Ed Helms

If only she'd seen it right from the beginning.

If only she'd seen it right from the beginning.

Mabel Walker Willebrandt was free-falling off the tightrope she'd been walking since the day she arrived in Washington, D.C. eight years earlier. So she handed in her resignation to Herbert Hoover. Mabel's war was over. But there was so much more fallout yet to come.

Mabel Walker Willebrandt was free-falling off the tightrope she'd been walking since the day she arrived in Washington, D.C. eight years earlier. So she handed in her resignation to Herbert Hoover. Mabel's war was over. But there was so much more fallout yet to come.

Time to head back out west. Let's check in with Richard Hart, the cowboy whose gunslinging ways helped turn the public against Mabel's campaign, making an unpopular law even more unpopular. You remember where we left Richard. He luckily ducked charges for manslaughter, but it still tanked his Prohibition Bureau career.

Time to head back out west. Let's check in with Richard Hart, the cowboy whose gunslinging ways helped turn the public against Mabel's campaign, making an unpopular law even more unpopular. You remember where we left Richard. He luckily ducked charges for manslaughter, but it still tanked his Prohibition Bureau career.

But what came next was a twist so twisty even his wife and kids were caught off guard. First of all, he got himself some new assignments with the Office of Indian Affairs. That got him out of town. They sent him to reservations even further west. He was still hanging on to those old Wild West shows and live out his cowboy dreams. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was kind of known for that.

But what came next was a twist so twisty even his wife and kids were caught off guard. First of all, he got himself some new assignments with the Office of Indian Affairs. That got him out of town. They sent him to reservations even further west. He was still hanging on to those old Wild West shows and live out his cowboy dreams. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was kind of known for that.

Richard probably thought this was the place he could really keep up his costume drama, like he had an even more free hand to dole out cowboy justice. Once again, he drew his gun during an arrest, and when the man resisted, Richard shot him. This time, there was no ducking the charges. Hart was indicted for manslaughter. He was acquitted at trial, but this was finally enough.

Richard probably thought this was the place he could really keep up his costume drama, like he had an even more free hand to dole out cowboy justice. Once again, he drew his gun during an arrest, and when the man resisted, Richard shot him. This time, there was no ducking the charges. Hart was indicted for manslaughter. He was acquitted at trial, but this was finally enough.

Even in the most circusy of bureaucratic circuses, Richard couldn't stop getting in trouble with the ringmasters. He was too violent for the wannabe cowboys, so he was fired from his federal post. So eventually he was back in Homer without a steady job. It was tough on him, and on his wife Kathleen, and on the boys they were raising.

Even in the most circusy of bureaucratic circuses, Richard couldn't stop getting in trouble with the ringmasters. He was too violent for the wannabe cowboys, so he was fired from his federal post. So eventually he was back in Homer without a steady job. It was tough on him, and on his wife Kathleen, and on the boys they were raising.

But despite losing his jobs, according to great-grandson Corey Hart, Richard was starting to flaunt some new money around town.

But despite losing his jobs, according to great-grandson Corey Hart, Richard was starting to flaunt some new money around town.

And as Richard's grandson Jeff says, one night, when he was all liquored up, the two-gun braggadocio finally caught up with him. It was in a bar, I think on Lower 4th Street in Sioux City. He starts bragging about a new family business he's a part of. It's conspicuously lucrative and maybe a little shady. We'll come back to that in a minute.

And as Richard's grandson Jeff says, one night, when he was all liquored up, the two-gun braggadocio finally caught up with him. It was in a bar, I think on Lower 4th Street in Sioux City. He starts bragging about a new family business he's a part of. It's conspicuously lucrative and maybe a little shady. We'll come back to that in a minute.

Eesh, some friends. Once the beating was over, Richard was bundled off to the hospital.

Eesh, some friends. Once the beating was over, Richard was bundled off to the hospital.

Eventually, the hospital staff got a lead on him.

Eventually, the hospital staff got a lead on him.