The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 1, Episode 20 - A Wise Calf - 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 ♪

One of the toughest problems Wyatt Earp had to repeatedly

contend with in taming the wild and lawless cow town

of Wichita was mob rule when otherwise

respectable citizens and some not so respectable,

tried to take the law into their own hands.

Where's that coffee, Tex?

Comin' up.



Mornin', Johnny.

How are things at the Rainbow Ranch?

Coffee?

No, thanks.

Well, we're losing cattle now and then.

You're not the only one.

Every ranch within 100 miles of Wichita has been losing cows lately,

including us.

Well, maybe the rustling is over with now.

After what I just seen.

What'd ya see.?

I seen Bill Slocombe in a gully

out between the Salt Flats and Miller Creek.

Well, that's our range.



He had a fire going in, a cow roped on the ground.

Whose cow? One of his?

No.

One of yours.

What?

I seen the brand plain on her hide.

Maybe Bill Slocombe's been doing all this rustling all along, Duke.

Sure looks like it.

Using a running iron, I reckon.

Now, I didn't exactly see him use a runnin' iron.

It might be that he had that cow tied up for some other reason.

Sure, sure, sure.

Why else would he have a fire going unless to heat up an iron to

change your brand?

Yeah.

Well, you know, we ought to make a call on Bill Slocombe,

and teach him the error of his ways, Duke.

Sit down, Johnny.

No, thanks.

I've got to go back to Rainbow.

So long, fellows.

Thanks for the information.

Now we get that river bottomland that Bill Slocombe claims is his for nothin'.

Uh-huh.

You know, it's a good thing we got Shorty for a witness.

Sure is.

No one would believe it if one of my riders claimed we saw Bill rustlin'.

You better get the boys.

We're going to a party.

Where do I pick up Bill? At his ranch?

No, he'll be at the Cattlemen's meeting this afternoon in Wichita.

We'll take him in hand there.

You think that's a good idea? Wyatt Earp might cause us some trouble.

This happened out of town.

It isn't any of Earp's business.

And if he's as smart as people claim he is,

he'll be looking in the other direction when we pick up Bill.

You're the boss.

There's a meeting on.

Hi, Marshal.

Bill.

Wyatt.

Mr. Delaney, how the meeting end up?

Oh, like all meetings, a lot of talk, no action.

Me? I'm a man who wants a little action.

Like what?

Well, I'd rather not say.

One thing I do know.

If I lose many more cattle to the rustlers,

I'm going into bankruptcy.

Maybe you ought to hire a couple of range detectives yourself.

There ya are, Mott.

No, I can do my own detecting.

I catch anyone following my herds around,

I'll string 'em up to the tallest tree in Kansas.

That wouldn't be very wise, Mr. Delaney.

You got a better idea?

You catch anybody rustlin', you ought to turn them over to the proper authorities

and let them give them a fair trial.

A fair trial.

Why, the courts would let a man like that go scot-free,

nine times out of ten.

Well, if he's innocent, naturally.

You forget that all of us are innocent until proven guilty.

I'll see you.

Yeah.

Well...

It's plain to see he's got no cows to lose.

Earp or no Earp.

If I catch me a rustler,

I'm gonna see just how far his neck will stretch.

Well, so long, Bill.

Say hello to the wife and young 'uns.

All right.

Going somewheres, Bill?

To the bar in that saloon if it's any of your business.

Which it ain't.

He says he's going in for a drink, Bill.

I haven't got time for that drink, Bill.

There's your horse. Get on it.

What's the idea of pulling a gun on me?

Get on your horse like Duke said.

Put him on his horse.

Where are we takin' 'im, Duke?

Cottonwood Grove and Cowskin Camp.

Wyatt, Duke Wilson and his boys just buffaloed Bill Slocum.

They're takin' him out of town.

I heard Duke say something about the cottonwood Grove and Cowskin Camp.

Looks like they plan to lynch Bill.

You all set, Tex?

All set, Duke.

Johnny Beckett saw it all,

so we have proof if we need it.

No use my telling you, you got the wrong man.

You know who's been doing the wrestling around here.

Much obliged for the river bottom land, Bill.

After you slip the noose over his head, I'll hit the horse.

Get the rope off that horse and turn him loose.

You're sticking your nose into something that's none of your business, Wyatt.

