Original subtitles

Narrator: PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DURING PROHIBITION...

THIS IS A RAID!

-SCARY TIME BACK THEN, MAN. -GET AN AX.

Narrator: 600 SQUARE MILES OF LAWLESS SWAMPS,

HOME TO BANK ROBBERS, RUM RUNNERS

AND COLD-BLOODED KILLERS.

DO YOU NEED ME TO SHOOT SOMEBODY?

ONE MAN, SHERIFF BOB BAKER,

PUTS HIS LIFE ON THE LINE...

RETURN FIRE!

...TO SAVE THE FUTURE OF AN ENTIRE STATE...

THIS WAS REALLY A FIGHT FOR FLORIDA'S SOUL.

Narrator: ...TAKING ON ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS

AND DEADLY GANGS IN FLORIDA'S HISTORY.

YOU TELL SHERIFF BAKER BULLET LIKE THIS

WILL BE WAITING FOR HIM.

ASHLEY!

THEY HATED EACH OTHER.

HELLO, JOHN.

Robert: IT WAS TRULY A BLOOD FEUD.

FRED!

Crowder: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THESE GUYS OUT."

Narrator: AS AMERICA RISES AS A NATION...

VIOLENCE REIGNS.

A FEW BRAVE SOULS FACE THE DANGER,

FIGHTING TO CREATE JUSTICE FROM CHAOS.

THESE ARE THE STORIES OF AMERICAN LAWMEN.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

POPE!

POPE, THERE'S NO WAY OUT OF HERE.

BOB BAKER IS CHARGED WITH ENFORCING THE LAW

IN ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE, DANGEROUS COUNTIES IN AMERICA.

Robert: TO ME, THEY'RE NOT LAWMEN.

THEY'RE -- THEY'RE MY KIN. THEY'RE MY RELATIVES.

UH, THOSE GUYS WERE ALL TOUGH GUYS.

THEY -- THEY JUST WERE. THEY -- THEY HAD TO BE.

Luckhardt: HE WAS TOLD TO GET THIS FELLOW, BORIS POPE,

AND, UH, ARREST HIM.

WELL, HE FOUND THEM RESISTING ARREST.

BOB BAKER HAD TO BE ONE OF THE BRAVEST FIGURES

THAT WE CAN IMAGINE, UH, DURING THE TIME.

THERE WERE SIMPLY NO GREATER, UH,

OBSTACLES FOR A LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

TO FACE THAN WHAT BOB BAKER HAD TO FACE IN -- IN,

UH, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA.

SOUTH FLORIDA -- THE LAST FRONTIER,

A PLACE THAT'S STILL VERY SPARSELY POPULATED.

BOB BAKER REPRESENTED LAW AND ORDER IN A COMMUNITY

THAT WAS STARTING TO DEVELOP ITS OWN IDENTITY,

THAT WAS STARTING TO GROW.

BOB WAS A STOCKY, STOUT,

LITTLE GUY THAT LOOKS LIKE HE'D BUST YOU IN THE MOUTH

FOR LOOKING AT HIM CROSS-EYED.

WHEN HE SPOKE, YOU BETTER BY GOD PAY ATTENTION.

Bob: POPE!

BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL THE END OF THE LINE, POPE.

IT WAS THE KIND OF EVENT THAT EVERY LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

AT THAT TIME FACED EVERY DAY.

AND HE HAD TO ARREST A VERY DANGEROUS PERSON.

EASY NOW.

JUST PUT THE GUN DOWN AND COME ALONG QUIETLY.

JUST PUT THE GUN DOWN.

Luckhardt: BOB NEARLY DIED.

THEY DO MANAGE TO SAVE BOB'S LIFE.

BUT HE DOES LOSE HIS LEG.

SO HE IS NOW A DEPUTY SHERIFF WITH ONE LEG.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS TIME

TO BE ANY POSITION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Kleinberg: FLORIDA ALREADY WAS ATTRACTING PEOPLE

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

WHO CAME DOWN HERE

BECAUSE THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING.

Robert: THAT'S WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE.

IT WAS JUST -- JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

SCARY TIME BACK THEN, MAN.

IT WAS THE LAST PLACE SETTLED IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

IT WAS STILL VERY MUCH A FRONTIER.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE RUSHING DOWN THERE

TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK.

WITH ALL OF THAT GROWTH COMES

A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY.

Kleinberg: THIS WAS REALLY A FIGHT FOR FLORIDA'S SOUL,

CRIME VERSUS LAW AND ORDER.

