 around our city and in the territory on west there's just one way to handle the killers in the spoilers and that's with the u.s. marshal and the smell of gun smoke gun smoke starring william conrad story of the violence that moved west with young america story of a man who moved with it matt dillon united states marshal it's not going to but then there's another bottle of that right was now look at the fact that you just tell us once more about this stud colt you got up he's a good colt mister but uh... and a run in colt you tell me he can run some but the fastest thing in these parts are you you're making fun of me mister but you and your friends oh i don't know why you should think that out here in dodge we're all interested in good horse flesh especially when it's some sort of a fancy new breed quarter horse you call it uh... if you don't mind i'll be going now not yet mister that we'd all like to hear some more about your stock wouldn't we boy my grandson's waiting for me outside about those little old sort of colt of yours i understand he's new type horses you raise have rumped so high they look like they're going downhill i can't like to call this colt that way besides it ain't that he's sort of it's just that he's got no back his withers run right in his throat he's quarter horse and three quarters what else i guess this is all fun for you but you got no colt now boys i do believe that she's upset here let me pour you another drink no thanks i'll be going it just ain't sociable have a drink i said no mister butler drink it i'm old enough to be your father mister butler and i'll drink when i want and with who i want you wanna real go to paul this whole stinking bottle down your throat right butler that's enough even mister that you're your grandson's waiting outside in the buckport you better get along home thank you marshal thank you very much old full bragging in the quarter colt is so proud of well buy a drink marshal no thank you you just missed the fun we were having old that you're on about his stock he's not young anymore mister butler let me warn you about something sometime you may push him too far oh we were just her on him a bit we didn't do any harm that you're in his grandson or new out here you find your fun somewhere else but why don't you leave him be you know when you torment an old man like that it makes it cheap real cheap sit on that you could uh... buy me a drink if you wanted yeah sure send over a drink for miss kitty will you i have to drink alone usually my partner drinks with me and not tonight kitty you mad about something that now tired maybe sorry talking with that butler over there he say something is that you are yeah maybe that's it kitty i don't know i'll thanks that was a whole man that you're over there wasn't whenever he comes in here butler gets him started on this new breed of horse that just got is that what it was tonight yeah that's what it was happens every time it comes to town now he's an old man kitty there's no way you can fight back one that is not your worry you can't keep butler off his back anymore than i can they're like vultures circling a buffalo that's hurt just waiting for the time when he finally goes down the southern settle for a meal now i'm thirsty after all i think i will have that drink kitty sam chester if you'd run these papers over to mr. high tower another wanted poster on john eringo mister high towers waiting for him chester yes but john eringo is out in arizona he never comes back this way chester yes mr. dillen i'll take him right over is anything for me to do while i'm down to other in the plaza no nothing i know well then i'll just wait around on the depot a mr. dillen if it's all right morning trains do in from st louis in half hour all right marshal dillen uh... good morning mr. thatcher got a minute to spare i have a they were that yeah certainly come on in i'm mr. high towers waiting chester well sit on mr. thatcher first of all marshal i uh... i want to thank you for what you did last night over at the texas trade off butler in his crowd just had too much to drink and so maybe i did too once i started hard stop and i get to argue i'm too old to argue that way maybe you shouldn't go to the texas trade seems every time you do butler takes his pleasure riding him well it's that i wanted to talk to you about now we'll go on ed butlers always said he's got the best horses around dodge or anywhere else maybe it does mr. thatcher mine are better well i don't know anything about your stock marshal dillen ed butlers having breakfast right down the street at the dodge house i want you to walk down there with me oh look mr. thatcher i don't want to mix up in any personal problems between you and ed well this ain't completely personal marshal we'll save maybe in a way i come to you because i figured you're the one man in dodge with nothing to gain you'll be honest i got something here i want you to take it it's the the deed to my ranch why are you giving it to me i want you to hold that deed and come with me to meet ed butler i'm