BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THERE'S A
REASON THEY CALLED IT THE WILD WEST. PEDRO SARACENO: THESE BIG
RANCHERS AND THEIR MEN DON'T RESPECT US. ELFEGO BACA: BUT YOU CAN'T JUST
DO NOTHING! OUR PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE
PROTECTED BY THE LAW. PEDRO: IF YOU WANT THE JOB,
BE MY GUEST. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN'
AT, BOY? YOU'RE UNDER
ARREST! [GUNSHOTS] BAT MASTERSON, V/O: BRINGING
THE LAW TO A LAWLESS PLACE WAS DANGEROUS WORK. JOHN SLAUGHTER:
THIS ENDS RIGHT HERE AND NOW. BAT MASTERSON, V/O: THIS IS THE
TRUE STORY OF ELFEGO BACA, THE UNLIKELIEST LAWMAN.
[GUNSHOTS] [TRAIN WHISTLE] I WAS JUST A YOUNG MAN WHEN
I FIRST HEADED WEST. IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,
I BECAME A COWBOY...
A GUNSLINGER... AND I EVEN SERVED AS SHERIFF OF
DODGE CITY, ONE OF THE MOST LAWLESS
TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY. MY NAME IS BAT MASTERSON. NOW I'M A REPORTER AND I'VE
COME WEST AGAIN TO CHRONICLE THE WORLD THAT
I KNOW BEST... THE AMERICAN WEST. THE LURE OF GOLD, LAND, AND
DESTINY FLOODED THE FRONTIER WITH MEN BOTH GOOD AND BAD. THESE ARE THE INCREDIBLE TRUE
TALES OF THE WILD WEST. ♪ ♪ [BELL TOLLS] AFTER THE U.S. WON THE
MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR, THE MEXICAN PEOPLE LIVING IN
THE SOUTHWEST AWOKE TO FIND THEMSELVES LIVING IN A NEW
ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY. IT WAS NOT AN EASY TRANSITION
FOR EITHER SIDE. BUT THE CONFLICT WOULD CREATE
A LEGEND. CAN I HELP YOU? OH UH, MR. MASTERSON! IT IS AN HONOR TO MEET YOU. I HAVE READ YOUR
"TRUE STORIES OF THE WEST." UH, MY NAME IS PEDRO SARACENO
AND I HAVE COME ALL THE WAY FROM NEW MEXICO TO TELL
YOU ABOUT MY FRIEND. I'M VERY SORRY. I HAVE TO GO,
I'M RUNNING LATE. BUT HIS NAME IS
ELFEGO BACA. WELL, WHO HASN'T HEARD
OF ELFEGO BACA. THE FRISCO SHOOTOUT. IT HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN
EXAGGERATED OVER THE YEARS. ONE LONE LAWMAN FACING
DOZENS OF COWBOYS. THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS- MR. MASTERSON... I AM HERE TO TELL
YOU THE REAL STORY. AND I ONLY BELIEVE IT BECAUSE
I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES. ♪ ♪ TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED,
YOUR READERS SHOULD KNOW WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE BACK THEN IN
THE NEW MEXICO TERRITORY. THERE WAS GREAT CONFLICT BETWEEN
MY PEOPLE AND THE BIG RANCHES. I ASSUME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
SLAUGHTER RANCH? AMONG OTHERS. BAT:
POWERFUL MEN RAN THOSE RANCHES. AND THEY AND THEIR
HIRED GUNS... THOUGHT THEY WERE
ABOVE THE LAW. [BIRDS CHIRPING] [SPEAKING SPANISH] [LOUD SHOUTING OUTSIDE] GUADALUPE:
PEDRO! [LOUD SHOUTING CONTINUES] GET OUTTA HERE! [GUADALUPE SPEAKING SPANISH] GET OUTTA HERE! ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ [PUNCHING] [GUADALUPE SPEAKING SPANISH] [PUNCHING CONTINUES] [THUD] IT WAS MY DUTY TO PROTECT
OUR TOWNSPEOPLE... BUT I COULDN'T DO IT ALONE
SO I TRIED TO GET HELP. [HORSE TROTTING] I WENT TO SOCORRO,
OUR COUNTY SEAT, HOPING I'D FIND SOME DEPUTIES
TO RIDE BACK WITH ME AND HELP RESTORE ORDER. DID THE SHERIFF
HELP YOU? HE COULDN'T SPARE
ANY MEN, SO I STOPPED BY A FRIEND'S SHOP
TO CONFIDE IN HIM. [SPEAKING SPANISH] STOREKEEPER:
THANK YOU, MRS. JOHNSON. [SPEAKING SPANISH] [SPEAKING SPANISH] ELFEGO: BUT YOU CAN'T JUST
DO NOTHING! EXCUSE ME FOR LISTENING TO YOUR
CONVERSATION BUT... OUR PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE
PROTECTED BY THE LAW. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND,
SON. THESE BIG RANCHERS AND THEIR MEN
DON'T RESPECT US OR THE LAW. THEN LET ME COME
BACK WITH YOU. ♪ [HOPEFUL MUSIC] ♪ HOW OLD ARE YOU? NINETEEN. CAN YOU HANDLE A GUN? YES, SIR. IF YOU WANT THE JOB,
BE MY GUEST. BAT: WHY WAS ELFEGO SO ANXIOUS
TO GET INVOLVED? HIS FATHER WAS
A GREAT MARSHAL. BUT ONE DAY SOME MEN
TRIED TO BREAK OUT A PRISONER. THERE WAS A SHOOTOUT,
AND HE KILLED THEM. THEY PUT HIM IN JAIL
FOR MURDER. IT WAS HUMILIATING AND ELFEGO
WANTED TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT HE STOOD FOR JUSTICE
AND HIS FAMILY DID TOO, EVEN IF HIS FATHER NEVER
GOT ANY. READY? YES, SIR. AND I GOT THIS. PEDRO, V/O: ELFEGO EVEN MADE
HIS OWN BADGE OUT OF TIN. [FOOTSTEPS] [HORSES TROTTING] ♪ ♪ WHEN WE GOT TO TOWN... I STOPPED HOME FIRST
TO SEE MY WIFE. BUT ELFEGO WANTED
TO SHOW EVERYONE THERE WAS A NEW DEPUTY IN TOWN.
[CHUCKLES] [FOUNTAIN STREAMING] [BELL TOLLS] [FOOTSTEPS] [GUNSHOTS INSIDE SALOON,
MAN RUNS AWAY] [DOOR OPENS] MILLIGAN:
ABOUT TIME THE LAW SHOWED UP. I HEARD SHOOTING. IT'S MCCARTY. YOU GOTTA GET HIM
OUTTA HERE. HE'S RIGHT OVER THERE
SHOOTIN' HOLES IN ME ROOF. MCCARTY:
SHUT YOUR BAZOO, MILLIGAN! YOUR DANG ROOF'S ALREADY
FULL OF HOLES! ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN'
AT, BOY? YOU'RE UNDER ARREST. [EVERYONE LAUGHS] ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ [COCKS PISTOL] WHAT ARE YOU DOIN'? YOU'RE A DEAD MAN! [THUD] [MCCARTY GROANS] THERE AIN'T NO JAIL
IN TOWN, BOY. WHERE ARE YOU EVEN
TAKING ME? [DOOR OPENS SUDDENLY] [SCREAMS] [GUADALUPE SPEAKING SPANISH] [PEDRO SPEAKING SPANISH] MCCARTY: DO YOU LUNKS HAVE ANY
IDEA WHO I WORK FOR? ELFEGO: SURE WE DO,
BUT YOU BROKE THE LAW. [FOUNTAIN STREAMING] [THUD] WADSWORTH: WELL, WHAT
ARE YOU GONNA DO? COME AGAIN? ARE YOU GONNA LET THAT LITTLE
RUNT COME INTO YOUR CANTEEN AND HAUL OFF ONE OF YOUR
BEST CUSTOMERS? MCCARTY? HE'S ONE OF ME
WORST CUSTOMERS. MAYBE ME AND THE BOYS
WILL FIND SOME OTHER PLACE TO GET ROOSTERED. COME ON NOW. THEN GO GET HIM OUT. ME? BY ME'SELF?
