 That's the theme from the Sears Radio Theater. Tonight, a story of the West with Lorne Green as your host. Here's a preview. This town stinks of cattle. They say you get used to it. There's too many people that ain't healthy. Could be. I suppose you'd tend to march right into this bullhead saloon. Could be. It won't be no worse than a hundred to one. The Sears Radio Theater will begin after this message from your local station. This is Lorne Green in the spring of 1871. The Chisholm Trail was jammed with Texas cattle being driven north to the new Kansas railheads. The East was hungry for beef and willing to pay top dollar. Every Texan who could ride a horse was busy rounding up the vast herds of longhorns that had run wild across the state following the Civil War. Avaline Kansas opened the first railhead as soon as the Kansas Pacific tracks were down thanks to the vision of an enterprising young man named Joseph McCoy. Virtually overnight, the town grew from a stage depot into a boom town. Cattle herds were backed up for miles waiting shipment as literally millions of dollars changed hands. And with the herds sold and delivered, the cowboys were paid off and turned loose on the town. The saloons and dance halls and body houses were packed with Texans gamblers and drifters and violence was inevitable. Violence that came with the cattle trade shocked Avaline's respectable citizens. A growing population of farmers and businessmen was determined to see an end to the railhead. They formed a Farmers Protective Association and in the first meeting, they demanded action of the town's new mayor, Joseph McCoy, one of the men who had founded the cattle trade. All right, hold it down. This is a meeting not a lynching. Now give the mayor a chance to speak. There will be a few lynchings if something ain't done about these Texas cowboys. Joe McCoy faced those angry citizens knowing he was close to losing his shipping contract and everything he had struggled to build. He was desperate, but he had one last chance. If he could bring law and order to Avaline, he could still calm the growing opposition. Despite the fact that every marshal he had hired had either been run out of town or shot to death, he wasn't giving up. After sending inquiries all over the country, he found the sort of man he was looking for, a civil war hero, and a next army scout named James Butler Wild Bill Hickok. And that's how we begin our story, which for the most part actually happened. New adventure in radio listening, five nights of exceptional entertainment every week, brought to you in Elliott Lewis production of the Sears Radio Theater. Our story, Avaline, by Michael Angiolella and James Knott. Our star, John Daener. The Sears Radio Theater is brought to you by Sears Robuck and Company. Sears, where America shops for value. Had made his decision. He knew how to bring some semblance of order to Avaline. Now he had a set of wishes in motion. Let's hear what the mayor has to say. Thank you, Jake. I want to say right off the balls to be upset. Desiree has been too many drunken Texas boys firing pistols in the streets, too much fighting in the serums, and too much general disturbance of the PG. Here to assure everyone that I intend to see law and order maintained in Avaline. Well, what about the bulls, kid? We had two shootings in that hell house this week alone. They got crooked, fair old games in the back room and anybody complains they get beat up or shot. Yeah, that's right. These saloons cleaned up, starting with the bulls head. Nobody cleaned up the bulls head, and you know it. Yeah, well, you leave that to me. Yeah, you're going to arrest everybody. McDonald could run coal out of town. I'm a bookkeeper, Mr. Mayor. He's wearing a gun. Maybe he could help the devil. What is it, Charlie? There's a stranger looking for you. He's troubled to ever have seen it. What are you talking about? A tall fellow wearing a buckskin shirt. Looks like an army scout. He's got hair down to his shoulders and his two coat navy stuck butts forward in his belt. It's like to scare this table boy out of his brain here. Here, but I thought... I said brain here. Look, no need to. That's him coming in the door. I don't like to look to the fellow with him, either. Gentlemen, I am as concerned as you are about law and order. That's why I have hired a new marshal. Well, these Texans have been running marshal's out of town past a few higher amounts. Left for the last one. We've buried