All language subtitles for Death.Valley.Days.S04E03.A.Killing.in.Diamonds.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-bigworm_track3_[eng]

OLD RANGER:
And now,Death Valley Days.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Hyah! Yah!

Yah! Yah!

Howdy, folks.
I'’m the Old Ranger,

and I have another
interesting true story for you

about the historic
Death Valley country.

The story you'’re about to hear

is one of the most amazing
ever to come out of the West.

Amazing largely
because of the people involved.

A group of distinguished men
whose names read

like a page from Who'’s Who.

We go back to the year 1871.

San Francisco
is riding the crest

of the greatest financial wave
in its history.

Stocks are booming.
Speculation is rampant.

There'’s an excitement
in the air.

A feeling that
anything could happen,

and it does,

as you'’ll see in the story of...

It starts on an afternoon
in September,

when two weather-beaten
prospectors

come ambling
along Market Street. [ trolley bell clanging ]

Thank you.

There'’s Roberts now.

Now, you let me
do the talking.

This strike is just
as much mine as it is yours.

I was--I know. I know.

But I worked for him.
I know how to handle him.

Come on.

Now, we'’ll only stay in town
long enough to--

Why, Phil Arnold.Oh, howdy, Mr. Roberts.

Haven'’t seen you
in a dog'’s age.

Well, we'’ve been
out prospecting.

Meet my partner John Slack.

This is Mr. George D. Roberts.

Howdy.Glad to know ya.

What'’s new?Well, we--

Is it all right
if I tell him?

Oh, I don'’t know.You mean a strike?

Oh, we can trust him.
Fact, he might be able
to help us.

Mr. Roberts is one of
the biggest mining consultants
in the West.

Well, all right.

[ chattering ]

Not on the street.
Someone might hear.

You got someplace
where we can talk in private?
Where we can show you something?

My office is right inside.

Good. Good.

Come along.

A sack full of diamonds?

Where on earth
did you find them?

That'’s our business,
Mr. Roberts.

We stumbled on the field
by accident,
out there in the wilds.

Are you sure they'’re real?

I took '’em to a jeweler here
in Frisco to be examined.

Here.
Here'’s the report.

Why, this is
absolutely astounding.

These must be worth a fortune.Oh, that'’s only a handful.

A few samples we scraped up.

What do you propose to do?

We'’re not saying.

Mr. Roberts is only
expressing an interest, John,

as an old friend.

We'’re not selling out,
that'’s for certain.

Gonna work
the field ourselves.

That'’ll take capital.

We'’ll raise it, I hope.

I wish you'’d let me show these
to William Ralston.

Ralston?

President of
the Bank of California.

You think Mr. Ralston
would be interested?

He'’d want to know a lot more
about the property first,
of course.

Oh, have us take him
out there, I suppose.

At least being sure that these
aren'’t just a flash in the pan.[ chuckles ]

If it'’s diamonds he wants
to see, I could bring him
a million dollars'’ worth.

Will ya?Hey, now, wait a minute.
Not so fast.

Mr. Roberts wasn'’t suggesting
anything unreasonable, John.

It'’d take a while, of course,
to make the trip.

How long?Oh, couple of months, maybe.

You get started
as soon as you can.

Meanwhile, I'’ll have
a talk with Ralston.

I don'’t like the idea
of this news getting around.

William Ralston is as
closemouthed as they come.

Your secret'’ll be safe.

You will need
working capital.

Well, all right.

Diamonds!
In this country?

That'’s unheard of.

So was gold before '’48.

Or silver till
the Comstock strike.

Who are these men anyway?

Phil Arnold I'’ve known
for many years.

Hired him to investigate
some mining properties for me.

Highly reliable?Absolutely.

And the other man?

John Slack.

I checked on him too.
He'’s an old-time
California prospector.

A bit surly,
but has a good reputation
around town.

The diamonds have been
certified as genuine?

By San Francisco'’s
leading jeweler.

I tell you, Bill,

we'’re onto
something tremendous

if this field turns out
to be as rich as they claim.

And we can keep the news
from leaking out.

They'’ll be out of town
for the next two months.

Good. That'’ll give us
time to organize.

Mind you, these fellas
haven'’t said they'd sell.

Quite the contrary.

If it'’s something we want,
we'’ll get it.

