 The national broadcasting company presents adventure ahead Today adventure ahead takes you on what began as a title-searching trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains with the young lawyer Jim Martin This was Jim's first case and they expected to encounter only a simple problem in law But soon he was caught up in a desperate struggle of the stony fork people to rid themselves of lawless swindlers It's a yarn that springs from intimate knowledge of these people and the mountains surrounding them Because the author Hubert Skidmore was born in the Blue Ridge country So Hubert Skidmore's story of Hill Lawyer Only passenger I guess I am you'd best sit up here beside me then. Oh, thanks. I'll be all right back here sit up front mr. That fellow sat in back shot the driver in the back of the head. Oh, I see So you're not taking chances, huh? Oh Not on strangers Yeah, you got business in the pork. Yeah, I'm up here to see a fellow named Sam Doddrup Oh, are you the lawyer from Charleston? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm James Martin Sam. He named it about you coming My name's Frank cross glad to know you Frank. I didn't know you back there That's why I named it. You should set up here. I can understand that You say the last fellow who sat in back shot the driver What for a payroll payroll? Yeah, I'm killing another fellow made off with it. What payroll log and company They send money in once week. You ever had any trouble with it a couple of times But the logging company never sends money on the same day twice. Hmm. I Um, I see you have a mail sack there. They just send a letter so there's always be mail sack going across Mm-hmm, then no one knows just exactly when the payroll will come through no That don't keep us from getting stopped. Did the money come tonight? No, nobody knows that but me Yeah, I always run them through here a good place for it. Yeah Bandits hang on we'll run approach Just dandy Lost in a strange country and in pitch-black darkness Pick up whoever you are In the dark security like boy, I thought you might be the bandit bandit You mean somebody held up a stage again tried to anyway when where right where the road dips down into the mountain What happened to Frank frost frost? Oh, you mean the driver. Yeah, is he all right? I don't know Now come you're riding one of his horses. I was his only passenger I'm up here from Charleston to see a fellow named Sam Doddrow You must be the lawyer Sam told me about I guess I am names James Martin. Well, Jim. I'm York Allen the doctor here We're a little suspicious as strangers in stony for I can see that now What about this bandit? Well, he attacked the stage just after we left the junction Frank made a run for it now distance him And how did you two get separated? Well frost was afraid the masked man would cut over the mountains and hit us all Yeah, he he couldn't it could have done that at that There's an old old turkey trail that leads over the mountains comes out back of Sam Doddrow Well, anyway frost was afraid the bandit would take the shortcut So he unhits the team and each of us took a horse. Couldn't you keep up with Frank? Oh, I couldn't even see him. It was so dark. That's how I got a little got lost. Well, come on I'll guide you into the force. Oh, thanks Say York you mentioned an old turkey trail that leads over the hills to Sam Doddrow's place See Doddrow wrote me about a month ago asking me to come up He didn't pick you for your size did he well I didn't figure size would have anything to do with it since it was just a matter of cold claim of companies holding against him Well, I can tell you Sam can sure use a lawyer providing. You're not easily scared. I'll tell you what I Just take you to his place and introduce you myself Meet lawyer Jim Martin from Charles. Hello, Sam Jim. I'm here to see if I can straighten out your cold claim Well, they ain't much size to you easy. Oh, I don't think size matters much Sam since it's just a question of a point of law I'm afraid there's more to it than that Jim. Why as far as I can tell a company has no legal claim on Sam's property Well, yes and no unless of course Sam made some oral agreement. He didn't tell me about no I don't believe there was any spoken agreement. Well, and it's an open and shut case The company has a three-year contract to remove timber from Sam's property and that's all that part of it Simple enough. It's the question of coal. It's causing the trouble coal There's no mention of coal and Sam's contract That's just a point when coal was discovered under the hill that caused a lot of excitement But the logging company's only interest was in the timber wasn't it? That's what the folks all thought at first Then they found out that the company was trying to take a coal too. They never had no right to There never was a word said about coal when they bought the timber Sam's right about that Well, then that's simple enough. I'll just get a waiver on the company's claim from the company representative You mean Fred Wolf? Yeah, I believe Wolf is his name. Oh, he ain't the one to see. He isn't then who is oh I ain't much good at talking doc. You tell him means red clue Jim red clue soon as coal was discovered Red clue moved in here two other cut-throats named stump Rogers and Bill Perkins What do they have to do with the call quite a bit You see Clute Rogers and Perkins went around claiming to be lawyers and signing up folks Signing them up for what they promised to people to straighten out the scramble title to the coal rights and to get them a fair price They'd give the people a dollar to sign some papers and then take the papers back Beginning to get what you're driving now these papers were some legal trick that gave fluke the right to buy or sell the property for Any price he wanted while that's robbery I could prove