 It flutters, my name. Luke Slaughter. Cattle's my business. It's a tough business. It's big business. I've got a big stake in it. And there's no man west of the Rio Grande big enough to take it from me. Luke Slaughter of Tombstone. Luke Slaughter of Tombstone. Civil War cavalryman turned Arizona cattleman. Across the territory from Yuma to Fort Defiance, next after the Wachukas and below the border through Chihuahua and Sonora, his name was respected or feared depending on which side of the law you were on. Man of vision. Man of legend. Luke Slaughter of Tombstone. Came the seat of the newly formed Cochise County in 1881. The Old Town Marshal became the new county sheriff and he discovered that it's hard sometimes for a man to assume added responsibilities. Hey, Luke, here comes the sheriff. He's sure scally hootin'. Well, what kind of trouble you got yourself in now, Wichita? Why, I ain't... Better have your advice, Luke. Howdy there, Sheriff. Can I wait till we say good morning? No. Good morning, Sheriff. Luke, they're holding four renegade apaches over at St. David. Burned a farm, murdered a man and a woman. I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah, but the posse ran them down all right. Well, that posse better string them engines up. Yeah, that's why I came out here. They're letting the posse let justice take its course. The law says I got to hold a four of them into Tombstone to stand trial. That is justice, Sheriff. If the apaches can be identified in court, they'll hang legally. Yeah, they got identification. Them four Redskins was born bad. I don't think anybody's born bad, Sheriff. Well, I haven't time to debate the point. What I want to know is, how am I going to get the four of them into Tombstone? Well, it's a full day's ride each way. I got one regular deputy, Clint Wallace. One of us has got to be in Tombstone, and the other'd be dead if he tried hurting them four killers here by himself. What? Why don't you shackle them and bring them in by stage? The stage line through St. David went broke, you know that. Yes, and there's a conquered wagon gathering dust over there. And there's six stage horses eating county oats till they're sold at auction. Hey, there isn't that. Only it's too dangerous for one man. All right, Sheriff. Depitize me for a couple of days, and I'll go with you. No, if you need... I was hoping you'd volunteer, Luke. We'll leave early tomorrow morning. Say, can you handle a six-horse hitch? Well, I never drove a six-horse hitch, but there's a couple of men in Tombstone you could get. Can I get just one measly word in edgewise? Well, sure. Just say it. Well, I've drove stage for birch and holiday and butterfielder. And if I can't drive four ratty apaches from St. David to Tombstone, Hank Monkey's shop couldn't do it. These horses still can't go 50 miles at a full gallop. He's down on... You like to shake the shackles off the prisoners. Pull those horses way down. It's time our prisoners had a drink of water. What a dusty out here. Hey, Wichita, you're having the time of your life, ain't you? Well, now... Yeah, so would I. These murdering apaches didn't have me spooked. I don't like any part of it. I'll be glad when the day's over. Customers all right. They know it's their last ride, lest they bust loose from us. I'll pass them the water bag. You men keep me covered, just in case. Yes, we will, Luke. Here you are in this canane. Water. I'll drink. Your hands are loose enough to hold it. Hurry up. Looks better. Pass it when you're through. A little whiffy up there close to them, ain't it? Like a wolf's den. Hey, Luke, down there in the wash, those two men. Yeah, I see them. Ain't one of them, Al Larson? It is, Al, at that. Hey there, Larson! Yeah, I don't recognize a fellow coming toward us. Look, did you see that? Sure did. Al emptied his iron right into it. Why did he do it? The other Humber had never made no move to draw. Wichita, keep an eye on the prisoners. Come on, Sheriff. Looks like we've got to take another passenger to Tombstone. You must have had a reason. You've lived in these parts better than 10 years, and I don't think you've ever had an argument before that I heard about. I can't talk about it, Mr. Slaughter. I shot him, you saw that, and that's it. You'll have to stand trial, you know. Just take me before a judge and I plead guilty. I don't want to put anyone to any trouble. You're