Gee, Pop, you sure missed
a wonderful luncheon.
Contradiction, please.
Not having eaten,
have missed nothing.
I had turtle soup, chicken la king
and three cream puffs.
- Then I had some ice cream-
- Please stop.
Mention of food more painful...
than surgeon's knife
without anesthetic.
Shall I get you medicine, Pop?
Good dose of land only effective medicine.
The bulletin board says
we'll dock at 4:00 this afternoon.
Only sight of dock
can renew interest in life.
Steward! Steward!
Get me out of here!
Help! Somebody open this door!
Help! Steward!
Help! Help!
Open this door!
Help! Steward!
- Did you hear that?
- Yeah. It sounded like somebody calling for help.
Help! Somebody get me out of here!
- In there.
- Help! Help!
Help! Steward!
Help! Get me out ofhere!
Help-
So sorry to intrude...
but etiquette ignored
when lady in distress.
L- I guess it must have
locked accidentally.
Chair under doorknob
indicate purpose...
not accident.
Better check your belongings, miss.
It looks like a robbery to me.
Why, I can't imagine
why anybody would want to...
rob my stateroom.
After all, there's nothing
of any value here.
Absolutely nothing.
Maybe you'd better take a look
through that trunk anyway.
Something might be stolen.
I haven't lost anything.
I'm quite sure of that.
Evident thief
not interested in diamonds.
Note. Jewelry untouched.
Oh, they're phonies.
The real ones
are in my bank, I hope.
Well, thank you all
for coming to my rescue, more or less.
No trouble at all.
Sorry I couldn't have done more.
Thanks.
Let us know if anything else happens.
We're in the next cabin.
This is my father, Mr. Chan.
My name's Lee.
- Thank you both.
- So happy.
Oh, by the way.
If you don't mind, I'd just as soon
you didn't mention this to anyone.
Don't you think, if there's a thief on board,
the purser ought to know about it?
I don't want to answer
a lot of useless questions.
You see, I've been feeling
perfectly miserable during this whole trip.
- But, Pop-
- Am in identical boat with fair lady.
- Will say nothing.
- Thanks a lot.
Please put muffler
on peanut whistle...
and explain motive
for appropriating towel.
You see, Pop, I've been sorta
collecting souvenirs since I left Honolulu.
Some people pick up soap or ashtrays,
but I like towels best.
Hmm.
What are you looking for?
Lifeboat...
make fine souvenir also.
"Hotel Sheffield. "
"Chteau Paris. "
"Rhine Inn. "
Too late now to make restitution.
But replace ship's property
before detective father...
assigned to case
of light-fingered son.
Okay.
Say, Pop, speaking of cases, what do you
think of that girl in the next cabin?
Very pretty girl.
She hasn't been out of her cabin
on the whole trip.
The steward told me when I was asking him
for some, uh, fresh towels a while ago.
I'll bet there's something funny
going on there.
What's the matter, Pop?
One cabin too small
for two detectives.
I'm awfully sorry to bother you...
but all that excitement has my head
beating like a bass drum in a Harlem band.
- Have you any aspirin?
- Come in.
- I'll get some for you. Please sit down.
- Oh, thanks.
Here you are.
- Thanks a lot.
- Not at all.
Do you intend staying
in New York very long?
No, darn it. Pop's in a hurry
to get home to Mom.
We leave for San Francisco
in the morning.
Well, that's pretty fast traveling.
Too bad you're not gonna stick around
and see the big town.
Yeah, but unless Pop takes a nap...
I'll never get past the hotel lobby.
Well, thanks again. Perhaps
we'll see each other before we dock.
- Good-bye.
- Good-bye.
Well, she's dockin' now.
Between murders and suicides,
I ain't got enough to do...
so the commissioner says,
"Go down to the dock and meet a detective. "
Who's got a cigarette?
Hey, Smitty!
So I said to the commissioner,
"I have already met a detective once. "
He says to me,
"You just think you have. "
Thanks very much.
"Now go down and meet Charlie Chan. "
Look, Smitty, have the band
blast out something oriental.
Hey, what is the Chinese
national anthem anyway?
I don't know. Why don't you give him
"Chinatown, My Chinatown"?
Okay, we'll play it.
Hiya, Nelson.
I knew there was somethin' fresh around here.
I thought it was the ocean air.
Looks like you got
half of headquarters down here.
- What's up?
- I'm lookin' for the other half.
- Expect someone to steal the Atlantic?
- No. The boys are going wading.
Say, have you got a light?
Hmm. Here comes
the number one bloodhound of journalism.
Your sarcasm isn't
cutting into his salary much.
I guess you're down here
to interview Mr. Chan.
- Always the copper, aren't you?
- It's nice work if you can get it.
Well, come on. We'll give you a police escort
so you don't fall off the pier.
Are you glad to get home again?
- There's the guy! Come on.
- Get to him before the boys crowd in.
Look, Pop.
They're gonna snap our pictures.
Is it true you intend
racing Indian King at Saratoga?
- How do your horses win all the races?
- They run fast.
- How many wives have you?
- More than Ali Baba had thieves.
Do you think you're going
to like New York?
If it's half as ridiculous as I've heard,
I shall love it.
How long do you expect to remain
in the United States?
Did you bring
all of your stable with you?
Look out! Thanks.
Give me that camera!
No one's taking any pictures of me.
- Okay, sue me.
- Who's that?
Well, if it isn't little Billie.
What are you doin' back in town?
- Mr. Chan?
- That is humble name.
I'm Inspector Nelson, Mr. Chan.
Greetings from New York's finest.
The bigwigs expect you
to tear a duck apart with 'em tonight.
So sorry.
Come again, please.
Excuse the inspector's broken English,
Mr. Chan. He's a Brooklyn immigrant.
He's trying to tell you the police department's
giving a banquet tonight in your honor.
Thank you so much.
Am unworthy of so great honor.
Will feel like sparrow
perched on limb with peacocks.
