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Perry Mason 1949-11-03 (1604) Honeymoon Murder Case
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Perry Mason 1949-11-03 (1604) Honeymoon Murder Case
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Perry Mason brought to you by Tide T I D E. Tide, Procter and Gamble's new Wash Day miracle. Perry Mason, the famous character created by Earl Stanley Gardner, dramatized by Irving Bendig. Perry Mason, defender of human rights, champion of all those who seek justice. Tide T I D E Tide is Procter and Gamble's new wash Day miracle. Dirt out. Tide gets close. Cleaner than any soap. Hold on now, Franny. There are some pretty wonderful new soaps. I know it. And some absolutely sensational new sudsing products. I know that too, Bob. But I also know that Tide gets clothes cleaner than all of them. Yes, and I know it too, Franny. Tide gets clothes cleaner than any soap, any other suds, any other washing product known. That's because Procter and Gamble's Tide not only leaves clothes free from dirt, it removes dingy soap film too. Yet, with all this extraordinary cleaning power, Tide is safe, truly safe for all your washable colors. What's more, Tide actually brightens soap dulled colors. And in hardest water, Tide gets sheets, pillowcases and towels whiter than any other washing product known. Keeps them white, too, week after week, never turns them yellow. And all this goes for your whole family wash too. So when you choose a washing product, remember this. No soap, no other suds, no other washing product known. Will get your clothes as clean as Procter and Gamble's Tide. Tide in Sturps out. T I D Tide. Stop a moment. Think. Think how you'd feel if you were in Martha Smith's shoes. Can you imagine what it must be like to sit in a courtroom while one witness after another. Honest witnesses, too, give testimony. Honest testimony which makes you appear to be a murderess. Can you imagine what it must be like? Is it any wonder Martha's face is tossed and sprained? She looks as if she were close to the breaking point. We're going back to the courtroom in just a moment. Going to watch and listen as Perry Mason fights to keep things from being too bad for his clients. But first, let's join the real murderer of Wilfred Palmer. Let's join Allen Whitlock, the woman who should be sitting in Martha Smith's place right now. Alan gets out of a taxi in front of the Criminal court building, says, do we go right into Judge Newman's courtroom office in Naples? No, Miss Whitlock, no. Not till Mr. Noble is ready for you to give your testimony. Yeah, let me get the door for you. Oh, I thought I could go right into the courtroom. And witnesses are usually allowed in the courtroom only while they're Giving their testimony. Wouldn't want them influenced. There's so little I know about the law. Lucky you. Except one thing. What's that? We turn left here. I shouldn't like to tangle with it. Hope we're not so bad. I bet you'd be really mean to me if I murdered anyone. I couldn't be mean to you. Not even if I were a murderer. Are you? If I were, I wouldn't tell you. If I were and I were caught as Martha Smith appears to be caught, do you know what I think I'd do, Officer Maple? What? I don't think I'd fight. I think I'd give up. Throw myself upon the mercy of the court. Isn't that the way they put it? That's the way they put it. You think the court would show me much mercy, Officer Maple? If I were the court, you know what I'd do to you, Miss Whitlock? What I. Here's the witness room. We go right in here. Now, why did Alan Whitlock say such a thing? What can be in her mind? Could she have, for one fleeting moment the fear that when she faces Perry Mason, he'll learn her guilty secret? Or was this just another thrill? Meanwhile, inside the courtroom itself at the defense table, we hear. Here. Here's the water, chief. Thank you, Donald. May I have it, Mr. Mason? May I give it to Martha? Oh, yes, of course. Donald. Here. Darling. Donald. No, no, no, darling. Donald, what I have done to you. Drink your water, Darling, what I've done to you. Try to pull yourself together. Do you know what the prosecutor's going to try to do? Now, please drink this water. No. Mr. Mason told me he's going to try to prove that you helped me plan Wilfred's murder. He's already tried, Mr. Mason. Didn't let him get very far, though. I'll take a sip of this water. Thank you. Love me oh, so much, darling. That's why I do. Shh. Darling. Darling, the day's almost over. Tomorrow won't be any better. You mustn't believe that. You must know tomorrow will be better. No. And it will. Tomorrow will be just as good for us as today's been bad. Tomorrow, Mr. Mason, will start our defense. How can there be any defense? Against what, Donald? They want to see us dead, Donald. They want to put us both in the electric chair. Oh, my darling, what I've done to you. Now, darling, that isn't so. You'll learn it isn't so. Ready to proceed, Mr. Mason? Yes, I think so, you, Honor. In My client's name. Thank you for the recess, Mr. Noble. Mr. Bissell. John Bissell. Take the stand, please. Can't they leave anything? Who's this? The justice of peace who married us. Oh, well, leave him to me. You're an active justice of the peace, Mr. Bissell? I have my place right on the main highway, just over the state line. And you can't miss it, Mr. Noble. It's homey. Couples come to me from all over. Oh, then you perform marriages, many of them? Oh, hundreds. Hundreds of happy, happy. Now, Mr. Bissell, have you ever performed a marriage ceremony for anyone in this room? Yes, indeed. Those two. When did you marry them, Mr. Bissell? Why, that's a matter of record, Mr. Noble. But when? The night of the murder. You mean the murder of Wilfred Palmer? Yes. Remember the time? Why, that's a matter of record, too. I think it was just after midnight. Ah. So you married Martha and Donald Smith about five hours after they. That is, after Palmer was murdered. I did. How long would it take to drive from the city to your place? 