Original subtitles

Thank you.

Hey, Meg!

Miguel, wake up. Huh? Are you all right?

Yeah, sure.

Why?

Pete.

Oh, man.

You spoiled a very beautiful dream.

What do you want?

Well, didn't you hear me yelling?

No. No, I guess I just conked out.

A little too much Kristen yesterday.

Hey, Pete, do me a favor.

Don't tell Mitch.

I said I was coming out here to check the whale heads.

Is this field pumping any better for him now, Meg? Not much.

It's a crazy business.

Criterion hits an ocean of oil, and all Flynn can bring in from next door is a

couple of barrels a day.

Listen, in this business, it's 90 % luck.

It don't matter what the geologists say. There's plenty of oil on this side,

too, and he'll find it.

Just so he doesn't find it in Criterion's pipe.

Well, that's what they used to do in the old days.

Tap their neighbor's pipeline.

Is that a fact?

Oh, sure.

My dad was a wildcatter.

He used to say to me, Pete, don't ever trust a man with surveying equipment

your fence.

Next thing you know, he's going to bring in a... He's going to bring in a crew.

And shovel.

Hey, Pete.

What did you come out here for in the first place? You never did tell me.

Some border jumpers crossed the line down around Lincoln.

I wondered if some of them might have come by your place looking for work. No,

no, they haven't, but I'll let you know.

What's next, Meg?

The crew and the shovels?

Pete, you don't understand.

No, no.

Will Criterion?

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

William Reynolds.

With guest stars James Franciscus.

Simon Scott.

Armando Silvestre.

Tonight's episode, Out of Control.

The two -day search for Border Patrolman Peter McGrath ended in a dry wash 20

miles east of Domingo, Texas.

Another case had already brought a ranking FBI official to the area.

Accompanied by Louis Erskine, Assistant Director Arthur Ward had flown to Laredo

to wind up an internal security matter.

As senior agent on the scene, Ward, therefore, automatically became

for the investigation.

McGrath? You called me about an hour ago.

How was he killed?

A bullet wound in the stomach, close range.

Any motive?

It doesn't seem to have been money. He had $70 in his wallet.

The border's less than a mile south of here.

Could have stumbled on a smuggling operation or an illegal crossing,

like that.

We found one footprint leading away from the car.

He's got grass and dirt in the back of his heels. Any indication he might have

been dragged?

Nearly within 100 yards, no.

I sent some of the soil and grass samples to the lab.

They should have an analysis for the Laredo resident agent by tomorrow night.

Good.

Shot at close range, huh?

Looks as if he might have been taken by surprise.

Maybe even by someone he knew.

Hey, Mitch.

Hey,

Mitch. Will you help me?

What did I tell you?

We're going back worrying about the oil.

Hey, Concho.

Benson, you're getting worse.

You park any further out, you might as well stay in your own garage.

It's your own fault.

You keep telling me you're going to bring in a gusher any minute. I don't

to be drowned.

Well, that's what I like around here, faith.

How's it going, Mitch?

Well, any minute now. You read the geologist's report?

Well, I also read the report on field number one.

Any oil you get out of that will have to be whatever seeped over from Criterion.

Well, the only difference on these figures on number two is they happen to

it.

going to clarify that last statement or just let it hang there?

Well, Banker Benson, you said a good report on number one would help me raise

money for number two, so I gave you a good report.

Listen, this isn't the frontier of 1850. There are laws, controls.

Not for me.

Certainly for you, for everybody.

No, no, nothing basic changes.

Cougars have been killing the sheep ever since there were cougars and sheep on

this earth, and no law's going to change that.

That reminds me of my foreman, Meg Valdez.

He's worried.

Need some help.

Could you give him an alibi for Monday afternoon?

For Monday?

Why?

That's when he shot McGrath.

Mitchell, you're not talking about a side of beef.

That Valdez murdered a man. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Who said anything

about murder? I said he shot the man. That's all with a pair of fangs. Well,

what happened?

Well, Meg was looking for a place to tap into Criterion's lines and McGrath

happened to stumble onto the thing.

Look, Benson.

