Have Gun - Will Travel (1957–1963): Season 2, Episode 4 - The Hanging of Roy Carter - full transcript

BULLOCK, THERE ARE ONLY
TWO PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

WHO CAN SAVE AN
INNOCENT BOY'S LIFE.

YOU CAN DO IT BY DELAYING
THAT EXECUTION THREE HOURS.

OR I CAN DO IT MY WAY.

HOLD IT. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF HIM.

THERE'S MY MONEY.

WE GOT FIRST CLAIM ON HIM.

LISTEN TO ME, CARTER, PLEASE.

YOU GOT NO PROOF.
YOU'RE MAKING A MISTAKE.

PLEASE, CARTER. GIVE
ME A CHANCE, WILL YOU?

COME ON, WILL YOU?



NOW, HOLD IT!

HOLD IT!

I DON'T CARE FOR HORSE THIEVES.

I LIKE LYNCHINGS EVEN LESS.

MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, MISTER.

MY NAME'S SIDNEY CARTER.

I RUN HALF THE
CATTLE IN THIS STATE.

YOU'RE NOT RUNNING
CATTLE TONIGHT.

LET'S TELL HIM WHAT IT'S ALL
ABOUT. HE'S GOT A RIGHT TO KNOW.

THREE MONTHS AGO, THE
CARSON CITY STAGE WAS ROBBED.

THE DRIVER AND TWO
PASSENGERS SHOT IN COLD BLOOD.

WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING
KENO EVER SINCE.

WE KNEW HE DID IT,
BUT WE HAD NO PROOF.

NOW WE DO, STAGECOACH
COMPANY RECEIPTS AND ALL.



WE WATCHED HIM DIG
IT UP WHERE HE HID IT.

SHOT HIS HORSE, AND
HE GOT AWAY ON FOOT.

DOES THAT SATISFY YOU?

IT WOULD IF I SAW A
BADGE ON ANYONE HERE.

JUST ONE MORE THING.

BEFORE HE HID THE MONEY, KENO
PLANTED SOME OF IT ON MY SON.

IN 30 HOURS, THEY'RE HANGING
MY BOY AT THE STATE PRISON

FOR SOMETHING HE DIDN'T DO.

LISTEN, I'LL MAKE
A DEAL WITH YOU.

I DID IT.

I'LL ADMIT IT.

YOU HEAR ME, CARTER?

I'LL ADMIT IT, I'LL
TESTIFY TO THAT.

HOLD IT, NOW.

YOU'RE GOING TO HANG
YOUR EVIDENCE, CARTER?

YOU NEED KENO'S TESTIMONY WRITTEN
DOWN IN ORDER TO STOP THAT EXECUTION.

HE'S TALKIN' SENSE.

HE'S TALKIN' DELAY.

IT'S 40 MILES TO THAT PRISON.

I DON'T WANT TO BE
SLOWED UP BY NO PRISONER.

THE MONEY OUGHT TO BE ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO SATISFY MR. BULLOCK.

BULLOCK?

THE WARDEN.

A WARDEN CAN'T
STOP AN EXECUTION.

YOU HAVE TO REACH THE
GOVERNOR. IT'S TOO FAR.

THERE'S A TELEGRAPH
IN THE NEXT TOWN.

I WANT BULLOCK TO STOP IT.

I WANT HIM TO HAVE
TO SAY THE WORD.

I WANT TO SEE HIM EAT CROW.

GO ON AND STRETCH HIM UP.

WAIT A MINUTE.

THE ONE THING YOU SHOULD CARE
ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS SAVING YOUR BOY.

SID, HE'S SAYING WHAT I
SHOULD'VE SAID LONG AGO.

WHY AIN'T WE TAKING
KENO INTO THE MARSHAL?

WHY AIN'T WE TRYIN' TO
REACH THE GOVERNOR?

THAT'D SAVE ROY.

THAT WOULDN'T LET YOU
PLAY THE BIG MAN, WOULD IT?

