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Hello, sun.
I ain't never thought I had much to lose.
But now they done separated me from my brothers.
Though I know we shall reunite once we leave this earth.
My last time getting to see you rise.
My last morning on your green earth.
Things look a whole lot more beautiful
when you know it's the last time that you gonna see 'em.
No dancin' to your heathen music, Rufus Buck!
And no praying to your animal gods.
No speakin' in no savage tongues of yours either.
We will kill the Indian in you, Rufus Buck,
to save the man.
Hey there, feller.
Heard you're a gravedigger.
Said you buried a few famous people.
Buy you a drink?
Cognac!
Top shelf.
Higher. Top shelf, Bob.
Call you Digger?
Digging graves is what I do.
I'd like to think it doesn't define me...
but it does.
There's talk about the frontier coming to an end,
especially for men like you and me.
You've been out there. What have you seen?
Seen too many reckless youngsters
end up with, uh, bullets in their skull.
But as far as the Wild West being over,
it ended in my mind, July 1st, 1896.
And what happened then?
Last outlaw gang was hanged,
down Fort Smith way.
I was there to do dirty work at an unmarked grave.
And what was so special about this gang
that they ended the Wild West all by theyselves?
Easy there, this is liquid gold.
You want to hear the end of the story or not?
They called themselves the Rufus Buck Gang.
Teenage boys, half Black, half injun.
Came together at the hanging of Cherokee Bill,
down Fort Smith way, in March '96.
Had plans for an uprising,
or a vengeance over the whites who stole their land.
Some say they were haunted by wild spirits,
ghosts of fallen injuns and slaves.
Others that they were senseless killers,
just too young to know better,
took down Sheriff John Garrett.
But their reign of terror began
with the old Palmer family.
Let's go say bye to Paul and Tommy.
I'm ready to go, Dad.
Oh, Tommy, hold your pants on.
I'm almost done.
Well, why don't you come over here and give us a big hug?
Tommy!
We made enough food for two days.
Three, in case you need it.
I mean, if you get held up.
Thank you.
There's some jerky in there too you can chew on,
if you get in a pinch.
Tommy.
- Oh, I love you. - I love you.
- You're all grown up now. - Oh.
- You and Pa gotta watch out for each other. - Ma, you're being silly.
Fort Smith is only 20 miles away, we'll be there tonight.
Get supplies in the morning, then we'll head straight home.
Just leave a porch lantern burning for us.
As soon as we hear that buckboard comin', we'll put coffee on.
- Grandma? - That's right.
And we'll bake a chocolate cake tomorrow.
I wanna go with you, Daddy.
Please? I ain't been to town since last March
I know.
- Next time, all right? - Please.
You gotta stay here.
You gotta help Mama and Granny with all the cannin'.
All right? I'll bring you back something special.
I hate cannin'.
I'll have everything under control while you're gone.
You know, the tribes has been quiet as mice
especially since Judge Parker started hanging a bunch of 'em.
All right, Tommy, come on. We got a schedule to keep.
Godspeed, Chuck.
Give your parents our love.
- Bye, Daddy. I love you. - I love you too.
- I'll do a good job with the cannin'. - All right.
And maybe, for my surprise,
you'll get me that gingham dress I picked out of that catalog?
- Nope. - Maybe?
I don't know what you're talking about.
- But I love you! - I love you too!
Grandpa said Judge Parker's right
in hanging them outlaws in public.
It's a gruesome practice, son.
I don't even think in a civilized world
that that should be indulged in.
But our preacher says an eye for an eye is in the Bible.
Yeah, but an eye for an eye,
if both men end up blind, what good is that?
I think there's a creek...
right down over there. Let's stop it right up here.
Why don't you fill up the canteen?
All right.
Pa!
You all right?
I think we got your horse back for you, Sheriff.
Ain't he hitched to this here buckboard?
Color me blind if he ain't, Maoma.
Well, well.
Looks like we got ourselves a couple of horse thieves.
We ain't no horse thieves!
No, no, no.
No, this, uh--
this here horse is-is mine.
I bought it five years ago at Fort Smith.
I still have the bill of sale.
You wouldn't have that bill of sale up on you?
No, I don't have the bill of sale on my person,
but the ranchers around here know that this is my-my horse.
His name is Casey.
We ain't the ranchers from around here now, is we?
And that horse right there, that's mine.
And his name ain't no Casey, it's Demon.
And you stole him.
Which is a hanging offense in these here parts.
If my understanding of the law serves me correct-like.
Listen closely, old feller.
You most wrongly transgressed
when you done pilfered our good sheriff's mount.
He ain't more than 19.
How're you a sheriff?
He's older than he look!
We his posse.
We've been legally deputized
by the chiefs of the Creek Tribe.
We ain't about to take no buck from no horse thieves.
Boys, I say we have a trial first.
You need a fair trial, always before a hangin'.
Sam.
Maoma.
Let's go ahead and tie him up.
Sir, you're making a huge mistake.
But this horse is mine, I swear.
- Maoma. - This horse is mine, I am not a horse rustler.
Maoma, get the boy.
No, no, no, no, no. No, you can't, you can't.
You can't tell us what we can't do.
Pa!
But if'n you behave,
I'll go ahead and let your boy live and go free.
Pa, no!
No need to be getting upset, boy.
You know, when I was in school,
they told me a story about y'all white folk God,
and how he done killed all y'all people in a Flood
for being so evil and sinful.
Now, you believe in God, boy?
Sure do. God is good!
"God is good."
Well, why'd he go ahead and let y'all live again?
To come and take the Indian land?
Can't you see
that there just might need to be another Flood?
We did--
We didn't do this to your people, friend.
- Hey!
We are not your friends.
Hey, Lewis.
How many men we done hanged
that claimed that they was innocent
if'n we listen to them, which we did not?
Damn straight, Lucky.
We saw right through their dirty lies.
I beg you, please. Please don't do this.
Okay, now. We ain't gonna be needing no more testimony.
Justice shall now be served.
Aight.
Okay, y'all boys go ahead and be the jury,
I'll be the judge. Now...
How many of y'all see that this horse thief right here is guilty?
- Aye. - Aye.
