Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger,

with an exciting new story of real life in the Old West.

A man of flamboyant style

of dressing, speaking and living.

A man grimly determined to be known for himself

rather than just as a son of Sam Houston,

the great Texas liberator.

That was Temple Houston.

And by the time he had left Texas and opened a law office

in Woodward, Oklahoma territory,

he had won shooting contests

against men like Bat Masterson and Billy the Kid.

As well as spectacular courtroom battles,

from the foremost legal figures of his day.

But on the morning of September 24, 1893,

he himself was unaware that both his gunmanship

and his legal brilliance

were about to receive their most severe test.

He knew nothing then of...

Sorry, Mr. Houston, but Barney here saw the gun first.

You want my opinion, it'’s much too light for either of you.

Well, it ain'’t for me. It'’s for my kid.

Billy? [ chuckles ]

I thought books was more up his alley than bullets.

He'’ll stop bein' a bookworm now that he'’s turned 21.

SHOPKEEPER: 21, huh?

Today.

I'’ll need a belt and a holster, too.

Uh, somethin'’ real nice.

Well, you can always bring '’em back if he won'’t wear 'em.

Why shouldn'’t he wear 'em?

I'’ll leave it to you, Mr. Houston.

Ain'’t it time he grew up?

Why, Billy'’s got a more mature mind

than 90 percent of the people in this town.

Sure. But you'’re a book man

and it don'’t make you refuse to wear a gun.

Maybe Billy'’s got more moral courage than I have.

Set me up a box of .45 cartridges, Will.

[ door opens ]

Tell Billy happy birthday.

Dawn?

Hurt your finger?No, but I used the last tack

and there'’s still reams of stuff to put up.

Well, stay where you are and I'’ll go across the street and get some more.

[ horse snorting ]

Hi, Sheriff, Mr. Houston.

Hey. Suzy.

Hey, that ain'’t no way to greet an old friend.

After I'’ve come hundreds of miles out of my way just to see you.

Let me go, Wes.

You don'’t believe me? Ask the boys.

I'’ve been tellin' '’em all about you, Suzy.

That'’s a fact, ma'am.

I'’ve been hearin' things about you, too.

Well now, you can'’t believe everything you hear.

If I was as bad as they painted me,

I'’d be in jail right now. Ain'’t that right?

You'’d be on the gallows if there was proof.

They say you'’ve murdered a dozen men in cold blood.

That'’s not true, is it, boys?

Their blood wasn'’t at all cold.

[all laughing]

Suzy.

Hey, look at the decorations!

Yeah, that'’s some decoration.

You gonna have a real bang-up birthday party, huh?

That'’s real nice. Ain'’t it, fellas?

We are invited, huh?

Suppose I said you weren'’t?

You wouldn'’t do a thing like that, Suzy.

Me being an old beau,

and my two friends here bein'’ strangers in town.

Who'’s the party for?

Billy.Billy Jackson?

Well, what do you know.

My old rival for Suzy girl.

What do you think I ought to give him

for a birthday present, huh?

These presents he likes, huh?

Well, naturally, if you want to be a writer--

A writer?

Why, he likes your present, too, dear.

Don'’t you, Billy?

Sure I do, Dad.

But you won'’t wear it?

I suppose I will... someday.

Well, this day is as good as any.

You'’re not gonna leave this house without wearing that gun.

Aw, please, Dad. I really don'’t see--

You heard me, Billy!

I'’m gonna make a man out of you if it kills me.

And you.

I just don'’t see why he thinks a gun is a sign of manhood.

And why a book, or a painting,

or anything else that contains beauty is--

sissy stuff.

About the most beautiful thing I could imagine

would be a peaceful home.

Me too, me too.

Then do what your father asks, Billy, please.

Wearin'’ a gun doesn't mean you have to use it.

Do it for me, dear.

♪♪ [ music playing ]

You afraid he won'’t show up or that he will?

I just can'’t figure out what'’s happened to him.

Well, maybe he heard I was in town.

Billy!

Wearing a gun?

What for?

No reason. I just decided to wear one. Why?

I don'’t know.

Just looks sort of strange on you, that'’s all.

Just forget about it, will ya?

Well, little Willie got here after all, didn'’t he?

What'’s the matter? Don'’t you remember me?

Yeah, I remember you.

Sure you do.

He'’s one of my best school chums.

Wasn'’t you, Willie?

Stop calling me Willie.

WES: Oh, I'’m sorry.

You never did like being called Willie,

did you, Willie? [ chuckles ]

Look, I'’m warnin' you, Wes.

You warnin'’ me?

Oh, you'’re a big man, now that you'’re 21.

You got a shiny new gun, too, huh?

