All language subtitles for Perry Mason S05E22 The Case of the Crippled Cougar.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

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I think you hit him.

I'm not sure. He
moved just as I fired.

It'll be dark in an hour.

I wouldn't want to tangle with a
wounded mountain lion after dark.

It's rugged country up there.

Not much chance of
finding him anyway.

Well, we better back to town.

Hello, Mike. What are
you doing out here?

I've been watching you. Where
do you think you're going now?

- Back to town.
- What about that cat?

I missed him, I think.

And you let it go at that, huh?

If you were a man, you'd
get up there and make sure.

Mike, what's all the
fuss? It's only an animal?

He's gone.

If I did hit him, it
was only in the leg.

Let the poor thing live.

Live?

Dragging a leg for
the rest of its life?

And you call letting it live?

Keith, you joined the right clan when
you married Hugh Jamison's daughter.

You and he are the same brand.

Selfish and yellow, both of you.

You leave him out of this.

Why? It's right up his alley.

The mighty hunter
cripples a mountain lion.

He'll be proud of you, Keith.

Crippling is
Jamison's specialty.

They're all in the black.

Silly little gun.

I could do more
damage throwing rocks.

What's on the calendar, Lydia?

Your accountant, Elliott
Dunbar, is due at 10:00

to go over next
months' drilling costs.

Yes?

Sure, Harlow, he's right here.

It's Phipps over at the well.

Yeah?

I'll be right over.

Oh...

I hired you to manage this
house and take a few notes for me.

When I want something
to lean on, I'll buy crutches.

We're right on top of it, Mike.

Take a look at that color.

Not here.

Let's go inside.

This is the electric
log I took this morning.

Take a look at
those oscillations.

Now, take a look at this core
sample under the microscope.

Who needs a microscope?

I could squeeze the oil out
of this with my bare hands.

It's down there, Mike,
just waiting for us.

I was never more sure
of oil in my whole life.

Does any of the crew suspect?

Not a chance. I've
kept it too close.

You know your next move.

Know it?

Mike, this is what we've both
been sweating out for seven years.

How could I forget it?

Okay, get rid of the crew.

You and I can cap this
well. We'll plug her tight.

Must be something special going
on at the well to get Mike out there.

All I know is that he
said for you to wait, Elliot.

A man gets tired waiting.

Then sit down.

You've known for three
years how I feel about you.

Is that supposed to
make a difference?

Lydia, he's a cripple
in more ways than one.

Why do you stay here?

That's none of your business.

Mike, by golly
you're looking great.

Any calls?

What's the good
word at the drilling?

Since when is a dry
hole a good word?

Dry?

We're shutting it down.

Dunbar, I want the payroll
checks out to the men by tonight

and pay off Harlow
Phipps in cash.

- In cash?
- That's right.

I fired him.

Mike, you fired Harlow?

He's had it. He's through.

Well, can you do it?

Yes, your books are
in pretty good shape.

Of course we'll have to make
some sort of an adjustment

on your royalty deal
with ABC Products

for the tool rental.

I suppose if I have to, I...

Then what are you standing
here for? Get on with the job.

Put in a call to Perry
Mason in Los Angeles.

I want to talk to him
about some leases.

When you were up at my ranch,

you wouldn't believe me when I
told you how big the gophers got,

so I brought one
back to prove it.

Gopher, indeed.

It's a mountain lion, a
cougar, and beautiful.

Is it for me?

If you've got a place to put it.

Don't you worry. I'll find one.

Well, Perry, what
about the leases?

You say you want to
sell off a thousand acres.

That's almost half of
what you hold, isn't it?

I want $50 an acre.

That's pretty cheap for leases with
proven oil-bearing land on two sides.

Maybe there's oil there,
and maybe there isn't.

By selling half my leases,

I'm putting aside my bet,
taking only half the risk.

Hedging a bet doesn't
sound like you, Mike.

So I changed.
That's my business.

How's Hugh Jamison these days?

Yes, of course, you've changed.

But I did think that maybe in seven
years you might have forgotten.

Oh, sure,

forget five tons of traveling
block that knocks out half my knee.

It was Jamison's rig.
The cable was rotten.

I told him so.

I suppose you still think
that he set that fire at the well.

Look, Mike, you really believe
he set that fire to cripple you

and to steal that money?

Perry, there was $100,000
dollars in the shack that night.

I saw it...

50,000 in securities
and and 50,000 in cash.

