Original subtitles

Thank you.

That's right, Mr. Miller.

Go.

Now, all I need to get it out of the ground is $5 ,000.

You want to come and inspect the digging?

Yeah How

much

further mr. Randall

Couple of miles?

Okay, let's go.

Something wrong, Mr. Crane?

Where'd you get the notion, my name's Crane?

This? Oh, you shaved your whiskers, but it's you, all right.

There's a $200 reward for you out of Pothole.

I need to collect it.

Move that gun and I'll kill you.

Hand over the weapon.

But first... Put your blouse.

Well, that must be Pato.

You mean you've never been there?

Nope. Picked up the wanted poster in the sheriff's office in Tucson.

What kind of a man are you to sell me out for a miserable $200?

Save the sermon, Crane.

Not interested.

Maybe you're interested in this.

$300 if you let me go.

$400. Still not interested.

It may be hard for you to understand, but when it comes to justice, I favor

law. Justice? Why, you money -grubbing gunslinger, what do you know about

justice? Well, I seem to do some good here and there.

Take care of men who are thieved and bullied.

Raise holy terror with innocent folks.

Like this Curly Pettengill that you shot.

I didn't shoot him!

Well, I think that's up to the people of Pothole to decide.

The people in Pothole?

Mister, you've got a lot to learn.

Maybe.

Let's go.

Stop where you are. Easy now. You take one more step and we'll blow you to

kingdom come and back again.

Just bringing in a prisoner.

Who's your prisoner?

There he is.

Well, it's Penfold Crane.

Hey, Jake.

Yeah.

Shaved off his beard.

But that's him, all right.

Hey, Jake.

We got crane.

Charlie, roll out another barrel of whiskey. Now, what are you standing

for? Go scare off a jury.

Spread the word.

I want me a mob in here.

You want this to be a public trial, don't we?

And send over the murders for Betsy. Quick.

Now, son, what'd you say your name was?

Randall.

Josh Randall. Well, you just met up with Shoot Wilson.

I take it you're the sheriff here.

Sheriff, prosecuting attorney, judge, you name it.

Anything you want in pothole, see Shoot Wilson.

I assume you're a drinking man?

Step up the bar.

Nope, the cash box.

I'll get it. Keep your blasted claws off of that.

You got a prisoner guard.

If he gets away, we'll hang you.

What's your pleasure?

Two hundred dollars.

Oh.

Bounty.

I thank you.

Now you can afford to pay for your own drink.

Say you're both judge and prosecuting attorney?

That's right.

Seems to me that's a whole lot of power just for one man.

The voters don't seem to think so.

They've elected me four times running.

By a claim.

What do you think you're doing?

Waiting.

I'd, uh, kind of like to see this trial.

Hey, Sally!

Take out another barrel.

All right, take your time, Jeff. I'll get you all out.

I just want you to put down $500 and try and try and get some of this land. Now,

you're going to take all my money.

The latest model. The best money you can buy.

Here you are.

Look at that money roll in.

And then he said, honey, we don't have no pets in this hotel. No cats, no dogs,

no lizards, and no snakes.

Charlie Pettengill was one of us. And if we don't handle this matter, who will?

We'll just drive when it starts.

When I'm good and ready.

When's that going to be?

I said when I'm good and ready.

The Padre.

Come in here? Yeah.

Who's next, Chester?

There was a trial going on in here.

What about it?

We just haven't won, Padre. For the heat. For the heat, huh?

What are you doing here, Sam?

My duty, Padre. I'm on the jury.

Think you'll be sober enough to hold a man's life in your hands?

I never fell asleep in court yet.

Oh, no.

Neither have I, so don't start preaching at me.

You like to watch a man die, don't you, friend?

Why not?

Sure, why not?

It's good to watch a man standing on the gallows, helpless and scared.

Glad it's not you.

Almost as good as shooting a man in the back.

Isn't it, Wilson?

You're a little out of bounds, Padre. This is no church.

This is no court of law, either.

How long is it going to take you people to find out what kind of a man this is?

Can't you see he's not interested in justice?

Now, just a minute.

You've got no right to say that.

All he wants is to drag you in here so you'll buy his whiskey and guns.

He doesn't give you law.

He only pretends to.

Oh, he gives you a good time, all right, so you keep coming back again and

again. Well, let me warn you.

All of you.

Anyone that has a hand in this drunken carnival will be debasing something

sacred given to him in trust by almighty God.

The purity and sanctity of his own soul.

All right, get out of here, all of you.

Go on, get!

Out, just a minute!

Lester, take down the name of every man that leaves.

Take him down, I said.

I want to know who my friends are around here.

Don't let him bluff you. Go on home, all of you.

As for those of you who stay, step up to the bar.

The drinks are on the house.

Looks like you don't

understand these men as well as I do.

Men?

I don't see any men here.

Hustle it up now. I want to get this trial started.

I see how you did it.

Did what?

Got yourself elected.

You know, Crane ain't the only man wanted in Pothole.

We're also looking for a fellow who shot the blacksmith last year.

What about it?

The more you hang around, the more you look like that fellow.

accused of murdering Curly Pettengill in cold blood by a plan of her meditation

on her about the 3rd of September just passed, and his mining claim some four

miles in the hills to the northeast of this community.

How do you plead? Not guilty.

We'll see.

Now, as the prosecuting attorney for this county, I'll present the opening

argument.

Gentlemen of the jury, this case is as simple as one, two, three.

One, this defendant breezed into town early last September and bought into

partnership with Curly Pettengill.

