Original subtitles

I got a pair of shoes for you, Marla.

How about it?

Please, I told you no.

What's the matter?

Afraid the Duchess will find out and can your mother?

You know it isn't that.

I just don't want to bowl, that's all.

Don't be a wet blanket.

Come on, just one line, huh?

No.

For Pete's sakes, why?

Oh, I don't feel well, that's why.

Another full house, huh?

Couple of more months like this, we'll be off the hook, Alan.

Bill, she's here again.

She?

The girl Marla Carol.

This is the second time.

She was in last week, remember?

So what?

So her mother works for the Duchess.

Bill, maybe she's only her companion, but...

Look, we're open for business, Alan, everybody's business.

You know how the Duchess feels about us, about this place.

Why get her any madder?

Sure, sure, the old lady's not as important

as she thinks she is, but why ask for trouble?

Why not just ask the kid to leave?

Why not ask everybody to leave?

That ought to take care of the Jaris brothers

- and make the Duchess real happy. - Bill, look...

Our door is wide open.

It'll stay open.

A strike.

Hey, I got a strike.

Did you see that?

Hey, Marla, did you see that?

A strike.

Marla, what is it?

Oh!

A public nuisance, Orson.

You hear me?

A public nuisance.

Oh, now, Bonnie Mae,

that place is practically out in the country.

They're not harming anybody.

Country or no country,

they're technically inside the city limits.

Oh, isn't there a-a curfew law or something

that says young people must be home at a certain hour?

There must be something you can do.

But you can't stop a legitimate business from operating

just because you don't like the owners.

It's like I told you last week and the week before.

You're still not getting the message, Orson.

I simply won't stand for this.

I refuse to permit a bowling alley in my city.

Bonnie Mae, once, a long time ago

this was your father's city, but times have changed,

and you can't prevent the Jaris brothers

from running a business and earning a living.

And what about your business, Mr. Mayor?

Unless I'm mistaken, the refinery I own and operate

is the principal customer

for that little industry you run

in addition to your duties in office.

Oh, now, now, now don't talk like that, Bonnie Mae.

You know very well that without your plant

I-I wouldn't have a business.

That would give you plenty of time,

wouldn't it, to go bowling?

Rose.

Bonnie Mae, for the love of Pete, will you listen to me?

Hello.

Mrs. Carol?

Is that telephone call for me, Mr. Stillman?

It's about your daughter, Mrs. Carol.

Marla?

Is something wrong, Orson?

What about my daughter?

She's in the hospital.

Well, Linda, what did you find out?

The hospital definitely confirmed

the diagnosis on Marla Carol.

It's definitely an amoebic infection.

Oh, dear.

That's just what I was afraid of.

But she's perfectly all right, there's no danger.

They're letting her mother take her home today.

That's the third case the hospital has reported

in two days, Linda.

Scarcely an epidemic.

You want some more coffee?

Linda, I've always said,

only one-third of an iceberg is visible above water.

Yes, I've heard you always say it.

I'll get you a doughnut, too.

Uh, Linda, maybe you'd better start calling

the doctors in town.

Make me a list of every related case

they've handled this last week...

You know, stomachache, gastritis,

suspected appendicitis, and so on.

Joe.

Joe, maybe you and the other health inspectors

had better go to work on this amoebic dysentery thing.

Start talking to the cases.

See if they can remember

everyplace they've been this past week,

everything they've eaten, and everyplace they've eaten it.

We'd been at the ballpark the day before.

We had, uh, hot dogs and popcorn

and, uh, some soda pop.

And a, a couple of beers at the bowling alley.

More.

♪♪

♪♪

I brought the doctor like you asked.

Rose, hadn't you better look in on your daughter upstairs,

make sure she's feeling all right?

Oh, yes.

Jack, you can wait outside.

Oh, oh, sure, sure.

Jack Baker... Tesoro's middle-aged Lothario.

I thought he was just the maintenance man at the refinery.

I find him useful for odd jobs.

Is that what hauling me over here is... an odd job?

Well, it's nice to know where a man stands.

Oh, stop it, Max, sit down.

I had some sandwiches and coffee made up for you.

I'm not really hungry and I have a lot of work to do.

All right, what do you want?

You should be hungry.

You haven't eaten since breakfast.

You know a good deal, don't you, Duchess?

Of course.

I am an eccentric old biddy

who's always sticking her nose where it's not wanted.

Oh, now, now, don't you say a thing like that.

Bonnie Mae, you've done too much for this town...

You and your father.

Wouldn't have been a town to begin with without him

and the refinery he built...

Or anything left of the town without you.

