All language subtitles for The.Kennel.Murder.Case.1933.DVDRip.x264-HANDJOB.SDH Eng

♪ (suspenseful dramatic music)

♪ (dramatic orchestral music)

(crowd chattering)
(dogs barking)

[announcer] The finest
show we have ever held,

with nearly twice as many
dogs benched as last year.

Refreshments are being
served at the marquee

at the west end of the grounds.

Bichons ready in
ring number two.

Next event, number 729.
Hallies bred by exhibitor.

Have your dogs ready.

Quiet please during the judging.

Attention please;
judging in ring one.

Event number 728; Scottish
Terriers, American bred dogs.

Great Danes in ring number two.

Great Scots in ring number one.

This is number 292, Captain
McDavish, shown by the owner,

the well-known fancier Mr. Philo
Vance, (Vance talks to dog)

whose kennel comprises some of
the finest campaigners in America.

(dogs barking)

[photographer] That's
fine... now smile, please.

Cup to your right.

That's great.

Sorry boys, but
these are not trophies.

(laughing)

[photographer] Oh,
that's it. Hold it right there.

(camera shutter clicks)

-[photographer] Thank you.
-Thank you so much.

Mind if we go now?

I can stand one dog, but this
bedlam is getting on my nerves!

Don't be impatient, darling.

We'll have plenty of
time for dinner, eh?

(dogs barking)

[man] Hold it there.

[judge] Two and a half.

[man] Show.

[announcer] Event number 728.

A blue ribbon won by
Gillespia Featherstone.

Dundee Doubler is
runner up... (applause)

and Midlothian Gentleman
receives the special. (applause)

[announcer] Better luck
next time, Mr. Vance.

-Don't be downhearted, Captain.
-You're still champion with me.

Maybe we'll have
better luck in Italy, eh?

Tough luck Vance, I was hoping to
have the pleasure of beating you tomorrow.

Oh, thank you
very much Mr. Coe.

Perhaps you'll get
stiffer competition

from Sir Thomas MacDonald.

Perhaps.

I want to borrow
Misty Morn for a second.

But Miss Lake,
you know Mr. Archer

don't want anyone
to borrow his dog.

Come along and
protect him if you like.

(dogs barking)

That's enough, Sir Thomas.

I wouldn't take off
another whisker.

Mm-hmm, I think
you're right Sandy.

-[photographer]
-Get ready... hold it.

(camera shutter clicks)
[photographer] Thanks.

There you are, Ghillie laddy.

-Hello Hilda.
-Hello Tom.

-Well, what's the idea?
-I thought we'd do a little private judging.

I don't imagine your uncle
would particularly approve of this.

I'm sure he wouldn't.

Put him in a ten and let's
take a good look at him.

Aye.

Come on, I say.

Wrap your tail.

Hmm.

Mm-hmm.

(dogs barking)

-[Hilda] Well?
-What do you think?

I think it's a
pretty close thing.

But I'm not worried, eh Sandy?

I think your bet is safe, sir.

Here we are, sir.

What the devil do you
think you're doing, Hilda?

-[Hilda] Well I...
-How do you do?

-[Tom] How do you do, sir?
-I just wanted to prove that

you're going to lose money to Tom
when these two get into the ring tomorrow.

And have you proved
it to your satisfaction?

So much so that I want
you to loan me $1,000

-to place on Ghillie.
-Hilda!

That's cheek for you. Wants to bet
against me with $1000 of my own money.

I wasn't asking
you for your money...

I merely want you to
loan me some of mine.

As long as I control
the purse strings,

you're not going to do
any betting against me.

You'll be grateful that
I've saved a few thousand

of your fortune someday.

But don't raise your
hopes too high, Hilda.

Bring that dog out here.

I shouldn't let him
worry you, my dear.

If you knew how I hate him, Tom.

The things he's done to me.

I despise him!

Darling...

-Now, let's see, uh...
-where did I put that... ah.

Here it is.

"Unsolved Murders."

Ha, you know...
I almost forgot it.

I wouldn't have been
able to sleep a wink tonight,

wondering who
murdered who and why.

How any intelligent man can read
that drivel is beyond me, Brisbane.

What time does
that Chicago train go?

Five o'clock.

Well it's 4:15.

Oh, you've got plenty of time.

Yes I know, but I
want to get out of here

before uh, Archer
gets home. (laughing)

-[butler] Good afternoon sir.
-Afternoon.

Is my brother at home?

-Yes sir, he's upstairs.
-Tell him I want to see him.

Yes sir.

-Your taxi's waiting, sir.
-All right, there's the bag.

Did you get those reservations?

Yes sir, and Mr. Archer told me
to tell you he wants to see you sir.

Oh he did, eh?

You tell him I don't
want to see him.

Tell him I said so.

-In those words, sir?
-Exactly.

Unless you can think
of something stronger.

Yes, sir.

'Course...

course it's none of
my business Brisbane,

but I wouldn't talk that
way in front of Gamble.

I don't trust him.

I just couldn't resist it. Ha!

I'd like to see the
look on Archer's face

when he tells him.

I wouldn't.

How the deuce
can you stand it here?

Why there wouldn't be
enough money in the world

to compensate me for
being Archer Coe's secretary.

Oh, he's not as bad as all that.

Say, you better
be getting along.

There's such a thing
as carrying loyalty too far.

Don't forget, I overheard
a few of his choice remarks

to you when you
dared suggest that you

were in love with Hilda
and wanted to marry her.

[Brisbane] I'm afraid you're taking
Arch a little too seriously, old man.

You deliver my message?

I thought it best to wait
till you were safely away, sir.

(laughing)

Do you mind dropping me off?

I have an engagement
with Hilda for dinner.

Come ahead, come ahead.

(mens' footsteps)

[conductor] All aboard!

Albany Express.

Stanford, Richford,
New London, New Haven,

transfer here... Holland, Boston.

(footsteps & bodies shuffling)

[Sandy] Here is Sir
Thomas MacDonald now!

What's the matter, Sandy?

Something terrible
has happened, sir!

-Ghillie's gone!
-What?

And I cannot find him!

They've taken him
off the bench, sir.

What, he couldn't
have got loose?

(lock rattles)

He didn't break that
look himself, either.

I haven't been
away from that dog

for ten minutes all day, sir.

I just went into the restaurant
to get a wee sandwich,

and when I come
back, he was gone.

Sir Thomas?

[Tom] Yes?

-I think we found him, sir.
-Where?

Out in the alley,
sir. (woman gasps)

[man] This way, sir.

Ghillie!

He's dead!

Oh...

I'll kill the man who did this!

(dial rattling)

Listen Tom, you mustn't do
anything until you're sure, please!

I've got my own ideas.

Oh, I know Uncle
Archer's mean and cruel,

but I can't believe
he'd do a thing like this.

(phone rings)

(phone rings)

Hello?

I'm sorry, but
Mr. Archer Coe isn't here.

Your dog dead?

Oh, I'm terribly sorry.

I'll try to locate him at once.

(phone rings)

-(woman shrieks)
-Go away from me, you!

(phone rings)

[woman] Get out of here!

Get out! (phone rings)

I suspected it when I saw
you together this afternoon!

-You're nothing but a two-timing...
-Get out of my apartment!

(dog barks) (phone rings)

-Get out!
-From now on, it IS your apartment!

