Gunsmoke, brought to you by L&M Filters. Make today your big red letter day. Change to L&M.
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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 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.
Hmm, yeah, yeah. Who's that?
Oh, why don't you open the door? Maybe you'll find out, Justin.
I never heard of anybody knocking on this door before.
Major Harris, Mr. Dillon from Fort Dodge.
Ah, come in, Major.
Marshal Dillon, sit down, sit down.
I'll stand, thanks.
Marshal, last Saturday, two United States Army soldiers were murdered while driving a supply wagon from here to Fort Dodge.
Government payroll was stolen and you seem to have taken no interest whatsoever in the matter.
Well, now Major, protecting the Army isn't exactly my job.
The Army can protect itself, Marshal.
Then how come there were only two soldiers carrying your payroll? Where was the rest of your Army?
On maneuvers.
On maneuvers?
In my command, troops remain in garrison as little as possible.
And you were asking for trouble, Major, no, there was a payroll coming in.
Marshal, the arrival of the payroll was secret. Even the two men carrying it didn't know what it was.
Somebody knew.
Yes, they did. Marshal, I regard this crime as a demonstration of your inability to control these Dodge City ruffians.
What?
I mean it. If no arrests are made on the matter, I'll give these bad men of yours a taste of martial law. We'll see how they like that.
Now, wait a minute, Major.
This town will be patrolled 24 hours a day.
Look, Major, you don't know these men. You run the Army in here and they'll fight. They'll be trouble, bad trouble.
They brought it on themselves.
No. You made a mistake and you gotta find somebody to blame it on.
I want whoever committed those murders. And I want that money, Marshal, within a week.
And if any more crimes are committed against the Army meantime, we'll take this town over at once.
Good day, gentlemen.
Hello, Matt.
Evening, Kitty.
This is Marshal Dillon, Jenny. Matt, this is Jenny Lane.
Ah, how do you do, Jenny?
Pleased to meet you, Marshal.
Sit down, Matt.
Ah. You're new in Dodger, Jenny.
Oh, I've been here most a month now.
Oh, she's only been working at the Long Branch about a week, Matt.
Ah, how do you like it?
Fine, but I'm kind of worried now.
Ah?
It's this Army business everybody's talking about. Will it be bad, Marshal?
Yeah, it could be.
You think it'll happen?
Might. Especially if there's any more trouble.
Say, Jenny, has your corporal been in?
He was earlier.
Well, how do the soldiers feel about all this?
Huh, well, he says they sure aren't anxious to mix it with all these gunmen and buffalo
hunters and the like.
Huh.
But he's not my corporal, Kitty. He's just a lonely kid.
Ah, he's not so lonely. He spends more time here than he does at the court.
How does he manage it, anyway?
Oh, they made him a clerk, a sort of a bookkeeper.
His time's pretty much his own.
Well, he's lucky. Good, safe job, too.
Yeah, I suppose it is.
Well, I better get busy. I'm glad to have met you, Marshal.
Glad to have met you, Jenny.
I'll see you again.
Sure.
Nice girl.
Mm-hmm. Where's she from, Kitty?
Hay City last.
Ah. What's the name of this corporal who's been sniffing around?
Stark. Corporal Stark's all I ever heard.
Now, what else do you know about Jenny, huh?
Oh, she doesn't talk much about herself, Matt.
Well, maybe you can get her to, huh?
All right. I'll try.
Meantime, I'm going to wire the sheriff in Hay City. He might know something.
You must have some reason for all this interest, Matt.
No, I haven't, Kitty. But I might find a reason for I'm through.
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I got it Mr. Jones. Just come in.
Oh what?
The answer to that telegraph you sent to Hay City last night.
Huh?
Here.
Oh thanks.
I don't know what it says or anything.
Jenny Lane left Hayes about a month ago with a stranger called
Nate Brand. Nothing against girl but believe Brand a wild one.
Regards Clint Adams.
I never heard of Nate Brand.
No neither have I.
What's he doing? Hiding him somewhere?
Matt.
Yeah what is it Doc?
Trouble. Oh what kind of trouble?
A shooting out behind the Texas trail.
Why?
It's bad Matt. It's real bad.
And a shooting's always bad Doc.
Yes but this one's going to lead to a lot more shooting.
Oh somebody just killed a soldier.