Well, I figure lynchin's every man's business, Duke.

Your authority don't extend beyond the town limits of Wichita.

You must be mistaken.

Seems to me I got quite a lot of authority right here in my hand.

You can't kidnap a man on our Main Street and bring him out here to hang him.

Or did somebody forget to tell you that?

All right, Tex. Cut 'im loose.

I said, cut him loose.

That's four past favors.

Man's a proven rustler. You know that.

Yeah? Who proved it?

Jordy Beckett saw him using a running iron on one of my cows.

Why, you...

Take it easy, Bill. That's hard on the knuckles.

Go on. Climb on your horse. We'll start back to town.

Now, I guess we know now how you feel about rustlers,

Mr. Wyatt Earp.

Look, proof of a man's guilt is only decided by a court of law.

You got any charges to bring against Mr. Slocombe,

you do it in the proper manner.

We'll have a trial by judge and jury.

They'll decide whether your charges are true or not.

That's the way civilized people do it, Duke.

Just in case you're interested.

You haven't heard the last of this.

What are you going to do about it, Duke?

Tex, you hightail it back to the ranch with the boys and get your guns.

Meet me at Allen's Corner about an hour before sundown.

All right.

I heard about things like...like lynching parties.

That was too close.

Wyatt,

you ever have anything like that happen to you?

No.

Never worn a noose, yet.

I think there are a lot of boys around Wichita

that have got a noose all picked out for me.

A mighty awful feeling.

You can't do anything about it.

You can't reason with anybody. You can't convince 'em.

Well, I tell you, Bill, half the trouble of being
a marshal is trying to protect men from lynch mobs.

Hadn't been for you, I'd be dead right now.

Sure.

And what would be done to those guys if they had lynched me?

They'd have been arrested.

Tried.

Sure, and I'd have been dead.

And the law would have just pointed the finger and said,

you're bad, bad boys. Isn't that right?

No, you're wrong.

They'd have been found guilty.

Come on, get hold of yourself.

Try to think of something else.

All right.

All right. What do I do now?

Stay here, in jail under my custody.

Until I can prove your case one way or the other.

Stay...stay here in jail.

You just got through telling me that one of your biggest troubles

is keeping away lynch mobs.

You keep me in there about to try and get me.

Now, look. Cool off and try and forget about it.

You're going to stay here.

I'm gettin' outta here.

Now, look, if I'm going to die, I'm not going to do it like a sitting duck.

I'm going to take someone with me.

Wyatt, you saved my life. I don't want it to be you.

Get out of my way.

I didn't think you'd fall for anything like that.

You know that gun isn't loaded.

I know that trick, and I know it's loaded.

If I were you, I'd break it open and make sure.

I know that trick, too.

And I know it's loaded.

Are you sure, Mr. Slocombe?

Don't make me pull the trigger, Wyatt.

I keep that gun...

unloaded because it's a good test on prisoners.

I've had a couple of them pull the trigger on me.

You're bluffing.

I'm sorry, Wyatt.

I could have killed you.

I'm sorry.

No, I...don't think...

you wanted to really pull that trigger.

No, no, I guess I didn't.

But doesn't that prove to you I'm innocent?

No, it just proves you're not a murderer.

It's a long road from rustling cattle to...

shooting a man in cold blood.

But I am innocent.

Then you outta be willing to stand trial.

A lynch mob...

they don't go by the law and they don't go by evidence.

but the judge and jury will.

How do I know...?

Prove it in court, Bill.

Or you're going to have that thing hanging
over your head the rest of your life,

and I can't keep you in protective custody forever.

All right.

All right, I'll try.

Good.

I'll...make the arrangements with Judge Jewitt.

Wyatt.

I sure wanna thank you.

Come on, I'll put you in a cell.

Thanks, boys.

I'll tell the marshal.

Wyatt

Duke Wilson and his men are in the joints around Keno Corner,

talkin' up a mob to come after Bill Slocombe.

They had their schedule timed pretty well.

That's why I'm eating supper now. I didn't think I'd have time for it later.

He's got a lot of half-drunk troublemakers ready to follow 'im.

Drunks usually make up the major portion of any mob.

You might need the townspeople to back you up.

Shall I ring the triangle bell?

No, don't ring the triangle.

