This is William Conrad.
Because so many of you took the time and the trouble to write to Liggett and Myers,
gun smoke will continue to be heard right through the summer months.
The time this summer, starting Saturday, July 2nd, 1230 p.m. Eastern Time.
Be sure and check your local radio listings for the earlier time on your station.
Gun smoke. Brought to you by L&M Filters.
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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 gun smoke.
Gun smoke, starring William Conrad. The transcribed story of the violence that moved West with 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 and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Why don't you watch where you're putting your feet, you junk-headed old fool?
What's the matter, Justin?
This dang horse has tromped in every prairie dog hole since we left Cimarron. He'll break his leg yet.
You should have brought your mare. That horse is getting too old. Maybe his eyes are going bad.
My gracious, he ain't gone twelve yet. He's just pure ornery, that's all.
You know, you've grumbled about that horse ever since you first got him. Why don't you sell it?
Nobody in heaven. Besides, I kind of like the old goat.
You know, I don't think there's a man in the world with as many problems as you have.
Well, I don't know that I have too many problems, Mr. Dillon. For that matter, I don't really have none.
It's just that my nerves are all trimmied up.
All right, Justin, never mind. Never mind.
Hey, Mr. Dillon, look yonder. There's a wagon, ain't it, over near that dry wash?
Yeah, it is.
Not some mighty poor place to make camp.
Nobody would make camp in the middle of the day, and not unless there were some trees.
Well, then why'd they stop? Some kind of trouble, maybe, huh?
I will swing around that way and find out.
Okay.
Looks like one of them big Studebaker wagons, don't it?
Uh-huh.
Could be their nesters.
I don't think so. If they were, they'd likely be trailing some stock.
Could be their awful poor nesters.
Ah, they ain't got trouble right enough.
Now, you see, they lost a wheel.
By golly, they sure have.
Yeah, come on, we'll see if they need help, huh?
Ah, it's a man and woman, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah.
Hello.
My name's Dillon.
Seeing you coming.
The way you were holding that rifle, you must have thought we were shying.
What happened to your wagon, mister?
Cotter pin fell out, but the wheel dropped off.
Uh-huh. You got anybody with you?
Only my woman here.
Well, resetting the wheels, no job for a woman.
We can manage.
No job for one man. We'll give you a hand.
He told you. We don't want no help.
You're mighty unsociable for people with a busted wagon.
Now, look, mister, it's our trouble and we'll take care of it.
There ain't no need for you to bother yourself.
You're from around Dodge, aren't you?
Maybe.
What's wrong with that?
Nothing, maybe.
You, uh, you ever been in the Army, mister?
No.
You know, I've been trying to place you ever since we rode up.
We're just headed west to Homestead.
A week or so back, an officer from Fort Dodge gave me a description that, uh, fits you mighty close.
I don't know nothing about Fort Dodge.
Could be your name is Cook and you were stationed there with a 26 cavalry.
Mister, you got it all wrong.
I don't think so.
I'm putting you under civil arrest, Cook, for desertion.
Shoot him, Jed. Shoot him.
You lift that rifle one inch, Cook, and I'll put a bullet on you.
All right, Chester.
Yes, sir.
Go get his rifle.
Yes, sir.
Jed.
You stand back or I'll blow a hole in you.
Get it, Chester.
Give me that.
You fool, Jed.
I told you he was Marshal Dillon when I seen him riding up here.
I heard you.
Then why didn't you shoot him?
I couldn't do that, Dillon.
Maybe you couldn't, but I sure could.
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All the way back to Dodge, Chester and I rode alongside the wagon.
While Jed and Dulla sat on the box staring down and talking quietly to each other.
It was well past sundown by the time we found a place for Dulla to stay
and put the wagon up at Moss Grimick stable.
Later I rode out to Fort Dodge with Jed Cook.
It was nearly midnight by the time I turned him over to the officer of the day
and signed the papers connected with the civil arrest of a soldier.
Next morning I was eating breakfast at Delmonico's when Kenny came in.
Well, you're up early man.