- I don't get ya.
- He says he accepts.
- Your interpreter?
- In big city, yes.
Otherwise, number one son, Lee.
- Oh, yeah. Yeah.
- I've gotta mush on, Mr. Chan.
If there's anything you want the bigwigs
can't rustle up for you, just toot your whistle.
Speed Patten of the Bulletin.
I wonder if that was
a personal crack at me.
New York English too baffling
for humble detective.
Oh, yeah. Those pencil pushers
sure kick it around, don't they?
Come on, Mr. Chan.
We'll take care of your baggage.
- Is this all your baggage, Mr. Chan?
- All here.
Open luggage
for gentleman's inspection.
That won't be necessary, Mr. Chan.
The commissioner has extended you
the freedom of the port.
Oh. Much honored.
Right this way, Mr. Chan.
- Good-bye.
- Good-bye.
You know the little lady-
Miss Bronson?
- Quite casually.
- Why, Inspector?
Ayear ago, that dame was so hot
in this town, she had to skip the country.
Grand jury wanted her
as a key witness.
She had enough info
to blow the lid right off this island.
Some of her boyfriends shipped her abroad
till things cooled off.
What did I tell you, Pop?
A lot of funny things happened on the boat.
Please keep eyes open and mouth shut.
- Oh, porter.
- Yes, miss?
Please have my baggage sent
to the Carlton Hotel also.
Certainly, miss.
Your name, please?
Carlton Hotel.
Carlton Hotel.
Still the freshest guy
on Broadway, aren't you?
Oh, no, Billie.
Just the smartest.
Sometimes you make it hard to tell
where your brain ends and your nerve begins.
Maybe, but while every other newspaper guy
on that dock follows an Indian maharaja...
who can't make anything
but the sport page...
I'm ridin' around with Billie Bronson-
the gal who can make history.
Look, Speed, just forget you ever saw me.
I'm not here for publicity.
What are you here for, honey?
- I wanna see Grant's Tomb.
- You can get a swell view of it- from the river.
What do you mean by that crack?
I'm not hot anymore, and you know it.
Yeah, but does the D.A. Know it?
I didn't come back to see the D.A.
I've got a date with somebody else.
That wouldn't be a guy
by the name of Burke...
at the Hottentot Club, would it?
- You get around, don't you?
- Yeah, and it's a big circle.
So you're gonna have
a showdown with Burke, huh?
If you print that,
you'd better put on your diving suit.
I'll take that chance
if it's okay with you.
Here's your hotel.
Listen, Speed, if you can
keep quiet for a while...
I may slip you something
you'll have to print on asbestos.
- What's the deal?
- Meet me here at midnight.
It's a date.
Drive me to the Bulletin.
- Don't get up, boys. I can make it.
- You just think you can make it.
Better lay off, Joan.
He's vicious.
- I just got tossed out.
- I've got the passkey.
- I want to see Murdock.
- Just a moment, Miss Wendall.
Save me an extra column
on Sunday, will ya, chief?
I got a swell human interest yarn
on the maharaja of Rodpur today.
Do you think the subscribers
can stand the excitement?
- Yes?
- Miss Wendall would like to see you, sir.
- I can't see her now.
- You can if you look up.
Hello, Murdock. Hi, Speed.
- What do you want, Miss Wendall?
- A hundred bucks.
I think you'd better see a doctor.
You're delirious.
I'll drop in at the psychopathic
ward and hold your hand later, sweetheart.
Okay, have your little joke,
but would you like to take a peek...
at this beautiful enlargement
before I sell it to the Times?
I got a dozen pictures
of Charlie Chan.
Maybe, but if you look close,
you'll see a girl, and it isn't Chan's daughter.
Billie Bronson, eh?
I got a dozen pictures ofher too.
And I've got a dozen editors who'd love
to know that I took this picture today.
- I'll give you $50.
- It was awfully nice seeing you.
Wait a minute.
Give me that photo.
Instruct the cashier to pay Miss Wendall $100.
I want you to forget
that you ever took this picture.
My mind's a complete blank.
I suppose you remember the way
to the cashier's office.
And how. Thanks, Murdock.
So long, Speed.
See you later.
You were down at that pier today, Speed.
Didn't you see Miss Bronson?
I thought I was the only one. I even jumped
in her cab and had a little chat with her.
I don't want to pry into the affairs
of this newspaper...
but would you mind telling me
why you kept it a secret?
She didn't spill anything. I'm gonna
see her tonight and get the lowdown.
Yes?
Who?
Put her on.
Hello, Miss Bronson.
Yes, I heard you were back in town.
You remember that little deal
we discussed about a year ago?
That's right. Well, we may be able
to do business now...
but it's gonna cost you twice
what you offered last time.
That's insane.
How do I know it's on the level?
I haven't even read it. Fine.
I'll be over at your hotel
at 11:30 tonight.
Good-bye.
You can call off your date
for tonight, Speed.
I'm taking over the Bronson story.
Now look here, chief.
I started this thing.
Yes, and I'll finish it, and I'll make it hotter
than the Chicago fire.
Okay, but look out
you don't get burned.
- Nice scoop, kid.
- Scooping you is getting monotonous, Mr. Patten.
- Well, how about marrying me?
- And kill a beautiful friendship? Nothing doing.
I tell you what. You take me
to the Hottentot Club tonight...
and we'll blow
some of this hush money.
- Why the Hottentot?
- Why not?
You got me. Anyway, I'd better stick with you,
or I'll be scooped on my own love story.
Be sure you keep your mouth shut.
Don't worry.
It'll cost me my job if I don't.
Pop. Hey, Pop.
Where are you?
Prostrated on floor.
What are you doing, Pop- hiding?
Collar button is one who hides.
Am searching for same.
I'd help you, Pop...
but you said,
"One room too small for two detectives. "
Assistance very welcome
on present difficult case.
You'll find it
if you go about it scientifically.
