Gold Strike (1950)

Cowboys Tex Williams (Tex Williams) and his sidekicks Smokey (Smokey Rogers) and Deuce (Deuce Spriggins) find an abandoned mail stage and the bullet-ridden bodies of the guards. Continuing into the deserted mining town of Stillwell, Tex finds it occupied by Brady (Jack Ingram) and his henchmen. The remaining resident is apparently a lunatic who shuffles around town talking to citizens that aren't there and about events and celebrations in a town that has none. Brady and his gang had robbed the stage to steal a back-taxes-due letter intended for Easterer Ruth Gordon (Shirlee Allard), the legal owner of the ghost town. Brady intends to buy the town at a tax foreclosure, and then start a fake gold boom. The resident's lunacy act is to prevent Gomer from discovering that an actual gold mine lies beneath the town. Tex decides to thwart Brady's scheme and rides to the county seat to pay Ruth's taxes. Returning with the receipt, he finds Brady and his henchmen barricaded in possession of the town and determined to shoot things out.