You don't think I'm an interfering old battle-ax

who deludes herself, playing lady of the manor?

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

To concern yourself about other people's welfare

certainly can't be called...

Yes, other people.

Like Marla Carol... Rose's daughter.

I don't understand.

Max, I know why you're working so hard right now.

And I know you've found

the source of the infection, too, haven't you?

I really don't know where you get your information.

No.

Because you've found that several people who became ill

have eaten in one place,

just one common place... the bowling alley.

No, Bonnie Mae.

Uh, I-I mean, yes...

I grant you, certain cases have eaten there,

but the bowling alley is clean, quite clean.

I have inspection reports.

One of the best kitchens in town.

But the people did get sick there.

I tell you, I don't know yet

what the source of the infection is.

What are you going to do about it?

What do you think I should do?

Close that place down.

I'm a health officer.

I can't go jumping to conclusions,

putting men out of business because...

Residents of my town have been poisoned, Max,

at the bowling alley.

Bonnie Mae, I know how you feel about the Jaris brothers,

but I...

If you don't go down and close that place tonight,

my attorney will be in court in the morning

to demand that it be closed as a public nuisance.

I'm sorry, I have to go.

There are reports I still haven't checked.

When I do have enough data,

I'll certainly take whatever steps necessary.

Yes, and you'll take them quickly

so that people won't have to suggest to the city council

that what Tesoro really needs

is a better director of city health,

one with a bit more courage.

Hey, Doc.

I know she gets a little wild sometimes,

but she is on the right track, isn't she?

- Mr. Baker, if you'll excuse me... - And it'd be a shame

if the Duchess had something to really get mad about,

wouldn't it?

What are you talking about?

Peace, that's all,

and what happens when people don't just ride along.

Ah, let her have her way, Doc, you'll see.

Jaris, wait a minute.

Look, Baker, your lady boss doesn't pay me anything

to take any gaff from you, and I don't intend to.

Well, sorry, but that's not the way I see it.

Well, now, what's that supposed to mean?

Well, if you and your brother would just close up shop,

get out of town... Don't you understand?

Oh, for the love...

You should have called the police.

Why bother?

Maybe I should have called the Duchess direct.

Well, who did it?

Jack Baker and a couple of his stooges.

You know, she's really got an army.

Yeah.

Well, there you are... It's not pretty but sterile.

Thanks.

Is this the ladies' shoe department?

Paul, Paul Drake.

- How are you, Bill? - Fine, fine.

You got a girl with you tonight?

No, but I got gobs of neophytes down here on vacation.

Paul, you know my brother Alan, don't you?

Hi, Paul.

Hi, uh, what hit you?

Oh, uh, I just fell.

Into a set of brass knuckles, I'll bet.

I've seen the results before.

Oh, uh, excuse me.

See you a minute, Mr. Jaris?

Of course.

Kind of a busy night in Tesoro.

Well, look, Paul, I'll see you down there

in a little while, all right?

Which side of the ball is up?

Ask him how he gets his thumb out.

No cracks.

This is a game of skill.

I've learned a lot since I last saw you, Joe.

Well, don't just talk about it.

Prove it.

Now, it's a matter of form and concentration.

There's a mirror over there you can watch yourself in.

I was watching my swing the other night, and you know

- what I found out? - Sure. That to love oneself

is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

Very funny.

All right, wiseguy, let's see you top this.

Paul?

Thanks a lot, pal.

Paul, can I see you a minute?

Sure. This is Bill Jaris.

He and his brother, Alan, own the place.

- Miss Street, Mrs. Kelly, and Mr. Kelly. - How do you do?

Hey, this is a nice place you have here, Mr. Jaris.

Now, all you need is someone to give lessons to guys like...

Kelly?

I mean, how do you do?

Uh, I thought maybe your friend Mason was with you tonight.

Perry? No, we just put him on a plane for Paris.

Oh. I see.

Uh... well, make yourselves at home,

and, uh... I'll see you later, maybe, Paul.

Is something wrong, Mr. Jaris?

Joe.

Well, I just got this thing, and I wanted a lawyer to take

- a look at it, that's all. - What is it?

We just got here from San Francisco, you know.

Yes, the Kellys are on their vacation.

Later on we're going to take them

to see the Sunset Strip.

- Aren't we, Paul? - I'm sorry, Joe.

Would you mind?

I'm a lawyer.

Let's see it.

What would you like to know about this?

Well, the sergeant says it's official, but...

Well, it looks perfectly legal to me.

Oh, I bet it's legal.

What this paper orders you to do, Mr. Jaris,

I'm afraid you'll have to do.

- I can't stop it? - You mean, stop it now?