You know how to use it?

No. Well, then you better not try warnin'’ me,

'’cause I ain't feelin'’ so friendly toward you anyway.

Uh, come on, Susan, let'’s dance or somethin', huh?

That ain'’t polite, Willie.

She was dancin'’ with me when you come in.

Now, you just go over to that punch bowl and have some of that punch.

Me and the boys put some real punch in it.

Maybe it'’ll give you some courage.

♪♪ [ music continues ]

You better get the sheriff.

Looks like there'’s gonna be some trouble.

[ groans ] Wes!

[ glass breaks ] Stop it, will ya!

Well, that'’s mighty strong soundin'’, Willie.

You got what it takes to back that up?

You don'’t scare me.

Well, maybe you ought to start gettin'’ scared, Willie.

Because I just might teach you how to use that gun

before the night'’s over.

He'’s only teasing, Billy. He'’s trying to get your goat.

[ chatter ]

Hey, Willie.

You didn'’t have that drink like I told you to.

I said drink it, not sniff it.

[ glass breaks ]

[ scoffs ] Believe me,

it would'’ve done you more good inside.

You'’re gonna need that courage when the party'’s over

'’cause I'll be waitin'’ for you right outside.

Soon as you poke your nose out, I'’m gonna empty my gun at you.

And when you'’re lyin' there with the wind

whippin'’ through them bullet holes,

I'’ll be escortin' little Miss Suzy home.

And you know somethin'’?

It'’s gonna take us a real long time

gettin'’ there, too.

[ gunshot ][ screams ]

You Billy?

He shot him in the back!

Hello, Susan.

I'’m sorry to trouble you at night, Mr. Houston,

but I'’ve been waiting all day and--

Sit down, Suzy.

Well, I must say, you'’re a persistent young lady.

I guess I have to be to win my point

for the best attorney in the whole West.

Well, if I do have that reputation,

I did not win it by defending men

who are thoughtless enough to commit murder

in front of a room full of witnesses.

Billy'’s father was here three days ago.

I refused the case.

So has every other lawyer in the territory.

Well, I can'’t say I blame them.

Well, somebody has to defend him, Mr. Houston.

How? On what grounds?

Suzy, what can be said in Billy'’s defense?

The judicial code is one thing,

but the code of the West is another.

And it says that regardless of provocation,

no man is ever justified in shooting another in the back.

Then why don'’t they go ahead and hang him without a trial!

Why do they have to wait for Mr. Brooker

to come from Guthrie to send him to the gallows?

Nathaniel Brooker is coming from the capital

to try this case?

Yes, why?

He must really want to hang your Billy

to bring him into this.

Nathaniel Brooker beat me in my last case.

By methods I can'’t say I particularly admired.

Suzy, you'’ve got yourself a lawyer.

You'’re sure that Mr. Jackson is the customer

to whom you sold the murder weapon?

Yes, sir.

Did he tell you why he bought the gun?

He said it was for his kid, Billy.

You know whether that was before or after

Billy'’s lifelong enemy arrived in town?

MR. HOUSTON: Objection, Your Honor!

JUDGE: Sustained.

All right.

[ snickers ]

Your witness, Mr. Houston.[ thudding ]

No examination.

And the prosecutor better be careful

how he handles that gun if it'’s half as loaded

as his question.

[ crowd chattering ]

Now, Mr. Jackson,

I'’m asking you for the last time,

did you or did you not

give this gun to your son?

Yes, I gave it to him.

I even loaded it.

I did everything but pull the trigger for him.

But you didn'’t pull the trigger, Mr. Jackson. He did.

And he'’s the one who's going to swing for it.

Your Honor, I should like to protest--

All right. Your witness, Mr. Houston.

Now, Mr. Jackson, would you tell the jury

why you bought your son such an unusual birthday present?

I bought it for him for his 21st birthday.

I--I had a crazy idea that it might make a man out of him.

Well, what made you think your son wasn'’t a man?

Well, for one thing,

he never stood up for his rights.

Not even in school, when the other boys would pick on him.

So how about later, Mr. Jackson,

to the best of your knowledge,

did Billy ever indulge in barroom brawls, free-for-alls,

or gunfights prior to the night of September 24th?

No.

He'’d run a mile rather than--

Your Honor, I object strenuously

to this irrelevant discussion of the defendant'’s proclivities

for getting into fights or avoiding them.

This isn'’t the office of the school principal,

this is a court of law!

And Billy Jackson'’s on trial for murder!

Perhaps Mr. Houston will tell us the objective

of this line of questioning.

Be happy to, Your Honor.

I'’m attempting to establish that Billy Jackson

was a sensitive, scholarly, peace-loving young man.

