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Around Dark 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. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
Gun smoke starring William Conrad, the transcribed 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, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they
want to meet. It's a chancy job and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Oh, Mr. Dillon.
Sit down, Joseph. Get yourself out of the sun.
It ain't only me who ought to get out of the sun.
What do you mean?
See them two fellows down the street there? See them?
Yeah. Now what about them?
Well, they've been standing there most of the hour, Mr. Dillon, arguing.
And you've been listening to them for most of the hour, huh?
No, no. I was in Keters getting me a haircut, but I was watching them. The young one, he's
the tall one. He don't say much. But the old one that keeps jabbering at him, I swear,
I don't see how that boy can stand it.
All he has to do is walk off, you know.
Yeah, I suppose. My, they sure do look like they never got apart from Assad, don't they?
Yeah.
Oh, look at that. Oh, he slammed that old fella in at the wall. I knew he'd get enough
sooner or later. He's hitting that old man again, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah, they'll be using knives next. Come on.
He stopped hitting him. He's just kindly squeezing him now.
Yeah.
At least he made that old man quit talking at him.
Well, that's one way of doing it.
You know more about it than I do.
Let me go. Buddy, you'll crack my rib.
I ought to crack your neck.
He'll do it too, Mr. Dillon.
All right, Joseph.
What? I said turn him loose. Now.
All right.
You're a meddler, mister.
It's my business to meddle. I'm a marshal here.
Marshal?
That's right.
Well, I wasn't hurting him, none. You're all right, ain't you, Uncle Oliver?
Little bear hug ain't gonna ruin me. He didn't mean nothing, Diet Marshal.
Didn't mean nothing? Why, he liked it. Killed you.
Vinnie plays rough sometimes.
You're his uncle, huh?
Yeah. Vinnie's pa died not very long ago, and he practically never did have a maw, so
I'm kind of taking care of him.
Isn't he a little old and need taken care of?
I think I'm 22.
You don't understand. Vinnie's lived all his life out on the prairie. This is the first
time he's come to town, but he's gonna make out fine. You'll see.
Oh, Uncle Oliver.
No, I mean it. You be an important man someday, Vinnie. As important as a marshal here.
Hey, wait a minute. I've got an idea.
I know what it is, too, and I'd like it fine, Uncle Oliver, but I can't be marshal. Now
use your head.
I am using it. Why can't you be marshal?
Because they got him, that's why.
I don't mean right now. You gotta learn how first, and you know how to learn how by working
for this marshal. You follow them around, help them out, find out all the things they
done.
Oliver.
Ain't I right, marshal?
No.
What's wrong with it?
Now, for one thing, I don't need a helper.
Oh, everybody can use little help.
Chester Proudfoot gives me all the help I need.
That's Chester Proudfoot.
I'm Chester Proudfoot, dog on it.
Oh. Well, there you are, Uncle Oliver.
There I am, nothing.
What do you want me to do? Get rid of Chester Proudfoot, shoot him or something?
Now, here, now, look here, what kind of talk is that? Are you doing people crazy?
Yeah, he's right, Vinnie. That's no way to talk. I'm surprised at you.
You'd be more surprised if I did it, wouldn't you?
Yeah, now.
I'm going to find our wagon and get me some sleep.
I'm tired of talking to you.
He don't mean nothing by it, marshal. He's young and hot-headed.
Well, I sure hope you were right.
He come to the city to make his way, and I'm trying to help him.
Now, there's nothing wrong with that.
There is plenty wrong with that, the way he was talking.
Well, no use arguing. I'm going to go do me some gambling now.
I'll see you all.
Why didn't they stay out on the prairie where they belong?
I wouldn't worry about them, Chester.
Well, you don't have to. It's me they was talking about.
Forget it. Come on, I'll buy you a beer.
I thought you was taking Miss Kitty to dinner.
Yeah, I am, but we've got time for a drink.
I could sure use one.
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You want some more coffee, Kitty?
