When Senator Ransom Stoddard returns home to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon, he recounts to a local newspaper editor the story behind it all. He had come to town many years before, a lawyer by profession. The stage was robbed on its way in by local ruffian Liberty Valance, and Stoddard has nothing left to his name but a few law books. He gets a job in the kitchen at the Ericsons' restaurant, where he meets his future wife Hallie. The territory is vying for Statehood and Stoddard is selected as a representative over Valance, who continues to terrorize the town. When he destroys the local newspaper office and attacks the editor, Stoddard calls him out, though the conclusion is not quite as straightforward as legend would have it.—garykmcd