The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Almost Dead Cowhand - full transcript

Hey, Earp! Wyatt Earp! Come and get me!

Bring your deputies and all of Dodge City!

Shooting from there and trying to starve me out won't work!

You'll have to come and get me, and I ain't gonna be taken alive!

What's the matter, Earp? Ya yella?

♪ 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...

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Wyatt Earp has often been charged by his enemies

with hating cowhands and bearing a grudge against them.

Historians of the frontier have refuted this accusation,

but it was a serious matter to MarsHal Earp

in the Dodge City of 1876.

Hundreds of cowhands made the town

what R.M. Wright, a local diarist,

called "The Cowboy Capital."

MarsHal Earp and a handful of deputies had a tough job...

Keeping the peace in Dodge City.

This meant daily clashes with cowhands,

determined to celebrate their brief vacations

from the hard work, the perils,

and the loneliness of cavalry.



They've taken my last dollar, and I can't get a job.

Sure, I'll get out of town, but I'll take some of you with me.

Tell the law I'll be waiting for them at the Santa Fe station.

Wyatt, a fool cowhand broke loose

in front of the Long Branch Cafe and wounded two men.

Yeah? Where is he now? He's hold up in the Santa Fe warehouse.

I guess we're gonna have to blow him out, MarsHal.

Maybe. But wait a minute.

What do you know about that warehouse?

Oh, Wyatt, he's just a punk kid. A couple of shots will blow him out.

Maybe not, Hal. You say he wounded two men?

He fanned his gun at a sidewalk crowd,

Mr. Todd and Mr. Chalmers.

He didn't even know them. Did you get his name?

Uh, yeah.

Uh, Milburn. Thad Milburn, somebody said.

Why? Do you know him?

Milburn? Why, that's an alias Billy the Kid uses.

He's older than Billy the Kid.

Come on, Pete. This might be serious.

Anyway, you're not gonna blast him out with any shotgun.

That warehouse has a heavy door.

The rest of it's double timber.

All right. We'll starve him out or use dynamite.

Milburn's on a real rampage. I'm afraid...

Hal, I'm afraid too.

You and Pete go on down there and try and talk him out.

If he won't come, just watch the door.

Get behind some cover but don't shoot.

What's the idea, Wyatt?

Well, I wanna arrest Milburn, not kill him.

Maybe he's off-balance. Maybe he had a reason for what he did.

Anyway, I just want you to go down there

and watch him until I get there.

Yes, sir. Those cowhands hate us enough

without using buckshot on a fool kid.

Hey, Marshal.

Hey, did you get that feller?

No, not yet.

Stole a horse and run out of town, huh?

No, he's hold up down at the Santa Fe warehouse.

What do you know about him? Oh, not much.

In fact, nothing at all.

You see... well...

Go on. Anything will help.

Well, last night, this cowhand turns up at my barn,

and his horse was on his last legs.

All right, all right!

I'm coming, I'm coming!

What do you want? I don't like to disturb you, mister,

but my horse is kind of sick, and I...

Well, I ain't no regular horse doctor.

Oh, he don't need nothing but a good night's rest and a warm stall.

Well, might have glanders or something.

Don't look like it's nothing contagious.

Maybe I oughta drench him with turpentine.

Are you sure that'll help him?

Well, I ain't making no promises.

All I know is he's ailing,

and a turpentine drench might bring him out of it.

Well... well, all right.

Mm. That'll be $1 for his board

and $2 for doctoring him, in advance.

I'll be back in about an hour.

Put him in a stall, but hold off on that doctoring.

What's the best gambling place in this town?

Oh, around on front street,

Long Branch Saloon.

We'll get well, Tony, the both of us.

You just take it easy.

And that's all I know. Or care.

Say, why ain't you down at the Santa Fe arresting that rascal?

Shot two men, didn't he?

My deputies are watching Milburn.

And you say that, uh,

you think he went down to the Long Branch after he left here last night, huh?

Well, I ain't swearing to it.

Well, I'll go down and check Mr. Beeson at the Long Branch.

Thanks.

Hey, Milburn, we're Deputy Marshals!

Come out of there! You ain't got a chance!

Come and get me!

I'd like to have a few words with you, Mr. Beeson.

Why, sure, Wyatt.

That, uh, young Milburn.

Was he playing fair in here last night?

That wild cowhand? Mm-hmm.

Yeah, he was. What happened?