It'’ll take
a lot of money.

And brains.
The best available.

Of course, the whole thing
may prove to be a false alarm.

Well, at least
we'’ll be prepared.

Ready to step in
and take control

of the first
great diamond fields
to be discovered in America.

I'’ll get in touch
with our friend,
Asbury Harpending, right away.

But he'’s in London.

Well, I'’ll cable him
to come back.

He'’ll come when he
hears what'’s afoot.

When I received this cable,
I thought my friends
in San Francisco had gone mad.

Diamonds in the desert.
Diamonds by the sackful.

It sounded like
the Arabian Nights.

Then I reminded myself
that William Ralston

was one of the soundest,
shrewdest financiers
on the West Coast,

and George Roberts
was a top mining consultant.

They wouldn'’t have spent
$1,100 on a cable--

that'’s what it cost them--
if there wasn'’t
something behind it.

So I cut my plans short
and booked passage on a ship

sailing for home
at an early date.

SLACK:
You think we got
a million dollars'’ worth here?

Well, it'’s hard to judge.

Enough, anyhow,
to convince their lordships
we'’re telling the truth.

Sure. You know what I'’d do
just to be on the safe side?

Pack them in two
separate sacks.

Then if anything
happened to one,
we'’d still have the other.

What are you afraid of?
Injuns?

Well, you never can tell.

I'’d hate to
turn up emtpy-handed

after Ralston and Roberts
have waited so long for us.

I'’ve still got
my fingers crossed
about that Ralston.

[ chuckles ]
We'’re in luck to have
such a contact.

Big banker,
with all the money
in the world behind him.

And the old eagle eye out.Oh, sure, sure.

Oh, come on.
Let'’s pack up and get going.

[ no audible dialogue ]

Well, I couldn'’t believe it
when I first saw it.

Well, I'’m glad
it'’s a West Coast deal.

You'’ll keep it that way. [ knocking on door ]

Oh, Harpending.How are you, Roberts?

Give me your hat.
I believe you know
these gentlemen.

Yes, indeed.
How are you, Mr. Ralston?Fine, thank you.

General Dodge.Fine. How are you?

Where'’s Mr. Lent?He couldn'’t be with us today.

Well, gentlemen,
let'’s get down to business.

Pull up a chair.

You couldn'’t have timed
your arrival more opportunely,
Harpending.

This telegram
has just been received
from our prospector friends.

It'’s sent from Reno.

Reno?

Well, then, the diamond field
isn'’t in Arizona,
as we'’d imagined.

Apparently not.

"Arriving on Overland
Thursday evening.

Please have responsible person
meet train
to take over baggage."

"Baggage"? A mere million
dollars'’ worth of diamonds?

Signed "Arnold and Slack."

That isn'’t John Slack?

Do you know him?He used to work for me.

Examined that mining property
I own down in New Mexico.

A good man.Well, I'’m glad to hear that.

Perhaps, then,
you'’d like to meet the train?

Well, what about
you other gentlemen?

No. I think only
one of us should go.

We don'’t want to run
the risk of attracting
too much attention.

Very well.

Take the diamonds
straight to your home.

We'’ll all meet you there
later this evening.Fine.

By the same token, I'’d suggest
that we all arrive separately.

There'’s no telling who
may have got wind of this.

You'’re right.

I'’ll inform the servants.
Y'’all can wait for me
in the library.

I just hope that train
isn'’t late.

They sure looked all in.

Hadn'’t closed their eyes
since they boarded the train.

Seems they already
lost half the diamonds.

Lost them?
Fording the river
on the way back.

Their raft overturned,
and one sack
went to the bottom.

Nearly a million dollars sunk.

Good grief!No chance of recovering them?

They didn'’t even try.
Said there were plenty more
diamonds where these came from.

Wait a minute.
Are the curtains drawn?

Yes, and the door'’s locked.All right. Go ahead.

Look at the size
of some of these!

Bigger than dice!

When they'’re cut,
they'’ll knock your eye out.

Talk about a king'’s ransom.

And these are only half
of what they gathered.

Two men, alone.

Well, gentlemen,
I guess this dispels

any doubts we may have had.

We can go ahead now
and form a company.

The first diamond company
in America.

Hold on. Not too fast.

If we can'’t raise
the necessary capital

here in San Francisco,
we'’ll get it in New York.