- Yeah, now. Tonight. - No.

Well, why not?

Well, this document has the weight of a judicial order,

and, uh, only a competent court can act on it.

You mean dismiss it.

Or affirm it; either way.

And in the meantime?

In the meantime, Mr. Jaris, it's just like I told you...

Your bowling alley is officially closed.

You can see where it's signed there: Dr. Max Taylor.

He's Director of City Health.

I'm afraid you have no alternative, gentlemen.

Better start getting your customers out right now.

Good morning, Mrs. Wilmet.

I'm Joe Kelly.

This is an old friend of mine, Paul Drake.

You asked to see me?

Yes. For the moment, I seem to be representing

William and Alan Jaris.

You mean you represent the Country Corners Bowling Alley.

Well, is your difficulty with the bowling alley

rather than its owners?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Mrs. Wilmet...

the Jaris brothers have a considerable investment

in their business.

A prolonged delay keeping their place closed

could put them in a very difficult financial situation.

Delighted to hear it.

You're very frank, aren't you?

Their place is a source of corruption.

Corruption?

Well, if you mean this so-called epidemic

of amoebic infection, I feel I'd better tell you

that we had a couple of experts come in from Los Angeles

last night and go over the bowling alley kitchens.

So far, they haven't even found a... dirty plate.

Of course, I haven't talked to Dr. Max Taylor yet.

He seems a difficult person to find.

However, from what I've heard,

I thought perhaps if I came to you,

- you might... - Mr. Kelly,

a bowling alley is a focusing point for...

gambling, drinking...

an immoral gathering place for disreputable people.

Martin Luther didn't seem to think so

when he built the bowling alley for his young people to use

in his own home, and bowled with them.

I don't care.

I will not permit any festering evil

to infect my city.

Mrs. Wilmet, I simply hoped that we wouldn't have

to go to court to have the bowling alley reopened.

Well, I didn't issue the order to close it.

Now, Mr. Kelly, if you'll excuse me, I'm very busy.

Looking for another place to close down

as a menace to the sovereignty of the Duchess of Tesoro?

- Paul. - I'm sorry, Mrs. Wilmet,

but after spending a whole night crawling under sinks

and sorting through garbage

for bugs that just aren't there...

Hold it. You heard Mrs. Wilmet... she's busy.

Now, do you walk out of here,

or, uh, do I have you thrown out?

It's all right, Jack.

I'm sure the gentlemen are leaving.

Rose will show you out.

Good day, Mrs. Wilmet.

Okay, so I shouldn't have blown my top in there.

Well, it didn't make any difference...

It was my mistake suggesting we go in there.

- Uh, how do you use this thing? - You want to reach your wife

at the hotel? I'll do it, Joe.

You know, accusing that bowling alley

of serving poisoned food is a cheap, two-bit frame.

The number's, uh, 272-2199.

'Course, what really makes me mad is the fact

that you gave up the first night of your vacation.

Operator? Let me have 272-219...

That's Perry's number.

Right.

Hello. I'd like to speak to Miss Stree... Della?

Joe Kelly.

Yeah, fine, fine.

Uh, look, which judge does Perry go to

when he wants a petition in a hurry?

Yeah, a temporary restraining order, ex parte.

Oh, fine. Fine, then I'll meet you

over at the courthouse right away.

Good.

You don't mind driving around that way,

- do you? - Joe, you can have the whole car.

Now, wait a minute, Paul.

I like trouble as much as you do,

but if you stick around here in Tesoro...

Don't worry, Joe, I'm not gonna tangle with the Duchess again.

I just want to find out if two and two add up

to four, that's all.

Which two and two?

Marks on a face and a set of brass knuckles.

Alan! What's the matter with you!

Paul!

There we go.

So that's it.

And who is that?

It's Bill's kid.

Kind of a nervous babysitter, aren't you?

Or were you expecting somebody with brass knuckles?

I'm sorry, Paul.

Well, why didn't you answer the bell?

Well, I was putting the kid to sleep.

I figured it was the nursemaid.

She's got a key, but she always rings anyway.

And then you thought it was Jack Baker.

Why him?

I saw the brass knuckles.

Okay.

Yeah. Baker and his boys.

Another message from the Duchess, maybe?

"Get out of town."

Alan, exactly what is this stuff between you two and the Duchess?

Paul, I've tried to keep things peaceful.

And Bill, well, I guess he hasn't wanted to drag out

- all his troubles, but... - Apparently not.

Of course, I haven't seen much of Bill till recently.

He only saved my life once, but that was a long time ago.

I didn't know he had a child.

Didn't even know he had a wife, in fact.

