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Branded While on his way to Joplin, Missouri, Jas thought he stop by a see an old friend, Adam Williams, and his daughter, Ann Williams. It was nice to see Jas after all this time, too As Jas arrived into town he started for The Banner to see my father and I. He didn't even make it to the door when he saw a cowboy, Trask, rough up another cowboy and throw him to the ground. Jas went over to help the cowboy lying on the ground when he heard someone calling for help from inside of the newspaper office. As Jas approached the office, another cowboy walked up to see what was going on. Trask warned him to get away and keep away. The cowboy ran off. Trask told him to keep moving. Jas opened the door and looked inside. There was a man inside named Deke, tearing up the place. I (Ann) was lying on the floor while Deke was roughing up my worker, Mr. Anders. Trask grabbed Jas and they started to fight. Jas knocked him to the ground and came in and grabbed Deke and threw him out into the street. Deke started for his gun. As Jas went for his gun he said....."Try it.....just give me a reason!" Both of the cowboys took off. Jas hurried inside and went straight for me, I was crying as Jas started to help me, I thought it was Deke coming back to hurt me more. I started to scream and hit Jas over and over again. I was relieved, and glad to see Jas. As Jas helped me up, Mr. Anders walked over to us taking off his printer's apron and said..... Mr. Anders had no reason to be sorry. I should have quit a long time ago and told Jas that. Jas walked over to me and asked me where my father was. Jas didn't know that my father had passed. We walked over to the cemetery. I told him my father died in his sleep about a month ago. Jas was saddened by the loss of his friend. I told him how my father and I both believed he was innocent and that he stated so in the newspaper, The Banner. The Banner stood for Adam's way of life.....was his life.....Truth.....Honor and Integrity. I told Jas I was selling The Banner and getting out. I started back to town. It wasn't
long after that when Jas followed. He helped me clean up the office. "This is the way Paul Mandell gets what he wants!" Jas asked who he was. I told him that Mandell runs the town and that nearly everybody owe his investment company for one thing or another. He also owns the freight service.....nothing comes into the town or out without passing through his hands and pockets. Jas asked why would he ransack The Banner? I told Jas that the newspaper is the one who finds you guilty before the verdict goes in and that makes you powerful and important. Mandell wanted The Banner to back and endorse him. He was interested
in a political appointment from Washington. I told him that my father refused to back him, and that he disliked Mandell for the way he got control of the town. I told Jas that my father had been digging up information on Mandell and was about ready to go to press with it when he died. Jas wanted me to finish what my father had started. I was scared, I had no protection, Mandell owned the law too. "I can't fight him anymore Jason.....he made Just then a Mandell's girl entered my office. She asked Jas if he was the man that is giving Mandell all the trouble. Her name was Teddi Stafford and Mandell sent her to tell Jas that he wanted to see him. Mandell thought that Teddi would be more persuasive then his men. Teddi was Mandell's girl. I told Jas it wouldn't do any good to talk to Mandell, but he wanted to try. "Your name and face are well known in this town Mr. McCord." "During your court martial that was all we read about in The Banner." "Too bad old man Williams couldn't influence your judges to be as.....understanding about you as he was," said Mandell. Jas asked him why he sent for me. He motioned for Teddi to leave us alone. He
asked what brought me here. I told him I came to visit an old friend, but now it was too late. It was just a visit, but when Jas got here and saw what was going on, that changed everything. "It seems you like to beat up women," said Jas. He laughed....."I don't like to beat up anyone Mr. McCord, I'm a business man." "I want the goodwill of the people in this town." "I want their respect.....their confidence.....their support," said Mandell. Jas told him he could start by telling his men to stay away from Ann.....Williams and her newspaper office. Mandell then walked
over to a map he had hanging on his wall and said....."Very soon Washington would be opening up this territory to settlers." "Congress will appoint a man to head the entire operation.....I intend to be that man!" Said Mandell with a big smile on his face. He felt no one else around here was even close to being qualified, as he was. He knew the people and their problems, but he needed The Banner to make it happen; he wanted it's endorsement. "Even though old man Williams fought a loosing cause in your behalf.....The Banner is still read and highly respected in Washington, It could make my appointment, certain," said Mandell. He told Jas that
like my father I chose not to endorse him either. Jas came back to see me. I asked him what he thought. Jas said he thought that Mandell had to be stopped. "I think he's a dangerous.....ruthless man who will bleed the territory. I told Jas that my father and I were both aware of that. Jas asked me about the information my father had on Mandell. I told him that my father had what he called, a lot of damming evidence against Mandell. Jas wanted me to publish this information and let the people in Washington know about it. I reminded him that I was frightened and that I just wanted to get away. "You'll be running out on your father," said Jas. He reminded me that this newspaper was my father's memorial. Not the gravestone at the cemetery. Jas then took a letter off the wall that my father had received and read part of it to me.....