HOW? WADSWORTH: WE'LL COME
WITH YOU. [HORSES APPROACH OUTSIDE] MAN:
COME ON RIDERS, LET'S GO! [MEN SHOUTING] [SHOOTING OUTSIDE] LET'S GET HIM! [HORSE NEIGHS OUTSIDE] MCCARTY:
HERE COMES THE CAVALRY. ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ [DONKEY BRAYS] [LAUGHS] FRENCHIE:
HERE'S TROUBLE NOW BOYS ♪ ♪ PEDRO: HEY, LET'S NOT DO
ANYTHING LOCO. WADSWORTH: AHEM, ON BEHALF OF
SLAUGHTER RANCH, WE HEREBY DEMAND THE RELEASE
OF OUR ASSOCIATE, MR. CHARLIE MCCARTY
FORTHWITH. THE ANSWER IS NO. GO BACK TO YOUR COWS... FORTHWITH. WADSWORTH: OH HO HO!
THE KID THINKS HE'S FUNNY. [EVERYONE LAUGHS] [FIRES GUNSHOT] ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ MILLIGAN: KID, I'M THE ONE THAT
TOLD YOU TO ARREST MCCARTY AND NOW I'M NOT
PRESSIN' NO CHARGES. ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ LISTEN... I WON'T COUNT TOO HIGH SO THAT
YOU TEJANOS CAN KEEP UP. I'LL JUST COUNT TO THREE. BUT IF Y'ALL DON'T CLEAR OUT
BY THREE, ME AND PEDRO HERE
WILL START SHOOTING. PEDRO: ELFEGO WHAT ARE YOU DOIN?
ELFEGO: ONE... TWO... [DONKEY BRAYS] THREE! [GUNSHOTS] [HORSE NEIGHS] [THUD, MAN GROANS] [GUNSHOTS] [DOOR CLOSES] BAT:
SO THIS IS HOW IT ALL STARTED? PEDRO:
IT WAS CHAOS. AS SOON AS THE
SHOOTING STARTED, A HORSE REARED UP AND
THREW ITS RIDER... [HORSE NEIGHS]
A MAN NAMED PARHAM. [THUD] HE WAS HURT BAD TOO. AND THAT WAS JUST
THE BEGINNING? IT WAS A... POWDER KEG
READY TO BLOW. AND ELFEGO BACA WAS THE MATCH. [CRICKETS CHIRP, DOGS BARK] [DOGS CONTINUE BARKING] NO ONE'S COMING TONIGHT,
ELFEGO. THEY'RE SLEEPING OFF
THE BOOZE. HOW'S GUADALUPE? SHE'S ASLEEP NOW,
SHE'LL BE FINE. [POURING] IT'S NOT TOO LATE
TO RECONSIDER. [CONTINUES POURING] MAYBE... WE LET HIM GO IN THE MORNING? WE DO THAT... AND THEY WILL KEEP WALKING ALL
OVER YOU, PEDRO. BY SUNUP, THERE'LL BE
EVEN MORE OF THEM HERE. DO YOU WANT TO WIND UP
DEAD OR IN JAIL? ELFEGO, YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE
LIFE AHEAD OF YOU. THINK OF YOUR PAPA. ♪ ♪ I AM AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHY I HAVE TO DO THIS. ♪ ♪ [BIRDS CHIRPING] WE'VE GOT COMPANY. WADSWORTH:
WE'VE COME TO GIVE YOU ONE LAST
CHANCE TO GIVE UP MCCARTY. FRENCHIE: WE'VE FETCHED THE
JUDGE TO BRING MCCARTY OVER
TO MILLIGAN'S FOR TRIAL. ALRIGHT. TELL 'EM WE'RE COMING. ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ PEDRO, GET THESE PEOPLE
OFF THE STREET. [DOOR SUDDENLY OPENS] THIS ENDS RIGHT HERE AND NOW. MR. MCCARTY'S GONNA GET
A FAIR TRIAL. MR. WILSON,
OUR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, WILL PRESIDE... AGREED? FINE WITH ME. [SPEAKING SPANISH] ♪ ♪ WELL MR. MCCARTY,
HOW DO YOU PLEAD? GUILTY, SIR.
