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Ward’s Claim
(1914) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Ulysses Davis
Cast: William Duncan [John Hanson, a young gold miner], Myrtle Gonzalez [Shirley Ward], George Kunkel [an Indian], George Holt [Lopez, a Mexican], Thomas Rea [Old Man Ward], [?] Alfred Nosburg?
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / From a screen story by W.A. Tremayne. / Released 24 August 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? While working his claim one day, prospector Old Ward strikes it rich, and has just sufficient time to tell the rest of the prospectors of his good luck when he is stricken with a fatal sickness. His young friend John Hanson watches Lopez, a Mexican, sneaking around Ward’s claim, hastens to tell the old man, and finds him dying. Ward gives Hanson a sealed envelope and asks him to send it to the claim’s rightful heir. John sends the message on its way and receives a reply, asking him to hold the claim until the heir arrives. The Mexican, meanwhile, tries to jump the claim, but John proves more than a match for him, and in the midst of the struggle, Shirley, a beautiful young girl, appears as the heir. John promptly falls in love with her and she with him. The Mexican tries to force his attentions upon her, but she snatches a revolver and drives him out of the place. That evening, with the aid of two bad Indians, he succeeds in abducting her, but is seen by a friendly Indian, who tells John. John and two other prospectors give chase. They catch up with the fugitives; the Indians are shot and the Mexican, holding the girl on his horse, determines, rather than be captured, to ride over a precipice a short distance beyond. John realizes the man’s intentions, and by desperate riding, succeeds in snatching the girl from the Mexican’s saddle, while Lopez goes headlong over the brink of the cliff. Riding home together, Shirley softly tells John she feels “Ward’s claim needs a man to manage it,” and buries her head confidingly on his arm.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 October 2023.
References: ClasIm-225 p. 44 : Website-IMDb.
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