
Original Air Date: 1949Host: Andrew RhynesShow: Frontier TownPhone: (707) 98 OTRDW (6-8739) Stars:• Jeff Chandler (Chad Remington)• Wade Crosby (Cherokee O’Bannon) Writer:• Joel Murcott Producer:• Paul Franklin Music:• Bob Mitchell• Ivan Ditmars Exit m...
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A
What do you think makes the perfect snack?
B
Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
A
Could you be more specific?
B
When it's cravinient.
C
Okay.
B
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at am pm. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm.
A
I'm seeing a pattern here.
B
Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.
A
Crave, which is anything from am pm.
B
What more could you want? Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM pm Too much good stuff.
D
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24,7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
C
Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host Andrew Rines and before we get into this episode I wanted to do a little PSA and remind you that I put out multiple shows a week of Old Time Radio Westerns. You can check them out by going to otrwesterns.com or looking up OTR Westerns on your podcast application of choice. We're releasing over 10 episodes a week so far, about a hundred a month. So definitely want you to check that out again otrwesterns.com and check it out. I also wanted to invite you to check out my sister podcast site otnetcast and that's N e T C A S t. So O T N T N E T C A s t netcast otnetcast.com we're currently releasing mystery genre shows and this is shows like the Shadow Escape, Suspense and the Whistler. And we have plans on bringing other shows to the network for you guys to listen to. So it's my non western old time radio channel that I can kind of do other genres that not only I like, but hopefully you would like too. You can check us out by going to otnetcast.com or searching t N e T C A S T on your podcast app of choice. Now let's get into this episode. This episode is going to be Frontier Town. Title of this episode is the Poisoned water hole. And it came out in 1949.
D
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 24. 7 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day.
E
Day.
D
Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
F
Frontier Town the saga of the Roaring.
A
West.
F
Frontier Town El Paso, Cheyenne, Calgary, Tombstone. Frontier Town Here is the adventurous story of the early west, the tamed and the untamed. From the Pecos to Powder River, Dodge City to Poker Flat, these are the towns they fought to live in and live to fight for. Teeming crucibles of pioneer freedom. Frontier town.
E
Ever hear of a cow town called Dos Rios? Well, don't feel bad if you haven't. Just one of those frontier towns, roistering and noisy, perched in one of the lushest and richest valleys below the Continental Divide. Me? I'm Chad Remington, the town's only lawyer. But like everyone else, I've got my own ranch with the typical well fed, slab sided herd of cattle for which our valley is so famous. Just because these cattle are valuable, well, it gives some men ideas. That makes plenty of business and trouble for a saddle. Stop, lawyer. It wasn't too long ago that I was riding in toward Dos Rios for my spread. Cherokee o'. Bannon, he runs the town livery stable. Now that we've talked him out of peddling his genuine Indian rattlesnake oil. Cherokee was riding with me as we cut across some open range, trying to get to Dos Rios before sundown. Hey, hey, look at those Herefords, would you, Cherokee? Someday with a few more hit, I might even be able to burn up my law books and retire.
A
And, and I use the term at the twinge of conscience. You must have bats in your belfry.
F
Look at it.
A
A bunch of cows like that. For shame.
E
What have I done now to offend your artistic integrity?
A
What has he done now? He says, my boy, you've been casting sultry longing looks at a bunch of blank faced cows when half that emotion spent on a proper female woman would return to you tenfold, nay, a hundredfold.
E
Oh, don't you go biblical on me, you old reprobate. And something else. Unless a man has a few head of good beef, he can't afford to cast long, lingering looks at a woman, dad.
A
My boy, your total lack of sophistication and experience hurts me deeply. A man who has some money in his jeans doesn't need to bother with the distaff size. He can go out and woo old John barley corn.
E
Cherokee, the older you get, the more unregenerate you become. Your total lack of appreciation for a herd of cattle is something that I. Hey, Cherokee, rein up slow there, Gar.
A
How. What in billy blue blazes happened to you?
E
Chad, you see that water hole just ahead of us?
A
Yes, sir.
E
Isn't that a tin can lying next to it? Lying on its side?
G
Yeah.
A
Unless my optics deceive me, that's an empty five gallon can. But what about it? The lead pipe. Cinch it didn't contain old spirit of fomenti. That's drinking liquor to you.
E
Oh, it's a lead pipe. Cinch it didn't contain anything that pleasant. I got an awful feeling it did contain 5 gallons of enough stuff to poison every steer that drank out of that water hole.
