The DuPont Cavalcade of America. Starring Walter Brennan in the law west of the Pecos. On the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. We have a timely suggestion for you from DuPont's list of better things for better living. Redecorate those winter weary walls in your home with Speed Easy wall finish. You thin Speed Easy with water and apply it with a large brush or roller. It dries to a beautiful oil type finish that is long lasting and washable. For less than three dollars, you can finish the average room in any one of the eleven clear pastel shades of Speed Easy wall finish. Speed Easy covers most wall surfaces in just one coat. It's Speedy and it's easy. It's Speed Easy wall finish made by DuPont. Tonight, we tell a colorful story of the west that was. And of a real, though incredible man, whose deeds have become legend. The DuPont Cavalcade presents the law west of the Pecos, starring Walter Brennan as Roy Bean. Look out now, I'm Judge Roy Bean and I ain't foolin'. I'm the law west of the Pecos and that's my rulin'. Roy Bean has been dead only forty years, but his name is already legendary. More wonder still, up until the time he was in his late fifties, Roy Bean, living the life of a soldier, adventurer, and business man, had done little to distinguish himself from a thousand others of his kind. It was in 1882 that his fame had its beginning. On a sleepy afternoon of that year, he drove into a town on the west bank of the Pecos. Viningarone, it was called, a town crowded by workers who were ready to build the railroad, and by sharpers who were ready to take the workers' money. Woo, woo there, woo now. Shut the breaks, ain't you? You see, senor. I mean, start unloadin' the wagon. Howdy, friends. Gee, it's hot enough to fry a cactus, ain't it? Yeah, and it may become much more hot, senor. If I understood what you said right, you gave orders that the wagon was to be unloaded? Yeah, yep, sure did. We will talk first, hombre. I am Hesworth Toys. Well, howdy, I'm Roy Bean. And what is in the wagon you wish to unload? Oh, we're gonna feed a stock of dry goods, some salt, poke, and other vittles, and a right putty amount, right? I aimed to open me a store. Ah, that is what I thought, but you will open no store in this place, senor. My men and I, we make this town. We wait for the railroad, and I myself will open a store. Hmm, will you now? See, there's no one else. My men here with me, they will back up what I say. Oh, so that's it. Well, if... You see these? They're 45s, and I'm right good at using them, too. They say I'm going to unload here and set me up a store. Do you agree? Oh, no, no, no, not at all. Welcome to Vinegaroon, senor Bean. Welcome from my men, me. Thanks. Okay, Pancho, I guess we can unload now. Si, senor. Think I'm gonna like this town. Seems like a nice, orderly little place. You cheated. You took that last cart off the bottom. You're a liar. I saw it. I saw you deal it off the bottom. That'll teach you to call me a cheat. Town does get a little lively at times, though. Hey, hey, you there. That's my horse here, riding. Your horse? Come down off him and fast with your hands in the air. I didn't steal this horse. I brought him from a fellow down the road a piece. You're riding a stolen horse, and that's all the evidence we need here. Come on, boys. He's a horse thief. Let's bring him out. My gobs seems like this the most rambunctious place I've ever seen. All right, gents, step right up now. You're in Roy Beans' establishment. So name your drink. It's a dollar a throw. Well, I don't mind if I do. Hey, ain't you the fellow whose horse was stolen the other day? Yep, I sure am. Strung up the thief, they say. They always do that to horse thieves in this part of the country. You know that. You didn't give him a trial or nothing? Nope. Guess we'll never know for sure whether he actually stole the horse or bought it, like he said. You mean you strung him up without being sure? Why, maybe the dang fool did buy it. Well, serves him right for buying stolen property. Well, by gobs, that does it. This careless killing's got to stop. I'm serious. I'm going to give the town a bad name. Well, what can you do about it? We can get some law here. That's what we can do. A law that will enforce things. Where are you going to get it? Nearest law? It's 300 miles away. We'll have a law officer of our own. We'll appoint one. You know somebody who wants to die quick? Who can we appoint? By gobs, we'll appoint me. I'll be the law. Gents, give me a chance in a minute. The committee of warrants just had a meeting with me. It was an almost unanimous decision that we got