ALL yours! (phone rings)

I'm getting out for
good! (dog barking)

(dog barking)

(door slams)

(clattering sound)

-Ah, Mr. Coe...
-My dear friend, I...

Yes, I see you are.

-Pardon?
-Yeah.

Oh I am uh, how do you say it?

(speaking Italian)

I came to see you.

I have received the
cable from Milan,

authorizing me to
complete the deal

for your Chinese
collection, and confirming

the price of $117,000.

[Coe] Means decorations
and all that sort of thing

-from a very grateful government, I suppose.
-Oh, un momento, I...

But it's no good now, of
course. I changed my mind.

-Oh, but you have promised me!
-You can't go back on your word!

What will I tell my
people? What will I say?

Pity you didn't
think of this before.

You might have been a
little more discreet, eh Grassi?

But you have signed
the contact with me...!

Too bad for you. It's still
at my home, in my safe.

- Oh, but you will... - Most
certainly destroy it... tonight!

I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give
you Miss Delafield... for nothing.

(doors slide shut)

(Coe's footsteps)

Hey, Liang... at it again, eh?

I was lead to believe that a
cook's place is in the kitchen.

The next time... - I have been
expecting my dismissal, Mr. Coe.

We have served our purpose,
these priceless treasures and I.

I overheard Mr. Wrede saying

you were preparing to
sell this whole collection.

You've been listening
at the keyhole, have you?

You cannot sell them, Mr. Coe.

Do you think I would have
dishonored my ancestors,

perjured my soul, cheated
my own countrymen

to acquire these for you,

had I not believed that you
would reverence them as I do?

That's the worst of your race.

A pack of mawkish sentimentalists
about your ancestors.

I don't need you
tonight. Go on, get out.

I would suggest you
consider most carefully

before you sell.

(bell tolling)

(gunshot) (bell tolling)

(bell tolling)

(knocking on door)
(doorknob clicks)

(knocking on door)

Mr. Coe?

(knocking on door)

Mr. Coe?

(knocking on door)

Breakfast, Mr. Coe.

Breakfast!

(loud crashing)

Mr. Wrede! Mr. Wrede! Mr. Wrede!

(door opens)

What is it Gamble?

Mr. Coe, Mr. Archer
Coe has killed himself.

Killed himself? When? How?

He's sitting in there
like, and the door's bolted!

You're positive?

Yes sir! In his bedroom.

-Phone the police.
-Yes sir.

(feet scrambling)

(dial rattling)

Hello?

Give me police
headquarters, quick!

(phone rings)

Homicide, Sergeant
Miller speaking.

Wait a minute, wait a minute,
I don't get ya, take it easy!

All right... (men murmuring)

-Suicide?
-Suicide?!

Wait a minute, you're not
gonna to run out on this hand!

Yep. Who?

Archer Coe... 98
East 71st Street.

-Okay, I gotcha.
-Is that it, Sergeant?

Yeah. (buzzer sounds)

Well, goodbye Earnest.

Sergeant Heath to you,
cub. Kick in with that six bits.

Oh relax, will
you? I'll catch up.

[Miller] This is
your case, Sergeant.

You'd better get the boys out.

9871st Street?

-That's right.
-All right. Come on.

Tell Doc Doremus
to hurry right out

to 98th East 71st Street.

Did you say east, Sergeant?

-East, yes.
-I got it.

Daily Mail? Give
me the city desk.

Calling Car 18, Car One Eight.

Hello, Times? Charlie Addler.

98 East 71st Street.

Last night Archer
Coe committed suicide.

Proceed immediately, and
call your station for instructions.

(ship horn blows)

(indistinct chatter)
(crane rattling)

[radio] Fair and warmer, with light to
moderate winds for New York and vicinity,

today and tomorrow. And
now for the latest news flash:

Archer Coe, the well-known
sportsman and collector,

committed suicide last night,
at his home, 98 East 71st Street.

His body was
discovered by the butler

at eight this morning, when
he took up a breakfast tray.

No reason has been
advanced for this action,

as Mr. Coe was
in excellent health

and had no financial trouble.

No news has been received...

(indistinct chatter)

Is the land phone
still connected?

Yes sir, but it will
be disconnected

-in about two minutes, sir.
-I see.

(phone buzzes)

Hello?

Hello Markham.

Hello Vance!

I thought you were
on your way to Italy?

(laughs) I am.

I say Markham, uh, I just
heard about Archer Coe.

Yes. Too bad he had to
bump himself off like that.

Ah, that's why I called you.

Are you sure that he
DID bump himself off?

Well, his butler
tells us he's sitting

in a locked room with
a revolver in his hand,

and a bullet in his head.

I don't know what
else you'd call it.

I don't want to
butt into your affairs,

but, uh... aren't you a bit hasty

in jumping to that conclusion?

Hasty? Why?

Well if you knew Archer
Coe, you would know

that suicide is almost a
psychological impossibility for him...

Psychological bosh.

Two and two make
four, don't they?

But how do you know
you have two and two?

Just let me point out to you...

Oh, point out the
Statue of Liberty.

[Markham] Say, Vance...

Hello? Hello?

The land phone has
been disconnected, sir.

Oh.

(phone clicks into receiver)

Uh, would you have
my luggage brought up?

Yes sir. Steward?

Uh, just have them send it
ashore. I've decided not to sail.

Sir?

Vance, you've been right
about a lot of cases in the past,

but I can't help smiling
at you getting off that boat

and giving up a swell
trip all because of a hunch.

Well as a matter of fact
Markham, it's more than a hunch.

Huh?

It just so happens that
I talked with Archer Coe

-only yesterday.
-What? Where?

The Long Island Kennel Club.

Now I can't conceive of a
man on the verge of suicide

being very deeply
concerned about winning

a championship at a
dog show. Can you?

No. What do you mean?

Simply this...

As late as yesterday
afternoon, Archer Coe

was looking forward with
the keenest anticipation

to winning a blue ribbon from
Sir Thomas MacDonald today.

Sir Thomas MacDonald. Say, wasn't it
his dog that was found dead last night?

Right.

And Archer Coe found
dead this morning...

Do you suppose there might
be some connection there?

I don't know.

But if someone were to
try to kill Captain McDavish,

I'd probably turn murderer
myself, wouldn't I Captain?

(tires squealing)

Hello, Mr. Markham.

I got your message
to hold everything up.

[Heath] What's the idea?

-Hello, Mr. Vance!
-Good morning, Sergeant.

[Heath] Well, it's
been a long time!

Several years.

I might have known
it would be you,

the world's champion
troubleshooter.

-Now come on boys.
-Come inside.

Well Chief, this is another
open and shut case.

Mr. Wrede, the secretary.

This is Gamble, the butler.

Yes sir.

-Mr. Markham, the district attorney.
-How do you do sir?

And, uh, Mr. Vance.

-How'd you do?
-How do you do?

Everything dusted for us?

Well, they said they
haven't touched anything.

We thought it best to
leave everything intact, sir.

Good.

Where's the room?

-Upstairs.
-This way, please.

You've, uh, been in
Mr. Coe's service long?

About three months, sir.

And before that?

Why, uh, unfortunately
I was unemployed, sir.

This is it, sir.

Yep, he's there all right.

Just like I told the
police on the phone!

I tried the door,
found it locked,

looked through the keyhole,
and there he was, dead!

-I think this is a job for you, Sergeant.
-Certainly, Mr. Vance.

