19x10 - Lynch Town

[bunniefuu]

With...

And starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

You cheated me!

- Nobody's gonna slip cord me!
- I want my money back!

Go outside and you stay there.

Get your hands
off me you old sow!

I'm gonna leave here when I
get my four dollars back from

that thieving dealer over there!

How do you wanna
leave here friend,

walking on your feet
or crawlin' on your belly?

Don't even ask,
just throw him out!

Get out of here!

Hold it, hold it!

What's the problem here?

Why you!

Simmer down!

Ah he was nickel and
dimin' the gamin' tables.

Eatin' his weight in free lunch.

I was cheated!

That skinny dealer
in there cheated me!

She give him the eye
to bottom deal me just

as my luck was runnin'.

You're the one that
had the argument

with the store keep yesterday.

I told you then to
stay out of town.

I just come in to put
a dollar on my luck,

but I ain't gonna get
out of nowhere until

that sorry excuse for a female
coughs up my four dollars.

You ain't gonna... Simmer down!

Stinking crooked
town won't do right

by it Jake, now let's get.

I want you and your
kid out of this town.

I'm gonna get my money

or a piece of your hide no
matter how long it takes me.

One more word out of you

and you're gonna spend the rest

of the summer on
the county road g*ng.

Now get!

Now!

Come on, Jake.

Now, Jake there ain't no
sense in doin' road all summer

at ten cents a day.

Took me a whole week
to earn that four dollars.

A whole week.

You outta be gettin'
some sleep Jay,

it'll be light soon.

You still figuring on going down

to Attatown and see if
they need any cotton hands?

Nah, I don't care
about right or wrong.

Just get.

Maybe we can wait
at the crossroads

and maybe hitch a ride
on a freight wagon south?

Did you get somethin'
to eat in town boy?

Yup, stole me an apple

when the store fella
had himself busy.

There's some meat in my coat.

Picked it up at the free lunch.

Where is my coat?

Hey I don't remember
you wearin' it

when they threw
you out of the Saloon.

I took it off just
before I sit down

at that card table.

Well it'll be fair
warm headin' south.

I left it hangin' back
there on a hook.

Hey wait a minute, Jake,
that old coat ain't worth it.

If that Sheriff sees you
comin' back into town.

It's bad enough
they stole my money

now they got my coat too.

There's meat in the pocket.

I'll be back before light.

Jake!

Anybody awake in there?

Anybody awake?

Oh.

Oh.

You alright?

Oh!

Now, who was that screamin'?

Sheriff, Sheriff!

Kate's dead.

I didn't do it.

Doc.

You're up kinda early aren't ya?

You know, I'm up late you
you wanna know the truth.

You know, someday
I'm gonna figure out

why babies always
decide to get born just

as I'm gettin' ready for bed.

Where you headin' for?

I gotta got to Kingville.

I gotta wire from
the Sheriff up there.

There's been a m*rder

and people are gettin'
all stirred up, I guess.

Do you think you'll
be gone long?

Not long.

So long, Matthew.

Take care of yourself
now, you hear me?

Doc, you member them
pills you went and sold me

to ease the twinges in my knee?

Sold them I gave 'em
to ya, thirty day supply.

Well anyhow Doc, I need
me some more of them.

Only supposed take
one after each meal.

What's the matter with ya?

Well, that's exactly
what I done Doc.

One after eatin' but they
went awful fast, don't you see?

No, I don't see.

Well, like yesterday
with Burke havin' coffee

and cinnamon rolls with him,

and then some breakfast
eggs and bacon and biscuit

and gravy with old Sam,
and then Marel Smally just

when I's a fixin' to eat my
to eat my regular dinner,

she went to work and baked
some green apple pies...

Wait a minute!

You mean to tell
me, that you took one

of those pills every time
you opened your mouth

and shoveled food in there?

That'd be about 28 times a day!

Well, how are the twinges?

Well, they eased up
some in my knee, Doc,

but now I got there's
here twitches in my head,

just.

Oh well there's nothing
to worry about there.

