"Some wag once remarked that after New York... it's all Connecticut." "The intent was humorous, but like many sarcasms, it contained the germ of truth... for the small cities which make up the backbone of the nation... are all in the same pattern." "That's why it doesn't really make much difference... that we have brought you to this town in Connecticut." "The basic facts of our story actually occurred... in a Connecticut community much like this one... but they could've happened anywhere- in Oregon or Mississippi, Georgia or Utah." "You may have other names for your streets... but whether you call them Center Street, North Street or Main Street... they're not much different from these." "And the people, well, maybe they dress a little differently... or talk a little differently here... but underneath they're the same as your next-door neighbor, and you probably know them all- the cop on the beat, the kid selling papers... shopkeepers, lawyers, good people, bad people." "And if your town is lucky, you may have a minister... who is as familiar to you as Father Lambert was to this town- a man known and loved by all." "You might find him almost any evening on Main Street... taking his constitutional after supper." "A cheerful, kindly figure with a friendly word for everyone." " Good evening, Father." " Give me a match, will you?" " Sure." "There you are." "Good night." " Thanks." " Hello, Father." " Hello, my dear." "Stop that man!" "Hey, stop that man!" "Stop him!" "Grab him!" "Grab him!" "Is he dead?" " It's poor old Father Lambert." " Somebody'd better do something!" "Look out, look out." "I seen the whole thing." " I was standing over there." " So did I." " I seen the whole thing." " We'd better get the cops." " Where's the nearest phone?" " There's one over at the drugstore." " Well, go, somebody!" " I'll go." "Put down that pipe." "Don't touch a thing." " That's right." " Nobody touch anything until the cops come." "It seems incredible, but in your town and my town... these things actually happen." "Life is pleasant and a little dull... and night after night, we yawn, flick off the radio and go to bed." "Then one morning, black headlines stare at us." "A war is declared, the stock market crashes... or a kindly old man is shot down on the street... and the quiet pool of community life is suddenly stirred up." "Its waters boil, and its quiet currents twist in new and devious ways." " I can't believe it." " No one in town can." "That's right." "No one does." "Extra!" "Paper!" "You better do this, George." "We took a vote, lady, and, well, here." " He did us favors from time to time." " Put it up close, will you?" "Thank you, boys." "Thank you." "More than any man I have ever known." "He gave his life completely to the service and to the welfare of others." "He was simple and unassuming... yet we who knew him felt he wore the mantle of greatness." "We will miss him." "Yes, the death of a man like Father Lambert... leaves a gap in any community... for unfortunately, there are too few like him." "The old minister spent most of his life here... quietly building up his parish... sharing the simple life of his neighborhood... and, somehow, imbuing his parishioners... with some of his own kindliness and humanity." "Maybe he was luckier than most pastors... for late in life a reform government took over the city... ousting the machine politicians and bringing fresh impetus to city planning." "To such projects as parks, playgrounds and recreational centers... the old man gladly contributed his own wisdom and experience... and the dignity and weight of his church." "Mr. Harris has kindly pointed out this section." "I merely mentioned its accessibility... and the fact that the bank may be able to arrange for its purchase." " Father Lambert?" " Looks like an excellent site." " I find bankers always seem to know these things." "Of course, Mrs. Harvey, as chairman, will have the final say." "I think it's just fine." "It's wonderful." "But his everyday work was with the people of his parish... and especially with those who sought his advice and counsel." "Since he was a man of God, his labors sometimes led him... into the strange and secret places of men's souls." "He was just and forgiving, but he was also a man... and a stern and uncompromising judge of character." "Stop that." "Even if I had wanted to forgive you, I" " I couldn't." "It's out of my hands." " Jim, you're a sick man." " But, Father, I" "We've been through it all before." "I can't help you." "A sanitarium, perhaps." "No, I won't." "If" " If people would" "It's not people, son." "It's you." "I've told you that before." "This time, fortunately, no great harm has been done." "But the next time" "No, I can't let you go any longer." "It's got to be a sanitarium." "Have you spoken to your mother about this?" "You wouldn't tell her." " I haven't spoken to anyone." " What about Father Gardiner?" "Oh, Jim, you're starting all over again." "This is just between the two of us." "I prefer that you make up your own mind, son... but if you can't, I won't wait long." "For your own sake, I can't wait long." "Services will be held Tuesday at 11:00." "The body will lie in state in the church." "In the honorable office of priest... grant, we beseech thee, that he may also be joined with them... in a perpetual fellowship through Jesus Christ our Lord... who, with thee and the Holy Ghost livest... ever a one-god world without end." "Amen." "Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the soul of thy servant... the priest George, whom, while dwelling in this world..." "God has adorned with holy gifts... may ever rejoice with glory in the heavenly mansions." "O God, who has bidden us to honor our father and our mother... of thy mercy and compassion on the souls of my father and mother." "Forgive their sins." " Well?" " For a moment, I thought it was him." "The man thought it was him, but no luck." " What'd you expect?" " It's a chance, Chief." "So is going over Niagara Falls in a barrel." "Let's get out of here." " Don't anybody know anything about this case?" " Quiet." " Come on, Dugan." "It's been five days" " Four." "Okay, four days, and you mallet-heads haven't even turned up as much as a footprint." " People ain't gonna like that." " Why don't you get lost?" "And have you jokers trying to find me?" "Are you kidding?" "Police department." "Sergeant Dugan." " No, lady." "The city pawn takes care of that." " Lost her husband, huh?" " Oh, quiet." " Hi, Lieutenant." "What's the story?" " This is a tough case." " Don't tell me your troubles." "But I am telling you the chief doesn't like those stories of yours." "He's gonna get a chance not to like a lot more of them if you guys don't" " Well?" " Nothing." "Mr. Harvey called about four times." "He says for you to come over right away, as soon as you get in." " Got an angle, Chief?" " No." "Mr. Harvey seems awful anxious." "Maybe there's a break in the story." "Paper!" "Paper!" "Read all about it!" " Don't you ever clean this place up?" " Laughing boy." "Police are still baffled at murder!" " Paper, Chief?" " No." "Thank you." " How do you do, Miss" " Go right in." "He's been expecting you." "Yeah, but I tell you, they're doing all they can." "No, I haven't heard anything since the last time I talked to you." "Certainly, I'm gonna talk to Robinson." "Here he is now." "Hello, Robbie." "I'll call you back later." "Yeah." "Yeah." "Well, don't look so happy, Robbie." " Anything break yet?" " You too?" " It's a bad case." " It's not gonna get any better with everybody yapping at me." " Look, Robbie" " No, nothing's broken." "No leads, no clues, no nothing." "We've got to get him." "This is not a pool-room shooting." " It's a murder." " Mr. Harvey, I was a rookie patrolman on this beat... when Father Lambert first came to town." "I wanna get that guy too!" "I'm sorry, Robbie." "I should have known better." " Forget it." " Only, we're in trouble." " Did you see the Record this morning?" " Yeah." "I don't like the tone of it." "They're gonna make a political issue out of this." " They're just blowing their tops." " Not this time." " We're in a tough spot." " What am I supposed to do?" "Burst into tears?" "I've got every available man working." "If we get him, we get him." "If we don't, we don't." