The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 2, Episode 25 - They Hired Some Guns - full transcript

- Take the horses outta here.
- Come on, Freddy.

'Bout eight gun-fighters on each side, the best in the business.

You're not gonna try to break that up?

Mr. Masterson, there's nothing else we can do.

Wyatt, we'll be running an Indian roit.

And these boys have 45's instead of clubs.

Let's move.

♪ 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 life and legend of Wyatt Earp.

Starring Hugh O'Brian.

Canal wars and fights between rail road men

and buffalo hunters were common plays

in the lusty and brawling 1870's.

But the great stage line fight known as

the Teague-Woodruff Battle presented Marshall Wyatt Earp

with something new in organized violence.

Mike Teague and Dan Woodruff were bitter rivals

in the stage line and wagon freight business.

It was a lucrative enterprise for a short haul traffic

which the railroads couldn't handle.

The great network of short line steel, west of Kansas city

would not be built until the 80's.



Thus, Teague and Woodruff were rich men with a money at stake.

And the ruthlessness of all-time ball whackers.

Here comes, one of Teague's stages.

Now, don't shoot unless you have to.

What's the idea?

I'm Dan Woodruff, and this is my route.

Teague can't horn-in, so turn around.

Hold it!

Well, well, Mike Teague himself.

- Trying to play rough, Dan?
- Just as rough as you want

This is a public road.

Climb down and shove that timber outta here.

No!

Get those horses and then turn that stage over.

You better get out folks, there's gonna be trouble.

- You can't do this to me, Dan.
- Shut up.

Alright, go ahead. Driver, get of there.

Alright, men. Turn it over.

There'll be a Woodruff stage along in about five minutes

so take it easy.

Now, this is just a mild warning.

Don't try to jump anymore of my routes.

So, you think you can stop me with guns?

Well, I can hire guns too. Plenty of them in Dodge city.

So can I, Mike. If that's how it's got to be.

Well, that's how. Next time you try any of these, you'll see.

It's a long walk. You better wait for my stage.

I'll walk!

- Mr. Mike Teague?
- Yes.

- I'm Bat Masterson.
- Where is Wyatt Earp?

Well, he's busy right now. Do you wanna talk to me?

Sure do. Take over.

- We'll do our talking in there.
- Alright.

And, you get $100 a day and expenses.

I guarantee you 15 days work.

Carol Pope, Dave Rooderbar, King Fisher and Lee Hall

have all signed up already.

Hey, that's $1500, count me in.

If Wyatt'll give me leave of absence.

We can use Earp, too.

Yeah, sign him up. Let you know this afternoon.

- Bye, Mr. Masterson.
- Bye.

And that 1500 is square money.

Well, Mr. Teague is hiring gun-fighters.

There won't be any fight, Wyatt. Dan would have just bluffed.

If you don't wanna go, how about leave of absence for me?

Well, between cattle drives and the town's pretty quiet.

I hate to ring the bell and another school session for you.

But you're working for the town, remember?

Yes, sir.

I used to know Mike Teague in Wichita, any deal of his

have to be kind of shady.

Dan Woodruff, that bow whacker, ain't gonna take this quietly.

Now, what choice has he got?

Well, there are a lotta other gunmen in the town

like Pat Gareth, Smokey Hill Thomson, that Cat Fish Kid.

Has Mike Teague hired them?

You think, Woodruff plans to get himself some boys too?

- That's right.
- Well, I sure hate to back out.

- I'll go tell, Mr. Teague...
- No.

You can have your leave of absence if you want it.

Well, thanks, thanks a lot.

Just one thing I want you to think about.

Charlie Bassett, doesn't want to run for sheriff again.

I can't say I blame him.

I told the County Commissioners, you could handle the job.

- Sheriff, me?
- Yeah. Well, you.

Little young but, you're as much a man now as you ever gonna be.

I wouldn't vote for me, I'm too young.

Still, I'd been on a trail with Teague, and he got us

into a gun fight, that wouldn't look good.

I better think about it.

Good. Meantime, you're running over to Dodge Hotel.

There's a Ms. Amelia Woodruff, sent word, she wanted to see me.

- Woodruff?
- Yeah, she's Dan's daughter.