I have connections there.There'’s no need for that.

This is a West Coast discovery,
and we intend to keep it here.

Gentlemen, please.

Before we start discussing
plans of organization,

there are several
important steps to be taken.

First of all, these stones
should be examined.

We already have the word
of a reliable jeweler.

I want an appraisement
by the greatest authority

on precious stones
in the United States--
Tiffany & Company.

You'’re taking no chances,
are you?

You bet I'’m not.

We'’re dealing, my friends,
with something that could make
the Gold Rush look pale.

And if Tiffany'’s report
is favorable?

We'’ll send a mining engineer--
the most expert in the country--

out to examine the fields.That'’s a good idea.

I think you'’re right.You'’re forgetting one thing.

What'’s that?Arnold and Slack.

Yes, I'’d forgotten
about them.This is their discovery.

They'’re the only people
in the world who know where
the diamond fields are located,

and they haven'’t yet indicated
they'’d be willing to sell.

Even a part interest.

They'’ll sell.

Why else would they have
gone all the way out there--
wherever they went--

to bring us back a million
dollars'’ worth of diamonds,
more or less?

We'’ll have a meeting with them
the first thing in the morning.

Pardon me, Bill, but I think
you'’d better stay out of this.

Arnold and Slack are
kind of suspicious of you."Suspicious"?

Well, they'’re afraid that
you'’ll try to cut them out.

You leave the negotiating
to Harpending and me.
We know them.

They trust us.That'’s a fact, Bill.

Well, all right.

Just so long as you
make a deal with them.

We will.
To our advantage.

We'’ll tie 'em up.
Properly.
Uh-huh.

Meanwhile,
I'’ll deposit these
for safekeeping.

Uh, you think our friends
will trust my bank?

[ laughter ]

You admit you have to have
working capital.

Our group'’s willing
to provide it.And grab control.

You and Slack will still
retain an interest.
A good big one.

I'’d rather not sell.Well, how are you
gonna proceed?

Someone'’ll lend us the money
on the diamonds
we already have.

Look, Arnold,
you need more than money.
You need protection.

The minute the news
of this strike leaks out,

there'’s gonna be a rush
like nothing you ever
saw before in your life.

You'’ll have claim jumpers,
legal battles,
problems with the government.

Do you realize that
there isn'’t even a law existing

under which diamond fields
can be located and held?

Try to do this on your own,
and you'’ll end up with nothing.

The sharpers will move in.

I might part
with a small interest.

A quarter?

Mm, I reckon.

You'’re a fool, John!

We'’ll pay you
$100,000 for it.

Cash on the barrelhead?Cash.

That'’d still leave me
three quarters.

It'’s a deal.Good.

How about you?

Well, I'’ll think it over.
Let you know later.

I'’m heading
for the East tomorrow.

Why, you only
just got here.

I'’m taking
the last lot of diamonds

back to Tiffany & Company
in New York

for examination.Tiffany?

Experts in precious stones.

That'’s smart.

You'’ll still be around,
Mr. Roberts,

in case I change my mind
about selling?

I'’ll be here
waiting for ya.

We'’ll fix up the papers
and give you a check
for your part of the deal.

Thanks.

[ door closes ]

Well, we made
a little headway.

Arnold will come through.

He'’s just overpowered
by the magnitude
of the whole thing.

Can'’t say that I blame him.

Just how big is it,
Roberts?

Hmm?
Can we swing it
here in California?

Well, Ralston
seems to think so.
And his associate, Lent.

Well, I don'’t.

I think we'’re gonna have to
interest New York capital.

That'’s one of the things
I plan to do while I'’m east.

You'’ve heard
of Samuel Barlow?

The attorney?
Why, yes.

Well, he'’s a friend of mine,
and well connected
in Wall Street.

If we decide
to incorporate back there,

he could arrange
to float the stock.

For ten million, easily.

Ralston will want
to go with it.

All right.
We'’ll leave tonight.

Put the store before Barlow
by the end of the week.

The proposition
that Harpending and Ralston
presented to me

sounded like
the biggest strike in history.

But I wasn'’t gonna
let myself get too
excited about it at first.

Not Samuel Barlow.

I examined all angles,
sifted the facts.

I had him send
for Arnold to come East.