Either I pay off some of my creditors or I'm gonna have to close down drilling

on this well.

But there is oil down there. You know it and I know it.

And if Criterion can keep me going a month longer or a week longer, then I

figure I gotta use Criterion.

Mitchell, I... I gotta be going.

Mitch, aren't you afraid I'll go to the police with this?

No.

You're my friend.

Well, even friendship has its limits.

Well, Benson, if you really objected to the way I've been working, why didn't

you call the police in five years ago?

You were helping me then.

You knew it was illegal.

Didn't you?

Well, anyway, thanks for giving Meg a hand.

Why don't we just say he come across you on the road last Monday around five.

You had a flat tire. He helped you change it.

Okay.

Thanks again, Doc.

This is the type of grass found on the shoe is Texas needle grass.

The soil itself is a sandy conglomerate. No resemblance to the samples from the

wash where he was found.

Lab. Inspector Erskine calling from Domingo, Texas for Mr. Colby. Yes, he's

right here.

Colby. Hello, Tom.

Hello?

Where are you? You weren't expected in until the morning.

No, we're still in Domingo. We drove back here after the arraignment.

Tom, do you have an analysis yet on the McGrath samples?

Yeah, they just came in.

Incidentally, the shoe print was a size 10.

Hello, John, this is Arthur.

I'd like you to bring that lab report out here yourself on the next flight.

Yes, sir, of course.

What happened?

Well, we found some notes from McGrath's desk on a report he was about to

submit. It seems he picked up a Mexican national who'd been living in Texas

illegally for over five years.

The man told him about an oil operation he'd worked on in Bliss County, where

one of the wells was deliberately set afire so the owner could file a

bankruptcy petition.

The two names that are mentioned in connection with the fraud are Mitchell

and Douglas Benson.

Well, how are they involved in the McGrath murder?

Well, we're not sure, except that Flynn's name figures in both cases.

McGrath kept a trip log.

On the day he was killed, he indicates that he was in Flynn's office looking

the foreman, a man named Miguel Valdez.

He noted that he talked to Flynn, but Flynn denies it.

The soil and grass samples on the grass shoes didn't come from the wash.

Is it going to be difficult getting on Flynn's land to take a look?

Very difficult. We don't expect any cooperation at all.

You'd better get out of here as soon as possible.

We'll have clothes for you, work shoes and a hat.

Work shoes?

Yes, Flynn is hiring people.

He's evidently got great hopes for some of his new fields.

He's working crews day and night, so we'll meet you tomorrow with a truck and

drive you out there.

Have fun, Tom.

I always wanted to get in the oil gang.

Congratulations.

He scares most people half out of their minds.

Bad to meet a man who understands animals, unless you're another one of

creditors. You're Mitchell Flynn?

Yeah. My name's Erskine, Mr. Flynn. I'm with the FBI.

I understand you have a foreman named Miguel Valdez.

Yes, I have.

Is he around? I'd like to talk to him.

Well, I'll send him back if I see him.

He's out in the back property somewhere.

One of my dogs turned up missing last night.

He's a real fighter.

He can take on most anything.

Mountain lion, rattler. Just gonna poke around out there myself.

Oh, Mr. Flynn.

I'd like to join you, if you don't mind.

This kind of country ain't exactly for city boys.

I was born in this kind of country, Mr. Flynn.

I'll be my guest, Billy.

It makes tracks.

Can't be too far.

Hey, Mitch!

Up here!

Crung a trap.

All right, all right, Pacho, easy. Easy, boy, easy. It's me.

I wonder who's been arriving the nearest phone call of that.

No, no, there's no time for that. He'll break that leg if he flops around there

much more. I'll have to take that trap off myself.

We ought to have a tranquilizer.

Meg, you get around the opposite side.

Listen, he doesn't like me.

I've still got the scars. Meg, I said get away. He's afraid the dog will know.

It'll never calm him down.

All right, and you aren't afraid of him?

I've handled dogs before.

All right.

Yeah, you wrap this jacket around your arm. You'll go for your throat if he

jumps. Make sure you get your arm up in time.

