A cub reporter chases a mystery cab that vanishes into thin air — but the real twist is who set him up.
Henry Egbert Xerxes' big chance as a cub reporter comes when he is assigned to track down a gang of counterfeiters which gathers regularly at the Red Dog Inn. As he leaves the office, Henry witnesses a girl being dragged into a cab -- the same girl he had seen that morning passing counterfeit money. Henry follows, but on overtaking the cab, he finds it empty. At the Red Dog Inn, he discovers that the girl is being held captive. After a series of rough and tumble adventures with the resident thugs, he and the girl escape, after which he rushes home to write up the story. When it fails to appear in print, Henry storms into the city room only to discover that the entire business was a hoax, intended to test his reporter's instincts.
Practical Effects
Physical comedy and real car chases before safety regulations existed.
Production
The Red Dog Inn set — probably someone's actual saloon they borrowed.
Director
Douglas Gerrard
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Franklyn Farnum was a massive star in the 1910s — this surviving title is one of the few glimpses of his charm we have left.
The 'empty cab' trope became a silent film staple; this may be its earliest surviving use, though most prints are now lost.
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