There he is.
You know planting some weeds over there.
Now come there's no crowd around here.
There isn't a man inside.
No.
Who told you about this Doc?
The bartender.
He said he heard a shot and went out back and found him.
He sure looks dead all right.
He's dead.
Is that all the bartender had to say?
That's about all.
Except that when he went back into the saloon and tooled everybody there about it they
didn't move a hair.
I guess maybe they was thinking about the army taking over Dodge.
Why didn't the bartender come to me first?
Well I don't know Matt but
I've got the feeling that maybe nobody knows whether you're going to be on their side or
all the armies.
Yeah they never do trust me do they.
Chester.
Give Doc a hand here.
I'm writing out to Fort Dodge.
Marshall Dillon.
Hello Major.
What brings you to Fort Dodge Marshall?
Murder.
What?
Murder.
A soldier?
Uh huh.
Who?
I don't know some private.
In Dodge City of course.
Of course.
That's right.
Have you arrested the murderer?
Nobody saw it happen Major.
I see.
Well Marshall you leave me no choice.
Wait a minute Major I didn't write out here just to bring you the news I want something
from you.
From me?
I want you to keep all the soldiers out of Dodge for the next 48 hours put it off limits.
That's not exactly what I had in mind.
Lesson major Dodge City is an armed camp it's full of men who fought Indians who fought
the war between the states who fought each other ever since they could spit.
They'll fight you next.
They'll make you hate it.
They can't fight the army.
They can and they will.
And a lot of men will die on both sides.
But I'll make you a deal Major.
A deal?
You give me 48 hours and I'll find your killers.
You better take it because it'll get you out of a lot of trouble.
All right but I want the criminals delivered here.
To me.
Sure.
But I might have to kill them to get them here.
Matt!
Oh Matt.
Ah hello Doc.
I've been waiting for you to get back.
Oh anything more happened?
Not yet but.
I found a letter on that soldier.
His name was Ravitch.
Ah anything else?
Yes.
I dug the bullet out of him Matt.
And you know something?
I haven't seen lead like that since I mustered out in 65.
What do you mean Doc?
That soldier was shot with a cavalry pistol.
He was?
I'd swear to it.
Thanks Doc.
I'll see you later.
Well now where are you going?
Into the long branch.
I want to talk to a friend of mine.
I've been expecting you Matt.
Ah have you Kitty?
Chester was in a while ago.
He told me about that telegram from Hay City.
Look Kitty I gotta work fast.
There's gonna be a war around here soon.
I found out a couple of interesting things Matt.
One is Jenny's been seen riding horseback at night.
Towards the Arkansus down by Brandy Bend.
Ah.
It might have something to do with that man she left Hay City with.
Nate Brand?
Yeah.
I think he's hiding out down near Brandy Bend.
Any idea of why?
Corporal Stark and Jenny went for a ride one night.
When was that?
The night before that army payroll was robbed.
Where's Jenny now Kitty?
Over at Delmonico's having supper.
Kitty.
What?
I'm the only one who can ever thank you for it but uh.
I think you just saved an awful lot of lives.
Evening Jenny.
Well hello Marsha.
Want to sit down?
You uh sure Corporal Stark won't mind?
Don't be silly.
Besides he's out at the fort.
When did you see him last?
About noon I guess.
Uh huh.
Anybody with him?
Private Ravage.
Uh.
Corporal Stark didn't shoot him Marsha.
They were good friends.
They worked together in the bookkeeping office.
I see.
That's pretty good job isn't it?
Handling expenses.
Figuring out the payroll.
Things like that.
I don't know he never talked about it much.
Also he'd be in a good spot to know when to expect payroll money in wouldn't he?
Even when it was.
Kept secret?
You'd have to ask Kim Marsha.
But uh.
This isn't why you found me here is it?
No of course not Jenny I'm sorry.
You look uh real pretty tonight.
Thank you Marsha.
You really mean that?
Sure.
Sure I mean it.
Marsha I have to work late tonight but I.
I can get off tomorrow.
I know it's bold on me but couldn't we uh.
Maybe take a ride together?
There'd be a moon.
Where would we ride to Jenny?
I don't know anywhere.
Maybe down along the arcans.
I know let's ride down toward Brandy Bend.
Alright Jenny.
We'll ride down toward Brandy Bend.
