Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 4, Episode 9 - The Beginning - full transcript

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There's no point in
chasing them up in the hills.

We'll never catch them here.

Hank, round up the horses.

Yes, sir. Okay, boys.

You heard Mr. Cartwright.

What do you think, Roy?

Want to call it a day?

Yeah, by the time them boys
get the horses rounded up.

There's a mighty nice
place to camp over there.



Yeah.

And, Ben, you're going to
turn back in the morning, huh?

Yeah, I think so, Roy.

How about you, Hank?

Whatever Mr. Cartwright
says is all right with me.

Any objections, boys?

Well, we got back the
horses they stole, Roy.

Like I said before,
there's not much point

in chasing them
up into the hills.

Fair enough.

We'll head back the
first thing in the morning.

Hank, you mind
taking the first watch?

Might as well.

Well, boys, I'm turning in.



♪♪

Hey!

Hey.

Hey, Indians.

Hey!

Get away Little Joe.

I'll make a good
Indian out of him.

Hank, you know better than that.

Doesn't look like there's
any more of them around.

Let's get him moved by the fire.

Why, he's a white man.

You speak English, son?

What's your name?

Chem-chetka.

Well, that's your Indian name.

Do you have a...

another name, a
white man's name?

Bill... ly Horn.

Billy Horn.

It's more likely he came
here to slit our throats

- while we were asleep.
- Oh, no.

Just want see.

Look.

You.

I guess they don't
need me in there.

Come on, Bill, I'll
buy you a drink.

You're buying? Let's go!

Come on.

Hiya, Hank. Was that a white
man you just brought in there?

Yep.

Be he renegade?

No. It seems the
Shoshone stole him

a long time ago
when he was a kid.

Oh, Hank?

Ben Cartwright still in town?

Yes, sir, he is.

You tell him I got to
see him right away?

I sure will, Mr. Lewis.

Now, make sure he don't leave
town without me seeing him.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Think hard, now, Billy.

Where were you
living at the time

the Indians took
you and your mother?

Not... remember.

Do you remember
how old you were?

Think... six.

Six years old.

Long time ago, Ben.

Even if he did have
any kinfolks left,

there's no telling where
they could've got to by now.

Billy... do you, uh...

do you happen to know
your father's name?

Ma... call Matt.

Matthew Horn... now,
there's something to go on.

What was your
mother's name, son?

Ma... she die seven winter ago.

That... bad winter.

Uh, Billy...

um, did your ma ever say
anything about your family?

My people...
Shoshone, keep us...

Oh, separated?

Separated.

Not see Ma much.

Sounds like real nice people.

No. It their way.

They treat me good.

Well, do you reckon
there's any chance

that your father
might still be alive?

Ma think he killed...
uh, Big San...

Big Sandy!

Big Sandy... there's a settlement
near the Oregon Territory

- called Big Sandy.
- Yeah.

Well, that's much too far
for the Shoshone to go.

- But it's still possible, isn't it?
- It's possible.

And I'll get a telegram off
to the Big Sandy right now.

Come on, boy.

Roy, where are you taking him?

- Gonna lock him up.
- No!

It's all right, Billy.

Jail's no place for the boy.

I go with you.

You're gonna have
to stay here, boy.

Roy, we can take care of him.

Ben, you're forgetting

he's just three days
away from horse-stealing.

Now, look, I'm not gonna
press any charges. Are you?

Now, look, what
I'm trying to say is,

he was brought up Shoshone.

Dog Clan Shoshone at that. Wild.

Now, who knows what he's
likely to do running out there loose.

Roy, this isn't a very good way

to welcome a man
home to his people.

I'll grant you that.

Look, Roy, we'll be
responsible for him.

Ben, what about the folks
out there that look on him

as just a pure
Indian, nothing else?

All right, he'll be safe

- on the Ponderosa with us.
- How about it?

All right, I'll release
him in your custody.

Thank you, Roy.
Thank you very much.

