Judge Moffett is as crooked as they come and the Board of Judicial Corruption is after him. He sends his mistress, Lil Baker, away to prevent her from being subpoenaed to testify against him. While living in hiding Lil befriends a neighbor Mary Thomas. During a visit at Mary's apartment next door Lil accidentally drops Moffett's bankbook from her purse (showing a high balance for 1932 of $60,000). When Mary finds it she realizes it belongs to Lil and returns it. Moffett realizes Mary must have read the contents and is concerned she will share the details about the bankbook so he finagles a scheme that brings her to his court on a trumped up charge. To keep her quiet the judge sends her to prison for six months. Mike, Mary's husband, is overcome with grief; when he comes to his senses, he talks to Mary who tells him about the book. This gets Mike beat up and put on a boat to South America, but he jumps ship and plots his revenge.