Now talk to him.

Try and get his attention.

All my dogs are trained. It's just a question whether he's too bad hurt to

respond.

Quiet.

Quiet.

The teeth go through?

No, it's all right. Okay.

Come on, come on.

Here we go. Yeah.

Yeah. That's it.

That's it.

That's a boy.

Oh, my thanks, Inspector.

You're a man who knows how to hang in there when it counts.

So are you, Mr. Twain. Well, my mother loves me.

Coward or not.

Mr. Erskine, this is my foreman, Miguel Valdez. I think there's an inspector

from the FBI who wants to ask you a few questions.

About what?

About Monday afternoon, Mr. Valdez.

Yeah?

Where are you? Do you remember?

I drove into Domingo in the morning.

I took the pickup.

Yeah.

I started back about 3.

Got in, oh, I guess it was around 8 .30.

Usually take you five and a half hours to drive back from Domingo?

Well, no, sir, but I stopped to change a flat for a guy.

You got his name?

Yeah. I recognized him.

Douglas Benson.

What size shoe do you wear, Mr. Valdes?

Oh, uh, 10.

Okay, thanks very much.

Was that all?

No, for now.

I found a way back.

Okay. Thanks again, Inspector.

What do I do now?

Leave?

Well, that might be just what he's waiting for, Meg.

Why did he want my shoe size?

Maybe I left a footprint.

Oh, you're the only man with a size 10?

Well,

he's got nothing solid.

Anyway, McGrath isn't a problem. Money is.

Been a string of creditors hanging around my neck all week.

Told them I was hiring double crews to work on number two. I need all the ready

cash to meet the payroll.

But nothing worked till I said my old number one field was finally being a

of profit, too.

So there's gonna be half a dozen of them come up here tomorrow, take a look

around.

I thought we'd have Criterion hooked in by then.

Mitch, I just can't risk it. I know, I know.

It's too late anyway.

You figure they'll shut us down?

Yeah.

Yeah, they will if they think I've been conning them.

So we're just gonna have to cover that up.

How? All they have to do is look down the wellhead.

Well, they're still producing some.

Yeah. A few barrels a day ain't enough to fool those boys.

It's enough to singe their eyebrows if they get too close. Enough to keep them

away. Enough to make them think that it might have paid off.

Fire it?

Yeah. Just like this.

Mitch, I'd cut off my right arm for you.

But with the FBI on the property, I'm not... The FBI won't get back on the

property, I promise you that.

Thanks very much.

Len will be in later.

Sure. Did you find the dog?

Yeah, we found him.

He's all right.

Hold on. Get a match.

Hey.

Don't mention it. Keep him.

Mr. Ward?

Mr. Benson?

How do you do?

Sorry I had to keep you waiting.

Quite all right.

Why don't you sit down? Thank you.

I should have phoned for an appointment.

Mr. Benson, do you know a man named Miguel Valdez?

Me? Oh, I've known him for many years.

Well, do you recall seeing him last Monday at any time?

No.

Well, yes, I do, too.

I had a flat when I was driving to Domingo.

Mig was on his way out to the oil fields, and I waved him down, and he

his tire for me.

That should have been around 5 o 'clock in the afternoon, I'd say.

How long has Valdez worked for Mitchell Flynn?

Several years.

As long as Flynn's been in business, as a matter of fact.

How long is that?

Let me see. I first met Mitchell in the spring of 52.

That's probably the worst year of my life.

My wife and son had been killed in a swimming accident three summers before.

I didn't take very good care of myself.

I finally ended up in a tuberculosis sanitarium.

Mitchell was an attendant there.

He was 18.

He didn't believe in death.

He kept joking us out of it, day by day and week by week.

Have you ever met him?

No, I haven't.

Well, Mr. Ward, he's an anachronism.

He belongs in another century.

He's a plainsman, a pirate.

Anyway, he saved my life and probably my sanity, too.

Two years later, I was released.

I told him I'd set him up in any business he wanted.

He picked oil.

He hired Mick Valdez, found a field he liked and sank a well.

And made a very good thing of it, too.

