider -man jones craig i want to

come in and talk to you there's nothing to talk about now mr jones change things

Barnaby, will you get back here until he's in custody? This is my

responsibility. I'm just trying to keep a big mistake from happening.

He made the mistake when he killed Judge Lennox. Now, will you get back here?

I don't want anybody else hurt.

Don't be a fool, Greg.

Get an ambulance out of here on the double. He made it. He's in bad shape.

I had no choice, Barnum.

Yeah, I know.

Strange thing about him.

He didn't think he did either.

How'd it look, Doctor?

His vital signs are stabilizing enough for surgery, but... It's marginal.

What are his chances?

One in four, maybe.

You'll have to excuse me, gentlemen. I have to check on the OR.

Boy, he'd give a month's pay if he'd set even money.

If Greg had fired, you might have paid with a lot more.

I'd better call in.

Mrs. Alvin, they're preparing to take him into surgery now.

He has a fighting chance.

Oh, thank goodness.

Mr. Jones, this is Hilda Waters, Greg's secretary.

Miss Waters.

Mr. Jones, Mr. Alvin is a very fine man.

And those terrible things they're saying about him are just not true.

Miss Waters, is there any reason for Mr.

Albin to have been upset yesterday? Was there any trouble at the office?

No, sir. Why, he had a smile for everyone.

He's the nicest man I've ever worked for.

Is there any explanation for his going down to the courthouse yesterday?

Why, to answer the subpoena.

What subpoena?

A man delivered it just before closing, the day before yesterday.

Did you see the man?

No. But the subpoena said that Mr.

Alvin was to appear as a witness at 9 o 'clock yesterday morning.

Betty, would you check that out?

Certainly. The court clerk's office is still open. I can just make it.

Barnaby.

Ballistics just checked the gun.

It's the same weapon that killed Judge Lennox.

Are you certain?

There's no question.

Also, we've nailed Alvin.

Real name is Arnold.

Went down for armed robbery one to ten.

He and his cellmate busted San Quentin eight years ago.

Cellmate?

Kelly.

Dennis Kelly.

He turned himself back in and served his time.

Cleared parole about a year ago.

Cellmate ought to know more about Greg than anyone.

Barnaby, we've got Alvin locked.

That armed robbery charge?

Yeah, what about it?

The judge that sentenced him was Judge Lennox.

Now, that day, Albin threatened that if he ever got free, he'd kill him.

Fifty witnesses, Barnaby. We've got our man.

Maybe, Lieutenant.

But until I tie up some loose ends, I've still got a client.

Mr. Kelly?

Yeah. I'm Barnaby Jones.

Hello, you. I'd like to ask you a few questions about Greg Albin, alias

Excel Meteor.

Look, I did my time. I served parole. I haven't seen or heard of Greg in eight

years.

I'm not a police officer, Mr. Kelly. I'm a private investigator.

I'm trying to help Greg in any way I can.

I figured you two were friends.

Sit down.

We broke out together.

Can't get much closer than that.

But you went back.

Yeah, I got scared. Not the same thing that finally happened to Greg.

How's he doing?

Not too well.

He claims that he was innocent of that armed robbery charge.

I was the only guilty man ever in San Quentin, Mr. Jones.

Did he ever talk to you about Judge Lennox?

The hanging judge?

I'll pass on that.

He's a judge that sentenced you, isn't he?

No, I was luckier.

I wasn't straight with you just now.

I saw Greg about six months after I got out. Did he still maintain he was

innocent? Yeah, like always.

But Lennox?

No, he never got over that hang -up.

Even the last time I saw him. When was that?

About a month ago.

It was like he was right back in that cell block.

Lennox was an obsession with him.

He wanted him dead, Mr. Jones.

Help!

Oh, excuse me.

I got it.

Come on, honey.

Mr. Jones, this is my fiancée, Miss Whitley. How would you like to dive into

nice, cool daiquiri, Mr. Jones? Only take a second.

Well, thank you, but all my daiquiris come straight from the dairy.

Nice to meet you.

Mr. Kelly?

Mr. Jones?

It's Craig's wife and kids. If they need anything, money, anything, let me know.

Thank you. I'll bear that in mind.

I got your message to meet you here. What's all this about?

Did you get anything?

Absolutely zero.

I went through every subpoena record for the last three months.

I even went through all of the bailiff receipts.

There is no record of a subpoena issued to a Greg Albin.

That's what I suspected.

It's customary to give a witness reasonable notice.

You made me go through all that work for nothing.

