Broadway Is My Beat: THE CASE OF CUNNINGHAM HERITAGE (1954)

Oh, no.

THE END.

The city you consider as home is never so attractive as when you return to it after long and difficult times in other parts of the world.

My name is Dr. John Watson.

I had served and been wounded in the more remote regions of Afghanistan and had been discharged from the army with specific instructions to rest. The sight of London again was already working its soothing tonic. As I rode through the familiar streets.

I never.

Suspected that a chance introduction would lead me into the most amazing adventure.

Of my entire life. What an old man!

Hello, how have you been? It's good to see you. Not as well as you, obviously. You look great, old man. I heard you were wounded. Well, it couldn't have been much worse.

So done.

Care for a drink? Mm, that one.

Well, what are your plans now?

If you're nothing ready at.

The moment, I'm looking for lodgings.

Trying to solve the old problem of comfortable quarters at a reasonable price.

That's odd.

There's a second man today that's used that expression.

Really?

Who's the other one?

Oh, you wouldn't know him.

He's doing some work in the chemical laboratory at the hospital. Might be interesting.

Yes, well, I wouldn't mind sharing a flat with somebody if he was all right.

Anything wrong?

No.

He's rather strange. What's wrong with him? Nothing wrong with Holmes.

That's his name, Sherlock Holmes. When I saw him this morning, he was doing some research with a corpse. What was he doing?

He was beating it with a stick.

I beg your pardon?

Did you ring, sir?

To share this with you.

Very good, sir.

Why, did you say this Sherlock Holmes fellow was doing?

He was beating a corpse with a stick.

Oh?

What in heaven's name did he want to do that for?

He wanted to find out if it was possible to inflict a bruise on a body after death.

Why?

You know?

You ask him? There's another strange thing about this Holmes. Somehow, one never thinks to question him.

Holmes.

It works.

It really works. You realize you've just entered the greatest chapter in the history of forensic medicine.

You're Dr. Watson. Yes, I am.

What works? Foolproof test for hemoglobin. You realize what this means.

Of course.

No, I don't. You must be Sherlock Holmes. It will create a revolution in criminal investigation.

Yes, I'm Holmes.

How did you know I was Watson? Because you've just come back from Afghanistan. How do you do? How you do? How did you know I'd just come back from Afghanistan? Well, it's written all over you.

The problem has generally been that a man is suspected of a crime months after the crime is committed.

Then when they find blood stains on objects of clothing, they can't be sure if it's blood, mud, or rust stains. But this solves the whole thing, of course.

Oh, of course.

Of course. Stanford told me you're looking for someone to share a flat you'd find.

You know, if this test had been in existence a year ago, it would have meant that von Bishop of Frankfurt would most certainly have been harmed.

And that goes for Mason of Brantford, Muller and O'Fayne, naturally.

Oh, naturally.

Who are these people? Did you know I'm delighted to meet you, Watson? I think you'll like the flat. It's in Baker Street, by the way.

Oh, we could pop round this afternoon and have a look at it, if you care.

Yes.

Oh, yes, rather. I'd like that.

Good.

Did you mind if I play the violin?

No, go right ahead.

No, no, I mean now. I mean when we're sharing the flat. Oh, no, of course not. I like a bit of good music.

Oh, good.

I'm afraid I'm not very good.

Oh.

Um, tell me, Holmes.

Yes?

How did you know I'd just got back from Afghanistan?

Well, it's obvious.

No, that's what you said before.

It isn't a bit obvious.

You're a doctor, that much we know. Much with the air of a military man, therefore an army doctor. You've acquired a sunburn. I know it's not your natural color because.

Your wrists are white.

Your eyes tell me that you've recently been ill. I'd say some sort of tropical fever. Do you use your left arm stiffly as though you've sustained a wound? Now, the problem becomes, where would an army doctor who contracted a fever have sustained a wound? And the answer, my dear Watson, is in the present campaign in Afghanistan, naturally. Naturally?

Of course, it's obvious.

Naturally!

We examined the rooms at 221 B Baker Street that afternoon and promptly moved in on the following day. I had, at this point, known Sherlock Holmes for only 24 hours. But the man's fantastic powers of perception, coupled with the almost unpredictable personality I'd ever encountered, kept me in a state of constant surprise when I wasn't being shocked.

It was unbelievable, the things he knew.

And the things he didn't know.

Now, really, my dear Holmes, you mean to tell me you didn't know that the Earth moved round the Sun?

Really?

But every schoolchild knows that. Well, now, I know it, too, and I shall promptly proceed to forget it.

