02x11 - The Case of the Perjured Parrot

[bunniefuu]

( noirish jazz theme playing )

( mellow theme playing )

Oh! Oh, I didn't know
you were back, Charles.

I didn't hear you.

Where's Waid?
I want him.

PARROT:
Awk! Pretty Polly, pretty Polly.
Polly wanna cr*cker.

Hello, Casanova.

CASANOVA:
Polly want a cr*cker.
Awk!

Polly want a cr*cker.
Awk!

"Hello, Stephanie."

( door closes )

Are you a lazy bird?

I'm a very busy bird.

Oh, you are, are you?

CASANOVA:
Busy bird, busy bird.
Awk!

Good afternoon, Mr. Sabin.

CHARLES:
Waid,
this bird looks seedy.

You haven't been taking
good care of him.

Yes, I have,
Mr. Sabin, really.

Where the devil
are my canceled checks?

Well, they-- They should be
right there, sir.

I've gone through
all of them, you know.

My fishing gear ready?
Uh, yes, sir--

Oh, here they are.

If I get word
on those mineral rights,

I want you fly out to Denver and
pick up the options right away.

Stay in your apartment Monday
until you hear from me.

If you don't get word
by late afternoon,

go out to the airport
and wait for my call there.

I'll let you know.
Yes, sir.

Are you ready to leave
for the cabin?

I've decided to go
immediately.

We're not even packed. You said
you wanted to go tomorrow.

I've changed my mind.
We'll go right now.

Don't you talk to my mother
that way again!

I may be your stepdaughter,
but I know you!

And I know you, Helen.
I found out!

( Casanova squawks )

CASANOVA:
Pretty bird, pretty bird.

STEPHANIE:
Charles.

What did you mean when
you said you had found out?

I mean she's a thief.

And she must be
an idiot besides,

if she expected
to get away with it.

So now it's Helen, is it?

Everyone in the whole world
is trying to steal from you.

Well, this is
just too much, Charles.

I'm not going with you now.
I'm not going with you ever!

( tense theme playing )

Waid, put my things
in the car.

( dramatic theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( Casanova squawking )

( Casanova squawks )

CASANOVA:
Helen, give me that g*n.
Don't sh**t.

( squawking )

Helen, give me that g*n!
Don't sh**t!

( squawks )

Yours very truly, etc., etc.

Send that airmail,
will you, please?

Mm-hm.

This one
should interest you.

They want
a lock of your hair

to auction off
at a club benefit.

Well, you've got to be kid--

Della,
did you write this?

No! That's a bona fide request
for a lock--

( phone ringing )

Yes, Gertie?

Mrs. Charles Sabin
is here.

Um, have her come in.

Have her come in,
Gertie.

Won't you come in?

MASON:
How do you do, Mrs. Sabin?

How do you do, Mr. Mason?

This is my daughter,
Helen Watkins.

Miss Watkins.

And my secretary,
Miss Street.

Hello.
Sit down, won't you?

Thank you.

Now, then,

how can I help you,
Mrs. Sabin?

You've been
handling some of

my husband's business affairs,
haven't you, Mr. Mason?

MASON:
Yes.

He's been m*rder*d.

I saw nothing in the papers.

Well, there wasn't time.

They just found the body
this morning.

A Mr. Bascomb found him

in our cabin
up above Logan City.

The police have just been
to see me.

I'm very sorry, of course.

Oh, thank you.

I came to see you because--

She's afraid
they'll think I did it,

because I hated him!

Of course, I don't think
anything of the kind,

but I'm afraid
the police will.

You see, Casanova--

He's my husband's parrot.

--he was up there with him
at the time.

And he keeps saying
over and over:

"Helen, give me that g*n!
Don't sh**t!"

I see.

They think the parrot saw
the m*rder committed?

Or heard it.

And it's not true.

She's been with me
the whole time.

The whole time!

Now, when did it happen?

About a week ago.

They think he was k*lled
last Tuesday.

He went up to the cabin...
Saturday night.

Alone?

Yes.

We had planned to go
with him, but...

Go on, please.

Well, after he left
for the cabin,

Helen and I packed
our things,

and I drove her to
her school at Hollymount.

It's not far
from Logan City.

Then I came
right back to town

and I went
to the Windsor Hotel.

You didn't go home?

No, I had decided
to get a divorce.

I've been at the Windsor

ever since
that Saturday night,

and this bad girl,

she didn't stay at school.

She followed me
to the hotel.

