Original subtitles

Heeyah! Heeyah!

NARRATOR: Tales of Wells Fargo.

JIM: Essie Sutton was one of the most ruthless,

dominant and richest women

the Old West has ever known.

She owned almost everything in Madden,

and almost everybody.

The cafe was hers, the saloon,

the general store, livery stable...

And people who lived in the outlying shacks

paid rent to Essie.

She even started her own stagecoach line, the S&S.

It only ran a hundred miles

and Wells Fargo didn't consider it

very grave competition,

at least not at first.

Not until its stages

began having mysterious difficulties

over that particular hundred-mile stretch.

A broken coupling.

A roadblock of one kind

or another.

A Wells Fargo stage could travel

a thousand miles without a mishap,

but the moment it hit the section of road

where it was in competition with S&S,

it would just up and break down.

The sabotage to our stages continued

and so did Essie Sutton,

ruling Madden with an iron fist,

a big voice and her brother Tom,

who had been the unelected sheriff

for over two years.

The one business in town she didn't own

was the newspaper.

She didn't own it

and she couldn't bulldoze its editor,

John Sayers.

What does this mean?

Just what it says, Essie.

Elections?

Ever heard of the word?

This is my town

and I run it my way.

I've got a signed petition

by two-thirds of the population.

I don't care what you've got,

there'll be no election.

You're wrong.

I've put up with you for years,

those editorials twice every week

blasting at me.

They finally paid off.

ESSIE: I say there'll be no election,

and when I've ever said anything in this town,

I've backed it up.

You remember that,

John Sayers.

JIM: He knew what she meant...

Bloodshed, a fight to the death

for her hold on the town.

So John Sayers went to the territorial capital

and requested the United States Marshal be sent

to Madden on Election Day.

I was coming to Madden incognito

as Jim Harper,

to investigate sabotage

to our stages.

And I struck up an acquaintance

with John Sayers on his way back.

Did you ever get that marshal

you asked for?

They couldn't promise for sure, Mr. Harper.

Said they'd try to see to it he was there.

When is the election?

JOHN: Three days from now.

What kind of a ticket are you running?

Young man name of Cleve Hepburn for sheriff

against Tom Sutton, the...

Excuse the word, incumbent.

I am bucking Essie Sutton herself for town chairman.

And if I'm elected, I'm gonna either run her out of town

or straight into the penitentiary for fraud,

theft of town funds,

a dozen things.

Does she know it?

JOHN: She knows it.

No wonder she's riled up.

Been fighting her for years.

Now her time is running out.

It must be exciting running a newspaper, huh?

It has its moments.

When I was a kid I remember

I always wanted to be a printer.

Even worked at it for a while.

What business are you in?

One thing and another.

Do a lot of traveling.

Wells Fargo's had trouble on this run

ever since Essie started her stages over here,

but there's never been any shooting before.

All right, out!

Everybody out!

Hands over your heads!

You, climb down from there.

Come on, let's move.

Stand right over there.

All right, now turn around.

We're taking the stagecoach and everything on it.

JIM: Maybe, we should've taken an S&S stage.

They don't seem to be having this trouble.

That's right, mister. They don't.

Do you think other folks

are beginning to figure that way?

Move out.

MAN: Ho! Heeyah! Ho!

He's dead.

He wasn't even armed.

Shot down in cold blood.

What kind of a town is Madden?

Better ask somebody that lives there.

This is a terrible town, Mr. Harper.

And now that dad is dead, it's no use,

we can't go on.

I had to buy me a new gun

a while ago.

We can't even do anything

about his murder.

I believe it's gonna be all right.

Are you listening to me?

Yes, ma'am.

I'm listening to every word.

She's beaten us, completely.

No, she hasn't.

If Essie Sutton is behind

the murder of your father,

then she's beaten herself.

What do you mean, sir?

Because people aren't gonna stand for it.

People in this town,

they can't do anything.

They get riled up enough, they can.

How can we stop her?

You've still got your newspaper, haven't you?