Sheriff, thank you.
Come on, Billy.

There you go.

Oh, Mr. Cartwright,

Ned Lewis said he'd
like to see you right away.

Oh?

He sounded like it
was pretty important.

Oh, well, better get over there.

Thank you, Hank.
Uh, bring the horses.

Yes, sir.

Bet you never saw
anything like this before.

You ought to see New
York or San Francisco.

About a hundred
times bigger than this.

Oh, you not say that!
Might believe you!

You better believe
me; it's the truth.

Yeah, it's true.

Well, Ned, I hear you
were looking for me.

- Ben, how are you?
- Oh, this is Billy Horn.

Oh, I... heard about
you, young fella.

Pleased to meet you.

- Of course, you know Little Joe.
- Hello, Joe.

- Mr. Lewis, how you doing?
- Say, where's, uh...

where's Hoss and Adam?

Oh, I sent them each
with some cattle. Why?

Well, now, you can reach
them if we need them, I suppose.

Yeah, of course I can.
What's so important?

Ben, I got this a
couple of days ago.

Pretty near fretted
myself into old age

waiting for you to get back.

Now, Ned, it would take
me about three hours

to read through all this.

What's it all about?

Well, in a nutshell,

a man by the name
of Milton Tanner

is challenging your title

to about one-third
of the Ponderosa.

Day before yesterday
he filed a claim on it.

You don't expect me to
take this seriously, do you?

Well, this man doesn't
waste his time, Ben,

I'll take my oath on that.

Well, we have ironclad title
to every foot of the Ponderosa,

you know that.

Well, until two
days ago, yes, I did.

But now Tanner thinks he's
found some kind of a flaw.

And I think he came out
here from San Francisco

just for this... to get as much
of the Ponderosa as he can.

Well, Ned, you're certainly
taking this seriously.

Hm? What do you suggest we do?

Well, the first thing,
I'll have to take a look

at all the papers you've
got on the Ponderosa.

Titles, deeds, mortgages,
surveys, water rights,

easements, everything.

Well, you're not one to
stampede at shadows, so...

All right, why don't
you come out tonight,

- and we'll do it together.
- I'll be there.

And the sooner the better, yeah.

Tanner, huh? Hm.

Bye, Mr. Lewis.

All this talk, not understand.

I can't say as I
do, either, Billy.

Either way, it's nothing
for you to worry about.

♪♪

"Claim stake number one.

M. Tanner."

That your land?

Yeah.

And that's the
way it's gonna stay.

Hyah.

- Joe...
- Yeah?

Why don't you take
Billy upstairs to his room.

I'll start looking up
those papers for Lewis.

Right, Pa. Billy, follow me.

This is your room.

Huh?

Chair.

Bed.

Soft.

Blanket.

I remember these things.

Make light?

That's right.

Oh, you have fine
place, Little Joe.

Well, home generally
is a fine place.

Where is woman in home?

Ma?

My mother died when I
was young just like yours.

Feel sorry.

No longer use these things.

Well, you just take
your time. Get used to it.

If you need anything,
call me, I'll be downstairs.

That's the most ridiculous
thing I ever heard of, Ned.

Well, ridiculous or not, Ben...

your title is shaky.

Well, how can it be?
It's all spelled out in that.

These documents
are all based on this...

Yeah.

- The original land patent.
- Yes, I know.

- So they're no better than is.
- But it's ironclad.

We proved it over and
over and over again.

You know, that's a very
interesting thing about the law.

It's open to interpretation.

There was a similar
case four, five months ago.

That time, Judge
Griffith threw out

the original land grant

and ruled in favor
of the later claim.

Now, with a precedent
like that, Ben,

the burden of proof
is gonna be on you.

All right, then we'll prove
it again if we have to.

If you can.

What do you mean, "If we can"?

Ben...

if you let Tanner
take you into court...

his lawyer is gonna hit
you with something like this:

"And the southern boundary

"shall be the river

known as Buckhorn Creek."