Robert: ALL THOSE BAKERS -- THOSE PEOPLE

WERE JUST PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THAT KIND OF FOLKS THAT --

THAT STEPPED UP THERE AND TOOK CHARGE OF THINGS.

BOB BAKER HAD TO TRANSFER JOHN ASHLEY

TO ONE OF THE JAIL CELLS, THE FAMOUS JOHN ASHLEY,

'CAUSE JOHN WAS FAMOUS BY THIS TIME, TOO.

Kleinberg: VERY EARLY ON, AS A YOUNG ADULT,

HE WAS CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF DESOTO TIGER,

WHO WAS A -- A LOCAL SEMINOLE.

WHILE ASHLEY WAS ON TRIAL, HE WAS IN THE DADE COUNTY JAIL

IN MIAMI.

JOHN ASHLEY AND HIS GANG, THEY WERE CRIMINALS.

YOU'LL LIKE IT HERE. FOOD'S NOT BAD.

Ashley: THE ONLY FOOD I EVER REALLY CARED ABOUT'S

HOME COOKING.

WELL, YOU SHOULD'VE THOUGHT OF THAT

BEFORE YOU KILLED THAT SEMINOLE.

IT WAS SELF-DEFENSE.

SO YOU SAY.

JOHN ASHLEY HAD THIS HUGE EGO

AND WAS NOT GOING TO RESTRAIN HIS PASSIONS, WHETHER --

WHETHER IT WAS SPENDING MONEY

OR GOING AFTER WOMEN OR,

UH, ANY OF THE OTHER KINDS OF ACTIVITIES

THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN.

BUT HE WAS A WILY GUY. HE WAS -- HE WAS A SMART GUY.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LEG?

GOT SHOT OFF.

WHAT'S KEEPING YOU UPRIGHT?

SOME PIECE OF LUMBER.

ASHLEY!

[ GUNSHOTS ]

COME BACK HERE!

ASHLEY!

DAMN IT.

Luckhardt: WELL, HERE'S THE DEPUTY.

YOU KNOW, HIS FATHER'S THE SHERIFF,

AND HE LOSES THE CRIMINAL.

THE WHOLE IDEA OF A CRIMINAL OUTWITTING HIM HE DOESN'T LIKE.

Crowder: LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS,

WHEN THEY MAKE A MISTAKE OR SOMEBODY OUTSMARTS THEM,

IT'S A CONFRONTATION TO YOUR MANHOOD OR SOMETHING.

JOHN ASHLEY COULD HIDE,

AND HIS CREW AND HIS GANG, IN THE EVERGLADES.

AND NO ONE COULD FIND 'EM.

Robert: THE ASHLEYS WERE ABSOLUTELY SWAMP FOLK,

COUNTRY FOLK.

THAT'S SOME HARD LIVING.

Crowder: WHEN HE GETS INTO ALL THAT TROUBLE, HE DECIDES,

"WELL, I MAY AS WELL GO FOR THE WHOLE APPLE,

SO TO SPEAK."

THEY WOULD ROB THE LOCAL BANK

AND, UH, FORCE SOMEONE TO DRIVE THE GETAWAY CAR FOR THEM.

Luckhardt: ONE OF THE GANGSTERS IN THE GANG...

THE BULLET, AS HE'S SHOOTING BACK,

RICOCHETS OFF AN INSIDE DOOR,

GOES BACK, HITS JOHN ASHLEY

IN THE LOWER PART OF THE JAW,

GOES THROUGH AND COMES OUT BY THE RIGHT EYE.

Crowder: THEY TOOK HIM OUT TO A SWAMPY AREA,

WHERE HE WAS BLEEDING AND IN A LOT OF PAIN,

LEFT HIM THERE TO HIDE.

BUT, UH, SHERIFF BAKER, UH,

FOLLOWED THEM AT A DISTANCE AND CLANDESTINELY

SO AS TO NOT LET THEM KNOW HE WAS FOLLOWING.

BACK UP.

NOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EYE?

Kleinberg: HE WAS CONVICTED AND WENT TO RAIFORD PRISON.

Crowder: THEY REMOVED HIS, UH, DESTROYED EYE

AND REPLACED IT WITH A GLASS EYE,

WHICH, UH, SOMETIMES ASHLEY WORE, SOMETIMES NOT.

WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS, HE'S NOW ALLOWED TO WORK

ON A ROAD GANG.