He doesn't... anymore.

How does the baby tie in with the Duchess?

She's his grandmother.

Bill married the Duchess' only child.

Oh. Now I begin to see what we stepped into.

Bill wasn't exactly the old gal's choice.

He, uh, refused to work in a refinery.

Now, that made her mad.

They refused to live in her home,

Leaving her alone there

with just her companion and her companion's kid.

That made her even madder.

So she got even with Bill.

She disinherited her daughter.

Where is her daughter... Uh, Bill's wife?

She's dead.

Oh, she was a little doll.

A frail little doll.

She and Bill were on their way

back into town from out of state.

They only got as far as my place,

and the baby decided to come, a month early.

It was raining and phones were out,

the, um, streets flooded.

I had to grab the closest doctor I could find.

I-I guess he did the best he could, but...

the little doll died.

Alan... who was this doctor?

Dr. Taylor.

Dr. Max Taylor!

Temporary restraining order?!

But this commands the city of Tesoro

to allow the Country Corners Bowling Alley to remain open.

Pending a hearing

on the granting of a permanent injunction!

Now, good Heavens, Mr. Kelly, how long is that going to take?

Five days.

And at the end of those five days,

the burden of proof is on the city of Tesoro

to establish, to the satisfaction of the court,

that the bowling alley does in fact

constitute a public nuisance.

Now, see here, Mr. Kelly, Tesoro is in the county

of Los Angeles, it's not the city,

and whatever high-handed tactics

you can get away with in San Francisco

will not work here!

Seems to me, Mayor, the only high-handed tactics

have been those used by your City Health Office.

Now, is this Dr. Taylor prepared,

as an individual as well as a city official,

to defend himself in a lawsuit?

What for?

False statements concerning the quality

of the services or product of a business

which are intended to cause that business financial harm

- and which... in fact do so. - No, no,

they're not false statements, sir.

Wait a minute. It's not false to say

my bowling alley is a source of pollution and infection?

Come off it... You've got sanitation reports.

Why, this whole business is no more than a frame-up

to close me down, and you know it, both of you.

I resent your implication, young man.

I bet you do, Mayor... But not as much

as you'd resent losing the duchess' business.

Please, please. The bowling alley

simply must be the source of pollution and infection.

You can prove that?

Well... well, perhaps not like proving it in a court of law.

And prove there is absolutely no other source of infection...

Oh, no, no, I didn't say that...

Oh, so you could be wrong, Max?

Well, i-it's possible.

- Well, this is my opinion. - Oh...

Supposing we continue this conversation

in the City Attorney's Office, Mr. Kelly.

Perhaps we can have a hearing in two or three days

- instead of the usual five. - After who knows how many more

people get sick, perhaps die!

No! Gentlemen...

we just had two more new cases... That makes a total of 12...

And all 12 of those cases have just one eating place in common:

the Country Corners Bowling Alley.

Now, I'll admit we don't know the exact source

of the pollution there yet.

I-I'll even admit the place seems clean.

I couldn't believe this at first myself.

But give us a chance, give us time,

because if you force us to let that place open again,

I warn you, this town may face a major epidemic.

Don't listen to him, Mr. Kelly.

He and the mayor are in the Duchess' pocket.

- It isn't true what he says. - Bill...

They couldn't close us down any other way,

so they're pulling this stunt.

I tell you, it isn't true, it's a frame-up.

Bill, an entire community could be affected.

I signed a petition for that restraining order... me.

It's been served; I refuse to withdraw it.

If you withdraw it, Bill, and these fellas are wrong,

the law protects you, with damages.

The only law here is what the duchess wants.

She wants my son, and she has to break me

through the bowling alley to get him.

But she won't get away with it.

I'll do anything to keep my son.

You look like you've been digging.

I have... for the truth.

Did you find it?

I think so.

I think for once I'm doing the right thing.

Your phone hasn't stopped ringing...

The mayor, the City Attorney's Office,

and, of course, the Duchess.

Which one would you like me to call back first?

None of them. Get me the chief engineer

of the City Water Department.

What's that?

That's Tesoro's main waterline.

This smaller one where the county line jogs back and forth

is a spur.

Now, that refinery the Duchess owns

is in the same general area,

but it uses bottled water and water from its own wells

for its commercial needs.

In other words, the refinery is outside the county line,

so it isn't connected to the Tesoro system.

I wish I knew what you were talking about.

Della, I thought you said you spoke to Perry today.

Wha...? Well, I did.

He's leaving Rome and on his way to Lisbon.

Well, what did you talk about?

Well, he said that he's glad that you're using the office,

and that we should be as much help to you as we can,

- and... - What did you say to him?