I listened to Jas read the letter and remembered how proud my father was when he received it. "Ann.....don't let Mandell put out that torch." "Stay.....fight him!" Said Jas. Jas and I worked together on getting the article on Mandell to print. It was worth all the work, I had a good feeling about it as I read it....."In 1861 Paul Mandell paid his way out of the Union Army for $60.....paid to one Cylis Holland to take his place.....came to this town and was star supporter of the confederacy.....formed a partnership with head of Marsh of New York.....this unholy alliances desperately needed arms and supplies, he sold to both the north and the south. A man who fills his pockets and profits from the misery and desperation of others. Such a man is Paul
Mandell." I was pleased with the article. I told Jas that I was glad he was here. I thought about him so much, I missed him. He walked over to me and we embraced. Just then Deke forced the office door open and began shooting. Jas and I fell to the floor and hid behind the desk. Jas shot Deke and killed him. As Jas approached Deke I saw Jas was angry, he took a couple of the newspaper and headed for Mandell's office. Mandell wasn't going to get away with it anymore, not if Jas could help it. "The Latest edition of The Banner, Mr. Mandell," said Jas as he laid it on his desk. "Copies will be on there way to Washington in the morning." Mandell wanted to make a deal. He told Jas to name his price. "You can't pay it!" Said Jas. "I don't finish that easy," said Mandell as he crumbled the newspaper in his hand. "Go ahead.....Print your story! But I still own everything and everyone in this town!" Jas challenged Mandell to come out from behind his desk. Mandell slowly came out from behind his desk while Teddi tried to talk him out of it. As Jas turned his back to put his gun on Mandell's desk, Mandell took advantage and hit Jas unexpectedly. Jas was on Mandell's desk, with Mandell trying to stab Jas with a paper pick from the desk. Jas forced him away with his feet, pushing him through the door of the office out into the street. They continued their fighting in the street, in front of the whole town with Jas getting the best of Mandell. I heard the commotion and decided to see what was going on. Every time Jas would hit Mandell, he would get up, but wouldn't get a punch in. He finally threw a hard punch which knocked Mandell off of the porch of the saloon and ending the fight. Jas went and helped Mandell up as he said to the town folks....."Take a look at him.....remember a man is only as big or as small as other people make him!" Jas then pushed him into the horse's trough. "Take a good look at him!" Said Jas. I took this opportunity to pass out The Banner, with Mandell's story, this was perfect timing. Teddi walked up to Mandell in the trough and said laughing....."Will you look at him.....and I was afraid of that!" "I've seen rummies on the Barbary Coast better then him!" Slowly the crowd broke up and Jas and I went back to my office. Things were working out for The Banner and Mr. Andres came back to work for me. It was time for Jas to leave, I knew I would miss him. But I also was thankful for what he had done for me and The Banner. My father would have been pleased, for I asked Jas where he was headed. He told me Joplin, Missouri, that there was a new bridge was going up and they needed engineers. "Do
you think you'll find what you're looking for there?" I asked Jas. He laughed and said he might, he always thinks that. "Ann.....about the other night....." I looked at Jas and said....."Jas I know.....it was a moment. A wonderful moment.....but.....only a moment." "Well.....we have a newspaper to get out, thanks to you!" We then kissed goodbye. As he got to the door I called to him....."Jason.....Take care of yourself and think about The Banner once in a while, will you?" He looked at me and said....."I will." I know I will miss Jas, maybe.....just maybe someday he will make his way back here and decide to
stay.
Ann Williams is the Ghostwriter writer for all of these episodes. *If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it,
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bad it wasn't under better circumstances.
"Miss Williams.....No more for me.....no more.....I've had enough!" "I've got a wife and kids.....I can't take this!" "I'll pick up my pay later!" He told me he was sorry as he left.
me an offer last week to buy me out and I refused him.....I won't refuse him again!"
He told Jas that he made me a generous offer to buy me out, but I refused. He wanted to take advantage of the reputation and the integrity of The Banner to endorse himself. Mandell said he hoped that I would accept his offer. Jas asked him what would happen if I didn't. Just then a fly landed on his desk, he killed it and brushed it off of his desk without a word, as if to say this is what would happen to me. 
Trask slowly opening the back door and could see the shadow of his gun. I shouted out. Jas turned and shot him. They were both dead. Jas helped me up. I was upset. "He'll never stop.....he'll never stop until he gets what he wants," I
said. 
he would have known Jas would help us no matter what, he was a true friend.
