 city and in the territory on west there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers and that's with a u.s. Marshall and the smell of gun smoke gun smoke starring William Conrad the story of the violence that moves west with young America the story of a man who moved with it Matt Dillon United States Marshall so matter you turn in yellow and get this over with cam why devil that's what he is that's why shut up take care of you in a minute nice you got anything against my hang on this murderer just don't devil them that's all get it over with I'll do it my way it's my brother a shot isn't it and in the back though it's maybe you'd like me to turn this bushwhacker loose is that it will ask him his name nobody's even asked him his name you'll hate this night all of you I was in on a lynching once and I swore I'd never be in on another well I guess the jokes on you isn't it fella look I hear you laugh again cam so help me I'll shoot you maybe you shouldn't be here I how can you hang a man you don't even know his name what do I care what his name is so long as he pays for murder and job what's your name fella what do you care you don't stop him you just want about your conscience that's all tell me your name it's Billy Staxman that's my name Billy Staxman how's it sound Billy why'd you kill Joe pal that's enough talk what difference it make he killed him and that's all I need to know yeah what do you care gonna hang me anyway right now Billy I I got a rifle I'll end it for you when we ride off you won't have this strangle from thanks mister thanks get back right I'm gonna slap that horse out from under him you ready that's for you that's concealed the hour of their death grant that we may pass our days in the practice of holiness and justice and then we may be able to quit this world in the peace of a good conscience amen may Joe pal rest in peace amen amen go ahead boys good morning camp I'm sorry to be here about Joe you're late for the burial Marshall well I was out at Fort Dodge last night just heard about it this morning uh preacher we are in the valley of the shadow of death Marshall Dylan well if you're all through here now I wonder if you'd read a few prayers over another man we got him in a grave just over the hill with another man man is born into trouble and the sparks fly upward Job 5 7 who was this man Marshall how did he die he was murdered last night I didn't hear about any murder outside of Job here where was this shooting Marshall it wasn't a shooting was a lynching I just buried my brother Marshall Billy Saxton shot him in the back aren't you using the word murder a little loose around here only the law can hang a man without it being murdered the law's too slow sometimes you know something about this all I say is that he shot my brother and he deserved hanging hanging maybe lynching is a different matter what difference it make he got what was coming to him he had a fair trial coming to him like any man for example cam I try to see that you get one what you're guilty of leading that lynch party I'll say it out Marshall you accusing me I got no evidence and you won't get me or isn't a man in the country will stand still for bush wagon Saxton got his due and that's that maybe all right come on preacher let's bury him who stole shed this man's blood by man shall his blood be shed Genesis night shake show with the grave Marshall why don't you just arrest cam Powell mr. Dylan hey he won't admit anything chest and I can't find a witness must be somebody who will talk cam's a bigger man than ever now with Job that the others don't want to cross him he owns a lot of land all right and Job also on the piece of the bank cam will get that now ranchers always need money so they won't talk yes and maybe they're ashamed too mr. Dylan yeah maybe I saw lynching once and not a man there could look in the eye for a long time afterwards you weren't in on it were you just oh my gracious no mr. Dylan I was just a small boy that was back in Waco they hung the cousin of mine there no why well sir it's kind of hard to explain he was about as honest to fellas I ever knew outside of some loose notions about other people's cattle but mr. Dylan I just don't believe that struck him as stealing why not well because there wasn't anything personal about it if you know what I mean well I don't but maybe you can explain it to me well sir just that there was all those cattle running loose on the planes and I guess they seem like a natural part of the landscape to him he figured anybody could own them your cousin wasn't very bright was he just I didn't know him well enough to say mr. Dylan but anyway they shouldn't have lynched him no no they shouldn't have and nobody's gonna get by with lynching around dodge if I have anything to do with it no sir I heard Billy Saxton was at the Texas trail last night maybe I can start there he sure must have hated Job to kill him like that mr. Dylan yeah I'll be back later Chester yes you're mr. Dylan hello I can remember when you'd give me a smile no matter that's right someone been bothering you you might put it that way well you last night Matt why weren't you around and Chester and I wrote out the foot dodge on business it was late so we slept there I thought this town could go one night without trouble you sure thought wrong didn't you you're upset about the lynchings that's it aren't you I heard Billy Saxton spent some time in here yesterday I hate men I think they're awful savage be be worse if it weren't for the law kitty now tell me about he could tell you himself Matt if you hadn't picked last night to wander out of town I'm sorry Matt he seemed like