Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there is just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
Gun Smoke, starring William Conrad, the 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, the United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chancey job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
I don't think that's all in the barkers over there, Mr. Dillon.
No, that's his paw. Now he probably knows where the boy is, though. Hey, let's wait here until he gets those sheep cleared of the brush and out onto the grass.
Look at that blamed dog go, Mr. Dillon, while he's doing more handling of them sheep than old Jeb is.
Yeah, he's taking good care of them, all right. Now let's go talk to Jeb.
Sure do wish we didn't have to, Mr. Dillon.
Ah, so do I, but we don't have much choice.
No, sir, we sure don't. But ain't it too bad, though, he's such a nice old fella.
Yeah, Jeb's all right.
Miss Barkers is a fine lady, too.
Chester, I like the family, too, and I'm just as sorry about this as you are.
Yes, Mr. Dillon.
Howdy there, Marshal. Kind of far apiece off the beaten path now, ain't you?
Yeah, I guess so, Jeb. How are you?
Fit, hail, and ready for any plague that heaven wants to send. Morning, Chester.
Morning, Mr. Barkers.
How do you like that flock of sheep, Marshal?
That looks like they wintered all right, doesn't it?
Yeah, wintered fine. Might be hungry right now, though. I reckon they'll be eating their heads off the next few days.
They asked me, they've already started to.
Well, I've been holding them back there in the brush for a week and a half until this grass dried off.
Put them on when it's muddy, and they'd just tromp it down without eating more than half of it.
Sheep's got no sense at all.
I guess not.
Well, that dog of yours sure got plenty of sense. He's about as close to human as I ever seen.
It may be better than some, Chester.
That dog would fight a cougar or a wolf pack to the kill them before he'd let them cut a single sheep out of the flock.
He'll always take care of his own, spawning him. Sheep dogs like that.
Well.
Uh, Jeb, is your boy Orland up here with you?
He might be down around the house.
And how will he stop by there?
Well, I don't know. I left before sunup this morning.
Your wife said Orland didn't come home last night.
No, Marshal, you know how young folks are.
Yeah, sure I know.
Orland's been kind of restless lately.
Growing pains, I reckon.
Wants to stay around, dodge, and work cattle this summer instead of going along when we take the sheep out onto the prairie.
Yeah, he'll settle down after a while.
You know where I might find him, Jeb?
Well, he ought to be home any time now.
Ordinarily, he ain't wanted, well, you know, wanted to stay out all night.
Tell me, Marshal, is this something official?
Yeah, I'm sorry, Jeb. It's trouble with the law.
Well, Orland ain't never been in no trouble. Not real trouble.
Well, he is now.
He was in town last night, Jeb, till near morning.
There was an argument over a poker game, and he shot Will Peterson.
No. Did he, did he kill him, Marshal?
Will was still alive when we left a ride out here.
Well, I don't hold none with gunfighting, but if Will Peterson drawed on my boy, he had a right to defend himself.
Will wasn't wearing a gun.
I don't believe it. Somebody's lying.
Yeah, maybe, but that's something the jury's gonna have to decide.
If thine own offend, deliver them not unto Canaan, for judge ye the false thereof in thine own tents.
The law doesn't look at it that way, Jeb.
Orland's one of my flock, Marshal.
I'm sorry, but I gotta take Orland in for trial, and the best advice you can tell him is to give himself up.
Marshal, I'll have to think about that and talk to him before I decide.
All right, you do that, Jeb.
But before you make any move, you'll regret just remember one thing.
Get out a sheepdog, Jeb, and the law's not a wolf pack.
Orland is charged with attempted murder.
And he's gonna stand trial.
Another visit with Joe and Daphne Forsyte.
Joe? Joe? Joe, stop reading that paper and talk to me.
I'm listening, go ahead.
Well, I was talking to Mrs. Snyder today.
You know, she's the one whose boy had 31% less cavities?
Uh-huh.
Well, she thinks that we should buy bigger savings bonds.
Uh-huh.
She says that when people can afford it, it makes more sense.
Oh, she says there are a lot of different denominations.
They start at $25, but then there are a 50, a 100, 200, and even $500 bonds.
Is that so?
And then with the ones we've already bought through the payroll savings plan, we'd have quite a nest egg.
Uh-huh.
Are you listening to me?
Uh-huh.
Did you know that the total accumulated compounded semi-annual interest of the Series E savings bond
will amount to 93 and a third percent of the original purchasing price?
Uh-huh.
I thought so.
Joe, what did I say?
Uh, you said that United States savings bonds are a safe, easy way of investing.
I did.
That they help guard our country's freedom.
And?
They're the best investment in America's future.
I said something else, too.
Oh, yeah.
You said that the total accumulated compounded semi-annual interest of the Series E savings bond
will amount to 93 and one third percent of the original purchase price.
Well, now how did you do that?
Husband's trade secret.
Matthew.
What?
It's me, Matthew.
Oh, how are you, Miles?
