All language subtitles for MSW 2001 The Last Free Man.eng

- [Breathing heavily]

[Dogs barking in background]

[Men yelling indistinctly]

- Something's gone through here!

- He's headed for the creek!

- Let's get him!

[Men yelling]

- Rick's got somethin'
in his mouth!

- Head left here!

[Men yelling indistinctly]

- All right! Come on, boys!
Let's get him!

- Samuel Pinkney
was accused of killing

a white
plantation owner.

Some of what you've been
taught about the American

south before the civil war
is true, some is not.

Sam was condemned without
a trial and killed for crimes

that my research suggests
he did not commit.

He had lived peaceably on
a plantation in Culpepper,

Virginia, owned by
one Sarah McCullough.

Unfortunately, we may never
know the whole story regarding

Samuel Pinkney and this is
both a sad fact of history

and, for me,
a personal tragedy because...

Samuel Pinkney
was my distant grandfather.

[People murmuring]

I do wish we had a complete
picture so that Samuel Pinkney

would finally be free.

Thank you.

- Professor Hawkins?

- Yes?

- Jessica Fletcher.

- Oh, the writer?

- Yes.

- Ha! I've read several
of your books.

I enjoy them thoroughly.

- Oh, thank you.

You know, I was most
intrigued by your lecture.

You know, I believe that we
may share a common heritage.

- We do?

- Well, I believe
that Sarah McCullough,

the woman you say owned
Samuel Pinkney was

a very distant aunt of mine.

- Really?

- Well,
I've always heard about that

side of my family who came
over from Ireland and settled

in Virginia, oh, around the
turn of the 18th century.

In fact, that is the
reason I came down here.

I wanted to come
to Culpepper and try to make the connection.

- Well, consider
yourself connected.

- I have to say though it's a
little disconcerting to learn

that my distant aunt
was a slave owner.

- Well, sadly,
the skeleton of slavery

resides in a lot of family
closets down here.

- Well,
nevertheless, I do have

a sense of responsibility
and a need to apologize.

- Ohh.

The only responsibility you
have we all have, and that's

for the living.

- Well, I couldn't agree more.

How are you so sure
that Samuel was owned

by Sarah McCullough?

- Well, this...

Read the inscription.

- "To Samuel Pinkney
from S. McCullough"?

- My cousin gave this
to me several months ago

and it prompted me to look
further into things.

Maybe you have some
information that could help me

fill in some of the blanks.

- I really don't know
anything about my aunt,

but I am curious.

You said in your lecture
that you believed that Samuel

was wrongly accused of murder.

Tell me, what facts lead
you to that conclusion?

- There's a cemetery,
not too far from here,

where I have found Samuel
Pinkney�s second grave.

- His second grave?

- Miss Fletcher, Samuel Pinkney
is buried in 2 places.

- "Samuel Pinkney, born August
4, 1832. Died June 25, 1860."

- Yes, those are
the dates on this marker,

but this is from a headstone
in a cemetery in Pennsylvania.

- "Samuel Pinkney, born August
4, 1832, Culpepper, Virginia,

died November 6, 1894."

This is the same man?

- You tell me.

According to the newspaper
accounts from that period,

Samuel Pinkney was killed
here in Virginia and the dates

on this marker
correspond with that.

But this is from a headstone
that I had found in Pennsylvania

in a county where
my people settled.

Now, both men have the same
name, same date of birth,

same town of origin.

- But this death date
is 30 years later.

- Exactly.

And there's some other facts
that I found at the local

historical society that
don't line up either.

- I'd be very
interested to see those.

- The white plantation owner
who was murdered was named

Robert Mercer and
here's a photograph.

- You know, judging from these
glowing reports, you wonder

why anybody would have
wanted to murder him.

He looks like a very
decent sort of person.

- One of our more
noteworthy Virginia sons,

lost before his time and
murdered on his wedding night.

I'm Stanford Thornton.

I'm a longtime
student of the south

and war between the states.

I assume you were
discussing the Pinkney case.

- Yes, do you know
something about it?

- I know it was a tragedy.

The articles say he was going
to receive a fair trial.

It was just a shame
that he chose to run.

- Well,
given the climate of the day,

you wonder if Pinkney felt
that the verdict was already

in before the trial started.

- I know there were abuses
in the antebellum south,

but not in our county.

- That is, of course,
if you don't consider

slavery itself an abuse.

- Oh, we all agree.
Slavery was wrong.

But I find that people are
sometimes, shall I say,

overeager to paint every
southerner with the brush

of racial bigotry.

Our finer southern institutions
are often misrepresented.

I'm touching on that very
topic in my lecture across

the way in the park.

- Hmm. Cassandra is
lecturing here, too.

- I'm sorry, I didn't
catch your name.

Ms...

- Hawkins.
Dr. Cassandra Hawkins.

- What is your interest
in the Pinkney case?

- Samuel Pinkney was
my distant grandfather.

- Really? I see.

I trust there's no
agenda in your pursuit.

- Agenda?

- I believe that personal
pilgrimages can sometimes lead

people to make historical
events what they want

them to be rather
than what they are.

- I agree.

- If you ladies will excuse me.

Oh, dear.
I must get to my lecture.

- If anyone ever
had an agenda.

- That man's agenda's more
obvious than a politician

trying to get votes.

- You know him?

- Oh, he's forever trying

to influence how we present
history here at the museum,

as if he's the self-appointed
protector

of all things southern.

Would you be so kind as
to put on these gloves?

The letters are quite fragile.

Now I have some documents that
I think might be of some help

and some personal effects
from the McCullough estate.

- You have some documents
from my aunt Sarah?

- Oh, yes, some
were preserved.

- Most,
unfortunately, were lost.

She didn't have any children
so there was nobody

left to maintain her legacy.

- These are her letters?

- Mm-hmm.

- Uh-huh, I see.

1846, 1852.

- I think you're going
to want to read this one.

It should be dated
June 20, 1860.

It's about the murder.

- Now that is just
before Samuel died.

- Now that was written to
a friend, Abigail Pennington,

in Charlottesville.

- "Dear Abigail, you
probably read in the papers

"about the accusations leveled
against my friend and faithful

"servant, Samuel Pinkney,

"regarding that
dreadful murder.

"But I sensed that something
wasn't right at the reception

the other day after
the Mercer wedding."

[Chatter]

[Horses neighing]

- Judge Martin! Well!
What a pleasure!

- Great to see you!

- Why, thank you.

Very nice to see you.

[Overlapping chatter]

[Horses neighing]

- Oh, thank you.
Please enjoy yourself.

- Hello, people.
Y'all come on in now.

Come on in.

- Ooh, Mary.

You looked simply regal
coming down that aisle.

Tell me who made your dress.

- I had it sent from Atlanta.

- Oh,
I believe you're spoiling this

daughter of yours, Mr. Hart.

- Well, nothing's too good
for my Mary.

- I should say so, sir.

My, look at that picture.

Culpepper's most beautiful
young lady has stolen

the heart of its most
eligible bachelor.

I know they're going to make
a beautiful home up there

on that big old spread of his.

- My Princess has
finally got her kingdom.