Invited him out to my home
in Glen Cove, Long Island,

to become thoroughly
acquainted with him.

I found Arnold to be
a simple, sincere,

straightforward fellow,
and an experienced miner.

There wasn'’t a flaw
in his story.

But the thing that
really clinched the case,
as far as I was concerned,

was the appraisal
from Charles Tiffany himself.

Our lapidary
has examined these stones

and finds them
to be genuine diamonds.

All that remains now
is to find out
how extensive the fields are.

How about it, Arnold?

You and Slack
willing to guide
an expedition there?

Mm, we'’re placing ourselves
at your mercy.

You don'’t think
we'’d jump your claims?

Well, I oughta have
some sort of guarantee.

In the form of... money.

Well, how much?Mm...

$100,000?100,000?

Oh, you don'’t have to
pay it over now.

You can hold it for me
till you get a report
on the fields.

Well, that'’s fair enough.

Thank you.

We'’ll want the best
mining opinion
in the country.

And there'’s just
one man to send:
Henry Janin.

He'’s expensive.But he'’s infallible.

Janin has experted
some 600 mining properties,
to my knowledge,

and never once
made a mistake.

If he has any fault,
it'’s that he's
ultraconservative.

BARLOW:
That'’s the kind
of man you need.

We can'’t afford to take chances
with so many millions at stake.

I'’ll get in touch
with Henry Janin tonight.

I, Henry Janin,
did agree to undertake the job

for $2,500 cash,
all expenses,

and the privilege of buying
1,000 shares in the new company.

In the party that set forth
were General Dodge,

Mr. Harpending, myself,

and, of course,
Arnold and Slack.

We left the railroad
at a little station

near Rawlins Springs, Wyoming,

where we hired an outfit
and struck out
into the wilderness.

I'’ve traveled over
some pretty rough country,

but this was
about the roughest.

After four days, we finally
reached the diamond fields

and started in prospecting.

We were rewarded at once.

There were diamonds
all through the area.

In the crevices of rocks.

In little anthill formations.

How deep they went,
nobody could guess.

We made only
a surface examination.

But enough to satisfy me
that here indeed

were diamonds in plenty.

Then I got busy and surveyed

all the neighboring ground
that resembled it.

We staked out
everything in sight,

set up notices of occupation,

secured title to water rights
and timberland.

Leaving Slack
to guard the property,

the rest of us
returned to New York

where I filed
my official report.

I don'’t know when I've ever been
more excited about a project.

As I told Mr. Ralston,

"Give me 20 men--
rough laborers--

"and I'’ll have
a million dollars'’ worth
of diamonds out for you

the end of the month."

This diamond field
would control the world market,

I felt sure.

Now that you
got Janin'’s report,

how about that down payment
I was promised?

$100,000.

Make it 150,000.

Getting bigger ideas, huh?

You'’re right.

I'’ll speak to my friends
about it right away.
Thanks.

We paid out his $150,000
on account.

With what we'’d
already paid Slack,

that represented an outlay of
a quarter of a million dollars--

only a fraction of what
we now had to raise
for working capital.

There'’ll be no difficulty.

Give me an hour on Wall Street,
and we'’ll have
the money subscribed.

Mm. That'’s very kind
of you, Mr. Barlow,

but I am definitely
of the opinion

that the stock
should be floated
in California.

You know, I'’ve come
to the same conclusion.

Well!
For once, we agree.

[ laughter ]

You'’re thinking in terms
of a $10 million corporation?

San Francisco can swing it.

I have the word
of my associates.

You have been
in communication with them?

Every day since
the expedition returned.

Ralston'’s assurance
is good enough for me.

I'’ll go along
with the rest of you.

Well, I can see
that I'’m outvoted.

I'’m sorry, Mr. Barlow.

Oh, I understand.
But it would'’ve been
a satisfaction

to finance this great
diamond company.

We appreciate all you'’ve
done for us, Mr. Barlow.

I wish there was some way
we could express our gratitude.

There is.
Allow me to subscribe

to a block of stock
when it'’s issued.

Well, if we have our way,
you'’ll be elected
a director of the company.

[ chuckles ]

The news
of a great diamond strike

hit San Francisco
like a bombshell.

The streets were jammed
with excited people
talking, shouting...

[ chattering ]

trying to get a peek
at the display of diamonds

in the window
of a prominent jewelry store.

