The Silent Witness - Production & Contact Info

The Silent Witness (1915)
Short | Short, Drama

The Silent Witness (1915)

Short | Short, Drama

Carl Rogers has risen from the position of bookkeeper to that of a cashier in the small and only bank of Santa Paula. The president of the bank, John Blackwood, does not look with favor upon the affection which is shown by Rogers for his ...See moreCarl Rogers has risen from the position of bookkeeper to that of a cashier in the small and only bank of Santa Paula. The president of the bank, John Blackwood, does not look with favor upon the affection which is shown by Rogers for his daughter Lolita. His prospects of marrying Lolita being small, encourages him to work harder than ever on his invention, an electrical device for melting steel. Rogers advertises his invention in the papers, and two crooks, Handsome Jack and Blue Beard, lay a scheme to get his invention and make use of it in their line of occupation. Rogers sees them in a room in the city set for the appearance of an office, and after receiving a receipt for his model, leaves it with them for supposed consideration. Returning to Santa Paula, Rogers goes on about his work at the bank. Handsome Jack and Blue Beard then round up two of their gang and plan a big robbery in Santa Paula. In the meantime, mostly at night, they look the bank over, planning entrances and exits. On the day planned for the robbery, Lolita visits her father and Rogers, at the bank, after taking a few camera pictures of her friends. She leaves the camera on a desk near the safe and forgets it when she leaves. Rogers and Blackwood close the safe and bank after she departs, and not noticing the camera, leave for the night. Near midnight Ryan and Stevens enter the bank from a rear entrance, and after covering the windows to keep out the flashes, set to work on the safe with Rogers' invention. The wires are connected and Ryan tests the device on the safe's door. The flashes are bright and the heat intense, causing Stevens to move back. His hand accidentally pushes the shutter release on the camera and exposes the plate as a tremendous flash comes from the safe. The touching of the release and the flash from the electrical device serve to produce a flash light picture, unknown to the crooks. The safe is easily opened with Rogers' device and the contents extracted. The crooks make their escape up an alley leading from the hotel. Unknown to them, the melting iron is dropped in their flight. The following morning they go to work as usual at the store where they contrived to get employment in order to stave off suspicion, Rogers and Blackwood arrive at the bank the next day, and are dumbfounded at the sight of the melted safe and the missing money. The sheriff is notified, and on his way to the scene, comes through the alley and finds the mysterious looking invention of Rogers. At the bank he looks the safe over and is sure that the iron he found has caused it. Rogers is taken back at the sight of his invention and tells of its use. Blackwood thinks the story weak and jumps at conclusions and orders Rogers arrested for the robbery. The sheriff is told of the invention being Rogers' and of Rogers' want of money to marry Lolita. Lolita comes to the bank to get the forgotten camera, and is amazed and heartbroken at the happenings told to her by her father. She goes home with the camera and attempts to ease her mind by developing the films. She finds the picture of Ryan at work on the safe. Rushing to her father, she shows him the needed evidence to free her lover. Together they race to the sheriff's office. Rogers is released, and the sheriff grabs the crooks at the store and locates the money in their room. What can Blackwood do? The papers in the city get bold of the story and some real promoters read it and buy Rogers' invention. So it is up to the stern old banker to turn his treasure, Lolita, over to Rogers. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for The Silent Witness.

Cast	+ Add Cast
5 cast members

Name	Known for
Arthur Mackley Sheriff Adams Sheriff Adams See fewer	Old Gorman's Gal (1913)
George C. Pearce John Blackwood John Blackwood See fewer	British Agent (1934)
Claire Anderson Lolita Blackwood - John's Daughter Lolita Blackwood - John's Daughter See fewer	His Baby Doll (1917)
Julia Mackley Mrs. John Blackwood (as Mrs. Arthur Mackley) Mrs. John Blackwood (as Mrs. Arthur Mackley) See fewer	Intolerance (1916)
Vester Pegg Handsome Jack - a Crook (as Vester Perry) Handsome Jack - a Crook (as Vester Perry) See fewer	Bare Fists (1919)