Ayes have it. Guilty as charged, then.
The sentence is death by hanging.
Pa!
No!
Sam.
Pa!
Pa! Pa, no!
Hold it right there.
Go ahead and let him have
a little minute with his boy.
- Tommy, come here. Hey. - No, Pa!
- Hey, hey. - No.
- You be a good boy, okay?
You take care of your mama. You don't let her pity on me.
- No, Pa. - You let her know
that I return to the Lord now, okay?
- Sam. - No!
Stop it! Stop!
Pa, please!
No!
No, Pa!
Let's trade out these horses, leave this boy and his wagon.
You, girl!
Where's your keeper?
You know who I'm talking about.
Peta Nocona.
Keeper of the harem.
You go get him.
- Why are you here? - Go from here.
Girl, you better go get him now.
How can I help you?
Sheriff Garrett was killed recently, Mr. Nocona.
But you already know that.
As a medicine man,
you know everything that happens in the Creek Nation.
People tell me things because they trust me.
I'm about to have my lunch. Come.
John Garrett was killed down the road a ways.
Eat. Drink with me.
I'll have his body brought to you.
I assume, then, you know who murdered him.
"Know" is a strong word.
I suspect it was young Rufus Buck
and some others.
The Davis Brothers, Lewis and Lucky.
Perhaps, uh,
Sam Sampson and Maoma July.
They all observed the hanging of Cherokee Bill at Fort Smith.
A little blackbird told me
it kindled a rage in these young half-breeds.
They felt the need to kill somebody.
Somebody white, that is.
Where do you reckon these five be now?
Who knows?
But they won't go far.
Well, why is that?
Because they are very stupid.
Hm.
Well, stupid is the worst kind of dangerous.
Especially now that they got a taste for blood.
But can you blame them?
For murder?
It would only be fair.
Well, what about you, Mr. Maledon?
I don't blame 'em.
I hang 'em.
- Mm. - As the law dictates.
The white man's law dictated
that generations of Indian men and women
were slaughtered on their own lands.
Not to mention the African people
were brought here in chains.
This law you speak of,
it is a fickle judge indeed of what you claim is fair.
Hm.
Hey, you have a spittoon?
Thank you.
That's a filthy habit, sir.
Hm.
Well, you got a lot of these young squaws
running around for your pleasure.
Is that a filthy habit or is that a predilection?
I get those two mixed up, George.
I look after my people as family, Mr. Heck Thomas.
Hm.
Mr. Nocona, you gave us the names of the killers.
For that, we are grateful.
Those Indian school missionaries
thought they were doing their god's work,
by driving the heathen demons out of us savages.
Whatever happened to Rufus Buck and his gang,
they were turned that way by the whites.
I call it death by civilization.
Hm.
Well, that's a real sad story.
What's so special about this Rufus?
They think he's destined to be a great leader
and drive all the white people from the land.
I can't say I agree about his future,
but I'm just a simple medicine man.
So, uh,
you suspect you're gonna take your turn walking anytime soon, George?
Let me ride a little more.
This lumbago is killing me.
You ain't got not damn lumbago.
I've seen you prancing up on them gallows
like you was a damn cat with a canary.
You ain't got no damn lumbago.
Lumbago hurts all the time.
I just don't let the people see it.
Oh, so it's your pride that makes you ride, huh?
No. Just appearance and style.
That's what you gotta have.
You don't have that, you're nothing but skin and bones.
Besides, I got this writer, Crosby.
He's gonna do a piece on me for a dime novel.
What, you gonna be the next Buffalo Bill Cody?
Nope. Just a simple hangman.
With a legend to tend to.
Now, George, how in the hell did you become
such a celebrity for hangin' people?
I'm not just a hangman.
I'm a deputy marshal, just like you.
And I've dealt with my share of hard cases.
Not as many as you, though, but a half dozen or so.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Oh, Georgie. Look.
Boy.
What you doin' out here?
It's all right, son.
We're federal marshals out of Fort Smith, for Judge Parker.
Man who killed my father had a badge too.
Said my father was a horse thief.
That your daddy in the back, son?
Yes, sir.
Man with the badge let me take him home to bury him.
You mean they did this to your daddy?
Sheriff and four men.
Said they was his deputies.
And they was all young, some of them was half-breeds.
Let's take him with us.
All right, Tommy.
I want you to stay here, son, all right?
- Yes, sir. - You tend the horses.
Let's go, George.
Where's Jolene?!
- God damn it, George, get that boy outta here!
He don't need to see this! Get him out of here!
Jolene! She could still be in there!
We all die. It was their turn.
Relax. Relax.
Heck Thomas was as tough as old boot.
Turned many a soul like Maoma over to types like me,
though none would imagine little old Jolene...
would do the honors with a pitchfork.
Hey there, cousin.
If it isn't Charles Buck himself.
How's the fishing? Catch us any supper?
Haven't caught nothing.
One bite and I lost it.
How is you, Rufus?
Oh, I'm better than ever. And yourself?
Disgusted. My ma and pa want me
to keep going to that there Indian school.
They won't let me drop out.
Indian school.
What they trying to teach you all up in there, huh?
How to be more like the paleface?
Tell you that our ways of life is over?
I don't feed into their poison not one bit.
Reason we started robbing 'em, killing 'em.
We gonna scare 'em off this land.
And we gonna take they women too, just like they took ours.
We wild and free.
Wild and free, huh?
Who is we, Rufus?
Oh, you know 'em.
Sam, Lucky, Lewis.
What about Maoma?
Little white girl done killed 'em...
while we was kidnapping 'em.
So we gon' go ahead and sell her off
to that medicine man in the Creek Nation.
But on the way to Creek Nation,
we's going pull us off one big ol' job.
Have all the white folks around here scared of us.
You reckon I could take Maoma's place?
Just what I was thinking.
Seeing all that blood up on you, Maoma's blood,
make me wanna kill you myself
for my dearly departed brother.
All right. So what's the play here, boss?
We gonna take what we want?
- Damn straight, Lucky.
Hey!
Hey, Bart!
Get out here!
What in the hell is the matter with you?
Shouting at me like that, I spilled my whiskey.
