Around Dodge City and in the territory on the west, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers,
and that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
Music
Gun Smoke starring William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved west with young America,
the story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.
Music
The people of Dodge City will argue their heads off on most any subject you bring up,
but one thing they all agree on is the climate. They don't like it.
In the fall, it's too windy and dry, and in the spring, they cuss the mud.
And all through the winter, they say it's too cold and business is bad because the trails are closed.
And now summer comes along and they figure it's too hot and dusty.
The town's overcrowded with trail drivers and the flies are so bad they carry off alive.
Of course, they just talk. They don't really do anything about it, except Chester.
Sometimes Chester turns into a man of action.
Chester, what are you?
Why, Hokies, I finally got him.
Got what?
That cussed fly.
Oh, foot.
Well, I don't care, Mr. Dillon. I killed all of them in here except that one, and he kept pestering me continual.
Smart as a fox. I couldn't lay a hand on him.
So you hauled out a gun and blast a hole the size of your fist through the roof of the office, huh?
It did sort of make an opening up there, didn't it?
Oh, well, it'll be handy when the rain starts. We won't have to go outside for our drinking water.
Well, I'll get up there and fix it, Mr. Dillon. I didn't even stop to think.
I guess not.
I reckon it's this heat. I swear I have never seen it this hot and dry.
No, not since last summer.
No, it's worse, Mr. Dillon. Every pump on the plaza is dry.
The only place you can water a horse is that trough back at the livery stable.
I remember one summer in Newton, summer of 71 or 72, I think it was, while the heat and the bugs...
Is this Marshall's office?
I'm the Marshall, son. Come on in.
And shut that doggone screen door, quick!
My name's Brian Beck, Marshall, and my father and I got in town this morning.
We brought a herd up from the Big Ben country.
Oh, Lazy Bee Bar?
Yes, sir, that's our brand.
I saw some of your riders around town trying to wash the dust off of their tongues.
Have a rough trip?
Yes, sir. Half the water holes are dry, fences across the trail in North Texas, and...
But that's not what I came in about.
Oh?
The fact is, Marshall, I'm trying to hit off some trouble.
What kind of trouble, son?
Well, you see, the Colonel, my father, is a fine old man, but sometimes he just doesn't get along with people too well.
Colonel?
U.S. Cavalry, 25 years, retired.
Oh.
You see, that's the trouble, sir. He tries to treat the cowboys like an army command. They don't like that.
This morning, when he paid them off, one of them warned him to go armed while he was here.
Told him he was going to shoot him on sight.
Oh, which one?
Bud Stark, the range boss. Short, stout fellow with a...
Oh, yeah, I saw him on the Texas trail a while ago.
Well, Marshall, my father was probably fast with a gun once. He thinks he still is, but he's not. He wouldn't have a chance.
Well, what you want me to do, then, is try to keep him apart, is that it?
I reckon so.
I'll tend to one it won't work. If Stark's got his temper up, he'll find a way to make his call.
Well, maybe in that case you better tell me where I can buy a gun.
You, uh, know how to handle one?
No, sir, I grew up back east with my mother. I guess I can learn, though.
Yeah, sure you can. But a gun fight's not exactly the place to start practicing.
He's my father, sir. I gotta do something.
Tell me something, Brian. How old are you?
Eighteen.
All right, now you listen to me. Don't go buying any gun and don't go messing around Stark.
I'll look into it and try to straighten things out. But you get this through your head, Brian.
Whatever happens, you stay out of it. You understand?
The first room is ahead of the stairs, Mr. Clerk said. This must be it, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah, I guess so.
Breach! Don't move now!
Uh, you're Colonel Beck?
I am, sir.
My name's Dillon, U.S. Marshal here. This is my partner, Chester Proudfoot.
What's the gun for? You expecting somebody else?
Well, uh, I...
Bud Stark, for instance?
Who told you? Stark been talking to you?
How long are you gonna be in town, Colonel?
Three or four days, maybe a week. Long enough to sell my herd and long enough to call that mouthy little foreman's buff.
Well, why don't you just limit it to selling the herd?
I think you've been misinformed, Marshal. This man threatened me. I'm only aiming to protect myself.
