This episode stands out to me because it was the first one I saw when Route 66 turned up on "Nick at Night" back in the 80's. I hadn't seen the show since I was a kid and it was fun to see it again after all these years. Now it's been longer than that since I watched on Nick at Night!
In a set up similar to "Black November" the boys are lost and stop in a small Texas town to get some gas. But the place seems deserted. They soon find out why as John Ericson appears with a machine gun and invites them into the town hall to join the others. He's a native of the town who has spent the last 5 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He wants to hold a new trial with himself as both judge and prosecutor. He appoints Todd defense attorney because it's obvious he's college educated and Buz the "sergeant at arms", (even though John holds on to the armaments), because he obviously isn't. John's also got a gang with him to which he's promised the proceeds from robbing the bank.
The trial swiftly establishes his innocence. The richest guy in town, (DeForest Kelly), wanted his girl, (Marian Ross, a decade before "Happy Days"), and had Ericson, who had already had his share of scrapes with the law, framed and sent to prison to open the way for Kelly's courting of Ross. Ericson assesses the damages and they get the money from the bank, (which Kelly apparently owns, like everything else in the town). The gang wants to split but Ericson decides he wants to execute a death penalty on Kelly. Buz challenges him to a fight to buy time, (and, unusually, loses it). Meanwhile the townspeople, led by Ericson's older brother, (Noah Berry Jr.- Daddy Rockford), stand in front of Kelly, (whom they all hate), and plead with Ericson not to kill him and thus commit a crime that would put him back in jail or cause his execution. John sees the logic of what they are saying, orders the gang to return the money, (it belongs to the people) and tells them to leave. He's staying. (And, apparently, will not be prosecuted for the crimes he has committed in holding these people against their will and threatening them.)
In a set up similar to "Black November" the boys are lost and stop in a small Texas town to get some gas. But the place seems deserted. They soon find out why as John Ericson appears with a machine gun and invites them into the town hall to join the others. He's a native of the town who has spent the last 5 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He wants to hold a new trial with himself as both judge and prosecutor. He appoints Todd defense attorney because it's obvious he's college educated and Buz the "sergeant at arms", (even though John holds on to the armaments), because he obviously isn't. John's also got a gang with him to which he's promised the proceeds from robbing the bank.
The trial swiftly establishes his innocence. The richest guy in town, (DeForest Kelly), wanted his girl, (Marian Ross, a decade before "Happy Days"), and had Ericson, who had already had his share of scrapes with the law, framed and sent to prison to open the way for Kelly's courting of Ross. Ericson assesses the damages and they get the money from the bank, (which Kelly apparently owns, like everything else in the town). The gang wants to split but Ericson decides he wants to execute a death penalty on Kelly. Buz challenges him to a fight to buy time, (and, unusually, loses it). Meanwhile the townspeople, led by Ericson's older brother, (Noah Berry Jr.- Daddy Rockford), stand in front of Kelly, (whom they all hate), and plead with Ericson not to kill him and thus commit a crime that would put him back in jail or cause his execution. John sees the logic of what they are saying, orders the gang to return the money, (it belongs to the people) and tells them to leave. He's staying. (And, apparently, will not be prosecuted for the crimes he has committed in holding these people against their will and threatening them.)