Now that river has changed
course twice that I know of.

You show me where
it was 92 years ago

when this document was written.

Oh, he's got a case, Ben.

But it's not right.

Morally, probably not.

Legally, that's, uh,
something else again.

What do you want me to do?

Stay out of court
if you possibly can.

Ben, I think we ought to
go have a talk with Tanner.

I don't know Mr. Tanner.
I don't want to know him.

Well, at least we'd
see what he's after.

Got nothing to lose.

Yeah.

He's, uh, rented the
old Jenkins place.

I could meet you
there in the morning.

All right.

All right, Ben.

I'll get on back to town.

I'll see Mr. Lewis
to the door, Pa.

Oh, Joe, while I'm
over at Tanner's,

look up that survey we
made at the Buckhorn River.

Right, Pa.

Is there trouble for you?

Yeah, I'm afraid
there is trouble.

You know all that land
you saw yesterday,

even the land this house is on?

Well, there's a man trying
to take it away from us.

He can do this?

Well, not if we can stop him.

We'll help you.

There's nothing you can do.

You saved life when
man would shoot me.

You make your home my home.

You have fight, my fight, too.

Thanks, Billy, but it's
not that kind of fight.

Thank you...

Oh, Mr. Tanner, that'll
probably be Mr. Cartwright.

Come on in.

- Ned.
- Hi, Ben.

I, uh, don't believe
you gentlemen

have met officially.

Mr. Tanner, Mr. Ben Cartwright.

High time you
and I got together.

Could I offer you something?

No, thank you.

Sit down.

I guess I've stirred up
quite a fuss, haven't I?

I'm afraid you have, Mr. Tanner.

Well, usually these
things can be settled...

if nobody takes it personally.

I don't know of any
other way to take it.

How can you blame a businessman
for grabbing an opportunity

when he sees it?

Well, it seems to me you
went to considerable trouble

to create an opportunity.

I may have improved it a little.

But why should you and I
be at each other's throats?

I think I can tell you
why, Mr. Tanner.

Now, Ben.

Now that the problem is here,

let's settle it as quickly

and quietly as possible.

Oh, well, as far
as I'm concerned,

there's nothing to settle.

Now just a minute, please.

Now, Ben, I'm your lawyer.

You let me handle this.

Mr. Tanner, what
were you about to say?

Good, good. That's the attitude.

I've got a proposition.

There's several hundred
thousand dollars’ worth of timber

on those hills.

That's what I'm interested in.

That section can
never be heavily logged.

Why not?

Because it's a
watershed, Mr. Tanner.

You take those trees away,

the Ponderosa will be
flooded every spring.

Mr. Cartwright...

I was prepared to
make you a proposition,

to withdraw my
claim against the land

in return for the timber.

Mr. Tanner, neither
you nor anybody else

is gonna make a mud
hole out of the Ponderosa.

Well, now, if that's
going to be your attitude...

That's exactly what my
attitude is going to be.

Simple and clear.

A court of law might disagree
with that, Mr. Cartwright.

I don't know what kind
of a case you have,

but I can promise you
the fight of your life.

Come on, Ned.

Joseph.

Will you mind not throwing
those hanks of hair into the fire?

Oh.

I'm almost through anyway, Pa.

There we go. Here,
take a look at that.

Good, huh?

No, it looks good.

Guess can grow back if have to.

You're not gonna have
to have it grow back.

It looks nice that way. Let
me see how this hat looks.

Oh, it fits better now.

Look like toadstool.

Ah, put the boots on.
We got to get into town.

Hey, Pa, Billy and I
are going into town,

you need anything?

No, you and Billy go along.

Okay, we're just gonna
get a couple things.

We'll be right back.

Come on, hurry up
with the boots, will ya?

Fit all right?

I cut his hair,
put the boots on,

come on let's go.

Come on, we'll get you fitted
out with some new clothes.

Uh-huh. Yeah, it's a good
fit. Looks real good on you.