But why? Yes, why? Why should I remember it? Well, because it's a natural phenomenon. Well, is it important? Does it affect us? If you told me the Earth went round the Moon, would it make any possible.

Difference to our way of life?

Well, to put it that way, no. Then it's useless information, and I shall do my best to forget it. I advise you to do the same.

At times, I thought the man was joking and simply having a bit of fun at my expense. But I soon learned that he was in dead earnest. I also, unknown to him, made a brief classification of the man's knowledge. Literature?

Nothing.

Philosophy?

Nothing.

Astronomy? Nothing. Politics? Disinterested. Botany?

He knew everything there was to know about poisons. and absolutely nothing about practical drudge.

Chemistry, profound. Sensational literature.

Without question, Sherlock Holmes knew the details of every horror perpetrated in.

The last hundred years. I believe we have a visitor.

Really?

He's coming here?

I believe so.

I would also say he's a retired sergeant of Marines. Oh, you know the man? Never clapped eyes with him before in the life.

Well, in that case, that's one of the wildest statements I ever heard. How can you possibly guess he's a retired sergeant of Marines if you've never seen him?

I guess, my dear Watson, a calculated deduction. Yes, he is coming up here. Do you mind if I ask him his profession? Oh, by all means. Now, where did I put my violin case? Hmm?

Oh, it's over here.

Ah, my old friend. Come in.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

I have a message here for Mr.

Sherlock Holmes.

Excuse me.

Sir?

Do you mind telling me your occupation?

Not at all, sir.

I'm a civil servant employed by the police department.

Thank you. I just wondered.

Not at all, sir. How long have you been with the police department? Just a year, sir. Before that, I was a sergeant in the Marines. Good day, gentlemen.

How did you know?

An interesting letter, Watson. A very interesting letter. Perhaps you'd like to come with me.

Where?

To catch a murderer, of course.

Of course.

How did you know that that man was an ex-sergeant of Marines?

Who? A messenger from the police. Oh, yes, yes, the retired sergeant of Marines. That's what I said.

Well, there's nothing mysterious about such obstacles. my dear Watson, but unfortunately when explained, they lose their romantic order of mystery. My decision was based on observation and logical deduction. The man had a large anchor tattooed on the back of his hand.

This was visible from our window.

I admit I didn't notice it at the time, but since you mention it, I think there was an anchor.

Oh, there was indeed.

He also wore regulation sideburns and had a slight nautical role.

Thus I judged him a marine.

Guess, I grant you, but only a refinement of guesses one makes every day. Don't be so disgruntled, Watson. Test your own powers of observation. We are entering the perfect situation. Oh, what are we entering? A house that holds a murdered man. Is Inspector Lestrade inside?

Yes, sir.

May I have your name, please?

Yes, Sherlock Holmes.

This is Dr.

Watson.

Oh, that's quite all right, sir. Inspector Lestrade gave instructions to admit you.

Oh, good.

Oh, by the way, has the body been removed? No, sir, but the medical examiner's just called.

Oh, thank you.

Let's hope they haven't moved things about too much.

The police forces of the world seem to have an organized science of messing things about.

Oh, I wouldn't say that, Holmes. Now then, move along there, everybody.

Move along.

There's nothing to see today.

I don't know.

I swear I don't know.

I tried to help him.

Don't you believe me?

I had to do what I could.

It was instinctive.

It was instinctive for a woman like you to commit murder.

That's not true. You know it's not true.

I know you hate me, but I can't believe I'd do a thing like this. Yes, I can, and I do.

Please.

She's a murderess.

You know it as well as I do.

She murdered your brother.

It's a lie. Yes, it's a lie. Drink, our story's a lie.

The relationship you had with my son was a lie. My son's been murdered.

This girl's a murderer. Why she did it, what her motive was.

I don't know.

They were engaged without my blessing. I can only be grateful that she gains nothing.

By her crime.

Your duty now is to convict her.

Just a moment, please.

Notice the angle of incision, Watson.

Yes.

The force of the blow and the general penetration of the upper region of the chest. How long would you estimate for a loss of consciousness? Well, it's difficult to say.

Ninety-six?

Eight?

Oh, between the two.

I see.

And death?

Shortly thereafter.

Two minutes? Three?

Three or four, I'd say. Thank you, Watson.

All right, take him out.

Ah, forgive the interruption.

I would prefer to have been invited before the party had been moved.

I thought you'd be interested, Holmes.

Oh, thank you, Lestrade.

Oh, may I introduce my friend, Dr. Watson, Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard. How do you do?

How do you do?

So you're completely stuck, eh, Lestrade?

What do you mean?

