Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 9, Episode 6 - False Witness - full transcript

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You'd think with all the balling
them steers did on the trail,

they'd be balled out
by now, wouldn't you?

If I was a Cartwright, I'd think that
was the sweetest sound there is,

all that mooing going on.

- Yeah.
- That's the sound of money, Hoss.

Frankly, after a ride
like that ride today,

I'd just as soon have a good,
soft bed as hard money any time.

Get it all squared
away, little brother?

Everything's fine. I
got the night riders out.

Candy, you have to take over from
Ace at midnight up on the east ridge.



I'll be there.

Hey, Hoss, I just
passed the chuck wagon.

Hop Sing's got a nice pan of
biscuits with your brand on 'em.

Well, he'll just have to
save 'em for breakfast.

I'm cutting down till
I get into Sand Dust.

I know you're cutting down. That's why
I said there was just one pan of biscuits.

Candy knows about this real
fancy eating place in Sand Dust.

- Ain't that right, Candy?
- Oh, yeah, yeah.

There's one, the Golden
something or other.

Um, if it's still there, you'll
be able to find it without me.

What do you mean, without
you? Where are you gonna be?

Well, I told Mr. Cartwright,
Sand Dust is the end of the line.

You realize how much of your money
I have burning a hole in my pocket?

I can get all the
way to Chicago.



You mean to tell me
you're gonna pass up a ride

on a hard saddle all the
way back to the Ponderosa

just to... just to sit
in some soft train

and sip those drinks the waiter
brings you with the ice an' all in 'em

and look at the pretty girls
who are going back east

after spending all
their time out west?

Hoss, how come we
never ran away from home?

I don't know, but
I can tell you this,

both of you ought to quit the
gabbing and get some shut-eye.

We got that creek to cross
with them steers in the morning.

If we don't get 'em in there
to Mr. Haskell, there ain't...

there ain't nobody

gonna have any money
to burn in nobody's pocket.

Better be careful. He's
gonna blow that fire out.

Fine beef cattle. You
didn't drive 'em too hard.

When you get back to the Ponderosa,
you tell Ben how pleased I am

you brought your herd all
the way here to Sand Dust.

Well, he'll be happy to hear that. I
gotta be honest with you, Mr. Haskell,

that's not the real reason we
drove those cattle to Sand Dust.

- 'Cause you pay 50 cents a head more.
- And they're worth it to me.

I'll have your money ready

any time you wanna come by
my office in town and pick it up.

Good enough. We'll be
through here pretty soon.

All right. Be
seeing you in town.

Right.

Sand Dust.

Reckon a man can get a
beer in a town named like that?

I'm buying.

Three farewell beers.

Candy, I never figured
you was really serious.

I don't wanna crowd you,

but as soon as I pick up my
wages, I wanna be leaving.

Suit yourself.

He's too good a hand to lose.

I'll talk him out of it while
we're having that beer.

Maybe so. Come on,
let's get back to work.

Nothing personal,
mister. Just practice.

No offense.

- Hi.
- How you doing?

You'll want to check
these figures, Joe.

All right. Here's a
little present from Pa.

Oh, you don't say. I got
a present here for Ben.

This is Valerie Townsend.
Mr. Cartwright, Val.

- Hello, Mr. Cartwright.
- Very nice to meet you.

Spanish sherry. And
wouldn't you know?

- Spanish sherry?
- You guessed right.

Same label, same year.

- I'll get your money now.
- Right.

These figures look correct.

Don't try anything
and nobody'll get hurt.

Put 'em up, and keep 'em there.

Now, back off. Back off!

Open the safe, old
man. I said open the safe.

I... I don't know
where I stopped.

Well, you better
remember. Get down there.

You better hurry up, old timer,
or brother Billy will cut you to bits.

All right. Please.

My drovers are coming in here to get
paid. They could show up any minute.

You don't say. Take a
look out that there window.

The sheriff is out of
town. We took care of that.

You better hope your
men don't butt in, mister.

Hurry up, Billy.

If those are them drovers, looks like
somebody's gonna get killed after all.

What are you two doing here?

I figured you'd be hunting
down that cold beer about now.

Well, we were, little brother, but we
didn't wanna get too far ahead of you.

Yeah, well, I'll be a little while
yet. Why don't you go on ahead?

I'll catch up to you.

Yeah.

I talked old Candy into putting
off that trip. Pretty good, huh?

Yeah, that's real good news.

Close the door.

