The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 1, Episode 5 - Wyatt Earp Comes to Wichita - full transcript
Earp and Murdock ride into Wichita to the news that Slick Lonagan has been arrested for murder and the "citizen's committee" or vigilantes want to lynch him. Sheriff Todd has held them off but he professes his job is to collect taxes and related functions as he is not a gunman. Until Murdock agrees that the vigilantes must go, Earp considers not taking the job due to his disdain for vigilantes. Murdock agrees he wants to end them as well. Earp sends the group packing although they say the man killed was unarmed. The next day Earp questions Rowdy Kate who confirms the dead man was wearing two 45's and that Dave Bennett, the vigilante leader, is crooked and wanted Lonagan to deal faro for him. Earp then forces Dr. Andrew Fabrique to perform a proper autopsy which shows part of gun belt and bullets embedded in the body from the double barrel shot gun blast. When the vigilantes return, Earp stops them, arrests the leaders, and shows the others the proof. The next day he asks the Judge to disband the vigilantes due to corruption. Rowdy Kate appears at the last minute to provide the needed proof of corruption allowing Earp to get his court order.
♪ Wyatt Earp, Wyatt Earp ♪
♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪
♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪
♪ And long may his story be told ♪
Wyatt Earp has moved to Wichita,
after a locally renowned career
as Marshal of Ellsworth, Kansas.
Wichita was the new capital of the cowtowns,
where the great cattle drives from Texas reached the railroad.
Hoodlums boasted there was no law in Wichita.
The year 1875 saw Wyatt Earp
become Marshal of that turbulent city,
fighting frontier gunslingers with his fists,
his .45 Colts and his sawed-off shotgun.
Wichita! There she stands, Wyatt.
This is Douglas Avenue, our local Broadway.
It sure makes Ellsworth look like a stage stop.
You're in the big city, Mr. Earp.
Texas House, the Wichita Eagle.
A fine newspaper, mine!
This is Main Street.
The Palace Saloon.
Down there is the Oriental Saloon.
The next one is Rowdy Kate's establishment.
There's the Wichita House.
Way down at the end
on the other side of the street's the Occidental.
Douglas Avenue House, Payor's Saloon.
That next street down is Horse Thief Corner.
Mr. Murdock! Mr. Murdock!
The vigilantes are aimin' to hang Slick Lanigan!
They say he murdered Hank Mahoney last night.
Where's Judge Jewitt?
In Kansas City. There'll be a lynchin' if you don't stop 'em.
They'll be stopped. Where are they?
Over at the jail.
Looks like we better head that way, huh?
Welcome to our fair city!
Here comes Marsh now!
Lucky you got here, Marsh.
Hello, Bennett! What's the trouble?
Sheriff Todd won't turn Lanigan over.
The fool says he'll make a fight of it.
I'll have a talk with him.
Marshal Earp, this is Dave Bennett,
the president of our Citizens' Committee for Law and Order.
You mean vigilantes.
Glad to know you, Mr. Bennett.
So you're the great Wyatt Earp.
Gentlemen, this is the new peace officer Marsh hired
to replace Wild Bill Hickok.
Save the handshakin' for later. Come along, Wyatt.
Sheriff Todd?
Yeah?
Marsh Murdock. Open up.
Thank the Lord, Marsh. This Earp?
That's right.
The rest of ya stand back!
It's providential, Earp, simply providential.
I'm no hand with guns.
My job is strictly collecting taxes.
I hope you can take over this affair right away.
I'll swear him in.
That'll make it legal till the Judge gets back, huh?
All right, all right, but calm down!
You alone here?
Yeah.
What happened to the deputy marshals?
They all skipped.
They're afraid of the Citizens' Committee.
Slick Lanigan's a faro dealer at Rowdy Kate's.
Who's the man he murdered?
Hank Mahoney. I didn't know him.
I do, unless there are 2 Hank Mahoneys.
And the one I know is a killer.
Hank Mahoney wasn't armed, Dave Bennett says.
I'd like to talk to Lanigan, OK?
Of course. Bring him in here. Will you, Sheriff?
All right.
Lanigan's your responsibility. You handle the CCs.
You better put this on, Wyatt.
Wait a minute.
You didn't tell me there were vigilantes.
We had to let them organize.
The cowhands threatened to tear the town apart.
I don't work with vigilantes, Mr. Murdock.
Neither do I.
And I should've told you that the CCs are a special problem.
But I was afraid you'd turn down the job.
Looks like I better do that now.
Hold on, Wyatt!
I don't like vigilantes!
They shoot and hang a man first, then ask questions.
You hired me to enforce the law.
Well, lynchin' a man isn't the law.
I agree with you.
Judge Jewitt, Mayor Hope and I
want to force the vigilantes to disband.