That just means that
you're uncompemedes.

Oh.

What that means is

that you've got a positive
iron clad guarantee, Festus,

that you will never die

of over exercising
your cerebral processes.

You see?

Huh?

That's good.

Sheriff, my Father said
he'd be back by first light.

He's locked up.

What for?

He's charged with m*rder.

You can go in and see him.

Go ahead.

You can hear them
buzzards clear in here.

Yeah, well, you can have
five minutes with your boy.

What happened, Jake?

My luck run out.

I was gettin' my coat, seen
Kate moving around the office,

stumblin' like she
was drunk or somethin',

she fell hit her head, I guess.

I don't know, there
was a lot of blood.

I never touched her.

The safe was open,
there was all that money

and I took it.

And they caught you with it?

Yeah.

I just wanted to get my coat.

Kid,

do you know where
Elbow Creek is?

Sure, it's where Jake and me
spent a day cleaning a livery.

Look Sheriff, Jake
never k*lled nobody.

That's up to the
circuit judge to decide.

You talkin' about that old drunk

that gave me ten
days up in Quartztown?

Judge Warfield is due
at Elbow Creek today

to officially open
some homestead land,

but I want you to tell 'em
we need him at Kingsville

before some of these
hot heads take over.

And tell Sims at the livery
I said to lend you a horse.

Now, go ahead.

Hey.

What's that mob out there
so het up for, anyway?

They found out I sent a wire

to the nearest US Marshal,
Matt Dillon at Dodge City.

What do you need him for?

I'm guessin' the judge
is gonna order your trial

set for another town.

Why?

Because there's no way

that you're gonna get
12 men around here

who haven't already
made up their minds

that you deserve a rope
and that includes me,

so I want a federal badge
to take you out of here.

Might make some of these
people think twice if they decide

they don't want you to
reach that other town.

You tell Sheriff
Ridder I concur.

A change of venue is indicated.

Look, I think the Sheriff meant

there wouldn't be no
trouble if you were in town.

He's overly apprehensive there.

In any event, I will not be able

to arrive in Kingville
before morning.

But you've got to ride in now,

I've been telling you
that for the last hour!

And I'm tired of hearing it.

I told you there are
several legal matters

that must be settled here first.

Like sobering up?

Well couldn't you just dunk
your head in the water trough?

Respect for your
elders has not been part

of your rearing I see.

Look come on Judge the
town was gettin' awfully riled up

when I left.

And I'm getting
mighty riled up now.

Look everybody knows Mr. King

doesn't want you
in his town drunk.

Well if you're so afraid
he's gonna see ya

why don't you just have some
coffee and dunk your head.

I'm beginning to remember
that loud mouth father

of yours striking my
bailiff in Quartztown.

I see you've inherited
some of his manners.

Look Judge, Jake is
always arguing with people,

but he wouldn't hit no woman.

I mean he's
yellin' all the time,

but that doesn't mean anything.

Kate had many friends
throughout the county,

you tell Sheriff Ridder

that I think the trail
should be held well out

of the county itself.

I'll see the papers are
forwarded to any town

that he or Marshal
Dillon selects.

But there shouldn't be no trial!

Jake couldn't k*ll nobody,
much less a woman!

I don't share your confidence.

I'll be persuaded when...

You young whelp, I'll teach you!

You couldn't teach me
nothin', you drunken sod!

You whelp!

Come back here,
you brat, I'll...

Marshal.

Thanks for coming in.

Things quiet down in Kingville?

Some people told me to
get out of town for a while.

What does that mean?

They said they had
a citizens court to try.

Jake Fielder, the boy's Pa.

All right get
Warfield sobered up

and get 'em back into town.

I'll get in there and stop
that citizens' committee.

Marshal,

they found him guilty and they,

they hung him at the livery.

Jakes luck never did change.

Didn't even mark his grave.

Like he had no name.

His name never meant much,

maybe nothing, but
it was all Jake had.

I'll see they put up
a headstone, son.

Well I guess even Jake
would say it don't matter.

When ever a man's
lynched it matters.

