 Family Theatre presents Ricardo Montalbaughn and Marshall Thompson. Featuring with Family Theatre presents Ricardo Montalbaughn and Lillian Bayef in Joaquin Murrieta. To introduce the drama, your host, Marshall Thompson. Thank you, Gene Baker. Family's Theatre only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives if we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Probably the most picturesque, exciting, and romantic 10 years in American history were those of the years of the Gold Rush in California. They have been immortalized in fiction by the pens of Mark Twain and Bret Hart, but the bravery and daring of their fictionalized heroes pale and insignificant under the spell of an actual hero of those times. For not since the days of Robin Hood has there been the glamour, the intrigue, the dashing romance that is synonymous with the name of Joaquin Murrieta. Yes, Joaquin Murrieta. An outlaw whose exploits have become legend, a man of whom 10,000 tales have been told and remains a mystery till this day despite that. Tonight Family Theatre stars Ricardo Montalbaughn in an episode from the fabulous life of Joaquin Murrieta. I wish to learn something about this man, Joaquin Murrieta. Well, I do not blame you. For the stories about him are as numerous and different as the brown hills, the snow-capped mountains, and the lush green valleys of the California country he loved so well. So then, where can we start to learn about this outlaw? To alumne, San Diego, Mono Lake, Los Angeles, Arroyo Cantoba, he was known the length and breadth of California. So where to begin is a problem that... But now, come along with me. Come, we shall ride together back to the year 1851, to the mining towns of Angels Camp and Sonora, back to the gold country of the High Sierras. It is midday. The sun blisters down upon the rickety on-painted stagecoach, rattling through the mountainous open country between Angels Camp and Sonora. Four people occupy the broiling interior of the stage. Beautiful young girl with dark eyes, raven tresses and cheeks like the blushing rose, and three men. One of the men, young, tall, well-dressed, seems asleep in one corner of the stage. Another stares out the open window, with scarcely and noticeable flicker of his pale lashes. But the last man... Ah, blast the stagecoach, buddy, anyway. If they can't run their coaches on time, the least they can do is provide decent conveyances for their passengers. You forget, my dear uncle, but this is mining territory, not a civilization of Philadelphia or New York. Forget it, Clarita. How could a man forget it when he's carrying with him some $50,000 in gold? Oh, blast it all. I do keep forgetting that man in the corner. Do you, uh, suppose he heard? Unless he is more dead than asleep. I should judge it quite lightly, uncle. Uh, confounded. I don't like his being aboard coming on at the last minute the way he did. He's Mexican, too, by the looks of him. For all we know, he might even be this outlaw Murrieta. I hardly think so, uncle. Or have you forgotten that Captain Harry Love is traveling with us? Oh, yes, yes, yes. That's right, that's right. All of us, uh, all of us are pretty safe from Murrieta with you along, eh, Captain Love? I've told you before, Mr. Blake, I'm no stage guard, and I'm no hero. I've been hired by the state of California to bring in Joaquin Murrieta, dead or alive. I'm going to Sonora to swear in a posse to help me do that job, not to protect any gold that's riding aboard this stage. Oh, of course, Captain, of course, but, uh, but if Murrieta did try to stop this stage before we reach Sonora... If he tries it, Mr. Blake, I'd advise you not to put up any resistance. I won't. Handling Murrieta's band is no two-man job. That is excellent advice, Mr. Blake. Confounded so you are to sleep. Well, I'm afraid you make sleeping your presence a bit difficult, Mr. Blake. And if you're worried about my knowing of the gold you carry aboard, please do not be. It was common knowledge in Angel's camp long before we left. How do you figure that, Mr.? Well, everyone there knows that Luis Cardoza's mine, El Terreno Oro, recently changed hands that a Senor Blake and his niece, Senorita Vallejos, have, um, deprived him of it. Deprived him, Senor? If you're accusing us of having robbed Cardoza... Ah, perdón, Senor, Senorita. It is perhaps my grasp of English that is at fault. I employ the incorrect word, then. Incorrect? Why? Who are you, Mr.? Anyone in Angel's camp will inform you that I am Don José Sebastián, Senor Capitan. And what's your interest in my advice to Mr. Blake about Murrieta? A very personal one, my dear Capitan. Like you, I am no hero. And if it happens that we do encounter this Joaquin Murrieta, I should dislike very much to lose my life in an attempt to save Luis Cardoza's, um... I mean, of course, Senor Blake's gold. Confirmed you, Sebastián, that was no slip of the tongue. And no fancy apologies are going to save you now. Those rifle shots, what's happening here? In this territory and with $50,000 in gold aboard? Well, surely, even you could surmise, Senor