Toll In Cattle A

Originally Aired: April 25, 1938 The Lone Ranger #818, "Toll In Cattle A," When rancher Clem Peabody arrives at Eagle Pass with his herd of two thousand longhorns, he discovers that notorious outlaw Big Bill Lawson has taken over Pop Carter's general store and erected bars across the pass. The elderly Pop Carter explains he was forced to sell his land or face death, and now Lawson demands an outrageous toll: two bits per head of cattle, or one quarter of each rancher's herd. With no other route to market, Peabody has no choice but to sign a note for five hundred dollars, fuming at the legal robbery. At the Longhorn Cafe, Peabody shares his predicament with fellow cattlemen, who realize that every rancher in the valley faces the same extortion. The Lone Ranger and Tonto overhear Peabody's story in the crowded cafe. The masked rider, disguised without his mask, listens carefully as the cattlemen discuss their dilemma. The Lone Ranger recognizes a crucial weakness in Lawson's scheme: the outlaw wants cash, not cattle, because his criminal reputation would make selling branded livestock nearly impossible. As the episode continues, a plan begins to form.