Burglar Nat Harbin and his two associates set their sights on wealthy spiritualist Sister Sarah, who has inherited a fortune -- including a renowned emerald necklace -- from a Philadelphia financier. Using Nat's female ward, Gladden, to pose as an admirer and case the mansion where the woman lives, they set up a perfect break-in. Things get complicated afterwards.
The automotive glass industry was one of the most competitive industries in America in 1939. Automobile makers were very slow to adopt the much more expensive and higher acuity of newly patented Safety Plate Glass for automobiles. The older, although safe, Safety Sheet Glass had rather large acuity issues and could vastly distort the side view of the driver and passengers.