(thud) (thud)

(thud)

Well, Hennessy... what are you
standing there for, your health?

-This takes beef!
-All right.

(banging)

(door bangs & clatters)

Congratulations, Sergeant.

What is this, a
bedroom or a museum?

[Heath] More junk here
than in a Chinese joss house!

I trust I did the
right thing sir,

by not breaking down the door.

[Wrede] I realized I
could be of no help to him.

Oh, he's been
quite dead for hours.

Bumped himself
off, that's plain enough.

It certainly looks
that way, Vance.

I'm afraid your trip
was spoiled for nothing.

I think not, Markham.

This may prove far more
interesting than a trip to Europe.

(shades draw)

Do you carry a gun?

No sir.

Do you?

Uh, yes sir, but only at night
for the protection of the household.

Is that it?

[Gamble] Why, I...

[Heath] Come on!

[Gamble] No, that
was Mr. Archer's...

but he always kept it in a
desk drawer downstairs.

I saw it yesterday morning

as I was putting
away some papers.

Oh you did, eh?

Did uh, Mr. Coe generally
keep his windows locked?

[Gamble] Why, no sir.

As a matter fact, he was
a great believer in fresh air.

Ah, indeed.

I wonder if these gentlemen
would mind waiting downstairs.

-Why, certainly not.
-I'm sorry we had to damage your door.

-That's quite all right.
-It's easily repaired.

I'll have it attended
to at once, sir.

[Markham] Hennessy,
see that no one leaves

-the house without my permission.
-[Hennessy] Right.

[Heath] It's as plain
as the nose on your face.

This guy locked himself in
here and blew out his brains.

I wish I could agree
with you, Sergeant.

[Heath] How the devil could
it be anything but suicide?

[Markham] It was all
very well for you to theorize

before we got here Vance,

but now that you've seen
this and there are no signs

of a struggle... - [Heath] And
the door bolted on the inside,

and no means of
entrance to the room.

Ah, no other means of entrance.

How right you are, Sergeant.

For we can hardly call a second
story window a means of entrance.

And nothing here that even
a human fly could crawl up.

So why should Archer
Coe lock his windows,

particularly if he was
a fresh air enthusiast?

I'm afraid your reasoning
is not all together convincing.

Well perhaps
so, but... doesn't it

strike you as rather odd
that a man should suddenly

decide to commit suicide

while changing from his
street clothes to pajamas?

Well, why not? A man debating
suicide might get partially undressed

and walk up and down for
hours, trying to make up his mind.

Yes, he might walk up
and down for hours, but not

with one shoe half off.

[Vance] No, Markham...

Something stopped him as
he was removing that shoe.

This was supposed to
suggest suicide, but...

someone miscalculated.

But you can't get away
from that bolted door.

I wish I could.

The way you figure it
out, the man was murdered.

As soon as the killer
is gone, he gets up,

goes and bolts the door,

plants himself in
a comfortable chair

with a loaded gun in his
hand to suggest suicide.

That's a swell theory.

(car door closes)

Hello Gamble.

What is this? What's happened?

Something terrible has
happened, Miss Lake.

-Your...
-[Wrede] Hilda...

What is it,
Raymond? What is it?

It's your Uncle Archer, Hilda.

He killed himself last night.

-Where...
-They're upstairs.

(footsteps up stairs)

[Heath] Hey, don't
touch that body, Miss.

Oh, Mr. Vance...

Oh how do you do, Miss Lake?

This is Mr. Markham,
the district attorney.

How do you do?

[Vance] Miss
Lake is Coe's niece.

I'm sorry Miss Lake, but
you mustn't touch anything

until the medical
examiner arrives.

It's against regulation.

Is it also against regulations
to tell me what's happened?

We arrived only
a few moments ago.

We... found your
uncle as you see him.

It has every
appearance of suicide.

I doubt it.

Do you know of anyone who
would have reason to kill your uncle?

Yes. I had, for one.

Why, Miss Lake?

Because he stood in the
way of everything I wanted.

He made my life miserable
because he held the purse strings.

And because... because
he was jealous of every

man who came near me.

I was afraid of him.

[Hilda] Oh, the horrible
nights I've spent in this house.

Are we to accept your comments
as a confession of murder, Miss Lake?

-Look, here Markham, that's ridiculous!
-Please, Raymond.

I think I can handle
the situation myself.

When we found
your uncle, Miss Lake...

the door was bolted
from the inside.

Bolted inside?

Oh...

Maybe he did shoot himself.

Can't you make up your mind?

Do you know of
anyone else who felt

as you do about your uncle?

Practically everyone
he came in contact with.

He was ruthless.

He wanted his own
way in everything.

I imagine there are
plenty of Chinese who

will be glad to know that
his collecting days are over.

Ask our cook.

I shall.

Can you think of anyone else?

Well, Uncle Brisbane shared
my feelings toward him, I'm sure.

Where is this Brisbane guy?

Maybe he decided to
do something about it.

That's impossible.

He's on his way to Chicago.

He left on the five o'clock
train yesterday afternoon.

He'd be just about
getting there by now.

Well you'd probably like
to wire him, wouldn't you?

Why, yes of course.

-Is that all?
-For the present, yes.

Suppose we check up on Uncle
Brisbane on the Chicago train.

Won't take me but a minute.

(phone rings)

-Hello?
-Come on, Snitkin.

Get your feet off the boss' desk
and jump down to Grand Central.

All right, I getcha.

(telegram machines chattering)

-Yes, Mr. Heath.
-Langham Hotel, Chicago?

Yes sir, I'll rush the
call. Hold a while please.

Oh, yes Mr. Heath.

We're expecting
Mr. Brisbane Coe this morning.

Oh yes, he wired for
a reservation last night.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Yep... he took the five
o'clock train, all right.

Good.

You know, there's a few things

I'd like to find out about
this girl, Hilda Lake.

Why are you always
trying to check up on me?

I'm not trying to
check up on you, Hilda.

I want to help you. Well you
know how I feel about you.

You know that I love you.

But lately, you seem
to have changed.

Every time I want to speak to
you about marriage, you evade me.

-What's on your mind?
-Oh, nothing. Nothing.

Raymond, I never
said I'd marry you.

But I thought that
now we... well, that...

that I could take
you away from here.

You might as well
know now as later.

When all this is cleared up, I'm
going to marry Tom MacDonald.

Ohhhh...

Oh try to understand, Raymond.

I'm sorry.

-Ah, don't tell me.
-Come on, don't you...

Be quiet.

Suicide, my eye! With the DA
himself and Vance on the job...

It's suicide and that's that.

-Oh, come on. Have a cigar.
-It's still suicide.

Hey, wait a minute!

Are you a reporter?

No, I'm Sir Thomas MacDonald.

-I'd like to talk to the officer in charge here.
-Ah, come on inside.

[Hilda] Tom!

Why didn't you stay
away from here?

And leave you to
face this thing alone?

But you promised me last
night you wouldn't come here!

Won't you go, please?
I can bluff it through.

I don't want the police
asking you questions.

-I know all the answers.
-Oh, but please go for my sake.

Let's forget about it, shall we?

[Tom] It's too late now, in any case.
The police are guarding every entrance.

Wait a moment...

You can cross through that
yard and get to your apartment.

No one will see you.

Take the first boat to England
and I'll join you as I can.

[Vance] Watch out for those
newspapermen, Sir Thomas.

They're even deadlier
than the police.

