“1923” Episode 4: The Origins Of “Yellowstone’s” Infamous Train Station Revealed

1923 season 2 episode 4.

LEFT: Jacob and Cara Dutton (1923 / Facebook) Spencer Dutton (1923 / Facebook) Teonna Rainwater (1923 / Facebook)

From Shocking Twists To Heartbreaking Moments, This Episode Doesn’t Hold Back

Episode 4 of 1923 opens with the series antagonist, Donald Whitfield, sitting around the table with many men, all dressed in pristine suits. The dinner screamed wealth as Whitfield pitched the table his ski resort idea. Showing his true colors, the scheming yet brilliant man convinced the whole table of men with a rousing speech that investing in the first ski resort on Dutton land would be a good idea.

What Happened To Alexandra?

If you remember, the previous episode offered a stark look at 1920s immigration to America.

She successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean and endured a challenging immigration process, where she faced humiliation and was stripped of her dignity.

Alexandra was initially kindly treated by the men she encountered as a lone woman in New York. Unfortunately, her luck ran out in this episode.

The woman went to the bathroom alone and was followed by a man who grabbed her from behind and robbed her of all her valuables. The man left her unconscious in the bathroom.

When she awoke, she asked a woman who had entered the bathroom what time it was. Realizing that her train was about to leave, she sprinted out of the bathroom. She took off her shoes and ran as fast as she could in her socks. When she reached the train, it was just about to depart. She dashed alongside the moving train and managed to jump on just before it left the platform. The conductor said to her, “I have never seen someone so desperate to reach Billings.”

She arrived in her sleeper car and met the woman and her two sons who would be traveling with her. During this exchange, the woman asked her what the man had taken. Alexandra responded grimly, “he took everything.”

RELATED: “1923″ Episode 3 Recap: Alexandra’s Journey To America

Zane’s Surgery

Zane Davis, who works for Jacob Dutton, was arrested in a previous episode for being illegally married to his wife, Alice, due to her Asian heritage. This was shockingly considered illegal at that time.

During Zane’s arrest, he was beaten while in custody, which resulted in the development of fluid in his brain that required drainage. Fortunately for Zane, the local doctor was already at the Dutton household and had the skills needed to perform the surgery. Unfortunately, the doctor did not have any medication to keep Zane pain-free.

They used chloroform that was available to sedate him, but he woke up during the surgery. The episode was extremely graphic and detailed the surgical procedure. Luckily for the ranch hand, the surgery worked, and he regained his ability to walk.

He awoke and said, “I thought I would never walk again, thank you.”

Everyone was surprised that it worked, including the doctor.

Zane turned to Jacob and said, “Are we going after um? for what they done to us?”

Jacob responded, “Yeah, for what they done to all of us.”

Elizabeth And Jack Dutton

Elizabeth has been having a tough time on the ranch in Montana. In the previous episode, she issued her husband an ultimatum, stating that she would be moving back to Boston, either alone or with him. She was fed up with her struggles and desired the modern comforts of life at that time.

During the episode, Elizabeth received a pep talk from Jacob Dutton.

After their conversation, Elizabeth felt some cramping in her stomach. With the doctor still at the Dutton household, Elizabeth saw him, and it was revealed that she was pregnant.

It looks like she is staying.

The family celebrated the news together through tears and laughter, finally getting some good news after a rough winter.

Spencer Dutton

Spencer Dutton 1923
Spencer Dutton talking to the police during episode 4. (1923 / Facebook)

In the previous episode, Spencer drove across the country to deliver whiskey against his will during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. He stepped out of the car prior to a police stop, and a police officer killed his companion, Luca, whom he had met during his overseas travels.

This episode begins with Spencer walking to a train station, determined to reach his destination. A police officer stops him and presents two options: spend five years in jail or deliver the whiskey to its final destination with a police escort. Spencer chooses the latter.

When he arrived at the final destination with the whiskey truck, police officers jumped out and killed all the Mafia members involved in the illegal alcohol trade. They handcuffed Spencer, but he managed to escape and ran away. With the police on his tail, he ran alongside a train and jumped into a random car.

Interestingly, both he and his wife ran toward trains to make their way back to each other.

Upon boarding the train, Spencer realized he was not alone. He grabbed his rifle as two grown men and a younger girl demanded the “train tax.” Instead of complying, Spencer offered them lead—a shot from his shotgun.

The men on the train made it clear that if Spencer fell asleep, he would be dead or robbed.

He stayed awake through the entire day and night, outlasting them all. However, when he finally drifted off, the men tried to steal from him. In self-defense, he killed both men and left the girl unconscious after she attacked him with a knife.

Spencer then jumped from the chaotic train car and began walking on foot again in a desolate land.

Teonna Rainwater Becomes A Cowboy

1923 episode 4
Teonna Rainwater (1923 / Facebook)

The young outlaw is seen happy and smiling in this episode as she becomes a ranch hand at a local cattle farm. The cowboys warmly welcome the three travelers, and they all work side by side. They learn about rodeos and seem intrigued by the potential prize money.

However, this joyful moment is short-lived when Teonna notices wanted posters hung everywhere with her face on them. The posters reveal that she is being hunted and that there is a $250 reward for her capture.

Donald Whitfield Discovers The Train Station

1923 Donald Whitfield
Donald Whitfield (1923 / Facebook)

1923 is the prequel to the famous series Yellowstone.

In Yellowstone, there is a piece of land that is under no one’s jurisdiction. It is technically no man’s land, so no crimes can be prosecuted there.

In the series, this piece of land is commonly known as the “train station,” where the Dutton family sent all their enemies. This episode of 1923 revealed how the train station was found and its first victim. In this episode, Whitfield finds the land and sends the prostitute, whom he had kept in his house and tortured there. The poor girl was killed during a sexual act with the other prostitute who has become a girlfriend of sorts to Whitfield.

The dark history of the “train station” was revealed. Only time will tell how the Dutton family finds the piece of land.

Watch a full recap below.