Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's just one way to handle the killers
and the spoilers and that's where the US Marshal and the smell of Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke 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.
What are you building up the fire this time of night for?
More light, see better?
See what?
Nothing, I just want more light, that's all.
Mr. Ever since we met on the trail back there this afternoon, you've been watching me.
We're strangers, ain't we?
Sure.
You've been watching me too.
I did at first, but I trust you now.
Crawl back in your blanket.
Okay?
Well that's better.
Now go to sleep will you?
You going to sleep?
I'd like to watch the stars a little while first.
Ain't no stars but me.
I can see them over your shoulder there.
Laying on my back gives me the ache.
Gives me the ache too.
We've got a lot in common, mister.
Yeah?
You never told me what name you go by.
You never told me neither.
Well gone if you ain't the most suspicious man I ever run into.
I'm still alive.
You ought to quit worrying so much you get old before your time.
My pa taught me to worry.
Who's your pa?
He's dead.
Died worrying probably.
No, no he died of a milk sickness.
He's a good man though.
Ain't any good man.
He was.
Why?
What he believed in.
What did he believe in?
Well he always said he believed in foot washing, saving your seed potatoes and paying your
honest debt.
Your pa was crazy.
I'm going crazy if I don't get the bugs out of this blanket.
Shake them out.
I'm going.
Killed him the first shot.
Now I can get me some sleep.
It beats me how you know which way to go Mr. Dillon.
That's easy Chester.
Yeah but all the fella said was he found a man's body some twenty miles east of Dodge.
You've been riding like you knew right where it was laying.
Well he was a teamster Chester.
I'd just been following his wagon tracks.
I don't know Mr. Dillon.
Maybe I shouldn't never leave Dodge.
Chester, there he is straight ahead there.
Are you safe?
Yes sir.
That must be it alright.
Come on.
Let's go.
Well looky there.
He's still in his blanket.
Yeah.
It looks like he was shot right in the heart.
At least the poor fella died in his sleep.
Well he must have come half awake.
His hands on his gun.
He never got it out though.
Somebody sure jumped him fast.
Say, maybe it was Indians.
No.
No his hair's still on.
Now besides, somebody was sleeping over here.
Well I declare, who do you suppose it was?
I don't know Chester.
Bet he couldn't be a very brave man.
No sir he sure couldn't.
One dirty coward.
Go get that shovel off your saddle Chester.
Yes sir.
Well Mr. Dillon it's worth a long ride like that if only to work up a good thirst.
I've seen you work up a good thirst just sitting around Chester.
Yes sir.
I'm just lucky I guess.
Well I never heard it called that before.
Give me a glass of beer barkeep.
Beer's not good.
Give him whiskey.
I don't want whiskey.
Ain't you man enough to drink whiskey?
Drink it when I want it.
I don't believe you do.
Drink some now.
I ain't bothering you.
Can't a man come in here and have what he wants?
Cowboy ain't you?
What's wrong with being a cowboy?
Nothing.
Only I always thought it took a man to be a cowboy.
You trying to start trouble mister?
I listened to him.
What's so funny about that?
I killed a man once for telling me not to laugh.
I ain't telling you nothing.
Sir I think you're a coward.
You got a gun in your belt.
Go ahead use it.
What for?
So as you can kill me and call it self defense?
Alright that's enough.
Leave him alone.
What are you mentioning this for?
I don't like gun fighting around here.
You don't like it.
I'm a U.S. Marshal.
Oh Marshal.
Now what's your name stranger?
I'm called Kriego.
Alright Kriego move down the bar.
Go on move.
I see you later cowboy.
How wouldn't a bear draw on him Marshal?
I ain't no gunman.
He'd kill me sure.
Yeah he probably would have.
My name's Jesse Hill Marshal.
I'm proud to know you.
Well just so you keep that gun in your belt huh?
And stay away from Kriego?
I ain't no troublemaker.
Yeah I know.
But sometimes a man can't avoid it.
Not around somebody like him.
Well I think I'll do my drinking across the street.
See you later Jesse.
Yeah so long.
Hey Kriego's an awful mean man Mr. Dillon.
Yeah he's mean alright.
Especially when he's sure the other man hasn't got a chance.
Wonder where he came from?
I never saw him around here before.
He's new and uh Chester.
Let me tell you something.
It had to be that kind of a man who killed that cowboy we buried today.
Well you think it was him?
Well he could have done it.
