Original subtitles

Laura?

Laura?

Open up.

Open up.

Laura. Wake up.

Wake up.

Warren? What...?

What are you doing?

- Why? - You know why I'm here.

Why did you do it?

Do what?

Well, what's wrong?

What are you talking about?

Who are you calling?

What for?

Why?

Perry Mason.

It did? How long ago?

Fine, general.

Where's your meeting?

That's in, uh, San Carlos, isn't it?

Uh, outside the city?

Yes, general, I'll be there as quickly as I can.

What do you think? - Perfect.

The other shot's just as good.

- What about this one? - That one's no good.

Infrared bulb must have been out of sync with the shutter.

But the other two shots are beautiful.

Your fire-eating general won't have time to worry

about reforming San Carlos.

He'll be too busy worrying about his wife.

General Brandon, this is the best news the town of San Carlos has had

in a long time.

When the people here incorporated as a separate municipality,

they assumed that being outside Los Angeles,

and therefore it's tax rolls, would be a blessing.

What we failed to realize was

we were placing ourself beyond Los Angeles' city law enforcement,

making ourselves easy prey to racketeers.

So it's no wonder that George Emory was able to move in

and practically take over San Carlos.

This special enforcement commission could very well be the answer.

Let's understand each other, gentlemen.

I said I'd received a request from the governor

to head this commission.

I did not say I agreed.

Neither did I say I'd refuse.

Now, my answer to the governor depends on you, gentlemen.

And Frank Cummings when he gets here.

You three men asked the governor to appoint me.

Now, I will accept on one condition,

if you, Mr. Mason, and you, Mr. Overton,

and Mr. Cummings,

will serve with me on the commission.

Well, general, this is hardly the job for me.

Ha, ha. Let me tell you about a few jobs our government has thought up for me

in my 25 years.

Yes, I know. As soldier, diplomatic troubleshooter.

No one's earned their retirement more than you have.

Putting the golf clubs back in mothballs for a while,

that'll be easy, but telling Laura, my wife...

I imagine Mrs. Brandon has been looking forward to your retirement,

making plans.

She's a good soldier, that girl.

All these years when I've had to be away,

one, two, three, four at a time, she never complained.

That's why I hate to disappoint her so now.

General, I can't speak for Mr. Overton or for Mr. Cummings,

and as for myself, if you can face Mrs. Brandon,

I can face serving with you.

And I can face George Emory.

But, general, I warn you...

That must be Frank.

Mr. Mason, the roof's caved in.

Here. Just as I was getting ready to come over here,

this was shoved under my door.

"Either General Brandon refuses the appointment

to head the enforcement commission

or the newspapers get these pictures in time for the morning edition."

Surely no newspaper would print such scurrilous pictures.

At least one would.

The San Carlos Press.

George Emory owns it.

Let me see those.

My wife? My aide?

I'll bet George Emory is responsible for this frame.

Of course. Emory must have set the whole thing up.

But how could he know about the governor's offer?

Only we knew.

And young Cotton.

Maybe you trusted your aide too much.

I won't believe that.

General, what we must do as quickly as possible,

is to prove those pictures were falsely devised.

Prove it? How? When?

If I don't refuse this appointment,

these pictures will be in print the first thing in the morning.

I expected Emory to fight with bare knuckles.

But that he'd stoop so low as to smear my wife...

Well?

Well, what, Roger?

You two were photographed in this position,

and you didn't even know that photographs were being taken?

No.

You don't trust me.

Is that what you mean?

No, it's not what I mean,

but when someone shows a man pictures like these,

I think I'm entitled to some explanation.

You think there was something between me and Warren?

- I didn't say that. - But you were thinking it.

No, I wasn't.

But when I get into a fight, I wanna know all about the situation.

And I am in a fight right now with George Emory.

Believe me, dear, all the years that we were separated,

I never had a single doubt about you.

It never entered my head to doubt you.

All right.

Once more. Warren came into the bedroom.

He said he'd gotten a call or a message

that I'd taken sleeping pills, tried to kill myself.

Warren could be that naive?