it in any court I'm afraid you don't know much about the back hill places Jim There isn't any court. Well, there's a sheriff isn't there? There's a man with a sheriff's badge on all you mean he works for Clute. That's right Jim Clute's got half a valley scared to death. Have you ever had a fight with Clute York? Clute don't fight like that Anybody gets in his way him or Bill Perkins or stump Rogers goes squirrel hunting First thing you know Somebody comes down from the hills to say they found another body. You mean they even get away with murder. That's my word for it Well, I can handle the legal end of it, but I've had no experience in this kind of fighting So we ain't been able to whip it neither son So we reckon none of us will think of Mike less here if you're back out Sam's right Jim your lawyer But this may be a case for a gunman too and Sam says you're not exactly the size Well, maybe my size is against New York, but I came up here to help Sam Dodd will get his cold claim straightened out And I intend to well if you feel that way about it I don't reckon your fates to gun. Did you mr. Martin? Well, no, I don't suppose I need one now you just might here Of course, I ain't much use for this here hand pistol, but I reckon they're all right for common shooting I don't know. I never shot one of these things Better carry it Jim. I always do when I know there's trouble ahead Oh The morning is that the company office up there ain't you on the wrong side of the River little man? I don't think so This is the way to the company office isn't it you in here to black hole. I can't see that's any of your business I'm making it my business. I Don't know your name, but I can guess it glutes the name red These your boys are my friends and we're waiting for an answer to my question Sorry, but I'm here on business. Will you men let me pass please? Let me out of red I'll make them get back there for to keep your hands off. I'll do the talking, but he ain't done Make it back I could make a shit like you and I haven't time to argue about that. I just want to attend to my clients Did you say client? That's like I told you red. He's here for Sam Dodd real shut up, Roger How about that? That's what you're here for. I'm the man you want to see right now. I want to see the company represent I tell you I got the coal rights on all the Dodd will land and I'm telling you to keep off that property There'll be trouble Thanks, Clute for the warning Come in Mr. Wolf. Yep. I'm James Martin. Yeah, no red clup is just here I could be expecting you this morning. I just met him on the path From the window, I'm here about the claim your company has against Sam Dodd rules land As far as I can tell Clute plans to type all the property can and in time you'll sell it to the company Well, I'm not interested in Clute's plans All I want is a waiver from you to the effect that your company holds no claim on Sam Dodd rules place Wouldn't advise anybody interfere with Clute. Clute has nothing to do with this waiver Well, don't make much difference to me one way or the other good And just sign here and here below. All right, if it'll make you happy Satisfied that's fine. Well that waves any claim your company might have held on Sam Dodd rules coal So all you want are the me. Oh, yeah As far as I'm concerned this waiver closes the case Sam Dodd rules property is absolutely clear and if you've finished what you come up here for young fella take my advice and Get out of this valley as fast as possible We'll see about that You know, I mean I've been killed around here for a lot less and happened out there on the path between you and red Clute And maybe this town needs a cleaning. I know there's been a lot of things going on around here that shouldn't but You're mighty little to try and fix them, mister Next time Bill Perkins decided to take a swing at you Red Clute might not feel like stopping them Well, I'll just go on minding my own business, Mr. Wolf and that of my client and thanks for the waiver Is Sam Doddler home? Who are you? What are you wanting to know first? I'm Jim Martin, Mrs. Doddler a lawyer from Charleston. I'm trying to clear up Sam's cold title Oh, well land safe for life Sam. He named it to me about you coming Sit you down. I had to warm morning to be traveston Well, Sam asked me to come over this morning and look over his property, but I'd like to speak to him first Well, I'll call him. He's out in the barn Sam Sam that lawyer fellas here. I Never know what to tell you Like it ain't been nothing but killing and shooting and shooting and killing. I don't think there'll be any more of that Hope not, Mr. If Sam was to Happen I'd go plumb out of my mind. Oh Howdy, Mr. Martin. Hello Sam. Well, our little case is all cleaned up I was down to see Fred Wolf a while ago and he signed a paper releasing all claim which the company might have had on your property But it read Clute say Clute. I didn't mention it to him Just the same Clute's out to get all the coal and the can include mine. We'll handle him Sam Right now though, I'd like to make a trip around your place So I have an accurate description of the property to attach to this waiver. Be careful No telling who you liable to run into again the hill. Oh, I don't expect any trouble Where will I strike the north line of your property, Sam? Well, no, there's a jagged cliff Yeah, can't miss it Then the fence will start back down the hill pass the null abandoned cabin on the back property You'll see it. Yeah, I'm sure I will and I may stop by again after I've ridden around and please mr. Martin Don't let no shooting get started like dark Alan says one killing always leads to another Getting into the woods now Danny Don't scrape me off the saddle Oh Yeah, I ain't needles almost like a carbon Should fight that jagged cliff, but yep Good Lordy dear It's Bill