gonna challenge him to a grudge race my quarter cold against the best horse he's got you mean you're putting up your ranch on this race yes sir and i want you to hold the stakes look it's uh... it's no business of mine but you could lose your nose i don't figure i can mister thatcher you and your grandson have been over here from azura better than the year now now you know how these people are men such as butler and the rest there's nothing more fun than ragging somebody somebody who fights back but isn't too strong you're trying to lecture me marshal it's because you're new here that they're making it rough for you you just don't know the ways yet it's no good marshal look mr. thatcher you're putting up everything you got on this race now what makes you so sure you can win what's the special about the stud colt that you've raised uh... he's uh... a little special in most everywhere marshal his daddy was cold deck and his mother was the best mayor in missouri all i know why butler and the others laugh at him compared to some horses he looks like a bulldog beside a greyhound his head short and he carries it too low he's built too close to the ground bulging muscles and short legs but i'll tell you one thing he's just gone four and as he stands now he's the most horse west of saint louis there are some like him in texas now if i have any say one day quarter horses will be all over the west you know when a man gets to be my age marshal dillon he's got to stand behind what he believes and i believe in this little horse he's sleepy and he's quiet but he can unwind like lightning you've got a feel for horses haven't you mr. thatcher it ain't much of a man talks one way and thinks another will you walk with me down to the dodge house yeah i'll walk with him hello butler that's it and mr. thatcher here's asked that i hold the purse couldn't ask for anything more fair than that and your race by sure i'll race you named the day in the time i'll be there this afternoon then across the river good enough for me all right we'll make it at two o'clock i'll have dark atoms there to look over the horses they'll both be sounder they'll be no race is that a green that's good and they'll run the way they are shot or not shot mister thatcher suggested a distance of four hundred yards i try four hundred yards hardly worth running but i'm willing all right since you accept the match mr. butler you'd best to come to some agreement on the bed with mr. thatcher here what do you figure your ranch is everything on its worth that you how maybe four thousand dollars that's high for just five six hundred acres a few outbuildings in a couple of old milk cows output four thousand against your deed martial i'll give it to thank you you bring it over to your office now right if you have it there but no now by side that for me mr. thatcher well i don't know thank you i've seen a quarter mayor named bell run down galveston last july and i've seen thatcher's cold run little i'll take you side bet name it double that it's a bad good enough and it's eight hundred and i'll bet the quarter cold well now mr. thatcher seems jim bales you don't have no more sense in you well at least you're not alone all right then everything settled just one last thing gentlemen this is going to be a fair race no need to worry marshal in no reason to press my luck not against the job i use like that while you know right that's enough now come on mr. thatcher let's get out of here now why don't you go on home i'm going back to the office you think i'm just an old fool don't you yes mr. thatcher i do your head strong and your stubborn but uh... good luck to you this afternoon you know that they've been a horse races and died before a lot of times i've never seen one where so many people got concerned but the whole town's in on it everybody's betting one way or another yeah i know and i don't like it back well there's nothing wrong with that is now people i can excuse to celebrate and this afternoon they'll be whiskey running to help them whiskey and horses don't mix when there's money changing hands matt uh... are you worried about thatcher putting his ranch up on the race he could lose his ranch doctor well doesn't have a chance uh... i don't know i don't think so mister dylan yeah what is it just a whole whole lot of chest say i was down the bridge few minutes back watching for butler to take his horse across i wanted to know which one he was running and i didn't recognize the horse i thought probably be a sorrow but it wasn't it was a horse i ain't never seen before what horse is it just ed butler ain't putting in no cow pointy mr. dylan he's running a thoroughbred well he's got no chance at all now is that it man mister thatcher's betting everything he has on this quarter horse of his to beat a cow pony now butler's running a pure racing horse of thoroughbred well it's past one let's get over to the other side of the river we'll return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment but first tuesday night you have two dates for thrilling mystery