Prince of the Plains (1949)
Director:
Philip Ford
Writers:
Louise Rousseau, Albert DeMond
Stars:
Monte Hale, Paul Hurst, Shirley Davis
Banker Ned Owens (Tom Chatterton) refuses to call in the many unpaid loans he made to the local ranchers, as he knows they are being terrorized by a gang of crooks and are unable to pay. The secret leader of the gang is James Taylor (Rory Mallinson), large stockholder of the bank, who operates a photography business. With the aid of his inside contact, Sam Phillips (George M. Carleton), and his henchman, Reagan (Roy Barcroft), and is counting on the payment of Ned's insurance policy to save the bank. Arriving in town on the night of the murder, Bat Masterson (Monte Hale), a young cowboy, becomes a suspect in the murder, but he convinces Sheriff Hank Hartley (Paul Hurst)to let him impersonate Ned's son, Tom (Harry Lauter), whom both men believe has also been killed by the gang. But complications arrive for Bat when the much-alive Ned shows up.