A
Why, if I ever gets the pussy footing polecat that did that, I'll darn well destroy him. Come on, girl, get up.
E
I'd like to get my hands on the bus if you did this. Put me poisoned in a water hole.
A
I must admit it's incomprehensible even to me. Why would someone want to poison a lot of dumb, defenseless cow?
H
I don't know.
E
But with their stock poisoned off, how many ranchers around here could pay their debts?
A
Do you mean to say someone deliberately. By the great God Pan Shad, this is the most nefarious bit of chicanery I've ever heard of.
E
It certainly is.
A
Now just a minute. I heard you say just the other day that not over half a dozen ranchers in this whole valley owe a mortgage to the bank. That old sourball Ripley, who owns the bank, forced most of them to pay up a year ago last spring. So what debt could they have?
E
Plenty. Ever since Ripley shut off most of the credit which absorbed most of the cash folks had on hand. Everyone's been buying at Parker's store. Because Lysha Parker's been willing to let his bills run.
A
Lysha Parker? You mean to insinuate Lysa Parker's mixed up in this cattle poisoning? You and I are coming to fisticuffs? Why, that old gentleman is so honest it makes me blush. Yes, it does.
E
Oh, calm down, Cherokee. Calm down. This has nothing to do with Lisha. But legally, if the ranchers can't pay their debts. He could go to court, get judgment and take them all over lock, stock and barrel in liquidation of his claims.
A
But if you say Lisha is mixed up in it. Chaps. Ted, I think you're putting your money.
G
On the nose of the wrong horse.
E
I'm not making any bets on this race. I got a notion it's been fixed. Blame. Well, Gonna find out if I can, before the sun sets today. If I sounded like a boastful kid, well, that's just the way it turned out. Because after talking to Elisha and Sarah Parker, not only didn't I find anything before sundown, but I didn't find out anything. For the best part of a week, water hose continued to be poisoned. Strangers drifted in and out of town. Even the sheriff couldn't find out a thing that had helped. Then, best I can piece it together, another stranger arrived in town. The stranger. The stranger who wasn't too strange to the handful of gunslicks who'd been hanging around town. They got together in the Silver Boot Saloon.
H
Hey, bartender, let's have another bottle.
A
The boys said you were over here.
H
Pull up a chair and rest your frame, troops. If you got your work done, you must be tired. Bring another glass with that bottle.
A
I got my work done all right. You know me, boss?
H
Yeah, I sure do. That's why I shipped you up here ahead of me. Any. Any trouble?
E
Oh, sharks?
A
No. There's been a Jasper in town snooping around. A lawyer named Chad Remington. But he ain't found out a thing, Lefty.
H
Believe me, he'd better not find out anything if he wants to go on practicing law. Because I'll get him just the way I'm gonna get Parker store.
A
Now, look, Lefty, you ain't ever been here in Dos Rios before. Me and the boys have been here.
H
For more than a week.
A
And I'm telling you, that there Elisha Parker is a stubborn old goat. He'll never sell.
H
No. Well, let's just suppose that Parker wolf. Don't you think he's widow Will?
A
Widow?
H
That's what I said, widow. And if Parker is as crusty an old goat as you say he is, it shouldn't be too hard.
A
Shouldn't be a lefty. I'm sorry. I just don't get you.
H
Just like you said, Parker's got a nasty temper, hasn't he?
A
Yeah.
H
You're going over to that store and talks Parker into an argument.
E
You understand?
H
Poor Parker with that temper of his, gets sore and grabs for his gun. That's all, mister. He grabs for his gun. Only you outdraw him.
A
Hey, you really got something there. Don't let nobody tell me he left these. Slaughter ain't got brains.
H
Yeah, well, instead of wasting your time trying to butter me up, you better be getting over to Parker's store. Because once he's out of the way, it's still gonna take time before I'm the owner of all the choicest ranches in the Dos Rios Valley. Now go on. I'm getting so anxious my tongue's hanging out.
G
Lia. Oh, Lyra.
A
Want me to put that bold calico up on the shelf for you?
G
Would you please? Lisha? You're a dear.
A
After 42 years, what we've been through together, Sarah, certainly doesn't take a. Well, looks like we got a new customer coming.
E
Howdy.
H
Howdy.
E
Like a pound of sugar. Pound of sugar?
A
It sits right here. I said I wanted a pound.
E
Well, sure.