- Miss Ashland, general.

My lady,
you look beautiful.

- I did not fall in love
with a piece of property,

Jed Bucknell, I fell in love
with a man, a man who isn't

carried off by the
first breeze that comes

in fluttering her eyelashes.

- Well,
Mrs. Mercer, unlike some people

here, I've been
training to fight

for our beloved south.

Of course, I never dreamt I�d
have to come back and fight

for my girl, too.

- What you consider a battle,
I believe Mary would

characterize as
a willing surrender.

- Sweet are the spoils of war.

[Horse neighing]

- Mary,
would you just look at you.

Your mother, god rest
her soul, she would have

been so proud.

My goodness me,
this is so exciting.

- Miss Sarah.
- Charles.

- I brought the
extra silverware.

Where shall we put it?

- Just have Sam drive it
around back to the kitchen.

Jim and Mary Bell are there,
they'll attend to it.

- Charles, I'm sorry I didn't
get these to you yesterday,

but we've been quite
busy with plans

for the wedding and all,

and I guess that Sam just
plum forgot.

- They're just like
children, aren't they?

Always forgetting everything,
except what time supper is.

Pardon me.

Well, I see he didn't forget

to wear his Sunday best
now, did he?

If I didn't know any better,
I'd say you were trying to

upstage the lucky
groom himself.

- I was just trying
to honor miss Mary

on her special day, sir.
Spend my own money.

- Your own money?
Is that a fact?

- Yes, sir.

- Miss McCullough.

You're not paying this
slave wages, are you?

- He earns it.

It's not much, but it's an
incentive to do good work.

- You do yourself
one better, ma'am,

if you get a hold
of a good overseer.

His whip would give Sam
plenty of incentive

to do a good job.
Ain't that right, Sam?

Won't it, Sam?

Why, that is a mighty fine vest
you're wearing there, Sam.

Don't get all
touchy with me, boy.

I'm just looking at
your fancy button now.

Now you see what you
made me go and do?

Slaves shouldn't be
wearing such things anyway,

should they?

- Ah!

That was uncalled for.

- What's uncalled for,
miss McCullough, is you paying

this slave wages.

- Here now!

Why don't y'all just
make your way right on

into the house? I know Mary
Bell's got some treats

and spice punch
for everybody.

I think we could all stand to
cool down a little bit here.

Jeb!

- Sam?

I'll be seeing you, boy.

Yes, sir, Mr. Hobbs.

- I will thank you
to consider that today

is Mary's wedding day
and just leave it alone.

- Now we don't want
to ruin her special day,

now would I, sir?

Ma'am.

- Sarah, my profound
apologies.

- Thank you, Charles.

It's a good thing that
someone still recognizes

a violation
of human dignity.

[Dog barking]

- Get.

- I am sorry, Sam.

- That's all right,
miss Sarah.

I'd best be getting this
china around to the kitchen.

This here old dog don't
like me being here either.

[Dog barking]

Go on.

- Yes, this is a very
happy day for me, thank you.

- Well, quite a party, Robert.

- It's awful generous
of Mr. Hobbs

to put on such an affair.

- Well, he does
indulge that girl.

But now you gotta.

You better hang
onto your purse.

- I'll do my best
to provide for her.

- I'm sure
you will, sir.

But, you know, you could
improve your financial

position by simply selling
me that 120 acres

you've got next to my land.

- As I said before, when
I'm ready to sell it--

- I know. I'll be
the first to know.

- Yes, sir.

- Ha ha ha.
What I don't understand

is why you don't put some crops

in there--tobacco,
keeping a grassland

can't be
the most profitable.

- Oh, that's
quite an undertaking.

- Sure.

- I can handle a few cattle
and sheep, and, of course,

I have my
leather goods business.

- Now I know a man
in Lauden county,

he's about to sell
some real good field hands.

Why, with the work they'd
offer, you could recoup your

investment rather quickly.

- I don't reckon I�m
ready for all that.

- Well--ha ha--look, Robert,

I know you're not partial
to owning slaves.

So, you just get yourself a few.

You don't have to work
the poor creatures to death.

I mean,
you'll be doing them a favor--

you provide them
a home and meals.

It's better than they could
do on their own out there.

- Will I have
to dance all afternoon

and never once
with my husband?

- If you'll excuse me,
Mr. Ashland.

- Certainly, sir. Ma'am.

- So I need to know how much
livestock and how many hands

you want to sell.
So, you get back to me.

- Powder flask
and bullet holder.

And best of all, gentlemen,

it fires 6 shots
before having to reload.

Yes, sir.

I get 6 Yankees
within 50 yards...

I'll show them just how
hot old Dixieland can be.

- Well, let's just
hope this whole thing

can be resolved
without bloodshed.

- With all due respect,
Mr. Hobbs,

those Yankees have proven
they're not willing to uphold

our rights here in the south.

So, why, I'm afraid, sir,

we're just going to
have to assert ourself

by a show of arms.

- Well,
I've certainly taken

that position in my newspaper

and I've only had a handful

of naysayers attack
my editorials.

- Mr. Ashland, you are
preaching to the choir here

with that rag, sir.

Why, everybody in this room

knows exactly what
our priorities are.

Don't we, gentlemen?

- We start a war with the
Yankees, and for every gun

of ours, they're got factories
up north can make 100.

- Mr. Mercer, are you saying
they're better than US?

- No, not better, bigger.

If there's a war, they'll
just keep coming and coming.

- I reckon if you're
not vested in the south,

then you have no interest
in preserving her.

- Your implication,
Mr. Bucknell?

- My implication, Mr. Mercer?

Well, let's see,

you're always off doing business
with the northerners.

Why, I even hear you're
a proponent of free cotton.

Now, could you explain that
free cotton to me when you

have to pay
a slave to pick it?

- The idea has merit,
that's all.

- It better be all, Mr. Mercer.

It better be.

? Oh, I wish I was in
the land of cotton ?

? old times there... ?

Mr. Hobbs, sir!

- Yes, sir.

- Do you mind, sir, if I
keep this in your gun case

for safekeeping?

- Not at all.

- Sarah.

- Everything all
right, Charles?

- Fine, fine.

We just ran out of ice,

so I just want to make sure
y'all are comfortable.

- Well, I think
that uncomfortable

is the proper word.

We're all overstuffed
as housecats around here.

Now, look, I could have Sam
run over to my ice house

and get some.

- Oh, now, Sam doesn't have
to be out running around.

- Is there a problem?

- Excuse me, sir.

Mr. Hobbs, the guests are
wondering when you're fixing

to cut the cake.

- They're having trouble
finding the bride and groom.

- Have you see them?
- Yes, I have.

- Well, I've seen Robert.
Robert's out back with Sam.

- Well, how about
I go fetch him?

- Would you do that?

And have him meet US
in the ballroom.

- I certainly will.

Sam?

- Miss Sarah.

- Robert,
everything all right? Sam?

- Oh, yes, ma'am.

The wagon was sounding
a little funny.

Probably just a split rim.

- Yeah. Robert,
they're looking for you.

They're getting ready
to cut the cake.

- I better be
getting back inside.