Hello Kenny.
Hello.
Why don't you sit down?
How about some coffee?
Yeah, thanks.
Where's Chester? Don't tell me he's not hungry.
No, he's down at Moss Grimick's.
The stable? What for?
Well he went down to give Moss some instructions about a wagon we brought in last night.
A wagon?
Yeah.
Belonged to a man and a woman we picked up about 20 miles outside of Dodge yesterday.
Deserter. Names Jed Cook.
Jed?
Yeah. Do you know him?
Sure I know him. Him and Della Masters both.
They've been going to get married ever since Jed got transferred out here to the fort.
Well they'll have to wait a while now.
A deserter? What'll the army do to him Matt?
Yeah, the war was still on, they'd shoot him.
Oh man.
That's the way the army operates.
They both seemed real nice. Jed came into town every chance he got.
Never caused any fuss, just had a few drinks and spent the rest of his leave with Della.
They've been planning awful hard and getting married. She's especially, I think, Matt...
Uh oh.
Marshal, I want to know what they're going to do with Jed.
Well, he'll be court martialed, Della.
Then what?
Then they will sentence him.
Rotten, stinkin' army. He fought all through the war and then had eight years of moving around.
Pennsylvania, the Dakotas, Missouri and now out here.
A soldier can't pick his post, Della.
What do they need Jed for? He's just another man. The army's got lots of men.
Maybe they don't see it that way.
The army ain't going to keep him. No matter what they say, they ain't going to keep him.
He'll just bust out and we'll get married like we planned.
And we'll still get to Colorado. You'll see, Marshal.
Now look, Della, why don't you come with me?
You keep out of this, Kitty.
I'll tell you something else, Marshal.
Ain't nobody going to find us once he gets loose.
We got a place we'll meet and he'll wait there for me.
He'll wait no matter how long before I get there.
Della, Jed's an army sergeant. He deserted and he's got to be tried. Now you know that.
I don't know nothing of the sort.
He knew what the consequences might be when he decided to desert.
He just didn't plan on getting caught, that's all.
You're the one who arrested him, Marshal.
You're the one who caused all this trouble, and don't you forget it.
Because I sure ain't going to.
There's a woman who speaks her mind.
Yeah.
Now she can't seem to get it through her head that the army runs by its rules, not hers.
Since the first time I met her, all she's talked about is her and Jed.
The place they're going to have, the family.
There isn't much she can do about it now.
Matt, you ever had a woman who loved you fight for you?
No.
It'd surprise you. They can be pretty fierce.
Yeah, I guess.
Well, what are you going to do now?
Nothing. Just wait till the court, Marshal. They said they'd want me to testify, aren't they?
And after that?
And then I'm shut out of the whole business.
I wouldn't be too sure, Matt.
A week later, Jed Cooke was brought before a special court marshal at Fort Dodge,
and I went out to testify as the arrested civil officer.
I said my piece and left, somehow feeling a little sorry for him.
From what I'd heard, he'd been a mighty good soldier before he deserted.
And that's all I knew about it until one evening after supper,
Doc and I were walking back towards my office.
Mr. Dillon!
Oh, for heaven's sake, when in the world is Chester going to learn there's no use shouting like that?
Perhaps it's important.
Oh, important. It can't always be important.
Well, maybe Chester doesn't believe it.
I've been looking all over for you, Mr. Dillon.
Oh, what for?
It's Lieutenant Dustman from out at Fort Dodge. He's waiting over at the office.
Did he say what he wanted?
No, sir. I asked, could I help, but he said he'd talk to you.
Okay, Chester.
Well, I'll leave you here, Matt.
I think a little rye whiskey would kind of soothe my innards after that supper.
So I'll see you later, Matt.
Chester.
All right, Doc. Good night.
What do you suppose that Lieutenant Dustman does want, Mr. Dillon?
Maybe he thinks that you want back in the Army, Chester.
Me? Back in the Army? Anybody who thinks like that just got two bricks less than a load.
Why am I back in the Army?
All right. Okay, Chester.
All right.