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to work." "Let your friends over at city hall worry about it." "They're the ones they're after, not you and me." "They're already after me, Robbie, and they're already after you." "Mr. Mayor, we are ready to give our cooperation in any way that you can use." "I know that you and your committee ought to be congratulated for" "Mr. Mayor, you've got to do something." " This can't go on." " She's right." "That's right." "Beautiful." "No clues, for crying out loud." " Seven people seen him, didn't they?" " Yeah, but" "Yeah, but don't tell me there ain't something phony about this." "I know three guys in city hall- great guys when the going's good." "Just let them try to get my vote." "That's all." "Are you going to get a shave, or are you running for police commissioner?" "It's 9:00 and news time." "And as we do every morning, we now bring you the voice of the Morning Record." "This morning's editorial tells us that the police... are still at sea in the Lambert case." "Ten days have passed since this brutal murder... and still no suspect has been found." "Just how long the citizens of this city will stand for this state of affairs... is a matter of public indignation." "I see the police continue in their grand and glorious chase." "It goes 'round and 'round like a merry-go-round... and gets just about as far." "It ain't funny." "These boys are civil service... the same as you and me, and they're not getting anyplace." " I should think they could grab somebody." " Where would you look?" " I don't know." " Then shut up." "Hey, Rachel, you seen the papers this morning?" "Yeah." "They picked up a fellow on Center Street." "They don't know who they are picking up." "The next thing you know, they'll be picking you up." "Mrs. Jones, does your Tom know anything about this case?" "Tom says they're working on a new angle." "Tom says they think the fellow must have known Father Lambert pretty well." " Go on." "The police couldn't pick up a pig in an alley." "Maybe you ladies think it's funny to assault the police force." "But the next time you want my Tom for anything, I'll remember this." "Great, Mac." "Great." "Another week of this and we can write our own ticket." " Dave, I might even give you a bonus." " I doubt it." "I passed city hall on the way over." "They're running around like chickens with their heads cut off." "What would your boys be doing if they were in?" "Running around like chickens with their heads cut off." "Why, Mac?" "I don't know." "There's not much you can do in a case like this." " So what?" " Well, it's a little like kicking them when they're down." "What's the matter with you?" "Don't you like your job?" "Well, sure." "Then save your editorial comment for the paper." " Look, Mr. Wade" " Take it easy, girls." "Take it easy." "Let's not make an international incident out of this." "It's the same in all these towns." "Somebody's in, somebody's out." "Let's get back to that bonus, if you haven't forgotten about it." "Let's get back to running a newspaper." " I need a new lead." " Okay, what's the angle this time?" "I like that stuff of yours about amateur politicians, Dave." "Which party are you talking about?" " Are they still wearing stickpins?" " Hey." "Hey, Dave, when you gonna take me out on a story with you?" " Go away." "I'm busy." " Ah." ""Police commissioner amateur golfer too."" " Do you think he'll like that?" " He'll love it." "He'll probably come looking for me with a golf club." " Oh." " Oh, what?" "I don't know." "I hope you're saving your money, Bill." " Is that you, dear?" " Uh-huh." " How are you, hon?" " Fine." "Anything new?" "Nothing special." " What's new with the Lambert case?" " It's coming along, I guess." " Not much breaking though." " No, not much." "Well, of course, with all these amateurs trying" " Amateurs?" "Listen, don't you start." " Oh." "Oh." "Pretty smart, aren't you?" "I thought we weren't taking the Record." "I read the Cook's." " Anyway, it's on the radio." " Yeah, I know." "They're really pouring it on us, aren't they?" "Seriously, though, Henry, it's such a brutal thing." "Can't they find anything at all?" "No." "But in a case like this, you might get a break anytime." " Really?" " I don't know." " I heard a fellow say it." " Oh." "Come on." "Let's forget it." "Come and tell me more about your recreation center." "Well, it's really coming along wonderfully." "Paul Harris has a land all lined up." "It's all of a piece from some real estate agent or other... and I think we're even gonna be able to put in a pool." "Well, you can't ever say again you haven't any kids to fool with." "You'll have hundreds hanging around" "I'm sorry, hon." "I don't know what made me say that." "I guess I'm just" "Forgive me." "I've already forgotten it." "I didn't ask anyone." "It's the mayor, ma'am, and some other gentlemen." " Ask them to come in." " Yes, ma'am." "Will you come in, please?" " Come right in, Mr. Mayor." " Hello, Madge." " Nice to see you." " Hello, Paul." "How are you?" " Fine, thank you." " I hope we didn't disturb you." "Not at all." "Do make yourselves at home." "Thank you." "Well, I'd hate to be selling the Record here." "It's not funny." "We're trying our best to give the city a decent government... and Wade is making us look like a pack of fools." " Isn't that right, Mac?" " You didn't expect them just to pull out, did you?" " This is politics." " All I know is my office is full... of committees on this and committees on that all day." "I didn't run a real estate office like that, and I can't run a city." " Can I?" " What about me?" "You think I like a lot of reporters... trying to grab me every time I stick my head out of the office?" "I wish you'd stick your head out just once to say something besides "no clues."" " Just a minute." "My boys are doing everything- - "No clues, no clues."" "Keep on fighting among yourselves, and you'll have... every department in the city at each other's throats." " Wade would like that." " Let's get down to cases." "Henry, Mac and I have decided this thing is too big for us." "We need help." "The F.B.I. or" " The F.B.I.?" " Yes." " What's the matter with our own police?" " They're floundering." "You can't call in the F.B.I. This is not a federal case." " We don't even know who the murderer is." " We've got to do something." "Look, we've got a good police force." "One of the best in the country." "Why don't you back them up instead of yelling for help?" " That's what I say." " I don't know if you've given this any consideration... but the election depends on this case." "Well, Mac, we promised them a decent government." " If we can't give it to them" " It's a matter of principle." " It's a matter of the police chasing their tails." " I resent that!" "I don't care whether you do or not." "As for this prattle about backing up our boys" "You're making a lot of fuss for a commissioner of public works." " I don't think you ought to say that." " Stop it!" "You sound like a bunch of schoolgirls." "And what's your idea, Henry?" "Suppose our boys can't crack it?" "Then what do we do?" "Mac, if they don't, I don't see how anyone else can." "It's that kind of a case." "So why don't we give them a fighting chance and back 'em up?" " I think he's right." " I don't." "Henry is closer to this case than any of us." "Mac, you told me not over an hour ago" "I've changed my mind." "I respect Henry's judgment." "What about two weeks, Henry?" "Do you think that's fair?" " And then what?" " Then we'll call in somebody else." "I don't know who, but somebody." "Right?" "A beer, gentlemen?" "That's very nice." "If this thing falls through, I'm holding you personally responsible, Henry." "You're holding me?" "Beer, gentlemen." "I don't care how you do it, but you've got to get more action." "Put more men on, get the state police, get anybody... but we've got to get to the bottom of this thing fast." "Is that clear?" "Yeah, that's clear." "I was hoping I'd catch you." "I want to talk to you." " I saw the mayor" " You don't want to talk to me." " The Lambert case, talk to White." " Why should I talk to White?" "He's taking over." "I quit." " What's the matter?" " I used to be able to work one of these things." " Come on, Robbie." "What's the matter?" " Matter?" "Nothing." "Except it's turning into a political three-ring circus." "And I'm no politician." "I'm a cop- a cop with a case that has no leads, no angles." "Newspapers want action, okay, let them get another boy." " Me, I'm through." " The newspapers are chasing us all." "I told you that two weeks ago." "But they've been taking potshots at you for 20 years." "Not with country club presidents chewing me out every 20 minutes, they haven't." "Thomas Benson James." " You're not quitting, Robbie." " I'm not?" " Who's gonna stop me?" " You are." " You're out of your head." " No, I'm