Everyone's
entitled to a fair trial

and I'm gonna see
there's an investigation.

Investigation?

Two minutes of talkin'
with the Sheriff or the Judge

or even Mr. King
who owns this town?

No, I've been in a
dozen towns like Kingville.

Dirt gets swept under
the rug real quick.

It's not gonna be
like that this time.

No?

Well I'll stick around and see.

Jake and me we run into a
dozen men like Mr. King before.

The whole world jumps
when they want it to.

Mrs. Nolen you say
you came down here

at four o'clock this morning?

No more than a minute each way.

- And Kate was dressed?
- Yes, sir.

Anybody else been here
since then that you know of?

No, sir.

The Sheriff told Tom, he's
our bartender, Tom Hart,

the room had to be
locked for evidence.

What time did the
saloon close up?

Midnight, sir.

You came down here
four o'clock in the morning,

what are you, an early riser?

Uh, no sir,

I mean I kinda had a
restless night like they say.

Wind keeping me awake, I guess.

Come down to make
myself some coffee.

Was uh, Kate a heavy drinker?

Heavy?

Oh no, sir.

Kate never touched
a drop in her life,

leastwise nothing
I ever knew of.

Thank you, miss.

You could have
denied his request.

You could have ruled
that Fielder k*lled her

and that would have been it.

Such a denial in ruling

would imply an inquest
had been duly held.

Dillon would have challenged it.

And what in the hell
ever prompted you

to bringing a United States
Marshal into this town.

I thought he'd come in

and the judge would
hand Fielder over

to him for a trial in
another town, that's all.

But you didn't have the
spine to stand up to the crowd.

Marshal is poking his
nose into everything.

He's been all over
town asking questions.

All right...

let's try to get this thing
in some kind of order.

Now, some hot heads took
the law into their own hands

and they hanged Jake Fielder.

That's too bad, but it's done.

The Sheriff can't identify
the men who did it,

so it's open and shut
that unknown persons,

outsiders we'll
call 'em, did it.

Let's be very careful
how you word that verdict.

The inquest that
Marshal Dillon requests

is a hearing into Kate's
death not Jake Fielders.

Kate's death?

But Jake Fielder k*lled her.

He was arrested and
being held for trial.

It's the legality

of his death the Marshal
outta be concerned with.

You must follow
his logic, Mr. King.

If the inquest verdict
in Kate's death reads

that she was k*lled by
the hands of a person

or persons unknown,

then Jake Fielder becomes
an innocent lynch victim.

I don't wanna hear
that word lynch again.

I'm merely pointing out

that Mr. Dillon is
a very clever man.

He knows he'll
walk into a blank wall

in any hearing on Jake Fielder.

He also knows that if
Fielder's guilt is accepted,

so then will be the fact
that he was simply hanged,

a bit before his time.

Justice slightly twisted,

but not too
painfully out of joint.

But, if the verdict
in Kate's death is

that she was k*lled by
the hands of a person

or persons unknown
and not by the hands

of Jake Fielder, then Jake
Fielder must be presumed

to be innocent and hanged
by the people of this town.

And that, Mr. King, is
the very large can of peas

that the Dodge
Marshal wants to open.

Alright.

Warfield, tomorrow
morning you're going

to open and close that
hearing within an hour.

Jake Fielder k*lled Kate Geer

and he did it beyond a question.

That Marshal goes back to Dodge

with nothing to hold 'em here,

because, just as you said,

nobody's gonna
care about a k*ller

who d*ed a little
bit ahead of time.

And there's another
reason why that hearing has

to be open and closed
as quickly as possible.

There's a bunch
of reporters in town

and if I see anything more
than a back page story

there's gonna be
a follow up story,

on your retiring from the
bench because of your health.

Oh, where's that boy
staying, Fielder's son?

Probably in the same shack
he and his old man were usin'.

Better bring 'em into town.

I don't want it to
look like the people

of this town don't
care about the orphan

of a man who got himself hanged.

In fact he can stay right here.

That insulting
brat here with me?