[Tom] I had no
intention of leaving.

Ah, good.

Oh by the way, I
was sorry to hear

about the death of
your dog last night.

Oh thanks.

You didn't by any chance
discuss it with Archer Coe, did you?

No. If I had, I
might have killed him.

Well, did you?

That's your problem.

(indistinct chatter)

-How about a statement now?
-[doctor] Give me a chance.

Oh, wait a minute.

I'm a doctor, not a magician.

(laughing)

Go on now, scram!

(men bickering)

-Hello Doc.
-Hello Kelsey! Where have you been?

Haven't seen you
for a long time.

-Working hard!
-[Heath] Hello, Doc.

What kept you so long?
Did you walk all the way?

You always pick
on me at mealtime.

I was in the middle
of cakes and sausage.

-What have you got?
-Just plain suicide.

This guy locked himself in the
room and bumped himself off.

Suicide? Then why didn't
you let me finish my breakfast?

-[Markham] Hello Doc.
-Hello Markham.

All you need is an
order to remove the body.

If you'd told me
that over the phone,

I'd have sent my assistant.

Mr. Markham told me to
phone for you personally.

Don't crab at me about it.

I'll give you the
approximate hour of the death,

if you want it.

[Heath] That's
bighearted of you though.

[doctor] And the routine autopsy... we can
do tomorrow. It's just a case of suicide.

Why do you jump to
that conclusion, Doctor?

I know a dead
man when I see one.

Besides, the door was bolted...

I know, the door was
bolted from the inside.

But what the body? Hadn't
you better have a look at it?

I was going to.

I'm a doctor, not a detective.

This man is dead with a
bullet hole in his right temple.

He's holding a gun
in his right hand.

Just the kind of wound that
might have been self-inflicted.

The position is natural, and the
door was locked on the inside.

Well! Let me see...

That's strange...

Did you find something
to disturb you, Doctor?

Plenty!

There's blood in his mouth...
and he's got a skull fracture

from some club-like instrument.

And what about the
bullet wound in his temple?

There's no blood there.

That's so.

Gentlemen!

When that bullet
entered this man's head,

he had been dead for hours!

Can you place the
time of his death?

I'd say from eight
to 12 hours ago.

Would you say that the
revolver was placed in his hand

-before rigor mortis set in?
-Yes!

Did he die from the effects
of the blow on the head?

No. Probably rendered
him unconscious for a while,

but that wouldn't have killed
him. Not powerful enough.

So the blow didn't kill him, the
bullet didn't kill him, and yet he's dead.

Suppose we try to find
out just what did kill him.

Glad you thought of that,
Mr. Vance. It's not a bad idea.

Perhaps I'd better
take another look.

(indistinct chatter)

[Heath] All right, boys.

Let's pick up these clues
before they get mussed up here.

Hey... just a
minute, Doc. Please.

Ready? (camera clicks)

-Give me a hand, Sergeant.
-Help me lift the body onto the bed.

(multiple voices yammering)

[Markham] Lift it
easy - [officer] Easy.

Yes, now just a little that way.

-All right there for you Doc?
-That's it.

There couldn't have
been much of a struggle.

His hair isn't even mussed.

Maybe somebody slugged
him and then combed his hair.

By George... now I've got it!

Stabbed... below the left
shoulder blade... near the spine.

There's no external bleeding.

-Internal hemorrhage, huh?
-That's it.

Well what do you think of the
suicide theory now, Sergeant?

Well, it's slightly complicated
for him to have shot, slugged

and stabbed himself.
Particularly in the back.

-Yes, very complicated.
-Oh, Markham?

[Markham] Yes?

You see, there's no hole in
the back of his pajama jacket...

so he couldn't have been wearing
that when he was stabbed, but get this:

there's a hole in
the back his coat...

and another in his
wescot. Bloodstained.

He must have been fully
dressed when he was attacked.

That puts me
out. I've finished.

I suppose you want
a quick autopsy?

[Markham] Yes.

Get that body down to the
morgue as soon as possible.

-Good day gentlemen.
-Good day.

-[Heath] Hey Doc?
-Yes?

Do you think there's
any possible chance

-of that being suicide?
-What?!

All right, all right. Just
a fair question, big boy.

Go on home and get your
hotcakes and sausage.

You need the strength.

-[Heath] Hennessy!
-[Hennesy] Yeah?

-[Heath] Hurry up with that deadline!
-Right.

-[Heath] Any report on that wire?
-Not yet Sarge.

(train roars past)

Send a wire to this guy
Markham: 98 East 71st Street,

New York City and tell him uh...

[Markham] Brisbane
Coe not aboard this train.

Wallace, conductor.
Train number 7.

Sit down.

What time did Brisbane
Coe leave for Chicago?

In time to catch
the 5 o'clock train, sir.

How do you know he
caught the 5 o'clock train?

I phoned for the reservation,

brought him his walking
stick and overcoat, and...

and put his bag in the taxi.

Ah.

Did you remain in
the house all evening?

Why, no sir. I
went out about 6:30.

It was the servants' night off.
Everyone was out to dinner.

Mmm...

Did you notice anything unusual in
Mr. Brisbane's manner when he left?

Oh, now that you mention
it, he was distracted and...

and very irritable.

Mmm. You say you
gave him his stick?

Yes, sir.

What kind of stick?

His favorite; an
ivory-handled one.

He never went
anywhere without it, sir.

You're quite sure he took
that particular stick with him?

Positive, I handed
it to him myself, sir.

Did you see him when he
returned here last evening?

-Returned?
-Yes.

I didn't know he
had returned, sir.

Then whose ivory-headed
stick is that hanging

over that chair in the hall?

-[Markham] Sit down.
-[Gamble] I don't know, sir!

-I swear I don't know!
-[Markham] Sit down.

[Heath] Steady Gamble, steady.

Is this it?

Is it?

Uh, yes sir. I
can't understand it!

-I suppose you saw nothing of his bag?
-Why, no sir!

Well if he brought
his cane back here,

what did he do with his bag?

-Ah, very good Sergeant.
-That's just the point.

-He undoubtedly left it somewhere.
-[Markham] But where?

I should think the
most logical place

would be the check room
at the Grand Central Station.

[Heath] What
kind of a bag was it?

Just an ordinary
pigskin bag sir,

with his initials, B.C. on it.

[clerk] Is that it?

Yeah, that looks like it.

There's your police
department receipt.

What time was this checked?

4:45.

-Thanks, pal.
-Okay.

-[Hennessy] Well, here it is.
-[Markham] Put it here.

[Heath] Did you
examine the contents?

[Hennessy] No, I
brought it right up here.

[Markham] Did you find out
what time this was checked?

Yeah! There you are.

4:45.

[Heath] He must have
gone direct from the house

to the station.

[Markham] Did the attendant
remember who left this?

[Hennessy] No, he said
there was so many of them,

that most of the time he
didn't even notice the people.

[Heath] Well, there's
shaving kit, shirts, underwear,

socks, collars, slippers...

Nothing in there that a
man wouldn't ordinarily take

with him on a short trip.

Except this, perhaps.

"Unsolved Murders."

That's a swell book
to take to Chicago.

That's rather odd, isn't it?

Yes, more than that.

Gentlemen, the mist
is beginning to rise.

I think I know at
least a part of what

happened here last night.

How about this?

Let's say that Brisbane Coe
started for Chicago on a night

when he knew that no one
but Archer would be at home.

