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 US 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, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they
want to meet.
It's a chance a job and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
There's a little dab of coffee left, Mr. Dillon, would you like me to pour you a cup?
No, no thanks, Chester, not this time of night.
Besides, that stuff's practically boiled solid by now, isn't it?
Well, no, that's when I like it the best.
After a good day of something there stewing away, it gives a man a lot of vinegar.
Yeah, well, I'd rather get some sleep, so I'll see you in the morning, Chester.
All right, Mr. Dillon, I'll walk up right after I finish this coffee.
All right.
Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, we'd better take a look, come on.
Oh, John, you know, I should have known it was too quiet around here tonight.
Wait a minute.
You recognize them, Chester?
No, sir, I didn't.
The dark and all, I seen there's two of them, no?
Yeah, well, they left one behind.
Behind?
Down there on the street.
My graciousness, John, you think that's what them shots was?
You'll know in a minute.
Now let's turn him over.
He's breathing.
Straight alcohol.
Does that smell like bad whiskey?
Does it hurt?
I don't think so, Chester, he hasn't been shot anyway.
You think he was with them other two that rode out of town?
I don't know.
Maybe we better put him in the car.
I don't know.
Maybe we better put him away for tonight so we can ask him in the morning.
All right, I'll take them breakfast things.
Go ahead.
You didn't do much eating.
It ain't fit for feeding hogs.
All right, now you just hold on there.
I cooked that up myself.
I wouldn't brag on it none.
Well, sleeping it off sure ain't helped your disposition, then I'll say that for you.
I've been cooking up the food around here ever since before you...
Just get it out of here.
Well.
Ain't good enough for anybody.
What'd he say?
Oh, ain't too good enough for anybody.
That's what he said.
That's trouble, Chester.
Oh, well, it ain't exactly trouble, Mr. Dumb, but that prisoner says my food ain't good
enough for him.
Nerf her hogs.
He probably doesn't feel very good, Chester, not after all that whiskey you drank last night.
Anyway, you can't suit everybody, especially with that food.
Well, now, my cooking ain't all that bad.
I'll just set these things out front, Mr. Dumb.
If it's all right, you all, be back and wash them up in a little bit.
Oh, where you going?
Well, I thought I might go get me some breakfast over to Delmonico's.
To tell you the truth, that stuff I cooked this morning ain't fit for hogs.
I'm looking for the Marshal.
He's Marshal Dumb.
Come on in, mister.
What can I do for you?
You got my boy locked up here?
Oh, who are you?
Name is Josiah Crandall.
Yeah, he's locked up.
Crandall don't belong in jail.
Well, we're not particular around here, Mr. Crandall.
How's that?
We don't care what a man's name is.
What'd he do?
He found him lying on the street last night.
We dragged him here.
He hurt?
No.
You catch him in the act of violence?
No, he was too far gone for that.
Then you ain't got no case against him.
Look, Mr. Crandall, I know the law.
I also know that any time a man is lying dead drunk in the streets of Dodge, I got a right
to lock him up, whatever his name is.
I ain't come here to argue your rights, Marshal.
Then suppose you told me what you did come for.
You find out what he done.
You fetch him home when you're through with him.
Keep him away from this place.
It's full of trouble and violence.
He's a grown man, Mr. Crandall.
Might be hard to do.
I'll do it.
Well, he's almighty sure.
Listen to me, Marshal.
I spent the last years of my life making sure his two brothers died of violence, one in
the war, one in the bar room.
How?
I packed up and brung this boy west when he was little.
I wanted him to grow up peaceful.
I ain't aiming to let him get away again.
I'll keep him out of town, Marshal.
Don't you worry none about that.
You figure to hold a pretty tight rein on him, huh?
If I do, that's my affair.
Yeah, I guess it is.
All right, I'll let him out, Mr. Crandall.
His son hasn't done anything to make me keep him here any longer.
He won't be coming back.
Well, I'll be here, Mr. Crandall, just in case he does.
And Kitty, whatever happened to that funny little whiskey drummer?
Let me see now, what was his name?
Hank Willett?
That's it, yeah.
I told him to try and peddle that bad whiskey at the other place if he nods.
We have enough trouble in the Long Branch when we sell good stuff.
Well, the last decent whiskey I drank was the day Lincoln died, and it sure didn't come
from behind that bar.
Well, if you hate the Long Branch so much, Doc, I don't see why you spend so much time
on it.
Kitty, Kitty, he doesn't mind it a bit.
He's just an old honorary grouch, and he's got to complain about something.
If it wasn't the whiskey, it would be the heat.
If it wasn't the heat, it would be flies.
Yeah, flies.
Well, I'll tell you one thing for sure about that.
There's nothing bigger and meaner than a Kansas bullfly.
How about another beer, Doc?
It might make you feel better.
No, no, no.
I've had my siesta for the day.
I've got things to do.
I can't sit around all day.
Are you coming, Matt?
No, Doc.
I think I'll stay here for a little while.
