Perry Mason (1957) s06e03 Episode Script
The Case of the Playboy Pugilist
Keep your chin down! Nobody's takin' your picture! Did you hear what l said? Chin down! Don't you know the dimerence-- up from down? Oh, l mighta known-- a female.
Who let a female in here? Come on, get out of there.
So this is the red-hot newcomer l've heard so much about.
Jimmy, your boy's got a glass jaw.
My boy's nervous.
This is his first workout in L.
A.
He had six straight K.
O.
s in San Diego.
Who did he fight, Cub Scouts? - Hey.
- Take it easy, kid.
This is George Hale, The Evening Star.
You read his column every day.
Why sure, yeah.
Every day.
l suppose you want a statement about the Jackson fight.
Kid's first crack at a real pro.
Jackson is a has-been, and that fight's nothing but a preliminary.
No, Jimmy, l'd rather have a statement on the Tod Richards.
Richards? Who told you? Oh, get to the showers, kid.
- l'll be with you in a minute.
- All right, Jimmy.
What did you hear about Richards? Only that he wants to buy Davey Carroll.
Why, l don't know, but-- Davey ain't for sale.
Davey's my boy.
l'm gonna make him a champion out of him someday, you wait and see.
l oughta kick that bum Richards outta here.
Oh, he's a pretty fast operator, Jimmy.
When Tod Richards wants to buy something, he just takes out his checkbook and writes.
Not my Davey, he don't unless it's over my dead body.
Jimmy, let me know when it's time for the funeral, huh? l'll send flowers.
No, thanks.
There you are, Mr.
Richards-- very dry.
That's fine, Max.
Oh, Max, l'm expecting Mr.
Lombard.
The minute you see him come in, bring over one of his specials, huh? And at least a dozen more.
That's the kind of people you're gonna be meeting from now on, Davey, if you stick with me.
By the way, l have a tailor that can ease out these shoulders for you.
Hey, what do you mean? l paid 35 bucks for this coat.
l'm sure you did, but why settle for just one coat? Shall we drink to a whole closetful of new clothes for Davey? Um, like l told you, Mr.
Richards, l-- l've got an agreement with Jimmy.
What kind of agreement? Well, a contract, sort of-- a paper l signed.
Well, my lawyer can take care of that.
Well, it's more than the contract.
lt's-- well, it's Jimmy.
You see, he took me out of a garage in San Diego; he taught me everything l know.
Why of course, Davey.
His training is important.
So is loyalty.
A wonde_ul thing, loyalty.
You only live once, Davey.
You have to be loyal to yourself too.
That's right.
How many years does a fighter have? When your break comes, grab it.
l can build you into a champ, Davey.
Well, Jimmy says he can too.
But Mr.
Richards can really do it, Davey.
- Hello there, Richards.
- Lombard.
The doorman said you wanted to see me.
You have a good flight from New York? Pe_ect.
l'll have to see you sometime later.
l haven't had a chance to stop by the desk yet and l would like to freshen up.
That's the best time for a drink, isn't it? Here you are, sir.
The special, Mr.
Lombard.
Excuse me, sir, here's your mail.
The manager put your calls on top and l'll take your hat and coat upstairs now, sir, if you'd like.
Well, you've thought of everything, haven't you? And in my own house too.
l'd like to have you meet my secretary, Miss Sands, and a young man you'll be hearing about, Davey Carroll.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- l didn't expect such a pleasant welcome.
Are you an associate of Mr.
Richards too? l guess l am.
l don't know yet.
You'd better watch out for him, son.
He's a shrewd dealer.
l remember once he bought a second-rate, broken-down ball club.
Everyone thought he was crazy, until he fired the entire team and made a fortune on the real estate.
[Davey.]
Is it your birthday, Mr.
Lombard? They sure sell big cards these days, don't they? l really don't have time for that drink just now, Richards.
Sorry.
Hey, did l say something? Look, Mr.
Richards, l'm amul sorry if l said-- Now now, Davey, big men have big things to think about, that's all.
Now where were we? Oh yes, loyalty.
The loyalty of a would-be fighter Davey ain't for sale, l tell you.
l won't let him go.
Won't you sit down, Mr.
West? Sit down? l don't feel like sittin' down.
Listen, Mr.
Mason, l been in the fight racket 30 years.
And l've known every kind of a rat there is-- owners who would break a fighter just to win a bet, owners who'd have a boy burned up in a cheap flea trap just to keep him from singin' about a fix.
But this l don't get.
Why does a guy like Richards even want in this racket? Tod Richards has his hands in everything.
He's owned horses, racing cars.
Why shouldn't he own a fighter? Does it have to be my fighter? l been a hard-luck guy all my life and l ain't gettin' any younger.
l gotta have one champ before l cash in.
Now how about that contract? Will it hold up? Who wrote this? l did.
Well, don't worry, Mr.
West.
l believe we can draw up a contract that nobody can break.
All you'll need to do is persuade Davey Carroll to sign it.
Come on.
Come on.
Get the gloves om.
How are you gonna sign with the gloves on? Jimmy, l just thought that-- Jimmy thought that you needed protection now that you're coming up in the world as a fighter, Davey.
But l want to explain this contract before you sign it.
Well, anything that's okay with Jimmy is okay with me.
Only-- Well, it won't make Mr.
Richards sore, will it? Richards? What's he got to do with it? l already signed a contract with Richards.
- You what? - Well, he said-- He said! What did you say? No.
That's the word, Davey.
No-- that's what you say when somebody's trying to knife your best friend.
But not you.
l oughta knock your dumb block-- Here, here, take it easy on our property.
There he is.
There's the crook! Sue him, Mr.
Mason.
Now, Jimmy, l've got something here that'll make you feel better.
What's that? lt's easy.
l signed the fighter; now l need to sign the trainer.
Do what? l've got a place out in the country-- ideal for a fighter-- fresh air, sunshine-- everything you'll need to get him in condition.
Why, you cheap-- You think l'd be a hired stooge for some crook that tried to steal my only boy? Hold it, Jimmy, hold it.
He's giving you 500/o and all expenses.
Apparently, Mr.
Richards wants you as a partner.
Huh? l don't believe it.
l'm gettin' lucky.
Jimmy West is gettin' lucky.
Why didn't you tell me we was partners? Well, gimme a pen.
Gimme a pen, somebody.
l'll do the signing around here.
Go on, you big-- - Davey? - How's he doing, partner? Oh, great, Mr.
Richards.
Great.
Of course his head's up in the air right now, but you've got nothing to worry about.
By the time the Jackson fight comes along, he'll be great.
With you on the job, l'm not worried about anything, Jimmy.
Here, l bought the rest of that equipment you wanted.
lt's in your name, so you'd better sign the shipping receipts.
Sure.
Step inside.
You know, this whole layout is a little too fancy.
l mean, to train a kid that's practically getting started What's that for? l used to keep rough company, but not anymore.
You got no idea what a relief it is.
You sure you didn't bring it up here to keep your partner honest? Oh, Mr.
Richards, how can you say a thing like that? Even Mr.
Mason says he never heard of a deal-- Jimmy, l'm just kidding you.
Here.
l know how good a deal this is for both of us, Jimmy.
Okay, Joe, that's enough.
The kid's gotta hit the road again.
Hey, you wanna wreck everything? You know who that chick is? Well, somebody new come up, l guess, huh? That's Mr.
Richards' wife.
You lay om, you understand? Yeah yeah, sure.
l understand.
Hi.
Do l know you? - Not yet.
- Oh, that's too bad.
l was going to ask you to do my back, but it wouldn't be proper without an introduction.
l'm Davey Carroll.
Oh yes, Tod's new toy.
- Toy? - Mm-hmm.
My husband collects toys-- fighters, baby dolls-- baby dolls who walk and talk and take the bottle.
l see there's a little island out in the lake.
Nice place to have a picnic.
Picnic? Yes, it might be at that.
Jo? Tod, it's you.
l know you've been too busy to come to the omice, but it's been a whole week now, and last week only one day.
Don't you think l know that, Jo? No, l can't see you tonight.
l have to run down to San Diego today then see Lombard again in the morning.
He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to spend the weekend here.
l'm giving a press party for Davey in the afternoon, so l want you to phone invitations.
That's right-- Saturday.
And don't expect me back in town until-- Now now that's not so long, is it? Tod, at least you can phone more often.
l miss you.
- [clicking.]
- Tod? Well, the well-dressed corpse.
What? Wasn't Richards going to get Davey's contract only over your dead body? - Aw! - [laughing.]
Oh, Jimmy, there you are.
We're all ready over at ringside, Mr.
Richards.
Davey's all set.
Good.
Okay, everybody-- ringside.
Grab your cameras.
And don't forget your drinks.
Me too, impresario? Why not? You like to have your picture taken, don't you? Oh, Keith.
l'm glad you could get here early.
l want you to meet my wife.
Lori, this is the fabulous Keith Lombard.
Hi.
Your wife? l know what you're going to say-- she's much too pretty for me.
Every man thinks that about Lori.