We're convinced that some of them are mixed up
with the crooked gambling and rustling.
That's a good bet.
But we have to have proof, Wyatt.
It has to stand up in court.
Will you back me up if I start roustin' that crowd out there?
All the way!
Here's Lanigan.
What'll I tell the vigilantes?
Tell 'em Marshal Earp is working on the case.
Thanks.
Rest yourself.
A lot of men out there that wanna hang ya, Mr. Lanigan.
Oh, sure.
I understand you killed Hank Mahoney
when he wasn't wearin' any guns.
You the Wyatt Earp that ran it over Ben Thompson?
Yes, he is.
Hey, Murdock!
Quit stallin' and bring him out!
Hold it, Bennett! Just give us a couple of minutes!
That'd be Dave Bennett. Important man!
Was Hank wearin' a gun?
- Two of them.
- You shot him in a fair fight?
He yelled for me to come out in the alley.
I came out, and gave him both barrels.
- Shotgun, huh?
- Yeah.
Who took care of Mahoney then?
Sheriff Todd says he helped carry him
over to Doc Fabrique's office.
Shot in the stomach, what could Doc do?
Well, then you claim
that somebody must've taken the guns off the body.
How else could it have happened?
Why was Hank gunnin' for ya?
I work for Rowdy Kate. Maybe she can tell ya.
If you're gonna turn me over to the vigilantes,
at least give me a gun.
Mr. Lanigan, what makes you think
I'd turn you over to that lynch mob?
Oh, they're not a mob.
They're the Citizens' Committee for Law and Order.
They run this town, Mr. Earp.
They do?
No, they don't run this town.
You're the Marshal of Wichita. The prisoner's in your hands.
Thank you, Mr. Murdock.
Must be this lucky egg that Katy gave me.
All of a sudden, I draw 2 aces.
I'm gonna take Mr. Lanigan back to his cell,
and then have a little talk with that committee.
All right, men, now this is what we're gonna do.
We run this town, you understand?
And nobody's gonna tell us what to do.
Gentlemen!
There appears to be some doubt
that Mahoney was unarmed when Lanigan shot him.
That's ridiculous! We have 10 witnesses!
Break it up!
What?
I said break it up! You have no business here.
Now, I know what you men call yourselves,
but you're just a plain lynch mob to me.
Marsh, you're gonna put up with this?
I hired Mr. Earp
with Judge Jewitt and Mayor Hope's approval.
Not with my approval!
He doesn't need your approval!
Your committee doesn't have any legal standing.
Now, if Lanigan is guilty,
he'll be punished according to the law.
But in the meantime, Mr. Bennett,
you and your friends are packin' guns
in violation of a city ordinance.
I realize it hasn't been enforced lately,
so that's the reason I'm not gonna arrest ya at this time.
Why, you...
Don't try it!
Now, most of you are decent men,
and yet you let a fool like this tell ya what to do.
Now, I don't think Mr. Lanigan is guilty,
and I aim to prove it.
But either way, you're not the judge and jury.
Now, get movin'!
Come on, Dave.
You haven't seen the last of me!
Quit that!
Go away!
It's Mildred, Miss Kate.
It's the Marshal, the new Marshal.
Earp? What's he want at this hour of the morning?
He says it's about Slick,
and he's real nice and gentlemanly too, Miss Kate.
All right, tell him to come on up.
She says it's all right, Mr. Earp.
Right up the stairs.
What an hour to wake anybody up, at 1:00 in the afternoon!
Do I look awful?
You look real fine, Miss Kate.
Oh, you always say those nice things, Mildred.
Open the door.
Well!
How do you do, Miss Kate?
I'm sorry to bother you so early.
Harm's already been done. Is Mr. Lanigan OK?
Well, for the time being, yes.
I hear you put a head on the Thompsons over at Ellsworth.
Well, I put Bill in jail.
Just like that, huh?
Hey, Mildred! Coffee, on the double!
Yes, ma'am.
Sit down!
Thank you.
Mr. Earp, I wanna be polite,
but I can't afford to get mixed up in this.
Maybe you can answer a few questions.
Like, was Hank Mahoney packin' guns last night?
Yes, 2 of 'em.
Will you testify to that?
If I did that, I'd leave Wichita in a coffin!
You're afraid of the vigilantes, huh?
Scared to death!
Have a drink, Mr. Earp?
Don't use it.
Some...
No, thanks.
Any vices at all?
Miss Kate, I, uh, I came here to question you.
Can't talk about it, not even to help Slick!
And I'm real fond of him!
Are you in love with him?
No. He's a good faro dealer.
He doesn't cheat the customers and he doesn't cheat the house.
That's why he...
Slick's been after me to marry him.
Good faro dealers are so scarce, I've been considerin' it.