Della...

this, uh, spur line, it only supplies one place:

the bowling alley.

Oh.

Oh!

And I said, "Perry, be careful

what kind of water you drink."

Exactly. Now, we know the bowling alley itself

is as clean as a whistle, so unless Bill is right,

unless this whole thing is a big frame-up,

what other possible source of infection could there be

but the water?

Joe.

I thought you persuaded Bill

to keep that bowling alley closed.

Persuaded? I practically broke his arm.

But he finally agreed to give 'em a little more time

- for investigation. Why? - Well, he changed his mind.

He tried to open the place himself.

Oh, of all the stupid things to do!

Don't worry, he didn't do it; they wouldn't let him.

What happened, Paul?

Doc Taylor had their water supply shut off.

So he's on the same track, huh?

Della, call me if you hear from either Bill or Alan, hm?

- Where can I reach you? - Dr. Taylor's office.

Bye, beautiful.

I found him like that, just before you got here.

Mr. Kelly, my brother Alan, where is he?

We don't know. Paul Drake is out looking for him now.

- That means Sadie's alone with the baby. - Sadie?

Sadie Noymann, the nursemaid. She has her own family;

she should have been relieved hours ago.

Well, if we don't find Alan soon,

I'll send a nurse out there

until we can make other arrangements.

Now, let's get to your problem.

That baby is my problem...

- The only one that counts. - Yeah, I'm sure of that, Bill.

And I'm equally sure that problem will be compounded

if we don't get you out of here.

Now that the Duchess has me in, I wish us both luck.

Relax, you're in the hands of the county,

not the city of Tesoro.

Now, tell me, what happened tonight?

Nothing happened. That's just it.

I stopped by at the house.

Sadie told me that Dr. Taylor had called,

wanted me to come by the office, said it was important.

I went. Found him dead.

The mayor, then you walked in

before I could do anything about it.

- And that's all? - So help me, that's all.

Now, look, Bill, if I'm gonna help...

Paul, my brother Alan, did you find him?

Yep. He's right here, in jail.

Oh, for Pete's sake! What for?

Well, he chased down the city's water engineer

and fought with him about turning the water back on.

Then when the boys in blue arrived, he fought with them.

The complaint reads like a one-man insurrection.

- Mr. Kelly... - Yeah, I know: get him out.

All right, Paul, let's go.

Absolutely no consideration for other people.

You and your brother ought to be ashamed of yourself,

leaving this adorable child with me,

knowing, knowing full well, I had to get home to my family.

Well, it's the last time!

I tell you that, it's the last time!

What time tomorrow?

- I'll call you. - Good night.

Oh, Mrs. Noymann.

You're forgetting your gloves.

I didn't bring gl...

Thank you.

She's so mad, I'll bet when she gets home

she jumps down the throat of the first person who says hello.

Uh, say, Alan, do you have a shovel and some sort

of a crowbar around the house?

Yeah, in the garage. Why?

And a long tape measure?

I guess so. What do you want them for?

I'll tell you later... Would you get them

for Paul, please? Oh, Della, Joe Kelly.

Listen, you know those maps I was going over.

Would you take them and grab a cab

and meet me over here at the Jaris house

just as quick as you can.

Mm-hmm.

Fine.

Well, now, right here from this point where I am standing

to that property line over there is your direction, Paul.

Direction for what?

Well, look for soft earth,

someplace where somebody might have been digging recently

and then... you dig.

- You're not looking for a body? - No, no, Della,

just the truth. Paul, do you remember

- Dr. Taylor's muddy shoes? - Yeah.

Well... get going.

And, now, you heard the decedent, Dr. Max Taylor,

phone the city water engineer and instruct him

that the spur line feeding the Tesoro bowling alley

- was to be turned off, is that right? - That's right.

Dr. Taylor explained that the bowling alley

was the only place taking water from that spur line,

and would be the only place affected.

He didn't say why he wanted it turned off.

He just said that he was ordering it turned off.

I see. Now, after this phone call from the decedent,

what did Dr. Taylor do?

Well, he turned to me and said, "Linda,

call Bill Jaris and get him for me."

I called his house; he wasn't in.

I called the bowling alley, and he wasn't there, either.

So Doc... well, Dr. Taylor told me to call his house back

and have Mr. Jaris call just as soon as he got in.

Did Dr. Taylor tell you anything else?

Well, he told me to leave.

It was late, after working hours.

And did you notice as you were leaving

what Dr. Taylor was doing?

Just as I left, I heard him on the telephone.

He was talking to the mayor.