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE
HIM INTO TO TOWN.

YOU SURE THAT'LL BE ENOUGH?

SWORN DEPOSITION IS AS GOOD
AS SAYING IT IN THE WITNESS CHAIR.

MY WIRE SHOULD BE ON THE
GOVERNOR'S DESK BY NOW.

I GUARANTEE HE'LL DELAY THE EXECUTION
TILL HE SEES KENO'S CONFESSION,

BACKED UP BY
MR. PALADIN'S STATEMENT.

PALADIN, I ALWAYS PAY
A MAN FOR HIS TROUBLE.

SOME THINGS ARE NOT FOR SALE.

ONE OF THEM IS MY TESTIMONY.

EXCUSE ME.

THAT'S PROBABLY YOUR
ANSWER FROM THE GOVERNOR.

WHY, HE'S GOT NO RIGHT.

HE'S SUPPOSED TO
BE RUNNING THE STATE,

NOT WANDERING AROUND
THE BACK COUNTRY.

GOVERNOR'S ON TOUR.

HE'LL BE IN DONNERVILLE
THIS EVENING.

NO TELEGRAPH OFFICE THERE.

IT'S AT LEAST A DAY'S
RIDE FROM HERE.

BUT ROY'LL BE HUNG
IN THE MORNING.

GET ALL THE GUNS YOU CAN HIRE. WE'LL
BE AT THAT PRISON BEFORE MORNING.

HOLD ON, YOU KNOW I WON'T
ALLOW ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I'LL SEE THE WARDEN MYSELF.

ASK FOR A DELAY.

THAT'LL DO NO GOOD.
BULLOCK WANTS TO HANG ROY.

WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

THE WARDEN HAD A SON, TOO.

HE WAS GUNNED DOWN BY SOME
WILD KID IN A COACH ROBBERY.

BULLOCK ISN'T KNOWN FOR HIS
SYMPATHY TO CONVICTED KILLERS.

HE'S BLOCKED EVERYTHING I'VE TRIED
TO DO FOR ROY, EVEN LITTLE THINGS.

HE WANTS ROY TO SUFFER.
HE WANTS ROY TO HANG.

MARSHAL, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO
GET AN ANSWER FROM THE GOVERNOR?

EVEN WITH THE BEST HORSES,

WE'D STILL NEED A THREE-HOUR
DELAY IN THE HANGING.

ONE MAN INSIDE THE PRISON COULD
DO MORE GOOD THAN 100 OUTSIDE.

YOU COULD APPOINT ME A
FEDERAL WITNESS TO THE EXECUTION.

THAT'D GET ME INSIDE.

YEAH, I COULD DO THAT.

FOR SAVING AN INNOCENT
MAN'S LIFE, THERE'S NO CHARGE.

FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO YOUR
SON, THERE'S NO CHARGE.

BUT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH TO YOU,

MY FEE IS $5,000.

HOLD FOR ONE RIDER.

STEP OVER HERE,
WHERE I CAN SEE YOU.

BE RIGHT WITH YOU.

I'LL COME DOWN AND
MEET YOU AT THE GATE.

HE'S A WITNESS TO THE EXECUTION.

BY ORDER, U.S. MARSHAL.

YOU GOT HERE
JUST IN TIME, MISTER.

HE HANGS AT 6:00 AM.

YOU'LL BE SEARCHED INSIDE.

GOT ANY OTHER ARMS?

WE PUT THAT THING UP AND
TAKE IT DOWN TWICE A YEAR.

I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN.

HOPE YOU WON'T BE ONE OF
THEM WITNESSES THAT FAINTS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE WARDEN.
WITNESSES ARE BUNKED OVER THIS WAY.

YOU CAN SEE THE WARDEN AT
THE HANGING. HE'LL SEE ME NOW.

IT'S 3:00 AM. DID I ASK
YOU WHAT TIME IT IS?

NO. I ASKED TO SEE THE WARDEN.