Um, have you been up to Doc's office?
Yeah, I was just coming from there.
Is, uh, Will Peterson...
He's still alive, Miles.
Uh-huh.
Doc's doing all he can for him.
Oh, it's a terrible thing, Matthew.
Will's a fine man, hard-working, wife and family.
Yeah, I know.
That's pretty tough on Jeb Barker, too.
He just couldn't believe a son of his would shoot a man down the way Orland did.
Miles, you were there last night, I mean at the poker game, weren't you?
Oh, I was.
Tell me, was there any excuse at all for what the boy did?
Will accused Orland of cheating with the cards, which she was doing as well as all of us with
the liquor sense knew he was.
And the lad knew that we knew.
Perhaps that's what made him so mad.
He's always been pretty touchy.
Well, before one of us knew what he was up to, he hauled out his gun and shot Will twice.
And then he ran out of the place hollering he'd killed any one of us that came after him.
If Will dies, that's cold-blooded murder, Matthew.
Nothing else but...
It sure sounds like it.
Well, I'll...
Hey, Matthew, I think there's something that you ought to know.
Oh, what?
There's talk around town that's been getting louder all day.
What kind of talk?
Well, some of them are saying that you're not making any effort to find that boy and bring him in.
And any of them think they could do a better job.
They might be there aiming to try, Matthew.
Yeah, I see.
Who's talking the loudest, Miles?
Well, Riff Kells, so mostly I reckon.
Yeah, sure.
Riff always gets real law-abiding when he thinks there's a chance of making it mob law.
Aye. Well, I thought maybe you ought to know about it.
I'm not much obliged to you, Miles.
Riff gets a bunch of drunken loafers around him.
There's no telling what he might do.
Mr. Gillan?
Yeah, what is it, Chester?
Old Jack Barker's over at Long Branch.
Oh?
He slipped in the back way. He says he wants to see you.
Ah, good.
Miles, let me know if anything serious gets started, will you?
Oh, I surely will, Matthew.
Is he by himself, Chester?
Well, I don't know for sure. He won't say nothing until he sees you.
Well, I hope he's brought the boy in. It'd be better all the way around if he has.
Well, how do you know Orlin even went home, Mr. Gillan?
Maybe he just hit the trail out of town.
Now I'm betting different, Chester. Orlin's not trail-wise.
He's never been away from home in his life.
He'd need a bedroll and grub and money.
He'd run out on that poker game without even picking up his winnings.
Hello, Matt. Chester.
Kitty.
How's Kitty?
Kitty, is Jeb Barker still here?
Yeah, back there in the corner below the stairway.
Oh, good.
Matt, have you caught the boy yet?
No, not yet.
What's it all about?
I'm not sure, Kitty, until I talk to Jeb.
Is Will Peterson still alive?
Yeah, so far he is.
You know, there's a lot of talk around here.
Yeah, I know. Miles McTaggars just telling me.
But talk never moved any mob, Kitty.
Yeah, it's moved mobs, though. Suppose Will dies, Matt.
Kitty, a man would go crazy on this job if he went around supposing things.
Just the same, it could mean trouble.
Forget it.
Well, I'm going over there and talk to Jeb.
All right, Matt.
Evening, Jeb.
I figured I ought to come and tell you, Marshall.
It was the only just thing to do.
Have you seen all of them?
Yeah, I've seen him.
Where is he?
Marshall, we've been friends for a long time, you and me.
I've got all the respect in the world for you,
but I reckon this time we're on opposite sides of the fence.
Oh?
Orlin ain't guilty. He told me all about it.
There was three of them jumped him just because he was winning,
and all three of them were armed.
He had to kill himself to fence.
The others tell it in a different way, Jeb.
Sly as they made up among themselves.
Execute justice and righteousness in the land the book says,
but they won't.
They're out to hang him.
I heard the talk around town tonight.
Judge Bent's an honest man, Jeb, and you know that.
Orlin will get a fair trial.
I'm sorry, Marshall.
He ain't going to trial.
All right, Jeb.
I've been laying back giving you a chance
because I figured it'd be better that way,
but I can't do it any longer.
You're making the biggest mistake of your life, Jeb.
Now you just think about it.
Is Will any better at all?
No.
Yeah, it's a thankless job, Matt Doctrine.
No matter what you do, people are going to die anyway some day,
but a lot of times you can try to make it later.
Yeah.
Hey, want some coffee, Matt?
Yeah, I guess so.
You know, it'd be a lucky thing for old Jeb and the boy
if Will does manage to pull through.
I found it, Matt, part of its old Jeb's fault.
He's really too close-herd on that youngin'.
Oh, thanks.
You never give him a chance to grow up.
Maybe you're right.
Matt, people are going to go right on
committing crimes and dying
no matter what you and I try to do about it.
So why don't we just give up?
I don't know, Doc. Why don't we?
Maybe I should just stick to my coroner's job
and forget the rest.
