The Hour of Truth
by Percival Wilde
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This one-act play is a psychological study of the corrupting influence of money. Robert Baldwin, an honest bank secretary, is the only witness against his employer, John Gresham, who has been arrested for misappropriating the bank's funds. Gresham offers Baldwin a bribe of a hundred thousand dollars merely to say 'I don't remember' at the trial, so that Gresham can escape jail. Baldwin, a man of unshakeable integrity, has already firmly refused. But at home his family, his wife Martha, son John and daughter Evie, on learning the huge sum, gradually try to persuade him to accept it, arguing that no depositor will lose money, that Gresham is an old friend, and that the family badly needs the money. Under this pressure Baldwin is almost broken; he calls himself and them 'Shams! Liars! Hypocrites! Thieves!' and admits he refused only for fear of what they would say. Just as the family is on the verge of choosing the bribe, Mr Marshall, President of the Third National Bank, arrives with astonishing news: Gresham, rather than face Baldwin's honest testimony, has confessed everything. Marshall offers Baldwin a respectable job, and the play ends with Baldwin, honoured and vindicated, weeping, his integrity triumphant after all.
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'The Hour of Truth' by Percival Wilde is a one-act play about honesty tested by the temptation of money. Robert Baldwin, an upright bank secretary of sixty who has served John Gresham for thirty-five years, is the sole witness against Gresham, who has been arrested for wrecking the bank by misappropriating funds.
The bribe
Baldwin reveals that Gresham has offered him a bribe of a hundred thousand dollars, in genuine thousand-dollar bills, simply to answer 'I don't remember' when questioned at the trial. This 'poor memory' would let Gresham escape jail, since no one else can testify against him. Baldwin has already refused proudly: 'I'll go to my grave clean!' Gresham, who has known him for thirty-five years, was not even surprised.
The family's temptation
The family's attitude changes the moment they learn the size of the bribe. His wife Martha, son John and daughter Evie begin to argue for accepting it: no depositor will actually lose a cent, Gresham is an old friend after whom their son is named, jailing him would be 'hard', and the family badly needs the money since Baldwin is out of work. They subtly reason that relying on his notes means saying 'I don't remember' would be 'not far from the truth'.
Baldwin broken, and vindicated
Baldwin is almost broken by his family's pressure. He forces them to admit that taking the money would be dishonourable, crying out, 'Shams! Liars! Hypocrites! Thieves! And I no better than any of you!' He confesses he refused the bribe only because he feared what they would say.
At the very hour the family is about to choose the bribe, Mr Marshall, President of the Third National Bank, arrives. He brings astonishing news: rather than let Baldwin testify against him, Gresham has confessed everything. Marshall offers Baldwin a position at his bank and praises him as the man everyone will honour tomorrow. The play ends with Baldwin, overwhelmed and vindicated, in tears, his integrity triumphant.