Why don't you go?

You're supposed to be the women expert.

Yeah, what does she look like?

Well, look, that's for you to find out.

Yes.

- Ms. Woodruff?
- Yes.

- You can't be Marshall Earp.
- Chief Deputy, Bat Masterson.

Why, you're second to Earp on Papa's list.

Are you really a gun-fighter?

Well, I'm not as fast as Mr. Earp.

Well, I declare.

Sit down, Mr. Masterson.

Papa and I need help.

I never heard of such skullduggery.

Mr. Mike Teague coming here to hire a lot of gun-fighters

so, they can pick on our stage line.

What chance have we got, Mr. Masterson?

Fighting to keep the roof that Papa established

years before Great Western was ever head of.

Well, there's ways of handling a deal like this.

But how?

I better wait till your father gets here.

What, is it something you shouldn't tell me?

But I've been Papa's right hand man, ever since mama died.

Look, money. Papa trusts me with it.

Well, that's what it's gonna take.

What do you mean?

Oh, now look, I'm not a silly child, Mr. Masterson.

Alright, tell your father we can handle this in one of two ways.

You can hire as many gun-fighters as Mike Teague.

Or pay the men Teague has hired to come over to our side.

What a thought! I love you like... like a big brother.

Will you handle it? I'll give you the money now.

And when Papa returns, we'll have Teague's men bought off.

- Well, I can't do that yet.
- Why?

I'm a Deputy Marshall, I can't go around town making deals

with some of these gunmen, they're hoodlums.

Can't you quit your job or ask Marshall to give you a vacation?

If there is any hitch, I'll send for you to talk to Wyatt.

Well, is he young enough to be my... big brother?

The old man sure thinks, he is.

Let me see your shotgun, Frankie?

Well, not a man here with less than ten notches.

Mr. Teague, figures nothing but the best for the great western.

- Howdy, Marshall.
- Howdy, Mr. Pickett.

I want you get any wrong notions.

I didn't sign up, neither did Louie Bozeman or Johnny Culp.

I understand Mr. Teague is paying mighty well.

You gave Bozeman, Culp and me a break in Wichita.

We're paying it back.

- Dan Woodruff is in town.
- Thanks.

He'll be up on Teague's antics.

If I were you I'd chase them both out of Dodge.

They're both fighting over a stage route, miles from here.

Thirty top guns and two stupid money men

bidding against each other for their help.

The fight'll start right here.

Me... I'm leaving.

- So long, Wyatt.
- So long, Tom.

Wyatt!

- Teague lied to me.
- How's that?

He's trying to hoard in on Mr. Woodruff's route.

He's only hiring those gun fighters

to take over the Woodruff route by force.

Ms. Amelia must be very young and very beautiful.

She's got nothing to with it. It's a principle of the thing.

Her dad pioneered that route. Old Teague is nothing but...

Hold it.

Back door.

You're gonna let 'em get away?

I bet that's Amelia's father, the one that took the money.

Now, her father is the

president of the Woodruff's Transportation Company.

Remind me to tell you some stories about him.

Meantime, we'll arrest Mr. Teague.

Arrest him, what for?

Two of Woodruff's men, they got away with my money.

Close to $5000.

Mr. Woodruff doesn't need to rob anybody.

That daughter of his must've gotten into your head.

- Why you...
- Take it easy.

You're under arrest, Mr. Teague.

- I'm under arrest?
- That's right.

You come along with us, we'll talk to Mr. Woodruff.

We hear you're offering more than Teague.

That's right.

He offered us 1500 guarantee and all expenses.

I'll pay 2000 and expenses.

Sounds fine with me, Mr. Woodruff.

Well, let's see your money.

Very well.

- You robber that's my money.
- Shut up.

Your name Woodruff, Dan Woodruff?

It is.

- Ms. Amelia related to you?
- My daughter, sir.

What's this intrusion?

That's my money and you know it.

You stay out of this. He's under arrest and you're next.

Charlie, all deals are off. Tell everyone.

Well, I hope you know what you're doing, Wyatt.

You can't arrest me, Teague came here to hire a private army.

I've committed no crime, those men told me...

You're lying. We saw the hold up.