Logic very good.
Plainly saw fugitive sitting here.
Turn back on same
while searching for trousers.
Number one son pass by trunk...
while parent descend body
into trousers.
Return here,
and collar button absconded.
Also number one son.
Thank you so much.
One room still too small
for two detectives.
Say, Pop, can I have
a couple of weeks' allowance in advance?
I only have one buck
to see the town on.
New York like mouth of great river.
Many reefs in channel...
to wreck small
sightseeing boat from Honolulu.
Oh, boy! Twenty bucks.
Thanks, Pop.
Don't worry.
I can take care of myself.
New York's no different
from any other town.
It's just a little bigger.
- Sorry, buddy.
- Oh, that's all right.
- Cab, sir?
- Please.
Me too.
Pop! My money's gone.
I know. The man who just bumped into me,
he must have taken it.
Save breath for lamentations.
- Your cab, sir.
- Thank you so much.
Suggest you return to room
and lock self in...
before dinner suit
snatched from body.
- But, gee, Pop-
- Good night.
Astor Hotel, please.
Mr. Chan's room, please.
- There's no answer.
- Thanks.
- Hello.
- Hello, Miss Bronson.
Well, I'm in trouble again.
I can't unlock my door.
But- But that's our room.
Oh. Well, how do you like that?
I've got the right location,
but they let me off at the wrong floor.
I'm in 413.
Well, you look like you're all dressed up
to do the town tonight.
No, not exactly.
L- I'm waiting for Dad to get back
from the banquet so I can show him the town.
Well, I hope you have a good time.
Good night.
Good night.
The Hottentot Club.
The young lady that just left,
did you hear her say where she was going?
- She mentioned the Hottentot Club.
- Thanks.
The Hottentot Club.
Flashlights, bulbs, film.
- Give me a roll of film.
- Yes, sir.
- How much is a flashlight?
- Fifty cents.
Boy, what pictures I've got.
- Hello, Gloria.
- Gee, this is a surprise, Mr. Moran.
- You haven't been around for quite a while.
- Oh, I've been around.
Wait a minute.
- When did you get back in town?
- This afternoon.
- Burke send for you?
- Well, what if he did?
I just wanted to know.
Listen, Buzz, I've got
a good reason for coming back.
You've got a better reason
for staying away.
You get out of town before morning.
I mean that.
Okay. I will.
Sure, you will.
Sorry, boss.
You all can't go in there.
What's the idea?
There's someone inside I've got to see.
The rules of the house say no gentlemen
allowed in without a lady friend.
You can't button that one.
It's a freckle.
My mistake, honey.
- Hello, Burke.
- Good evening, Mr. Mack.
Mr. Burke.
This guy signed his check.
- Is it okay?
- He's a phony. Get his dough.
- Hiya, Johnny.
- Hello.
- Evening, Johnny.
- Hiya, Speed.
- Hello, Miss Wendall.
- Hello, Mr. Burke.
- You got a lot of competition around here tonight, kid.
- I can't complain.
Their pictures make the family album.
Mine make the front page.
Did you ever figure on this "camera night"
idea of yours causing a lot of beefs?
- About what?
- It's a known fact that somebody's wife...
will go out
with somebody else's husband.
Where are they?
I haven't seen you here in months.
Any special reason for tonight's visit?
- No. Just slumming.
- That's right.
You can be the perfect host by supplying me
with a nice juicy story.
A murder, for instance.
That always goes good in a nightclub yarn.
I'll take your picture standing next to the body.
If they're good, I'll buy a dozen.
Don't yell like that.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
- Gosh, I'm sorry I scared you.
- What do you want?
I'm here on something awful important.
Maybe you can help me.
You see, I'm sort of a detective.
That is, my dad is Charlie Chan,
and I work with him on big cases.
Charlie Chan?
Why, I know who he is.
- Then will you help me?
- What can I do?
- Get me in the club. I've got to see somebody.
- All right.
As soon as I get more film,
I'll take you down the back stairs.
Swell. Oh, let me help.
You kinda go for our ballerina,
don't you, Mr. Burke?
I like her dancin'.
That dame could appear in a wheelchair,
and he'd call it dancing.
Hello, Moran.
- What's the idea, Johnny?
- I don't get ya.
I told you to keep
Billie Bronson out of town.
- She's in Europe.
- She's upstairs in your office.
- I didn't know that.
- You know it now.
- She comes back when I say so.
- Sure, sure.
I'll take care of that dame.
- Waiter. Bring me some more milk.
- Yes, Mr. Moran.
- You do an encore, baby.
- Okay.
- Wait here, Joan.
- You're not holding anything out on me, are you?
Take it easy, honey.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Johnny.
- What are you doin' in town?
- I got lonesome.
- Aren't you glad to see me?
- Sure, I am, but it's risky.
- You're still hot enough to blister.
- I'll take my chances.
- How's everything with you?
- Not so good.
Yeah, that's what you wrote me...
but I saw an awful lot of cover charges
when I came in tonight.
What's on your mind, Billie?
Why did you lie to me?
- I don't get you.
- Oh, yes, you do.
- You didn't want me back in New York.
- I told you it wasn't safe.
Oh, skip it. I walked through
the whole police force today...
and all they did was tip their hats.
No, Johnny.
You fooled me long enough-
cutting down my dough so I didn't have
enough money to buy a ticket back home...
saying the club was failing,
lying about everything.
- You talk too much, Billie.
- Yeah? Well, I haven't even started yet.
I don't think I would if I were you.
The boys wouldn't like it.
- You mean Marie wouldn't like it.
- Leave her out of this.
Why should I? You've been giving me
the runaround because of her.
That's why I came back.
Things have been too perfect for you.
Okay, Johnny, you're a smart boy...
and you bluffed a lot of people.
- But you can't bluff your way
out of what I'm gonna spill.
- You double-crosser. I'll slap you-
- Stay away from me!
- Where you goin', Marie?