You don't believe me.

I do.

But whether I believe you or not,

Emory still has these pictures to use against me.

And I've let you down.

I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

Oh, where are you going?

I'm going to Los Angeles to see the man responsible for these.

Warren?

Oh, thank goodness I caught you in.

This is Laura.

Well, so much for all our hopes of getting rid of George Emory.

Men of Brandon's stature and reputation are rare.

Without him, I'm afraid we're licked.

We should have stopped him before he ever went out that door.

Suppose it was your wife in those pictures.

All right. So, what do we do?

Just give up?

Leave San Carlos in the hands of Emory's thugs?

No one's suggesting that.

In a way, we're responsible for what's happened.

Men like George Emory exist

only because there aren't enough good men

willing to get involved in public life.

That's true.

So when a man with a sense of duty

as strong as General Brandon's does appear,

we put an intolerable load on his shoulders.

And now we've asked him to take on one more burden.

And if he does, he's liable to see his whole private life completely destroyed.

We have only one chance,

and that's to prove that Emory set this thing up.

What's the matter with you, Warren?

- I told you I'd meet you outside. - Open the door.

- Look, kid, we... - I said, open it.

I don't wanna stand here and be seen with you.

I've heard of some low tricks.

But how anyone could set up his own nephew for a frame...

You've gotta come with me and admit what you did.

Look, what's it with you, kid?

Are you gonna deny you took those pictures for your boss?

What pictures?

Of me and Mrs. Brandon in that motel room.

You were with the general's wife in a motel room?

Of course, you don't know a thing about it, huh?

Look, all I know is, I moved heaven and earth

to get my nephew a place with the finest guy that ever lived.

And how do you pay me back?

By fooling around with his wife.

I wasn't fooling around. I was framed, set up.

By the man you work for, George Emory.

Emory?

I get it now.

Emory's afraid of Brandon.

It's just the kind of thing that he would do to protect himself.

Look, Warren, I didn't take those pictures.

You know I'd never do anything to hurt General Brandon.

Well, what a mess.

I've worked for Emory, sure.

I was out of the service. I...

Emory made it sound great.

Even clean.

I was an easy touch.

I had you to get through school, I had to pay for that fancy degree.

I looked the other way when I shouldn't have.

But I never expected my old CO would show up here to fight Emory,

and that Emory would use you against him.

Then if you didn't take the pictures,

you don't have the negatives.

No, of course not.

Then we only have until press time to get them back.

After that, it won't make any difference.

Where are you going?

There's something I have to do.

Now, Warren, you're in enough trouble already. Don't make it worse.

Don't you threaten me.

I didn't take those pictures and I didn't hire anyone else to do it.

There's one little thing you're forgetting.

Well, the white knight.

Sir Galahad in person.

Where's your horse?

I wanna talk to you, Emory.

I just talked to your boy, Warren Cotton,

and I don't like having guns pulled on me.

Warren was here?

You expect me to believe that you didn't send him here to threaten me?

I do my own threatening, Emory.

Look, it's after midnight and I was going to bed.

You'll listen to me first.

In here.

If you came because of those photographs,

you're barking up the wrong guy.

I had nothing to do with taking them.

You seem to know they were taken.

I told you. Your flunky came busting in here with a gun.

He was gonna blow my head off if I didn't give him the negatives.

Maybe the kid is smart, general,

but he's a lousy recruit for your army of redemption.

Old as I am, I took that gun away from him

in about two seconds.

And now I'm telling you once and for all,

I don't have your negatives and I don't know anything about them.

If I have to use force to make you give them to me, I will.

I'm pretty good with ducks and rabbits, general,

but I never bagged me a genuine Army officer before.

That's my pistol.

I'm surprised at you, general.

Didn't you ever learn not to leave guns and wives lying around loose?

So help me, Emory, I'll kill you for saying that.

Not tonight, general.

It's very late and I'm very tired.

This is General Brandon.

Mason.

Yes, he's here with me now.

Laura? Oh, she just stepped out.

There is no point in you going there now.

I've already seen Emory.

And you saw George Emory?