Right there, Mildred.
You do drink coffee?
Yes'm, but not now, thanks.
You're gonna lose Mr. Lanigan.
What?
His only defense is for somebody to prove
that Hank Mahoney was armed and gunnin' for him.
If you leave things stand the way they are now,
the law's gonna hang him.
Good day, Miss Kate.
Hold on!
I know what happened last night and why!
But I can't prove it.
Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can.
And keep me out of it?
Well, I can try to, but that's all I'm gonna promise.
Oh, better try!
You can get me run out of town or killed!
Who are you afraid of?
The gambling place across the street.
The Palace?
Yes. They tried to hire Slick away from me.
He wouldn't leave me, so they hired Mahoney to gun him.
Just because he wouldn't take their job?
No, Slick also talked too much
about the men who secretly owned that place.
Hmm, Mr. Bennett, maybe.
Slick killed Mahoney in a fair fight!
But somebody took Hank's guns and hid 'em
before Doc Fabrique claimed the body.
That's the truth. I can't prove it. I...
I've said all I'm gonna say.
Well, will you talk at the trial?
No.
Well, thank you. You've helped considerable, Miss Kate.
Do you want a bodyguard?
Not now. But you'd be my first choice!
Well, thank you.
I'm, uh, gonna go up and see Doc Fabrique now.
Don't mention my name, please!
Why, is he a friend of Bennett?
Oh no! Doc hates everybody!
Well, thank you for your hospitality.
Just keep on with that stuff,
and you'll fall off your horse again!
Bust your stitches loose and bleed to death on the road.
I've been lookin' for a good cadaver
to send to the St. Louis Medical School.
That blather-lipped, snake-eyed scrimshank Mahoney fellow
got himself all messed up with buckshot in the abdomen.
You do me a favor, and bleed to death!
Busy! Busy! Sit down and wait!
Be glad you fell on your head.
You might've broken your arm!
Dr. Fabrique, I'm Wyatt Earp, the new City Marshal.
I don't care who you are!
I told you to sit down and wait!
That'll be $1!
35 cents! Get out of here!
I wanna talk to you!
You better talk to me.
Huh? What's that?
You're the Coroner around here, aren't you?
Well, yes.
You collect a fee for every death by violence, don't you?
Young man, if you mean to...
Where's your autopsy
and coroner's inquest report on Hank Mahoney?
Autopsy!
You sure you haven't got some buttons loose?
Now look, you're wastin' both of our time.
I want the report on Hank Mahoney.
This just happens to be a murder case, you know.
Autopsy!
Hank was killed with buckshot wounds in the abdomen!
It was so obvious that only a young idiot like you
would ask for an autopsy!
What about the coroner's inquest?
All foolishness!
Hank was killed at the hands of Slick Lanigan.
I'll have the coroner's report on Hank ready
in plenty of time for the trial.
No, Doctor, I'll be back in 10 minutes.
Get out of my office!
Ten minutes!
Autopsy!
Next patient!
Hi, Mr. Murdock.
Well, the town's starting to spin.
I hear you fired 3 deputies and swore in 5 new men.
Seven. They're my friends from buffalo-huntin' days.
Have you learned anything new?
Yeah, but nothing fit to print.
Did you, uh, get that telegram off to Judge Jewitt?
Uh-huh. Got an answer. He'll be back tonight.
That's good. I'm gonna ask him for a court order
disbanding the vigilantes.
Wonderful!
But you better have some evidence.
The Judge hates 'em,
but he still has to follow the letter of the law.
I know. I'm workin' on it.
Well, I'm gonna go down and see Doc Fabrique
before he leaves his office.
I'll see you at dinner.
Fine.
Oh, by the way, I wrote a story for your paper.
It says that any honest citizen who knows
what happened to Hank Mahoney's guns
should come forward and tell.
New lead?
Mmm-hmm.
Thanks, Wyatt!
Now, listen to what I'm gonna read ya, Doctor.
"It is specifically provided by the terms of this ordinance
"that the City Marshal must certify to all fees"
"collected by the Coroner."
Let me see that.
Here.
The scoundrels!
Those red-eyed pipsqueak politicians!
If I'd known that, I wouldn't have taken the job.
That's too bad, Doc.
The records show that since Mr. Hickok quit
and I took over the job,
the city owes you $137 in back fees.
You want me to certify?
I earned it?
Sure, and you'll get it.
When? When will I get it?
Just as soon as you perform an autopsy on Hank Mahoney.
Oh, you're worse than Wild Bill Hickok.
He was a smart skunk,
but you're a crafty one!
OK, the body's in the backroom.
Can I watch?
Suit yourself!
And I hope you'll faint at the sight of it!
Quite the stubborn head! Go on!