Well, I don't see

that you can be in much trouble,
Miss Watkins,

if you and your mother were
together all this last week.

You can certainly find
witnesses to prove that.

The hotel register,
people who saw you together.

That's just it.

She wasn't registered
until Wednesday.

I just took her to my room.

I-I never thought

to register her
for several days,

and that was after the
police say that he was--

Mr. Mason,

I didn't
k*ll my stepfather.

Oh, of course you didn't,
darling.

Of course you didn't.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Sheriff Barnes?

That's right.
What can I do for you?

My name is Perry Mason.

Charles Sabin
was a client of mine.

Mrs. Sabin asked me come up here
and look things over.

With your permission,
of course.

This is Miss Della Street,
my secretary.

How do, ma'am?
DELLA: How do you do?

Well, I'm pleased
to meet you, Mr. Mason.

This is Mr. Langley.
You may have heard of him.

He teaches criminology
at our college here,

and lives in Logan City.

A pleasure, Mr. Langley.

How do you do?

I've asked Mr. Langley
to give me a hand on this case.

I'd appreciate any ideas

that you might have too,
of course.

Come right in, Mr. Mason.

Uh, Miss Street...

I'll just wait out here,
thank you.

All right, fine.
If you'd rather.

The parrot was
out of the cage, loose,

and the door
was propped open.

This is where
the cage was sitting.

Polly want a cr*cker?

It was nice of you to come,
but you needn't stay.

( squawking )

Who's Helen?

( squawks )

Helen, give me that g*n!
Don't sh**t! Awk!

He says that
more than anything else.

Mrs. Sabin's daughter
is named Helen.

I understand
she hated Sabin.

Yes, I know.

( Casanova squawks )

That's where
the g*n was lying.

That little circle.
No fingerprints.

Do you, uh...?

Do you know how long
the body was here

before it was discovered?

Well, we think so.

Mr. Sabin had only caught
one string of trout.

And I think that
must have been Tuesday,

the day the season opened.

He got up early.

This clock is run down,
but it was set for : .

The alarm run down too?

Oh, yes.

No doubt he was hungry

when he first got back
from fishing,

so he ate right away.

Didn't bother
to clean his fish

or put them
in the refrigerator.

( grunts )

So we can say

he was k*lled a little after
Tuesday morning,

just after
he'd had his lunch,

but before he'd had time
to clean his fish.

CASANOVA:
Helen, give me that g*n!

Don't sh**t! Awk!

Uh,
we found some clothes.

A woman's slip
and a pair of stockings.

Mrs. Sabin said
they didn't belong

to her or her daughter.

LANGELY:
What did you
expect them to say?

BARNES:
Well, they come up here
all the time.

It wouldn't mean anything if
the clothes belonged to them.

LANGLEY:
They could be trying to throw
suspicion on another woman.

BARNES:
Yeah...

Or there could be
another woman.

( knocking on door )

What is it?

I'm Richard Waid,
Mr. Sabin's secretary.

Sheriff Barnes?

That's right.
Come on in.

Thank you.

This is Mr. Edward Langley.

How do you do?
Mr. Waid.

And Mr. Perry Mason.

Mr. Waid.

Uh, Mrs. Sabin sent me up

to bring the parrot back
with me.

She also wanted me

to collect
Mr. Sabin's personal things.

I don't blame her.

Waid, where were you
last Tuesday morning at : ?

Well, I was in Denver
on business for Mr. Sabin.

What time did you leave
for Denver?

WAID:
Monday. Right after he called me
at International Airport.

Did Mr. Sabin
phone you from here?

Well, no, sir.

He said his phone
was out of order,

and he went down
to a pay-phone booth.

CASANOVA:
Let's get outta here!
Let's get outta here! Awk!

That's right.
It's dead.

Sheriff, I want to thank you
for your cooperation.

It's been a pleasure.

Glad to have met you,

and thanks for your interest
in the case.

Not at all.
Mr. Waid.

CASANOVA:
It was nice of you to come--

Mr. Langley.

( squirrel chitters )

What are you doing
to the wildlife, Della?

( squirrel chitters )

Well,
I was feeding them,

and now you've
frightened them away.

Oh, you should've seen
the first one I was feeding.

He could hold five at a time:

Two over here,

and two over here
and one right here.

And look. See the bird?

He kept swooping down and trying
to steal them from the squirrel.

What are you looking at?

That wire up there. See it?

Oh. Yeah.

MASON:
Somebody's tapped Sabin's phone.

( suspenseful theme playing )

I think I'll have a look.