I'm not sure that was wise.

He denied all knowledge of the photographs.

I'm afraid we're licked, Mason.

It's after 1.

I can't throw my wife to the wolves,

enforcement commission or no enforcement commission.

I can't honestly say I blame you.

Ask him about the leak.

General, did you find out how Emory knew

about the governor's decision to appoint you?

No, I didn't.

But Warren said he didn't mention it to Emory or anyone else,

and I believe him.

Laura. Where have you been?

Out. Just out.

If you believe Warren, general, I have to accept that.

I see.

Well, please don't make any statement until you hear from me again.

Yes, everything we can.

Good night.

The leak wasn't through Warren.

Then who? There was only your three-man committee,

the general himself and Warren Cotton.

What about Mrs. Brandon?

The general told me earlier

that she didn't know about the appointment.

He was somewhat hesitant about telling her.

I can understand that.

Well, Emory just didn't divine it out of thin air.

To take photographs, write that note in time

to stop the general from accepting, he had to know.

The only lead we have, if it is a lead, is the tie-in you discovered

between Warren Cotton's uncle and George Emory.

And Uncle Bill is a professional photographer,

runs a photo shop and could've taken those pictures, don't forget that.

Well, let's go.

- Where? - To the photo shop.

Sorry, Della, but you better stand by for calls.

- But, Perry... - And, Paul,

I want you to check the other papers.

Find out if anyone besides Emory's paper

has been approached with the photographs.

Our chances of stopping those pictures

from being printed are ticking away minute by minute.

Hello, this is General Brandon. I'd like to speak with the governor, please.

I believe he's expecting a call from me.

Yes, thank you, I'll hold on.

Uh, no, thank you. I'll call back later.

- Yes? - Major General Roger Brandon?

- Yes. - San Carlos Police, general.

This is Lieutenant Drumm of the Los Angeles Department.

What can I do for you, lieutenant?

General, I'm placing you under arrest on suspicion of murder.

- What murder? - George Emory.

George Emory has been murdered?

General Brandon, I'm required to inform you of your rights.

You don't have to answer questions, but anything you say now

may be later used as evidence against you.

You have a right to call your attorney.

Get on the telephone, dear.

Try and reach Perry Mason.

All right?

I think somebody slugged me.

It looks as if you've been burglarized.

Oh, I don't keep enough cash in the register to feed a midget.

- Then what were they after? - I don't know.

If you hadn't broke in here, the smoke would have killed me.

- Thanks, mister. - Mason.

I'm Bill Cotton.

Mason?

Perry Mason?

General Brandon's brain trust.

- I'd like to talk with you. - Don't talk to me, talk to Warren.

Don't you, uh, wanna help your nephew?

How can I help him if I don't know anything?

Whoever did this to you thought you knew something.

Perhaps the location of certain negatives.

I don't have the negatives. I didn't develop those pictures.

- Like I told Warren, I... - Warren was here?

Yeah, he thinks I took the pictures too.

I wouldn't do anything to hurt General Brandon.

- You can believe that. - I can, but I don't.

We know you're involved with George Emory and...

Yeah.

Who?

Just a minute. It's for you.

Hello?

Yes, Della.

- Murdered? - It apparently happened sometime

between 1 and 2 in the study of his home.

George Emory has been killed.

The police have picked up General Brandon.

- Go ahead, Della. - The general's wife called

right after Steve Drumm took him to headquarters.

Now, shall I call her and tell her that you'll be in touch with the general?

Yes, but first, I'll stop at Emory's place.

Right.

The general didn't do it.

How do you know that?

Well, I know the general. That's enough.

Oh, wait a minute.

You were right. I worked for Emory.

This place is a pigeon drop for Emory's payoffs.

There's one thing here now,

but maybe that's the reason somebody wanted to burn the store down.

Earlier tonight, Emory asked me to keep this privately.

I learned a long time ago not to open his stuff.

Well, he can't object now.

What'd he want that thing for?

It looks like it's an out

from the same setup as these two shots.

But it's underexposed, I don't think you could make a print from it.

