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The official newspaper files of the early West record many stories of famous and notorious characters of that period.

John Wesley Hardin, a Texas bad man who was unique in the outlaw annals of even that unique state.

Before he was 25 years old during the 1870s, he had killed 40 men.

Cold-blooded, ruthless killer.

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Ah!

Get out of here!

Get out!

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Whose trail, boss, here?

I am. Why?

I am Yellow Hat of the Osage Indian Nation.

Howdy. I'm John Wesley Hardin.

You do not know the act of Congress concerning the passage of cattle in Indian territory?

No, Yellow Hat. Tell me about it.

You pay 10 cents a head to Indian Nation.

How many head do you have?

1,200.

That is $120 you owe us.

Tell you what I'll do with a yellow hat.

I'm a gambler. I hear tell that your tribe pretty good gamblers, too.

Suppose we pick a card for that $120.

Double or nothing?

I will do it.

Highest card wins.

Ha ha ha.

High card win.

Ha ha ha.

Nine of clubs.

Queen of diamonds.

Well, looks like your lucky day.

$120 doubled.

$240.

All right. Your cattle go through.

Thanks, Yellow Hat.

Let's get these cattle to Abilene. We've wasted enough time already.

My name's Clark, Matt Clark.

I'm a railroad detective, and I've been given a new assignment.

The railroad depended on cattle for most of its revenue out here in the west.

Two Indians had been shot down in cold blood,

and the Indians refused to allow any of the herds coming up from Texas to cross their territory to the railroad sightings.

Good morning.

Matt Clark?

That's right.

Pull yourself up a chair. I'm Arthur Sills.

The railroad said they were sending you. We appreciate your help.

We want to clean those murders up just as bad as you do, Mr. Sills.

I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Clark, but we've had more trouble since we got in touch with the railroad.

The Indians are stopping all the herds coming across their territory.

There's been bad feeling and more killings.

If it doesn't stop, there'll be a real bloody uprising.

I realize the Osage are a proud nation, Mr. Sills, but do you have any idea how it all happened?

No. I wish I had.

After Yellow Hat was killed, I talked to the trail boss and his men.

He claims he paid the toll charge and moved on.

Do you have any idea who the trail boss was?

Let's see.

Oh, yes. Here it is.

John Westley Hardin.

Wes Hardin?

Do you know him?

I'm afraid I do, Mr. Sills.

He's wanted for murder over all of Southwest Territory.

Then he lied to me about Yellow Hat.

This man is a killer. He's already murdered 20 men.

Fantastic.

Maybe you'd better find Hardin and have a talk with him.

Have any idea where he was heading?

Says here the herd was heading for Abilene.

Abilene.

Well, if I know Wes Hardin, he'll still be there.

He's a great gambler and a ladies' man.

Ladies' man, that's it.

Where can I send a wire?

At the hotel in town.

Thanks very much.

I hope you'll catch him.

I think I've got just the bait for him.

Yes, I did have just the bait for Wes Hardin.

My associate, Frankie Adams, was sent on to Abilene.

I was to meet her.

Frankie was as beautiful as she was smart.

Hey, Frankie, set him up over here.

Hey, Joe, give me a bottle of that good whiskey.

How's business?

Couldn't be better.

Nothing but these for tips.

I'm thinking of hanging on to this job and quitting the railroad.

Well, you certainly look as if you're going to quit.

How is everything?

Fine.

Got some of the best customers in the place.

One very important.

Hey, Frankie, where's that drink?

Right away, Mr. Hardin.

Hey, Joe, hurry up with that bottle.

So that's him.

Yeah, the top dog himself.

He's my best customer.

Be back.

Well, what took you so long, baby?

Bar was busy.

Yeah?

Well, you tell that bartender that when Wes Hardin wants a drink,

he wants it right now.

Why, Wes, if he'd known it was you, he would have been jumping.

Hello, Frank.

Hello, Joe.

How's business?

Fine.

I'm trying to figure out a way out of this mess here.

I've got a couple of friends who want to help me out.

We'll be back right away.

Come on.

Hello, Matt.

I figured you'd catch up with me, Marshall,

but you got me all wrong.

I can explain everything.

Keep your voice down, Zeke.

I saw you passed by the office, so I followed you down here.

I haven't seen you in a couple of years.

Good to see you again.

sure about rival lawmen what brings you here fun or duty well I guess you could say with

duty you're after someone and I'm not alone there's a government railroad states and

territories of the West must be quite a man like going to ask you who he is Matt I like

to tell you something I reckon I have enough rustlers and bezzlers tin horn gamblers train

robbers yes even downright murders in this room to bust the seams of a dozen jail houses

wide open Abilene's where they come to spend their money you know why because I don't care

what they've done elsewhere I won't arrest them as long as they behave themselves here

so well tear up that warrant and I'll see you later stick around Frankie bring me good

luck. I'm sorry boys we're going to have to continue the game some other time. You're

leaving us you'll break up a winning streak. I don't know. It's for you. Thanks.

That's how the day they paid off just as soon as those cattle loaded on the.

It's not a bad chunk of money for just trailer net bunch up here we go into a plan why not

check the train schedules yeah those cattle cars pull out in one hour how many more men

will we need. To do it I think we can pick them up right here a Frankie come over here

with him. What do you want the same thing as you were drinking and I was. You know when

a cowboy is you'd like to pick up a fast dollar and keep them all shut all cowboys use money

most of them can keep their mouth shut. But I'm out to me. But on the dark and told

him down to the bar. Thanks. Take one black cat. And

a buy a drink. Yeah thanks. Over here. I want to make yourself

a fast dollar share of what done if you're going to ask questions forget it. Sorry. When

I start to work right now and you stand to make yourself some real money. Where you're

from and what was the marshal talking to you about. I didn't think there was supposed to

be any questions asked. Sorry.

