because of that trivial incident.
i did.
yes. my firm had been appointed trustees by mrs. kane for the fortune, which she had recently acquired. it was her wish that i should take charge of this boy, charles foster kane.
mr. chairman, i will read to this committee a prepared statement i have brought with me - and i will then refuse to answer any further questions. mr. johnson, please!
"with full awareness of the meaning of my words and the responsibility of what i am about to say, it is my considered belief that mr. charles foster kane, in every essence of his social beliefs and by the dangerous manner in which he has persistently attacked the american traditions of private property, initiative and opportunity for advancement, is - in fact - nothing more or less than a communist."
mr. kane, the certificates that mr. graves left here are made out to mrs. kane, in her name. hers to do with as she pleases -
the bank's decision in all matters concerning his education, his place of residence and similar subjects will be final.
we will assume full management of the colorado lode - of which you, mrs. kane, are the sole owner.
right here, mrs. kane.
the sum of fifty thousand dollars a year is to be paid to yourself and mr. kane as long as you both live, and thereafter the survivor -
everything else - the principal as well as all monies earned - is to be administered by the bank in trust for your son, charles foster kane, until his twenty-fifth birthday, at which time he is to come into complete possession.
i've arranged for a tutor to meet us in chicago. i'd have brought him along with me, but you were so anxious to keep everything secret -
charles, my name is mr. thatcher -
how do you do, charles?
your mother won't be going right away, charles -
he certainly is. i wish i were a little boy and going to make a trip like that for the first time.
we're going to have a lot of good times together, charles.  really we are.
come on, charles. let's shake hands. now, now! i'm not as frightening as all that! let's shake, what do you say?
you almost hurt me, charles. sleds aren't to hit people with. sleds are to - to sleigh on. when we get to new york, charles, we'll get you a sled that will -
is that really your idea of how to run a newspaper?
"enemy armada off jersey coast." you know you haven't the slightest proof that this - this armada - is off the jersey coast.
how do you do? -
you see! there hasn't been a true word -
i came to see you, charles, about your - about the enquirer's campaign against the metropolitan transfer company.
i think i should remind you, charles, of a fact you seem to have forgotten. you are yourself one of the largest individual stockholders.
they're all part of your general attack - your senseless attack - on everything and everybody who's got more than ten cents in his pocket. they're -
charles, my time is too valuable for me -
i happened to see your consolidated statement yesterday, charles. could i not suggest to you that it is unwise for you to continue this philanthropic enterprise - this enquirer - that is costing you one million dollars a year?