Episode
The High Chaparral: A Hanging Offense
Overview
Billy Blue Cannon faces possible hanging when he is court-martialed on the charge of killing an army general's son. Billy Blue saves an Indian girl from advances by a drunken army lieutenant, who is killed in the fight. When the girl flees to the Apache stronghold, Buck and Manolito risk their lives to persuade Cochise to release Blue's only eyewitness. Her testimony is discarded when the court learns her release was obtained by a bribe. It becomes obvious to John Cannon that the court-appointed defense is incapable of saving Billy Blue, and John personally takes over his son's defense
Details
- Series
- The High Chaparral
- Season
- Season 1
- Episode
- Episode 11
- Air date
- 1967-11-12
- Runtime
- 52 min
Episode context
A Hanging Offense is Episode 11 in Season 1 of The High Chaparral. It aired on 1967-11-12. The runtime is 52 min.
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Episode 10: Sudden Country
Mistakes of an inexperienced eastern bank clerk who attempts to settle on a ramshackle ranch near the Cannon family threaten to wipe out the cattle industry of the territory.
When Creed and Meg Hallock make repeated mistakes, John Cannon sends Buck, Billy Blue and Manolito to help them survive. Creed buys a non-existent herd and is swindled again when he innocently purchases diseased Mexican cattle. John ruins the greenhorn financially when he orders the cattle killed before they can infect other animals.
Episode 12: The Price of Revenge
Buck Cannon goes to work as foreman for a lovely neighboring widow, and clashes with his brother John when the job appears permanent.
Buck falls in love with the widow, Melanie Cawthorne, and becomes her tool as she strives for quick riches and respectability. As water grows scarce, she buys stolen Mexican cattle from Romero without Buck's knowledge.
More episodes from this season
Episode 9: The Doctor from Dodge
When Billy Blue Cannon is forced into a showdown with wanted gunfighters, he is saved by a wandering dentist who proves to be fast with a gun. John Cannon returns the favor to Doc Henry by agreeing to send Billy Blue to help the dentist establish a practice in Tucson.
Billy Blue is kidnapped en route and held for ransom by the gunfighters, Jacques Dubois and Kid Curry. The boy loses faith in his new friend when the dentist throws in with the crooks. John Cannon corners Doc Henry with the ransom and prepares for a shoot-out.
Episode 13: The Widow from Red Rock
Billy Blue Cannon faces possible hanging when he is court-martialed on the charge of killing an army general's son.
Billy Blue saves an Indian girl from advances by a drunken army lieutenant, who is killed in the fight. When the girl flees to the Apache stronghold, Buck and Manolito risk their lives to persuade Cochise to release Blue's only eyewitness. Her testimony is discarded when the court learns her release was obtained by a bribe. It becomes obvious to John Cannon that the court-appointed defense is incapable of saving Billy Blue, and John personally takes over his son's defense.
Episode 8: The Filibusteros
Buck, Victoria and Manolito return to the Montoya Ranch and become prisoners, with Don Sebastian, of a degraded former Civil War friend of Buck.
Lanier and his disheveled army announce plans to create their own state.
Episode 14: Mark of the Turtle
John Cannon risks breaking a mutual defense agreement with Victoria's father and dissolution of his marriage when his ranch hands join a posse searching for marauding bandits in Mexico.
Marshal Virgil Shanks leads the posse into Mexico and comes into strong conflict with Buck and the Cannon cowhands when he disregards the delicacy of the situation and rides boldly onto Montoya land. Manolito finds the bandit leader, El Lobo, on his father's land and attempts to move the bandits out before the posse moves in for the kill.
Episode 7: Shadows on the Land
John Cannon needs cattle from Mexican ranchers for his Army beef contract, but finds the frightened men are being forced to sell at cheap prices to a ruthless cattle buyer.
When John offers them higher prices, the ranchers refuse to sell because Dolf Tanner has threatened to kill them if they do. John and brother Buck try to force the ranchers to sell by refusing them watering rights, as they drive their herds toward Tanner. But Tanner strikes back by giving Apaches new rifles and urging them to kill the Cannon herds.
Episode 15: The Terrorist
Henry Silva guest-stars as a revolutionary who plans to assassinate Benito Juarez, exiled President of Mexico, on the Cannon Ranch.
Manolito frees his old friend Santos from a Mexican jail, where he has been imprisoned by the French as a terrorist for Juarez. Santos and his sister, Pilar, are taken to the Cannon Ranch where Victoria arranges for Juarez to plan an invasion of Mexico. Manolito learns Santos has turned traitor and plans to conquer French-ruled Mexico himself. Before Manolito can warn his friends, Santos's followers take over the ranch and prepare to kill Juarez upon his arrival.
Episode 6: Young Blood
The future of the ranch is jeopardized when bandits steal a prize bull and breeding stock which Billy Blue Cannon and Manolito Montoya have bought in Mexico with the last of the Cannon money.
Victoria persuades husband John Cannon to send the boys to her father's rancho for the cattle after his brother Buck Cannon is injured. Manolito bargains with his father, Don Sebastian Montoya, for his second best bull. Don Sebastian thinks the boys are pulling a prank and hires bandits to steal the bull. They boys make a desperate attempt to catch the thieves and still prove their trustworthiness.
Episode 16: The Firing Wall
Fernando Lamas guest-stars as a Mexican bandit turned revolutionary who captures and prepares to execute the Cannon Ranch hands to prove his power.
Manolito is jailed by El Caudillo, the Mexican bandit, when Conchita lures the group across the border. Billy Blue Cannon is allowed to escape, and he returns with El Caudillo's old enemy, Don Sebastian, and the entire group, except ranch hand Pedro, then is jailed. Hope for escape fades when El Caudillo prepares to shoot the group before frightened villagers to prove his power and to force them to join his revolution to conquer Mexico.
Episode 5: A Quiet Day in Tucson
Buck, Manolito and Billy Blue are sent to Tucson for food, supplies and boots, but are sidetracked instead by women and song.
While John Cannon awaits his trio's return with the goods, Buck promptly enters a poker game with cowhand Kansas and loses the supply money, Manolito courts Pearlita who rolls him for his money, and Billy Blue sets out with little Rag-Tag Tina to buy the fanciest pair of boots in Tucson.
Problems grow when the boys try to help Fergus MacLeish and his wife from being held up, only to lose the guns they need in Tucson.
Episode 17: The Assassins
An Apache renegade and his followers plan to kill Cochise's peace representative in the Cannon ranch house and start a new Indian war.
Medicine man Nock-Ay-Del explains that Cochise will agree to live peacefully if John Cannon offers sufficient gifts. Buck warns against a death trap when an outpost guard is killed during negotiations. Sub-chief Soldado and three warriors move in towards the ranch house to accomplish their purpose.