Oh, enforcing the law in the Long Branch, you know, Doc.
Yeah, something like that.
Some people have work to do for a living.
So, I'll see you later, Kitty.
Goodbye, Doc.
So long, Doc.
You know, it wouldn't hurt him to sit around and waste time for a while.
I guess it wouldn't, Kitty.
Doc works awful hard.
He gets mighty little forks.
Yeah.
Well, I guess I'll go over and get that beer.
You want one?
No, thanks, Matt.
I'll be right back, then.
Hey, Kitty.
Yeah?
That young fellow that just come in.
Bob Crimm?
Does he come in here often?
No, he doesn't.
It's the first time I've seen him in a couple of weeks.
I think I better have a talk with him.
Excuse me.
Sure.
Hello, Rob.
I ain't breaking no law, Marshall.
No, you're not.
I'd just like to talk to you.
What about?
Does your father know you're here?
What if he don't?
Well, you may be in for trouble.
Listen, Marshall.
A man's got a right to find out about trouble for himself.
Anyway, it don't make no difference.
What do you mean?
Ain't nothing I can do the old man don't think of as trouble.
He don't want me off the place.
He don't want me where he can't see me.
He don't want me to do nothing.
Well, maybe he thinks this is a way to keep you alive.
This ain't being alive.
Not much it ain't.
Yeah.
Well, if I were you, Rob...
You ain't me, Marshall.
And I ain't gonna stay here and listen to no lectures.
I'm getting out of here.
Well, it's your business.
It sure don't seem like it.
Well, now, what do you look at that for?
Here he comes, big as life.
The boy who wanted to ride with us.
Don't look like a knight in jail.
He'll hurt him, doesn't he?
You mind if we walk along with you, kid?
You can do what you want.
Why, that ain't very friendly.
They're not even giving us the time of day.
Maybe he ain't got nothing to say.
At least he might just tell us about that trouble he got in the other night.
Never mind about that.
Maybe he saw us late because we rode out on him that way.
Yeah, maybe that's it.
Well, I tell you, kid, there's times when you just got to get moving.
You wasn't exactly able to move now, was you?
I ain't complaining.
That's nice. That's real nice.
Just for that, I'm gonna give you an invite to another little ruckus we got planned.
Yeah, kid, you come along on this one, you really feel grown up.
I ain't riding with you.
What's the matter, boy? You scared of going to jail again?
I ain't scared.
I just ain't riding, that's all. You can quit following me.
Listen, Ed...
No, never mind, Joe. You let him go.
A papa's boy like Kim, you can't count on him for nothing.
Go on. Get out of here.
Sure, kid.
You change your mind, though, you get tired of listening to papa.
You know where we are.
After all, boys, you gotta grow up sometime.
No need trying to walk a light, boy, I hear you.
I ain't trying, pa. I know you'd be waiting.
Where you been?
I been to town, to Dodge City.
Had me a drink of beer and a drink of whiskey, and then I come home.
You weren't to go.
I know, pa.
A town of sin and violence.
I know, pa.
A town of sin and violence.
You wasn't to go.
Pa, I'm full-grown. You're still my son.
A man's gotta find out things for himself.
If I'd have known a little more, I wouldn't have got into jail at last time.
I gotta learn things.
The way your brother's learned?
Oh, I know that ain't never stop rankling you, pa.
What happened to Jess and Ab.
But it ain't gonna happen to me.
It's the gospel. It ain't gonna happen to you.
I ain't gonna let it happen.
I've brought you out here to grow up in peaceful ways.
I ain't gonna see you start off in the ways of Iowa.
I ain't done nothing wrong, pa.
I ain't aiming to do nothing wrong.
Touch me that whip.
But I ain't gonna stay hog-tied to this place, neither.
Touch me that whip.
Now, you listen here, pa.
Touch me the whip off the wall.
I ain't gonna touch it, pa. Not no more.
All right, then. I'll get it myself.
Now, don't you use that, pa.
Some lessons are hard learned.
I ain't a little boy no more.
Put it down, pa.
You stay on the place.
Give it to me.
Hand me back that whip.
I ain't handing it back.
As long as you're my son, as long as you live under my roof.
Seems like I got a choice, pa.
I can wrestle you for the whip every time I come home or I can walk.
You ain't to leave.
I'm leaving.
And I ain't coming home to no more whippings.
I ain't coming home at all.
Marshal.
Marshal Villain.
Marshal, I gotta see you.
I'm coming in.
What are you doing here this time of night, Colonel?
What's the trouble?
I gotta see you.
All right, come on inside.
Now, what's the matter?
I come to tell you something.
Oh, you weren't too anxious to talk to me the other day at the long branch.
I know, Marshal. But I gotta tell you this.
All right, then. Tell me.
It's about the morning stage.
There's a gold shipment.
Oh, what about it?
It's gonna be held up out at Ryder's Corner.
Oh. How do you know about it?
I was with them.
Lake Burns and Joe York.
They were planning it out at their shack.
And what were you doing there?