Get down and lick it up then.
Bart, you got plenty much more where that came from.
Now ain't that right, Bart?
I...
Yeah, I...
I'm gonna head-head back to the hole
and get you guys some firewater.
Don't you call it no firewater, God damn it.
That's what you call it when you water it down and give it to us injuns.
Get 'em drunk, fleece 'em.
You know,
I spent some time with your late father.
I always gave him whiskey for free, Rufus.
And you remember that, don't you, son?
Oh, sure, sure, sure. I remember.
I remember you used to water it down
and charge us triple the price for a bottle.
Same bottle that paleface ain't even wanna touch. Right?
Same paleface used to give us trinkets and stole all our land?
You remember?
We fixin' to drive all the palefaces out.
There's too many of us nowadays.
It's 1895. You can't drive a white man out
with butchering and scalping and everything like that,
left and right.
We should learn to get along.
I mean, the white man and the the red man, and...
and even the Black man.
Shut up, old man. Fetch us that whiskey.
Don't be stingy now, grab one for each of us.
I don't mind. I just, uh,
I hide the good stuff back there,
so I'll be right-right back, boys.
Just hang there.
What you doin' there, Bart?
Whew!
Whooo! Hey, Rufus!
Hey. I mean...
We can sell all this whiskey and these rifles
for a lot of cash, Rufus.
Damn right, Lucky.
We gonna get stinkin' drunk and have us a hell of a party.
Go ahead and dedicate this to our dearly departed brother, Maoma.
He died for our cause.
If I had to choose a man
to bring the rest of them hellions in,
it would be Heck Thomas.
How many you hunted?
Law ain't my trade.
Well, the law is the trade...
of men the likes of old Judge Parker,
and his public executioner,
George Maledon
They're the most diabolical bastards in the territory.
I relish the thought of giving them a dose of their own medicine.
My ropes will stretch.
That's a promise.
George, you do not hang a man!
I do not hang a man!
The hand of God spreads all across this country!
The law hangs a man.
The law, George.
And now you tell me
that at least one of these desperadoes
will not have to suffer the twinges of your twine.
Heck found 'im.
He was stuck like a pig with a pitchfork.
One of the Palmers got him on the business end.
And you think that young daughter could've done that?
Who knows? Somebody did it.
But she's gone.
And Heck, he wants to find her
before something worse happens.
Now this Heck Thomas, he's a-he's a renegade type.
Would you agree with me on that, George?
He's frontier justice-type. We need more of 'em.
After we buried the bodies, I brought the boy back.
And Heck, he's gonna track 'em at first light.
A brave man, or a foolish one.
Or maybe a little bit of both.
He wants to save that girl.
Do you really think she's still alive, George?
I hope so.
'Cause if she's not, I'll hang 'em twice.
- I's hungry. - Quit your bellyaching.
Sit patient. Charlie'll be back soon with some supplies.
I need a private moment.
I need a private moment!
Untie the bitch.
Let her go ahead and do her business.
And then when she's done,
just go ahead and tie her to that tree over there yonder.
Make sure you tie them knots nice and tight.
Don't worry yourself none, Rufus.
She won't be going nowhere.
- Especially if I get on top of her. - Wait hold on now.
Now, now. I want to go at her first now.
Ya'll boys go get some more wood for this fire.
- You ain't my boss. - Hey, quit your sassin'.
We's gonna need to operate as a tight knit unit, we gonna raise us an army.
And I second what he said.
- Get to gettin'. - Okay, all right, Rufus.
We're goin'. Don't you fret none.
You ready for your private moment?
You thought you was gonna get away from us, bitch?
God will save me!
Ain't no God down here with us.
Traitor.
He was trying to send a telegram,
so I nailed the no good bastard.
Oh, yeah? Let 'em send that telegram.
Let 'em spread the word of the Rufus Buck Gang.
Let 'em know that we got this reign of terror all over this town.
We's famous now.
They'll all be around soon. Shouldn't we ramble?
Let 'em send they best.
And we gonna take them fools out too.
And we's gonna take this back in blood.
Sam Sixkiller. My old friend.
Reckoned you'd show up, Heck.
This man is Corporal Paden Tolbert.
He heard you were in Muskogee last night,
asking questions about Rufus Buck.
None of 'em talk to strangers,
especially Mugani lawmen.
Mugani lawmen.
I'll bite.
What in the hell is a Mugani lawman?
White man, like you.
Tolbert, correct? Corporal Tolbert.
Well, you are Indian police,
so hopefully this information
might be of interest to you.
Rufus Buck and his gang,
they murdered a Mugani lawman, John Garrett.
And after they killed him,
they decided to find two Mugani ranch women,
and rape and torture 'em.
And when they were done with 'em,
they slit the throats, like true farm animals.
After that, they found three Mugani men.
They took one of those men,
and they decided to hang him,
right in front of his little Mugani son,
just so he could watch him die.
So when you tell me that the people you talk to
don't want to talk to a Mugani lawman,
that don't surprise me.
What surprises me is that the people you talk to
wanna talk to any lawman of any color.
Anyways, Sam...
I trailed them boys for quite a few miles
till the trail went cold at Durham Creek.
Reckon you want me to get up a posse, hunt 'em down?
No, I don't want your damn posse out there
banging around the bush.
You'd scramble these boys from here to kingdom come.
I'm gonna go back out, pick up the tracks again,
I'm gonna trail them boys to wherever they're holed up,
and then I'm gonna set an ambush for 'em.
I know you're not the type to partner,
but I would like you to team up with Paden here.
That way you can vouch for each other.
I don't want a Cherokee uprising.
If people think those boys
had vigilante justice without a fair trial...
it could get ugly.
Things are already ugly, Sam Sixkiller.
And you know me.
This old Mugani lawman
- works best alone. - Same with me.
I could do this job better without you.
- You'd just get in my way. - There we go, all settled.
Yes, it is, Heck Thomas.
That's a filthy habit.
And what do you call that damn cigar in your hand?
It's a prayer cigar.
Tobacco comes from my people.
What about the whiskey?
It's from the Maganis.
White man invented it
to keep the Cherokee from ruling the world.
Well, I'll drink to that.