- Charles said
they run out of ice.

Sam, could y'all run over
to our place and get some?

- Oh, yes, ma'am.

- Sam, why don't you fetch
some over at my place?

It's closer.

- Sure enough, Mr. Mercer.

- Here.

You'll need these.

- Thank you.

- Don't be
too long, Sam.

- I appreciate
your trust in Sam.

- Well, how's that?

- With your keys?

Most people around these
parts wouldn't do that.

- Who's not going
to trust Sam?

- [Crying] Jeb, this isn't
the time or the place.

- Mary?

There you are.

I believe they're
wanting to cut the cake.

- Well, yes, of course.

Everybody wants to
see the lovely bride.

So pure and altogether
innocent.

I guess our little Princess
just can't handle all

the emotions of her
newfound bliss.

- I want you to say it.

- Say what?

- Call me by my name.

- Mrs. Robert Mercer.

- Mmm.

[Moaning]

[2 thumps]

- I thought I heard something.

- It's just the
beating of my heart.

[Chuckling]

- Mmm!

[Crash]

[Horse neighing]

- What is it?

- I don't know.

There's something out there.

I better check.

- Oh, Robert, come now.

- It'll only be a minute.

I think someone's down
at the harness shop.

- Can you see anything?

- No, I can't.

I'll be right back.

- I'm not going anywhere.

[Door opens and closes]

[Door creaking]

[Creaking]

[Man breathing]

- What are you doing here?

[Gunshots]

- Robert!

- Hyah!

[Horse neighing]

- Robert.

Mary,
I promise you, this tragedy

will not go unpunished.

I can assure you I will use
every resource at my disposal

to bring whoever did
this to justice.

- Mary, you say you saw
a man on horseback.

- Yes.

- What did he look like?

- I didn't see his face.

- Was it a slave?

- No.

Would you please stop asking
me all these questions?

- Cornelius, Jeb, please!

- Who'd do such a thing?

- I don't know.

I can't even imagine.

- Charles.

- What have you got there,
Mr. Ashland?

- It's a button,
a brass button.

- Let me see that.

- That's Sarah's
slave's button.

- Are you sure?

- Positive. Saw the same button
on that vest of his.

- Let's go.

- Now remember, boys, we don't
want to scare this slave off

or hurt miss Sarah.

Y'all take it slow and easy
until we get to the barn.

[Nickering]

- Come on out, Sam!

We know you're in there!

- There's a light on in
the barn, gentlemen.

I think he's home.

- Come on out, Sam!

- Yeah, Sam, come on out!

- Sam!

Where are you, boy?
We know you're in here.

Come on, boy!
Come on, boy!

Where are you, Sam?

Where are you?

- Check in the stalls.

- Be careful, boys.
He could have a weapon.

- Hold on, y'all.
I got him.

[All yelling at once]

- I'm going to
hurt you, Sam.

- Throw that!

- [Grunting]

- [Groaning]

- Bring it down!

- Aah!

- Come on!
Get him up!

- Get him up! Get him up!

- There you go!
- Hold it! Hold it!

- I've got it.

- What did Robert Mercer ever
do to you to deserve what you

done to him, boy?

- I ain't done nothing.

- Don't lie to me!
- Aah!

- Hold up!
We'll tie him!

- What in the
world is going on?

- Stay out of this,
miss McCullough.

It's got nothing to
do with you, ma'am.

- For no reason?

You're about to hang a man
I've known since he was a boy?

It's got everything
to do with me.

- Sarah, poor Robert
Mercer was murdered tonight.

- Murdered?

- Yeah,
we found this here button

no more than 3 feet from
where somebody shot him.

Now you tell me
that isn't Sam's.

- Off of Sam's fancy
vest he's wearing.

- Mr. Bucknell
tore that button off.

- Shut up.
- Well, he's right.

- Anybody could
have picked it up.

- They never did
find that button.

- You accusing
one of US, boy? Huh? Uh!

- Aah!

- Lookee here.
What have we got?

Look what he stole.

Not only is he a lying
murderer, he is also a thief.

- That's his watch.

- "To Samuel Pinkney
from S. McCullough."

- He didn't steal it.
I gave it to him.

- What are you doing, Sarah?

Pandering to your slave?

- He does deliveries for me.

I want him to be on time.

It's--it's just good business.

Now, y'all listen to me.

I'm as destroyed as everyone
else about what has happened

to Robert here,
but to hang a man

over a button
is sheer lunacy.

Now despite what y'all
may think about my treatment

of him, he is my legal
property and you are not doing

anything to him until
the sheriff becomes involved

and we have
a proper investigation.

Now you all get home
and cool your heels.

- Well, we're going to get
the sheriff over here.

You can't protect him.

- You better stay put because
if you run, I swear to god,

I will personally hunt you
down and shoot you like a dog.

- Let's take care
of that poor face.

- I didn't kill Mr. Mercer.

- I believe you.

But what on earth were
you doing in this barn

at this hour of night?

- I was out.

- Where?

Look, Sam, I want
to believe you.

But, doggone it, I can't
if you're not forthcoming.

- Please, ma'am, if
you want to turn me over

to those men, go ahead.

They already think I'm guilty,

so you can just
pass your judgment

and join right up with them.

But I ain't telling
you where I was.

- "I don't believe Sam did it

"and I intend to
find out who did

"and what I can do
help this poor man,

"who I consider
my dear friend.

Affectionately,
Sarah McCullough."

- And that's all we know
about the whole affair,

other than what's
in the newspaper.

Her endeavor to prove
Pinkney�s innocence stopped

with that letter.

- Well,
her efforts didn't necessarily

stop, I mean, just
what we know of them.

- True.

- Do you know any other
facts about Sarah?

- Well, by this time,
she was a widow.

Her husband had died
several years earlier.

The land records indicate

that the estate
was passed onto her.

She sold most of it off,

except for the house and a small
parcel to sustain herself.

- Another thing I'm curious
about is Sarah's journal.

Now it is alluded
to in her letters.

Is there any way that we
could get our hands on that?

- It's anybody's guess
where that might be,

if it still exists at all.

- What do you know
about Abigail Pennington,

the woman
that Sarah was writing to?

- One of her relatives
passed on a few years ago.

They auctioned off her things.

A woman over in Spotsylvania
county bought the items,

but I don't know believe they
were of any historical value.

- I don't suppose you could
remember the name of the woman

who bought them?

- Miss Laura Lee Custer.

She lives over
in Fredericksburg.

- Ah!

Ok.

- Oh, my.

He finally got his audience.

- [Speaking indistinctly]

- I'd like to talk to him.

- Why?

You didn't get enough
of his rhetoric already?

- Well, I certainly don't
appreciate his positions.

But he claims to have reviewed
some of the old documents

and he might be just
the person to help US

to find Sarah's journal
and some other clues.

I'd like to lay
down a challenge.

- A challenge? Jessica.

- ...meet these challenges
head on for the sake

of future generations.

And that is why, my friends,

it is so important--
to preserve the culture,

we must preserve the past.

Thank you.

- Uh, Mr. Thornton.

- Ah. Ladies.

I am sorry you
missed my speech.