I'm trying to slow down for the great. You mentioned the cattle out the doors you stick

with me we were waiting around them up. I'm moving up the head of the canyon. I let's

go.

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What's the matter?

My horse has got a loose shoe.

Keep the herd moving and I'll catch up with you later.

All right.

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Marshal, there was some cattle.

I know.

Russell, right off the train,

you just got a wire from the boss.

Just wait until he finds out who helped Russell.

Where's the marshal?

I sent for him.

Well, Harden's over in the saloon right now.

Yeah, I know.

This time we have the goods on him.

Remember one thing.

You're the only witness we've got,

so don't go get yourself shot up before the trial.

Well, well, well, if it ain't the young lady herself.

Yeah, there must be some reason

for both of you to pay me a visit.

What's on your mind?

It's Wes Harden, marshal.

This time he broke your own rule.

Stole a herd of cattle right off the car

just outside of Abilene.

You sure about that?

I'm positive.

I was there.

It's the same herd he brought up for the cattle company.

If you'll send a posse out on the north trail,

you can pick up his partners and return the herd.

Will you testify against him?

That's my job.

All right.

I'll pick him up just as soon as he comes back into town.

You won't have to wait, marshal.

He's over in the saloon right now

trying to sell a stolen herd.

Come on.

You better not come in, Matt.

If he sees you with me,

he'll have to put two and two together

and beat you both to the draw.

All right, I'll wait here.

I want to talk to you, Wes.

Oh, howdy, marshal.

Oh, I'm busy right now.

This can't wait.

You're under arrest.

What for?

Rustling.

Your charge was stealing a herd of cattle from the railroad.

Well, now, that's a mighty nice trick,

if it can be done.

It was done.

Now, you know my rules, Wes.

We don't bother you in this town

as long as you behave yourself.

But it seems as though you broke that rule.

Got any proof?

Well, I ain't saying yes, and, uh,

I ain't saying no.

But I've got to lock you up.

I don't like jails, marshal.

So until you can prove what you're saying,

I'm staying here.

I don't want to have any trouble with you, Wes.

But I'm still the law around here.

So you want proof.

Matt!

All right, Harden, take your hands off of those guns.

You know this man, Wes.

But you didn't know he was a railroad detective.

Put out your hands.

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All right, Harden, get up.

He's dead, Matt.

I'm holding you for the murder of Marshal Corbin.

On October 5th, 1878, John Wesley Harden

was sentenced to a long term

in the Huntsville Penitentiary in Texas.

The most vicious killer the West had ever known

was finally behind bars.

But in prison, Harden began changing.

He was quiet, well behaved, and most astonishing of all,

took up the study of law.

He was a brilliant student,

passed a bar examination with high honors,

and was notified to this effect by the Bar Association.

Morning, Warden.

Come in, Wes.

These clothes feel a little funny on me.

Yeah, you'll get used to them.

Wes, you've been a model prisoner.

You're a graduate lawyer now, and we're proud of you,

because you're one of the few prisoners that we've ever had

who's taken advantage of his time behind prison walls.

Remember, you're on the right side of the law now.

With your brilliance, your experience,

you can be a great help to people less fortunate than yourself.

Thanks, Warden.

Where do you plan to practice?

Well, I think I'll hang my shingle out in El Paso.

Good town.

Here's the money we usually give our boys

to help them get a new start in life.

Use it properly.

I will.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot.

On February 17, 1894, having paid his debt to society,

John Wesley Harden was released from the penitentiary

and hung out his shingle in El Paso, Texas.

Here he became a successful and respected attorney,

and it looked as if, though, the former bad man and convict

had a brilliant future ahead of him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't in the cards for Harden

to stay on the right side of the law.

His excessive drinking, his fondness for bad company,

led to a grave mistake.

He was instrumental in engineering the murder

of an El Paso citizen.

I happened to be in El Paso at the time

taking care of a railroad matter,

so I found out what happened at first hand.

Uh, Senor Harden inside?

You hear my name?

Oh, hello, Constable.

You looking for me?

Yeah.

I got a warrant for your arrest.

Well, there must be some mistake.

What's the charge?

Murder.

Oh, you sure this is not an old warrant?

You know, I've always been a good judge.

I've always been a good judge.

Oh, you sure this is not an old warrant?

You know, I've already paid my debt to society.

No, it's a brand new one.

You know, this could prove to be very interesting.

Maybe I could try my own case.

You could try, Harden.

With the evidence we got, you'd waste your time.

Let me tell you something, Selman.

Nobody's taken me to jail.

I've had my belly full of it.

Give me your guns, Harden.

Over my dead body.

Harden drew his gun on Constable Selman

the same as he had on the Marshal in Abilene.

But on August 19, 1895, it didn't work.

He had notches in Harden's gun.

There would never be a 41st.

There was a time nobody could beat Wes Harden at the draw.

He lost his touch.

Take him inside, boys.

Come on.

That was the end of the worst killer in the West.

A man who had a second chance which few outlaws ever get.

John Wesley Harden could have taken the right road,

but instead decided to go the other way

and let the retribution caught up with him.

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