Lawman Season 3, Episode 20: The Squatters

The Town Boys

Johnny goes against everyone else's better judgement when he takes personal responsibility for 4 boys who have been arrested for killing a milk cow. The four boys lack any direction in life and remind Johnny of himself at their age. He finds them work at the livery stable, determined to help them rehabilitate. Three of the boys end up admiring him and wanting his approval, while the fourth boy is not only 'bad', he is criminal.

30 min

The Go-Between

Lily and Johnny are both kidnapped and held by a gang of blackmailing killers. They send a concussed, blindfolded Johnny back into town with orders to clean out Lily's bank account and leave the money where it can be picked up. Dan works with Johnny to figure out where she is being held before the men can get back to their hideout with the money. Dan knows they plan to kill her as soon as they return. The urgency both of them feel is indicative of the closeness the three of them have.

30 min

The Mad Bunch

The Old War Horse

Bess Harper was Lily's mentor as a young girl, the woman who gave her her first job. Now she is an old alcoholic, in town to try to get five thousand dollars out of the town of Laramie left to it by her estranged ex-husband. Lily hatches a plan to rehabilitate her and get her back on stage, to the chagrin of her lawyer, who was the one who put the idea into her head.

Return of Owny O'Reilly

Owny catches a wanted man by snagging him on his fishing line. He takes the body back to town to claim the reward, and with Johnny going out of town to collect it for him, he suggests to Dan that Owny be made his deputy while he's gone. The results are hilarious, with Owny trying desperately to copy Dan in everything.

Yawkey

Yawkey, who has killed 27 men and has the reputation of being the fastest gun alive, shows up at the Bird Cage and sends notice to Dan that he's going to kill him at 3:30 that afternoon. Dan's never met him, and doesn't know why he wants to kill him. Both Johnny and Lily try to talk Yawkey out of it, to no avail. Dan is determined to do his job regardless of the consequences, much to Lily's dismay. The end is a study in the life of a gunslinger.

30 min

Dilemma

Troop (John Russell) tries to determine the identity of a terrified saloon sweeper being pursued by outlaws. Burbage: Tom Drake. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Shea: Harry Antrim. Walt: John Beradino. Harry: James Anderson. Fen: John McCann.

30 min

The Post

Rafe Curry is wanted in Concordia, New Mexico for murder. Troop is returning him, it's his duty. On the way, he is hampered in many ways but Curry says that Dan doesn't really want to return him anyway - he's just too dumb to know it.

Chantay

Chantay is a young Indian girl who runs away from the Indian school because her teacher makes her 'do bad things'. She is followed and returned by an Indian policeman, Great Bear, but not before she meets and is smitten with Johnny. Later, he finds her under the bed in the marshall's office as he's sleeping, to Dan and Lily's shared amusement. He must take her back to the school, and then has to prove she's innocent of murder.

30 min

Samson the Great

A boxing promoter arrives in Laramie with ""Samson the Great,"" a champion prizefighter. A number of local men pay for a chance to fight Samson in the hope of winning $50 but Samson easily defeats each of them. Samson then settles himself in the local saloon, becoming increasingly obnoxious and abusive. When Deputy McKay intervenes, Samson beats him up. Marshal Troop, to get Samson out of town, then challenges him to a fight and manages to defeat him after a brutal, bare-knuckle brawl.

The Second Son

When Al May comes home with a bag of stolen payroll money and being pursued by a posse, his younger half brother, Charlie, grabs the money and runs, letting himself get caught and taking the rap for Al. What he wants is acceptance by his dad and his brother, who blame him for his mother's running off with another man years before. Since Lily insists he's innocent and begs Dan to do something, he comes up with a plan to expose the truth.

The Catcher

Troop (John Russell) goes after a murder suspect, unaware that the real killer is riding with the posse. Catcher: Med Flory. McKay: Peter Brown. Fenway: Robert Armstrong. Bailey: James Coburn. Mrs. Fenway: Claudia Barrett.

30 min

Cornered

Johnny kills a notorious gunman only because the killer's gun misfires. Although the town wants to make him a hero, he knows the truth. Then he learns that the gunman's son is going to be coming to avenge his father's death, and he's reputed to be faster than his father was.

Escape of Joe Kilmer

A woman turns in her outlaw husband she says "for the reward." When Troop finds out the real reason, it may be too late to save himself or the town from a bloodbath.

Old Stefano

Tracy McNeil is a supposed businessman who is showing an inordinate interest in Lily Merrill. Johnny teases Dan about it, but Dan doesn't want to interfere. In fact, Lily is interested in buying McNeil's thoroughbred horse, but his price is too high: to try to persuade Dan to let him buy up land that isn't really for sale. Meanwhile, Old Stefano, a mute old shepherd who comes to town with an injured sheep dog, is accused of killing McNeil's injured horse. Dan has to intervene in McNeil's behalf.

30 min

The Robbery

On the trail of a murderer, Troop (John Russell) is stymied by the stubborn arrogance of an Army lieutenant. Davidson: Robert Ridgely. Deever: Hal Torey. Roach: Warren Kemmerling. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle.

30 min

Firehouse Lil

In this lighter episode Jake, in charge of fire co. #2 and Oren, in charge of fire co. #1, crash into each other and start a fight in the street during a fire drill. After Lily chides them loudly in public for their behavior, she is elected unanimously the new fire marshall. A group of bandits witness this and prepare to start a fire as a diversion so they can rob the payroll being held in the bank. Lily and the Volunteer Fire Brigade save the day.