Sam Sixkiller is part white.
His father was Cherokee named, Redbird Sixkiller.
Red got in a gunfight with some Creeks,
killed six.
And they killed him.
I did not know that. What happened then?
His mother couldn't handle him.
So she sent him to the Indian boarding school
in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
And that's how he was educated.
Hm.
Now, where did you get your education?
I don't tell stories of myself.
- Only about other people? - Only other people.
That's the way of a real detective.
The telegraph operator at Western Union
got a cutoff message from the Army Trading Post.
When he tried to respond, he got nothing.
The line was dead.
He reckoned the wires were cut.
What was the message they sent?
Army distress signal.
The kind they use for Indian attacks.
All right, thank you.
Let's hope that prayer cigar of yours works
and brings us some good luck.
You ready to ride, Mr. Paden Tolbert?
Ready as you, Mr. Heck Thomas.
Wishing we could've met in church.
We could've been boyfriend and girlfriend.
I'd sooner die.
What's the matter, baby?
You don't like Indian boys?
I'm only 17,
and I ain't afraid of nobody.
When I turn 18,
I'll be a rich man in the Rufus Buck Gang.
You ain't gonna live that long.
You gonna get shot or hanged.
You mean like your daddy did?
You know that's what Rufus done to him, right?
Strung him up real good,
hoity-toity little brat.
Real good.
- I hate you! - Come on, baby.
I can be nice too.
Charles!
Leave her be.
She's mine, not yours.
We's gonna have to clear out.
Well, damn, Rufus! What's the big hurry?
'Cause we gonna need to prepare.
Why? Because of them soldiers in Fort Smith?
They won't be here till about three hours,
even on fast trail.
And they're still gonna need to get themselves together first.
All right, now. I said we's gonna need to clear out.
But, Rufus, don't we need to doll up Jolene?
- If we wanna sell her. - That is right.
If we're gonna get her all fine and, uh,
and gussied up, then, um...
Can I propose something, boss?
Can't we all just take a turn on her, once?
So she can go ahead and be damaged goods?
I'll have to go ahead and sell her cheap? Hm?
I'm gonna let y'all know, the man I'm gonna sell her to,
oh, that's one bad hombre.
That's Peta Nocona.
And you know how he like 'em?
He like 'em young.
He like 'em white.
Lucky!
And he like 'em virgin.
Boss...
I also like 'em that way too.
Me too!
That's everybody's thing.
All right now.
Lewis! Lewis!
Why you look so glum, keep downing up all that whiskey?
Don't you wanna roll with us?
Feeling guilty about some of the innocent people we killed.
Not all of 'em, but some of 'em.
God damn it, Lewis!
There is nothing innocent when it comes to whites.
Did you forget?
They stole our land from us.
They murdered us by the thousands.
That's not innocent.
They're too powerful, Rufus.
We may have our way for a while,
but they will hunt us down and kill us.
Not if we go ahead and raise us an Indian army.
A new generation of fearless spirit warriors...
who ain't afraid to die for the Indian land.
Preach.
You really think we could scare off all them white people, cousin?
The only thing that white men fear is this.
Now, if y'all go ahead and follow me,
I'm gonna make y'all kings of this new world.
All right?
Anything y'all see, anything y'all want,
it's gonna be yours for the taking.
Where does the evil of men get born?
Jesus said he saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven.
The devil was cast down to Earth to walk among us.
What's that have to do with anything?
Something possessed them young boys.
What they done wasn't natural.
Unless...
Something gets inside of you...
like a parasite,
takes ahold of you,
and took ahold of their better angels.
Well, how did Heck and Paden catch 'em?
Was there some big gunfight or something?
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Easy.
Don't get ahead of yourself
and get your money's worth.
Tommy.
Don't be scared.
They'll never be able to hurt you again.
That's what I say to myself every time I pull that lever.
"They'll never hurt anyone."
What about the ones that are still on the loose?
You're a fine boy.
How would you like what happened to you
to be told to the world?
Now, I have a writer,
and he can publish your story.
They're still out there somewhere,
Rufus Buck and his gang.
Yeah, but...
you'll never see 'em alive again.
Heck's hunting 'em down.
They can run and hide like rats they are,
but what Heck doesn't shoot...
my ropes will get.
The thing I worry about the most is my sister.
Do you think she's still alive?
I pray she is,
and that Heck will bring her back.
Anybody in there?
U.S. Deputy Marshal Heck Thomas!
Y'all put your weapons down,
come out with your hands up,
I promise you a fair trial!
My God.
I'll keep these reins handy
if you want to go on and get my medicine, darling.
Do you think it's really doing you any good, Sam?
I read about it.
It's all alcohol and paregoric.
- Well, it helps me sleep.
Hello?
Mr. Foster?
Sorry, Mary.
I knew you were coming, but, uh, nature called.
I have Sam's medicine right here.
Seventy-five cents, as usual.
Sam?
Sam!
Hyah, hyah!
Well, as we expected, they cut the telegraph wire,
so we can't contact ol' Sam Sixkiller
to send us some reinforcements.
Meantime,
let's go out here and inspect this crime scene
before it fades away.
What do you see out here?
Looks like the killers went thataway.
Yeah, well, I can see that.
But see here?
We've got a number of horses here,
with mounted riders.
The other one here looks like it's pulling a wagon.
You're right.
What about Jolene?
What you reckon happened to her?
Maybe they're keeping her alive for their pleasure,
God forbid, or holding her for a big ransom.
Wouldn't put anything past the bastards.
Hm.
Well, you're not defending their renegade Injun ways, I see.
They ain't Indians, they're half-breeds.
Makes 'em crazy sometimes.
I'll have to factor that into my figurin'.
Now, who do you reckon
they think would pay a big ransom for Jolene?
Her family's not exactly royalty,
by the looks of their ranch.
What about Peta Nocona?
The old Indian medicine man.
Likes 'em young.
He'll pay for the pretty ones, so they say.
May well be with him.
You know, I've been to his place,
and I cannot fault you on your detective work.
Not by my mind, partner.
You're my partner now?
Just ran into that cracker lover, Sammy Sixkiller.