not." "You said it yourself." "You're a cop, and an honest one." "And you're walking out on honest men." "If you're talking about Thomas Benson James" "Yes, him too." "They don't know anything about politics much." "They're worried and excited, but they are trying to help the city." " They can do it without me." " I don't think they can." "I was talking to them last night, and I told them... that if anybody could lick this case, it would be you." "I even got them to promise that they'd back you up... without interference for two more weeks." " Two more weeks." "Then what?" "Call in Nick Carter?" " Chief" " I'm busy." " I'm sorry, but what about these?" " I'm busy." " What are they?" "Newspaper cartoonist." "The witnesses all described the guy they saw to him." " What are you gonna do with them?" " Circulate them, I guess." ""Circulate them, I guess"?" "You've been on the force for 10 years... a detective for three, you still don't know what to do?" "Get a composite photo of these and send them to every editor in the East." "Excuse me." "And get moving." " Yes, sir." " We'll get 4,000 suspects." "Maybe." "One of them could be the right one." "Well, keep punching, Robbie." " Hey, I wanna talk to you." " I thought you'd see it my way, Robbie." "The chief of police came close to the truth... when he talked of the number of suspects that would be picked up." "There weren't thousands, of course, but a trickle started... which swelled to a steady stream as the manhunt fanned out... to include neighboring cities, the state and, finally, all of New England." "Okay, okay, I'll send a car." "The newspapers, especially those like the Record... which were trying to hold the Reform Administration up to ridicule... kept public interest at a fever pitch... until every man who wore a dark coat or a light hat automatically became a suspect." "Mounting rewards by angry civic groups added to the incentive... until men were being turned up from every walk of life... who bore even the faintest resemblance to the supposed murderer." "Okay." "Yeah." "All right." "And actually, there was very little for anyone to go on." "The clue of the dark coat and light hat was slim enough... and the nebulous figure conceived in the minds of the seven witnesses... and brought to life by an artist's pen was hardly much more." "And it became increasingly apparent that almost as great a problem... for the police as the capture of the murderer... was to be the overzealousness of the public." "All right." "So he came out of a poolroom." "Who doesn't?" "And still the phone rang with ever-increasing frequency... at police headquarters, and still the prowl cars... doggedly ran down every lead, streaking across the city... in search of a furtive figure seen here, another seen there." "Something suspicious about their actions, something said... or the mere fact of wearing a dark coat and a light hat." "And still men poured into police headquarters." "Angry men, indignant men, beaten men and dazed men." "Men with long criminal records... and simple men snatched from peaceful pursuits... all to be shoved into the glare of the lineup platform... scrutinized, questioned and released... in the forlorn hope that one... just one of all these hundreds... might be the man they sought." "Lady, sure, don't give it a thought." "We'll have a prowl car there right away." " Don't say I never did nothing for you." " What, no pie?" " Pie?" "What's the score, Dugan?" " Score?" "Eight-to-five against me." "These phones keep ringing like a three-alarm fire." "They're shaking suspects out of their sleeves." "More." "They even picked up my Uncle Jerry the other night, 64 years old." "Did he do it?" "Police department." "Sergeant Dugan." "Go ahead, Long Distance." "I bet the guy who done it is still walking around very happy." "Now you're a detective." "Hello?" "Who?" "Oh, yeah." "Go ahead, Ohio." "Yeah." "Yeah." "From here?" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "Wow!" "Listen, Sarge, hang on." "Yeah, any charge." "And don't say anything to him." "Right." " I'll call you back in 10 minutes." " What's up?" " Go away." " I'm not listening." "Chief, Dugan." "Listen, Chief." "Ohio State Police say they got a guy that tallies with our circular." "Yeah." "Only this guy admits he left here three days ago... and he's packing a.32 revolver." "Okay." "Right." "Extradition." "Thanks, Dugan." "Next time you get pie." "Stand up straight, all of you." "Keep your heads up." "Come on." "Get your heads up." "I want you to look at them again carefully." "I don't want any mistakes about this." "You're all sure that's the man?" "All right." "Let the rest of them go." " That's all." "Come on." "Get outta here." " That's all." "Thank you." " Here's his stuff, Chief." " Book it." " Get that gun to a ballistics man." " No chance on that till morning." " All right." "Well, get it there early." " Okay." "Okay, take him away." "How about it, Robbie?" " I don't know." "We'll have to see." " What do you mean?" "We just got a guy." "What do I know about him?" " Seven people recognized him." " Seven people recognized him." " So what?" " If you weren't the bullheadedest old goat" "Just a little more experienced." "That's all." "Well, take plenty of time." "Go ahead and get started." "It's gonna be a lot easier all around if you just tell us the whole story." "But I don't even know what you're holding me for." " Just because I was carrying a gun" " No, it's not the gun." "Then why did you bring me all the way back from Ohio for?" " I got a right to travel, ain't I?" " Sure." "What do you want from me?" "We're holding you on a murder charge, Waldron." " What?" " Sit down." "Sit down." "You're crazy." "I never murdered anybody." "Yeah." "Seven witnesses identified you as the man who shot Father Lambert... on the night of September 29 on Main Street." " You're crazy, I tell you!" "Let go!" " Sit down!" "Cut it out." "Take it easy, son." "Sit down." "If you didn't do it, we'll find out." "If you did do it, we'll find that out too." " I want a lawyer." " You'll get one later." "Let's start from the beginning." "You have plenty of time... and nowhere to go." "And you never saw Father Lambert in your life?" "No." "I never even heard of him till I saw his name in the paper." "You were just passing through town, you were never in the neighborhood..." " and you never saw him before?" " No, I tell you." "I" " Did you ever see that man before?" " Yes, I have." " When?" " It was that week." " Before Father Lambert was killed?" " Yes, one afternoon." "Did he do it?" "We don't know yet, ma'am." "Thank you." "That's all, ma'am." " So you never saw him before, huh?" " That dame is nuts." " No, she isn't." " All right." "I saw him." "He gave me a lecture and a pamphlet, but that don't mean" " Why didn't you tell us before?" " I don't know." " I was afraid." " Afraid of what?" " I don't know." "I was just afraid." " Afraid of what?" "I don't know!" "Chief, there's an easier way of doing this." " No." " We're wasting a lot of time." " No!" " Okay, you're the boss." "But it'll make it much easier on him in the long run." " We're losing a lot of sleep." " I thought maybe he'd give me a line on a job." " Did he?" " No." "He said he didn't know of anything." "Then he gave me a lecture and a pamphlet." " Is that what got you sore at him?" " No, of course not." " What did?" " Nothing, I tell you." "I wasn't sore at him." "What are you trying to make me say?" "You say you came home from the bowling alley... washed up and then had dinner at the White Spot." " Andy's, I told you." " Then you rode over to Main Street." " I didn't ride over." "I walked over." " You walked." "Then what?" " I went to the movies." " The Plaza?" " No." "Yes." " What movie did you see?" " A Western." " What time did you go in?" " 7:00." "A little after" " Double feature?" " Yes." " What was the other picture?" " Murder." " You say you were just passing through town." " Yes, I was just passing through." " A fellow at the gas station... says you were working for him two months ago!" "I meant" " I" " What are you trying to do to me?" " Why do you keep lying, son?" "You know they've got your whole background." "They can trip you every time." "Besides, you're a dead giveaway." "Every time you lie, you put your hand up to your mouth." " You can't get away with anything." " You're crazy." "Let's talk about the gun again." "You say you bought it just before you left town." "Yes, just before I left town." "I was going on the road, and" " Oh, what's the use?" " You bought it a week before the