A
I heard you miss a pound, Sack. You aiming on calling me a liar? Now look here, mister. I didn't ask you to come into my store. But I come in and I'm not gonna have some heathen crook like you give me a half pound and claim it's a pound. You get out of here, dog gun. You turn around and clear out of my face before I black you. Li. Sir. You bald headed old goat. Nobody's putting me out of no place. I'll show you.
E
Hold it.
A
You get away from that door.
E
Watch him, Cherokee.
H
Did he do the shooting, Mrs. Bark?
G
Here's my husband.
A
Yeah, well, my only shot in self defense.
H
Got the truth, Mrs. Parker?
G
Yes, sir. Tried to stop him. Lasher did draw first.
A
Well, now are you satisfied?
H
Can't say that I'm satisfied.
E
I guess the sheriff won't hold you.
H
In place of that evidence. Well, I.
G
Why did you do it?
E
Can't tell you how sorry I am.
H
I didn't get here two seconds earlier.
G
It's all right.
E
Just saying how sorry I am no isn't going to bring your husband back. But there's still an account to be squared up and I'm hoping you'll let me square it. Come on, Cherokee. We're going to escort this buzzer down to the sheriff. It was a foregone conclusion that the sheriff had released crew the night before. We found out that he had something to do with this stranger who'd arrived in town. Lefty Slaughter. Not knowing Slaughter, I decided to go down to the saloon where he was hanging out and size him up just in case.
H
Go on, honey. One More drink. Then I'll give you some more folding money to lose at faro.
E
Excuse me, but the bartender pointed you out to me as Lefty Slaughter. Yeah.
H
Something I can do for you, my friend?
E
If I didn't have something else on my mind, Sorter, I'd ask you to apologize for calling me a friend.
H
Asking for an apology and getting one are two different things.
E
Well, maybe I've been lucky, but I generally get what I ask for.
H
And maybe that's because you make it your business to ask the wrong people. Yeah, maybe.
E
I didn't come here to ask you anything. I came here to tell you something you don't see. Lysha Parker was just shot down in cold blood. I thought you'd want to know. I'm making it my business to find out why.
H
Oh, Well, I never had the pleasure of meeting this Mr. Parker. But if he was a friend of yours, I can't say that I'm exactly sorry.
E
You may be sorry next time you or any of your gun hands try to finish off what you've started.
H
And now, if you're through, I'm sure you'll excuse me so I can start enjoying myself.
E
Why, sure, Mr. Slaughter. Enjoy everything while you can. Because if you keep up like I think you've started, legally or otherwise, I'm going to help see that you enjoy the next 50 years. Years of your life rotten away in jail.
F
We'll return to the exciting second act of our frontier town adventure in just about one minute. And now, Frontier town.
E
Yes, I sounded like a boastful kid all over again. I mean, going in and deliberately rubbing.
H
Left and Slaughter the wrong way.
E
But I found until you've rubbed the fur, you can't tell if the animal you've got is a house cat or a polecat. Sometimes they're both dangerous, but you trap them different ways. Well, I found out in short order that Slaughter was as cold and cocky as they come, knowing that there was nothing more I could find out until such time as he chose to make his next move. So Cherokee and I sat for four more days in my office up above.
H
Cherokee's livery stable, looking out the window.
E
And watching the entire street. Then, late the afternoon of the fifth.
H
Day, Cherokee turned away from the window suddenly.
A
That double dyed dirty gunslinger who terminated Lysa Parker's mortal existence walking down the.
G
Street with Lesson Slaughter.
H
He was walking with him.
E
Now Krug's turned off into the saloon and.
H
Hey.
E
Hey. You see what Slaughter's doing?
H
He's heading straight for Mrs. Parker's store.
A
That's the case, and it certainly seems to be. Then what are we doing loitering about this legal logia?
E
You're right, cherokee. So grab your hat or your gun or both, and let's be finding out.
H
What business Slaughter might have with Mrs. Parker. Some of the boys over at the hotel told me about the misfortune we had. Mrs. Parker I knew about her husband.
G
Well, certainly mighty kind of a stranger to come over and pay sympathy.
H
And believe me, sympathy is just what made me drop in today. You see, I got you thinking about how difficult it might be for a woman like you to try and run a store alone.
G
Yes, I'm afraid it really takes a man's mind to run a business right.
H
Oh, isn't that the truth? And since I came to those rails looking for a business to go into myself, and with you now probably wanting to sell.
G
Oh, I wasn't thinking of selling up, Mr. Slaughter.
