The Front Page Page #7

in Sheriff Hartman.

And I'm sure you boys

share that faith and confidence.

No comment.

Sorry to break in

but we've located Williams.

This time, for real.

Where?

On North Wabash,

at the offices of the Friends

of American Liberty.

One of our patrols

spotted him in the alley.

All right.

Get every available man.

Seal off the whole area.

But remember, God damn it,

I want him taken alive.

Check.

There's your story, boys.

Wait for us, Fatso.

Okay, Pete.

Now, suppose you explain it to me.

How the hell can a guy escape

with a double guard

around the jail

and 200 extra deputies?

Well, it could happen

to anybody.

It wouldn't have happened

to Prohaska.

I knew I should've

put him on the ticket instead of you.

You-- you-- you piss-brain.

Please, Herbie,

I've always been a good party man.

A team player.

Jesus, we're having that

fund-raising dinner at the Palmer House.

All the big money is there.

I'm about to make a pitch

for campaign contributions,

and then I get news

like this.

Calm down, Herbie.

It's all over now.

You've heard the latest.

They've got Williams.

He can't get away.

What do you mean, he can't get away?

He got away, didn't he?

Herbie, I personally--

Don't call me

Herbie any more.

From now on,

it's Your Honor.

Yes.

Your Honor?

I'm warning you, Pete,

if you don't have Williams

on the gallows

by 7:
00 a.m.,

then God help you.

Because you might

just as well go ahead and hang yourself.

# Am I awake now? #

# Or am I dreaming? #

# Congratulate me,

step right up #

# Shake my hand #

Uh, excuse me.

Which way is the Sheriff's office?

That way.

Uh, Sheriff Hartman?

In here.

Oh, my name is Plunkett.

I just came up

from Springfield.

I got somethin' for you.

What?

From the Governor.

What's from the Governor?

It's a reprieve

for Earl Williams.

For who?

Earl Williams.

What a hassle getting over here

from the station.

All those police cars

on the wrong side of the street

and runnin'

the red lights.

Is this a joke

or something?

The Governor has

a commission to consider

last-minute appeals

for clemency.

He can't do that

to us.

Oh, there was a stack

of mail this high

and a telegram this long

with 4,000 signatures.

How do we know

this is not fake?

Yeah. Could be some sort

of a Communist trick.

Oh, no. I was right there

with the Governor when he signed it.

Get the Governor on the phone.

Oh, you can't.

We can't?

He's gone fishing.

Just him, an Indian guide,

and a canoe.

No phone, no nothin'.

He sure picked a hell of a time

to go fishing.

Excuse me.

Uh, just between us,

it's not really fishing.

Because that Indian guide

is really a girl.

She isn't even Indian.

She's from New Jersey.

Yes, Jacobi.

What? You do?

Are you sure?

Herbie. Your Honor!

Hold on a minute.

It's Jacobi.

They've got him trapped.

They've surrounded

the building.

Tell him to stay

on the line.

Stay on the line.

Don't make a move

till I say so.

Look, Mr. Plunkett,

about this reprieve, we can't accept it.

But why not?

It wouldn't be legal.

We don't have Earl Williams

in our custody.

You don't?

Where is he?

He escaped.

You saw

those police cars.

We're looking for him.

Oh, dear. That is a problem.

I think I better phone

the Governor.

You can't. He's off fishing.

Remember?

So, why don't you

come back tomorrow morning?

I'm sure by then,

we'll have him back in our jurisdiction.

You mean,

spend the night in Chicago?

Any objections?

Well, no, sirree, Bob.

Trouble is,

I don't know anybody here.

Do you like Chinese food?

Well, I'm not really hungry,

I had a sandwich on the train.

But you didn't have

a Chinese sandwich.

I never heard of it.

You'll never forget it.

Ask for Madame Chow.

Tell her the Green Hornet

sent you.

The Green Hornet?

And just put everything

on my tab.

Well, that's

very kind of you.

Not at all.

Not at all.

And you can use

my chopsticks.

Oh, thank you.

Uh, goodbye, Sheriff.

He's waiting for instructions.

What are we gonna do?

Tell him to shoot

to kill.

What?

Shoot to kill,

I said.

I-- I don't know, Herbie.

What about that reprieve?

l-lf it ever comes out.

Nobody reprieved

that policeman he shot.

There was no clemency,

either.

Do what I tell you!

Jacobi, you there?

Listen. Shoot to kill!

You heard me.

Okay, okay, Sheriff.

Only, I thought

you wanted him alive.

Anything you say,

Sheriff.

We know you're up there,

Williams.

Now, this is

your last chance.

Throw the gun

out the window

and come out

with your hands up.

Or we'll smoke you out.

New instructions.

No bullhorn, no tear gas.

We go in there,

and we go in shooting.

All set!

Let's go, men!

Give us a break, fellas,

we're Press.

Christ, we're gonna miss

the whole thing. Come on, will you?

Stand back.

Do you suppose there's a bathroom

around here?

Ah.

The future Mrs. Johnson,

I presume?

Been waiting long,

darling?

Only my whole life.

I'm sorry I was tied up.

Oh, like all the orchids

in the Bahamas.

What do you say we pick up

the bags first then eat at the station?

Let's. Have you

got the tickets?

Have I got the tickets.

A lower for you and an upper for me.

Oh, no, darling.

You take the lower.

Tell you what?

Why don't we both take the lower?

What about

the conductor?

He can have the upper.

Where to, Mac?

Huh?

Uh-oh. Oh.

Uh, no place, huh?

Just stay here. God damned idiot.

Who?

Me.

I left the wedding rings

in the pressroom.

I hope the bums

haven't stolen them.

I'll be back.

You don't mind waiting,

do you?

What's there to mind?

The night's young,

the orchids are smelling,

the meter is running.

Just made another nickel.

Jesus Christ Almighty.

Shut the door.

Okay, okay, Earl.

Hey, just put the gun down.

I said, shut the door!

How in the hell

did you--

I've been hanging

in the airshaft,

but I couldn't

hold on any longer.

They-- They got me

in the arm. Don't move!

You realize they're looking for you

all over Chicago?

You cops.

You're all so dumb.

I'm not a cop, Earl.

You know me. Hildy Johnson.

I interviewed you

in your cell.

Oh, yeah. I remember.

Yeah. I read every word.

"An outraged minnow battling

against the tides

of injustice."

I liked that.

Earl?

Earl?

Oh, oh-- oh.

Hello. Yeah, Duffy.

This is Hildy. Get me Walter.

Well, I don't give a damn!

Just get him. This is urgent.

Walter? W-Walter, listen.

Will you for Christ's sake listen?

Now get this.

I'm only going to say it once,

I've got Earl Williams.

What's the gag?

You got him where?

Honest to God? You swear?

Jesus!

Examiner captures

Earl Williams.

I'll be right over.

You better. Because I don't know

how long I can keep him sewed up.

Damn it,

there's someone at the door.

Just a minute.

Coming.

Mollie.

Where is he?

Who? Who?

Earl. I hear they got him trapped.

For God's sake,

tell me where.

I don't know. Ask down

in the Sheriff's office.

They wouldn't give me

the time of day.

There's nothing you can do here.

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