Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there is just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
Gun smoke, starring 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, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they want to meet.
It's a chancey job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Well, you must have rode out of the war with this gun, mister.
I'd like you just to tell me if you could fix it.
You fought for the rebels, didn't you?
I'm proud I fought on the side of honor.
Yeah, sure. I can always tell by the gun.
A piece like this, that's a copy of a Navy colt. About all you rebels could get sometimes.
Can you fix it? Can you put it in firing shape?
No, it's a very old gun.
If you can't fix it, hand it back. I've not time to wait.
Well, hold on your horses, mister. I can fix it all right.
When can I have it?
I could even fix this so that we'll fire metal cartridges. You could even use.38.
All right, just so it'll work.
But I don't see no sense to it.
How long will it take?
Now, there is no sense to it, mister. You are wearing a much better gun, right?
Now, there is nothing can beat those new Colt Peacemaker.
I have a special job for this gun, but it can't be nothing that the new.45 can do.
This gun missed its chance once. I'm going to see it doesn't miss it again.
I'm not sure I know what you mean, mister.
You just fix the gun. When it's in firing shape, bring it to me at the Dodge house.
Storekeeper?
Storekeeper?
Give me a minute, mister.
I'm not accustomed to being kept waiting.
I said just a minute.
See, I can keep your business going if you're not here to wait on customers.
I don't know you skippin' riled, mister.
I've got a lot of things to do back there in the store room.
Folks in Dodge know I'm here. They know I'll wait on them as soon as I can.
Oh, a way to run a business.
You want something or you just come in here to talk?
I want a coffin.
Oh, well, I'm sorry about that, mister.
I don't require sympathy, just a coffin.
Yeah? All right. How much do you want to pay?
I don't care how much I pay. I want the right one.
I don't carry many fine caskets, mister. Not much call for them out here.
I want a box like the North used during the war between the states.
An Army coffin? I ain't never carried nothing that cheap in my whole store.
Have one made up then?
I might be able to do that.
I want one just like the one they buried the Yankies in.
Oh, is this going to be a military funeral?
Not exactly.
I mean, was the deceased a soldier?
He was a soldier once. He should have died a soldier.
Well, now, don't make much difference what kind of coffin a man's buried in.
Now, what I got back here...
He won't rate anything better than a Yankee coffin or a Yankee death.
Sir?
Oh, Cole.
My name is Yancy Grode. I'd like some information.
Sure, Mr. Grode.
Be glad to tell you just about anything you might like to know.
My name's Chester Prowd.
I want a burial.
Oh, my gracious, Mr. Grode. That's a shame.
And I won't appreciate you to read the service.
Sure you do. It's only fitting.
The funny thing, though...
What?
Well, I can't recollect anybody around these parts who died recently.
That doesn't matter.
Well, now, Mr. Grode, begging your pardon, but it might matter a good deal.
All I want is the name of a man to read the service.
Well, now, that's just it. Some folks would want one kind of a burial,
and some folks would want another.
Folks around here who we call for a picture seem to like to be spoke over or sung over.
Just give me a name.
They either like a lot of words, tell them what a fine fellow there was,
or they like to be sung the way gentlemen like.
Is the... the body here in Dodge?
Not yet.
Oh. Being freighted in, is he?
No. He's ridin' in.
Matt, I don't know whether I ought to worry about you or not.
What?
Well, you're almost beginning to live like a normal man. What changed?
Oh, how's that?
You've been stayin' around town, not ridin' off all over the countryside.
You've even taken time to eat most of your meals sittin' at the table.
Yeah, and I've let out a notch in my belt, too.
You look fine, Matt.
Oh, thank you, Kitty, but just so it doesn't go too far.
What do you mean?
That'd be a fine thing if I got up one morning and couldn't buckle my gun on, wouldn't it?
Be all right with me.
Kitty, it's because it's been quiet lately.
There you are, Mr. Dillon. I declare I've been lookin' all freaking...
I knew it from the last.
What is it, Chester?
Excuse me, Miss Kitty.
Sure, Chester.
Well, Mr. Dillon, it ain't exactly trouble. It's more amusing-like.
Oh, what's the story?
Well, I guess it ain't a story exactly neither.
Well, for heaven's sake, Chester, say it out, whatever it is.
