O. Henry's Full House Page #4

Loitering, eh?

Guilty or not guilty?

Your Honor,

if it pleases the court-

One of those

argumentative types, eh?

- Where did you pick him up?

- Comin' out of church.

- Church?

- Your Honor, I'd just stepped in to refresh my soul.

I'd just undergone the most salutary

spiritual experience.

I'm a reformed man, and l-

Today I'd planned to apply for a position.

- Find any candlesticks on him?

- Oh, no, Your Honor. I assure you.

- Maybe he was try. Ing to rob the poor box.

- Oh, no, Your Honor.

I didn't find a thing on him-

not even a dime.

- Ninety days.

- For what?

Vagrancy-

no visible means of support.

- Next case.

O. Henry. Learned about jail

the hard way-

in jail.

He did his research on an iron cot,

listening to his cell mates.

He never felt superior

to the people he wrote about.

And maybe it's that humility

that draws us to his stories again and again.

Here's one of the best,

"The Clarion Call."

"Half of this story. Can be found in the records

of the police department.

There is no record

of the other half...

but it belongs behind the doors

of the editorial office...

of a New York newspaper. "

Well, welcome back.

How'd it go?

- I got him there.

- Good.

- Nine.

- Uh, 18.

Hi, Chief.

Hello, Barney.

One counterfeiter delivered to federal prison,

Leavenworth, Kansas.

- And now I'm bushed.

- No wonder. Long trip, handcuffed for five days.

Uh-uh.

Not that long.

I took the handcuffs off

outside Newark.

He was an old man of 70,

going in for good.

That train ride was his last chance

to stretch his legs.

You look tired. Take some time.

Lay out till Monday.

Thanks. They found some more counterfeit

in the old boy's shoe.

The warden ducked and asked us to turn

it over to the downtown treasury.

Hundred-dollar bills?

- Beautiful job.

- Almost perfect.

They trapped him

on the picture.

The old goat parted

Franklin's hair on the left side.

- Said it looked better.

You signed for it, you keep it.

We'll send it down Monday.

- Get some rest.

- Thanks.

Does this belong to you?

No, that's a clue

in the Norcross murder case.

Robbery knockdown.

Happened while you were away.

None of that means anything.

No fingerprints, no nothing.

Must be

an out-of-town killer.

I know everybody's work

around here.

Looks expensive.

Where'd you find it?

On the rug

in Norcross's room.

Whoever killed him left it.

There's some printing on it.

Yeah.

"Camptown Races.

July the fourth, 1901."

Doesn't mean a thing.

It's a nice tune though-

"Camptown Races."

Mind if I check it out

a while?

Sure, sure.

If you think you can do any better.

It's our only lead.

I used to sing it myself

in the old days.

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