Crawford Goldsby was a nineteenth century American outlaw responsible for the murder of seven men. He and his gang terrorized the Oklahoma Territory for over two years. He came by the moniker of Cherokee Bill when someone identified him by that name as taking part in a gunfight. None of this was mentioned in this 'Stories of the Century' episode.
As was often the case, this episode borrowed from the known facts of Goldsby/Cherokee Bill's life and was embellished to make it more exciting for a Fifties viewing audience. It begins with a teenage Bill (Pat Hogan) being expelled from the Catholic Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for abusive and unruly behavior. Returning to Oklahoma, Bill pursued a life of crime and was eventually tried for murder and sentenced to forty five years of hard labor instead of death by hanging.
Escaping prison following the attack of a guard during a work detail, a reward is offered which entices his stepfather Tom Lynch (Frank Sully) to rat his son out to railroad Detective Matt Clark (Jim Davis). Clark and local authorities come to learn that Bill and his gang intend to rob a government pay wagon, so they form a plan to lure the gang into a box canyon. There they ambush the gang and capture Bill alive who stands trial once again. This time he's condemned to hang, the sentence being carried out on March 17th, 1896. It's reported that when asked if he had anything to say prior to hanging, Cherokee Bill replied, "I came here to die, not make a speech".
As was often the case, this episode borrowed from the known facts of Goldsby/Cherokee Bill's life and was embellished to make it more exciting for a Fifties viewing audience. It begins with a teenage Bill (Pat Hogan) being expelled from the Catholic Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for abusive and unruly behavior. Returning to Oklahoma, Bill pursued a life of crime and was eventually tried for murder and sentenced to forty five years of hard labor instead of death by hanging.
Escaping prison following the attack of a guard during a work detail, a reward is offered which entices his stepfather Tom Lynch (Frank Sully) to rat his son out to railroad Detective Matt Clark (Jim Davis). Clark and local authorities come to learn that Bill and his gang intend to rob a government pay wagon, so they form a plan to lure the gang into a box canyon. There they ambush the gang and capture Bill alive who stands trial once again. This time he's condemned to hang, the sentence being carried out on March 17th, 1896. It's reported that when asked if he had anything to say prior to hanging, Cherokee Bill replied, "I came here to die, not make a speech".
