When Katie Elder died in Clearwater, Texas, her four sons, John, Tom, Matt, and Bud came home to pay their respects. They learn that their father was a drunk who gambled away the family ranch on the night he was killed; however, the only witnesses were Morgan Hastings and his son, Dave. The two decide to cover their tracks by murdering Sheriff Billy Wilson and pinning the blame on John Elder and his brothers. Soon they are railroaded by the local townspeople, but John convinces the local judge of the facts and he agrees to bring in a U.S. Marshal. Meanwhile, Tom Elder kidnaps Dave to extract a confession from him; both are mortally wounded by Morgan, but Dave's deathbed confession is overheard by the judge, clearing the brothers.
