 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 the US Marshal and the smell of gun smoke Starring William Conrad the story of the violence that moved west with young America The story of a man who moved with it Matt Dillon United States Marshal I'll take a look at this Huh? Wish you think it's prettiest Galices kitty not like those anyway. Oh Matt. Mr. Jonas ordered them all the way from New York We've got to encourage him. The store will never stock anything but beans and ammunition Well, I can use beans and ammunition, but I won't wear those. They're lovely You look nice in a pair of bright suspenders. Galices. All right. Galices You like the purple one? No But they're not as bad as those pink and orange ones but What is that they got stitched on them anyway chickens? They're silly. They're parrots. They're fancy, man. They sure are. I'll buy them for you. No, you won't. Please, Matt. Give them to Chester if you want or more his style than mine. All right, it will. You refuse to be elegant. I refuse If Chester has any sense, he will too or in those people who think he's a whiskey drummer or a barber. That beats looking like a buffalo, Hunter. Oh, you're looking for me, Chester? Yes, sir. Hello, Miss Kitty. Good morning, Chester. Mr. Dillon, there's a sergeant from Fort Dodge over at the office. Major Evans sent him in. Oh, what does he want? He says the major was Gracious alive. Look at them. Galices. My... What does he want, Chester? Eh, he says the major wants to talk to you. Oh, sure. Right away, he said Chicken. Well, where is the major? Hmm? The major. Oh, out at Fort Dodge again. Oh, Chester, you tell the sergeant I might write out sometime tomorrow if I'm not busy. Yes, sir. Well, it's only five miles, Matt. Might be important. I know, but I've dealt with Major Evans before, Kitty. Was there any mail this known, Chester? No, sir, not a thing. For three days now. Yeah, that much less trouble. Uh-oh. Here comes some trouble crossing the plaza. Now what? Major Evans. Huh? And I guess he really does want to see me. Sure looks like it. Good afternoon, Marshal. Well, how are you, Major? Don't you sit down. No, thanks. Oh, Major Evans? No, you know, Chester. Marshal, I sent sergeant Bowers after you this morning. Well, I was figuring on maybe writing out tomorrow, Major. I prefer not to wait another day. Oh, what's the trouble? Pawnee is erading again. I hadn't heard that. Now, that's an army matter. Except for one thing. Oh? They've been supplied with rifles, Marshal, and I'm convinced those rifles come out of Dodge. Why? Now, it's the closest source of supply, and I want you to stop it. Well, gladly stop it, Major. If it's true, we can find that out easily enough. How? We'll go over and see Mr. Jonas right across the street there. I'll be back shortly, Chester. Oh, okay. Come along. Who is this Jonas, Marshal? He's the only man in Dodge who sells rifles. Yeah, nice to see you. Anybody who's been buying lately, he'll know. Can he be trusted? I trust him. Well, somebody's been buying rifles here, and they might have paid this Jonas to keep it quiet. He isn't that kind of a man, Major. You're gonna buy something this time, Marshal? Well, I'm afraid not, Mr. Jonas, but I want you to meet Major Evans from Fort Dodge. How do you do, Major? Jonas? What can I do for you? We'd like to know if anybody's been buying rifles in quantity lately. Indian trouble, huh? Yeah, I told you, Marshal. Told him what? That you've been selling rifles to some gun smuggler. No, Major. I don't believe I have. How do you know whether you have or not? Anybody can walk in here. Sure, they can. But if I didn't know them, and they bought up a wagon load of rifles on the sudden, I'd tell the Marshal about it right off. The only men who've ever been in here are buffalo hunters, and they only buy two or three rifles at the most. Well, Major, those rifles are coming from Dodge somehow. I know they are. And I'll stop it if I have to search every wagon that leaves here. You mean you'd use soldiers for that? Yes. There'd be trouble. Sooner or later, they'd try to stop some hardhead who'd start shooting. Soldiers are trained to shoot back, Marshal. I don't want innocent men shot down for no reason at all. The four knees raided a ranch down on Crooked Creek just this morning, Marshal. 50 miles from here. They did. But how come nobody's heard about it? The man and the woman can't be moved, and their two boys were killed at once. The Cavalry Patrol found them this morning and sent a messenger to the fort. Well, why didn't you tell me this before? We've got to get docked out there. I'm on my way there myself. We'll give you an escort, Marshal. Good. If you can keep up with us. We will return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment. But first, there is a definite betting pattern that overtakes a community when the gamblers move in. Hear the facts, plain, unvarnished. In the words of those actually involved, tomorrow, when CBS Radio's hard-hitting Department of Public Affairs offers a full-hour documentary expose titled, The Gamblers. Remember, it's tomorrow on most of these same stations. Don Hollenbeck narrates, and the brazen facts speak for themselves. Now the second act of gun smoke. We rode hard, but it was nearly dawn when we reached what was left to the ranch on Crooked Creek. It had been burned, of course, and the stock destroyed. Half a dozen men of the Cavalry Patrol were standing