Perry Books

The Case of the Daring Decoy

The 'Foreword' is dedicated to Merton M. Minter, M.D., a Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Minter devotes his 'spare time' to study the problem of evidence, of law enforcement, and the part of the citizen in co-operating with various law enforcement agencies.

The story opens with a proxy fight to gain control of an Oil Exploration Company. Should a company distribute profits, or invest them for greater profits in the future? The CEO gets a phone call that promises him confidential information about his rival's proxies. Conway must go to a room in a hotel for this document. When he enters, a half-dresses woman acts surprised, and waves a gun at him. Conway disarms her, and leaves; he finds one bullet discharged. Thinking this was a set-up to entrap him, he consults Perry Mason. Mason & Drake return to the room to find the body of a young woman - different person from earlier! Now they must work fast to investigate these strange events, and clear Mason's client. Mason's clients are never really guilty; that's the rule of this series. Also, the real killer is revealed only in the last pages, even if others seem culpable of something.

Examining stomach contents can time the death once they know when the victim ate their last meal. The position after time of death is indicated by lividity. It takes time for lividity to be established. The fatal bullet can be traced to the pistol, if the latter can be found. This book uses these and other facts to create a puzzling mystery that will entertain you until the last page. Circumstantial evidence is the best evidence, but it can be misinterpreted. If salad, turkey, potatoes, and peas are in the victim's stomach, but they only ordered the first three items, how to account for this discrepancy? The plot takes precedence over character development (which is implicit for adults); this keeps the story moving along. The money figures are many decades out of date.

Erle Stanley Gardner dedicates this mystery to Dr. Russell Fisher the Chief Medical Examiner of Maryland. They created a new central headquarters for the state's medical examiner, with floors for teaching and research on forensic medicines. A modern medical examiner system protects the living. Most murders are committed among friends and family members. Many poisonings may go undetected without a medical examiner; they are far more numerous that the average person suspects (p.6)!

While Perry Mason and Della Street were away from the office a woman came in who feared for her life. But after giving her name, Adelle Hastings, she stepped out to the corridor and did not return. Then Perry received a phone call from Mr. Huntley L. Banner who is representing Garvin S. Hastings in the divorce. So Perry gets Paul Drake to investigate the individuals. Perry and Della follow the clues by flying to Las Vegas to investigate Adelle Hastings. Now the complications begin (Chapter Three). Adelle Hastings tells her story. Perry points out the inconsistencies, and says the police are too thorough and clever to be fooled by it. If Adelle was telling the truth she has an imposter pulling tricks on her. On the return charter flight Perry learns that a young woman had questioned the pilot about them (Chapter Four)! Adelle has realized that something is very wrong, and comes to see Perry at his office (Chapter Five). And yes, they learn that Garvin S. Hastings has been murdered. Then Huntley L. Banner calls with information he just got from Garvin Hastings! There is an educational part about people in a line-up who appear similar. Did Garvin fail to make a will to provide for Adelle, his third wife? Could his second wife have cooked up this scheme?

So the story continues with Perry Mason talking with the various people involved in this case. The dialogue slowly draws out the facts about the situation. Perry Mason learns more about the background facts. There is a mystery about the gun found in the handbag. It disappears from Perry's desk then is brought back. But is it the same gun? District Attorney Hamilton Burger shows up and personally investigates Hastings Enterprises. Then there are a number of surprises that leaves Burger dumbfounded (p.163). The police find the gun is the murder weapon, and a fingerprint is on it. Adelle Hastings is arrested for the murder of Garvin Hastings.

The Preliminary Hearing has many interesting pages of testimony on the gun and its possession (Chapter Twelve). Perry has to do a lot of investigative work for his client, and this create more work (p.213). Perry asks one witness to hand the dark glasses to his receptionist. A further investigation by the police unravels the plot. Garvin Hastings has made a holographic will, dated and signed. This had been destroyed by the woman who impersonated Adelle Hastings. But by law, this destruction doesn't affect the validity of that will. Adelle Hastings is not guilty of the murder, and will inherit a fortune, thanks to Perry Mason.

