Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 4, Episode 19 - Passive Resistance - full transcript

A man's house is burned and his livestock killed, but he refuses to identify the perpetrators to the marshal.

starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Out here on the frontier,

violence is met with violence.

It's simple, direct and quick.

A man gets in your way
or calls you out

or tries to stomp on you,
you kill him, then and there.

It's the only kind of action
that brings any respect.

Of course, it may be
that this is because

we're not very civilized
out here yet.

But anyway,
I've only met one man,

outside of the plain cowards,
who acted differently.



And in my job, you don't
forget a man like him.

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.

Got some coffee ready, Kell.

Good. I need it.

What's the matter with you?

How long you been
around cattle, Voyles?

Well... all my life.

Yeah. Working for other people.

Not now, I ain't.

You will be
if we don't do something.

What are you
talking about, Kell?

We're just getting
a good start here, ain't we?

We got a hundred head of cattle.

We're gonna have a thousand,
except for one thing.



What?
- Sheep.

Sheep?

I told you last week
I seen signs.

Today I found 'em.

Where?

Right over beyond Kiowa Spring.

There must be 20,
30 head of them things.

Well, that ain't many.

Kiowa Spring's a long way.

Voyles, you don't understand.

We can't let one sheep man
get settled any place at all.

Now, drain that coffee,

and let's ride over there
and see who's running 'em.

Okay. I guess I got no more use
for sheep than you have.

Well, what do you need that for?

You can't tell
who we might run into.

- From a sheep man?
- I know what I'm doing.

Now, you take a pocketful
of these, too.

- Bring your rifle, Voyles.
- What for? He's all alone.

'Course he's alone...
who else could stand

being around
them stinkin' sheep?

Don't look to me
like he's wearing a gun.

It don't matter.
Bring your rifle.

Hello. How are you?

What's your name, mister?

Seek. Gideon Seek.

Can I help you?

Them your sheep?
- Yes.

Ain't you got nobody
helping you?

No. I'm always alone.

I, uh... noticed
you don't wear a gun, Seek.

I don't even own a gun.

You don't?

Well, I don't believe
in killing.

You don't, huh?

Well, we do.

Most men do.

This is cow country, Seek.

You know what that means?

Oh, it's my sheep.

That's right, it's your sheep.

And look at 'em.

We're gonna set an example
of you, Seek.

Other folks in this valley might
get the same idea if we don't,

and pretty soon
this whole country'd

be overrun with them woollys.

Well, I've only got a few.

There's only 24 of them.

Well, that's 24 too many.

We're gonna kill 'em, Seek.

We're gonna shoot

every last one of 'em.

No!

And you go running to the law,

and we'll come back
and kill you, too.

You can't kill them!

You gonna stop us?

Well, he's scared
to death, Kell.

Why don't we just run him
out of the country?

We're gonna shoot those sheep.

Please, please don't kill
those animals.

You mustn't do it.

You'll have enough meat left...
if you eat sheep meat.

Okay, start down there, Voyles.

I'll go up here.

Please,

you mustn't kill them!

And you sic that dog on us,

and we'll kill him, too.

You ready, Voyles?

Then let's get to work.

Chester?

Matt?

Oh. Matt.

Hello, Doc.

Well, what are you
doing back there,

- visiting with your prisoners?
- Well, there's not a lot

of prisoners this morning, Doc.

Well, then you're
not doing your job.

I can name at least
a dozen people in this town

that ought to be in that jail.

What for,
not paying you your bills?

Jail isn't half big enough

to hold a tenth of them.

Where in the world is Chester?

Shouldn't he be back
from the post office?

Well, yeah, he should be,
but he isn't.

Let's go outside and see what's
happened to him, shall we?

Yeah.

Well, maybe he stopped off
to eat somewhere, Doc.

Oh, my gosh, that's liable
to take him the rest of the day.

Was he gonna bring
my mail, too, was he?

- Said he was, yeah.
- Well, I'd have been better off

to go get it myself, I guess.

Well, what are you
so anxious about?