Why did he want me to keep it? Why didn't he just throw it away?

I don't know.

But until we have an answer, would you mind if I keep it?

Be my guest.

Oh, and look, Mr. Mason,

if there's anything I can do to help General Brandon,

now, anything at all,

just yell for me, okay?

Hello, Perry. It didn't take you long to get here.

- Thanks for letting me in, Steve. - Unusual circumstances.

George Emory was the big wheel in San Carlos,

but he was killed right here in the Los Angeles city limits.

You didn't waste much time picking up General Brandon for the killing.

Brandon had already admitted that he was here with George Emory

at the approximate time of the murder, between 1 and 1:30.

Has he said anything else without counsel?

You mean, did I break him down?

No, Perry, I didn't.

I showed him this in Emory's own handwriting.

What was he gonna do, deny that he was here?

This calendar pad proves only that Emory could write the general's name.

And the general's wife's name.

Well, I imagine you'll be able to put together a theory of some sort.

It's no theory.

The general's a straightforward man.

He volunteered the information about the frame Emory pulled.

Before or after you advised him of his rights?

After, Perry, after.

And since Emory's murder effectively kept the pictures out of his newspaper,

and this place has evidently been ransacked

in search of the negatives,

I think we got a case, a good case.

And you know it.

Twenty years of being the perfect wife,

of being left alone half the time but keeping that stiff upper lip.

And it's all forgotten just because some tinhorn political animal

produces some photographs.

I'm sick and tired of it.

And I'm not going to listen to any more accusations.

No one's accusing you of a thing, Mrs. Brandon.

The general didn't believe it.

He has complete faith in you.

Of course he does.

That's why he kept throwing questions at me

as if I were the defendant at a court martial.

That's why he went rushing out of here to see Emory

when I begged him not to.

Mrs. Brandon, how well did you know George Emory?

What?

I didn't know him at all.

Where were you earlier tonight when I called the general

before Emory's body was discovered?

I took a walk.

And don't ask me where and don't ask me why.

I just walked, walked around in circles.

You were nowhere in the vicinity of Emory's home?

I said, I walked.

I could hardly have walked into Los Angeles.

Mrs. Brandon, did you talk to George Emory tonight

or at another time?

He'd written your name on his calendar.

That might mean nothing.

Yes.

I talked to him.

You see,

I was afraid of what might happen when Roger confronted Emory.

I begged Emory to tell him the truth about the photographs.

It shows how clearly I was thinking at the time.

What was Emory's answer?

Well, he said he hadn't seen my husband,

he wouldn't let him in if he came,

and he didn't have any photographs taken.

Anything else?

Well, there was a pause.

I heard someone, a man, I think, in the background talking.

Very loud.

And then I heard Emory talking too.

Can you remember exactly what he said?

- The other person? - Yes.

I couldn't make it out.

He was yelling, that's all.

What about Emory?

I'm not sure.

I picked up a few words, then he put his hand over the phone.

I think I heard something like, "I've taken my last offer."

Or he could have said "order."

Then Emory was back on the phone and he said:

"Good night, Mrs. Brandon," and hung up.

I'll be talking to the general in the morning.

I'll arrange for you to see him.

By then, Emory's murder and your husband's arrest

will be on every front page in the country.

Now, don't give any interviews.

Don't discuss the case with anyone, all right?

Mr. Mason,

I'm sorry if I...

Well, he makes me mad as the devil sometimes.

But I love that old ramrod Roger Brandon.

And I'm glad that you are on our side.

Good night, Mrs. Brandon.

Laura.

Good night, Laura.

Yes, those are the exact words I used to Lieutenant Drumm.

Do you have any idea how your gun came to be at Emory's place?

Emory had it before I got there.

You saw it?

When Warren Cotton heard about the pictures,

he took the gun and went to Emory's to try to get the negatives back

and undo the damage he'd already caused.

But Emory took the gun away from him.

But that was before I arrived.

Warren told you this?

No, George Emory did, but Warren confirmed it later.

Warren's word wouldn't be enough in court.

And the only confirming witness is dead.

