1181 - January 4, 1971

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NARRATOR: Collinwood in the year ,

a time of peril for all who bear the Collins name,

but especially for Quentin Collins

who is on trial as a warlock.

On this day, the prosecution has shown the court

that he possessed some mysterious power

which enabled him to rouse the spirit

of a young woman named Joanna Mills.

The prosecution has maintained that this proves

its case against Quentin, and has asked

the court to render an immediate verdict against him.

A verdict which could cost him his life.

It's all right.

What surprises me is that Dawson

didn't bring up the letter before.

They can't possibly grant his motion.

I've been here longer than you have.

They can do anything they please.

They're ready.

[gavel bangs]

This tribunal has considered

the prosecutor's motion very carefully

and is ready to render a decision.

It is the opinion of all three judges here

that the prosecution--

[dramatic music]

May I ask the reason for this interruption?

I've come to offer testimony in this trial.

My name is Joanna Mills.

[dramatic music]

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What did you say your name was?

JOANNA: Joanna Mills.

JUDGE: Will you step forward to the bench, young woman.

Well your honor, this is some kind of a gigantic hoax.

The court wishes to speak to this young woman, Mr. Dawson.

Quentin, is this Joanna?

I don't believe it, but yes it's Joanna.

Your honor my name has been mentioned in this trial.

That is why I am here, to give testimony.

Your honor I must ask the court

not to allow this woman to take the stand.

JUDGE: On what grounds, Mr. Dawson?

On the rather obvious ground that she

cannot possibly be Joanna Mills.

Joanna Mills is dead.

I have offered in the testimony

the transcript of her death certificate.

This woman is an imposter.

Now wait a minute, Mr. Dawson.

You have introduced into evidence a death certificate,

but it couldn't possibly be the death certificate

of this young woman unless you believe

that this woman you see standing

before you is dead, is that what you're saying?

No, of course that's not what I'm saying.

Is counsel willing to admit that this woman is alive?

Of course I admit that.

This is ridiculous!

Then the defense urges the court

to allow this woman to testify.

The defendant is willing to swear

that this is Joanna Mills.

The defendant will swear to anything to save his neck!

JUDGE: Mr. Dawson--

My apologies, your honor, but I maintain

that this woman is here as a trick

on the part of the defense.

They are trying to make this trial a mockery of justice.

It seems to me that the prosecution

has already done a good job of that.

Gentlemen, gentlemen!

Now stop this bickering.

It's getting us nowhere.

Now the pertinent question before this court,

is the identify of this young woman.

If we can prove that she is Joanna Mills

then we will be very willing to hear what she has to say.

BARNABAS: I think that I have

a solution to that, your honor.

JUDGE: Speak up Mr. Collins.

Your honor, the best argument

for allowing this woman to testify

was given by the prosecution himself.

What are you talking about?

Wasn't it Mr. Dawson himself

who first informed the tribunal of what

Joanna Mills actually looked like?

I refer to the sketch that he himself

introduced into evidence not more than an hour ago.

All the tribunal has to do is to

look at the sketch, give it a study,

and decide whether the likeness

is of that woman standing here.

I object to that, your honor.

Objection overruled, we will even

go a step further, Mr. Collins.

We will take a sample of this young woman's handwriting

and study it together with the self-portrait.

Now we are prepared to confer on this matter

and render a decision at : pm.

[ominous music]

Court is adjourned until that time.

[gavel bangs]

Oh I truly regret that Quentin's trial

is not for public display.

I would so much like to be there

to see the final plannings put to use.

Oh well, I believe Charles will probably

reenact the whole situation for me.

Oh what's the matter my dear?

You're not enjoying my enjoyment.

I can't forget what happened last night.

Who left those letters in the--

I told you, I don't know.

It can only be the ghost of Joanna Mills.

She's come back to haunt us.

Why would she come back at this particular time?

I don't know about such things, Gerard.

Maybe it's because I've been writing

those letters in her name, I don't know!

Yes, you started writing those letters

to Daphne and Quentin a long time ago.

Well why didn't she appear then?

I don't know.

I don't know anything anymore Gerard, hold me.

Hold me and tell me that everything is all right.

Yes my dear, everything is just perfect.

Today Trask is nailing shut the coffin on Quentin Collins.

He's testifying about the letter.

Wait a minute, you told me that Dawson

would not introduce that letter as testimony.

He didn't want to, my dear,

but when he saw that Barnabas

could tear Trask's testimony apart, he had no other choice

and so right now, three judges are sitting

in conference waiting to give

that verdict to Quentin Collins.