to have some law around here. And furthermore, that I be appointed officer of the law. Now, I was a ranger once in California and they got me a law book underneath the bar here, right here. See? Here it is. Revised statutes of Texas, 1879. And from now on... Wait a minute, all right. Somebody always appoints officers of the law. Who's going to do the appointing here? Me, by gobs. I'm appointing myself right now. Judge Roy Bean, the law west of the Pecos. Yeah? And guess who's going to back up your law? I am. You see these? They're 45s. And I'm right handy with them. I'm backing up my decisions with lead. Understand? Sure, sure. I understand, Roy. I mean, Judge, I mean, Your Honor. And the first action of this here honorable court is to try you for contempt. You're guilty and they'll fine you drinks for the house. And that's my ruling. All right, Judge. Drinks are on me. Now we're getting some whiz. The law has come to vinegar rule and you boys have got to learn to respect it. Now I'm telling you, the court's adjourned while we collect the fine. Hey, George. George, wake up. That's my ruling. George. What's the matter? The boys is bringing in a man. He just killed a couple of fellas. Oh, okay. Henry, my pants. We'll have a trial right now. Yeah, but this is Pinto Ben, one of the Crooked R Bunch. Yeah. Was him any shot carrying weapons? No, he wasn't. But Judge, the Crooked R Bunch is our meanest gang inside of Straddlebug Mountain. My gobsbot cobbler is my chief deputy. You ought to know I don't give a hoot who they are. Henry McCote there. We'll give Pinto Ben a fair trial. And then we'll hang him. Order in the court. Stand up, Ben, and receive your sentence. Ben, you've been tried by twelve good men and true. Not of your peers, but as high above you as clouds is above sagebrush. Because some of them are honest. They've said that you're gilly. Now, Ben, you listen to me. Time will pass and seasons will come and go. Summer, like it is now with heat shimmering on the horizon. Then it'll come fall, turning the hills brown and golden, making the air crisp and nippy. Then winter, soft and cool. And after winter, spring. Bami here, smelling of a thousand kinds of wildflowers. A gentle sun and laughing brooks and streams. And the little birds will be singing in the trees. But you won't be here. You won't be here, Ben, not by a long shot. Because it's the order of this year court that you be took to the nearest tree and hung. Hung by the neck until you're dead, dead, dead, you saddle-colored son of a polecat. Court's now in session. Well, your honor, this fellow laying there was found in a row outside of town. He got a bullet hole right between the eyes. Anything on him? No, nothing, Judge. Nothing, huh? Well, it's the verdict of this court that the deceased died lead poisoning, brought on by somebody who was right good shot. Next case. Well, this somebody is hauled out of the river, Judge. Looks like he's drowning. Anything on him? Yes, sir. About $40 and a six-shooter. Well, now, hand the money over here. This year court finds the deceased guilty of carrying concealed weapons and fines him $41, $42, $43. That's my ruling. You two promised to love, honor, and obey till death do you part. Now, if you folks change your mind later, you can get a divorce for $10 more. And now pronounce your man and wife. Judge Bean, on behalf of the railroad and the ranchers hereabouts, I want to tell you we appreciate the job you're doing and keeping law and order. Well, now, that's mighty kind of you, Tom. I'm glad you do. And we want to ask the governor to appoint you justice of the peace. But, Gobsh, Tom, you don't have to do that. Why, I'm already appointed. I did it myself. Oh, yes, but having an appointment from the governor will make your position legal, give you some standing. A regular justice of the peace ain't in business for yourself, though, is he? I mean, he just don't collect the fines and put them in his pocket. Oh, no, no. He turns them over to the proper authority. Just a thought. Tom, I want to thank you for your good intentions, but, Shucks, I'd be a lot happier going along in my own quiet little way just as I've been doing. Oh, but, Roy, I... So I'm going to insist you don't mention me to the governor at eight all, see? I'm going to insist on it, and that's my ruling. Hey, Judge, I just heard it. Oh, howdy, Tom. Oh, howdy, boy. Something on your mind, bud? Uh, not exactly. Well, I guess I better be running along. You fellas have something to talk over. Oh, no, that's all right, Tom. I'm sorry you won't let me speak to the governor. No, no, I'd rather go on in my own quiet little