You better stay here.
You'll ruin your stockings.

Oh, stockings
are expendable.

Oh.

Well, someone's
been here recently...

...and someone's been
eavesdropping.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Miss Monteith?

Yes? May I help you?

I wonder if you could tell me
who checked out a certain book

on the th of September.

It was due back today.

Why, yes, that's possible,

though it's a little trouble.

However,
if it's important...

It might be quite important.

I'm a lawyer.
My name is Mason.

It's in connection
with a case I'm working on.

The book is a cookbook
by Valentine Prosper.

Valentine--

I'll s-see if I can find it.

I'm sorry.
I can't find that card.

Perhaps you're mistaken
about the date.

No,
I'm certain of the date.

You see, it has to do
with a m*rder.

This m*rder.

Well, then, maybe
you could come back later.

Tomorrow, when we're
not quite so busy.

I think the police
will be here quite soon.

I'm sure they'll insist
you drop everything

to find that card.

Mr. Mason...

Could I please talk to you?

Of course.

Ever since yesterday,

I've been looking
at the paper

and trying not to believe,

and afraid
I had to believe.

Even thinking of
telling the police.

Could I talk to you first?

You see,

I took that book.

It'll be a little awkward
talking here.

Is there someone
who can take over for you?

Yes. Miss Fairchild.

The park is nearby.
Would that be all right?

( suspenseful theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

I've been working
in the library

for about six months.

I came here from the east.

You know, I--

I never realized
how lonely I was

until George Wallman
came along.

George Wallman?

Yes, this--
This is his picture.

That's the way he looked.

Charles Sabin.

Oh, I know he was
a good deal older than I,

but, you see,
it didn't matter.

I had waited a long time
for the right man.

You met at the library?

Yes, we became acquainted

because we both enjoyed
the same kinds of books.

He had the most wonderful
philosophy.

I thought he was the nicest,
kindest man I'd ever known.

And then,

two weeks ago, we--

We went to Las Vegas
and got married quietly.

And you spent your honeymoon
in that cabin?

Yes.

Exactly...

when was that?

Well, we arrived
September the th

and left on the th.

That was Saturday morning.

George said that the own--

The owner wanted to use it
for a few days.

And you left the book there.

Did you leave anything else?

Yes.

A slip
and a pair of stockings.

Yes.

And-- And a g*n.

You know, I--

I have the most awful feeling

it was that g*n
that k*lled my husband.

Tell me about it.

Well, when I used to work
in the library at night,

I was the last one to leave,

and they thought
I should have it,

so I-- I put the g*n

in the glove compartment
of my car,

and on the way up to the cabin,
George found it.

He took it into the cabin?

Yes.

Where did you go
after your honeymoon?

He said he had to go away
for a few days.

He didn't say where,
but he was very cheerful.

He...

He was certainly mysterious.

Yes, I--
I told him that,

and he just asked me
if I believed him,

and I had to tell him I did.

I trusted him
with my whole life.

And now that part's gone,

and I don't want
the rest without him.

I'm-- I'm sorry.

Feel like going on?

That's all.

I never saw him again,

and I never heard
from him again.

Anything.

They'll trace the book
to you, of course.

And if it was your g*n
that k*lled Mr. Sabin,

they'll trace that too.

Do you understand?

Did you locate Paul?

Uh-huh. He's checking
on all long-distance calls

that were made
from Mr. Sabin's cabin

since he went there
Saturday night.

Do-- Do you think
they'll think I k*lled him?

Yes.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Come right in,
Mr. Bascomb.

Sheriff.

This is Mr. Sprague,
our district attorney.

Mr. Sprague.
How do you do?

Have a seat,
Mr. Bascomb?

Thank you.

Smoke?

Uh, no thanks.

Come on in, Miss Monteith.
This'll just take a second.

I want you
to take a good look

at this gentleman here,
Miss Monteith,

and tell us
if you know him.

Do you ever remember
seeing him before?

No, I-- I'm sure
I've never met this gentleman.

And I--

I don't ever
remember seeing him.

All right. That's all.

That's the woman, all right.
No question about it.

She was driving up
towards Sabin's cabin

along about : , : .

The road's
real narrow there.

Had to slow down
to a crawl to pass.

I got
a good look at her.

Hi, Perry.

I was just about to call you.

Turned up something?

Yeah.

Not about the phone calls,

but some
of the other things.

First, there's a will.

It divides the property

between Mrs. Sabin and
Charles' brother, Arthur Sabin.

That's the first
I've heard of him.