Blake. You will soon have the opportunity of following the advice of El Senor Capitan Love regarding Joaquin Murrieta. Filled with armed and mounted men, a short smiling bearded man was obviously in command. Truly Joaquin Murrieta's men, Capitan Love. They are men? Then I am disappointed in your California bandits, Capitan. I thought it's Murrieta, a dashing romantic figure, and he appears as a bearded clown. It is not Murrieta, ma'am. That is his lieutenant, Jack Three-Fingers. Tris dedos. We've got the strong box, Jack. Bueno, amigo, bueno! Yeah! Mil gracias, senorita. Oh, you have been so generous. I do not have the heart to take your lives. That is good of me, no? Ha-ha-ha-ha! Sí, desgud! And I would advise you to remain here a half hour. Maybe I change my mind if you do not, eh? Ah-ha-ha-ha! ¡Vámonos, amigos! It was perhaps some six hours later that they arrived at Sonora. Of the intervening time, there is little to be said here. Don José Sebastián and the lovely señorita Vallejos spoke politely of weather, of Mexico, of the countryside, of almost anything, in fact, but that which was taking place unknowing, unwanted, unforeseen within their hearts. Let us rejoin the four wayfarers after they have reached their destination. It would appear, Don José, that the time has come for farewells. My thanks to you for having made a tedious journey so bearable. Perhaps the thanks rightfully belong to Murieta, señorita, who did more I am certain than myself to make it so. The only thanks that confounded outlaw deserves is a noose around his neck. And I'll not rest until I face it there with my own hands. In understandable emotion, señor Blake, still it might not be wise to speak a lot of vengeance against Murieta. He has many friends, it is said, whose ears are keen and tongues facile. I don't suppose you'd be a friend of Murieta's by any chance, Sebastián? Aye, señor. No, no, far from it. For with the possible exception of yourselves, señor capitán, I would say that I am Joaquín Murieta's worst enemy. Some 15 minutes later, this enemy of Murieta's entered a modest home near the outskirts of Sonora. There was nothing remarkable about the place except, perhaps, that one of those occupants had but three fingers on one hand. I tell you, Joaquín, it is to love. 50,000 pesos, American in gold. I tell you, Joaquín, it was as simple as picking walnuts from the tree. It was well done, Tresedos, very well done. Gracias, Joaquín, gracias. I like my paying something more substantial than words, Murieta. All? May I ask what you have in mind, señor Arkansas? The gold, Murieta, the gold. Let's divvy it and get out of this town. You seem to be laboring under a misapprehension, señor Arkansas. The gold is to be returned to its rightful owner, Luis Cardosa. Luis Cardosa? Say, this señor Blake robbed him of it by forged documents. And I do not like men such as this señor Blake. I don't care who you like. We took that gold, it's ours now. And it's gonna stay that way. That old fancy dress, simple-minded mix, is gonna tell Arkansas what's gonna happen. For that, maybe you get your throat cut just a little bit, señor Arkansas. Put away that knife. But Joaquín, this one deserves a little lesson. Put the knife away. See, see Joaquín, I put it away. The next time you try a trick like that, three fingers. There will be no next time, señor Arkansas. For you will not supply him with the provocation. Once again I tell you what I said when I first asked permission to join my band. My men are well-fed, well-clothed, well-horsed. We all share equally in whatever spoils there may be to divide. But as leader, I and I alone decide what spoils are to be taken and what this position is to be made of them. Is that clearly understood, señor? Not like that. He is bad, that one. We shall hear from this señor Arkansas again. Ah, perhaps, amigo, perhaps. But until then, we have other things to do. Ah, sí, de gol. You really intend to return to this Luis Carthos? No, no, no, I am amigo, but you, and at once. Me Joaquín? But what of you? I have said I do not like men such as señor Blake. Fortunately, my dislike for him does not extend to other members of his family. Is that a lovely arena? Sí, señorita, quite lovely. And a garden reflects the nature of the one who cares for it. This one soft gentle centered of the rose could only have been tended by one such as you Don't say Why did you say you are Joaquin murrieta's worst enemy? Oh? My dear seniorita must that man in truth even on a lovely night like this Why did you say it on Jose? With not any honest man feel that way about an outlaw a thief and murder Are you certain that Joaquin murrieta is that can there be any doubt? Everyone has heard the tales concerning him his bloodthirsty exploits his cruel and ruthless crimes And does everyone know senior that his brother was hanged by a lynch mob in Sacramento on the sole grounds that he was a Mexican That his young beautiful bride was brutally murdered by a band of gold-crazed Americans How do you know of this seniorita? Though my mother was a American and senior Blake's