He's enough of a coward.
But if he did no one could ever prove it.
No sir I guess not.
But he'll make a mistake yeah Chester.
His kind always do.
Like that material Kitty?
I like to make a dress of it.
Is this all you have Mr. Jones?
Um I'm afraid so but I'll order more if you want it.
How long will it take?
Few weeks is all.
Okay I'll need about seven yards.
You'll have it Kitty.
And say look here.
These new parasols.
They just come on the Santa Fe today from St. Louis.
Hello Matt.
Hello Kitty.
Ah Mr. Jones.
Your coat's out back Marshall.
You can go try it on if you want.
Oh new coat huh?
I'd like to see it Matt.
Well you wait here Kitty and I'll just go put it on.
Sure hope it fits.
I had a parcel of trouble talking him into ordering that coat.
Well he's needed it ever since I've known him.
Men just don't like new things Kitty.
Now is there anything else?
I know that's all for today.
How much do I owe you?
Let's see here.
I'll have to add it up.
Well now there's a right pretty girl.
Go on back to your hogs Mr.
It's all they do I like that.
Now look here.
Now don't pay any attention to him Mr. Jones.
You got it figured?
Well it comes to about two dollars and forty cents Kitty.
I'll pay it.
What?
I said I'll pay it.
You'll do nothing of the kind.
Put it on my bill Mr. Jones.
There you are.
I like to buy things for pretty girls.
Providing they let me carry the package home for them.
Now get out of here and leave me alone or I'll hit you again.
Maybe you're a little too salty.
Maybe what you need is a ch...
Go ahead Kriego.
Finish what you were going to say.
It's no business of yours.
I want to hear what you were going to say.
You slapped me you saw it.
Get out of the way Kitty.
Gladly.
Now let's not play any games.
Be quiet Mr. Jones.
Yes sir.
Kriego, I think you're a coward.
I'm going to prove it.
What are you up to?
A cowboy Jesse wouldn't draw on you.
But I will.
Are you ready?
No.
There I got my gun out and you didn't do a thing did you?
I ain't drawing on you.
All right now get out of here Kriego.
And if I ever see you anywhere near Miss Kitty again I'm going to break your neck.
Now go on get out.
You sure showed his colors man.
Yeah.
You know I think that's the first time I ever saw you draw first on a man.
Well I figured he wouldn't draw Kitty.
How'd you know?
Now Kriego doesn't take any chances.
And right now I'm wondering how many more men he's going to kill before he's through.
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Now the second act of gunsmoke.
Justice come back here Mr. Dillon.
Come out front, huh?
You picked a nice poor time to ride out to Fort Doug's.
You don't mind me saying so.
Tell me what happened Chester, I hear that you witnessed it.
Yes sir, I was right there Mr. Dillon.
Kreego agged him into drawing first.
Self defense again, is that it?
Yes sir.
The poor fellow was awful slow.
And you know what Kreego did?
What?
Well he shot him in the gun arm first, then through both knees.
And finally he shot him in the belly and killed him.
There's nothing I could do once they'd started.
Yeah.
Who was he Chester?
A fellow named Lydacky that told me, some stranger.
Why don't you run Kreego out of town?
Running him out of Dodge would just mean he'd go murder somebody someplace else Chester.
Well at least he wouldn't be doing it here.
Yeah I know.
But somehow I'd feel responsible for letting him get away.
Vermin's like that, or it would be allowed to live.
They wouldn't be alive if he wasn't so careful about picking the man he shoots.
Oh sure.
You know old say, Doc was down a little while ago.
He's through with autopsy and wants to know who's going to bury that fellow.
Did he have any friends?
Yes sir.
That cowboy Kreego tried to fight, Jesse Hill.
I think he was a friend of his.
He helped carry him up to Doc's anyway and he seemed real mad about it all.
Quiet you know, but mad.
That could lead to trouble.
How do you mean?
Well Jesse backed off from Kreego once, but you might go looking for him now.
I don't think you'd have a chance.
And we'd sure better find him Mr. Dillon.
Yeah Chester we better.
Come on.
Maybe Jesse left town Mr. Dillon.
Well I hope so, though we haven't looked that right place yet.
Somebody said he had a room at the Dodge house.
Oh, that seems to be pretty fancy for a line writer, doesn't it?
I mean they probably spent six months pay and the last few days they always do.
Well they can't spend it out on the prairie Chester.
I guess it doesn't mean much to them.