I don't want 'em
stirrin' things up!

Just keep 'em here quiet.

See if you can pick up
some facts about his father.

You know, I got a hunch
that shouldn't be too hard

to prove that Jake Fielder

should have been swingin'
from a rope years ago.

Ridder.

Oh uh, and Your Honor,

if you have so much
as a nickel beer

before this inquest is over.

Come in.

Even barn doors are closed.

The Sheriff said to come here.

You eaten?

No, not for a while.

Pitch in.

I was raised to eat
everything on my plate,

so use common sense.

You mean, you had to
be told to eat everything?

I mean, one doesn't waste food.

Oh, that works out
okay too, people wastin'.

I mean, Jake and me
used to do pretty good

in the garbage cans
around highfalutin places.

Once we got us a whole half
a chicken out of a garbage can.

Somebody spit
tobacco juice all over it,

we just clean it off
at the livery pump

and ate the whole thing
right down to the gizzard.

Ain't you hungry?

My appetite evaporated
somewhere between

the tobacco juice
and the gizzard.

I never figured no judge
could afford to live like this.

Well, I can tell you
frankly that he can't.

It's a sort of fringe benefit.

What's a fringe benefit?

Oh, just a deference
to public figures.

People being gracious.

Making you comfortable
when you're in town.

You mean they pay for all this

and then you kinda
do 'em a favor back?

That's not what I said.

Jake used to call it one
hand washin' the other.

That's why the
fella on the bottom

kept gettin' his nose
rubbed in, Jake used to say.

I don't think your
father qualified

as a philosopher.

Am I right in presuming
that your mother is dead?

As soon as she had me.

Who raised you?

Always been with Jake.

Them law books?

They are.

I always wanted
to read a law book.

Ever since the time they stuck
Jake and me in the Kansas City Jail.

What was the offense?

We didn't have ten dollars.

They said it wasn't allowed.

I always wondered if
somebody wrote that down.

You don't have ten
dollars, you go to jail.

It's called vagrancy,

and I'll thank you to take your
greasy fingers off my pages.

Whew, here's a mouth full.

"Substantive law,
defines the content

of the norms of behavior
that are to be legally enforced."

You memorize all this judge?

More or less.

I happen to know that
your father couldn't read,

where'd you pick it up?

Mail order catalog he
used to carry 'round for me.

Hm, sore backside or
learn to read and write.

Learning was easier.

You learned to read and
write from a mail order catalog?

Yeah, I learned to
count real good too.

I once figured out that
the store was doin' alright

with them shippin' charges.

You know you add 2% to
the nearest dollar they said

for shippin' charges?

But everything in the
catalog was in 98s.

You know 1.98, 3.98, 6.98?

I finally figured out

that a fellow was payin'
2% shipping charges

on two cents he never even paid.

Which obviously
stood you in good stead.

Are you finished eating?

Uh, well, can I
wait and eat later?

It'll be here.

I think it might be a good
idea if you took a bath

in that water they
heated up for me.

A bath?

Well, I'm not accustomed to
mentioning this in a social atmosphere,

but there's a gamey fragrance

that seems to be
permeating this room.

Them fancy words mean I stink.

Blessed be for the
mail order catalog.

Hey Judge, I was
figurin' something

and you're sure the
one to answer to it.

Yeah?

Well, if I was to memorize
all them law books,

could I be like you?

I mean, maybe work for
somebody like Mr. King

who owns this town
and live like this?

And all I'd have to do is
know what's in the book

and do what Mr. King
tells me to do?

Get in there and take your bath.

Maybe there's
another trick to it

and I just don't know about...

Take your bath!

Well, it was awful early in
the morning like four o'clock

and I was sleepin' and
I heard some screaming

that woke me up and
well I grabbed my g*n

and I ran outside and he
was comin' out of Kate's

and I bumped right into him.

Well, he told me then that
Kate was drunk and staggerin'

and she was
holdin' on to the table

and she knocked the table over

and fell down on the
floor and hit her head.

Well, everybody in town knows

that Kate never had
a drink in her life.