- Charlie's office.
- He's busy right now. I think you'd better wait.
- Oh, yeah?
- Maybe you can order the busboys
around, but not me. - Now, listen-
Police of New York and Honolulu
have one thing in common.
Both live on very small island.
But while we have big volcano...
you have biggest shakeup.
Uh, someday, hope to greet
honorable brothers in Hawaii...
where roar of surf
replace noise of subway...
and, uh, hot rhythm of Broadway...
Cooled by strains of"Aloha. "
There goes my fishin' trip...
and I was all set
to get away in the morning.
I've just been called
on a little case uptown, Charlie.
- I think you'd better come along.
- What's the idea of taking our guest of honor away?
- Can't you handle it alone?
- Maybe not.
Billie Bronson was just murdered
at the Hottentot Club...
and Mr. Chan's son
is being held as a suspect.
We go right away.
- Excuse, please. Excuse.
- Of course, Charlie.
- Where's the trouble?
- Upstairs.
- Have you got a cigarette?
- I don't smoke.
Metropolitan newspaper people more prompt
than police and also more numerous.
Oh, those? Those ain't reporters.
They're worse- camera hounds.
This is candid-camera night.
They're all shootin' for prizes.
They've even got
a darkroom for 'em...
so they can develop and enlarge
their pictures right here.
Very interesting.
Camera remember many things
human eye forget.
Huh?
You're right.
Don't let anyone outta here
with a camera.
- I want every roll of film in the place.
- Yes, sir.
I'll carry it.
- Good night, Mr. Moran.
- Good night.
- Hi, Nelson. Hello, Mr. Chan.
- You didn't waste any time getting here, did you?
Somebody has to protect
the taxpayers.
All the policemen I know
were at a banquet tonight.
When you gotta eat, you gotta eat.
Have you seen the body?
- Seen it? I found it.
- That makes you a suspect.
Flatterer.
Over there, Doc.
I knew I'd be seeing you
on business sooner or later.
Pop! Tell him who I am.
What is charge against young man?
We found him hangin' around
in the hall outside. He says he's your son.
Reluctantly confess
he is portion of posterity.
Oh, yeah? Then what was he doin'
peekin' through a keyhole?
Humbly suggest murderer
not likely to go outside...
and contemplate victim
through keyhole.
But please explain
embarrassing presence here.
She was trying to get into our room
at the hotel, so I followed her.
The kid's okay.
Release him.
- Lay off that phone.
- I got a right to call my lawyer.
What makes you think
you'll need one?
He'll need one with you
handling the case.
- You and your funny ideas.
- I got an idea now. Believe me, it's far from funny.
- What'd you find, Doc?
- The bullet entered the back just below the left shoulder blade...
passed through the right ventricle...
and was probably stopped by a bone.
- We can't get the bullet until the autopsy.
- Yeah, okay.
Uh, excuse, please.
Can give approximate time of death?
- About half an hour ago.
- Thank you.
Half an hour ago,
I was thinkin'ofbass instead ofbullets.
- Anybody find the gun?
- I did, sir. It's a. 25-caliber automatic.
The sergeant sent it down to headquarters
to check the number and any fingerprints.
Good. I want this whole room gone over
for fingerprints. Have headquarters send a man up.
- Yes, sir.
- May ask question, please?
- Sure. Go ahead.
- Understand you were first to discover body.
That's right. Well, go ahead, Nelson.
Give me the third degree.
But I warn you, if anybody slugs me
across the Adam's apple with a rubber hose-
Ah, you talk too much as it is.
Body in same position now
as when discovered?
Sure. I didn't touch it.
I had to leave something for him to do.
Thank you so much.
Position of body sometime
give solution of murder.
So sorry to intrude,
but like number one son...
keep forgetting this not my affair.
Gee, Pop. I was only trying
to find out what she was doing.
Obviously, she kept appointment
with murderer.
- That brings us around to you.
- I ain't sayin' a thing without my lawyer.
Maybe we got different ideas about that.
Billie Bronson come up here to see you, didn't she?
- So do a lot of other people.
- But they don't all get murdered. Stop me if I'm wrong.
She could come up to visit
Johnny without him killing her, couldn't she?
- You oughta know.
- What do you mean by that crack?
You and Billie were friends
until she had to blow town.
Then like a good pal, you move in on her boyfriend
to keep him from getting lonesome.
- After a year, he gets fed up with you and sends for Billie.
- Is that on the level?
- No, he's just fishin'.
- I wish I was.
Anyhow, Billie hits town,
beats it up to see you, and you bump her off.
- That's a lie! She was all right when we left the room.
- Then you were with her!
- Tell him, Johnny.
- I ain't talkin'.
You see?
He could alibi you ifhe wanted, but he won't.
He'll let you take the rap.
That's what happens to his dames.
- Won't happen to me.
- Shut up.
- You killed her with his gun!
- You're crazy. He put me out of the room.
- Then he killed her.
- No, he didn't. I waited in the hall.
You couldn't drag me away. He only stayed
a minute. I saw her when he came out.
- She was still alive?
- I'll say she was, and mad.
Now wait a minute.
In other words, you both leave the room.
She's all alone. She gets so mad
she shoots herself in the back and hides the gun.
- Don't tell me that!
- We ain't telling anything until we get a lawyer.
Interruption, please.
Perhaps keyhole observation
made by number one son...
can prove if lady speak truth.
No. She was dead when I looked in.
Say, how did you know
she was up here?
I didn't. I was just looking
in all the keyholes.
Say, what's the idea?
I can't get out of this joint.
You can after I've seen
your pictures. Give.
I only enlarged one,
but it's a honey.
- You see, I came up here and found the body.
- He says he did.
It was my turn
to do the scooping, darling.
Well, as Mr. Chan would say,
"One picture worth 10,000 words. "
Thank you so much.
Say, Mr. Chan, take a look at this.
That napkin isn't in the picture.