So, you don't like your job as sheriff, huh?
You know what I mean. I don't like lynchings.
I told you this morning, when I wouldn't let you take Lanigan.
Shut up! You're in this just as deep as any of us!
Lanigan knows too much, and Earp's been snoopin' around.
If we blundered once before
in hirin' a drunken fool to gun Slick,
this time we're gonna do our own job with a rope, right?
I don't know, Dave.
All bets down, gentlemen?
Five of spades.
Five of spades? Oh yes. No?
Nobody on five of spades. Seven of...
Hold the game!
I thought I told you never come in my place again!
Keep your temper!
Now, Earp has enough evidence
to clear Slick if he wants to use it,
but you know what that nasty fella told me?
He says he'll let Lanigan swing
if you don't tell him the truth about the vigilantes.
No!
Well, Earp can just let Dave Bennett take Slick.
Just sit in the jail office tonight and do nothing.
Now, if you like that fella, you blonde-headed nanny goat,
you'll be there!
Oh!
All right, gentlemen! I'm takin' over for Kate.
Make your game!
Marshal Earp, the Citizens' Committee
is formin' up at the lumberyard.
They'll be here in about 10 minutes.
OK. Did all the deputies report?
Yes, sir.
Good. Tell 'em to load their shotguns with slugs.
We'll make our play out in front.
Yes, sir.
Close the door, and don't let anybody in.
Yes, sir.
Did you send Doc Fabrique?
Mmm-hmm.
Well, it won't work!
I don't care that much about Slick!
You're in love with him.
You're not gonna get me in court.
I think you know all about
Bennett and Sheriff Todd, don't you?
Yes.
But if you expect me to go to court and...
I just can't and live!
Doc Fabrique says you will.
Why, that old fool!
He says you're in love with Slick,
and he also says that Bennett owns the Palace Saloon.
And that Sheriff Todd made a deal with you and some others
to collect only half your taxes.
Is that the truth?
Well... yes.
Bennett and Todd are leaders of the vigilantes.
Do you think it's right for these men to parade around town
with guns and lynchin' ropes?
No.
Don't think you're gonna be safe just by not talkin'.
Bennett'll turn on ya someday and run you right out of town,
just like he's tryin' to run me out.
And why should I be the one to squeal in court?
Because you're honest.
Because you're in love with Slick.
Because you hate violence and despise hypocrites.
I'm not that good, Mr. Earp,
or that brave!
I'll see you in court in the morning.
Don't count on it!
You better use this door.
No sense you gettin' hurt.
Oh, and you better go straight back to your place.
Come on, Earp. Bring him out!
I told you men this mornin' you were a lynch mob.
Do I start shooting or will you listen to some evidence?
What evidence?
Hank Mahoney was wearin' guns last night.
Lanigan's buckshot tore off part of his gun belt
and carried it into his body.
Doc Fabrique recovered a hunk of the gun belt
along with 2 .45 cartridges in the autopsy.
The Doc's a liar and so are you!
Now, the rest of you men file by,
and I'll show you the evidence.
You're right, Marshal Earp. I'm sorry I listened to Dave.
Mr. McCrady?
The followin' men are under arrest:
Mr. Brown, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Salder...
and Mr. Bennett.
Give him your guns, and put 'em in jail.
You men, pick up Mr. Bennett!
So, the rest of you men go on home, where you belong.
Go on!
He's stalled on reading your petition
about as long as he can.
You sure Kate will come?
Well, if she doesn't, we're sunk!
Marshal Earp?
Yes, Your Honor?
You make the charge here
that several members of the Citizens' Committee
are of bad character and are allied with the hoodlum element.
Yes, Your Honor.
Very well.
Have you any testimony to present,
bearing on this accusation?
Well, no, sir, not at this time. You see...
Let's see the proof. Where's the witnesses?
Order!
Shut up, Bennett!
Throw him out of court, Judge!
Order!
Proceed, Marshal Earp.
I ask the court to realize that it takes time
to gather legal proof against illegal vigilantes.
I need a temporary court injunction
to publicly discredit...
Marshal! The court has heard enough!
You display poor judgment in making slanderous charges
against Mr. Bennett and his associates
without a single witness!
Mr. Earp has a witness, Your Honor.
May I?
Swear her in, clerk.
Thank you, Miss Kate.
It's a pleasure, Judge.
The court apologizes to Marshal Earp
for having doubted his word,
and wishes to express its gratitude to Miss Kate
for having the courage to come here and testify.
It is the order of the court
that the Citizens' Committee here and now disband!
Court is adjourned.
You did wonderful!
Oh, I'm so glad you think so! I was so nervous!
I didn't think I'd get here in time!
Is this official or personal, Mr. Earp?
I'm your bodyguard.