Of course, he took the
money from her safe.

You were witness
the previous day

to certain threats uttered by
Jake Fielder, were you not?

Yeah he was hollerin'
at her, said he'd get even.

He said, "He'd
get his money back

or have a piece of her
hide," is the way he put it.

You may step down, Sheriff.

Your Honor, may I
question the, Sheriff?

I would remind everyone

that they are considered
friends of the court

and may question witnesses.

Go ahead, Marshal.

Sheriff, how much money did Jake
Fielder have on him when you found him?

Almost $300.

And was there
any left in the safe?

No, and I looked.

No, he cleaned
it all outta cash.

Anybody search you?

You will remain quiet
unless addressed.

You said anyone
could ask questions.

Anyone does not apply to you.

I had a witness
with me, Your Honor,

in case anybody
thinks that I took any.

Oh, there's no reason for
anyone to think that, Sheriff.

Any other questions, Marshal?

- No, Your Honor.
- You may step down, Sheriff.

I now call Miss Minnie
Nolen to the chair.

Just, just the shock of it.

I kept screamin'.

You were also present

at the time Jake Fielder made
threatening remarks to Kate?

Yes, sir. He was
powerful mad, I tell you.

You may step down, Miss Nolen,

unless the Marshal
has further questions.

Miss Nolen, you say
that Kate was fully dressed

- when you found her?
- Yes, sir.

Was she always in the
habit of being dressed

that late at night?

Ah, I don't know, sir.

Now, Your Honor, this
is all just a waste of time.

We all burn a little
midnight oil now and then

when there's work to be done.

I quite agree, Marshal,

obtuse speculation only
delay these proceedings.

Well, Your Honor, it seems to me

that if Miss Geer
was fully dressed

that late at night after
the saloon was closed,

maybe she was
expecting a visitor.

Are you suggesting

that we now probe
into Kate's personal life?

Well this young
lady has just told me

that Kate never
took a drink in her life

and yet I found a
broken brandy bottle

and several glasses
on the floor of that office.

Who was she drinking
with, Jake Fielder?

Oh no, sir.

I mean... Well what do you mean?

Well, I didn't mean anything.

I didn't see anything.

You know, Miss Nolen,

you've been pretty nervous
during these proceedings.

Could it be because you're

not telling us
something you know?

I...

Miss Nolen are you
aware of the severe penalty

for obstructing justice?

But I tell you I didn't
see anything, honestly.

Well then maybe
you'd better tell us

what it was that you didn't see.

Well, I heard a
noise downstairs,

uh, about 2:30

and I come down and I saw
the light on in Kate's office

and I heard her
screamin' and hollerin'

tellin' somebody to get out,

but it wasn't none of my
business so I went back upstairs.

And you didn't see
anybody in the office?

No, sir.

The door was just open a little.

I didn't even see Kate.

And she wasn't
using anybody's name

- with all this hollering?
- No sir.

She was just hollerin'
at 'em to get out.

Now Miss Nolen I think maybe
you got a pretty good idea

who was in that office
even if you didn't see 'em.

Maybe that's why
you're so nervous.

Marshal, this is
pure speculation.

I'm sure Miss Nolen has
told us everything she knows.

You may step down, Miss Nolen.

It is my finding after listening

to all of the witnesses
at this inquest

that Kate Geer
d*ed at the hands...

Your Honor, I'd like to call
the bartender here at Kate's,

Tom Hart.

We already have a
deposition from Mr. Hart

stating that he closed the
saloon as usual at midnight

and went directly home.

I know, Your Honor, but
would you mind if he states

that in open court?

I now call...

Your Honor, will you
please since we're going

to be crossing all the
Ts and dotting all the Is,

I think that Jake Fielder's
son here oughta be questioned.

Why certainly nobody else
could give us a better insight

into the man's character.

And, Your Honor, I
suggest that we recess

to prepare for such
a long afternoon.

Recess till one o'clock.

Thank you, sir.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Mr. Hart.

There's a witness
chair waiting for you.

Marshal... I was just gonna ride
out to my, to my sister's place.

