 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 guns smoke 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 the 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. I swear I never seen the likes of it. Well it's a matter of chester. Well Boone Wilson won't leave yourself. I opened the door and he won't budge out of there. Did you tell him I was releasing him today? Yes sir I did but he claims he wants to stay. Well he even asked me what I was fixing for dinner. What was him do? Yeah the trains and you going down get the mail I'll have it. I never seen a man who wanted to stay in jail before. I'm turning you loose. Marshal you needn't bother. You like it here do you? It's the only his home I ever had. I see. You and Chester have been good friends to me. A particular Chester. Is that why you keep getting drunk? Just to get in jail? Well it's got to have a friend look over his head don't he Marshal? All right come on Boone let's go. I got my hat under this blanket here. I sure like my hat Marshal. Yeah. Oh here's that extra blanket Chester gave me. I tried to keep it from touching the floor. Thanks Boone. All right let's go. You say so. You going back home now? I don't rightly know where home is at. Old pie he'd run me off before I was old enough to know where we was living. Said he couldn't feed me no more. Yeah. Ever since then I've been kind of like a tumbleweed going here there. Guess I'm from all over now. Don't you ever stay put? Why'd I like to? People always run me off just like Pa did. Just when I think I got a friend they tell me to go. I'll get you packed. Now you're doing it Marshal. Doing what? Running me off. Now look Boone I got nothing for you and nothing against you. I put you in jail four times for getting drunk and almost breaking somebody in two with your bare hands. Now all I want you to do is to keep yourself out of jail by staying away from those saloons. Here this all your stuff. I won't stay in Dodge, Marshal. I always got to have a friend where he stays. Look don't take me wrong son. Come here quick. What's the matter Chester? A hangman's come to town. A hangman? What are you talking about? Come take a look. He's all dressed in black and he's hauling his gallows right along with him. Gallows? See there? Three Yoko Aksenponents. Ain't that an awful looking thing? A gallows built right on the back of his wagon. Henry Maples. You know him? I've heard of him. He thinks he cleaned up the border country with that gallows. Oh but what's he doing here Mr. Dillon? Maybe he thinks Dodgers next. Come on. Listen to me a moment for quite a spell. He's getting his feet pretty well worked up Mr. Dillon. Yeah let's wait here a little. Just a moment, just a moment. There's plenty of time. First off I want to know how many murders you've had in this town the last six months. Come on speak up. Don't be afraid. How many murders? How many of your fellow townsmen have been shot down to dodge? How many times has the law been obstructed? How many times has a man been killed right here on the streets of Dodge? Well I don't know exactly. How many? I guess maybe eight dozen for all I know. The good lady doesn't even know. Anywhere from six to a dozen killings. Do you know the answer to this? Do you know it'll stop this bloodbath? There it wrote money can buy. Can I ask you madam, where are the men who perpetrated these foul killings? They were taken to Fort Hayes for trial and... Not unguined. He walked up those steps, those very steps with a smile on his face and he told me he'd never owned a new suit and out of my own pocket my own pocket I bought him a new suit. Before I dropped him Billy Street thanked me. Now the law's not unkind my friends the law is just a maple's. Who called my name? I want you to take your gallows out of Dodge. What became of all those murderers Marshall? Did they pay you to let them go? There were six. Two of them were hanged at Fort Hayes and four of them are in the territorial prison. Four men who live to kill again. I'll give you the sundown to have the gallows out of Dodge City or I'll burn it in the streets. Somebody give me a hand with these auction. I'll help you Mr. Maples. All right my friend take the hauler on the lead auction. Yes sir. Say you can just call me booed Mr. Maples. That's my name. Booed Wilson. Well then lead on Booed Wilson. Yes sir. Jumpy about that gallows sitting out there on the edge town. It's kindly dividing up the people. Yeah I know all about it Chester but you let me do the worrying huh. Put in here. Maples is sure stirring these people up. How long has he been here? About half hour. Showing tin types of men he's hanged in the ropes he's used. He talks about hanging people like he was proud of it. I think maybe he is kidding. That gallows of his reminds me of some boat ship just waiting to devour somebody. Have you been out there Matt? No. Well I rode by there the other day on my way to Mrs. Wiggins. He was standing up on the gallows without even moving. He had a rope strung up him. For a moment I thought somebody was hanging there. I tell you I jumped the foot when he moved. Yeah I'll bet you did. How did Maples ever get started man? I'll answer that question Marshall do. All right go ahead Maples. How did I get started? It was simple. First I had convictions. I believed in the law. So I read the law. When Judge Bryant asked for a man to carry out his judgments. I volunteered. By the way Marshall I was paid a hundred dollars per man. I'll expect the same from Dodd City. Dodd just doesn't need you Maples. It will. Hey! Eggman! All right there you're drunk. Put the gun away. You want to done it? You mean. You mean there? I told you to put the gun away. Make it you and