I DONE DID IT. AND? AND... I APOLOGIZE SINCERELY,
MR. MILLIGAN. [LAUGHS] WELL CHARLES MCCARTY... YOU'RE HEREBY FOUND GUILTY
OF CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. AND I HEREBY FINE YOU...
FIVE DOLLARS. [EVERYONE LAUGHS] GET THESE THINGS OFF OF
ME, BOYS! [EVERYONE CHEERS] [DOOR OPENS SUDDENLY]
MAN: HOLD ON! Y'ALL HEARD ABOUT
PARHAM? HE GOT THROWN BY HIS
HORSE YESTERDAY. WELL HE JUST DIED, AND THAT MEXICAN SHOULD BE
THE ONE ON TRIAL... FOR MURDER! ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ MURDERER!
[GUNS COCKING] GET HIM!
GET HIM, BOYS! GET THAT GUY!
GET HIM! DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!
TAKE HIM ALIVE! ♪ ♪ PEDRO: AT FIRST, THEY DID NOT
TRY TO KILL ELFEGO. THEY WANTED TO TRY HIM FOR
MURDER AND THEN THE GALLOWS. [RUNNING FOOTSTEPS] LET'S GO, BOYS!
THERE HE GOES! [RUNNING FOOTSTEPS] [SHOUTING] [DOOR OPENS, THUD] HEARNE: I'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT
LIL' MEXICAN! [DOOR SLAMS CLOSED] ♪ [TENSE MUSIC] ♪ [GUNSHOTS] GET HEARNE!
PULL HIM OUTTA THERE! [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS CONTINUE] BAT MASTERSON, V/O: HOW COULD
ELFEGO SURVIVE? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! PEDRO: AS SIMPLE AS THAT
LITTLE SHACK WAS, IT HAD A BUILT-IN ADVANTAGE: THE DIRT FLOOR WAS DUG DOWN
AROUND 18 INCHES. BAT: SO THAT'S HOW HE MANAGED
TO NOT GET HIT WITH ALL THAT LEAD FLYIN' HIS WAY. PEDRO: AND ELFEGO LUCKILY
STUMBLED INTO THE ONE HOUSE THAT WOULD GIVE HIM THE COVER
HE WOULD NEED. [GUNSHOTS] [SPEAKING SPANISH] I HOPED THAT IF WE GOT
A MESSAGE TO THE SHERIFF ABOUT THE BATTLE THAT HE
WOULD SEND HELP. PEDRO, I GOTTA ASK YOU THIS...
YOU WERE RIGHT THERE WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP OUT
ELFEGO YOURSELF? I STILL THINK ABOUT THAT
TO THIS DAY. I'M NOT PROUD THAT
I LET THAT BOY FIGHT ALL THOSE MEN BY HIMSELF. IT PAINS TO SAY THIS,
MR. MASTERSON, BUT I THOUGHT... WHAT'S THE POINT? WHY SHOULD I GO OUT THERE AND
GET MYSELF KILLED? ELFEGO IS PROBABLY
ALREADY DEAD. [GUNSHOTS]
AHHH!!!! [GUNSHOTS CONTINUED] [GUN CLICKING, RELOADING] [GUNSHOTS CONTINUE] JOHN:
HOLD FIRE! HOLD FIRE! FRENCH, TAKE A COUPLE MEN AND
SEE IF HE'S STILL BREATHING. DO WHAT?! POKE YOUR HEAD IN THERE AND SEE
IF HE'S DEAD OR ALIVE. WHY DON'T YOU GO SEE
FOR YOURSELF? WALKIN' UP TO THAT SHACK LIKE
HEARNE DID SOUNDS LIKE A SUREFIRE WAY
TO GET MY HEAD BLOWN OFF! WADSWORTH, YOU DO IT. WADSWORTH: FRENCHIE'S RIGHT...