Thanks, Matt.
Tell me, did you find out their last name?
Well, they didn't bother to tell me, but I ran into Moss Grimick there, keeping their
wagon at his stable.
He said their name's Stang.
Stang?
That sure sound like a great pair.
You know, maybe in a few weeks in Dodge, around people, they'll start acting more civilized.
Sounds like they're just plain simple minded to me.
You'll meet them.
Oliver, anyway, he's a gambling man.
He is, huh?
What's his game, mumbly peck?
He might surprise you, Kitty.
Maybe.
From what I've heard about him, he won't surprise any dealers, I know.
Uh-uh.
What?
You're about to meet Vinnie now.
Marshall?
Hello, Vinnie.
I don't mean to bust in on you and this lady, Marshall.
That's all right.
I wanted to tell you something.
This is Miss Russell, Vinnie Stang.
How do you do, lady?
How do you do?
It's about that job, Marshall, working for you?
Well, I thought we'd been through that, Vinnie.
I'm worried you might let Uncle Oliver talk you into something.
Well, you can stop worrying.
What I come to tell you is I changed my mind.
I don't want that job.
Well, that's fine, Vinnie.
You don't get it.
I don't want no part of it.
That's what I come to tell you.
Vinnie, you can quit worrying about the job.
It isn't there.
Now, why don't you go to work for some freighter or a stable or something, huh?
I just might do that, Marshall.
I've been thinking on it.
Well, good, good.
Like I say, I'm sorry busting in on you this way.
I'll be going.
You didn't do him justice, Matt.
You'd take two of him to be simple-minded.
I'm not so sure, Kitty.
What do you mean, Matt?
Nobody could be as simple as Vinnie.
Not even Vinnie.
Evening, Mr. Dillon.
Evening, Chester.
Things seem to be pretty quiet tonight.
That's why I came back to the office.
There's nothing doing on the street.
They say there's a big Texas herd arriving in a couple days.
Huh?
About 5,000 head.
Well, that ought to wake Dodge up.
And keep it up.
Yeah.
I bet them cussed cowboys out there on the prairie right now figuring out some new way
to tear this town apart.
They'd have to be pretty smart to do that.
Oh, I throwed the mail on your desk there, Mr. Jones.
Oh, yeah, I see it.
Thanks.
I'm going out back a minute.
Chester!
Chester!
Hey, Chester!
What's going on down there, Matt?
What?
Well, I don't know, Doc.
You see Chester from up there?
Oh, there's somebody lying in the high grass out there.
Huh?
Where?
I'm pointing, Matt.
Oh.
Well, who is it?
What's happened?
It's Chester, Doc.
He's been shot.
Chester?
Get him up here to my office.
Now, hurry up.
I'll get things ready.
There was nothing to do but forget about the gunman and carry Chester up to Doc's.
He was still unconscious when I got him there.
And after Doc took a look at the crease in his head, he wouldn't even guess how much
longer he'd stay that way.
And of course, I knew now why Vinnie Stang had come up to me at the restaurant and made
such a big point about not wanting Chester's job.
He was planning all the time to shoot him.
So I went out after Vinnie and I went almost everywhere, but I didn't find him.
Finally, I tried the long branch where I thought Oliver might be gambling and that maybe he
could lead me to it.
Evening, Matt.
Hello, Kitty.
You look like you're about to strike.
I am.
Anybody in particular?
Vinnie Stang.
Huh?
He ambushed Chester a while ago.
Oh, no.
Matt, he didn't...
Chester's still unconscious, Kitty, but Doc thinks he's going to pull through.
You're sure it was Vinnie did it?
Sure enough to be looking for him.
Last I saw him was in the restaurant.
I thought Oliver might know something about him.
Has he been in here?
Oh, he was until about an hour ago.
He got sleepy.
What?
Well, that's what he said.
He went out back, said he was going to have himself a nap.
On the ground?
Well, I'd be surprised if he ever slept in the bed.