And you've got a front page story to write,

all about the murder of John Sayers

as told by an eyewitness.

You?

JIM: Yes, me.

If people in this town

can read about the murder

of your father in detail,

then people all over the country

can read about it,

wherever the newspaper reaches.

And somebody somewhere,

sometime,

he'll do something about it.

She'd stop us from printing anything like that.

You don't know what she's like.

Then we'll have to stop her

from stopping us.

Us?

Me.

I'm your star witness, am I not?

In fact, I'll even help you set up the type.

I had a little experience at it

at one time in my life.

SUE: Why are you so anxious to...

To carry on your father's fight?

Because I knew him for a little while this morning,

he was a fine man,

and because I believed in what he believed in

and because I don't like to see a town anywhere

under the rule of one person's greasy thumb.

Mister, you sound mad.

I am mad, sir.

I'm fightin' mad.

What can I do to help?

You can get a shotgun

and help guard this place.

Yes, sir, right away.

SUE: Well, what should I do?

You can get your pencil

and begin to write.

Who is he? Why don't you ask him?

He was one of the passengers

on the Fargo coach when it was stole.

Wait here.

We climbed down with our hands in the air.

Giving out the story?

For the world to read.

What's your name?

You'll read it in the papers.

I'm not waiting that long.

It's a free town, isn't it?

Does every man that come into it

have to give his name

to the sheriff?

Anybody in this town

that doesn't have a job

is a vagrant.

And we've got a jailhouse

full of vagrants.

He has a job here

as a typesetter.

I think maybe my sister Essie

would enjoy meeting you.

Don't go.

I think maybe I'd like to meet

your sister Essie.

Please, don't go.

We haven't finished yet.

I won't be long.

You start setting up what I've already said.

I'm glad your back.

You stay here now and don't leave.

Don't worry.

I've been looking forward to meeting Essie Sutton.

I've heard a great deal about her.

You'll be hearing a lot more.

Expect I will.

Is this where she hangs out?

That's the boss, mister.

Who's this? A passenger

on the Fargo stage this morning.

I thought they left town already.

He stayed.

Oh? Well, sonny,

you're lucky there was an S&S stage

going by an hour later.

The lot of you would be standing there yet.

He was down at the newspaper office,

giving his account of what happened.

Oh, now, you don't want to do a thing

like that, sonny.

I'm afraid I do, Mrs. Sutton.

Call me, Essie.

That's what everybody calls me.

Buy him a drink, boys.

The man's had a hard day.

I don't care for a drink, thank you.

Essie said to have a drink with her.

And I said I didn't want one.

Oh,

now you're downright unfriendly.

You get me mad, boy,

and I don't think you'll like it.

I've got a story to tell,

Mrs. Sutton.

When it's printed,

there are gonna be a lot of people

that are mad.

What kind of town is this?

Where the leading citizen,

the only man who would oppose you,

the man who crusaded against you...

He printed filthy lies!

Is shot down in cold blood.

He was a fool for trying to pull a gun.

Who told you he pulled a gun?

Why, it was one of the passengers.

He didn't even have one.

His hands were up and his back was turned.

That's not true!

Keep out of this, Tom.

I've seen murder in my day

and I've heard of injustice,

but the death of John Sayers

was more than just plain murder...

It was a premeditated,

brutal, and cowardly one.

And one that'll be hung around the neck of this town

until the decent citizens

are driven into action.

Such as what?

When the time comes, they'll know who to look for

and where to find them.

You blaming us for his murder?

For that robbery? Is that what you're saying?

I talked to John Sayers

on the stagecoach this morning.

I'm going to see to it that the things

that he had to say are printed.

Things about me?

And the way you run this town of Madden.

Is this the way you want it?

You're fast, sonny.

Been using some pretty harsh language.

I haven't even started to talk yet.

I think the whole world ought to know

about this town of Madden.

And about the newspaper man who was killed

all because he wanted an election.

I'm giving you one hour

to get out of my town.

Your town? ESSIE: One hour.

Her word's the law here.

Well, I don't think much of the law here.