him. Well, more lawmen ain't the answer. We got a closed... Well, I could stand for a little less of that kind of business. Cost money to keep putting in new windows. One of these drunk cowboys shot my dog last week. Whoa, sorry to hear that. We've got new farmers moving in every day. Farmers are year-round business, and I can do without the cattle trade. Only one's making money off the cattle trade are saloon owners like Co. Don't forget the mayor here. He's got the shipping con. Those boys will turn feathering him. I don't think they'll tar and feather James Butler Hickok. He couldn't get re-elected sure at the Hays City. I already left town one step ahead of a lynch mark. Co. spit him out like a melon seed. Well, you can say that to his face. He's standing by the door there. Oh, I didn't mean nothing. Any comment, Bill? House ever run me out of town as we're being spit out. Mr. Hickok, these men are just shooting off steam because of what's happening in this town. I think the mayor here deserves another chance. We'll find out soon enough if our new marshal can calm things down. Anyone here against giving the mayor and his marshal a fair chance? He said about getting deputies in the only surroundings familiar and comfortable to him. Yeah, the 14 saloons in our little town, Bill, this one here, the Alamo, is the only one I care to drink in. Glass doors and brass fixtures. Just like Kansas City. Yeah, they even got a three-piece band that plays later on. I'm glad you could come, Bill. I'm sorry about that welcome. I'm used to it. This Sam Williams, an old friend of mine, thought I might need a deputy I could depend on. What I've seen, you need ten. Sam here keeps me looking on the bright side of things. Yeah, well, there's one other deputy, J.P. McDonald. Any good? Well, Brady tries to keep out of sight, but then someone has to sweep up and keep the paperwork. Just what we need. Well, if it was easy, I wouldn't be making you two the highest-paid lawman in the country. Yeah, just what are you paying us? $150 a month to the marshal, $100 for his top deputy, 25% of all fines collected. Make that 50%. He worth the bother for less. Well, it's agreed. Yeah, there's also two bits for every stray dog shot. I didn't come here to shoot no dog. Yeah, well, I don't want any shooting if it can be avoided. But at all costs, we must have law and order. Where do we start? Well, where the trouble is. The boat's hit the moon. You bring that one under control and the others will follow. What's so special about the bull's head? Oh, Billy, they run crooked pharaoh and poker games in a small back room. We've had several shootings, a few dozen fights because of it. So I closed down in the back room. Well, that would serve notice. There's only one problem. I figured. Well, a bull's head is run by a Texan named Cole, first named Phil. He won't like the idea of your closing down his back room. He's the one that's going to spit me out like a seed. Well, you know about him there. Well, not much. They say he lost his family in the war. Let it detach from the Texas cavalry or refuse to surrender. He took a whole lot down to Mexico to fight for Max Million. Seems he's partial to losing sides. He don't seem partial to surrender. He does have his problems. They call it progress. Well, you can have it. You tired of city life already? I hear Custer signing on scouts to help chase Cheyenne and Colorado. Now, if we left for Fort Hayes first thing... Forget it. This town stinks of cattle. They say you get used to it. There's too many people that ain't healthy. Could be. I suppose you'd tend to march right into this bull's head saloon. Could be. Won't be no worse than a hundred to one. Don't forget our other deputy. Oh, yeah, that changes everything. We'll take shotguns. I should have known you had it all worked out. I only got one question. What's that? How'd you talk me into this? Good pay. Good poker. And the best body houses this side of Kansas City. Oh, I knew there was a reason. It's a good pay, Sam. The best I ever made. Were I wild, Bill, I'd be shooting bottles in a circus and making double a pay. Well, you would. And there's your jail, Marshal. Ain't much, is it? Locked. Anyone in there? Open up. Locked out of your own jail. Open the door. Get away from that door. Open up before I kick it in. You doing our suit? Shame to get shot, breaking in your own jail. I'm the new Marshal. I don't pick that easily, partner. You J.P. McDonald? What if I