sister My father was Spanish His estate in Mexico bordered that of a family named Feliz Their daughter Carmen was my dearest friend before she met and married Joaquin murrieta You knew Carmen you My dear seniorita surely these things you say only provide a stronger motivation for this murrieta to lead a life of pillage and crime No, no senior Carmen could never have loved a man who possessed the slightest instinct toward murder or theft But his unhappy past could have led him into a life devoted to vengeance To balancing the scales of justice that were falsely weighted by greed Desire for power or the sheer ignorance stupidity of blind hatred toward other races or religions You speak with great eloquence and emotions seniorita It is impossible to doubt your belief in the truth of what you say But why do you seek to convince me of all this so strongly seniorita? Perhaps because I feel that Joaquin murrieta's worst enemy is not you But a wall of cynicism and mockery that he has built to protect himself from further hurt Perhaps it is because I Once saw a gay laughing young caballero right up to the estate next to ours and In his face and laughter there was a love and the trust that encompassed the entire world and all its people But if you saw murrieta, then you must know that And yet you said nothing to your uncle or captain love Why Clarita perhaps it is because that gay laughing caballero has Dwelled within my heart ever since Clarita Clarita you I am far from being certain seniorita that a wall of cynicism is a man's worst enemy He can serve him well as protection at moments like this Then that is your answer to what I have just said no seniorita It is the only answer I can give to what is approaching along the road from sonora approaching a lot Those horse say mounted men riding boldly at a gallop along open road means only one thing in this territory Vigilantes And that is why I can never give an answer to the beautiful thing you told me For always my reply must be drowned in the thunder of flying hooves hooves that beat the earth like a drum roll announcing the inevitable execution of Joaquin murrieta To say that Sebastian actually is murrieta. That's right. Mr. Blake one of his men turned renegade the one called Arkansas He told us about it. Oh, that murrieta was heading this way. Where is he in the gardens in the gardens with my niece? Go after him captain. I'll give a thousand dollars in gold to the man who gets it. Let's go man So generous senior Blake was quite safe in his munificent offer to purchase the life of a fellow human for $1,000 gold For not that night where the thundering hooves of the horses ridden by captain loves Vigilantes to beat the drum roll of Joaquin murrieta's Death, but there was no joy in Joaquin's heart over his escape There was no refuge in the well-hidden wooded arroyo in which he and his men had established their headquarters For he had been followed there followed Implicably relentlessly inescapably He could not hide from the fact Could not shut his eyes to the truth Could not close his ears to the sound of his fate For when the western wind danced through the branches of the live oaks that hit him from the world He could hear it That gay laughing caballero has dwelled within my heart ever since And in the clear rippling waters of the mountain stream as clean and pure as the heart of her who spoke Has dwelled within my heart ever since Not even the lightning throwing itself from crag to cragging childish glee could drown her voice and the booming of his boisterous laughter Within my heart Within my heart within my He that he Joaquin murrieta of all men should be deprived of all he wanted most in this life Why should he be deprived of home my wife and children? Why should he not know the blessings of freedom of honest toil and The deep happiness and peace and contentment that comes from loving and being loved Joaquin murrieta would disappear in the Sierra and never be seen again And who would there be foolish enough to dream that the gay laughing caballero with the beautiful bride? Could have any connection with a wanted for murder sign a thousand miles to the north Hernandez see see What is it? Saddle my horse see to it. I have a blanket roll and provisions enough for a week blanket roll Provisioned you are going on a long journey Joaquin very long amigo very very long indeed. I am Someone comes in a hurry Joaquin see it is Benton, but he should be with Joaquin there's a devil to pay up an angel's camp Louis Cardoza has been murdered Cardoza Yeah, the gold we brought back rooms to go on but that's not the worst of it Captain loves visit landings have arrested three fingers. There's a necktie party planned for tonight They plan to hang tres dedos. He's innocent. It's innocent as you are Hernandez the black stallion pronto see Joaquin and forget the blanket roll and provisions It would seem that the journey I'm going to make shall not be as long as I thought One seldom finds a cool collected observer in the feverish emotions of a lynch mob That night in angels camp was no exception So history's