YOU WANT TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUSING?

HE DIDN'T SAY THAT. HE JUST...

WARDEN'S QUARTERS
ARE THIS WAY, SIR.

IS THERE A PRISON
CHAPLAIN? WAKE HIM.

TELL HIM TO MEET US
IN THE WARDEN'S OFFICE.

IS THIS ALL YOU WOKE ME FOR?

YOU FINISHED READING IT,
CHAPLAIN? NOT YOUR STATEMENT.

LET ME SET YOU
STRAIGHT ON SOMETHING.

EVER SINCE ROY WAS ARRESTED
HIS OLD MAN'S BEEN PULLING STRINGS.

HE MAY BE A BIG MAN,
BIG ENOUGH TO BUY YOU

BUT NOT JOHN BULLOCK.

WARDEN, I'M GOING TO
PASS OVER THAT INSULT.

I DON'T LIKE MR. CARTER
EITHER, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

IT'S NOT MR. CARTER YOU'LL
BE PUNISHING ON THAT GALLOWS.

I HAVE MY ORDERS
TO EXECUTE A MAN.

IN A CERTAIN WAY,
AT A CERTAIN TIME.

IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. IS IT?

IT SAYS HERE YOU SAW
KENO SMITH WITH THE MONEY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

I ALSO HEARD KENO
SMITH'S CONFESSION.

NO USE TALKING IT FURTHER.

I HAVE ORDERS TO HANG HIM.

I'M LEGALLY BOUND TO OBEY THEM.

A HUMAN LIFE IS
NOT MORE IMPORTANT

THAN YOUR STRICT
ADHERENCE TO A COURT ORDER?

ALL HE'S ASKING FOR
IS A SHORT DELAY.

CHAPLAIN, WE'VE HAD THESE
ADMINISTRATIVE DISCUSSIONS BEFORE.

YOU WORRY ABOUT THE SOULS,
I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF IT.

I HAVE NEARLY 1,000 OTHER
MEN THAT NEED HELP, TOO.

AS BADLY AS ROY CARTER NEEDS IT?

IT'S A MISERABLE HOLE.

DANK, FILTHY, JOYLESS.

ALL RUN VERY LEGAL.

AS LONG AS I'M ALLOWED TO STAY

THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO
REMIND THEM THEY'RE HUMAN.

IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT
IT HELPS A LITTLE.

AND CARTER?

DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE
FIRST TIME I'VE FACED THIS?

HOW CAN I SAVE LIVES?

I'M HAVING TROUBLE SAVING
THEIR SELF-RESPECT, THEIR SANITY.

I WANTED TO START A LIBRARY.

A SIMPLE, HARMLESS LIBRARY.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ROY, I'M
ALLOWED TO TAKE YOU TO HIM.

THAT'S ALL I CAN DO.

WHAT DO YOU WANT HIM TO DO?

TRADE HIS BIBLE FOR A GUN?

WARDEN, GIVE THE
BOY THREE HOURS.

I'LL GIVE HIM EVERY
HOUR THE LAW ALLOWS.

THAT'S ALL HE GETS.

GOD HELP YOU, MR. BULLOCK.

HE HAS, CHAPLAIN, HE HAS.

AS YOUR OWN BOOK PUTS IT, AN EYE
FOR AN EYE, A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.

AND ANOTHER MAN'S SON,

FOR YOUR SON.

ROY.

ARE FROM MY FATHER?

DID HE SEND YOU?

NO, HE'S JUST A VISITOR.

YOU CAN'T DEPEND ON YOUR
FATHER HELPING YOU NOW.

YOU'VE GOT TO FIND
STRENGTH IN YOURSELF.

BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

SOMEBODY HAS TO HELP ME.

YOU, MISTER, YOU
TRY TO HELP ME, HUH?

DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? I
DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, I SWEAR.

I DIDN'T...

I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

I DIDN'T.

MR. PALADIN.