Did him and his old lady right there on they wagon.
Been waiting to do that one a long time, boys.
The man was a disgrace to us Indians.
Man, how far away is this guy who's gonna buy Jolene?
Not too far.
Off in that Creek Nation.
Should be about 20 miles, be there by dusk.
So what, we just gonna sell her to him?
What's he gonna do with her?
Shit, he got about four wives.
He just don't like to keep no one when they get past they teens.
He go ahead and drown 'em, skin 'em.
Don't even matter now.
He just like to keep a few of 'em around for some work.
Cook for him, clean for him.
Hey, that's all women are good for, ain't it?
Fuckin', and makin' em work.
All right, y'all. Saddle up.
- Tommy!
Good to see you. I was afraid you weren't going to come.
Come on in.
My name's Seth Crosby, Tommy.
I write for Frank Leslie's Pictorial Newspaper
I also write dime novels.
In fact, I'm working on one about Mr. Maledon as we speak.
He told me.
Mr. Maledon told me what you went through.
You're a brave young lad.
I don't feel so.
It's hard to get through the nights.
Did you talk to your grandparents about it?
My grandma cries every night.
She tries to muffle it in her pillow,
but I still hear it.
I just want to kill the people
that killed my family and took my sister.
Can I help you?
Can I help you, son?
Hi, there.
We're on our way to the Creek Nation.
Been traveling now for, say, a day and a half.
And we was really just hoping that your missus
would maybe be able to muster us up a warm cooked meal,
if'n, of course, we was to pay you $20.
What's your name, son?
Where are my manners? Sheriff John Garrett,
Indian Police.
And these here are my deputies.
We got designs on hunting down a man
by the name of, oh, Rufus Buck.
You ever heard of him?
We've heard of him.
He don't operate around here, though.
Yeah, we didn't think so neither.
We think he might be hiding off in the Creek Nation,
but you know, we have to take all our provisions
to make sure we stay hot on his trail.
Now, we's about half-starved and worn out.
Would you be able to maybe get us up some grub?
I can probably rustle up something.
Might be enough to feed all of you.
Except maybe that tall one.
I'll check with the missus,
see if she got some chicken parts.
We's gonna be here a while, girl.
You best not make no fuss.
We'll kill you and the farmer.
All right?
She says she's got enough. She'll make sure your bellies are full.
Y'all come on in and sit around the table.
Make yourself at home.
Well, sir, we'd be much obliged.
Mind if I ask you for that 20 up front?
Oh, that'd be no problem, sir.
How can I help you, gentlemen?
We come about Rufus Buck.
Who's your Cherokee friend?
That's my partner.
Paden Tolbert.
Tolbert.
That's a French name.
White man named my great-grandfather when he was a tracker
in the French and Indian War.
Following in his footsteps, I see,
as you track these young ruffians through the wilderness.
Well, we have reason to believe that they, uh,
kidnapped a young girl, killed her parents,
and we don't believe that they're gonna ransom her.
And what do you believe their intentions would be?
Maybe they think they could sell her to you.
I told you they were stupid, did I not?
Well, you did say something to that effect, yes.
I would not pay for that girl,
for I would not want to be hanged.
Maledon will gladly do that business.
But how about, uh,
you aid us in our investigation,
therefore putting you on the... the right side of the law?
Hm.
Your side.
The side you call the law
is as crooked as the criminal side.
You only dress it up in fancy clothes.
It's a matter of money.
It spends both ways, wouldn't you say?
Hm.
Are you, uh,
suggesting that we pay you for information?
No. No.
Nothing that distasteful.
I will help you, gentlemen.
What information do you have, Nocona?
If they're headed this way...
they're on a rampage, and they will rape and kill.
Who, Mr. Medicine Man?
The farmers of this area.
The Patterson farm comes to mind.
Yeah, I know that place.
These boys were ripped from their parents,
sexually abused, as was I in my youth.
Ain't no excuse for what they done.
Oh... It's not an excuse.
But it is...
What?
It is the seed of much evil.
That's a mighty fine meal, Ms. Ellie.
We're much obliged.
We need us all our energy
- to go ahead and chase down them bad guys. - Mm-hm.
And Rufus Buck is one of the worst.
Now, I'm curious about something, Mr. Spencer.
Pray tell,
how did you get to own this little piece of property here?
My parents left it to us, me and Ellie.
And we built a cabin down there by the way,
so we can help 'em work the fields.
So now we just keep the cabin for guests,
and we moved in here.
Well, ain't that sweet.
Well, we get by, but it takes a whole lot of hard work.
Hm.
Now, I can't help but wonder,
how did your mom and daddy own the farm? Hm?
Who'd they pay for it?
We didn't pay anybody for it.
When the territory opened up,
you know, settlers came out, took land,
make something of themselves.
Hard work.
That kind of opportunity, it doesn't exist back East.
Ain't it bother you none, or your pappy,
that this was already Native land?
To be honest, we never really thought about it.
You know? The government makes the law, not the Indians.
Besides, they wasn't working it.
They was just letting it go to waste.
We didn't do anything wrong, and neither did my husband's parents.
Everything they did was fair and legal.
By whose laws?
Indians got laws. Indians got ways.
The way I see it, this land is stolen.
Yeah, the whole thing vexes me.
Shouldn't be this way, Rufus.
- I mean, Sheriff Garrett.
Let's get on up out of here, Rufus.
We may not have much time.
Let's negotiate.
Now, that was a mighty fine meal, Ms. Ellie.
But food is only one of the animal urges.
So let's go ahead and say $20 for the meal...
and how about $3 for our other appetites?
You're crazy!
She's not gonna let you violate her, and neither am I!
Why?
Don't you like the price?
What if we go ahead and up it by two bits?
Now Ellie,
this is your chance to save your husband's life.
Now, we giving you a choice,
and that's a whole lot more than we got
when our land was stolen,
women raped, children killed.
We had nothing to do with that!
That's 1,000 years ago.
Now y'all keep calling me crazy,
but can't you see that I'm the one in control here?
Or is you just too stupid to see that, farmer?
It's plain. I'll do whatever it takes to save our lives.
Now that's most sensible, Ms. Ellie.