Just about what you'd expect, Wyatt.

He lost 40 or 50 dollars... all he had.

Then, like most cowhands that lose all their money...

You dealt from the bottom! Let me see that box!

You took my last dime! I'm out of a job!

All right.

All right. I don't want any trouble.

You get out of my place, cowhand, and you stay out.

All I want is my gun.

Throw it out the door.

Now get out.

Just a stinking cowman, Marshal.

Ain't you got him in jail?

No, not yet.

Your dealer cheat him?

Cheat him? Certainly not.

You know, you would ask that, being a friend of Jim Kelly.

- What's Jim Kelly got to do with it? - Just this, Marshal.

That kid left here, he went right down the street to Jim Kelly's place.

Now, if he got cheated or bad liquor,

that's where he got it.

Well, I don't think so, but, uh,

I'll ask Mr. Kelly.

Go, devil, and come, Saint Patrick.

A cowhand with guns running wild,

and you ask questions about what happened last night.

Is Milburn a cousin of yours?

You know, he might be my kid brother.

Ah, you poke fun at me for my soft heart.

Now, look, Mr. Kelly, there's no other way

of getting Milburn out of that place

except to dynamite it and maybe kill him.

Now, you say he pawned his gun with you,

and then he won about $110?

That's right.

Where'd he go from here?

Well, let's see. I got it.

He said he was looking for a job.

Somebody mentioned that Tex Davis

was at the Dodge Hotel... excuse me, Mr. Kelly.

Yeah, Jack?

Hal sent word that Milburn is threatening

to come out and make a fight of it with him and Pete.

Hal wants to know what you want to do.

Well, tell him to wing the kid, if they have to.

I'll be down in a few minutes. Yes, sir.

If you want him just winged, you better do it yourself.

Pete and Hal won't take chances.

They'll kill him.

No. Not against orders, they won't.

I'm gonna go try and find Mr. Tex Davis.

Uhh. He's right over there.

You know, I don't know who to put in jail...

Thad Milburn or Dodge City.

Lord save all here. Wyatt's losing his mind.

Howdy, Mr. Davis.

Well, howdy, Wyatt.

Here. Draw up a chair. Have something to drink.

- Bartender! Hey! - Nothing for me, thanks.

Oh, not even a glass of milk?

I just wanted to ask you a question, sir.

Oh, well, fire away, son. Fire away.

Did a young fellow by the name of Thad Milburn ask you for a job last night?

Oh, blasted.

Now you spoiled my drink.

- How's that? - Milburn!

Ornery little son of a mule.

I tell you, Wyatt, I should have shot him.

I say, I just should have shot him dead.

He came walking up to me and my lady friend on the porch...

Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Tex Davis?

Right, son. That's my name.

I wanted to know if you could use another hand.

- Oh, yeah? Where you from? - Montana.

- What outfit? - Mr. Granville Stuart's.

Oh, yeah. I sure heard about him.

Why'd you quit?

Well, it was personal reasons, sir.

Personal reasons. I didn't commit any crime, Mr. Davis.

Look, son, what makes you think you can ride with a Texas outfit?

Look at him. Spindle-shanked young pup from the north.

Why, his belly's blue, and his back is yella. Stand aside, yank.

Not very good manners.

Oh.

Are you aiming to teach me?

It might help to pretend that you're a gentleman.

Oh, no, Colonel, please! Let go of my arm!

Don't. He's drunk.

Yeah, I should've shot him,

but I turned on my heel, and I left them both flat.

And it served that girl right.

You got that crazy kid in jail?

Oh, you're also of the opinion that I should put him in jail, huh, Mr. Davis?

Well, of course, I am. Of course, I am.

The idea of him thinking he can ride with a Texas outfit.

Why, sir, in Montana,

do you know that they're putting up fences?

They're looping the range with fences!

Oh, that's very sad.

Yeah.

Thank you, Mr. Davis.

Oh, that's very sad.

Get your guns cocked, Johnny law!

Here I come!

Did we hit him any?

Huh? Did we hit him any?

No. Shooting and trying to wing a man is harder than trying to kill him.

Tell Hank to get the dynamite.

We're gonna need it ready when Wyatt gets here. Right.

Who is it?

MarsHall Earp, Miss Ginger.

What do you want?

I'd like to ask you a few questions

about Thad Milburn.

Well, all right.

Did you shoot him?

Is this for the coroner's inquest?

