All language subtitles for Perry Mason S06E07 The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle.DVDRip.NonHI.en.CBS

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Oh, you've got that look
in your eye again, Dickie.

And the taste of salt water
and bilge oil in my mouth.

One tankard of ale, old sport. Then
we'll get on with our business, huh?

G...

Well, all right, one
pint, one peaceful pint,

but, mind you, no trouble,
Dickie, no scrums, no riots.

Everything nice and
civil-like and peaceful, eh?

Give your name
and address, please.

Richard W. Durham, 890
Stanhope Road, Brentwood.

- Brentwood?
- Stanhope Road, my lady...

Uh, Your Honor.

An excellent
address, Mister, uh...

Durham.

You are charged with
being drunk and disorderly,

and assaulting a police officer.

- How do you plead?
- Well, Your Honor...

I wouldn't say I was
as sober as a judge,

but actually it was only a bit
of a scrum amongst friends.

- Guilty or not guilty?
- A little of each, I'm afraid.

For being drunk and
disorderly, five days or $50.

Would you accept a
check, Your Honor?

We prefer cash, Mr. Durham.

- I see.
- Next case.

Oh, the Pollocks are
coming down from Palo Alto.

- Isn't that nice, Russell?
- Hm?

I said the Pollocks
have accepted...

for Paula's coming out party.

Oh, she will be pleased.

It would please me if she'd get down
in time for breakfast some morning.

She was out late
last night, dear.

She's out late every night.

She's eighteen now, Russell.

Being eighteen doesn't
give her a license to run wild.

Oh, stop sounding like a father.

What is it, Helen?

A gentleman's in here
to see you, Mr. Durham.

Who is it? What does he want?

I really don't know, sir.

Excuse me.

Good morning.

I'm Russell Durham.

Oh, how do you do, sir.

My name is Fothergill,

Harry Fothergill,

off the freighter 'Umber
Bay out of Sydney, Australia.

Well, I'm sure you didn't
come all that way just to see me.

Now, that's where
you're just wrong, sir.

You see, the plain and fancy
truth of it is, we done just that.

- We?
- Yes, me and Dickie.

Dickie.

Yes, you see, there we was one
fine day, sitting in a pub in Sydney,

and all of a sudden he says to
me... He says, "Lord Harry old sport..."

That's the way
he talks, you know.

Anyway, he says, "Lord
Harry, I've a brother in California

I ain't seen in
close to 20 years."

He's here? Are you
saying he's back?

Well, almost anyway.

You see, truth of the matter is

that he got into a little bit of a
dust-up in a pup down on the docks.

And he's in jail.

Dickie hasn't
changed much, has he.

Why did he come back?

Now, I wouldn't be happy
telling secrets out of school, now.

Dickie will give you the
old drill when he gets out.

Just when will that be?

Not till after the
ship sails, I'm afraid...

unless of course
he can pay his fine.

Oh, then he doesn't intend
to stay in this country?

Oh, Lord love ya,

no, governor, no longer
than he has to, no.

Australia, now, there's
the place of opportunity.

He can't wait to get
back there, you know.

Well, I'd certainly hate to
think of him missing his ship

for the lack of a few dollars,

if you're sure
he's not too proud

to accept help from his brother.

Too prou...

No, no, of course
he ain't, governor.

Thank you very much.

Ah, there is sweet
music that softer falls

than petals from blown
roses on the grass.

Well, what are you selling?

Dreams, my love,

visions of tropical
nights and golden days,

of incense and ivory
and peacock feathers.

I'll bet.

It's more like magazines.

She takes me for a peddler.

Oh, no, darling,

I'm a wandering minstrel
with a pack of songs

of Gypsy campfires
and caravan trails.

You'd better sing
them to my mother.

She's the one who
reads in this family.

Mother, can you cope
with charm this morning?

There's a man outside...

Well, he was outside.

Start singing, minstrel.

Dickie.

The bad penny himself,
or at least what's left of him.

Nineteen years.

Not for you, darling.

I swear you've made
time stop dead in its tracks.

Not completely, Dickie.

Paula, this is...

- Uncle Dickie.
- What a dreadful way of putting it.

That's... That's for all
the Christmas presents.

Good heavens, I
have lost track of time.

You've forgotten.

When I was a little girl,

every Christmas, there'd always be
one special package from Uncle Dickie...

An ivory rickshaw or a Balinese
doll, something carved out of coral.

I'll bet you don't remember
one present you sent me.

- Uh...
- Yes, of course he does, missy.

One year it was a
boomerang, wasn't it, Dickie?

Boomerang? Oh,
remember it like yesterday.

Oh, ladies, may I introduce my
old shipmate, Lord Harry Fothergill?

Mrs. Durham, my niece Paula.

It's a great pleasure, I'm
sure, ladies, a great pleasure.

Are you really a lord?

Oh, cor, love, of course not.
No, that's just Dickie's little joke.

Well, we're very happy
to see you anyway.

They'll stay a while,
won't they, mother?

