FIRST DEGREE

by Ron Base

 

 

        

       FADE IN:

        

 1     EXT. WOODED AREA - NIGHT                                      1

        

       POV - searching through the woods.

        

       SUPERIMPOSE: BASED ON A TRUE STORY

         

       Yelling out Josie Langmaids name, men in a search party are

       carrying lanterns and torches, which do not reflect light for

       a great distance.

        

       The wood is a thick one with a great deal of underbrush, and

       slow progress is made. They frantically call out Josie's name

       with hopes of finding her.

        

                           DANIEL T. MERRILL

                     (in a loud voice)

                 Josie,Josie Langmaid

        

       OFFICER HILDRETH leads the search.

        

       JAMES LANGMAID and son WALDO are among the searchers, but

       obviously more upset than the others.

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                 Josie!

        

                           LANGMAID

                 Josie, come on honey!

        

                           WARREN MARTIN

                 Josie,Josie Langmaid

      

       SUPERIMPOSE: PEMBROKE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OCTOBER 4TH, 1875

      

       THOMAS BURLEIGH makes his way through bushes, trips over a

       log.

        

                           DANIEL T. MERRILL

                 Josie,Josie Langmaid

        

       One man, DANIEL F. COPP, a little bit ahead of the others,

       comes across something apparently horrid in the illumination

       from his lantern.

        

                                                            CUT TO:

 

2     INT. LANGMAID KITCHEN - NIGHT                                 2

        

       A CLOCK indicates that the time is 8:45 PM as MRS. LANGMAID

       sits uneasily at a table talking with Josie's teacher, MISS

       BELLE LAKE.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 Well, I was a bit concerned when Josie

                 did not show up for her lessons today.

                 It's not like her to be tardy or truant.

                 Now, if we were talking about Sarah

                 Prentice,

        

                           SARAH LANGMAID

                     (looking nervously at clock)

                 I don't get it.

                    

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 The entire matter baffles me. I asked

                 Waldo at school about Josie's whereabouts

                 and he said that he did not know,

                 Professor Walker told me Josie was

                 supposed to tutor an underclassman,

        

                           SARAH LANGMAID

                     (On the verge of tears and

                      rising from her seat)

                 I just don't understand it. Where is she? 

                 She was fine this morning. I'm going to

                 find her.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 Sit down Sarah. The men will bring her

                 back.

        

                           SARAH LANGMAID

                 I can't take this waiting, Belle.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                     (trying to be comforting)

                 Remember two years ago when Flora Stevens

                 was missing and later it turned out that

                 she had taken the coach to Concord, She

                 had the entire town worried half to

                 death!

        

                           SARAH LANGMAID

                 No, no, Josie is not like that. Something

                 is wrong.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                     (pouring herself some TEA)

                 Tell me more about this morning.

        

                                                       DISSOLVE TO:

 

3     EXT. LANGMAID FRONT YARD - MORNING - FLASHBACK                3

        

       WALDO and JOSIE are waiting for ADDIE to arrive so that the

       three of them can walk to school together.

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                     (irritated, impatient)

                 Come on, it's gettin' late. Addie must be

                 staying home today

        

                           JOSIE LANGMAID

                 Be patient. She'll be here!

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                     (Starting to walk away)

                 Addie Holt is not gonna make me late for

                 class.

        

                           JOSIE LANGMAID

                     (GRABBING Waldo's arm)

                 Wait, or I'll tell everybody that you

                 like Mary White.

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                     (quietly)

                 Do not, Josie.

        

                           JOSIE LANGMAID

                 Do so! Frank Wolcott told me.

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                     (PUSHING Josie Away)

                 If you say anything you'll wish ya

                 hadn't.

        

                           JOSIE LANGMAID

                 Do you think I'm afraid of you? I won't

                 say anything, if you just wait a few more

                 minutes.

        

                           WALDO LANGMAID

                     (turning and running away)

                 You had your chance.

        

                                                           BACK TO:

 

4     INT. LANGMAID KITCHEN - NIGHT                                 4

        

       MRS. LANGMAID and MISS BELLE LAKE continue the conversation.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 So when Waldo went on ahead, Josie was

                 alone?

        

                           SARAH LANGMAID

                 Yes. When Addie did not arrive, I kissed

                 Josie goodbye and,

                     (falling to pieces)

                 Why did I let her go alone? Where could

                 she be?

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                     (moving closer to comfort

                      SARAH)

                 She will be alright. You need to keep

                 your head about this, Sarah.

        

                                                            CUT TO:

 

5     EXT. WOODED PATH - DAY - FLASHBACK                            5

        

       JOSIE, carrying SCHOOL BOOKS, is walking up a secluded path

       on her way to school when she apparently HEARS something in

       front that startles her a bit, causing her to slow her pace.

       She SPEAKS out loud as if to try and comfort herself from the

       silence of the wood.

        

                           JOSIE LANGMAID

                     (meekly)

                 Waldo? Waldo, is that you?

                     (after a long pause)

                 Waldo, you're not being funny. I know its

                 you!!!, Addie?

        

       As Josie TURNS to look over her shoulder, an arm reaches out

       and GRABS her from the front. The only thing that is seen is

       an arm and a quick shot of the perpetrator's BOOTS.

        

                                                           BACK TO:

 

6     INT. LANGMAID KITCHEN - NIGHT                                 6

        

       The CLOCK shows 9:35 PM as the kitchen door flies open.