Well, suppose you'll leave the protection to me.
Thunder it was, Brian. That's who told you. It's just like that sniveling whelp to go whining to the law.
I didn't notice any sniveling. He seemed like a pretty decent kid to me.
A milk-sop, Mr. Dillon, raised by a woman. Never had a boot and a stirrup before a year ago.
Boy, he's never had a gun in his hand.
Well, he's trying to get one in it now. You ask me where he could buy one.
Stark. He's planning to go up against Stark.
He was. He kind of figured he was protecting you.
By the lily-fingered young cub. Oy out.
You'll what? Have him court-martialed, shouted sunrise?
He's your son, Colonel. He's not some soldier in a cavalry troop.
Neither is Stark nor the rest of your men.
I'm not obliged to listen to this kind of talk, Marshal.
If you go out gunning for Stark and if you're lucky enough to live through it, I'll jail you in the stand trial.
Now you just sell your cattle and stay clear of Stark. Come on, Chester, let's go.
Place sure is crowded. Hot, too.
Last January, you were looking forward to this, Chester.
No, I must have been loco. See him anywhere, Mr. Dillon?
No, he was over there at the end of the bar earlier.
Hiya, Matt. Chester.
Hello, Miss Kitty. Kitty, how do you do it?
Chester's starting to melt and run down in his boots, and here you are looking as fresh and cool as the 12th of April.
It's a trick, Matt. I just stopped worrying and cut out all serious thinking from the end of May until the snow starts to fly.
You ought to try it, Chester.
Oh, I'm sure I'm ready to try something, Miss Kitty.
How about a pitcher of beer?
No, thanks, Kitty. I'm looking for the range boss of this lazy B-bar outfit, fellow named Stark.
Oh, yeah. He's been here most of the day. Getting set the hoe, I think.
Well, that's what I want to see him about.
Well, he's over there on the alcove at one of the draw tables. And you know who's sitting in the game with him? Cottonmouth.
Cottonmouth? That crooked little tin horn?
Yeah. Silk shirt, shiny boots, fancy hat and all. He hit town this morning.
Well, he'll head back out tomorrow morning. Come on, Chester.
I got four hours, one hour, and I believe we'll be in this boat here.
And I figure on upping it to about 4,000 before this night's over.
Anybody ain't figuring on seeing the game through might as well pull out right now.
Words like that, Mr. Stark, do nothing but arouse my natural enthusiasm.
I regard them as a clarion call to a battle of wits. Cut the cards.
Yeah, you better cut them, Stark.
Really?
And with Cottonmouth in the game, it wouldn't be a bad idea to count them.
Marshal, you are maligning a reformed man.
You'll have to reform in some other town, Cottonmouth. You got till tomorrow morning to get out of Dutch. And this time you stay out.
No, I just don't get what you're up to, Marshal, breaking up a friendly game of cards this way.
Stark, with Cottonmouth in it, it won't be friendly and it won't be a game.
I'll take my chances, Marshal.
All right, suit yourself. You've been warned.
But before you start this friendly game, I got something to say to you.
All right, say it.
We'll take a little walk, if you don't mind.
All right, Marshal, show us. I'll be right with you, Jens.
All right, I'll go for a walk.
Stark, I understand you threatened Colonel Beck this morning.
Oh, he come a-crying to you, huh?
You know him better than that.
Yeah, I reckon so. Well, now supposing I did, Marshal. Maybe I wasn't the only one making threats.
Beck was going to have me strung up and horse with.
Like I told the Colonel a few minutes ago, Stark, I don't stand for any grudge killings here.
As people might call it self-defense.
I wouldn't, and I'm the one who will be calling it.
If you pull that gun on Beck, it'll be a long time before you see Texas again.
All right, Stark, you can go on back to your game.
Yeah.
It appears to me that's pretty hard talk for a hot day, Mr. Miller.
Well, Chester, it's the only way I know how to handle it. Just to lay it on the line.
Yeah, and more than likely that's not enough to keep him from mixing.
Wait a minute, Chester, look here.
Why's that Beck kid? And he's wearing a gun, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah, and he's heading straight for Stark. Come on.
Mr. Stark, I reckon you can draw any time now.
Crazy.