Aw, stop it, will you, Tod? All right, everybody, over at ringside for your pictures.
Who is that man? - In the sport shirt? - Yeah.
That's Davey's trainer.
Actually he and l are partners.
What's his name? West.
He's a real old-timer, Jimmy is.
Jimmy West.
Now let's get you a drink, shall we? They don't really need us around here.
Come on.
l've got some good stum in the study.
Davey? Good Night, boss.
Hee hee! What's the matter, Jimmy? You lose something? Your dog, maybe? Your false teeth? No? Your pipe dreams? - Smart guy.
- [laughing.]
[laughing.]
Jimmy, where you been? You big ape, you're going to bed.
Hey, listen listen, Lori thinks l'm gonna be champ someday.
You think l'm gonna be champ? What if Mr.
Richards saw you like this? Don't you understand? - If he had any idea-- - But he give it to me! lt's all right, Jimmy.
He give me out of his own private stock.
Did l waken you? l had to call.
It's all over, darling.
Went just the way l figured.
And l'll be with you in a few hours.
l know it's wonde_ul.
From now on, you and l-- [Jimmy.]
Mr.
Richards? Oh, Jimmy, l'm busy.
ls this your idea of a training quarters for a raw kid? Parties, drinkin', reporters who don't give a darn about Davey yet? Darling, l'll have to call you back.
What's goin' on here has got to stop, Mr.
Richards.
l won't have a fighter.
l'll have a gigolo, with a head ten sizes too big.
Jimmy, this is no time or place to talk about it.
Listen, if you don't care about our fighter, maybe you care about your own wife.
lf she'd just leave Davey alone-- Lori's had hobbies before.
Now cool om and-- Hobbies? You mean you know what's going on and you don't care? No, Jimmy, l don't.
And from now on you can do anything you wish with Davey.
l don't want to hear any more about him.
You can't do this.
You can't do this to me.
You're promotin' Davey.
What about the Jackson fight? What about the fights after that? You were gonna make a champion out of him.
Mr.
Richards, you can't do this to me.
To the someday champion of the world.
Hey, Jimmy! Hey, Jimmy, wake up.
Wanna go on a picnic, huh? Oh, you sure do sleep messy, don't you? Hey, somethin' hit you? How could anybody be such a big dumb sucker? - Get outta my way.
- Now now, Jimmy, don't be sore.
Just a little picnic, huh? Go drown yourself as far as l'm concerned, you big ape.
l'm leaving you, do ya hear? l never wanna see you again.
Now Jimmy, listen to me.
Hey.
Hey, Jimmy? Hey, Jimmy? Hey? Hey, Jimmy? Mr.
Richards? l hitched a ride down the mountain.
l didn't know Richards was dead till this morning, Mr.
Mason.
l swear l didn't.
Apparently no one else did, either.
''The body of Tod Richards was not discovered until 5:OO a.
m.
lt was found near a guest cottage occupied by the missing trainer, Jimmy West.
'' All right, Jimmy, tell me again about you and Richards.
Well, he knocked me out, like l said.
l may have landed one or two, but then the roof fell in.
l don't know how long l must've laid there.
- And then Davey-- - What about Davey? Nothin'.
l got sore thinkin' about him.
Richards ruined the kid.
A bum-- that's all Davey is now.
Like givin' him all that big publicity before he's had even one big fight.
That certainly isn't logical.
Yeah, but all the real promoting, like lining up fights ahead, Richards hadn't done any of that.
He admitted it when we got down to the cottage.
Then when l started yelling again, he tells me to get out.
''The contract's all through,'' he says.
''Davey's all through.
The whole thing's just a great big joke,'' he says.
Peculiar sense of humor.
Della, l'm going out to the lake house to see what's happening.
Get hold of Paul.
He'll find a place to keep Jimmy out of sight for a while.
- What are you doing here? - l read the newspapers.
Was Richards one of your clients, Mr.
Mason? No he wasn't.
Who shot him, Sergeant? Do you know? Well, the man who lived in the cottage there ran om last night and hasn't come back.
His name's Jimmy West.
You know him? We've met.
l thought so.
Where's Richards' fighter, Davey Carroll? l'd like to talk to him.
Then you'll have to go down to the village jail.
That's where he spent the night, along with Mrs.
Richards.
Go away.
We're both going away.
Come on, l just paid your bail.
What happened last night? Aw, the party got dull, so we all went down to that joint to dance.
l must've got in a fight.
Look at this.
Richards paid almost 300 bucks for this suit.
Davey, what do you know about Richards' death? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
How many times l gotta say it to people? Paul, where's Jimmy West? He's in my apartment.
Is this the much-touted future champ? - Who, me? - Champ or chump-- l'm not quite sure at this point.
Look here, Davey-- when was the last time you saw Jimmy last night? Jimmy? Oh, l never saw him any place.
He must've been asleep or somethin'.
l never saw Jim-- Hey, Lori? Who's that? The bereaved widow.
She and Davey spend the night in jail after a brawl at a nearby roadhouse.
That's cozy.
But, Perry, l have something l think is more interesting.
l have a contact on The Evening Star and he tells me George Hale has a story about Richards-- some big business deal he pulled just before was killed.
- It'll be in the afternoon edition.
- George Hale the sports writer? Uh-huh.
''While his pugilist protégé, Davey Carroll, was posing for bored cameramen, Richards pulled what may be the financial coup of the year: purchase of the fabulous Wilshire Lombard Hotel.
And in this writer's opinion, at least, brother Richards swung the deal for pennies-- just pennies.
'' Who told you this? l'm a newspaperman, Mr.
Mason, not just a sports bum.
And when l saw Lombard up there Iooking kind of grim, l got curious.
And when he went into the house with Richards, well, it looked like a better story than the show outside.
You see, there'd been rumors in financial circles about those two, so l watched.
And just by watching you got the story of the hotel sale? Mr.
Mason, l'm not going to quote anybody.
A little while after Lombard Ieft the house last night, l followed.
Richards was still alive then.
And that's all l know.
lf it isn't enough, you'll have to ask Lombard.
Oh, one more question, Mr.
Hale.
What is your professional opinion of Davey Carroll? Well, let's put it this way-- lf Davey Carroll, at his present stage of development, was fighting my grandmother, l'd have to put my bankroll on the old lady.
And she's been dead for ten years.
l'm sorry, Mr.
Lombard isn't taking any more calls today.
l'm sorry.
l can't connect you to Mr.
Lombard.
No no no, Mr.
Lombard isn't taking any more calls.
No.
l told you, Mr.
Drake-- l know what you told me, but l talked to your garage attendant and he remembers handling George Hale's car last night.
Well, perhaps he was here.
l don't remember.
Can't you see l'm busy? Mr.
Lombard is seeing no one but his lawyers.
Now excuse me, please.
[Operator.]
Hello? Hello.
No, l'm sorry, l can't connect you with Mr.
Lombard.
l'm sorry, l can't connect you with Mr.
Lombard.
Well, Paul says George Hale did go to the Lombard Hotel late last night.
But now Lombard's barricaded behind a wall of lawyers, so Paul is trying an easier angle, whatever that means.
What about the background on Richards? He was only with his wife a couple of nights the past week, according to Paul's omice.
Oh, and Perry, there's something you might like to know: Richards' personal secretary is a blonde named Jo Sands.
Unattached, lives in a plush apartment on the Strip and draws _200 a week salary.
More? And drives a very expensive car and recently spent _10,OOO to redecorate her apartment.
Della, you have a dark and suspicious mind.
Where is her apartment? lt's running all right now, miss.
We put in a new fuel-pump connection.
Just so it doesn't stall again.
Oh, it won't.
[Mason.]
Miss Sands? l'm Perry Mason.
l tried to telephone you, but l couldn't get through.
l've had the phone om the hook all day.
You're the attorney, aren't you? Yes.
As Tod Richards' secretary, you must know something about his deal for the Lombard Hotel.
l placed a few telephone calls from Mr.
Richards to Mr.
Lombard.
That's all l know.
Now if you'll please excuse me? Why weren't you at Richards' party? l had some work to get out at the omice.
When l tried to go home, my car wouldn't start.
The garage man picked it up this morning.
You know, l've told all this to the police.
Did you tell them how you met Davey Carroll? Look, Davey Carroll's woman crazy.
Mr.
Richards thought perhaps l could help him-- influence him to sign the contract, that's all.
Why would Richards want a fighter? Mr.
Mason, l was Mr.
Richards' secretary, period.
He didn't tell me why he did anything.
Ask his wife.
lf anybody knows who killed him, she does.
l don't know why you're asking me about Tod's amairs.
He never confided in me.
Didn't you know he was going to buy Lombard's hotel? Not until today, Mr.
Mason-- well after Tod's death.
Who told you about it today? Well, my lawyers were going through his things.
They seem very happy about that hotel.
Apparently he got it at a ridiculously low price-- almost _1 million less than what they think it's worth.
l suppose you now inherit that bargain, along with the rest of your husband's estate? Yes.
Isn't that nice? Mr.