Well, it's about that fella I met out on the street.
What fella, Chester?
Name of Groot, I think it was.
Ann Seacroft?
Why, yes, ma'am. You know him, Miss Kitty?
I've heard about him.
Well, I tell you, it was real comical he come up to me.
Chester, what did he come up to you about?
Well, as you said, he come up to ask about getting a preacher for a burial.
What's so funny about that?
Don't you see, Mr. Dillon, he's getting pretty far ahead of himself.
He wanted this preacher to bury a man who ain't even dead yet. He ain't even in town.
Oh, is he sick?
No, sir, he ain't sick. He's riding in the dog as fine as can be.
Miss Groot says he knows he'll be needing a preacher when he gets here.
Now, don't that beat off?
Mac.
Yeah, what is it?
It may not be so funny.
You mean you know something about this?
I've been hearing strange things about Ann Seacroft.
What kind of things?
Well, old Walt Dow was in here the other night.
Did he sell Groot a gun?
No, not exactly. But he was telling the boys at the bar about how this stranger wanted him to fix up an old Confederate pistol.
The man wanted to use it to even an old score.
And the man was Groot, huh?
That's right. And then today, Jonas came in with a strange tale about him, too.
It seems he was pricing coffins.
Yeah. Jester, you know where I can find him?
Well, he's over at the Dodge house, Mr. Jones. He told me to have the preacher come there.
Well, I think maybe I better get over there first.
Hello, Toby.
Oh, evening, Marshall.
You, uh, got somebody registered here by the name of Groot?
Why, yes, we do. The Ann Seacroft. Southern gentleman.
Uh-huh. Is he in his room now?
Well, no, Marshall. I don't keep track of all the guests.
Which room is his, Toby?
Uh, second from the top of the stairs.
Thank you.
Groot, are you in there?
Who is it?
Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal. Open up.
Come in, Marshall. Come in.
Thank you.
I'm gonna get those rags off that chair so you can sit down.
Oh, never mind. It's all right.
I've been polishing my gun.
Oh? Is, uh, not the one that Walt Dow fixed up for you?
You know about that?
Well, half of Dodge knows about it.
The old man talks a lot.
You have to admit, though, it was no ordinary job.
Fixing an old worn-out gun.
No, I suppose not.
Dow does nice work. You care to take a look at it here, Marshall?
Got the action nice and easy.
Yeah, it works fine.
Uh, Dow seemed to feel that, uh, you had a special plan for this gun.
Oh, I do, Marshall. I do.
Maybe you better tell me about it.
Why, I'm gonna use it to kill a man.
Oh, who is he?
I don't think you know him, Marshall.
That's not gonna make any difference.
He isn't here yet.
What's his name?
His name's Tom Haskett.
He'll be here in a few days.
He's coming with a herd of cattle.
And I'll be waiting.
I've been waiting for too many years already.
You listen to me, Gro.
No, Marshall, you listen to me.
There's nothing you can say to stop me.
There's nothing you can do that'll save Haskett's life.
I saved it once myself.
And it was the biggest mistake I ever made.
You're sure trying to make a bigger one.
I know you're doing your duty as a lawman, but I'm here to do my duty, too.
And I'm gonna finish something I should have finished at my NASA's.
Us folks are doing our best to forget about the war, Gro.
I had a male lion wounded at my feet.
A Yankee soldier.
I had this gun in my hand. I should have finished him.
I should have finished him right there.
It's no crime to let a man live.
Two years later he was with Sherman in Georgia.
Tom Haskett led his men to burn in my home.
My wife was killed trying to escape.
I should have finished him.
And I will.
I can't blame you for your feelings, Gro, but killing isn't gonna bring anything back.
Your wife will still be dead and you'll have a murder on your hands.
This won't be murder, Marshall. Merely delayed justice.
The court won't see it that way.
There's no law in the land can stop me.
I've been trailing Tom Haskett for years and now I found him.
And I'm gonna kill him.
Groat, maybe you can't help it if the bitterness in your brain is eating away the reason.
But let me tell you something.
You're not gonna work out your revenge and dodge.
As soon as I hear that that cattle drive is near town, I'm gonna lock you up.
And I'm gonna keep you locked up till Haskett's safely out of town.