putting us to a powerful lot of trouble. Wichita and two horses had to take the body back to St. David, and I got to drive this rig myself. Come on, Al. Who was he? Don't know what he called himself. Nobody in St. David will identify him, either. I've seen that face somewhere, I'm sure. No, there wouldn't be a chance and a million of that. I'm willing to take my medicine, so forget it. We want to do your favor, don't you see? Give us a reason you shot him. Maybe we can get you off. I would like one favor. We'll try, Al. We'll get to my place. Let me go in and say goodbye to my youngster. I think we could do what Al's asking, Sheriff. We've both known him for a long time. If you say so, Luke. Al, little Barbara is going to find out you killed that man. There's no way out of it. Well, I was thinking if I plead guilty without a trial or anything, then you could keep it out of the newspaper. I don't think we can. But just suppose we did. Somebody's got to take care of Barbie. She's not 13 yet, is she? Well, almost. And Barbie knows what she's to do if anything ever happens to me. Al, you didn't figure all the consequences of shooting that man down, did you? I figured the consequences are not doing it. My farm's just ahead now. Can I go say goodbye to Barbie? As far as I'm concerned. Sheriff? All right, Larson. I'll unlock your wrist chain and give you five minutes. Oh, well then. I wonder how Wichita drives six horses. That's more than a minute. This whole mess makes me almost sick. I know, Luke, you need to. The face of the man he killed. I could only remember where I've seen it. Why we stop? Why die? Never mind. Just be quiet down there. We've got to make Tombstone 4 dark. Can't trust an Apache any further than you can throw. Sheriff, that's chained. Who's that? It's Al. Al! It's Slaughter. Letting him say goodbye to his kid was your idea. I can't believe I could be so wrong about him. I can't believe anything that's happening today. Now what do we do? Get the Apaches to Tombstone as fast as we can. Organize a posse and go after Al. Well, where are you going now? To have a quick talk with Larson's daughter. Just watch these prisoners. Where he was going, Mr. Slaughter, just that he'd be back. Just that? Well, exactly what he said was that he'd be back for me. Barbie, this is rough country. Sometimes things we can't know about just sort of happen. What if your father was delayed? Say, he... Well, he didn't get back for quite a long time. Well, I know it won't, but... Well, if anything does happen to him, I'm supposed to go into St. David. We're Mormons, you see, and if there's trouble, we take care of each other. I know. You're not worried about the Indians? Oh, no. They come here for food if they need it, and, well, of course, we always share what we happen to have. If more people acted that way, they'd be less trouble with the Indians. Barbie, you're getting to be a fine-looking young lady. You favor your mother, do you? My father says not too much. No, get him over. We have a long trip, Barbara, so when your father comes back, tell him... I'm sorry whenever I miss a friend. It'd be a cinch if it weren't for this hill. Whoa! Well, this loaded had finished the horses. We'll have to take the leg irons off the Apaches and all walk up. Yeah, I reckon you're right, Luke. You and your friends can stretch. I'll be with you. One water. You'll get it. Sheriff, you got the keys? Of course I have. It's just your legs. Don't waste time calling them names. Don't waste time. Give them the water. As soon as you get clear to keep a gun on them. I got a gun on them. Only takes one hand to unlock the shackles. Well, here, Niskenne. Hands gone. I crumple white ice floater. Niskenne, you'll never get... Keys make unsfree. Slow men die fast from own gun. Slaughter dies slow from Niskenne's knife. And Apache foot on my throat. Apache knees pinning my arms and legs. Niskenne leering over me as he grabbed my hair. Men from a rock cover somewhere on that hill. The sheriff's done for. Throwed these patches. Where'd you come from, Al? I figured you and Barbie'd be across the border by now. Well, it went back as soon as I thought it out. We'd be running the rest of our lives, and someday I'd have to tell her why we were running. So I was riding after you to give myself up. Things are gonna turn out all right for you and your youngster. What you just did will make a