 Frontier Town, the saga of the Roaring West. Frontier Town, El Paso, Cheyenne, Calgary, Tombstone. Frontier Town, here is the adventurous story of the early West, the tamed and the untamed. From the Pekos to Powder River, Dodge City to Poker Flat. These are the towns they fought to live in and lived to fight for. Teaming crucibles of pioneer freedom. Frontier Town. Not too far below the continental divide, nested in the narrow valley between the Red and the White Rivers, lies the boisterous, brawling Frontier Town called Dos Rios. That's where I come from. The little shingle hanging outside my office above the livery stable reads Chad Remington, Attorney at Law. Now that you know who I am, maybe you're thinking of Saddle Stop lawyer leads a pretty dull and humdrum life. But don't you ever believe it. No, sir, with the few good folks we have and the few bad ones out my way, life is pretty raw most of the time. Well, just take what happened to me about a month ago. Cherokee O'Bannon, who owns the livery stable, now that he's reformed from peddling his rattlesnake oil, came hot footing up the rickety wooden steps which lead to my office, a copy of our weekly newspaper clutched in his hands. Chad, just wait. Just wait here, my boy. Do you see this? Oh, what have you got there, Cherokee? A new formula for a patent medicine that is absolutely guaranteed to cure bad livers, cold shivers, sore withers and heaves? Nothing of the sort. Nothing of the sort. Just read this. Right here in this box at the front page. Okay, here, let me have it. Federal government throwing Tioga National Forest Reserve open for homesteading. Well, opening up the Tioga Reserve means turning over about 6,000 square miles for settlement. Absolutely correct. And if you know that territory, you'll be as excited as I am. By Chad, I believe that Tioga country is even richer than the Dos Rios Valley. Well, now, maybe I'm thinking a little slow this spring weather, but you're gonna have to explain to me how it affects you. Chad, you know me well enough by this time to know that I'm not a mercenary man. Why a dollar doesn't mean any more to me than... Then you're good right on. Than my good right? No, certainly not. The only real use I have for money is not for the real me, but for the other me, the drinking me. However, when I think of all the folks who are going to make that run into Tioga and settle there, it makes me realize they're going to need horses. And that a livery stable getting in on the ground floor should coin money, extended palm over closed digits. That's hand over fist to you. Oh, Cherokee, I'm inclined for once to agree with you. A livery stable there stands a fair chance of making some money. But now that you're established here, why take the risk of moving to some new place where you might fail? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, they say. And I'm a venturesome character. How about it, Chad? You haven't taken a trip in months. Why don't we both get down to that land rush and look to Tioga over? Well, if for no other reason, I guess I'd better go just to keep you out of mischief. And anyhow, I must admit I get a real thrill out of singing something like that. That's democracy really in action. Chad, you've just warmed the cockles of my heart. And now also the other part of me warms up too. I think I'll repair to the tavern across the street for a toast to the future. Be sure you make that just one toast. Well, if I'm going to make a trip with you, I'm going over to the judge's house and see Libby. The least I can do is tell her I'm going away. Shortly after sunrise, two mornings later, we crested the brow of the hill and looked down on one of the most satisfying sights man's eye has ever been privileged to see. Stretched out in a thin line for more than a mile were horses, mules, wagons, and even a few high-wheeled bicycles. Anything and everything a man or family could ride in, which would take them into the race for a piece of that rich Tioga land. But even Cherokee was impressed. Chad, and this comes from my heart. This is the most inspiring sight I have ever seen. No, it certainly is. History's been made right before our eyes this morning. Can you explain to me exactly how this land rush works? Well, as best I understand it, to make sure that everyone has an equal chance that no one gets in first and stakes out the choices land, the government's put up a barrier. Yes, I see the barrier down there now. Then you can see all the cavalrymen down there policing the barrier. Only in just about ten minutes, if my watch happens to be right, a bugler's going to come out and blow boots and saddles. Boots and saddles, eh? Yep, to warn everybody to get ready to start. And then a few seconds later, an officer will trigger a rifle. And that shot will be the start of the greatest land rush in history. I never saw this many people all together at once, even when I was making a high pitch from the back of my medicine wagon. Men, women, children, dogs, look at them all. Instead of looking at them, let's get down there with them before we miss the starting gun. Up there, fella, come on. Well, darling, you excited? This is a sight I'll never forget as long as I live, never. Then you're not sorry we left at Lanta? No, I'll have my moments. But