Also interesting to note...
telephone jump back on hook
since picture taken.
You're right.
Was that phone on or off the hook
when you found the body?
It was off.
I put it back on.
Well, that's just ducky. You know,
there might've been some fingerprints on there.
I'm sorry, Nelson.
When I saw it was off the hook...
I thought Billie might've
been talking to someone.
When nobody answered,
I went ahead and phoned in my story.
Do you use a napkin when you phone?
Why? Should I?
Don't evade the issue! When did you
pick up that napkin and put it on the tray?
I never touched it.
If it isn't asking too much,
can I have my picture so I can get out?
One moment, please.
Observe picture more closely.
- Watch that door!
- Look out, Pop!
Let go of me, you little-
Mac, get that light!
- I got him, chief!
- You got me, you dummy!
- Where's Burke?
- I got him, Mr. Nelson.
- What happened to you?
- Someone slugged me, but I'm all right now, sir.
I'll have to take your word for it. Get headquarters.
Send out an alarm forJohnny Burke.
- I want him picked up before morning.
- Yes, sir.
I'm gonna get you 10 years
for puttin' out those lights.
- Who, me?
- Yes, you!
- Did Burke get away clean?
- What do you think?
- Hey, come here!
- Stop yelling, will ya? I gotta phone that story in.
- It puts the finger on Burke.
- If you touch that phone...
I'm gonna put five fingers on you.
Get out of here and use the one downstairs.
And take that dame with you.
- And the picture?
- That's evidence. Beat it.
Come on, honey.
They want to be alone.
Speaking of pictures, Charlie, what were you
gonna show me when Burke took a powder?
First must point to fact...
that napkin on tray
also take powder.
Well, I'll be.
Now why would Burke
take that napkin?
Picture may hold answer
to same riddle.
Observe carefully.
Contents of unfortunate lady's purse
scattered on floor.
Yeah.
Compare articles now on floor
with those shown in picture.
Say, wait a minute. There's no key there,
but there's one in the picture.
Missing key may fit
door to solution.
Looks like a hotel key.
There's a tag on it.
- Perhaps can decipher number?
- Yeah.
It says "Carlton Hotel 313."
Gee, Pop, that's our room!
- Yes.
- What?
Who's got a cigarette?
Never mind.
We'll get some at your hotel.
Come on.
Even if I knew where Burke went,
I wouldn't tell you.
- And you can't hold me.
- Pipe down. You stay out here with her.
Key, please.
Stabbed through the ribs,
and not over a couple of minutes ago either.
Get the coroner.
Pop! It's the man we met
this morning on the boat...
when someone tried to rob
Miss Bronson's stateroom.
- You know this guy?
- Encountered him once only on board steamship.
Take him to the bed and search him.
I wonder where he fits in.
Hey, Mac.
Anything out there?
- Nothing, sir.
- Well, that's not good enough.
Climb out and take a look
in every window as you go below.
And no matter what you see,
remember- it's Burke you're lookin' for.
I wish the fishing season
was as open as the one for murder.
Excuse, please.
Would suggest key undergo
fingerprint examination.
Right, Charlie. That may be the one
from Billie Bronson's purse.
- Anything on him?
- No, sir.
Maybe the steamship company
would have his name.
Oh, chances are he'd be listed under a phony title,
but we'll check that later.
Take this down
to the Bureau of Identification.
Have 'em check any fingerprints
againstJohnny Burke's. His are on file.
- Yes, sir.
- This whole thing is getting me a little bit screwy.
What would that mug want
in your room?
Mud of bewilderment now beginning
to clear from pool of thought.
This man follow
Miss Bronson on boat...
to secure unknown object
she possess.
To safeguard same...
she use my baggage as hiding place.
I remember, Pop.
That's when she came in for the aspirin.
- Huh?
- Have hit tack on cranium.
Tonight Miss Bronson
try to regain secret possession here.
But number one son
prove stumbling block.
Then Burke gets your key
when it drops from Billie's purse.
Comes up here...
in time to catch that guy in the room.
The rest is easy. He stabs him and makes
a getaway with whatever they were all after.
- Quite possible.
- But what were they after?
- You can't go in there.
- Nelson, let me out of here-
You know this man?
He's- He's my husband.
- Your husband, hey? What's his name?
- Tom Mitchell.
- Now we're getting somewhere. Were you living with him?
- No.
- You left him for Burke, didn't you?
- I'm not talking.
You don't have to.
I get the whole setup.
- Well, why don't you deny it?
- Please.
Perhaps kinder to question lady later.
Oh, yeah, yeah. Okay, Charlie.
Take her down to headquarters.
Come on, lady.
Keep her in my office.
I'll see her later.
Now what I wanna know,
Char-
What have you got now?
Most interesting reading
found on torn paper.
This is something.
So Billie kept a diary too.
Pop, that's what they were after.
No poison more deadly than ink.
I'd give up that fishing trip
to see the rest of these pages.
Hey- Hey, Pop!
Gee, I-I thought
you were someone else.
Put that thing away.
Did you find anything?
No, sir, and I went
all the way down to the bottom.
- Say, do you think he might have gone up?
- Why?
Well, I just remembered. Miss Bronson said
her room was 413, and that's right above us.
- What?
- Regret slow progress of thought...
but rejoice at final arrival.
Get out on that fire escape and keep your eye
on the window above. Come on.
Hello, Nelson. This is a surprise.
I'll say it is.
What are you doin' here?
What would I be doing here?
I'm waiting for Miss Bronson, of course.
Then you got an awful long wait.
She's not comin' back.
- She's dead?
- Murdered.
I'm not surprised.
Wait a minute.
You've got some explainin' to do.
What about, may I ask?
Billie Bronson was shot an hour ago
at the Hottentot Club.
The key to Room 313, which is directly
below this one, was stolen from her purse.
We just went in down there
and found a man stabbed to death.
- Go on.
- You go on.
That window there is open.
So is the one downstairs.