You take the words
from my mouth, Colleen,

but don't you put
yourself out, my dear.

Old Harry and I can doss down
in any old spare guest room.

Well, Paula, why
don't you show Mister...

Fothergill.

Mr. Fothergill where
to put his things.

- All right.
- Excuse me.

Russell knows you're
back, doesn't he?

He was rather upset this
morning, and he wouldn't say why.

I can imagine it would
give the old boy a nasty turn.

Guilty conscience, I
expect, for marrying my girl.

- At least he did it legally.
- Ooh.

You mean our
interlude in Tijuana.

I had such good intentions to
make old Russell jealous and all that.

Well, he'd been
such a clod about you,

but then when I discovered

the girl he'd been
ogling from afar

was the most beautiful
creature in town,

the most wondrous, magical...

I was the stupidest
fool in the world.

How I ever could have
lost my head over...

Now, now, now, darling,

I left you quick enough
when the tears began, didn't I?

And remember how it brought
old Russell running to the rescue?

Can you honestly say that you haven't
been happy these 20 years since?

I've been blissfully happy.

I have my wonderful daughter,

a beautiful home,

and a fine husband,

In that order of
importance, no doubt?

And I won't let
anything destroy that.

Do you understand me, Dickie?

You're still the one, darling.

Ten thousand women I've known,

and none of them could
hold a candle to you.

Golly, I'd better get dressed.

An impatient-type date.

Well, I'll entertain
Gil when he arrives.

That coffee needs something
to hold it up, gentlemen.

Brandy.

Brandy, gentlemen?

Dickie, why did you come back?

For the gathering
of the clan, of course,

and for Paula's
coming out party.

Nonsense. You didn't even
know about it until you got here.

That's true.

Otherwise I'd have
brought along proper dress.

But you seem to have
a good tailor, old man.

Suppose I drop in on him, huh?

By all means.

Is there anything
else I can do for you?

Well, yes, there is.

Lord Harry has his heart
set on being a pub owner.

And I told him you'd
very likely finance it.

You what?

They're only asking 18,000.

It's in Australia,
you know, governor.

- Of all the incredible nerve.
- Why, don't you slope off, old sport?

Maybe I better give the
drill to big brother in private,

old family business
and all that.

Right you are.
Anything you say, Dickie.

Well, peace to you, sir,

and peace to you,
too, Dickie, eh?

- But what happened?
- I hit him with a coffee cup.

I wish I had brained him.

He won't be satisfied until
he's walked off with the furniture.

Extortion, that's all it
is, by my own brother.

But why do you have
to give him anything?

Crystal, where is he?

I went upstairs to wash my hand

and then I had
to call the office

I'm afraid Dickie's gone to
the Zebra Club with Paula.

I thought she was going
out with Gil Simpson tonight.

I'm supposed to tell
Gil to join them there.

I'm afraid Gil is
going to be hurt,

Crystal, you've got to think of a way
to get Dickie out of here immediately.

Me? How?

I was just about to ask you.

I don't care how.
Just get rid of him

because if I have to
talk to him once more,

I swear I'll kill him.

We lived in Bakersfield
until I was almost 11.

In that old Durham manse on
the wrong side of the tracks?

Well, it wasn't Stanhope Road.

Daddy was still an accountant.

And then came the
first gusher, huh?

Oh, Gil.

Is that the boy friend?

I hope I'm not intruding.

Gil, this is my Uncle Dickie.

I thought you wouldn't
mind if he joined us tonight.

It seems I'm joining you, if
Uncle Dickie doesn't mind.

No, no, make
yourself at home, sport.

Thank you so much.

Gil, he's teasing you.

Matter of fact, I wanted to have a
talk with all of Paula's boyfriends.

About what?

Well, first thing, what do you
do for a living, young man?

He's an oil man, like
daddy. I told you that.

Oh, yes.

What are your prospects
for the future, my boy?

I think this is hardly
the place to discuss that.

Well, if you're going
to be dating my niece,

like to know your intentions.

Uncle Dickie,
Gil's his own boss.

Now, stop it.

Yes, but is he serious, or is
this just a business arrangement,

a bit of social climbing?

Listen, Durham, let's get
a couple of things straight.

Number one, my
outfits that I own

happen to be a lot bigger
than anything your brother...

Indeed. Those are pretty fancy
words for any fly-by-night speculator.

That's enough,
because number two,

Paula's parents fully
approved my dating Paula.

Well, you won't
object, Mr. Simpson,

if Paula's uncle
casts a dissenting vote

and backs it up.

Anytime you say,

any place.

Durham, how would you like it if I
punched you in the mouth right now?

I'd be delighted, sport.

- Fire when ready.
- Gilbert., Uncle Dickie, stop...

No, everybody.

No, Dickie, this ain't
no place for a scrummy.

Just a small difference of
opinion between gentlemen, Harry.

No, no, no, no, no, you
come along with me, Dickie.

Excuse us, would you?

Now, come on, Dickie. Come on.

Listen here to me,
Dickie, Durham.

You haul your freight out of here right
now, and I ain't going to tell you twice.