H
Now, I know this may sound kind of sudden, but I'm willing to pay you a fair price. All cash, say $2,000.
G
$2,000? Why, we've got more than $20,000 just owing us on the book.
H
Sure, a book with their cattle dying off like flies. That 20,000 isn't worth ink to put to write it. Well, I don't aim to argue with a woman, but I'm a fair man. And once I make up my mind, I don't let anyone change it.
G
Well, now, isn't that too bad? Now, you just listen to me.
H
You'd better do the listening. I've got 3,000 here in cash. So suppose you sit down and start writing out that bill of sale.
G
Well, if I were a man, I'd take that shotgun off the wall.
H
Hello, Slaughter. What are you doing here? Butting in again?
E
Nope. But since you're determined to stay in those rios, I'm just being neighborly. And seeing as you want to spend your money, I thought I'd suggest to.
H
Mrs. Parker that she accommodate you.
G
Accommodate him? Why, what do you mean, Chad?
E
Well, since you haven't done much cash business this year, I thought maybe I could help Mr. Slaughter spend some of that cash he's got on him right here.
H
Makes me so all fired anxious to buy something.
G
Ted, I don't want any of his money. Not any of it?
E
Who said it was his money?
H
I'd hate to think where it came from. If you could think at all, you'd keep your nose out of this.
A
What do you mean? Think he could just smell? He'd keep his nose out of your Business reach to the high heaven.
H
Why, you loud mouth.
A
Stop it. He wrecked my whole store.
E
Don't worry about your store, Mrs. Parker. You able to get up, Cherokee?
A
Once I get some of these troubles out of my hair.
E
Slaughter, that was a mistake, hitting Cherokee. Bad mistake for you. But if that. I guess you wouldn't have hit him if he hadn't been 20 years older than you are.
H
He says so, I say so.
E
I'm about your age. Why didn't you hit me?
H
I'm not too gentlemanly to hit you.
A
That's it, Tad. Beat the brains out of the blighter.
E
Not much satisfaction to that. Cherokee won't hit back while I'm facing him.
A
Well, if I had my way, I'd christen his thick skull with a few bottles of my Indian rattlesnake oil applied with vigor.
H
I'll see both of you again.
E
I'm sure you will. But you're not leaving yet, remember? I was going to help you spend some of your hard earned money here with Mrs. Parker. Cherokee, load some of those picks and shovels you knocked over into Mr. Slaughter's arms.
A
My boy, you've got a most imaginative idea.
G
What does he want with sticks and shovels?
E
From what I've heard, he's fixing to dig his own grave.
A
There you are. Three picks, four shovels. Hold out your arms. You insult human rage.
H
You gonna pay for this.
E
Oh, no, Wrong again, Slaughter. You're gonna pay for this. Three picks and four shovels will be well in round numbers. Let's say $50, Cherokee, since we always aim to help the customer. Just peel one of those bills off Mr.
H
Slaughter's bankroll.
E
Just one? Just one.
A
You're never going to live a life of ease like that, Chad.
E
Now let's see. You can carry a little more just by room for a bolt of that calico. And it's just the right color for Slaughter.
H
Yellow.
A
Yellow. It'll make a nice yellow shroud for that grave he's digging for himself.
E
Yeah, with all the money he's got left. It's too bad we can't sell him a headstone.
H
Gonna be needing that soon. I think you're gonna be laughing on the other side of your face before I'm through with you.
E
For the time being, you're through with me now. So adios, Slaughter. And in consideration of your hundred dollar Purchase this morning, Mr. O' Bannon will be glad to open the door for you as you go out.
A
Goodbye. Thank you. And your door not come in again.
G
Ted, I just can't thank you. Enough.
H
I'm afraid your thanks are a little premature.
G
By what do you mean?
A
Pat thinks he knows what that crook is up to.
E
Seems to me Lefty Slaughter found out that almost every rancher in the valley owes you money. He decided to cripple them, force you to sell out to him and then take over what ranches he's wanted for the money they owe the store.
G
How terrible. But why would you let him walk out of here? Why didn't you have him arrested?
E
Because so far he's been too smart to involve himself as his hired gun. Thugs do his dirty work. Until we get them, Slaughter's still in the clear.
G
I see. But isn't there anything you can do to stop them before they they murder someone else?
E
What I'd like to do is create a situation which may force Slaughter into doing something he hadn't planned on. Some crime he hadn't figured in advance. Then catch him red handed. I think we can, Mrs. Parker. If you'll give me your permission to call a meeting of all the ranchers who owe your money right here at your store.