You can't stop me, Marshall.
I hope I won't have to, Groat.
I hope maybe you'll stop yourself.
No!
You know, Matt, it isn't the grudges that's causing the trouble.
Oh, what do you mean, Doc?
Well, lots of folks carry grudges.
And some of them never get rid of them as long as they live.
Well, Yancey Groat's sure never gonna get rid of his.
I know.
And if you just stop and think about half of this whole country's carrying their grudges,
it'll never get over either about the war.
Yeah, I guess you're right, Doc.
The trouble comes when folks can't control themselves about whatever's eaten at them.
When they're so riled up, they have to hurt or shoot or kill to get it out of their system.
I like Groat.
Now, I'll tell you something else, Matt.
You may be able to lock him up or chase him out of town and keep him from doing any killing this time,
but I won't stop him in the long run.
He's the kind that won't let himself be stopped, ever.
Maybe so, Doc, but I sure gotta try.
Of course you do.
Here comes Chester, looking hungry.
Well, he hasn't eaten for at least an hour and a half. Of course he's hungry.
Hold on, Mr. Dillon. Doc?
Hey, Chester, come on, sit down. Have your dinner bar.
Thank you. I could show you something, that's a fact.
As a wonder to me you had the strength to get here, Chester.
It must be at least five minutes after noon already.
Well, I would have been here sooner, you can count on that, but I was held up at the corner by Mr. Doby.
Now, what's on his mind?
It's about that Groat fellow, Mr. Dillon. I swear he just about makes as little sense as anybody I ever run into.
What's he done now?
Well, it ain't that he's done nothing. It's what he ain't done that makes you wonder.
What?
Well, you know how he was going around town, making all kinds of arrangements for a burying.
Yeah, I go on.
Well, sir, he's left town.
Left town? Are you sure?
Mr. Doby says he packed out early this morning, cleaned out his room, and rode off.
Well, does Doby know where he went?
No, we don't, Mr. Dillon. Moss Grimmock does.
Oh, come on, Chester, get it out.
Well, Moss Grimmock saddled his horse for him, and Groat was asking which way the cattle drive would be coming from.
You ready to hurry up, Chester?
Bring him something to eat in a hurry.
Well, no, I ain't in no special, brother.
Yes, you are, Chester. Meet me at the stable in five minutes. We're going to be riding south.
You the cook for this outfit, mister?
Well, I ain't no painted lady.
Could I have a few words with you?
We don't need no more hands on this drive, fella. We're almost to die.
I don't want a job. I just want some information.
All right, you ask the questions, but I ain't promising no answers.
Fair enough.
Can I tie my horse here?
Sure, just keep him out of the beans.
I'm looking for a man named Tom Haskett.
Oh?
I heard he was with your outfit.
Is that a fact?
I'd like very much to find him. We haven't seen each other since the war. Is he on this drive?
Why don't you hang around and find out, mister?
I could do that, of course, but, well, to tell the truth, I'd like to surprise him.
Now, ain't that pretty?
I know it may sound strange, but I don't think he ever expected to see me again.
And I'd like to work it, so our meeting is sort of private.
There ain't much privacy out here on the plains, mister.
You could help me if you would.
What do you want me to do?
Over at that creek, Barry.
Well, the bushes are. I thought I might wait for him over there, and then you could send him over when he gets back to camp.
Why should I?
I'd be glad to supply a little something to wash the dust down your throat.
Oh? Drinking whiskey?
Drinking whiskey. It's in the saddlebag.
Okay, mister.
They don't make one sense to me, but I'll speak to Haskett when he comes in for his supper.
I'll be waiting. It's been a long time.
Music
Somebody want to see me?
You Tom Haskett?
Yeah, I'm Haskett.
Over here.
What's on your mind, mister? Cook said you wanted to see me.
I thought you'd remember me.
I know you.
You ought to. Maybe I can jog your memory.
You remember Manassas?
Second Bull Run? You bet I do.
Was you there, too?
I was there.
You sound like a Reb.
I was a Confederate cavalryman.
Hey, hold on a minute.
You remember a string bed just about like this, and you lying there wounded, firing as we advanced?
And my gun jammed, and you could have picked me off easy, but you didn't.
You're Groot.
That's right, Haskett. You ain't say Groot.