Listen here to me,

- I'm tired and sick...
- Shh.

I'm tired and sick of you
making a bloody fool of yourself.

I've a good mind to
bash you right in the head.

Oh, Harry, don't be like that.

You're the finest shipmate
on the seven seas.

And you're a leaky tub.
Now, I'm pulling you out of this.

You're leaving this town
right now, you got me?

All in good time, your lordship.

We came to get money,
and money we're going to get.

You're going to get your ticket
punched. That's what you're going to get.

Hah. By him?

Listen here to me,
Dickie. I'm serious.

I heard your brother
talking to his missus,

and he said is how
he'd like to do you in.

Well, everybody
wants to bash me.

It's high time I made out
my last will and testa...

That's it. That's
just what I'll do...

My last will and testament.

Last will and t...
Listen here to me.

It's not you that
I'm worrying about.

It's just that I'm not going to let
you go on messing up people's lives.

I hereby bequeath.

That's what we'll do, chummy,
first thing in the morning.

Now, let's have a drink on it.

A will?

All right, Mr. Durham, tell me,

have you ever had
a will before now?

Not that I can
remember, Counselor.

There was little reason for one,

but now I've seen the light

and remembering that the
days of man are numbered,

I want to provide for
those I leave behind.

Uncle Dickie, what
is the point of all this?

When I called Mr. Mason to
get an appointment for you...

You think it's only wasting
the man's time, I am?

Tut, tut.

She's displeased with
me today. That's all.

Now, what facts do you
need to know, Counselor?

Well, the usual thing is to start with
a list of your heirs, your beneficiaries,

and the amount of each bequest.

Well, let's see.

There's Lord Harry here, the
best buddy a man ever had.

Look, I want nothing but our pub
in Melbourne, and you know it, too.

Ah, but it shall be
no ordinary pub.

You shall have golden spigots
gushing forth pure nectar.

What do you suppose
that would cost, Mr. Mason,

a quarter of a million,
would you say?

- Put that down...
- But...

250,000 for Lord Harry
Fothergill, gentlemen.

Now, is that messing
up anybody's life?

Is that wasting time? I ask you.

All right. What next?

Well, let's see...

To my niece, my darling niece,

for her to remember me kindly,

a little gift of... could you make
ends meet on 50,000, love?

If I do my own housework.

Please, isn't this
sort of ridiculous?

And there it is, sir. That's it.

Very well.

It will take Miss Street a few
minutes to type this for your signature.

Then, Harry, suppose
you take my niece home.

You have errands
to attend to, anyway.

I'll be here to discuss
any further matters

with the Counselor
that may be necessary,

while I'm waiting to sign.

Uncle Dickie, what
about Mr. Mason's fee?

Fee? Oh, the fee. I forgot.

It's usually a hundred
dollars, Mr. Durham.

Of course, and not unreasonable.

Uh...

if you'll be good enough, sport?

I'll think of it as an
advance on my inheritance.

Mr. Durham? Mr. Durham.

I say, Durham, where are you...

Oh, there you are.

I've been looking all
over for you, I have.

I just had a talk
with your missus,

and she told me that Dickie
had come back to the house,

but he's picked
up and left again.

Now, where is he?
Where did he go?

- What happened to him?
- I'm afraid I wasn't there at the time.

My wife had a talk with him.
I don't know what was said.

I wouldn't tell you if I did.

Now, look here. I don't know
what's going on with Dickie.

He gets awful giggly
sometimes, he does,

but this much I do
know, Mr. Durham,

that his heart is in
the right place, it is.

Harry, I'll make you a bargain.

If you can find Dickie and get him
aboard that ship tomorrow morning...

Any way you have to...

Then you may give him
this check for... what was it?

- Eighteen thousand dollars, gov.
- Eighteen thousand.

He can use it to buy you a pub or
for any other purpose he wishes,

but if he attempts to
cash it in this country,

payment will be stopped.

Is that clearly understood?

Oh, certainly, certainly.

Now, don't you worry, governor.

I'll see that Dickie don't
bother you no more.

- Honest, I will.
- Do it any way you have to.

Uh, right. So long.

Dickie. Dickie, old
sport. There you are.

I've been looking
all over for you.

Hey.

Cor, you are a
sight, aren't you.

So help me, I thought
maybe you was even dead,

but here you are,
hale and hearty, eh?

Oh, well, now, what's up, chum?

Hey, what happened?

No matter what it is,
don't take it too hard.

See, I've got a little
surprise for you here, matey,

something that's going
to perk you right up.

Here, take a glim at that, eh?

How about that, Dickie?

That's what's going to put you aboard ship
and then it's home and mother, Dickie boy.

Oh, Dickie, think of it...

$18,000, enough to buy
our own pub at long last, eh?

- No.
- What do you mean, no?

Maybe I'm not going
back to Australia.

Now, you knock that
off. Do you hear me?

You knock it off.

Listen, he's fixed it so that no
bank will take it in this country.

Now, we're on our way
tomorrow, or this thing is no good.