Yeah I know, but you'd think they'd save a little money, a few dollars at least.
Oh, tell me something Chester.
When were you at the bank last?
Well I keep my money in my sock Mr. Dillon, it's safer.
Oh, maybe, yeah.
Isn't that kind of tough on the merchants when you go to spend it though?
Well nobody ain't turned it down yet.
Money is money.
Wait a minute.
There's Jesse across the plaza there.
Yeah that's Kreego he's talking to.
Come on.
Hey it looks like they're having an argument Mr. Dillon.
Yeah.
Are you going to stop it?
Hell if I can.
Kreego.
Jesse.
They're about to fight Mr. Dillon.
Hold it Jesse.
All right Kreego, put your gun away.
Sure.
He tried to shoot me Marshal, you saw him.
He's dead Mr. Dillon.
Well that was pretty easy for you, wasn't it Kreego?
He shouldn't have tried it Marshal.
I told him not to.
You're lying.
I heard what you told him.
Well what difference does it make?
He drew first, I shot him in self defense.
Yeah sure.
Kreego did you know that man you killed the other night was Jesse Hill's friend?
Jesse was telling me that just now.
Well I got an idea you talked him into drawing just to work Jesse up to a fight.
It was both a couple of bums Marshal.
How about that man on the prairie?
Was he a bum?
What man?
The one that was lying wrapped in his blanket.
I don't know what you're talking about Marshal.
Kreego.
How long you been killing people?
Marshal, I killed my first man when I was eighteen.
A fellow tried to knife me so I shot him.
I'll tell you something else.
I eat wanted by the law, no where's, no where's it taught.
Did you ever fight a man who can handle a gun?
What do you mean?
You will someday Kreego.
You'll make a mistake and pick on the wrong man.
Will I Marshal?
Well I'm going to go and get me a drink.
Ain't there nothing you can do about him Mr. Dillon?
There's one thing I can do Chessor.
At first we'll get Jesse and his friend buried.
Kreego's still standing at the bar at the Alpha Gans Mr. Dillon.
Alright Chessor.
You going to take him in?
No I just have to turn him loose sooner or later.
Well what are you going to do?
Something I've never done before Chessor.
But if it works it'll save some lives.
How?
Now you'll see.
He was bragging about already killing two men since he's been in Dodge.
Well he'll go right on Kellehman if he isn't stopped.
He's like one of them hound dogs that gets a taste of blood in his mouth and sort of
goes crazy with it ain't he?
Yeah that's what he's like.
Okay here we are.
Anything you want me to do Mr. Dillon?
Yes there is Chester.
What?
Well you'll know when the time comes.
Let's stay out of the way.
Yes sir.
What do you want now Marshal?
I've been thinking about you Krieger and I've decided that you're not fit to live.
You've got no call Marshal I killed their men in self defense.
Sure.
Ain't no court in the world that can convict me.
I'm plumbing this.
I'm not talking about hanging you.
What are you talking about?
Krieger I'm going to walk out of here and wait for you on the street.
I'm going to wait one minute.
And if you're not there in one minute I'm coming back.
What for?
I'm going to kill you.
No.
I ain't going to fight you.
Yes you are.
One minute Krieger.
Mr. Dillon.
You killed him?
Yeah.
He had his gun out.
He'd have shot you right in the back.
Thanks for letting me know Chester.
Oh my goodness.
Is that what you wanted me to do?
Yeah that was it.
Well I suppose I hadn't saw him.
Well then Krieger would have killed another man.
I feel kind of sick.
You did fine Chester.
Now remember Chester.
It was more than one life you just saved.
Gunsmoke under the direction of Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon U.S. Marshal.
Tonight's story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Meston with music composed
and conducted by Rex Corey.
Featured in the cast were Lawrence Dobkin, Vic Perrin, Howard Culver, and Richard Deacon.
Parley Bear is Chester and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
Gunsmoke 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. Marshal fights to bring law and order out
of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke.
Tomorrow night on most of these stations observing the end of Amos and Andy's 26th year of entertaining
America, Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, Edward R. Murrow, and Lowell Thomas join a distinguished
cast in tribute to Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, the men who are Amos and Andy.
Tomorrow evening on CBS Radio, don't miss this star-studded Amos and Andy anniversary
show.
George Wolfe speaking.
For mystery mixed with merriment, join Mr. and Mrs. North Tuesday evenings on the CBS
Radio Network.