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Around Dodge City and in the territory on 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 Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad, the transcribed story of the violence that moved west with
the young America and the story of a man who moved with it.
I'm that man, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they
want to meet.
It's a chancy job that makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
You know, I'd sure like to meet whoever's running the kitchen in this place.
Oh, why, Kitty?
A cook that can make antelope stew taste like prairie dog ought to be something to see.
Well, at least it's hot.
No it isn't.
Well, mine is.
You're forgetting you dumped half that bowl of chili peppers in yours?
Well, I've eaten here before, Kitty.
Oh, hello, Marshal.
Hello, John.
You know what I'd do if I owned this place, Matt?
Tear it down?
No.
Look, it's got tables and chairs and knives and forks and spoons.
And out back they got a kitchen all set up with a stove and everything.
So?
If it's all here, I'd open a restaurant.
You're spoiled, Kitty.
Dodge isn't St. Louis, you know.
St. Louis?
I was there six months, four years ago.
Hello, Matt.
Kitty.
How are you, Doc?
Oh, I'm fine, I'm fine.
Well, sit down, Doc, sit down.
Oh, thank you, thank you.
Oh, well, I'm glad you're here.
I'm glad you're here.
Oh, well, what are you eating?
Stew?
That's what they call it, Doc.
Oh.
Well, I'll try a little anyway.
And then I'm going to bed.
At noon?
I was up all night, Kitty, out at the Brant place.
Mrs. Brant have her baby?
Uh-huh.
Boy, that's five I've delivered out there.
You know, it seems to me it's about time they gave you one, Doc.
Oh, no, no, no, no, give me one.
I've got enough trouble all by myself.
But seriously, I'll tell you something, Matt.
It's got so I'm afraid to be driving onto the prairie at all.
More Indians, Doc?
I ran into Sam Butler outside.
He just drove in with his whole family and all his belongings, loaded onto his wagon.
Says he's quitting.
Why?
A Polynesian wiped out another family up near his place on the Smoky Hill River a couple
of days ago.
Oh, that's the second raid in the last two weeks.
No wonder he's scared.
Matt, he's telling everyone who will listen that it's a shameful thing for the law to
be hiding out in Dodge while whole families are being slaughtered in the country.
He is, huh?
Yes.
I thought you'd like to know.
You sit with Kitty, Doc.
I'm going to have a talk with Sam Butler.
Sure.
See you later.
Any man that stays out there and exposes his family to them murdering savages is plum crazy.
You can't fight a Pawnee war party all by yourself.
We sure ain't getting no help from the law around here.
We can die in rot for all the law care.
Hello, Sam.
Well, where you been hiding, Marshal?
I hear the Pawnees made another raid up near you.
If you call shooting and scalping a man and his wife and their two boys a raid, those
men never had a chance to fight far as I see.
Men?
Well, boys.
But they were coming on 14 or 15, old enough to handle a rifle.
But they got caught outside and never even made the house.
I seen them lying there with my own eyes, Marshal.
And if you'd seen them, you'd be doing something about it instead of sitting around here and
die.
I'm not hired to fight Indians, Sam.
That's the Army's job.
You ought to be out helping the Army.
Every lawman in the country ought to.
The Army doesn't need help.
But there's something strange about those Pawnees.
What's strange about them?
They killed white men before.
I'm sorry you're quitting, Sam.
We need settlers out here.
Not dead ones you don't.
No.
I'm not going to settle on that.
No, not dead ones.
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Chester and I left Dodge that afternoon.
Hand-torn evening the next day we ran across a troop of cavalry camped on the Smoky Hill
River.
It was commanded by an officer who was new to this part of the country, a Captain Star.
He was anxious to make a success of his first expedition, but so far he hadn't even seen
an Indian.
I decided to stay with him for a while and I'm glad I did.
The next afternoon while we were on the march his scouts reported another settler's cabin
burn.
The family killed.
At my request Captain Star filed his troop out on patrols while he and Chester and I rode
forward to the scene of the slaughter.
My scouts say these people haven't been dead very long, Marshal.
This morning probably, at dawn, Captain.
Then those Indians can't be too far off.
But Indians have a way of disappearing.
There it is, Mr. Dillon.
Burned right into the ground.
It's just like that last cabin.
Their bodies scattered around out front.
Now let's get up there.
Come on.
Hold.
Hold, hold, hold.
The whole family.
The man and his wife and their boy.
Look over there.
That's the water barrel.
Oh my.
It's a little girl.
Well, they scalped them.
Every one of them.
And that little girl.
They even scalped her.
At least they didn't torture them.
Did they torture the other families, Captain?
No, they didn't, Marshal.
They shot them just like this and scalped them.
Where are you going, Marshal?
What is it?
Captain Star, last night you told me this is your first chura juri in Indian country.
That's right, Marshal.
I'll take a good look around here, Captain.
I have.
All right.
All three of these settler families were killed in the open outside their cabins.
Does that mean anything to you?
Those Pawnees are pretty tricky.