Lieutenant Dustman.
Hello, Marshal.
Chester here says you want to see me.
Yes, I do. First, let me show you this.
What is it?
Read it.
Before Special Court Marshal, which convened at Fort Dodge, Kansas.
Violation of the 58th Article of War, specification on the Sergeant Jedidiah Cook Troop, a 26th Cavalry did at Fort Dodge on about the sixth day of March.
Desert the forces of the United States.
I don't need to read this. I know the verdict.
Marshal, the court found him guilty of the charge and the specification.
He was sentenced to two years at hard labor with forfeiture of all pay and allowances doing.
Wow.
Following the court, Marshal, I was put in charge of the detail taking him to Fort Leavenworth.
The second night out, he tricked one of the guards and escaped.
Oh.
We couldn't pick up his trail, but I believe he circled back to Dodge.
Now if a man had a few silver dollars and wanted to hide here, it wouldn't be too hard.
That's why I've come to you. You get more cooperation from the townspeople and the Army can.
I want this man back where he belongs. I'll search every house in this town to get him there.
Uh-huh. How many troopers are with you?
About 20.
All right, Lieutenant, I'll do what I can to help you, but I want those soldiers out of town.
That's ridiculous, Marshal. I won't pull them out until we find Cook.
Lieutenant, no man is going to break and run if there are soldiers posted around town.
And anyway, before the week was out, they'd be shooting down some citizen by mistake.
Now look here, Marshal.
I don't want 20 men all looking for a target. Now do you want my help or not?
Yes, I do.
All right, then get your men back to the garrison. I'll find Cook for you, if he's here.
When you do, Marshal, I want him turned over to me.
If I find Cook, he'll be turned over to the commanding officer at the fort. Good night, Lieutenant.
Good night.
Just one thing.
Yeah?
Cook knows what's in store for him if he's caught now. He won't be taken easily.
A fellow like that just makes you wonder how either side won the war, don't it?
Chester.
Yes, sir?
I'm going over to talk with Della Masters. You better stay here.
What in the world are you going to talk to her for? She just ain't about to tell you where Jed's at, even if she knows.
Maybe not. But if she's sensible, she can make things a lot easier for him. I'll see you later.
Who is it?
Matt Dullen. Open the door, Dullen.
I don't want to talk to you, Marshal.
You're going to.
What do you want?
A couple of nights ago, Jed escaped from the soldiers who were taking him to Fort Leavenworth. Has he been here?
Maybe he has.
Now look, Della, I got Lieutenant Dustman to agree to take his troopers out of the town to take them back to the garrison.
What difference does that make to me?
It means that Jed could give himself up.
Jed ain't going to give himself up to nobody.
If Jed surrenders himself, the court won't be as hard on him as if the Army picks him up somewhere later.
Look what they did to him before. Sent him off for two years hard labor.
Della, don't you understand I'm trying to help you?
We don't need no help.
Sooner or later, Jed's going to get caught. You can't run away forever.
Once we get out into Colorado territory, they won't nobody find us.
Della, when will you get it through your head that you can't fight the whole United States Army?
Jed's done his share of soldiering. More than his share.
We've been waiting to get married two, three years now, and I don't aim to wait no longer.
Why are you sticking your nose in this anyway, Marshal? You ain't the Army.
I'm paid by the government, Della. It's part of my job.
Well, I'll tell you something, Marshal. You come sniffing around me and Jed, I'll shoot you.
That's, uh, pretty foolish talk, Della.
No, it ain't. I planned it out how me and Jed are going to meet and where, and ain't nobody going to interfere.
This is all your idea, wasn't it?
What?
His desertion.
What if it was? I ain't going to wait forever.
You're making a mistake, Della.
Not the way I see it. I just want my man and the life that goes with it.
Besides, I know what's best for Jed and me.
Maybe. We'll see.
Now, Della.
Why?
Sooner or later I'm going to find Jed. I just hope nobody gets hurt.
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Della's wagon is still down stable, Mr. Dillon. She ain't come near it, say, once or twice just to get some things out of it.