such a nice kid where was he from I never heard of him around here before the decoders somewhere it was just a cow puncher looking for a job no more a gunman than I am you can't be sure kitty he say he'd ever been in Texas the power came from Texas didn't make really Billy never mentioned Texas one way or the other what do you talk about horses mostly how you'd like to have a little spread the zone someday and a woman I see and it's nice about it he wasn't like these hard cases around here anything else camp how was in this morning told me not to talk about Billy especially to you know what you say I told him I'm not afraid of him but maybe you are so why didn't he warn you against talking to me I also told him if I was a man I'd kill him who else was an honor kitty I don't know one thing though right Stuart came in here last night must have been afterwards he sat over there in that corner and got drunk all by himself real drunk I'd like right no but maybe he was in on it and couldn't stand himself afterwards maybe that's why you had to get drunk I'll go see him anyone who was there would be in trouble too wouldn't they matter yeah I have a feeling cam really headed this thing and if I can prove it I'll have him up for murder I'll keep my ears open Matt thank you I think I'll write up to the Stuart ranch rice isn't a man who can lie it was much conviction good luck Matt yeah I'll see you later we'll return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment but first do you know how old the school building in your community is if it's over 25 years old the chances are that it's woefully inadequate to the present demands on it joined with the groups in your community working for better school conditions remember better schools build a stronger America now the second act of gun smoke that I'd like to find rice first anything wrong no I just like to talk to him rice come home real late last night he was awful drunk first time if you'll forgive me miss Stuart I better find him all right guess I'd rather rice told me about it himself must be something up campfire earlier hasn't been around in one word you say rice was ma'am hasn't strayed far from the house today he's coming in for coffee thinking drunk at gallon already well I'll be back for some myself alright I skipped to the house Marshall but I think it rather talkier miss Stuart already asked me and she hasn't heard about what happened in Dodge last night has she right no Marshall she hasn't how come you how come you didn't mention it to her when I tell my wife was my business Marshall that you know she's bound to hear about it later maybe she'll wonder why you didn't tell her right off and still my business she said campowl was here this morning anything wrong in that you don't feel very good today do you rice I got drunk yesterday last night I got drunker is that what's bothering you I'm not as young as I used to be so you're a poor liar rice I figured you would be yeah I suppose I look rice I've known you for four years and I've never heard a bad word against him but yesterday you were a little drunk and got mixed up in something you're ashamed of now campowl's threatened you if you talk about it isn't that right that's right Marshall or if you decided what you're gonna do about it I don't know Marshall I just don't know well then maybe I'm wrong about you maybe you know better than cam and the rest of the kids done with now Marshall I can't we just forget it but we just can't forget a lynching rice that would make it too easy for the next time I kill the man that starts another one why are you gonna let cam get by with this one by heaven I'm not I should have stopped it then I don't know what was wrong with me but I'll face up to it now what do you want to know Marshall where were you when Job got shot at the longhorn about six of us were having supper Job went down the street for some cigars and then we heard a shot out back and we run through the kitchen and found the cook outside old Billy Saxon he shot Job when he passed the street under the alley the cook see it she said he did then what happened and cam went crazy when he found Job was dead and I don't know Marshall but before I knew it we'd slip out of town with that boy cam hung him on that little tree about a half mile down the road yeah I know I cut him down that cook that hank something brother I remember he grabbed Saxon's gun when you were not back I can't get it off my mind nobody ever even looked at the boy's gun see if it had been fired cam just hung him on the cook's word for it all right right thank you would you be a witness if I need you I'll see you through now Marshall all the way I feel better already all right let's go get some of your wife's coffee rice and I got to get back to dodge it's good coffee Marshall quite hey hey where'd you get it what are you up to now Chester I sent St. Louis fortune I thought he'd be a good idea to make the hitching rail out back all white well what for well sir we might be in an awful big hurry some night in that all right Chester all right all right look I want you to go get cleaned up I want you to have supper at the longhorn tonight well I sure do thank you mr. no no no Chester I I want you to go there alone oh yes it's for a reason do you know the cook over there hank something or other that's Hank Ashford he's not a very good cook mr. Dylan how long he's been around oh by a week I don't think he likes cooking much he don't seem to be very willing either well it doesn't matter I doubt if he'll be around for a long why not sir I'm guessing that he'll be wanting to get out of dodge fast after you let it drop real