The Case of the Resolute Reformer

John Hoyt (born Bronxville, NY; grad Hotchkiss, Yale) is well cast as William Rainey Caine the honest bureaucrat and here murder defendant. The case pivots on Perry's questioning of Bradford (played by Millay) on time details of a road rallye the night of the murder. The humorous part is that Bradford, although already shown to be quite dishonest, conveys the impression she would not think to cheat on a rallye. Also, unmentioned is that rallye participants don't get the route until the starting time. It would be tough for Bradford to plan any "detours" in advance. But Perry, in fact, is only baiting a trap for the real killer. As to Hoyt, he played a less thoughtful government servant in Gunsmoke's "Bureaucrat."

A young man who has been a disappointment to his rich, land developing father, is used to destroy an important land deal. He is drunk and his girlfriend leads him into a hit and run incident. In making amends to the family, he compromises his father's standing and costs him big time. He also gets the old man arrested for the murder of a rival who is standing in his way. It is made obvious that a whole lot of people, including the young woman, will have hell to pay.

Here is a classic 'Perry Mason' show as we get all the aspects of a mystery and all the cover-up of the cast members. And as we all know this leads to an exciting episode.

It begins when Peter Caine hits a man while driving home drunk. His passenger, Debra Bradford, takes control of the car and they leave the scene. The next day Peter feels bad about the accident but instead of reporting the incident to the police, Debra tells him that she has checked and the man is not severely injured and it would be better to buy his property, he has been trying to sell, so him and his wife can retire. Peter goes along.

Peter's father, William Cain, is the County Chief Engineer and is responsible for an aqueduct being built. When the project is stopped for possible re-route, which will bankrupt the contractor Roger Quigley, he learns that the land purchased for the new pathway goes right through the property that Peter Caine purchased. Sounds like conflict of interest by the Chief engineer.

When Roger Quigley is found dead, William Caine is seen holding the gun. Mr Caine will be defended in court by Perry and will have a tough job of going through the mounds of testimonial evidence that looks poor for his client.

A very nice mystery. We will learn there are more things going on in this episode than meets the eye. When one unlikely witness advises that they were driving in an all-night motor rally the house of cards being to fall. Good watch.

Douglas Dick who is the playboy son of the county engineer of San Marcos John Hoyt is set up beautifully for a hit and run accident by his date, the beautiful and deadly Diana Millay. Of course she's got accomplices. But this is all part of an elaborate scheme to get Hoyt to not put a stop on a construction project that would bankrupt the guy doing the constructing James Westerfield who is depending on the monies received not to bankrupt him. When Westerfield is shot to death, Hoyt is the one charged and lucky he has Perry Mason defending him.

He's even luckier in the fact that Paul Drake was staking out Westerfield's house. In fact William Hopper is of particular value to Raymond Burr in this episode.

Of course Burr at trial beautifully sets up the real killer in his recall cross examination.

Nicely done Perry.