What happened to it?

Mike, stop and think.

If that money had been stolen,

you might not be
able to trace the cash,

but the securities
were registered,

and in seven years not one dollar's
worth of that 50,000 in securities...

50,000...

and you want to lease out a
thousand acres at $50 an acre.

Perry, I've made up my
mind, and I don't want to argue.

Will you prepare
those lease transfers,

or do I have to walk out of here
and hire myself a real lawyer?

Any other lawyer would
throw you right out of his office.

All right, Mike,

how do you want the
transfers prepared?

One block, 1,000 acres.

You know, you may
have to wait a long while

for the right man to come along.

The right man will come along.

$50,000?

Harlow Phipps came to you
at the bank to borrow $50,000?

I told him bank
vice-presidents have fancy titles

but not very much authority.

For a loan like that,

he'd have to speak to the
president, Mr. Wilkerson.

Of course, Wilkerson
turned him down cold.

Harlow Phipps has been
Mike Preston's right-hand man

for better than 10 years.

Two weeks ago, Preston
shuts down his well,

lays off the crew,
and fires Phipps.

Without a job and
without a nickel in security,

Phipps tries to borrow $50,000.

Now, I'd call that interesting.

As a dutiful son-in-law,

I just thought
you'd like to know

even though what happens
at the bank is confidential.

There's nothing
confidential about the fact

that I'm so tied up I
couldn't raise 50 cents,

let alone $50,000...

or weren't you suggesting that I
might be interested in Phipp's deal,

whatever it is?

He's not kind who
would put up a front

without having something
pretty solid behind him.

I thought you might have
some idea of what it was.

- Did...
- You thought.

If you did, it's the first time.

Maybe there's some hope for you.

But if there was
something, something big,

and if I could...

I know things are a little
rough for you right now,

and there might be a way of
finding out about Phipps' deal,

that is, if you're
really interested.

I'm interested.

Well, he's been keeping
company with a girl at the bank,

named Paula Hamilton.

Honolulu... that's
all I can think about.

It won't be long now.

Soon as I finish my business.

What business?

You don't even have a job.

Well, you have to admit, honey,

you haven't been acting
exactly like a big spender, lately.

Just give me a little time.

You could get a job with
Mr. Jamison, a good job.

Look, Paula, I don't
need or want a job.

Even if I did, Jamison would
be the last man I'd go to.

All I need is to get the
right money lined up.

Money, money everywhere,

not a cent to spend

on Paula.

If Paula will just
keep her little shirt on,

she'll be able to
start her own bank

and spend it all on Paula.

I must be slipping.

Maybe you'd rather be
out with Harlow Phipps.

He never takes me out.

All I get from him is
promises, lots of promises,

just like you.

Is your wife back in town yet?

She'll be in San
Francisco another week.

Paula, about Phipps' promises...

Arnie, what's he trying to
get backing for? Do you know?

He hasn't confided in you?

He just said he needed to
get the right money lined up.

What else did he say...
About the deal, I mean?

Nothing.

The way he acts,

you'd think he's afraid
someone might move in on it.

Even you?

Don't be silly.

I'm the kind that gets invited.

You know, Dave, nobody
kids me about the oil business.

I'm telling you,

there's been more dough thrown
away on it than has ever been taken out.

The only way to
make it in this racket

is to know something,

something nobody else knows.

All right, I'll
take it from here.

You run along home.

Harlow.

Well, if it isn't Mr. Jamison,
the big friend of the little investor.

You and your boss pack a grudge
a long time, don't you, Phipps?

Remember, I took a beating in that
oil well deal seven years ago, too.

$5,000 of those
securities were mine,

every cent I had in the world.

Jamison, I'm going to
say it right to your face.

You're a midget.

You think you're a big
man in the oil business?

You ain't seen nothing yet.

And you're going to
show me, huh, Harlow?

You bet I am.

I'm going to be bigger than
you and Mike put together.

You're going to try your wings

now that Mike has
pushed you out of the nest.

- Is that it?
- I've got news for you.

Mike didn't push. I did.

I think you're talking
through your whiskey.

Yeah?

That ain't whiskey,

and I was cold sober when I
pulled it out, right under his nose.

Anybody can carry around a
bottle full of sand and solvent.

That's right, Mr. Jamison.

Let's have a drink, Harlow.

Another drink for Mr. Phipps,
and I'll have a scotch and water.