3 1/2 hours, if they're in a hurry. Average about 4 and a good road all the way. I see. Now, you remember this couple distinctly? Oh, yes, yes. Any particular reason? Well, they were so very nervous. That's all, Mr. Bissell. Your witness, Mr. Mason. Thank you. Now, Mr. Bissell, you say you've performed hundreds of marriages every year, sir? Literally hundreds of marriages? Yes. So you've had a chance to observe many couples about to be married? Thousands. And you said Martha and Donald Smith were nervous? Very nervous. Mr. Bissell, let me ask you. How do marrying couples usually act? Nervous. And this couple was nervous? Yes, but that's all. One moment, Mr. Bessel. Yes? Did this couple act the way most couples about to get married act? Come, now, there's no need to be frightened. Oh, yes, that's it. They acted frightened. Thank you. Mr. Bissell. Yes. You now say Martha and Donald Smith acted frightful frightened? Yes. I remember saying to Mrs. Bissell she was a witness. I'll just bet there's something wrong with those two. Well, that's different. Then you noticed there was something wrong with them. I sure did. You can't pull the wool over my eyes. I had an idea that they were criminals or something. Your Honor, I object. Be quiet, Mr. Noble. He's your witness. But you started this. But sit down. Go on, Mr. Mason. So, Mr. Bissell, you. You thought there was something wrong with this couple? I said so. And why didn't you report them to the police? I'M familiar with the laws of your state, as I'm sure you are. Yes. Then you must know the penalty for performing a wedding ceremony when you're suspicious of the couple. But I didn't know. You're excused, Mr. Biss, I'd like to explain. You're excused. Get off the stand. Your Honor, I'd like to. If you don't mind, Mr. Noble, I'd like to say something at this point. Come here, Mr. Mason. I'd like you to hear it, too. Yes, sir. This court has always felt that the primary purpose of a trial is for the presentation of evidence. There are statutes based on good common sense governing the presentation of that evidence. You gentlemen know the rules as well as I and Mr. Noble. Your Honor, I am. Mr. Noble, in your eagerness to win this case, you are straining at those rules. I will not warn you again. As for you, Mr. Mason, when it's your turn to present evidence, please remember what I've said applies to you as well. This court will do its best to be just and fair. We'll also conduct this trial in an orderly fashion. You may proceed as it's getting late in the afternoon. If you'd like to adjourn until tomorrow, Mr. Noble, the state is near the end of its presentation. Your Honor, I believe we can finish it this afternoon. All right, then. Call your next witness. I'd like Lieutenant Tragg back on the stand again, but it will take a moment to get him in. All right, get him. You recess for five minutes. Perry. Yes? I just phoned Paul at the clinic and he has a dozen men out checking. Good leave. Fine. You don't want to save trouble and expense by getting the woman's name out of Martha, do you? If I try again, it'll just make her more stubborn. I'm going to do my best to make her come to me. I think I'll make everyone come to me. What does that mean? Noble's getting ready to wheel up his mystery witness. Oh, right after Trag. He said he'd finish this afternoon. So? So that means he thinks he's got his licked. He's going to try and wind up in a hurry, take all the fight out of me. I don't get it, chief. I'm going to let him do it. What? I'm going to let him take all the fight out of me. I'm going to let Noble come to me. Darling, give him enough rope to trip himself. Give him enough rope to pull that name out of Martha in spite of herself. You hope about Martha yes, about Noble. I know. I'm going to let him build his case so high he'll splatter when it falls. Watch. Well, Perry Mason knows he's up against a clever, ruthless antagonist. But he's found one weak point in Noble's character. Overconfidence. And he's banking on that overconfidence to overbalance. However, Mason's in for a shock tomorrow when Alan Whitlot takes the stand. Be sure to be with us. Dirt out. T I D D Tide. With so many really good washing products being used, a woman has to be given a mighty good reason before she'll switch to a new one. Well, we think we can give you the best reason in the world for changing to Tide. Listen. Procter and Gamble's Tide will get your clothes cleaner than any soap, any other suds, any other washing product known. Tide leaves clothes free from dirt and more. Tide removes dingy soap film, too. Yet with all this amazing cleaning power, Tide is truly safe for all your washable colors. In fact, Tide actually brightens soap dull colors. And in hardest water, Tide gets white things whiter than any other washing product known. So try Tide. Watch those suds billow up. Notice how different they look and feel and see your family wash at its cleanest best. No soap, no other suds, no other washing product known will get your clothes as clean as Tide. Tide gets clothes cleaner than all of them. T I D E Tide. Harry Mason, the famous character created by Earl Stanley Gardener, is brought to you by Tide, Proctor and Gamble's amazing new discovery for your whole family wash. Try Tide yourself and you too will agree you've never used anything like it. This is cbs, the Columbia Broadcasting System.