Usually referred to by his inferiors

as a "sissy".

And as a matter of fact, he never would'’ve engaged

in a fight of any kind, with or without guns,

unless his own life were in jeopardy.

It is a matter of fact,

Billy Jackson fired in self-defense.

And I'’m prepared to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt, sir,

that Wes Corbett was shot in the back,

and that he didn'’t even make a move for his gun.

I'’d like to see how you intend

to prove self-defense, Mr. Houston.

Well, unless Mr. Brooker manages to find himself

some urgent business in Guthrie that might necessitate

his withdrawal from this case,

I will show him just that.

[ murmuring ]

Now, based on your past experience, Sheriff Ketchum,

would you say that Wes Corbett had been reaching for his gun

at the time he was shot?

It'’s doubtful.

And he was shot in the back?

Yes.

That'’s all.

Your witness, Mr. Houston.

Thanks.

Now, Sheriff Ketchum, would you tell me how you happened

to reach the scene of the crime so quickly?

Well, one of the kids came after me.

I'’ve been expecting trouble and I'’d have been there earlier,

but a little ruckus down at the saloon.

Now, why should you expect trouble at a young people'’s birthday party?

Wes Corbett was there, and he had a mighty bad reputation.

As a paid gunslinger? Yes.

As a fast-draw artist?

Objection, Your Honor.

As the killer of a dozen or more men?

I said objection!

Wes Corbett is not the one who'’s on trial here.

Objection sustained.

That'’s all. [ murmuring ]

Ben, in your, uh, professional opinion,

Wes Corbett was a fast draw.

Well, I already told you, he was like lightning.

That'’s why all this self-defense talk is just so much hogwash.

Why, if Wes had even thought about drawin'’ on that little pantywaist,

he wouldn'’t be sitting over yonder right now.

But Billy had every right

to believe that Wes meant those threats, didn'’t he?

No such of a thing.

Now, at the party, didn'’t Wes tell Billy

he'’d be waiting outside for him?

And that he was gonna empty his gun at him?

Well...

Well didn'’t he say that?

Well, the words is right,

but he didn'’t say 'em like you.

He was only kiddin'’.

He was kiddin'’ him all evening.

We was only at that party to have a little fun.

Thank you, Mr. Matthew. [ murmuring ]

Miss Maynard,

the events of the night of September 24th

stand out clearly in your memory?

Yes.

Then you surely must recall

having told Billy that

Wes didn'’t mean his threats.

He was just trying to get Billy'’s goat.

Might'’ve said something like that.

Well, did you or didn'’t you?

Yes, I did.

And you couldn'’t have made that statement

if you were in fear of, uh,

shall we say bodily harm from Wes Corbett?

I guess not. I-- But you were

in fear of what Billy might do.

Even without provocation, weren'’t you?

What Billy would do?

Isn'’t it a fact, Miss Maynard,

that Billy once caught you kissing Wes Corbett

and that he was furious about it?

I didn'’t want Wes to kiss me. Wes forced me to!

And anyway, that was two years ago.

Oh! So Billy'’s jealousy of Wes Corbett

has been growing for years.I didn'’t say he was jealous. I--

Well, shouldn'’t he be jealous if his girl invited another man

to take her home from the birthday party?

It'’s a lie. I never asked him to take me home!

Did you happen to tell Billy that you didn'’t ask Wes to take you home?

I didn'’t have a chance to say anything to him!

The first thing I knew--No, perhaps you were too busy

enjoying the spectacle of two men vying over your favors.

Perhaps you even hoped that Billy'’s jealousy would provoke Wes

into taking you along with him when he left Woodward again!

Stop it! Stop it!

Leave her alone![ murmuring ]

I won'’t listen to any more of this!

[ grunts ] Billy!

Now, you calm down.

Come on. Sit down here.

Sit down.

Now, behave yourself.

[ gavel tapping ]

The court will recess for a period of one hour.

Well, we got another 15 minutes yet.

I'’d hoped that drink would make me feel more optimistic about the boy,

but it didn'’t.[ sighs ]

Don'’t look very good for him, does it, Temp?

Well, they ought to put that noose around Brooker'’s neck.

I'’ve never seen a prosecutor get away with such murder.

Billy didn'’t help any when he tried to escape.

The only thing he was runnin'’ away from

was that scandalous attack on Susan.

I know, I know.

I'’d almost try to engineer an escape for him myself.

I'’d do anything in the world for that boy, short of that.

I'’ve known him since the day he was born.

It was 21 years ago.

Short life.

Not a merry one.

He'’s not swingin' yet, Phil.

Not if you really meant what you just said about helpin'’ him.