He missed his train purposely,

checked his bag at the station,

and returned here
to kill his brother.

To make a perfect alibi,

he planned to take a
later train to Chicago...

but something stopped him.

And something stopped Archer Coe

before he could remove
his shoes last night.

You see what I mean? Those shoes
of Archer's, that bag of Brisbane's...

his stick hanging
there in the hall,

that shouldn't have been there.

Wait just a minute...

Oh, Gamble?

Where did Mr. Brisbane
usually put his hat

and overcoat when he came in?

He always hung
them in the closet, sir.

-Uh, which closet?
-This one.

(door opens)

(thump)

(Gamble yelps)

(stumbling footsteps)

Mr. Brisbane!

-Well, Mr. Vance...
-where are we now?

I should say somewhere in
the middle of the Gobi Desert.

(phone rings)

Hello?

What? Again?

I'm right in the
middle of my lunch!

First you interfere
with my breakfast,

then you ruin my lunch!

Don't you boys ever eat?

No... I'm on a diet.

Ohhh, all right.

(phone buzzes)

Hello?

All right, I'll
attend to that later.

Get me the wagon,
and the fingerprint gang!

Just a minute,
fellows. One side please.

-[Photographer]
-Step over, please.

Ready? (shutter
clicks) That's all.

All right, go ahead.

Yep... he's been
dead for hours.

And me thinking all the time he
was playing possum. (doctor scoffs)

Well, there are too many
people in the world anyway.

Mr. Vance... this
is just ordinary junk.

I'm afraid so.

I'd rather hoped for
something important.

[Markham] Which one of the
two victims died first, Doctor?

-Archer Coe, I think.
-This one a little later.

-[Markham] And the weapon?
-The same. Sharp and narrow.

-[Heath] Snitkin...
-tag and lift these.

-[Fingerprinter]
-I think I better

fingerprint everything
inside and outside, here.

[Heath] Right.

-[Markham] Hennessy?
-[Hennessy] Yes?

-[Markham] Look for a sharp, narrow weapon.
-[Hennessy] Right.

Found something?

[Heath] Why, it
looks like fishing tackle.

[Vance] It's tackle
all right, but not fishing.

Markham, we're dealing
with a shrewd brain.

The technique of this crime
was very cleverly worked out...

-but something went wrong.
-[doctor] Sergeant?

Here's your order for
removal of the body.

-Thanks, Doc.
-So long.

I want food!

Well, nobody's stopping you.

And if you've got any more
corpses, bring 'em out now, will you?

I can't be running up
and down here all day!

What do you mean
"running up and down all day?"

With that swell car
the city gave you?

(doctor scoffs)

Nothing upsets the doctor.

(door opens)

(door closes)

(door knob clicks)

(patting sound)

(door bumps)

(bang)

(door knob clicks)

(bang)

Hiya, Captain. Going
in to take charge?

Well, if you hurry up
and solve this case,

maybe I can go home!

Come on.

(laughter & chatter)

I can handle everything if I
don't get too much interference.

-Oh, Markham?
-[Markham] Yes?

You're just in time
for a demonstration.

I think I can show
you how Brisbane Coe

used this fishing tackle.

He started for Chicago, I'm
betting, to provide an alibi.

He had other plans in
this room. Watch this.

(door closes)

[Vance] Notice the bent pin,
which is hooked on the bolt handle?

This is attached to
the string I am now

pulling through the keyhole.

If you follow the string, you will see
that it passes around a pin in the wall.

This acts as a pulley,
and it's also attached

to a string passing
through the keyhole.

You see the bolt is now being
forced into its socket. (bolt clicks)

Upon my word! (bolt clicks)

[Vance] I now
pull the first string

through the keyhole,
and then the second string.

And with it, comes the
pin, leaving no evidence.

[Vance] Now let
me in. (door opens)

-It worked?
-Yes, it worked.

Well, that explains that, then.

Very clever.

It could have
been done that way...

But if Brisbane
killed Archer Coe,

who killed Brisbane and
hung him in the closet?

Why did he do it?

That's what we want
to find out, isn't it?

-[Markham] Exactly.
-[Heath] Yeah.

Gentleman... two persons
planned the murder of Archer Coe.

-[Markham] Two?
-[Heath] What?

But their paths crossed.

-Brisbane was one of them.
-And the other?

I've got it! The Chinese cook.

They're full of those tricks.

Now get this...

Dr. Doremus said
that Coe was struck

over the head with
a blunt instrument.

This poker would answer
that description, wouldn't it?

Yes... and that certainly
looks like dried blood.

It certainly does.

But what about those
short, coarse hairs?

They don't look like Coe's.

No.

Well Mr. Vance,
why didn't you find that

when you looked in
there this morning?

It wasn't in there this morning.

Besides, it doesn't
belong in this room.

It belongs downstairs
in the library.

(dog barking and scratching)

That you Captain? (dog
barking and scratching)

[Vance] What's
the matter with you?

[Vance] What is it Captain?

What is it, Captain?
(dog barking)

(dog barking)

The door down
there? (dog barking)

(dog barking and scratching)

Oh, good boy Captain.

[Vance] This dog's
been struck a nasty blow.

That explains the
coarse hairs on the poker.

-Whose dog is this?
-[Gamble] I don't know.

I mean, I've often seen
it in the vacant lot, sir.

Just tell the truth, Gamble.

Yes. Why don't you?

It belongs to the
lady next door, sir.

Hmmm.

Ah Hennessy... get that fellow to
a vet as fast as you can, will you?

Yes sir.

Now Gamble, let's have
the name of the lady next door.

-[Gamble] Doris Delafield.
-Yes, I'm Miss Delafield.

Won't you sit down, gentlemen?

Thank you.

I'm sorry I didn't win you
a trophy at the dog show.

You're quite a
fancier, aren't you?

Yes, somewhat.

I'm interested in one of
your dogs... the Doberman.

You mean Figaro?

I wonder if I can
have a look at him?

I'm terribly sorry...

You know, he slipped his
leash last night and ran away.

I've notified the
police, my maid's

been scouring the
neighborhood trying to find him.

Well... did she inquire at
Mr. Coe's house, next door?

Well I, I don't know.

You and Mr. Coe have
been good friends, haven't you?

I know him. Why?

Your dog was found in his
house this morning, badly wounded.

What?

Have you any idea
how he got there?

No!

Do you suppose he would
follow someone into the house?

Well, I hardly think...

So what are you driving at?

Mr. Archer Coe and his
brother were murdered last night.

Murdered? I was afraid that...

(phone rings)

Just a moment.

Hello?

Is that Miss Doris
Delafield's apartment?

Would you please
tell Miss Delafield

that we couldn't get
the reservations for her

and Mr. Grassi on
A-deck... and ask her

if B-deck would be satisfactory?

Miss Delafield
will not be sailing.

You can cancel the
reservations for them both.

Both?

Do you mind telling me whom
the other reservation was for?

I refuse to answer
that question.

Would it be Mr. Grassi?

But I am Mr. Grassi,

and if I didn't cancel those
reservations, who did?

What?

Miss Delafield?

Oh, no no no she didn't.

No really, there's
been a mistake!

[Grassi] As soon as I can find
out about this, I'll call you back.

(phone dial clicking)

I don't think you'll find Miss
Delafield at home just now.

And there's been a cancellation
of your steamship reservations.

We regret very much
that it was necessary.