I COULDN'T LET HIM KNOW
THAT HIS FATHER DID SEND YOU.

THAT THERE'S NO HOPE.

NO HOPE? IT'S USELESS.

I'M GOING TO NEED HELP
TO SAVE THAT BOY'S LIFE.

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?

BREAK THE LAW MYSELF?

THAT DEPENDS ON WHOSE
LAW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SOMETIMES A MAN OF
GOD HAS TO BE PRACTICAL.

WILL YOU HELP ME SAVE HIS LIFE?

DON'T YOU THINK I WANT TO?

DON'T TORTURE ME, MR. PALADIN.

I ASKED YOU A QUESTION.

SOMETIMES WE MUST GIVE UP
SOME THINGS TO GAIN OTHERS.

ME, I HAD TO COMPROMISE
JUST TO GET INTO THIS PLACE.

I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
OF WHAT I SAY, WHAT I DO.

MY DUTIES ARE
PRESCRIBED BY STATUTE.

WELL, I GUESS THAT
ANSWERS MY QUESTION.

I JUST WONDERED
WHO YOU WORKED FOR.

"LET NOT MINE ENEMIES
TRIUMPH OVER ME.

"YEA, LET NONE THAT
WAIT ON THEE BE ASHAMED.

"LET THEM BE ASHAMED OF WHICH
TRANSGRESS WITHOUT CAUSE.

"SHOW ME THY WAYS, O LORD.

"TEACH ME THY PATHS.

"LEAD ME IN THY
TRUTH, AND TEACH ME.

"FOR THOU ART THE
GOD OF MY SALVATION.

"ON THEE DO I WAIT ALL THE DAY.

"REMEMBER, O LORD,
THY TENDER MERCIES.

"AND THY LOVING KINDNESSES.

"FOR THEY HAVE BEEN EVER OF OLD.

"REMEMBER NOT THE
SINS OF MY YOUTH.

"NOR MY TRANSGRESSIONS.

"ACCORDING TO THY MERCY REMEMBER
THOU ME FOR THY GOODNESS SAKE, O LORD.

"GOOD AND UPRIGHT IS THE LORD.

"THEREFORE WILL HE
TEACH SINNERS IN THE WAY.

"THE MEEK WILL HE GUIDE..."

MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL.

LAST CHANCE, WARDEN.

GIVE US THE THREE HOURS.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S JAMMED, SIR.
GET HIM DOWN FROM THERE.

GET UP THERE.

YOU SEE ANYTHING?

YEAH, A PIECE OF WOOD, A WEDGE.

ROY.

HEY! COME ON, ROY!

STOP HIM!

NO, I DON'T WANT TO
GO... GET IN THERE!

HE BROKE THE KEY
OFF. GET ANOTHER KEY.

THERE'S NO USE, IT'S
JAMMED. GET A HACKSAW.

IT WASN'T MEANT TO
CUT THIS KIND OF STEEL.

WE GOT ANOTHER BLADE, KEEP
SAWING. WANT ME TO GO GET MORE?

THAT'S A TWO-HOUR RIDE.

GET AWAY FROM THERE.

SHOOT HIM!

HE ASKED FOR A THREE-HOUR DELAY.

ONE HOUR'S PAST. CAN'T WE WAIT?

I WARNED YOU ABOUT
INTERFERING BEFORE.

PUT THAT RIFLE ON HIM.

COCK IT!

EITHER ONE OF
THEM MOVES, KILL HIM.

YOU STEP INTO THIS AGAIN,
YOU'RE THROUGH HERE.

THIS BLADE'S GETTING DULL.

WILL IT CUT THROUGH?

YEAH, IN A FEW MINUTES.

MY FATHER DID
SEND YOU, DIDN'T HE?

THERE'S NO ONE ELSE COMING?

I MEAN, THIS WAS
THE LAST CHANCE?

[WARDEN:] SIT DOWN, YOU.

SURE IS FUNNY, ISN'T IT?