I'll see you later, huh?

Now, you stay
right where you are.

Not a sound from you.

Out the back. Candy,
take the other side.

Back of the barn!

Doug, hold it!

Get him out of here.

Get up. Hey.

Is he...?

Yeah.

You ain't gonna be a
hero very long, big man.

Just killed Haskell.

I had him in my sights.
I should have squeezed.

Heard some shots. What happened?

A gang robbed Mr. Haskell.

They killed him. There must have
been, oh, seven or eight of 'em.

- You got just one?
- Two dead behind the barn.

- Got a name, boy?
- His name's Billy.

Heard him call another one Doug.

All right, put your guns away. If
there's any more shooting, we'll do it.

That's what I like, a man
who knows what he's doing.

On your feet.

On your feet, boy.

I wanna see you all in my
office. Take care of Haskell.

Doc'll be here in a few minutes.

Where's your brother, Billy?

Where do you hole up
when you're in these parts?

You folks were lucky.
You ran into a bad bunch.

Doug and Billy Slader.

Wanted dead or
alive in seven states.

OK, this is gonna
take a little bit of time.

Might as well sit down.

- Who saw the Haskell killing?
- I did. So did Miss Townsend here.

- You two didn't see it, huh?
- No.

All we saw was Billy toss
the money back to his brother.

Four witnesses to a robbery,
two witnesses to a murder.

Looks like there's gonna
be a rope waiting for Billy boy.

Doug'll get me out. There ain't no
jail that'll hold me and you know it.

Mine will.

Valerie, how much money did they
get out of that safe? Do you know?

I'm not sure.

Enough to buy three or four
herds the size of Mr. Cartwright's.

Shall I lock him up?

You won't convict me.

There's not gonna be enough
witnesses alive to testify. None of you!

Do you hear what I'm saying?
You're all gonna be dead!

I hope you folks have no pressing
business the next few days,

'cause you're staying here.

You caught me a killer. Catching
him, that's... that's just half the battle.

I need your testimony
to get a conviction.

Well, fine. How long's
this gonna take, you figure?

Well, I'll wire the
circuit judge today.

Two or three days to get here.
Two or three days for the trial.

Unless, of course, he's in the
middle of something right now.

All right, Sheriff. The three of us'll
be out at the trail camp if you need us.

Mr. Cartwright, you
weren't listening.

I said this jail would
hold Billy. It will.

That means there's only one way

that Doug can see that
Billy cheats the noose:

get rid of the witnesses.

That Slader gang will try to
kill you. That's all they'll do, try.

As of now, you're
guests of the county,

protective custody in
the hotel, under guard.

Valerie, you'll have to move
out of the boarding house.

Get Bud O'Hara, Jim Snell,
Walter Benson. I need 'em, now.

And I want you to
listen to what I got to say.

The lady's bedroom's on the
left, gentlemen's on the right.

Thank you very much.

Keep this door locked at all times.
There'll be an armed deputy in the hall.

- If you need anything, say the word.
- Thank you.

Well, I guess this'll be
it for the next few days.

Yeah. Ain't no
Virginia City, is it?

The street down there'll be
full of people before you know it,

coming in town to see
the trial and the hanging.

Let's get settled down.

There were eyewitnesses, Doug.

There isn't a lawyer in the
world that can beat eyewitnesses.

What about the jail?

You know that bucket, Jack?

Is she a tight one?

Forget about the
jail. It's built like a fort.

We made a big haul this trip.

You'll all get a big cut,
when you've earned it.

When Billy is free.

I don't care how you do it,
Jack, but I want my brother free.

Look, Doug, there
were four witnesses.

- Four of 'em.
- Sure.

What if two of 'em
happened to get killed?

Something tells me that the others
wouldn't be very anxious to talk.

Come on.

I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to be hysterical.

I've read about
robberies and murders.

Everybody hears and reads about
it, but... but when you're there...

Mr. Haskell was so kind to me.

He was such a nice
man to everyone.

Yes, he was, Val.
He was a fine fella.

I've never even
seen a murder trial.

I've never been a witness. I
probably won't know what to do at all.

- Have you ever been a witness?
- Oh, there's nothing to it.

You swear to tell the truth, and the
prosecutor asks you a few questions

and you answer 'em, that's it.

Oh, I wish I could just
go down those stairs,

get on a train and go home.

Val, where is your home?
I don't believe you said.

Albany, New York.
The state capital.

Your folks still live there?