Well, the old man said his cup, I'll forgive me. He don't know nothing about this.
All right, hold it now.
Huh?
Brian, you get out of here. And don't draw, Stark.
Draw? What, on this mama's boy?
Here, now give me that gun.
Leave me alone!
All right, now you little smart aleck.
Now I see if a boot in the head'll teach you some sense.
Don't kick him!
I told you not to kick him!
You had no reason to hit me, Marshal. That kid called me. You heard him.
Forget it. Now go on back to your game.
All right, come on, Brian. Get up.
He wouldn't even draw. He just made a fool out of me in front of everybody.
Come on, Brian.
He'll be laughing at me all over town. He'll laugh at my father, too.
Forget it.
I'll kill him, Marshal. So help me, I'm gonna kill him.
Now you listen to me. Stark knocked you down. Yes, he kicked you in the head, but he could have killed you.
He cut a drawn and put a bullet in you before you knew what hit you.
No, I told you not to buy that gun. Why did you do it?
You know why.
Sure, protecting your father. That's fine.
Only you saw how far you got.
So I'm telling you for the last time, now you stay out of it and leave it to me.
Now go on back to the hotel and stay there.
Do you hear me?
Yes, sir.
All right.
Here's your gun.
Now stick it in that holster and don't pull it except to practice.
Do you understand?
Yes, sir.
And just one thing more.
Don't worry about anybody laughing.
When a half-grown kid who's never had a gun in his hand stands up and calls a fighter like Stark, nobody's gonna laugh.
You've got a lot of guts, Brian.
Well, Mr. Dillon, you think they're gonna stay away from each other?
Stark and the Colonel? I don't know, Chester. About an even chance.
If it holds off for a day or two, they'll probably cool down and forget about it.
That kid sure was funky this afternoon.
Yeah, well, he's dying to have the old man respect him.
Too bad Beck's a bull-headed.
Matt!
In here, Doc. I thought it'd be cooler with the lamp out.
Well, don't bother about lighting it now. We've got a job to work between us, Matt.
What do you mean?
Some of the boys just found a body lying by the horse trough behind the liver stable.
Been shot in the back.
Who?
A trail driver named Bud Stark.
We will return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment.
But first, there's no place like home and there's no place like your home.
Don't destroy it with fires caused by careless smoking in bed, careless disposal of lighted cigarettes,
or the use of inflammable cleaning fluid.
Ninety percent of fires are caused by carelessness that destroys lives and properties.
Don't let it be your home, your life.
Now the second act of gun smoke.
The liver stable is down at the east end of the plaza across from the Dodge house,
and the watering trough is up back at the edge of the corral.
Stark was lying face down in the mud and his horse was standing a few yards away with his brains trailing on the ground.
Some of the boys from the railroad yard held lanterns so Doc could see to work.
The flares are heat like and we're coming a little closer together.
A light breeze had sprung up, but there was no smell of rain in it.
The air was hot and dry.
Hold that light down just a little bit lower than where the edge.
That's fine, that's fine.
It's a bad business, Mr. Dillon, shooting a man in the back that way.
Must have slipped out behind him while he was sitting there on his horse waiting for it to drain.
Yeah, it looks that way.
Well, as soon as Doc gets through there, Chester, you better go through his pockets,
collect all of his effects for the nearest it can.
Yes.
Well, he can get at it right now, Matt.
There's nothing more I can do here.
No, whoever did it had him pretty well centered.
All the time in the world when you're aiming at a man's back.
Probably never knew what hit him.
Well, I wish it had happened some other way than this, any other way.
Yeah, cutting the idea who did it?
Yeah, I'm afraid so, Doc.
Well, what do you got, Chester?
Well, not much, Mr. Dillon.
His gun, of course, which hasn't been fired, a jackknife and a gold watch,
and some makings and some papers, a box of sulfur matches, and that's it.
Well, he was traveling like.
Matt, I thought Colonel Beck paid off his boys this morning.
He did, Doc.
Start gotten a draw game with a gambling cottonmouth.
I warned him he'd get cleaned up.
Well, he sure did. Not a sin to eye, Mr. Dillon.
He doesn't need any money, Chester. No.
Think we'll have any trouble, Mr. Dillon?