Oh, too tight. Cannot
hunt or fight in this.

It's too tight? You're
not gonna hunt in this.

This is a dress coat.
You're not gonna

have to do any fighting either.

Who can say when
he have to fight?

Well, I like it. We'll take it.

Let's see.

I think that's about
it. We got everything.

Will you lay off that candy?

You're gonna, you're
gonna get sick from it.

One more.

You said one more
five minutes ago.

You know, that shirt
looks good on you.

Oh, these fine gifts,
Little Joe. I pay you back.

You don't have to pay me
back, it's between friends.

All you got to do is wear 'em.

This is $22.75, Joe.

All right.

It's money.

Just paper.

Still money.

You take paper for clothes?

Yes.

You would not rather have fur?

Blanket?

Horse, maybe?

This will do just
fine, believe me.

All right, thanks.

Come on, let's go.

We'll pick that stuff up later.

You look great.

Oh, hi, Little Joe.

Abouts jumped out of my skin.

How ya doing, Sheriff?

What are you doing...

Now don't tell me
that this is Billy Horn.

That's Billy.

I'm glad you come in town
though, it saves me a trip.

I got something here for ya.

From the Big Sandy.

- Oh, he can't read it, Roy.
- Oh.

Well, the Big
Sandy is your home.

That's where you were born,
and your pa's buried there.

This telegram is from a
fellow named Jack Anderson.

He knew your father, and
he remembers you, too.

Says any time you
want to come back,

they'll be mighty
glad to have you.

Billy, you just say
the word, we'll fix it up

so you can be in
Big Sandy right away.

No! Not yet.

Well, I thought you'd be kind
of anxious to get home again.

After... a while.

Will tell when.

Hey, mister?

You're trespassing.

I guess you'd be the one
they call Little Joe Cartwright.

Huh?

You guess right.
What's your name?

Milton Tanner.

All right, Tanner,
you're trespassing.

Maybe I am a
trifle ahead of time.

He must be that wild
boy you people picked up.

Tell me, boy.

What's it like living with
those dirty savages?

All right, I said
you're trespassing.

Get off the land!

You better watch
your temper, boy.

You may need a job when
I start logging that timber.

That man who try take land?

Yeah, that's the man.

Joe... remember that survey

we had made back,
what five... five years ago?

Mm-hmm.

I want those old
benchmarks rechecked.

That's a good idea.
I'll do it tomorrow.

Billy will come along with me.

Seven judges to draw
from on the circuit,

we have to pick Judge Griffith.

Only one decision ever handed
out against the landowner,

and he did it.

And we've got him. Hmm.

Sometimes nothing goes right.

Mr. Cartwright?

This Judge Griffith...

He tell you can keep
your land or not?

In a way, yes.

He not friend of yours?

Never even met him.

Nope.

Have thought.

Three us, one Tanner.

Think... run him off.

Yeah, well, first of
all, it's against the law

for us to do anything
like that to Tanner.

Then law protect enemy?

Well, yeah... Yeah,
in a way it does. I...

And same law will let
stranger give your land

to man like Tanner.

Well, it can, yes.

Then law wrong.

Billy... see, a long time ago,

people decided that, uh,

fighting was not the best
way to solve problems.

And, uh, just because
a man was strong

didn't mean that he was right.

So, to, uh... to protect
the weaker people,

they set up courts and laws.

You're not weaker people.

Not need such law.

Well, the... courts were set up

to, uh... to protect the
weak and the strong.

Then you let your
land be taken away

to protect people who weak?

Now, suppose, uh...

Suppose three people came along,

and wanted to take
something that belonged to you.

Now, wouldn't you
like to have a court

and laws to protect you?

No. If cannot defend
what own, not deserve it.

Perhaps you not care
much for land, Mr. Cartwright.

I care for it very much.

We all do.

Not understand white man law.

Well, sometimes, I
don't understand it, either.

Hey, Billy!

Billy, I found one!

Billy?!

Billy?

