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00:00:00One last time, I have to see this ground.
00:00:10It's beautiful now, as if nothing had happened here.
00:00:16Soon they will tear down the main house and then nothing will be left, nothing, except
00:00:23what I remember.
00:00:27I grew up in the town nearby, where my father was the mayor, and where this house stood
00:00:32waiting for me.
00:00:35It was built by Wilfred Butler.
00:00:39We had never seen him and he never lived at home, until the day before Christmas in 1950,
00:00:48he finally did come back, for the last time.
00:01:18All of us believed that his death was an accident.
00:01:37No one knew that another person had come to Butler House that Christmas.
00:02:07As deputy coroner of the county of Arlington, state of Massachusetts, I hereby find upon
00:02:13evidence of an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner of this county, that the deceased,
00:02:19Wilfred Butler, died as a result of burns inflicted accidentally upon himself, on his
00:02:25own premises, during the afternoon of December 24th, 1950.
00:02:32No further inquiry shall be held over the body of the deceased, and this inquest is
00:02:38officially closed.
00:02:39All is calm, all is bright, round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
00:04:09After the coroner's inquest, on New Year's Day,
00:04:39they buried Wilfred Butler.
00:04:41There was no one there to mourn him.
00:04:44It was the funeral of a stranger.
00:04:45I, Wilfred Butler, being of sound mind and body,
00:05:15at least what the world considers sound, do hereby leave my house and its grounds,
00:05:24and all personal effects within that house, to my only surviving relation, my grandson,
00:05:35Jeffrey Butler.
00:05:39And I solemnly charge him, with one duty, let him leave the house as I left it, standing
00:05:50untouched, to remind the world of its inhumanity, and cruelty.
00:06:00For 20 years, that house lay empty, exactly as Wilfred left it.
00:06:08And then, last year, rumors began that it was finally being sold.
00:06:14The newspaper story traveled through the county, to a state hospital, for the criminally insane.
00:06:28I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:06:57Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:07:26Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:07:56Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:08:26Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:08:56Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:09:26Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:09:56Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred
00:10:26Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wilfred Butler, I, Wil
00:10:56Mr. Carter. Mr. Mayor.
00:11:11Let me introduce you. This is Charlie Towman, who publishes our weekly newspaper, The Patriot.
00:11:17Mr. Towman. And this is Tess Howard. How do you do?
00:11:23She operates our switchboard. Oh, really?
00:11:25We call her the communications director. And this is Bill Mason, our sheriff.
00:11:38Won't you sit there, Mr. Carter, at the head of the table? Thank you.
00:11:45I didn't expect to meet you all together. It's quite a reception.
00:12:06All right, let's begin. As you know, I've been retained by Jeffrey Butler.
00:12:12The matter concerns the house that he inherited from his grandfather, Wilfred Butler.
00:12:20Go on, Mr. Carter. I believe that you offered to buy the house from my client.
00:12:28Offered? We begged him. We wrote letters and we... That's enough, Tess.
00:12:32Well, it's true. Trouble. There's always trouble. I can sympathize.
00:12:38I spent the last 20 years and more driving people away from there.
00:12:43Robbers, burglars, kids. They're the worst.
00:12:48Chasing for nothing because of that will, that grumble about humanity.
00:12:54No, no, no. Inhumanity. What the hell is that, huh?
00:13:02Yes, well, he was a bitter man. Hate?
00:13:06It must have been very hard. It must have been hate.
00:13:14That man hated. Well, some people are like that.
00:13:36Oh, my God.
00:14:06Hmm.
00:14:16The question is, well, do you still want the house?
00:14:20Are you offering it to us, Mr. Carter? Exactly.
00:14:26Why now? Well, that's Mr. Butler's business, isn't it?
00:14:33You know we're not rich. Most of us came here during the Depression.
00:14:40But we love this town. It's our home.
00:14:44And naturally you want to improve it. Exactly.
00:14:49My client understands that and he fully sympathizes and he's willing to sacrifice the house for $50,000.
00:14:59In cash, by noon tomorrow.
00:15:06That's an awful lot of cash. It's also an awfully good bargain.
00:15:12You could go to Wilton. You could go now to the bank.