murder." "The pawnbroker you bought it from told us that." "We have his own statement to prove it." " What do we do, Chief?" " Get him up." "Keep it going." "Let's start right from the beginning." " Come on." "Stop stalling." " I got a 9:00 deadline." "It ain't gonna do you guys no good to hang around here." " I don't know nothing." " You can say that again." "Always picking up some cluck with two dollars and seven cents in his pocket." "Why don't you ever grab a guy with white piping on his vest?" " I don't know." " Mr. Harvey, what about it?" " What do you think?" " I'm trying to find out myself." " See me later." " You know what I think?" "I think you guys just got desperate and picked up some tramp." "We wouldn't have gone to Ohio for no tramp." " We got plenty around here." " Right." "And at least one of them in a uniform." "Any luck, Robbie?" "No, we've been trying all night." "Wanna look at this stuff?" "No." "What do you think?" "Pretty hard to say." "You know Rainsford, don't you?" " Oh, yes." "You're the alienist, aren't you?" " Psychiatrist." " What do you think of him?" " Pretty hard to tell." " He's under a lot of stress." " Yes, I know." "But does he sound like a murderer or not?" "Well, he lies, of course, but he's frightened... and he seems to be more than usually bitter and resentful." "Is he bitter and resentful enough to commit murder?" "I couldn't say." "He's just out of the army." "That might account for his bitterness a little." "The difficulty of readjustment or possibly" "Or possibly, it's something else." "What I want to know is whether he's a homicidal type or not." "I'm afraid I can't answer that." "I'm not sure there is such a thing." "Haven't you ever- Maybe I'd better not ask that." "Perhaps not." "But to get back to a more exact science, what about the gun, Robbie?" "I don't know yet." "It's pretty early." "Do you suppose if I went downstairs, I could hurry him up a little bit?" "Why don't you do that?" "Tell him we're waiting for his report." " You know where his office is." " Hello, Mr. Harvey." "Good morning." "Tough night, huh?" "You ain't kidding." "We're knocking off, Chief." "He's a tough nut to crack." " Maloney and Herron are with him now." " Boys need a little sleep, huh?" " What about you?" " I'm all right." " A shave's as good as a night's sleep." " Chief." "Hmm?" "This young lady claims she has information for you." "Do you mind?" "I came here of my own free will." "All right, Charlie." "Monahan called me about you." "Miss, uh, Nelson, isn't it?" "Yes." " Are you ready?" " Sure." " Then you went home?" " Then I went home and took a shower." " Then you had dinner?" "You had dinner." " I told you a hundred times." " Tell us again." " Let me get some sleep." " You had dinner." " I had dinner at Andy's, then I walked" " This the man?" " Yeah, that's Tony." "Yeah, she knows me." "Tell them." "The night Father Lambert was shot, shortly before the shooting... this man walked by your restaurant, right?" "Yeah." "It was about 7:20." "He walked by and waved to me." "I remember it, because just afterwards, I" " She couldn't have." "What's the matter with her?" " Shut up." "Let her go." "A week or so later... he came to you and told you he was leaving town." "Yeah." "I thought it was kind of funny." "We'd been going together about a month or so... and then one afternoon, he came in and said he was leaving town... just like that." "Boys just don't do that sort of thing to me." " What about it, Waldron?" " What about what?" "She's lying." " What about leaving town?" " I wanted to leave town." " A little sudden, wasn't it?" " No." "I wasn't working." "I offered to get him a job with me in the café." "I didn't get out of the army to start pearl diving in a crummy café." "Crummy?" "Ask him how crummy it was!" "Ask him about all the free meals he had in there!" "And glad to get them too, till he got the wrinkles out of his stomach!" "Then he thinks he can brush me off!" " Get her out of here!" " That'll be all, miss." "If you need any more help, I'll leave my number with the desk sergeant." "Dirty double-crossing" "You get in all kinds of trouble, don't you?" " She didn't help his alibi much." " No, she didn't." "But I'd hate to be in a spot where I had to depend on that little girl's word." "It doesn't feel right." "It just doesn't feel" " Hey, Robbie, we got it." " What?" " The bullet came from his gun." " That's right, Chief." "Johnston says he'll have the full report for us within an hour." " That does it." " I'll stick right on his neck until he gets it out." "That does it." "He'll confess now." "Come on, Doctor." "But you told us before, you were sick of the black market." " Pick up his head." " You were tired of being pushed around." "You were tired of handouts and advice, and you resented the people... that had good jobs and money when you came out of the army with nothing." " You brooded over it till you took that gun." " I didn't brood." "Let me sleep." " You took the gun with the idea of getting even." " I didn't take it." "When you saw Lambert on the street, you made him the personification... of every handout, every word of advice, and in a rage you shot him." " Please let me sleep." " In a minute." "Isn't that what happened?" " No, I went" " Isn't that what happened?" " Isn't that what happened?" " All right, all right, all right." "All right." "Stenographer." "What a way to make a living." "The case of the People of the State of Connecticut... versus John Waldron moved rapidly." "Legal procedure in this state calls for a coroner's inquest... the findings of which are submitted to the district court." "If the evidence warrants it, the case is bound over to the superior court... where the state's attorney examines the facts and decides... whether or not the accused shall be indicted." " You're Mr. Graham Rogers?" " Yes, sir." " How much of this murder did you see?" " I was closing up my shop." "I must have turned around just in time." "You were going away from Father Lambert, Mr. Cary." "I had passed him, but I turned back as the shot was fired." "And you were across the street, Mr. Lukash?" "My wife and I was waiting for a bus across the street." " We heard a shot." " And, Mr. Cartucci, you made an attempt to stop him?" "A couple of seconds sooner, and I'd have grabbed him." "I made a jump for him, but he was just a little too quick." "But I thought you crossed the street immediately, Mrs. Lukash?" "We were so shocked, we just stood there for a moment." "Then as we started to cross the street toward Father Lambert" "And he passed close to you as he ran, Mr. Callahan?" "He practically knocked me over." "If I knew why he'd been running, I might have hung on to him." "And you were a little frightened, Miss Neilson?" "I was scared to death, but I saw him run down the street... till he disappeared in the shadows." "Then on the basis of your experience in ballistics, Mr. Johnson... and your experiments with this weapon, you would say... that this bullet came from this weapon." " I would, positively." " Thank you, sir." "That's all." "Chief Robinson, please tag these exhibits." "Chief Robinson, will you certify that this is the confession taken by your men?" " I didn't do it!" "They made me sign it!" " Save that for the court." "Take him out of here." "John Waldron is remanded into the custody of the police." "The case will be referred to the district court." "Proceedings closed." "That's all." " What do you think?" " That's as close to a perfect case as I've ever seen." "Thanks." "As much a surprise to me as anyone else." "He had me fooled." "Too bad." "Kid had a good war record too." " Yeah, that's a shame." " Great, Robbie." " We're all proud of you." " Thanks." "I'm going down and see the mayor and the others." "They'll be as happy as a bunch of kids." "I wouldn't rub it in too much, Mac." "No more than they need." "I'd push the indictment, Henry." " You know, get it going fast." " I'll push it along." "I only want a few days to go over all the evidence." " You gonna talk to the boy?" " Who, Waldron?" "What for?" "You might get a line on what he's gonna use for a defense." "It's an idea." "Maybe you're right." "I'll bet Waldron will be delighted to see me." "Right down there, Mr. Harvey." "Cell number three." "My name's Harvey, Waldron." "I'm the state's attorney, the man who'll prosecute you." " What do you want?" " I'd like to hear your side of it." " Might help clear things up." " My side?" "Are you kidding?" "My side of it is that I didn't do it." "You know, you did leave town at a funny time." "I left town when I