Original subtitles

♪♪ [ trumpet ]

where Western history comes alive!

Stories of the Old West

are stories of hardships and adventure.

Of dreams, and of courage.

Stories of the American pioneer

are all a part of our past, of our heritage.

In the late 1870s, Tombstone, Arizona Territory,

was a bustling, growing mining town.

Oh, it had its share of gambling and card sharks, all right.

But it also had Sheriff Ray Ritter,

an ex-gambler who enforced the law.

Ray'’s determination soon had him facing

the biggest gamble of his life,

a gamble in which all of the odds favored his opponent...

[ door opens ]

Well, where'’s the brass band?

Mm.Mm-hmm.

You been up to something.Mm-hmm! I have.

Notice anything different?Yeah.

I should come home for lunch more often.

Oh, Ray. I mean about the place.

Don'’t you notice anything?

Yeah. Looks the same as every rented house we'’ve ever lived in.

Oh, and I spent all morning finishing them.

You mean those, um...

brand new tie-back curtains you just put up?

I like them.

Oh, Ray!

Where'’d you get the money?

Clete Damlier let me charge the material at his store.

With the money we'’ve got in the bank,

you must be pretty sure I'’m going to be reelected next month.

You will be.

Then we'’ll build our own home,

and all the years of waiting and wondering

will be behind us.

Well, they haven'’t been very good years, Joanna.

I'’ll make 'em up to you.

You already have...

by making a go of it right here, where we belong.

Know where I belong? Right up the street, in my office.

First, you'’ll finish your lunch.

[ clattering, screeching ]

Come here. And I'’d like to know how you draw to an inside straight

and make it every time.

You got more going than you can handle, mayor?

Clete and I were having a game when this sharpster sits in.

And somehow, I-- I don'’t know how, but somehow

he ends up takin'’ us!Well, you were playing with Edwin Fields.

"The Duke," he calls himself.

[ chuckles ]And he always wins.

[ laughs ] Hello, Ray, hello!

It'’s been a long, long time.

Ray? You know this man?

Well enough to know he'’s cheated you.

Oh, be reasonable, now, I mean, uh,

how could I, when we were using Mr. Damlier'’s own deck?

Let me see those, Clete.

All right, the ring, Fields.

Why, surely you don'’t think I'’d stoop to that?

I thinkyou'’d stoop to anything if you were hungry enough.

The ring. [ sighs ]

Now, turn it over.

You see this point? He uses that to punch marks in the cards.

Now he can feel those marks, but you wouldn'’t notice them.

Why, he oughta be strung up!

No. Now, he'’s just a tinhorn

who'’s sunk to penny-ante cheating in saloons.

[ chuckles ] You don'’t look like you'’ve done so well either.

You won'’t be around long enough to find out.

Now give them back their money.

Ray. "The Duke." Remember?

I-- Let me keep what I won honest, so--

so I can get to Bisbee.

I mean, I'’m broke, Ray.

Sell the ring.

I won'’t forget this.Don'’t.

And don'’t come back.

Well, let that be a lesson to you, boys.

Don'’t gamble with strangers.

[ soft chattering ]

A pair is showing.

[ sniffs ]

[ laughing ]

Mm, that'’s pretty good, Spunky.

Pretty good.

But not good enough.

[ uneasy laugh ] That cleans me out...

Unless you'’d care to wager against a mining claim I'’ve got here.

No thanks, Mr. Callahan.

I'’ve been taken before. [ coughs ]

Hey, now wait a minute, Duke.

Wait a minute!

Bisbee ain'’t no town to be broke in, uh,

you'’ve got to give me a chance to get something back.

Where is this claim, Spunky? On some forsaken hillside

80 miles up and 40 miles out?

No, sir, it'’s right in Tombstone.

Hmm?

"The Gilded Edge Mine."

Where'’d you get this?It'’s mine, legal.

I got it off'’n a partner, that died.

You'’re right, Spunky. You are right!

Bisbee sure isn'’t a town to be broke in.

I'’ll play you one more hand.

I got a marble top commode coming in.

It'’d be just the thing for your new house, Joanna.

I'’ve got to think about being reelected before we start building.

Fiddlesticks, Ray. You'’re a sure thing.

Now you take it from an ex-gambling man, Clete.