Are you trying to tell me
that you fooled Mike Preston

into plugging a well,

just feet short of
blowing in a gusher?

Sure, sure, why not?

Switch your reports,

the electric log...
the real one...

And the sand.

Got 'em all back in my room.

How did you keep
it from the crew?

Those roughnecks
are easy to hire and fire.

A thousand acres,

half of it next to
proven ground.

I can get it for 50 an acre.

You're bluffing, Phipps.

I've checked on you.

You've been up and down that
coast for weeks trying to raise money.

You're afraid to show your
hand for fear Mike will find out.

You don't stand a chance
at raising that kind of money,

but maybe I can.

Now, what do you say?

Give me $5,000
cash for expenses,

and it's a deal.

Not quite.

It's still a pig in a poke.

I want to see the hole.

You're taking a big
chance going out there.

What do you call laying
50,000 on the line?

Every time Mike takes a step...

it reminds him of
what you did to his leg.

He catches you up
there, he'll kill you.

Then you'd better
see that he doesn't.

I'll see you there at 9:30.

Yeah?

Will you get out
here right away?

I was sure we had Jamison
hooked, but something has come up.

Can't you tell me
over the phone?

Look, please, Mike, I...

I don't have the time.

Now, will you get
out here, and fast?

This whole thing is
blowing up in our faces.

Phipps, are you trying
to pull something on me,

so help me, I'll kill you.

Phipps?

Don't hang up on me.

Phipps.

How long have you
been standing there?

Long enough to know it
was Harlow who called.

Mike, what's wrong?

Now, you listen to me, you...

This is Sopac Airlines.

Your operator said that we might
reach Mr. Phipps at this number.

Yes, sir.

It's regarding his reservation
to Honolulu tomorrow.

There were no
cancellations on the flight.

Honolulu?

Yes, sir, that's
right, Honolulu.

Well, the same to you, fellow.

Mike?

Mike! Hey, Mike!

I was just passing through
on my way to Sacramento.

I got here about minutes
before Mike... Mr. Preston... did.

All right, Mr. Dunbar,
thank you.

If you think of anything else,

you can reach me through the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's office.

Landro, Sergeant Ben Landro.

I'll do that, Sergeant.

That'll be all, thank you.

All right, Mr. Preston, you
might as well tell me about it.

You were there. The
watchman saw you.

I went out to the
well. It was dark.

I didn't even get
out of the car.

And I went to town
to his apartment,

but Phipps wasn't there,
so I came back here.

That's all I know.

Was he out at the well
when he called you?

How do I know where he was?

You must've figured he was
there. You went to the well first.

Don't push me, Landro.

I'll push as hard as I have
to. I'm investigating a murder.

I'll ask you once more.

What did Phipps
want to see you about?

Mr. Preston, where's that
little 25-caliber automatic

I understand you
own and, uh, use?

In the glove
compartment of my jeep.

Bring it in, Wilson.

Let's go back to the
phone call from Phipps.

There's nothing more to tell.

Miss Reynolds, were you here
when Phipps called Mr. Preston...

You leave her out of this.

My driller's been killed,
and you walk... Your driller?

You threw Phipps out.
Everybody knows that.

It's not there. There's
no gun in the car.

Get your hat.

I don't know what happened
to that stupid little gun.

Perry, I didn't Phipps.

Do you believe me or don't you?

That's not the problem.

- Hugh Jamison killed him.
- Can you prove that?

Jamison was out
at my well last night.

He went out there to keep
an appointment with Phipps.

Phipps told me.

Phipps is dead.

Now, what about this trip to Honolulu
you discovered he was going to make?

Who knows? Phipps is dead.

Come in, Mr. Mason. Sit down.

Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear
about all this,

but I'm not surprised.

Mike Preston's a brawler.

He always has been.

When did you last see
Harlow Phipps, Mr. Jamison?

Yesterday, early in the evening.

We met in a restaurant,
talked for a while.

Mind telling me what
you talked about?

No.

He wanted to borrow money

to finance some
new oil exploration.

What I don't understand

is why Phipps went out
to Mike's well last night.

Yes, that is strange.

It's even stranger that
Mike went out there.

Not at all. You see,
Phipps called him.

Oh, incidentally...

do you like guns, Mr. Jamison?

No, Mr. Mason, I don't.

Well, thank you.

Oh, by the way,

did you give Phipps the money
he needed for his oil exploration?

We didn't get that far.

I'm afraid I haven't
been much help.