wanted to and because I wanted to." "You had a right to do that, but in a situation like this, they have to know why." "I told them why." "I wanted a job." "After all, you had jobs here." "That's right." "I had jobs here." "Gas station, driving trucks." "Well?" "Look, mister, I put in five years in the army." "Five years." "That puts me five years behind the parade." "I didn't wanna pump gas or hustle trucks." "I wanted to get moving." "I got a lot of catching up to do." " You have to start somewhere." " You get anxious." "You understand?" "You gotta get moving." "You can't wait." " I'm no kid anymore, and" " What were you going to do?" "I don't know." "I thought I could go someplace, maybe." "Start a small business." "Make something out of myself." "I had an idea once." "What's the odds I miss the boat?" "Fly high, lie low." "It doesn't make any difference now." " But it was your gun." " Yeah." "My gun." " All them people saw me." " And that young lady at the Coney Island Café." ""Young lady." That dame." "Would you take her word against mine?" "She said she knew you and saw you pass the window." "Ah, she lies in her teeth." "I brushed her off." "She's trying to get even with me." "Wait a minute." "You did confess." "Sure I confessed." "After two days in that joint, I'd have confessed to anything." " Do you want to hear it all over again?" " All right." "Get out of here!" "I know what you want!" "You want to hang me!" "You wanna hear me say I killed him?" "All right!" "I killed him!" "Go ahead and hang me!" "Hang me!" "To all intents and purposes, the capture of John Waldron... had silenced the attack on the reformed government." "But good politicians, like good boxers... never quit till the final count." "This is Mr. O'Shea." "He's just been appointed public defender in the Waldron case." "He's gonna give me an interview, and I'm gonna show him how to shoot a game of golf." " Delighted to meet you, sir." " Thanks." "Sit down, boys." "Sit down." "I needed some company." "Oh, uh, excuse me, Mabel." "O'Shea." "O'Shea." "I know that name." " League of Women Voters, sir." " Hmm?" "League?" " Women Voters." " Oh, yes, out in the Lawnwood District." "Well, well, I'm always glad to meet a good party man." " Well, I try to be, sir." " Harry thinks he can get Waldron off." " Oh!" " I'm working on the "temporary insanity" angle, sir." " I think I can make it stick." " It won't work." "Pardon my abruptness, but I think that you're on the wrong track." " But there is a chance." " Yes?" "O'Shea, this boy Waldron is a veteran." " They'll never hang an ex-serviceman." " If he killed a man, they will." "Dave!" "O'Shea, I" " I think we're forgetting something." "Everyone is." "This boy has served his country." "He spent two years in the cold and mud on the battlefields of Europe." " The South Pacific." " Well, that's worse." "But dig into that war record." "Find out everyplace he's been- what he did, what ribbons he won." "Maybe we ought to have him in uniform at the trial." " Oh, that would be nice." " All right." "Forget that." " But dig into that war record." " That's wonderful, Mr. Wade." " I sure will." " All right, but get going." "Why, I sure will." "And, uh, it's been a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Wade." "I know." "I'll meet you out on the tee." "He's a nice boy." "Shoots in the 80s." "Is that why you had me bring up that chowder-head?" "I've been watching Harvey all week." "He's got this thing sewed up tight." "And besides that, there's a small matter of Waldron being guilty." "You don't think any jury in the world... would convict a boy that gave the best years of his life to serving his country, do you?" "I don't care whether he's guilty or not." "I've got to win an election... and the only way I can do it is to make Harvey look bad." "And you can still sleep nights, huh?" "As long as there aren't too many people around like you, I can." "I'll be around." "That's the works, huh, Stoney?" "Gun, bullet, statement, confession." "I'm waiting for a couple of blowups from the lab, but that's about all." "Okay, let's go over this stuff again." "Now, will we" "Look at that man work." "He's out for a record." "Hello, Mac, Paul." "That's all, Stoney." "We'll take it up later." "What do you do, live here?" "He looks as if he'd just found out there was an income tax." "I'm glad you came in, Mac." "There's something I wanted to talk to you about." "Fire away." " It's about that kid over in the jail." " He's a nice fella, Paul." "He just worries too much." "Don't you think?" " Absolutely." " It's not that." "It" "Say, what's the matter with you two?" " Shall I tell him, Paul?" " Don't be so coy." " What is it?" " How would you like to be governor?" " What?" " That's it, Henry." " What's the matter?" "Don't you want it?" " Of course I do." " But I just don't" " Everybody in the state will be watching you tomorrow, Henry." " And I've been talking to people all over- Hartford, New Haven." " He can do it, Henry." " And we'll help him." " Governor." "We don't get many good men, many honest men in politics." "And when we do, we like to push 'em." " Thanks, Mac, but there's something very important" " Don't worry about it tonight." "You've got a job to do tomorrow." "Come on, Paul." "Let's go." "And, for Pete's sake, get some sleep." "This place looks like a boar's nest." " Hey, Mac" " Relax, Henry." "Take it easy." "Let the muscles sag naturally." "Just a minute, Mac." " I'll see you tomorrow after the indictment." " Good night, Governor." "I'll take you down to Moriarity's and buy you a steak." "No, I'll buy you a steak." "We're pulling for you, Henry." "I'm so glad you're going to prosecute." "We have confidence" "You may open court, Mr. Sheriff." "Oh, ye, oh, ye, oh, ye." "The honorable superior court for the state of Connecticut... is now open and in session in this place." "All persons having cause for action will give their attendance according to the law." "Be seated, please." "Mr. State's Attorney." "If Your Honor please, I would like to call to your attention this afternoon... the case of the State versus John Waldron." "On the 22nd day of October of this year... the accused was bound over to this court... by the city court on a charge of murder in the first degree... growing out of the death of the Reverend George A. Lambert... the pastor of the St. Christopher's Protestant Episcopal Church... of this city." "My assistants have drawn up a chart of the scene of the crime." "And the facts in the case disclose that... on the evening of 29th of September..." "Father Lambert was taking his usual walk along here." " Well, boys, it's started." " How's it going?" "Great." "Henry's carrying the ball." "Then it's not too early for a little celebration, eh?" " It's never too early to celebrate!" " That's a load off my mind." " Mine too." " Here you are, boys." "The last of the pursuers dropped out... and so the trail of the murder was lost about here." "John Waldron was apprehended 18 days later in Ohio... and was returned to this city." "Under the circumstances, there was no alternative for Coroner Ryan... except to make the finding which he did... holding the accused for the murder of Father Lambert." "The coroner, very logically... divided the case into six points... which in substance are as follows:" "First, Waldron was seen by an acquaintance, Miss Irene Nelson... within a block of the place of the shooting... from five to 10 minutes before the shooting." "Second, the slayer wore a dark coat and a light fedora hat." "Third, the witnesses- Mr. Graham Rogers..." "Mr. Thomas Callahan and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Lukash- actually saw the shot fired." "Fourth, these witnesses, plus Romulo Cartucci..." "Miss Greta Neilson and Mr. Eugene Cary... all identified Waldron at police headquarters... as the man they had seen fleeing from the scene of the shooting." "Fifth, Waldron made a statement in writing... admitting the crime." "Sixth, a revolver found on Waldron... was a.32-caliber weapon... and was the gun from which a bullet... found in the head of the deceased was discharged." "The function of the city court... and the coroner having been discharged in due course... it naturally fell under my jurisdiction for action." "The evidence against the accused seemed overwhelming." "Upon its face, at least, it seemed like a well-nigh perfect case... affording little difficulty in the matter of successful prosecution." "My own view, necessarily, was that if the facts above stated... were subject to verification... the accused was undoubtedly