Nothing is a sure thing.

Would you ride out and see the property today?

Oh, for Pete sakes, honey. We were just out yesterday.

It hasn'’t changed.

I'’m so proud of you, Ray. We'’re gonna make it.

I know we are.Well, after ten years,

I'’d say it was just about time.

What'’s the matter, Ray?

Hello, Ray. Ma'’am.

I thought I told you not to come back.

Oh, but I have a responsibility to my tenants.

"Tenants"?

Since when?

Since I got lucky in Bisbee.

Who was that, Ray?

He calls himself a duke. He'’s a gambler.

Well, has he done something wrong?

Probably.

I'’ll see you at supper.

Are you, uh, Marvin Keene, supervisor of the Tombstone Mining District?

Well, I am, sir. How can I help you?

I want this claim verified.

Yes sir!

Well, howdy, Sheriff.

Come on in, Ray. This may interest you, too.

Oh, the "Gilded Edge." I don'’t seem to recollect this one.

One moment, please.

Oh! By golly, here it is.

Now this-this claim goes back some 18 years.

Come on, come on. Get on with it.

Well, now, let'’s just check and see that everything'’s in order.

There must be some mistake here!

I think not.

But there has to be!

What'’s the matter, Marvin?

Well, his claim!

It gives him title to half of Tombstone!

It does indeed!

I gather you find everything in order?

Oh... well, yes.

It'’s perfectly legal, but...

How?

How can this be?A mistake?

A lot of people have handled these records

over the last 18 years.

Looks like the Duke'’s old luck is back and working, Ray.

[ laughs ]

How'’d you do it, Fields? Where'’d you get the claim?

In a card game, fair and square.

Those words don'’t go with you.[ laughs ]

No matter. It ended up with me owning half this town.

You hold title to the land, but not the buildings.

True. But they'’re on my land.

So my price'’ll have to be met, or I'’ll have to tear them down.

You won'’t find a man in Tombstone who'’ll help you with this.

[ laughing ] Oh, yes, I will, Ray.

You.

The law is on my side, and it'’s your job to enforce it.

I don'’t believe it. I'’ve checked with Keene,

and I'’ve seen the claim.

But I just can'’t accept this as legal!

You'’ll have to. You have no choice.

We'’ll see about that.

Fred, the law is on his side.

Do I getthe impression, Ray, that you'’re backing this man?

I'’m backing nobody that the law doesn'’t back.

Whether you like it or not, Fields has his rights.

And what about the rights of the people who voted you into this job?

What about their homes, and their businesses?

I'’m not going to let them pick the laws that they want to obey.

Oh, you'’re a fool, Ray! You know what this man is.

[ slams fist ]That has nothing to do with it!

[ sighs ]

Well, you might feel differently if you--

if you had something to lose.

My land.

Our land falls under his title, Fred.

Oh, Ray!

Well, maybe you'’ll let him get away with this,

but the rest of us won'’t.

What are you going to do, take the law into your own hands?

If we have to.

Then we'’re on opposite sides.

And yours is gonna be mighty lonesome, Ray.

Oh, Ray, please don'’t let this happen!

Mr. Fields, you have no right to this property.

I certainly have. [ indistinct ]

You have no right whatsoever. We'’ll see.

We'’ll see! We'’ll understand, then.

You get that order.That goes out.

Don'’t ever forget.Oh!

I'’m so sorry, Mrs. Ritter. I hope you will pardon me.

I just left Clete Damlier. I want him evicted.

You told him he could have two days.He'’s had them.

And he hasn'’t met my price.

And nobody can. Not the money you'’re asking.

That'’s beside the point.

He'’s on my property, and I want him off!

I'’m warning you-- you keep this up,

and you can cause more trouble than I can handle.

That'’s your problem.

I want him out. Now.

[ sighs ]

Ray? I just didn'’t believe you'’d do this to us.

I'’m sorry, Pete.

Ray...

two thousand dollars.

To buy back what is already mine?

It isn'’t yours, Clete.

But I know how ya feel.

Do ya?

Do you know what it'’s like to see five years'’ work

go overboard in two days?

Yes, I do.

Well, Damlier, are you paying or leaving?

Leaving.

You must be awful proud of yourself.