Well, you thought I'd be interested. Why don't you admit it?

You're in a jam.

I give you some cabinet work, don't you think?

What you say isn't exactly true, Holmes. I've done you a favor. This is an interesting case. Of course, there are one or two unexplained details, but I don't believe it'll be long before we clear that principal problem.

There's no motive. I found this girl with a knife in her hand. My brother lying dead on the floor.

I found Peter on the floor. I tried to help him.

By stabbing him?

By removing the knife.

Anybody would have done the same thing.

I loved him.

Now, my dear young lady, there's no cause for you to alarm yourself.

No one's accusing you of, well, of what happened.

This would be a clear-cut case if only she had a reason for murdering him. There happened to be a policeman outside the house during the murder, and he said that no one came in except her.

Well, what about the others? Who benefits by her death?

Well, no, and the estate was left in such a way that if he died before he married, everything went to charity. My dear Inspector Lestrade, he didn't die before he married. This young lady and the man whose body was carried out of here had been married for at least a week.

In the event of his death, I imagine everything passes to her.

And now we return to the case of the Cunningham heritage.

How did you know they were married?

Weren't you? Yes, a week ago.

Then you do benefit by my brother's death.

You're his heir.

I don't know if I am or not.

I only know I didn't kill him. I swear I didn't.

Where were you married?

We went down to Brighton last weekend.

Why didn't Peter say anything about it?

I don't know.

He asked me not to say anything, so of course I didn't.

I'm afraid, young lady, I'll have to ask you to accompany me to headquarters.

Sir.

Give me, Inspector.

I think I should tell my mother.

Oh, yes, of course.

Tell me, Holmes, how did you know they were married? Well, the man's hands had the remains of a sunburn.

And the fading marks of a narrow ring, but not as yet that indentation.

Of the finger a ring generally leaves. A weekend in the sun at Brighton explains the whole thing perfectly.

I didn't notice these things.

Yes, I know.

The young lady's hands were also sunburnt and to the same degree. Then the case is solved.

Yes, it would appear so, wouldn't it?

What are you looking for? You see that? What?

Here, use this.

Thank you.

Why did that send it up?

Cut in the carpet, yes, but it's a fresh one.

Yes, but what does it mean?

That's a good question.

You'll stop looking for clues now, Holmes.

Ah, you've solved the case then. Completely.

Oh, splendid. Seems this girl had a record.

Nine months in the woman's prison in Holloway, from the 21st of February, 1892, to the 21st of November, 1892. Was employed as a governess and convicted for stealing 300 pounds from an employer.

It's quite true. I knew you'd find out sometime. I made a mistake five years ago, but I paid for it. But Peter knew all about it before we were married.

I never tried to hide it from him. He didn't know what else you had in mind.

I had nothing else in mind except that.

I loved him.

I'm afraid I must ask you to go with the office on this. What a matter. Well, that's how I like my cases. Fast and simple.

Oh, gee, you must tell me some more about it.

Well, there's nothing to tell, really. Her story was that Peter asked her to call here at 10 sharp. She arrived, found the door open for her, came in here and found him writhing on the floor with a knife in his chest. She screamed, pulled it out, and just then Brother Ralph walked in. Peter died without saying another word.

So she stabbed him for the inheritance and was caught in the act.

Simple. Well, falling over long. Couldn't be simpler, could it, Watson? I still think it's a tragedy.

Yes, but in my job, Dr. Watson, we run up against it all the time.

No, thank you. Well, I suppose you had some amazing adventures.

Yes, but one learns to have a real philosophy of life and get a good perspective.

Yes, I suppose so.

But just the same, I think it's a pity.

Just another case of a clever girl being too clever.

The clever girl who intended to murder her husband certainly chose the most stupid possible way to commit the crime.

What was that?

What's this?

A checkbook.

Oh, amazing deduction of a straight look.

So, Peter Cunningham drew a cheque for a thousand pounds.

Six weeks ago, and five weeks ago, and four, and three, and two, and that's all.

Well?

They're drawn to cash.

Well, I don't get your point. He was a very rich man.

Well, it's a great deal of cash.

It was his own money. I suppose he could do what he liked with it.

You may have hit the proverbial nail, Lestrade.

Now, look here, Holmes. You're trying to start something that just doesn't exist.

Oh, do you think so?

I have a great deal of respect for your opinion, Holmes, but your trouble is that you can't leave things alone. If there isn't a mystery, you have to make one, or you're not happy.

You're right I'm not happy. There are marks on the carpet indicating a struggle. The man whose body was carried out.

Of here was over six feet in height. If he had struggled with a girl who had left here, I don't think he'd have lost.