We saw those men give you a flower sack full of his money.

Here's the flower sack.

Are you cry babying into the law, Mike?

No, just give me back my money.

I've taken half of what you took from me in passenger fares.

- Jumping my best route.
- Who's cry babying now?

Never mind. We'll impound the money.

You take charge of it.

I'm not arresting you for robbery.

- Nor for anything else.
- Oh, yes. I am.

For inciting to riot.

Relax, Dan. I've got friends here.

Come on. Let's go to jail.

Papa, what's happening?

Eh, this cow-town Marshall is arresting us

on a technical charge. I'll not be delayed long, my dear.

- Marshal...
- Mr. Masterson will explain.

- I thought you're on our side.
- Not when it comes to robbery.

Is Marshall Earp accusing my father of...

We saw his men take money and hand it to, Mr. Woodruff.

Oh, that's absurd. Why pop is worth half a million dollars.

If he had boys hold up Mike Teague is because

the money was ours to begin with.

This is Dodge city, Ms. Amelia.

Hold-up's are against the law here.

Oh, the law. Really.

Yup, and it's moving west all the time.

You better tell Papa the news.

Papa was running stage lines before we ever heard of... of

sheriffs and town marshals.

He had to fight Indians and robbers.

Now, he's gotta stop Mike Teague from jumping our best route.

Oh, don't you preach to me about the law.

- Oh, I'm not preaching, honey.
- Oh, yes you are.

And that's ridiculous because you'll soon be out of a job.

You know I sure have a weakness for decent bad little girls.

Pat Derrick says to stick around.

Teague and Woodruff will be back in business real soon.

You know Teague's got a lotta drag around here.

He'll take care of everything.

Sit down and pour yourself a drink.

And the case just won't stand up, Wyatt.

They can say they came here to employ special police.

That's not incitement to riot.

Well, Mr. Mayor. What about a robbery charge?

Teague and Woodruff have been fighting each other for years.

But if it came to an issue, Teague wouldn't prosecute.

We saw the whole thing.

Sure, but what if Teague says it was all a practical joke?

Now, you'll have to turn him loose.

Don't tell me you're gonna hit off a gun fight in the streets.

We can't hold men in jail because we think

there might be shooting.

- I think there will be.
- And so do I.

That's not a bunch of drunken cow hands.

Teague and Woodruff are hiring.

No, they're all top guns.

If they're cut lose people will die.

- But you can't anticipate...
- Yes sir, I can.

That's my job. Now, you can take the risk.

Now, Wyatt, don't force me to suspend you again.

- Sir, I'm suspended.
- Me too.

Well, then I'll have to release Teague and Woodruff myself.

- Give 'em back the money.
- No, sir, not the money.

I'm still United States Marshall.

Until Judge Tobin returns, I won't have a warrant to hold 'em

but I can hold the robbery evidence in my own hook.

This time, Wyatt, the city Council is going to fire you.

I'm sorry.

Well, deacon. We sure showed him.

Oh, yeah.

Holding this stuff isn't gonna slow Woodruff and Teague much.

They can cash site traps at the bank.

How did you get along with, Ms. Amelia?

She started to slap me, then she didn't. Why?

Well, Judge Tobin's coming in on the 4 o' clock Santa Fe.

I'll watch Teague and the boys he hired.

That leaves Woodruff to you.

If he plans to start, I don't think she would tell me.

May be not, but she's our only chance.

Yeah.

But if they go to shooting, you won't stop 'em, right?

I'd have to try.

- Well, swear me in.
- What?

I'm not going against John Ringo and Cat Fish kid with this, eh?

Bang, Bang, Ringo. You're dead.

Say, you know you're right.

Nothing like getting killed legally.

And I'll let you fellas in on a little secret.

Half of Teague's men have accepted more money from me.

We've got Mike out numbered two to one.

Many are packing guns north of the lines since Earp got fired.

- What're we doing about that?
- Think they're Teague's men?

- Mm-hmm.
- Then put on your guns.

Fine, Mr. Woodruff. Let's go, men.

- Papa.
- Yes, my dear.

I'm going to the Alamo bar to hire a few more men.

Why did you tell them that?