00:15:19Am I clearly understood?
00:15:23All that cash.
00:15:26Perfect. I'll wait for your answer till tomorrow.
00:15:31You're spending the night here? Yes.
00:15:35May I ask where? At the Butler house.
00:15:40We could put you up at the motel as our guest.
00:15:44No, no, the house is fine. The Paradise Motel.
00:15:49That's very kind of you, but I'm meeting Mr. Butler about some personal items.
00:15:53You'll want a phone. I can reconnect the line.
00:15:56Don't trouble, please. No trouble. You'll need a phone.
00:16:01Don't want to be stuck out there.
00:16:05Well, you've convinced me. Thank you.
00:16:11By the way, have you known Mr. Butler a long time?
00:16:15No, I've never met him. He called me and asked if I'd handle this for him.
00:16:19I said yes. He had the key delivered to my office.
00:16:22Mr. Mayor, Sheriff, Mr. Tolman, Mr. Howard.
00:16:27See you all tomorrow.
00:16:30In fact, I'm looking forward to it.
00:16:42Slick, really slick.
00:16:45He's a big lawyer, Bill. You've got to expect that.
00:16:48Don't tell me about lawyers.
00:16:50You see the way he looked at us? You see his clothes?
00:16:52He's doing his job.
00:16:54Just don't tell me about lawyers.
00:16:56You know what I'd like to see? Two of them like that one, talking to each other.
00:17:00Neither one of them would know what to believe.
00:17:02I love you, too.
00:17:04Honey, when I get home, I'm going to have a nice surprise for you.
00:17:08No, no, I can't tell you what it is now. It wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?
00:17:13No, no, I can't come home now, but it'll be very soon. Very soon.
00:17:19Honey, of course I miss you.
00:17:23Yes, yes, I miss Mommy, too.
00:17:28Laura, how are you, kid?
00:17:35Look, I'll call tomorrow.
00:17:38No, I want to call. I want to talk to Jenny.
00:17:42Yeah, well, as a matter of fact, I'm having a fine time.
00:17:49Well, same to you, darling.
00:17:53What do you mean, hostile?
00:18:13I was wondering, if we get it, what then?
00:18:21Tear it down.
00:18:25Okay, okay.
00:18:29I'd better get going.
00:18:31Do me a favor, Tess.
00:18:33Call Diane, tell her I'm to Wilton, and I'll be back late.
00:18:42I'll be back.
00:19:12I'll be back.
00:19:43It's fantastic, isn't it?
00:19:46Yeah.
00:19:48Yeah, Butler wasn't kidding.
00:19:51Nobody's lived here for years.
00:19:53That would be such a waste.
00:19:56It's his grandfather's monument.
00:19:59You know, there's a caretaker who came to see him.
00:20:03He said he'd be back in a couple of days.
00:20:07It's his grandfather's monument.
00:20:10You know, there's a caretaker who keeps this place just the way he left it.
00:20:15What kind of monument is this?
00:20:18Well, that's the trouble.
00:20:20Nobody remembers anymore.
00:20:23That's what usually happens in America.
00:20:26I remember this.
00:20:29And he walks with me, and he talks with me, and he tells me I'm his own.
00:20:36And he walks with me, and he talks with me, and he tells me I'm his own.
00:20:55You're not serious.
00:20:57I used to hear that at funerals.
00:20:59At funerals?
00:21:01Yes, when I was a kid in Chipley, Georgia.
00:21:04There's also Chipley, Florida.
00:21:07But they've both been subsequently eradicated from the map.
00:21:13None other has ever known.
00:21:35The only thing open was a delicatessen,
00:21:38so I brought you pastrami, salami, potato salad, macaroni, everything you like.
00:21:46I'll have bologna and macaroni.
00:21:50No, no, no, some of that.
00:21:52No, no, no, some of that.
00:21:54No, no, no, some of that.
00:21:56No, no, no, some of that.
00:21:58No, no, no, some of that.
00:22:00No, no, no, some of that.
00:22:03No, no, no, some of that.
00:22:05No, no, no, some of that.
00:22:07No, no, no, some of that.
00:22:12Oh, well, we got lucky again.