Mason, you don't think l killed my husband for it, do you? 'Cause if you do, you're wrong.
l'd never have killed Tod for a little thing like money.
Excuse me.
This is Mr.
Drake, Mrs.
Richards.
l asked him to meet me here.
He looks friendly enough.
Can l get you a drink? Some other time, Mrs.
Richards.
Of course he'll have a drink.
He's just bashful.
l'll bet.
- Well? - Oh.
''Keith Lombard, Lombard Hotel.
'' What's this? Lombard has been receiving these regularly ever since he checked in from New York.
The girl who works the mail desk said each one made him madder and madder until finally he just tossed this one into a waste basket.
- Did she see what was inside? - Yep-- five playing cards: the king of diamonds, king of spades, four, trey and deuce of clubs.
Poker hand? l'm a Parcheesi girl, myself.
Thanks.
l was just going to ask Mr.
Drake what he knew of Keith Lombard's background.
Well, l know the legend-- rags to riches, seven-year wonder.
- l mean before the legend.
- Well, how much before? Far enough to find a motive for blackmail.
Lombard started in New York, didn't he, Mrs.
Richards? How on earth would l know? Well, hi there.
Come on and join the party.
l noticed your car out there.
What are you still doing around here, Sergeant? A little matter of the murder weapon-- a small boy fishing in the lake finally spotted it.
You have the gun? Yes, and it puts the clincher On OUr CaSe-- a .
38 revolver belonging to Jimmy West.
So if you'll oblige me by showing me where he is so l can serve the warrant? l'll show him, Paul.
You're going to New York.
''A .
38 caliber revolver, one shot fired.
Powder marks indicate range under 12 inches.
No identifiable fingerprints.
'' Now, Sergeant Landro, you state that the murder gun was usually kept in a desk drawer of a cottage occupied by Jimmy West.
But that's just your own conclusion, isn't it? Based on observations of both the first and second maids.
Well, if a gun inside a desk drawer was so easily seen by the first and second maids, then anyone might have seen it.
And of course anyone might have fired it.
l think that's all, Sergeant.
[Judge.]
You may step down, Sergeant Landro.
Well, l couldn't hear much of their row, but l did hear Jimmy yell, ''You can't do this.
You can't do this to me.
'' Do you know what he meant? Jimmy had a fixation about building Davey Carroll into a champion.
And l think Richards had finally seen through him, that's all.
What do you mean, seen through him? lt's easy to set up a few phony knockouts to make a new fighter look good-- That's a lie.
Davey never had a fixed fight in his life.
lt was Richards made a bum out of the kid.
Jimmy, sit down.
Your Honor, l apologize for the defendant's outburst.
However, l was about to make an objection.
The witness was expressing an opinion.
Sustained.
Confine your questioning to direct evidence, Mr.
Burger.
l have no further questions of this witness, Your Honor.
Mr.
Mason? Mr.
Hale, on the day after Richards' death, your newspaper column had the first printed the story of his purchase of a hotel from Mr.
Lombard.
Now you stated to me that you had observed the two men in the process of making this deal? That's right.
They were in the study most of the evening going over papers together.
l saw securities changing hands and l heard them talking about escrows.
And if you did not then get confirmation of the deal from Mr.
Richards, did you get one from Mr.
Lombard? No, not there at the house.
But later, on the way back to town, l did nail him at his hotel.
Lombard admitted making the sale.
Now he didn't actually tell me he was unhappy with the deal, but when l kept asking him the price, he did do a little swearing before he threw me out.
lt was a pe_ectly legitimate sale.
l accepted Richards' terms, that's all-- both cash and some real-estate trading-- for private financial reasons of my own.
Then there was no bitterness between you? Certainly not.
What time did you Ieave the party, Mr.
Lombard? About 1 1 :30.
Our deal was over.
l don't like big amairs.
And l don't like heavy drinking.
And did you say good night to your host before you left? l wanted to.
l'd seen Richards go om toward the training area with the defendant.
They seemed to be quarrelling.
l waited a little while and after about 20 minutes, l walked down and heard their voices in the cottage.
lt wasn't my fight, so l left.
l think that'll be all, Mr.
Lombard.
Thank you, sir.
Counselor? You heard the defendant talking with Richards in the cottage? lt was Richards' voice l heard.
He was speaking rather quietly.
But what about the defendant? You've just heard a demonstration of how unquiet his voice is.
l don't remember having actually heard the other party speak.
Thank you for correcting your testimony.
Now, Mr.
Lombard, you're a highly successful hotel man.
Do you recall the first hotel you operated? The Union-- New York City.
What happened to that hotel? lt burned down.
Your Honor, this is an old story and l see no reason to exhume it here.
Your Honor, neither do l.
Mr.
Mason, what is your objective in this line of questioning? l'm trying to set a background for what l believe happened on the Richards estate the night of the murder, Your Honor.
Very well, Mr.
Mason.
Now Mr.
Lombard, you sold a valuable property, apparently at a fantastic loss.
On the advice of counsel, Your Honor l refuse to answer any question concerning my personal financial amairs.
But in the past you did own the Union Hotel, and the Union Hotel did burn down.
Now was the hotel insured? lt's a matter of record l was paid _250,OOO by the Eastboard Insurance Company.
Thank you again, Mr.
Lombard.
l knew that Mr.
Richards was going to have trouble with the defendant because he said that Jimmy-- Mr.
West-- was getting on his nerves.
Did he say anything to you about canceling the defendant's contract? No, not in so many words.
Mr.
Richards had a way of getting bored with his little hobbies.
- l guess he got bored with everything.
- Thank you, Miss Sands.
Thank you very much.
Cross-examine.
Miss Sands, as Mr.
Richards' secretary, do you recognize this envelope; the stationary; the style of type? ''Mr.
Keith Lombard, Lombard Hotel, Personal.
'' No.
No, l've never seen it before.
Did you know that Keith Lombard was invited to the press party for Davey Carroll? No.
l mean yes.
Mr.
Richards did mention it, but l didn't know why he was invited or anything about buying hotels, for that matter.
l was his secretary-- just his secretary.
Well, l hadn't seen my husband at the party for some time, so l went looking for him.
The door to the cottage was open.
He-- the defendant-- was yelling at Tod.
''l'll kill you,'' he said.
''l'll kill you for this.
'' And then he started hitting my husband.
Well, Tod just grabbed his arm and kicked the door shut.
l was afraid that some of the other guests might notice, so l went back to the party to-- well, to sort of keep everyone busy.
You mean you ran om and left your husband? You didn't even try to help him when he was being attacked? Well, it never occurred to me that Tod couldn't quite easily have killed him, if he'd wanted to.
After all, l had no idea then that Mr.
West had a gun.
So later on you again looked for your husband and couldn't find him.
And yet you were willing to leave your home and go to a nearby roadhouse for an all-night party? Not until after Davey Carroll had told me he'd seen my husband drive away, alone and-- and healthy.
Mrs.
Richards, how long were you married to the deceased? Six years.
Six happy years? Not particularly.
As a matter of fact, just lately we'd been considering a divorce.
What did you do before you were married, Mrs.
Richards? Do? Yes, around the time the Union Hotel was destroyed by fire.
''Lori Wilson, switchboard operator, reported the blaze shortly after midnight.
'' Your Honor, would it be asking too much to inquire what counsel is doing? What is that you're reading, Mr.
Mason? A portion of the police report on the fire that destroyed the Union Hotel in New York City seven years ago.
l was about to ask Mrs.
Richards what her maiden name was.
Well, of course l'm Lori Wilson.
But what about it? l only worked for Mr.
Lombard once, that's all.
And l did not know that he was coming to the party that night.
l hadn't even seen him since l left New York six years ago.
And l certainly don't know anything about any business dealings that he might have had with my husband.
Then you admit, Mr.
Carroll, that it's quite possible that Mr.
Richards and Jimmy West had quarreled before; that Jimmy West was already afraid that Richards was losing interest in promoting you? Well, l sort of kept my eyes on other things.
l mean, l know Jimmy had a temper but-- Mr.
Carroll l show you this slip'of paper.
This was found by the police in Mr.
Richards' wallet when they examined his body the morning after his death.
Now this is a typewritten note.
Do you think you could read it for us? Yeah, yeah.
''l'm not going to warn you again.
You know what will happen if you back down.
'' Did you ever see this note before? No, l never.
Examine it closely.
Maybe you'll recognize the signature.
Yeah, it's Jimmy's handwriting.
It's signed ''Jimmy West.
'' Yes it is, isn't it? Of course we'll wait for a handwriting expert to prove that Mr.
West actually signed this, won't we? l didn't write that note.
l never touched a typewriter in my life.
Now, Mr.
Carroll we heard Mrs.
Richards testify here that you clearly told her that you saw her husband drive away from the house after the time of his quarrel with the defendant.
Well, like l told you before, Mr.
Burger-- Davey, l know that you were just trying to help your friend Jimmy West.
But you have to tell this court whether or not what you told Mr.
Richards was true.