I guess they really surprised them.
Yeah, they sure did.
There are not many arrows around.
If these people had had a chance to put up a fight, there'd be a lot of arrows.
They were shot, Marshal, with rifles.
Pawnees don't usually waste ammunition, Captain.
There's a reason for it here, though.
What reason?
Look at the ground.
There are no tracks.
Every sign of tracks have been dragged out with a blanket.
Say, you're right, I hadn't noticed that.
Well, there's another thing you haven't noticed or maybe you didn't know about.
Oh, what's that?
That boy there.
How old would you say he was?
About the same age as the boys at the last place.
Maybe 12, 13.
Well, Captain, that's old enough to be a brave in a couple of years if he was a Pawnee.
What do you mean, if he was a Pawnee?
They usually keep a boy that age, they don't kill him.
They take him and try to make a brave out of him.
Oh, I didn't know that.
I know what he's driving at, Captain.
You don't think it was Pawnees that done this.
Ain't that right, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, that's right.
But the Pawnees are the only tribe around here we know of, Marshal.
Captain, it's them tracks.
Pawnees wouldn't hide their tracks.
No, they wouldn't.
Why?
A man wearing moccasins doesn't care about his tracks, Captain.
He's got nothing to hide.
I'm afraid I don't understand, Marshal.
It wasn't Pawnees that did this.
It wasn't Indians at all.
It was white men.
Marshal Dillon, it's impossible for me to believe white men could have done this.
Is it, Captain?
No white man would shoot that little girl over there and then scalp her.
Did you ever hear what Chivington did to the Cheyennes at Sand Creek?
Kill and scalp them all, he said, big and little.
Knits make lights.
Congress has repudiated that whole affair, Marshal.
Well, it still happened.
And it was still white men that did it.
I suppose you're right.
Yeah, I'm right.
But why did they do it?
Horses.
You see that corral out there?
This man must have had six or seven head of horses.
Yes, the other settlers did too.
They stole the horses and probably whatever they could find in the cabins.
And right now they're sitting around camp somewhere drinking coffee and laughing at
all of us Indian hunters.
Well, I'll find them.
Now, it's a big country, Captain.
I got a troop of cavalry out there, Marshal, over a hundred men.
All right, suppose you do find some riders with a bunch of horses.
How are you going to know they're the men you're after?
Well, these horses are branded, aren't they?
With what brands?
I don't know, but they must be registered somewhere.
Maybe.
But while you're out finding out all that, some other family is going to be slaughtered.
There isn't time, Captain.
I didn't realize how new I am at this game, Marshal.
What would you suggest?
Well, there used to be a corral about five miles upriver from here.
If it's still standing, we'll bait it with a couple of dozen head of good cavalry horses.
Then they'll come to us.
Good idea.
I'll have my troop deployed and ready to move in.
No, that wouldn't work.
You can't hide a hundred men, Captain.
You'll have to keep your cavalry clear away from there.
But how?
Chester and I'll be there.
We'll wait for them.
Here's another load of green branches, Mr. Dillon.
I'll throw them on the fire, Chester.
Let's have some more smoke, huh?
Yes, sir.
Well, stand back, Chester.
Yes, sir.
Well, they ought to see that if they're anywhere this side of the Rocky Mountains.
They're sure to be scouting around, Mr. Dillon.
They ain't stolen up horses yet to leave the country.
Yeah, besides, they're feeling mighty safe.
They'll come.
Mr. Dillon?
Yeah.
I've been thinking.
What's bothering you?
Well, sir, there's only two of us.
I'm wondering how many there are of them.
You want to go back and find the cavalry?
I feel a whole lot safer.
Well, go on then.
You didn't answer my question, Mr. Dillon.
How many do you think we're waiting for?
There's no way of telling, Chester.
Well, if there's a whole pack of them, we'll be able to get them.
I'm not sure.
I don't know.
I'm not sure.
I don't know.
Morning.
Oh, get down, stranger.
We'll have some hot coffee up in a minute.
All right.
Let's climb a horse.
There.
Oh.
Sure use some coffee.
I had to make dry camp last night.
Oh?
Well, you couldn't have been very far away.
Why didn't you ride on down to the river, here?
Tell you why mister I was lost a road till after dark and I got lost now your horse could have found it for you
Maybe my horse ain't smart as yours
No offense sit down Chester's bringing the coffee now been sipping all morning here you are mister. Oh, we ain't got no sugar
You men are traveling pretty light ain't you what do you mean?
Here's your coffee. Oh, thanks Chester. You know all them horses
Mighty big remote and no wagon not much grub. I can see we're driving those horses to Cheyenne
There's only two of us. We couldn't handle a wagon and they hurt both only two of you. Yeah, that's right
Oh mister look and I'm drifting maybe you could use another hand
Maybe where you from Dakota territory name of Lee staff. I
Sure would like to see Cheyenne. They never been there. Why don't you ride up there alone?