on cbs radio ones with pam and jerry north the others with yours truly johnny dollar remember next tuesday and every tuesday and most of the same stations enjoy john london as yours truly johnny dollar and mister and mrs north both presented by cbs radio now the second act of gun smoke looks like half a dog is over here mr. dylan and maybe more than that uh... just to see if you can find that butler and old man thatcher and bring him over here i haven't seen this many people in one spot since last year when eddy four played the opera house kind of a fiesta isn't it yeah no way nobody would think it to look at you where's the finish line gonna be mad i want to see good i'll back up there about fifty yards go up and find me a place yeah okay yeah doc well i've looked over both horses they seem sound enough i don't get much call to check horses anymore uh... mostly is babies these days or maybe a gunshot wound doc uh... who's gonna ride for butler and thatcher you know butler's got hank thomas and i think that she's a grandson's going to write for him and i hope the boy knows what he's doing i think he does mad he's got spurs and a switch now that'll help see mad thatcher's getting all liquored up well that's his affair isn't it doc yeah but he's got a skin for you know how edgy he gets when he's that way i said just before and he should be along and the whole crowd seems kind of excited and nervy maybe i'll pick up some business out there uh... that's not funny doc miss dylan i found mr butler but i couldn't show where's thatcher oh i wouldn't know last time i saw him he was pouring down some red eye preparing for the loss maybe well mr hightower and doc here are gonna act as judges along with me chest are all far the starting gun it's all terrible fancy for just a whim of that old fool thatcher isn't it you may call me an old fool now but but it'll be different after the race they're drunk thatcher any law say a man can't win a horse race if he's drunk well what's the matter need courage to bring your horse out here to the flat all right stay out of it butler mr thatcher's your grandson all sudden yes sir marshal how about you butler we're ready all right then tell your writers to take their horses down to those two buck boards down there that'll be the starting line you thought you'd fool me didn't you butler bringing out that thoroughbred to run well i don't care i can still beat you you're talking an awful lot for a man ain't worried don't ride me butler i've had enough oh listen to me thatcher i put up with your chatter long enough why are you all right that's enough you just see to what you win thatcher i'll have your ranch and that colt you think so much of what did you say you heard me just make sure you win if you can what did you say about my colt what did you mean well if my bay mayor wins i get your ranch and everything on it that includes your colt no that isn't right well what about it marshal you're holding the purse and drawing up all the rules it seems what about it butler's right mr thatcher that's the way you made the bet you're no good butler no good at all i didn't make the bet all right both of you move your horses down to the starting line it's two o'clock hey move that bay down those lines well go on down mr thatcher yes sir yes chester you walk with them give them five minutes and then you can start them off five minutes yes mr delman really was right wasn't it thatcher's been drinking some yeah now come on doc we'll look up mr high you know that this is like a holiday like a fiesta yeah that's what kid he said who she's out here to uh... yeah well i guess maybe outside of mr thatcher the only person not enjoy himself is you do i have to enjoy it doc i'm sorry what's up mr delman yes mr thatcher he's been shocked shocked her where is it just right over there laying on the ground his boy is with me all right let me through let me through let me through here here now just a minute it's not not smooth looking doc i know where it is he's bad Matt what happened mr thatcher and now i won't see him run mr thatcher listen to me i'll never know for sure if my coat could what happened chester you were with him mr delin i don't know i was walking along not thinking anything particular thatcher and butler was up ahead and then thatcher drew on butler tried to shoot him i shot him if that's what you want to know marshal it was self defense marshal that's what it was mr delin it was drunk you saw that for yourself then he tried to kill me that's right marshal what it says is right that's the way it happened mr delin i suppose now that uh... that forfeits the race don't let marshal well you take care of get him into a wagon and back into town i'll see you back there oh sure man well you give me a hand here but what about that forfeit marshal you just can't wait till a man's call before you want his property can you oh it ain't that delin the race ain't forfeit i'll run it that's a thatcher boy mr delin come here son what's your name i'm launay thatcher i'm gonna ride granddaddy's colt well now