Who are you?

This is Mr. Markham,
the district attorney.

Oh I'm honored, but I'm
afraid I don't quite understand.

[Hennessy] It's about this.

As a matter of fact,
Mr. Coe didn't commit suicide.

-He was murdered.
-Murdered?

Would you mind
coming along with us?

Just a little matter of
comparing fingerprints.

No, not in the least.

I think that's all.

Found anything yet?

The one taken from the doorknob

is too blurred
for identification,

but this one is very clear.

It appears to be that of
Liang, the Chinese cook.

(clock bell tolls)

-[Markham] Any luck?
-No, not yet.

Well it must be here somewhere.

I'm positive that the
dagger that killed the Coes

belongs in that sheath.
(Markham exhales)

-Tired, Markham?
-No, no.

(crunch)

(objects clatter on shelf)

Well...

-That's strange.
-What is it?

The Ting Yao vase is missing.

It's the most valuable
in the whole collection.

That's all that's left of it.

-[Vance] If I'm not mistaken, that's blood.
-[Markham] Blood?

Markham, I'm coming
more and more to the belief

that Archer Coe was
killed in this room.

That poker, this dagger sheath,
and now these fragments, all here...

But Vance, do
you mean to tell me

that the dead man
walked upstairs?

I'm not trying to tell
you anything but the facts.

It's the most remarkable
case in my experience.

(camera shutter clicks)

Find anything, Cap?

Yes sir, plenty!

-(door closes)
-Oh, Mr. Wrede?

-Well yes, Mr. Vance?
-Will you uh, step in for a moment, please?

[Wrede] Why, certainly.

(Wrede's footsteps)

-Smoke?
-No, thanks.

Did you notice that the
Ting Yao was missing?

Missing?

Why, it was here
yesterday evening.

At what time?

At about 6:30
or seven o'clock.

-I came back to talk to Mr Coe.
-[Markham] About what?

Well as a matter of fact, I...

I wanted to quit my
job as his secretary.

You'd been having
some difficulties with him?

It was rather a personal matter.

I wanted his permission
to marry Miss Lake.

-What did he say to that?
-Hmm...

He ordered me out.

You went?

Yes.

-Where?
-I went to find Miss Lake.

I thought she was
at the Kennel Club.

But I had a puncture on the way,

so it was rather
late when I got there.

She'd already left with
Sir Thomas MacDonald.

Then I came home
and went directly to bed.

Did you hear
anything or see anything

when you came into the house?

No...

But after I'd been
in bed for awhile,

I heard some noises downstairs.

I opened the door
and looked down,

but it was only Liang, the
Chinese cook, coming in.

Was he, uh, customarily
noisy in entering the house?

No... as a matter
of fact it's the first time

I ever heard him come in.

Indeed.

-Well I think that's all, Mr. Wrede. Thank you.
-Thank you.

-If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.
-[Vance] Quite right.

-[Vance] Goodnight.
-[Wrede] Goodnight.

I think I'd check up
on that Kennel Club alibi.

I will.

You might have those fragments
checked for fingerprints, if you will.

Yes.

Meanwhile, I'll do a little
exploring in the kitchen.

(door banging)

Why Mr. Vance, I thought...

-Get Markham!
-All right! (whispering)

(knocking on door) (door opens)

Mr. Liang, I believe.

You're the cook.

Me cook.

You can drop the pidgin English.

That isn't necessary with me.

Where did you go to school?

Columbia University.

Ah, that's considerable
education for a cook, isn't it?

Mr. Coe employed
me because I know

a great deal about
Chinese porcelain.

Ah, I see.

That's a very lovely
piece of Tiang Yao, isn't it?

How did it get broken?

I don't know, sir.

I found the pieces in the
wastebasket in the library.

Did you want me, Vance?

Why, yes.

See that, Markham?

More blood spots on the inside.

Apparently, the murderer
dropped the dagger in here to hide it,

but he dropped it too
hard and the vase broke.

When did you find these pieces?

-This morning.
-This morning?

You're sure it wasn't last night
about eight o'clock, let us say?

No sir.

I did not get in
until after midnight.

I'm sure Mr. Wrede or
Mr. Gamble will tell you that.

What time did
you find the poker?

The poker?

Yes, the poker.

The one you hid in
the Chinese chest

in Mr. Archer's
room this afternoon.

But... I don't know
what you mean!

Oh yes you do.

I was behind the door in
that room when you hid it.

Let me handle this, Mr. Vance.

Are you going to talk?
Or do I have to make you?

Wait!

-I'll tell you the truth.
-Well, spit it out!

When I returned to my room here

about eight o'clock last night...

Ah, I thought so.

I heard angry, muffled
voices in the library...

then a dull sound,
as of someone falling.

[Liang] I stood at my
door here, and listened.

Then I heard footsteps
cross the kitchen

and go out the back door.

[Vance] And then?

[Liang] I walked up the
corridor and everything

was very quiet.

I opened the library
door and looked in.

The furniture was overturned.

The poker was there.

The desk was disarranged,
and the valuable Tiang Yao vase

was broken.

I thought there must
be something wrong.

So I went upstairs and
looked into Mr. Coe's bedroom.

He was dead.

Fearing that I
might be suspected,

I went back to the
library and picked up

the broken pieces of the vase
and together with the poker,

I took them to my room.

And knowing that you
were alone in the house,

you were afraid you
might be suspected.

So you hid the weapons and left.

Yes sir.

You returned to the
house about midnight

and purposely
made a lot of noise,

so as to establish
your alibi, is that right?

Yes, sir.

All right then. Where'd
you put the dagger?

I did not find the dagger.

Don't give me that!

What did you do
with it after you stuck

it in Archer Coe's back?

-I've got it Mr. Markham!
-Yes? - What?

The fingerprint on
this broken fragment

belongs to the Italian,
Eduardo Grassi.

Well, Mr. Vance... looks like
somebody ELSE miscalculated.

(handcuffs clatter)

Yep, it fits.

Oh, that doesn't prove anything.

[Vance] What about this?

-Where did you get it?
-It was in Archer Coe's pocket.

What were you doing outside
the drawing room window last night?

I... I wanted to be
sure that he was alone.

Why?

For weeks, we
have been negotiating

for the sale of his collection
to the museum at Milan.

It meant everything to me.

[Grassi] He kept raising the price, but
on Monday we came to an understanding.

And I cabled the museum
that I had succeeded.

And last night he
turned me down...

because he saw me
with Miss Delafield.

-[Miss Delafield]
-Let me explain.

Archer was extremely
jealous of me.

Well, you can't
blame him for that.

[Markham] You went there
to threaten him, didn't you?

Sure, I had every right to do!

I told him I would use
any means to make

him fulfill his contract.
He laughed at me,

said that he would smash
every piece in his collection

before he'd let me have it.

So you picked up the
poker and did a little smashing

on your own account, eh?

I did not!

Let me have the
fragment, will you?

Thank you.

Do you know how that was broken?

Tiang Yao vase?

With blood stains on the inside,
and your fingerprint on the outside.

I, I don't know.

Sergeant, I think
you'd better book him.

[Heath] Right.

[Vance] Thank you.

Come on... let's get
out of that monkey suit.

Let's get going, come on.

Don't worry, I'm
not running away.

You telling me?

I suspected the
Italian all along.

Exactly...

but why should Grassi
also stab Brisbane?

And what about the Doberman?