So, I could've killed that man down there,
then come up the fire escape into this room.
- Right.
- Wrong. I didn't.
I had an appointment to meet
Miss Bronson here at 10:30. It's now...
20 minutes of 11:00.
Excuse, please.
Would object to revealing
nature of appointment?
Not at all. I came up here
to buy her diary.
Diary, eh? What were
you gonna do with it?
I'd have to read it first
to answer that question.
But no doubt can produce money
intended for purchase of diary?
Gee, Pop.
Look at that.
There's enough dough here
to buy the city hall.
And cheap at that. Miss Bronson's diary
contains enough information...
on rackets and politics to blow
this whole city higher than a kite.
Well, well.
What's this- the payoff?
- Always a wise guy, aren't you?
- I have to be to keep up with you boys.
Why don't you light someplace
where you can be found?
Hey, get a load of this.
- We scooped the others?
- Sure.
You oughta drop in at the office.
You were out when I phoned that story in.
- You knew I was coming here.
- Yeah, but you crossed me up.
You weren't due here till 11:30.
Just a minute.
You told us 10:30.
Please don't attempt
any unwieldy deductions, Nelson.
The original appointment
was for 11::30.
- Miss Bronson telephoned and changed it.
- Most unfortunate.
Proof of alibi now locked
behind dead lips of murdered girl.
Yeah, and I'm not so sure you didn't
get that diary without paying for it.
You wouldn't mind being searched,
would you, Murdock?
Am I under arrest?
No.
Then I'm afraid that technically you'll have
to keep your hands in your own pockets.
Am I right?
Hello? Yeah.
Yeah, go ahead.
Come on. Let's have it.
Swell. Swell!
Now let Marie Collins go and trail her.
She'll lead you to Burke, all right.
The key didn't show
anything, Charlie.
The gun we found in Burke's office
was sold to Billie a year ago.
There were two sets of fingerprints on it-
a woman's and Johnny Burke's.
We'll pick up Burke tonight,
and I'll be fishing in the morning.
- Then I presume that my part in this case is closed.
- Perhaps.
But murder case
like revolving door-
when one side close,
other side open.
Well, good luck, gentlemen.
Thank you... so much.
I wish you hadn't
moved us up here, Pop.
I bet there's some clue in our old room
that would clinch the case.
What are you reading, Pop?
Murder case of Miss Billie Bronson.
Gee, I should think you know
enough about it already.
Still much to learn.
Mr. Speed Patten very good reporter.
- Is my name in his write-up?
- As suspect, yes.
Good night.
The whole case looks
perfectly clear to me, Pop.
They found Burke's fingerprints
on the gun, didn't they?
Evidently forget
disappearance of napkin.
You know, I've been thinking
about that napkin too.
Burke probably stole it because
Marie Collins's fingerprints were on it.
Have you thought of that angle?
For the time being, only consider...
which angle to arrange self
on mattress.
Now, please...
turn out light
and extinguish conversation.
Hello? Hello, Meeker?
Did you get my message?
Yeah, yeah. I'm in a jam. I'll say it's bad.
Get up here quick as you can
and see you're not tailed. What?
Yeah, I'm expecting Marie. She oughta
be up here right away. Uh-huh.
Step on it.
Hello, hot fingers.
What do ya mean, "hot fingers"?
If you'd kept Billie out of town
like I said, we'd have been okay.
Too bad it had to happen
in your office, Johnny.
Oh, no, you don't.
They'll never burn me for that.
- I'll say they won't.
- You watch your step, Buzz.
I will.
"And though almost 24 hours
have elapsed...
"since Billie Bronson and Thomas Mitchell
were murdered, the police have discovered...
"nothing tangible enough
to justify an arrest.
"All they have is a torn diary page
found by Charlie Chan...
"which they consider
an excellent clue.
"But in the opinion of this observer, it only
indicates the work of a perfect criminal...
"so clever and daring
that he has deliberately planted it...
"to obtain free publicity
for a terrific blackmailing scheme.
"This may be a subtle way
of warning certain people in New York...
"that he has this dynamite diary
and is ready to light the fuse.
"I wonder ifJohnny Burke is the only racketeer
whose blood pressure will remain high...
as long as the Bronson diary
and its unknown possessor are in circulation. "
Well, how's that
for a journalistic gem?
- Is that what you call it?
- Why not?
Uh, boy. And wait till you see tomorrow's story.
It'll top this one.
Take that to Mr. Murdock, will you?
Just stick around me, honey,
and you'll get the latest lowdown.
You know old Speed never misses.
- Neither does Johnny Burke or Moran.
- Aw!
You're gonna crack wise once too often
on that typewriter, and I'll be sending you posies.
- Now stand still and look healthy.
- How's this?
Fine. I wanna shoot you
before somebody else does.
You're just sore because I scooped you
on that Bronson murder.
I'm warning you right now. I'm gonna
scoop you on the rest of the case too.
- Wanna bet?
- Sure. A week's pay.
Make it something worthwhile
and you're on.
Here's one time you're both scooped.
Johnny Burke just walked
into police headquarters and gave himself up.
Five'll get you 50
he's got a smart mouthpiece with him.
Wait a minute. You haven't a thing on Johnny
except the fingerprints on the gun.
Oh, yeah. That's all. And the fact
that Mitchell was rubbed out...
a couple of minutes after Burke
took it on the lam from the Hottentot.
I didn't shoot Billie
or Mitchell either.
May I humbly remind
Mr. Mitchell stabbed, not shot.
Don't you try to trickJohnny into admitting
one thing by suggesting another.
- I demand the right to-
- Have you got a cigarette?
Uh, yes. Here.
Thanks very much.
Now what were you saying?
- I wanna know what time Mitchell was rubbed out.
- Why don't you askJohnny?
If it was after 10:00, he was with me.
Now try and break that alibi!
Excuse, please. Perhaps paraffin test
better alibi if prove negative.
You're right.