You go, Harry.

Maybe I'm going to stay here.

You're going to stay here, eh?

You just listen here to
me, Mr. Dickie Durham.

I've had me heart set on
that pub for too long now

to see it suddenly
vanish like that.

Listen here.

There's the money for the
pub, right in front of your eyes,

and all you've got to do is
endorse this scrap of paper,

put your name on it right
there, and the pub is ours.

Now, come on.

Oh, pickle your pub.

No, no, not the
police. It's all right.

It's all right. I'll handle him.

Never you fear. I'll handle him.

Well, he got it this time.

He's dead.

Off and on, we knocked around
together for close to 17 years,

every port in the Pacific.

Oh, we had good
times, Mr. Mason.

We had good times.

You heard him yourself...
The best shipmate he ever had,

so why would I kill my
best chum, Mr. Mason?

According to the police,

that $18,000 check
they took away from you.

Yes, but the check was
no good without a signature,

and he signed it, didn't he?

So why would I need to kill him?
Now, answer me that, Mr. Mason.

The bartender told them

that Dickie got angry
and walked out on you

when you asked him
to endorse the check.

Yes, I know, but his
signature is on it right now.

You can see it for
yourself, Mr. Mason.

- When did he endorse it, Harry?
- On the wharf.

You see, after he left the pub, I
followed him down the pier a ways.

There he was, sitting all by
himself, kind of lonesome like.

Well, he cooled down by then, I
suppose, because he says to me,

"Harry, old sport, you're
going to get your pub

even if it won't have
no gold spigots,"

and then he signed the check,
and he asked me to leave him alone

and says that he'd see
me the next morning.

I didn't forge his
name, Mr. Mason.

Is that what they believe?

Well, I didn't, I tell you.

I witnessed the signing, and
so did my secretary Miss Street.

How do they stack up?

No doubt about it. Both
were written by the same man.

Well, Lieutenant?

It does seem to
knock out the motive.

Mind if I have a
look at the will?

"To my old shipmate, Harry
Fothergill, the sum of $250,000."

Now, there's a pretty
good motive, Counselor.

Excellent.

Unfortunately Durham didn't have
enough money to pay his lawyer's fee.

Then why did he
make out a will like this?

Oh, his idea of a joke. Maybe
he was trying to impress his niece.

She's in the will for 50,000.

How do you know he
didn't have hidden assets?

He borrowed $18,000
from his brother.

Borrowed or extorted?

Andy, how does any of this

affect my client's
immediate release?

All right, maybe you
can have your Lord Harry

just as soon as I talk
to Durham's brother.

Russell, I think you're
getting much too upset.

He was a wandering no-good you
hadn't seen for 19 years, wasn't he?

He was murdered, stabbed.

They've found the knife now in
the bay, too. They're trying to trace it.

There you are... just
a waterfront brawl,

but it doesn't reflect on you.

Quite the contrary.
You gave him $18,000.

But why, Frank?

Suppose the police ask me that?

Out of the goodness
of your heart.

I did it to get rid of him.

No one's going to
miss that implication,

and you don't pay that kind of
money unless there's pressure.

Frank, I told you
yesterday what Paula said

about Dickie's going
to see that lawyer.

Suppose he talked to him
about more than just a will.

That was yesterday's
worry, not today's.

Now, get this straight, Russell.

I'll tell you the reason
you gave Dickie money.

You did it to hang
on to your wife.

No, I couldn't do a
thing like that to Crystal.

I won't.

You take money from
the Rimrock Oil Company,

so as far as they're concerned,
that's your official explanation.

Well, who do I
talk to at Rimrock?

I'm sick of just
dealing through you.

If I telephoned them in Texas...

There is no room
for argument, Russell.

The police are here again, sir.

Mr. Durham will see them now.

Sorry to cause you
so much trouble.

Do you gentlemen
know Perry Mason?

Mr. Durham and...

I'm Frank Warden, Lieutenant.

Good morning, Mr. Mason. May
I ask who you are representing?

Harry Fothergill,
Mr. Warden. And you?

Oh, I'm not a lawyer,
just another oil man.

See you in the morning, Russell.

- Don't go, Frank.
- This is only going to take a minute.

I'm interested in your brother's
financial status, Mr. Durham.

Well, there.

That should give
you an idea of it.

Case of whiskey he thoughtfully
ordered for me yesterday,

socks, shirts he sent
his friend to pick up...

All charged to my
accounts, you understand.

Everything, all on me.

He had no cash, you mean.

Well, why do you think
I gave him the $18,000?

He was absolutely
penniless, I tell you.

But wasn't there
property of any sort?

Of course.

Some old clothes,
shoes with holes in them.

I was thinking of
inheritance, family holdings.

No.

No, Lieutenant.

There's nothing like that.

- Well, Andy?
- Guess you win, Perry.

Thanks, Mr. Durham.
I'll see you later.

Gentlemen.

Do you have know your
biggest trouble, Russell?

You're a compulsive talker.

- Hi, Perry.
- Paul.