STATE OF FLORIDA WOULD ACTUALLY LEASE PRISONERS TO COMPANIES

FOR ROAD-BUILDING PURPOSES.

HE BEHAVED HIMSELF IN PRISON TO THE EXTENT

THAT THEY WERE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT HE WAS --

HE WAS GONNA SERVE OUT HIS TIME.

PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

UH-HUH. YES, YES.

WELL, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME

THAT HE'S HEARD OF ASHLEY'S ESCAPE.

THAT IS A PERSONAL FEUD, DEFINITELY.

TWO FAMILIES, THE BAKER FAMILY AND THE ASHLEY FAMILY...

ONE SAYS, "HEY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GET YOU, NO MATTER WHAT."

AND THE OTHER ONE SAYS, "NO.

I'M GONNA MAKE A FOOL OUT OF YOU EVERY CHANCE I GET."

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS MY OWN DAD

TAUGHT ME ABOUT BEING A MAN,

IS DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GONNA DO BECAUSE,

IF YOU DON'T, SOMEBODY'S GONNA CALL YOU ON IT.

Luckhardt: THE BAKERS HAD A WHOLE BIG COUNTY

TO HAVE TO LOOK AFTER.

BUT THEIR NUMBER-ONE TARGET NEVER CHANGED.

IT WAS ALWAYS NOT JUST THE ASHLEY GANG.

IT WAS JOHN ASHLEY.

Kleinberg: THE BAKERS REPRESENTED LAW AND ORDER.

THE ASHLEYS REPRESENTED BASICALLY ANARCHY.

Luckhardt: THIS GANG WAS CAUSING SO MUCH HAVOC

UP AND DOWN THE COAST,

PEOPLE WERE AFRAID.

AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS ONE GROUP THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHASE.

Kleinberg: THIS WASN'T JUST A -- A RUNNING FEUD.

IT WAS A MULTIGENERATIONAL FEUD.

Crowder: GEORGE BAKER DIED OUT IN 1920.

AND THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED BOB BAKER TO ASSUME THE JOB

OF SHERIFF OF PALM BEACH COUNTY.

HE WANTED TO, UH, I GUESS AS A, UM,

A PROMISE TO HIS DAD,

PUT AN END TO THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ASHLEY GANG.

Bob: THIS IS A RAID!

LET'S SEE THOSE HANDS.

Luckhardt: THE BEGINNING OF THE 1920s,

THE ROARING TWENTIES, THE UNITED STATES

HAD JUST COME OUT OF WORLD WAR I.

THINGS WERE REALLY CHANGING.

AND ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES, OF COURSE, WAS PROHIBITION --

NO MORE LIQUOR.

COULDN'T SELL IT, BUY IT, TRANSPORT IT.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY WAS TO BE MADE.

GET AN AX.

JOHN ASHLEY AND HIS GANG, THEY HAD THEIR OWN STILLS.

THEY WERE SELLING IT UP NORTH.

THEY HAD A BIG BUSINESS.

LET'S DUMP IT.

THE SHERIFF'S LIKE EASTERN AIRLINES.

HE'S GOT TO -- HE'S GOT TO EARN HIS WINGS EVERY DAY

IF HE WANTS TO STAY IN OFFICE.

Denham: BEING SHERIFF IN THE TURN OF THE CENTURY IN FLORIDA

WAS A PUBLIC JOB, AND IT WAS A POLITICAL JOB.

SHERIFFS ARE ELECTED.

THEY RUN FOR ELECTION EVERY FOUR YEARS.

GET THESE GUYS OUT OF HERE.

THERE WAS A KIND OF A -- UH, A WAR ON TWO FRONTS.

THE FIRST FRONT WAS ON THE MOONSHINE STILLS.

BUT THE OTHER FRONT WAS KIND OF THE BAHAMAS,

69 MILES FROM HERE TO BIMINI.

AND THE ASHLEYS WERE INVOLVED IN BOTH SIDES OF THAT.

NOT ONLY WERE THEY PRODUCING MOONSHINE.

THEY'D ACTUALLY STEAL THE BOATS.

THEY WOULD GO AND -- AND RUN LIQUOR FROM BIMINI.

AND THIS WAS OF COURSE GOOD LIQUOR.

THIS WAS NOT MOONSHINE.

SO THIS WAS LOTS AND LOTS OF CASH.

50 MILES OF COASTLINE,

A VERY SMALL POLICE DEPARTMENT...