Perkins. You're not gonna shoot me. Are you? Oh? Hello, I didn't hear you. I tried not to make any noise when I heard that commotion over here He's dead who's dead bill Perkins shot in the back of the head Hey, that's not good. You better. Let me have your gun. Look. I never fired it Well, I know you didn't do it Jim you have no reason to shoot a man you never seen before he was dead when I found it That's your word for it. You see anybody else on the yeah coming up through the woods But he disappeared before I got a good look at him when was that just before I found Perkins What's that in your hand what that piece of paper? Where'd you get it? Oh, I found it beside Perkins body Looks like a corner of a heavy manila envelope. Yeah, it looks sort of familiar to me I'm sure with somebody else had found a body. Who do you reckon did it? Well, I'd say any one of four people for who you and the fellow if you saw just before you found Perkins That's to who else could have done for me, of course. I was close enough, but we know that's not true That's three who else Sam Dodd rule? Oh Sam York I left him at the house. What of it? He could have beat you here riding around the old turkey field comes out Just behind that abandoned cabin over there Sam expected more trouble from Glad even after I got the waiver from Fred Wolf So maybe we ought to find him as soon as possible Clute's mind works in a funny way If he thinks he already has Sam tied up, he'll turn toward the next person in his way and Jim I imagine that might be you who shot Bill Perkins Well, Clute, I'd expect you to be at the head of a mob like this who shot him You probably know as much about that as I do. Where was he killed? We found him on Sam Dodd rule property. Oh Dodd rule Hey, where's that row down? Are you right here, Clute? Come as soon as I heard that rule you done it. You killed Bill Perkins. Don't start any trouble here Clute who found it I did oh You shot him didn't check your Martin you killed Bill because he beat you up this morning I never spoke a word to Bill Perkins and you know it I was there and heard you and so did some project That's right. Boy, you'd get Bill after he beat you up this morning I reckon there's only one thing to do with a dirty dog like that Wait a minute wait a minute. You know, it seems to me you're lining up pretty fast Clute Martin didn't kill Bill Perkins when I come on him beside Perkins body not one bullet been fired from his gun Could have replaced a bullet couldn't he nobody would a fool be caught over a dead man with an empty gun I'll listen instead of letting Clute here run this valley. It seems to me you ought to get the sheriff and let him handle it He ain't no good. He only done what he's told Wait wait the killing was done on my place. Yes Clute's named me once as the murderer Now he's a tenant on Martin seems to me like he don't know what he's talking about And like mr. Martin says I figure we ought to get the sheriff me and Seth will watch the place You got my word for it. This fellow will be here when you get back And while you're doing that you might find out where Clute and Roger spent the morning Fred Wolf will name that to you. We was there in his back office talking to him for the last two hours I reckon we'll tickle that story Come on, man. Now Seth, if that skunk ain't here when we get back, I'm holding you and Mark responsible. Come on, boys Yeah, thank goodness Sam talked them into waiting Now where's the revolver Jim they want to see it when they come back lying on the table where you put it I saw Clute was going to start trouble. So I went after anyone see you. No, but when I picked it up One bullet was missing. Ah Clute's dead set to frame you all right What'd you say the gun is right where you put it or I put it on the table. That's right. It's not there now What look for yourself Well, he was there just a minute ago somebody's taking it. It's got to be here somewhere. You're no use Jim the gun's gone But if I can't produce that gun, you must figure you're the next person in his way And so far he's framed you perfectly You think maybe he took the gun him or stump rogers. What do we do head for sam doddles get the saddlebag But if we run york, it'll look like I'm guilty. We've got to have time to think come on What about the guard? We'll slip out the back way, but you know time to argue Clute's got them all stirred up now a little more talk and they'll be ready for a legion I I mean I thought I figured you two would strike out for here But took us along came around back to the mountain to avoid toots gang frank frost drove over a while back He's been down to fork. What's happened? Clute's getting them all fired up and ready to hang mr. Martin as soon as night comes up Two or three hours not much time enough maybe because I think I've got a lead on who killed person I think so, but first I want to see the stage driver frank ross That's right. My companion of last night, but the company payroll didn't come in. You know that that's just it. It's still do Well, yeah, but it's just an idea of mine york if nothing happens. I'll meet you and sam back here just before sundown Come on, let's get started in our necktie party in quite a spare. Yeah, what do we wait? I don't be hasty men, but I know how you feel Y'all knew bill perkins a fine man Last time my storm was going to help sam doddle straighten out his coal claim and for that He was shot in the back of his head. Oh, come on red. You don't told us that a hundred times Yeah, but there's more to it than that this martin. Well, I was in on a two Yeah, we all seen him running out of the doc's office with a gun. Yeah, we know that we know what we're after Let's slide out after them. All right men. That's how you want it All right, we'll start out in pairs hank you take two men and make straight for sam All right red. Are