Yeah, you may be right.
Well, he had supper out there, too.
He quit the Pharaoh table and went to the bar and got some beer and then he pulled some
jerky out of his pocket and went out back to eat and sleep the whole thing off.
Nothing's too good for Oliver.
Well, I hope he won't mind my disturbing him.
On that, I'm going to go over to Doc's and see if there's anything I can do.
You tell him I'll be back later.
Yeah, all right.
Oliver?
Oliver, come on.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Hello, Marshal.
Wake up.
I want to talk to you.
Come on.
Yeah, sure.
Sure.
I'm awake.
Come on.
Man.
Gotta get a little sleep now, man.
Where's Vinnie, Oliver?
Vinnie?
I don't know.
When did you see him last?
Why, this afternoon?
You haven't seen him since?
No.
What do you want him for, Marshal?
Something wrong?
Chester's been shot.
No.
Ambushed.
Ambushed?
That's right.
Boy, you think Vinnie did it, huh?
No, he didn't, Marshal.
Vinnie never killed nobody in his life.
I didn't say he killed him.
What?
I said he shot him.
Hit him in the head.
Chester's still unconscious.
He ain't dead?
You seem disappointed.
Now, look here, Marshal.
We stangs don't go around shooting people.
I won't stand for nobody saying we do.
I want Vinnie, Oliver, and you're gonna help me find him.
You know his ways.
You know where he might be.
Vinnie didn't do it.
He threatened me.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
He threatened you.
You didn't do it.
He threatened to, and tonight he tried to fool me.
Said he didn't want Chester's job.
Chester doesn't have any other enemies I know of.
But you're gonna help me find Vinnie, or I'll let you wait in jail till I find him,
or you take your choice.
Jail?
That's right.
You said Chester ain't come, too?
What's that gotta do with it?
Well, if he dies, that'll be real bad, won't it?
Yeah, real bad.
Marshall, if Vine had done it, I'm as strong again as you, our blood kin or not.
I'll help you find him.
I sure will.
Well look in the oasis here, Marshall.
This is the last place I can think of where it might be.
Any particular reason why it be in here?
It's the littlest rag-tailed saloon in town.
Can't be many people in there.
Vine is more at home where there ain't too many people.
All right, I'll go in first, Oliver.
Sure.
Well, there's nobody here but the bartender.
He's asleep.
Well, let's wake him up and ask him.
No, I wouldn't do any good.
They don't talk to the law in this place.
Come on.
I'm just plumb confounded, Marshall.
I don't know where to look now.
We've been everywhere that boy might be.
Well, you think of some place then.
You think of it, Oliver.
I'm going back and see how Chester's coming along.
You talk like you don't believe me.
I believe you when you find Vinnie.
All right, I'll find him.
I'll look all night if I have to.
Not all night, Oliver.
It's about ten o'clock now.
You look till midnight.
What do you mean?
Have Vinnie in my office by midnight.
Now, see, you don't believe me.
I believe you.
I just think you might have better luck without me hanging around.
If he did it, I want him caught bad as you do.
I told you that.
And if he didn't do it, he's probably got a good alibi.
But you'll find him.
And don't you run.
I'll track you down if it takes all year.
Marshall, you're terrible wrong about me.
I'll be waiting in my office, Oliver.
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Oh, come in, Matt.
Come in, come in.
I got Chester in the back room.
How is he, Doc?
Oh, can't say for sure yet, but my guess is he's going to be all right.
It'll take time, of course.
Well, as long as he makes it.
Is he conscious?
No, not now.
You mean he was?
Well, he came to about a half an hour ago.
He wasn't very clear, of course, but he was mumbling something.
He got his eyes open for a few seconds.
Didn't last long.
He passed out right away again.
What was he mumbling about?
Did you catch any of it?
Well, it was about the shooting.
He saw who it was, Matt.
He did?
Mm-hmm, but he didn't get the name out, the Vines or anybody else's.