am? Name's Hickok. I just came from McCoy. Either the mayor's paying you a fortune or you're a fool. No, thanks. Pull up a chair. This is Sam Williams. Oh, how do? You got any shotguns? I got two Remington double barrels. What do you got in mind? I've been hearing so much about this fella, Cole. I thought it was time we got acquainted. Well, you ain't going in the bullseye carrying a shotgun. No, sir. Oh, thank heavens. I figured you and Sam would carry the shotguns. No, hold on. Unless you've got other ideas of employment. Our last Marshal got himself killed trying to stand up to that bunch. And where were you at the time? Staying alive? Here's the shotguns. How about shells? In the drawer. We got enough ammunition here to blast the place to the ground. You don't... Phew, we never get past the door of the bull's head with shotguns. Coach, that guy... You got badges. It ain't safe to wear a badge on these streets. That's just asking to get shot at. That old box full of badges in the drawer. This is crazy. You in or out? I've been a deputy here for two years. You can't just throw me out. I'll see McCoy. Out then or out. And so the three of them set out. J.D., Sam, and Wildville, walking down the main street in Avalyne, right where everyone could see them wearing badges and carrying shotguns. Sounds like folks have a good time around here. We're just asking for trouble wearing these badges and carrying these shotguns. Just keep those barrels down. It'd be a shame you blew that farmer out of his wagon, J.P. Weren't my idea. I ain't used one of these scatterguns in five years. You keep waving around and I'll take back the shells. Marshal, here's cock. What we got here. That's Hank Wilson of the Avalyne Chronicle. Hey, watch out where you point that shotgun, J.P. Hey, uh... You mind if I ask you a few questions, Marshal? We got business. Oh, so I see. You're off to pull McCoy's fat out of the fire. Something like that. Well, we'll stroke a genius on the mayor's part, hiring you. With all that's been written about you in the newspapers, you looked on as something right out of James Fenimore Cooper. What's he talking about? Beats me. You're an honest to God American hero, Mr. Hickock. Distinguished war service. Amazing exploits against the hostiles. You should have seen the show he put on in Flatnose Cates last winter. Just one thing I don't understand. How is it you couldn't get re-elected sheriff of Hayes City last year? I didn't get enough votes. I heard it had something to do with your methods of law enforcement. You killed a number of men in Hayes. I ain't never shot a man that didn't ask for it. After you lost the election, one soldier seriously wounded another in a bar room brawl. Understand you left town one step ahead of a lynch mob. There was more to it than that. I hear General Sheridan posted a reward on you. That's a lie. You plan to use the same method of law enforcement here? I'll do what I was hired to do. In your case, I've heard it said there's a thin line between law man and hired killer. I've had enough of your damn full questions. We got business. So get... You can't order me around. You... You let go of my shirt. I got no time for you, Mr. Wilson. Now get out of my sight. You try that strong-armed stuff with Mr. Coe and see what happens. I can remember when you loved nothing better than to throw the bullet in his paper, man. Oh, Marshal, there just ain't no way to treat Hank Wilson. Come on, boys. We got business. That's the bull's head. Never thought I'd see the day I didn't care to visit a saloon. Watch those boys on the porch. Let's go. Hey, Slim! Do I see badges? Hey, looky boys. The town's hired them another Marshal. And that bet is... Must not be paying much. Two of them can't afford a barber. Hunters and them buckskins. Well, we have to smell them to be sure. Watch yourselves. Now, where do you think you were going, Marshal? Get out of my way. Pin the badge on the man and the first thing he does is start giving orders. I ask you to get out of my way. You take your deputies. And run along before we... Don't touch the pistols, boys. Now, he only got throat off the porch. The next man gets blowed off. You alright, Slim? Do I look alright? You ain't going to last long, Marshal. You got something in mind? No, not with them shotguns pointing up here. Oh, and here I thought you drovers were dumb as your steers. You go in that saloon. I'm going to enjoy watching you get carried out. Watch out, Marshal. He