The Case of the Demure Defendant
Nadine Farr had emotional problems, and visited a psychiatrist. She is given sodium pentothal and her answers are recorded on tape. During the questioning she admits to poisoning her Uncle. Dr. Denair consults Perry Mason to find out if this is confidential, or must be reported to the police. Perry points out a confession to a crime is not confidential, but the statements of a drugged person are not reliable in a court of law since they may be imagined. Dr. Denair brings Nadine Farr to consult with Perry Mason. But the nurse present at the treatment tells this to her policeman boyfriend, and the tape recording is obtained with a search warrant by the police.

The story is that Nadine threw away the poison. Perry recovers the bottle and has it analyzed - a sugar substitute! But the police do their homework and find a second bottle with the poison. We learn that Nadine's boyfriend says he found that bottle and flushed it away. We also learn that Jackson Newburn also threw away the poison! The case goes to court, Hamilton Burger accusing Perry of substituting false evidence. This looks like a slam-dunk for Burger until Perry personally inspects the evidence and notices a detail that will clear Nadine Farr of murder, Perry of fabricating evidence, and get a confession from a witness pointing to the real murderer. The scandals that generated this crime are mentioned at the ending.

A young woman under the influence of the "truth" serum sodium pentathol confesses to her doctor that she poisoned the older man in whose house she had been living. After the man's death, she says, she threw the bottle containing the poison into a lake. The doctor, armed with this information and a recording of the session, consults Perry Mason, bringing the famous lawyer into the case.

The police have no knowledge that anyone has been murdered. The possible victim's cause of death was put down to natural causes years before when he died. Now, though, the police get wind of the confession, and Mason finds himself racing against time to determine whether a crime has been committed at all. He goes to the lake and succeeds in finding a bottle that, thankfully, does not contain poison. Apparently, the case is at an end. The "confession," he thinks, was just a product of the woman's imagination and guilty conscience. However, just when Mason thinks he can rest easy, the police recover a second bottle.

Now, not only is Mason's client back in hot water, but Mason himself is also facing legal trouble. The police, it seems, suspect Mason of having planted the first bottle.

There is not much new in this Perry Mason tale. It is the same competent, completely readable, and thoroughly enjoyable mystery Garner produced time after time. Hamilton Burger, the district attorney who always seems out to get Mason, is at it once again, and Mason must fall back on his wits and hope to pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat to save his and his client's skins.

The Case of the Demure Defendant

Nadine Farr had emotional problems, and visited a psychiatrist. She is given sodium pentothal and her answers are recorded on tape. During the questioning she admits to poisoning her Uncle. Dr. Denair consults Perry Mason to find out if this is confidential, or must be reported to the police. Perry points out a confession to a crime is not confidential, but the statements of a drugged person are not reliable in a court of law since they may be imagined. Dr. Denair brings Nadine Farr to consult with Perry Mason. But the nurse present at the treatment tells this to her policeman boyfriend, and the tape recording is obtained with a search warrant by the police.

The story is that Nadine threw away the poison. Perry recovers the bottle and has it analyzed - a sugar substitute! But the police do their homework and find a second bottle with the poison. We learn that Nadine's boyfriend says he found that bottle and flushed it away. We also learn that Jackson Newburn also threw away the poison! The case goes to court, Hamilton Burger accusing Perry of substituting false evidence. This looks like a slam-dunk for Burger until Perry personally inspects the evidence and notices a detail that will clear Nadine Farr of murder, Perry of fabricating evidence, and get a confession from a witness pointing to the real murderer. The scandals that generated this crime are mentioned at the ending.

A young woman under the influence of the "truth" serum sodium pentathol confesses to her doctor that she poisoned the older man in whose house she had been living. After the man's death, she says, she threw the bottle containing the poison into a lake. The doctor, armed with this information and a recording of the session, consults Perry Mason, bringing the famous lawyer into the case.

The police have no knowledge that anyone has been murdered. The possible victim's cause of death was put down to natural causes years before when he died. Now, though, the police get wind of the confession, and Mason finds himself racing against time to determine whether a crime has been committed at all. He goes to the lake and succeeds in finding a bottle that, thankfully, does not contain poison. Apparently, the case is at an end. The "confession," he thinks, was just a product of the woman's imagination and guilty conscience. However, just when Mason thinks he can rest easy, the police recover a second bottle.

Now, not only is Mason's client back in hot water, but Mason himself is also facing legal trouble. The police, it seems, suspect Mason of having planted the first bottle.