You expecting some money
or something?

Yeah, I could use
a little money.

And speaking of money,

there's somebody
that ain't got any, either.

Oh, Gideon Seek, you mean?

Yeah. Owes me $20.

Well, maybe I ought
to throw him in jail, huh?

Oh, no, not him...
he's one of the few

honest men left in Kansas.

You know, I think
you're right, Doc.

You betcha.

- Good morning, Doc.
- How are you?

- Marshal.
- Hello, Gideon.

I was on my way to the store,
and I seen you here.

Doc, I got bad news for you.

Oh, what's that?

I can't pay you that money
for a while yet.

Well, that's...
that's all right.

I'm afraid it'll be a long time
now, Doc, a long time.

Well, don't-don't worry
about it... I can wait.

What's the matter, Gideon,
did you have

- some hard luck?
- I lost my sheep, Marshal.

- Oh, that's too bad.
- Yeah, all of 'em.

Gonna get some more,
though, soon as I can.

I'll pay you, Doc,
you know I'll pay you.

Oh, sure. Don't worry about it,
don't worry at all.

Gideon?

I don't understand... how
could you lose all your sheep?

Nothing you can
help with, Marshal.

Nothing anybody can help with.

I'll be...

And I'll be doggoned.

He's a strange man,
ain't he, Matt?

Yeah.

Too bad about his sheep.

Wonder how he lost 'em.

Coyotes got 'em, huh?

Well, I don't think coyotes
could get all of 'em, Doc.

No, not likely, is it?

Maybe I'll just ride out there
tomorrow and take a look.

Maybe you better.

Hello, Marshal. Chester.

Hello, Gideon.

Hi, Gideon.

Won't you come inside?

No, thank you. We have
to be getting back to Dodge.

What have you been digging here?

Well, that's a...
that's a grave, Chester.

Grave?

My sheep are buried there.

What happened?

They got killed.

How?

Couple of men, they shot 'em.

You mean they killed
all your sheep?

Gideon, who were they?

You know me better, Marshal.

I can't tell you.

Now, Gideon, I know
that you're a peaceable man,

and I know
that you don't believe

in carrying firearms
and all that,

but something like this,
this is a matter for the law.

I don't believe
in killing, Marshal.

I didn't say anything
about killing.

Well, they killed your sheep,
didn't they?

I don't believe in killing
for any reason...

even for food.

And I don't believe
in trying to resist evil.

What do you mean by that?

Well...

a man strikes me,
I don't strike back.

Don't you believe
in defending what's yours?

The men who killed my sheep
will be punished.

Their own conscience'll
punish 'em.

Well, you have a right to think
whatever you want to.

But if you don't tell me
who those men are, Gideon,

you're making a big mistake.

Sorry, Marshall,
I can't help you.

And just remember this...

they're not through
with you, you know.

If you get more sheep,
they'll be back, and next time,

they might not stop
with just killing the sheep.

I'm not afraid.

Besides, I'll win
in the end, Marshal.

Gideon, you're
a mighty stubborn man.

No more than you are, Marshal.

All right. Come on, Chester.

Hi, Kitty.
- Oh, Matt.

Well, did you find something
to spend your money on?

Oh, you make it sound
like I'm a cowboy in town

with six months' pay.

Hm. You don't look like one.

I was looking at those gloves.

What's the matter?

Well, that's Gideon Seek.

I haven't seen him
for two weeks.

Well, he's still alive.

Yeah, but I wouldn't
guarantee for how long.

You know, he, uh,
he might have something...

that not fighting back and all.

He kind of interests me.

Hm. Kind of interests me, too.

I think I'll go in
and say hello to him.

All right.
I got to get on to work.

Well, I'll see you later, Kitty.

Sure, Matt.

I know it's asking a lot of you
to trust me, Mr. Jonas,

things going the way they are.

Well, there ain't many men
I would trust, Gideon,

- but you're one of them.
- Thank you, Jonas.

- How are you, Marshal?
- Howdy.

Hey, you hear what happened?