Billy, what's the matter?

Found bear track.
Took gun. Here.

Hey, that's a big one, huh?

I was a little afraid

you might have gone
back with the Shoshones.

Why?

Well, I could understand
your being homesick.

That not home.

When you chase us,
and I come into camp,

think I want to be caught.

Many time, Ma tell me

must someday get
back to white people.

I thought you said they kept
you and your mother apart.

They try.

But she would come
to me at night, hold me,

tell me things.

Yeah, what kind of things?

Our Father Who art
Heaven, hallow be name.

Blessed are meek,
for shall inherit earth.

Two time two... four.

Two time three... six.

Two time four... eight.

Two time five... All
men endowed by Creator

with certain inalienable
right, among which...

Other things.

You know, I can remember

my mother teaching me
some of the same things.

Have not found use for them.

Don't worry. You will.

Shoshone teach me thing, too.

How to skin bear,
use skin for warmth.

How to protect
what belong to me.

Like Pa says, some things
the Indians do are different

from the things
the white men do.

Then white way better?

No, of course it's not better.

It's... it's just the
way it is, that's all.

You have to take what
you learn from the Indian,

take what you learn
from the white man,

and then decide which
is good and which is bad.

Teach man repay debt. Is wrong?

Of course not. That's good.

Then that much learned
from Shoshone can keep.

♪♪

Brutus, what is it?

Who's there?

Billy Horn.

What do you want?

Talk.

Well... speak your peace.

I come warn you.

Warn me about what?

Do not try take
Mr. Cartwright land,

or I kill you.

You tell Mr. Cartwright,

if he wants to threaten
me, let him do it himself.

He not threaten you. I do.

Mr. Cartwright friend.

If you hurt him, I kill you.

I have spoken.

Brutus!

Mr. Cartwright?

Billy?

That you, Billy?

What are you doing out there?

- Hmm?
- Not worry anymore.

Have killed Mr. Tanner for you.

Killed... Mr. Tanner?

Think you'll be pleased!

You killed Mr. Tanner?

Well, not want to.

Warned first.

His choosing.

Had to stop from
taking Ponderosa.

Billy, you did wrong.

How?

Enemy dead, land safe.

Where wrong?

Killing.

Killing is wrong.

Wolf killed doe.

Fawn starve, wolf eat.

Where wrong?

Billy, we're not animals.

Have to live.

Have to protect ourselves.

If you afraid
Mr. Tanner friends,

I go now before get here.

Oh, Billy.

Billy... killed Mr. Tanner.

I just heard.

We'll have to take him
to town to the sheriff.

You my friends.

Not understand.

- Sheriff?
- Yeah?

I'm through.

All right.

- Talkative cuss, ain't he?
- Yeah.

Ben... I couldn't get
a word out of him.

You know, he ain't
took a loud breath

ever since you
brought him in here?

Ned, will you defend him?

I'm not sure he
wants to be defended.

Will you help him?

All right, Ben, I'll do
what I can for him.

Come on, Joe.

Now, see that you don't
give me any trouble, huh, son?

Morning, Billy.

Now, look, son,

sooner or later you're gonna
have to talk to somebody.

I'm the best one,
because I'm on your side.

This place... is
where they kill me?

Son, is that what you've
been carrying around

inside you all this time?

Well, now, if you had
just let me talk to you,

I could've explained.

This is just a trial.

I'm here to protect you.

What I to you?

You're my client.

You're Ben Cartwright's friend.

I have no friend.

Oh, yes, you do.

A whole lot better
than you think.

They will kill me.

- Morning, Judge.
- Everybody rise, please.

How does the defendant plead?

Your Honor...

if, uh, if I may
approach the bench.

You may.

We are prepared to
enter a plea of guilty

if I can be assured
of an opportunity

to enter testimony that will
have direct bearing on sentence.

Your Honor...

is counsel trying to
bargain with the court?

Oh, no, no, not at all.

Well, it is unusual, Mr. Lewis.