gets inside the door. He's got a scattergun of his own. I know one thing. Whatever we're making, it ain't enough. Come on. You can't just walk in here. I'll take that shotgun. I'll tell you will. There's another scattergun for you, JP. You in big trouble, mister. You're the one laying on the floor. Well, them badges don't mean nothing in here. We all know how to take care of all men. I figured he'd talk that tough with a broken jaw, Sam. I'd be curious to find out. Get up. I ain't gettin' up. Oh, looks like another smart one here. That's in the back room. Watch the door, JP. If this one tries to get up, fill his pants with buckshot. I got him. Come on, Sam. Step aside. Step aside. Clear the doorway. Come on. Clear the doorway. Come on. Get out of there. Looks like one dead Texan there. Yes, sir. He's dead. Two balls to his shirt pocket. All right. Now, somebody... somebody tell me what happened. This ain't any of your affair. I asked a question. The youngster here said I cheated. Got nasty about it. Old Epistle and I shot him. I suppose you got plenty of witnesses to say it was a fair fight. Everyone saw it. Couldn't be he was right about your cheating. You sayin' I cheat? I know a slick gambler when I see one. It's in the eyes. What's in the eyes? A look akin to a Weasel's. You ain't always gonna have a shotgun backing you up, Marshall. Won't make no difference to you. Why is that? Because you're on the noon train out of here tomorrow. What? You can't do that? Who are? Name is Hickok. Get out of my way. Now, what's going on in here? Come on in, Phil. Meet our new Marshal. McCoy's hired Wild Bill Hickok this time. I don't allow shotguns in here, Hickok. You don't seem to eject the shootings. He's trying to run me out of town, Phil. Ain't trying. I'm doin' it. Now, hold on. My dealers don't start fights. If they do, they're through here. This one is through now. I don't care who you are. You don't come in here and run off my dealers. Damler, if you're not on that train tomorrow, I'll come for you. You got my word on it. Do something, Phil. Hickok. Any town that takes in a few thousand hard-drinking drovers is bound to have some trouble. That's the way things are. There's been trouble at the Alamo and the Silver Spur and all the others. Good dealers is hard to come by. And I don't intend to have mine run off without cause. From what I hear, you've had more than your share of trouble in this back room. Something to do with fixed games, I'm told. Oh. Oh. Well, all right. You boys playin' here. Any complaints? All right, speak up now. Anybody got a complaint about my games? Phil Coulter. Fair man. Sure. He's all right. The dealer goes. We've had other fancy lawmen through here. There was a Pinkerton man last year. He caught a train back east after two days. There was Bear River Tom Smith. I was proud of an old man with his kind of guts. They had a real nice funeral for him. The dealer goes. You don't get the idea, do you, Hickok? I've got plenty of ideas. Another one is to close down this back room. What? I'm closing down your back room. That way you won't be needing a new dealer. Ain't it amazing how things worked themselves out? You ain't got the right. Sam here is holdin' all the right I need. Now, everybody out of here. What? This room is closed down. I will stand for this. You'll stand for it. You'll join your dealer on that train tomorrow. Yeah, well, we'll see about that. I reckon we will. Let's get out of here, Sam. You look a bit peek at JP. Oh, I should've known better than to get mixed up in these. Coe won't let it be. You were good in there, JP. I was? You were fine. Oh, I guess I wasn't that. JP's right about Coe, though. We got him backed into a corner and he don't strike me as a sort that runs from trouble. We'll find out soon enough. What would you do if you was Coe, Bill? I suppose I'd run me out of town. Well, there's one thing I noticed about Coe. What's that? It reminds me a lot of you. Hi, boys. Now, it looks to me like we got a problem. Well, we've had a lawman before. You handle them real well at the door, Red. And now Hickok was on me before I know what happened. I pay you to stay awake. Well, I didn't have me a chance, Phil. Maybe you'd be more comfortable at the door with a rocking chair and a pillar. Oh, and it won't happen again. If that wasn't enough, Frank here has to go and shoot a drover. He pulled a gun on me. Because you got careless. What do I have to do to get through to you dealers? I