But it wasn't always that way, was it?

He went bankrupt five years ago in Bliss County.

I read the petition.

He listed liabilities of $358 ,000.

Well, it's a very unpredictable business, Mr. Ward.

Some men stumble, some recover.

But who would lend him the money for the two new fields?

I did.

Even though he lost more than a third of a million dollars through the

bankruptcy?

Well, he'd get all that back and more through field number two.

And it's for the bliss bankruptcy.

One of his wells caught on fire. He was literally burned out of the business.

Now, that isn't financial irresponsibility.

That's just plain bad luck, wouldn't you say?

Will you tell me why I always eat so much?

I don't know, Billy.

Maybe you're just a natural born hog.

Well, you didn't have to say that.

I never work in any place where you never see a woman.

Oh, he's usually around.

Is that him in there talking to the boss?

Probably is. That's his pickup out there.

Say, will you tell me something?

What's with you and that grass bit? Every time I look at you, you're always

picking up grass. You're chewing on grass. You've always got grass in your

Now, what's that all about?

I look for different kinds.

It's kind of like a hobby.

A hobby?

Yeah, you see, this is needle grass.

I find a lot of this in the number one field. It grows best in sandy areas,

by a criterion.

Interesting.

Yeah.

Beautiful.

Bye.

Mr. Flynn!

Flynn!

Mr. Flynn's fired out of number one field. This wind's picking up bad.

Sure, that figures.

Just when she's beginning to pay off.

I don't know. Sometimes I wonder. I better get that emergency team over

right now.

Thank you.

You all right?

No.

What happened?

A guy saw me.

Who? One of the new men.

I don't know what he was doing out there, but he saw it all.

Where is he now?

By the pump.

Dead, I think.

You think?

Walking alongside the road.

Brought him in about 20 minutes ago.

Wasn't carrying any identification, but he mentioned the FBI several times, so

we thought we'd better contact your office.

Thank you very much.

How badly was he hurt, doctor?

Well, he sustained a heavy blow to the back of the head.

No fracture according to the x -rays. Probably some concussion, though.

Well, see to it he gets everything he needs.

Oh.

We found these in his pocket.

Would they have any special meaning?

Yes, they have a great deal of meaning. Thank you very much. I'll see about a

private nurse right away.

Checks his needle grass and his soil.

Because though he may have been getting close to McGrath's murderer...

Who was this man? How did he get out there in the first place?

That's a good question.

I don't know. All I know is there's a man walking around loose now who knows

that well was dynamited and that MIG did it.

I guess that MIG Valdez wouldn't implicate you in a thousand years.

No. No, he wouldn't.

Not if he could help himself.

But MIG's not smart enough to stay loose in a witness chair. He'd start talking

about the Bliss bankruptcy.

Including your knowledge of it. Your part in it. Your guilt.

He'd have us all in jail before long, break his heart, but there we'd be.

I don't see what you're going to do about it.

I'm going to ride out there again after sunup and look around.

If I don't find that man or his body, well, we're just going to have to get

of him, that's all.

Send him away, you mean?

No, no. No, they'd just track him down.

Mitchell!

There's no other way.

I'm not going to stand for this.

I'm going to call the FBI.

Douglas, you know, you're not alone out there on that branch you're sawing off.

Let me tell you what else falls if you go to jail.

Your projects, public and private.

Confidence in you, the financial structure of this entire area your banks

I gotta be getting back.

Hank's waiting for me at the office.

Don't you fret about it, Douglas.

No, sir.

Maybe it'll all work out. Maybe that man out there's dead.

Maybe we haven't got a thing in the world to worry about.

What did you find out?

Fires at Flynn's old number one field.

It's out of control. Nobody knows how it started.

Who?

All right, that's it.

Ask the U .S. Attorney to issue a warrant charging assault on a federal

Mitch. What time is it?

It's about six.

Oil still burning?

Yeah, did a good job on that thing.

I won't cap that one for a while.

You'll be a billionaire by then.

Something tells me we're going to bring number two in real soon.

I smell oil on that drill.

Yeah, we'll all be billionaires.

