The High Chaparral Episode 2.43

2.43 No Irish Need Apply Mano
Against John Cannon's advice, Mano helps Sean McLaren, an Irish miner, and his friends in their strike against dangerous working conditions.
Written by William F. Leicester Directed by Harry Harris

Story Line: McLaren and his friend Scanlon are sentenced to the chain gang for fighting with Cass Gregg, mine superintendent. Mano helps the two escape. John Cannon favors negotiations to improve conditions while McLaren insists sabotage will provide more direct results. When Scanlon is fatally beaten by Gregg, McLaren decides to destroy the mine, and Manolito appears helpless to stop him.

Character Highlights: Episode focuses on Mano who is initially at odds with John who is trying to stay out of the fray. John gently gives in to pressure from Victoria and eventually to his own sense of righteousness. Great scene where John and Buck unwittingly capture Mano "stealing cows". Their tolerance and affection (especially Buck’s) for Mano is clear. Mano steps outside legal bounds in his attempts to help McLaren, but his willingness to allow the ends to justify the means ends when McLaren guns down the mine foreman in an act of retribution.

During a strike at a nearby mine, Manolito allies himself with the Irish strikers and their leader, Sean McLaren. When he is convinced of the validity of the claims of the miners, Mano approaches John Cannon in the hope that he will write a letter to the mine owners on behalf of the strikers and state their grievances. John refuses to become involved and advises Mano to stay away from the trouble. John finds out, however, that he is already involved, as Victoria has been sending food to the families of the strikers. He relents to her own request and agrees to write the letter.

Victoria listens in on the discussion
of the miners' troubles.

McLaren and Scanlon are sentenced to
sixty days on the chain gang.

In Tucson, meanwhile, Buck, Manolito, McLaren and other strikers ponder what to do in the face of John's refusal. The overseer of the mine, Cass Gregg, interrupts, however, looking for strike breakers. A brawl ensues that is broken up by the sheriff, who instead of arresting all the perpetrators, arrests only the Irish strikers. Manolito addresses the larger issue by telling Gregg that he cannot beat an idea with a club, but the meaning is lost on the other man. In a kangaroo court McLaren and his colleague, Scanlon, are sentenced to sixty days in the chain gang. McLaren declares that "there are no chains can hold me" and Buck and Manolito are appalled by the miscarriage of justice.

John visits Gregg to get the address of the mining company owners, and sees that Gregg is so prejudiced against the Irish miners that he considers them less than human. Gregg tells John threateningly to stay out of the mine's business. Manolito comes up with a plan to rescue Sean and Paddy from the chain gang, where he fears that the two will die. He and some of the miners stage a rescue and free McLaren, Scanlon and Walters, a black prisoner. When Walters is recaptured, Manolito wants to go back and get him, but McLaren acts as if Walters' life doesn't matter. Mano returns for Walters but is bothered by his friend's attitude.

Mano disguises himself as a peon to sell cheap wine with a sleeping drug in it to the guards.

Buck is amused to discover that the cattle rustler he has just caught is Manolito.

The next day, after catching Mano stealing cows to feed the miners' families, John and Buck follow him to the camp where Mano and the miners are staying. He tells McLaren that he has written the mine owners, and tries to convince the men to abide with the decision of the owners, to affect change legally. McLaren, however, will have none of it, declaring that they will do things their own way. During his tirade, McLaren reveals that the fight is personal, a hatred between himself and Gregg. That night, one of his men tries to return to work because his family is starving, and McLaren refuses to let him go.

Paddy steps in and voices his concerns, which Sean greets with derision. Hurt, Paddy leaves the men for town. When Paddy gets to town, he finds Gregg addressing a rapt crowd about the miners, urging them to hunt down McLaren and hang him. Unable to keep quiet, Paddy challenges Gregg. Gregg sends his thugs to beat up Paddy, who rides into the miners' camp bloody and bruised.
McLaren confronts Gregg following the news of Scanlon's death.	A raid has already been planned for the next day on the mining office, but just at the outset McLaren receives the news that Scanlon has died. Now wild with anger and bent on revenge, he bursts into Gregg's office and guns him down without a chance to defend himself.	Gregg is shocked to see McLaren before him in the mining office.

Mano is stunned to see that McLaren has gunned down Gregg in cold blood.

Manolito hurries to the office and is incredulous at what he sees. McLaren punches him and heads for the mine with dynamite, intent on blowing it up. Manolito follows him, but the enraged McLaren fights him with a pick until one of his swings breaks down a prop in the ceiling of the mine shaft. Victoria, John and Blue, who are gathered outside the mine wait anxiously for evidence of survivors of the cave-in. Manolito, coughing but safe, walks out alone into the sunlight and into the arms of his sister.

(Synopsis by Lisa McKenzie)

Guest Stars:	John Vernon as Sean McLaren	Charles Tyner as Cass Gregg	Eddie Firestone as Scanlon
	William Tannen as the Marshal	Robert Munk as Walters	Robert Cornthwaite as Belding
	Ed Peck as Capt. Slater	Garry Walberg as O'Fierna	Charles A. Bastin as Novak