way. Thanks, it's the same. Hey, what's on your mind, bud? Bad news. Judge, I just found out the railroad ain't going to run past this town at all. What's that? No, the ones along the land that's owned by your friend Torres. There'll be a new town built over there, and this one will be deserted. Well, it's nothing to worry about. Not a dang thing. Why, I'll build me a saloon over there, and I'll carry my law books along, too. We'll move lock, stock, and barrel. No, you won't. Torres has had it in for you ever since you opened your store. Always said he'd get even with you for putting them guns in his ribs and making him back down in front of his men that first day. Yeah, I'll make him back down again, too. No, he got you this time, Judge. When he sold the land to the railroad, he had him to write a contract. And it says that the railroad promises never to sell you a single darn foot of land. Why, that unreceiving coyote. I ought to have him hung for contempt of court. Why, he ain't showed no contempt of court, Judge. He ain't. He won't let me see your honorable court move into the new town. If that ain't contempt, I'd like to know what it is. Well, shall I go get him? No, not yet. I'll figure out a way to tan his hide. He can't beat me. I'll show him. I'll show him if it's the last thing I ever do. Hey, hey, Judge Ben. What are you doing? I'm building me a new courtroom in Sloan, of course. Well, this lot belongs to the railroad. Yep, it does. Well, the railroad cannot sell you any land in this town. I have a contract which says that. So I hear. That don't prevent the railroad from leasing me the land in for 99 years. What? You... Now, run along Tories and don't be obstructing justice. You're standing in the way of the law west of the Pecos. You are listening to Walter Brennan as Judge Roy Bean in the law west of the Pecos on the capital, Cape of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Now for the second half of our story. Now, the railroad didn't come to the town of Viningarone, so Judge Bean, his establishment and his law book, moved to the new town along with most of the citizens of Viningarone. Life changed not at all. The new town might well have been Viningarone, except for its name. And the new town, well, it didn't have a name. My gobs. Looky here, bud. Look at this magazine that drummer left. Oh, say, that sure is one pretty woman. Pretty? Why, that dear is the most beautiful woman in the world. Lily Langtree, the Jersey Lily. Jersey Lily? You mean she raises milk cows to put a woman like that? Oh, no, you lunkhead. She's an English lady, an actress. She comes from the Isle of Jersey. Say, bud, nail this picture up over the bar there. Oh, sure, sure. It'll be pretty over there. Sure is a beautiful woman by gobs. The most beautiful woman in the world. And by gobs, I'm going to do something for her. From now on, this here saloon's going to be known as the Jersey Lily in her honor. And I'm going to do something else. Gents, let me have your attention a minute. Gents, I'm going to name this dead, burnt town. I'm going to name the whole thing. It's going to be called Langtree. Yes, sir, Langtree, Texas. After most beautiful woman in the whole blame world. And by gobs, that's me rolling. Any arguments? Well, it's right nice, you fellas, to agree. Come on, all of you. The drinks are on the house. Oh, sure, bud. In all the time I've been the law-west of the Peckers, there's one thing I kept right up in the front of my mind. And that's dignity and fair dealing. Personal feelings never got nothing to do with my ruling. Hey, hey, I'm not. Hey, that's your friend, Torre. You're being robbed, he says. Come on. There's a thief. There's a thief. Stop, stop or I'll plug you. Now come back here with your hands up. This hombre, he committed my stork for the gun in my face. He take my money or wrong. Court's in session. Search him, bud. Young fellow, you think you could get away with a hold up here? Yes, sir. I guess I did. Where'd you get them fancy clothes? St. Louis. Ha, them Easterners. Bob, you know what we do with bandits in this country? Yes, sir. What? Hang them. That's right. How much do you take, Torre? $290. How much do you find on him, bud? $210, Judge. Torre, you're a liar. Here's my ruling. Young fellow, if you're trying to pull a hold up and fail, I'll fine you $210. The money Bob found on you to pay. Oh, no. No, that is my money. And as for you, Torre, I'll fine you $10 for lying. Here's your $200. This is just as I am robbed and yet I have to pay a fine of $10. That's my ruling. Now, young fellow, you take this $10 and get yourself east of the Pecos