One day while Mark and I were getting ready to eat breakfast, we saw a rider approaching our ranch. He introduced himself as Floyd Doniger. I invited him to stay and have breakfast with us. Mark was distracted by his appearance. He did remind you of a Texas gunfighter. He told us that he hoped to find a place to settle. He would like to have a spread like ours someday. I told him that North Fork is a good growing community. Mark and I took one look and stayed - we really like it here! He told us he had a job ahead of him, but when I asked him what he did for a living.  He got really edgy and wondered why everyone always wanted to know what he does! As he started to leave he heard a noise from behind him. With no hesitation he shot at the bucket which the horse knocked over. He was really skittish! Men like him can never relax. I told him he should be on his way.

Mark wanted to take his pig into town to sell and I needed to go to the wheel rights. As we get into town, people were gathered around our new bank, our first bank. They were having a grand opening. Judge Hanavan was introducing the bank President, Mr. John Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton told us that he had faith in the future of North Fork and that he had invested his time & money in this town. He wanted to grow with our community and North Fork. He showed us his safe and told us that it was made of Carborundum Steel Plate and had 6 inch thick walls. Fire proof and burglar proof. He also told us that he had hired a bank guard to keep an eye on the town's money when open for business. He introduced Floyd Doniger as his new "Safe Guard" This was the man who just had breakfast with us that morning. He gave us a really good display of his gunmanship. The towns people were quite impressed with both the safe and the "Safe Guard." Mr. Hamilton lead us into the bank and showed us a platform that he had specially built so Floyd could have the advantage over everyone and their money. It was quite impressive!

Judge Hanavan stopped by the ranch the next day and told me what a good turn out they had on opening day at the bank. He wondered why I hadn't gone into town to put my money in the North Fork Bank. I explained to him that 10 years earlier my wife & I had put our life savings in a little bank back home and that the slump of '78 totally cleaned us out! He told Mr. Hamilton he would talk to me.  They both knew that the townspeople respected me and my decisions.  He felt that some of the folks would follow my pattern. I told him I would rather keep an eye on my own money. But if it was any consolation, Mark was coming into town tomorrow to put his $5 in the Bank. The Judge said one McCain is better then none and that Mark was a smart business man and he should advise me.

Little did anyone know that there were 3 men in town planning on robbing the bank. They knew Floyd; they were waiting for him when he finished work at the bank. They talked him into letting them rob the bank and he would get 1/4 of the money. $10,000. So he agreed! Or so they thought.

Mark was so excited with the $5 he got for selling the pig he raised, he couldn't wait to put it in the bank. He liked the fact of his money earning 2½ % interest. He wanted to go into the bank himself. It made him feel like he was a part of something, it made him feel like a real man! Mr. Hamilton was pleased to see Mark and he handled his account personally. After Mark got done with his transaction, he left the bank. He happened to see through the bank window, three men robbing the bank. Mr. Hamilton was confused and concerned why Floyd didn't try to stop them. As they were about to leave the bank with the money, Floyd killed the three of them and took the money for himself.  No one stopped him. As I was leaving the blacksmith's I heard shots and Mark comes running up to me. He told me about the robbery and how Floyd took his $5.  I went to face Floyd, Mark pleaded with me not to go, that he didn't care about his five dollars, "please Pa, don't go!"

Mr. Hamilton apologized to the townspeople for what had happened and that he had hand picked the 'Safe Guard' himself and that as soon as he counted all the money, anyone wishing to withdraw their money, can do so!  I then shouted....."But who said anything about taking money out of the bank? I'm here to put money in!"
 

From Chuck Connors book 'The Man Behind the Rifle'.....David Fury ~ The four minute fight scene between Chuck and Claude was indeed one of the great screen brawls. Together they demolished an entire saloon ~ interior and exterior ~ and the immense realism was obtained by doing most of the fight stunts themselves. It took two full days to film. Chuck Connors Page