Yes, Doc Taylor did call me to tell me that he'd ordered

the water supply to the bowling alley turned off.

I must say, it seemed like a pretty drastic step to me.

But...

Doc just wouldn't elaborate on his reasons

even though I warned him, it could lead to serious trouble.

Now, after this phone call

from the decedent, Mayor Stillman, what did you do?

Well, I decided to discuss the matter

with Mrs. Wilmet.

She's rather concerned about civic matters of this nature.

I see. Did you call her?

No, I drove out to her place.

And the girl, Marla Carol...

That's Mrs. Wilmet's companion's daughter...

Marla answered the door.

And he told me that Mrs. Wilmet had gone

to bed for the night.

She wasn't feeling too well,

and that her mother, Mrs. Carol,

had gone to the movies with Jack Baker.

Oh, you didn't speak to Mrs. Wilmet then?

No, I wasn't going to trouble her in bed, asleep, no.

I drove back to town to City Hall.

And I walked in on Bill Jaris

standing over the dead body of Dr. Taylor.

There were signs of a struggle in the decedent's office;

a few things overturned, some of them on the floor.

And as to the defendant, William Jaris, were there any signs

either as to is person or to his clothing

to indicate that he had been involved in any such struggle?

He had blood on his clothing

and some blood on his right hand.

Was it his blood, Sergeant?

No, sir, it not his own blood.

It was blood that matched the type of the decedent's blood.

And as to the murder weapon used to kill Dr. Taylor,

was that examined in your police laboratories,

and if so, with what results?

Yes, sir, it was examined,

and there were clearly defined fingerprints on the handle.

The fingerprints of the defendant, William Jaris.

Mr. Baker's bringing my daughter down.

She's been very ill, Mr. Kelly.

I hope you won't upset her.

I'll try not to, Mrs. Carol,

but there are a few questions I must ask her.

After that police officer testified,

I didn't think there were any questions left to be asked.

Bill Jaris didn't know Doctor Taylor was already dead.

He knelt down to see

if there was anything he could do for him.

And that, of course, explains the blood and the fingerprints?

In a murder trial, Mrs. Wilmet,

the so-called facts are examined in the context

of "beyond a reasonable doubt."

Very often, the truth is no more than a matter

of relative believability.

As far as I'm concerned,

that does explain the blood and the fingerprints.

You're Marla Carol?

Yes.

You mind if I ask you a few questions?

No, why should I?

Fine. Please, sit down.

Now, the night Doctor Taylor was killed,

Mayor Stillman did come out to the house here?

Yes. He was here, and then he left right away.

Did he see Mrs... or speak to Mrs. Wilmet?

No.

Of course. Mrs. Wilmet was in her room?

I suppose so.

Asleep?

I guess so.

You know that, for sure? Because you went in to look?

I, uh... That's enough, Mr. Kelly.

The child isn't on the witness stand.

No, not yet..

I'm sorry, Marla, but I have a subpoena here

ordering you to appear in court tomorrow

- Why, of all the dirty... - Jack!

As a matter of fact, I have subpoenas for all of you.

Miss Carol, Miss Wilmet.

And tomorrow, Mr. Baker, we'll see if you're as quick

with your brains as you are with your fists.

Court reconvenes at 10:00 in the morning.

Good day.

So there can't be any question of it, let me ask you again:

Miss Bonnie Mae Wilmet, the night of Dr. Taylor's killing,

was at home in her room?

- Yes. - Asleep?

Yes.

And she did not leave the house that evening?

No.

Miss Carol, at the bowling alley, the night you became ill,

you were with a young man, were you not?

Yes.

Suppose I were to tell you

that the young man has been subpoenaed,

that he is prepared, reluctantly,

to testify that he visited you at Mrs. Wilmet's house

the night of the murder.

But he promised!

That he visited you at your suggestion

because you said you were alone in the house!

Now, Miss Carol, what actually happened that night?

Well, she... Mrs. Wilmet,

uh, told mother and Mr. Baker to go to the movies.

And then she said she was going up to her room.

Well, I saw her go out the side door,

get in the car and drive away.

All right, so they weren't my gloves

you found at the Jaris house.

Whose were they?

Mrs. Wilmet's.

Well, she was the boy's grandmother, wasn't she?

There wasn't any harm in letting her see the boy, was there?

Your Honor, on the basis of the memorandum

submitted to the court...

A copy of which has been furnished the district attorney,

who stipulates thereto...

I repeat, for the record, the witness called by the defense

has been judged hostile for purposes of examination.

So noted, Mr. Kelly.

You may proceed.

Mrs. Wilmet, you had a daughter, I believe,

who died about a year ago.