TOM: It's still the law no matter what you think.

Get him.

You gave him an hour.

Don't argue with me, Tom.

TOM: Put him in a chair.

Come out of it,

you got a job to do.

Get two or three of the other boys.

I can take care of him.

You are the sheriff, you'll do things legal.

I said get the others.

We got a fight on our hands.

That paper ain't to be printed,

you understand? Essie, you're going too far.

A United States Marshal is coming here,

there will be an investigation.

And who will talk to him?

Who'd dare to open his mouth

to any marshal?

The pipsqueaks in this town

are afraid of their own shadows.

After what happened to Sayers,

and what we're gonna do tonight,

nobody will dare to open his mouth

to nobody.

I'll put the fear

of the devil into 'em.

Essie, I played your game.

I've gone along with you

when you did things that turned my stomach.

I never thought it would turn to murder.

You never thought anything.

You never had a thought

in your whole life.

I've done your thinking for you.

I raised you from when you

was a squalling brat.

After Ma died,

I wiped your nose for you

and told you when to change your underwear.

After you growed up,

I kept on taking care of you

because you was a weakling.

You couldn't think for yourself

if you had to, so don't try it

at this stage of the game.

I'll do the thinking and you do

what you're told,

understand?

Yeah.

What do you want?

I want that nosy stranger dead

before morning.

Yeah, Essie.

Well, get going.

I'm glad to see you back.

What'd she say?

There's gonna be a fight, Sue.

Maybe a siege.

Between now and morning, anything can happen.

I think it'd be a good idea if you went away somewhere,

where you'd be safe.

No, I'm staying here.

There may be shooting.

I'm staying.

I did some talking a while ago

in the saloon.

For the benefit of the local citizen.

Talking? About what?

I told the truth about the murder of your father.

There some good people in this town, Mr. Harper,

some of them oughta rally around.

I hope so.

Shall we get on with the eyewitness account?

Yes, of course.

Mr. Mayberry.

Hello, Cleve.

Is this the man who was in the saloon

talking to Essie a while ago?

That's right. Mr. Harper,

Mr. Mayberry.

I'm glad to meet you, sir.

I wasn't there, but my friend Bill Lansky was.

Told me about it.

He said you're gonna get a paper

on the press tonight.

Did he also tell you we're expecting trouble?

He knows Essie as well as the rest of us.

We're sure you'll have trouble.

And we'd like to help you publish

this next edition.

There's a whole group of us...

You can count on us.

Thank you, sir.

Well, there's the help you asked for, Mr. Harper.

Did you see that?

The S&S stage?

It had a familiar look to it.

What are you thinking?

Where is it headed?

To the livery.

I'm gonna go have a better look.

What about our newspaper story?

If what I'm thinking is true,

this will round our story out just fine.

But it's not safe for you out on the street.

You stay here and keep this office safe.

Joe, what are you doing?

Shut up and give me a hand.

It's the worst paint job I ever seen.

We're gonna give it another one tonight.

Joe, Essie can't get away with this...

Stealing a Wells Fargo stage?

Who says she can't?

I know she's short of stages,

but this is dangerous.

Anybody sees it

and we're in real trouble.

JIM: You mean somebody like me,

for instance?

JOE: Who's he?

You mean you don't recognize me?

Maybe, the light's not too good in here.

How is that?

I never saw you before...

Till tonight.

That's funny.

I recognized you just

by the tone of your voice,

even without your mask.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I like the sound of your voice.

That's why I kept you talking this morning

at the stagecoach,

just so I'd recognize it

if I ever heard it again.

And I did hear it,

tonight in the saloon.

You're the man that killed Sayers.

You shot him in the back.

TOM: All right, hold it.

Well, I'm glad to see you, Sheriff.

You were told to get out of town.

This is the man that killed Sayers...

and that's the stolen stagecoach.

Look, Tom. You just gonna stand there?

JIM: I lied to you this evening

when I told you my name was Harper.

I'm Jim Hardie, special investigator

with Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo?