I think the best way to handle a lynch mob like this

is for me and my deputies to try and reason with them.

If I had a mob backing me up, too...

it'd be liable to bring on the fight they're all spoiling for.

Cause wholesale slaughter on both sides.

Here they come.

That's far enough.

You're digging your own grave, Wyatt.

We want Bill Slocombe.

Now, get out of our way or we'll mow you down.

Duke, you take one more step toward me and I'll kill you.

Go on, Duke. Don't let that Tin Horn bluff you.

Now, if any of you think I'm bluffing, just take one step forward.

Now, I got five slugs in here and two barrels loaded with buckshot

to spray both sides of the street.

Between them, I don't think I can miss more than half a mile.

Well, Mr., Delaney.

I'm surprised to see you with this irresponsible bunch.

Most of them half-drunk.

All of them just itching to string somebody up.

They don't care who or what the reason is.

Uh, I guess the opinion I once had
of you being a fair man was all wrong.

Well, I've been losing a lot of cows lately, Wyatt.

And I sure feel any man that's a rustler should be

up to the highest three in all of Kansas.

Well, I'm not saying a rustler shouldn't be punished, Mr. Delaney,

but why don't you let the law decide what punishment should fit the crime?

Let them carry it up.

Law? With a rigged jury, I reckon.

The jury will be made up of cowmen.

Now, who would be better qualified to decide whether a man's a...

rustler or not than men like yourself?

You mean you...you figure to give Bill a trial?

Not let him go loose like, uh...like, uh, Duke here claims?

Bill's going to trial tomorrow afternoon at 1:00.

The charge of rustling.

Judge Jewitt tells me he's plannin' on having you as foreman of the jury.

Well, uh...maybe he's right.

Maybe...maybe that's the...the right way to do it.

No, no, he's just trying to grease you up, Jeff.

You lied to me when you said Wyatt figured to let Bill go free.

Well, what makes you think he won't?

Because one thing about Wyatt, he don't lie.

If he says Bill Slocombe's going on trial,

and with me, foreman of the jury,

well, then, that's so.

Come on, break it up.

What are you hanging around here for? Come on.

Hold it!

All you men are carrying guns in violation of a city ordinance.

Before you start back to your saloons,

you walk ahead of me to Judge Jewitt's office and pay your fines.

Guns are not to be worn within the city limits of Wichita.

In the future, I advise you all to remember that

It'll save you a lot of money.

Now get walkin'.

Go on, move!

Ah, good evening, Bill.

You had your dinner, huh?

Oh, I didn't eat very much.

I lost my appetite.

I got word out to your wife.

Told her you would be staying in town tonight on business.

I didn't want to worry about you.

Much obliged.

Oh, thanks, too, Wyatt, for stopping that gang of drunks

from pulling me out of here.

Forget it.

Now, you're going to stand trial at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon.

I think you're innocent, Bill.

But thinking's not enough.

I got to have proof.

Otherwise, that jury just might see fit to bring in a...

verdict of guilty. You know what that means?

I thought a man had to be proven guilty.

Not innocent.

Well, that's the usual way.

But everyone's a little touchy about losing cattle.

Just liable to let the circumstantial evidence carry enough weight to...

prove your guilt.

You better give me some idea where I can locate most of your herd now.

I'll take a ride out there first thing in the morning and have a look-see.

See if we can figure out somethin'.

Mornin', Mr. Earp.

Good morning, Mr. Grimmick.

What're you doin' up so early?

Well, I came to get my horse, but, uh...my key doesn't work.

Oh, I forgot to tell you.

I changed the lock. I'll have to give you a new key.

Well, I'm glad you finally told me about it.

So you want your horse, huh?

Yeah, I'm going to take a little ride in the country.

Well, it's kind of a funny day to be taking a ride.

I heard there's going to be a big time over in town today.

What with Bill Slocombe standing trial and all.

Yeah, well, I'll be back in plenty of time for that.

Court's in session. Quiet in the courtroom.

You have the case against Bill Slocombe.

Accused of rustling.

Stand up, Bill.

How do you plead? Guilty or not guilty?

Not guilty, of course.

You don't need that "of course," in there.

Simmer down, Paul.

If Bill wants to emphasize the fact that he thinks he's innocent, Let him.

I don't see the counsel for the defense.

