Produced by George Kleine and released by Edison, the five-reel Wild Oats starred Malcolm Duncan as Roy Wilson, the gambling, carousing "black sheep" of his well-to-do family. Wilson's railroad-magnate father James (William Anker) is at present vying with his rival Graham Madison (Frank Belcher) for an important railway contract. But Madison has the advantage, since he holds a costly I.O.U. signed by the profligate Roy. To cover his debt, Roy is forced to undermine his father's chances at winning the contract. Even worse, he becomes entangled with Madison's seductive mistress Cleo (Ruby Hoffman), a liaison which prompts the boy to become a jewel thief. While robbing his own family's safe, Roy is caught in the act by his father, who dies of shock. Richard Carew (Herbert Heyes), the engineer sweetheart of Roy's sister Jessie (Alma Hanlon) is accused of the jewel theft and of Wilson Sr.'s murder. Saved by Roy's feverish last-minute confession, Carew is at last free to marry Jesse.