me. I've been waiting for him all. You and me Marshall. You think your town doesn't need my kind of law Marshall Dillon? Get out of here Maples. Somebody give me a hand. Mr. Maples. Mr. Maples. What is it poof? I've been looking all over for you and I heard those shots and I was pretty worried. I'm all right. You had not a go out without me looking after you. I'm never mind booed. I'm on my way back to camp right now. I reckon it's because I've seen a hanging one time when I was just a little boy. It did. Yes sir. Papa took me because he wanted me to learn the way he's a sin if he put it. So he told mom it'd be a great lesson for me. But I. Well was it? No sir. I can't really say it was. See they was hanging three men for stealing and me being kindly a little and all I couldn't see them too good. I stand there in this crowd when the time come all I could make out was a bunch of men going around picking the pockets of the people watching up at the men being hanged. Now that kindly learned me something but it wasn't quite what Papa said I want me to learn. I guess not. Just don't look just look up there sweeping that gallows with a broom just like it was something important. The maple's I guess it is. The rope hanging straight down through the trap. Yeah. Good morning Marshall. Stretching one of my new ropes now night is necessary Marshall I've forgotten it already. I didn't come to apologize. That's good I don't like a man with crawls. How can you stretch that rope Mr. Maples. One of my clients has ever come back for a second try. The reason is I buy the best inch and a quarter Kentucky hemp you can get and then I stretch it down to an inch before I use it. What do you use it. Stretch it with a boat Wilson's under there I'll show you get ready to tie it. It's not Mr. Maples. Just go down give me my hand. Yes sir. You see Marshall I got a 200 pound bag tied on the rope. I'm not interested in that Maples. The businessmen in town told me to see that you leave Dodge City. You and your gallows. But why Marshall. Dodge needs me. They don't think so. I need to do I put the law with about the law. It must be upheld. It is being upheld Maples. Your kind of law might have been all right a few years ago in the border country but not in dodge murderers must be hanged Marshall Bill and there's no other answer I'll give you tomorrow morning. You're going to stand away from the liquor. Yes sir. Good you see that you do. I come up to Mr. Maples. I heard how he talked to you. I wasn't friendly like you've been good to me. You let me help you. I brought the law before I can do it again. Mr. Maples I was saying I'd like to must be away. Mr. Maples. Maybe I can help. Oh you do. Yes sir. Yes maybe you can do to want to go to Dodge City with me tonight when you do that to Maples I do anything for you. That's when I was getting me at you. But it wasn't about to kill a man in her place. Well come on. Just or take food and lock him up. To be a killer. I don't want to stay out of saloon. Don't blame him. It was Maples Maples. Yeah what's he got to do with it. He was trying to get him drunk by him drinks. Where is Maples. I guess it left in all the excitement. Now why would he want to get boozed drunk. I think I know kitty. But I'd have a hard time proving it. He's off on a business trip that's going to take him all day. Oh then I'll just have to come back this evening. While I'm here I wonder if I could see my friend. Well I don't know. I won't be a moment. Yes I guess it's all right this one time right through that door there. Thank you for this dog thing come from when will I learn not to take more than one gun apart at a time. You ought to be ashamed yourself. Why. What's that gun for who do you listen to me. You haven't got enough sense to have a gun to give it here I got to get to Mr. Maples I'm sorry Mr. Doc. Come here on the gallows Mr. Maples. Are you ready to go or hurry they'll be after me I asked you if you used the gun I done what you told me Mr. Maples. Listen to me you still have the gun yes sir right here give me the gun booed did you kill anyone I used like you said anyone on that doctor man he came in and I shot him you know what I have to do to you now you said you was my friend you gave me the gun so I could come back to you so we could go away together that's what you said but you killed now boo don't you understand you're broken the law booed Wilson I find you guilty of murder and cold blood and for your just punishment under the law I sent you to hang by the neck until you're dead look the gallows they ain't done yet the body on the end of it is he sure enough dead that himself I never have to come back no need to shoot Marshall I given trouble that you do this boo I done it why we throw to fit when I come back from Dodge he asked did I kill a man I told him I had that doctor man and that's when he threw a fit what did he do he started howling law on me saying how he was going to have to hang me for that killing it was either me or him but he gave you that gun just so you would kill a man so he could have a hanging prove that dodge needed his kind of law oh no you're wrong Marshall something just made him crazy for a little while what happens to me when I drink liquor he was going to take me traveling with him Marshall now you're wrong about mr. Maples he was a best friend I ever had he was especially looking for guns walked by Tom Hanley with editorial supervision by John Meston featured in the cast with big parents Joseph Kearns Virginia Christine and Barney Phillips Harley there is Chester Howard McNear is back and Georgia Ellis is kidding this is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week when CBS radio presents another story on guns