Anything else on him?

No, not yet.

But I've got
what you wanted to know

about the daughter,
Helen Watkins.

She did not go right
to the Windsor Hotel

like her mother said.

She didn't arrive there
till Tuesday.

Registered
or not registered,

the maids know
how many beds were slept in.

Do you know where she was
during that time?

Uh-huh.
She'd run away from school

and was working in a restaurant
in Logan City.

Her mother found her
and took her to the hotel.

Perry,
is she your client?

No, I just agreed to look
into the general situation

because Mrs. Sabin was afraid

the police
might suspect Helen.

I have a hunch
she was holding back on me.

In fact, I think
she's very much afraid

that Helen did k*ll
her husband.

I better see her again.

Stay with it,
will you, Paul?

Mm-hm.

STEPHANIE:
Of course, I was completely
stunned to learn about it.

Yet I don't suppose
that Charles would have had

any moral scruples
against bigamy.

It probably amused him
to live two lives at once.

I suppose it might have.

Well, in any case,

we can stop worrying
about Helen now.

This...woman
is obviously guilty.

The parrot was saying
"Ellen," of course.

But I do thank you
for standing by.

Not at all.

You, um...

You understand,
my cousin Stanley is a lawyer,

so naturally, I'll--

That is, he will probably
handle things for me

with regard to the estate.

Since he is my cousin,
that's no reflection--

I understand perfectly.

I'm delighted you have

someone to handle the matter
for you, Mrs. Sabin.

Oh, good.
Well...

And by the way,

what do you know about
Arthur Sabin, Charles' brother?

Well, very little, really.

Where does he live?

I-I don't know.

He's rather a strange man,
I gather.

Just drifts from one place
to another, I think.

I've never met him.

Were they fond
of each other?

I believe so, in a way.

Charles once said
that Arthur was

the only man in the world
he could really trust.

Well, goodbye,

and thank you very much
for coming.

Goodbye.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

MASON:
And Paul Drake,
my private investigator,

reports that Mr. Sabin
telephoned you, Mr. Bolding.

Yes. I got a call from Mr. Sabin
on Monday the th,

about in the afternoon.

He discovered
several forged checks

along with
his last bank statement.

About $ , ,
as a matter of fact.

He thought he knew
who the forger was,

and had sent me the checks

along with a sample
of handwriting to compare.

May I see them?

Yes.

MASON:
Whose handwriting
is on the letter?

BOLDING:
The stepdaughter,
Helen Watkins.

Did she forge the checks?

Definitely not.

Was Sabin pleased about that
when he called Monday?

Oh, I don't know.

He merely said he'd send
along some samples

of some other people's
handwriting,

but I never got them.

I see.

When you told the police
about this,

did they come here and examine
the checks and the letter?

Yes, uh, Sheriff Barnes
and a Mr. Langley

went into it
rather thoroughly.

But they didn't take the letter
and the checks as evidence,

just told me to be sure
I could produce them

if they were called for.

I don't think they feel

these were connected
with the m*rder.

Thank you again,
Mr. Bolding.

I appreciate your help.

Not at all.

( dramatic theme playing )

MAN:
All we want to get at is
the facts.

We want to find out
how this man d*ed.

Somebody k*lled him.

If we know who it was,
then we'll say so.

But if we're not sure,
we won't say.

Now, we're not here
to try anybody for anything.

We're just here to determine
how Charles Sabin met his death

up in that cabin.

Now, the coroner--
That's me.

--is in charge of inquest.

The district attorney here

asks questions
generally when he wants to.

That doesn't mean
he runs the inquest.

It just means
he's here to help us.

Also, we have
Mr. Perry Mason with us.

He represents
Miss Monteith,

who's being held on suspicion
of m*rder in this case,

as you probably all know.

He's going to be allowed
to ask questions.

And of course,
you, the jury,

is allowed
to ask questions.

I want it understood

there's not going to be
any technicalities

or any long-winded
objections.

We're just gonna move
right along with this thing

and try
to dig up the facts.

If I get my order of proof
all cockeyed

or something like that,
that's my responsibility.

Now then--

Of course,
the coroner's idea

of what is a technicality
may be different from mine,

in which event--

In which event
what the coroner thinks

is what's gonna count.
( crowd laughs )

I think first we'll hear

from the neighbor
who discovered the body.

Come up here.

Then when I didn't see him
all that week,

I guessed he'd been
called back to Los Angeles.

But when I drove
by his place last Monday,

I noticed
the car was still there.