IF I DON'T LET THEM HANG
ME, THEY'LL SHOOT ME FOR IT.

EITHER WAY, THEY KILL ME
FOR SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO.

JUST DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE, DOES IT?

MAKE SENSE TO YOU, CHAPLAIN?

MR. APRIL BELIEVES A MAN SHOULD
CHOOSE THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.

BUT THE BOOK HE CARRIES, TELLS A
STORY OF ONE WHO REFUSED THAT CHOICE.

OR DID I READ IT
WRONG, MR. APRIL?

DID I READ IT WRONG THAT ALL
EVIL BEGINS IN A COMPROMISE?

ONE PRINCIPLE
SACRIFICED FOR A CAUSE.

ONE MAN'S LIFE FOR THE
PROTECTION OF THE MAJORITY.

WARDEN, THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GONNA
JUSTIFY THIS PUBLIC MURDER, ISN'T IT?

YOU CAN'T REACH ME. NO...

IT'S ALL RIGHT NOW, PALADIN.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING...

THE HARDEST THING
I'VE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE

WAS WALK OUT TO THOSE GALLOWS.

IT'S THE FIRST IMPORTANT
THING I EVER DID ON MY OWN.

I MEAN, WITHOUT MY FATHER.

THAT MAKES SENSE, ROY.

THERE'S A FIRST
TIME FOR EACH OF US.

A FIRST TIME WHEN WE KNOW
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

ON OUR OWN.

CHAPLAIN, NOW!

HOLD IT!

YOU'RE LOOSING A LOT
OF BLOOD, MR. APRIL.

YES.

BUT IT'S MINE, ISN'T IT?

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

RIDE INTO TOWN, GET
SOME MORE BLADES.

WARDEN, THAT'LL TAKE
TWO HOURS. GET GOING!

COME ON.

YOU, TOO.

HE KNEW.

HE KNEW THE BAR WAS JUST
ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH.

THAT MEANS... THAT MEANS
HE'S GIVING US THE TIME.

AND THAT MEANS YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO HANG.

YOU'LL BE OUT OF
HERE, FREE. BY NOON.

THANK YOU.

MR. APRIL.

YOU BETTER TAKE
CARE OF THOSE HANDS.

$5,000 CASH.

YOU'RE LEAVING, TOO?

JUST LONG ENOUGH
TO BUY SOME BOOKS.

WE WILL HAVE THAT LIBRARY.

THAT'S A START.

IT'S A START.

I SUPPOSE ANY CITIZEN
CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

THAT'S A LOT OF
MONEY, MR. PALADIN.

I OFTEN QUOTE THE SAINTS,
BUT I DON'T PRETEND TO BE ONE.

I HAVE MY REGULAR
FEE RIGHT HERE.

COME ON, ROY, WE'RE RIDING.

SAY, IT'D BE KIND OF TOUGH
DRIVING WITH THEM HANDS, MR. APRIL.

I'M A GOOD DRIVER, AND I
COULD HELP WITH THE BOOKS.

I SAID COME ON.

I'D ENJOY YOUR COMPANY, ROY.

ROY, I'M TELLING YOU
FOR THE LAST TIME.

THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE
TELLING ME FOR THE LAST TIME.

ROY. 'BYE.

ROY!

GO GET HIM.

I PAID YOU TO BRING
MY BOY BACK TO ME.

YOUR BOY'S BECOME A MAN,

WHICH MEANS YOU GOT MORE
THAN YOU PAID FOR, MR. CARTER.

♪ HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL
READS THE CARD OF A MAN ♪

♪ A KNIGHT WITHOUT
ARMOR IN A SAVAGE LAND ♪

♪ HIS FAST GUN FOR HIRE
HE'S THE CALLING WIND ♪

♪ A SOLDIER OF FORTUNE IS
THE MAN CALLED PALADIN ♪

♪ PALADIN, PALADIN
WHERE DO YOU ROAM? ♪