00:22:14That's early 1970.
00:22:16That's hard to come by.
00:22:18Can I have some, too?
00:22:20Of course.
00:22:22Of course you may.
00:22:25Mmm.
00:22:32It must have been wonderful.
00:22:34What?
00:22:36The people who lived here.
00:22:39They must have had a wonderful life.
00:22:42Well, I hope they did.
00:22:44Wilfred Butler must have believed in something.
00:22:46Believe what?
00:22:47Look at that stone fireplace.
00:22:49Parquet floor.
00:22:50I don't know.
00:22:51I don't know.
00:22:52I don't know.
00:22:53I don't know.
00:22:54I don't know.
00:22:55I don't know.
00:22:56I don't know.
00:22:57I don't know.
00:22:58I don't know.
00:22:59I don't know.
00:23:00I don't know.
00:23:01I don't know.
00:23:02Parquet floor.
00:23:03The mahogany.
00:23:04This table.
00:23:05And you probably think this place is made of wood, right?
00:23:06Well...
00:23:07Wrong.
00:23:08You know what his grandson told me?
00:23:09Underneath that wood there's two feet of stone.
00:23:10The foundation is eight bricks wide.
00:23:11Now someday they're gonna come in here
00:23:12and they're gonna tear this place down
00:23:13and they're gonna build little tract houses
00:23:14all over this property on quarter acre and half acre lots.
00:23:15And that bulldozer's gonna come up that hill
00:23:16toward this house.
00:23:17I don't know.
00:23:18I don't know.
00:23:19I don't know.
00:23:20I don't know.
00:23:21I don't know.
00:23:22I don't know.
00:23:23I don't know.
00:23:24I don't know.
00:23:25I don't know.
00:23:26I don't know.
00:23:27is going to come up that hill toward this house.
00:23:31And it's going to get the surprise of its life.
00:23:35He built a kingdom out here.
00:23:37Only nobody's left.
00:23:39No?
00:23:40Butler has a grandson.
00:23:42No.
00:23:43Well, he's probably like the rest of us.
00:23:45Wants money.
00:23:47You know, he's asking $50,000 cash for this place.
00:23:50And if the only rate he can get, oh, he can get at least $250,000.
00:23:56But he won't take his time.
00:23:59So he'll get screwed.
00:24:06Do you want to go upstairs now?
00:24:09Soon.
00:24:11You know, one of the great pleasures in life
00:24:15is the pleasure of anticipating pleasure.
00:24:18Isn't it?
00:24:20We are very close now, aren't we?
00:24:25Very close.
00:24:32I don't see any beds yet.
00:24:35Well, keep looking, honey.
00:24:37Butler said the place is furnished.
00:24:50Yeah, it's furnished.
00:24:55Oh!
00:25:13Anything doing?
00:25:14No, sir, but look at this.
00:25:16More football, huh?
00:25:18Look how they smeared that quarterback.
00:25:20Look at his arm.
00:25:21Got no time now.
00:25:22Go test.
00:25:23I brought that telephone up at the Butler house.
00:25:25Is it working?
00:25:27Well, try it now.
00:25:28I'll wait.
00:25:41Hello?
00:25:43Oh, yes, Miss Howard.
00:25:46Yeah, the phone's working fine.
00:25:49Very nice of you to call.
00:25:53Good night.
00:25:56Honey, I'm going down to the car to get some cigarettes.
00:25:58Be back in a minute.
00:26:00Okay.
00:26:01Don't get lonely.
00:26:02Oh, no.
00:26:22Good night.
00:26:53Excuse me.
00:27:19Did you get your cigarettes?
00:27:20Yes.
00:27:21Yes, I did.
00:27:22You know, it's the most amazing thing.
00:27:24These cigarettes come in these very small packages these days.
00:27:29Oh, that's for me?
00:27:33Mm-hmm.
00:27:35Can I open it?
00:27:36Oh, no, no, no.
00:27:38Our Christmas is the day after tomorrow.
00:27:42Is that an order?
00:27:44Yes, ma'am, that's an order.
00:27:52Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
00:28:22, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
00:28:52no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
00:29:22, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
00:29:52no, no, no, no, no.