On the contrary.

Specifically, I'd like to know

of anyone who's tried to raise a
large amount of money recently.

Derrick City is a
small town, Mr. Mason.

What do you mean by large?

$50,000.

I'd like to help, Mr. Mason,
but that is bank business, and...

Can you tell me if Harlow
Phipps came in for a loan?

Why, yes... yes, he did,

over a week ago.

Did you make the loan?

I referred him to our president

since it involved
so large a sum.

Mr. Wilkerson turned the
loan down, insufficient security.

I gather Mr. Jamison wasn't
as concerned about security?

No, he was...

You're very clever, Mr. Mason.

You're married to Mr. Jamison's
daughter, aren't you?

I assumed you
were less secretive

about bank business with him
than you're being now, with me.

Mr. Mason, I don't want you
to think I was being secretive,

but if you'll tell me
how a $50,000 loan

ties in with this murder,

perhaps I can be more helpful.

Mr. Keith,

I really don't think we should ask you to
violate the confidence of your customers

until you're under oath.

Yes, that might be best.

Miss Hamilton,

I realize what a shock
this must've been,

but, if you don't mind, there are
some questions I'd like to ask you.

When was the last time
you saw Harlow Phipps?

When I drove him out
to the well last night.

You drove him out?

Yes.

I needed his car
to run an errand.

Did you go back for him later?

No.

He told me not to
come until he called...

but he never called.

You know, you're
a very attractive girl.

Living here alone, I imagine you
have some means of protecting yourself.

You mean a gun?

Honestly, you men are all alike.

Just because a girl
is pretty and alone,

you think she needs a gun.

How well do you
know Hugh Jamison?

Why, only as a
customer at the bank.

Has he borrowed, or tried to
borrow, a lot of money lately?

I don't know anything about
Mr. Jamison's business.

Has Jamison ever had occasion
to come here to see you?

Certainly not.

What kind of a girl do
you think I am anyway?

You tell me, Miss Hamilton.

I saw Jamison leave this
place just as I was arriving.

Aside from your tendency

to avoid telling the truth,

I'll be anxious to find out
just what kind of a girl you are.

So long.

Isn't it a little late for electric
logs, Sergeant Landro?

That's what somebody
wanted us to think.

You mean this well isn't dry?

What did you come
out here for, Mr. Mason?

To look in the shack over there.

We have a court
order permitting it.

Help yourself.

"Darling, I told you
you needed this.

"Keep it near you
when I can't be.

Love, Harlow."

I wonder what that was
that went with this card.

Perry, if there is oil here,

then Phipps must have
been trying to swindle Mike.

That's what Sergeant
Landro will believe.

Looks like two bulls
hit this China shop.

The watchman saw a .25
automatic beside the body.

When he came back, it was gone,

and Mike's gun is still missing.

And no ejected
shell case, either.

Nope. Either they can't find it,

or the killer was smart enough
to pick it up and get rid of it.

It's a tough one.

Seems to me, though,

that if we could find that
gun, we'll find the killer.

Well, do I get it
from you, Mike,

or do I get it as a surprise from
the District Attorney in court?

You remember, Perry,

when Jamison and I were partners
in that wildcat well seven years ago?

We were real close to oil when
the option came due... $100,000.

Jamison and I agreed that
we'd sell shares to raise the cash.

Half of Derrick City
was in on the deal.

Perry, besides me, Jamison
was the only other person

who knew that money
was at the well that night,

waiting to be deposited in
the bank the next morning.

And half of that
100,000 was in securities,

and not one of them has
shown up in seven years.

That's it right there.

They've never shown up.

If they weren't stolen,
they'd have burned in the fire,

and if I stole them, they'd
have burned in the fire,

but suppose Jamison stole them.

What then?

He'd still have them...

hidden.

He'd be afraid to use them

because they were registered.

Jamison's in bad
financial trouble.

A thousand acres
of guaranteed oil,

rich land for
peanuts, $50 an acre,

exactly what Jamison
needs to save his neck.

Only he has no
money and no credit.

Only $50,000 in
stolen securities

that he hasn't touched
for seven years.

You thought he'd
be desperate enough

to use those securities
to buy the leases.

All right, what then?

I blow the whistle,
have him tossed in jail.

Then I'd give everyone who
invested their money seven years ago

a chance to get at least
half their money back.

It was foolproof, Perry,
absolutely foolproof.

Was it?

Harlow Phipps is dead.