H
Store?
A
Quiet. Quiet, please. Suppose you stop acting as if you're.
F
Running this whole show. Remington.
A
Let Sarah Parker do her own talking now.
G
There's no talking for me to do. I've sold this store and all of its assets to Chad Remington. And from now on you'll have to do business with him.
E
Go on and grumble if you want, but it isn't going to do any good. You owe this store money and I want cash on the barrel head. If I don't get it, I'm going to court and take judgments against every one of you.
A
Remington, your poor father must be turning over his grave. How do you expect us to raise money now?
E
You can raise money. All you gotta do is drive your cattle to market and sell it off.
A
Why, it's almost two months till shipping time.
E
Instead of standing around here arguing, I'm advising you to get together and start a drive with your herds up to the nearest railhead. I'm only giving you five days to be back with cash. If you know what's good for you, you'll be on your way by sunrise tomorrow morning.
H
Are you loco crew Remington. Buying out Mrs. Parter's store boss?
A
I was there myself with the whole crowd.
H
He told them to get out and.
A
Drive their cattle to market. And be back with the money in five days. Or else he was taking over every ranch in the valley.
H
Well, well, well. There's nothing crooked. When a crooked lawyer the funny Part is, what he's doing is playing right into our hands.
A
Playing into our.
E
Sure.
H
What happens? Those ranchers start driving their cattle to market, you and me and the rest of the boys are laying for them. We get the cattle, Remington don't get the money. And the ranches he takes over are worth nothing.
A
That smart monkey is playing into our hands. What good are them ranches without cattle on?
H
No good group we go round up the boys. A thing like this calls for a real celebration.
E
Lefty thought I was dumb, all right. The Dos Rios ranchers knew I was a crook. All I was sure of was I was taking a long wild chance and hoping it would pay off. Next morning, just as I told them to, the ranchers joined up in one big trail drive and started for San Jacinto. From where we were perched, Cherokee, the Sheriff Aparcy and I, we could see the cattle spread out along the trail almost as far as the eye could reach. I guess we waited more than an hour. Every man Jack's eyes shaded from the morning sun, scanning the path below us, waiting, praying there's some sign of trouble. And finally it came. A single shot. And then in the next instant, it sounded like it must have that day at Gettysburg. We waited for a moment to make sure we were right. And then the sheriff unholstered his gun and turned to him.
A
You sure were right, Chad. Look at them rustlers pour out of that canyon. There must be a million of them. Two million, maybe.
H
Yeah.
A
All right, you possum in the unholster those 45s and let's get to riding. Cut down through that arroyo. That way we can get between them and the cattle right in front of those wrestlers. Bullets. Hey, Chad. Haven't I got time for a little drink of my rattlesnake oil, something?
E
All you got time to do is squeeze the trigger.
A
Come on, let's go. Hey, Chad, one of those pole cats is turning around and heading to the woods.
E
All right, sat down. Yellow spine. Skunk. Slaughter.
A
Hey, Sheriff, you keep after the rest of them. Slaughter's trying to sneak away. I'm going to get him. All right, Chad. All right.
E
Come on, man.
A
Don't waste that shooting over their head.
E
All right, get around that fell. Slaughter's got a quarter of a mile head start.
A
Slaughter Further away you ride, the further you're going to pounce on the way back to town. I'm not warning you again. If I bulldog you off that horse of yours, you're have to break your neck. All right, here's your lead.
E
Back with Interest. Get up there, boy. Come on, get alongside of me in there.
A
Now where I can get my arm around that. Don't go, New Slaughter. Am I going to have to break your arm? Stop, Remington. You got me.
F
I quit.
A
I quit. All right then, come on, get up.
E
Yeah, and start walking. A long trip back to Dos Rios and to jail.
F
God blame you, Chad. Here you had us thinking you were a bigger crook than Slaughter. And all the time you were doing it for our own good.
A
Yes, siree. Just like a father with an unreasonable kid. Yes, Spare the rod and spoil the child. That's Chad's motto.
E
What's your motto, Cherokee?
A
Well, I guess you might say to spare the flask and spoil the dream. Either way, is it about time for the libation?
E
Right now, from the way I look after Bulldogging Slaughter off his horse, it's about time for me to take a bath and put on some clean clothes.
G
Well, it's not premature to thank you now, Chad. Except I don't know how I ever can. Enough.
A
You go talking to that young sprat like that, sir, and he'll go get in a swell head. Not that he don't deserve one though. That little idea is making the boys tail their cattle.