I got word that she
wasn't feelin' too good.

Sorry to hear it.

Want me to send a doctor?

Doctor?

No, no, I don't think
she needs no doctor,

she ain't feelin' that bad.

Let's go.

Where did you pick
up that disgusting habit?

What?

Get rid of that
cud in your mouth.

You've had the
upbringing of an animal.

You know you're like
Jake was in a lot of ways.

Yellin' at me when
you're mad at yourself.

I used to feel sorry for
Jake, like I feel sorry for you.

I don't recall asking
for your sympathy

or feeling any need for it.

You know, Jake was
almost as smart as you,

in his way, I mean.

"A bunch of dogs,"
he used to say,

"and just so many
bones to go around."

So you gotta be
quicker and slier

and better at theivin'
than everybody else

or you get left out.

And that philosophy placed
'em at the end of a rope.

Yeah, and Jake
was stupid alright.

I resent your
insulting your father.

I'm not insulting him
I'm just sayin' the truth.

How in the world did
he put up with you?

He didn't, I guess.

Always fightin' Jake and me.

Your father is dead.

If you can't return a little
of the love he showed you,

then at least show a bit
of reverence at his passing.

Jake never loved me.

I didn't love him, we just
we're together that's all.

Like two fellas going
in the same direction:

no reason to be together,
no reason not to be.

What a pair.

Look Judge, I know you gotta
say Jake k*lled that woman.

Well, maybe it
just don't matter.

I mean I know you're
afraid of Mr. King,

and I bet if Jake could
say somethin' right now

he'd say, "Judge,
it just don't matter."

You have an irritating habit

of treating your father's
innocence as fact.

Jake was nothing, Judge.

I kept thinking about
that watching you today.

You know, I was wrong
about them law books.

Just learning them
don't make a judge.

You know what it takes?

I'm afraid to ask.

Just being you.

I mean, Judge Warfield.

The way you look at
people and they like ya.

Even if you're mad at them.

Or even if they
know you get drunk

and work for Mr. King.

Even I come to like ya.

Well, you ain't slick, is
the way Jake would put it.

Just bein' liked.

People seein' somethin',

sorta knowin' you wanna be kind,

sorta knowin' you trust 'em.

Sure is something to have.

Jake Fielder came into
this town without one iota

of value to society,
including conceiving you.

He was as unimportant
in the scheme of things

as a falling leaf, less so.

A leaf at least adds
something to the ground.

Yeah, like I said
Jake was nothing.

I'll do the saying,
he was your father!

I'll tell you something, boy...

it's the dead who rest
in peace, not the living.

Yeah, I guess Jake
was all them things.

I notice you keep referring

to your father by
his given name.

"Given name" means his
first name as opposed to...

I know what it means.

Ha, well you're an
exceptionally bright boy.

I don't have to be bright to
know what you're trying to do.

The one thing Jake
used to always say:

"There ain't one lie outta
ten anybody believes,

so it just ain't worth
the breath to lie,

unless it'll save your skin."

Well summing up
Jake Fielder's character,

we have a thief as
well as a child beater.

You have a man who has
never displayed even a shred

of affection for this boy.

You have a man
with a violent temper

who has been jailed
for various offenses,

including as*ault
and finally m*rder.

I guess it's pretty clear what
kind of a man Jake Fielder was.

How old are you boy?

Sixteen.

I don't agree with Mr. King

that you're very bright for 16.

Can you recall any instances
of your father stealing?

Yeah, plenty of times.

He robbed a general
store in Tuscan once

for a pair of boots that
didn't even fit me right.

Picked a pocket of a drummer

when we needed
train fair to Abbeyville.

And I remember
once when I was sick

he butchered a range calf so
he could make us a beef broth.

Was you father
also sick at the time?

No, just me. Why?

Well, if you can't see the
significance there, let it pass.

Speaking of significance,

what does this got
to do with anything?

I'll handle this
hearing, Mr. King.

About those beatings.

Plenty of times.

I already told ya once

he b*at me whenever
he damn well felt like it.