There is not much new in this Perry Mason tale. It is the same competent, completely readable, and thoroughly enjoyable mystery Garner produced time after time. Hamilton Burger, the district attorney who always seems out to get Mason, is at it once again, and Mason must fall back on his wits and hope to pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat to save his and his client's skins.

The Case of the Fabulous Fake, by Erle Stanley Gardner

This book is dedicated to Jack Cadman, the Director of the Orange County Sheriff's Criminalistics Laboratory. Cadman invented a method to detect alcohol in the blood stream quickly and accurately, thereby advancing forensic science. Two examples in determining the cause of death are given.

A visitor consults with Perry Mason, but refuses to give her name. Her payment buys credibility (like for Spade & Archer in "The Maltese Falcon"). Perry has Paul Drake investigate her, after reading her coded ad in the classified section. Chapter 3 educates the reader on the weakness of eyewitness evidence [when the person identified is a complete stranger]. Paul Drake investigates her backtrail, and identifies Diana Douglas. Perry visits Diana to tell of the 'routine audit' at her company (imports items that are paid in cash only). There is a need to remove Diana and send her home; a substitute replaces her when the stranger visits. There is a request for a pay-off that Perry refuses. Later this blackmailer is found murdered, Diana's credit card is in his room. The murder weapon is traced to Diana, and she is arrested and brought back to Los Angeles.

Perry and Paul continue the investigation. Bit by bit the truth is extracted from Diana. She did visit the blackmailer, but found him dead. She took the gun because she recognized it as belonging to her now dead brother! Just when you think its curtains for her, Perry summons and questions a few of her coworkers. The unusual fact of an old coat among new clothes is explained. Diana is freed once the facts point to a new suspect. Again, "murder is caused by love or money, to get it or to keep it". The scandal that led to the murder is revealed at the end. Its not a good idea to spread workplace gossip around. This story says carrying a pistol on an airplane was not unusual then. This is Erle Stanley Gardner's last work. He died just after it was published.

Morley Eden visits Perry Mason about his problem. A beautiful woman has run a barbed wire fence through the middle of his house! Morley Eden paid a contractor to build a house on a lot, but half the lot belonged to his wife, and now she has claimed her share. Chapter One explains how this happened. Perry visits Judge Goodwin to learn about his decision in this case. The Judge hopes to use this conflict against the contractor Loring Carson. Perry Mason visits Nadine Palmer to tell her about Morley Eden's suit against Loring Carson. Nadine was wrongly accused in Loring's divorce suit, and she will get unwanted publicity (Chapter Five). When the press conference is held inside Morley Eden's part of the house they find the dead body of Loring Carson. The reporters cluster around the body like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

Perry calls the police, then Paul Drake so he can trace Nadine Palmer. Vivian Carson arrives home and is shocked to hear of the murder on the other side of the house. Perry questions Morley about his whereabouts. Lt. Tragg questions Vivian about her activities, then searches around the house and pool. Perry catches a plane to Las Vegas to talk to the woman who knew Loring Carson. Genevieve explains the policies of gambling (Chapter Ten). [Good advice for everyone!] Perry finds Nadine and talks to her until someone official shows up.

In Chapter Eleven Perry finds a briefcase planted in his hotel room, and tries to neutralize it, then returns to the gambling tables. Perry finds that Genevieve just got back from Los Angeles. Then the police arrive to question Perry about a trip. The police don't believe his answers and advise him to leave. So Perry returns to Los Angeles. "The best defense to circumstantial evidence ... is the truth" (Chapter Twelve). Morley and Vivian will be charged with the murder of Loring.

The newspapers report on this case of sex, mystery, drama, missing money, and an unusual setting. The high point is when Nadine testifies to what she saw at Morley Eden's house on the day of the murder (Chapter Thirteen). The cross-examination of Nadine begins in Chapter Fifteen. Perry asks a question that results in Nadine's fingerprints being taken. Perry calls Lt. Tragg to testify about the briefcase found in Perry's room and the unknown fingerprints on it. In his closing argument Perry uses the facts to arrive at a different explanation from the prosecution's theory. Finding fingerprints of a person will not tell you when they were made. Perry asks the jury to compare the sets of fingerprints and decide for themselves. The jury returned with a not guilty verdict. Chapter Sixteen provides a conclusion to this mystery.

This story was published after Erle Stanley Gardner's death. Like other stories, it implicitly critiques the morals and lifestyles of middle-class entrepreneurs.