you net take a man circle around the far side of the dot road? Which way are you and roger caught we take the lower road make our way across the hills We head for the junction. We'll stop Jim is that you yes york sam and I were getting worried I think I found something interesting. Well, you shouldn't be roaming the hills with the lynching party out Everybody's gone crazy even frank frost frost. What's he done for the last hour? He's been telling clout's gang that he's scared to bring a mail over tonight Says this is the last day before payday and the money's bound to come tonight clout's bunch scare him Well, not enough to for him to leave the payroll at the junction last I heard he was all fixed up to go after good But where's sam in the house Sam sam. Yeah, doc. We better get started sam. They'll be here any minute York remember last night you told me about an old turkey trail that led back a sam's place Sure, and last night you said that same trail cuts across the mountain and meets the road to the junction Well, that's right or does in other words a man on horseback could ride from the junction to that old abandoned cabin on the back of sam's place Without going through stony fork. I reckon so. How about that sam? Well, can't use none much, but I reckon a fella could get through good Let's get a move on then we don't want to run into clout's gang Yes, but where are we going to the old abandoned cabin at the back of sam's property? Why we're hanging around this old cabin. I don't know. Where's the path leading in from the junction road down that way Comes out in back of the cabin there and get where you can keep an eye on the cabin But don't make a move till I tell you no matter what you see Listen, they're coming from the junction road. It sure sounds better way then do just as I say I think luck is with us. There's a light inside the cabin. I was right It's gluten lodges gluten lodges. We've got to get in there quick What's that in clout's hand the company mail sack sam maybe with a payroll a payroll It is by fun. Yeah, I see it. It was them all the time using my police. Hold on that gun clout and come out Shoot above his head sam Don't the mail sack out in the window drop your guns and come out clout. I will shoot the kill Come on lodges and bring clout with you Ah clout's done shot out the lantern the cabin. He set it a fire jim jim come back here Where are you going to get the mail sack come back martin? They'll shoot you down The whole cabin's a place they'll have to run for it Don't you Don't shoot up keep your hands up. I'll just move back a whole cabin's in plain town. Where's clout? He won't come out. Nobody'll ever get red alive I figure we can start back now. There ain't no wind nothing here about so burned All right. Yes, Frank. It worked fine. You all right Sure. It went off slick to whistle. I'd done just what she said You done what frank mr martin figured it was clued after the mail last night So he told me to spread the word brown that the payroll was bound to come tonight This being the last day before payday Well, how'd you figure it was clued after the mail? Well, I first got the idea when I talked to fred wolf this morning fred wolf What did he have to do with it? Well when he tried to protect red Knowing that clute was buying coal right out from under the company I knew something was wrong But I figured maybe he tipped clute off when the payroll was likely to be arriving But how did you figure that clute would travel the payroll tonight? Remember how the men were roaring to lynch us when they left your office your Yeah, I was surprised at the time that sam was able to talk clute into waiting Well, it gave me the idea that clute had something else up his sleeve. I wondered about that myself I took a chance and had frank pass the word around that the money was sure to come tonight Clute was using a posse to draw attention away from him and rata exactly Remember that little uh scrap of paper. I found beside perkins body And when you said looked familiar to you, uh Well, I remembered the company envelope side seen on fred wolf's desk And figured that scrap would match But what gave you the idea clute was using the old abandoned cabin on sam's place was a perfect hideout Now I begin to see why you were interested in that old turkey trail that leads across the mountains from a junction Yeah, but who killed perkins? Why? red clute He thought perkins got the payroll last night and refused to split and you figured all this out from a little scrap of paper Well, the scrap set me on the right track I spent the afternoon here at the cabin making sure but how could you be sure? I found the rest of the envelope Is that you sam? Yes, sir. We got it all straightened out miss doddle. Yeah, the next thing to do is get rid of that shelf What about you jim? You'd make a good chair Ain't much size to you, but you've got sense and you don't scare off easy I was scared this morning down at york's place when I saw that bullet was missing. Hmm. I wonder what happened to it Hey, you rocket. Hey, come on. What happened to that bullet? well, uh I took Figured it would make things look worse Uh, and I took that gun when I seen the bullet was missing. I took it so as doctor. You wouldn't get into trouble Well, that cares it all up then Well, come on in the house mr. Martin I think the folks are like to see you After all you're part of the family now Hill lawyer is from the novel by hubert skidmore and was adapted for radio by howard carroway The part of jim martin was played by lawson's erby Others in the cast were jim bowls kermit murdoch waltz of vaughn richard keith jack mcbride and tony murrow Music was conducted by anri nosco and the production was under the direction of herbert rice nbc and its affiliated independent stations present adventure ahead as a public service