- 'Tain't important.
- 'Tain't important?

His house burned down,
that's all.

- Oh?
- His wagon along with it.

But I'm going to rebuild.

Mr. Jonas is going
to put me on the books

for enough material
to get started.

Well, that's mighty nice of him.

Well, I'm glad to do it,

a hard-workin',
honest fella like Gideon.

Must've been quite a fire.

- Yes, 'twas.
- Burned your wagon and all, huh?

Hey, I got an old wagon
out back you could use.

I wouldn't charge you
any rent for it, Gideon.

Well, that's mighty kind
of you, Mr. Jonas.

Now, it ain't a real good one,
but it'll get you around some.

I'll go see how much lumber
I got on hand now.

Well, Gideon.

Well, what, Marshal?

Came back
and burned you out, huh?

All right, they did.

They must've heard you were
planning to get more sheep.

Maybe.

Seems like they
want you out pretty bad.

But I'm stayin'.

Can't you understand
they'll kill you next?

No use arguing, Marshal.

Well, it beats me.

I don't know what to do
about a man like you.

Don't do anything.

They can't win.

Seems to me they're
doing all right so far.

Gideon,
I can't beat it out of you,

but I sure hate to stand by

and watch a man like you
let himself be destroyed.

Guess we'll never understand
each other, Marshal.

I guess not.

Where'd Gideon Seek
get hisself another wagon?

Somebody must've give it to him.

He sure ain't been
getting rich lately.

I'm getting tired of fooling
with that man, Voyles.

- Oh, he'll give up soon.
- Too hardheaded.

He needs softening up, and
there's only one way to do that.

- What do you mean?
- Come on,

and I'll show you what I mean.

Where'd you get the wagon, Seek?

Friend loaned it to me.

Friend? I never heard
of no sheep man with friends.

Gideon, why don't you quit?
Clear out,

go someplace else.

There'd be others like you.

You bet there would.

Then take to farming;
don't raise no more sheep.

I make a better living
selling wool.

Stubbornest man I ever seen.

We kill his sheep,
burn his shack

and do everything but hang him.

What's it take
to teach you a lesson, Seek?

You have nothing
to teach me, Kell.

Now you're getting sassy, and
I've had about enough of you.

What you gonna do?
You ain't gonna hang him?

I'm gonna bump him

over the country a little bit.

Drag him?
- You got a better way

to soften up that
hard head of his?

But look at him, he's
just sitting there helpless.

What's the matter
with you, Voyles?

I don't like it, I tell you...
you've gone too far, Kell.

You aim to stop me?

All right, then,
we're partners, ain't we?

Don't drag him.

- He won't learn no other way.
- No!

Mr. Dillon, it's Gideon Seek.

You better hurry.

He's been hurt!

He's over here.

Well, has he been shot?

No, I don't think so.

He looks like he's
been beat or something.

He's hurt bad.

Let's get him up to Doc's.

Well...

by golly, I've done
all I can for him, Matt.

I just can't get over it.

I... I just come back
from the Long Branch there,

and I seen this buckboard,
and I didn't even think

that anybody was in it
at the time.

I just...

Then I seen him
slumped over there.

I knowed something
was wrong, bad.

Can I talk to him, Doc?

Oh, I don't think
it's a good idea.

But I got to try and find out
who those men are.

Well, all right, but...
don't take too long.

Yeah.

Gideon.

Uh-huh.

Gideon, this is Matt Dillon.

You got dragged, didn't you?

Yes.

Do you feel like telling me
who they are now?

No.

I could have 'em
in jail by morning.

It's me they did it to.

They'll be punished my way.

Gideon... men like that

don't have enough conscience
to make 'em suffer.

My way, Marshal.

He sure ain't gonna
tell you nothin', is he?

No, he'd let 'em kill him
before he'd talk.

Doc, you think
he's gonna make it?

Well...

if he lives through the night
he might make it, Matt.

Yeah. And we still
won't know who did it.

Well, Mr. Dillon,
even if he lives,

he ain't gonna tell you
who done it, that's for sure.