Just don't get so big that you go out of business.

I have to work.

With you, you know.

You'll always be with me, Mick. Don't you worry about that.

Here.

Thank you.

Say, did you, uh... I mean, what about the guy I saw?

I couldn't find Heiner Herob.

You know, uh... He could be out there dead someplace.

I'll get the truck.

See if I can keep any track. Later, mate. Later. You drink your coffee.

I'll be back for you in about an hour.

Where are you going?

Well, I'm just going on the back property. I want to ride around a little

I'll come with you.

Drink your coffee, mate.

I want to be alone.

What a revolution.

Drink your coffee.

Yes, sir.

Adios, Miguel.

I'm looking for Valdez. Have you seen him?

Mister, I haven't seen anything but fire all night long. But I don't know. He

may have gone up into the back country with Mitch or Mr.

Flynn.

Can I borrow your horse again?

Sure, go ahead.

Poison or some kind of depressant.

See if you can find some warm water and fill it back there. We've got to get it

down here.

Talk to me. What's your name?

No.

Where were you born?

Where were you born?

What's your name?

Miguel.

How many pills did you take, Miguel?

Well, you took something.

Coffee. Who gave you the coffee?

Hmm? Who gave you the coffee, Miguel?

He did.

Who's he?

Who? Mitch.

Let me... Let me find it.

Inspector?

Miguel, stop pouring it down.

Make it talkier.

We're moving. Anything to keep him awake.

Okay, help right away.

Von has been poisoned. Call the hospital.

Now, Mr. Ward, what can I do for you so early in the morning?

Mind if I sit down?

Oh, please do.

Mr. Benson, why did you lie to me about seeing Miguel Valdez last Monday?

I didn't lie to you.

We checked with the men who usually service your car. They said you hadn't

brought in a tire for repair.

Well, I had to fix it in another place.

May I have the name of that shop, please?

Mr. Ward, I'm awfully tired this morning.

Perhaps I could call you in a day or two.

All right.

Whatever's most convenient for you.

May have all cleared up by then anyway. The hospital informs us they expect

Valdez to pull through.

What happened to Valdez?

He was given an overdose of sleeping pills. We suspect Mitchell Flynn.

We're looking for him now.

I didn't think he'd go that far.

Mr. Benson, you don't have to tell me a thing.

You may even want to call your lawyer.

But you'd be helping us a great deal if you decided to cooperate now.

It's over, isn't it?

Did Valdez kill McGrath?

Yes.

McGrath had found him trying to tap a criterion pipeline for Mitchell.

Why was he doing that?

Well, there'd be oil to fool the creditors with.

When that didn't work out, Mitchell had Valdez fire the well.

Was the Bliss bankruptcy fraudulent?

I didn't lose a nickel, actually.

He'd set aside a quarter of a million dollars before he fired the Bliss well.

There was no way of knowing, of course, how much he'd sunk in the drilling, so

it was easy to get the creditors off his back.

We still had $250 ,000 between us.

We, you say?

I got part of the quarter of a million, and I'd only put in a few thousand of my

own. And that was the quarter million you pretended to loan him later?

You say you're looking for Mitchell?

Yes, we are.

You'll never take him.

He's not a man for a cage.

You won't give up as long as you can think or move.

Neither will the man who's looking for him, Mr. Benson.

Stay.

Flynn, drop the gun.

I was the one who suggested the fraudulent bankruptcy.

I don't know why I expected it to end there, but I did.

You really believe that, Mr. Benson?

Maybe I didn't want it to stop.

It was a certain excitement to live the way Mitch did.

All right, Mr. Benson, we'll have the statement typed up and you can look it

over.

How's Mick?

He's much better.

The man he hit.

He's fine. He'll be released from the hospital tomorrow.

FBI.

All right, thank you. I'll tell him.

Something else wrong?

I guess it depends on your point of view.

That was flamed number two well.

They've hit a gusher.

Mitchell Flynn and Douglas Benson are serving terms in the federal

for violation of the National Bankruptcy Act. Miguel Valdez was sentenced to 20

years for the murder of Border Patrolman McGrath.

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