Congratulations, Harry.

Thank you, Mr. Mason.

Now, I ain't going to forget
what you done for me.

Of course, I didn't keep my part
of the bargain with Mr. Durham,

so I can't very well cash his
check, but don't you worry, now.

Soon as I get me another berth,
I'm going to start paying you off.

Well, maybe we can
find a ship for you.

There's no rush, Perry. Anderson
released him in your custody.

He can't leave town.

All right, Paul, what
didn't Andy tell me?

Huh? Oh, excuse me.

Search me. I haven't
turned up anything new.

What about Dickie's
movements yesterday afternoon?

Nothing but a lot more shopping.

He managed to nick the
R.W. Durham charge accounts

to the tune of about
a thousand dollars.

- Nice guy.
- But they sat still for it.

- Perry.
- Yes, Della?

This just arrived.

Mailed at 10:00 last night.

What time was Dickie murdered?

About an hour later.

"Give her the big
chunk and him the little.

"Please have the lovely
Miss Street type it up.

"I'll be in Brighton
early to sign it.

Confusion to our enemies."

Signed Dickie Durham.

He really had a
fixation on wills.

Too bad he didn't live long
enough to make out this new one out.

What's the difference, Paul?

This way Harry wouldn't
inherit nearly as much as Paula,

but that's still much of nothing

and certainly no
motive for murder...

unless Dickie did
have hidden assets.

"Dickie Durham."

"Richard William
Durham," as I remember.

- And his brother is "R.W."
- Yes, same initials.

Paul, I want some
information in a hurry,

on brother Russell's
business dealings.

What sort of business dealings?

Oh, anyone he's ever written
a contract with or a lease...

- Yes, check on oil leases.
- All right, I'll get right on it.

Oh, what shall I
do with his lordship?

I wish I knew,

but if what I suspect is true,

it'll be taken out of our hands.

Well, Mr. Mason, it was quite a
surprise, hearing from you so soon.

Surprise? Yes, I suppose it was.

Mr. Warden,

is it true that you handled

the leasing of some oil
property from Russell Durham?

Well, not for myself.

I did act as agent for
the Rimrock Oil Company.

My investigator
says that Rimrock Oil

is a small, out-of-state outfit

that might be a little
hard to pin down.

However, the property we're
concerned with is in West Texas.

Isn't that right?

Miss Burney, is
Mr. Durham in yet?

Yes, please.

When you called saying you'd be
over, I thought he'd better be here, too.

When did Russell
Durham sign that oil lease?

About eight years ago, I think.
I'll have to look up the exact date.

Eight years is close enough,

but Richard Durham had
been out of the country

for more than twice that long.

What does my brother
have to do with it?

According to my investigation,

your brother purchased
that parcel of land in Texas

some 22 years ago,

and no transfer of
title was ever made

prior to the signing
of that oil lease.

Mason, are you saying that land is
or was the property of Dickie Durham

and not Russell here?

Would that also surprise
you, Mr. Warden?

It certainly would.

The name on that
deed was R.W. Durham,

and I negotiated the lease
with a man by that name.

Of course, you didn't know that
there were two R.W. Durhams?

Absolutely not.

Rimrock may be small,

but they've paid
royalties of 16 2/3 %

in good faith to R.W. Durham
for the past eight years.

That good faith must
amount to a rather large sum,

every cent of which belongs and
always has belonged to your brother.

I fail to see how that
concerns you, Mr. Mason.

My brother has owed
me debts all his life

that are so much
larger than money.

I'm not concerned with
the implication of fraud,

but I do intend to clear my
client of any suspicion of murder.

Well, it's a little late for
that, isn't it, Mr. Mason?

I certainly didn't kill Dickie.

If you'll recall, the will he
made out that day in your office...

Russell, you talk too much.

- The will you refer to...
- Paula told me all about it.

Harry Fothergill gets
practically everything.

That's why he
murdered my brother.

But did Lord Harry really know

that your brother had
any property to leave him?

Did he?

I think you're in for
a surprise, Mason,

several surprises,

and in court because,
for your information,

the police just notified me they
finally traced the murder weapon.

That knife was purchased
in Sydney, Australia,

and by Lord Harry, of course.

Now, officer, you say you
were in charge of the operation

which recovered the body of
the deceased Richard Durham

from the shallow
water near the pier.

Was this the first time you had
ever encountered Richard Durham?

No, sir.

No, I had arrested the same man
two nights before in a waterfront bar.

He was fighting with two seamen.

Was the defendant
present at the time?

He was there, but he
took no part in the brawl.

You mean that his friend was
engaged in fighting two seamen,

and he made no attempt
to go to his assistance?

None that I saw.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

Officer, when the body
was taken from the harbor,

was the cause of
death apparent to you?

Well, there was what looked like
to be a knife wound in his back.

In his back.

The assailant apparently
wasn't a very brave man, was he?

Objection, Your Honor.

Sustained.

Officer, I show you this knife,

previously identified as having
been purchased in Australia,

by the defendant.

Were you present when this
knife was recovered from the water?