And if you gots to do it, you might as well enjoy.
You only get in what you put in.
Now ain't that right, boys?
- Yeah. - That's right.
I don't want no sloppy seconds, Rufus.
- Hush up. - How about, uh...
we draw for it?
High card wins. Lewis?
Woo-hoo-hoo! Got me a ace.
I know y'all boys can't beat that.
Now that ain't fair! He's just a kid.
King.
I guess I'll go second.
Now you see how diplomatic I is, boy?
Lowly six.
I'm lower than that, I got a three.
That's too bad.
Go ahead now, Charles.
Didn't I tell you you'd be doing good once you joined us?
Come on, girl.
- Oh, hey!
You're all going to hell!
And I tell you this, you better kill me.
- Girl, get in there. - And be quick,
'cause these boys are hankerin'.
Oh, yeah!
Don't try nothing funny now.
Do as I say, and we'll let you live, okay, honey?
And don't you worry none.
I'm real good. You're gonna enjoy it.
Stop all that crying.
We start young with our squaws, okay?
- Don't worry about it.
Nothing funny now. Stop it.
This will be fun.
Stop it!
Stop it.
Ow!
- Come on.
- Ow! - Shh!
Slowly, slowly. Slowly.
Mm.
- Like that?
Mm.
Here.
Mm.
Yeah...
Shh...
Come on, boy.
Come on, quiet, quiet, quiet, quiet.
Sorry, boys.
Lady Luck rides with me again!
Come on.
Ellie and Jolene made a break for it,
with the lawmen tracking them boys
through Indian territory, where borders blur
between civilized lands and wilderness...
and men's morals can blur just the same
in the ruthless and unforgiving outlands.
Marshal!
Marshal! Marshal!
I'm Ellie Patterson.
They killed my husband, they tried to rape me,
and I got away.
Where are they?
They're at the house.
They're a bunch of half-breeds.
He said his name was Sheriff Garrett.
Who is this girl?
I'm Jolene Palmer. They killed my mom, my family.
They done kept me for days against my will
- until she came. - All right, listen to me, girl.
You get her in town now, go see the doctor.
You fly like the wind, you hear me?
- Yes, sir. - Go!
This ends now.
Hey, come on now, Charlie.
These boys are waiting. Hurry it on up.
- Come on!
Let's see 'im!
All right now, Charlie.
Come on now, your time's up.
That bitch!
Hey, she getting away!
- U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas!
You're under arrest!
All y'all boys take position!
Get to a window! To a window!
You want peace?
Come and get it!
- Hey! I want to talk to you! - Come on!
- Huh? - Come on, you dumb shit!
You can fight and die here,
or you can surrender and go back in shackles
and face justice, boys.
Fuck me!
Till you've been in a shootout,
you'll never know what it's like.
Your senses go into a haze.
It's like time stops, and you enter a dream state.
Anything's possible in that world--
Feats of daring or disgrace.
Hard men maintain their focus,
where the rest die like dogs.
Stop firing, God damn it! You're wasting bullets.
So are they.
We gotta keep 'em pinned down in that house, all right?
They're gonna run out of ammunition.
So I need you-- listen to me! Listen, God damn it!
Work your way around the backside,
so you can cover the back of the house. You got me?
- Do you hear me? - Great plan,
as long as I don't get killed in the meantime.
I told you you'd be good at dime novels, Heck.
How'd you know we was out here?
I stopped at Peta Nocona's.
I thought your lumbago was bad.
It is.
I got some sad news for you.
Sam Sixkiller and his wife were killed.
I believe by the Rufus Gang.
- Where? - In Muskogee.
The ones that killed him
are inside the house shooting at us.
- I'll cover the back. - I got you.
- So, what do we do now? - I got a plan.
One of us re-directs shots.
Two of 'em go pick 'em out,
while the other two slip out the back.
How about one of us keeps 'em pinned
while three get away?
- Get away where? - Into the forest!
Anywhere they ain't!
We'll do like Custer and his men did.
Custer?! What's so good about Custer?
That bitch!
They kept their last bullet to they own selves,
when they couldn't do no more.
They blew they own brains out.
Custer's lieutenants just didn't wanna be tortured.
Them boys ain't stand for nothing.
They ain't wanna face no punishment.
Would you?
White man, he ain't gonna torture.
He think he more civilized than us.
So, what will they do?
They gonna put us on trial.
And that's when we can defend ourself.
Let the whole world know what we did and why for.
We gon' probably go ahead and get the rope...
but they might just be soft-hearted.
By and by.
We all knew it had to come to this.
Chips been stacked against us.
And it's been that way our whole lives.
It's been a pleasure rolling with you boys.
Hey, hey, hey. Now, what are you talking about, Rufus?
All right. Are you-- Are you trying to cash in on us?
What about all that talk about us raising an Indian army?
You said we were gonna raise an Indian army. What about--
Y'all was it, my brothers.
We might as well be ready to call it the end.
Unless somebody wanted to go head on out there,
and distract them lawmen,
while the rest of us,
we make it out through the back.
It'd be my honor, Rufus.
Lewis...
You give 'em hell, okay?
Tell mama I love her.
I tip my hat to the Rufus Buck Gang.
If you want to surrender,
you put your guns down,
and you come out with your hands where I can see 'em.
We ain't fools! You'll gun us down!
Not if you're surrendering, you dumb shit!
I'm U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas,
and my word means something.
Come out!
Paden, you stay on the back!
Come on!
Come on, you simple son of a bitch. Come on!
Where's the rest of your boys?
Surprise, surprise.
You watch him, George.
Don't you move.
You got a good neck to stretch.
- They all come out? - Yes.
I'm getting real low on ammo, Rufus.
We ain't gonna need much ammo for what I got in store.
Now, let's put some pep up on our steps.
Put some space between us and them boys, all right?
- All right? - Okay. Come on, let's go.
We've got two sets of tracks here.
A single set here,
looks like you have two or three on this side
Let's split up. You'll take on that track, I'll take on this track.
Howdy there, Marshal.
Go ahead and turn around for me.
Real molasses-like.
Woo-hoo! Slow down now.
Go ahead and drop that gun for me.