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This is it. L&M superior taste and filter. Superior taste from tobacco's especially selected for filter smoking. Tobacco's that are richer tastier light and mild. And L&M's superior filter is white pure white.
It's really the miracle tip because when it's added to L&M tobacco's it actually improves your enjoyment of this great cigarette. Next time you buy cigarettes look for the big red letters L&M. Smoke L&M filters. America's best filter tip cigarette.
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The idea of a moonlight ride by the river with this pretty girl as Jenny Lane was fine. Except that it was going to end with a man dead. Either me or her friend Nate Brand. She was obviously leading me into an ambush. And there wasn't a thing I could do but go cheerfully along.
I met her the next night and we started out. But a mile or so before we got to Brandy Bin I pulled up and suggested we dismount and let the horses blow a little.
They won't run away will they? The horses? No. I don't worry. Ah here's a good place to sit.
What's the matter? You nervous Jenny? No. No of course not. Ah sit on take it easy then.
Alright.
Looks better? Sure.
Yeah it's a nice night isn't it? Yeah. That's beautiful.
You're not even looking at it. Is that on your mind Jenny? No. Why should there be?
Why you tell me? That's nothing Marshal.
Let me ask you something Jenny. Did you ever see a man killed? What?
What did you say that? What did you? Yeah once in a saloon.
Tell me did he have a fair chance? Of course he even drew first. Then you never saw a man shot in the back or ambushed huh?
Why are you driving that Marshal? Oh I'm just thinking about people Jenny like sometimes a person isn't really bad.
He just falls into bad company. What's that got to do with me?
Well I think it sort of goes against your grain the idea of a man being killed without a fair chance.
Why'd you come with me Marshal? Somebody had to.
I suppose you know about everything. I think Private Ravitch got killed by Corporal Stark because he found out about the payroll deal between you and Stark and Nate Brand.
Sure. Well what are you going to do now?
I'm going to ride the Brandy Bend with you. But why?
Because I'm gambling that you're still decent enough inside to let me have that fair chance I was talking about.
That's quite a gamble Marshal. Yeah but we'll ride slow and you'll have a little time to think about it.
Yeah I'd make a nice camp down here. Plenty of wood, get your water right out of the river there. It's real nice don't you think Jenny?
A man could hide out real easy down here. Marshal. I could be safe here even while the army was trying to move into Dodge and a lot of men were being killed over it.
Yeah it's real peaceful down here. Marshal I can't do it. Alright tell me Jenny.
That big cottonwood up ahead on the left. Okay now keep moving. When we get close I'm going to ride ahead fast. You stay back out of gunfire.
Alright. Yeah it sure is pretty down here Jenny. Maybe some day we can come down and go fishing.
This river is full of catfish. You ever eat a real catfish dinner? That can be mighty good if we're small enough. Alright stay back Jenny.
Jenny! Jenny!
He's dead Jenny. No. I had to do it. I know. I'll be alright Marshal. Sure.
He killed your horse. I'll show you where he hid his and the payroll money. Okay Jenny.
Then you can take me back to jail. Yeah. But there's one thing Jenny. What you did tonight is going to get you out of jail real soon.
Because I'm going to see you get your chance too.
And now our star William Conrad. I'm telling you the day you change to L&M. Well that's the day. Your big red letter day.
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Gunsmoke produced and directed by Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon U.S. Marshal. Our story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Meston.
With music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Sound patterns by Tom Hanley and Ray Kemper.
Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine and John Dana. Harley Bear as Chester. Howard McNear as Doc. And Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
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You'll notice how fresh and good Chesterfield's made with Accu-Ray taste. How smooth they are and how they satisfy. So buy Chesterfield today.
Smoother, cooler, best for you. Recently many of your cards and letters have requested an evening time for Gunsmoke Radio.
In response to these requests, the makers of Chesterfield and L&M Filters will now also bring you Gunsmoke every Sunday evening at 6.30 p.m. Eastern Time.
So now you can take your choice and hear Gunsmoke transcribed at the time that is most convenient, either on Sunday evenings or Saturday at this time.
And remember, the makers of Chesterfield and L&M Filters also present Gunsmoke for your enjoyment on television.
Tonight, watch an entirely different Gunsmoke show on the CBS television network. Check your local TV listings for time enchanted.
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