Any of you know gents know where Wyatt Earp is?

What's Wyatt Earp got to do with the trial, Judge?

He's going to act as defense counsel.

Ain't that a little irregular, Judge?

Well, it would be ordinarily,

but Wyatt asked me if he could.

I said, yes,

which makes it regular.

Well, I guess it don't matter much,

seeing as how we got enough evidence to hang Bill anyway.

Only hope Wyatt ain't as fast with his tongue as he is with his guns.

Well, let's get on with the case.

Wyatt'll show up at any time.

Bill, you better step over her to the stand and give us your side of the story.

Raise your right hand, please. Put your left on the Bible.

Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

Sit down.

And you'll never get a cowman to believe that you had that

fire burning for any reason,

but to heat up a runnin' iron.

Like I said, I roped that cow before dawn.

I had to wait for it to get light.

What were you doing, putting your rope on a Duke cow?

She ain't your property.

While I was waiting for it to get light enough to see that

Duke brand plain,

I started the fire to fix my breakfast.

Why were you so curious about the brand on a Duke cow?

To see if you could blot it out some way?

I've been losing a lot of stock lately, both cows and calves,

and I thought that cow was mine. I was certain of it.

Excuse me, Your Honor.

In my courtroom, Wyatt?

Nothing will go wrong. I assure you, Your Honor.

Proceed.

Are you trying to say that you think Duke Wilson's been stealing your cows?

I am.

And I was trying to prove it.

It ain't bad enough that you rustle from a man,

you got to turn around and accuse him of doing it to you.

I'd like to say a few words to all of you.

I object, Judge.

I got the floor here, and I intend to keep it.

Let Wyatt speak his piece.

He's gone out and gotten some evidence.

Maybe it'll settle this case.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Mr. Murdoch, would you give me a hand?

Glad to.

Now, one of the things you cowmen

should have taken into consideration before

taking for granted that Mr. Slocombe here was the rustler was the

almost impossible task for Bill to change

a brand like Duke,

which has got four letters in it,

into his own brand,

a Bar D, which has only got one letter,

with a small bar running through it.

Now, if for no other reason,

I figured Bill was innocent because of this.

But now take a look...

how easy it is to change Bill's Bar D brand

into the Duke brand

simply by blotting out

the small bar

that runs through the D the branding iron

and adding the three letters...

UKE.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a witness I'd like to bring in.

Now, whose cow would you say this was?

Why, that's one of Bill Slocombe's cows. Got his brand, Bar D.

All right, we know it's Bill's cow.

Mr. Delaney, it's pretty easy, isn't it, to tell which

calf belongs to which cow?

It's the easiest thing in the world.

If the calf ain't hers, the cow won't have nothing to do with it.

All right, now, if this cow had a calf,

what brand would be on the calf?

Same brand as the cow, of course.

The Bar D brand, in other words.

Yeah.

Now, what if the calf had a different brand than the Bar D?

Well, that'd be rustling, plain and simple.

And, Mr. Delaney, how would you identify the rustler?

The rustlers'll be them that got their brand on the calf.

Thank you.

Mr. Grimmick.

Well, look at that.

It's Duke that's the rustler.

It ain't Bill Slocombe.

You two stay there.

Let us have them two, Wyatt.

We'll give them what they figured to give Bill Slocombe.

Only we'll give it them proper.

Order.

That's a fine way for a jury to behave.

Your Honor, I'll put these two men under arrest.

Good.

And I'm dismissing the case against Bill Slocombe.

I'd like to say a few more words, if you don't mind.

Go ahead, Wyatt.

You men got to get it through your thick skulls

that the days of lynching were over on this frontier.

You continue ignoring the law,

you can bet your bottom dollar we'll never get out of the woods at all.

Holly.

Take 'em to jail.

You got a nice cell and two bunks waiting for you.

Court is adjourned.

Just saying thanks.

doesn't sound like much,

but thanks a lot.

Got to be getting on my way. My family'll start worrying.

See you soon, Wyatt.

See you, Bill.

Come on, Baby.

Come on.

You did a fine job, Wyatt.

Saved Bill's life.

I'll tell you, Mr. Murdoch,

you gotta...kind of give credit where credit's due.

I had quite a bit of help from that calf and its mother.

♪ 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 ♪