Now you heard me. I said go ahead and toss that rifle.
That piece too.
While you're at it, go ahead and toss that buck knife.
I ain't gonna strip you naked, don't you worry none.
- Appreciate you.
Ah, the great Heck Thomas!
To get little old Rufus Buck.
You done brought more men in to hang than anybody
off in this Indian territory.
I am honored.
And I give every single one of 'em the chance to surrender,
just like I'm giving you now, Rufus Buck.
Oh, is that right?
That's right.
Damn it, only one bullet left.
Son of a bitch! Hey! Sam!
- You okay? Okay. - Yeah, I'm good, Lucky.
You mine, boy.
Remember the name Lucky.
- Lucky!
Drop it, boy!
Or I'll drop you.
Death or justice, huh?
Your choice.
It seems like you just gonna have to be remembered
as a man who gets done in by Rufus Buck.
And you gonna be remembered as a murdering coward,
raper and torturer of women and children.
All for what, son? The color of their skin?
The same as your people done did to us!
All we done was brought y'all civilization and opportunity.
You can't stop progress, son.
Well, it looks like I'm just gonna have to stop progress.
Paden!
I think you better go help your partner.
I'll take care of these buckos.
Go for it. Go for it, son!
How fast are you?
If you think you're fast enough, go for it.
Glad you could finally make it, partner.
I see you got yourself a little puppet.
He's a good little Injun.
Do you take all your orders from him?
You done pledged allegiance to they flag,
homage to Indian police?
That white man don't care none about you.
That man don't care for you none.
I can start us up again.
I'll bring us back.
Our culture, our land, our tongue.
I promise you. I promise you!
I'll start us up a revolution.
You listen to that white man,
he ain't gonna do nothing but take, take, take from you.
I just need you to do one thing for me now.
Just one thing for me.
Kill that white man. You hear me?
Do you hear me?
Kill that white man.
Kill that white man!
Kill that white man right now!
Cannot do that.
You murdered my friend.
Your gang will face justice.
Man's gotta decide one day
that he's gotta rise above the level of animal.
Not that animals are bad,
they have a purity in their instincts. But man...
A man can touch the face of God,
and live on in that supernatural presence.
Takes a lot of death to see it all that way.
And believe me,
I've seen it all, with a shovel in my hand.
But how does it end?
Couldn't say.
I'm not the Reaper.
I'm just a simple gravedigger,
with a taste for fine cognac.
For the people in the story, not for me.
We're just dying to know.
In one man's story is every man's story.
Remember that, stranger.
Only the grave remains undefeated,
and it keeps me in business.
But I've seen all their ghosts,
6and I'll tell you...
which one met their maker first.
All right, listen up!
I know you want justice.
And you want justice now.
Yeah!
But that ain't the way the law works, and you know it.
Uh, Sheriff.
The law don't work too well up here.
But I'm willing to bet
this rope here works just fine.
- Ain't gonna happen, partner.
It ain't the way it's gonna happen.
Says who, Sheriff?
Don't make me shoot you, mister.
Sheriff, you know just as well as I do
those boys in that cell, they need to hang!
They need to hang tonight, and you know it.
What I know is the man on my right is George Maledon.
The hangman!
Judge Parker's right hand for fittin' neckties.
Now, George and I hunted hard to bring these killers in
so they could face justice.
And as God as my witness, we will see justice done.
We're taking these boys to Fort Smith tomorrow,
so they can face Judge Parker.
And anybody,
any one of you sons of bitches tries to stop us,
you're gonna face the same brand of punishment
that these boys are about to face.
Now these boys are gonna be
on that prison train tomorrow at noon.
Now go on, get.
Go home.
- Get!
Go on!
You got no business here no more.
You take your rope with you, mister, go ahead.
Those sons of bitches.
- And what business are you about?
Heck.
We got a story to tell.
That's the writer I told you about.
Let him in.
From what I hear,
you boys don't have much going for you in the way of a defense.
So this is your chance
to tell your side of the story, if you'd like.
You're the leader, right?
Rufus Buck, of the infamous Rufus Buck Gang.
That's right. I'm him.
Great commander and martyr of the next uprising.
Is that what this was all about?
A freedom movement of some sort?
Well, it's my name that you sellin' them books and papers on, right?
I'm Rufus Buck,
so I guess it's all about whatever I say it is.
Yes, Mr. Buck. That is a salient point.
Plus, you want to be well remembered, right?
Yeah.
Frank Leslie's Pictorial Newspaper
is the best place to see to that.
Jesse James was a stone cold killer.
- Jesse James? - The Jesse James.
But we cleaned up his image,
and now he is a Confederate hero
who was wrongly accused.
Jesse James.
George.
Just so you know,
Paden and I, we ain't coming to Fort Smith with you on the train tomorrow.
You know I ain't partial to courtrooms.
We're gonna stay right here in Muskogee.
Well, Heck...
I appreciate all you've done for us.
- Anytime, old partner. - Yeah.
Do you think the viciousness you boys experienced during childhood
caused you to go astray?
Well, I mean,
our... our daddy was way worse.
Uh, way worse than them Indian schools.
Our daddy was, uh,
well, he was probably the meanest man
in the whole wide world.
Yeah, you'd think being a freed slave
would cure him of that curse,
but he mainly just took it out on me and my brother,
and my mama, who was also Creek.
You gonna write that in?
- Yes. - Okay.
What about you, Mr. Buck?
It is your story as the leader of this revolution
our readers most want to learn about.
My ma, my pa?
Wasn't nothing like theirs.
There was no mean bone in they body.
My mama Black, daddy a Creek.
And they loved their little simple life at the tribe.
I ain't seen nothing wrong with it
till I got a little older.
I saw what y'all been doing to our people...
and I started to hate my mama and daddy
for being so damn weak.
Trying to be like y'all white folk.
They told me stories about how the Indians freely roamed the land,
and how there was millions of buffalo.
When I asked them what happened to all them buffalo...
they told me that the paleface done killed them all.
And with no buffalo wasn't gonna be no Indian.
Ain't got no buffalo to hunt, to eat,
no buffalo for us to make our leather,
so we got our clothes and shelter.