Well, it wasn't exactly true, but-- Now Davey, do you remember what l told you in my omice about perjury? Do you remember what l told you about how it would be for you if you were an unfriendly witness here today? Jimmy, l didn't want to tell them anything.
But we're in a court of law now, aren't we? And you did lie to Mrs.
Richards, didn't you, Davey? Answer yes or no.
Yeah.
But l didn't want anybody going down there, that's all.
l seen what a mess the cottage was in.
The cottage was a mess, Davey? Why, the police report indicated it was quite tidy.
Well, l only picked things up a little.
lt wasn't much of a fight they had.
And Jimmy wouldn't kill anybody.
Look, Mr.
Burger, like l told you, l didn't want anybody to think Jimmy had anything to do - with that body on the path.
- Big dumb ape.
Oh, you saw Richards' body too? That's why l got everybody to go down to that roadhouse.
That's why l got them out of there.
Why, Davey? Why was that? Well, look, some people add two and two and they get four.
And just because there's a gun Iying around and l happen to know it's Jimmy's Oh, you saw the gun? Now look, l didn't touch it.
There's no fingerprints.
And there were none because l used a handkerchief.
You hear me? l used a handkerchief.
- A handkerchief, Davey? - When l threw it in the lake.
Ho ho, of course.
That's how it got in the lake, isn't it? And why did you do all this, Davey? Come on now, tell the court.
Why did you do it? To help him.
Now listen, Judge, honest, l wasn't trying to hurt the evidence-- To help your friend Jimmy West to escape-- isn't that what you mean? You wanted to give your friend time to get away because you knew he'd just committed a murder.
No! l just thought he had.
l mean, l just thought he had.
Now Davey, why don't you tell us your story right from the beginning? Just start at the beginning and tell us your whole story.
That's my signature, all right, but l didn't sign that note.
l didn't write Richards any notes.
You must have signed something, Jimmy.
- No, nothing except those receipts.
- Receipts? Richards bought gym equipment in my name.
l kept signing for all kinds of stum like that.
The pressure had to be put on Lombard in some way, but why from you, Jimmy? l don't know what you're talking about.
But l know that guy Lombard.
Why didn't you tell me that before? Because l didn't remember him till he got talking about that old Union Hotel.
That's where l stayed and that Buddy Chance stayed-- you know, the fighter l told you got bumped.
Buddy died in that fire.
What? Is that important? How can anything l say be important after that big-- Della, get hold of Paul in New York.
l believe l know how this worked, but l can't rely on Jimmy's memory to prove it.
Before l start my defense, you'll have to check again with the telephone company.
l'll also want a book on guns and a pair of gloves.
ln the course of your investigation, Sergeant Landro, did you find that the defendant had a police record? No, not exactly.
l did find he'd been subpoenaed once as a witness in a New York boxing scandal.
He was training for Doc Morgan, a hoodlum who owned a string of fighters.
Was the defendant personally involved in the scandal, Sergeant? Apparently not.
Anyway, the investigation was dropped when the chief witness, a fighter named Buddy Chance, died.
You might have added that he died in the Union Hotel fire.
Oh, one more question-- Did you check as to whether this Doc Morgan had a police record? Morgan had been brought to trial three times in years past-- no convictions.
He left the country for good six years ago to dodge a tax rap.
What other crimes had Morgan been accused of, Sergeant? Armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, arSOn l didn't know anything about that fire.
Mrs.
Richards, l remind you that you're under oath.
Now you were on duty the night of the fire, were you not? Yes, l was in the omice going over some unpaid bills.
l was helping the bookkeeper.
But l didn't see anything that had to do with anything.
Were there many unpaid bills? Yes, l guess so.
lsn't it true that Mr.
Lombard was very near bankruptcy at that time? Well, l'd heard stories, but l didn't know anything about his amairs.
Your Honor this hearing concerns the present-day murder of Tod Richards, not-- l can relate this evidence to the present crime, Your Honor, with just one more question.
Since defense hopes to prove that Jimmy West has been an innocent pawn in a blackmail scheme that succeeded-- Never mind the argument, Mr.
Mason.
Ask your one question.
Mrs.
Richards, did you tell your husband all these things you knew about Keith Lombard? Well, l-- l guess so a long time ago.
But if Tod used anything l told him to put pressure on Mr.
Lombard, well, l don't know anything about it! All right, all right, yes.
There were playing cards in those envelopes l received.
lt was a poker hand.
And what did the cards signify to you? More of the old hotel slander.
Then l started getting notes from Jimmy West-- or at least l thought they were from him.
l knew he was there in New York at the time, but l didn't think he knew that-- They were threatening notes.
With what, Mr.
Lombard? Did the notes threaten to link you with both arson and murder which followed a poker game one night? There was no claim of arson and you can't implicate me in Chance's death.
l didn't even know he was still in the hotel when it burned.
Didn't you know that you'd hired an arsonist, that he in turn had used the fire for his own purpose-- to cover the murder of a troublesome witness? ls that what Richards blumed you into believing that Jimmy West could prove? On advice of counsel, l refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.
But you will admit that Richards did force you to sell your hotel at his price; and after saying goodbye to everyone else that night, you followed him down to his cottage? Yes yes yes! But l didn't talk to him again.
l swear l didn't.
He was still alive when l left the premises.
Yes, you heard him, you said, speaking to someone else.
But you didn't hear the other person's voice.
So isn't it possible that what you really heard was Tod Richards speaking on the telephone? Your Honor Mr.
Mason is asking the witness to guess what happened.
Your Honor we are prepared t_ prove that a phone call was made from the cottage that night.
Mr.
Mason, that's completely irrelevant.
Your Honor, the prosecution is pe_ectly well aware that several phone calls may have been made from that cottage that night, and that's equally irrelevant.
Prosecution may not be aware that the last number called-- a San Diego number-- had also been called 3T times during the past two months from the Richards' house.
The number called was the residence of a Miss Kay McKenzie.
l should have come foM/ard, but Tod was dead.
l couldn't bring him back.
How long had you known the decedent, Miss McKenzie? Three months.
We wanted to marry, but Tod kept saying ''Let's wait.
'' He didn't want to leave his wife until he'd completed a business thing-- buying that hotel.
And when he completed the hotel deal, he called you? Yes.
He was very happy.
He said he'd see me within just a few hours.
And then something interrupted and he had to call me back from the cottage, about 1 1 :45.
When Richards talked to you that second time, did you hear anything unusual? Any sound, any other voice? No.
We talked for some time.
Tod sounded rather breathless.
He-- he said he'd just had a fight with somebody, but that l shouldn't worry and that he loved me.
And, well there was one stra_ge thing-- he hung up suddenly.
He didn't even say good night.
As if someone had entered the room? Your Honor, l object to that.
That's a leading question.
Yes it is.
Your Honor, l early read part of the police laboratory report on the murder weapon.
''A .
38 caliber revolver, one shot fired.
Powder marks indicate range under 12 inches.
'' Now as the court may be aware, no gun of this type has a slight tendency to leak around the breach-- to bacMire.
Therefore anyone firing it would probably receive a scattering of minute powder particles on the hand.
These would soon disappear, of course, or be washed om.
But if the murderer happened to be wearing a glove Now see here, Mr.
-- One moment, Mr.
Mason.
Is it your intention to link that particular glove with the witness on the stand? Since the glove is monogrammed with initials not those of the witness-- no, Your Honor.
But l will ask that the glove be tested by the police laboratory for traces of gunpowder.
But whose glove is that, Mr.
Mason? lt belongs to the woman who helped Tod Richards execute every step of his blackmail purchase of the Lombard Hotel, hopeful that he would divorce his wife and marry her-- that is until she walked into the cottage that night and caught him at the telephone - telling still another woman-- - Where did you get that glove? Tod lied to me.
He said that if l helped him, he'd marry me.
And then l caught him talking to that woman telling her that he loved her; telling her that he-- [crowd cheering.]
Davey, keep your chin down.
Hit him, Davey-- hit him again.
When George Hale gave me his opinion of Davey as a fighter, l was pretty sure he had to have ulterior reasons for wanting Davey's contract in such a hurry.
lt was a good idea.
It worked.
Correction-- it would have worked if Jo Sands hadn't gotten a strong case of feminine suspicion and gone to the party without an invitation.
Yep, Richards wasn't paying enough attention to her.
Yet Paul said he wasn't spending his time at home, either.
Since the motive for Richards' murder was obviously something that happened after his deal with Lombard, somebody either had to have been cut out or hurt.
That's right.
The lady walked in on Richards, made a big scene; Richards told her to go jump in the lake and walked out.
Unfortunately for him, she spotted the gun in the open drawer and went after him.
That glove of hers-- they found them powder burns, did they? Search me.
We had to buy it in a store.
l figured if Richards could run a blum, why couldn't l? [groaning.]
[laughs.]
You know something, Jimmy? l-- l didn't keep my chin down.
He learned it! Come on, kid.
Come on, kid, get to the showers.
You know, Mr.
Mason, you were wrong about only one thing-- Davey.