00:30:22Sheriff Mason.
00:30:27Bill, someone's calling from Butler House.
00:30:31Okay, put him on.
00:30:34Go ahead now.
00:30:37Mr. Carter?
00:30:38I'm not Carter.
00:30:42Who is this?
00:30:43The Honor.
00:30:45Butler.
00:30:46I'm worried, Sheriff.
00:30:48Carter's not here.
00:30:51Speak up, I can't hear you.
00:30:53I can't.
00:30:55I'm sick.
00:30:57Can you come here?
00:30:58What is it?
00:30:59What's wrong?
00:31:00His car's here, but he's gone.
00:31:03Won't you come?
00:31:05Okay, okay.
00:31:06Now you stay put in that house.
00:31:08I'll wait for you.
00:31:09Please, hurry.
00:31:11I'm afraid.
00:31:13Now take it easy.
00:31:14I'm coming.
00:31:22Mr. Butler, are you done?
00:31:24Tess, I have come back.
00:31:28What's that?
00:31:29Tess, I want to see you again.
00:31:33Hello?
00:31:34Who is this?
00:31:35You know me, Tess.
00:31:38It's Mary Ann.
00:31:40Tell the mayor.
00:31:42Tell them all.
00:31:45I'm waiting in my father's house.
00:31:50Tess.
00:31:52It's so lonely here.
00:31:55Don't be long.
00:32:01Hello?
00:32:02Hello?
00:32:03Hello?
00:32:20Hello?
00:32:22Hello?
00:32:44Oh, my God.
00:32:45Where is everybody?
00:32:49Hello?
00:32:51Oh, Maggie.
00:32:52Thank goodness.
00:32:53What is it, Tess?
00:32:55Something's come up.
00:32:56Something urgent.
00:32:57Can you start early?
00:32:58Oh, honey, I'm watching TV.
00:33:00Maggie Daly, you get yourself over here.
00:33:03What is it?
00:33:05Just get back to work.
00:33:07I'm sorry.
00:33:08I'm sorry.
00:33:09I'm sorry.
00:33:10I'm sorry.
00:33:11I'm sorry.
00:33:12I'm sorry.
00:33:13I'm sorry.
00:33:14I'm sorry.
00:33:15I'm sorry.
00:33:16I'm sorry.
00:33:17I'm sorry.
00:33:18Just get moving, Maggie.
00:33:20Just please hurry.
00:33:48I'm sorry.
00:33:49I'm sorry.
00:34:18I'm sorry.
00:34:19I'm sorry.
00:34:49Come in.
00:34:53It's open.
00:34:57Okay, mister, that's far enough.
00:35:02What do you want here?
00:35:05Mayor.
00:35:06Try again.
00:35:07My father's not home.
00:35:09And don't move.
00:35:10You want me to put my hands up?
00:35:12No.
00:35:13Just stay there.
00:35:16What are you staring at?
00:35:18I seem to remember you from the road.
00:35:20That's why I'm holding a gun.
00:35:22You scare me.
00:35:23That makes sense.
00:35:24Thanks.
00:35:25Does everybody carry one here?
00:35:27You can ask the sheriff when he gets here.
00:35:29I'll call him.
00:35:30I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the sheriff's office is empty.
00:35:35How do you know?
00:35:37I was just there.
00:35:39Who are you?
00:35:43I'm Jeffrey Butler.
00:35:46Oh, you're the one who's selling the house.
00:35:48Yes.
00:35:50Have you any I.D.?
00:35:53Come on.
00:35:54Don't laugh at me.
00:35:55I want your I.D.
00:35:56Some maniac escaped from Margaretville.
00:36:04Okay.
00:36:11Put it on the table.
00:36:17Now go back.
00:36:29California license.
00:36:32Lucky you.
00:36:35Would you like to see my maniac card from the asylum?
00:36:39They give you one when you escape.
00:36:41There's a big scarlet M on it so people won't get confused.
00:36:45Okay.
00:36:46Look, I'm sorry about the gun.
00:36:48My father's in Wilton getting your money.
00:36:53All I want to do is to get into my house.
00:36:56The sheriff's deputy might have a key.