Oh, Bennett wouldn't dare do anything now!
Oh!
Thanks!
I'm quite the little heroine now! Even the good folks...
Look out!
Why didn't ya shoot him?
No need to. I can trace him through this.
He's probably just a decoy to draw me away from you.
Oh, don't draw away from me!
Don't worry, I won't!
I want the word to get around that I'm real fond of ya.
I'll gun anybody that does ya any harm.
That oughta get the word around.
Oh, I liked that!
Uh, Miss Kate, uh...
Break it up, you men! Go on, break it up!
♪ 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 ♪
♪ Brave, courageous and bold ♪
♪ Long live his fame and long live his glory ♪
♪ And long may his story be told ♪
Wyatt Earp has moved to Wichita,
after a locally renowned career
as Marshal of Ellsworth, Kansas.
Wichita was the new capital of the cowtowns,
where the great cattle drives from Texas reached the railroad.
Hoodlums boasted there was no law in Wichita.
The year 1875 saw Wyatt Earp
become Marshal of that turbulent city,
fighting frontier gunslingers with his fists,
his .45 Colts and his sawed-off shotgun.
Wichita! There she stands, Wyatt.
This is Douglas Avenue, our local Broadway.
It sure makes Ellsworth look like a stage stop.
You're in the big city, Mr. Earp.
Texas House, the Wichita Eagle.
A fine newspaper, mine!
This is Main Street.
The Palace Saloon.
Down there is the Oriental Saloon.
The next one is Rowdy Kate's establishment.
There's the Wichita House.
Way down at the end
on the other side of the street's the Occidental.
Douglas Avenue House, Payor's Saloon.
That next street down is Horse Thief Corner.
Mr. Murdock! Mr. Murdock!
The vigilantes are aimin' to hang Slick Lanigan!
They say he murdered Hank Mahoney last night.
Where's Judge Jewitt?
In Kansas City. There'll be a lynchin' if you don't stop 'em.
They'll be stopped. Where are they?
Over at the jail.
Looks like we better head that way, huh?
Welcome to our fair city!
Here comes Marsh now!
Lucky you got here, Marsh.
Hello, Bennett! What's the trouble?
Sheriff Todd won't turn Lanigan over.
The fool says he'll make a fight of it.
I'll have a talk with him.
Marshal Earp, this is Dave Bennett,
the president of our Citizens' Committee for Law and Order.
You mean vigilantes.
Glad to know you, Mr. Bennett.
So you're the great Wyatt Earp.
Gentlemen, this is the new peace officer Marsh hired
to replace Wild Bill Hickok.
Save the handshakin' for later. Come along, Wyatt.
Sheriff Todd?
Yeah?
Marsh Murdock. Open up.
Thank the Lord, Marsh. This Earp?
That's right.
The rest of ya stand back!
It's providential, Earp, simply providential.
I'm no hand with guns.
My job is strictly collecting taxes.
I hope you can take over this affair right away.
I'll swear him in.
That'll make it legal till the Judge gets back, huh?
All right, all right, but calm down!
You alone here?
Yeah.
What happened to the deputy marshals?
They all skipped.
They're afraid of the Citizens' Committee.
Slick Lanigan's a faro dealer at Rowdy Kate's.
Who's the man he murdered?
Hank Mahoney. I didn't know him.
I do, unless there are 2 Hank Mahoneys.
And the one I know is a killer.
Hank Mahoney wasn't armed, Dave Bennett says.
I'd like to talk to Lanigan, OK?
Of course. Bring him in here. Will you, Sheriff?
All right.
Lanigan's your responsibility. You handle the CCs.
You better put this on, Wyatt.
Wait a minute.
You didn't tell me there were vigilantes.
We had to let them organize.
The cowhands threatened to tear the town apart.
I don't work with vigilantes, Mr. Murdock.
Neither do I.
And I should've told you that the CCs are a special problem.
But I was afraid you'd turn down the job.
Looks like I better do that now.
Hold on, Wyatt!
I don't like vigilantes!
They shoot and hang a man first, then ask questions.
You hired me to enforce the law.
Well, lynchin' a man isn't the law.
I agree with you.
Judge Jewitt, Mayor Hope and I
want to force the vigilantes to disband.
We're convinced that some of them are mixed up
with the crooked gambling and rustling.
That's a good bet.
But we have to have proof, Wyatt.
It has to stand up in court.
Will you back me up if I start roustin' that crowd out there?
All the way!
Here's Lanigan.
What'll I tell the vigilantes?
Tell 'em Marshal Earp is working on the case.
Thanks.
Rest yourself.
A lot of men out there that wanna hang ya, Mr. Lanigan.
Oh, sure.
I understand you killed Hank Mahoney
when he wasn't wearin' any guns.