Mason, from what Lieutenant Drumm said

about the time of death,

Emory must have been killed right after I left.

And I just remembered, when I got to the house,

I heard the voice of another man inside.

He and Emory were arguing,

but when Emory let me in, there was no sign of that man.

In fact, Emory said he was ready to go to bed,

but that couldn't have been true.

Mr. Mason, when I left, that man was still in the house

and Emory was still alive.

And what's your appraisal of the case against the general?

Very strong.

Maybe a chain of circumstantial coincidences,

but the general did admit to the police that he was there.

And he certainly had motive.

If things weren't tough enough before,

now the general has got us mixed up in a murder.

Aren't you forgetting, Frank, that he'd be free and clear,

enjoying his retirement, if it weren't for the three of us?

The least we can do now is to support him.

Perry, I'll contribute any amount of money to help the general.

Thank you.

But what the general needs at the moment is our good faith.

Even if it means putting the old Overton name on the line.

Well, I, uh, think that goes without saying.

Does it?

We're agreed on that.

If we did anything else, how would it look?

Frank and I will be standing by

just in case there's anything we can do.

If there is, you can be sure I'll call on you.

They look like honorary pallbearers trying to make a good impression.

They'll never succeed.

Stanley Overton is so zealous in guarding his family name,

he has difficulty in remembering it's the general who's in trouble.

What did you think of Frank Cummings?

Well, he was the first person that called for an enforcement commission

to try to get rid of George Emory.

And wasn't he the one who first suggested approaching the general?

Then why was he so reluctant to stand by the general now?

We ran down the lot number on the edge of the negative.

- And? - Well, it might mean nothing at all.

Files with the same batch with the same number.

But this entire lot was sold to a distributor

who supplies a chain of drugstores.

You know who owns the drugstores and the distribution company?

- Frank Cummings? - Frank Cummings.

So we know this little piece of film was sold in one of his stores.

But we don't know to whom.

Well, we know that for some reason

this negative was valuable to George Emory,

and he gave it to Bill Cotton to keep for him.

Of course it may not mean anything.

Paul, remember the reason that Cummings gave

for fighting the Emory machine?

He said that all the San Carlos merchants

were forced to pay off in order to stay in business.

Yeah, all but Cummings.

I recall his telling us he'd refused to knuckle under.

Yeah, but he did business in San Carlos for years.

How did he manage that? He amassed a fortune.

Unless Frank Cummings was also paying off to George Emory.

All right, I'm here.

Now, why have you been bugging me? What's so important?

General Brandon. He's important.

Of course he's important, but why...

What happened between you and Emory

when you went there with the general's gun?

I told you. And I told General Brandon's lawyer.

I threatened Emory with the gun,

told him I wanted him to kill the pictures

and give me the negatives.

And he said he had nothing to do with the frame

and he knew from nothing about the negatives.

That's right.

You know, I thought maybe you had grown up,

but you meekly let him take that gun out of your hand

and you walked out of there with your tail between your legs.

- I know how it sounds. - Oh, do you?

Then you'll know why I don't buy it. None of it.

Now, you listen to me.

If you pulled the trigger of that gun and killed George Emory,

I want you to say so. In court.

You'd do almost anything for General Brandon.

If I have to, yes.

Even kill George Emory yourself.

Now, you watch it, kid.

Don't try putting this on my back.

You could have pulled the trigger too, you know?

You could have gone there.

The gun he took from me was in the study,

and you had more reason than I had,

not just for the general,

but the fact he was double-crossing you

by framing me.

Your Honor, I believe this country owes a tremendous debt

to General Roger Brandon.

He has served our nation for a lifetime with valor and with honor.

Unfortunately, we are not able to repay any part of that debt

in this courtroom today.

Because here, we are concerned with cold-blooded murder.

And here, we are obliged to prove the truth about that murder.

And the truth is, that General Brandon,

just as he fought the enemies of our country

with violence and abandon,

so he demonstrated the same characteristic violence

when he came face-to-face with his own personal enemy,

the deceased, George Emory.

Granted, that George Emory was a...