and don't come back again until you learn how to pull a better hold up. Oh, thank you, Judge. Thank you. Now, let's see. What was I about? Oh, yes. As I was saying, I always keep dignity and fair dealing up in the front of my mind at all times. Personal feelings got nothing to do with my ruling. Judge, I'm sorry to say it, but this is one time I think you overstepped your mark. Oh, no, such a thing. I'm the law-wisher of the Pecos and when I say go... Well, you ain't the law of the whole of that gum state and the state legislature's passed a rule on making prize fights illegal. Then let shame come down on their heads. You can't go and invite promoters to hold a fight here in Langtree. I can't, well, I've already done it, ain't I? Blamed fight would have been called off if I hadn't wired them. Stopping prize fights. Why, this is the year 1898. It's modern times. Prize fights has got a right to be held. But I tell you, they're illegal. Rangers will be coming in here and carting you off to jail. Let them come. I've been the law-wisher of the Pecos for 20 years. And if there's any carting to be done, I'll do it. I'll hang them. I'll hang them for treason. They're getting the government of Langtree. Oh, now you king. But listen to me now. If I made a rule and they had to be hung, what would you do? Well, I'd hang them. That's all I wanted to know. We're looking for Judge Bean. You him? Oh, you sure, son? You fellas come in on the special train to see the fight the pile of folks did. The town's the crowd... We're Texas Rangers and the governor sent us down here. His fight's against the law of the state. We're gonna stop it. Hmm, you don't say. Well, in that case, you have to go with the ring, then, won't you? That is, if you stop it. I reckon that's just what we'll do. Well, do you mind if I sort of amber along with you? I'd just kind of like to see our fight stopped. Well, I guess you start stopping them now, don't you? What's the first thing you do? Just watch. First, I'll climb into this ring and order the crowd to disperse. Tell them there won't be any fight. Well, go ahead. I'll watch. Keep your eye on me. You see how this is done, Judge? Uh-huh. Say, before you go in there, maybe I ought to tell you something, though. Your law is no good here. Judge, I represent the law of Texas. The law of Texas is good anywhere. Not here, it ain't. This is Mexico. What? Yeah, that bridge we come across back there. Had it built myself. That's the Rio Grande running under it. This is Mexico. This... Why, Judge, you're a... Yep, I probably am. Probably am. Just what you're thinking. But look here, Judge, prize fights are against the law of Mexico, too. Yep, that's right, they are. But there ain't no law officer within 200 miles, though. Fight'll be over and we'll all be back on the other side weeks before anyone get here. Well, I'll be doggone. Say, you gents, uh, like to sit and watch the fight now that you're here? I'll fix it so it won't cost you nothing. Eh, fight was highly worth seeing, was it? Mmm, what a man that Fitzsimmons is. Yeah, oh, he's all right, but what I meant was you fellas travel all the way here just to see Fitzsimmons knock Meyer out in the first round. Oh, well, Judge, we... Oh, by the way, we, uh, we dropped back here to say that we think Langtree's is a nice, orderly little town. You do, huh? Tell me, Judge, how'd you manage to run this country? Ha-ha-ha! Mainly by being quick on the draw, and then when I got old and slow by making them think I was still quick. Yeah, that ain't all, though. Laws can't be upheld by force alone. Yeah, no, I guess you're right. I think I've been the law west of the pickets for so long, mainly because, well, because they give the people the kind of law they want. Well, uh, have you always followed the letter of the law, Judge? Oh, Crops, no. Least ways not according to lawyers. Why, only yesterday I find a fella $20 for saying he'd seen a prettier woman than Lily Langtree. Lily Langtree. You, uh, named this town after her, didn't you? Yep. Heh. We wrote a couple letters back and forth, her and me. She said she was highly honored and hoped to get out here when she made her next tour west. Oh, that's fine. Even wanted to show her thanks by giving us a drinking fountain for what she called the Village Square. A drinking fountain? Yeah. I wrote back and I told her not to send it. I told her it wouldn't be no use to us, because if there's one thing people here in Langtree don't drink, it's water. Well, Bud, what's the Doc's ruling? Oh, he said not to worry. Said he'd have you out of here in no time. Eh, either the Doc's losing his mind or else