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A Western Governor’s Humanity
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Three reels
Directed by Romaine Fielding
Cast: Governor W.P. Hunt [himself], Romaine Fielding [White-Mask], Roscoe Karns [the sheriff], Pinky Bell [Baby Pinky], Vinnie Burns, Jack Lawton, Audell Higgins (Audelle Higgins), Elsie Burns, Ludwig Ilfield, Eleanor Mason, George Loebe, Noble Johnson, Arthur Minium, Monroe Johnson, Henry Russell, Violet Malone
Lubin Manufacturing Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Siegmund Lubin. Scenario by Romaine Fielding. / Released [?] 30 October or 3 November? 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot in Arizona. Hunt was Governor of Arizona at the time. [?] Listed by Website-IMDb as the screen debut of Noble Johnson.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Upon a mighty desert pioneers constantly toiled, clearing the ground and erecting homes, planting seed and conserving their little stream of water, and out of their efforts was born a fertile valley, and God’s handiwork stands today as a monument represented by the children of Arizona. Then Statehood came and their Governor built a stupendous dam, which backed up the waters of plenty, that the children of the coming ages might look upon this great work and with faces raised toward heaven, devoutly thank him who had made all this possible. We see Governor W.P. Hunt, the present governor of Arizona, seated at his desk, ruling wisely and charitably. The sheriff enters, speaks to the Executive, and with a hearty laugh bids him goodbye. Coming to his own office, he finds his deputies much perturbed that the horse thieves, with White-Mask, their leader, have again stolen and escaped. The sheriff determines to permit no one excepting his faithful deputy to know of the still-hunt which he takes up after this notorious gang. They finally come upon the rustler’s camp. Monte Red, one of the rustlers, shoots and kills the deputy. The sheriff attacks them, getting the drop on the body of the men, who are assisted by their outlaw leader, the Mask. The sheriff calls the leader to his side, and drawing the mask from over his head, discovers it to be his own son. Robert, the son, is accused by Monte Red of the shooting of the deputy. He is tried, convicted and sentenced to be hanged. The boy’s mother, his sister, Beth, and his baby sister, Pinky, in turn visit the Governor, pleading for the life of the one they hold most dear. The Governor, gently but firmly resists the mother’s heart-breaking words, also those of the big sister Beth, but when the little Baby Pinky calls upon him, and in her innocence throws out to the Governor the spiritual warning of truth, this man of the people listens with kindly attitude, and as the innocent child goes on with her chatter, telling of her “Bruvver Bobbie,” the Governor calls his car, and with the child hastens to the penitentiary, arriving just in time to save the son who is being hanged by the sheriff, the father’s hand. He reprieves the boy and five minutes later a deputy sheriff rides madly into the jail yard, and delivers to the sheriff a signed confession of Monte Red. Thus “A Western Governor’s Humanity” proved the saving of an innocent life, and in the after days, rounded by charity and truth, he gave unto his people health, happiness and success.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: USA: Arizona
Listing updated: 15 November 2022.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 87 : Website-IMDb.
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