FAST BOAT CAN GET THERE IN A FEW HOURS,

WHICH MADE IT VERY EASY.

YOU COULD, UH, RUN OVER TO THE BAHAMAS,

MAKE YOUR PICKUP, GET BACK IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT

AND STILL GET A DECENT NIGHT'S SLEEP.

IF YOU WERE THE LOCAL SHERIFF AT THE TIME,

TRYING TO STOP PROHIBITION

WAS LIKE TRYING TO STOP THE WAVES OF THE OCEAN.

Ashley: PUT THAT BIG ONE IN THERE FIRST.

YOU GONNA SHOOT ME? YOU GONNA HELP ME LOAD THE CAR?

SHOOT YOU.

Luckhardt: LAURA UPTHEGROVE CAME INTO THE STORY

AROUND FEBRUARY 1920.

BEFORE THAT, SHE WAS A MARRIED WOMAN

WITH THREE CHILDREN LIVING ON THE EAST SIDE

OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

BUT SHE SAID TO HER HUSBAND ONE DAY, "I'M OUT OF HERE.

I'M TIRED OF BEING A WIFE. I'M JOINING THE ASHLEY GANG."

SO SHE GOES OVER TO THE AREA OF WHAT WE CALL PECKS LAKE,

WHERE THE ASHLEY GANG DID HAVE ONE OF THEIR CAMPS THERE.

AND SHE SAYS, "I WANT TO JOIN THE GANG."

MM.

YOU SHOULD'VE SHOT ME.

NEXT TIME.

MS. UPTHEGROVE VERY MUCH WAS A --

A WILD INDIVIDUAL.

SHE ENJOYED THE WILD LIFE.

SHOULDN'T BE LONG.

SOLD TO THIS GUY BEFORE.

SHOULD BE BACK BY SUNRISE.

AFTER NOT TOO LONG,

JOHN WAS KNOWN AS THE KING OF THE EVERGLADES,

AND, UH, LAURA WAS KNOWN

AS THE QUEEN OF THE EVERGLADES.

SHE, UH, DEFINITELY WAS NOT SOMEBODY

THAT MOST PEOPLE, MAN OR A WOMAN,

WOULD WANT TO GET INTO A -- A BRAWL WITH.

SHE WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF IT.

OH, YOU HAD BONNIE AND CLYDE.

YOU HAD JOHN ASHLEY AND -- AND -- AND LAURA.

BE CAREFUL.

I'LL DO MY BEST.

YOU COME BACK, NOW.

LET'S GO.

JOHN ASHLEY'S MAKING A BIG HAUL TO DEALERS UP THERE

IN SEBRING, NORTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

JOHN ASHLEY'S FAMOUS, SO PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HIM.

AND THE POLICE ARE NOTIFIED.

JOHN WAS A VERY DANGEROUS PERSON.

[ KNOCK ON CAR DOOR ]

HELLO, JOHN.

BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU.

NOW, PUT DOWN THAT GUN.

HE'D GET WORD TO THE REST OF THE GANG,

"I WANT THIS, THIS AND THIS DONE."

THERE WAS NEVER A QUESTION WHO WAS THE LEADER OF THE GANG.

IT WAS JOHN.

DAD.

DAD, JUST EXPLAIN IT ALL TO MOBLEY.

OH, HE'S ALWAYS ON ABOUT BEING

A BIGGER PART OF THE FAMILY BUSINESS.

THIS IS HIS OPPORTUNITY.

YOU UNDERSTAND?

GOOD.

HANFORD MOBLEY WAS A NEPHEW OF ASHLEY AND --

AND WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN A LOT OF THE --

THE MAJOR BANK ROBBING AND BOOTLEGGING ACTIVITY.

Luckhardt: MOBLEY REALLY LOOKED UP TO HIS UNCLE.

HE REALLY ADMIRED HIM.

SO HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER HIS UNCLE SAID.

SO THINGS GOT DONE.

Y'ALL, STICK YOUR HANDS UP!

AAH!

WE'RE ROBBING THIS JOINT!

[ GUNSHOT ]

AAH!

MONEY IN THE BAG.

COME ON NOW. DON'T BE SHY.

THAT'S IT. COME ON!

EVERYONE, STAY QUIET!

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS QUITE BRILLIANT...

THAT'S IT. GET IT ALL IN THERE.

...BECAUSE, WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED, THEY SAID,

"WHAT DID THE -- THE ROBBER LOOK LIKE?"