I guess I'm just a farm girl at heart. Three hundred and twenty beautiful acres to work with our own hands to build into something that'll... Oh, Sue Weller, now you're going to start that all over again. Well, there's plenty of time for ranching when I got the newspaper on a paying basis. Just think, the Tioga Weekly Sun. Kent Ramsey, if you're so much in love with printer's ink, we might just well as stay there. Oh, Sue Weller, this is no time to start a nog. Hey, look at that, will you? That big burly-looking man in the frock coat trying to push his way to the front of the line ahead of everybody else. Well, look at him, Kent. He's got two bruises with him. Probably his bodyguards. Well, he better not try to push his way in front of us. Take it easy, take it easy. That's plenty of land to go around. Come on, Frisk, why don't you let's get through there? Kent, he is going to try to get ahead of us. Just let us through there. Just a minute, friend. Where do you think you're going? Oh, that you just said? I said, if you think you're going to crowd in ahead of us after we've been waiting up here in line for more than 14 hours, you've got another thing coming. Kent, darling, be careful. He looks meaner than a cornered possum. I beg your pardon, ma'am. Did you say something? Yes, I did. I said you looked meaner than a cornered possum. And it wouldn't surprise me if you were even meaner than that. Why, you, if you're going to... It's dark. We're polite to ladies, or at least we try to be. Are you going to get to the back of the line while you belong? Or am I going to have to... Are you going to have to what, my friend? Oh, you mean that? Well, if you're full enough to want to drag your pop gun, go on. They say experience is the best teacher. Kent, don't. Now leave that gun right where it is. That door, me, Sue Ellen. All right, all of you, keep your hands up where I can see you. All right, Cherokee, watch my horse. And who do you think you are butting in here? I'm the man who's been following you for the last five minutes, watching you almost run down people to get up to the front of the line. And I'm the man who's advising you to turn around and go back where you belong, at the rear of the line. You give a lot of cheap orders for that six gun in your fist. I don't need a six gun in my fist to see that those orders are carried out. Huh? Here, mister, you hold my gun. Why, uh... Sure, sure. Now there's nothing in my fist but fingers. And I'm still telling you to move on. Come on, Fritz. You two ready? Well, all right, don't you? I'm taking your advice this time, mister. But I'm going to give you some advice in exchange. The whole of Taiyogo isn't so big that I won't be running into all of you again. Get around that boy. Come on. You've got words to thank you enough for what you did. Most of the doing you did, ma'am. When you grabbed your husband's hand and stopped him from drawing his gun, one of those bodyguards of the man they call Laredo had time to get his out just in case his boss was too slow a drawer. That's when I thought it was time for me to interfere. Well, if you're rushing into Taiyogo with the rest of us, you stay right up here. Chad, better get back on your horse. Here comes the bugler. Oh, here comes, honey. Get ready. Come on. Look, folks, I've got to get mounted. Riding horses will have a better chance than you folks with your wagon. So, Jeriki and I'll go ahead and you follow us. I'd feel better about Mr. Laredo if we were all together for a while. A flash of two or three riders cutting up through those trees to our right may be a shortcut. Through those trees? Yeah. And from here it looks as if one of those men is wearing a fronk. Oh, it's like hit you. Great gilded gilhooly. What am I going to do now? Here I am in the middle of no place and Chad Remington's been shot clean off his horse. We'll return to the exciting second act of our Frontier Town adventure in just about one minute. And now Frontier Town. For a change, Jeriki, you've been right. I most certainly had been shot off my horse. A soft-nosed slug from a carbine hit my shoulder and spun me out of this saddle like a pinwheel. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which end of the rifle you might have been, the wound is a little gory but not too serious. After washing it and tying it up, we were able to continue. The greeting we'd gotten in the new territory thoroughly convinced Mr. O'Bannon that he didn't want to make his fortune in Tioga. But it was the man in the frock coat who answered to the name of Laredo that made me decide that I was going into Tioga Falls, the little settlement which had sprung up as a metropolis of the new region. So we sort of limped into town, not finding anyone in the Marshal's office. I decided the best place to look for my man was by checking at the office of the newspaper. The Tioga Weekly Sun. Would you be good enough to give us some information? Oh, I certainly do again. Camp, my husband and I followed you for several miles, but... In the newspaper office, let's just say it was a little accident. Camp, my husband's back in the press room setting up part of this week's edition. Are you calling me, Sue Ellen? I thought I heard you... Hello! Am I glad to see you two again? I don't say this from politeness. We're