- To help relieve overcrowded prison conditions, the Mesquiteers turn their ranch into a work farm. Construction Company man Beaton is hoping for a new prison contract and sets out to see that the experiment is a failure. He lures the Mesquiteers away and then has his henchman dressed as prisoners rob the local ranchers and plant the loot at the Mesquiteers ranch.—Maurice VanAuken <mvanauken@a1access.net>
- In the 16th film of Republic's "Three Mesquiteer" series (while 1935's "Powdersmoke Range" and "The Law of the 45's" were based on or featured characters created by William Colt MacDonald, they are not, as shown on Movie Connections, part of the Republic or Three Mesquiteers series and the name "The Three Mesquiteers" was never mentioned in either film, especially the last mentioned as it only featured two of the characters and one of them had a different name.) Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith and Lullaby Joslin, the "Three Mesquiteers", capture a couple of escaped convicts, Red and The Kid and learn that Red, despite having only three months left on his sentence, engineered the escape in order that the "Kid" might get out in the open and save his lungs from the deplorable prison conditions. They return the two convicts to the prison after promising to do all they can to secure their release. They meet with the prison board and learn that the prison is badly overcrowded, but due to the fact that the ranchers of the state are already overtaxed, it is impossible to get the funds to build a new prison. The Mesquiteers suggest that the trustees of the prison be sent to ranches throughout the state where they can work out their time. Thirteen prisoners are paroled to the Mesquiteers, including Red and the Kid. Beaton, head of the Atlas Construction Company, angling to get the job of building a new prison knows that if the "parolee" plan works, it will cost his company thousands of dollars, but the plot doesn't explain where the money for a new prison would come from since the "parolee plan" is based on inability to build a new prison because of lack of funds. With two assistants, Connors and Crane and an actress named Madelyn, Beaton lays plans the overthrow the experiment.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
- When convicts Red and The Kid are captured by The Three Mesquiteers, Stony Brooke, Tucson Smith and Lullaby Joslin, the Kid faints in Stony's arms. After reviving, the Kid explains that Red, who only had three more months to serve, planned the escape so that he could get the fresh air that his weakened lungs badly needed. The Mesquiteers return Red and the Kid to prison, but promise to help them. Because the prison is overcrowded, the Mesquiteers suggest that prison trustees be sent to ranches to work out the remainder of their terms. Thirteen prisoners, including Red and the Kid, are then paroled under the guidance of the Mesquiteers. Because Robert Beaton has already begun building a new penitentiary for which he expects to win a contract, he, his men Jim Connors and Crane and an actress named Madeline Roberts plot to undermine the experiment. They begin by shooting over the heads of the convicts, which makes them scatter as they ride to the ranch and appear as though as if they are trying to escape. The convicts reassemble with a little encouragement from Red, however, thereby impressing the sheriff and everyone else with their intentions to make good. A short time later, Stony meets Madeline and makes a date for that night. Meanwhile, Tucson and Lullaby are lured away from the ranch and have to walk back when their horses are stolen. Stony is also put out of commission when he is drugged with knock-out drops that Madeline puts in his drink, and Connors' men then commit a series of robberies while dressed as prisoners. The Kid interrupts them as they are planting the loot at the ranch and is shot by Connors. Connors' escape is witnessed by Red, who is told by the dying Kid that his killer was from the construction camp. After learning what has happened, Stony returns to town and apprehends Madeline as she is leaving on the train. Although she tells the sheriff that Stony has kidnapped her, he escapes and finds Tucson, Lullaby, and Red, who had tried to apprehend the murderers. After learning about the robberies, local ranchers demand that the parolees be returned to prison, but the Mesquiteers tie up the sheriff when he comes to recapture Stony. They then make the sheriff call Beaton to identify a watch he had reported stolen. Once at the ranch, Beaton is confronted by Red, who tells him that the Kid named him as his killer. Red forces Beaton to reveal that while he was behind the plan, Connors committed the murder. After the sheriff overhears Beaton's confession, Connors and Crane rescue Beaton, but the Mesquiteers are soon on their trail, and Connors plunges off a mountain to his death. The rest of the gang then is captured and Madeline is cleared by a jury. The Mesquiteers' parole plan is then hailed as a success.
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