The odds are against it.
Who is it?
The Marshal. Open up.
I was about to sleep, Mr. Dillon. I couldn't figure who was knocking.
Where's your gun, Brian?
It's over there on the bureau. What do you want it for?
Been doing some shooting, son?
Yes, sir. I was following your advice.
I was over in the river bottom practicing drawing mostly.
Too dark to shoot or anything.
I've heard a couple of times, though.
Pretty good shooting, Brian, to be as dark as it was.
One of the shots caught him right in the center of the back.
What are you talking about?
Murder, son. That's what we always call it when it's in the back.
Well, I haven't killed anybody.
I haven't been out of this hotel since nine o'clock.
You got a witness to that?
No, sir. The only one would be my father, and he's been gone somewhere all evening.
But I'm telling the truth, Mr. Dillon.
Well...
Who was it, sir? Who got killed?
Yes, who was it, Marshal? I'd like to know myself.
If you've been out around the town, you must have heard it by now, Colonel.
Well, I figured I'd better stay clear of things.
I walked out along the railroad, watched the lightning.
Who was killed?
Bud Stark. He was shot in the back about a half hour ago over at the water entropi in the livery stable.
Well, Brian, I guess we'd better be getting along.
Just a minute now. What makes you think Brian had anything to do with it?
The facts, Colonel. He bought himself a gun this afternoon,
called Stark and the Texas Trail about four o'clock and got knocked down and kicked in the head.
Brian, is that the truth?
Yes, sir.
Well, then he'd killed Stark and about eight hours later Stark's found dead.
It adds up, Colonel. I wish it didn't, but it's too late now to wish.
That's why I told him to stay out of it.
Told you both to stay out of it.
Went out and bought a gun. Didn't say a word.
Stood up to Bud Stark.
Why, Brian? Why did you do it?
Well, I figured maybe you'd think different of me, sir.
I mean, if I showed you I could, well, pitch in and help when you needed it.
Stand up and face things.
Marshall, what would you see if I told you you're after the wrong Beck?
Are you telling me?
Yes. I killed Stark myself. Father.
Well, I'd say you're making a nice effort, Colonel.
But you should have learned to appreciate the boy sooner. It's a little late now.
You're making a mistake, Marshall. Father, you're wasting your breath.
The Marshal's right. There's no use trying to lie.
Now, I killed him. I'm ready anytime, Mr. Dillon.
All right, let's go.
Music
But, Matt, I'm buying.
Uh, no, I guess not. Thanks, Doc.
Might say this is on that fellow Stark. It'll come out of my corn, Steve.
Yeah. Fine.
Now, see what you got to be so glum about, Matt. An hour after a killing and you've got the killer locked up tight and snug in jail.
Oh, relax. Your job's over.
Yeah, I guess so. I sure wish it had been anybody else but that kid, though.
I liked him. Figured he was all right. And then he...
In the back, Doc.
Well, he's only a youngin'. You can't blame him too much.
I got him bedded down for the night, Mr. Dillon.
Put him in the corner cell. It was a little cooler back there.
Oh, thanks, Chester.
Doc, did you ever in all your boring days see a spell of heat as bad as this?
Never did. It's a corker. Oh, well, I thought earlier we might get a drop through a rain or something.
Heat lightning, Doc. Just heat lightning.
I hear you settled that Stark thing in a hurry, Matt.
Yeah, I've got the back kid locked up, Kitty.
I'm sorry with him, Matt. I guess he sort of disappointed you, huh?
Yeah, a man can be wrong, Kitty.
Well, it's been great for business. Everybody in town's been crowding in.
They want to hear all about it and take a look at the chair Stark was sitting in before he pulled out of that poker game.
Well, I guess that poker game was half the blame for it.
If it had been honest, Stark would have had enough in his poke to carry him through the night
instead of winding up broke before midnight.
He wasn't broke, Matt. He left here with $4,000.
He what?
Sure. That's why he broke up the game and pulled out. When he'd made what he said he'd make, he quit.
Cottonmouth almost had a stroke. Most of it was his money.
But Stark didn't have a cent on him when we found him. He was...
Kitty, is Cottonmouth still here?
Yeah, he's back over there in the same game. He went out to eat, but he came...