You wait and see.
Now that he's tasted canvas, l'll make a real fighter out of him.
l'm sure you will.
Who let a female in here? Come on, get out of there.
So this is the red-hot newcomer l've heard so much about.
Jimmy, your boy's got a glass jaw.
My boy's nervous.
This is his first workout in L.
A.
He had six straight K.
O.
s in San Diego.
Who did he fight, Cub Scouts? - Hey.
- Take it easy, kid.
This is George Hale, The Evening Star.
You read his column every day.
Why sure, yeah.
Every day.
l suppose you want a statement about the Jackson fight.
Kid's first crack at a real pro.
Jackson is a has-been, and that fight's nothing but a preliminary.
No, Jimmy, l'd rather have a statement on the Tod Richards.
Richards? Who told you? Oh, get to the showers, kid.
- l'll be with you in a minute.
- All right, Jimmy.
What did you hear about Richards? Only that he wants to buy Davey Carroll.
Why, l don't know, but-- Davey ain't for sale.
Davey's my boy.
l'm gonna make him a champion out of him someday, you wait and see.
l oughta kick that bum Richards outta here.
Oh, he's a pretty fast operator, Jimmy.
When Tod Richards wants to buy something, he just takes out his checkbook and writes.
Not my Davey, he don't unless it's over my dead body.
Jimmy, let me know when it's time for the funeral, huh? l'll send flowers.
No, thanks.
There you are, Mr.
Richards-- very dry.
That's fine, Max.
Oh, Max, l'm expecting Mr.
Lombard.
The minute you see him come in, bring over one of his specials, huh? And at least a dozen more.
That's the kind of people you're gonna be meeting from now on, Davey, if you stick with me.
By the way, l have a tailor that can ease out these shoulders for you.
Hey, what do you mean? l paid 35 bucks for this coat.
l'm sure you did, but why settle for just one coat? Shall we drink to a whole closetful of new clothes for Davey? Um, like l told you, Mr.
Richards, l-- l've got an agreement with Jimmy.
What kind of agreement? Well, a contract, sort of-- a paper l signed.
Well, my lawyer can take care of that.
Well, it's more than the contract.
lt's-- well, it's Jimmy.
You see, he took me out of a garage in San Diego; he taught me everything l know.
Why of course, Davey.
His training is important.
So is loyalty.
A wonde_ul thing, loyalty.
You only live once, Davey.
You have to be loyal to yourself too.
That's right.
How many years does a fighter have? When your break comes, grab it.
l can build you into a champ, Davey.
Well, Jimmy says he can too.
But Mr.
Richards can really do it, Davey.
- Hello there, Richards.
- Lombard.
The doorman said you wanted to see me.
You have a good flight from New York? Pe_ect.
l'll have to see you sometime later.
l haven't had a chance to stop by the desk yet and l would like to freshen up.
That's the best time for a drink, isn't it? Here you are, sir.
The special, Mr.
Lombard.
Excuse me, sir, here's your mail.
The manager put your calls on top and l'll take your hat and coat upstairs now, sir, if you'd like.
Well, you've thought of everything, haven't you? And in my own house too.
l'd like to have you meet my secretary, Miss Sands, and a young man you'll be hearing about, Davey Carroll.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- l didn't expect such a pleasant welcome.
Are you an associate of Mr.
Richards too? l guess l am.
l don't know yet.
You'd better watch out for him, son.
He's a shrewd dealer.
l remember once he bought a second-rate, broken-down ball club.
Everyone thought he was crazy, until he fired the entire team and made a fortune on the real estate.
[Davey.]
Is it your birthday, Mr.
Lombard? They sure sell big cards these days, don't they? l really don't have time for that drink just now, Richards.
Sorry.
Hey, did l say something? Look, Mr.
Richards, l'm amul sorry if l said-- Now now, Davey, big men have big things to think about, that's all.
Now where were we? Oh yes, loyalty.
The loyalty of a would-be fighter Davey ain't for sale, l tell you.
l won't let him go.
Won't you sit down, Mr.
West? Sit down? l don't feel like sittin' down.
Listen, Mr.
Mason, l been in the fight racket 30 years.
And l've known every kind of a rat there is-- owners who would break a fighter just to win a bet, owners who'd have a boy burned up in a cheap flea trap just to keep him from singin' about a fix.
But this l don't get.
Why does a guy like Richards even want in this racket? Tod Richards has his hands in everything.
He's owned horses, racing cars.
Why shouldn't he own a fighter? Does it have to be my fighter? l been a hard-luck guy all my life and l ain't gettin' any younger.
l gotta have one champ before l cash in.
Now how about that contract? Will it hold up? Who wrote this? l did.
Well, don't worry, Mr.
West.
l believe we can draw up a contract that nobody can break.
All you'll need to do is persuade Davey Carroll to sign it.
Come on.
Come on.
Get the gloves om.
How are you gonna sign with the gloves on? Jimmy, l just thought that-- Jimmy thought that you needed protection now that you're coming up in the world as a fighter, Davey.
But l want to explain this contract before you sign it.
Well, anything that's okay with Jimmy is okay with me.
Only-- Well, it won't make Mr.
Richards sore, will it? Richards? What's he got to do with it? l already signed a contract with Richards.
- You what? - Well, he said-- He said! What did you say? No.
That's the word, Davey.
No-- that's what you say when somebody's trying to knife your best friend.
But not you.
l oughta knock your dumb block-- Here, here, take it easy on our property.
There he is.
There's the crook! Sue him, Mr.
Mason.
Now, Jimmy, l've got something here that'll make you feel better.
What's that? lt's easy.
l signed the fighter; now l need to sign the trainer.
Do what? l've got a place out in the country-- ideal for a fighter-- fresh air, sunshine-- everything you'll need to get him in condition.
Why, you cheap-- You think l'd be a hired stooge for some crook that tried to steal my only boy? Hold it, Jimmy, hold it.
He's giving you 500/o and all expenses.
Apparently, Mr.
Richards wants you as a partner.
Huh? l don't believe it.
l'm gettin' lucky.
Jimmy West is gettin' lucky.
Why didn't you tell me we was partners? Well, gimme a pen.
Gimme a pen, somebody.
l'll do the signing around here.
Go on, you big-- - Davey? - How's he doing, partner? Oh, great, Mr.
Richards.
Great.
Of course his head's up in the air right now, but you've got nothing to worry about.
By the time the Jackson fight comes along, he'll be great.
With you on the job, l'm not worried about anything, Jimmy.
Here, l bought the rest of that equipment you wanted.
lt's in your name, so you'd better sign the shipping receipts.
Sure.
Step inside.
You know, this whole layout is a little too fancy.
l mean, to train a kid that's practically getting started What's that for? l used to keep rough company, but not anymore.
You got no idea what a relief it is.
You sure you didn't bring it up here to keep your partner honest? Oh, Mr.
Richards, how can you say a thing like that? Even Mr.
Mason says he never heard of a deal-- Jimmy, l'm just kidding you.
Here.
l know how good a deal this is for both of us, Jimmy.
Okay, Joe, that's enough.
The kid's gotta hit the road again.
Hey, you wanna wreck everything? You know who that chick is? Well, somebody new come up, l guess, huh? That's Mr.
Richards' wife.
You lay om, you understand? Yeah yeah, sure.
l understand.
Hi.
Do l know you? - Not yet.
- Oh, that's too bad.
l was going to ask you to do my back, but it wouldn't be proper without an introduction.
l'm Davey Carroll.
Oh yes, Tod's new toy.
- Toy? - Mm-hmm.
My husband collects toys-- fighters, baby dolls-- baby dolls who walk and talk and take the bottle.
l see there's a little island out in the lake.
Nice place to have a picnic.
Picnic? Yes, it might be at that.
Jo? Tod, it's you.
l know you've been too busy to come to the omice, but it's been a whole week now, and last week only one day.
Don't you think l know that, Jo? No, l can't see you tonight.
l have to run down to San Diego today then see Lombard again in the morning.
He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to spend the weekend here.
l'm giving a press party for Davey in the afternoon, so l want you to phone invitations.
That's right-- Saturday.
And don't expect me back in town until-- Now now that's not so long, is it? Tod, at least you can phone more often.
l miss you.
- [clicking.]
- Tod? Well, the well-dressed corpse.
What? Wasn't Richards going to get Davey's contract only over your dead body? - Aw! - [laughing.]
Oh, Jimmy, there you are.
We're all ready over at ringside, Mr.
Richards.
Davey's all set.
Good.
Okay, everybody-- ringside.
Grab your cameras.
And don't forget your drinks.
Me too, impresario? Why not? You like to have your picture taken, don't you? Oh, Keith.
l'm glad you could get here early.
l want you to meet my wife.
Lori, this is the fabulous Keith Lombard.
Hi.
Your wife? l know what you're going to say-- she's much too pretty for me.
Every man thinks that about Lori.
Aw, stop it, will you, Tod? All right, everybody, over at ringside for your pictures.
Who is that man? - In the sport shirt? - Yeah.