Maybe it's all over

right now.

Quite possibly, my dear.

Quite possibly.

Barnabas, I don't see how they can refuse

to let Joanna take the stand.

Of course they will, and when they do

Dawson's case will be ruined.

He's had his setbacks before,

he always turns up with something else.

Quentin, may I speak to you, alone?

QUENTIN: Barnabas, do you mind?

Of course not.

Are you glad to see me, Quentin?

Yes, of course.

I'm just I think in a state of shock.

You see, everyone was convinced that you were dead.

JOANNA: I know, I was shocked when I found out.

Joanna there are a lot of things I don't understand.

Quentin, it's almost : and we have very little time.

I just wanted to see you again, alone,

the way we used to see each other.

Now listen to me, for the past several weeks

I've been receiving notes from you in your handwriting.

Now thinking you were dead, I couldn't understand

how the notes got to Collinwood.

Now that you're alive, perhaps

you can explain to me.

Are you asking me if I wrote them

or if I sent them to you?

Both.

JOANNA: Well I did not send them to you.

As for my having written them,

I'd have to see them to answer that.

They were in your handwriting, I'm certain of that.

I did write several notes to you

while I was in the sanitarium.

But believe me, Quentin, I did not send them to you.

I don't know how you could've received them.

Well somebody's responsible for it.

Perhaps the same person who's

responsible for my being in here.

You're not going to be here much longer, darling.

I'm going to do everything in my power to help clear you.

You're in serious trouble and you need me.

I was always there when you needed me.

Do you remember, Quentin?

Yes, I remember, but--

JOANNA: But what darling?

Do you know that your sister's at Collinwood?

Living in Collinwood?

I had no idea.

She's been there several months.

But she didn't know the Collinses.

What made her come there?

Well the fact that you were dead.

She thought I did it.

I don't understand.

She came back to avenge your death.

But surely after she met you

she must have realized that you couldn't harm anyone.

Well, that's true, but things,

things changed after that, quite a bit.

I want to see Daphne as soon as possible.

Before you do, I think we ought to have a long talk.

I know, darling.

We have so much talking to do.

I'm sure so much happened while I was thought dead.

Yes a lot of things have happened.

And several things have changed.

Well first we're going to see that

you get your freedom back, and then you

and I will have all the time we want to talk.

Joanna, I think we ought to talk first.

Quentin, I'm sorry to intrude

but the judges have announced that they're ready.

[gavel bangs]

This tribunal has studied the motion

and has decided that the woman

who announced herself as Joanna Mills

is indeed Joanna Mills and the court

will hear what she has to say.

You will take the stand, Miss Mills.

Do you swear that the testimony

you're about to give this court

shall be the truth, all the truth,

and nothing but the truth so help you God?

I do.

Your honor I must object again.

If this woman is Joanna Mills,

then I say she is not fit to testify

because her last known residence

was in an asylum from which incidentally she escaped.

Your honor, are we to go through

the ordeal of questioning this woman's insanity?

JUDGE: No we are not, Mr. Collins.

The prosecutor's objection is overruled.

Exception!

JUDGE: You take the stand.

Since the forthcoming piece of testimony is unprecedented

I would like to know just whose witness this woman is to be.

At the moment, Mr. Dawson, she is the court's witness

but you and the counsel for the defense

will have ample chance to question her later.

Thank you, your honor.

JUDGE: Now Miss Mills, is it true

that you escaped from an asylum?

I was there, but I did not escape.

I decided one day that I didn't need

to be there anymore, so I left.

Without telling anyone that you were leaving?

JOANNA: Yes that's right.

Oh, will you tell us why you were in this asylum?

I was quite emotionally disturbed

and I needed to be helped.

JUDGE: Would you tell us what was the cause

of this emotional disturbance?

I was in love with a man who

I knew could never be mine.

I see, well from the records that we have seen,

you were declared dead when your body was found.

It washed ashore below the Bedford cliffs.

Now what do you have to say to that?

Your honor, I know nothing of that

except that obviously a great mistake was made.

After I left the asylum, I went to Boston

and began to live a very quiet life.

Gentlemen, the court has no further questions.

Mr. Dawson, do you wish to interrogate the witness?

The prosecution still contends that this woman

is not a valid witness in the case

therefore the prosecution has no questions, your honor.

JUDGE: Mr. Collins, you may cross-examine the witness.

Thank you your honor.

Miss Mills, you stated that your emotional disturbance

stemmed from your love of a man you knew you could not have.

Are you willing to identify that man now?