The Case of the Lonely Heiress, by Erle Stanley Gardner

Perry Mason gets a visit from Robert Caddo, the publisher of "Lonely Lovers Publications". Caddo has run an ad from an heiress. The authorities suspect some sort of fraud and are investigating. But since the advertisers are anonymous, Caddo wants Perry Mason to verify this item. Caddo explains the market for this publication, and how it works (Chapter 1). Perry explains how his letters will try for a response from than anonymous heiress. Perry wonders if that ad is part of a scheme (Chapter 2). One letter draws a reply, and Perry will have detectives who can spot and follow "MM" (Chapter 3). In Chapter 4 Perry and Della visit Union Depot to watch the meeting. The next morning Perry reports the facts to Caddo. Later that day Perry gets a report from the young detective who met "MM"; was there a trick? An errand brings Perry and Della back to Union Depot, and they see familiar faces (Chapter 6). Later Marilyn Marlow visits Perry to ask for help with the problem about a will. She explains the purpose of her ad (Chapter 7).

In Chapter 8 Perry gets a visit from Mrs. Dolores Caddo, who is upset by her husband's involvement with "MM"; she's not so dumb even if she is a big blonde. Perry tries to calm her and fails, so he calls Marilyn Marlow to warn her. After this Bob Caddo shows up. [This is one funny scene!] Marilyn Marlow calls with terrible news: Rose Keeling has been murdered! Rose's prior testimony will stand. Perry and Della arrive, question Marilyn, and Perry decides to take a chance with his client (Chapter 9). Lt. Tragg arrives, and holds Perry and Della for a while [another funny scene]. When they are released they try to visit the other witness, Ethel Furlong. But Perry is fooled by appearances (Chapter 11). In Chapter 12 Perry meets the Endicott family: Ralph, Palmer, and Lorraine. [The new ballpoint pen is mentioned here.] The Endicotts will benefit if George Endicott's will is broken. Ralph had seen Rose Keeling a few hours before her murder. Next Marilyn Marlow is intensively questioned and she blurts out some facts to Sergeant Holcomb. Next Lt. Tragg takes her to his office. It is an example of a police interrogation using `bad cop, good cop' (Chapter 13). Perry sums up the known facts in Chapter 14.

When Perry visits Mr. & Mrs. Caddo he learns that Dolores Caddo met Rose Keeling after 11 am. But Mr. & Mrs. Caddo deny everything to Lt. Tragg. Did they outsmart Perry (Chapter 15)? No one seems to have a motive for Rose Keeling's murder except Perry's client (Chapter 16). Perry and Della return to take another look at Rose Keeling's apartment. Della tells the difference between packing and unpacking. But they get a big surprise when they leave (Chapter 17). The Preliminary Hearing starts in Chapter 18. A bloody knife was found hidden in Marilyn's car, wiped clean of any fingerprints. On their return Perry and Della see Robert Caddo with the Endicott brothers (Chapter 19). The cross-examination of Lt. Tragg involves the difference between packing and unpacking clothes (Chapter 20). Perry sends Paul Drake to get more information. An important and new fact arises from the use of the then new and rare ballpoint pen (Chapter 21). The case against Marilyn Marlow is dismissed, and Perry explains the solution (Chapter 22). "Once you get the correct solution all of the evidence fits into place."
[You need to multiply the dollar amounts by 20 to adjust for today's values.]

The 'Foreword' is dedicated to W. R. Rule, Major USAF, who studied law, then specialized in the field of legal medicine, as it applies to the military. He is currently Legal Counsel for the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. The Armed Forces have developed a nearly perfect system for the administration of justice.

Della Street tells Perry Mason a young woman, Dorrie Ambler, has come to establish her personal identification through an appendectomy scar. Perry suggests fingerprints would be better. Dorrie is afraid of becoming a victim of a frame-up! She has been given clothes to wear, even shoes and underwear; but she won't explain. Perry has her followed when she leaves. Dorrie goes to the airport, and does the craziest thing you could imagine (Chapter 2)! The police show up and arrest the woman who came out of the rest room. This is one goofy case or client. The five o'clock news tells of the event at the airport and that Minerva Minden, the madcap heiress of Montrose, has been arrested for her pranks.