We can dispense
with the profanity.

"Whenever he felt like it,"
now what does that mean?

Forcing you to read and
write was one reason,

any others?

Well, there was runnin' away.

Took firewood to my back
that time, near broke it.

And he never loved you?

Jake?

I told ya once.

You told everybody,

about an illiterate man

who couldn't express
himself except in anger,

who was frustrated
by his lot in life.

You told us about a
man who b*at his child

so that he wouldn't
end up as he was.

Unable to read and write,

and thus, condemned
to be another Jake.

You told us about
a man who b*at you

for running away

when that running away
would have relieved him

of the responsibility
of caring for you.

You told us about
a man who stole,

not merely for his own benefit,

but that you might have boots

and nourishing food
when you were sick.

You told us about a man
who would have found it easier

to feed and cloth himself,

would have found it easier

to cut himself off from
the ungrateful whelp

he was saddled with.

He brought you to the
threshold of manhood

to the best of
his limited ability,

and you say he has no
affection for you, no love?

Tell me something boy, what
is your conception of love?

A smile, a soft word?

He kept you with him,
a newly born babe.

How, I'll never be
able to understand.

Must have been a feat for
him to feed and protect you

when you couldn't
walk or feed yourself.

And you say he didn't love you?

How many ways must a
father express his love?

Shut up.

You knew a man who
loved you very deeply.

He just never knew the words.

Jake.

It's like I told
everybody already.

I closed the place up at
midnight, a minute after maybe.

And we all know that a
side door was left open,

that's how Jake Fielder got in.

Now how is it you
closed up the place

for the night and yet
failed to close that door?

Well I, uh, must
have forgot, I guess.

How much money did the
bar make over the weekend?

Three hundred dollars, maybe.

And what about
the gaming tables?

I don't know about that.

Would you like to take a guess?

Your Honor,

Mr. Hart has already
testified he doesn't know.

Are you making a point, Marshal?

Yes, I am.

Jake Fielder was
found with $300 on him.

Now that's the money
taken out of the safe.

I'd like to know what happened
to the rest of the receipts.

Maybe the tables broke even.

Oh yeah, that's right.

I remember now Kate told
me, she'd come out even.

Mr. Hart are you
aware of the penalties

for perjury, even in
a hearing like this?

It's five years imprisonment.

Your Honor, this is
downright intimidation!

Are you making a
specific charge Marshal?

Kate employed six men
to run those gaming tables

for her over the weekend.

Now they're paid on a
20% commission basis.

I checked the vouchers
at the bank this morning.

Now, according
to those vouchers,

over $1500 was made at
the tables on that weekend.

Now are you still gonna tell me

that Kate said that
she broke even?

Well maybe she meant
for the whole week?

No she didn't mean that Mr. Hart

and you and I both know it,

but we'll let that
pass for a minute.

You like Napoleon Brandy, do ya?

Oh she didn't get
that bottle for me that...

Well who did
she get it for, then,

if she doesn't drink herself?

Marshal you're
askin' tricky questions.

Nothing tricky about
it, but I'd advise you

to think pretty carefully
before you answer.

Them reporters are writtin'
all this down, Mr. King.

I gotta wife and two boys.

I don't want 'em to think
I done nothin' wrong.

You're right Marshal
we was there, all right,

but nobody done nothin' to Kate.

Who's we?

Mr., Mr. King and uh, me.

Mr. King and Kate was arguin'.

Seems that Kate was tryin' to
hold out some money on him,

and suddenly Kate just up

and slapped
Mr. King cross the face

and he raised his hand,
and when he done that

she jumped back and
slipped and fell over the table.

Mr. King never even touched her.

Are you saying
Mr. King was a partner

with Kate in the saloon?

Well, Kate got all the
money from the bar,

but all the money
from the gamin' tables

and all the rest, well,
that went to Mr. King.

Kate had to pay him
every month in order

to stay in business.

But Kate was alive when
we left, isn't that true?

Oh yes, sir, that's
right, she was.