want the game dealt straight unless I say otherwise. We can't afford that kind of trouble. He was drunk. I didn't think you'd draw on me. I'm surrounded by idiots. That kind of trouble cost me money. And the next dealer to get into a gunfight is through working for me. Well, here's what we do. He drinks on the house tonight. We'll get these boys fired up with green whiskey and then I'll talk to him. Won't take much to get him riled up enough to run the Marshal right out of Abilene. Not with you leading him, Phil. If we can get enough of a mob after him, I think Hickok will run. They chased him out of Hayes City, I'm told. No reason why we can't do the same here. He's a good Southern boys and they got a natural dislike for Yankee Marshals. What if he don't run? Green again. And here's the concluding act of Abilene. It's 2000 head. We're running short of cattle cars. Well, I told those blackheads that the cancer specific that we've run short of cars by mid-season. Well, what are we going to do? That pack and firm in St. Louis expect to ship them to go out tomorrow. Well, it's in them black cars in the morning. Flat cars? What good of flat cars? Hire a crew to build signs. Now get it done first thing. Flat cars? I never... We got herds backed up to Mud Creek. We gotta move them. Oh, uh, Mayor, you're coming to Jake Burris and he don't look pleased. What's Wilson doing with him? Afternoon, Joe. Oh, Jack, thanks. You heard about the shooting? Sure. White shooting. Well, there's been another killing at the bull's head. That's right, Mayor, and that ain't the worst of it. There's more. You bet there's more. All right, now settle down, Hank. What is it? Well, he's got a right to be riled. Your marshal roughed him up this afternoon. Why? That ain't important. I don't take their being shoved around by the man that's supposed to represent the law in this town. I don't know what your marshal did at the bull's head, but he stared up a mob. There's talk of running him out of town tonight. Oh, my God. There's the chance you asked for. I don't understand how this could happen. It's the cattle trade, like always. And your new marshal is making things worse. We're calling the association together tonight at the church. I think we'll have enough votes to end the real hit. Oh, now, now, hold on. I'll have a special edition of the Chronicle out by tomorrow in support of them. You haven't got the votes? Yes. Well, we'll see how many votes they get after my paper comes out. All right, all right. But at least give me a chance to look into this, huh? I'll fire hit pockets, maybe. You've used up your chances, McCoy. Ain't much of a crowd, Bill. Yeah, I noticed. Here comes JP. He looks as happy as a whip dog. There's a mob brewing at the bull's head. I do believe he's shaking. You better try some of this rice, son. Thanks. We got big trouble. Co has given out free drinks to fire the boys up. No wonder this place is empty. You don't suppose Co'd let us in? This is serious. He means to see you run out tonight. So that's how it is, huh? Ain't anyone running me out. Just don't see no point to it. It's a matter of pride, JP. Ain't nobody going to run him out of another town. Oh, shut up and drink your rye. JP, you get to the window and keep an eye on the street. Oh, I don't like it. You see anything out there? Too dark to see much. Wait a minute. Here comes McCoy running like someone set fire to his breeches. Maybe he wants to give us a raise. Hey, Cock, you're fired. I'm what? I'm fired. You've only been here a few hours. How could you cause so much trouble? Good Lord, man, another shooting? There's nothing I could do about it. Yeah, and you got a mob threatening to tear this town apart. You're the one who asked for law and order. I didn't ask for a war. As I recall, you said to do whatever it took. At all costs. Well, the association is meeting tonight. You even got the chronicle swung over to their side. Hey, Cock, we can't afford any more trouble. There's something going on at the bull's head. The porch cleared off real sudden. Everyone went inside. More free drinks. You got to get out of town. You dealt this hand, Mayor. I'll be seeing it out. Talk some sense into him, Sam. Time for talk in his past. But the two of you can't stand up to a mob alone. Don't forget J.P. over there. Oh, there's got to be a way to stop this. Oh, maybe. Yeah, the farmers. What's that? The farmers are meeting at the church. Well, I don't see what farmers got to