The head of a corrupt political machine

that was feeding off a small community called San Carlos.

Granted that General Brandon, by appointment of the governor,

had agreed once more to take up arms against an enemy.

He was not empowered personally to mete out justice.

That remains the province of the law.

According to the law, George Emory was murdered.

And so, Your Honor, the state will prove,

according to the law,

that General Roger Brandon is guilty of that murder.

I show you this weapon, Lieutenant Drumm,

marked People's Exhibit 1.

I ask if you recognize it.

Yes, Mr. Burger, this is the gun that we found

beside the body of the deceased.

Did you subsequently have it subjected to any tests or examinations?

Yes, sir, I was present when we tested it for fingerprints.

Let's see.

Ballistic tests were made. A bullet fired from this gun

was checked by comparison microscope

with the bullet taken from the body of the decedent.

And what were the results of these two tests?

Fingerprints of the defendant, General Brandon,

were found on the slide.

Striations on the bullet fired by Ballistics,

matched perfectly those found on the fatal bullet.

In other words, Mr. Burger,

that is identified as the murder weapon.

And did you check its registration, lieutenant?

Yes, sir, I did.

It was registered to General Brandon.

All right, lieutenant.

Now, would you relate for us, please, the events that took place

when you made the arrest in this case?

I went to the Royal Beach Motel

accompanied by the San Carlos Police

and informed General Brandon of his rights,

told him that he didn't have to make any statement,

but he ignored that.

You mean, the general did make a statement?

He admitted that he was with George Emory

at approximately the time of the murder.

Cross-examine.

Lieutenant Drumm, defense is satisfied

that the general's pistol was the death weapon

and that his fingerprints were on the gun.

Wouldn't it appear more incriminating if the weapon had been wiped clean?

And wouldn't the fact that it was not tend to indicate

that someone besides General Brandon

carried the weapon into George Emory's study?

Not to me. Unfortunately, the only other person

who could testify, other than General Brandon, is dead.

Exactly.

So that if the weapon were there in Emory's study,

it could have been used by any of his enemies,

and he had many, to kill him. Is that not correct?

Objection. JUDGE: Sustained.

Withdraw the question.

I'm, uh, through with the witness, Your Honor.

Just one moment, please.

Lieutenant Drumm,

is there any evidence at all that someone else,

someone other than General Brandon,

carried that gun into the study that night?

No, sir, none that we could find.

And even in assuming that someone else carried it in there,

would that assumption, in any way, contradict the evidence

that it was General Brandon who picked it up

and used it to kill his enemy?

I don't see how, Mr. Burger.

That's all.

Yes, I received a call from General Brandon

earlier in the evening,

asking me to come to a secret meeting in his San Carlos office.

Would you tell the court, please, why you were late

arriving at that meeting, Mr. Cummings?

Well, something had happened.

An envelope had been shoved under my door.

What did the envelope contain?

Some photographs.

Are these the photographs, Mr. Cummings,

marked People's Exhibit 2 and 3?

Are these the photographs you found in that envelope?

Yes, sir, they are.

And can you tell us now if the two people

shown in these photographs are known to you.

Oh, there's Laura Brandon, the wife of General Brandon,

and Warren Cotton, General Brandon's civilian aide.

And will you please tell us now what else you found in the envelope

that indicated the intended purpose of these photographs.

Well, there was a note in there.

It said that unless General Brandon refused the governor's appointment

to head the enforcement commission,

that these photographs of his wife and Warren

would be turned over to the newspapers.

In other words, they were to be used as blackmail.

Yes, sir.

I took the photographs and the note over to the meeting

and showed them to General Brandon.

What was the general's reaction?

He was furious.

I don't think I've ever seen a man so angry.

I think if George Emory had been there,

the general would have strangled him with his bare hands.

Objection. JUDGE: Sustained.

Clerk will strike the witness' last remarks from the record.

Did the general make any remark at that time?

Well, he said that he didn't think any man

could be so low as to strike at another man through his wife.

And after he had made that comment, what did he do?

He grabbed the photographs and the note

and stormed out of the room.

