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3/9/58 "Claim Jumpers" Program #6
John Dehner (J.B. Kendall), Eddie Firestone (Bill Richmond), Larry Dobkin, Jack Moyles, Vic Perrin ; Writer/Producer/Director - Antony Ellis ; Music - Wilbur Hatch ; Announcer - John Wald ; CBS ;
Kendall is traveling the Mullen Wagon Road on the way to Helena, Montana. His horse is lame. He comes across a seventeen year old boy on foot, Bill Richmond, from Fort Benton. They camp for the evening. Bill is a runaway from a family of nine children in Kentucky who is planning on digging for gold. They are joined by three prospectors who were attracted by their campfire, Jack Hinton, Rod Goodall, and Dawsey. The men start talking some gold mining tales. In the early morning Bill starts to shout excitedly that he has found gold. The prospectors want to know where Bill found it. They talk amongst themselves guardedly as Bill shows them where he found the gold. There is one rich vein, which looks to be worth $2000 per ton. Kendall tells Bill to be sure to register the claim in Helena, gives him a gun, and tells him not to tell any other strangers what he has found. J.B. then goes off to be with the other three. They look around the other gullies but they see nothing but low grade ore, not worth working. He listens as they begin to justify why they deserve part of the claim. Kendall says that they need to help Bill stake his claim that night, but they settle in for the evening when Kendall tells them he doesn't know how to file a claim. Later, Hinton says he and the boys will help Bill file his claim for even 1/5th shares all around, including Kendall. Bill and Kendall reject the offer. The three go off and confer again. Their next offer is 50% for them and 50% for Richmond and Kendall. Kendall rejects it. The three leave, but Kendall believes that they will return. That night they hide in the brush and around their fire they arrange the blankets to make it look like they are sleeping. The three come back and shoot into the blankets. Kendall pulls his gun on them. The next day Bill staked his claim, the three were taken to the sheriff's office. Bill made some good money from his claim, and he gave $1000 to Kendall, and took the rest back to his impoverished family.