guilty." "But there were sufficient circumstances... of an unusual character involved... making it highly important... that all the facts be scrutinized with the utmost care... and in a most impartial manner." "It goes without saying... that it is just as important for the state's attorney... to use the great powers of his office... to protect the innocent as it is to convict the guilty." "Your Honor, I have endeavored to approach this case... without any preconceived notion." "I have personally interrogated all the witnesses." "I've examined all the evidence with the utmost care." "If Your Honor please, it is my belief that the defendant is innocent... and I intend to enter a plea accordingly." "Order!" "Order!" "Order!" "Are you out of your mind?" " Order in the court!" " The court will be recessed until 9:00 tomorrow morning." "And if there is any recurrence of this outrageous conduct... the courtroom will be cleared by the sheriff... and the proceedings will be conducted in private." "Mr. State's Attorney, I'll see you in my chambers." "Court is dismissed." "Oh, witnesses, that's all." "You can go." "I figured he was working on some angle." "Oh, he can't, huh?" "He just did!" "That's exactly what happened." " I'm tellin' you!" " The whole place is goin' nuts." "I'll tell you what I'll do." "I'll get a hold of Harvey, and then I'll call you back." " Yeah." " How do I know?" "Well, okay, get a hold of John and tell him, will ya?" "Yeah, that's right." "There's an awful lot of noise here." "I can hardly hear myself think." "I've known you a long time, Henry... and I've always respected your ability." " But there's something about this that doesn't smell right." " I think I'm within my" "Now, don't tell me about your legal rights!" "I've been on the bench long enough to know what you can do and what you can't do." "You represent the two million people of this state... in prosecuting a particularly brutal murder... and I'm gonna see that their rights are protected." "I don't pretend to know your motives in asking for a nolle prosequi." "But if they're political, I'll not only take steps to have you disbarred..." "I'll also do my best to have you prosecuted for malfeasance in office." "It's quite possible that my motives are political." "It's also possible that I think the man's innocent." "Mr. Harvey, you'd better do a great deal more than think." "Why don't you turn him loose, Whitey?" "Cut it out, fellas." "Don't do it." "Lay off, do you hear?" " We'll take good care of him." " Uh-uh." "No." " You knew Father Lambert, Whitey." " I can't do it." " You're not gonna let him get away with this!" " Take your hands off!" "Break it up!" "You boys aren't acting very smart." "We're friends of Father Lambert's." "He's not gonna get away with this." "I don't think Lambert would have liked it this way." "Suppose we take him?" "Quite a few of us are gonna get hurt." "Wanna be first?" "You don't have to get tough about it." "That's right." "I don't." "Excuse me." "All right, take him." "All right." "Why don't we all go on home, eh?" "Come on!" "Break it up, every one of ya!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "You too!" "Get on your way!" "Go ahead, all of you!" "Thought for a minute you were gonna have trouble there, Robbie." "Nah." "I don't have trouble with that kind." " They're easy." " What's the matter, Robbie?" " You sound bitter." " Bitter?" "Me?" "Why should I be bitter?" "I'm a cop, Mr. Harvey." "Remember?" "An honest cop backing up honest men." " Now, listen, Robbie" " No, not this time." "I'm through listening." "We've got our man, and we'll convict him if it takes the next 10 years." "And I don't care what shenanigans you and the rest of your crowd are trying to pull." "Never did like politicians." "Then why didn't you let us in on it?" "What are you trying to do?" " Don't start anything, Mac." "I don't wanna discuss it." " Wade's talked with you." "Maybe" "That's the second time today I've been accused of political chicanery..." " and I'm getting tired of it!" " Then what is the story?" "There's no story, Mac, or any angles to it." " I just happen to believe the boy's innocent." " Can you prove it?" "I don't know." "I thought I had the case going perfectly straight." "And, all of the sudden, it comes back and hits me right between the eyes." " I just don't know." " Let's think about you for a minute." "What are you going to do?" "Destroy two years' work?" "Throw your career in the ash can?" " It's the boy's life, Mac." " If he's innocent." "He can't be." "You said yourself it was a perfect case." "And even if he were, is it worth it?" "We've cleaned out the city, we've thrown out the crooks and the grafters." "We've made this town a decent place to live." "Is one man's life worth more than the community?" "Yes, Mac, it is." "Good luck, Henry." "You'll have to fight the whole town." "Hello, Madge." "Are you all right, dear?" "A little the worse for wear, but I guess I'll make it." "I held dinner." "Paul Harris is in the living room." " He said he had to see you." " Oh, no." "Now what does he want?" "You run along and eat, dear." "I'm not particularly hungry anyway." " Now, Henry" " Maybe a sandwich later." "Now, run along." "Hello, Henry." "Hello, Paul." "Henry, I don't like the way you're handling this case." "You don't?" "No." "I suppose Mac told you what you're doing to the party." " It can't happen, Henry." "We've got to win an election." " We do?" "Absolutely." "And to do it... we need a conviction." "You're going to move an indictment for murder, Henry." " I am?" " Yes." "I've had a pretty trying day, Paul." "I'm gonna give you just one minute to get out of here." "And then, I'm gonna throw you out." "I think you'd better sit down till I've finished." " Just don't take any longer than a minute." " I'll see what I can do." "You remember our project for a recreational center for children?" "We're to buy some 10 acres from the Sunset Realty Company for the project." "I'm still not interested." "I'm the Sunset Realty Company, Henry." " What?" " I own the Sunset Realty Company." "And I've sunk every cent I have into it." "If the city doesn't buy that land from me at my price, I'm ruined." "And if we don't win this election, the city won't buy." "And you expect me to be a party to this?" "You're insane!" "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Henry." " Paul, you're crazy." " That's the way it is." "I can make this call anytime." "Maybe." "But I don't think Madge would like it." " What's she got to do with it?" " Nothing much." "She's just chairman of the project." "Why, you" " She doesn't know anything about this." "No, but she gave me $2,500 to help buy the land." "That wouldn't look very good in the papers, Henry." "Think it over." "I'm sorry, gentlemen." "Mr. Harvey- Well, he's gone to bed." " He was very tired." " Oh, give us a break, Mrs. Harvey." "I'm sorry." "Good night." "Good night." " Good night." " Well, why don't she wake him up?" " Hold it." " Well, what did I say?" "Why don't she wake him up?" "It's my professional opinion he's not asleep." " No?" " No." " Oh." " That's Paul Harris's car." " You mean, he's" " Ah!" "Don't say it." "He's in there." "Oh!" "Come on." "Let's wait for him." "And there's no way for it to get out... nobody's going to bother to look up the incorporation papers." "I could even cut you in for a block." "All right, let it go." "But I've got to have that indictment." "I don't care how you do it." "You're the lawyer." "But I'll be there to see that you do." "Henry, you've put me with my back against the wall." "I've lived here all my life." "I've got my name and my family to think of." "I've risked everything I've got on this." "If I go under, you're going with me." " Hello, Mr. Harris." " What?" "Oh." " Hello, Woods." " How about a statement?" " Not tonight, Dave." "Not tonight." " What'd he say?" " Look out." " Besides, you're the opposition paper, you know." " Yeah, but how about the case, Mr. Harris?" " The case?" " Yeah." " Mr. Harvey was having a little fun this afternoon." "It'll be all right." "What'd he say, Dave?" "What'd he say?" "Mr. Harvey was having a little fun this afternoon." "Bill, where's your car?" "I want you to drive me to Hartford." " Hartford?" "What for?" " I know a fella there that makes very good coffee." "But I got a date, Dave." "Rosie's waitin' for me." "What do you wanna be, a reporter or a Romeo?" " Well, a reporter, but" " Okay, then, we'll go to Hartford." "And we'll bring Rosie back some hot coffee." "Come on." " Madge, you didn't need to do that." " You