look maybe i'm kin granddaddy was queer kinda but what he said about this cold is right and i'm riding him in the race yeah but with what's happened launay maybe we should put the race off will we'll run it sure but not today not now i'll agree to put it off granddaddy'd like it best this way we'll race they need a tear in his eye mr delin all right if that's the way you want it it's what i want all right then get on down to the starting line both of you go on chest i was looking for you marshal are we gonna have the race yeah that's a good thing you know there'd be a lot of people disappointed if it didn't come off and we wouldn't want that would we mr high tower how's that the killin's hardly enough to make the day complete is it now marshal i didn't mean anything wrong it's just yeah sure sure just forget it move on up to the finish line i'll get a couple of these writers to clear the lane all right mr delin you you're there would you write down toward the start make everybody move back all right everybody well will you get back please would you clear the lane please move back all you people there move back that's it so it's time marshal yeah what's chester waiting for it looks like the colts acting up i've never seen two different breeder horses run against each other and that colts kicking up a storm could make a good column for the paper maybe come on come on get a hold of him kid don't you think you make a good column marshal a quarter horse beat a thoroughbred now that is something to see and it's a new kind of horse knees bar well marshal you should be happy and because the boy won for that i am happy yeah well well i got no complaint marshal it was fair and square if you gentlemanly excuse me i want to get back to the office sure mr high tower marshal yeah look marshal about what happened this afternoon about thatcher i didn't really hold anything against the old man i'm sorry it happened i told you sometime you'd push him too far now he's dead well after all marshal he drew first now i'm not saying you're a murderer butler but you're small inside the only feeling i got for you is contempt you're responsible for the death of that man today and yet there's nothing i can do about it you're blaming me for everything it's not you i guess it's just people good day mr butler was looking for you where's Lonnie Thatcher kitty standing over there by his horse crying maybe you ought to talk to him matt i'm going to well he he doesn't want to see anybody some of us tried talking to him and he he just walked away i'll see you later hey boy you better walk that horse any horseman who knows he shouldn't be standing around after running like that yes sir all right four thousand dollars before you want to take it or shall i give it to banker hodgson i'll take it that might be better to leave it in the bank i said i'll take it thank you marshal don't Lonnie you uh you got any plans yes sir what i'm gonna do what my granddaddy always wanted to do i'm gonna raise horses like this stud coat i'm gonna breed him where you're gonna do this at your granddaddy's place yes sir that's a big spread for a boy to handle alone i'll manage how old are you Lonnie i got four thousand dollars to help me and i'm old enough to know my mind yeah i guess you are and you know something else marshal i understand these quarter horses just like your granddaddy did when men in these parts get sense enough to be interested in new stock and want good mounts with a fine way of going they can come and buy them from me Lonnie Thatcher yeah and if i'm any judge that may not take too long Lonnie thanks marshal don't the boys eyes were glistening as he turned and walked away leading his stud coat home most of the crowded left they'd gone back in the dodge to rerun the race over a drink or two and talk about this new kind of horse this stocky heavy muscled quick as lightning quarter horse that come to dodge and now it was getting darker because of some clouds building up over in the northwest and when i looked again the boy in his horse had almost vanished from the side gun smoke under the direction of norman mcdonnell stars william conrad as matt dillon us marshal the special music is composed and conducted by rex quarry featured in the cast were laurence dobkin and joe carne's with johnny mcgovern harry bartel and lou krugman parley bearish chester howard mcnear is docked and georgia ellis is kitty gun smoke is heard by our troops overseas through the facilities of the armed forces radio service join us again next week as matt dillon us marshal fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the west in gun smoke tomorrow night that great thespian jack benny attempts to show tyrone power how it should have been done playing the power role in his own version of the movie mississippi gambler also tomorrow night don't miss the latest laughs with eve arden as our miss brooks of mary madcap madison hot george wall speaking and remember edgar bergen and charlie mccarthy opened fire on your funny bones sunday nights on the cbs radio network