Maybe for something.

It's all set and ready to roll, Mr. J.

Betty, you remember Snipper Wilcox? I sure do. Hi, it's Snipper.

How's the girlfriend?

Well, I haven't seen much of her since Mr. J got my wheels back for me. You

when she asked to borrow my car, I didn't know that she meant forever.

You ready, Mr. J?

Here he comes.

Roll it, Harry.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, you'll have your questions ready. Judge Lennox

has a full docket. He can only give you five minutes.

Your Honor.

All right, now don't growl.

Is it true, Judge Lennox, that you intend to reject your appointment to the

state Supreme Court?

Gentlemen, you know as well as I do that the governor has made his selection

public. Senator Fox says you're far and away the odds -on favorite, sir.

All right, now, fellas, you know my feelings as far as the importance of the

lower court's decision.

I feel at the present bench that I occupy... Can you cut the sound?

Sure.

Yeah, it's just about here that Albin fires.

I wish I could be as sure as that makes it seem.

Well, that's it, Mr. J.

Didn't I see another cameraman at that press conference?

Any chance of getting his footage?

Yeah, maybe.

I'll take a few phone calls.

I'd appreciate it. You got it.

Call me when you get the other film?

Absolutely.

That's what I said. Take all the action you can on Calavaris.

If I ever led you wrong, the word from his coach is, the kid's ulcers acting

three hard games, he won't get a racket on former serve.

That's right.

And we pull the usual percentage.

Great. See you when you get to the coast.

Kelly, how's it going?

Groatman's contribution from the Midwest basketball action.

Yeah, a little better than we expected.

This isn't.

Well, the police will take responsibility for shooting him.

Rex, I set Greg up to do some hard time for Judge Lennox's death, not to get him

killed.

Would you rather have me standing in front of Lennox for that fight -fixing

charge? He would have thrown the book at me.

I just wish it could have been done some other way.

Well, there was no other way.

Lennox refused to change a venue or refused to take himself off the case. He

wanted to nail me, Kelly.

I know. I just hate to see a good guy like Greg go down for it, that's all.

Now, don't forget, you've got a stake in this, too.

My lawyer tells me that the judge who's going to hear the case now is good for

no more than a six -month sentence, maybe even suspended.

Either way, you may have to take over for a while.

Don't worry, I can handle it.

Hey, look.

Riker took Lennox out. The police have their man.

They have their motive.

It's over and it's clean.

Just try and forget it.

Just like that, huh?

That'll make you feel better when things have cooled down. I'll figure out a way

to see that Albin's wife and kids are taken care of, okay?

You'll have to do better than that.

What are you talking about?

I had a visit from a private detective, Barnaby Jones. He's nosing around trying

to prove that Greg didn't kill Judge Lennox.

What can he prove? There are 10 million witnesses.

I know.

But just in case he comes up with something, remember, it's my neck that's

sticking out.

I'm the only one involved that can be tied directly to Craig.

Okay, okay.

I'll phone Cincinnati. I'll fly Riker out again to keep an eye on him.

What's his name?

Jones.

Barnaby Jones.

If Mr. Jones gets too close, we'll put him out of business, okay?

It's even more being about fighting.

Oh, Doc, Doctor, how is he?

Well, the next 24 hours should tell us a lot.

You know, for a man who tried to get himself killed, he's putting up one

of a fight in there right now.

When can I see him?

As soon as we set up the monitors, we'll move him into his room. It shouldn't be

more than a half an hour.

If you'd like to, I could hold these questions.

No, it'll...

Probably take my mind off things.

Ms. Albin, do you know a man named Dennis Kelly?

Oh, I don't want to get him into trouble.

Well, Mr. Kelly himself said that he had kept in touch with Greg.

Greg felt very close to Dennis.

I think he was grateful that he had someone he didn't have to lie to other

me.

Did you ever hear him say that he'd like to see Judge Lennox dead?

Oh, no.

Greg was...

He was really like a different man once he took on the responsibility of a

family.

And his business.

During the last week when Judge Lennox was in the news, Greg didn't even then

discuss him with you?

Oh, wait a minute. Yes, he did say something.

He said that he thought the judge should take the vacancy because we needed a

strong man to balance out the court right now.

You sure?

Absolutely.

He said that he thought the judge was a fair man.

That he was wrong in Greg's case, but there was a difference between being

and being fair.

You know, I put away guys who don't con nearly as well as you do.

Hello, Betty.

One more number

three.

Fill up a chair.

What got you dander up?