come along." "I suppose I should have let you starve gracefully." " Sit down there." " I'm not very hungry." "Here." "There's your milk." "Just don't sit and look at it." "You drink that." "It's good for you." "Henry, the reporters were here." "Deviled ham." "Do you remember that flat around the corner from law school... and those sandwiches from Barney's?" "I remember." "It would almost be fun to do it again." "Wouldn't it?" "We were both a little younger, Henry." "Yeah, that's right." "Did you give Paul some money on that playground deal?" "No, I didn't give it to him." "He told me they needed extra cash to buy the land... so I loaned that $2,500 that Father left" " Was that wrong, Henry?" " No, it doesn't make any difference." "Darling... is there gonna be any trouble?" "Trouble?" "Don't be silly." "And since I can't interest you in a one-room flat, how about the governor's mansion?" "What?" "Henry, what about this man?" "Is he innocent?" "You didn't answer my question." "You didn't answer mine." "I don't know, Madge." "I thought I had something, but I'm just not sure." "I see." "You didn't answer my question." "You oughta know by now that I'll go anywhere you go, darling." "But it's got to be what you want." "That doesn't give me much help." "I didn't intend it to." "I'll get you another glass of milk." " Mr. Harvey" " Waldron, sit down." "I'm your attorney." "I'll handle your defense." "That's all." "That's all." "That's all." "What do you mean, "that's all"?" "Come on, Mac." "That's-That's all." "That's all." "That's all." "Everybody rise, please." " You may open court, Mr. Sheriff." " Oh, ye, oh, ye, oh, ye." "The honorable superior court within and for the state of Connecticut... is now open and in session in this place." "All persons having cause or action will give their attendance according to law." "Be seated, please." "Mr. State's Attorney?" "Your Honor, at the close of yesterday's session..." "I announced that I was going to enter a plea of nolle prosequi... in the case of the State versus John Waldron." "You wish to amend that statement, Mr. State's Attorney?" "I do, Your Honor." "There are so many baffling aspects to this case that..." "I wish to reserve a plea until I've laid some of this evidence before the court." "Very well." "Your Honor, such was the strange nature of this case... that I and the gentlemen of my office made a detailed investigation into it." "We felt that that would be necessary for any successful prosecution of the case." "I realize that it's not in order to call witnesses at this time... but with the court's permission, I would like to interrogate... certain persons who were present at the coroner's inquest." " Sounds reasonable." " Thank you." "I would like Mr. Graham Rogers to take the stand, please." " Objection!" " Mr. O'Shea?" "Your Honor, the accused is adequately represented... and I submit that the presentation of this evidence is highly improper." "I regret to inform defense counsel... that since this is a preliminary proceeding... the state's attorney is perfectly within his rights." "You may proceed, Mr. State's Attorney." "Stand up." "Raise your right hand." "Do you swear the evidence you're about to give to be the truth... the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" " I do." " Your name?" " Graham Rogers." " Sit down." "Mr. Rogers, you were looking... directly across the street at the murderer at the time the shot was fired?" "Yes, sir." "I was just closing up my shop." "Your testimony says that you saw the murderer raise his arm... something glittered in his hand..." " and it was then that the shot was fired." " Yes, sir." "Are you certain that's what you saw?" "Yes, sir, absolutely." "I don't mean to question your integrity, sir... but I must ask you again, are you certain that it glittered?" "Yes, sir, I'm certain." "It was shadowy, but it was light enough from the streetlight so I could see it." "That's all, thank you." "Your Honor, I'd like to show you this gun." "Your Honor will observe that it is of a very dull finish... a finish similar to that used by the army... the purpose of that being that no reflection on the barrel will reveal the user's position." "Your Honor, I submit that a gun specifically designed not to reflect sunlight... could hardly glitter at night." "It was this inconsistency of testimony, Your Honor... which first struck me." "I believe there are others." "With the court's permission, I'll just question the next few witnesses in their seats." "Proceed." "Thank you." "Ladies and gentlemen... the murder which you witnessed took place on a particularly dark night... and the events which followed were both unexpected and swift." "Yet, you all unhesitatingly identified this man who now faces you." "I must ask you again, is this the man?" "Mr. Rogers?" " Yes, sir, I'm sure." " Mrs. Lukash?" "Yes, sir." "Your Honor, I don't want to imply that this identification is not in good faith... but it was a particularly dark night... and the basis for the identification seems to be... that the murderer wore a dark coat and a light hat, a fairly common combination." "Oh, there's one there." "There's another." "One of our distinguished witnesses has one." "As a matter of fact, if I'm not mistaken... you wore such a combination this morning yourself, Your Honor." "There could be no mistake in your identifications?" "The identification seems to be unanimous and conclusive, Your Honor." "But on the night of October 25... under approximately the same conditions..." "I and seven of my assistants reran the crime." "We reenacted it not once, but seven times... so that each of us could see it from a different point." " Herb?" "Phil?" " No." " Dan?" " Mm-mmm." " How about you, Smitty?" " Everything all right, chief?" " Anything wrong, chief?" " Huh?" "No." "Let's try it again, boys." "Switch positions." "Your Honor, I have here the sworn statement... of each of my assistants... that not once during all the reenactments... could any of them definitely state that he recognized the man portraying the murderer." "Although, in each case, he knew him well." "Are you still certain of your identification, ladies and gentlemen?" " You, Mrs. Lukash." " Well, I, uh" " Thank you very much." " Well, I'm certain." "Would you take the stand, please, Miss Nelson?" " What's he putting her up there for?" " Quiet!" " If he lets that dame" " Shh!" " Well, she's nothing but a" " All you're going to do is hurt yourself!" "Miss Nelson, your testimony states... that on the evening of the murder..." " you stood in the window of the Coney Island Café." " Yeah." "And that you could definitely state that... the man you saw through the window... at 7:20 on the evening of September 29... was the accused, John Waldron?" " That's what I said." " I may be assuming... but isn't it possible that such an attractive young lady as yourself..." " might have several gentleman friends?" " Mm-hmm." "Mm-hmm." "And isn't it possible... that these friends in passing the restaurant might wave to you..." " through the window?" " Mm-hmm." "And isn't it also possible, Miss Nelson... that it was not John Waldron, but another of your friends..." " who waved to you through the window that night?" " No." "Your Honor, in the course of examining the evidence in this case..." "I also visited the Coney Island Café." "And, upon her advice, I stood behind the counter in the exact spot... where Miss Nelson states that she saw John Waldron on the evening of September 29." "From this point, the window of the café is obscured to a point... of four and a half to five feet by steam." "It is possible, however, to see dimly through the window." "But one of my men passed the window while I watched... and although I know this man well, it was impossible for me to recognize him." "Miss Nelson, did you know that rewards for information... leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer total $8,000?" " I did not." " Your application for the reward is already on file." "Miss Nelson, before you answer me... please remember that not only is the man's life in jeopardy... but that you might be sent to prison for perjury!" "Now, was it Waldron you saw through that window?" "Was this the man?" " Well, I'm not absolutely sure" " Thank you, Miss Nelson." "That's all." "I would like Miss Katherine Manion to come to the stand, please." "What's Harvey trying to do?" " What?" " What's he doing?" "Giving O'Shea a lesson in trial procedure." " Miss Manion, you are an employee of the Plaza Theater?" " Yes, sir." "And in your capacity as cashier... you naturally