00:36:58He's about the only one I know of.
00:37:01Where is he?
00:37:02You go down the road about a mile and a half
00:37:04till you come to a white house with a white fence,
00:37:07and then you can't miss it.
00:37:10Thanks.
00:37:11That's okay.
00:37:13Merry Christmas.
00:37:17Same to you.
00:37:25If I don't call back in an hour...
00:37:28What?
00:37:30Call the mayor or Mr. Tone and nobody else.
00:37:35Promise me you'll do that.
00:37:37Well, sure.
00:37:39Mark it down, honey, so you'll have it.
00:37:44Sheriff to 301.
00:37:46I'm heading west on Route 5 to Butler House.
00:37:48You'll hear from me.
00:38:00What the hell?
00:38:02There's a light out there.
00:38:2410-4, 10-4.
00:38:5210-4, 10-4.
00:39:17Ow!
00:39:41Hi.
00:39:42Hi.
00:39:43Did you find the deputy?
00:39:44No, I wasn't there.
00:39:47I was thinking.
00:39:50Isn't your lawyer supposed to be at the house?
00:39:52The door was locked.
00:39:54His car was there, so I borrowed it.
00:39:57You mean you stole a car?
00:40:00Yeah.
00:40:02I'm keeping it warm.
00:40:03What if he needs it?
00:40:05Let him find me.
00:40:07Who's coming to dinner?
00:40:09Oh, Daddy.
00:40:11We always have dinner every Thursday.
00:40:14Do you want something?
00:40:16No, I ate at Paradise Motel.
00:40:18Yeah, I know.
00:40:19It's awful.
00:40:21What about a drink?
00:40:22Yeah.
00:40:26It's cheap bourbon, but it's a big favorite around here.
00:40:32Do you want ice?
00:40:33No, it's straight.
00:40:38You look tired.
00:40:40I am tired.
00:40:42Well, here's to a fast dollar.
00:40:45Cheers.
00:40:54Why did you decide to sell the house?
00:40:58I needed the cash.
00:41:00After all these years?
00:41:03I need it now.
00:41:09What's it like on the inside?
00:41:12You know, I've never seen the inside.
00:41:14When I was a child, my father told me to stay away from it,
00:41:17or something terrible might happen.
00:41:19Sort of like a haunted house.
00:41:23I haven't seen it either.
00:41:25You're going to sell it and you've never seen it?
00:41:27Yeah.
00:41:30It's too bad.
00:41:31It's about the only place to see around here.
00:41:34Oh, I forgot.
00:41:35Someone keeps calling with a message for my father.
00:41:39She says that she's waiting at your house,
00:41:42in the reception room.
00:41:45What woman is waiting at my house in the reception room?
00:41:48Oh, I don't know.
00:41:49It's not a voice that I know.
00:41:54I better go out there.
00:41:56Can I come too?
00:41:58What for?
00:42:00I'm pushy.
00:42:04I suppose you'll be going back to California soon.
00:42:10California.
00:42:11You said you lived there, remember?
00:42:13No, I'll be traveling.
00:42:16Jeff, look.
00:42:17It's the sheriff's car.
00:42:35There's a light.
00:42:38Look at that tombstone.
00:42:41Pretty cheerful.
00:42:45Who bears the cross shall wear the crown.
00:42:49Wilfred Butler.
00:42:52I'm going to get you out of here.
00:42:55I'm going to get you out of here.
00:42:58I'm going to get you out of here.
00:43:01Who bears the cross shall wear the crown.
00:43:04Wilfred Butler.
00:43:06My grandfather.
00:43:08Oh.
00:43:14Someone left their sunglasses in the snow.
00:43:17They're the sheriff's.
00:43:20My lawyer's missing.
00:43:21So is the sheriff.
00:43:23You get strange phone calls.
00:43:26Now someone's fascinated by my grandfather's grave.
00:43:30Let's get out of here.
00:43:33You still want to go to my house?
00:43:35Yes.
00:43:38But I don't want to go alone.
00:43:41Listen.
00:43:42I'm not nervous.
00:43:43Well, of course you're not.
00:43:44Oh, it's the cold.
