The Spencer Brothers

Originally Aired: January 26, 1953 Suspense #497, "The Spencer Brothers," Richard Widmark stars in this gritty Western tale based on a true story of the Old West. Brothers Jim, John, and Carl Spencer attempt to rob a bank in Dodson, Missouri, believing they're reclaiming money rightfully theirs after returning from the Confederate War to find their family dead and their home burned. When a man named Simpson recognizes them and calls out their names, the youngest brother Carl panics and shoots him dead, transforming what might have been a justifiable theft into cold-blooded murder. Now hunted as killers, the Spencer brothers flee westward toward Colorado Territory, desperately trying to cross the 500 miles of Kansas that stand between them and freedom. As word of their crime spreads faster than they can ride, Jim tries to maintain hope for a new life out West, but their branded horses and growing reputation make them easy targets. When confronted by a four-man posse asking questions, the encounter turns violent, leaving the brothers racing toward an uncertain future with more blood on their hands and more pursuers on their trail.