Now, I thought
that was kind of funny,

so I went up
and looked in the window,

and there he was.

Now, I--
Wait a minute.

Members of the jury,

I'm not going to ask you

to do more than take
a quick look at the body,

'cause on account
of the weather

and the length of time
before it was discovered.

But I can say this:

We got a record of
Charles Sabin's fingerprints

from Washington,

and no mistake about
the fingerprints being the same.

Now, then, uh,

what did you see
in the window?

Well, I couldn't see
too much,

on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.

But the body
was clear enough,

and there was this parrot
walking around squawking,

and I saw his papers

on the table
where he'd been working.

His boots, fly rod,
and the parrot, like I said.

I guess that's about all.

Any questions
of this witness, Ray?

Mr. Bascomb,
when you drove up there

on Tuesday the th,

did you see anyone

that you later regarded
as significant?

Yes.

Miss Monteith over there.

Ellen,
why were you there?

I thought if the owner
had left the cabin,

I might get my things.

But when I saw
the car there,

I drove on by.

All right.

Any questions
of this witness, Mr. Mason?

Uh, yes, if you please.

You said
you didn't see Mr. Sabin

during that week,
Mr. Bascomb.

Would you normally
have expected to see him?

As a rule, yes,
only not so much this year.

Oh?

You see, there's a piece
of stream up there.

The best fishing water runs
through private property.

Well, Sabin had bought that

and posted "Keep out,
no fishing" signs there.

So I assumed he could be
fishing in there.

He'd done that recently?

Yes.

Matter of fact, I was trying
to buy that property myself.

He must have heard about it.

Anyway, he stepped in
and bought it. Doubled my price.

Hmph.
That's the way he operated.

He had no friends

where a dollar
was concerned.

I don't suppose that did

the business at your lodge
much good.

It certainly did not.

So you didn't go
or let any of your guests go

into that area to fish?

With those signs up there?

Ha! He'd just as soon
sh**t you

as not if he could do it
legally.

And during that week,

you didn't see or hear
anything that would indicate

that Charles Sabin
was dead or alive?

No. No, I didn't,
and that's a fact.

Thank you, Mr. Bascomb.

Thank you, Mr. Templet.

That will be all,
Mr. Bascomb.

Now, I think we'll have
the sheriff tell us

what he found when he first
went up to the cabin.

Results of the lab report
and all that.

It'll probably
take us up to just about

time to adjourn for lunch.

( suspenseful theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( crowd chattering )

All right, all right,
let's come to order,

Let's get to work.

What's this?

This is the parrot

who was undoubtedly
an eyewitness to the m*rder.

It was nice of you to come,
but you needn't stay.

( whistles )

Who's Helen?

Awk! Let's get outta here.
Awk! Whoo-hoo.

Who's Helen?

CASANOVA:
Helen, give me that g*n!
Don't sh**t! Awk!

Helen, give me that g*n!
Don't sh**t!

I want his words made
a part of the record.

Awk!

I'll have a martini. Awk!

( gulping )

( crowd laughing )

Just a moment.

Am I to understand

you're adopting this parrot
as a witness?

The parrot made a perfectly
audible statement,

and I want it
in the record.

But he hasn't been sworn.

Don't be ridiculous.
You can't swear a parrot!

Also, if he's going
to be a witness,

I think I have the right
to cross-examine.

I didn't say
he had to be a witness.

I said that he made
a perfectly plain statement,

and I want it
in the record.

Now that's clear enough,
isn't it?

CASANOVA:
Awk! I'll have a martini. Awk!

( gulping )
( crowd laughs )

All right, all right,
just a minute.

The parrot can't be a witness,
of course,

but he did
say something.

What those words are
is going in the record

for what they're worth.

I think the jury understands
the situation.

Now, then,

did I understand
you wish to cross-examine?

Uh, why, uh...

Why, yes,
if you don't mind.

Go ahead.

I'd like to enlist
Mrs. Sabin's help, if I may.

Mrs. Sabin, will you
come forward, please?

Mrs. Sabin,

I take it that Casanova
has quite a vocabulary.

Yes, he has,
except that...

Except what?

I've never heard him say
some of these things.

Mrs. Sabin, do you think
this bird is Casanova?

Well, he looks like him,
but I'm not sure.

Does Casanova have
any particular tricks?

Yes. If you extend
your finger and say--

Will you show us
what you mean, please?

( squawks )
Aah!

( squawks )
Oh!

( squawks )
Ooh!

He's supposed to
get on my finger.

