Original subtitles

Witch! Witch!

Murder! You killed Petey!

[ chanting ] Witch! You killed Petey!

BOYS: Witch! Witch! You killed Petey!Go away! Go away!

Witch! Witch! You killed Petey!

Sheriff! Sheriff! Witch! Witch! You killed Petey!

Witch! Witch...You quiet down, or I'’ll put you on bread and water.

Please stop those kids! They'’re driving me crazy! You killed Petey!

Witch! Witch! You killed Petey!Stop them! Stop them!

You know more about stopping kids than I do. Witch! Witch...

At least-wise your own kid.[ screams ]

Witch! Witch! You killed Petey!

Witch! Witch...

♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

It was 1870, Solita Flats.

Feeling against Martha Sayles,

accused of poisoning her 11-year-old stepson

with a patch of strychnine, was running high.

People called her the Tiger Woman.

She was to be the cause of a...

Morning, matey.

Good morning.

You got a room?

Nope. Circuit court got in yesterday.

Took them all.I was afraid of that.

I generally get in ahead of them.

Any other place I can put up?

Got someone leaving in about six bells.

Good. Save it for me.

Oh, and, uh, save this too, would you?

Sign on.

How much?

Oh, take it. Compliments of Snug Harbor.

Thanks.

I guess I'’ll take a look around town,

get cleaned up.

Hey, matey, would you like to know why

I christened this place Snug Harbor,

right in the middle of the desert?

Oh, I assume it'’s because you were a sailor

who hated the sea.

That'’s right.

Only most people asked.

Hey, what is that stuff?

It'’s bay rum.

Ah, it'’s pure murder.

Must be the same stuff this woman used on her boy.

She'’s my wife.

It was my son, too.

Oh.

Oh, I'’m sorry. I-- I shouldn't have said such a thing.

You only know what you read in there.

You mean, there'’s more to it?

She didn'’t do it.

Ah, but what difference does it make?

They already got her convicted.

Juries are usually pretty fair.

Not in Solita Flats.

Small town, small minds.

They had it in for Martha for a long time.

Why?On account of I was married

when Martha and I first met.

They blamed her when I left my wife.

Oh, the other woman.

Well, that'’s what they called her,

and a lot worse things too.

Thing is, that my wife and I were really finished

before Martha and I got together.

But I wasn'’t gonna do any talking,

tell my side just to satisfy their gossiping.

Well, if she'’s got a smart lawyer,

he'’ll use the town's bigotry to your wife'’s advantage.

Sure.

Trouble is, there'’s only one lawyer in town,

and he wouldn'’t touch the case with a tent stake.

Well, now, that'’s where you'’re wrong.

There are two lawyers in this town.

You mean, you'’re a lawyer?

Mm-hmm.

I'’ll defend your wife.

My name'’s Will Thorne.

A barber'’s not a rich man, you know.

The shave will do for a retainer.

Miguelito.

Thanks.Thank you, Mr. Thorne.

I know, Mrs. Sayles, but tell me.

When you saw that your son was having convulsions,

what did you do?

I sent for Dr. Mitchell.

When Dr. Mitchell saw Petey, what did he do?

He gave him some medicine.

What medicine?

I don'’t know.

Didn'’t he tell you?

Maybe he did. Everything happened so fast.

They wouldn'’t even let me go to the funeral.

Those filthy, rotten, evil--

Tell me, Mrs. Sayles,

did you care for the boy?He was my son.

Not exactly.

He was your stepson.

I love his father.

But that doesn'’t answer my question.

They say that you disliked the boy, hated him.

How could I?

Anything Jim'’s is a part of me.

I'’m sorry, Mrs. Sayles. I don'’t like to probe into wounds,

but I have nothing to go on,

and I'’m trying to save your life.

I'’m not sure it'’s worth saving anymore.

You'’re innocent, aren't you?

Yes, but nobody in this whole town believes it.

I don'’t see why you should either.

I'’ll tell you why.

Any man who sticks by a woman guilty of poisoning his own son

is either a madman or a fool.

Your husband is neither.

[ bell rings ]

Doctor.How do you do, sir?

My name'’s Will Thorne.

I see, Mr. Thorne. You here for an examination?

Oh, no, thank you.

Well, then, what seems to be your trouble?

No trouble, Doctor.

I'’m in town to defend Mrs. Sayles.

Then you are in trouble. Hip deep, I'’d say.

Do you think she'’s guilty?

That'’s for a jury to decide.

But you attended the boy.

Yes, I was called in when Petey took sick.

I knew him all his life.

I brought him into this world.

Unfortunately, I saw him out of it, too.

Gave him some belladonna.

Didn'’t do any good though.

I never saw anything like it.

I simply could not stop the foaming.