I addressed some of the
issues we discussed earlier

in more detail.

I find that when you
thoroughly examine the facts,

it helps US all understand
history a little bit better.

- Oh, I couldn't agree
with you more.

Well, like, for instance,
don't you find it curious

the mention of a journal in
Sarah McCullough's ledger?

You did read it, of course.

- I read the ledger.

Yes, I don't recall
mentioning the journal.

- Yes,
but if there was one and it

turned up, you'd want
to know about it?

- Well, most assuredly.

- Attention!

Colonel Thornton, private
Weber reporting

for duty, sir.

- Private Weber
and I are involved

in a civil war reenactment.

- Oh.

- These ladies
here are reviewing

their own little
piece of history.

They are researching
the Pinkney case.

- They're not part of the
northern aggression, are they?

I hope they don't want
to change history.

- Don't tell Billy.

He doesn't know
the war's over.

- It's just that I find that
colonel Thornton's desire

to uphold the unique character
and beauty of our people

always seems to
come under attack.

Preserve the past, right, sir?

- Well, no one is denying
the unique beauty of the south.

It's just that some people
want to paint a picture that

is inaccurate of its history.

- This country still
has a lot of disunion.

I think that men like colonel
Thornton serve US well

by trying to solidify
our cultural heritage.

- Cultural heritage?

Or do you mean
racial division?

- Well, you can call
it what you will.

But when a nation affirms its
unifying traditions, there's

always a lot less disagreement
and a lot more unity.

- Well, we certainly don't want
to fight any wars again.

- Good afternoon, ladies.

- My husband put most
of the Pennington antiques

up here in the attic.

You all are welcome
to go through this,

although I don't know
where anything is.

Oh, I'm kind of a pack rat.

I like the antiques,

but, well, I like
the modern junk as well.

- Well, thank you.
We'll just start digging.

- All right. Ha ha.

- Well, I'm just so sorry.

I would have sworn I kept
that stuff up here somewhere.

- Ha. You did check
those 3 boxes.

It says Pennington
on this one here.

- Yes, I've already
looked there.

There's just old china
and crystal, mostly.

- Wait a minute.

What's this?

- Jessica?

- Just as I suspected.

- 1872.

- This box must
have been packed

right after the end
of the war.

You know, when I kept china
and glass, I always put a wad

of paper between the pieces
so they don't get broken,

just like these.

- There's dozens
of them in here.

- 1868, 1866.

- Wait, look, look,
here's one. June 22, 1860.

Well, that's just 2 days
after the last letter.

- It's from Sarah.

[Laughs]

" Dear Abigail,
much has happened

"since I wrote to you last.

"In Sam's defense, I took it
upon myself to look into this

"dreadful matter regarding
Robert Mercer's murder.

"I went to the scene of this
heinous crime, not having

"the slightest notion
of what I might find.

"I noticed several peculiar
things about the harness shop

where Robert was killed."

"Packages arrived and
were sent on safely.

Levi Stillman." Hmm.

- We figure Sam
was laying for him.

Robert come through
that door and bang.

- I found this in the wall.

- Hmm.

Well, Mary said
she heard 2 shots.

This one must have missed.

- Well,
not many people have guns that

can fire more than one shot.

I know there are
none at my place.

- Well, Sam might have found
one somewhere else.

Why, Jeb Bucknell was showing
US his Colt Walker pistol

at the reception.
He can fire 6 shots.

- And does it take bullets
that are conical like this?

- Is that why
you come up here?

Just to stir up some
implausible scenario?

- No. Just trying
to find the truth.

There. There's a good boy.

- Morning, miss Sarah.

- Heh. Sheriff Underwood.

I figured you'd be out
here sooner or later.

- You seen Sam today?

- Oh, I'm sure he's around.

- I'm not going to arrest him,

at least not until I
get all the evidence in.

But you're going
to have to promise me

you'll keep a close
eye on him for me.

- So they can make
it legal to hang me?

- Sam, it's not going to do you
any good to get antagonistic.

I have to gather all these
facts so that when the circuit

magistrate comes through here,
he can render a decision.

- You might want to consider
this in your investigation.

I found it in Robert
Mercer's harness shop.

- Well, that looks like lead
from a Colt revolver.

- I understand that Jeb
Bucknell has one of those.

- Is that a fact?

- Yeah,
he was showing it

off at the reception.

- Heh. Well, I'll be going
out there this afternoon.

I think I'll just have a
little talk with him about it.

- Well, I'll be very
interested to hear

what he has to say.
May I join you later?

- Suit yourself.

- He didn't come out
here to reassure me

that I'd be treated fairly.

He came out here
to check up on me.

- No. He might be
an advocate, Sam.

- Miss Sarah, the day the law
stands up for a slave be

the day that them Blue Ridge
mountains fall flat.

- Yeah,
but we've got to keep

believing that we can
convince them of the truth.

- Believe.
I tell you what I believe.

I believe that we's all
called on to bear something.

No matter where
you find yourselves,

if you stand up for the truth,

you're going to ruffle
some feathers.

You're going
to experience some pain

from those who don't
want the truth.

- I resent you even suggesting

that my pistol killed
Robert Mercer, sheriff.

- Now, don't get yourself
all in an uproar, Jeb.

We just want to take
a look at it.

- Well, it couldn't
be Jeb's gun, sheriff.

I got that right here
in my gun cabinet.

- And every man who attended
the reception knew it.

- Aha, you see?

Here it is, right there,
the way I left it.

- Charles?

- Now we all saw Mr. Hobbs
put that pistol in that case

at the reception.

[Clock chiming]

- Well, it looks to
be the same caliber.

And if you'll notice,
the markings on this mold

match perfectly with the
bullet miss Sarah found.

- That slave of yours.

That's what happened.

He come here and he stole
my pistol out of that box.

- The last time anyone saw
that pistol was right here

when Charles put it
away that evening.

Now, Sam wasn't in
the house after that.

In fact, shortly afterwards
I sent him out to get ice.

- Are you saying that somebody
at my daughter's reception

stole that weapon and used
it to murder Robert?

- Sam got another
slave to help him.

That's what happened.

There's more than one slave
involved in this, sheriff.

- Yeah, but what
was the motive?

Gentlemen, please.

I mean,
the fact that we're all

overlooking is what
reason would Sam have

for killing Robert?

- And somebody here did?

- Well, you tell me.

- Daddy, what's going on?

- It's nothing, sweetheart.

You go on.

- Jeb, where's your pistol?

- It's been misplaced,
darling.

But it'll turn up.

- It's your gun.

It's your gun
that killed Robert.

- Now you just
settle yourself down.

I had nothing to do with this.

- You sure enough
wanted him dead.

- Now, Mary, you hush
that kind of talk.

- Mary,
I was asleep in this house

when Robert Mercer was killed.

- He's right, Mary.
Right here under our own roof.

- You've got to believe me.

I am telling you
the truth on this.

- Did you hate him that much?

Hat
Bucknell's pistol was used

still doesn't eliminate
Sam as a suspect.

- You tell me, how did he
get the gun out of the house?

