Universal Weekly (1914-1915)

THE UNIVERSAL WEEKLY 25 Dying Sheriff Admits Jewel Robberies NOTHER sensational Eclair two-reel Western drama, "The Lone Game", has come out of Tucson, Arizona, and will be released on Wednesday, January 20. Edna Payne and Nobert A. Myles, two of the Eclair's stars, are fea^ tured in this production of life in the arid zone of the American southwest. The story is an especially gripping one, and contains a totally unexpected denouement just when the spectator has figured out for himself the conclusion which "ought" to follow the previous action. The skill of the playwright and the ingenuity of the director of this feature production both arouse one's admiration. The players themselves, schooled in the Western manner of photoplay production, have injected some of the vivid atmosphere of the far southwest in this creation of a master-mind. The play is filled with Quick action from start to finish. Guns are pulled and crack shots display their skill in true western fashion. The Eclair recently has adopted the policy of employing none but crack cowboy gunmen in its Hfek plays. Many of these hard riding cowboys and former "bad men" on the Texan ranges are now peaceable movie actors at the Eclair's Tucson plant. They seem born to the saddle and finger a "gun" like a Broadway dandy does his cigarette. They know no fear, these actors, and long jumps into canons, rides through swollen river-beds and fights with Mexicans or Apache Indians have figured in most of their experiences. Eclair players have been through the Madero and Villa revolutions and know how to operate a machine gun with expert skill. In addition they can "snipe" a bottle's neck at 100 paces with unfailing markmanship. These are the kind of players that the Eclair company engages. Is it any wonder that such pictures as "The Lone Game" reflect something of this to-the-saddle-born, devilmay-care acting of the players? The plot of "The Lone Game genious. Cuga, Arizona, is a hot-bed of desperadoes and outlaws from society, who spend their time shooting up the saloon in the town and squandering their week's wages. Among the town loafers are a number of clever, sure-shot rangers, who live mysteriously, none knows how. The sheriff keeps his eye on these desperadoes and does his best to round them up. A series of daring hold-ups and robberies startle the sheriff into an apparently frenzied effort to bring the offenders to justice. The expressman in the local express office is knocked down "The Lone Game", in which Edna Payne and Nobert A, Myles are featured, tells powerful story with a totally unexpected denouement. A play that is out of the ordinary. Tworeel Western drama enacted by Eclair players. Released Wednesday, January 20. CAST. The Sheriff Fred Hearnc His Daughter Edna Payne The Detective Nobert A. Mylex Separated by Cowboys, the Arizonan s Bidi Their Time to Finish Their Fight. is as thrilling as it is in and seriously injured during one of the robberies. Weeks later he recovers. The robberies are the work of one lone bandit, the sheriff is told. When the sheriff is unable to find this man the express company sends on their own man, Sid Burton, an experienced Chicago detective, to help the local sheriff capture the bandit. Upon his arrival the detective is met by the sheriff, who takes him to his home. There the detective meets pretty Edna, the daughter of the sheriff. It is a case of love at first sight, and in making several trips to the scene of the robberies in search of evidence the sheriff and! Edna travel travel together. A pretty love romance develops, and were it not for a hang-dog, swarthy ranger, who haunts the sheriffs home, all would be serene between the detective and Edna. From various suspicious circumstances the detective comes to the conclusion that this suitor for Edna's hand, his rival, is the bandit who has committed the robberies of the past several months. The Chicago detective follows this half-breed for several weeks in the hope of catching him at "work", but is unsuccessful. For a time the detective is tempted to leave town and to go back to Chicago, but another robbery of the express office makes him determine to stay. He receives a sharn telegram from his superiors in Chicago, chiding him on his inaction. The sheriff commiserates with the detective on his difficulties, and the latter confides to him his suspicions regarding the half-breed. The sheriff agrees with the detective that the half-breed is probably the desperado. Following the trail from the robbed express office the detective finds the empty strong box which has been stolen and evolves a plan which he confides to the express agent only, and' which he carries out immediately. The plan does not fail. That day the sheriff is notified that the box stolen from the express company had a false bottom in it, and that there areseveral bills of large denomination which undoubtedly escaped; the robber's notice, and that the express company would give a handsome reward for the recovery of the box. The plan works only too well. That night the detective, lying in wait for the bandit, surprises him, but he receives a greater surprise and shock himself, when he finds that the lone robber is none other than the sheriff and the father of the girl he loves. In endeavoring to make his escape the sheriff falls from his horse and is mortally injured. Before dying he reveals to his future son-in-law the hiding place of the money and jewels he has stolen, and tells him to make reparation as far as possible.. Later, the shoriff's daughter and the detective are married.