Yeah, and then all I have to do is tell if somebody's dead or not.
Mr. John?
Yeah, Chester?
Riff Kelso's coming down the street.
Got a mob of drunks with him.
He has, huh?
Doc, I'll see you later.
I'm going to arrest Arlen and jail him on an assault charge
before they really start something.
Oh, Matt?
What?
Wait.
Yeah?
Will is dead.
I'll bring Arlen in for murder.
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Here they come, Mr. Dillon. We've got quite a bunch with them.
They're barflies, mostly, and drifters going along for the show.
Keep your eye on Mike Ellery and Red Starter.
I'll handle Rip Kelso, the rest of them don't count.
All right, Chief.
You boys got something in mind?
More than you got, Marshal.
The way things look.
I suppose you'd tell me about it, Riff.
You think right, we'll tell you about it.
We're all friends of Will Peterson's.
We're all friends of Will Peterson's, Marshal.
We aim to see justice done.
That's fine, so do I.
Well, then why ain't you done nothing about it?
You had since last night to find that kid and bring him in.
What are you trying to do?
Let him get cleared out of the country?
He hasn't gone anyplace.
How do you know where he's gone?
You sure ain't spent no time out looking for him
and all the while Will laying up there dying.
You're wrong, Riff.
Will's already dead.
Dead?
You hear that, boys?
Will's already dead.
That murdering little rat shot Will down in cold blood
and the marshal ain't even bothered to go after him.
At least not till now.
Now that he's given that murderer plenty of time to get away.
You got any reason to figure out why I'd do that?
You're dang right I got a reason.
Everybody in town knows you and Jeb's been friends for years.
What I say is if there's gonna be law, there's gonna be law for everybody
and that goes for the marshal's friends, too.
Well, I'm glad to see you've changed your way of thinking, Riff.
So you and your boys are out to enforce the law tonight, is that it?
You're dang right, that's it.
We got the rope along to enforce it with.
If you ain't mad enough to do your duty, then we're gonna do it for you.
All right, Riff, shut up and listen.
All right, you two, shut up!
Because this is the last one and you're gonna get it.
While I've been marshal here, nobody's ever been strung up by a mob
and as long as I go on being marshal, nobody's ever gonna be.
Now is that clear?
You're bucking a pretty good-sized crowd here, ain't you?
Not as big as the law, Riff.
Might be we're aiming to change the law some, marshal.
And the law man right along with it.
Anybody who wants to apply for the job is welcome to put in his bid any time.
How about right now?
That's not the way to apply, Riff, not with a gun.
Are there any other candidates?
All right, then a couple of you carry him upstairs and get Dr. Patcham up.
He's not hurt bad.
And the rest of you get on about your business.
Now go on, move!
All right, Justin, let's go bring in Orland.
Ain't much sign of life around, Mr. Dillon.
There must be somebody here.
House is all dark.
Watch yourself, Justin.
Don't tell them what that crazy kid will do.
That's right.
Maybe old Jeb took the whole family and ran for it.
No, there's a horse and wagon tied by the barn there.
Well, I don't reckon they'd go off and leave a horse standing here, would they?
Who is it? Who's there?
It's Matt Dillon, Jeb. Are you alone?
I'm alone, Marshal. Come on up.
Jeb, I can't make it easy on you any longer.
Will Peterson died a little while ago.
I reckon I already know it, Marshal.
Somehow I just kind of felt it.
The charges murder now, Jeb. I've come for Orland.
Yeah, I know. Orland come running home, Marshal, scared half to death.
Just like he'd always done when he was a little shaver.
Begged me to help him and I listened to him and believed him.
He was lying, Jeb.
I was going to hide him, help him get away.
There are no places to hide.
Jeb, where is he?
Marshal, you told me that it was a lot more than just a wolf pack after the flock.
You told me I was making the biggest mistake of my life.
Jeb.
Now, wait a minute.
When I come back out from town tonight, Orland was fixing to leave on his own.
He broke into the box where we keep our savings.
Put in there $300.
And he hit his maw when she tried to stop him.
Hurt her pretty bad.
Where'd he go, Jeb?
I found him out in the barn, Marshal, saddling his horse.
He had some food and my rifle that he was aiming to take along.
I argued with him and he laughed and he said,
sure, Will Peterson wasn't wearing no gun.
I grabbed the rifle away from him and he knocked me down.
Then he drawed his gun and aimed it at me.
Aimed his gun at his own father.
Jeb, you're going to have to tell me where is he.
I was just fixing to drive into town, Marshal.
Orland's there in the back of the wagon.
I shot him dead.
Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman McDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The script was specially written for Gunsmoke by Les Crutchfield, with editorial supervision by John Meston.
The music was composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Sound patterns were by Ray Kemper and Bill James.
Featured in the cast were Parley Bayer as Chester, Howard McNeer as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
George Walsh speaking.
Join us again next week for another specially transcribed story on Gunsmoke.
This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.
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