- I don't know.
But the circuit magistrate

will be through here
in a few days

and if we don't have something
substantial by then,

I'm afraid I'm going
to have to arrest him.

Good day, miss Sarah.

- Good day, sheriff.

- Oh,
for god's sakes, Mary,

will you please listen to me?

- I will not discuss
this further, Jeb.

I will hear no more of
your feeble explanations.

- As you wish, Mary.

- Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk.

- I'm sorry you had to
find out about the pistol.

- That's all so disturbing,
so very disturbing.

- Tell me, that day
at the reception when I

found you two--

- I did love Jeb, but I
don't love him anymore.

- And you told him that
at the reception?

- Yes. I mean, I told him
that months ago.

- Months?

- I told him it was over.

- And there wasn't
any reason for him

to believe that it
wasn't true?

- Absolutely none.

Miss Sarah, I-I loved Robert.

Will you excuse me?

- Sam, so you didn't go

into the house during
the reception at all?

- I didn't go in that
house that whole day.

Miss Sarah, I was just out
back listening to the good

time that y'all was having.

- Now is there anyone
who could vouch for you?

- Mary Bell, Jim, you.

You saw me with Mr. Mercer.

But he ain't here to tell,
now is he?

In fact, they're probably
going to use that against me.

We wasn't doing anything
but looking at a split rim.

- And that's all
you were doing?

- Yes, ma'am, that's
all we was doing.

Miss Sarah, I appreciate all
your efforts, but it ain't

going to make
a bit of difference.

A slave is always guilty.

- Well, we always
have hopes, Sam.

I mean, they can't
take that away from US.

- Hope.

You tell me what
that word mean?

- Well,
I don't pretend to fully

understand it,
but I certainly do know

that we can't live
without it.

- Sometimes it's awful
hard living with it.

I ain't so sure
I believe in believin' no more.

- The poor soul.

- This letter only raises more
questions than it answers.

- But they're good questions.

Who stole the pistol?

Who was to get the
food that Sarah found?

And the letter tells
US where to look next.

Like that Levi Stillman--
the fellow that Mercer

was sending the packages to.

Cassandra?

- As a scholar, you take a
rather cold look at history,

but this is isn't like looking
at someone else's life,

this is part of my own.

- [Sighs]

It's as if Samuel is crying
out to you, but there's

nothing you can do about it.

- Exactly.

And that's what this whole
process has been like.

The more I learn about him,
what he went through,

the injustice,
it consumes me.

And there's no release because
those people have gone on.

And here we are, left with
this sense that a wrong has

been committed and...

And there's nothing
we can do about it.

- Well, I've done some
searching into my own past.

What I've learned is, these
discoveries, even what I�m

finding out now about Sarah,
they show US more about those

people and what they endured.

But, more importantly,
they do reaffirm who we are.

- Perhaps.

But it doesn't hurt any less.

I don't think
I should continue.

- Oh, but, Cassandra,
you can't quit now.

You might have a chance
to finally clear his name.

I mean, wouldn't you just
love to give him that gift?

To right that wrong?

- [Sighs] Let's see.

Maybe this...Family
registry could help.

Here's a Levi Stillman,
lived in Warrenton,

family were Quakers, pacifists.

- Oh, yeah,
there's lots and lots

of folks around these
part got Quaker roots.

- Well, do you recognize any
of his descendants, Laura Lee?

- Well,
I'm no historian, but I'll be

happy to look and see if
I know any of the names.

Oh. Well, I'll be.

I didn't know she had
Stillman blood in her.

- Who?

- Well, Eliza Hoops.

Oh, she's quite a character.

I guess she'd be Levi Stillman's
great granddaughter.

- Is she still alive?

- Well, there's no date
of death in the registry.

I know she lives up
around Warrenton.

Her family's had a home
up there for 200 years.

My goodness, she has
to be over 100 by now.

- Oh, hello.

You say you're from England?

- No, ma'am.
New England.

- Oh. Did you bring lobster?

- Uh, not this trip.

- Just as well.

I don't like eating anything

that can pinch harder
than I can.

Uh...you wanted to know
about my grandfather?

- Actually, it would be
your great grandfather.

- Levi.

- You knew him?

- Is he here?

- No, ma'am, he's not,
but do you

remember when he was?

Do you remember anything
about a friend

of his named Robert Mercer?

- Oh, I had a cat
named Mercer once.

- I don't think she's going to
know anything about telegrams

and packages sent north.

- Great grandpa sent
packages all the time.

- Great grandpa
Levi sent packages?

- Yes, on the train.

- The train?

- Yes.

Came right through
here, it did.

- No, it must have
been a depot nearby.

- Not nearby.

Right through here.

We rode it all the time and
it had a magic compartment.

- Magic compartments?

- Yes, my cousins and I
rode it all the time.

Came right through this room.

Shh!

Don't disturb the passengers.

All aboard!

Train's leaving!

Hurry up, you'll
miss the train!

- I think you should sit down.

You could hurt yourself.

- No, no, no.
All aboard!

Ride in the magic compartment.

[Clicking]

All aboard!

You want a ride?

Grandpa said lots
of folks did.

Lots of black folks.

- It's not a real train.

It's the underground railroad.

- Yep.

All the way to Philadelphia.

- The packages Robert
were sending to the north

were runaway slaves.

- Ladies, ladies, I appreciate

all these theories
y'all are coming up with.

- No, but these are more
than just theories.

I mean,
there is considerable evidence

to suggest that Robert
Mercer was working

on the underground railroad.

- Samuel Pinkney
and other slaves

in the county
probably knew about it.

Well, don't you see,
he wouldn't have murdered

Robert Mercer if this man was
helping his people to freedom.

- Ma'am, just because
a merchant sent a package

doesn't mean that
package was a slave.

You women are coming up with
these meaningless things

and using them to spin fairy
tales about how you wish

things happened rather than
the way they really were.

- And you're not?

- I write books that spell out
facts and I use these words

to inform, not to influence.

Now if you will excuse me,

I have a real piece
of history to recreate.

- Excuse me.

Look what they've
done to my car!

Ohh.

- Those are your words,
Mr. Thornton.

Do you still think you
have no influence?

- I don't know what to say.

- It's not what you say now.

It's what you have
said in the past.

- I had nothing
to do with this.

- You may not carry a rifle,

but your words are
certainly weapons.

It's those very sentiments

that can fuel this kind
of behavior.

Surely, as an historian,
you have seen that there are

those in this world who hate
people who aren't like them.

Now do you really want to give

them more reasons to justify
that hatred?

- I've always felt very
strongly about the traditions

of the south, but it was
an intellectual debate.

I was simply trying
to preserve--

- preserve what, Mr. Thornton,
your noble past?

And just what about that past
are you wanting to keep alive?

Because in spite of this
town's accomplishments,

this was a place where one
man could own another,

where children could be ripped

from their parents' arms
and never see them again.

A place where a human being
with passions and desires had

to deny the very spark that
makes him human--his own will.

Meanwhile, the good
townspeople just went

on about their business.

They saw no shame in it.

Is that what you're
trying to preserve?

Not just prejudice, but
the right not to notice when

something is happening
right in front of you?

- I have always
sought the truth.