Well, I'm gonna find those men
one way or another.

You need us around here
anymore, Doc?

No, no. There's nothing
to do now but just wait.

Yeah. Well, see you
in the morning.

Hey, barkeep...

Hey, barkeep,
bring us some liquor here.

- Hello, Matt.
- Hi, Kitty.

How's Gideon today?

Well, Doc says he's
gonna be all right in time.

Well, that's good.

But he still won't talk,
though, huh?

Yeah, that's one man
I just don't understand.

Hurry on up
with that bottle, barkeep.

Take it slow, mister,
take it slow.

Oh, I wish he'd pass out
and get it over with.

Pretty drunk, huh?

He ought to be.

Sam says he's been here

since early this morning.

- Who is he?
- I don't know.

I've seen him around
once or twice,

but I don't know his name.

You want a drink?

Yeah, I'll have a beer, I guess.

Okay. Sam?

Beer here.

I knew I could find you here.

You had to come here
and get drunk, didn't you?

You leave me alone, Kell.

What's the matter
with you, Voyles?

What'd you ride off for?

I told you what's the matter.

- Leave me alone.
- You ain't quittin' now.

- I can't stand it no more!
Shut up.

What you done yesterday
was too much, Kell.

You know me, Voyles... when
I start something, I finish it.

Didn't you finish it yesterday?

No. I was in the Lady Gay
looking for you

when I heard it
ain't finished at all.

Ain't you had enough of that?

It cuts the smell.

You're drunk.

I don't even like
being around you, Kell.

Makes me ashamed of myself.

Now, you listen to me.

I'm going over to the stable
and pick up the horses,

and when I come back, you better
be ready to ride out of here.

What do you suppose
that's all about?

Excuse me a minute, Kitty.

Hello, Voyles.

You're a marshal.

Yep.

What do you want of me?

I'm just curious.

Where are you from?

I don't see that's
none of your business, Marshal.

You a cattleman?

I ain't no sheep...

I mean, uh...

Go on.

Well, look, Marshal...

Kind of hard to beat down a man
that won't fight back, isn't it?

How did you find out
about it, Marshal?

Just now.

Mm. Well,
Gideon Seek ain't dead...

Kell heard that a while ago...
but I'm getting out.

I can't stand it no more.

I can't. I can't stand myself.

I'm getting out of this country.

I'm going back to Arizona.

I'm going back to riding
for somebody else.

I seen what Kell done.

It was bad.

Real bad.

Mr. Dillon, uh, are you leaving?

I was just
coming in to join you.

No, no, I'm looking
for somebody, Chester.

- Who?
- The man that dragged Gideon.

Did you find out who it was?

- Yeah.
- Who?

There he comes right now.

Ooh, that feller there.

Well, I think I seen him around.

I ain't sure, but I think.

He's been around, all right.

What do you want, Marshal?

I just been talking
to your partner in there.

- What?
- He's pretty shook up

with what you've been doing
the past few days.

What do you mean?

Pretty ashamed of himself.

Oh, you're talking
about Voyles in there.

Well, he's drunk... you
can't pay no attention to him.

He always feels sorry
for himself

when he's drunk.

What'd you do,
give Gideon Seek up for dead

after you dragged him?

You better be ready
to back that up, Marshal.

I'm ready.

You can have Voyles.

He won't fight.

But you ain't takin' me.

You don't think I'd let you ride
out of here, do you, mister?

You're going to jail;
get your hands up.

No.

I said, get your hands up.

No, I ain't.

Who was he, Mr. Dillon?

Name's Kell.

That's his partner in there,
drunk, in the Long Branch.

But he's gonna sober up,

and he's gonna pay Gideon Seek
for his house and his sheep.

You know, Mr. Dillon,
Gideon was right after all...

evil kind of destroys itself,
don't it?

Yeah. But sometimes
not soon enough, Chester.

Well, it'd sure be a good thing

- if it did, though.
- Yeah.

Except there wouldn't be
any need for a U.S. Marshal.