Where are the securities, Mike?

I don't know.

Doesn't make sense.

That's what the District
Attorney will say about your story,

but his story will make sense.

Phipps fooled you
into capping your well.

He planned to make a
quick killing on the leases,

then get out of the country.

You found out, confronted him
at the well, and you killed him.

Do you believe that?

Mike, where is
your .25 automatic?

Oh, thank you, Elliot.

I don't think I could've
managed without you.

Lydia...

Evening, Miss
Reynolds, Mr. Dunbar.

Good evening, Mr. Mason.

I'll see you tomorrow, Lydia.

Good night.

I thought you'd already gone
back to Los Angeles, Mr. Mason.

No. May I talk to
you for a moment?

Sure, soon as I put
these groceries away.

That can wait.

Would you come inside, please?

Where did you...

What is this, Mr. Mason?

Perhaps Mr. Drake
can help explain it.

One of the top ballistics
experts in Los Angeles

is a man named Harvey Beasely.

This morning Beasely received a
phone call from a "Mrs. Hathaway."

She claimed to be a writer

and wanted to know,
for a story she was doing,

how to run a ballistics test.

Beasely told her that in
order to get test bullets

to compare with
the death bullets,

sometimes the gun in
question is fired into a pillow.

Mrs. Hathaway
called Beasely again,

asked if it would be possible

to compare two bullets she had

with photos of the murder bullet

from a certain recent killing.

Beasely said he could manage it,

but if by some strange
coincidence the bullet should match,

there would be a lot
of explaining to do,

and, besides,
which killing was it?

At that point, obviously
frightened, Mrs. Hathaway hung up.

I traced both calls.

They were toll calls from
Derrick City to Los Angeles,

both of them from the
phone in this house.

Della?

Now, where did you find the gun,

in the shack beside the body?

No, I swear I didn't.

It was in the glove
compartment of Mike's jeep.

You've got to believe
me, Mr. Mason.

May I have the gun, please,

and the two bullets you fired?

Concealing evidence, possibly
even a charge to accessory to murder.

You took quite a chance.

Why?

I love Mike Preston.

Paul...

do you still have that contact
inside the Sheriff's ballistics section?

You want a comparison
test run on these bullets

without Landro finding out?

Is that possible?

Yeah, if the
bullets don't match.

And if they do?

You're handing Mike Preston a
one-way ticket to the gas chamber.

Yes.

Just a minute. It's Paul.

Go ahead, Paul.

I see.

Paul, I'll have
Della wrap the gun.

Then send it by
messenger to Burger

at the District
Attorney's office.

Thanks. We'll see you later.

The ballistic test...

What did Mr. Drake say?

The bullet that
killed Harlow Phipps

and the bullets fired
from Mike's gun...

do not match.

He was dead.

That .25 automatic was
on the floor beside him.

The phone had been
pulled from the wall,

and I had to drive better
than 10 miles to call the Sheriff.

Now, when you
returned to the shack

to wait for the Sheriff,

was anything different than
when you left the shack?

Yes, sir.

That .25 automatic...
It was gone.

I see.

Now, when you drove
to the well the first time,

before you discovered the body,

did you see anybody
leaving the area?

Yes, sir, I saw somebody
driving off real fast.

It's him, sir, Mr. Preston,
the defendant.

I took the gun out of the glove
compartment of Mr. Preston's jeep

while Sergeant Landro
was questioning him.

You took it? Why?

I don't know why. I...

You don't know why?

Didn't you take that gun

because you were sure that Mr. Preston
had committed a murder with it?

Objection.

Not only is the State
asking this witness

to judge whether the
defendant is guilty or innocent,

but the prosecutor is
cross-examining his own witness.

No, your honor.

The State is asking this witness

only to explain her removal
of a vital piece of evidence.

Then does the State contend

that the gun owned by
Mr. Preston is the murder weapon?

Gentlemen, I'm going
to sustain the objection.

Now, do you wish to
rephrase the question?

No, Your Honor,
I'll withdraw it.

Now, Miss Reynolds,

according to the
autopsy surgeon,

the decedent was
shot through the heart

between the hours
of 10:00 and 11:00.

Mike Preston had received
the phone call from the decedent

in your presence at
approximately 10:00.

During the course
of this phone call,

you testified that he
accused Mr. Phipps

of pulling something

and also that he
threatened to kill him,

and then you testified Phipps
apparently hung up on him.