No. He's still alive.

In jail?

You tell me, and I'll tell you, Mr. Earp.

Otherwise, no conversation.

That's fair enough.

Now, what I'm trying to find out

is why Milburn would shoot into a crowd of innocent bystanders this morning.

- Does that make sense to you? - Sure.

One of the most sensible things I ever saw a cowhand do was what Milburn did.

Why do you say that?

Thad wasn't treated very good in this town, Mr. Earp.

I suppose you've talked to Mr. Kelly, Mr. Beeson, and Colonel Davis.

A mean cowhand would've killed Davis.

Thad had every right to shoot him.

The Colonel was so drunk he could hardly stand up,

much less hit the side of a barn with a Deringer pistol.

All right.

I've traced Milburn to the point

where he met you on the Dodge Hotel porch.

What happened after that?

You gonna quote me around?

Get me in trouble?

No.

But Milburn's hold up at the Santa Fe warehouse.

He's threatened to shoot it out with my deputies.

I gotta know the truth about him, and know it quick.

All right. You get the truth.

Last night, on the porch...

Ehhh!

Don't be a fool, cowhand.

We got a real tough Marshal.

Yeah. Wyatt Earp.

What are you doing out with that old man anyway?

I figured him for $100, maybe 200,

but you kind of spoiled it.

- Are you hard up? Broke? - Never mind.

Get on your way. The Colonel might come back.

He's sore at you the same as me.

I'll walk along with you, wherever you're going. No, thanks.

Well, I gotta go to the livery stable and look after my horse.

You sure you'll be all right, Miss?

Just look after your horse.

Tony's kind of sick. I wouldn't go rushing off.

Wait. Did you leave him at Ruger's or Braun's?

- Well, uh, Ruger's. - Uh-oh.

I'll walk along with you, if you don't mind.

I'd be right pleased, ma'am.

This town's kind of lonesome.

I guess he's closed and gone home.

No. There's a light on in here.

Maybe he's had a doctoring.

I asked him to hold off on the doctoring till I got back.

Thad, give me your gun. Huh?

Give it to me.

What did you do that for? I know old man Ruger.

Mr. Ruger?

Yeah? What do you want?

Ehh?

Oh. Oh, you should've come back sooner.

I couldn't do nothing for that horse.

Where is he?

He's in there.

Where'd you pick him up?

Same place you did... Dodge City.

Oh, I tried to be friendly and decent.

In a pig's eye you did.

I asked you not to doctor him.

Well, sure, but the poor critter went into a fit.

I dosed him with heart pills.

It's all I could do.

But he was too far gone.

Where's my saddle?

Well, I'm holding it. Why?

It'll cost me $10 to bury that horse.

Have you got it?

You know what I think, mister?

I think you killed Tony, and now you're trying to hold me up for burying him.

I don't care what you think.

$10 cash, or I keep the saddle.

You horse-killing thief!

Stop it, Thad.

You haven't got a chance. You're a cowhand.

Let go of him!

I'm burying him myself the first thing at sunup,

and he better be just like he is.

You try to skin that horse to sell his hide,

I'll kill you.

Come on, Thad.

Was that the last time you saw Milburn?

What do you take me for? Or him?

Came back here and had a drink.

Oh, I see.

No, you don't see.

Thad slept on the floor.

He had nightmares.

Mostly about being lost in a blizzard up north.

Montana.

All right.

It ain't all right.

None of it.

He's a decent, simple kid.

Had to quit riding herd up there because he...

He almost froze to death once.

Doctor told him to move south.

All he wanted in this town was fair treatment and...

And a chance to do the only thing he ever worked at...

Being a cowhand.

Did you give him fair treatment, Miss Ginger?

No.

Come on.

Where's the money you won at Mr. Kelly's place?

I earned it, didn't I?

He would've killed... come on.

What time did he leave here?

I don't know.

I guess around sunup to bury his horse.

Hal... where's Mr. Earp?

I don't know. Ain't he been down here yet?

No. We ain't got time to stall around any longer.

He started snapping at everybody.

Train'll be in at 4:00.

He might even go shooting up the train.

Well, we'll rig the fuse to the dynamite.

Oh, howdy, Marshal.

You tell me the truth.

Hey, who you pushing around? You!

No, now... wasn't Milburn here this morning come sunup?

Yes. He come at sunup to bury that horse.

What happened?