That's Davey's trainer.
Actually he and l are partners.
What's his name? West.
He's a real old-timer, Jimmy is.
Jimmy West.
Now let's get you a drink, shall we? They don't really need us around here.
Come on.
l've got some good stum in the study.
Davey? Good Night, boss.
Hee hee! What's the matter, Jimmy? You lose something? Your dog, maybe? Your false teeth? No? Your pipe dreams? - Smart guy.
- [laughing.]
[laughing.]
Jimmy, where you been? You big ape, you're going to bed.
Hey, listen listen, Lori thinks l'm gonna be champ someday.
You think l'm gonna be champ? What if Mr.
Richards saw you like this? Don't you understand? - If he had any idea-- - But he give it to me! lt's all right, Jimmy.
He give me out of his own private stock.
Did l waken you? l had to call.
It's all over, darling.
Went just the way l figured.
And l'll be with you in a few hours.
l know it's wonde_ul.
From now on, you and l-- [Jimmy.]
Mr.
Richards? Oh, Jimmy, l'm busy.
ls this your idea of a training quarters for a raw kid? Parties, drinkin', reporters who don't give a darn about Davey yet? Darling, l'll have to call you back.
What's goin' on here has got to stop, Mr.
Richards.
l won't have a fighter.
l'll have a gigolo, with a head ten sizes too big.
Jimmy, this is no time or place to talk about it.
Listen, if you don't care about our fighter, maybe you care about your own wife.
lf she'd just leave Davey alone-- Lori's had hobbies before.
Now cool om and-- Hobbies? You mean you know what's going on and you don't care? No, Jimmy, l don't.
And from now on you can do anything you wish with Davey.
l don't want to hear any more about him.
You can't do this.
You can't do this to me.
You're promotin' Davey.
What about the Jackson fight? What about the fights after that? You were gonna make a champion out of him.
Mr.
Richards, you can't do this to me.
To the someday champion of the world.
Hey, Jimmy! Hey, Jimmy, wake up.
Wanna go on a picnic, huh? Oh, you sure do sleep messy, don't you? Hey, somethin' hit you? How could anybody be such a big dumb sucker? - Get outta my way.
- Now now, Jimmy, don't be sore.
Just a little picnic, huh? Go drown yourself as far as l'm concerned, you big ape.
l'm leaving you, do ya hear? l never wanna see you again.
Now Jimmy, listen to me.
Hey.
Hey, Jimmy? Hey, Jimmy? Hey? Hey, Jimmy? Mr.
Richards? l hitched a ride down the mountain.
l didn't know Richards was dead till this morning, Mr.
Mason.
l swear l didn't.
Apparently no one else did, either.
''The body of Tod Richards was not discovered until 5:OO a.
m.
lt was found near a guest cottage occupied by the missing trainer, Jimmy West.
'' All right, Jimmy, tell me again about you and Richards.
Well, he knocked me out, like l said.
l may have landed one or two, but then the roof fell in.
l don't know how long l must've laid there.
- And then Davey-- - What about Davey? Nothin'.
l got sore thinkin' about him.
Richards ruined the kid.
A bum-- that's all Davey is now.
Like givin' him all that big publicity before he's had even one big fight.
That certainly isn't logical.
Yeah, but all the real promoting, like lining up fights ahead, Richards hadn't done any of that.
He admitted it when we got down to the cottage.
Then when l started yelling again, he tells me to get out.
''The contract's all through,'' he says.
''Davey's all through.
The whole thing's just a great big joke,'' he says.
Peculiar sense of humor.
Della, l'm going out to the lake house to see what's happening.
Get hold of Paul.
He'll find a place to keep Jimmy out of sight for a while.
- What are you doing here? - l read the newspapers.
Was Richards one of your clients, Mr.
Mason? No he wasn't.
Who shot him, Sergeant? Do you know? Well, the man who lived in the cottage there ran om last night and hasn't come back.
His name's Jimmy West.
You know him? We've met.
l thought so.
Where's Richards' fighter, Davey Carroll? l'd like to talk to him.
Then you'll have to go down to the village jail.
That's where he spent the night, along with Mrs.
Richards.
Go away.
We're both going away.
Come on, l just paid your bail.
What happened last night? Aw, the party got dull, so we all went down to that joint to dance.
l must've got in a fight.
Look at this.
Richards paid almost 300 bucks for this suit.
Davey, what do you know about Richards' death? Nothing.
Nothing at all.
How many times l gotta say it to people? Paul, where's Jimmy West? He's in my apartment.
Is this the much-touted future champ? - Who, me? - Champ or chump-- l'm not quite sure at this point.
Look here, Davey-- when was the last time you saw Jimmy last night? Jimmy? Oh, l never saw him any place.
He must've been asleep or somethin'.
l never saw Jim-- Hey, Lori? Who's that? The bereaved widow.
She and Davey spend the night in jail after a brawl at a nearby roadhouse.
That's cozy.
But, Perry, l have something l think is more interesting.
l have a contact on The Evening Star and he tells me George Hale has a story about Richards-- some big business deal he pulled just before was killed.
- It'll be in the afternoon edition.
- George Hale the sports writer? Uh-huh.
''While his pugilist protégé, Davey Carroll, was posing for bored cameramen, Richards pulled what may be the financial coup of the year: purchase of the fabulous Wilshire Lombard Hotel.
And in this writer's opinion, at least, brother Richards swung the deal for pennies-- just pennies.
'' Who told you this? l'm a newspaperman, Mr.
Mason, not just a sports bum.
And when l saw Lombard up there Iooking kind of grim, l got curious.
And when he went into the house with Richards, well, it looked like a better story than the show outside.
You see, there'd been rumors in financial circles about those two, so l watched.
And just by watching you got the story of the hotel sale? Mr.
Mason, l'm not going to quote anybody.
A little while after Lombard Ieft the house last night, l followed.
Richards was still alive then.
And that's all l know.
lf it isn't enough, you'll have to ask Lombard.
Oh, one more question, Mr.
Hale.
What is your professional opinion of Davey Carroll? Well, let's put it this way-- lf Davey Carroll, at his present stage of development, was fighting my grandmother, l'd have to put my bankroll on the old lady.
And she's been dead for ten years.
l'm sorry, Mr.
Lombard isn't taking any more calls today.
l'm sorry.
l can't connect you to Mr.
Lombard.
No no no, Mr.
Lombard isn't taking any more calls.
No.
l told you, Mr.
Drake-- l know what you told me, but l talked to your garage attendant and he remembers handling George Hale's car last night.
Well, perhaps he was here.
l don't remember.
Can't you see l'm busy? Mr.
Lombard is seeing no one but his lawyers.
Now excuse me, please.
[Operator.]
Hello? Hello.
No, l'm sorry, l can't connect you with Mr.
Lombard.
l'm sorry, l can't connect you with Mr.
Lombard.
Well, Paul says George Hale did go to the Lombard Hotel late last night.
But now Lombard's barricaded behind a wall of lawyers, so Paul is trying an easier angle, whatever that means.
What about the background on Richards? He was only with his wife a couple of nights the past week, according to Paul's omice.
Oh, and Perry, there's something you might like to know: Richards' personal secretary is a blonde named Jo Sands.
Unattached, lives in a plush apartment on the Strip and draws _200 a week salary.
More? And drives a very expensive car and recently spent _10,OOO to redecorate her apartment.
Della, you have a dark and suspicious mind.
Where is her apartment? lt's running all right now, miss.
We put in a new fuel-pump connection.
Just so it doesn't stall again.
Oh, it won't.
[Mason.]
Miss Sands? l'm Perry Mason.
l tried to telephone you, but l couldn't get through.
l've had the phone om the hook all day.
You're the attorney, aren't you? Yes.
As Tod Richards' secretary, you must know something about his deal for the Lombard Hotel.
l placed a few telephone calls from Mr.
Richards to Mr.
Lombard.
That's all l know.
Now if you'll please excuse me? Why weren't you at Richards' party? l had some work to get out at the omice.
When l tried to go home, my car wouldn't start.
The garage man picked it up this morning.
You know, l've told all this to the police.
Did you tell them how you met Davey Carroll? Look, Davey Carroll's woman crazy.
Mr.
Richards thought perhaps l could help him-- influence him to sign the contract, that's all.
Why would Richards want a fighter? Mr.
Mason, l was Mr.
Richards' secretary, period.
He didn't tell me why he did anything.
Ask his wife.
lf anybody knows who killed him, she does.
l don't know why you're asking me about Tod's amairs.
He never confided in me.
Didn't you know he was going to buy Lombard's hotel? Not until today, Mr.
Mason-- well after Tod's death.
Who told you about it today? Well, my lawyers were going through his things.
They seem very happy about that hotel.
Apparently he got it at a ridiculously low price-- almost _1 million less than what they think it's worth.
l suppose you now inherit that bargain, along with the rest of your husband's estate? Yes.
Isn't that nice? Mr.
Mason, you don't think l killed my husband for it, do you? 'Cause if you do, you're wrong.
l'd never have killed Tod for a little thing like money.