At this point, did Mr. Preston
put down the phone

and leave the house?

A short time later, yes.

Was he delayed further?

Was there another phone call?

Yes... Yes, there was.

An airline called trying
to locate Mr. Phipps.

When I told him there had
been no cancellation on the flight

that Mr. Phipps had
requested to Honolulu,

Mr. Preston, he
became rather abusive.

He said he'd see that
Mr. Phipps got the message,

but then... then he used
some stronger language,

and he hung up on me.

Miss Hamilton, you were close
to the decedent Harlow Phipps,

perhaps closer than
any other single person

during the days
before his passing.

Did he ever confide in you?

Yes, he did.

And in these
moments of confidence,

did he ever mention the
name of the defendant?

Objection.

Question calls for hearsay

and declarations made outside
the hearing of the defendant.

Your Honor, we ask
this particular question

only to show the state
of mind of the defendant.

I believe the question is proper
for that purpose, Mr. Mason.

The witness will
answer the question.

Once he said, "For 10 years
I broke my back for Mike,

and he threw me out."

Another time he said,

"Just wait till my
deal goes through.

I'll fix Mike Preston."

Thank you, Miss Hamilton.

That'll be all.

Your witness.

Miss Hamilton,

did anyone ever try
to find out from you

what Mr. Phipps' deal was?

Did anyone ever ask you
what Mr. Phipps was doing

after he was fired
by Mike Preston?

Well, one night Arnie...

By Arnie,

you mean Arnold Keith,
Mr. Jamison's son-in-law?

Was Mr. Jamison at
your apartment yesterday?

Yes.

What did you talk about?

Well, it didn't have anything
to do with Harlow's deal.

Mr. Jamison just asked me not
to mention his son-in-law's name.

He didn't want his daughter to
find out about us, Arnie and me,

but that was
before I met Harlow,

Arnie and me, I mean.

You and Harlow Phipps
planned to be married.

Had he ever given you any gifts?

Well, a few little things.

He didn't have much money.

Was...

one of those
little things a gun?

A gun? No.

Did he ever talk about
giving you a gun?

Well, he did say he
thought I should have one.

Did he actually buy
a gun to give to you?

He might have. I don't know.

Miss Hamilton, your
plans with Mr. Phipps...

Did they include
a trip to Honolulu?

Yes.

When did you find out that he'd
only made one plane reservation?

Well, when I heard
it here in court.

Are you sure you didn't find out
the same way Miss Reynolds did?

Are you sure the airlines
didn't call your apartment,

asking for Mr. Phipps?

No, they didn't.

Are you sure you then
didn't get into Phipp's car,

drive back out to the well,

accuse him of
running out on you,

and then shoot him with the
gun he'd gotten for you as a gift?

No, that's not true.

No further questions.

You may step down.

Mr. Burger?

Your Honor, since
defense counsel,

in cross-examining
many of these witnesses,

seems to be engaging in
some sort of treasure hunt

for a seemingly
missing murder weapon,

I thought perhaps
he would like it

if I clarified this particular
question for him once and for all.

When the defense
delivered to Mr. Burger

the gun belonging
to Mike Preston,

we did indeed anticipate
a treasure hunt...

a hunt for a defendant
other than Mike Preston.

However, at this point,

it would be a pleasure to have
Mr. Burger resolve anything,

and, in particular, the question

of the not seemingly missing but
actually missing murder weapon.

Anything to accommodate

the distinguished
defense counsel.

I call Sergeant
Ben Landro, please.

Can you identify this
bullet for us, Sergeant?

Yes, sir.

It has my mark as well
as the autopsy surgeon's.

This is the 25-caliber automatic
bullet that killed Harlow Phipps.

And what about this
second bullet, Sergeant?

It also has my mark.

This is a 25-caliber
bullet, a test bullet,

fired form a weapon suspected
of being the murder gun.

Did you examine
both of these bullets?

Yes, sir.

The bullet that
killed Harlow Phipps

was unquestionably
fired from the gun I tested.

And who owned this gun?

To whom was it registered?

It was the gun given
to us by Mr. Mason,

the one belonging
to the defendant,

Mike Preston.

Your witness, Mr. Mason.

Come in, Paul.

Hi.

Perry, we double checked,

and there's no
question about it.

The test bullets Lydia Reynolds
supposedly fired from Mike's gun

do not match the murder bullet.

But the murder bullet
was fired from Mike's gun.

Well, Lydia loves Mike.