Oh.
I asked him.
I asked him, but he passed out again before he could say it.
I, uh...
I don't suppose there's any way of telling how long it'll be before he comes around again.
Oh, no, no.
No way in the world.
Might be in an hour and might not be for a day or two.
But he did see who it was.
Oh, yeah, sure, but he didn't say who.
So that's no help.
Yes, it is, Doc.
How?
If Chester saw Vinie, then Vinie must know he did.
He won't make him feel very easy.
Well, you've got him in jail, haven't you?
No, but it won't take long now.
Oh, and, Doc, while I'm gone, you lock this door and you keep it locked, huh?
Sure, Matt.
Yes.
Hello, Oliver.
I ain't found him yet, Marshal, but I'm going to.
Uh, how's Chester?
Well, Doc thinks he's gonna be all right.
He came to a minute or so.
He dead?
Yeah, long enough to tell Doc he saw who shot him.
But he didn't get the name out.
Oh.
When he does, it's all the evidence I'll need to put Vinie in prison for a long time.
But there's one good thing.
If Chester don't die, Vinie don't hang.
What I'm worried about is that he's bound to hear Chester's still alive and try to finish
him off before he can talk.
Marshal, I swear I'll run him down before he does anything like that.
He's in bad enough trouble now.
Yeah, the way things are, I'm not gonna wait for you to do it alone.
You look where you think best, Oliver.
I'm gonna cover the south side of town again.
If you find him, you take him to my office and wait.
Okay, Marshal.
All right, let's get started.
As I left Oliver and walked down Front Street, I noticed a figure standing in the shadows
directly across from where we'd been talking.
I guessed it was Vinie, but I couldn't be sure.
And at the moment, it didn't matter much anyway.
I walked on a ways.
Then I ducked up an alley and ran around back to the rear of Doc's place.
A handful of pebbles brought him to his window and he lowered the fire rope for me and I was
sewn inside.
We pulled the rope up and locked the window and then went into the front office to wait.
The door's still locked, Matt.
He can't get in.
Yeah, he'll knock, Doc.
When he does, you open the door fast and get behind it and stay there.
Yeah, I'll stay there all right.
Matt, are you sure Vinie's coming up here?
He's gotta shut Chester up before it's too late, doesn't he?
But he must know I'm here with Chester.
Yeah, that's right, Doc.
You mean he aims to walk in here and shoot me too?
You must be tired tonight, Doc.
Oh, oh, oh.
Shall I open it now?
I'm ready if you are.
You watch yourself, Matt.
All right, go ahead, open it.
Yeah, I'm coming.
I'm coming.
Doc, where are you?
All right, drop it.
No.
All right, Doc, he's through.
Why, Matt, it's Oliver.
Yeah.
Wait a minute.
Who's that?
Stand back, Doc.
I'm sure.
You went and killed Uncle Oliver.
I had to, Vinie.
Well, why didn't you wait?
I'd have stopped him.
Then why didn't you stop him downstairs?
I couldn't get over there fast enough.
Where have you been, Vinie?
Uncle Oliver told me to go wait for him by the river this evening, but I figured he was
up to something.
Then I heard about Chester and I knew.
I've been following him ever since.
I was afraid to show myself.
I thought you'd shoot me, Marshal, just like you shot him.
I told you I had to shoot him.
But he was only trying to help me like he promised, Pa, he would.
He tried too hard.
All I want is to go home.
I didn't want Chester's job.
I told you that.
Don't you even remember?
Yeah, I remember, but you forgot something, Vinie.
What?
You forgot to tell your Uncle Oliver.
And now our star, William Conrad.
Thank you, George.
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Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman MacDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon,
U.S. Marshal.
Our story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Meston, with music composed and conducted
by Rex Corey.
Sound patterns by Tom Hanley and Bill James.
Featured in the cast were Vic Perrin and Harry Bartel.
Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
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Listen to Gunsmoke again next week, transcribed for L&M Filters.