Original subtitles

MAN: And following a careful three-year study,

by this commission, of all the documents,

and a careful check of all signatures involved

in the land claims of Monsieur José Yves Limantour,

this commission has no choice but to find that, according

to the laws of the United States

and the sovereign State of California,

the Limantour land claims are hereby

declared valid and legal.

[ murmuring ][ laughs ]

[ mutters ]

Limantour.

Who is this fellow?

Monsieur Limantour can talk to no one.Now, just a minute!

What does that mean? What the commissioner just said.

It means that Limantour

has just been handed the city of San Francisco.

All of it, including what belongs to me.

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy, folks. I'’m the Old Ranger.

We'’re in the apothecary shop of Zacharias E. Gurney, San Francisco.

The year is 1855.

Everyone who owned a piece of land

discovered that property he thought was his

suddenly belonged to a strange, unknown Frenchman.

Unknown, that is, to everybody in town except Zach Gurney,

who courageously insisted that Limantour was a fraud

who made San Francisco...

Señor Tarabal?

How are you?Señor Gurney.

Zach Gurney, my old friend.Well...

Antonia!Your property too?

Perhaps it'’s best to sign the lease.

But isn'’t that Antonia, your niece?

What'’s she doing here?

She is no longer my niece.

I have disowned her.

Disowned her?

Next. You.

Come on up here, please.

I'’m sorry to hear that.

Oh, yes. The man at the hearing.

Your name and address, sir?

Zacharias E. Gurney, apothecary on Montgomery Street.

Sign here, please.

For what?

A lease.

Lease my own property? What for?

You'’re no different than anyone else.

If you want to continue to occupy that store,

sign the lease or buy the property.

I bought that property eight years ago, and the building on it.

You know the old saying-- caveat emptor.

"Let the buyer beware."

I want to see Limantour.He'’s a very busy man.

Just tell him an old friend from seafarin'’ days is here.

You must be mistaken. Mr. Limantour has no friends in San Francisco.

Not anymore he hasn'’t.

We solicit your business, but there are others waiting.

Next.

Mr. Gurney.

I beg your pardon, sir.

Mr. Gurney?Hmm? Oh, yes. I'’m sorry.

Yes, of course. I'’m Zach Gurney.

My name is Edwin Stanton,

United States Deputy District Attorney.

The Department of Justice sent me out here from Washington D.C.

to process these Limantour land claims.

Or at least try to. It'’s a pretty big mess.

Yeah, yeah. Well, it should be.

Limantour'’s a fraud.

Yes, I heard you tell that to the commissioners,

but they were not convinced.

However, I was very interested in your remarks about

knowing Limantour ten years ago.

Yes, that'’s right. I knew him.

He used to smuggle guns up and down the coast.

I knew him when he used to hide out in the city.

Well, that'’s interesting. If you have the time,

I wonder if you could accompany me to my office.

We could talk better there.

Why not?

It'’s authentic, Mr. Gurney.

The land commission even sent an expert down to Mexico City.

Both signatures were checked and verified.

Manuel Micheltorena--Mm-hmm.

...governor of Californiain 1844.

Nicolás Bravo, president of Mexico in 1844.

[ sighs ]

1844. That'’s more than ten years ago.

No, no. If Limantour had papers as valuable as this,

he would have bragged it up and down the Embarcadero like a gamecock.

He was never modest about anything.

That'’s an interesting comment, Mr. Gurney,

but no proof.Well...

You have a recollection about Limantour, and I have a presentiment.

Take a look at that document.

Somehow there'’s something wrong.

"Four square leagues"... That'’s almost 15,000 acres, isn'’t it?

Approximately.[ sighs ]

"Four square leagues of Saint Francis of Assisi,

"known as Yerba Buena,

known as the city of San Francisco."

It'’s on that parchment somewhere.

He'’s still being stubborn.

Perhaps I should handle this one alone.

I used to know him.

I will take care of him.

You might be tempted to be too easy on him.

Pull up there.

[ knocking continues ]

Good evening, Mr. Gurney.

I am Jacomet, with Mr. Limantour'’s staff.

Yes, I know. We'’ve met.

I found this on the ground.

Obviously it was not well secured.

What do you want?

If you have any problem with this property,

Monsieur Limantour would prefer you took it up with me...

not with Mr. Stanton.

I see.

We can make some concessions,

but we would not want people to say that

we were overgenerous.

It might be construed to mean

that Mr. Limantour was buying your silence.

We would not want that.

You'’re gonna have to force me out of here.

Forty-eight hours, to be exact.