Do you know where he was going, Mr. Cummings?

To see George Emory, I suppose.

Objection.

Calling for a conclusion from the witness.

I withdraw the question, Your Honor.

I'm finished with this witness.

Mr. Mason. MASON: Your Honor,

we would prefer to delay a cross-examination of this witness

until we've had an opportunity to lay out our defense.

Witness is excused, subject to recall by the defense.

Your Honor, for purposes of this preliminary hearing,

that's all the evidence we wish to present.

We have demonstrated that General Brandon,

a professional man of violence,

reacted violently to an attempt to smear his wife's name.

We have demonstrated further that he went, by his own admission,

to the home of the man he held responsible,

and there, confronting his enemy, George Emory,

we firmly believe he then pulled the trigger on his own gun

and shot his enemy to death.

We have shown that he had motive, opportunity and the murder weapon.

And we, thus, must ask

that General Brandon be bound over for trial in superior court

for the murder of George Emory.

Then, you served in two wars with General Brandon.

Yes, sir.

Until a land mine blew up my photo jeep,

took away part of my leg.

And it was General Brandon who saved your life.

Yes, sir.

He's about the finest man I ever knew.

Objection. JUDGE: Sustained.

Witness will confine himself to direct answers.

Now, Bill, I wonder if you'd describe for us

your association with George Emory.

He set me up in business, the photo shop,

so he could use the place as a drop.

Pigeon drop?

See, Emory thought that, uh, his pigeons could make the payoff

through the store without attracting attention.

What they'd do is they'd bring in envelopes with the store name,

pretending they had pictures to be developed.

But in reality...?

All there was in the envelopes was cash,

payoff money for George Emory.

And who were these pigeons?

Everybody who did anything at all in San Carlos.

Well, anybody that wanted a zoning change,

or building permit,

okay to run a crap table, butter-and-eggs game.

Bill, I want you to look around this courtroom.

Do you, uh, recognize any of those pigeons?

I know one.

That man sitting there next to Mr. Overton.

You must be mistaken, Bill.

The gentleman you've pointed out is Mr. Frank Cummings,

the leader of the fight against the Emory machine.

Look, he was there regular as clockwork.

He was in my store every week with films to be developed.

Your Honor, I would like to recall Mr. Frank Cummings to the stand.

You've heard yourself accused of trafficking with the enemy,

doing business with George Emory,

while pretending to lead a movement to oust him from control of San Carlos.

Well, Mr. Cummings?

It's true.

I did pay off to George Emory.

But I was not pretending to lead a reform movement.

I broke off with Emory months ago.

He was bleeding me and everybody else white.

And I haven't paid him one red cent since.

And I haven't been near that photo shop.

We have only your word for that.

You've also given us your word that the envelope with the photos

was shoved under your door,

and that you don't know their origin.

Now, did you, by any chance, take them?

Of course I didn't. That's preposterous.

Or pay to have them taken?

I show you

Defense Exhibit B,

a film negative traced to George Emory

and entrusted to the care of Bill Cotton by Mr. Emory.

Now, the edge number of this cut film negative

identifies it as coming from one of your drugstores.

What does that prove?

By itself, very little.

But added to the fact that only four persons,

the general, myself, Stanley Overton, and you, Mr. Cummings,

knew about the committee meeting and the governor's appointment,

that only four of us knew about the motel room

maintained by the general and Mrs. Brandon.

Only four of us knew Warren Cotton had a personal key to that room.

Only four of us could have arranged to have taken those pictures.

But only one,

only one paid off to George Emory.

You, Mr. Cummings.

Well, what of it?

I've already admitted that.

Get Stanley Overton up here on the stand.

He'll vouch for me.

I told him everything

when I first suggested to him that we appeal to the governor

to set up this enforcement commission.

He'll tell you that it was my idea to bring you into this.

And he'll tell you that it was my idea

to get General Brandon to head this commission.

Get up here, Stanley. Get up here and tell them.

Mr. Overton, I would like to ask you a hypothetical question.