glad to see you and your wife alive. After what happened to Chad, we didn't know if they'd gotten you too. If who all had gotten us? That gent we tangled with the other morning at the starting line. The one in the frock coat. Oh, you mean Laredo Jake Ellison? Laredo Jake Ellison, huh? How come you know his name? Oh, why didn't you know? He's opened a bar, a hotel, and a gambling hall, and he's practically running this town already. Did you say a bar? Oh, no, Cherokee, you're incorrigible. Oh, tell me, how'd you happen to open a newspaper office from the looks of what you had in your wagon? I'd have thought you were going to get yourself a rant. Now, you see, Kent, you even look out of place in a newspaper office. Well, gentlemen, it's a long story. But if you're really interested, sit down and I'll tell you. Well, with a little friendly bickering between Sue Ellen and Kent Ramsey, we learned their story. I must say I didn't wholly disagree with Kent. The young fella had real ambition, and a newspaper can be a very influential voice guiding the destinies of a frontier country. I also learned that Laredo Jake, even in this short time, had almost everyone in and around Tioca Falls, either bulldozed or buffaloed, was starting to run the new town very much his own way. It was a wild little town, and I talked to a lot of people and found out nothing until about the third day when we were chewing the fat with Sue Ellen and Kent in their newspaper office. Well, Chad, do you think Laredo Jake's going to think of this editorial? I don't think he's going to like it very much, Kent. But if I were you, and I'm not talking just as a lawyer, I'd take it a bit easy. After all, Chad's got more of an axe to grind as far as that crook's concerned, and he's just biting his time. Oh, you all argue with the man. Husband of mine or not, I seem to have no influence on him. Well, she's afraid she'll be a widow before she's really a bride. She's no laughing matter, Kent. When you're abating a man like Laredo Jake Ellison, you're not out angling for catfish. You're going for shark. If you don't mind, Jerike and I will sort of hang around your office tomorrow after the paper comes out, and the gentleman in question's had the chance to read what you think of him. What Kent Ramsey'd printed in the Tioga Sun would have raised the hackles on a more self-possessed person than Mr. Ellison. Well, we waited most of the day and then late in the afternoon we saw him coming. Jerike and I shifted our holsters just in case and waited for Laredo to say so. Boys, I'll tell you why I dropped in. I come by to congratulate the Ramsey's on getting out of fine fighting newspaper. I believe that about as much as I believe that my rattlesnake oil cures lead poisoning. You're wrong, my friend. Because in this last week I've had my eyes open. You're lucky someone didn't close. Yes, sir, I've had my eyes open. I never knew before what an enormous influence a newspaper can have in a town. Mr. Ellison, we'd appreciate it if you'd stop beating around the bush. All right, Mrs. Ramsey. Since finding out how important a newspaper is, I've decided to make you an offer to buy you out. An offer I don't think you refuse. And suppose I do refuse, what then? What then? I don't know. I can't make you sell out. But I don't think you're going to turn down an offer of $10,000. Ellison, I wouldn't sell out to you for $30,000. You know, I've always heard that literary men didn't have good business heads, but I never believed it before. Well, there's no use wasting any more time. I'll just be bidding you a very pleasant good day. Well, how do you like grass? Here I was sitting with my both fists cocked all ready to go, and he talked so sweet butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. I'll bet you he's got something up his sleeve. So will I. Why, he's so pasnickety mean I wouldn't even throw him in a swamp to alligate us. My word. At this rate, Chad, we could spend six months down here trying to find something on that glute. Trying to find something on him? Well, I guess you might as well confess it. That little accident which put a bandage on my shoulder when I rode into town, I'm afraid it was no accident at all. But it had been planned by Tioga's leading citizen, the right dishonorable Jake Ellison. Chad hadn't been turned halfway around his saddle. He wouldn't be here to tell a story. Wow, that vicious, sneaky, no good. Imagine, Kent. You know what I got a good mind to do, Chad? I got a mind to run that story. Yours about Lareda right smack on the front page of my next edition. Uh-uh, nothing to do, Kent. Even as poor a lawyer as I am, I know we haven't got a case built against him yet. Case? Well, y'all just said he tried to kill you. We all just told you a little story. A story no one can prove. Well, and how are you going to prove anything against a contemptible crook like that? By exercising a little patience. Now, for example, he wouldn't be so sure of himself that he'd come in here and offer to buy you a paper if he didn't feel he had this town and this whole country right where he wanted it. So? So, I'm expecting that life around Tioga isn't going to be as peaceful even as it has been. Now, there are too many gunslingers hanging around his cafe to be just waiting