big difference with the jury. You just tell them why you shot that man this morning. There isn't gonna be a jury. Doesn't have to be. I'm guilty. I killed a man. But nobody's ever gonna know why I killed him. Luke Slaughter of Tombstone returns. A big slice of the American dollar goes for research. And because we endorse the American system, the money devoted to medical research comes from voluntary gifts. A cure for cerebral palsy will surely be found, but how rapidly depends directly on how much we're willing to participate. Participation in this sense means contributing the dollars to support a concentrated program of medical research against cerebral palsy, the brain disorder that cripples more than 200,000 children in this country. Somewhere in America, cerebral palsy strikes some child every 53 minutes, every day in the year. United Cerebral Palsy is fighting this relentless timetable. You can participate in a fine, humane effort. Contribute to the 53-minute march on cerebral palsy Tuesday, May 20th. Or mail your contribution today. Address it to palsy, care of your local postmaster. Two of William N. Robeson's production of Luke Slaughter of Tombstone. Al Larson and I brought five bodies into Tombstone. There wasn't any trouble about the dead of patches. There'd been witnesses to their other murders. And Al and I had seen them kill the sheriff. Deputy Clint Wallace was sworn in as the new sheriff, and Al was quietly locked up. Wichita and I were the only ones left to have watched him gun a man down in the desert. Oh, good morning, Mr. Slaughter. Come on in. Good morning, Sheriff. Why don't you just call me Clint like you used to? Sure thing. And you start calling me Luke. How's Al Larson? He's the same, quiet, no trouble. You want to talk to him? Wichita's back. We'll talk to Al when he gets here. Good. I hope you don't think I administer the law. It's sloppy as the place looks. I'm cleaning out the old sheriff's belongings. Junk is a better word for it. I liked him. He was a good lawman when the job wasn't so big. But he sure was a pack rat. Look at these. Hand bills from 10, 15 years ago. Wanted for mine, Freud. Colorado, 1868. Wanted for murders. Sacramento, 1871. Must have saved him from long before he even came to Tombstone. Well, here I've been. Here's a son of a gun stew and biscuits I cooked up for Al. Howdy, Clint. Howdy, Wichita. Clint, you mind if I take these old hand bills? Of course not. I don't see why you'd want them. I have a collection of them myself. Oh, you're a pack rat too. Oh, no. Luke calls himself an amateur historian or something. Oh, well, I'll get Al. You'd rather talk out here, I imagine. Please. Here, take this grub along. I know you aim to run a good jail, but you're too young to know how to cook. I'm too busy. You haven't had too many complaints about the wife's cooking, though. Women can't cook neither. Talk Al into taking a jury trial? I haven't talked to him at all yet. Wichita, weren't you walking California around Sacramento some years ago? Yeah, that's the August of 1870 to February of 72. Couldn't stand it no longer. Got too civilized. Why? That's just the time I'm interested in. You recall a badge shooting in a hotel out there around 1871. Sure, I do. Lord Massacre, they called it. It was a dangling thing. Tell me about it later, Wichita. Well, howdy, Al. Howdy, Wichita. Morning, Mr. Slaury. Morning. Please make it Luke. Al, Wichita wrote to St. David again yesterday. Got back just a few hours ago. How's Barbara? You see her? Of course I see her. She's sure a top little filly, Al. Thanks. Elder Norton and Mrs. Norton taking good care of her? Oh, she's in real good hands. See, I bring you some biscuits. I told him, Wichita. Al, Wichita says that the man you were... Well, he was never identified. No one in St. David could have known him. There weren't any papers on him. His horse was a stolen horse. He's been buried. God rest his soul. Who was he, Al? I haven't any idea what he called himself. Why won't you let us help you? Luke, I killed a man. The law says it's wrong. The law can have me. You killed four more men saving my life. The law doesn't say that's wrong. Al, the circuit judge will be in Tombstone day after tomorrow. Still rather go before a stranger than the local judge. Yep. That's what I want. You're a murderer and bear cubs, man. Everybody in town knows you. Why don't you take a jury