My mother. She's all
the family I have now.

There's not much opportunity
for a girl to work in New York.

Well, I thought I could
do better out west,

but if I'd known what it was gonna
be like, I never would have come.

Oh, it's not really that bad.

We've got some fine
towns and some fine folks.

Most of whom wear guns.

Almost everyone.

What's so special about Albany? I
imagine people get hurt in Albany.

People probably even
get murdered in Albany.

Probably, but I
don't have to see it.

I didn't have to see the kindest man
I'd ever known shot down in cold blood!

- What's the matter? What's going on?
- Not a thing, little brother.

We're just talking.

I'm sorry.

I... I didn't mean
to lose my temper.

That's all right. You were a
little rough on her, weren't you?

- Frankly, that was the idea.
- You wanted me to lose my temper?

- Why?
- I was trying to help.

Well, I once knew
an army doctor.

He told me people
never get hysterical alone.

They have to have an audience.
The best cure is to slap their face.

And the next best thing is to tell
'em something that'll shock 'em.

You're right.

We're going to... We're gonna be here
for two days together before the trial.

The last thing you want
is an hysterical woman.

Thank you, Candy.
I'll try and do better.

Val, you, uh, you said
you were from Albany.

What made you pick Sand Dust?

I didn't exactly pick it.

I was going to Virginia City and
this is where my money ran out.

Virginia City, huh?

Well, listen, when
this is all over with,

you'll have to make it all the
way on out and pay us a little visit.

We could rig up enough
money to buy a stage ticket.

- Don't you reckon, little brother?
- I think we can guarantee it.

Mr. Haskell told me
about the Ponderosa.

But I'm not sure I can accept.

Well, you'd be more than
welcome, I assure you.

Take my word for it, I wasn't
even raised there, it's quite a layout.

- Who is it?
- Deputy Jensen. It's all right, sir.

Coming on dinnertime. Sheriff
thought you folks might wanna eat.

Dinner? Your stomach must be three
hours slow and mine's three hours fast.

- We'll be out in a minute.
- We'll be waiting.

Tell me the truth. Do you think
the Slader gang will try anything?

Well, it's a rough gang. I don't
think we ought to take any chances.

Now I am scared.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Scared, cautious, it's
about the same thing.

You're looking at three
very cautious individuals.

Shall we go?

All right, folks, please.

Ah, fresh air.

The restaurant's just down
the street, the Clover Bee.

All right, Short, lead off.

Get behind the wagon!

Broad daylight. They
all want you pretty bad.

It cost them. Three of 'em
came in. They left two behind.

They killed Short.

- Can you walk?
- Yeah, if somebody gives me a hand.

Get him to the hotel.
Rivers, take care of Short.

- Thanks.
- That goes for you too.

I want everybody at the hotel.
Nobody leaves without my permission.

Yeah. They came from three
different directions, Sheriff.

A little better timing and
you'd be fresh out of witnesses.

Well, I promise you one thing.
Billy Slader's gonna stand trial

and you're gonna be
there to testify against him

if I have to deputize every
able-bodied man in this town.

Sheriff, I hope you
don't break that promise.

A murder trial's a
holiday for a lot of people.

Are you sure Joe's
gonna be all right?

Oh, yeah. I saw the wound.

He's hurting some
now, but he'll be all right.

The doctor and Hoss have
been in there almost an hour.

They're probably tying a
pretty little bow on his bandages.

Or teaching Joe how
to use that crutch.

Any one of 'em down there
could be of the Slader gang.

You know something?

You worry too much.

Now, you follow instructions
exactly like I told you

and that leg'll heal a month sooner
than if you put weight on it too soon.

Yeah, don't worry,
Doc, I will. Much obliged.

- Joe, do you feel all right?
- Oh, he's fine.

It's more of a burn than a break.
That bullet just barely grazed the bone.

Now, Joe, like I
said, get lots of rest.

And, uh, no foot races.

Don't worry about it, Doc.
I'll keep him down. Thanks.

Hey, thank you very much. I
guess this isn't gonna be too bad.

Here I am practically an invalid, three
people to wait on me hand and foot.

Take advantage
of it, little brother.

Once we get back to the
Ponderosa, it's every man for himself.

Yeah, I know. Speaking of when
we get back to the Ponderosa...

We made a decision. When we
get back, you're gonna be with us.

And we're not gonna
take no for an answer.

I'd like that. Thank you
very much for the invitation.

And for saving my life.