Then there'’s no question in your mind but that it was strychnine?

Oh, none whatsoever.

That'’s what the coroner said, and that'’s the way I signed the death certificate.

I suppose you'’ll testify in court?

Oh, yes. I'’m one of the chief witnesses.

You understand I may have to cross-examine you?

Of course. Feel free to ask any question you like,

either on the stand or off.

Thank you, Doctor.

You'’ve been most cooperative.

Hi, Mr. Thorne.Hello, Miguelito.

Is your boss in?

He'’s over at the jail, visiting.

Well, you taking care of the customers?

There'’s no customers to take care of.

You were the only one today.

I guess I did better job than my boss.

You gonna get Mrs. Sayles off, mister?

Well, I'’d like to say yes, Miguelito.

That means no, huh?

No. No doesn'’t mean no.

Just means that I haven'’t found a way yet.

You know, I like Mrs. Sayles.

I like her, too, Miguelito.

Tell me something.

The day Petey took sick, you went for the doctor, didn'’t you?

Mrs. Sayles sent me.

Then you-- you were over at the house?

You weren'’t here?

That'’s right.

Petey wasn'’t feeling so good for a couple of days,

so Mr. Sayles let me off to play with him.

But he was too sick to play. He had a headache.

You know? So, and, you know, he fell on the floor, in a fit.

Just like the coyote we had.

Coyote?

Peter and me trapped a coyote baby.

We tried to tame him.

Where'’s the coyote now?

Well, it bite Petey, so Mr. Sayles shot him.

Peter and me bury it down by the creek.

Put a marker on the grave and everything.

When did this happen, Miguelito?

Oh, I don'’t know.

Maybe-- Maybe a month back.

Why didn'’t you tell me about the coyote?

I didn'’t think to.

Miguelito said you shot it after it bit Petey.

That'’s right.Didn'’t it ever occur to you

that the animal might have had rabies?

What are you saying?

Mr. Thorne, you think that'’s what it was?

Hydrophobia?

Did Peter ever have convulsions before?

No, never.

Well, I'’m no doctor,

but I'’m willing to bet I'’m right.

Then we'’ll be able to clear Martha.

Yes. All I have to do is prove it.

Doctor! Doctor! Can I see you for a moment?

Well, I'’ve got a call to make. What is it?

I'’m gonna take you at your word, Doctor,

and ask you to lend me some of your medical books.

What for?I'’ve got a theory

about what really happened,

and how I can clear Mrs. Sayles.

Uh, you told me you'’d help me.

Help you? No, you'’re mistaken.

What I said was I'’d be glad to answer any of your questions.

I'’m busy.

But, Doctor, this is a question of a woman'’s life!

Mr. Thorne, I'’m a witness for the prosecution.

It would be improper, unethical for me to help you in any way.

Good day.

Shh.

There, that does it.

Perfect.Perfect?

That looks like a wreck.

Well, that'’s the way she looked the last time I saw her.

Now, what was it you started to say?

Oh, um, you weren'’t, by any chance, the ship'’s doctor, were you?

I was the purser. Why?

I'’m looking for some medical information.

Well, see Doc Mitchell.

He'’s on call, and I'’m in a hurry.

In a rush, huh?

And you wouldn'’t wanna try the army post.

It'’s 20 miles out.

Only as a last resort.

Can you think of anyone else?

In town?

Well, there'’s Wendell Hewitt. He'’s the undertaker.

Not a regular doctor. Coroner, too.

Where can I find him?

In the cemetery, as a rule.

Thanks.

[ gunshots ]

[ gunshot ]

[ sputters ]

Who'’s it for?

Nobody. Yet.

Just, uh, like to keep ahead of the game.

All I'’ve got to do is fill in the dates.

I thought it might be for me.

Someone took a couple of shots at me about a quarter of a mile back.

Well, you must'’ve heard them.

My mind'’s on my work. I don'’t hear nothing.

Probably someone plinking cottontails.

You'’re that lawyer fella for Mrs. Sayles, huh?

You'’re the fella found the strychnine?

Yep.

Tell me, is there any doubt in your mind, Mr. Hewitt,

about it being strychnine?

No, sir.

It was strychnine, all right.

How do you go about testing for strychnine?

Just do what the books say.

What books?

Pharmacopoeia. Materia medica.

Got a whole slew of them.

Coroner ain'’t worth his salt without them.

Enough poison in the boy to bury half the town.

Yeah, but still, wouldn'’t you like to see Mrs. Sayles

get a fair shake?

Of course.

Well, then, you won'’t mind letting me look

at some of those medical books of yours.

Can'’t very well say no now,

can I?

Got what you want?

Yes, thanks.

But it may do you out of a little business.

[ chuckles ]

You can'’t do me out of nothing, son.