trial? Luke and me will testify the other Humber drew on you and you'll go scot-free. Wichita, nobody's going to lie for me. Now, look, I mean that. You're not going to do it. No, we aren't. Clint? Yeah, Lou? When the judge gets in, tell him this prisoner waves his right to a jury trial and counsel. And it'll be your responsibility to see that no one else attends his trial. Alvin Larson, you are charged with shooting to death an unidentified man in this county of Cochise on May 11, 1882. How do you plead? Guilty, Your Honor. Sheriff Wallace, the brief you prepared might not be a model for a law class, but it's a fine example of getting to the meat of the case. The two gentlemen who have been sworn are your only witnesses? Yes, sir. You may proceed. Well, Mr. Slaughter, you and Wichita, Mr. Bagby, watched Mr. Larson fire six shots at the D.C. stranger? We did. How far away were you? Oh, I should say about 40 rods. You recognize Mr. Larson, but not the other man, huh? That's right. Did you recognize him when you reached the body? I thought perhaps I'd seen the face before, but it wasn't until yesterday I was sure of it. Luke, you didn't know him. The defendant will remain quiet, please. Then I found this old hand bill. You should buy the California State Marshal in 1871. I will swear that the face John here is the face of the man Mr. Larson shot. I'll swear, too. It's either him or that artist fellow was a mighty lucky guesser. Wanted for murder. Larson, armed stagecoach robbery. Parley Ring. I was in California myself when young Ring was terrorizing the whole state. So was I, Your Honor. Everybody figured Ring got wounded so bad in that bloody Sacramento mess that he must have died. But the man on that hand bill's the man Larson shot. I never knew him as Parley Ring. Mr. Larson, you'll have a chance to testify later if you wish. Send us. We'll get it over with. I'll stop it. Your Honor, if I may. Al, there are just the five of us here. Now, Clint's going to ask you just a couple of questions. No. Try to answer them. You aren't going to have to say much. Go ahead, Mr. Wallace. Al, before you came to Arizona, did you and Mrs. Larson happen to run a boarding house in Sacramento? Yeah. A young couple with a small baby take a room just before a shooting fray known as the Gaylord Hotel Massacre? I didn't know who they were. Were you called to identify a woman who was killed as she helped her husband gun down a whole room full of celebrating minors? It was her. Did you ever see the man again? Not till he come to St. David four days ago and wanted Barbara. We couldn't tell anybody they left the baby. A baby isn't born bad, no matter what its parents are, but if they're treated bad, if they're poked fun at and shamed, they can turn bad. But we couldn't let that happen to Barbie. We couldn't ever let her know. Your Honor, Al Larson and his wife and that abandoned baby came to Arizona nearly 12 years ago. Mrs. Larson died the year after. I don't know how you feel about what's born in a child and what's put there by the way it's raised, but Barbara Larson's a young lady I'd want for a daughter. And Al Larson's a friend to everyone who knows him. I think Clinton Wichita will bear me out. That's what I think, Your Honor. So do I. That's all the case we got. You've presented a good case. We've accomplished more, I think, than if we'd spent several days hearing lawyers wrangling to impress a jury. The court finds this homicide justifiable. Commit it in the lawful protection of the defendant's child. Mr. Larson, we're hereby released from custody. Your Honor, I... You come outside with me, Al. Yeah, yeah, Al. Might be somebody who wants to see you. Father! Oh, Father! Barbie, Barbie, honey. Oh, Father, is everything all right? Yeah, Barbie. Everything's all right now. Next week, at this time, we return with... Slaughter's the name. Luke Slaughter. When we meet up again, you can call me that. Luke Slaughter. ...lead Detective Johnny Dollar to disaster. Johnny, however, seems to be gifted with a knack for dodging the wrong clothes and that, along with his inclination for patting expense accounts and his not-too-idle habit of attracting the attention of lovely women, makes his career an exciting one to follow. For the next thrill-laden episode of his story here, yours truly, Johnny Dollar, later today on most of these same stations. This is the CBS Radio Network.