Yes, I was, sir.

The men from
Homicide found it later

at the same place
I found the body.

Cross-examine, Mr. Mason?

No questions, Mr. Burger.

You may stand down, Officer.

I suppose I should have
told you sooner, Mr. Mason,

but how was I to know
which sticker done him in?

They'll prove you
always carry that knife.

But like I told you, Mr. Mason,

I gave it to Dickie same time
as he was signing the checks,

same place.

He sort of had the
shakes like, you know,

sitting all alone in the dark.

He says to me, "Hey,
let's have your sticker

in case I have to fight off
some mermaids, you know.

You know how he talked,
don't you, Mr. Mason?

Who do you think he planned
to meet there after you left?

I...

I call Mr. Russell Durham
to the stand, please.

We were both
born in Bakersfield.

My brother was
two years younger.

I practically raised him.

He knocked around in the
Texas oil fields for a few years,

then left home... and
the country... for good.

After a few years, I heard
nothing more from him.

Until he and the defendant
moved into your home?

Yes.

Mr. Durham,

in the strictest sense,

it isn't entirely
your home, is it?

I suppose you could say
it was partially Dickie's.

Will you explain
that for us, please?

One of my sources of
income for the past eight years

has come from an oil lease.

Technically the property
belonged to my brother.

Technically?

In one of his rare letters
in those early days,

he enclosed the deed to a
parcel of land in West Texas.

Since he had borrowed
money from me to leave home,

I assumed the deed was
meant to be a form of repayment.

Anyway, years later,

when I discovered the Rimrock Oil
Company was interested in that land,

I negotiated the lease myself
in the name of R.W. Durham...

The name on the deed...

But I was really acting
as an involuntary trustee.

In other words, Mr. Durham,

not only part of your home

but part of your other
property and assets

actually belonged
to the deceased?

Yes, that's right.

Would you mind estimating
his estate for us, please?

In the neighborhood of $200,000.

Thank you, Mr. Durham.
Cross-examine.

Wasn't the value of
the decedent's estate

much more than
$200,000, Mr. Durham?

I have kept a full and complete accounting
of every dollar paid in royalties.

It was available to
Dickie at any time.

When he returned after this
19 or 20-year period away,

how much in cash was
actually turned over to him?

He asked for and I wrote a check
to him, in the amount of $18,000.

Isn't it true that he
moved out of your house

during the afternoon
preceding his murder?

Yes.

You mean he was
leaving with only $18,000

out of an estate of
at least $200,000?

- Now, why?
- I really couldn't say, Mr. Mason.

Perhaps my brother was more
interested in just causing trouble

than he was in
getting his money.

When I tried to talk to him about it...
Work out some schedule of repayment...

He just laughed at me, made
fun of my embarrassment.

Hm.

Well, when Uncle Dickie
made out his will that morning,

we thought it was a joke.

Lord Harry and I both thought
that he didn't have anything to leave.

I think you mean, Miss Durham,

that you thought it was a joke.

You can hardly say that you knew
what the defendant was thinking.

- Well, no, but...
- Just answer me this.

Was the defendant
mention in that will,

and if so, for how much money?

For a quarter of
a million dollars.

Thank you, Miss
Durham. That'll be all.

- Mr. Mason?
- Miss Durham,

to your knowledge
did anything occur

that might've caused your uncle
to feel that his life was in danger?

No, I don't think so.

Did you know at
that time what caused

your uncle's sudden decision to
move out of your house the next day?

No, and he was gone before I
had another chance to talk to him.

Thank you, Miss
Durham. That'll be all.

Mr. Simpson, Richard Durham's
decision to leave his brother's house

seems to be troubling
the defense counsel.

Can you throw any
light on that, sir?

Yes, I made it very
clear to Mrs. Durham

that his influence on
Paula was an unhealthy one

and it would be better all
around if he left for good.

Thank you,
Mr. Simpson. Counselor.

Are we to assume, Mr. Simpson,

that it was Mrs. Durham

who ordered her
brother-in-law out?

I think it's safe to assume

she felt Paula's
friendship with me

was more important
than Durham's feelings.

How she accomplished his
ejection, if she did, I couldn't say.

I represented Rimrock Oil

in obtaining the lease from
R.W. Durham eight years ago.

That was the name on the title,

but I had know way of knowing
there were two R. W. Durhams.

When I learned this,
just a few months ago,

I immediately attempted
to negotiate a new lease.

Directly with the decedent?

At first, yes,

but the man had an
exaggerated sense of values,

so I wrote to the "buddy" he'd
mentioned... Mr. Fothergill...

Asking him to use
his good offices,

unsuccessfully, I'm afraid.

But just how much
of the situation

did you explain in your
letter to the defendant?

Enough to suggest the
amounts of money involved.

In other words, Mr. Warden,

the defendant was fully aware

that his friend, Dickie Durham,

far from being penniless,

might actually be worth
as much as $200,000?

Yes, sir.

That'll be all, Mr. Warden.
Thank you very much, sir.