Would it be possible for a man

to pretend to oppose corruption and racketeering,

pretend to be interested in reform,

when all the while he was still cooperating closely

with the common enemy?

And by being a trusted member of the reform camp,

be able to learn every move planned to stamp out that corruption?

Well, yes, theoretically, I suppose it would be possible.

But if you're suggesting that Frank Cummings

could be capable of such duplicity,

I just will not buy that.

Every word he told you about our relationship is the truth.

Well, I'm glad to hear that.

It must be very gratifying to Mr. Cummings

to have such a staunch and loyal friend.

Now, to, uh, get back to the photographs of Warren Cotton and Mrs. Brandon,

there's one point we've all, defense and prosecution, overlooked.

Oh, what point is that, Mr. Mason?

Well, it seems obvious now

that only someone who knew about the governor's appointment

ahead of our committee meeting could have taken these pictures in time

to send them with that threatening note.

I believe that's patently obvious, Mr. Mason.

Yes, Your Honor.

But George Emory did not know about that appointment.

All along, we've assumed that he was behind this.

But he could not have been responsible.

But according to the testimony, there was no one else who had reason.

Someone playing both sides of the fence could have had reason.

Isn't that true, Mr. Overton?

Yes, I suppose so, but... Well, I've already told you that...

Then if the clue is not in these photographs,

perhaps there might be something in this negative.

It's a discarded negative.

Mr. Bill Cotton, an expert, will testify

that it would be impossible to get a clear copy from it.

And, Your Honor, that's why I requested permission

to arrange a brief demonstration.

But, Mr. Mason, the court is satisfied that the negative is worthless.

Not to George Emory, Your Honor.

It was so valuable to him, he gave it to Bill Cotton for safekeeping.

It was so valuable that someone other than the defendant,

for he was already in custody,

tried to kill Bill Cotton to obtain the negative.

It was so valuable someone tried to burn down his camera shop

to destroy the negative.

And these events took place

after that same man murdered George Emory

in an attempt to get this negative,

the negative I'm about to show you.

That's completely worthless.

You can't even make out the two people.

You can see fingerprints in the corner there,

fingerprints that photo experts verify could only have been made

by someone holding the wet negative at the time it was developed,

someone who had hired the photographer to take the shots,

not knowing that he too was being framed by George Emory

at the very same time.

Then if those prints can be identified...

Your Honor,

they already have been identified by a qualified analyst.

They're yours, Mr. Overton.

You killed George Emory

when he threatened to use that negative against you,

threatened to blacken the fine old family name

and tell the world what you'd done

to a brilliant, distinguished man that trusted you.

Now, why, Mr. Overton?

Even if you were working for or paying off to George Emory,

why would he wanna frame you?

I work for George Emory?

He was working for me.

Then you were the real boss of San Carlos?

I don't like that word, "boss,"

but nevertheless, San Carlos is my town. I run it.

George Emory was nothing, a figurehead.

I set him up in business.

And then, like so many ungrateful peasants,

he had delusions of grandeur.

He wanted to run the show himself.

He didn't need me anymore.

So when you went to him for a photographer to frame the general...

He paid the photographer to frame me using the negative,

unless I let him take over.

That was his ultimatum.

Either I give in or kill him.

That didn't leave me much choice.

It was impossible for me to give in.

It was easy, oh, so easy, to kill him.

"To Major General Roger Brandon

from the grateful citizens of San Carlos."

Grateful?

Grateful for what?

What did I do, except do my best to make a fool of myself?

One way or another, by being willing to serve,

you solved the problem, general.

The Emory machine, or I should say the Overton machine, is destroyed.

And Mr. Cummings told us they've had a flock of volunteers

for the new reform movement.

That just shows you what the example of one man can do.

I can't take credit for that.

Oh, heh, stop asking to be convinced, Roger. Keep the clubs.

You know you're mad about them.

You'd think the woman would have more respect for my rank, at least,

but she reads me off

as if I was a buck private in the rear rank.

Good for you, Mrs. Brandon.

Without a woman to keep them in line,

all men, even lawyers and general officers, would be lost.