The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 1, Episode 14 - Trail's End for a Cowboy - full transcript

♪ Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous, and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

The summer of '75 was Wyatt Earp's second year

as Deputy Marshal in the Trail's End Cow Town of Wichita, Kansas.

During that first violent summer,

Wyatt had grabbed the town by the tail and held it on the ground,

while hundreds of armed and defiant cowboys

from the cattle trails tried to keep it on the prod.

But even though Wichita had learned to keep its hair slicked,



Wyatt still like to spend his mornings near the cattle pens

watching what might have drifted in overnight.

You, uh, see old man Cullen around lately?

No, and it ain't like him, either.

All summer long, he's been meeting his herd.

Always here to beat me for the best price.

And getting it, too.

Well, after all, he's my best customer.

You might as well be honest about it, Mr. Sandtell.

Cattle kings don't come any tougher than old man Cullen.

Morning, Brad.

Where's your father?

Sellin' a herd to the Army over at Dodge.

Should be back in a few days.



Uh, does anybody know Mr. Sandtell?

I'm Sandtell, boy.

What's on your mind?

Um, well, I'm Brad Cullen.

I'm trail boss of that herd there.

I'd like to talk some business.

You?

Yeah, that's right. Me.

One of Cullen's sons.

He's got authorization to sell the herd. Why doubt him?

Well, no offense, kid, but I just couldn't imagine your old man

letting anyone handle a sale for him.

Am I forgiven?

Guess you want to ride into town, get washed up.

Well, after I talk business.

You fellows go ahead.

I'll ride back with you when you get all done.

How many?

Five hundred.

That's closer to four.

No, no, I said five hundred.

The lame and the blind one.

What's that?

They've come a long way, overgrazed out lands and drained streams.

I wouldn't call them prime beef.

Now I'm offering you 500 prime beef at 20 ahead.

The market's glutted.

The price has dropped to $10 a head.

You can take it or leave it.

Now, look, Mr..

Are you trying to take advantage of me?

- Because if you are...
- Your old man will come gunning for me, hmm?

Look, kid, your Pappy don't scare me one bit.

At least, so long as Wyatt Earp is close by somewhere to help me out.

I don't happen to be so lucky.

Oh.

All right.

Seeing as it's Cullen Beef, I'm buying, I'll make it 15.

It's gotta be 20.

Believe me, kid, I'm not bluffing, and I'm not gouging.

Buying season's over.

I'm being as generous as I can, and I'm doing it for you.

Not for that great hard rock who happens to be your Old Man.

Give me an hour to think it over?

And I ought to see some other brokers?

Sure.

You won't get a cent over ten.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll give you 3 hours.

You already?

How'd you make out with Mr. Sandtell?

He said the price is down.

That's true.

Oh, then I'm in for it.

If I sell the herd short, Papa likely 'll kill me.

If I don't, he'll rag me and hound me

until I feel like killing him.

He can be a miserable man over money.

How old are you, Brad?

I'm going on 19.

...catch it up, up the road. Why don't you just...

pack up and get out like your older brothers did.

Well...I'm the only one left.

It's just me and Ma.

I guess I'm the reason that she's staying around.

She asking you to?

Well...

Well, now you're fooling yourself.

You're afraid of your old man, that's all that's troubled you.

You're still a kid.

All right, I'll admit it. So I'm a kid.

Okay, suppose I have your advice, Mister Earp.

What would you do if you were me?

Well...

If I was you, I'd, uh, go into town and get myself a square meal,

and I'd make up my mind and stand pat in my decision.

Oh, just as simple as that.

Yep.

Make up your mind on something.

Being a man is just that simple.

Come on, we're going to town.

How'd you make out?

You made up your mind?

Yep.

Ah.

That's a heavy piece of paper to be carrying around all by yourself.

Better ride out to your camp at Cowskin Creek where you'll be among friends.

What's the matter? Aren't you my friend?

That goes without saying, Brad, but that stuff's not.

You, uh, want me to hang onto it for you?

You know, the more you talk, the more you sound like my old man.

The more you sound like him, the less I like you.

Now you just go ahead with your business.

I'll take care of mine.

Okay, Brad, I guess you're the boss.

See you around.

Card, please.

For you.

Three, please.

One.

To the dealer.

Wyatt.

Thanks.

How long has that been going on?