I think a little trip'll do her
good after all that's happened.

Dunkel.

- How's it feeling?
- I'll live.

- We're all living.
- So far.

I'm sorry about
it. I'm real sorry.

I just never expected anybody to hit in
broad daylight, not even Doug Slader.

Well, what we're talking
about now, Sheriff,

is what are we gonna
do about the next time?

You do agree there
will be a next time?

I've deputized another
half a dozen men.

I've got a way to get you
from here to the courthouse.

If he wants to get you this
time, he'll need an army.

For a little while there, I
thought he already had one.

We'll be ready.

How's Valerie holding up?

Well, much better than
expected to be, frankly.

- She'll be fine.
- Well, I got one piece of good news.

I got a telegram from Judge Wheeler.
He should be here by noon tomorrow.

We can get down to business or are
we gonna have a lot of lawyer palaver?

Judge Wheeler doesn't waste
time. That trial will start tomorrow.

Meantime, just hang on.

We'll do that, Sheriff.

Well, only 24 more hours.

I might even beat this game.

Yeah, why don't
you deal us all in?

I get the feeling it's gonna be the
longest 24 hours we've ever had.

Mmm.

Told you they'd mess it up.

- You could have done better?
- You know it.

Any of those witnesses get a
good look at you at Haskell's?

Not a chance.

One man, Doug, one gun.

One's enough, if it's
a good man holding it.

Get moving.

I get three whole shares. Three.

Well, you got 'em.

Move.

- I'll play these.
- What do you mean, you'll play those?

You're always
playing a pat hand.

Hold it. Stop right there.

- It's supper for the witnesses.
- We can see that. Take the tray.

Turn around.

All right, give it back.

Hold it, hold it.

- Who's there?
- Jensen. Your supper's here.

He's clean, Mr. Cartwright.

- Smells like fried chicken.
- That's what it is.

- And hot biscuits too.
- Hey.

- A loser dropped in.
- But I searched him.

He had it on the tray.
Get him out of here.

Val, why don't you go
on over to your room?

That Slader bunch really means
business. I'll be glad when this is over.

The trial hasn't
even started yet.

Folks, let's go.

Walk behind this lead wagon.

OK, let's move out.

No guns in the courtroom.
You gents leave 'em all here.

That's right. Judge Wheeler's
orders. No sidearms except mine.

All rise.

Circuit court's now in session.

The Honorable Judge
Horace Wheeler presiding.

Be seated.

At the first sign of any disturbance,
I will order this courtroom cleared.

If the prosecution is ready?

Ready, Your Honor.

So Doug Slader dropped his
brother. What happened then?

Billy Slader ran back through the
barn, went into Mr. Haskell's office.

When I got to the back
door, I heard a shot,

I kicked the door open and I saw
Billy Slader fire at Mr. Haskell again.

Who else was in the office
besides you, Slader and Mr. Haskell?

Miss Townsend.

Just compose yourself, Miss
Townsend. Take as much time as you like.

I'm sorry. Forgive me.

It's quite understandable.
The loss of an old friend.

But all we need to know is
what you saw that afternoon.

Well, I was surprised.

I was frightened.
Everything just...

Miss Townsend, did
you see Billy Slader

come into the office
where you were working?

- Yes.
- Did he have a gun in his hand?

I don't know. I... I can't say.

After Billy Slader came in, did
you see Mr. Haskell get shot?

I don't know.

Well, no, I didn't see him.

I was so frightened, I
kept my eyes closed.

Did you see Billy Slader
shoot Matt Haskell?

No, I really didn't.

Miss Townsend,
you've told this court

that you were present
when Matt Haskell was killed.

Well, yes, but... but I was
so frightened that I didn't look.

I heard the shots, but
I didn't see anything.

That's all, Miss Townsend.

But if you do decide that
the evidence here presented

does prove beyond a reasonable
doubt that the defendant, Billy Slader,

shot and killed Mr. Haskell,

then you must return a
verdict of guilty of murder.

The jury will retire in
the custody of the bailiff.

This court is now in recess.

Hey. Hope I didn't scare you.

No, it's all right.

- Couldn't sleep, huh?
- No.

Me neither.

You know, I can't figure
out about my brother Hoss.

He can sleep through anything.

Once he gets to snoring, there's
no way for anybody else to dose off.

You know, I really didn't do very
well when I was testifying this morning.

You did fine.
Everybody was nervous.

No, but, actually, I
couldn't remember.