Well, I'll be dogged.
Didn't figure on seeing me again.
You know, for a fact I didn't, but I'm right glad to meet with you. I'm proud of the chance to shake your hand.
That's not why I came here.
You want me to do something for you? Need money or a job? I'd be proud to do anything I can.
That won't be necessary.
Well, and?
I'm going to kill you, Haskett.
That's a poor joke.
I held this gun on you once before and let you live. I will not make that mistake again.
You must be crazy.
Maybe. Maybe a man goes crazy thinking about his house burning down and his wife dying, and the man who did it.
Oh, sure. Sure, it's a terrible thing.
What's it got to do with me?
You can stand there with the memory of that fire showing in your eyes and ask me a question like that.
Now listen a minute, Groot.
You and your men on that march with Sherman burning, looting, harming innocent women.
You mean down in Georgia?
I mean just outside Atlanta.
Well, now listen to me, Groot. Now, I was never in Georgia in my life. Not before the war, not during, not after.
That's not what your sergeant said, Haskett.
My sergeant?
He identified you all right. Lieutenant Tom Haskett, he said. That's you, ain't it?
Well, sure, that's me. But I'm not the one you're after.
Listen, man, I can prove it. I was in prison.
For a man's house killing his wife after his life had been saved.
Lookie.
Shooting's too good for you, Haskett.
Groot, you've got to give me a chance.
I gave you one with the same gun in my hand.
For the sake of heaven, Groot.
There's him.
Oh, Groot.
You didn't have...
Drop it, Groot.
You're too late, Marshal.
I said drop it.
Pick it up, Chester.
Is this Haskett?
That's Haskett. But you're too late, Marshal.
Haskett.
Mm?
Can you hear me?
He's crazy. He's dark crazy.
Chester.
Yes, sir?
Get over to the cattle camp and borrow a wagon. We've got to get this man to dock.
Yes, sir, sir.
You save his life. I'll just get him again.
I think you're going to have the chance, Groot, one way or the other.
Hold up, Chester. There's dock across the street.
Yes, sir.
Hey, dock. Hey, dock.
Come over here, will you?
Oh, yes, sure, man.
Nobody can help him.
You just sit quiet, Groot.
What is it, man?
Dock, we've got a badly wounded man in the wagon. Thought you ought to take a look at
him before we moved him up to your office.
Well, that's a good idea. Help me up, will you, Chester?
Sure, dock. Give me a hand.
Yeah.
Thank you, Chester. Now then, you just lie still and let me see.
Oh, you're a good man.
Easy, easy. Easy now. It'll just be a minute.
What do you think, dock?
He's not a good man. Not a good...
Dock.
Dock.
Well, we'll do what we can. Now, but just easy now.
You're dock Adams.
That's my name.
But you remember me.
No, it doesn't matter. Don't you worry about it.
It does matter. Look. Look at it, dock.
I'm...
Tom Haskett.
Now, don't try to talk.
You got to remember Libby Prison, dock. Remember Libby Prison.
Sure, now, sure. I was there long enough, but you've got to be quiet.
Look at him. My right eye. The scar.
Scar? Remember Scar?
See, you tell him, dock. Tell him I was there.
Why? Why I believe you're right.
You mean you do remember him, dock?
Why? Yes, man. I believe I do.
I might forget his face, but I could never forget that scar.
I worked hard to save that eye.
Now, he was in Libby Prison with you?
Yes. Yes, he was. Right up to the end of the war.
Then he couldn't have been with Sherman in Georgia.
I just said we were in Libby, didn't I?
Groat. Did you hear that?
I made a mistake.
You can just bet you did.
You spend years of your life planning a killing and then end up shooting the wrong man.
I saved his life once, Marshal.
You'll cancel that score, Groot.
What do you mean? He's dead.
I... I didn't mean...
You lived your whole life just planning this thing.
Ever since the war.
There's just one thing about it.
What's that, man?
At least another part of the war is over.
But like most wars, it ended too late.
Guns, folks.
Produced and directed by Norman McDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Marion Clark, with editorial supervision by John Meston.
Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Lawrence Dobkin, Jessica Patrick, and Frank Cady.
Harley Bair is Chester, Howard McNeer is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Wolke, inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gunsmoke.