It started a couple of hours ago, right after you left.

- Has he been buying?
- No.

Them's was his original chips.

For a kid he's doin' real good.

Your bet.

I call.

And 50 better than you, mister.

I can't.

You took one card, I believe, didn't you, son?

You're supposed to follow the play, Mister.

Not ask questions.

The young man raised you 50. You going to put up or drop out.

You're too young to bluff, kid.

But in case you are,

I'm willing to pay to teach you not to.

What have you got?

Heart flush.

You lose. Jacks full.

I'll call.

Sevens and fours, you win.

Ahhh!

Would you kindly join me for a drink, Mr. Earp? Hah?

No, thanks.

How'd you come out?

I came out with nothing but my name, Mr. Earp, sir.

And you lost the whole check, $7,500?

Ummm, yep. But, I mixed that with a certain pardonable pride.

What you figure you do?

Get lucky and run that check up to what your father expected?

Yeah.

Ahh, and you would have lied to 'im

and told me you got more for the herd than you really did as I did. Is that it?

Ulp.

Yeah.

You're even more scared of the old man than I thought.

And now what'll you tell him?

The truth.

Just tell the truth.

In other words, you'd rather admit to being a

bad gambler than a bad businessman. Is that it?

Well, that's about it, Mr. Earp.

Bad line is all, can happen to anybody.

But a bad business deal...that's stupid, unforgivable.

Does you ever darken my door again, son.

Hah!

You better face up to it, Brad.

Your father isn't going to believe that gambling story more than I do.

You were played for a sucker.

- A sucker?
- That's right, sucker.

Even your father would rather admit to

a bad business deal

than in played for a sucker by two tin-horns.

What are you talking about?

Those to gamblers, they play it like a partnership.

Either one of them gets a good hand.

They bet it up.

You get a good, they fold.

Their winnings are big, yours are small.

Percentage-wise, they get all the edge.

Even you ought to be able to see who's going to come out the winner.

You...you mean they...

they work together...they split afterwards?

That's right.

They...

Well...

that means I've been robbed!

What are you going to do to get back my money?

Nothing.

Lost and his friend didn't break any laws.

I got no legal grounds to make an arrest.

But what they did was wrong and you know it.

The whiskey's gone to your head.

You better go back to Kuske and camp. You can sleep it off.

Come on. I'll take you there myself.

Uhh, you're a coward, Mister Earp.

You protect the cheats and robbers.

You're a big man with the six gun, too, aren't you?

Well, would you just show me how good you are?

Hah?

That's not a very smart play, Brad.

Drawing down on a man with a gun you're not used to.

Let me have it.

Come on.

Straighten up like a man.

Take a look at Brad, boys.

He's sure tied one on.

Yeah, and that ain't all.

I was robbed, cheated, beaten up and thrown in jail.

Robbed?

Yeah, that's right. Robbed. I was cleaned out.

They took the check, the payroll, the money, everything.

Didn't you go to the law?

I ...of course, I did.

And I'm the one who gets thrown in jail.

I'm going to put it to you straight.

I'm for going back into the town and getting what's mine...and yours.

But I need help.

Anybody want to volunteer?

My mama always told me

the good Lord helps those that help themselves.

I'm with you, kid.

I always did want a chance to tree Wichita.

Count me in, too.

Okay.

All right.

Well, all right.

Okay. Let's go then.

He's still here.

Everyone keep your hands on the table.

This is not a holdup.

I was cheated at cards last night by these two men.

All I want is the money I lost.

Give me my check, mister.

I don't have it here, son.

It's locked up in the house, safe in the back room.

Well, get it in cash.

Seven thousand five hundred.

I don't have that much on me.

You get it, Foster.

I'm telling you, you get it from the other tables.

I want 7500 or I'm going to kill you.

That's 2000, max.

Consider it loan.

How much you got, Harold?

Let's see.

There's five.

This will make up the rest of it.

Make it big, gamblers, or you'll lose some of them clever fingers.

There ya are.

We gonna him get away with this?

The charge is armed robbery.

Is that right, Mr. Foster?

Armed robbery, attempted murder.

Mr. Havisham was seriously wounded, you know.

Ah, there's no need to be so self-righteous, Mr. Foster.

Your neck's not as clean as it could be, either, you know.

You cheated that kid the same as if you'd stacked the deck.