AND THE TELLER SAID, "I HAVE NO IDEA.

I JUST REMEMBER THAT HE WAS WEARING A DRESS."

A LITTLE BIT MORE. THAT'S IT.

SO GET BOTH DRAWERS NOW.

COME ON. ALMOST THERE.

A LITTLE MORE. THERE WE GO.

THANK YOU, FOLKS.

JOHN, I THINK, IS HIS REAL ENEMY.

Denham: WHEN IT CAME TO THE ASHLEYS, OF COURSE,

THEIR ACTIVITY WAS IN THE NEWSPAPERS CONSTANTLY.

SO THE ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THE TWO ESCALATED.

GIVE ME MY SHIRT THERE, WILL YOU?

[ GUN COCKS ]

YOU'RE COMING WITH ME.

[ SIGHS ]

MOBLEY, I KNOW YOUR HALFWIT CRACKER UNCLE

PUT YOU UP TO THIS.

BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS,

WHERE'S THE MONEY?

YOU CAN GO TO HELL.

MOBLEY, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO JAIL FOR HIM.

WHERE'S THE MONEY?

WITH ALL THE ROBBERIES, PROBABLY GOT CLOSE TO $1 MILLION.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S ROUGH FIGURES BACK THEN.

THEY'VE NEVER FOUND THE BULK OF THE MONEY.

THEY HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY HAD TO PAY OFF.

WHERE THE MONEY WENT, WHO KNOWS?

DO WE HAVE A DEAL?

YES, WE DO.

Crowder: IT WOULD'VE ENRAGED BAKER.

IT, UH, PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE THROWING A -- A --

A CUP OF GASOLINE ON A CAMPFIRE.

LET'S GO.

HE'S BAKER'S NUMBER-ONE PUBLIC ENEMY.

WOO!

HE ALWAYS FIGURED OUT A WAY TO ESCAPE.

SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE TURNING POINT.

SHERIFF BOB BAKER SAYS, "LISTEN.

I AM REALLY GONNA TRY AND GET YOU THIS TIME."

WOO!

Robert: ASHLEY WOULD BREAK OUT OF PRISON.

AND HE'D COME BACK DOWN HERE

INSTEAD OF ACTING LIKE HE HAD SOME SMARTS

AND JUST GETTING AWAY FROM THIS NECK OF THE WOODS.

Luckhardt: HIM GETTING LOOSE AGAIN, BOB BAKER,

HE WAS NOT GONNA STAND FOR IT.

Upthegrove: PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE TREE.

YOU FINISH TYING THEM UP. I'M GONNA GRAB THE BOOZE.

ASHLEY GANG WOULD EVEN STEAL FROM OTHER SMUGGLERS.

AND SO A LOT OF THOSE SMUGGLERS

JUST GAVE UP OR MOVED TO OTHER TERRITORIES.

THE ASHLEY GANG PRETTY MUCH HAD IT SEWN UP.

I SAID, "STOP MOVING"!

DO YOU NEED ME TO SHOOT SOMEBODY?

-NO, BABY. I'M FINE. -YOU SURE?

UH, JUST GRAB THAT ONE.

I'LL TAKE THIS ONE.

COME BACK FOR THE REST.

Luckhardt: THEY WERE BOTH SMART MEN.

THEY WERE BOTH ALSO GONNA SAY, "IT'S MY WAY."

ASHLEY SURE DID A NUMBER ON THIS PLACE.

NOW, I KNOW YOU TWO WANT ASHLEY GONE JUST AS BAD AS I DO.

YOU TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND HIM?

NOW, IF YOU'LL JUST PARDON ME...

SO IN JANUARY OF 1924,

BAKER DECIDES TO GO AFTER,

UH, THE ENTIRE ASHLEY COMPOUND,

WHICH IS FAR INTO THE EVERGLADES.

Luckhardt: THEY WERE GONNA DO A SURPRISE RAID.

AND THEY'RE COMING IN.

AND THEY'RE SLOWLY GONNA SURROUND THE CAMP.

[ BRANCH SNAPS ]

-RETURN FIRE! -IT'S A RAID!

DAD!

Kleinberg: DURING THE RAID,

THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT KILLED ASHLEY'S FATHER.

[ GUNFIRE CONTINUES ]

OH! DAMN!

FRED!

JOHN!

JOHN IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO ESCAPE.

Kleinberg: NOW ASHLEY'S KILLED A DEPUTY.