Casanova,
are you a lazy bird?

I'll have a martini. Awk!

( crowd laughing )

Oh, Mr. Mason, this bird
is definitely not Casanova.

He always says,
"I'm a very busy bird."

Thank you, Mrs. Sabin.
That will be all.

Does it make any difference

whether this is Casanova
or not, Mr. Mason?

Just so it's the same parrot
that was in the room

when the body was discovered.

There's no doubt about that,
is there, Mr. Sheriff?

That's right. There's no doubt
about the parrot.

It's been in my custody.

Mr. Bascomb, what about it?

That the same bird?

That's the same bird,
all right.

I don't know whether
the coroner knows it,

but the moment that
Perry Mason entered the case,

Charles Sabin's secretary
showed up

and tried to take
the bird away.

Now, hold on,
Mr. District Attorney.

How do you know that
Perry Mason is in the back

of this attempt
to take the bird?

I don't know,
but there's no law

that tells me
I can't do my own thinking.

Cover the bird.

I'd like to call on
Miss Monteith next,

but since she's being held
on suspicion of m*rder,

Mr. Mason will probably
have her decline

to answer
any questions.

On the contrary,
I'm perfectly willing

for Miss Monteith to answer
any reasonable questions.

But I must confess,
I do not see the value

in her testimony
at this point.

Well, I can.

Maybe we'd better
call on Mr. Langley first.

Then the jury will have
the benefit of his testimony

when they hear hers.

Mr. Langley, would you
take the stand, please?

Now, what I want here
is for Mr. Langley to tell us

what he thinks
of the different things

the sheriff described
in the cabin,

the results
of the lab report.

What he thinks
they indicate.

You'll probably
object to this

as a conclusion
of the witness.

But seems to me
we have a man here

with a lot
of valuable background.

I think the jury
ought to have the benefit.

Oh, I quite agree.

It seems to me
a perfectly proper way

to get at the ultimate facts
of the case.

Good.

All right,
you go ahead, Mr. Langley.

Thank you. Ahem.

Well...

the evidence is conclusive

that Ellen Monteith
k*lled Charles Sabin.

First, she had motive.

Now, Sabin had married her
under an assumed name

and placed her in the position
of a bigamous wife.

Second, the m*rder w*apon
was registered to her,

and, uh, well,
she admits it was hers.

And third,
she was present at the cabin

at exactly the time
Sabin was k*lled,

between and
Tuesday morning the th,

So... Well,
she had the opportunity.

How do you fix
the exact time?

LANGLEY:
We know that
Sabin was at the cabin

on the evening
of Monday the th

because he telephoned
from there.

We know he got up
early the next morning,

because the alarm was set
for : .

Now, he had a hasty breakfast

of two eggs,
some bacon, and coffee

and went out and caught
a limit of fish.

Now, when he got back
between and --

How do you know
when he got back?

Well, uh,
h-he couldn't have caught

a limit of fish
much earlier than that.

TEMPLET:
Why couldn't it
have been later?

LANGLEY:
For one, Sabin was wearing

a sweater and slacks.

Now, the sun doesn't hit
the roof of that cabin

till, uh, oh,
a little after .

But when it does,
that room heats up very rapidly

and stays hot
till about : ,

So i-it had to be
before noon,

or, uh, he'd--

He'd have been
uncomfortable in a sweater.

Why couldn't it have been
after : ?

Because there was a fire
laid in the fireplace,

and it hadn't been lighted.

If it was after
and had started to cool off,

he'd have lighted his fire
for the evening.

I see.

Well, that seems to cover
the situation very thoroughly.

Go ahead.

May I ask a question or two?

Certainly.

Just a couple
of little points

I'm not quite straight on,
Mr. Langley.

As I understand it,

Sabin was so hungry
when he got back from fishing

that he stopped to fix
himself something to eat

before cleaning the fish
or putting them away.

Yes.

And apparently he also laid
a fire in the fireplace

before putting the fish away.

Why the rush to do that?

Well, he--

He must have laid
the fire the night before.

And according to your theory,
he either laid that fire

Monday night
on top of hot ashes,

or else
he laid it the next day,

right after getting back
from fishing

and before cleaning his fish.

Now, does either one
seem logical to you?

Well, it's a minor item.

You frequently encounter
trivialities

which aren't quite consistent
with the, uh--

The broad picture.

All right.

Now, I believe the alarm clock,
which was set at : ,

was on the table by the bed.

That's correct.