30 min

The Frame-Up

Troop comes under fire when new evidence shows he sent an innocent man to the gallows. John Russell. Jessica: Randy Stuart. Courtney: Dabbs Greer. Belmont: William Mims. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle.

30 min

Marked Man

Troop is reunited with his friend Tod Larson (Andrew Duggan), unaware of a grim irony at work: Larson has been hired to kill the marshal. Troop: John Russell. Darby: Jeff DeBenning. Lily: Peggie Castle. McKay: Peter Brown. Muriel: Miranda Jones.

30 min

Homecoming

Troop (John Russell) goes after an escaped murderer who has sworn to kill him. Walker: Marc Lawrence. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Eddy: Ray Strickland. Mary: Adrienne Marden.

30 min

Hassayampa

Hassayampa Edwards is a temperance leader who tries to get the saloons in Laramie closed. When one burns down, Dan forces Lily to close the Bird Cage until the storm dies down.

30 min

The Promoter

Troop and Lily form a business partnership to frustrate a dapper crook bent on seizing control of Laramie by buying all the saloons. Lily: Peggie Castle. Troop: John Russell. De Vries: John van Dreelen. McKay: Peter Brown. Ferris: Frank Gerstle. Rogers: Don Beddoe. North: J. Edward McKinley.

30 min

Detweiler's Kid

Elfreida Detweiler has been raised by her father, a hardnosed, hateful, spiteful old German immigrant who resents her because she wasn't a son, and her mother died giving her birth. To try to prove to him that she is as good as a son, she calls out Jim Austin, a young man who has taken a liking to her, but whom her father hates. Johnny tries to stop her, and she challenges him to a gunfight the next day at noon. He can't back down, and he ""can't fight a girl"". In spite of its dark overtones, this show has a definite comic touch to it.

30 min

The Inheritance

Blue Boss and Willie Shay

Man from New York

A New York policeman arrives in Laramie determined to mete out justice for a crime committed years before by a now respected citizen. Foster: Mike Road. Stiles: Richard Arlen. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggy Castle. Winnie: Sheila Bromley.

30 min

Mark of Cain

Chad Kennedy, acquitted of murdering his brother, returns to Laramie from exile after 3 years. Visiting his ill father, he and sister in law both witness his father fall and die but this time she plans on seeing him hang, guilty or not.

Fugitive

A man's skipping town makes it look like he's guilty of a stagecoach robbery. Joey: Michael Davis. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Meg: Catherine McLeod. Mrs. Fields: Dorothy Konrad.

30 min

The Persecuted

Troop (John Russell) must find another way to deal with a maniacal killer after the man is acquitted in court. Keller: Adam Williams. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Annie: Jean Willes. Roy: Evan McCord. Jake: Dan Sheridan. Turner: Jeffrey Morris.

30 min

The Grubstake

The lawmen try to protect a saloon hostess from swindlers. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Stephanie: Heather Angel. Rainbow Jack: Frank Ferguson. Lily: Peggie Castle. Jake: Dan Sheridan.

30 min

Whiphand

Troop (John Russell) steps in when a romantic triangle threatens to erupt in bloodshed. Jed: Med Flory. Cassie: Peggy McKay. Bull: Leo Gordon. McKay: Peter Brown.

30 min

The Threat

A David and Goliath-type battle ensues as a physically weak man uses psychological warfare to punish his brother's killer. Edgar: Whit Bissell. Swan: Don O'Reilly. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Villiers: Russ Conway. James: Walter Reed.

30 min

The Trial

Embittered Dexter Weston blindly leaps at the chance to even the score with Judge Whitehall (Ray Teal), who sentenced Weston's father to hang years before. Dexter: Richard Sakal. Tandis: Shirley Knight. Troop: John Russell. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Charlie: Tim Graham.

30 min

Blind Hate

Troop (John Russell) tries to avoid bloodshed when an embittered rancher threatens the man courting his daughter. Lucy: Mala Powers. Warner: Jason Evers. Pastor: Ted de Corsia. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle.

30 min

The Break-In

To cap a baffling turn of events, a notorious outlaw enters the Laramie jail---and demands to be paid the price on his head. Troop: John Russell. Hudson: Sheldon Allman. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Berliner: Maurice Manson. Gates: Chubby Johnson.

30 min

Conditional Surrender

Pa Beason has come to Laramie to die. He has led a life of killing and looting,and has never been brought to justice. He chose Laramie because he has heard that Dan is a fair man. He offers to give Dan a full confession of all of the raids he has performed over the years on the condition that his daughter, Iona, is cleaned up and put into a dress and looks like a lady rather that one of his sons, who are following in his footsteps. Dan agrees, knowing Lily can't turn down a challenge like that. He then agrees to make sure the girl is taken care of on the condition that Pa talks his boys into surrendering to him.

30 min

Cold Fear

Troop (John Russell) steps in when two vengeful gunmen kidnap ex-marshal Brad Turner's new bride. Turner: Frank Overton. Ann: Maggie Mahoney. McKay: Peter Brown. Lily: Peggie Castle. Lou: Chris Alcaide. Bert: Jerry Barclay.

30 min

The Promise

A condemned murderer (Ken Lynch) gives one last order to a cohort: kill Troop (John Russell)! McKay: Peter Brown. Washburn: Robert Palmer. Lily: Peggie Castle. Nancy: Caroline Comant. Bracque: Don Haggerty. Albrecht: Charles Tannen.

30 min