H
He's certainly squeeze Slaughter into pulling.
E
One crime he hadn't figured on.
A
You're so right, Sharon ain't. In honor of my dear friend's talents, I suggest someone buy me a little shot of something good so I can propose a toast to him. Besides, my knees have to stop shaking you.
E
Well, my knee isn't shaking, Cherokee. And it's strong enough to turn you over it and beat a little genuine Indian tune on your tum top.
B
Go, Chad.
A
If you turned me over your knee, not only would you break my spirit, but you'd bust a flask full of the finest dirty Indian rattlesnake oil that ever whetted a man's whistle. I'm going.
H
Ram.
F
Frontier Town, starring Tex Chandler is a Bruce Elves production supervision by Joel Murcott. Story and direction by Paul Franklin. Music written and played by Ivan Ditmar. Be sure to be with us again same time next week for another fine action adventure story with your favorite young western star, Tex Chandler. This is Bill Foreman telling you that frontier town came to you from Hollywood.
E
O.
D
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 247 access access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
C
Foreign this has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate our shows in your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com YouTube and send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com you can call and leave us a voicemail. 707-986-8739 this episode is copyright under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Like Copyright for more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.
D
Time is precious and so are our pets. So time with our pets is extra precious. That's why we started Dutch. Dutch provides 247 access to licensed vets with unlimited virtual visits and follow ups for up to five pets. You can message a vet at any time and schedule a video visit the same day. Our vets can even prescribe medication for many ailments and shipping is always free. With Dutch, you'll get more time with your pets and year round peace of mind when it comes to their vet care.
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Original Air Date: November 1, 2025 (Podcast Release)
Episode Runtime: ~33 minutes (excluding ads and outro)
In this episode, Andrew Rhynes presents a digitally restored broadcast of Frontier Town entitled "The Poisoned Waterhole," originally aired in 1949. The story plunges listeners into Dos Rios, a frontier cow town gripped by mystery and sabotage—a critical waterhole is poisoned, herds are threatened, and greed-fueled villainy emerges. Lawyer-cum-rancher Chad Remington, along with his comic sidekick Cherokee O’Bannon, must unmask the plot, protect his community, and bring justice to the untamed west.
The episode incapsulates classic western drama—land greed, hired guns, honest townsfolk, and a battle for survival on the range—delivered with the colorful wit and fast-talking banter emblematic of its era.
"Just because these cattle are valuable, well, it gives some men ideas. That makes plenty of business and trouble for a saddle stop lawyer."
—Chad Remington (04:29)
“I got an awful feeling it did contain five gallons of enough stuff to poison every steer that drank out of that water hole.”
—Chad Remington (06:50)
"Because I'll get him just the way I'm gonna get Parker's store."
—Lefty Slaughter (10:03)
“You bald-headed old goat, nobody's putting me out of no place. I'll show you!”
—Krug, Lefty’s henchman, provoking Parker (12:00)
“Just saying how sorry I am no isn't going to bring your husband back. But there's still an account to be squared up and I'm hoping you'll let me square it.”
—Chad Remington, to Mrs. Parker (13:14)
“If you keep up like I think you’ve started, legally or otherwise, I’m going to help see that you enjoy the next 50 years of your life rotten away in jail.”
—Chad Remington (14:51)
“Three picks, four shovels... From what I’ve heard, he’s fixing to dig his own grave.”
—Chad to Cherokee, dealing with Lefty (20:47)
“Slaughter, further away you ride, the further you're going to pounce on the way back to town. I'm not warning you again…”
—Cherokee (26:54)
“Stop, Remington. You got me... I quit.”
—Lefty Slaughter, captured (27:29)
"Here you had us thinking you were a bigger crook than Slaughter. And all the time you were doing it for our own good."
—Rancher, to Chad (27:53)
"Well, I guess you might say to spare the flask and spoil the dream."
—Cherokee O’Bannon (28:10)
“The Poisoned Waterhole” distills the essence of the golden age of radio westerns: clear-cut villains, resourceful heroes, and a blend of suspense, tragedy, and humor. With Chad Remington’s wily plan and Cherokee’s colorful observations, it’s a tale of frontier justice that keeps listeners engaged from the mysterious discovery at the waterhole to the final showdown.
For those new to classic western radio, this episode serves as a quintessential introduction—full of authentic speech, vibrant personalities, suspenseful action, and a resolution that affirms the spirit of the West.