Is it your experience,
Mr. Langley,

as an expert interpreter
of circumstantial evidence,

that a sleeper will permit
an alarm to completely run down

without shutting it off?

I believe he didn't even
bother to shut it off.

H-he was in a hurry
to go fishing.

Despite the fact that he was
in a hurry to go fishing,

he stopped
to fix his breakfast,

washed his dishes,
made the bed,

and then he laid a fire
in the fireplace.

All this is absurd!

Yes, it is...

If you assume
that Mr. Sabin was k*lled

on the morning
of Tuesday the th.

But there's nothing absurd
about it when you realize

that he was actually k*lled
the night before.

Monday?!

Why, that's impossible!

The fishing season didn't open
until Tuesday morning,

and Charles Sabin
would never have fished

before the season opened.

Why, we know that from
a dozen different sources.

I'm sure Mr. Sabin
wouldn't have fished early.

But do you think his m*rder*r

would have had the same respect
for the game laws?

Now, just a minute,
Mr. Langley.

Mr. Mason has drawn some
entirely different conclusions

from this evidence,

and I want to hear
his explanation.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Well, everything indicates
that Sabin was k*lled

on Monday night
instead of Tuesday morning.

The bed was made
because it hadn't been slept in.

The alarm had run down

because the only occupant
of the cabin was dead

when it went off.

There was still a fire laid
in the fireplace

because he hadn't used it
on Monday night.

The fact that Mr. Sabin
had put a sweater on

places the time of the m*rder
at around in the afternoon.

It was cooling off,

but it still hadn't gotten
cool enough for a fire.

Anything else?

Yes.

The m*rder*r
was someone Sabin knew,

because he let him in.

It was someone
who had planned the m*rder,

because he had gone
to the trouble

of finding a similar parrot

and then taking
weeks or months

to teach the parrot lines

which would subsequently divert
suspicion from himself.

What about the fish
and the g*n?

Well, he caught the fish
for the purpose

of confusing the police
about the time.

Now, it may be he knew
the g*n was in the cabin,

or it may be he saw it
after he got there

and decided to use it

instead of whatever w*apon
he had with him.

How could Sabin
have been k*lled

at : Monday afternoon

and still call his secretary
long-distance

that night at : ?

He couldn't.

You think the deceased
didn't call Mr. Waid

at the airport
that night, then?

I'm convinced he didn't.

You're excused,
Mr. Langley.

Let's just find out

what Mr. Waid has to say
about this.

Will you take the stand,
please, Mr. Waid?

Just a minute, young man!

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear the
testimony you're about to give

to be the whole truth
and nothing but the truth,

so help you God?

I do.

Be seated.

Mr. Mason, you got us started
down this track.

Do you wanna question him?

Very well.

Mr. Waid, did you receive
a telephone call at the airport

from Mr. Sabin
at : on Monday night?

No.

Were you at his cabin
that afternoon at : ?

No!

When were you there?

Look, Mr. Mason,
I didn't k*ll him.

He was already dead.

Perhaps you'd better
tell us about it.

All right,
I'll tell you about it.

I was financially involved.

I had forged some--
Some checks

in order to get
some working capital.

I was going to return
the money,

but Mr. Sabin came back
unexpectedly

and found my account short.

Since you, uh...

Since you claim
you didn't k*ll him,

will you admit
that as a last alternative

you were planning
to k*ll him?

I must have been insane.

I could never have
gone through with it.

When I saw him
lying there dead,

I didn't know what to do.

But you had planned to k*ll him
that Monday at the cabin?

Yes, if it worked out.

And then I went to
a little shack near the cabin,

where I tapped the phone.

You took the parrot with you?

Yes.

I bought him--

I bought him
several months ago

and taught him
to say those things,

just to confuse matters.

I knew they wouldn't go too hard
on Helen. She's only a kid.

The real Casanova
is at my apartment.

What happened
when you got to the shack?

Well, when I--

When I heard him talk
to Denver,

I-I knew I could go there
and attend to the business.

And right after that,
he spoke to Bolding.

Well, don't you see?

I couldn't have
k*lled him then.

Bolding had
the forged checks,

and they were bound
to be found out.

And the police would know
that I'd forged them.

I didn't dare to k*ll him.

And then?

Well, then I...

I decided to throw myself
at his mercy.

When I got there,
he was dead.

Was the door
to the cabin locked?

Yes.

But I have a key,
and when there was no answer,

I-- I opened it and went in.

And there he was,
lying on the floor.

And even though you had
nothing to do with his death,

you still went ahead

and set up
this complicated alibi.

