The Little Black Box (1912) Online

The Little Black Box (1912) Online

A pearl necklace is delivered to Walters, president of the National Jewelry Company. Later this necklace is stolen, only the thief's hands being shown. Detectives are called in and suspicion fastens on Young Sumner, the stenographer, who is arrested despite his pleas of innocence. The chief of police now makes an investigation of the rooms of two clerks employed in the office and puts detectives to watching them. Both clerks are tested by the detectives producing black jewel-boxes, identical to that the necklace came in, at psychological moments. Only Boardman betrays signs of possible guilt. He is taken to the chief, who cleverly works a subtle "third degree" by keeping Boardman sealed for hours under his watchful eye without a word being spoken. Tortured to the verge of hysteria, Boardman finally gasps out a confession to the theft, the jewels are found beneath his office-chair and young Sumner is released.