It'd be chasing a herd of horses all the way. I'm broke mister
Wouldn't have much of a party in Cheyenne broke with it. No, I don't guess you wouldn't
I'm a good hand. I work cheap. How about it?
You're a good hand, huh? Of course I am
Did you take a look at those horses we got yeah sure did I ain't never seen none better
Well, they're good horses and we take good care of them
Okay
What's that got to do with hiring me? Mr. I wouldn't hire you to herd sheep
What you said you made dry camp last night
How come you tie your horse up without watering him while you stand here slopping up coffee?
It's my horse ain't it sure. How's the coffee coffee? Is it any good? Well?
Yeah, sure it is. Well then have some more
Hey, what's that?
Chester here catchers gun
All right now go get some rope. We'll tie him up while he's still out. Mr. Dillon
You sure he ain't just a cowboy like he said I was pretty sure Chester, but this made me real sure
It was sticking out of his pocket
Oh my
I'll get the rope and we are to hang him with it
We will return for the last act of gun smoke in just a moment in regular or king-size you can get them either way
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Here's all you have to say to get the one that's best for you Chester fields for me
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You
See anything yet Chester
There's some dust about a mile away. No, is it moving right this way?
I'd guess maybe a half dozen riders. Are your friends don't take many chances do this. They ain't friends of mine
Well, i'll tell them that when they get here. You better turn me loose
Or else you ain't gonna tell nobody nothing. You mean they won't like it. You're being all tied up that way
You ain't got a chance marshal my god. He's about right. Mr
Dillon, how are we gonna fight six men? You know, i've been thinking Chester
We could use staff here as a hostage. No, no marshal. Don't do it. I don't aim to step
They wouldn't care whether you die or not men like you don't have that kind of friends
But we can't stand up to six men. Mr. Dillon. We wouldn't have a chance. No, we wouldn't Chester
I'm gonna do something I never did before in my life what
You'll see
But first get a bandana and fix step up so he can't talk. That won't do you no good. Shut up
Get on your feet. Here's a bandana. There i'll do it now right on your feet
Now turn around
Get our rifles Chester
There that'll keep you quiet step
Step
All right now walk
Here's yours, mr. Dillon. Oh, thanks
You got on behind that log over there Chester, yes, sir
I'll keep step here with me
All right lie down step
And if you make any noise i'll split your skull now go on lie down
You okay Chester, yes, you're fine keep the sun off your rifle they're getting pretty close
Not quiet
Mr. Dillon
What what are we gonna do now?
Hide it out from here
Chester i'd hate for either of us to get killed by men like them
When I start shooting you start
Take whoever's on your side first and then work in
Surprising, huh? So they'll never know it
But shut up now here they come
They must be over the river we'll get down and wait here for him
Uh
Maybe the staff's done killed them already we didn't hear no shooting did we
I don't like this jake
Staff should have been back a long time ago staff knows what he's doing
Oh, you sure find horses now Chester
I quit I quit
All right throw away your guns
Now turn around and get your hands up in the air
Chester come over here
We killed four of them. Mr. Dillon four of them rod staff up and bring him up with the fire
I'll handle these two
Well, you two stopped just in time you can turn around now
Who are you what'd you ambush us for well you went and killed four men i'm a u.s. Marshall mister you're lying am I
What kind of marshal would ambush a bunch of men like that?
my kind
I
Untied his bandana. Mr. Dillon. No reason you shouldn't talk now
That was murder
That's what that was. That was plain murder sure was even if he is a marshal he'll hang for this
He never give us a chance. You're right. Mr. I didn't give you a chance. There were too many of you
Besides, I never knew any man that deserved a chance less than you what are you talking about? We ain't done nothing
You haven't, huh? Well, I found this on your friend's staff, mister
There take a good look at it
Well, what's this?
This ain't nothing just a little yellow ribbon
I burned the rest of it
You blasted fool step I I didn't get nothing else. It was just kind of a souvenir. I
Told you to get rid of everything
Step i'm sorry. You came in alone. I wish you'd been with the others
But i'll see you hanged
All three of you
All three of you and it's that little girl's yellow hair ribbon that's gonna hang you
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Gun smoke produced and directed by norman mcdonnell stars william conrad as matt dylan u.s. Marshall
Tonight's story was specially written for gun smoke by john mestin with music composed and conducted by rex corey
Featured in the cast were lawrence dobkin joseph kerns and harry bartell
Harley bear is chester howard mcnear is doc and georgia ellis is kitty
Join us again next week as matt dylan u.s. Marshall fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the west in gun smoke
Although the physical danger of war is over for your friend in the service his morale is threatened now more than ever
He worries about being the forgotten man and when there's no mail from home
That's when loneliness really settles in and it's tough to be lonesome
The uso knows there's nothing like a letter to make a fellow feel better
Why don't you let your friend in the service know you're thinking of him?
If you're a cousin neighbor schoolmate or a member of his church club or union write to him today
Remember, it's tough to be left out at mail call
And remember too next week at this same time chesterfield will bring you another transcribed story of the western frontier on gun smoke
This is the cbs radio network