00:43:45I'm shaking from it.
00:43:48Let's get out of here.
00:43:51Okay.
00:43:52We'll get help in town.
00:43:53It's 10 minutes drive.
00:44:24Good night, Mr. Towman.
00:44:45Have a nice holiday.
00:45:15Good night, Mr. Towman.
00:45:45Deputy's not here, but Towman is.
00:46:04Who's Towman?
00:46:05Come on, you'll see.
00:46:19Mr. Towman, wait.
00:46:21No, please.
00:46:22I have to talk to you.
00:46:27I'm sorry.
00:46:28This is Jeffrey Butler.
00:46:29He's the one who's selling the house.
00:46:31He can't get inside the place.
00:46:34And my father's gone to Wilton.
00:46:36So we wondered...
00:46:44Anything wrong?
00:46:45He'll tell us.
00:46:48Tess...
00:46:51has gone to his house.
00:46:53Why would she go there?
00:46:55I don't know.
00:46:58Anyway, she won't get in.
00:46:59They say it's locked.
00:47:04It says she hates the place.
00:47:07Would you like to drive there?
00:47:11Diana could stay here, lock herself in.
00:47:14I need a key.
00:47:44Let's go.
00:48:09This isn't my house.
00:48:11It's Tess's.
00:48:42Tess isn't here.
00:48:44Are you satisfied?
00:48:48She must have gone to my place.
00:48:52Why wouldn't she go there?
00:48:57She hates it.
00:49:02Maybe she went to see the woman who's there.
00:49:06Someone called the mayor's house before.
00:49:08He said she'd be waiting.
00:49:16What is it?
00:49:45Hello, Jeff?
00:50:05Hello?
00:50:07Is anybody there?
00:50:10Who is this?
00:50:14I'm Diane Adams.
00:50:16I spoke to you before.
00:50:19Bring your father to the house.
00:50:24This is Marianne.
00:50:27Tell him I have the diary.
00:50:31I'm waiting.
00:50:32Who are you?
00:50:36Here you are.
00:50:38Christmas Eve, 1935.
00:50:46Hello?
00:50:48Hello?
00:51:02Hello?
00:51:30Hello?
00:51:50Hello?
00:52:10Sheriff, I saw your car.
00:52:39Bill?
00:52:51Is that you?
00:53:08Tess?
00:53:18You can't see me, but I can see you.
00:53:24Oh yes, I remember that face.
00:53:30You're older now.
00:53:33And fattened.
00:53:36But still, Tess.
00:53:40And you're frightened, aren't you?
00:53:46Don't be afraid.
00:53:48I will help you.
00:53:51Take my hand.
00:53:54Take it, Tess.
00:54:0519...
00:54:09The person on the telephone said 1935.
00:54:13Christmas Eve.
00:54:15But that's not the beginning.
00:54:18In 1927, Butler House was restored by Wilfred Butler.
00:54:24After that, I find social notes, parties, nothing special.
00:54:30In 1930, Butler's wife, Catherine, dies of tuberculosis.
00:54:37In August 1933, it starts.
00:54:40Wilfred Butler's daughter is cruelly attacked and raped.
00:54:46Her name is Marianne.
00:54:48The same name as the caller who left those messages tonight.
00:54:53She's 15 then.
00:54:56On May 2nd, 1934, Marianne Butler gives birth to a son, Jeffrey Butler.
00:55:05Jeff.
00:55:07Early in 1935, Butler House is turned over to a Dr. Robinson as an asylum for mental patients.
00:55:16And then, Butler goes on to say that he has committed his own daughter.
00:55:22Marianne will live at the asylum.
00:55:26There's no end to this story.
00:55:28It's been carefully cut out of all the papers.
00:55:32Why would Thoman do that?
00:55:52You scared me.
00:56:21What happened?
00:56:23What happened is, uh...
00:56:25Tess has 40 bird cages.
00:56:28Toman is hysterical.
00:56:30Everybody's in my house but me.
00:56:31It's cold outside and you forgot to lock the door.
00:56:35Joe?
00:56:37How old are you?
00:56:39How old am I? You mean how many years have I lived?
00:56:42No.