- Counselor? To you.
- One moment, Your Honor.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

Is that true, Harry?

No. No, Mr. Mason.

No, uh... Dickie
tore up that letter

before I barely laid eyes on it.

I suppose I knew there
was some money out to him,

but it never occurred
to me it might be honest.

You've got to
understand, Mr. Mason,

every time that Dickie
got those happy giggles,

it was like as if he wanted
to hurt somebody, you know?

He'd say, "All right, if they
want to pay, let them pay,

but make them pay double."

Me, I was kind of...

I'd settle for the
pub, you know.

I'd say, "All right, let's head
for the pub and be happy."

Della, get hold of Paul.

I want him to go to
Bakersfield right away.

Right.

Please, Mr. Mason.

I ask you now.

If a man's got a friend
that ain't no good,

what's he going to do,

I mean ditch or stay with him

and try and keep him
from being so bad?

I mean, there ain't none of us
perfect, now. Is there, Mr. Mason?

Mr. Mason, I'm not sure that
it's ethical for me to talk to you.

Is the District Attorney
going to call you as a witness?

I don't think so. He
hasn't subpoenaed me.

Then there is no
ethical or legal reason

why you can't tell me how you
persuaded Dickie to leave your house.

I simply told him it was
best for all concerned.

But why would he walk
out on all that money?

He never liked
involved situations.

I think he was happy to escape.

From what was he escaping
when he left 20 years ago?

I don't know.

He was always footloose.

You were in love with
him then, weren't you?

Mr. Mason, I don't wish
to discuss this any further.

- Did you stay in love with him?
- No. No, I didn't.

Oh, before he came back,

I suppose I had some
middle-aged memories,

but after I saw him again,

he was so obviously dishonest.

But Paula was very
fond of him, wasn't she?

She was too young to know.

Oh, she'd remember the
Christmas presents he'd sent her,

and you know something?

Dickie never picked
out one of them.

It was really Lord
Harry who sent them.

I made Harry admit it.

You know, I keep finding that
Harry's much more of a person...

Oh, I don't care what he is.

Was it because of Paula
that you sent Dickie away?

Please, Mr. Mason,

I don't want to talk about it.

I don't believe that
Harry killed him.

I don't think you do either.

Would you want to see
an innocent man convicted?

I don't want to see an innocent
girl convicted by public opinion

for something that I did,

something that was my fault.

Mrs. Durham,

was Dickie Paula's father?

Yes.

About a month before
Dickie left Bakersfield,

we were married in Tijuana.

At least we went
through a ceremony.

It wasn't recorded
right, or something.

At any rate, when
Dickie found out,

he... he disappeared.

And just after that
you married Russell.

He'd been in love
with me for a long time.

Does Russell know?

Of course he knows,

but not anybody else,

not until I told Dickie.

After that he... Well, he
just went away quietly.

I guess I hoped that for once he
was going to do something decent.

Oh, Mr. Mason,

does all of this have
to become public now?

I'll try to prevent it.

Thank you very much for
trusting me, Mrs. Durham.

If Paula found out, I
don't know what she'd do.

She loves Russell so...

As her father...

Do you know whether Dickie
spoke to Russell about this?

Did he perhaps
threaten to tell Paula

unless he was given
what he'd come here for?

Well, no. No,
I'm sure he didn't.

Are you ready to
proceed, Mr. Mason?

Your Honor,

the defense requests the right to
withhold cross-examination of this witness

until a later time.

I suppose that'll be
all right, Your Honor.

Call you next witness.

I call Mr. George Coleman.

All I know is they seem to
be in a beef over some money.

The next thing I know, the
thin one... Durham, that is...

Was stalking out,

and the other guy... uh, him...

He was lying on the floor.

Right away I said to
myself, "Here we go again,"

and I reach for the phone.

Only then the
limey... uh, him...

Says not to call the police.

He'd handle him good.

He'd handle him good, eh?

Now, let's go back for a moment

to the time when the decedent Dickie
Durham was sitting by himself, drinking.

Did anything unusual occur?

Well, he tapped me for some paper
and an envelope to write a letter.

Do you know to whom
the letter was addressed?

Yeah. He gave it
to me to mail for him.

It was to Mr. Perry Mason.

Do you wish to
cross-examine, Counselor?

No questions.

I call Miss Della
Street to the stand.

You may step down, Mr. Coleman.

'...I'll be in bright and
early to sign the new will.

Confusion to our enemies."

Signed, Dickie Durham.

Thank you for reading
the letter, Miss Street.

Now, this part about Paula
getting the "big chunk."

Exactly what does
that mean to you?

That he wanted Paul
Durham to receive $250,000.

- Instead of the defendant.
- Yes.

But somebody conveniently
murdered Dickie Durham

before he could make
such a change in his will,

before he could manage to disinherit
his erstwhile friend Harry Fothergill.

Isn't that correct, Miss Street?

Yes, but he still
wanted to leave 50,000...

I think we understand the
implications here, Miss Street.

You wish to...

You wish to
cross-examine, Mr. Mason?