THAT REALLY SEALED THE FEUD. THAT MADE IT A BLOOD FEUD.

MOVE IN!

STAY DOWN!

DON'T SHOOT!

AT THAT POINT, IT WAS TO THE DEATH

FOR BOTH OF 'EM.

NOW ASHLEY'S KILLED A DEPUTY. HE'S KILLED A LAWMAN.

HE ISN'T JUST ROBBING BANKS. HE ISN'T JUST RUNNING RUMS.

HE'S NOW KILLED SOMEBODY. HE'S KILLED A LAWMAN.

SHERIFF BAKER REALLY UPS THE ANTE.

WOULD'VE MADE IT ALL

THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM TO,

UH, SEE THAT THE ASHLEYS WERE THEN BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

AH, DAMN IT.

DOCTOR, CAN WE HAVE A MOMENT?

WHAT KIND OF A MAN YOU GOT, LAURA?

ONE WHO ABANDONS YOU WHEN YOU'VE BEEN SHOT

AND NEED HELP?

I WANT THIS WAR TO END.

WANT TO HELP ME END IT?

SHE'S ALL YOURS, DOC.

DON'T TOUCH ME.

THERE WAS JUST THIS ONGOING FEUD BETWEEN THESE GUYS.

AND IT WAS TRULY A BLOOD FEUD, YOU KNOW?

THEY -- THEY HATED EACH OTHER.

THEY ANTAGONIZED EACH OTHER.

ASHLEY'S HERE. GRAB THE MONEY.

ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS WALK INTO A BANK,

NO MASK, NO DISGUISES, NO NOTHING,

JUST YELL THE NAME "ASHLEY,"

AND EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT.

PEOPLE WOULD JUST COWER BACK AND LET 'EM HAVE

WHAT THEY WANTED BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID,

UH, OF THEM FOR BEING AS RUTHLESS, UH, AS THEY WERE.

EMPTY THIS DRAWER.

GET WHATEVER'S IN THE CABINET.

MA'AM...

...YOU TELL SHERIFF BAKER, IF HE COMES AFTER US,

BULLET LIKE THIS WILL BE WAITING FOR HIM.

LET'S GO.

Crowder: PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SOCIOPATHIC PERSONALITY TYPES,

AND BIG EGOS ARE A BIG PART OF THAT PERSONALITY DISORDER.

I THINK, BY THAT TIME, BOB BAKER WAS OF THE OPINION

THAT, "IF I CAN GET MY HANDS ON HIM, I'M GONNA KILL HIM."

NOT ONLY AM I GONNA CATCH ASHLEY.

I'M GONNA WEAR HIS EYE AS A DAMN KEY FOB.

MAKE SURE YOU GET AN ACCOUNT OF ALL THE MONEY.

Robert: LET'S FACE IT.

IT HAD TO HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT

WHERE THEY WERE AFTER REVENGE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS.

GOT TO BE REVENGE. GOT TO BE REVENGE.

BUST IT UP, BOYS!

EACH THOUGHT THEY WERE SMARTER THAN THE OTHER

AND HAD TRIED TO OUTWIT EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME,

OUTDO EACH OTHER.

THE HEAT WAS GETTING PRETTY HEAVY ON THE ASHLEYS.

JOHN, WHAT'S GOING ON?

BY THE FALL OF 1924, HE'S GOT --

HE'S GOT THE FEDERAL, UH, PEOPLE AGAINST HIM.

HE'S GOT OBVIOUSLY BOB BAKER AGAINST HIM.

THE ASHLEYS DECIDED THEY BETTER JUST GET THE HECK OUT OF FLORIDA

FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND GET AWAY FROM HERE.

BUSINESS IS RUINED.

FRIENDS ARE ARRESTED. DAD'S DEAD.

THERE AIN'T NOTHING LEFT FOR ME HERE.

I'M HERE.

I AIN'T GOT NO CHOICE, LAURA.

IF I STAY, BAKER'S GONNA SEE TO IT THAT I GET HANGED.

WELL, FINE. I'LL GET MY THINGS.

-I'LL SEND FOR YOU. -WHAT?

I SAID, "I'LL SEND FOR YOU,"

AS SOON AS I GET THINGS SORTED.

Denham: WE KNOW THEY WERE IN LOVE.

HE AND LAURA OBVIOUSLY HAD A PASSIONATE, TORRID ROMANCE...

...WITH ALL THE EMOTION THAT GOES WITH THAT.