for Sunday to go to church, if we had a church. I'll make a book on that and give you six, two, and even. Not bad odds, either. Suppose you're right, Chad. Well, then, I think we can take a leaf out of Lareda's book and play it smart ourselves. Well, when you've got a newspaper, mister, plus a little patience, it shouldn't be too hard to prove that the pen is mightier than the sword. Now, I don't want to sound like an, I told you so, but it wasn't very long before the Wells Fargo safe was blown. And 24 hours later, the stagecoats coming in from the north was held up. And then the very same night, two men who'd won at Faro never got home. Well, the next afternoon, Cherokee got himself a little Dutch courage at once alone and then walked over to the place that Laredo Jake ran. Well, Laredo, here's to you. Here's to all of us, Fitz. Drink hardy. Yeah, here. I cut up the Wells Fargo money today. $1,200 apiece. You stick with Laredo Jake, Ellison Fitz, and you'll be warned. No, I wonder what this monkey wants. You were looking for me, my friend? Well, Fritz ain't here just now, but I'm expecting him soon. Tell Ramsay I'll give him his message and send him down. Thanks. What the blazes do you think they wanted me at the newspaper office? What do you think? Probably figurein' to pull a double-cross on me. Pump you. You go down there, Fritz. See what he wants. If he gets too hard to handle, well, you know what to do. Well, Laredo... You heard me, now get goin'. I can't wait to find out what this is all about. Say, Ellison, uh, is that a minute? No. Oh, you still hangin' around Tioga Falls? You should've found out by this time that a loyal starved to death in this town. Oh, I don't know. Looks now as if you might be needing one. Oh, what I want with a dead lawyer. Dead lawyer? After the way you missed me that first day into Tioga? Well, maybe you're a bum shot, but I think our local editor has hit the bullseye plum center. Huh? Yeah, yeah, I thought you'd like to get a look at tomorrow morning's paper. Why, that good for nothin' linin'? Looks pretty bad in print, doesn't it? Confederate's confession implicates cafe owner in robberies. Man, looks like you're all done, doesn't it, Laredo? Why do you think Ramsay sent for your friend Fritz? What are you trying to do? Scare me? Well, if you're not scared, why don't you walk down to the newspaper office and face Fritz? Deny these things right in front of him. Why, sure. Sure, I'll go with... you double dealin' liar. Hey, Fritz! Fritz, come over here. And you, Mr. Lawyer, you stay right where you are. All right, yeah, that big guru that came in here and said they wanted me at the newspaper office must've been crazy. I waited more in an hour and that editor wasn't even... Did you tell Ramsay I engineered those raids? Get out of your head. Why should I give you away? Oh, yes, Fritz. Why should you? If I were you, Ramsay, then I'd shut up. But, fortunately, you're not me, and I'm not you. Because that gun totter of yours said just enough in front of a few dozen people to put you in the calaboos. Hey, Marshal! Marshal! While you're sneaking low down... Drop that gun, ever since! Kiss me again, Laredo, but I'll see if I can make my aim a little better. Now, Fritz, you don't want to end up worse off than your boss, just take it easy. Because you and I are going down to the newspaper office and get a real confession. You should have seen Chad. His arms like two widbills. His fists like two pile drivers. Why, I tell you, the man was magnificent. A perfect example of American manhood. Oh, good night with that kind of flowery prose, Kent. Well, you ought to keep Cherokee here in Tioga and put him to work on your newspaper. Of course, not as a reporter. He got his facts a little wrong. Oh, but he makes it sound so beautiful. What facts has it got wrong? Oh, just a few essential ones. For example, I had only one fist flying. My other hand was well occupied wrestling that buzzed for his gun. Just one fist. You can't blame that entirely on me. That saloon you sent me to from a Dutch courage treated me so well I was seeing double. And moreover, Mr. Remington, I was not wrong when I say that your brilliance, your sheer and unmasked genius gave birth to the idea which caught that crook. Cherokee's right about that, Chad. It was you who had the idea to print up a single copy of the paper with that phony headline to trick Ellison. Maybe it was phony, but now you can run 3,000 copies of the paper with the same headline because it's true. And Cherokee, how about you and me starting back to dos rios? Right now, Chad? Right now. All your fortune. While you were demolishing Ellison's saloon, I saved one full bottle from falling off a table and hit it under a chair. Can I go back down there for just a minute? Nothing doing. I told you we'd stay just long enough to get our proof. And Cherokee, I certainly didn't mean 100 proof. Frontier Town, starring Tex Chandler as a Brucell's production. Story and supervision by Joel Murcott. Direction by Paul Franklin. Music written and played by Ivan Ditmar. Be sure to be with us again same time next week for another fine action adventure story with your favorite young western star, Tex Chandler. This is Bill Foreman telling you that Frontier Town came to you from Hollywood.