Thank you.

And now, get out of my shop.

And for your own sake,

don'’t tell these foolish stories

about knowing Mr. Limantour in the old days.

Señor Tarabal.Good day, señor.

Oh, Señor Gurney.

My old friend. [ chuckling ]

Sit down, sit down.[ chuckles ]

You wish some candles, or some wax?

Some... No, no, no, no. Nothing like that. No.

You remember the other day at the Palace Hotel, I saw Antonia there?

I do not want to speak of her.

Nevertheless, she was there.

Yes, she was there.

Why do you ask of her?

Well, in the old days, we were... friends.

I thought for the sake of old friendship,

she might tell me how Limantour got his land grant.

Limantour, that Frenchman?

A plague on him.

He thought I did not know

what they were up to, but I knew.

You knew what?

She worked day and night,

cooking, stirring those pots.

Wouldn'’t let me near.

I wonder about.

We supplied the governor of California with candles

from here to Monterey, in the old days, of course.

I, who alone, prepared the wax

for all the official documents.

Well, then, you'’re to be complimented, señor.

But about--Let me show you, señor.

Let me show you.

For 50 years, there wasn'’t a governor seal

for which I did not prepare the wax.

And Antonia tried to steal it from me, for him.[ blowing ]

Well, I don'’t understand. Steal what?

My secret formula for the only wax seal used

on all official documents.

I, alone, was the master of that secret,

which no one could ever copy.

Antonia cooked and stewed and asked me questions,

but I said nothing.

And when she was finished, it wasn'’t the same.

I have a nose.

I can even smell the difference between the real and the false.

Antonia thought she stole it,

but the secret is still

locked in here.

How-- How very clever of you.

You see, in the old days,

I use beeswax.

That was the secret.

Beeswax?

And Antonia--

She used shellac.

A simpleton could tell the difference.

The nose...

So when she thought that she had discovered your secret,

she left.

Who can explain a woman?

That may be the secret. That may be the seal.

What did you say?

Señor Tarabal, what are these ribbons for?

One did not just push a piece of parchment

before the governor.

No. One secured the document

with the ribbons, like this.

Oh.

And then presented it.

Oh, I see.

I see.

Señor Tarabal,

would you sell me this board?

Sell it? I'’ll give it to you.

I have no use for it.

They no longer use my fine wax for the seals

for the official documents.

Well, nevertheless-- nevertheless...

Here'’s for your troubles.

Oh, de nada, señor.

[ chuckles ] Buenos días.

Buenos días.

Good day, Señor Tarabal.

What did the young man want?

Nothing.Nothing?

Not even candles, sealing wax,

or a board?

You remember me, do you not, Señor Tarabal?

Yes, Señor Jacomet.

The young man was here for a reason.

I do not know what you mean.

I think you do.

I will not talk.

A delicious dinner,my dear.

Must give the chef at the hotel a little something extra.

[ knocking on door ]

That'’s Jacomet. Let him in.

[ sighs ]

Well?

JACOMET: Mm! That chemist

breathing down our necks.

I do not feel a thing.

What was he up to today?

Candle shop. They had a long conversation.

About what?

I tried to beat it out of him.

You did what? You beat the old man?

Gurney was prying on him. I'’m sure of it.

He is getting more dangerous every day.

But why did you beat him?

He wouldn'’t talk, that'’s why.

We are sitting on a volcano-- all three of us--

and you worry about the old man.

You knew what you were getting into.

He meant something to Antonia.

What was I to do?

Use your brain! You fool!

[ knocking on door ]

[ knocking continues ]

Cautious, and properly so.

However, my streets will be safe.

My name is--What do you want, Limantour?

A powder for my headache.

Headache.

[ bottles clang ]

What do you really want?

My powder, please.

For the moment, this is all I need.

Ohh...

You mix a very unpleasant concoction, Mr. Gurney.

My associate, Monsieur Jacomet, tells me

you also said some unpleasant things about me

and my documents before the commission.

And you'’ve been heard to say that we are old friends.

Such assertions can be dangerous.

I don'’t mind danger.

Acids, poisons, kerosene, explosives...

All at my fingertips.

You see, it'’s very simple to reach over,

grab quickly, and open immediately.

Oh, yes, it would be simple to throw that in my face, huh?

[ chuckling ] Yes. As a matter of fact, it would.

[ laughs ] I can see the kind of man you are.

Determined, resolute, and persistent.

Do I worry you?

No. You do not worry me, Mr. Gurney.

As a matter of fact, I like you.

