The Subterranean City - Production & Contact Info

The Subterranean City (1913)
Short | Short, Drama, Western

The Subterranean City (1913)

Short | Short, Drama, Western

Mr. John Walker, a wealthy wholesale jeweler, is roused in the night by sounds coming from his strong rooms in the basement. He rouses the night watchman, who has fallen asleep, and the two make a careful search of the building. Two large ...See moreMr. John Walker, a wealthy wholesale jeweler, is roused in the night by sounds coming from his strong rooms in the basement. He rouses the night watchman, who has fallen asleep, and the two make a careful search of the building. Two large safes have been broken open and every sign of a robbery remains, except that apparently no jewels are missing. However, next day Mr. Walker discovers quite by accident that a magnificent pearl necklace has been replaced by an exact copy in imitation, and on testing other priceless gems finds they too are only counterfeit. The town is soon ringing with the story of the clever robbery, and at the club it is the sole topic of conversation. John Walker has been giving details to his personal friends. His particular pal, Arizona Bill, is present, and Walker persuades him to go to the music hall, where a beautiful young dancer in whom Walker is interested is appearing. After the show, Walker and Bill are admitted to Vesta's dressing-room, where the former gives her a beautiful pendant to add to the countless expensive jewels he has already showered upon her. It is evident that Vesta cares nothing for Walker, but she is greatly attracted by the handsome Arizona Bill. After taking leave of the lady, Arizona Bill finds he has forgotten his gloves, and returns for them. Hearing voices, he peeps through the keyhole and sees Vesta hand the pendant Walker has given her to a man who is a stranger to him, he promising to give her an exact duplicate next evening. After the mysterious visitor has left Vesta (through the window), Bill walks in, claims his gloves as if he had overheard nothing, and again takes his leave. Later, he makes a bet at the club that within a month he will get to the bottom of the mystery of the bogus jewels. Next evening he watches Vesta's house, and about midnight she comes out and enters a waiting motor car. Bill clings onto the back of the car and hides in a ditch when the lady steps out and dismisses her chauffeur. They have come many miles from the town to a wild and rugged stretch of country, and Vesta, without hesitation, makes her way over the boulders to a narrow opening, through which she disappears. Bill follows, but misses his footing in the dim light and falls into space a hundred feet down. He is senseless for a few moments and, recovering, finds himself in the bowels of the earth, but, strangely enough, the surrounding tunnels are brilliantly lighted by huge arc lamps. Following one of these. Bill discovers a large workshop filled with men all busily engaged, some in the manufacture of necklaces and bracelets, others in melting down gold and extracting gems. Bill incautiously crawls near and is observed by one of the workmen, who immediately gives the alarm. Bill is seized and brought into a comfortable room, which is apparently the headquarters of the chief of this mysterious town. Five or six men are seated at the table, and to Bill's astonishment he recognizes each of them for notable jewel merchants of his acquaintance. They have been present at the club when he made the bet that he would solve the mystery. The principals treat Bill with mock politeness and take him round their underground factory, showing him all details of the work. At length one of the number remarks that any stranger penetrating their stronghold can never see daylight again, and Bill is seized, bound, and placed beneath a weighty press which is worked by electricity. The lever is released and slowly the huge weight descends. Luckily Vesta, a member of the gang, loves Arizona Bill, and to save him smashes the battery which controls the press in the nick of time. While the members of the gang hurry off to see what has stopped the working of the press, Vesta creeps in and releases Bill and shows him the way out of the labyrinth. Just as they reach the end of one of the tunnels, Vesta hears footsteps and knows they are discovered. Her woman's wit comes to her aid, and bidding Bill make a slight flesh wound on his temple with a revolver she takes her stand over him and announces that as she found him running away she had killed. But her clever ruse does not save Bill; he is taken for dead, but is thrown into a deep dungeon to make doubly sure. Vesta goes back to town and determines to confess all to John Walker, but her plans are foiled and she is taken back to the subterranean city, convicted of treason, and thrown into the dungeon to die. But Bill is not to be done for. Many hours he has worked at the stones in the well, and at last an exit is made. He and Vesta by a perilous route and with many thrilling and hairbreadth escapes, at last get back to daylight and freedom. Bill tells Vesta to appear on the stage at the usual hour, and makes all arrangements tor a capture. The principal members of the gang stroll into the music hall as usual, and when Vesta dances on the stage they are astonished. Madly they dash across the footlights to assure themselves that there is no mistake, but only to be surrounded by police, overpowered, and led off to the cells. Bill has won his bet, but he refuses to accept the 5,000 dollars, obtaining instead Walker's forgiveness for Vesta, the girl who had tricked him so heartlessly, but who has done all in her power to atone. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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2 cast members

Name	Known for
Joë Hamman Arizona Bill (as Joe Hamman) Arizona Bill (as Joe Hamman) See fewer	The Red Man's Honor (1912)
Vesta Harold Vesta (as Mrs. Hamman) Vesta (as Mrs. Hamman) See fewer	The Red Man's Honor (1912)

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