pride yourself on your memory for faces?" "Yes, sir, I-I do." "And you can definitely state that the accused, John Waldron... did not enter your theater on the night of September 29?" "Yes, sir." "Thank you." "Miss Manion, this is my assistant, Mr. Stone." "How do you do?" " Was he in your theater on Tuesday night of last week?" " Oh, no, sir." "Your Honor, at 8:13 on Tuesday night of last week... observed by two reliable witnesses and myself..." "Mr. Stone bought a ticket to the Plaza Theater from Miss Manion." " Well, I" " We're all human, Miss Manion." "That's all." "Thank you." "Your Honor, I think... we can state at this point that the evidence of the eyewitness is subject to question." "Very interesting, but scarcely conclusive." "Well, I agree with the court." "If I've shown that the witnesses might have been mistaken... they might as easily have been correct." "But as I've stated, Your Honor, there are certain aspects of this case... which are confusing." " Do I have the court's permission to continue?" " Proceed." "Thank you." "I would like Dr. William Rainsford to take the stand, please." "Stand up." "Raise your right hand." "Do you swear the evidence you are about to give to be the truth... the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" " Name, please?" " Dr. William Rainsford." " Where you been, Dave?" " Overslept." "What's the score?" "Dr. Rainsford, I realize that you were retained by the police department... to examine John Waldron, and have therefore already formed an opinion of him." "But as a physician and psychiatrist... you will admit that in a state of exhaustion approaching hysteria... a man is highly susceptible to suggestion." "Certainly." "Though, I have some doubt as to its application to the accused." "I didn't ask you that, Doctor." "I asked you for your professional opinion." "In that event, I should have to answer yes." "That's all, Doctor." "Thank you." "I would like Chief Robinson to take the stand, please." "Raise your right hand." "Do you swear that the evidence you are about to give to be the truth... the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" " Name, please?" " Harold F. Robinson." "Sit down." "Chief Robinson, you were present during the entire questioning of John Waldron... and you state that nothing was done to force a confession from the accused." "He confessed of his own free will." "There was no physical violence." "But you did implant the idea in his mind?" "He confessed himself." "Yet, at 11:55 a.m., after hours of questioning..." "Dr. Rainsford said to the accused..." ""You made him the personification... of every handout, every word of advice, and in a rage you shot him."" " Is that correct?" " Yes, but" " That's all, Chief." " That's not all!" "You're excused, sir." "Thank you." "Your Honor, while I feel that the validity... of the defendant's confession may be challenged..." "I'm forced to admit that it too falls in the category of the inconclusive." "Both the testimony of the eyewitnesses... and the confession itself would be subject to long argument at a trial." "And there are even more concrete pieces of evidence in this case that we have already examined." "Your Honor, this is the bullet taken from the head of the deceased." "The police ballistics expert has already stated... that it came from the gun found on the person of John Waldron." "My office has been extremely interested in this bullet... and with the permission of the police department... we have conducted experiments with the bullet and with the accused's gun." "Now, it's not my intention to go into the technicalities of ballistics... or call in experts to testify." "However, five independent ballistics experts... have been retained by my office to make tests in this case... and, uh, with the court's permission..." " I would like to briefly summarize their findings." " Proceed." "Your Honor, in photograph "A"... is the bullet which I hold in my hand." "This picture, labeled "B," is that of a bullet fired from the gun of John Waldron." "I won't pretend that I can discuss lands and grooves... with the authority of an expert... but to the untutored eye, even to the eye of an expert... these two bullets would seem identical." "There is one minor difference, however." "When this bullet was removed from the head of the deceased... a small particle was left in the brain." "Our police force didn't feel that it was important... to remove that particle for their ballistics test." "But, Your Honor, that particle was highly important... to the ballistics experts retained by my office." "They all agreed that the two bullets were remarkably similar... but I have here their sworn statements... that the two bullets could not have been fired from the same gun." "Order!" "Order in the court!" "However, I'm forced to admit that this too... falls in the category of the inconclusive." "If Mr. Johnston, the police expert... still insists that these two bullets were fired from the same gun... the odds are five-to-one against him that they were not." "However, the odds are still present." "Your Honor, this is the gun that was taken from the person of John Waldron... on the night of his capture." "Would Your Honor kindly examine it, please?" "The gun is a.32-caliber weapon... and these are the bullets that go with it." "There are six bullets." "Would Your Honor kindly examine them also?" "And now, insert them in the gun." "And now, may I have it, please?" "Mr. Harvey, that's a loaded gun!" "I'll be extremely careful, Your Honor." "Mr. Whitney, please." "In the reenactment of the murder... we found, through the examination of the trajectory of the bullet... that the murderer had to hold the gun... in exactly this position when the shot was fired." "Through examination of the powder burns... we found that Father Lambert must have been within six inches of the gun... or about here." "Henry!" "Mr. Whitney, will you fire the gun?" "I must apologize, Your Honor, for the use of theatrics in this presentation... but there's a defect in the firing pin of this gun." "It's loose and faulty, making it impossible... for the gun to be fired in this position." "We tried it 16 times." "That was the 17th." "He shot himself!" "Let him alone." "Stand up there." "Get back there, please." "It's always the same." "You look around long enough... you'll find some guy with his fingers in the till." " I went to Hartford last night." " Why?" "I met Harris after he left your house." "He said you were switching." "I didn't think you were that kind of a guy." "MacDonald, I just made one mistake." "I should've known by now that there's one thing you can't beat in politics... and that's a completely honest man." "Well, I wonder how Florida will be for the winter?" "I'm afraid people get just as tired of reform as they do of anything else." " You'll be back." " I know." "You'll be back." "You don't look very happy, Henry." "I-I was just thinking of Paul." "Yes" " Paul." "Well, Paul more or less passed judgment on himself." "I suppose so." "Mr. Harvey, that was a good presentation." "Very good." "I called you a politician yesterday, and..." "I was wrong." "Forget it, Robbie." "I know how you felt." "Um" "I'll bet that stubborn, old goat still doesn't believe he's innocent." "It may take him a little time." "After all, it took him a long time... to decide he was guilty." " That's why I like him." " Oh, I like him too, but he's still a stubborn, old goat." "Oh, Waldron?" "Well, uh, what are you gonna do now?" "I don't know." "I'll get something goin'." "It's about time, don't you think?" "Mr. Harvey, I don't know how to thank you." "Don't try." "Well" "No kiddin', Dave, how did you peg that corporation?" "I never reveal my methods." "What's that?" "Say, don't you ever read anything but your own stuff?" "The guy was killed in a crack up." "Screwiest thing you ever saw." "One of our boys got on his tail for speeding;" "Chased him for a mile or so, and, all of the sudden... the guy swerved, and that was that." "This case was never solved." "And within 24 hours, John Waldron was once again a free man." "The case is still open on the police books of a Connecticut city... and it may interest you to know that there are those... who still believe the accused man was guilty." "It may interest you too to know that the man we have depicted for you... as State's Attorney Harvey... was actually a Connecticut lawyer named Homer Cummings." "He did not become governor of the state." "He rose instead to one of the highest legal positions in the land" "Attorney General of the United States."