She could have
deliberately juggled bullets.

I wonder.

What else did you get?

Well, I came up
with a lot of answers

but not the foggiest
idea what they add up to.

Let's hear them.

One... I checked the airline.

Phipps did buy that
ticket to Honolulu,

but with the provision it could
be rewritten for someone else.

Good.

Two... on the day he was killed,
Phipps did buy a gun... 25 automatic.

You checked on Dunbar?

That's number three.

Elliot Dunbar does
own a dummy company,

calls it ABC Products.

However, it's nothing but a
bank account. And that's it.

Perry, I called the
phone company.

When you pull a
phone out by the wire,

it sounds, at least
on the other end,

exactly as if someone
were hanging up.

You were right.

That's one of his few bad
habits... Always being right.

Paul, put some men on
Dunbar's ABC Company.

I want all the
information I can get on it.

- Will do.
- Oh, one other thing.

I want you to get a gun for me,

a .25 automatic exactly
like Mike Preston's.

After today's testimony,

I should think you'd never want to
set eyes on another .25 automatic.

Mr. Burger did so well
with one murder weapon.

Let's see how he
makes out with two.

Phipps and I had
discussed a proposition.

He had an oil lease deal
that looked very promising,

and if he could back it up,
I intended to go in with him.

Did he indicate to you that
lease was held by the defendant?

No.

Earlier that evening you called Arnold
Keith about a possible $50,000 loan.

Was that loan in connection
with those particular leases?

Those or any others.

You have to move
fast in the oil business.

I wanted that much
available just in case.

You're a liar. You
went out to my well.

You killed Phipps.

You killed him because you
didn't want to share with him.

Mike.

Mr. Preston, this court will
not tolerate that sort of behavior.

Your Honor, I insist
the record show

that the defendant made a
shocking outburst against this witness.

I submit that this is
prima facie evidence

of the violent character
of the defendant.

Your Honor, I apologize
on behalf of my client.

I can only offer,
in extenuation,

the long-standing ill feeling
between these two men

and the reason
behind that ill feeling.

I'm sure the court
is aware of it.

Mr. Mason, I am aware of that.

If the defendant
clearly understands

that regardless
of the background,

he keeps his emotions
under control in this court,

we will continue.

I have no further questions

of this witness, Your Honor.

Mr. Jamison,

you said that the deal offered
you by Mr. Phipps looked good.

Now, what did you mean?

Well, he showed
me a core sample.

An electric log and geologist's
reports were also available.

Those are common
items in the oil business,

are they not, easily
almost picked up anywhere?

Surely a man of your experience

wouldn't put up $50,000 unless
he knew the ground, now, would he?

I knew the man.

I knew I could
trust Harlow Phipps.

Mr. Jamison, I must remind
you that you are under oath.

Now, did you not, in fact,

have an appointment
with Mr. Phipps

to be shown that ground the
very night he was murdered?

Answer the
question, Mr. Jamison.

All right, yes, I did.

I met Phipps at
Preston's well at 9:30.

We took about 20 minutes
to look over the layout.

It was good, so I told him I'd
put up the money for the leases

and advance him $5,000
cash in the morning.

We shook hands on it.

I left him at 10 minutes of 10:00
and drove back to my office.

Did you go back to
the well that night?

No, absolutely, positively no.

Mr. Keith,

it is my understanding that the
Jamison Tool and Supply Company

has been in severe financial
difficulties the past few months.

May I ask, in requesting
this loan from the bank,

what security did
Hugh Jamison offer

as a basis for
borrowing $50,000?

Security? There was
no problem about that.

He offered the bank a first
mortgage on my wife's home.

My father gave me the house,

free and clear,

as a wedding gift when
Arnold and I were married.

It's been appraised
at over $100,000,

and when Dad called me and
asked me if he could use the house

as security for a loan,

I told him of course he could.

Mr. Dunbar, was the turnover
in crewmen on this particular well

unusually large?

Oh, definitely,
several times over.

In your considerable experience
in the oil business, Mr. Dunbar,

why, would you
think, Harlow Phipps,

without the knowledge
of the defendant,

hired and fired
crewmen so frequently?

It's quite obvious...

To keep the real
progress of the well

a secret from Mike Preston.

Objection.

I'll withdraw the
question, Your Honor...

and that'll be all, Mr. Dunbar.

Your witness.

Mr. Dunbar,

you are the sole
stockholder and owner

of a business called
ABC Products Company?