casual like mine but I've ridden out to arrest Cam Powell is that so you're gonna bring Cam in tonight mr. Dylan no no you're just gonna make Hank Ashford think I am and don't let anyone else hear about it though I've got it you happen to know where Hank rooms the dodge house mr. Dylan that's pretty fancy for a cook in it yes all right you go to supper about six o'clock and I'm gambling that Hank Ashford will be packing his things at the dodge house by seven all right mr. Dylan all filled up Texans mostly oh that's fine what rooms Hank Ashford got there's 310 Marshall top of the stairs straight down the hall huh hey even up to anything to be in a mile of a hurry when he come in he's here now went upstairs just a couple minutes ago now something up Marshall leave that gun lay where it is mr. put it in my belt less likely to get you in trouble that way you're the Marshal agent you leave in town Hank yeah I am why I'm tired of cooking that's why you got Billy Saxton's gun up here Hank or shall I tear your stuff apart and find it myself oh it's in that drawer yeah but I wasn't that litchin Marshall I'm sure you weren't was clean I thought this gun killed Joe Bowell but yes I cleaned it that's all you're pretty neat Hank for a hash house cook yeah catches now what and you handle that gun pretty well too for a cook look at the way you hold on it now I don't want that gun what are you trying to prove more sure a gunfighter not a cook Hank all right Marshall I used to handle a gun but I'm looking for the peaceful life now any law against a man changing no but you're under arrest anyway what for I don't think of something let's go breakfast mr. Dillon that's too bad he says he won't be here long anyway they all say that don't they may be right I see camp howl coming across the street for him right now you're gonna let him go mr. Dillon yeah we'll see all right Marshall what's the bail on Hank Ashford there's no bail at all camp what do you mean no bail you can't hold a man like they're not holding him you mean he can leave any time and what you rest him for in the first place oh let's say a suspicion suspicion or what well drunkenness he wasn't drunk no but he might have got drunk you're pretty high-handed with that badge aren't you Dylan you tell me Cam you ought to know about being high-handed very wasting time turn them loose I want to get out of here I'll get him down thanks a right handyman to have a round I can what does that mean well he can cook probably turn his hand the most anything sort of a jack of all trades I wouldn't know Marshall thanks for bailing me out Cam I didn't have to be the odd you're free that right Marshall that's right Hank come on enjoy yourself yeah I sure will and I'll start by having a drink come on Cam let's see if the alf again so Dylan yeah you think Hank shot Joe Powell don't you know that it'd be my guess just and why'd you let him go no evidence they'd lynch the only witness but I've made him a little nervous now they'll get real jumpy with the help of some liquor well what good will that do sir they just might hang themselves just yes Joe with a prod or two from me you're still here gentlemen may I buy you a drink what are you doing here Marshall why do you want to buy us a drink yeah I don't like this let's get out of here wait a minute Hank I'm too big a man and dodged to get pushed around by any Marshall just watch it I have one drink before you leave gentlemen just here you can and for you thank you gentlemen here's the may he rest in peace Billy Saxon you looking for trouble Marshall you're the one who's got trouble Hank what do you mean you turned me loose yourself yeah I know but what about Cam here well you think Cam is gonna let you go after everything you've told me what you tell him Hank nothing he's lying I told him nothing what are you talking about Marshall just that I've got about all the evidence I need camp won't you ask Hank you can tell him go on Hank if you cross me I'll see you die for it you believe him do you well go ahead you didn't have the guts to shoot your brother yourself who you're gonna hide you last year shut me up shut me up man use your head you've got a son enough come already I have if you let me shoot that boy when he stumbled on me with all right but stop it rich Cam but you sure ain't smart I'm gonna kiss you well draw on me and I'll have two pals tomorrow all right hold it both of you we've heard enough Hank Marshall's heard all he needs you're done for now yeah well I shot a Marshall and Trinidad once but see why I can't shoot one a dog don't try it Hank why not Marshall good riddance you're under a rest camp and shot Joe Marshall's you heard him say so I heard him but I'm still interested in who murdered Billy Saxon and you're right back where you started Marshall seemed nobody knows about that lynching I know about it right store I'm not proud of it but I was there I witnessed the whole thing I'll take your gun now Cam I guess you win Marshall nobody wins this time can there may be the next time anybody gets an idea about lynching a man around here they'll think twice that you lead the way gun smoke under the direction of Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon US Marshall tonight's story was especially written for gun smoke by John Meston with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey featured in tonight's cast were Paul Dubov John Dana and Tom Tully with Joan Danton Ralph Moody and Lee Malar Farley bearish Chester and Georgia Ellis his kitty join us again next week as Matt Dillon US Marshall fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in gun smoke this is the CBS radio network