I don't think I
really saw anything.

Well, it's all gonna be over
pretty soon, maybe tomorrow.

- Do you think so?
- I don't see any reason why not.

You wanna see
him hang, don't you?

Yeah.

Yeah, I saw him kill Mr. Haskell in
cold blood, pump two shots in him.

I wanna see him hang.

Nobody's thinking
about Billy Slader.

Did he think about Mr. Haskell?

He was afraid.
Mr. Haskell went for his gun.

It's funny you didn't think
of those things at the trial.

All any of you are thinking
about is seeing him hang.

Yeah, right now that's what
I think about Billy Slader.

I think about that and the innocent
people that have been killed.

I think about his brother and where
he is now and what he's gonna do next.

There was $40,000 in that safe,

enough to buy a poor
man anything he wanted,

land, a roof over his head.

You wouldn't know
about that, would you?

Your father owns the
biggest ranch in Nevada.

I'll bet you never wanted
anything you didn't have.

Val, everybody wants
things they don't have,

but they don't kill innocent
people to get them.

I'll bet you never had to
fight for anything in your life.

Everybody fights for
the things they want.

Val, there's a big difference
between fighting and killing.

You don't know
how lucky you are.

Get away from the window.

I told you to get
away from the window.

Get down. Get down.

- You all right?
- I told you to stay down.

What's going on? Open up.

Shot through the window.

- You all right?
- Who is it?

Jensen.

Came from outside. Nobody hurt.

Check outside.

- They won't give up, will they?
- No.

Doesn't make any difference
whether they hit anybody or not.

By tomorrow every man on that
jury is gonna know what happened.

They're gonna start wondering

whether they ought to find
Billy Slader guilty or not.

All rise.

Circuit court's now in session.
Judge Horace Wheeler presiding.

You may be seated.

- Has the jury reached a verdict?
- Yes, your Honor.

Return the jurymen to the box.

Everybody freeze.

Anybody moves without being
told, the judge is a dead man.

You, Sheriff, with your
hands up, come here.

Now, take 'em off, Sheriff.

No matter what you do to
me or to anyone else here,

you'll answer to
the law for this.

Shut up.

Now, come on.

On your feet, Cartwright.
You're coming too.

Don't try it, big man,
or he gets it right here.

Now, come on.

You too, come on.

Hold it, hold it. Stay here, folks, or
a lot of innocent people'll get killed.

All right, back off
or I drop the judge.

What did I tell you, Cartwright? I told
your brother Doug'd have me out of jail.

Come on.

- They're just walking up the street.
- Better let 'em go.

If you don't, they'll
kill the hostages.

Hold it!

Go ahead, shoot!

Kill yourself a judge.

Scared blue. Everybody in
this town is scared to breathe.

You ain't scared, are you, Val?

You just stay close to
me, you won't get hurt.

Didn't know she was my
girl, did you, Cartwright?

Didn't know she
was in on the robbery.

Signaled us with the
curtain from Haskell's window

to tell us when to
come into the store.

That's why up in the room they didn't
shoot at your shadow on the blind.

Yeah, that's right, Cartwright.
We took real good care of her.

Come on. Let's
get to the horses.

There's gotta be a
back way out of here.

Let's find it.

Get Limpy here up on a horse.

Cartwright, you're gonna
pay for that bullet in my arm.

Cover him. You're
riding with me.

Why'd you help him, Val?

So you could have that ranch you
were talking about for the two of you?

Yes, because I know what it's like to
want just a little of what others have.

Hurry it up.

You're never gonna have
that ranch, just more killing.

Tell him, Billy. We've
gonna have a ranch.

Don't hold your breath.

But you promised.

Yeah. Yeah, I promised a lot of
things, like there wouldn't be any killing.

Now, come on.

I'm not going, not
until you promise.

Suit yourself.

Billy, you're not gonna
hurt anyone ever again.

- Val.
- I'm sorry.

Don't you worry,
we'll get you a doctor.

I'm scared.

Please, hold my hand.

- I'll give you a hand.
- I can get in the wagon by myself.

I'm sure you can, but I
ain't got nothing else to do.

Well, Sheriff, thank you
for the use of the buckboard.

- We'll see that you get it back.
- No hurry.

- Hey, you about ready to go?
- Me?

I've been ready to go ever
since we came into this town.

We better get on the
way. It's a long way home.

It sure is, and a lot
of folks don't get there.

Thank you, Sheriff. Giddyap.

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