You the Wyatt Earp that ran it over Ben Thompson?
Yes, he is.
Hey, Murdock!
Quit stallin' and bring him out!
Hold it, Bennett! Just give us a couple of minutes!
That'd be Dave Bennett. Important man!
Was Hank wearin' a gun?
- Two of them.
- You shot him in a fair fight?
He yelled for me to come out in the alley.
I came out, and gave him both barrels.
- Shotgun, huh?
- Yeah.
Who took care of Mahoney then?
Sheriff Todd says he helped carry him
over to Doc Fabrique's office.
Shot in the stomach, what could Doc do?
Well, then you claim
that somebody must've taken the guns off the body.
How else could it have happened?
Why was Hank gunnin' for ya?
I work for Rowdy Kate. Maybe she can tell ya.
If you're gonna turn me over to the vigilantes,
at least give me a gun.
Mr. Lanigan, what makes you think
I'd turn you over to that lynch mob?
Oh, they're not a mob.
They're the Citizens' Committee for Law and Order.
They run this town, Mr. Earp.
They do?
No, they don't run this town.
You're the Marshal of Wichita. The prisoner's in your hands.
Thank you, Mr. Murdock.
Must be this lucky egg that Katy gave me.
All of a sudden, I draw 2 aces.
I'm gonna take Mr. Lanigan back to his cell,
and then have a little talk with that committee.
All right, men, now this is what we're gonna do.
We run this town, you understand?
And nobody's gonna tell us what to do.
Gentlemen!
There appears to be some doubt
that Mahoney was unarmed when Lanigan shot him.
That's ridiculous! We have 10 witnesses!
Break it up!
What?
I said break it up! You have no business here.
Now, I know what you men call yourselves,
but you're just a plain lynch mob to me.
Marsh, you're gonna put up with this?
I hired Mr. Earp
with Judge Jewitt and Mayor Hope's approval.
Not with my approval!
He doesn't need your approval!
Your committee doesn't have any legal standing.
Now, if Lanigan is guilty,
he'll be punished according to the law.
But in the meantime, Mr. Bennett,
you and your friends are packin' guns
in violation of a city ordinance.
I realize it hasn't been enforced lately,
so that's the reason I'm not gonna arrest ya at this time.
Why, you...
Don't try it!
Now, most of you are decent men,
and yet you let a fool like this tell ya what to do.
Now, I don't think Mr. Lanigan is guilty,
and I aim to prove it.
But either way, you're not the judge and jury.
Now, get movin'!
Come on, Dave.
You haven't seen the last of me!
Quit that!
Go away!
It's Mildred, Miss Kate.
It's the Marshal, the new Marshal.
Earp? What's he want at this hour of the morning?
He says it's about Slick,
and he's real nice and gentlemanly too, Miss Kate.
All right, tell him to come on up.
She says it's all right, Mr. Earp.
Right up the stairs.
What an hour to wake anybody up, at 1:00 in the afternoon!
Do I look awful?
You look real fine, Miss Kate.
Oh, you always say those nice things, Mildred.
Open the door.
Well!
How do you do, Miss Kate?
I'm sorry to bother you so early.
Harm's already been done. Is Mr. Lanigan OK?
Well, for the time being, yes.
I hear you put a head on the Thompsons over at Ellsworth.
Well, I put Bill in jail.
Just like that, huh?
Hey, Mildred! Coffee, on the double!
Yes, ma'am.
Sit down!
Thank you.
Mr. Earp, I wanna be polite,
but I can't afford to get mixed up in this.
Maybe you can answer a few questions.
Like, was Hank Mahoney packin' guns last night?
Yes, 2 of 'em.
Will you testify to that?
If I did that, I'd leave Wichita in a coffin!
You're afraid of the vigilantes, huh?
Scared to death!
Have a drink, Mr. Earp?
Don't use it.
Some...
No, thanks.
Any vices at all?
Miss Kate, I, uh, I came here to question you.
Can't talk about it, not even to help Slick!
And I'm real fond of him!
Are you in love with him?
No. He's a good faro dealer.
He doesn't cheat the customers and he doesn't cheat the house.
That's why he...
Slick's been after me to marry him.
Good faro dealers are so scarce, I've been considerin' it.
Right there, Mildred.
You do drink coffee?
Yes'm, but not now, thanks.
You're gonna lose Mr. Lanigan.
What?
His only defense is for somebody to prove
that Hank Mahoney was armed and gunnin' for him.
If you leave things stand the way they are now,
the law's gonna hang him.
Good day, Miss Kate.
Hold on!
I know what happened last night and why!
But I can't prove it.
Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can.
And keep me out of it?
Well, I can try to, but that's all I'm gonna promise.
Oh, better try!
You can get me run out of town or killed!