But I'’ve got a proposition.

I'’m going to give you this property.

Give me-- Give me my own property?

This city is mine.

I am offering you more than I'’ve offered anyone else

in all of San Francisco.

You should be more trusting.

Here'’s a deed for this property, signed by me, the legal and rightful owner.

Now, take it.In exchange for what?

Nothing.

For doing absolutely nothing.

I'’m not unaware what you have been doing, Mr. Gurney.

Stanton, the old candlemaker, and others, I presume?

All old friends.

I do not like meddlers. They get in my way.

Well?

No.

But, Mr. Gurney, you have nothing to lose.

And you have everything to lose.

You'’re quite alone, you know.

The old man died-- An accident.

And Stanton?

He will not lift a finger.

You will forgive me?

You will regret this!

Ah, then, we can prove that all seals made before

California'’s secession from Mexico in 1848

were made from a wax with a beeswax base, like this.

Now, how can you prove it?Well, that'’s simple.

By analyzing all the old Mexican documents.

Now, but Limantour'’s claim, right here...

The seal that he used is made from a base using shellac.

Smell. [ sniffs ] Yes.

You see, never used in the Mexican documents before 1848.

Well, I-I accept your theory, Mr. Gurney, but will the courts?

And then you have the problem of the signatures.

How did they get on this document?

Oh, that'’s even more ingenious than the seal. Now watch.

Now, here is the Limantour claim.

I place it upon the writing board. And over it--

If I can find a document the right size. Yeah. [ papers rustling ]

I place this second document,

leaving enough room at the bottom for signatures,

date, and seal.

Now, across the edges, I fasten these pieces of ribbon,

as they always did.

Only in this case, they hide the fact

that there is another document underneath.

Now, at the top of the document,

uh, under the general heading...

"A grant of land to José Yves Limantour,

in appreciation for his services to the Republic of Mexico"--

The description of the land on this piece of paper,

or another one, which was probably substituted,

of the land which they actually gave him--

Probably a grant of 20 acres of land somewhere,

worthless land.

And signed at the bottom by the president and the governor,

at a later date, on a blank piece of paper,

which was later filled in and falsely sealed by Limantour,

giving him a grant to all of San Francisco.

Yes, and what you say fits also.

When the American investigator for the land commission got down to Mexico

to ask the former president and the governor about the grant,

he found that both had died the year before.

And Limantour filed his claim here in San Francisco

a few months before both men died.

Oh, I see. Well, what now?

Well, you'’ve given me enough to ask for an indictment and arrest,

charging Limantour with forgery and fraud.

However, one question. Does Limantour know that you'’re one step behind him?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, I imagine he does.

That'’s unfortunate.

You see, he has friends who know every move I make.

If he learns I'’ve gone to court to ask for an order for his arrest,

he'’ll slip right through my fingers.

Oh, I see.

Well, in that case, then, perhaps I'’d better be just one step ahead of him.

[ knocking on door ]

What'’s the matter?

The court has issued an order for your arrest.

Gurney.We had better get out.

I have two horses saddled and waiting.

Well, get my saddlebags.

What happens to me?

Jacomet and I must move fast. Later, I shall send back for you.

Send back for me? You killed my uncle,

and now you leave me here to face this all alone?

Oh, my love, I promise.

[ knocking on door ]

It can'’t be the police. Not so soon.

My friend at the court said it would take hours.

Answer it. [ knocking continues ]

Well, Monsieur Limantour.

I'’m here to repay a debt.

I do not know what you are talking about.

Understand, Mr. Gurney, there are no handy glasses of acid to throw.

You'’re very annoying, Mr. Gurney.

You came armed, of course.

Antonia, take his weapon.

You won'’t have me shot, Limantour.

Everybody in the hotel would be at your door.

How very thoughtful of you.

I'’m not sure what you know or what you might find out,

but you know too much already. [ drawer opens ]

You are very clever,

but you are also very penetrable.

[ grunts ] LIMANTOUR: Antonia!

Antonia!

I meant to miss you, Yves,

but I won'’t miss the second time.

Just put the knife down, Yves.

[ knife clatters on ground ]That'’s right.

Well, it looks like you'’re not going anywhere, does it?

Let us all sit down and wait for your arrest, Yves.

Because if you don'’t,my love,

either Mr. Gurney will kill you, or I will.

[ laughing ]

The Limantour conspirators stood trial,

prosecuted by Edwin Stanton,

who was later to be President Lincoln'’s Secretary of War.

All were found guilty,

and the city of San Francisco reverted to its original owner,

the people.