I can't have our side bluffed out by Mike Teague.

What if they go to shooting?

They won't hurt anybody now stop worrying.

I'll be back in ten minutes.

Oh, you.

Look, I lost my job. You were right about the law.

- It's a swindle.
- You're still wearing a gun.

Or did you sign on with Mike Teague?

What makes you think so?

Well, I... I don't know what to think.

Some of Teague's men are armed and Papa had to..

- Excuse me, I'm going now.
- You're scared of a fight?

There's not gonna be one. Both sides are bluffing.

- You know better than that.
- Let go of me.

Many will get hurt. Would you like that?

I know I don't like you.

Woodruff's men... are puttin' their guns.

There's couple behind the barrel and two down the street.

See 'em? Down there.

They wanna fight. Get your guns.

Papa, wait. Bat thinks there's gonna be a fight.

- You promised me...
- Now, now, Amelia.

We'll talk about this at the hotel.

But you said it was just a bluff.

It's gone too far now.

Aren't you gonna stop our men from...

No!

Teague asked for it and he's gonna get it.

Then there ought to be a law to stop you both.

If I were a man I'd help the law.

Amelia.

They're getting ready. 'Bout eight on each side. Maybe more.

- Now, we're in luck.
- Huh?

And the professional gun fighters not drunken cow hands.

They won't draw against the drop.

We'll use buck shots.

Now, this is that we're gonna do, listen.

Get those horses outta here.

Come on!

Papa, no! Oh, somebody stop them.

Stop them!

Hold your fire, men.

- Keep outta this, Masterson.
- Oh, I ain't in it.

Real money, friends. Yes, sir.

Real money. Courtesy of Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Teague.

We'll hold our fire, men. If you will.

We'll hold. We'll hold.

Let's go men.

It's a trick you fools.

Alright, lift your hands and keep the money.

'That's it, Mr. Masterson. Keep 'em covered.'

The one that goes for his gun

is gonna get a leg full of buck shot.

Anybody else?

You win, Earp.

He was a fool to draw against a drop.

Alright, let's walk to jail.

Couple of you pick him up and take him to the doc's.

Mr. Masterson, stay with 'em. Rest of you move. Come on.

Come on!

Come on!

Hurry up.

Marshall Earp.

You admit two or three token shots had been fired

and when you rode in, all firing stopped.

No one was hurt.

And when you scattered the money,

both factions joined hands, as it were.

Well, they uh, picked up the money, sir.

And so the threatened riot or battle or whatever you call it

ended happily?

Well, I took 'em to jail if that's what you call happiness.

Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Teague, both deny that they instructed

guards to start a gun battle.

So I fail to see how a charge of incitement to riot

has any validity.

Excuse me.

- Ar-are you the Judge?
- Yes, I am, young lady.

- Now, Amelia.
- It's no use, Papa.

My father and Mr. Teague, both incited their men to a fight.

I begged my father to stop it. But he didn't want it stopped.

Young lady, are you certain there would've been a fight?

I saw them lined up on opposite sides of Front Street.

My father was with his men and Mr. Teague was on his side.

More cry babying, Dan?

You even get your own daughter to...

Silence.

The law's indebted to you, Ms. Woodruff.

Wasn't easy to come here and tell the truth.

Mr. Mayor, you'll reinstate Marshall Earp

and Deputy Masterson at once.

I'll pass sentence on Woodruff and Teague

at the session of court tomorrow morning.

Hearing's adjourned.

You sure got Mr. Masterson and me out of a tight corner.

I got my father out of a worse one, Mr. Earp.

If he and Mike Teague can hire private armies

they'll go on until a lot of people are killed.

I-I guess I want the law to move west of Dodge City.

Ma'am, your father's lived a long time

in a rough part of the country. You be patient with him.

And Judge Tobin'll let 'em off with a fine.

Well, hi, honey. Your father wants to forgive you

and I'd like to take you to dinner.

Mr. Masterson, why did you fib to me?

- Fib, me?
- Mm-hmm.

You told me that, uh, Marshall Earp was too old

to be my big brother.

Oh, not that I'd want you for a brother.

Why, thank you ma'am.

You've made an old man very happy.

Why-why did 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 ♪