She hit her head on the wood box

and well there didn't appear
to be nothing wrong with her,

she was just cussin'
up a blue streak.

What happened when she
hit her head on the wood box?

Mr. King tried to help her up,

but she knocked his hand away

and she told us both to get out,

so that's what we done.

Couldn't say nothing'
to nobody about it,

because it just
wouldn't look right

for nobody to know that Mr. King

was makin' money
off of Kate's place,

but nobody done nothin' wrong.

No, nothing except
leaving an injured woman

laying on the floor without
even calling a doctor.

Letting an innocent man
swing from the gallows, that's all.

Your Honor, the
only important thing is,

that Kate Geer was
alive when we left.

Now the fact that I had
a little business deal...

And incidentally all those funds

went into the
benefit of Kingville.

The important fact is that
Jake Fielder later came

to her office, stole her
money and k*lled her.

Any other questions, Marshal?

No Your Honor, but I
do have an observation.

Now, nobody actually saw
Jake Fielder k*ll Kate Geer.

Now, it could have been that
she was more seriously injured

than these men thought she was.

Now it could also be possible

that when Jake Fielder came in,

it happened the
way he said it was.

He found he staggering
around the office

and she reeled backwards
and fell on the floor.

It's possible, Marshal,
but it's speculation.

Nothing at this trial has
proved Jake Fielder's guilt.

On the other hand, nothing
has proved his innocence,

and since by all the
relevant testimony,

Kate Geer was
alive when last seen,

I hereby rule that the
evidence presented indicates

that she d*ed at the hands of...

I hereby rule that Kate d*ed

at the hands of
unknown misfortune.

The probable cause
of death was a fall.

The results most likely
delayed until she was alone.

- What about Jake Fielder?
- He was lynched.

It's a difficult word to use,

but lynched Jake
Fielder certainly was.

People who did
this terrible deed

will have to live with
their personal guilt.

However there were many
invisible hands on that rope.

- Sheriff Ridder's, Mr. King's...
- Speak for yourself.

You're quite right.

My hands above
all were on that rope

that swung Jake
Fielder to his death.

None of us condone his m*rder.

Perhaps the least
guilty of us all are those

who actually sent Jake
Fielder to his death,

the citizens of Kingville.

They had no respect
for law or judgment,

because they knew
that the Sheriff's office

and this judge's
bench were bought

and paid for over the years.

When there is contempt
for law every man feels

that he is equal to
passing judgment.

The major guilt is mine,

with Mr. King running
me a close second.

You built a community
solely dependent on you,

looking to you for guidance.

No one could see the rot
your foundation is based upon.

Sheriff Ridder, only
wanted to please Mr. King.

Only wanted to remain
in an undeserved office.

Well, that's human enough.

My decision as to Jake Fielder,

my decision and perhaps my last,

is that he d*ed at the
hands of misfortune.

There are those who will say

when they've read the
reporters comments,

that no justice has
been done here.

I disagree.

Lynch towns cannot survive.

They inevitable
wither into the obscurity

they've so justly earned.

We need no prediction
from a gutter drunk.

Which is all you
were, and will be again.

Well put Mr. King
and quite right,

at least what I was.

Will be again?

Perhaps.

This hearing's adjourned.

Well, did you
gain here, Marshal,

with all of your meddling?

Nothing has changed.

You haven't been
listening, Mr. King.

Well Rob, what are your plans?

Oh, just move on, I guess.

Ever been in Doby
Forks, Nebraska?

Ha, never even heard of it.

Well, it's a small town where
I hung out my first shingle

a good many years ago.

I was a young lawyer then, a
very impatient young lawyer.

Thinkin' of goin' back?

But a bit more patient now.

I suppose the town
has grown a lot,

I wouldn't be surprised
if I needed a law clerk.

What's a law clerk do?

Well, he's supposed to learn.

Read a lot, do a lot
of running around,

receive no pay.

Sounds the same as
I've been doing all my life.

I'll tolerate none
of your impudence

and your disreputable
appearance.

Stay tuned for exciting scenes
from our next Gunsmoke.