That was my sole motivation.

- Oh, the truth!

That is the most elusive
of all mysteries.

- All right, men!

- You know the insidious thing
about a lie is that the best

ones are closest to the truth.

- But if you find one
more bit of evidence...

It all becomes clear.

We're looking
in the wrong place.

- What?

- Aunt Sarah's journal,
it's not here in Culpepper.

How'd I miss that?

- What do you mean,
it's not here?

This is where she lived.

- Yes, but it's
not where she died.

Look, she died in a field
hospital in Manassas.

The men in uniform
triggered it.

- So?

- Well, she would have taken
the journal with her, right?

- Having no living relatives
here, her possessions would be

with her in the
place where she died.

So chances are, if the journal
does exist, it's in Manassas.

- I believe you're correct.

- What you ladies need is
someone to guide you through

the battle of Manassas.

- Someone who has studied
it in detail, perhaps?

- Yes,
but more importantly, someone

who wants to help find
the truth in all this.

- Hmm,
the truth. The truth.

Wait a minute.

If she didn't die from wounds,
how would she...

- Perhaps she succumbed
to some disease or other.

- Disease?

Where?

- Well,
there were places other than

the field hospitals.

There were infirmaries where
people were quarantined

if they fell ill
after the battle.

- In Manassas?

- In Manassas, I believe
there was a church.

[Bell tolling]

- Is your home...

- That's a good sign.

There might be some papers.

- No, that's it.

No papers.

- You're not going
to believe this.

Look what I found.

- The journal of Sarah
McCullough, 1858 through...

Well, she never finished.

Well, of course,
she never finished.

She died.

- Go ahead, read it.

- "June, 1860, today I decided
to press on with my inquiry.

"There was a peculiar sense
of duplicity in the air.

"Everyone acquainted
with the murder seemed strangely guarded.

I wondered what
they were hiding."

- Charles, the one question
that no one seems to be

asking is why.

I mean,
what on earth would be

the motive for Sam?

He and Robert were
the best of friends.

- Friends?

Oh, come, come, Sarah.

A slave can never truly
be a friend to a white.

Oh, they'll pretend to
be your friend, but no,

no, they'll turn on you.

- Is that what you heard
the day of the reception

out back of your barn?

- Well, Pinkney had worked
himself into a dither.

- Are you saying that Robert
had words with Samuel?

- Well,
I certainly wasn't privy

to their dispute, but, yes,
that slave of yours and Robert

had an altercation.

- Well,
if Robert was upset with Sam,

how come he turned right
around and entrusted him

to get ice from his house?

- Well, honey, how
in the world would I know?

Look, Robert never did know
how to handle the slaves.

You can see how it
finally caught up with him.

I'm telling you, Sarah,
you cannot trust them.

- He trusted Sam enough
to give him the keys

to his place.

- He gave him his keys?

Well, there you have it,
don't you see?

It's those very keys
that gave Sam access

to the harness shop.

- Well,
that's interesting that a man

with a key would
find it necessary

to break open the lock.

- What?

- I was over at
the harness shop.

Whoever killed Robert
didn't have any key,

they forced
their way in that night.

- Now you look here, Sarah,
you're upset, but you be

careful or you may get more
than you bargained for.

- Daddy, we're going out.

- Oh, you and Jeb?

- Yes, I need to get my mind off
of all these ill feelings.

- Well, honey, I know Jeb's been
a great comfort to you.

- My efforts in regards to
Mary are most certainly quite

contrary to what miss
McCullough's been insinuating.

- I'm just trying to find
out who killed your husband.

- Why,
you're interested in freeing

your slave who did it.

- So you're not
convinced that it was Sam?

- I saw Sam that night.

I saw him fleeing
Robert's workshop.

I'm quite tired of all
the talk to the contrary.

Now if you'll excuse US,
Jeb and I are going riding.

- Well, I think that's
a splendid idea.

I think the fresh air
will do you good.

- Oh,
daddy, I seem to have

misplaced my riding crop,
may I borrow yours?

- Of course, darling,
it's in the tack room.

Y'all run along now
and enjoy yourself.

- Thank you, Mr. Hobbs.

Miss McCullough.

[Horse neighing]

- There, there, now.

What on earth!

- Help.

- Who are you?

- Name's Bess.

Please don't hurt me, ma'am.

You ain't going
to hurt me, is ya?

I don't mean no harm.

- Well, what is this all about?

- Bess, wait.
- Sam!

- Miss Sarah, this
is all my doing.

Don't let her scare you.
I brought her here.

- In this, this...

- That's a false
bottom, ma'am.

I made it.

It's for hiding slaves, ma'am.

Runaway slaves.

- You, Sam?

- Yes, ma'am.

When I'm out delivering eggs,
I pick them up.

- And where do you take them?

Now you come out with this,
Sam, or so help me--

- I took them to
Mr. Mercer's house.

That is,
until he got killed.

You weren't supposed to
know none of this, ma'am.

I didn't want this
to be your trouble.

- Well,
it's my trouble now.

- Mr. Mercer, he sent them
on north on the railroad.

He sent them to freedom.

- And this woman here?

- This here Bess.

She my wife.

- Your wife?

- Yes, ma'am.

She from Mr. La Trobe�s place.

We got married in
secret last fall.

- Well,
y'all could have told me.

- We was afraid to
tell anybody, ma'am.

Mr. La Trobe, he a hard man.

He might have sold Bess,
sent her way on down south.

I never would have
seen her again.

I'm sorry, ma'am.

I ain't never meant
to lie to you. I...

I was with Bess the night
Mr. Mercer got killed,

had gone over to see her.

- Well, there's your alibi.

Bess here can vouch for your
whereabouts that evening.

- No, no, ma'am.

Ain't nobody going
to believe that.

They don't know we's married.

They just going to think
we made all that up

and they gonna send Bess
away for sure.

That's why I brought her here.

I need to get her on up north.

- You ain't gonna tell it,
is you, ma'am?

Please?

- Hyah! Hyah! Come on!
Let's go!

- Look out there!
Look out! Whoa! Whoa!

Mary, Sam, get over here.

- Daddy, what's wrong?

- Mr. Hobbs, what is it?

- You know that creek
between here and Rawlor's house?

- Yes, sir.

- Well, I'm checking out
the west pasture

and I see something
gleaming in the mud right down

in that creek bottom.

Do you recognize this?

- That's my revolver.

- So it is your pistol.

- How did it get there?

- Well,
that road is the most direct

route between here and
Sarah McCullough's house.

You tell me.

- I shall kill him, Mr. Hobbs.

I will shoot that
murderer where he stands.

- Now you hold on, Jeb.

Don't you go running
off by yourself.

It might be too dangerous
for one man to handle.

You let me go get
Ashland and the others.

- Yes, sir.

- Mary, you get in
the house and lock up.

- Jim, saddle my horse!
- Stand aside, Jeb.

- Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

- Miss Sarah,
I didn't tell you

because I wanted
to protect you.

I wanted it to be me that
took the risk, not you.

- But whether you
told me or not,

it doesn't change
what you did.

- Yes, ma'am, I know,
but you've got to see--

- you're not
hearing me, Sam.