you're a liar. He ain't gonna fix me up this time. I'm old and I've played my hand. Oh, no, you ain't. You got plenty of time left. Well, George, Lily Langtree's come to see you. She wrote she'd be here in three or four months. Lily Langtree. Gobs. Sure would like to see you. Show her the town, would you? But I don't think I'll be here. Bud? Yes, John? You think people will remember me? Remember you? When George, you're one of the men that made this country. I heard a couple of fellas talking about you yesterday. They said you was a legend. Legend? Is that good? Well, they should remember me. I was one of the first men in this section. A couple of weeks ago, there was a fella here from New York. He'd heard about your clean back area. I want to know if it is true that you made a corpse pay a fine once. I remember that. That was the days. But don't let them put no poetry or dates on my tombstone, would you? No dates? No. No dates. Just my title. That's the way I want to be remembered. I haven't put on the Judge Roy Bean. The law was to the peckish. And that's my ruling. Our thanks to you, Walter Brennan, and to all members of tonight's DuPont Cavalcade cast. Now, here is Gaine Whitman. When you and I try to form a mental picture of the huge B-29 superfortresses that are bombing Japan these days, we visualize tremendous wings, a huge body, whirling propellers and so on. And when a chemist thinks of the B-29, he forms another picture. A DuPont chemist sees a B-29 as a collection of thousands of formed parts, many of which are chemical compounds. For example, a tire. The chemist sees more than you and I see, more than a big black donut nearly as tall as a man. He sees in a B-29 tire cords of DuPont nylon or quadruorion. He sees the many chemicals which are added to the rubber before it goes into the tire molds. DuPont rubber accelerators which speed up the vulcanizing and make the rubber tougher. DuPont rubber antioxidants which retard and reduce cracking and slow down the destructive action of the oxygen in the air. All of that just in a tire. Here's a still better way of telling you how much chemistry goes into a big bombing plane. Just one DuPont plant, the Chambers Works at Deepwater, New Jersey, makes more than 80 chemical compounds which are used in one way or another in a B-29. Neoprene, DuPont synthetic rubber is used for jacketing electric wiring for carburetor diaphragms and for other applications on the B-29. Tetraethyl lead is an ingredient of ethyl fluid, the antinock compound so necessary to the high octane gasoline used in the B-29. The compound made at the Chambers Works added to gasoline keeps it from forming gums. Phthalic anhydride which in its crystal form looks like hay goes into the resins used in making the finishes for the fortress. The rivets used in putting the great ships together are kept at low temperatures in refrigerator cabinets. Otherwise they get brittle. And Freon-12 refrigerant is used for this important job. Made at the Chambers Works by Kinetic Chemicals Incorporated. A B-29 is an excellent example of the way chemistry touches our lives at hundreds of unguessed points. You don't see it, but it's there. Whether the final product is a bombing plane over Tokyo or a new yarn for stockings like nylon, it's better for the years of time and the millions of dollars research scientists have spent painstakingly gathering chemical knowledge. This is the great asset of an organization like the DuPont Company. The know-how gained from research which brings you DuPont's better things for better living through chemistry. Music Next week the DuPont Cavalcade will take you back into the enchanted nostalgic past. The not so long ago of your childhood when winter snows were always deeper, when music sounded sweeter, when even Banbury cakes tasted better. This was the day when the telephone was still new. Most folks' telephones were on a party line. And the operator at the switchboard really ruled the town's roost. We know you'll smile with recollection next Monday at our radio adaptation of Louise Baker's current bestseller, Party Line. And Miss Morehead will be on hand as our star as the switchboard operator who controlled the whole town of Mayfair from her vantage point on the party line. Music The music for tonight's DuPont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Ambruster. Our Cavalcade play was written by William E. Robinson. This is Frank Graham inviting you to listen next week to Agnes Morehead in Party Line on the Cavalcade of America brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Music This is the National Broadcasting Company.