Then Dorrie Ambler shows up, and tells about the job she was hired to do. [Anyone remember "The Red-Headed League"?] A lot of personal questions were asked to qualify for this high-paying job. Dorrie had to wear a complete outfit and walk at an intersection. Dorrie tells Mason how she identified the detective agency that gave her instructions. When she went there to learn more, she saw her double waiting there for her car. Dorrie got the license number of her double's car (Chapter 3). Because she was afraid of being used for a sinister purpose, Dorrie staged that scene at the airport. Perry figures out why Dorrie was hired, and how she is being used.

In Chapter 4 the trickery employed results in the police apparently waiting to arrest Dorrie Ambler for a crime she didn't commit! Perry Mason and Paul Drake come right over on this "red-hot lead". But the door is locked, and a woman screams. They break in to find a body on the floor, so they call the police. The police find a stolen car that was involved in a hit-and-run in Dorrie's garage (Chapter 5). Can a case be fixed by selecting the judge, and then a lawyer who is a good friend (Chapter 6)? Is Dorrie involved in a crooked scheme that if financed by a Las Vegas businessman (Chapter 7)? Is Dorrie an innocent victim or did she inveigle Perry into her scheme (Chapter 9)?

Chapter 10 has a shocking surprise. Minerva Minden was taken in for questioning by the police. She will be charged with a double murder. Perry warns Minerva against her "madcap heiress" reputation. People are convicted of murder on evidence that only shows guilt of adultery (Chapter 11). [Is this a reference to the Dr. Sam Sheppard case?] The trial begins in Chapter 12. The prosecution brings out new facts against Minerva, which fills in unknown details in this case. The witnesses give their testimony. One witness has a shocking story to tell! This is the most important chapter. Perry Mason tells Paul Drake to get a quick report on all unsolved stick-ups. Perry has only one chance for a not guilty verdict (Chapter 13). Chapter 14 has the testimony of Lt. Tragg on the thumb prints, and another shocking discovery! The judge orders a directed verdict of 'not guilty' after the conflicting stories are resolved (Chapter 15). The loose ends are tied up in the last chapter. The ending is different from many other stories. [Gardner managed to ridicule both eyewitness and circumstantial evidence in this story.]

The 'Foreword' is dedicated to Russell S. Fisher, M.D. the Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Maryland. The author talks of 'reading character' from a man's manner, bearing, tone of voice, and carefully observing these. Some examples are given. Dr. Fisher was an instructor at the seminars given by the Harvard Medical School. Captain Frances G. Lee was asked to recommend an outstanding candidate to the State, and Dr. Fisher was her choice. Gardner gives one example of Dr. Fisher's skill at detection (p.ix). [Didn't Gardner use this in one of his stories?] It also shows the unreliability of eye-witnesses who see what they expect to see.

At the end of a hard, grueling day Perry Mason and Della Street go to a restaurant. The owner tells them of a waitress who just ran out without her paycheck, and left her old mink coat that was moth-eaten. They speculate about the causes. Then the police come in because the waitress was hit by a car. The police question the last table that Dixie Dayton served. Perry notices something about one customer, and asks Della to follow him out. Perry follows a clue found in the mink coat (Chapter 2). Chapter 3 tells how Perry tries to identify a mystery visitor. Then he learns that Dixie has left the hospital secretly. In Chapter 5 Paul Drake tells of further developments in this case. The police, in looking into this case, found out about the mink coat. Mae Nolan, a waitress at Alburg's restaurant, visits to tell Perry and Paul what she knows. Perry gets more information from Mae Nolan. Lt. Tragg visits to question Perry about the coat. Tragg tells a story about a murdered police officer; his missing pistol was found and it was linked to Dixie Drayton! This have become a very serious case.

In Chapter 6 Perry gets the call from Morris Alburg, and is called to Alburg's apartment. Morris is not there, but Dixie Dayton arrives and tells him more. Then Lt. Tragg shows up, someone heard a shot, and the police found a body (Chapter 7). Perry and Paul answer questions from the police (Chapter 8). The police ask Drake's operative to identify the picture of a woman (Chapter 9). Paul tells Perry about the latest gadgets used to record conversations surreptitiously. Lt. Tragg tells Perry what will be in the newspapers (Chapter 10). Perry explains why he doubts the identification of that woman. Della finds the name of the detective who was hired by Alburg (Chapter 11). Art Fulda explains what he did (Chapter 12). We learn about Paul Drake's operation, and Perry gets a call from Alburg - he's in jail (Chapter 13). Alburg was arrested for killing George Fayette, and he tells perry about Dixie Dayton (Chapter 14). Next Perry talks to Dixie Dayton in the women's ward (Chapter 15). Her story isn't believable.