Chester.
Yes, sir?
Come on.
You think he might have, Mr. Dillon?
Maybe.
Cotton is still a cheap commodity and you can't carry it off in your pocket.
My bet's in, so let's put up a shutter.
That's exactly the way I look at it, Cottonmouth.
Dillon. I...
Well, I still got till morning. That's what you said.
Did I?
How's your luck running?
Oh, not too bad. I've had a few good hands.
Better than they were when Stark was in the game.
Oh, I couldn't touch him. Took $4,000 off the table. He was pretty lucky.
Not too lucky. He's dead.
Yeah, I know. It's too bad.
I figured that kid'd get him. There's trouble with a green kid like that. They don't have any sense.
Can't tell what they'll do.
Yeah, sure.
Where were you when Stark was shot?
I was over at Delmonico's getting a bite to eat.
How do you know you were?
What?
Nobody seems to know exactly when it happened. How do you know where you were?
Well, I...
Well, it was there about when it must have happened. Either there or back here in the game again.
You weren't near the livery stable?
Marshal, I know you don't like me, but that's no reason to try hanging a thing like this on a man.
Were you over at the stable, Cottonmouth?
No, I wasn't anywhere except where I told you. Straight up to Delmonico's and straight back here.
I see.
And where'd you get the mud on your boot heels?
What do you mean?
Every pump in the plaza's been dry for days. Dust six inches thick.
There's only one mud puddle in town at that horse trough back at the stable where Stark was killed.
You couldn't stand to see that money get away, could you?
No, no. Look, I tell you, Marshal, you're just...
Cottonmouth, you're under arrest.
Look out, Mr. Delmon!
You made a mistake, Cottonmouth.
No, Marshal. You did.
I robbed him, but I... I didn't kill him.
I was going to. I followed him, but he was dead when I found him.
What's the point of lying now?
I'm not lying, Marshal. It's the truth.
He's dead, Mr. Delmon.
Yeah.
I reckon the boy will be mighty glad to get out of that cell.
Yeah, and I'll be glad to let him out, Chester.
He's a good boy. Trying to cover for his father and all.
Yeah. He'll make out all right when he calms down a little.
Yes, sir.
Wait a minute, Chester.
What is it, Mr. Delmon?
Listen.
Say, that's coming from the back of the jail.
Yeah, come on. Quiet now.
There's a couple of horses tied there.
Yeah, sure. For the getaway.
Colonel's trying to pry him out of jail.
You're going to a lot of work for nothing, Colonel.
Marshal, don't shoot.
I'm not going to shoot, Colonel.
I couldn't let him down. Even if he did murder Bud Stark...
It's all right, Colonel. Everything's all right.
This was his last chance. I'm sorry, Brian. You'll have to face it out.
Listen to me, Colonel.
I'm no use to lying anymore, Marshal. I saw him.
What?
I was out walking along the railroad, like I told you.
I saw Brian come up behind Stark and shoot him.
Oh.
I can't admire a man doing that. But he's my son.
I tried to protect him. I've done what I can.
Now they'll hang him.
Is this true, Colonel?
He's not a bad boy. He was just trying to help me.
I guess it is, Chester.
Yes, sir. But what about Cottonmouth?
It looks like Cottonmouth wasn't lying after all.
Then he got himself killed for nothing.
Well, he tried to kill me. And he would have killed Stark.
Too bad he didn't beat Brian to it.
Yeah.
Gunsmoke under the direction of Norman McDonnell stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
Tonight's story was written for Gunsmoke by Les Crutchfield with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey,
featured in the cast were Lawrence Dobkin, Sam Edwards, Joe Duvall, and Lou Krugman.
Harley Bear as Chester, Georgia Ellis as Kitty, and Howard McNear as Doc.
Gunsmoke has been selected by the Armed Forces Radio Service to be heard by our troops overseas.
Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal, fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke.
Sunday night you are cordially invited to Escape by a CBS radio.
Yes, every weekend for drama that will take you right out of this world, listen for Escape at the Star's address.
This is George Waltz speaking.
Sunday night, Dick Powell as rough tough Richard Diamond, private detective on the CBS radio network.
The Star Spangled Banner