Two, Curly took him up in the hills to show him his mind.

Three, Curly was found dead, shot in the back, and the few sacks of gold he

spent the hot, blistering summer digging out of the ground was gone.

But that doesn't prove I killed him.

Sure, I went there with him, but I left him there alive. Is that so? I swear it.

Somebody else must have killed him. Somebody else.

I'd like to know who.

Well, how do I know? I was on my way to Tucson.

He was on his way to Tucson.

Did you hear that?

You stole Curly's gold, didn't you? No, I didn't. Then prove it.

This is a court of law.

Bring in your witnesses and prove it.

Hold on a minute.

What do you want?

You kind of got the shoe in the wrong foot, haven't you, mister?

Judge.

And you're a little out of order, son.

There's a trial going on here in case you didn't know it. Well, then let's

it a trial. A legal trial.

According to the book.

Now listen, you.

No, now you listen.

You got this all backwards.

Any tenderfoot legal clerk knows that a man is innocent till proven guilty.

He's right.

You're the one that must furnish proof.

Or doesn't the law mean anything around here?

All right.

All right, I'll give you proof.

Call Bessie Thorne to the stand.

Bessie Thorne!

You keep this up and you'll get more proof than you bargained for.

All right, raise your right hand, Bessie.

You solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the

truth, so help you God. I sure do.

Sit down, Bessie.

State your name and where you live.

Bessie Thorne from Blue Eagle Pass, Meredith County.

What's she got to do with this? She didn't even know Curly Pettingill.

No, but she knows you, though.

Because you did the same thing to her husband, Joe, as you did to Curly.

Ain't that right?

Sure as hell if I am brimstone.

He invested in Joe's mine.

Went up to see it. Shot him and took his gold.

Two sacks.

She's crazy. I didn't even know Thorne was dead.

There you have it, Jets.

It's as clear as day.

This man makes a career out of bushwhacking miners.

You got anything to say on the subject?

No, but I got plenty to say.

Sure, I've been backing miners for close to six years, mostly from Colorado, New

Mexico. I admit it.

I admit I back Curly Pettinghill. I also admit I back Joe Thorne, but that

doesn't prove I killed him.

These hills are crawling with outlaws from every part of the country.

Miners are being shot every day.

Is that all defense you've got?

That's all I need.

Even if I kill Joe Thorne, which I didn't, that doesn't prove I killed

The jury will decide on the merits of the evidence.

I know that much about the law.

Sit down.

Take a good look at him.

And take a good look at this poor widow.

left to face a harsh life alone.

And don't forget our friend Curly, an honest, decent neighbor, left in the

desert for the birds of prey.

The jury will retire to the storeroom and arrive at a decision.

In the meantime, I'll fine you $200.

What? Her contempt of court. Court is in recess until the jury gets back.

Open the bar.

You're crazy. I'll find you $200.

Get it up.

Nothing doing.

Collect the fine.

Now, you cause any more trouble around here, there'll be another trial

You know what the jury's going to do?

I'm afraid I do, my son.

Okay, outside on my horse in the saddlebags, you'll find three pouches of

You take them and put them to good use.

That's very generous of you, but... Go on quick before Shoot gets his hands on

them. The bounty hunter here will show you which horse.

Now, come on.

and make sure it's working real good.

Hey, shoot.

That's my drink.

Okay. Here.

Would you count it, please?

What for?

Well, here in Pothole County, when you take charge of someone's personal

effects, it's best to have a witness.

Sure, partner.

They're well -made gallows.

The chute has the best, all right.

These hangings are very important to him.

They amuse his friends and scare his enemies.

I wonder if we couldn't switch it around, Padre.

Scare his friends, at least.

Have you reached a verdict?

Your Honor, we, the member of the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged.

The prisoner will rise.

Mr. Crane, it is my duty as the judge to sentence you to hang by the neck until

dead.

Right now.

I'd like to have me pray with you.

Excuse me, ma 'am.

Is that your rig?

Yes, why?

May I ask whose brand it is?

here today is unjust.

That's all, Padre.

You better wait down there.

Need nothing.

Charlie.

Take it and go, Potter.

Wonder is stuck.

This latch has been jammed with sand.

Shoot, this has been burned clean through.

I thought you tested this apparatus.

I did. It was working.

there's any shooting.

Have any of you asked yourselves why the gallows trap stuck?

Why do you think?

Somebody jammed the latch.

Maybe so, but it could be something bigger.

It could be God's way of giving you men another chance.

Think about it.

Does any one of you here really believe this man has had a fair trial?

Of course he did. I said ask yourself this question.

And consider it very carefully, for each and every one of your souls is marked.

Are you willing to answer to Almighty God for taking a human life just because

you want to be in good with a man named Shook Wilson?

Don't listen to him.

Who's running this town anyhow?

I think you made a mistake this time.

I don't understand. What really happened? About the gallows, I mean.

The Lord moves in strange ways.

His wonders to perform.

All right, get on.

Hey, what about the hands? Ain't you gonna untie me? Nope, I'm taking you to

Meredith County.

What for?

Answer for the murder of her husband.

You've seen this before.

That's Joe Thorne's brand.

And there's an exact copy of it on her horse's hindquarters.

I don't say you're guilty, mind you. That's up to the courts to prove.

If you knew all this, why didn't you let them hang him here?

I don't believe in shoot Wilson's kind of law.

Can I ride along with you?

Yes, ma 'am.

I'm glad to have made your acquaintance, Ponder.

I'll see you now, yeah?

Yeah.