Excuse me.
This is Mr.
Drake, Mrs.
Richards.
l asked him to meet me here.
He looks friendly enough.
Can l get you a drink? Some other time, Mrs.
Richards.
Of course he'll have a drink.
He's just bashful.
l'll bet.
- Well? - Oh.
''Keith Lombard, Lombard Hotel.
'' What's this? Lombard has been receiving these regularly ever since he checked in from New York.
The girl who works the mail desk said each one made him madder and madder until finally he just tossed this one into a waste basket.
- Did she see what was inside? - Yep-- five playing cards: the king of diamonds, king of spades, four, trey and deuce of clubs.
Poker hand? l'm a Parcheesi girl, myself.
Thanks.
l was just going to ask Mr.
Drake what he knew of Keith Lombard's background.
Well, l know the legend-- rags to riches, seven-year wonder.
- l mean before the legend.
- Well, how much before? Far enough to find a motive for blackmail.
Lombard started in New York, didn't he, Mrs.
Richards? How on earth would l know? Well, hi there.
Come on and join the party.
l noticed your car out there.
What are you still doing around here, Sergeant? A little matter of the murder weapon-- a small boy fishing in the lake finally spotted it.
You have the gun? Yes, and it puts the clincher On OUr CaSe-- a .
38 revolver belonging to Jimmy West.
So if you'll oblige me by showing me where he is so l can serve the warrant? l'll show him, Paul.
You're going to New York.
''A .
38 caliber revolver, one shot fired.
Powder marks indicate range under 12 inches.
No identifiable fingerprints.
'' Now, Sergeant Landro, you state that the murder gun was usually kept in a desk drawer of a cottage occupied by Jimmy West.
But that's just your own conclusion, isn't it? Based on observations of both the first and second maids.
Well, if a gun inside a desk drawer was so easily seen by the first and second maids, then anyone might have seen it.
And of course anyone might have fired it.
l think that's all, Sergeant.
[Judge.]
You may step down, Sergeant Landro.
Well, l couldn't hear much of their row, but l did hear Jimmy yell, ''You can't do this.
You can't do this to me.
'' Do you know what he meant? Jimmy had a fixation about building Davey Carroll into a champion.
And l think Richards had finally seen through him, that's all.
What do you mean, seen through him? lt's easy to set up a few phony knockouts to make a new fighter look good-- That's a lie.
Davey never had a fixed fight in his life.
lt was Richards made a bum out of the kid.
Jimmy, sit down.
Your Honor, l apologize for the defendant's outburst.
However, l was about to make an objection.
The witness was expressing an opinion.
Sustained.
Confine your questioning to direct evidence, Mr.
Burger.
l have no further questions of this witness, Your Honor.
Mr.
Mason? Mr.
Hale, on the day after Richards' death, your newspaper column had the first printed the story of his purchase of a hotel from Mr.
Lombard.
Now you stated to me that you had observed the two men in the process of making this deal? That's right.
They were in the study most of the evening going over papers together.
l saw securities changing hands and l heard them talking about escrows.
And if you did not then get confirmation of the deal from Mr.
Richards, did you get one from Mr.
Lombard? No, not there at the house.
But later, on the way back to town, l did nail him at his hotel.
Lombard admitted making the sale.
Now he didn't actually tell me he was unhappy with the deal, but when l kept asking him the price, he did do a little swearing before he threw me out.
lt was a pe_ectly legitimate sale.
l accepted Richards' terms, that's all-- both cash and some real-estate trading-- for private financial reasons of my own.
Then there was no bitterness between you? Certainly not.
What time did you Ieave the party, Mr.
Lombard? About 1 1 :30.
Our deal was over.
l don't like big amairs.
And l don't like heavy drinking.
And did you say good night to your host before you left? l wanted to.
l'd seen Richards go om toward the training area with the defendant.
They seemed to be quarrelling.
l waited a little while and after about 20 minutes, l walked down and heard their voices in the cottage.
lt wasn't my fight, so l left.
l think that'll be all, Mr.
Lombard.
Thank you, sir.
Counselor? You heard the defendant talking with Richards in the cottage? lt was Richards' voice l heard.
He was speaking rather quietly.
But what about the defendant? You've just heard a demonstration of how unquiet his voice is.
l don't remember having actually heard the other party speak.
Thank you for correcting your testimony.
Now, Mr.
Lombard, you're a highly successful hotel man.
Do you recall the first hotel you operated? The Union-- New York City.
What happened to that hotel? lt burned down.
Your Honor, this is an old story and l see no reason to exhume it here.
Your Honor, neither do l.
Mr.
Mason, what is your objective in this line of questioning? l'm trying to set a background for what l believe happened on the Richards estate the night of the murder, Your Honor.
Very well, Mr.
Mason.
Now Mr.
Lombard, you sold a valuable property, apparently at a fantastic loss.
On the advice of counsel, Your Honor l refuse to answer any question concerning my personal financial amairs.
But in the past you did own the Union Hotel, and the Union Hotel did burn down.
Now was the hotel insured? lt's a matter of record l was paid _250,OOO by the Eastboard Insurance Company.
Thank you again, Mr.
Lombard.
l knew that Mr.
Richards was going to have trouble with the defendant because he said that Jimmy-- Mr.
West-- was getting on his nerves.
Did he say anything to you about canceling the defendant's contract? No, not in so many words.
Mr.
Richards had a way of getting bored with his little hobbies.
- l guess he got bored with everything.
- Thank you, Miss Sands.
Thank you very much.
Cross-examine.
Miss Sands, as Mr.
Richards' secretary, do you recognize this envelope; the stationary; the style of type? ''Mr.
Keith Lombard, Lombard Hotel, Personal.
'' No.
No, l've never seen it before.
Did you know that Keith Lombard was invited to the press party for Davey Carroll? No.
l mean yes.
Mr.
Richards did mention it, but l didn't know why he was invited or anything about buying hotels, for that matter.
l was his secretary-- just his secretary.
Well, l hadn't seen my husband at the party for some time, so l went looking for him.
The door to the cottage was open.
He-- the defendant-- was yelling at Tod.
''l'll kill you,'' he said.
''l'll kill you for this.
'' And then he started hitting my husband.
Well, Tod just grabbed his arm and kicked the door shut.
l was afraid that some of the other guests might notice, so l went back to the party to-- well, to sort of keep everyone busy.
You mean you ran om and left your husband? You didn't even try to help him when he was being attacked? Well, it never occurred to me that Tod couldn't quite easily have killed him, if he'd wanted to.
After all, l had no idea then that Mr.
West had a gun.
So later on you again looked for your husband and couldn't find him.
And yet you were willing to leave your home and go to a nearby roadhouse for an all-night party? Not until after Davey Carroll had told me he'd seen my husband drive away, alone and-- and healthy.
Mrs.
Richards, how long were you married to the deceased? Six years.
Six happy years? Not particularly.
As a matter of fact, just lately we'd been considering a divorce.
What did you do before you were married, Mrs.
Richards? Do? Yes, around the time the Union Hotel was destroyed by fire.
''Lori Wilson, switchboard operator, reported the blaze shortly after midnight.
'' Your Honor, would it be asking too much to inquire what counsel is doing? What is that you're reading, Mr.
Mason? A portion of the police report on the fire that destroyed the Union Hotel in New York City seven years ago.
l was about to ask Mrs.
Richards what her maiden name was.
Well, of course l'm Lori Wilson.
But what about it? l only worked for Mr.
Lombard once, that's all.
And l did not know that he was coming to the party that night.
l hadn't even seen him since l left New York six years ago.
And l certainly don't know anything about any business dealings that he might have had with my husband.
Then you admit, Mr.
Carroll, that it's quite possible that Mr.
Richards and Jimmy West had quarreled before; that Jimmy West was already afraid that Richards was losing interest in promoting you? Well, l sort of kept my eyes on other things.
l mean, l know Jimmy had a temper but-- Mr.
Carroll l show you this slip'of paper.
This was found by the police in Mr.
Richards' wallet when they examined his body the morning after his death.
Now this is a typewritten note.
Do you think you could read it for us? Yeah, yeah.
''l'm not going to warn you again.
You know what will happen if you back down.
'' Did you ever see this note before? No, l never.
Examine it closely.
Maybe you'll recognize the signature.
Yeah, it's Jimmy's handwriting.
It's signed ''Jimmy West.
'' Yes it is, isn't it? Of course we'll wait for a handwriting expert to prove that Mr.
West actually signed this, won't we? l didn't write that note.
l never touched a typewriter in my life.
Now, Mr.
Carroll we heard Mrs.
Richards testify here that you clearly told her that you saw her husband drive away from the house after the time of his quarrel with the defendant.
Well, like l told you before, Mr.
Burger-- Davey, l know that you were just trying to help your friend Jimmy West.
But you have to tell this court whether or not what you told Mr.
Richards was true.
Well, it wasn't exactly true, but-- Now Davey, do you remember what l told you in my omice about perjury? Do you remember what l told you about how it would be for you if you were an unfriendly witness here today? Jimmy, l didn't want to tell them anything.