THAT KID CAN SHOOT. FRENCHIE:
LET'S WAIT IT OUT. HE AIN'T GOIN'
NOWHERE. ♪ ♪ [CRICKETS CHIRPING] [KNOCKING ON DOOR] GUADALUPE:
PEDRO! PEDRO! [PEDRO SPEAKING SPANISH] [PEDRO SPEAKING SPANISH] [ROOSTER CROWS] FRENCHIE: HEY LOOK... SMOKE! AND THAT SMELL. WADSWORTH: COFFEE? FRENCHIE: AND BACON? ♪ [TRIUMPHANT MUSIC] ♪ [POURING] WADSWORTH: THE LITTLE FOOL'S
COOKIN' BREAKFAST. HE'S RUBBING OUR FACES
IN IT! JOHN: WELL, MAYBE WE CAN
TALK SOME SENSE INTO HIM. WADSWORTH: I'LL GO. I'M TIRED OF THIS. THAT COFFEE SURE
SMELLS REAL GOOD. I HOPE YOU MADE
ENOUGH FOR US TOO. ELFEGO: SURE! COME GET YOURSELF A CUP!
[FIRES GUNSHOT] [GUNSHOTS CONTINUE] JOHN:
HOLD FIRE!
HOLD FIRE! HE'S MAKING FOOLS OF US! IT'S TIME TO GET ROUGH. WADSWORTH: WELL, IF YOU WANT TO
GET REAL ROUGH... I KNOW A COUPLE BOYS
WITH SOME TNT. JOHN: DO IT. ♪ ♪ [SIZZLING SOUND,
DOOR CREAKS OPEN] [SIZZLING] [EXPLOSION] [CHEERING] [CHEERING] JOHN: WELL, I BELIEVE IT'S
OVER BOYS. CAN'T NOBODY SURVIVE
THAT BLAST! [GUNSHOTS] PEDRO: I THINK AT THAT POINT
EVERYONE AGREED IT HAD GONE ON LONG ENOUGH. 33 HOURS IS A LONG TIME
FOR A SHOOTOUT. THE SHOOTOUT AT THE O.K. CORRAL
DIDN'T LAST 33 SECONDS. WHEN THE SHERIFF FINALLY
HEARD WHAT WAS GOING ON, HE SENT ONE OF HIS BEST MEN,
DEPUTY FRANK ROSS. WHEN ROSS ARRIVED,
HE ORDERED A CEASE-FIRE. ELFEGO KNEW ROSS
AND TRUSTED HIM TOO. ELFEGO, IT'S FRANK ROSS.
DON'T SHOOT. IT'S ALL OVER, KID.
COME ON OUT. ♪ ♪ HEY, KID. ♪ ♪ LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE SEEN
BETTER DAYS. WHAT HAPPENS NOW, FRANK? THERE HAS TO BE A RECKONING FOR
THE MEN WHO DIED OUT HERE, BUT YOU'LL GET A FAIR TRIAL. I'LL SEE TO THAT. OKAY, I'LL GO WITH YOU. BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP MY GUNS. OKAY, KID. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ PEDRO: YOUR PAPA WOULD
BE PROUD, ELFEGO. BAT, V/O: ELFEGO BACA WAS
CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS OF MURDER FOR THE DEATHS OF
PARHAM AND HEARNE. HE WAS TRIED TWICE,
BUT ACQUITTED BOTH TIMES. BACA WENT ON TO SERVE AS SHERIFF, U.S. MARSHAL AND MAYOR. HE ALSO BUILT A SUCCESSFUL LAW
PRACTICE TO HELP MEXICAN AMERICANS. IT'S A REMARKABLE STORY, PEDRO. MORE SENSATIONAL THAN ANY
DIME NOVEL I'VE EVER READ. BUT TELL ME...
ALL THAT VIOLENCE... DID IT ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING
OTHER THAN MAKING ELFEGO BACA FAMOUS? PEDRO: ELFEGO PUT THOSE RANCH
HANDS IN THEIR PLACE. THEY KNEW THEY COULDN'T PUSH US
AROUND AFTER THAT. I... I WASN'T AFRAID ANYMORE. THAT BOY'S COURAGE... IT CHANGED ME. I FINALLY BECAME THE LAWMAN I ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