on all night watch, while their Indian scout Taubeel slept peacefully in his blanket. The lieutenant in charge informed us that the man and the woman had both died soon after he dispatched his messenger to Fort Dodge. But Doc wanted to have a look at him anyway, so... Major Evans and Chester and I went to the fire. Had a cup of coffee. I don't know anything I'd rather have right now than this coffee. You ought to join the Army, Chester. The Army doesn't usually serve coffee all night, and I don't approve of this fire. Major, look at Taubeel over there. If he thought the Ponies would be back, he'd have put the fire out himself. So I'm to sleep. I suppose you're right, Marshal. After all, he's an Indian himself. He's a good scout, too. I've known Taubeel a long time. He's rather undisciplined. What valuable? How bad he is. On both counts. Oh, Doc. Well? All the usual things, Matt. And a few new ones. Uh, Chester. Get Doc some coffee, will you? Oh, sure. Scalp, nice bones. For a start, Major. Worse than that? How that man lived as long as he did. I don't know him. Savage devils. But I think the woman was unconscious during most of it. The man must have tried to kill her and only grazed her head. How do you know, Doc? Here's your coffee, Doc. Thank you, Chester. They grew across her head. It was too narrow for a rifle bullet, Matt. And I don't think those Ponies had pistols. No, but they certainly had rifles. Oh, that reminds me again. I dug a bullet out of a man, Matt. Oh, that's funny. What is? Oh, this is a .44 caliber. You don't see many of them anymore. Here, take a look, Major. Yes, I believe you're right. What do you make of it, Marshal? Major, I think I can find this gun smuggler. You do? Yeah. I'd like to borrow a Tobiel over there to help me. My scout? What for? Well, those Ponies have a day's start on us, but with Tobiel's help, I think I can catch up with them. Oh, no, no, no. I'm afraid that'll bring out the whole tribe. Now, I'll run this war party down myself as soon as their supply of arms is cut off. Well, there'll just be Tobiel and Chester in me, Major. It's the gun smuggler I'm after, not the Indians. And I'll go with you. Now, they'd spot a troop of cavalry. But three of us can get through the country without their knowing it if we have any luck at all. Just what do you have in mind, Marshal? I'll tell you later if it works. Well, I guess I can't stop them. No, you can't. Then I'll go without Tobiel if I have to. Yes, you would. All right, Marshal, take him. Thanks. I just hope you know what you're doing. Major, does a man ever know? For sure. For me right slow. They don't think we follow. Well, I just hope they don't find out Tobiel. Too bad they find out. Maybe thirty for me war party. They kill us very easy. Now, we better breathe our horses a little. Let's stop here. Well, that wasn't army. I'd feel a whole lot safer. Marshal. Why we, why we follow Bonny? Yeah, I'd feel better if I knew myself. Maybe. Well, I'll tell you. First of all, that was a 44 caliber bullet dock found in that rancher's body. Only Henry rifle shoot 44. Yeah, that's right, Tobiel. My, I ain't seen a 44 Henry since I can remember. Now, most of the Buffalo hunters around here use a 45. Or if they use a Sharps or a Remington, that's a 50. You just don't see many 44s. Army, they have all Springfield 45. Yeah, but somebody's cornered a bunch of them Henry 44s and sold them to the Ponies. Have you figured? Yeah, that's right, Chester. But whoever it is, didn't think far enough ahead. What do you mean? Well, he sold his rifles all right, but his customers are going to have to come back to him for ammunition. I can't get it anyplace else. And the market sold his. Sounds to me like he's created a pretty good business. Yeah, too good. Now those Ponies will be looking for him. And him alone. Marshal, right. Most Indians only need rifles. Steel ammunition all over. One place, other place. Four knee, no fine 44 bullets, no place. Sir, they'll go back to this man. They have to find him. And if we can keep on their trail long enough, we'll just naturally find him too. Thirty four knee on one pat, all armed with good rifles. Maybe find us before we find them. Yeah. I guess it could work both ways. Well, nobody's going to find anybody if we sit here. All right, let's get moving. The Pony Trail led south on a straight line. So they knew exactly where they were going. We followed them for two days. And on the third, Tobiel informed us that the war party had been joined by another one of about equal strength. A band of Indians this large had protected itself with a ring of scouts. So we were forced to drop back and follow them more slowly. And then they turned to the east. And on the fourth day, we began to wonder if we were wrong about their trying to find a gun smuggler. Maybe they were just going to lose themselves in Oklahoma territory. Eight country marshals. Pony may be blow apart like sand. You mean they might separate and wait a while before we're raiding back into Kansas? Sometimes do. Mr. Dillon, look, the hunter comes to ride it. What? White man. Cowboy. Yeah. He's riding pretty hard. Ride like a man afraid. Yeah, let's wait here for him. Oh, why? If you men are smart, we'll turn around and ride. This country's alive with Pony. You see any? If I had, I probably wouldn't be here to tell you about it. But I've seen plenty of sign. And the worst kind of sign, too. Oh, what do you mean? They