You want to talk about it?

There'’s nothing to say.

Nothing to say?

After what he made you do to Clete this afternoon?

Why, Clete'’s one of the dearest, kindest men in the world!

I was doing my job.

Is it your job to destroy our friends?

Are you being paid to destroy yourself?

Is that what I'’m doing?

Yes, Ray.

Look what it'’s done to us already.

[ sighs ]

I'’m sorry.

You know, for the first time, I'’m ashamed to see you on the side of the law?

Right or wrong, it'’s turned the whole town against you.

But you haven'’t, have you?

I mean, I could take it from the others,

but I just couldn'’t take it from you.

Ray, I love you so much.

So very, very much.

But I'’m not as strong as you are.

I can'’t take what'’s happening.

Are you asking meto quit?

Yes.

If I do it, it'’ll mean starting all over again,

with nothing but the two of us.

Please. While we still have that.

All right. All right.

In the morning.

I'’m giving you back your town, Fred.

Well, that makes it easier.

I was gonna fire you.On what grounds?

Oh, that you and Fields are in this together.

[ chuckles ] You can'’t prove that because it isn'’t true.

Yes, I know.

But by then, it wouldn'’t matter.

The whole town'’s gonna be its own judge and jury, is that it?

If the law can'’t protect us, we have to protect ourselves.

Hmm, I see.

Well, I'’m not gonna make it that easy for you.

Why, you'’d need a dozen deputies to stop this.

And there isn'’t a man in Tombstone who'’ll help.

I'’ll get them. I'’ll get them if I have to go to Bisbee.

Good luck, Ray.

It'’s nearly a half-day'’s ride.

[ chattering ]

Something'’s wrong. What is it?

Well, that mob out there is getting ready to try you.

It'’s your job to protect me.

I can'’t, at the moment.You'’ve got to!

They'’ll kill me.Oh, they'’ll try.

I warned you. Now, if you'’re smart,

you'’ll clear out of here until I get back from Bisbee.

Take me with you.

I'’d never make with them after you.

What'’ll I do?

If I were you, I'’d go out there and get on my horse,

and try to get enough of a head start to lose them.

[ angry chatter ]

Come on, boys. Let'’s go get 'em.

Hyah!

I'’m sorry.

[ distant hoof beats ]

Where'’d you catch him?In the buttes.

All right, get him down.

We'’ll hold trials. Set up some crates at the warehouse.

[ shouting ]

Take it easy, Fields. It'’ll be all over before you know it.

You can'’t do this. You'’re breaking the law!

Well, I don'’t see anybody around here running to help you!

[ laughing ]

This court is now in session.

The People of Tombstone accuse you--

That'’s enough, Haskell!

But you'’ll still need a dozen deputies.

I'’ve got better than that, if you listen to me.

Nothing'’s changed.

It has. Now, hear me out.

Spunky! Spunky, come on out here.

[ crowd murmuring ]

You know this man?

I sure do. He called hisself a duke,

and he cheated me outta my claim!

Drunken old sot.

Well, all right, so he cheated the old man.

What'’s that got to do with us?

Have you ever heard of the Congressional Mining Act of 1872?

No, what about it?

Well, I'’ll tell ya. It specifies

that for a claim to remain valid,

that the owner must put in $500

worth of improvements the first year.

Did you do that, Spunky?

I never seen $500 in my whole life.

Well, that means that claim was invalid even before Fields got it.

What you'’re saying, then, is the land was ours all along.

That'’s true. [ cheering ]

You can'’t detain me, Ray. I haven'’t broken the law.

Don'’t press your luck, Fields. Get out while you still can.

Well, I-- I guess I acted rather stupidly, Ray.

I can only say I'’m sorry and ask you to stay on.

No, I don'’t really think so, Fred.

You see, Joanna wants me to quit.

And I'’m gonna listen to her.But, uh--

What'’ll you do?

Well, I'’m not really certain, Fred, but I think...

maybe I'’ll run for mayor.

[ chuckling ]

Whether he did or he didn'’t,

history doesn'’t tell us.

The Duke'’s luck never returned.

He worked as a cook in a cheap San Francisco café

and then turned up in the Chicago poorhouse,

died a pauper at the turn of the century.

Be with us next week for another true story

from our American past.