What you tryin'’ to say, Temp?

I think we better have another drink.

You'’ve heard all the testimony

that'’s been given.Yes.

And in the face of it, do you dare deny

shooting Wes Corbett in the back?

I never denied it.

Oh. Then it'’s your contention

that he went for his gun before you drew?

Oh, no, he never reached for his gun.

Then there was no reason for you to kill him

except your insane jealousy. Do you dare deny that?

[ murmuring ]

[ scoffs ]

Self-defense.

Your Honor,

I should like to take a moment to pay tribute

to the absolutely unparalleled callousness of Mr. Brooker.

He took this case because he thought

it was an open-and-shut affair.

And he is so eager to add another feather

to the war bonnet he will wear

when he goes campaigning in the November elections,

that he has had absolutely no regard for the reputation

of a young girl or the life of a young boy.

Your Honor, I object to this personal attack.[ murmuring ]

Objection sustained.

Do you or do you not wish to cross-examine the witness, Mr. Houston?

With Mr. Brooker'’s kind permission, I will.

Permission granted. Thank you.

Now, Billy, prior to your birthday

had you ever owned a gun before?No, sir.

Had you ever gone hunting or shooting with your father?

No. He wanted me to, but...

No, I didn'’t.

Billy, did you know how to handle a gun?

Not very well.

Were you aware of Wes Corbett'’s reputation as a fast gun?

I sure was. Tell me then, Billy,

prior to the night of your birthday party,

did it ever occur to you that you might be able to outdraw

or outshoot a professional gunman like Wes Corbett?

Mr. Houston, despite your unwarranted attacks on a prosecutor,

he hasn'’t seemed fit to object to this line of questioning,

but I shall have to warn you against leading the witness.

Oh, my apologies, Your Honor.

It was my impression that this court was interested in discovering the truth.

It most certainly is.

And if you make any further implications to the contrary,

I shall have to hold you in content.

[ murmuring ]

In that case, sir, we shall be even.

[ murmuring ]

I don'’t mean to tell you how to run your business, Mr. Houston,

but you'’re makin' everybody mad at ya.

I hope so. [ gavel tapping ]

Mr. Houston, I see no reason to penalize the defendant

for your outrageous antics, so I'’m going to overlook it.

Any more questions?

Just a few.

Now, Billy, prior to the night of Wes'’s death

had you ever fired a gun?

Once or twice, at a target.

Not a human one on prior occasions, I presume?

You presume right for once, Mr. Brooker.

Only the purposeful goading and taunting of West Corbett

could'’ve induced Billy Jackson to fire at a human target.

You can'’t goad a man into committing murder, Mr. Houston,

unless he'’s already a murderer at heart!

Oh, can'’t you, Mr. Brooker?

Well, let me tell you that Wes Corbett'’s threats

would'’ve had a profound effect on a far braver man than Billy Jackson.

Gentlemen, there has been some question

as to whether Wes Corbett meant his threats.

Anyone who has ever known a professional gunslinger

can tell you that he really meant them.

And Billy Jackson knew he meant them.

And he also knew that his only chance in living past his 21st birthday

laid in shooting before Wes Corbett was ready.

To ignore that one chance

would'’ve been suicide.

And to take it was self-defense.

Now, any of you gentlemen who may say

that Billy should'’ve waited for a fair draw

has never really seen a fast gun in action.

Gentlemen, you can hardly see his hand move when he...

[ people exclaiming ] [ gavel banging ]

Order! Order!

Now, gentlemen, before you cast your ballots,

you ask yourselves what you would'’ve done

if a fast gun had threatened your life.

Your Honor, in all my years in court,

I'’ve never seen such a cheap gallery-playing charlatan.

This man'’s a disgrace to the legal profession!

If it'’s the last thing I do, I'’ll have this shyster disbarred.

Come outside and repeat your name-calling, Mr. Brooker.

I do all my fighting in the courtroom.

And I'’ll tell you why, Mr. Brooker.

Because you are too yellow to fight with anything but words.

You'’re yellow, Mr. Brooker.

Yellow, yellow, yellow![ people gasping, murmuring ]

[ woman screams ]

When they hear how he provoked you,

nobody will blame you in the slightest.

I don'’t know how badly you'’re hurt,

but you asked for whatever you got.

I got what I asked for.

Cooperation from Sheriff Ketchum,

who loaded his gun with blanks at my request.

And complete substantiation from you two gentlemen,

for everything I'’ve said on Billy Jackson'’s behalf.

The defense rests.

Temple Houston need not have feared

being known only as the son of a famous father.

His victory in the Billy Jackson case was but one among hundreds,

and he because known as the greatest

of the frontier lawyers and showmen.