Now, this is what you were about to ask for.

This is where I saved myself the indignity of being bribed by a couple of

enchiladas.

Betty, do you recall my saying anything about bribing an officer of the law?

Well, when I invited the lieutenant to join us for lunch, I did drop a hint

you would like to see the files on Greg Albin and Dennis Kelly.

Now, if that constitutes bribery, well, I... Why Dennis Kelly,

Barnaby? I just wanted to see a comparison of the record to your model

and the vicious escapee who is my client.

So now all of a sudden, Kelly belongs to me.

Who is World Promotion Enterprises he works for?

Well, they produce arena events, conventions, rock concerts.

What is it, Barnaby?

Albin has got to be the lamest case you've ever taken. Why?

I'd like an answer to that myself.

Well, you know that big insurance company down the block?

They have a two -year rider in their policies against payment on suicide

Well, now, what does that have to do with Albin?

Well, the odds are 10 ,000 to one that anyone bent on self -destruction will

change his mind within two years.

So? You want me to believe that Albin waited to raise a family, build a

successful business, he had everything in the world to live for, and then

suddenly decided to go back and follow through on an eight -year -old threat to

kill a judge?

Okay. But you said yourself there can be one in 10 ,000.

I want a little better bet than that, uh, say, uh, four to one that you asked

for seconds on those enchiladas.

And the pepper.

Yeah, Turner.

Don't worry, I'm with them.

I'll wait for your signal.

Well, most of them. We all work the same street.

The guy in the dark blue suit and the mustache, do you know him?

No. No.

Why him?

He's in the area the shots came from, and he's the only one with his hands

All the rest of them are holding mics or notepads.

You mean other than Alvin?

Mr. Jay, you mean you really think that one of these guys shot Lennox?

Hey, would you close that door? We're working in here.

Hey, come on.

Can you move this ahead one frame at a time sure

Now

in all the confusion

The man in the dark blue suit is the only one who moved directly to Albin,

the shots were supposed to have come from.

Could I have this piece of film?

No sooner said than done.

Here

you

go. Thank you. With hands like that, you should have been a surgeon.

Are you kidding? I am.

The only problem is that most of my patients have a chance at the box office

die over and over again.

Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. J?

What about the trims from the other stations?

Well, I spliced them all together in sequence, except for the light cues and

slate. They're really nothing but a bunch of junk.

They're at the end of that sequence.

I don't mind double features.

Go.

Okay.

As I said, it's nothing but a bunch of junk.

Copy, sir.

Cameramen can never resist a good -looking chick.

Who?

What do you want to bet? He wants an 8x10 blow -up of that one.

You're just about right, because unless my eyesight is failing, that is Joan

Whitley, Dennis Kelly's fiancée.

Never get your scissors.

For you.

Thanks, Nipper.

That's one I owe you.

Anytime, Mr. J. Bye, Betty. Bye -bye, Nipper.

Yeah, what can I do for you?

I just came by to pick up the Lennox film.

Oh, well, you don't have to do that. I flat out can't. Picked up in the

Yeah, well, we need it tonight.

Hey, wait a minute. Don't I know you?

Yeah, that's right. You're the guy who was with the other reporters in the

Lennox film.

What are you, with KBEX?

Uh, yeah, but we'd like to look at all of it.

Oh.

Sure.

Sure, why don't I check it out at the station first, okay?

Just be a second.

Barnaby, sometimes I'm not sure whether I should be on the city's payroll or

yours. What's the difference as long as the work gets done?

Betty, would you get the lights?

I recognize Kelly's mugshot.

Who's this?

Joan Whitley.

Kelly's fiancée.

I don't get it.

Last night, an editor friend of mine ran some film for me. This blow -up is from

film... Taken in the corridor of the courthouse just moments before Lennox

shot.

Any idea what she was doing there?

Well, there's no record of Albin's subpoena.

Barnaby thinks that she was used to make Albin think that it was legitimate.

Well, next you tell me that it was Kelly who pulled the trigger.

No, that's the reason I blew up that picture.

No amount of disguise could make this fella.

Look like him.

I got a hunch he's a pro and a good one.

Well, you do plan to tell me why you think this fellow's the one that hit

Lennox. In analyzing the film, he's the only one that could have pulled the

trigger and have a chance to plant the gun on Albin.

Recognize him?

Um, I don't know.

If... If there was no mustache in the... hair was just a little lighter. I've

had flyers on a guy named Riker out of Cincinnati.

Professional killer?