How about it, Johnny?
You're not afraid of
a little scientific test, are you?
No. Let's go.
Wait. You can't get away with this!
My client is a respectable citizen.
- Let's go.
- Johnny, please, wait a minute.
Hey!
Uh, s-say, just what is
this paraffin test?
Uh, new method...
to reveal powder marks
on hand that fires gun.
Why, that's silly.
He washes his hands, you know.
Undoubtedly. But even
most vigorous scrubbing...
will not remove powder stains
for 72 hours.
Seventy-two hours? Nelson can't
get away with this. It's a direct violation of-
Keep your hand under that water.
It's okay now.
The paraffin's hard enough.
Take it easy.
You're pulling the skin off my hand.
Skin isn't all this'll pull off.
If there's any gunpowder,
it'll be on the wax too.
Hey, what's that stuff?
Solution of diphenylamine and sulfuric acid
which reacts instantly to nitrates.
Watch those chemicals, Burke.
If they turn blue,
your goose is cooked.
It's negative.
- Then you didn't shoot her!
- I told you I didn't.
Get out of here and take
that shyster with you!
Okay. Don't get excited.
Thanks a lot, Mr. Chan, for suggesting that test.
- Drop up to the club sometime.
- Thank you so much.
May accept generous invitation
as case progress.
- Well, that lets Burke out.
- Maybe.
But this one case where murderer
could have clean hands.
- Huh?
- Remember napkin that disappear at nightclub?
- Yeah.
- Possibly used to cover hand that fire murder gun.
- Hey, here they come.
- What happened, fellas?
- Hey, how about it, Burke?
- One at a time.
One at a time, please.
- Johnny, how did you clear yourself?
- By keepin' my hands clean.
- How about a picture, Mr. Burke?
- Why not? Make sure you get that sign.
I wanna prove I'm goin' out
instead of comin' in.
- We'll get it in, all right. Thank you.
- Bye, boys.
- Where are you going?
- I want to sell this picture of Burke's release...
- before he's arrested again.
- Let's go see what the inspector's got.
Good idea.
- What happened, Inspector?
- Did you give Burke a clean bill?
- What's your next move?
- Come on, Nelson. Give us the lowdown.
I've got nothin' to say yet.
What about you, Mr. Chan?
Looks like Burke pulled a nifty on you.
Perhaps. But release of Mr. Burke
suggest other nifty.
- What have you got up your sleeve?
- Give us the lowdown.
- Yeah!
- Just a minute, boys. If there is a new angle...
we'll try it out
before you reporters advertise it.
Out! Get out.
Wait a minute, Nelson. I'm entitled to a break.
I've been on this case since it started.
So long. Out.
Say, give us a chance here, will you?
Now what was on your mind, Charlie?
You have candid-camera photos
taken last night at Hottentot Club?
Yeah. They're in
the department files, but-
Uh, please to send for same
right away.
Yeah, sure. Yeah.
Now let's see.
Burke and Miss Collins
were standing there.
Pop was right back here.
I'm getting awfully tired, Lee.
We've been going over this
for more than an hour.
But doesn't your intuition
tell you anything?
Pop says, "One woman's intuition
better than 10 scientists. "
I don't know anything
about intuition...
but I've got a feeling
we ought to get out of here.
Let's try it once again.
Put yourself in the place of the murderer.
Now, when the lights went out...
he grabbed the napkin off the desk here
and ran to the door.
- What are you doin' up here?
- Why-Why, nothing.
Beat it.
- Your old man sent you here, didn't he?
- No, sir. It was my own idea.
Throw him out.
Hey, let me go! Hey!
Hey! Hey, let me go!
- We're gettin' out of town, kid.
- What's the idea? You got nothin' to worry about now.
That's what you think. Remember the crack
the Chinese dick made about seeing us later?
- Yeah.
- Now we catch his kid here monkeying around.
That's enough for me. We'll hop a plane
for Chicago tonight and lay low till the heat's off.
But, Johnny,
don't you think that-
There he is.
- Let's go.
- Not so fast, Burke.
- Leave me alone.
- Take it easy, sister.
- What's the idea?
- It ain't my idea. It's Inspector Nelson's.
Come on.
- Special delivery, Mr. Murdock.
- Oh, thanks.
- Murdock?
- Who are you?
Central Bureau.
Inspector Nelson wants you.
I'm ready.
What do you think of them
lettin' Burke go?
Says they couldn't
prove anything on him.
Everybody but the cops
knows he pulled the job.
That's right, Buzz.
Move over.
- Where do you think you're goin'?
- With you. This is a pinch.
Ahh.
- Lee.
- Yes, Pop?
Have already consumed own steak?
No. L- I've got it here on my eye.
Has the swelling gone down any?
Cannot see through gravy.
Puppy detective perhaps now realize
snooping very dangerous business.
- Hello, Mr. Patten.
- Hello.
- Hey, what did you run into?
- Mr. Burke.
That's what I came up
to warn you about, Mr. Chan.
There's a rumor around town
that certain people are out to get you.
And they wouldn't be as easy on you
as they were on your son.
Uh, very good omen.
Prove suspects getting worried.
You got a lot of nerve. But just the same,
I'm stickin' with you tonight.
- Why, anything might happen.
- Swell idea, kid.
Excuse me for not knockin',
Charlie, but the door was open.
Well, Speed, here's your chance
for another scoop.
We'll run down to the Hottentot Club.
Then, as you said, anything might happen.
- You mean it's a payoff?
- Maybe.
- Have you got a cigarette?
- Gosh, can I go too, Pop?
Unfortunately, yes.
Only way to save other eye.
Hello, everybody.
Well, Mr. Murdock.
Can I sell you a picture of yourself
as a murder suspect?
Don't be ridiculous.
Where's Nelson?
I can't waste all night here.
I've got a newspaper to get out.
It can wait.
Now look here, Nelson.
You've gone too far with this.
All right. All right.
