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The Mill Stream
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by George A. Lessey
Cast: King Baggot [Jack Thornby], Arline Pretty [Mary Wheatley], Robert Hill (Robert E. Hill) [Tom Craven], Frank Smith [Dan Wheatley]
Independent Moving Pictures Company, Incorporated [IMP] production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Released 14 December 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Jack Thornby, owner of a small grist mill, is in love with Mary, the daughter of his mill foreman, Dan Wheatly. While inspecting the spillway which carries off the overflow of the mill race, Jack finds Tom Craven, a wealthy young business man from the city, sitting beside the trout stream nursing a sprained ankle. Craven has been spending his vacation in the country fishing. A misstep while whipping the stream for trout results in a painful but not serious injury to his foot. Jack takes the young man to his home and applies a poultice which quickly relieves Tom’s pain. Mary is introduced to Tom. His polished ways and refined manner as contrasted with Jack’s hearty manners, result in poor Jack being neglected by his old sweetheart. Jack’s jealousy is aroused and the young men finally come to blows over Mary. The quarrel is seen by the mill watchman. Next day Tom’s body is found in the mill stream with stab wounds in back and chest. Jack is arrested and accused of having killed his rival for Mary’s hand. Soon afterward he is sentenced to twenty years at hard labor. Months later Mary is rowing in the mill stream when she comes upon the body of a poorly-dressed man in the bushes along the shore of the stream. While trying to drag the body nearer the bank, her hand comes in contact with a bulky object protruding from the dead man’s pocket. This proves to be a pocketbook which by the size and shape she recognizes as Tom’s. Investigation disclosed that the tramp evidently had seen Tom place money in his wallet, waylaid him and in the scuffle which undoubtedly followed, stabbed him to death. In trying to escape the tramp presumably stumbled and fell into the mill stream. Stunned by his fall, or unable to swim, the tramp drowned with the fruit of his robbery still upon him. Upon consideration of this new evidence, Jack is released from prison and eventually pardoned. Later he and Mary are wedded.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Crime: Murder - Death: Murder - Jail - Law: Enforcement: Police: Sheriffs
Listing updated: 21 November 2022.
References: Edmonds-BigU pp. 29, 31 : Website-IMDb.
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