Uh, no, no convictions. They just send us an alert when they think he might be

headed this way, but I... I can't be sure.

No mustache?

Closer?

That's close enough.

But if he made the hit, where's the motive?

Now, Lieutenant, I'm not going to tie this up in as neat a package as they did

on Alvin.

Barnaby, that was the television station. When they went to send the film

this morning, it was missing.

Did they check Wilcox?

That member didn't show up for work this morning, and they can't locate him.

He's the man who got the film for me.

I'll have it checked out.

Thanks, Lieutenant.

Mr. Jones, I know who killed Judge Lennox.

I was there.

I saw it.

It must seem that way, Mr. Byrne, but hypothetically, was there anyone else

might have had a motive?

No. Nobody.

Judge Lennox had the best rehabilitation record in the state.

And how did he get his reputation as a hanging judge?

He didn't deserve that name.

That came to him when he handed down a stiff sentence to a football player who

had thrown several games.

There was a lot of publicity.

Everybody expected a slap on the wrist.

The judge was very firm.

Clayton Lennox believed that...

Competitive sports was the root of national character.

He actually held an Olympic medal, didn't he?

Yes, sir, he did.

Are there any recent decisions the judge handed down involving sports or sports

promotion, anything like that?

No, sir. I've been going over the docket for the past two years. I'm certain

there was nothing.

What about the future docket?

Any cases there where he could have been rough on a guilty defendant?

Well, look.

Here's something.

The people versus Rex Turner.

Does that have anything to do with sports?

This man Turner is under indictment for attempting to fix a state well -awaited

title fight.

By any coincidence, does Mr. Turner have any connection with world promotion

enterprises?

As a matter of fact, he's president of the company.

I remember that because his attorneys tried very hard to get the case taken

Judge Lennox's docket.

It's off now, isn't it?

Mr. Jones.

Miss Whitley.

Oh, Mr. Kelly certainly is a fortunate man.

You have both a secretary and a fiancé all wrapped up in one pretty package.

Thank you.

I think I have some good news for him. Could I see him for just a moment?

Okay.

I think the staircase is too wide at this point.

Well, perhaps we'll just move this whole section.

Yes? Mr. Barnaby Jones to see Mr. Kelly.

Send him in.

Oh, Mr. Jones. Mr. Kelly, come right in.

This is our president, Rex Turner.

It's Barnaby Jones.

You do?

I know you'll be happy to learn that the doctors tell me that Greg has a better

than a 50 -50 chance of making it. Oh, that is good news.

But he faces the rest of his life in prison.

Maybe not.

That is, if you can help me.

Is this man an employee of yours?

I don't believe so. Who is it?

I believe his name is Riker.

And it could just be that he is the man who murdered Judge Lennox.

Oh, come, Mr. Jones, that's a bit of a reach, isn't it? Not really.

You see, that picture is blown up from some film taken in the courtroom

the morning Judge Lennox was killed.

I have another picture of Miss Whitley taken at the same place, same time.

Well, that's a very good likeness.

But that's not me.

No, couldn't be.

Joe was here all that morning.

You may have to prove that, Miss Whitley.

She can.

But your implication that this photo was genuine will have to be proved.

Otherwise, I won't allow you to intimidate one of my employees.

Do you have that film?

Funny.

That sounded like a question you already have the answer to.

Don't bother. I'll find my way out.

Get Riker and his car phone.

Have them hit him now.

Well, what'd you find out?

Afraid I'm losing my touch.

Take a snake and six pounds of dynamite to shake that bunch.

Do you think it could be wrong?

What troubles me is how they can stay so cool when they know I'm so close.

Betty, do exactly as I tell you.

What is it?

That's Riker behind us.

Go inside and call Lieutenant Biddle.

Ciao.

Please, Riker.

Drop it.

Too bad, Riker.

There's one contract you should have let Turner put out for bids.

Mr. Jones, I appreciate everything you've done for me.

For both of us.

But I think I should apologize.

No need to.

Since Riker admitted he killed Judge Lennox and Snipper Wilcox, Turner,

and his girlfriend are apologizing for you.

To Lieutenant Biddle.

Betty, let's you and I get out of here and leave Mr. and Mrs. Albin a little

time to themselves.

Thank you for everything.

Both of you.

Oh, by the way, I have a lawyer friend who said in view of your record and all

you've been through, and the fact it's been in the paper and all, a governor

might have a sympathetic ear for a pardon.

That's too much to even wish for.

I don't know.

My mother always used to say, wishes come true for good people.

You both qualify.

Thank you very much.