But we're in a court of law now, aren't we? And you did lie to Mrs.
Richards, didn't you, Davey? Answer yes or no.
Yeah.
But l didn't want anybody going down there, that's all.
l seen what a mess the cottage was in.
The cottage was a mess, Davey? Why, the police report indicated it was quite tidy.
Well, l only picked things up a little.
lt wasn't much of a fight they had.
And Jimmy wouldn't kill anybody.
Look, Mr.
Burger, like l told you, l didn't want anybody to think Jimmy had anything to do - with that body on the path.
- Big dumb ape.
Oh, you saw Richards' body too? That's why l got everybody to go down to that roadhouse.
That's why l got them out of there.
Why, Davey? Why was that? Well, look, some people add two and two and they get four.
And just because there's a gun Iying around and l happen to know it's Jimmy's Oh, you saw the gun? Now look, l didn't touch it.
There's no fingerprints.
And there were none because l used a handkerchief.
You hear me? l used a handkerchief.
- A handkerchief, Davey? - When l threw it in the lake.
Ho ho, of course.
That's how it got in the lake, isn't it? And why did you do all this, Davey? Come on now, tell the court.
Why did you do it? To help him.
Now listen, Judge, honest, l wasn't trying to hurt the evidence-- To help your friend Jimmy West to escape-- isn't that what you mean? You wanted to give your friend time to get away because you knew he'd just committed a murder.
No! l just thought he had.
l mean, l just thought he had.
Now Davey, why don't you tell us your story right from the beginning? Just start at the beginning and tell us your whole story.
That's my signature, all right, but l didn't sign that note.
l didn't write Richards any notes.
You must have signed something, Jimmy.
- No, nothing except those receipts.
- Receipts? Richards bought gym equipment in my name.
l kept signing for all kinds of stum like that.
The pressure had to be put on Lombard in some way, but why from you, Jimmy? l don't know what you're talking about.
But l know that guy Lombard.
Why didn't you tell me that before? Because l didn't remember him till he got talking about that old Union Hotel.
That's where l stayed and that Buddy Chance stayed-- you know, the fighter l told you got bumped.
Buddy died in that fire.
What? Is that important? How can anything l say be important after that big-- Della, get hold of Paul in New York.
l believe l know how this worked, but l can't rely on Jimmy's memory to prove it.
Before l start my defense, you'll have to check again with the telephone company.
l'll also want a book on guns and a pair of gloves.
ln the course of your investigation, Sergeant Landro, did you find that the defendant had a police record? No, not exactly.
l did find he'd been subpoenaed once as a witness in a New York boxing scandal.
He was training for Doc Morgan, a hoodlum who owned a string of fighters.
Was the defendant personally involved in the scandal, Sergeant? Apparently not.
Anyway, the investigation was dropped when the chief witness, a fighter named Buddy Chance, died.
You might have added that he died in the Union Hotel fire.
Oh, one more question-- Did you check as to whether this Doc Morgan had a police record? Morgan had been brought to trial three times in years past-- no convictions.
He left the country for good six years ago to dodge a tax rap.
What other crimes had Morgan been accused of, Sergeant? Armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, arSOn l didn't know anything about that fire.
Mrs.
Richards, l remind you that you're under oath.
Now you were on duty the night of the fire, were you not? Yes, l was in the omice going over some unpaid bills.
l was helping the bookkeeper.
But l didn't see anything that had to do with anything.
Were there many unpaid bills? Yes, l guess so.
lsn't it true that Mr.
Lombard was very near bankruptcy at that time? Well, l'd heard stories, but l didn't know anything about his amairs.
Your Honor this hearing concerns the present-day murder of Tod Richards, not-- l can relate this evidence to the present crime, Your Honor, with just one more question.
Since defense hopes to prove that Jimmy West has been an innocent pawn in a blackmail scheme that succeeded-- Never mind the argument, Mr.
Mason.
Ask your one question.
Mrs.
Richards, did you tell your husband all these things you knew about Keith Lombard? Well, l-- l guess so a long time ago.
But if Tod used anything l told him to put pressure on Mr.
Lombard, well, l don't know anything about it! All right, all right, yes.
There were playing cards in those envelopes l received.
lt was a poker hand.
And what did the cards signify to you? More of the old hotel slander.
Then l started getting notes from Jimmy West-- or at least l thought they were from him.
l knew he was there in New York at the time, but l didn't think he knew that-- They were threatening notes.
With what, Mr.
Lombard? Did the notes threaten to link you with both arson and murder which followed a poker game one night? There was no claim of arson and you can't implicate me in Chance's death.
l didn't even know he was still in the hotel when it burned.
Didn't you know that you'd hired an arsonist, that he in turn had used the fire for his own purpose-- to cover the murder of a troublesome witness? ls that what Richards blumed you into believing that Jimmy West could prove? On advice of counsel, l refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.
But you will admit that Richards did force you to sell your hotel at his price; and after saying goodbye to everyone else that night, you followed him down to his cottage? Yes yes yes! But l didn't talk to him again.
l swear l didn't.
He was still alive when l left the premises.
Yes, you heard him, you said, speaking to someone else.
But you didn't hear the other person's voice.
So isn't it possible that what you really heard was Tod Richards speaking on the telephone? Your Honor Mr.
Mason is asking the witness to guess what happened.
Your Honor we are prepared t_ prove that a phone call was made from the cottage that night.
Mr.
Mason, that's completely irrelevant.
Your Honor, the prosecution is pe_ectly well aware that several phone calls may have been made from that cottage that night, and that's equally irrelevant.
Prosecution may not be aware that the last number called-- a San Diego number-- had also been called 3T times during the past two months from the Richards' house.
The number called was the residence of a Miss Kay McKenzie.
l should have come foM/ard, but Tod was dead.
l couldn't bring him back.
How long had you known the decedent, Miss McKenzie? Three months.
We wanted to marry, but Tod kept saying ''Let's wait.
'' He didn't want to leave his wife until he'd completed a business thing-- buying that hotel.
And when he completed the hotel deal, he called you? Yes.
He was very happy.
He said he'd see me within just a few hours.
And then something interrupted and he had to call me back from the cottage, about 1 1 :45.
When Richards talked to you that second time, did you hear anything unusual? Any sound, any other voice? No.
We talked for some time.
Tod sounded rather breathless.
He-- he said he'd just had a fight with somebody, but that l shouldn't worry and that he loved me.
And, well there was one stra_ge thing-- he hung up suddenly.
He didn't even say good night.
As if someone had entered the room? Your Honor, l object to that.
That's a leading question.
Yes it is.
Your Honor, l early read part of the police laboratory report on the murder weapon.
''A .
38 caliber revolver, one shot fired.
Powder marks indicate range under 12 inches.
'' Now as the court may be aware, no gun of this type has a slight tendency to leak around the breach-- to bacMire.
Therefore anyone firing it would probably receive a scattering of minute powder particles on the hand.
These would soon disappear, of course, or be washed om.
But if the murderer happened to be wearing a glove Now see here, Mr.
-- One moment, Mr.
Mason.
Is it your intention to link that particular glove with the witness on the stand? Since the glove is monogrammed with initials not those of the witness-- no, Your Honor.
But l will ask that the glove be tested by the police laboratory for traces of gunpowder.
But whose glove is that, Mr.
Mason? lt belongs to the woman who helped Tod Richards execute every step of his blackmail purchase of the Lombard Hotel, hopeful that he would divorce his wife and marry her-- that is until she walked into the cottage that night and caught him at the telephone - telling still another woman-- - Where did you get that glove? Tod lied to me.
He said that if l helped him, he'd marry me.
And then l caught him talking to that woman telling her that he loved her; telling her that he-- [crowd cheering.]
Davey, keep your chin down.
Hit him, Davey-- hit him again.
When George Hale gave me his opinion of Davey as a fighter, l was pretty sure he had to have ulterior reasons for wanting Davey's contract in such a hurry.
lt was a good idea.
It worked.
Correction-- it would have worked if Jo Sands hadn't gotten a strong case of feminine suspicion and gone to the party without an invitation.
Yep, Richards wasn't paying enough attention to her.
Yet Paul said he wasn't spending his time at home, either.
Since the motive for Richards' murder was obviously something that happened after his deal with Lombard, somebody either had to have been cut out or hurt.
That's right.
The lady walked in on Richards, made a big scene; Richards told her to go jump in the lake and walked out.
Unfortunately for him, she spotted the gun in the open drawer and went after him.
That glove of hers-- they found them powder burns, did they? Search me.
We had to buy it in a store.
l figured if Richards could run a blum, why couldn't l? [groaning.]
[laughs.]
You know something, Jimmy? l-- l didn't keep my chin down.
He learned it! Come on, kid.
Come on, kid, get to the showers.
You know, Mr.
Mason, you were wrong about only one thing-- Davey.
You wait and see.
Now that he's tasted canvas, l'll make a real fighter out of him.
l'm sure you will.