Old Time Radio Westerns – Frontier Town: "Emily Brackett" (1949)

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Episode Title: Emily Brackett | Frontier Town
Date Restreamed: November 8, 2025
Original Air Date: 1949

Episode Overview

This episode of Old Time Radio Westerns presents the classic drama "Emily Brackett" from the series Frontier Town. In Dos Rios, lawyer and part-time rancher Chad Remington is drawn into a moral and legal quandary when young Tim Brackett seeks his help regarding a mortgage on family land. The episode embodies Western tropes: rugged justice, sharp-witted dialogue, and a crisis that draws the whole town together. At its center is an exploration of trust, desperation, and the lengths to which pioneer families must go to keep their land.

Major Discussion Points & Story Beats

1. Lawyers, Turkeys, and Troubles (03:59–07:06)

• Chad Remington, though nominally the town's lawyer, spends as much time ranching and socializing as doing legal work.
• He and Judge Fillmore, whose daughter Libby is Chad’s love interest, go turkey hunting—a lighthearted open that quickly turns serious when Tim Brackett seeks legal help.

“Clients? I haven’t seen one in a month. … Never admit to a man who might be your future father-in-law that you can’t keep his daughter in the style to which she hopes to become accustomed.”
—Chad Remington (04:25)

2. A Desperate Plea (06:03–09:13)

• Tim Brackett’s request for a small loan is revealed to be for his sister, Emily, who is about to lose their ranch due to a remaining mortgage.
• Chad and Judge Fillmore discover Tim’s real struggle when they find Emily’s letter, confirming greater trouble.

“Who’s this coming? … That’s Tim Brackett. You know, the young puncher who works over at the J Lazy L.”
—Judge Fillmore (05:34)

3. Gambling for Salvation (10:05–13:48)

• Back in town, Chad’s friend Cherokee comments with comic cynicism on Chad's generosity.
• Emily Brackett arrives, seeking her brother. Chad admits that they’ve read her letter and suspect trouble.
• After discussing the possible uses of the $25 loan, Chad and Cherokee set out to find Tim in one of Dos Rios' nine saloons.

“If you needed $2,000 and didn’t know how to raise it, and providing, of course, someone would lend you $25… what would you do with the money?”
—Chad Remington (12:02)

• They find Tim in a heated poker game, accused of playing a crooked hand, which leads to a deadly confrontation; Tim is shot and killed after accusing the dealer, Duke Rafferty, of cheating (13:54).

“‘He called Duke to keep me wired and then went…’ ‘Tried to stop him, but when he threw down on me, there was only one thing I could do.’”
—Emily Brackett and Chad Remington (14:03–14:07)

4. Aftermath and Grief (17:34–18:45)

• Emily, despite her grief, explains to Chad and Cherokee the family’s situation.
• Sam Tennison, the original lender, died, and a mysterious Sturgis has begun aggressive foreclosures.

"Everybody around our part of the country had always borrowed from old Sam Tennison...it wasn't until Mr. Tennison died that the man who took over all his loans began to foreclose in wholesale lots."
—Emily Brackett (17:58)

5. The Plot to Expose a Confidence Man (21:26–22:45)

• Chad learns from Duke Rafferty that K.C. Sturgis is not just a money man but a notorious confidence man from Kansas City.
• Chad devises a plan: Cherokee will pose as Emily’s wealthy uncle interested in buying gold land, baiting Sturgis into exposing his con.

"If Mr. Casey Sturgis is a confidence man, and if you introduce Cherokee to him as your wealthy uncle...I think Sturgis will forego your ranch temporarily and make a play for larger stakes."
—Chad Remington (22:08)

6. Staging the Sting (23:34–27:13)

• Emily introduces Cherokee, masquerading as “Uncle Al,” to Sturgis, playing up his supposed wealth (“I’ve got to keep it in three banks in three states, three banks and a private vault!” – Cherokee, 24:19).
• Sturgis is lured into a gold mine scam.
• The party follows Sturgis as he tries to salt a barren piece of desert land with gold nuggets—a trap set to expose his schemes.

"You salted this little piece of land and were ready to sell it as a gold mine."
—Chad Remington (28:20)

7. Resolution: Justice for Emily Brackett (29:02–29:44)

• Chad and the judge catch Sturgis in the act of fraud; with witnesses, they force him to sign a full mortgage release, saving Emily’s ranch.
• Cherokee offers comic relief, threatening Sturgis with his “rattlesnake oil” after the conman is caught.

"There's a law that says finders keep, sir. And another law in anyone's courtroom which says a confidence man can be sentenced to from 15 to 20 years in jail..."
—Chad Remington (29:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Western Legal Practice:
  "There’s not enough law business in the whole county to keep me busy, but I do own a ranch left to me by my dad when he died."
  —Chad Remington (03:59)

• Comic Cynicism:
  "Of all the impoverished, impecunious imbecility, you take the cake, Chad.”
  —Cherokee (10:05)

• On Outsmarting a Crook:
  “It may make the difference between being able to save Miss Emily’s ranch or having Sturgis take it over for the $2,000 still owing on her dad.”
  —Chad Remington (21:32)

• Sting Operation:
  “Well, having been in the furniture business all my life... It’s always been my dream to come out West. Out West for better men. And gold is where you find it.”
  —Cherokee, posing as "Uncle Al" (24:21)

• Justice Served (Climax):
  “You can either get up yourself or I’ll help you up as we’re all going back to the Brackett ranch where you’ll sign a receipt for payment in full.”
  —Chad Remington (29:02)

Key Scene Timestamps

• Chad and Judge Hunting, Set-Up: 03:59–05:57
• Tim Brackett’s Plea: 06:03–07:08
• Letter Discovery & Stakes: 09:13–10:05
• Emily Arrives, Cherokees’ Comic Relief: 11:09–11:46
• Tim's Deadly Poker Game: 13:03–13:54
• Aftermath & Investigation: 17:34–18:45
• Sting Plot Discussed: 21:26–22:45
• Fake Uncle & Sturgis's Greed: 23:34–25:30
• Exposure & Showdown: 27:19–29:44

Tone & Style

The story blends poignant stakes—family land, financial ruin, and even death—with the wry, sometimes slapstick banter of the hero’s sidekick. The pacing is brisk, the dialogue snappy, and the characters display both frontier grit and folksy humor.

For Listeners New and Old

This digitally restored episode brings richer sound and clarity to classic themes: community justice, pioneer pluck, and con men meeting their match. With Chad Remington’s moral compass and quick wit, and Cherokee’s comedic patter, "Emily Brackett" offers a quintessential slice of radio Western adventure—now served with a clarity that truly resurrects the golden age of audio storytelling.