had a powwow of some sort about 20 miles back from me, Mr. They left a white man there. How? Was he dead? Just about. Did you talk to him? I talked to him. But he didn't have much to say, not with no tongue. You left him there? That's not all they're done to him. But he could still use one hand. I give him my six-gun. Oh, I see. It's a funny thing, though. There was wagon tracks leading into that camp and leading out of it, too. Can't figure it know how. Pony won't probably no keep wagon, Marshall. Marshall? You're chasing them engines? No. It's the wagon we're after. And whoever's driving it. Well, you're a business, Marshall. But I'm riding all the way to Dodge, and I'm going to stay there. Maybe we'll see you when we get back. I'll be there. But I wouldn't gamble on seeing you. So long. So long. What do you make of it, Mr. Dillon? As Taubeel says that a Pony's wouldn't fool around with a wagon. There must have been more than one white man. We find wagon, I think, maybe five, six are. Yeah, but it'll be dark soon. Taubeel track wagon and duck. They're going to have to move fast to be out of this country by daylight. We move. That's the wagon. We'll only see one man there, Taubeel. One man. Big fire. Full white man fire. We crawl close enough. Let's stop here. There. Russia, Mr. Dillon? If he starts shooting, Chester, we'll have the Pony's down on us. We're going to have to go. Wait for sleep. Taubeel. Crawl up. Cut throat. No. No, Taubeel. I got to be sure this is the right man. Yeah, but how are you going to find out? Bluff him. Look, Chester. You and Taubeel stay here. I'm going to walk up to that fire. You're taking an awful chance, Mr. Dillon. Thanks. Stop where you are. Get your hands up. No. I'll kill you. And my friends out there will kill you. What friend? Put your gun away, Mr. You haven't got a chance. Who are you anyway? What are you doing here? Put up your gun. They might get nervous. How do I know anybody's out there? All right, then shoot. You'll find out. Well, go ahead. You must be crazy. All right, I'll put it up. All right, now tell me about you and the poor knees. Poor knees? What are you talking about? I want to know where you got those rifles, your soldier. Those Henry-44s. You're a long man. Don't try it, Mr. You can't outdraw me. Maybe not. But I can sure bring them Indians down on you fast. I'm going to kill you. Why not? But I can sure bring them Indians down on you fast. Bet you won't live to see them. I won't hang. You won't hang. You'll get about ten years in prison. It's not enough, but that's all you'll get. But are you a sheriff or something? A U.S. Marshal. No Marshal, all I gotta do is shoot or make you shoot. And then poor knees will take care of the rest. So... I'll make you deal. I don't make deals, Mr. But you have to make this one if you want to live. Because I've decided I'd just as soon die right here. I've spent ten years in prison. What about your partner? A partner. You know everything, don't you? How just about? You can't touch him. He's with the Parnese. They keep him as sort of a hostage till I get back from Tuscosa with more ammunition. You buy the rifles in Tuscosa? Sure. But then Indians is kind of mad about not finding four-to-four caliber bullets real handy. We foxed him good. You're not very bright, Mr. How do you suppose I know about your partner? How did you? We found him where you met the Parnese. He was dead. Dead? Yeah. You want me to tell you about it? What's that to tell? They got mad and killed him. He died slow, Mr. Real slow. They tortured him. That's right. He wasn't very pretty when we found him. I don't want to hear about it. He was your partner. Might happen that you did. I said I don't want to hear about it. Well, I'm going to tell you about it anyway. First of all, they cut it. No, don't tell me. I can't stand that. I hate that. All right, then listen to me. If you start shooting, I'm not going to kill you and either of my friends. But the Parnese will come and they'll think you tried to fool them. They'll do worse things to you than they did to him. I couldn't go through that. I've seen what they do. All right, give me your gun. Come on. Take it. I don't care what happened as long as they don't get me. All right. I'll go get your horse, Mr. and hurry. And none of us will get out of here. Gun smoke under the direction of Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall. Tonight's story was specially written for gun smoke by John Meston with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Featured in the cast were John Daener, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Bartel, Barney Phillips and Jack Edwards. Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNeer is Doc and Georgia Ellis is Kitty. Gun smoke has been selected by the Armed Forces Radio Service to be heard by our troops overseas. Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in gun smoke. King Tierney recreates one of her most famous screen roles in the Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of Laura this Monday night on CBS Radio. You will want to hear again this gripping story of a detective who falls in love with the girl whose murder he's trying to solve. Gene Tierney and Laura on the Lux Radio Theatre this Monday night on most of these same stations. George Walsh speaking, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill Suspense is also heard Monday evenings on the CBS Radio Network.