What I'm saying is you
don't need to apologize.

What you're doing
is a good thing

and I don't hold it
against you.

I reckon I should,

being a right proper
southerner that I am.

I should be enraged.

Stealing other men's property.

- Ma'am,
from what Sam tells me, you're

the kind of right
proper southerner

that would be outraged

about making a man be
somebody's property.

- [Sighs] Sam,
I always knew you'd marry

someone who'd
speak her mind.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Then I reckon you won't
get offended when we tell you

about our other surprise.

- Sam?

- Come on, Jeremiah.

There ain't no use
hiding nothing now.

- Good heavens!

What else have you got
stashed in my barn?

- That's it, I swear.

This here is Jeremiah Jessup.

- Oh, I know,

he's from the Halstead estate.

I recognize him.

How did he get here?

- I got him the day
of the wedding.

He was actually hiding down
at the bottom of the buckboard

while we was driving over
to Mr. Hobbs' reception.

- Well, no wonder that dog
was having such a fit.

- That old dog about
gave me and Mr. Mercer away.

- My goodness.

Do you suppose anyone saw
Jeremiah at the reception?

- I don't think so.

I mean,
I don't rightly know.

- If they did, that
would explain...

- Explain what?

- Sam! Sam, they coming.

- Slow down, Jim.
What are you talking about?

- Mr. Hobbs and Jeb.

They going to get
all the white folks.

They found Jeb's pistol
in the creek.

Says you threw it in there
after killing Mr. Mercer.

They going to lynch you, Sam.

- No!

- Thank you.

Look, you best
be getting on back.

They ain't going to take
too kindly to you being here.

Cut across the Meadow
because they gonna be coming

down the road.

We gots to get you and
Jeremiah out of here.

- And you as well, Sam.

It's time you took that
trip on the railroad.

- I ain't do what they said.

I didn't ditch no gun.

- I know you didn't...

And I think I have
a good idea who did,

but there's no time now.

Now you've all got
to get going.

Now I will pick
up some supplies

and meet y'all down
at Kane bridge later.

Go on, Sam.

Now I won't take no.

Go on!

- Thank you.

- Hyah! Hyah!

- Hyah! Come on, boys!

Come on! Whoo!

[Men yelling]

- Where's that
murdering slave of yours?

- What is this all about?

- We found Jeb's pistol.

- Just where
your Sam threw it.

- Mm-hmm.
- Now where is he?

- Or has he already run off?

- Well, I can assure you
that Sam has not run off.

But in your present
state of mind,

I'm loathe to tell you
his whereabouts.

Now I'm going to go and
find sheriff Underwood.

- You hold on there.

You ain't going
nowhere, Sarah.

The time for protecting
that man is done gone.

You're going to tell
US where he is.

- So you can lynch him?

- Now listen here, Sarah,
you have to understand--

- gentlemen, he's down
south at Morgan's place.

- You give me that.

- Uh-uh-uh.
It says right here--

Monday, milk and cheese run.

- Now you have no right.

- That's where
he is, isn't it?

- Come on, Sarah, out with it!

- She's not going
to tell you, Mr. Ashland,

but it's all over her face.

That's where her slave is.

- Let's get him.

- Come on!

[Men yelling]

- Hyah!

- Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Get on there, Ned.

Hurry up, Ned!

- Hyah! Hyah!

- Hyah!

- Hey, Morgan, what
you doing out here?

- I've just been hunting.

- Sarah McCullough's slave
been to see you today?

- No, sir, I haven't seen him
for a couple of weeks.

- She tricked US, gentlemen.

I'm sure he's on the run now.

It's getting dark soon.

He's going to be hard to track.

- Men, let's
go get the dogs,

then we'll go back to her
place and pick up the scent.

- Hyah! Hyah!

[Dogs barking throughout]

[Men yelling]

- Let's go, pick up
the scent over there.

- No.

- What you hear, Sam?
- Shh!

[Men yelling]

- Go on up that way. Go on.
Keep going, keep going.

- No, Sam.

- We've got to get to that
bridge, meet miss Sarah.

- No, they might have followed
her there.

We gonna split up.

You take Bess, travel east,

work your way down
the embankment to the ravine,

hide out in the woods
down there.

If everything checks out
all right over here,

I'll get the provisions
from miss Sarah

and I'll meet you over there.

- Go on.
- Come on.

- Go on!

[Men yelling]

- Right over here!

- See anything up there?

- No. Get those dogs through.

- Check down there
in them bushes.

[Men yelling]

- Sam!

Sam, are you there?

- Ah!

Ah!

- Oh, Sam!

Ohh.

Sam! Oh, Sam! [Cries]

- [Groaning]

- We gotta make it
to the woods. Come on!

- Oh!

- Y'all get on up here. Go!

- Hold on, hold on.

Come over there.

Easy, easy.

- Is it clean through?

- Yeah. Yeah, it
went clean through.

- Sweet Jesus.

[Dogs barking]

- Where is he?

There's 3 of them.

- 3?

- 3, as I said,
Mr. Ashland, 3.

Another buck and a female.

They went in that
thicket right down yonder.

But I wing picked
him pretty good.

- All right.

- That boy ain't going to
be to move too fast at all.

Ya'll get them dogs down
on that blood trail.

- Now hold on! Hold on!

We can't go down in this
embankment with the dogs.

- Kane bridge is just yonder.

We're going to cross over
there, we'll pick up their trail

and then we'll circle on back.

- Let's go!

Y'all get on! Get on!

- Go!
- Come on!

- Fast!

- Oh, god in heaven!

What have they done?

- Once he rests a spell,
I'll carry him.

- Come on, Sam,
we gotta keep going.

- I ain't going anywhere.

- Come on, Sam, you've got to.

- Bess, no.

You go.

You and Jeremiah go.

I'd just slow you up.

I wouldn't be
for no good anyhow.

- No, I'm staying with you.

- Listen to me, woman.

Freedom.

Freedom is still
there for you.

You and the little one.

- Sam.

Sam?

- There's another Pinkney
coming, miss Sarah.

It was going to be my joy.

- Oh.

- But you've
got to go, Bess.

That's my only
chance at freedom.

You and that child.

Jeremiah, promise me you
gonna take care of her.

- I'll protect her
with my own life, I will.

- All right.

Here's what
you're going to do.

They going to be coming
over that bridge up there.

Y'all going down this
way a little bit.

There's a river.

Float downstream
as long as you can.

Make your way to Warrenton.

You're going to find
that little house

that we talked about.

Mr. Levi Stillman,
that's the man's name.

He's a friend of Mr. Mercer's
on the underground railroad.

He's going to help you
on from there.

You understand?

- Yeah.

- [Crying]

Hush.

- Listen, no,
this here for you, Bess.

That's the only thing
in this world that own

that I hold dear.

Now...you give that to the
little one, you understand?

And you tell him...

You tell him the man's name
on that watch.

Now...go home.

- No.

- Go on, woman.

- No.

- Go!

- No.

- Jeremiah, get her.

- [Sobbing]

- Sorry, ma'am.

I didn't mean to bring
you into all of this.