She was, in turn, survived after death by an infant son...

Your grandson.

Yes.

Who, I gather, stands to inherit the oil refinery.

No.

My will specifically disinherits

my late daughter and her descendants.

May I ask the name or names

of those who are designated as your beneficiaries?

Your Honor, I object to this line of questioning

in that it's completely immaterial

to the crimes charged in the information.

I submit, Your Honor, the evidence is admissible

to establish the witness' bias.

Bias?

Counselor, that would be for purposes

of impeaching the witness,

and hostile or not, she's your witness.

So far you haven't let her produce

any testimony about the defendant at all,

let alone any testimony damaging to the defendant.

Bias, Mr. Burger, not necessarily toward the defendant

but toward the murdered man Dr. Max Taylor, who attended

the witness' daughter when she died in childbirth.

The witness' daughter, Mr. Kelly,

happened to be the defendant's wife!

Exactly, Mr. Burger, in which case

the evidence is neither collateral nor immaterial

but goes to the heart of the question

of motivation.

Your Honor, I'll stand on my original objection.

I shall permit you to proceed, Mr. Kelly,

subject to a later decision by the court to strike

if the evidence is not connected up.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Now, then, Mrs. Wilmet, the name or names of those designated

testamentarily as your beneficiaries.

A trusted employee and a devoted friend,

my sole heir is Rose Carol.

Why did you disinherit your daughter?

She'd made a wrong marriage.

I was only trying to bring her to her senses, that's all.

And you disapproved of Bill Jaris as your son-in-law?

I certainly did.

And then, after her death you approved of him even less?

Well, do you blame me?

It was his fault that she died.

He kept her gallivanting around the country.

I wasn't even there, I wasn't even called.

Mrs. Wilmet, I can certainly understand

the bitterness of your sorrow,

even your momentary hatred of Bill,

but I gather from Mrs. Carol, Mrs. Noymann, and others

that your hatred has steadily increased since that time.

Why?

Bill Jaris is a murderer.

He killed my daughter just as surely as he killed Dr. Taylor.

No, no.

Order, order in the court.

I didn't know it at first.

He kept her traveling around the country

when she was already sick, undernourished,

burning up with pneumonia.

That's a lie.

Bill, stop it.

But she mustn't say that.

I said stop it!

Mrs. Wilmet, is that what your daughter's regular doctor

told you about her physical condition?

Doctor.

The way they were living?

Parties, travel.

No time to get a decent night's sleep, let alone...

Mrs. Wilmet, would you be interested in a statement

given by a doctor in Arizona

who examined your daughter not two days before her death,

whose records show that she was in perfect health,

she didn't even have a cold, was in good condition to make

that trip back to Los Angeles?

No, no, that couldn't be possible.

Who used the word "undernourished," "pneumonia"?

Dr. Max Taylor.

He delivered the baby.

He...

He...

Mrs. Wilmet, whatever stories Dr. Taylor told you in private...

It didn't occur to you that they might not have been true?

They might have only been desperate fiction

to hide his own feeling of guilt?

I... I don't know.

But, of course, whatever happened that tragic night,

whatever bungling accident took the life of your daughter

lies buried with her, doesn't it,

and Dr. Max Taylor.

So now tell us,

why did you go recently, secretly

to visit your baby grandson?

I-I, I just had to look at him, that's all.

Was that your first visit... That night?

No, I'd been there once before.

I couldn't help it.

Now, then, Mrs. Wilmet, will you tell us this:

did you order Jack Baker and two of his men

to beat up the defendant's brother?

What?

What are you talking about?

I see.

And one final thing, Mrs. Wilmet.

Obviously you have sources within the city hall

that keep you well informed.

- Yes. - So, did you know of Max Taylor's decision

to shut off the water, for instance?

Did you know what prompted that decision?

No.

These sources that failed to tell you, Mrs. Wilmet... who?

Who were they?

A friend of Jack's.

She, she worked in Max's office.

And then there was Orson, of course, Orson Stillman.

I-It... the pollution wasn't in the bowling alley at all.

No, apparently the pollution occurred

where the city's spur water line passes

close to the oil refinery's sewage facilities.

Is that right?

Well, uh, that doesn't necessarily mean

that there's anything wrong with the city's water lines.

Uh, as I understand it, it's possible

for seepage to occur into perfectly sound pipe,

but, uh, the refinery is about, uh,

25 years old, and, uh, underground

there's a crazy quilt

of gas lines and feeder lines and runoffs,

so that finding out exactly where the trouble is

and fixing it could mean

that the plant would have to be closed down

for weeks or even for months, uh,

depending on the extent of the repairs.