reports of the events that transpired are rather garbled, but of certain things I can tell you with some exactness for example a conversation between three people in a hotel room Overlooking a roaring mob in the street below Listen to them down there listen They've got blood in their eyes. All right, Murrieta's blood please close the window Very well my dear But you've only got yourself to blame, you know, I told you not to come along with us It won't be any tea party when they get their hands on Murrieta And there's no doubt that they will a captain none mr. Blake I'm positive of that once he learns that three fingers is in danger of hanging Nothing can stop him from attempting a rescue Nothing ma'am and with my men covering the entire town He's bound to be spotted once he is and that mob gets its hands on him Well, the state of California pays me the same whether I bring him in alive Are dead I can tell you also the conversation held at the town jail a Conversation passing through a barred window between a prisoner within and the black shadow Crouching in the still blacker shadow of the prison wall We're insane to come here walking that mob could stretch a dozen ropes tonight as well as one They get it or three days only answer my questions quickly Do you know who killed Luis Cardoso? See it was Arkansas Arkansas you are certain with my own eyes I saw him Arkansas He's almost certain to still be in town Courage three days the limb of a tree is not yet bending beneath your weight But it was not 30 minutes afterwards that the surging mob stormed the jail Drag three dedos from within and prepared to send him to his death And then just as the rope was thrown over a stout limb and the ceremony of savagery was about to begin He's over here captain. We brought it into the liver stable Muri Ed, it must have been crazy tried to face that marble old. I told you he would mr. Blake There is no possibility of a mistake. Oh, no ma'am. He was masked But that black suit is with the silver buttons was a dead giveaway. He's in the office here, captain Too bad about that three-fingered now. He's getting away in the excitement. Nobody was paying much attention to him I guess what with Muri Eta being the whole show doesn't matter too much. We'll get him. This is the man. We were really after Take off his mask. Yeah, sure thing captain. I don't kind of tied Blast it stupid fools. What's the matter? Is there something wrong? This isn't Muri Eta. It's a renegade from his band named Arkansas Arkansas, but it can't be where the clothes It's clear enough. What happened or he had to found Arkansas knocked him unconscious Changed clothes with him and then propped him up on that horse and had one of his own men pretend to spot him And from then on the mob Look at the door here. There's your knife sticking there taking a piece of paper again. What is it captain? What does it say? Doesn't seem to make much sense. Mr. Blake. It just says always within my heart too always within my heart too What kind of confounded nonsense is that? Now what's the matter with you Clarita? Nothing at all Just a private little joke between me and the gay laughing young Caballero You know hearing the story tonight how Joaquin Muri Eta was entirely lost when deprived of a family Reminded me of an old saying that we have all heard No man is an island unto himself Much as we strive for independence It only takes a little sorrow a little pain a little poverty a little fear To make us realize how much we need the help of others And if we depend on our neighbor for support, how much more should we look to our maker on whom all of us depend? We need God's help every minute of the day and if we're wise We'll acknowledge that need by praying to him daily with our families for the help our families need We'll make family prayer a normal natural part of our daily lives Because we know and believe That the family that prays together stays together More things are wrought by prayer Then this world dreams of from Hollywood family theater has brought to Ricardo Montalbom and Lillian Bayev in Joaquin Muri Eta With Marshal Thompson as your host others in our cast for Wally mayor Howard Culver Joseph Duvall Nester Paiva Tim Graham and Raul Chavez The story of Joaquin Muri Eta was dramatized by Sydney Marshall with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman Was directed for family theater by Jaime Del Valle This series of family theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program By the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage Screen and radio who have so unselfishly given of their time and talent to appear on our family theater stage To them and to you our humble thanks This is Gene Baker expressing the wish of family theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and Inviting you to join us next week at this time when family theater will present Patricia Neil and Dan O'Hurley he in Salon Salon of the lake Join us won't you Family theater is heard throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network the mutual broadcasting system