- Oh, no, don't, Sam.

- I didn't mean to tarnish
your name, and you know that's

what they're going to do.

You're very decent, ma'am.

- No, Sam, you're the decent
one in all this.

I mean, you could have gone up
north on that train any time

and you chose to stay behind
and help the others to freedom.

Any association they want
to make between you and me

I would consider it an honor.

- You know...I looked up at
that star many times and sent

others on, guided by it,
told them that was going to be

their promise
to a better life.

Some of them,
they seen that life,

when all I got
was the promise.

You know, when I said I don't
believe in believing no more?

That ain't true.

Having that promise
and believing even

when you can't see...

That do keep you.

That...

- Sam.

[Dogs barking]

- Come on!
- Get back!

- Here now!

I told y'all I
winged him, didn't I?

- What you was hell bent
on from the beginning,

you've accomplished.

- There's still 2 more
of them, gentlemen.

- Get on it!
- Go on, boys!

- Get them while the dogs
still have a scent!

- It's a shame he
brought it to this.

- He? You're the ones with
innocent blood on your hands.

- Now, Sarah,
we're going to try

and find a way
to look past the fact

that you helped this man
escape from the law.

- Sending US down on that wild
goose chase down at Morgan

Spencer's place--

- now that was your deduction,
and it proved as wrong as your

assumption about this
man's guilt, didn't it?

- Don't you be pointing an
accusatory finger at US!

Robert Mercer's blood
is crying from the grave.

- Don't even presume to know
the conscience of Robert

Mercer because I can assure
you that his motives

are far removed from your own.

- Now this whole thing's been
a terrible tragedy, Sarah,

but it's over now.

Now we need to be
getting on back.

- It's not over.

There's still
a few things missing.

And I think you know what
I'm talking about, Charles.

- Now,
Sarah, we're not all going to

stand here and listen
to you while you rant.

- Have you found
your riding crop?

Jeb, did it ever turn up

when you and Mary
went out for your ride?

- No, ma'am, but what's
that got to do with all this?

- Of course, you never located
it because it wasn't in your

tack room like you said,
was it, Charles?

- Sarah, we've all been
through a lot here tonight.

- It wasn't there because
I went back and I found it.

Right there in Robert Mercer's
harness shop, where you left

it the night you murdered him.

- Why, that's outrageous!

- Is it?

No one saw it the next day.

Blended right in--it being
a leather shop and all.

And, suddenly, I remembered

noticing it when
I was over there.

Probably triggered
your memory as well.

But when you went back to find
it, I had already been there

to get it myself.

Now, was it at that point
you concocted the story

about Pinkney throwing
the pistol in this creek?

You knew exactly where in the
creek it was because you threw

it there the night of your
daughter's wedding, the night

that your suspicions
were confirmed

that your new son-in-law,
Robert Mercer,

was running slaves
on the underground railroad.

You saw Sam him helping him,
too, and you didn't know what

to do with yourself.

You couldn't fathom your
own daughter being married

to Robert--a man who never
knew how to handle a slave.

So you came up with a plan.

You'd murder Robert.

- What are you doing here?

- You take the button that
popped off of Sam's vest

and plant it right there
at the scene of the crime,

then you could
get Sam as well.

Oh, it was a good plan.

Get rid of both of
the men in one stroke.

The only crime being setting
the slaves in the county free.

You couldn't bear
having this be your

grandchildren's legacy.

- [Laughing]

That is--that is
quite a story, Sarah.

- It's true, isn't it?

- Yes, yes, it is.

And you're right
about one thing, Sarah.

It needed to be done.

The Hobbs name would
never be sullied.

Gentlemen, I don't think any
of this needs to be revealed.

Y'all know what
I'm talking about.

If the slaves ever get wind of
this, you think they're going

to sit still?
With a war brewing?

They're going to be
like thirsty cattle

and smell water
and stampede.

There'll be no stopping them.

That what you want?

How about you, Cornelius?

Is that what you want?

No. I see.

But I know exactly
what you do want.

That land of Mercer's.

That's legally
Mary's property now.

I'm sure she can be
induced to sell it to you.

And you,
Jeb, I know what you want as

well--Mary herself.

You and I both know she never
has really gotten over you.

I'm sure those affections
can be rekindled...

With her daddy's blessing.

- She will know the truth.

- Oh, from you?

Oh, you can conjure up
your version of it,

but Mary's already convinced
it was Sam that did it.

And I don't think she's gonna
cotton to the idea that her

husband was helping
runaway slaves.

- You can't hide
this from everyone.

- People going to hear
what they're going to hear.

And I'm sure Cornelius
here will print the proper

interpretation of the
facts in his newspaper.

Am I right, Cornelius?

- I think we all
agree what happened.

- So...you can squawk all you
want, miss Sarah, but it will

only confirm what everybody in
this county already suspects

about you--that you're
partial to the slaves

and your attitude's only served
to undermine our way of life.

- You're right.

People can think what
they want about me.

But the blood of Robert Mercer
and now Samuel Pinkney cries

for justice and that
voice will be heard.

- Gentlemen...follow me.

- "Therefore, I shall exert
all means at my disposal

"to exonerate Samuel and Robert,
despite the insidious

machinations of the people
I have called neighbor."

- She said nothing more?

- No, she...She mentions
the beginning of the war.

And...well, now she does say
that she was confronted by

a neighbor to stop rumors
about Mercer's murder.

She obviously tried
to make it right.

- Yeah.

And then she went off to
help on the front lines.

Her last entry was
August 6, 1861.

She mentions her
illness there.

- That's about 3 weeks after
the first battle of Manassas.

- But this still doesn't
tell US anything

about Jeremiah and Bess.

- Oh, on the contrary.

I think it tells
US everything.

They got the watch

and the watch wound up
in Pennsylvania.

And I think we can assume
that they made it to freedom.

- And once they got there,

Jeremiah Jessup probably
wanted to change his identity.

- But, certainly, Bess didn't
want to change her name.

She wanted that little baby
to have her daddy's name.

- Jeremiah Jessup assumed
Samuel Pinkney�s name.

His date of birth,
his complete identity.

- And that's why
there are 2 graves

with the same
name on them.

- And the historical record
confirms that Mary Hobbs sold

the land to Cornelius Ashland
and then married Jeb Bucknell.

- Well, Mary and
Bucknell weren't involved

in the murder, but it sounds
like they deserved each other.

- Heh. Ashland wasn't
involved either,

but he got what he wanted.

Hobbs plan worked.

- History was altered.

- Not if I have anything
to do with it.

- Quite a legacy
Samuel left, isn't it?

- Oh, yes.

Without his ordeal, I never
would have come to know

so much about my own roots.

- I'll say.

All that spunk and
determination has to be passed

down through the genes.

Samuel, Bess made it
onto Pennsylvania.

Yes, she did.

And that child
of yours was born.

A little girl.

And she grew up
and had a son,

who had a son,
who had a daughter,

who had a son... who had me.

- I know why Sam
sent that watch on.

He wanted it to keep time
until he got his own justice.

It doesn't have to
Mark time any more.

Samuel Pinkney...
You're finally free.

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