And that be just one reason why I hate y'all.
But you fellas didn't just kill white people.
Other Indians were your victims as well.
Them boys was fighting on the other side.
It's just kinda like something just possessed us, is all.
Some kind of evil spirit.
Is this a different spirit than the Great Spirit you spoke of?
Could be. Or you know what?
It could just be that devil person
y'all Bible people keep talking about.
The one they taught about in the Indian school?
What happened to you at the Indian school?
Don't you worry none about that.
Same thing happened to me is happening to them boys.
But that is the origin of all this evil.
To hell with your origin story.
I hate all y'all for not allowing this world
to be the way the Great Spirit intended it to be.
And how did he intend it to be?
A place where my daddy got to roam free,
a place where my mama wasn't in no chains
and a place where you stayed your ass right back where you belong!
Did you get what you need?
Yes, sir. I did.
Good.
Told you I'd make you famous.
Well, I don't know, boys but...
I think he ate up that story, hook, line, sinker!
- Whoo!
We's gonna be famous, huh?
What about you, Rufus?
You don't really give a damn about that buffalo
and Great Spirit talk, right?
I wouldn't know no buffalo from no bull, man.
And I ain't even sure about no Great Spirit.
Same way that white man can't be sure about no God.
But if there is one,
how could they let us get away with all that we did?
We didn't get away with it all, did we?
Hey, Rufus.
Do you think our story's gonna make any difference in court?
Not a lick.
But we's going have us a story
for when we dead and buried.
I should not expect a happily ever, then.
No, friend.
Tales like this don't end pretty.
Not like, uh, them in the dime novels,
with the fancy shootouts
in between the advertisement for cigars and soap.
Justice may be blind,
but she's a cold ass bitch to the man in chain.
Let's go, boys.
Keep up.
Told the townsfolk noon,
but it's a six a.m. train.
Maybe that train just ain't gonna be coming, old man.
- Right on time.
Neither Tommy Palmer nor Jolene Palmer
will be testifying in court.
Why not?
Tommy saw them lynch his father.
Jolene saw them rape and kill her mother.
Yep.
The death penalty would be a sure thing.
Yeah, you'd think.
Prosecutors decided to try them boys first
for the rape of Ms. Rosetta Hassan.
Happened about three weeks ago.
Carries the same death penalty as killing.
Though those boys did not manage to kill that poor woman.
I reckon some folks think that rape is worse than murder.
They did so much evil.
Who would vote them innocent?
Prosecutor thinks it might be too devastating for Tommy and Jolene,
especially at their age.
And says that if he doesn't get the guilty verdict like he wants,
we can always try them again for the murder of the Palmer family.
I'll never understand the white man's laws.
Now that saves you
from trying to figure that which cannot be figured.
I also just wanna tell you,
thank you for always having my back, partner.
Same here, partner.
This is on the house, fellas.
Paden Tolbert... Let's get drunk.
To Rufus Buck and his boys hanging.
You just take your time, Mrs. Hassan.
I asked them if they were hunters.
He just laughed,
and asked him for some water.
My husband, being the generous man that he is,
sent my brother down to the stream to fetch a pail.
Then the real nasty-looking one
pulled his horse up in front of the others...
and doffed his hat at me.
And I looked at my husband,
because I knew for certain we would be lucky
if we saw another day on this earth.
I wanted desperately to save my husband and my babies.
I told myself that my own life wouldn't matter
if it would just prevent them from getting killed.
But God help me,
I do think a part of me wished to save my own life too.
And now I'm having to live this wretched existence because I didn't have
the courage of the saints and the martyrs that I believe in.
Please, continue, Mrs. Hassan.
They took me behind the barn,
made me undress,
and held me at gunpoint...
while all four of 'em ravaged me.
I'll have order in this courtroom!
Can you point out the four men in this room
who did this to you?
Them.
I done wrote me a poem,
so they ain't just gonna call me no stupid killer.
"I dreamt I wasn't here.
And when the angels fell,
I never seen none so handsome,
a twine and golden hair.
They looked so neat,
and they sang so sweet,
and played the golden harp.
I was about to go ahead and pick one out,
and take her to my heart.
But the moment that I began to plead,
I thought of you, my love.
And there were none I'd seen so beautiful
on earth and your Heaven above."
"Goodbye, my dear wife.
Goodbye, my dear mother.
Also my sisters."
So, was you there for the hanging?
I was.
Saw young Jolene in the crowd, with her brother Tommy.
There was awestruck by the spectacle.
And the gang...
choked back sobs,
trying to be brave men,
but they looked like young boys.
They weren't the terror of the Wild West,
except for Rufus Buck.
He looked wistful,
not once taking his eyes off 'em.
Young Jolene.
I swear I saw a tear fall from her pretty little cheek
when Maledon pulled that lever.
And the Rufus Buck Gang disappeared forever.
Hey, vato.
At dawn, I'll bring the shovels.
Don't be late.
Another dead soldier.
I thank you for the fond evening,
and, uh, I bid you adios.
Well, that was, uh, quite a journey.
I'll say.
âª There's a loss along the road âª
âª That's right in front of me âª
âª But I don't know where the hell it goes âª
âª I've been riding many nights just to get there âª
âª But my destination âª
âª She's unknown âª
âª Maybe if I'm dead âª
âª I can lay my head to sleep âª
âª Before these demons try to take my soul to keep âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder, I try âª
âª While this misery âª
âª Well, it starts to wake me âª
âª As I'm trying to ease my mind âª
âª As I'm searching for their pieces all around me âª
âª There's so many, it's hard to find âª
âª Maybe if I'm dead âª
âª I can lay my head to sleep âª
âª Before these demons try to take my soul to keep âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder, I try âª
âª Now my spirit reaches down and starts to haunt me âª
âª As I feel my soul âª
âª Try to drift away âª
âª As my world is crashing down all around me âª
âª Is it just a dream âª
âª Or another day? âª
âª Maybe if I'm dead âª
âª I can lay my head to sleep âª
âª Before these demons try to take my soul to keep âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder, I try âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder, I try âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder, I try âª
âª As the moon is staring down from the night sky âª
âª Still I wonder âª
âª I try âª