[ clicking ] Everybody wanted to buy stock,

but the only the cream
of the financial
and business world

were permitted to subscribe.

Men like David D. Colton,

Thomas H. Selby,

Milton S. Latham,

Louis Sloss,
General George B. McClellan,

William Willis,
W.F. Babcock.

From London came a cablegram
from the House of Rothschild

offering to act
as European representative.

Arnold and Slack
were bought out

for a total of $660,000.

Slack disappeared.

And I come back
to Hardin County, Kentucky,

with enough to buy me
a fine house and land

and open up a bank
in my hometown,

like I'’d always
dreamed of doing.

Oh, not a bank as big
as Ralston'’s Bank of California,

but I'’m satisfied.

I don'’t want millions.
I'’ve done all right.
[ chuckles ]

Yes, sir, I'’ve done all right.
[ chuckles ]

This map shows the boundaries
and the various locations.

Discovery claim.

Diamond flat.

Sapphire hollow.

Just how soon
can we start operations?

Well, with two million dollars
on deposit in the bank,

there'’s nothing
to hold us back.

Gentlemen.Janin.

Excuse me for breaking in
on you like this unannounced.

Not at all.
Glad to see you.

This is Mr. Clarence King.Ah, the honored geologist.

At present, employed
by the United States Government

as head of
its Fortieth Parallel Survey.

How do you do?
How do you do?
Good to know you.

Mr. King has some information
of vital importance to us.

Well, won'’t you sit down?

I'’m the bearer
of unfortunate news,
gentlemen.

You have all been duped,
the victims of
a gigantic swindle.

What are you talking about?"Duped"? What do you mean?

Please, please...What in the world do you mean?

Let him tell you the story
just as he'’s told it to me.

As Mr. Janin explained,

I'’m in charge of
the government'’s survey
of the fortieth parallel.

Hearing about this
great diamond discovery

and realizing that it lay
within the province of our work,

I decided
to visit the fields

in order to include an account
of them in my official report.

Well, it was everything
I had been led to expect.

Diamonds everywhere--

in the surface of rocks,
in little anthills.

I'’ll confess
that we helped ourselves

to quite a few.

I'’ll confess, too,
that if we had left
after the first day,

I would'’ve been
completely fooled as anybody,

even Mr. Janin here.

But on the second day,
one of our parties

saw something sparkle
in a crevice

and picked it out.

It was a cut diamond,

clearly bearing the marks
of a lapidary'’s tools.

I realized then
that these diamond fields

were a gigantic fraud,

salted by somebody
with diabolical cleverness.

But Tiffany'’s appraisement.

Oh, the diamonds
were genuine,

only nature
hadn'’t put them there.

I still can'’t believe it
till I see it with my own eyes.

We'’ll go back together,
and I'’ll show you.

There'’s no doubt
in your mind, Mr. King?

None whatsoever.

You'’ve been taken by two
of the slickest operators
in the business.

Your friend Arnold.

And your friend Slack.

I'’d have staked my life
on their honesty.

As president of the company,

I shall stop the sale
of stock immediately.

This is the cruelest blow
I'’ve ever been dealt
in my life--

to be made the laughingstock
of the whole world.

We'’ll never live it down.

But there'’s one thing
you can be sure of:

No one will lose a penny,

if I have to pay it back
out of my own pocket.

And that'’s a promise.

OLD RANGER:
And Ralston kept that promise.

When the last debt was settled,
he had the canceled checks

framed and hung
on the wall of his office

as a daily reminder
of man'’s gullibility and guile.

What about Arnold and Slack?

Slack vanished from
the face of the earth.

Arnold was tracked down
in Kentucky by Mr. Lent
and sued.

He denied everything,
of course.

But he paid back $150,000

with the stipulation
that no further legal action

be taken against him.

A year later,
he was shot to death.

Gradually, the background story
was pieced together.

Arnold, using the money
which he and Slack had made
in a lucky mining deal,

had gone to England
and purchased the stones in bulk

from a London merchant.

Low-grade stones
which cost him $35,000.

Together, he and Slack
had salted the field.

The fact that nobody
in the United States
was familiar with diamond mines

was a great factor
in their favor.

Well-- Well,
the rest you'’ve heard.

And that'’s the story
of America'’s Great Diamond Hoax.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]