BAKER.

COME IN.

I'M LISTENING.

THERE WAS ONE STORY

THAT SUGGESTED THAT THE BETRAYER OF JOHN ASHLEY

WAS NONE OTHER THAN HIS GIRLFRIEND, LAURA UPTHEGROVE,

THAT HE APPARENTLY HAD BROKEN UP WITH HER AND THAT,

IN ORDER TO GET REVENGE, IT WAS SHE

WHO HAD TIPPED THE SHERIFF

ON WHERE TO FIND JOHN ASHLEY.

ASHLEY'S HEADING UP THE DIXIE HIGHWAY.

THEY PLAN ON STOPPING IN JACKSONVILLE.

I WANT YOU ALL TO RENDEZVOUS WITH SHERIFF MERRITT.

YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH HIM ON THIS.

THIS TIME, ASHLEY DOESN'T ESCAPE.

SHERIFF'S GOT A BIG PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, HE'S GOT TO GET THAT GUY.

HE'S GOT TO STOP THIS PUBLIC ENEMY.

Luckhardt: BAKER IS GONNA RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AGAIN.

SO HE SENDS TWO OTHER DEPUTIES.

HE STAYED INSTEAD TO DO SPEECHES IN PALM BEACH.

Kleinberg: THE TIP EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY

THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE CROSSING THIS BRIDGE

AT A CERTAIN TIME.

Robert: NOT TOO FAR FROM DARK,

THEY SLUNG A CHAIN ACROSS THE HIGHWAY

AT THE SEBASTIAN BRIDGE.

Luckhardt: AND THAT'S THE ONLY ROUTE NORTH.

THERE'S NO HOUSES. THERE'S NO STORES.

THERE'S NO PEOPLE AROUND AT THAT INLET.

THAT'S THE PLACE TO STOP 'EM.

THERE'S NO PLACE TO HIDE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

Bob: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT WELCOME.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU ONCE MORE FOR THE HONOR,

FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT YOU

AS THE SHERIFF OF PALM BEACH COUNTY.

THIS COUNTY IS NOT JUST OURS WHO LIVE HERE TODAY.

IT'S OUR ANCESTORS WHO RAISED THIS LAND.

GET OUT OF THE CAR.

IT'S OUR CHILDREN'S,

WHO WILL INHERIT IT WHEN WE'RE GONE.

WHEN MY FATHER BECAME

THE FIRST-EVER SHERIFF OF PALM BEACH COUNTY,

HE MADE A VOW TO PROTECT THE GOLD COAST

FROM THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT, TO ENSURE

THAT PALM BEACH COUNTY REMAINED A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS PLACE,

TO KEEP OUR EVERGLADES IN THE HANDS

OF THE FAMILIES OF THIS LAND AND NOT THE CRIMINALS

WHO WOULD USE IT AS THEIR PERSONAL HIDEAWAYS.

Luckhardt: THESE DEPUTIES HAD BEEN PART

OF THE SAME POSSE GROUPS OVER THE YEARS

THAT HAD BEEN CHASING THE ASHLEY GANG

AND HAD ESCAPED OUT OF DIFFERENT PRISONS.

THE ASHLEY GANG KILLED 12 DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS.

THE REPUTATION THEY HAD

AND THE PROPENSITY THAT THEY HAD FOR VIOLENCE

AND TRYING TO KILL LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS,

IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE MUCH TO GET THOSE LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

TO USE WHAT THEY'VE GOT

BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES

WHEN THE DAY ENDS.

ALL RIGHT, BOYS. IF THEY MOVE, SHOOT 'EM.

[ GUNFIRE ]

Bob: THAT IS WHY I HOPE TO SERVE PALM BEACH COUNTY

FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[ APPLAUSE ]

Denham: OBVIOUSLY, THE ASHLEY FAMILY

IS CONVINCED THAT THEY WERE SHOT IN COLD BLOOD.

BOB BAKER'S SUPPORTERS AND BOB BAKER'S DEPUTIES

WERE CONVINCED THAT THIS WAS JUST, UH,

THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF AN -- OF AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK FREE

OR BASICALLY FIRE BACK AT THE DEPUTIES.

SO THE DISPUTE CONTINUES.

Robert: I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND

THAT THEY HAD TO PUT AN END TO THESE GUYS

THAT WERE KILLING PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.

THEY WERE OUTLAWS, MAN. THEY WERE OUTLAWS.