You see Markham, we have nearly
all the pieces of the puzzle, but...

none of them seems to fit.

Here we are. (doors open)

This isn't it, this
is the basement!

(gate clatters)

I know. Come on.

I just want to see
where this GOES.

(engine rumbling)

(door opens)

(vehicle rumbles away)

Oh, good evening sir.

Gamble.

By the way... how long have
you been using that name?

-All my life, sir.
-Hmm.

Dubois checked
Gamble's fingerprints

at the identification bureau,

and who do you think
he turns out to be?

Not Gamble?

No.

Atlantic Eddie.

You used to work the boats
on both sides of the ocean.

Honestly Mr. Vance, I haven't
turned a trick in five years!

Oh that's all right Eddie, I just wanted
to let you know that we're old pals.

Sir, someone
slipped in the back door

and went into one
of the front rooms.

[Markham] Well, Miss Delafield!

-Don't be surprised, gentlemen.
-I'm used to coming in here like this.

[Markham] You seem to know
your way around here pretty well.

As a district attorney, you're
responsible for this case, aren't you?

That's right.

-Well I'm tired of detectives.
-I'm tired of being spied on.

All you want to know is
who killed Archer Coe, isn't it?

[Markham] Naturally.

Well I did.

-What?
-Yes...

and there isn't a
jury on Earth who'll

convict me when
they hear my story.

You don't believe me, do you?

You were wondering
this afternoon how my dog,

Figaro, could get
into this house.

Well he was following ME.

He was defending me
when he was struck.

Well, where did
you kill Mr. Coe?

In his bedroom.

What kind of
lipstick do you use?

Lipstick? What's
that got to do with it?

Is that yours?

Yes, that's mine.

While I was
struggling with Archer,

my bag dropped on the floor
and everything spilled out.

Won't do, Miss
Delafield. It's an old trick.

It's not a trick.

I didn't realize that you
were so fond of Mr. Grassi.

Mr. Grassi has
nothing to do with it!

Take me down to the station.

I'll say nothing more
until I get an attorney...

(man yells for help
from next building)

(sound of glass smashing)

(clattering sound)

(sound of glass smashing)

(clattering sound)

(thumping)

(indistinct chatter)

(footsteps scrambling)

This guy's been
stabbed, Hennessy!

-Is this it, Mr. Vance?
-Yes, that's it.

Thank you very much.

First you spoil my breakfast,
then you break up my lunch...

Now, you pull me out of
bed in the middle of the night!

And this fellow's not even dead!

Why don't you put
that in your report, Doc?

So his fingerprints would
never pick up on that silk handle...

but it fits perfectly.

Where'd you find it, Sergeant?

Under the bed.

Congratulations.

That's all right, Mr. Vance.

Three crimes with the
same weapon, Markham.

(door opens)

Tom! What is this?

What's happened? (door closes)

-I don't know, dear.
-Somebody stabbed me.

-Is it serious, Doctor?
-Oh, no.

I gave him three grains
of sodium pentothal

to quiet his nerves.
He'll be all right.

I'd like to rent a room here
'till they finish this case!

Poor darling!

I wish I hadn't got
you mixed up in all this.

But you shouldn't
have come here.

Let me see this through alone.

[Hilda] Oh, I won't leave you!

Can't we get away from here?

[Tom] We leave
tomorrow... together.

Well what do you
think about it, Doc?

Well, the thrust punctured
the median basilic vein,

and caused a hemorrhage.

Could the wound have
been self-inflicted, Doctor?

I'm the city butcher,
NOT the detective.

Don't bother me with any
murders after 3pm tomorrow.

I'm going to the World Series!

Hey Doc!

Phone me the score
between innings, will ya?

Get these people out of this.

What are they waiting for?

[Vance] We just want to ask
you a few questions, Sir Thomas.

You say that when you were
stabbed, you saw nothing, eh?

That's right. It was dark...

I heard a noise, and
jumped out of bed.

[Sir Thomas] Somebody threw
a chair and just missed my head

and struck a window.

I shouted for help and
ran towards the door.

Then I felt a sharp
pain in my arm

as I lost consciousness.

Knifed by a ghost!

That's a hot one.

I think he done it himself.

-How dare you say that!
-That's not fair.

Do you know anything about that?

-Where'd you find it?
-Under your bed.

I... I never saw it before.

Yeah... like I never
saw a pair of handcuffs.

You've no right to question
him now, in this condition!

Rather funny.

Do you see what I see
in Archer Coe's room?

I have a suspicion that
whoever killed the Coes

came from this house.

Probably from this room.

[Vance] Gentlemen, I think
I can fit the pieces of this

jigsaw puzzle together.

Now here is East 71st Street.

This is the Coe
house, the yard...

and the apartment
house next door.

Now let's have a look inside.

This is the
MacDonald's apartment.

Directly opposite is the window
of Archer Coe's bedroom.

Underneath MacDonald's
apartment ...is the cozy little nest

of Miss Delafield and her
temporary guest, Mr. Grassi.

This is the elevator...

And here are the stairs that
lead directly to the back entrance.

From there, it's easy to
reach the back entrance

to the Coe house,
across the yard.

Now...(top clatters down)

that's the front hall,
and here's the library.

On Wednesday evening,
between 7:30 and eight o'clock,

Archer Coe was sitting
alone in that room.

[Vance] Now remember, it
was the servants' night off.

The killer must have known this
when he came in the back door.

He was so intent upon
what he was planning to do...

that he must have left
the back door open...

because from somewhere
in that vacant lot

came a dog... a
Doberman Pinscher...

belonging to Doris Delafield.

He saw the back door
standing open and... went in.

Meanwhile the killer was moving
along the hall toward the library...

making absolutely sure
that Archer Coe was alone.

He knew exactly
where he was going

and exactly what
he was going to do.

He came so silently

that it must have
startled Archer Coe

when he looked up and saw
him carefully closing the doors.

It is my conjecture, gentleman,

that a terrific argument took
place. (sounds of struggling)

Archer Coe must have
struck him. (poker clattering)

And as he fell back,
he picked up the poker

as the first weapon
that came into his hand.

He struck Archer
Coe on the head.

Coe collapsed across the desk.

His hands, groping in the
drawer of the desk for his gun.

Then, in a blind
rage of the moment,

the killer saw a Chinese dagger.

He seized it... and stabbed
Archer Coe in the back.

Coe probably fell to the floor.

Meantime, our Doberman Pinscher
was coming closer and closer,

probably attracted by the
sound of the struggle in the library.

As the killer opened
the door to escape,

he saw the Doberman Pinscher
in the hall coming toward him.

He again picked up the poker
as the dog entered the room.

(dog barking) Through the instinct of
his brain, the dog sensed an enemy.

He leaped. (dog barking)

The killer struck, and the
dog fell, badly wounded.

Now he tried to hide the dagger in
the Tiang Yao vase. (shattering sound)

He dropped it too hard, and
the porcelain broke into bits.

He picked up the
dagger again and went out

the same way he came in.

Meanwhile, Coe slowly
regained consciousness,

and pulled himself to his feet.

You remember, gentleman,
that Dr. Doremus said Coe

died of an internal
hemorrhage...

and that is the key
to the whole situation.

Archer Coe, already a
dying man, walked upstairs.

And what is even more terrible,

he did not know that
he had been stabbed.

He went to his room and,
feeling a little faint probably,

he removed his coat and vest,

and hung them in the
closet, where we found them.