Sooner or later, I get them.

[ bell rings ]

Good afternoon, Doctor.

I told you I couldn'’t help you.

But, Doctor, you said you'’d answer any questions,

on the stand or off.

Doctor, I think you'’d rather answer my questions off the stand.

All right. What is it you want to know?

I'’m sure you've treated cases of hydrophobia, Doctor.

Several times.

Hydrophobia.

It means, uh, fear of water, doesn'’t it?

Yes, yes.

The disease transferred to a human being

from an animal infected with rabies.

Yes, yes, yes. A dog or a cat.

Or a coyote?Could be.

Tell me, Doctor,

how long after a person is bitten

does it take for the disease to appear?

That all depends. Could be two weeks,

some months, two months...

It'’s hard to say.

And the symptoms are general irritability,

depression, headaches, and, uh, convulsions.

Isn'’t that right, Doctor?

What are you getting at?

Hydrophobia.

Didn'’t it occur to you that that might'’ve been

what was wrong with Peter Sayles?

The boy had convulsions. I could name a dozen causes.

You gave him belladonna?Yes, I told you.

But it did no good?No, it didn'’t.

The convulsions got worse and worse.

You said yourself, you couldn'’t stop the foaming.

I won'’t stay here and be badgered anymore.

Belladonna would'’ve dried him up like a ball of cotton.

You get out!

You didn'’t give Peter Sayles belladonna.

You gave him strychnine!

No!

You carry strychnine in your bag, don'’t you, Doctor?

Thorne, get away from that bag.What are you afraid of?

All right. Look as much as you please.

Put those bottles back,Thorne.

So it was you who tried to kill me.

I'’m a better shot than that, Mr. Thorne.

Was just trying to scare you off.

I don'’t scare very easily, Doctor.

Too bad for you that you don'’t.

Too bad for you and for me too.

Petey died because I made a terrible but honest mistake.

Now you got to die too.

You leave me no alternative but murder.

[ door opens, bell rings ]

Who is it?It'’s me, Tom.

I just stopped by for the wife'’s medicine.

Oh, thanks, Doc.

You say this will settle her stomach?

Yes, yes.

All I got'’s this gold piece. Have you got change?

It'’s all right, Sheriff. You can pay me tomorrow.

I'’m busy.

[ bell rings, door closes ]

Business as usual, huh, Doctor?

Yes, Mr. Thorne.

And I intend to see it stays that way too.

Now, we'’re gonna sit here quietly until dark.

Then we'’re going to take a little ride.

MAN: Hey, Doc!

Where you heading this time of night?

I, uh, got a little job to do.

We'’re on our way to town for a hoot and a holler.

Probably be needing you later on.

I'’ll be back in time to help patch you up.

Let'’s be on our way.

This will do.

Get down.

Doctor,

why don'’t you stop before it'’s too late?

You can still clean the slate

and save my client'’s life.

I'’ll admit you made a mistake.

I'’m sure people will understand,

forgive you.

I know this town.

There'’s no forgiveness, no pity.

They'’d never trust me again.

If I were in their place, I wouldn'’t either.

But you'’re a doctor,

whose business is giving life, not taking it.

Doctor, you can'’t be this callous.

You'’re right.

I haven'’t had a moment's peace since this all happened.

And you never will, Doctor.

I know, I know.

But that'’s something I'm going to have to live with.

And all this just to save your reputation?

That'’s all a doctor has, Mr. Thorne--

his reputation that he spent years to build.

When that'’s gone, his life is finished!

But to let an innocent woman die?

Yes, Mr. Thorne.

And an innocent lawyer too.

[ whinnying ]

I'’m sorry, Doctor,

but it'’s just that my life is more important to me

than your reputation.

[ footsteps approaching ]

Here come Mr. Thorne.

Oh, what can we do?

What can we ever say to thank you?

We didn'’t want you to leave town without--

I'’m not leaving.

You plan on settling here?

We'’ll give you free haircuts for the rest of your life, yes?

And no tips.

[ laughing ] [ laughter ]

I follow the courts, but I managed to dig up another client.

A paying client?

Mm-hmm. Dr. Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchell?

After what he did to Martha?

And after what he tried to do to you?Yes.

I'’m not condoning him, but I am a lawyer.

And the fact remains he didn'’t intend to harm your boy.

I believe he'’s innocent of murder.

Dr. Mitchell was right.

Solita Flats never forgave him,

but only because he was willing to let an innocent woman die.

Will Thorne did convince the jury that Peter Sayles

actually didn'’t die of strychnine poisoning

but from hydrophobia, for which there was no cure.

Not at that time anyway, in 1870.

And if you want another fact,

15 years later they did find a cure.

A fellow in France, Louis Pasteur,

discovered a cure for hydrophobia in 1885.