There, uh, there is
precedent, Your Honor.

The case of The
People v. Lyle Bigert,

revised reports, 1854.

And, uh... People v.
Four Indians, 1858.

Very well, Mr. Lewis,
enter your plea.

- I'll hear your testimony.
- Thank you, Your Honor.

The, uh... the
defendant pleads guilty.

Call your witness, Mr. Lewis.

Call Mr. Benjamin Cartwright.

Now, uh, Mr. Cartwright...

would you... would
you tell us, please...

just what is your relationship
with the defendant?

Well, I considered
Billy Horn a friend.

I still do.

That's, uh, in spite
of what he's done.

Yes. In spite of
what he has done.

But...

I would like to say
that his standards

are different from ours.

Would you explain
yourself, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, Billy Horn was
raised by the Shoshones,

people whose laws
are different from ours.

He grew up in a world where...

where you kill

if you have to, for survival.

Or for the survival
of your friends.

Now, Billy Horn...

killed a man because he
thought he was helping me...

his friend.

I believe that what
he did was wrong.

He believes that what
he did was necessary

and right.

Well, in a way...

Billy Horn's problem is a...

kind of test for all of us

to judge how far our white
man's civilization has come

since its beginning.

Your Honor, I hope the
court will give Billy a chance

to see that our way of life

is merciful and understanding...

as well as just.

That, uh, concludes our
testimony, Your Honor.

Just a minute.

You may step
down, Mr. Cartwright.

Mr. Lewis, Mr. Adams.

Yes, Your Honor?

Do you gentlemen have
anything further to discuss?

Well, if it's amiable with
the defense, I'll concur.

- Fine.
- That's fine.

- Thank you, gentlemen.
- Thank you. -Thank you.

We will take this testimony
under advisement.

This case will be
recessed until tomorrow.

♪♪

Boy, you sure owe Ben
Cartwright a debt of thanks.

Put me here.

Well, that's the law.

But he more than likely
saved your hide today.

I go free?

Well, I think the judge'll
probably give you

a couple of years in prison.

Years!

In small jail room?!

Well, it beats hanging.

Here, let me get
them cuffs off of you.

Ben!

Roy! What happened?

Billy Horn slugged
me and got away.

Joe!

Joseph!

You got to help me
round up a posse.

Yeah, yeah.

♪♪

What this time... friend? Enemy?

Billy, you're making a big
mistake by running away.

You do it now, you'll be
running the rest of your life.

Not understand white law.

Help friends;
friends put in jail.

You know we didn't
want to do that.

My father's doing
everything he can to help you.

Rather die than be in jail.

I'm sorry. I don't
want to do this.

If that posse catches
you they're gonna kill you.

I'm gonna have to
bring you back with me.

Ha! Die first.

♪♪

All right, is this the
way you want it, Billy?

Is this what your
mother taught you,

- to kill and then to run?
- Not want to die.

Who said you're gonna die?

Not want live in
small jail room.

Billy, you killed a man...
You have to pay for that.

Don't you understand?
It was wrong!

By bear, you say
pay debt is right.

When try do that,
man and dog attack me.

Now is wrong.

White man have twisted tongue.

Wait a minute, what do you mean
a dog and a man attacked you?

When I say, stay away your land,

they want kill me.

Billy, why didn't you say that
in court... that's self-defense!

Just more words.

Shoshone few words!

Listen, listen, try
to understand me.

In the white man's law,
if you kill another man

trying to save your own
life, that's self-defense.

I can't guarantee
it'll get you off,

but that can make
the difference.

More words. I
cannot believe you.

All right.

All right, I can't force
you to believe me...

but I am your friend.

I know you did what you did
because you're my friend, too.

That's why I just
can't take you back.

Remember one thing, it
was something I told you.

You have to take what
you learn from the white man

and what you learn
from the Indian and...

decide which ones are
good and which ones are bad.

That's one decision you're
gonna have to make for yourself.

I can't make it for you.

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