I walked out on my old man last week.
He whipped me.
But I didn't mean to walk into nothing like this.
Burns and the Orcas.
Why would they take you in on a job?
Well, I was supposed to stand the lookout.
But I didn't bargain for nothing like that.
Uh-huh. So you're writing to tell me about it instead, huh?
It's the truth. I swear it's the truth.
It's kind of hard to believe that they'd let you get away if you knew so much.
They're out there with a jug and they're drinking pretty hard.
They ain't gonna know I was gone.
Rob, you willing to write out there with me in the morning?
Show me the plan.
I'm willing, Marshal.
All right. Maybe you are telling the truth.
Just to be sure that nothing goes wrong, I'm gonna keep you here tonight.
In jail?
Yeah, in jail.
Well, that's all right with me, Marshal.
Tell me something, Rob.
What?
What made you change your mind?
What made you decide not to look for trouble after all?
Oh, I ain't strictly against trouble, Marshal, but I ain't got nothing against those folks on that stage.
I ain't for somebody getting hurt.
I guess I ain't for violence anymore than my old man is.
Yeah.
All right, Condole, you remember where the cells are.
You'll stay there until morning.
Now start walking.
Music
Right up here, boys.
Prep me having you lying back there.
I'm lagging.
Leave him alone, Chester. He's writing all right.
Well, I'd feel a bit more comfortable if we just left him back in jail.
He can help us.
All right, for sure.
Rob?
Yeah?
The writer's corners are just beyond that next rise up there.
Yes, sir.
That burns in York. We're gonna come down the west road, is that it?
That's right, Marshal.
They're gonna hide behind them big rocks, one on one side and one on the other.
All right, Chester, you go ahead and watch from across the road over there.
Yes, sir.
I'll take the boy with me.
You think them fellas is out there yet?
I don't know.
Shouldn't take long to find out, and I'll get going.
Yes, sir.
Come on, Rob, we'll head for the rocks on this side.
All right, Marshal.
When we get there, you'll take my rifle, huh?
Yes, sir.
You know how to use it?
I'm a good shot, Marshal.
Only...
Only what?
I ain't never shot at a man before.
Well, maybe you won't have to.
All right, we'll leave the horses here.
Here. Here's the rifle.
I'm going up on that rock. You stay close behind me and stay low.
Yes, sir.
Here, up this side.
All right, get out.
Yeah, we can see the road from this ledge here.
Well, they should be coming down that way.
You better hope you're telling the truth, son.
I am, Marshal, I swear.
We'll see soon enough.
Up there, there's horses.
Yeah, you watch them until you're sure those are the men.
Then I want you to get down and stay down, you understand?
I understand.
All right.
I ain't quite close enough yet.
Yeah, Marshal, that's them, that's them.
All right, I'm going to climb down to the road, but you stay here.
I'll come with you.
I said for you to stay here, Rob, now don't you give me any trouble.
All right, Marshal.
York, Burns, Pullup, stay right where you are, you're covered.
Who are you?
Dylan.
Get your hands up.
That's it. Now you sit real still.
Yes, sir.
You go on out and get their guns, but come easy.
We've been told out.
Excuse me.
That puppet boy done it.
Told the Marshal.
There he is.
Sitting up on them rocks like a right punk.
Head on, Climbo.
You're rocking a little speed.
Take it easy.
Up, you idiot.
Don't you try it.
Mr. Dylan, you all right?
Yeah, sir, I'm all right.
You got him.
Both of them.
Come on, Trouty.
I'm going to get you.
You got him, both of them.
Come on, Tressa.
I won't give you any time.
All right, come on. We better get him in the dark.
Music
Go out here, Chester.
Yeah, I'll go.
Just a minute, Mr. Dillon. I'll help you.
No, never mind, Chester. I'll take him.
Marshal, is that you?
Marshal?
I brought Rob home, Mr. Randall.
He lying drunk again?
No, he's a drunk.
He hurt? Bad hurt?
He's dead.
Bring him in.
Put him down on the bed.
The doctor did everything he could.
He was shot?
Yeah.
No doctor can do anything about violence.
I'd like to tell you how it happened.
No use, Marshal. No use.
My boy's dead.
My third boy.
But you might feel better about it if you knew.
I had three sons.
They all sought violence.
This one didn't. He tried to stop it.
He died by it?
Yes, Mr. Randall, he did.
But he died because he was trying to keep people from getting hurt.
He died trying to stop a stage holdup.
All I wanted was to bring him up to think in the ways of peace.
All I wanted was to keep him from wanting to mix and the world at trouble.
Mr. Randall, he just wanted to mix and the world.
The world is wicked.
And full of violence.
Not all the world, Mr. Randall.
If I had a son who risked his life to save others, I'd find it in my heart to be proud.
Even if he was my last son.
Music
Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman MacDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Marion Clark,
with editorial supervision by John Messon.
Created in the cast were Sam Edwards, Ralph Moody, Ken Link, and Barney Phillips.
Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gunsmoke.
Music