User Reviews

"The Printer," is Nathan Peale (Don Sinclair), running the first newspaper office in Baxterville, attempting to discover who has been illegally selling liquor to Indian Red Fox (Juan Root, last of eight). Judd (James Barron, last of three) tries to prevent the new printer from arriving, while Joseph Merick (Daryl Masters, last of seven) warns his brother-in-law of the danger to his family should he persist. Actually, it's Merick who meets a bad end, Peale falsely accused and sentenced to hang the next day by the District Governor (Colin Eaton). With no solid evidence to go on, Hawkeye and Chingachgook use turpentine on Red Fox to loosen his tongue, forcing all the villains out into the open.

The issue is the freedom of the press. Hawkeye and Chingachgook visit Nathan Peale who prints a newspaper and is waiting for a new printing machine to arrive.

Peale has made enemies as he tries to find out who has been selling liquor to the Indians. Firewater is bad news for Indians and frowned upon by Chingachgook. It seems someone is trading for liquor for gold in their territory.

After an argument Peale has with his brother in law. Peale is arrested for murder for the death of his brother in law.

Hawkeye investigate after the District Governor plans to try and execute Peale pretty rapidly.

Hawkeye needs an Indian called Red Fox to spill the beans and gets him drunk with turpentine.

There is a bit of treachery here and several crooked guys. A little bit more story to this episode. It might be that freedom of the press was an important issue in the post McCarthy era.