Who are you afraid of?
The gambling place across the street.
The Palace?
Yes. They tried to hire Slick away from me.
He wouldn't leave me, so they hired Mahoney to gun him.
Just because he wouldn't take their job?
No, Slick also talked too much
about the men who secretly owned that place.
Hmm, Mr. Bennett, maybe.
Slick killed Mahoney in a fair fight!
But somebody took Hank's guns and hid 'em
before Doc Fabrique claimed the body.
That's the truth. I can't prove it. I...
I've said all I'm gonna say.
Well, will you talk at the trial?
No.
Well, thank you. You've helped considerable, Miss Kate.
Do you want a bodyguard?
Not now. But you'd be my first choice!
Well, thank you.
I'm, uh, gonna go up and see Doc Fabrique now.
Don't mention my name, please!
Why, is he a friend of Bennett?
Oh no! Doc hates everybody!
Well, thank you for your hospitality.
Just keep on with that stuff,
and you'll fall off your horse again!
Bust your stitches loose and bleed to death on the road.
I've been lookin' for a good cadaver
to send to the St. Louis Medical School.
That blather-lipped, snake-eyed scrimshank Mahoney fellow
got himself all messed up with buckshot in the abdomen.
You do me a favor, and bleed to death!
Busy! Busy! Sit down and wait!
Be glad you fell on your head.
You might've broken your arm!
Dr. Fabrique, I'm Wyatt Earp, the new City Marshal.
I don't care who you are!
I told you to sit down and wait!
That'll be $1!
35 cents! Get out of here!
I wanna talk to you!
You better talk to me.
Huh? What's that?
You're the Coroner around here, aren't you?
Well, yes.
You collect a fee for every death by violence, don't you?
Young man, if you mean to...
Where's your autopsy
and coroner's inquest report on Hank Mahoney?
Autopsy!
You sure you haven't got some buttons loose?
Now look, you're wastin' both of our time.
I want the report on Hank Mahoney.
This just happens to be a murder case, you know.
Autopsy!
Hank was killed with buckshot wounds in the abdomen!
It was so obvious that only a young idiot like you
would ask for an autopsy!
What about the coroner's inquest?
All foolishness!
Hank was killed at the hands of Slick Lanigan.
I'll have the coroner's report on Hank ready
in plenty of time for the trial.
No, Doctor, I'll be back in 10 minutes.
Get out of my office!
Ten minutes!
Autopsy!
Next patient!
Hi, Mr. Murdock.
Well, the town's starting to spin.
I hear you fired 3 deputies and swore in 5 new men.
Seven. They're my friends from buffalo-huntin' days.
Have you learned anything new?
Yeah, but nothing fit to print.
Did you, uh, get that telegram off to Judge Jewitt?
Uh-huh. Got an answer. He'll be back tonight.
That's good. I'm gonna ask him for a court order
disbanding the vigilantes.
Wonderful!
But you better have some evidence.
The Judge hates 'em,
but he still has to follow the letter of the law.
I know. I'm workin' on it.
Well, I'm gonna go down and see Doc Fabrique
before he leaves his office.
I'll see you at dinner.
Fine.
Oh, by the way, I wrote a story for your paper.
It says that any honest citizen who knows
what happened to Hank Mahoney's guns
should come forward and tell.
New lead?
Mmm-hmm.
Thanks, Wyatt!
Now, listen to what I'm gonna read ya, Doctor.
"It is specifically provided by the terms of this ordinance
"that the City Marshal must certify to all fees"
"collected by the Coroner."
Let me see that.
Here.
The scoundrels!
Those red-eyed pipsqueak politicians!
If I'd known that, I wouldn't have taken the job.
That's too bad, Doc.
The records show that since Mr. Hickok quit
and I took over the job,
the city owes you $137 in back fees.
You want me to certify?
I earned it?
Sure, and you'll get it.
When? When will I get it?
Just as soon as you perform an autopsy on Hank Mahoney.
Oh, you're worse than Wild Bill Hickok.
He was a smart skunk,
but you're a crafty one!
OK, the body's in the backroom.
Can I watch?
Suit yourself!
And I hope you'll faint at the sight of it!
Quite the stubborn head! Go on!
So, you don't like your job as sheriff, huh?
You know what I mean. I don't like lynchings.
I told you this morning, when I wouldn't let you take Lanigan.
Shut up! You're in this just as deep as any of us!
Lanigan knows too much, and Earp's been snoopin' around.
If we blundered once before
in hirin' a drunken fool to gun Slick,
this time we're gonna do our own job with a rope, right?
I don't know, Dave.
All bets down, gentlemen?
Five of spades.
Five of spades? Oh yes. No?
Nobody on five of spades. Seven of...
Hold the game!