do with it. Well, they might help. These Texans won't start trouble if the town backs you up. Even Phil Cole won't stand up to that. What's on your mind? Sam, Sam, get over to the church. Talk to Jake Boris. Tell him we need all the good men he can get. Why don't you go? I'm not letting the marshal out of my sight after what's happened so far. Then what about J.P.? Oh, they wouldn't listen to J.P. What do you think, Phil? You're using my air. All right. I hope you know what you're doing, Mayor. That's how it'll add. I'll be back as quick as I can. You watch yourself, Bill. All right, listen here. Listen here. You all know we got a new marshal today. And a Yankee marshal at that. He's trying to run Frank out of town. All Frank did was defend himself in a fair fight. Most of you seen him rough up red at the door, and red was just doing his job. Hickok's got it in for southern boys, and he'll run this town like he pleases if we don't put a stop to it. Now, I got no quarrel with the law, and I don't intend to let a man make up his own. You with me? Yes! I'm heading for the Alamore to run this blue-bellied abalone. This here is a closed meeting, Deputy. We don't allow no shotguns in this church. I've got to see Jake Burroughs. Uh, Jack? Jake Burroughs, Deputy here wants to see you. What is it, Sam? I've got to talk to you. We need some help. What do you say? It's a mob. The Texans. They're up to the martial ain't they? And I've got to get back. Yeah. Well, come through the alley. By Henderson Store. It's quicker. We've got to see you out there, Hickok. Follow me out, Jake. What? I ain't going out there. Follow me out and move down the porch. I just want them to see that shot. I'm not firing into that crowd, no matter what. They'd hang me. I said to follow me. But I ain't firing. Where's Sam? Let's go. Looking for me, Cole? Well, we've come to see you out of town, Marshall. That'll be the day. Well, you can ride out or get carried out. Don't make no difference to me. And carry me out. You've got... Watch out, Hickok! Hickok shot Cole. He's... He's killing me. Feel. Feel. Hold it there. Hold it still, all of you. Next man touches the gun and gets a load of buck shot. Now, just hold it. There's a man coming out of the alley, Bill. Watch it. You've got a shotgun. You got him. I'll get you a scatty gun. Oh, my God. Bill, it's Sam! Damn it. It was dark. Don't you ever miss... Sam? No, but now... They'll close down the railhead. Shut up, Mayor! What? He's killed Sam. They'll close down the railhead. Come on! Get off the street! Come on! What? What? Move out! What are you all looking at? Come on! What's he doing? It looks like he's got business with the bull's head. Yep, there he goes. He's crazy! Just getting my things together. Is that your pack horse out there? It is. You believe him then? Yeah. Ain't the best morning to be traveling with the storm? I got a good slicker. I know how you must feel. Shut up, JP. Here, Bill. You keep this door locked. Here. Be seeing you, JP. Only town in Kansas to forsake the riches of the cattle trade to become a... Joe McCoy? With his chance at a fortune gone, he moved on and took a job counting cattle for the United States Census Bureau in Wichita. And what of Wild Bill? Well, his legend was secure. His exploits as an army scout during the Civil War and the Indian campaigns have not tarnished with time. He had served as a lawman in some of the most savage towns of the frontier. Yet isn't it ironic that the very characteristics for which he was needed, his skill with the revolver and his courage in the face of danger, were the very ones that in the end led to his banishment from civilized towns? Some say Wild Bill's spirit died that day in Abilene. He would create no more legends. He was shot in the back in the squalor of a ramshackle saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota in the summer of 1876. Here's Robock & Company, where our policy is satisfaction guaranteed for your money back, where America shops for value. Abilene was written by Michelangelo and James Knott. Produced and directed by Fletcher Markle. Your host was Lorne Green. Our star was John Daener. Also heard were Eddie Firestone, Tom Brown, Howard Kelver, Norman Alden, Carly Bear, Jack Carroll, Barney Phillips, and Lynn Berman. The music for Sears Radio Theater was composed and conducted by Nelson Riddle. This is Art Gilmore speaking. The Elliott Lewis production of Sears Radio Theater is a presentation of CVI.