00:56:43There's a lot in the paper about your family.
00:56:45I don't want to talk about my family.
00:56:48Wait a minute.
00:56:49There's a woman calling and she says her name is Marianne.
00:56:53That was your mother's name, wasn't it?
00:56:55My mother died in childbirth.
00:56:59That's when I started traveling.
00:57:02That's not what the papers say.
00:57:06What's your point?
00:57:09I just thought that you should read something for your own good.
00:57:14Nothing you could tell me about my past or future would be for my own good.
00:57:24Where is the paper?
00:57:26It's on the table.
00:57:45It's so stupid to lie.
00:57:48I missed the whole event.
00:57:50Jeff, maybe your mother's still alive.
00:57:53Maybe she's waiting for you at the house.
00:57:59I don't know.
00:58:05Come on.
00:58:07No more side trips.
00:58:09Let's go out there.
00:58:13Let's go.
00:58:44It's Thomas' car.
00:58:50It's empty.
00:58:57It's Thomas' car.
00:59:07It's empty.
00:59:27Jeff, look!
00:59:45Oh my God!
00:59:46Stay back!
00:59:47It's Thomas!
00:59:48Stay back!
00:59:54She's dead.
01:00:24She's dead.
01:00:55His hands.
01:00:59Somebody cut off his hands.
01:01:02You killed him.
01:01:04You killed Thomas.
01:01:07He's asking for help.
01:01:10You killed him.
01:01:14Get in the car.
01:01:24Get in the car.
01:01:54Get in the car.
01:02:25Butler House.
01:02:30The keys.
01:02:31He took them.
01:02:55Hello?
01:03:01Hello, Mr. Mayor.
01:03:05Yes, what?
01:03:07This is Marianne Butler.
01:03:10I'm calling from my house.
01:03:13Won't you come over here, Mr. Mayor?
01:03:19We're having a reunion.
01:03:23Everyone's here.
01:03:25Even your daughter.
01:03:49She's dead.
01:03:55She's dead.
01:04:18She's dead.
01:04:49She's dead.
01:04:55She's dead.
01:05:01She's dead.
01:05:07She's dead.
01:05:14She's dead.
01:05:20She's dead.
01:05:26She's dead.
01:05:32She's dead.
01:05:38The doctors had treated my daughter for a year.
01:05:42I had believed they could cure her.
01:05:45The child, Jeffrey, was taken from us and sent to California.
01:05:53I turned my house into an asylum.
01:05:56I brought doctors to live there.
01:05:58I welcomed other patients.
01:06:02All of it.
01:06:07I remembered what she had been.
01:06:10There was never a lovelier, happier child.
01:06:32Ladies and gentlemen, quiet, please.
01:06:34I propose toast.
01:06:37A doctor, please.
01:06:39By Christmas of the first year, I knew that I must act.
01:06:43Not for myself, but for my helpless child.
01:06:48I had no plan.
01:06:51All I knew was that I must take her from these men.
01:06:55With their promises, their lies.
01:07:00Let's do it.
01:07:08For he's a merry good chap, For he's a merry good chap.
01:07:14Which no one can deny.
01:07:19Which no one can deny.
01:07:22For he's a merry good chap, Which no one can deny.
01:07:28I knew that they would gorge themselves into a stupor that afternoon.
01:07:32It was their celebration.
01:07:34I expected no less.
01:07:36Since they had come into my house, they had acted as if they owned it.
01:07:40They had behaved like poor relations, half guilty,
01:07:45but finally unable to control their appetites.
01:07:58After dinner, they danced and drank as they usually did.
01:08:27All the time, Robinson would smile and reassure me.
01:08:31They expected me to believe, because I had no choice.
01:08:36Wilfred, trust me.
01:08:41He really believed Marianne would be well.
01:08:44He saw a light.
01:08:46There is a light at the end of a long tunnel.
01:08:50Believe me.
01:08:52There is a light.
01:08:54There is a light at the end of a long tunnel.
01:09:06Stay here, Doctor.
01:09:08I'll get more champagne.
01:09:10He was ready.
01:09:11I knew it.
01:09:12Drunk and fat and full of his own importance.