If you think I've done anything illegal, why don't you arrest me?

Sometimes there's a better way to take care of men like you.

What are you up to, Earp?

Well, I'll tell you this much, Mr. Foster.

I'll arrest Brad Cullen and his punchers at your request

but by the time this is over, the whole town
'll know how you and your friends operate.

I may not be able to touch you legally,

but the average citizen still has a sense of fair play.

These warrants are ready to sign, Mr. Foster.

Right on this line.

How many more men we need, Wyatt?

I'll make the arrest myself.

You can't go into that cow camp alone.

Well, I'll tell you, Sam.

Brad Cullen and his men aren't hardened criminals.

The best way to handle a thing like this is to

treat it like a family quarrel.

All right, Mr. Foster.

Let me have the warrants.

It'd be mighty convenient if one of Brad's cowboys dropped him, wouldn't it?

Are you out of your mind, Foster?

No, but I am thinking...

I am thinking about who'd be getting blamed if

Earp was found dead between here and Cullen's ranch.

They made it.

It's still a couple of miles from camp.

Between us, we'll get him.

Please, Wyatt. No.

We just wanted to help.

Well, then head back to town.

We'd better do what he says.

If Earp didn't want us alive to make a point, he'd drop us here.

We'll do what you say.

When you get to Wichita, keep on going.

Hey, Brad.

Where's that, Son?

It's, umm, Wyatt Earp.

You stay where you are. I'll talk to him.

Morning, Mr. Cullen.

Morning, Wyatt.

I see you got here a little ahead of time.

An hour ago.

We're, umm...just about to pack and head South.

What's on your mind, Wyatt?

I got warrants for the arrest of

Bradshaw Cullen and 6 John Does for the cowhands who helped

him hold up the Texas House this morning.

Why, he just taking back the money that he'd been robbed of.

Seeing as how the law wouldn't give them a helping hand.

How did Brad tell you lost the money in the first place?

Well, he had a few drinks,

played some poker.

You said he lost quite a sum of money

before he found he was being cheated.

Said you wouldn't even listen to it.

You're not arresting anyone from this camp, Wyatt.

I'm arresting your son and six cow hands, Mr. Cullen.

Now, get out of my way.

Brad, tell him the truth.

You'll never get another chance like this one.

What's he talking about, Son?

He's just stallin', Pop.

You watch him, now.

Your son's a liar, Mr. Cullen.

Get 'im, Boy, get 'im.

You have the drop, you fool.

Why don't you shoot?

Couldn't shoot me last night when he was drunk,

and he can't shoot me now when he's sober,

because he knows he's wrong.

It's hard to kill a man when you're wrong, isn't it? Thanks.

Thanks.

Pop.

I lied, Pop.

I sold the herd short of what you wanted and tried to

make it up gambling.

The rest is, like I told you.

Sold the herd.

That's right.

Funny thing is, I'm not afraid

to admit it.

Not now.

Not anymore.

I was a coward, a liar and a thief.

I was all that just to please you.

What kind of a son are you?

What are you talking about?

You'll never do this to me again, Pop.

I'm not coming home anymore.

Mr. Earp, I'll go

saddle me up a horse and then we can go.

You don't have to take the other boys in.

They didn't know the truth.

I'm the only one you want.

I don't understand, Wyatt.

My sons.

Three of them now...gone.

I...I work my fingers to the bone

to give them a future.

And they leave.

Tell me why, Wyatt.

Well, I don't understand.

I guess that's been the trouble, Mister Cullen.

There come a time when

a young fella has to move out

and learn be somebody all by himself.

I guess you.

just never learn when to let go.

Where is Foster and his friend?

They rode off for Dodge early this morning.

They left this for you.

That check of Cullen's.

He said they wouldn't hold any charges
against them if they returned their money.

And they wish you to return the compliment and leave
them alone if you ever meet up with them again.

I left their forwarding address on the back.

Oh.

Thank you, Judge.

Wait, I'll have one with you.

♪ Well, he cleaned up the country ♪

♪ The old Wild West country ♪

♪ He made law and order prevail ♪

♪ And none can deny it ♪

♪ The legend of Wyatt ♪

♪ Forever will live on the trail ♪

♪ Oh, Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may his story be told ♪

♪ Long may his story ♪

♪ Be told ♪