Why... Why, yes.

But isn't ABC Products simply
a dummy company set up by you

to lease equipment
to Mike Preston?

And didn't you occasionally write
checks to ABC from Mike's account

for equipment that never
really was purchased?

Well, no... no, I
can explain that.

You see, every time
I went out to the well,

I'd write any checks
that were necessary.

Including the ones
I just spoke of.

But what happened when you
heard the well was to be closed down?

Were there checks outstanding?

Were you afraid you'd
written one too many

and Mike would find out
what you'd been up to?

No, please... please...

Isn't that why you
came to Derrick City

on the night of the murder,

because you wanted to
remove any such checks

from the safe at
the oil well office?

Didn't you drive out
and find Phipps there,

fight with him and kill him with the
gun he'd bought for Paula Hamilton?

No. No, I didn't kill him.

I didn't.

Then you took that
gun out to the ranch,

waited for your chance
to frame Mike Preston...

but Mike's gun was missing.

Your chance didn't
come until the next night,

when you helped Lydia
Reynolds bring in some groceries...

and found a chance
to get at her purse.

Your Honor, I
protest this nonsense.

We have the murder weapon.

Is Mr. Mason contending that
there are two murder weapons?

Exactly.

Your Honor, I realize
this is highly irregular,

but since this is a preliminary
hearing without a jury,

I believe I can expedite
matters considerably

with the court's indulgence.

Subject to any subsequent ruling as
to the admissibility of what you present,

you may proceed, Mr. Mason.

Thank you, Your Honor.

First, as a matter of record,

Harlow Phipps did
purchase a .25 automatic

on the day he was murdered.

That gun is still missing.

Sergeant Landro?

Sergeant, since there were
no cartridge cases found,

you identified this
as the murder weapon

solely because of the marks left
on the bullet by the barrel of this gun.

Is that correct?

That's right.

Now, this is a new gun,

of the same make and model as
the gun Sergeant Landro now holds.

It was purchased this morning.

Watch carefully,
would you, please?

Sergeant, would you please
remove the barrel of that gun?

Now, exchange it with this
barrel, would you, please?

Sergeant Landro holds the
gun registered to Mike Preston,

the murder weapon,

but the gun you hold has the
barrel that marked the fatal bullet.

So you, also, hold
the murder weapon.

Yes, Mr. Burger,

two murder weapons.

You, Mr. Dunbar,

you picked the real murder weapon up
from beside Harlow Phipps' dead body.

You removed the barrel from it.

Later, when you were helping Lydia
Reynolds bring groceries into the house,

you took Mike Preston's gun from
her purse, and you switched barrels.

It... It was a chance to
get even with Mike Preston,

but please believe me.

I didn't kill Harlow
Phipps. I didn't!

No, Mr. Dunbar,
you didn't kill him.

The one who killed Phipps
knew every step of the deal.

He followed Jamison out there,

waited until Jamison left,

then moved in like a
jackal at a feast of lions.

He knew the deal was really good

if Jamison was willing to
mortgage his daughter's house.

The killer wanted that land,

wanted it so badly he tried to buy it
with the only funds he had available...

$50,000 worth of securities
he'd stolen seven years ago.

You, Mr. Keith,

you stole that money, and
you killed Harlow Phipps.

All right.

Sure, I gave Phipps the stolen
securities to buy the lease.

He thought I left, but
I heard him call Mike.

I pulled out the phone.

He... He was like a madman.

I didn't know that part of those securities
were his, that he'd recognize them.

He attacked me.

I grabbed the gun and...

I didn't mean to
kill him. I didn't.

Well, Harlow got that reservation
to Honolulu for Paula as a surprise.

I guess he planned on joining her
later, when he'd finished things up.

And it was Keith, not Jamison,

that started that fire seven
years ago to steal the $100,000.

Yes, apparently he had
embezzled money from the bank

and used the cash to
make up his shortages.

And held on to the
securities, afraid to use them.

Until he fell into the trap you
baited for his father-in-law.

Well, Mike, I'm glad
you're off the hook.

And I'm sorry about
Keith, Jamison.

Well, I guess I've really suspected
my son-in-law for several years,

but doing anything about him
would have hurt my daughter so.

I guess it hasn't been easy
for either one of us, Mike.

I once said, "If I wanted something
to lean on, I'd buy crutches."

It wasn't exactly
what I wanted to say.

I know, Mike.

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