       Startled, Belle drops her tea cup. Two of the SEARCHERS step

       through, moving to the side to reveal MR. LANGMAID, standing

       in the doorway with his head hung low and BLOOD stains on his

       clothing. WALDO is seen with blood on his hands. There is an

       uncomfortable pause as MR. LANGMAID, makes eye contact with a

       very concerned SARAH. He finally speaks as she gets up from

       the table and instinctively moves to him.

        

                           JAMES LANGMAID

                     (Placing his hands on her

                      shoulders and looking her

                      straight in the eyes)

                 I'm sorry Sarah.

        

       James pulls Sarah close in an embrace as she collapses,

       sobbing uncontrollably, in his arms. Waldo does not make any

       eye contact. The others present lower their heads and give

       the couple room. James places his lips on Sarah's forehead,

       as she tries to bury herself in the safety of his arms.

        

                                                     FADE TO BLACK.

 

7     EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY                                        7

       MONTAGE

        

       Title Music and Credit Sequence

        

       A variety of camera shots depict a quiet little New England

       town with people out and about.

       A man walks by carrying freshly baked bread, while another

       hitches his horse, and a woman passes, etc., The camera

       focuses in on a small group of citizens who are gathering

       around a poster.

        

                                                       DISSOLVE TO:

 

8     EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY                                        8

        

       The group reads a reward poster regarding information leading

       to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of Josie A.

       Langmaid.

        

                           HATTIE WARREN

                     (impressed, looking at the

                      poster)

                 Can you believe it?! 2000 dollars!,

                 Imagine what we could buy with that.

        

                           FRANK WARREN

                     (Scolding Hattie)

                 Oh Hattie, this is a grave matter. How

                 can you talk of luxuries when an innocent

                 girl's life has been stolen away.

        

                           HATTIE WARREN

                     (apologetically)

                 You're right, Frank. Please forgive my

                 rash remarks.

        

                           FLORA STEVENS

                     (pointing to the poster)

                 That insane murdering tramp might still

                 be lurking around here! Doesn't that

                 scare you?

        

                           CAPITOLA SAWYER

                     (very sure of herself)

                 Of course it scares us; but with Officer

                 Hildreth and Detective Dearborn on it,

                 that monster is sure to be apprehended

                 soon.

        

       CLARENCE COFREAN rides in on a horse.

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                     (excited, holding out a

                      newspaper)

                 Hey, I  got the Monitor. Listen to this,

                     (Reading from the paper)

                  "Shocking Murder in Pembroke! A School

                 Girl Waylaid, Ravished, Murdered,

                 Beheaded and Secreted in Broad Daylight.

                 Arrest of suspected Assassins."

        

                           HATTIE WARREN

                     (Intrigued)

                 Read on, quickly.

        

       The assembled group crowd in around Clarence as they listen

       intently to every word.

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                 I am, give me a chance, Hattie

                     (Continuing to read)

                 One of the most diabolical murders ever

                 perpetrated in New England, was committed

                 Monday morning, within a quarter of a

                 mile of Pembroke Academy, upon a road not

                 much traveled.

        

                                                       DISSOLVE TO:

 

9     EXT. WOODED AREA - NIGHT - FLASHBACK                          9

        

       As Clarence reads, a flashback depicts the discovery of the

       body.

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                     (V.O.)

                 discovered the body lying under a small

                 white maple tree, with other small trees

                 thickly clustered around it, and about 10

                 rods from the highway. Almost at the same

                 instant the father caught sight of the

                 body, and the scene was a heart rending

                 one as he threw himself upon the lifeless

                 form of his murdered daughter.Her head

                 had been cut entirely from the body, and

                 also her person had been mutilated.

        

                                                           BACK TO:

 

10     EXT. TOWN SQUARE - DAY                                       10

        

                           NELLIE SIMPSON

                 Oh please, this is absolutely dreadful!

                 But, do go on.

        

       The crowd is totally engrossed by the description as Clarence 

       continues to read.

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                  "A post mortem examination was made by

                 Drs. B. H. Phillips, Geo. H. Larabee and

                 C. F. Hildreth. Severe blows were found

                 on each side of the head, and the right

                 hand had evidently been thrown up to ward

                 off a blow, as three of the bones of the

                 hand were broken, and also the thumb.

                 There were cuts on the side of the head,

                 near the top, and also on the left cheek.

                 The print of a boot heel was also

                 distinctly found on the right cheek and a

                 cast of it taken.

                 The head was severed from the body

                 between the first and second vertebrae,

                 and must have been done when she was

                 alive and with a sharp instrument.

        

                           HATTIE WARREN

                 What say it about the arrest?

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                 Well,,

        

       MISS BELLE LAKE, briskly APPROACHES the crowd.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 Halloo! I can tell you all you need to

                 know.

        

                           FLORA STEVENS

                     (Sarcastically)

                 Well, well if it isn't Miss Belle Lake.

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 I was at the Langmaid residence all last

                 evening and I gave testimony this very

                 morning before the Coroner's jury. I know

                 who killed her. I even witnessed when it

                 all started.

        

       The crowd is awed and many people encourage her to tell more.

        

                           CLARENCE COFRAN

                     (inquisitively)

                 You saw the murder?

        

                           MISS BELLE LAKE

                 Well close

        

                           NELLIE SIMPSON

                 For Heaven's sake, Belle, what exactly

                 did you witness?