01:09:16I left them.
01:09:46I left them.
01:10:16I left them.
01:10:47My cruelty to Marianne was inhuman.
01:10:51My cruelty to Marianne was inhuman.
01:10:53I know that.
01:10:55I had loved her.
01:10:57I had fathered our child, Jeffrey.
01:11:00I had brought her to this.
01:11:03But I swear that on that afternoon,
01:11:06I had loved her.
01:11:08I had fathered our child, Jeffrey.
01:11:11I had brought her to this.
01:11:14But I swear that on that afternoon,
01:11:17all I wanted was to save my child.
01:11:36My hope was to get her away from that house.
01:11:39But also, I wanted to set free those other wretches
01:11:42who had so long been abused by the doctors.
01:12:06I knew what they might do
01:12:08if these inmates were freed.
01:12:11And this is my guilt.
01:12:15I knew.
01:12:17And still, I freed them.
01:12:20I knew what they might do
01:12:22if these inmates were freed.
01:12:25And this is my guilt.
01:12:28I knew.
01:12:30And still, I freed them.
01:12:50I knew.
01:13:20♪♪
01:13:50♪♪
01:13:53♪♪
01:14:03♪♪
01:14:14This is a nice cupcake.
01:16:47After the inmates started for the house, I went to get a car to take Marianne away.
01:17:09away. I do not know exactly when she slipped away from.
01:17:17I assume that when they saw her in the dining room. The inmates believed her to be
01:17:23part of that household which they hated. And so. They killed.
01:17:32There was a celebration. And then most of the inmates fled I don't know where.
01:17:39I shall never forget what they did to my child. Since that Christmas I have lived
01:17:46in prisons and asylums. Lived anonymously. As an animal.
01:17:55I have wandered in bitterness. Until all seasons have become as one.
01:18:03And that is a season of vengeance.
01:18:10The.
01:18:10The.
01:18:11The.
01:18:37Chair.
01:18:41This is still his house.
01:18:45Your grandfather died in 1950.
01:18:49He was burned to death in this house.
01:18:53My grandfather poured gasoline over a squadron he found here.
01:18:59The town wanted to believe he was dead.
01:19:03But he didn't.
01:19:07The town wanted to believe he was dead.
01:19:11They still do.
01:19:19This house was an asylum.
01:19:23There was a massacre by the inmates.
01:19:27Tess, Tolman, the sheriff.
01:19:31Your father.
01:19:33No.
01:19:35They killed my mother in this room.
01:20:06Who's there?
01:20:11Who's there?
01:20:36Butler.
01:20:44Oh, no.
01:20:46No.
01:20:48Oh, my God, no.
01:20:55Oh, my God.
01:20:57Oh, my God.
01:20:59Oh, my God.
01:21:01Oh, my God.
01:21:03Oh.
01:21:10Daddy.
01:21:12Daddy.
01:21:17Diane.
01:21:20Jeff.
01:21:22Jeff.
01:21:24No.
01:21:25No.
01:21:26Jeff, why?
01:21:28Why?
01:21:29I'm sorry.
01:21:33Marianne.
01:21:36Marianne.
01:21:38No.
01:21:39No.
01:21:41Don't run away.
01:21:43Don't.
01:21:44I'm your father.
01:21:46Don't be afraid.
01:21:47I won't hurt you.
01:21:49Please.
01:21:51It's all right.
01:21:53I...
01:21:55I won't hurt you.
01:21:57I need you.
01:22:00I've waited for you.
01:22:03Please.
01:22:05Please.
01:22:30Help me.
01:22:32Help me.
01:22:46I spent that night weeping.
01:22:48By morning, there were no more tears.
01:22:52I know that my father and Jeffrey
01:22:54both thought they were shooting at killers.
01:22:57But they were simply the last victims
01:23:00in that house of victims.
01:23:06And now, a year later,
01:23:09they will tear down Wilfred Butler's monument.
01:23:13But they can never destroy it.
01:23:18But they can never destroy my memories
01:23:21of what happened here.
01:23:47© BF-WATCH TV 2021
01:24:17© BF-WATCH TV 2021
01:24:47© BF-WATCH TV 2021