AND THE LAWMEN PREVAILED, YOU KNOW?

"I AM A LAWMAN, AND MY WILL SHALL PREVAIL."

I THINK THEY FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WITH, UH,

THE ASHLEY GANG THAT IT WAS LIKE,

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

EITHER THEY'RE GONNA KILL SOMEBODY ELSE,

OR WE'RE GONNA TAKE THESE GUYS OUT."

AND, UH, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY,

AND THEY DID.

Luckhardt: SHERIFF BOB BAKER KEPT LAW AND ORDER

WHEN OTHER SHERIFFS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES

DIDN'T DO SO WELL, ESPECIALLY DURING PROHIBITION ERA

OF THE 1920s.

BUT PROBABLY SHERIFF BAKER'S MAIN OBJECTIVE

FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER

WAS TO GET JOHN ASHLEY.

AND HE DID.

THE NEXT MORNING, WORD HAD SPREAD UP AND DOWN THE COAST

THAT THE ASHLEY GANG WAS DONE, TOTALLY WIPED OUT.

NOBODY BELIEVED IT 'CAUSE THEY KNEW ALREADY

THE GANG HAD ESCAPED OUT OF EVERYTHING,

WHETHER IT WAS A RAID ON THE FAMILY CAMP OR A JAIL.

SO THE MORTUARY, UH, PEOPLE

LAY OUT THE FOUR BODIES

RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR MORTUARY

ON THE SIDEWALK

FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW ALL DAY THE NEXT DAY.

THEY KNEW JOHN ASHLEY WAS GONE NOW.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T GRIEVE

FOR THE ASHLEYS, THAT -- THAT SAID,

"EVEN IF -- EVEN IF THEY WERE EXECUTED,

THEY HAD IT COMING."

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT HE WAS A GANGSTER

AND A THIEF AND A ROBBER AND A KILLER.

Crowder: I KNOW PEOPLE BREATHED A LOT EASIER

AROUND THIS PART OF THE STATE WHEN THOSE GUYS WERE GONE.

WHAT DO YOU WANT, BAKER?

HONOR WAS A -- WAS A PART OF ALL OF THIS.

AND PERSONAL, UH, PERSONAL REPUTATION

WAS, UH, WAS -- WAS IN THIS AS WELL.

AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT.

I THINK THE BEST THING FOR THIS COUNTY

WOULD BE IF THIS FEUD WERE PUT TO BED FOR GOOD.

DON'T YOU THINK?

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, LAURA.

THE EYE WAS RETURNED IN TIME FOR BURIAL.

BURIAL WAS THAT TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th.

AND THAT ALSO HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN THE ELECTION DAY.

BOB BAKER IS ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY.

IN THE END, PEOPLE DID NOT WEEP FOR JOHN ASHLEY.

THEY FELT THAT, UH, THE LAW HAD ULTIMATELY PREVAILED.

Luckhardt: LAURA UPTHEGROVE, OF COURSE,

IS STILL, UH, VERY DISTRAUGHT

AND UPSET OVER THE DEATH OF JOHN ASHLEY.

SHE, UH, GETS IN TROUBLE ONE FORM

OR ANOTHER, MOSTLY AGAIN SELLING ILLEGAL LIQUORS.

THAT'S WHAT SHE KNEW TO DO.

AND SHE'D BE IN AND OUT OF JUST LOCAL JAILS.

Kleinberg: SHE WAS PRETTY TOUGH.

BUT EVERYTHING KIND OF FELL APART AFTER --

AFTER THE ASHLEYS WERE KILLED.

ONE DAY, SHE GRABBED A BOTTLE OF CLEANING FLUID OFF THE SHELF,

DRANK IT AND FELL DEAD.

AND SO THAT WAS THE TRAGIC END OF LAURA UPTHEGROVE.

Crowder: SHERIFF BOB BAKER,

WHO HAD TO ENDURE THE CHALLENGING TIMES

THAT HE DID HIS JOB IN,

UH, HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE

TO THE BETTERMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

AND, UH, THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY

BY HELPING TO TAKE PEOPLE LIKE THE ASHLEYS OFF THE STREET.

THE ASHLEY GANG DIDN'T PUT AN END TO THE BAKER LAWMEN.

HE PUT AN END TO THE ASHLEY GANG

JUST LIKE HE SAID HE WAS GONNA DO.

SO IN THE LONG RUN, THE GOOD GUYS WON.

THE GOOD GUYS WON.