I thought I told you never come in my place again!
Keep your temper!
Now, Earp has enough evidence
to clear Slick if he wants to use it,
but you know what that nasty fella told me?
He says he'll let Lanigan swing
if you don't tell him the truth about the vigilantes.
No!
Well, Earp can just let Dave Bennett take Slick.
Just sit in the jail office tonight and do nothing.
Now, if you like that fella, you blonde-headed nanny goat,
you'll be there!
Oh!
All right, gentlemen! I'm takin' over for Kate.
Make your game!
Marshal Earp, the Citizens' Committee
is formin' up at the lumberyard.
They'll be here in about 10 minutes.
OK. Did all the deputies report?
Yes, sir.
Good. Tell 'em to load their shotguns with slugs.
We'll make our play out in front.
Yes, sir.
Close the door, and don't let anybody in.
Yes, sir.
Did you send Doc Fabrique?
Mmm-hmm.
Well, it won't work!
I don't care that much about Slick!
You're in love with him.
You're not gonna get me in court.
I think you know all about
Bennett and Sheriff Todd, don't you?
Yes.
But if you expect me to go to court and...
I just can't and live!
Doc Fabrique says you will.
Why, that old fool!
He says you're in love with Slick,
and he also says that Bennett owns the Palace Saloon.
And that Sheriff Todd made a deal with you and some others
to collect only half your taxes.
Is that the truth?
Well... yes.
Bennett and Todd are leaders of the vigilantes.
Do you think it's right for these men to parade around town
with guns and lynchin' ropes?
No.
Don't think you're gonna be safe just by not talkin'.
Bennett'll turn on ya someday and run you right out of town,
just like he's tryin' to run me out.
And why should I be the one to squeal in court?
Because you're honest.
Because you're in love with Slick.
Because you hate violence and despise hypocrites.
I'm not that good, Mr. Earp,
or that brave!
I'll see you in court in the morning.
Don't count on it!
You better use this door.
No sense you gettin' hurt.
Oh, and you better go straight back to your place.
Come on, Earp. Bring him out!
I told you men this mornin' you were a lynch mob.
Do I start shooting or will you listen to some evidence?
What evidence?
Hank Mahoney was wearin' guns last night.
Lanigan's buckshot tore off part of his gun belt
and carried it into his body.
Doc Fabrique recovered a hunk of the gun belt
along with 2 .45 cartridges in the autopsy.
The Doc's a liar and so are you!
Now, the rest of you men file by,
and I'll show you the evidence.
You're right, Marshal Earp. I'm sorry I listened to Dave.
Mr. McCrady?
The followin' men are under arrest:
Mr. Brown, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Salder...
and Mr. Bennett.
Give him your guns, and put 'em in jail.
You men, pick up Mr. Bennett!
So, the rest of you men go on home, where you belong.
Go on!
He's stalled on reading your petition
about as long as he can.
You sure Kate will come?
Well, if she doesn't, we're sunk!
Marshal Earp?
Yes, Your Honor?
You make the charge here
that several members of the Citizens' Committee
are of bad character and are allied with the hoodlum element.
Yes, Your Honor.
Very well.
Have you any testimony to present,
bearing on this accusation?
Well, no, sir, not at this time. You see...
Let's see the proof. Where's the witnesses?
Order!
Shut up, Bennett!
Throw him out of court, Judge!
Order!
Proceed, Marshal Earp.
I ask the court to realize that it takes time
to gather legal proof against illegal vigilantes.
I need a temporary court injunction
to publicly discredit...
Marshal! The court has heard enough!
You display poor judgment in making slanderous charges
against Mr. Bennett and his associates
without a single witness!
Mr. Earp has a witness, Your Honor.
May I?
Swear her in, clerk.
Thank you, Miss Kate.
It's a pleasure, Judge.
The court apologizes to Marshal Earp
for having doubted his word,
and wishes to express its gratitude to Miss Kate
for having the courage to come here and testify.
It is the order of the court
that the Citizens' Committee here and now disband!
Court is adjourned.
You did wonderful!
Oh, I'm so glad you think so! I was so nervous!
I didn't think I'd get here in time!
Is this official or personal, Mr. Earp?
I'm your bodyguard.
Oh, Bennett wouldn't dare do anything now!
Oh!
Thanks!
I'm quite the little heroine now! Even the good folks...
Look out!
Why didn't ya shoot him?
No need to. I can trace him through this.
He's probably just a decoy to draw me away from you.
Oh, don't draw away from me!
Don't worry, I won't!
I want the word to get around that I'm real fond of ya.
I'll gun anybody that does ya any harm.
That oughta get the word around.
Oh, I liked that!
Uh, Miss Kate, uh...
Break it up, you men! Go on, break it up!
♪ 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 ♪