Keep quiet.
Now Mr. Chan has a few words to say
to all of you, and I advise you to listen closely.
Thank you so much.
Excuse abrupt invitation
here tonight.
But all present...
seriously involved in death
of Miss Billie Bronson and Thomas Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell follow
Miss Bronson from Europe...
to secure diary
which contain much scandal.
Plan using same to ruin Mr. Burke...
who stole love of wife, Marie.
That's plain, downright collusion.
I'm a respectable girl.
Pardon, please.
Am not questioning respectability.
Uh, merely offer proof of intimacy.
Candid-camera photo
taken on night of crime.
Triangle very ancient motive
for murder.
But not only angle to present case.
Sudden appearance
of late Miss Bronson...
cause perspiration on brow
of another gentleman.
Name- Buzz Moran.
Wait a minute.
I didn't even know she was in town.
Contradiction, please.
All right.
I admit I talked to her.
When I heard she was murdered, I didn't wanna
get mixed up in it, so I kept my mouth shut.
Sure. They had Johnny on the spot,
so you had nothing to worry about.
Shut up, Marie.
Go ahead, Charlie.
Miss Bronson came
to this office last night.
Mr. Burke and then Miss Collins
talk with her.
Testimony state both people leave her alone
for a few minutes.
In same few minutes,
someone murder her...
with gun wrapped in napkin
to hide fingerprints.
Arrival of, uh,
inquisitive girl photographer...
now create interruption.
Murderer hide while girl photograph body
with napkin off tray.
Girl then leave...
and murderer return napkin to tray.
After which, Mr. Patten enter...
find body and telephone story
to Mr. Murdock.
By strange coincidence...
Mr. Murdock absent
on trail of diary.
Mr. Chan...
may I ask if you have a picture of me
in your invaluable collection?
Regret. Distinguished features
only ones missing.
Under the circumstances, I believe that exonerates
me from having murdered Miss Bronson.
Oh, yeah? How about Mitchell?
Now look here, Nelson.
I've been very tolerant with you.
- But unless I'm released from this room instantly-
- Excuse, please.
Before you remove honorable presence...
would request letter
received through mail tonight.
What letter?
- My mail is very heavy.
- We're wasting time.
You got a special delivery letter
tonight.
We've had your mail watched
since yesterday.
Hand it over.
Why, it- it's a page
from Billie's diary.
I wouldn't have printed it
without your permission, Nelson.
After all, it just arrived
when your man came to pick me up.
I haven't even read it through.
- Who sent it to you?
- How should I know?
- You know what I think, Murdock? I think you
sent it to yourself. - Why, that's absolute-
You've got that diary! You've always
been after it. I charge you with the-
Please.
Perhaps better to read contents of page
before making arrest.
Oh, all right.
"May 7. Was up all night
on a big partyJohnny swung...
for Lieutenant R.
Of the Central Bureau when"-
You officers better wait outside.
"He's retiring from the force
because the commissioner got wise to him.
"The big dummy showed everybody
a diamond watch Buzz Moran gave him...
for certain important tip-offs
thatJohnny told me about. "
Been shooting your mouth
off again, huh?
I don't know how she found that out, Buzz.
I never told her anything.
All right. All right.
Take it easy.
"It was sure funny to see everybody
kowtow toJohnny and Buzz.
"I guess they don't know that the double-crosser
who uses his newspaper job...
"as a cover-up
for the blackmailing he pulls...
is Speed Patten,
the smoothest guy in the rackets"!
Just a minute.
Let me see that.
- This is a phony.
- Can prove?
Certainly. Why, even the paper
it's written on-
- Go ahead.
- Hey, what is this?
You are murderer of Billie Bronson
and Thomas Mitchell.
- You're crazy!
- Beg to differ, Mr. Patten.
First suspicion arrive...
after reading your newspaper story
of Billie Bronson crime.
You state victim shot in back.
Quite true.
Yet photograph show
body face upward.
Only murderer could know
location ofhidden wound.
Then, fearing discovery
of own fingerprints on napkin...
when attention called to it
through photo taken by young lady...
you remove same as lights go out
and Mr. Burke escape.
You are indeed clever man.
But not smart enough to avoid
ancient trap set tonight.
Inspector Nelson and humble self...
plant bogus diary page
on Mr. Murdock.
- You were the only one who swallowed the bait!
- You'll never convict me.
Contradiction, please.
To know forgery, one must have original.
Well? Come on.
Why don't you deny it?
All right. I did it.
I killed 'em both.
I overheard Billie tell Burke that she was
going to the D.A. And blow the lid off this town.
Well, that would've meant me too.
I offered her plenty to keep quiet,
but she wouldn't take it.
So I killed her.
You almost caught me, Joan,
when you walked in and found Billie dead.
If you had, I-
I guess I'd have killed you too.
Just as I did Mitchell
when I caught him in that hotel room.
He already found the diary,
and I had to get it.
Well, that's the story.
Nelson wouldn't have caught me
in a million years.
I was sittin'pretty
until you got too smart for me, Mr. Chan.
You're the one I can thank
for bein' in this spot...
and here's how
I'm gonna show my gratitude!
All right, boys.
Take him down to headquarters.
- You okay, son?
- I'm all right.
Charlie, Billie's diary is somewhere
in Patten's apartment.
And that's all I need
to put that guy on ice. Come on.
Well, thanks to you, Charlie,
there's the baby...
that's gonna sweep Broadway cleaner
than it's been since the Indians sold it.
Uh, most happy to have placed new broom
in hands of Father Knickerbocker.
Yeah. Say, I'm sorry
you're going home, Charlie.
How about staying an extra week as guests
of the commissioner and myself?
Gee, Pop. Let's do it.
I never did get to see Broadway.
Ho-Ho-Holy mackerel! Look. Another mouse.
Perhaps better to return to Honolulu.
Evidently,
Broadway very hard on eyes.
I, uh, think you've
got something there, Charlie.