I want that man arrested,

when the United States Marshal gets here...

Marshal coming in?

That's who Sayers went after, wasn't it?

All right, boys, get moving.

You... you're taking me to jail?

You heard me, get going.

Why you... Get going!

You put Joe Shelton in jail?

Let me explain.

There's nothing to explain.

That Harper, he's a Wells Fargo man.

I don't care what he is.

A US Marshal's coming in.

I don't believe it. They're trying to scare you.

You're pushing too hard, Essie.

If there's going to be questions,

there have to be answers.

Joe Shelton supplies them all.

How?

Well, he killed John Sayers,

he stole the stage, so let him take him...

You need a scapegoat.

That way the law will be satisfied.

You'll be clear.

Essie Sutton don't double-cross her friends.

You get Joe out of that jail.

I don't know why you put him in!

You told me to do things legal.

Get Joe out.

We're gonna need him tonight.

Essie, I'm scared.

I said it before, I'll say it again,

you're pushing too hard.

Are you going to that jail

and get him out or do you want me to do it?

Well, I'll do it.

The sheriff had a gun in his hand.

I tried to work a bluff and I did.

Why didn't you tell us you were

from Wells Fargo?

I was gonna get around to that.

Is it true the marshal's coming in?

I don't know.

Tom Sutton's afraid of outside law,

curls up every time he sees any.

I imagine that sister of his

keeps him jumpin' pretty good.

He's a very frightened man.

Somebody's coming.

You gave us a scare.

I was hoping you wouldn't chop me down

with that shotgun before I could get here.

I have some news, and there isn't much time to spare.

Essie's boys have been taking dynamite out of storage.

Dynamite? MAYBERRY: They're gonna try

and blast you out. JIM: How?

Put the charges on a wagon,

light the fuse, and shove the wagon this way.

How did you find out? The committee,

we've got boys all over town tonight.

What will we do?

Is there an opening to the roof from here?

Yes, up the stairs.

You and Flanny will have to go with Mr. Mayberry.

No, let her go,

I'm staying here.

JIM: Even if it might blow up?

Especially if it might blow up.

All right.

Then keep right on setting type.

They'll see you through the window...

They won't know we're onto them.

Thank you, sir. I don't wanna leave either.

You have to, Sue. Hurry up. Come on.

You cover that direction.

I'll cover over here. Yes, sir.

And remember, by the time you see them

they're gonna be moving fast,

we'll only have one chance.

Right up to where the street slopes down

then give her that shove to kingdom come!

This whole front page,

all these different stories,

they are one and the same story,

the story of Essie Sutton,

and the town of Madden

that we're ashamed to call our home.

Do we do something now?

Have we finally had enough?

SUE: Here comes Essie.

I've had enough of the likes of you,

Mayberry.

And all the rest of you.

You're leaving Madden, Mrs. Sutton.

JIM: She knows she's leaving.

There are a lot of charges she has to face.

This is my town

and I ain't leaving it

and there ain't nobody can make me.

Easy, Essie.

ESSIE: Stand back.

Stand back

or I'll blast you.

Ain't nobody calls my bluff.

I said I'd do it and I will do it.

Oh, I told you, Essie.

Been telling you you've been pushing too hard.

You didn't tell me you were gonna have John Sayers killed.

You haven't told me anything lately.

I couldn't let you shoot at them,

they're innocent people, the law has to protect them.

I'm the sheriff, Essie, I'm the law.

You made me the law, but that don't change it none!

Didn't you hear me, Essie?

Didn't you hear anything at all I was saying?!

I'm the law!

Not anymore, you're not.

You're being the law just ended

with the death of your sister.

The reign and the rule

of Essie Sutton,

it's over.

JIM: When I left,

Madden had a new town chairman.

His name was Mayberry,

and he was a good man.

It had a new sheriff, too,

Cleve Hepburn,

another good man.

And the prettiest editor and owner

of a newspaper you ever saw,

Susan Sayers.

It'd be a long time though before they

or anybody else would be able

to forget Essie Sutton.