She surprised him.

Oh, but he was expecting her.

That's her story. I'd say she sneaked up on him.

What, and stabbed him in the chest?

How do you sneak up on someone and stab him in the chest and strain? Look here, Holmes, you're trying to start something and I just won't stand for it. That girl's a jailbird and she's guilty and she's going to hang. And that's the end of the case. I see Inspector Lestrade is up to his usual mental gymnastics, trying to hammer square pegs at the round homes.

Well, Lord, it's been a great pleasure to meet you, Inspector.

I warn you to keep away from that man, Holmes, or you'll be insane in less than a week.

What time is it? Hmm? Oh, uh.

How far is ten?

Perhaps you'd like to take a little stroll with me?

What?

I'd like to investigate this afternoon's affair a bit further.

Oh, yes.

I'd like that. I thought you'd forgotten about it. Not at all. I've been thinking about it all evening.

Shall we go?

Then we must exchange our thoughts en route.

Where are we going?

To the Cunningham house. I didn't know you'd made an appointment there.

I didn't.

Oh, well, who do you expect to see? No one, I hope.

I'm terribly sorry, Holmes.

I don't understand what you mean when you say you want to go to the Cunningham house and you don't... You can't do that.

What?

Well, you can't break into the house. Why not? It's against the law, that's why not.

Why is Red caught?

That's it.

Well, what is?

If we're caught. Quickly now. But look, Holmes, we can't.

Come on. Good evening, Inspector.

Good evening, Sergeant. Everything all right?

Yes, sir.

I just thought Sherlock Holmes might have dropped by.

Where did you.

Get the key?

The key is a burglar's tool. A burglar's tool?

Shh. Is the street clear? Yes.

How do you know he's out? I had a spy watching the house. Go through that cabinet. What am I looking for? Papers, bank statements, anything to indicate passage of money from Peter Cunningham's account.

Go on.

Absolutely ridiculous. Looking for something and you don't know what in order to catch somebody and you don't know who.

Quite ridiculous.

Keep looking.

Who do you think's got it? Whatever it is we're looking for.

Why did Peter Cunningham try to hide the fact of his marriage? A week or a month would have made a difference as far as his mother was concerned. She would never have consented to his new bride anyway.

He married her to prove to me that my blackmail wouldn't stop him. And then he withheld the fact in order to give me one week to clear out of the country before he exposed me.

The money he paid you went to buying up your promissory notes. I was being pressed, Mr.

Holmes.

My brother's engagement to a jailbird gave me a perfect opportunity to extract a little money from him. In fact, if he hadn't been such a bullhead, he could have gone on for quite some time.

A jailbird, as you put it, makes the perfect murder suspect.

Perfect, Mr.

Holmes.

And you and Dr. Watson make perfect burglary suspects. When I report your death to the police, they can't possibly blame me for defending the sanctity of my home.

Well done, Watson.

I could have done a bit better, only.

It was my bad shoulder.

Quite all right, Watson.

Think no more about it. So that's our murderer? Yes, the only possible one, of course. Only a man could have struck that blow. Peter died, as you say, within three.

Or four minutes.

And there was a bobby outside the whole time?

Yes.

Crystal clear. Oh, it's completely obvious.

Well, what do we do now?

What's going on here?

Who fired that shot? We will sit with a good inspector. And with the aid of our evidence, a bit of logic, and a.

Few simple diagrams, we will endeavor to convince him that night follows day and that one and one inevitably makes two.

How did you two get in here anyway? Now, Inspector, calm yourself.

Calm yourself.

Calm yourself. Sit down. Now, there's a good chance.

Sit right here.

Now, you see, we have a great deal to talk about.

Also present with Inspector Lestrade was Dr. John Watson and a personal friend of the inspector's, Mr.

Sherlock Holmes.

This is ridiculous. It's fantastic. This isn't the way it happened at all.

This will revolutionize investigation, Watson. This whole account is a lie.

Fingerprints, Watson.

That's the coming thing.

Oh, nonsense.

What are you going to do about this?

A bit more research.

Here, give me your fingers on this sheet of paper. Were you going to sit there with these disgusting little smudges and let them get away with this? I beg your pardon? Well, I won't.

You'd better hear from me. Brilliant and spectaculous trade indeed. Why, it took you three hours to convince that bonehead.

I don't know.

Never in my desire to buy her.

Maybe he was innocent.

Oh, I wonder if he got more than a shoulder wound in Afghanistan.

Oh. Oh. THE END THE END

THE END

Broadway Is My Beat: THE CASE OF CUNNINGHAM HERITAGE (1954)

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