Well, keep on watching, Chester. She'll leave one day soon.
We'll just follow her to where that fellow cook is, huh?
Yeah.
Well, that don't sound too hard to do.
That shouldn't be.
Marshall.
Hello, Moss.
Something's wrong, Marshall.
What's that?
You know that big Studebaker wagon of Miss Della's down to my place?
Yeah, what about it?
It's empty.
Empty?
All her equipment.
She took it all out.
Well, that don't matter, Moss. She can't get no horse without that wagon.
Just a minute, Chester. Go on, Moss.
Well, I don't often have occasion to walk out back near where that wagon is.
I just kind of spell Chester keeping an eye on her like you told me.
But the day after he left, I had to go back for some barrel staves.
That's the first time I looked at it.
Close like.
Moss, when was the last time that you saw Della?
Two nights ago.
She was out back in a little spring wagon, said she'd come by for some blankets out at the Studebaker.
And you say that she'd been by a couple of times before that, huh?
Yes, sir.
Well, she's outsmarted us.
What do you mean, Mr. Don?
We missed her. She got her stuff and headed out.
You better get our horses started, Chester.
Yes, sir.
We'll swing by her rooming house to make sure she's gone before we try to pick up her trail. Now get moving.
Twenty minutes later, we checked the room where Della lived, and the landlady said that she left two days before.
She didn't know where.
I knew now that my only chance to find Jet Cook was to track Della the best I could.
She couldn't travel fast driving a spring wagon cross country, but tracking was still a chore.
And the next evening about sundown, I realized that we'd lost her.
What are we going to do now, Mr. Don?
There's no use trying to track her any farther tonight, Chester. We'll pick up her trail in the morning.
Yes, sir.
We'll camp in that cottonwood grove up ahead there, huh?
If she should pass near here, well, she won't see her horses.
Hey, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, what?
Feeling it look like there's a hut of some kind in them trees?
It sure does.
You suppose this is where that jet is hiding out?
That's a likely place, and Della was traveling in this direction.
You mean we beat her here?
Maybe. She could have known we were following her and dropped off in one of those dry washes to lose us.
We was pretty lucky then.
We don't know who he is here, though, Chester.
No, sir.
All right, we'd better pull up. We'll go on from here on foot.
Yes, sir.
Come on.
Sure is quiet.
Heads up now.
Yes, sir.
I wonder how Della gave us a slip like that. Isn't it?
Oh, my gracious.
Mr. Dillon, look.
Yeah, I see it, Chester.
Well, I guess Jed Cook won't go back for trial now.
No.
You reckon it was Indians done that to him?
Yeah, he's been tortured.
He sure didn't have much chance. All by himself, did he?
No, not much.
Poor fellow.
Hold it, Chester. There's somebody over there.
It's Della, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah.
It was Indians, Marshal.
They hurt him. They hurt him real bad.
But he was still alive when I got here four or five hours ago.
He was lying right there where he is now.
Didn't want nothing, not even water, except for me to talk to him.
By Colorado or a farm and such like.
Della, I...
Then, after he died, I had a long time alone here.
Trying to do some thinking.
I got things figured straight now.
Too bad it took this to do it.
Yeah.
But it wouldn't have worked the other way, the way I had it planned.
I know that now.
He only had another year to go.
And then he got discharged.
We could have gone to Colorado like we wanted.
I loved him so much, I guess I just couldn't wait.
Women are like that sometimes.
Yeah.
Well, what can we do now, Della, to help you?
Well, I...
Buried dead right here, right here.
He'd like that.
It's about as far west as he'll ever get.
No.
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Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman McDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The special music for Gunsmoke was composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Sound patterns by Tom Hanley and Bill James.
Featured in the cast were Vivi Janis, Laurence Dodkin, Harry Bartel, and Jim Nusser.
Marley Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
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Remember, as William Conrad told you, starting Saturday, July 2nd,
gun smoke will be heard specially transcribed for L&M filters at 1230 p.m. Eastern Time.
Check your local radio listings for gun smoke's earlier time on your station.
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