He put on his pajama top
...and went to the window,

and raised the shade.

(shade zipping up)

Can you imagine
the killer's emotions

when, from someplace
in the apartment house

across the vacant lot... he
looked over and saw the man

he thought he had killed
standing there at a window?

He knew then that he had to
go back and complete his job

to save himself.

Feeling very faint
by now... Archer Coe

went from the window to
the chair beside his desk,

where he sat down.

There, he started
to remove his shoes.

You remember just
how we found him.

In the very act
of removing them,

before he could get one of
them entirely off... he died.

I don't think he ever
knew what killed him.

Now we come to the most
awful part of the tragedy.

Brisbane Coe came
back to the house

with a cleverly worked out
plan for killing his brother.

He also knew that it was
the servants' night out,

and that he would
not be disturbed.

He went down the
hall to the library,

and from the drawer of the desk,

he took Archer
Coe's own revolver

and put it into his pocket.

Then, turning out
the light on the desk,

he went out of the room.

He hung his stick over
the chair in the hall,

and tiptoed up the stairs
and into Archer Coe's room.

He saw his brother
sitting in his easy chair,

apparently asleep.

I can see him tiptoe
across the room...

and from somewhere
just across the desk,

he took out the revolver,
and with careful aim...

he pulled the trigger.

(gunshot)

Meantime, the killer,
believing that he had only

wounded Archer Coe,
came back by the same route

to finish his job.

Then Brisbane closed the
window, lowered the shade...

and returning to the body,
he carefully placed the gun

in Archer's hand, as
though it had been suicide.

Then, he went to the door,
and with the two pieces of string,

the pins, and the
darning needle,

he was able to bolt
the door on the inside,

just as I showed you.

(door closes)

A very clever
device, gentlemen...

which he had discovered in
the book of Unsolved Murders,

which we found in his suitcase.

Then gentlemen, Brisbane
went on down the stairs,

little knowing what
awaited him there.

The killer mistook
Brisbane for Archer Coe,

and drove the dagger into
Brisbane's back. (thump)

Then to hide the body... he
dragged it into the closet.

I doubt if he even
discovered his mistake

until the next day.

-That's great...
-but who did all that?

Well you can search
me... I'm going screwy!

You can include
me in that, Sergeant.

Haven't you got any
ideas at all, Vance?

Markham, it's a maze
of conflicting clues.

Any one of seven
people might have done it.

But we couldn't convict
seven people, Mr. Vance.

You couldn't convict ONE
with the evidence you've got.

Gentlemen, I'm afraid
we are completely stopped.

(Markham sighs)

Licked.

Well I hate to admit
it, but it looks that way.

Vance, in all the years
we've worked together,

I've never heard
you say that before.

I know, I'm sorry Markham.

Well, what are we
going to do about it?

I don't know.

-Are you sure you checked up on all the alibis?
-Every one of 'em.

[Markham] And you've gone over
the fingerprint situation with Dubois?

-[Heath] Yes, sir.
-[Markham] Well, we've slipped up somewhere, Sergeant.

But there must be something
that we can get our teeth into.

Markham... I suggest
that you dismiss this case.

-[Markham] What?
-[Heath] Dismiss it?

Yes, turn all the
suspects loose.

I can just see
all the newspapers

in this town screaming
for a new district attorney.

Well we can probably cover
you up all right, Mr. Markham.

I've said it was
suicide all along.

Yes, I know. We could put that
solution on it, but I hate to do it.

All right Sergeant, go
ahead. Turn 'em loose.

-Turn 'em loose?
-Yes.

Well Mr. Vance, this is
once we're BOTH stuck.

When you give
up Vance, I'm sunk.

Oh I haven't given
up. I have another idea.

What?

If it works, I'll have your
killer for you in half an hour.

I'm going to arrange a
little meeting with him now.

What? But you let me
dismiss all the suspects!

Yeah. That's just
what I wanted you to do.

(phone dial clicking)

Hello?

Uh, this is Mr. Vance.

I hope I haven't disturbed you.

Yeah, I wondered if
you'd do me a little favor.

-Mr. Markham? - [Markham] Yes?
-Can I see you a minute?

(door closes)

That suicide story might
work all right for Archer Coe,

but I forgot all about Brisbane.

Well, never mind about that now.

Just release the
suspects, as I told you.

All right. (door opens)

[Vance] Yes?

That's right.

At 4:30...

and just... get him
into an argument.

Oh, I'll have him with me.
I'm depending on his instinct.

That's right. Thanks.

(phone clicks into receiver)

If we can catch
him off his guard...

I think he'll give himself away.

Come on Markham, we've
got to get there before... 4:25.

[Heath] Mr. Vance?

They're in the library now.

[Hilda] Oh darling,
let me help you.

-[Tom] All right dear.
-(phone dial clicking)

(phone dial clicking)

(car rumbles past)

(brakes squeal)

(car door closes)

Well, this is the first time
we've used bloodhounds

in police work since I
wore high-button shoes.

And red flannel underwear?

Oh, I always wear
red flannel underwear.

So do I.

I want your
bridal suite on the...

on the Caronia.

They're sailing at midnight.
That's right. Thank you.

Sailing at midnight?

Lady MacDonald...

Is it the title that
dazzles you so much,

or is it the fortune
she'll inherit

that makes her so
attractive, Sir Thomas?

Raymond, are you crazy?

It isn't the first time a
fortune has bought a title.

It so happens I'm
not in need of a fortune.

-Possibly YOU are.
-Raymond, you've no right to interfere this way.

-[Wrede] No right?
-Well, I'll take that right.

You think you're both
sailing at midnight?

Well, it won't work.

You're going all right, Sir
Thomas, but you're going alone.

-[Tom] Really?
-Yes, and you're going now, or else...!

(pow) (Hilda gasps)
(objects clattering)

(dog barks)

(dog growling)

(poker clatters)

[Hilda] Raymond!

(dog barks)

[Vance] Ah, the poker again, eh?

(Hilda screams)

(dog snarling)
(objects clattering)

[Wrede] Take
him off... take him off!

(Raymond yelps) (dog snarling)

(dog snarling)

(Hilda screams)

(Raymond pleading
for help) (dog snarling)

(dog snarling & barking)

-[Vance] Figaro!
-Here, hold him.

Why did you kill Archer
Coe? Why did you kill him?!

-I didn't mean to kill him!
-But you did, eh?

I tell ya I didn't
mean to kill him!

He struck me when I told
him I wanted to marry Hilda.

And I lost my head...
I hit him with a poker!

I don't remember
anything after that!

-What about Brisbane?
-There was a terrible mistake!

And MacDonald?

I still would
kill him if I could!

There's your man, Sergeant.

You made a fatal mistake, Wrede,
when you reached for that poker.

Somebody swiped my bracelets.

You dropped them in the pantry.

Oh... all right, Hennessy,
take him down and book him.

I want to thank you very
much for your cooperation.

[Tom] Not at all.

It was Sir Thomas I telephoned
from your office, Markham.

He very cleverly helped
us stage this little scene.

We have to thank
the dog for the rest.

Well, we did it
again Mr. Vance!

-Congratulations Sergeant.
-Thank you.

I'll certainly mention you
in my story to the papers.

Thank YOU.

Oh, that's all
right Mr. Vance.

(Heath laughs awkwardly)

♪ (triumphant orchestral music)