I was and am in love with Quentin Collins.

How long ago did you return to Collinsport?

Three days ago.

Why did you return?

I wanted to see him again.

Why?

To resume your illicit affair?

To try to destroy some other Collin's marriage?

BARNABAS: Objection.

Sustained, come Mr. Dawson.

Your opinions are out of order.

Now you were given a chance to interrogate

this witness and you declined it.

Now this court will entertain

any valid objections you may have

but I have to ask you to keep

your personal emotions under control.

Go on, Mr. Collins.

Now Miss Mills.

There has been introduced into this trial a letter

that the prosecution alleges was left on a tree

by the spirit of someone they think is you.

Do you have any knowledge of this letter?

Yes I do.

Will you tell the court who wrote it?

I did.

BARNABAS: And how did you come to write this letter?

Well, the evening I decided to visit Quentin at Collinwood

on my way there, I stopped by a place

in the woods where we used to meet.

A large oak tree.

We used to leave notes for each other there.

Then when I moved close to it I was very surprised

to discover a note for me from Quentin.

I thought someone, somehow he had learned

that I was back and that was his way of surprising me,

so I decided to return his surprise by answering his note.

Then, when I returned to the village,

I found out that Quentin didn't know

I was back because he was on trial for his life.

I don't know where that first note

came from, or what it was doing in the tree.

Miss Mills, the defense is grateful for your testimony.

You may leave the stand.

Your honor, I think it is very clear

that clearly established that there

was nothing supernatural about this letter.

The spirit that Mr. Trask thought he saw

was obviously someone who's alive.

This witness.

Their testimony shows that there was absolutely

no communication between the living and the dead.

In the light of Joanna Mills' testimony,

I move that the testimony of Lamar Trask

be stricken from the record.

This tribunal is willing to consider that motion.

[dramatic music]

[gavel bangs]

It is the opinion of this tribunal

that the remarks made by Miss Mills under oath

clearly invalidate the earlier testimony of Lamar Trask.

Your honor this is outrageous!

Let me finish, Mr. Dawson!

Therefore, the motion of the defense is granted.

And the testimony of Lamar Trask is stricken from the record

and it is the further finding of this court

that Miss Mills' testimony has raised

some rather serious questions

regarding certain events and evidence in this trial.

I would ask that the court clarify that statement.

I believe it has become very obvious

not only to the court, Mr. Dawson,

but to all of us here that someone

is deliberately trying to incriminate the defendant.

I was addressing the court, Mr. Collins, not you.

Mr. Dawson, the court is now most curious

about some earlier testimony concerning

the appearance of a so-called ghost at Collinwood

but I am sure that the defense is amply prepared

to deal with that subject.

I am, your honor.

Your honor, I would like at this time

to request a recess.

That request is granted.

This court is recessed until : tomorrow morning.

[gavel bangs]

Charles, I can't believe it.

She, she actually appeared?

She took the stand?

Well how do you explain this?

I told you it was too dangerous to use that letter.

Wait a minute Charles, are you absolutely sure?

Oh of course I'm sure.

Well explain it!

I am not interested in explaining it,

I tell you Gerard, we had him.

We had him!

That judge was only syllables away

from offering a verdict in favor of

the prosecution and then she walked in.

Now listen to me, we are in very

serious trouble at the moment.

We need a stronger w*apon.

I am aware of the dangers involved,

but I say we must use the head of Judah Zachary.

Are you listening to me?

Yes, yes I heard you.

I just need time to think.

We don't have any time, Gerard.

We have to have something big by : tomorrow morning.

You will have my answer tonight, Charles.

Samantha, I forgot to tell Samantha.

[ominous music]

[knocking]

[gasps]

My name is Joanna Mills.

I understand my sister Daphne works here.

May I see her?

Joanna Mills...

JOANNA: Yes and you are Mrs. Quentin Collins?

Yes I am.

You and I know of each other

even though we've never met.

I assure you, I don't mean to disturb you.

I only want to see my sister.

SAMANTHA: Your sister is upstairs.

Thank you.

Samantha, something has happened.

I'll pour you a brandy.

She's the one I saw by the tree.

Now Samantha, get ahold of yourself.

There's nothing to worry about,

even if she has returned.

Gerard, that woman is dead.

Samantha, control yourself now, believe me.

SAMANTHA: She's dead!

But obviously there has been a mistake.

No, there's no mistake!

Anyone in their right mind can tell

that Joanna Mills is alive.

No she's dead!

I know because I k*lled Joanna Mills.

[dramatic music]

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