Well, I'd already "skunned" the horse.

How come he didn't skin you?

I didn't let him see me.

I hid up in the loft.

Too bad.

Well, he owed me money.

And he's a thief, besides.

My Winchester and all my cartridges are missing from the office.

You're a fine City Marshal, you are,

rousting an honest citizen around

while that no-good cowhand's on the loose, ready to shoot up the town.

It's a wonder he didn't shoot up the town, commencing with you.

- Is this his saddle? - Yeah.

Well, you just keep it for him, you understand?

Yeah.

Wyatt! Wyatt.

Have you lost your good senses entirely?

- No, but I almost lost my temper with this horse killer...
- Never mind about him.

You know what your deputies are fixing to do?

They're gonna blow up that kid with dynamite.

- No, they won't. They got their orders.
- Orders, is it?

Well, you'd better get over to the Santa Fe and enforce them.

I found out all I need to know about Mr. Milburn.

Here. Lend me your hat and coat, will you?

- What?
- Just take off the coat.

Milburn's never seen me. I wanna look like a cattleman.

- Why?
- Don't ask so many questions, Mr. Kelly.

I'm going into the Secret Service.

We'll keep him busy here.

You sneak around back and plant the dynamite.

Dig it in good so the whole place will blow.

Well, maybe we oughta wait a minute.

- Wyatt gave us strict orders...
- I'll take the blame. We haven't got time.

That train will be here in about five minutes.

Go on.

Hey, Milburn, we've waited long enough!

Come on out or get blown out!

You can't bluff me, Johnny law!

It ain't no bluff, kid.

We got 20 sticks of dynamite planted in the back!

I think you're a liar, but I'm coming out!

It's cold in here! Maybe you can warm me up!

Hold it!

Hey! Hey, you in there!

Hey, cowhand!

What do you want?

Well, I'd like to have a few words with ya.

And you Johnny laws... you hold your fire.

I'm looking for a good cowhand.

Hank! Hank, hold your fire!

Don't light anything!

Uh, Sonny, now, you be kind of easy on that trigger, huh?

I'm looking for a hand, but I don't aim

to get myself killed trying to hire none.

This better not be a trick, mister.

Well, it ain't no trick. Just...

Just open up the door.

Close the door.

How come those deputies listen to you?

They claim they got this place mined with dynamite.

Now, you know, I wouldn't put it past them.

There's just no end to the dirty tricks

that Dodge City play on a cowhand.

Who told you so much?

Well, I'm kind of an old...

Stand back.

I'm kind of an old settler in these parts.

I've been here about four months now.

Settler? Thought you said you were a cattleman.

- Who are you? What's your name?
- Wyatt Earp.

It is a trick. Turn around.

No guns. I don't get it.

You must have sense enough to know I can hold you as a hostage.

You sure can, Mr. Milburn.

But after what Mr. Beeson,

Davis, Ruger, and that girl did to you,

I couldn't blame you a bit if you shot me in the back.

Turn around, Mr. Earp.

How you know what's happened to me in this town?

Well, I, uh, kind of made it my business to find out.

Why would you go to all that trouble for me? I'm nothing but a cowhand.

You know, you look all right, but you better have the Doc see that leg.

Maybe I'm stupid, but I sure don't understand any of this.

Well, Mr. Milburn,

I'm of the opinion that a cowhand is a human being.

I'm kind of fond of my own horse, too.

I could've busted Mr. Ruger's head

after I saw what he did to your Tony.

Thanks.

Oh, I almost forgot.

I, uh, got the money that Ginger rolled you for.

I still don't trust you, Mr. Earp.

You're going out of here, in front of me.

That'd be a good idea. You ready to go?

Oh, you, uh, better bring that Winchester.

Might come in handy.

Mr. Milburn, I told Ruger to give you back your saddle.

You can buy yourself a horse and ride out of town.

Sure, and have a posse after me?

- No posse.
- What's the catch?

You wounded two men under extreme provocation.

But if you stand trial,

I promise to get you off on a suspended sentence.

Now, if you don't believe that, you can take it on the run.

Do like the Marshal says, cowhand.

If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't be living now.

I had the match lit, kid.

All right, Mr. Earp. I stand trial.

Take him over to Doc McCarty's.

MarsHal.

You know, you committed a mighty serious crime.

Oh? How's that?

That coat, that hat.

You've been impersonating a Texan.

♪ 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 ♪