That plant, I understand, barely operates in the black.

I suppose an alarmist might think that any shutdown

could lead to the plant being closed permanently,

in which case, of course, you'd lose your best customer.

Now, is that why you went running straight to Mrs. Wilmet?

I am not an alarmist, Mr. Kelly, but Doc Taylor did say

that the plant would have to be closed down.

Yes, closed.

Oh, surely, as mayor, there's something you could have done...

Somehow covered up the whole matter?

Oh, no, not even if I wanted to.

The refinery is outside the city, it's outside the county,

Mr. Kelly, and that report was for the state.

They had to be informed, and Doc Taylor told me that,

even as he was talking to me,

Miss Terry was typing the report.

I could hear her.

"It was late, after working hours.

"Just as I was going out the door,

I heard him talking to the mayor."

Now, you weren't actually going out the door, were you?

You were actually still in the office, typing that report.

Yes, I did type the report.

I finished it, he signed it, and I left.

But I checked.

The state never received such a report,

the police didn't find it, and it's not in your office.

I had nothing to do with Dr. Taylor's death.

Please believe me.

He was alive and well when I left him,

alive and well with that report on his desk.

You can ask... Yes, Miss Terry, yes,

I can ask the person you always contacted with news like that,

the same person you must have called that night

right after you left the office... Mr. Jack Baker.

Sure, she called me. So what?

She was a friend of mine and Mrs. Wilmet's.

Linda was always calling with information.

Such things, for instance,

as the truth about the death of Miss Wilmet's daughter?

No.

Shall we recall Linda Terry to the stand and ask her

whether or not Dr. Taylor ever let the truth slip out

and whether she ever told you about the tragic happenings

- of that night? - Well, she might have mentioned it to me.

But so what?

There was nothing anybody could do about it.

Oh, but there was.

Didn't you use the information to force Dr. Taylor

to close the bowling alley before he actually was ready to?

Well, he didn't need to be blackmailed, did he?

There was a reason for closing the place.

And for closing the refinery?

Oh, look, I-I don't know what you're getting at.

The night the doc was killed, I was in a movie,

sitting next to Rose Carol.

Yes, in a movie theater

just around the corner from the city hall.

Oh, what are you trying to say?

That you could have slipped out of the theater,

around the corner to the city hall, up to Max Taylor's office,

and destroyed the report which condemned to total closure

the refinery after you fought with and killed Dr. Taylor.

That's a dirty lie.

I was with Rose; I couldn't.

Well... ask her.

Yes, yes, he was in the theater with me.

Mrs. Carol, is there a Mr. Carol?

No, I'm a widow like Mrs. Wilmet.

You were aware, were you not, that you were

the sole beneficiary of the oil refinery in Mrs. Wilmet's will?

Yes, she made no secret of that.

This date with Jack Baker...

Was it the first time you went out with him?

No, Jack and I... We've been seeing

quite a good deal of one another.

Then, I assume you were aware,

about two weeks ago he bought a ring...

What the jeweler refers to as an engagement ring.

Of course I was aware of it.

It was for me.

We're engaged.

No!

No, it's a lie!

Linda, no, please.

He can't be engaged to you.

It's impossible.

Not two weeks but over three months ago

he gave me a ring.

I know I promised to keep it a secret,

but you've got to tell, you've got to.

This first date with Jack Baker... was it before or after

he found out you were going to inherit the refinery?

It was after.

Through you, he hoped to end up owning that refinery,

but a panicky, greedy man might think there'd be nothing to own

if Dr. Taylor's report were sent out

and the state closed that refinery.

Isn't that right?

I-I... Mrs. Carol, Jack Baker...

Was he with you in the next seat all through that movie?

He said to say, if I were asked, that...

No, no.

He said he wasn't feeling well.

He went out to the lobby for some fresh air.

Oh, you murderer!

You didn't come back, not for over half an hour!

Well, with the place all locked up,

at least we have it all to ourselves.

Come on, Marge, you'll never have another chance like it.

Why, we could just stay here in our own private bowling alley.

You'd better pack in plenty of supplies.

How long will it take to run in that new water line, Bill?

Well, Della, we figure about two months longer

than our second mortgage will hold out.

Well, stop figuring so much.

The Duchess and I have just been down to the bank,

and she seems to think that you and the refinery

might as well sink or swim together.

I'd like to help if you don't mind, Bill.

Oh, Duchess, if you don't mind

a whole lot of things.

I know a baby who could sure use a grandmother.

I think this is about where we came in, darling,

with a bowling lesson.

Hey, I know you.

You're my wife.

Well, I certainly don't see what's so hard about that.