Perry's clients have told his stories that account for everything yet sound improbable to a jury. Can Perry find the girl who impersonated Dixie Dayton (Chapter 16)? The trial starts in Chapter 17. Morris Alburg and Dixie Dayton are charged with murdering George Fayette. Perry was subpoenaed as a prosecution witness, and there is a personality clash with Hamilton Burger. Burger calls Perry to the stand and questions him about the conversation in the hotel room! Perry draws important information from one of the prosecution's witness with a shot-in-the-dark question. Perry then asks for a recess, and gets previously withheld information from Dixie and Morris (Chapter 18). In the last chapter Lt. Tragg visits Perry to wrap up this story with a shocking conclusion. [This novel warns against the fallibility of eyewitness identification.]

The 'Foreword' dedicates this book to Dr. Joseph W. Spelman, the state pathologist of Vermont and an associate professor in Pathology at the University of Vermont. He is a member of the group qualified to investigate deaths in a scientific manner to determine the cause and time of death. Gardner has spent years in writing to make people aware of the importance of forensic medicine.

Mrs. Enright A. Harlan visits Perry Mason to discuss the "domestic difficulties" of a cheating husband. Sybil doesn't want a divorce, separate maintenance, community property, or alimony; she just wants her husband back. Sybil wants Perry to buy stock in a real estate development company, and then create difficulties that will affect Enright's affair with Mrs. Roxy Claffin (Chapter 1). Perry goes to buy the stock from George Lutts, paying $32,750 for 2,000 shares, and learns more about this property that is a run-down residential district. Perry finds that Roxy owns adjoining property (Chapter 2). Mrs. Harlan then tells Perry about this property, how the new freeway will be close and increase the worth of this run-down property. They drive to the neglected old mansion which had been partitioned for small businesses. They observe Roxy by her swimming pool (Chapter 3). Perry attends the director's meeting, and says Roxy has invaded their "right of lateral support" by removing fill dirt, and could be sued (Chapter 4). Late in the afternoon Perry gets an emotional phone call from Sybil; when she was at the old house with George Lutts someone shot Lutts. Earlier Lutts bought 3,000 shares of the stock for $24,000 from another director. After Sybil tells all at Perry's office, they find that the gun in Sybil's car is now missing! Perry gives instructions to Sybil that must be followed (Chapter 5). Paul Drake monitors taxicabs by their radio frequency. Sybil calls Perry to tell his she followed his advice (Chapter 6).

In Chapter 7 Perry calls Herbert Doxey and asks to inspect the property. They find Lutts' car, and then the body. The police are called. Sergeant Holcomb suspects something from Perry's presence. Roxy's problems and complaints to Enright have sent him back to Sybil. Paul tells Perry the police found the murder weapon; it was sold to Enright A. Harlan! The taxidriver reported picking up a woman near the murder scene, another taxidriver brought the woman to Enright A. Harlan's home (Chapter 8). Perry goes to visit Sybil Harlan in jail. Perry then assigns his detectives to get information on the other people who are involved (Chapter 9).

The preliminary hearing begins, the details about the death are given (Chapter 10). [Did you notice anything?] The taxidriver's testimony is contradicted by the printed receipt! Next we learn that some woman other than the defendant signed to buy the murder weapon. The case is dismissed and Sybil is released from custody. Perry and Della perform an experiment to test the testimony (Chapter 11). The District Attorney presents new evidence at the trial. Perry finds out that Sybil didn't tell him the whole truth, and she explains why (Chapter 13). Sybil's friend is called as a prosecution witness, and so are others (Chapter 14). Roxy Claffin has thrown out junk like boards and torn canvas sacks at the dump, but it disappeared (Chapter 15). Other witnesses are questioned. The questioning of Enright Harlan uncovers a surprising fact (Chapter 17)! A new witness admits to facts that point to another person (Chapter 18). Perry explains his observations in Chapter 19, just before the judge instructs the jury to return a verdict of not guilty for Sybil.