But Bolding had the forged
checks, don't you see?

They were bound to think
that I was the k*ller.

I wasn't sure
my alibi was right,

but it was my only hope then.

I had to go through with it.

All right.
Exactly what did you do?

Well, then I went
back to the shack

and got the fish I'd caught
and the parrot I'd trained,

and I brought them back.

And then I

wound and set
the alarm clock

and I put the phone
out of order.

Then I took Casanova
back to my apartment

and I went out to the airport
and hung around

a pay-phone booth
for several hours

where plenty of people
could see me.

And then, near : ,
when nobody was near,

I pretended to hear
the phone ring,

and I answered it.

Then I caught
the : plane to Denver.

That's about all, I guess.

That's just about enough,
I'd say!

Sheriff, put this man in custody

on suspicion of m*rder.

We'll file formal charges
when we're through here,

and that shouldn't
take much longer.

You don't believe him?

Believe him?

Why, it's the flimsiest,
most obvious fabrication

I've ever heard.

Don't tell me
you believe him.

Why, yes, I think I do.

What?

Are you serious,
Mason?

Quite serious.

Perhaps if I might ask
another question or two?

Well, go ahead.

Mr. Waid, did you leave
everything at Mr. Sabin's cabin

exactly as you found it

except for the things
that you told us about?

Yes, sir.

Now, the g*n was wiped clean
of fingerprints.

Did you do that?

Oh, no, I figured if
there were any prints on it,

I sure didn't want
to disturb them.

What about
Mr. Sabin's papers?

Well,
I did look through them

to see if any of my checks
were among them.

Then you left the papers
just as they were?

Well, no. As soon
as I finished with them,

I put them all
into a briefcase

just to get them
out of the way.

And when you left, the papers
were all in the briefcase?

Well, yes, sir.

But when you arrived
at the cabin

on the day
Sabin was m*rder*d,

you found the papers
lying on the table?

Yes, sir.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Would you please read back

that part of
Mr. Bascomb's testimony?

The part where
the coroner asked him, uh,

what he saw when he looked
in the window?

Yes, sir.

Let's see...
When would that be?

There was just four lines,
probably or pages ago.

Bascomb:
"I couldn't see too much,

"on account of the reflections
in the glass, you know.

"But the body
was clear enough,

"and this parrot,
walking around squawking.

"I could see his papers

on the table
where he'd been working--"

Hold it. Just a minute.
And you mean Bascomb.

Where is he?!

Why, um, he walked out.

( crowd chattering )

You saw him leave
and didn't stop him?

Isn't it a further
indication of guilt?

George!

Oh, George!

There, there, dear.
It's all right.

Perry, what--?

Miss Monteith,

or perhaps I should say
Mrs. George Wallman,

has just discovered that her
husband isn't dead after all.

What?

Then you mean she wasn't
married to Charles Sabin at all?

That's right.

But I have an idea she still
doesn't know who she is.

I think she's really
Mrs. Arthur Sabin.

TEMPLET:
Arthur Sabin?

That's right.

I'm Arthur Sabin,

although I haven't used
the name in quite a while.

Just a minute. This thing's
getting out of hand.

It usually does,
Mr. Coroner.

When it comes to m*rder,
it happens all the time.

( dramatic theme playing )

Now, I wouldn't say
that Arthur and Charles Sabin

looked that much alike,
would you?

Well, enough to understand how
Ellen could make a mistake.

Remember, you saw Arthur before
he had a chance to dress up.

He'd just returned
from the desert this morning.

He came here just
as soon as he saw a paper.

Hey,
come to think about it,

you weren't even surprised
when you saw him.

Did you know about this
all the time?

No, but it had been
bothering me.

How could Charles Sabin
be such a total loss to everyone

and still be
George Wallman,

the kindest, gentlest man
Ellen had ever known?

That's why Arthur
changed his name--

Excuse me.
--from Sabin to Wallman,

because everybody kept trying
to reach Charles through him.

And you take this Waid.

Now, if you knew he was
lying about his alibi--

Why didn't everything else
point to him?

Exactly.
Well, it did.

At first
I thought that Bascomb

had made an honest mistake
about seeing those papers.

But when the secretary Waid
came out

with the logical story
of putting the papers away,

why, everything fit.

That ought to teach you
a lesson, Miss Street.

How do you mean?

Waid saved his life by
putting those papers away.

If you're going to be
a secretary,

you'd better be neat.

( all laughing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( noirish jazz theme playing )