No questions.

Your Honor, with
the court's indulgence,

I would now like to recall Mr. Frank
Warden for cross-examination.

Very well, Mr. Mason.

You realize of course
that you're still under oath?

I know.

Would you care to correct any of
your previous testimony at this time?

No.

At any rate, let's review
part of your testimony.

To wit, "I had no way of knowing

there were two R.W. Durhams.

When I learned this,
just a few months ago,

I attempted to
negotiate a new lease."

- I see nothing wrong with that.
- Don't you?

Isn't it true that
eight years ago,

prior to accepting Russell
Durham's signature on that lease,

you made a long and extensive
search for Richard Durham?

Well, no, that's...
that's not...

Mr. Warden,

would you please examine these.

They are records of a missing
persons agency in Bakersfield.

You will find there
a detailed report

of the agency's effort to
locate a Mr. Richard Durham,

also the original letter requesting
that, that search be made.

Yes.

I guess I hired
these people, but I...

And then rather abruptly
called off their search.

But they'd been so unsuccessful.

Didn't you call it off

because you managed to
find Richard Durham yourself?

No. No, I didn't.

It was his brother who
heard from him. It was Russell.

Your Honor, may I interrupt

the questionable
testimony of this witness

to ask these same questions
of Mr. Russell Durham?

Well...

I'd have no objection
to that, Your Honor.

All right, yes, I did hear
from Dickie eight years ago.

He was in Spain at the time, and
one of my cables caught up with him.

I'd asked if he'd be willing to
put a small lease on his land.

And what was your brother's
answer, Mr. Durham?

"Don't bother me with songs
from peanut vendors," he said.

"When John D. himself
sends a million, I'll sign."

So you then went ahead
with the deal yourself.

Yes.

And you signed your
own name to those leases,

making it look like
Richard's signature

so that no title search could
or would disclose your fraud.

Yes, I...

I had to.

Why did you have to?

Because I was broke,

because I owed
money to Frank Warden.

We only thought it
was a short-term thing.

Rimrock's a speculative outfit.

We knew Russell was
prepared to reimburse Dickie

if there was oil and if
he ever discovered that...

The fact remains

that you prevailed upon Russell
Durham to sign a fraudulent lease.

The fact remains that it
was your idea and not his.

No, it wasn't my idea.

It...

It came from the head office.

The head office of a company
who participates in fraud,

of a company
whose officers, I find,

are all conveniently located in
Texas or are out of the country?

But I tried to
negotiate with Dickie.

Just several months ago
when he wrote that he...

You mean he
contacted you this time,

instead of vice versa?

And once more, I
suppose, you told his brother

that matters had to be
handled in a certain way.

If I hadn't handled it, I
would have lost my job.

They were making
me the fall guy.

Dickie kept holding out.

He'd found out somehow

that Rimrock was in trouble if
he pulled away those leases.

So he wanted double value.

Isn't that why he
made out a will

for more than his
estate was actually worth

because he figured he'd
be paid that much more?

He wanted half a million.

That's why he wouldn't talk
to his brother about the money.

He knew Russell
couldn't pay that much,

but we couldn't pay it either.

So the only way that Rimrock Oil

could make sure of retaining the
very lucrative rights to that property

was for Richard Durham to die.

No! I had nothing
to do with death.

I wasn't Rimrock
Oil. I told him so.

Everything had been
taken out of my hands

Taken out of your hands by whom?

The guy behind Rimrock,

the guy who calls
all their shots.

You said you'd take care
of this thing, Mr. Simpson.

You said I was getting too old.

Okay, it's all yours now.

Let's see you take care of it.

I already did,
Mr. Warden. I already did.

You know, when I dated Gil,

he'd never quite say
where his holdings were.

Why, daddy didn't even know.

But Dickie knew

because Warden
finally had to tell him

that Gil Simpson was
the man to deal with.

Your uncle was putting on
all sorts of pressure, I guess,

even to his coming up here so
they'd know he was talking to a lawyer -

But Gil was just a little
bit too tough for Dickie.

When they met on the pier
that night to talk settlement,

Dickie made the mistake of
threatening Gil with a knife.

They got into a fight,
and that was that.

My Uncle Dickie really was
a horrible man, wasn't he?

Well, now, I don't think
I'd quite say that, Missy.

I mean, people are a
lot of things, you know,

and after all he did leave
you all his money, didn't he?

You mean the first
will wasn't legal?

Of course it was,
completely valid.

So Harry, as soon
as it can be probated,

it's you who'll receive the
bulk of the estate will go.

But...

Oh, no, you don't.

No, you don't, sir.

Now, Dickie ain't leaving me
with no pack of trouble like that.

All I wanted was my pub.

Now, it's your money,
Missy. You take it.

I certainly will not.

- Thank you for being so nice but...
- And thank you very much, too.

Suppose we argue
about this later.

Oh, that reminds me, Mr. Mason.

My mother sends her thanks.

I don't know
exactly for, though.

I can't imagine, either, but
my thanks for her thanks.