Shotgun Jones (1914)
Thomas Lattier is a well-to-do westerner in the cattle business. One fine day he sells a herd of cattle, receiving for it cash payment in bills of large denomination. He proceeds to town alone to deposit it in his bank. Two bad men, Bretall and Hayes, have learned of the deal and trail him with a view to securing the money. When he makes his lone camp for the night, the two villains try to ambuscade him, but he discovers them and. as they open fire, he detaches his money-belt, places it in his boot and throws it away in the bushes. Then he makes for his pony and tries for a get-away. Finally they "get" Lattier; he falls out of his saddle dead. They come up, examine him, but fail to find the money-belt. About the time of the tragedy "Shotgun" Jones, a stranger to the country, leaves town and starts out with a pack animal to win his fortune. It comes to him in most unexpected fashion, as he finds the money-belt filled with money that had been abandoned by Lattier. The two prowling villains see Jones just as he picks up his treasure trove and start for him. A cowboy happily coming up, joins him and they put up such a good fight that the outlaws are glad to get away with whole skins. Jones having found a small fortune, discretely goes to Canada and buys a ranch. In the interim, Tom and Sally, the young son and daughter of the dead man, cannot meet a mortgage on their place and it is foreclosed, so they come to town to shift for themselves. Sally obtains a job as waitress in a restaurant, while Tom has been hired out for service in a livery stable. This town is just across the Canadian line not very distant from Jones' ranch. The same chance which takes many crooked men over the border has induced Hayes and Bretall to ride over the line and resume their nefarious occupation of "rustling" in the Queen's Dominion. One day ranchman Jones comes to town and in search of a square meal, happens into the restaurant where Sally is the reigning divinity. A careless cook scalds her and the big hearted Jones orders her taken to his ranch, where she can have the best of care. During the interval of her convalescence, "Shotgun" grows more and more interested in the fair patient and regard soon ripens into love. In the same neighborhood is the ranch of Daly, formerly the partner of Lattier. One day, while Jones and Sally are riding, his ancient enemies. Hayes and Bretall, spy him and start their usual shooting tactics. Sally escapes and goes to Daly's ranch for help, while Jones rides off beyond the horizon, pursued by the desperadoes. Eventually, his skill as a back-shot serves him so well, that he kills both of his pursuers. The cowpunchers, with Sally at their head, dash up as Jones is bending over Bretall's body. Certain papers have fallen out of the dead villain's pocket, which gives Jones the first clue as to the death of Lattier, and the ownership of the money-belt that he found. In a moment comes realization that he, himself, is the man who has profited by the loss of the orphaned children. Tom and Sally (the girl he had befriended). That night he has a tremendous struggle with his own conscience in the ranch house and finally concludes that the property all belongs to Sally and her brother, for it had all come to him through their father's lost money. He writes a note to her explaining the circumstances, puts a diamond cinch on his pack, and goes out in the early morning, again a mere roamer in the world. The note is discovered before "Shotgun" has gone very far, and Tom and the whole outfit immediately start to trail him. They come upon him. They insist upon his coming back, but he stubbornly will not yield up to their arguments. Sally rides up just in the nick of time, and her persuasions win him back to the ranch. There, as usual, love finds the way, and "Shotgun" Jones, who has used the money to such an advantage that its power had increased very materially, becomes a co-sharer with the two rightful heirs, who are glad to have him made the head of their family.
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Colin Campbell | Director |
| Bertha Muzzy Sinclair | Writer |
| William Nicholas Selig | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Wheeler Oakman | |
| Jack McDonald | |
| Frank Clark | |
| Hoot Gibson |
