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01x29 - The Pinkertons

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "The Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp". Aired: September 6, 1955 – June 27, 1961.*
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Series is loosely based on the life of frontier marshal Wyatt Earp.

01x29 - The Pinkertons

Post by bunniefuu »

♪ Wyatt earp

♪ Wyatt earp

♪ Brave, courageous,

And bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame

♪ And long live his glory

♪ And long may

His story be told! ♪

( Humming melody )

Narrator:

The great allan pinkerton

Won fame

As chief of secret service

For the union armies

During the civil w*r.

After that, the detective

Organization he headed

Became the scourge of outlaw

Gangs on the western frontier.

But sometimes

The pinkertons

Failed to notify

Local peace officers

Of their activities,

And it was this neglect

Which brought pinkerton

Into conflict

With wyatt earp.

Their mutual enemy was

The crumby newton g*ng

Of train robbers.

And neither earp

Nor pinkerton could

Afford to quarrel,

Not with crumby newton

And his men riding

Toward wichita.

I don't know.

That's why I sent

For the marshal.

Here he comes now.

Thanks for getting here

In such a hurry, marshal.

I've seen a lot

Of dead men, but I've

Never seen anything--

- Where is he?

- In the back room,

Laying on the floor.

You men get out of here.

Close that door behind you.

( Groans )

Shotgun in the face.

- You know this man?

- A stranger to me.

How long ago

Did this happen?

Hasn't been more

Than minutes.

We heard

The shotgun go off,

And I come in here

And saw what happened

And sent for you.

The k*ller must have run

Out the back door.

I wonder what

He was doing in here.

Got no g*n,

Nothing in his pockets, except--

Except these numbers here.

- You got any money

In that safe?

- Not a dime.

I use a new safe

In my office

Behind the bar.

I rarely use this office

Except for storage.

Well, open it up

And let's take a look.

I can't do that.

I mislaid the combination

When I bought

The new safe.

I'll try these numbers.

Money.

It doesn't belong to me.

I've got no idea

How it got there.

You better start

Getting an idea.

But mr. Earp, I swear,

I know nothing about it.

Stop lying to me!

A man's found k*lled

In your place, there's

Money in your safe,

- And you know

Nothing about it?

- That's right.

I should have closed your saloon

And run you out of town

A long time ago.

I'm going to give you

One more chance.

Tell me the truth!

I... I did tell you

The truth--

About not knowing

The dead man.

Whose money is that?

You're closed!

If my word stands

With the judge,

- You're going to jail.

- No!

The money belongs

To him and red bascomb.

And who's red bascomb?

An acquaintance

Of mine.

He asked me

Would I rent him

The use of the safe

For a few days.

That man's bascomb's pal.

I rented him the safe,

And that's all I know.

- You know

More than that.

- What?

You know you wouldn't

Rent that safe just

To an acquaintance.

Now, who's red bascomb?

I can't tell you.

H-he'd k*ll me.

( Sighs )

All right. I think

I know who he is.

It's one of the names

That red kelly uses, isn't it?

- Isn't it?

- Yes, yes.

Red's one of the crumby

Newton g*ng, isn't he?

The dirtiest K*llers

And train robbers

Out this way.

- You want to

Get me k*lled.

- No, not necessarily.

But I didn't ask you

To pal up with

That kind of man.

You're leaving

The money here?

Yep.

Red will be back

For it, if you

Don't tip him off.

If you do, I'm

Going to tell newton

You talked to me.

No, no, no,

I won't tip him off,

Mr. Earp, I swear.

This time

I believe you,

Mr. Egan.

Doc fabrique will

Be over to make out

His coroner's report.

- You keep everybody

Out of here.

- Yes, sir.

And I don't want excuses.

I want to see marshal earp.

I'm allan pinkerton.

I haven't got all day.

We sent for him,

Mr. Pinkerton.

We had a little trouble

At the orient saloon.

- He should be

Here any minute.

- Probably a drunken brawl.

In a properly organized

Police department,

The chief marshal

Lets his deputies

Cover the saloon.

Who's your chief

Court official

Here in wichita?

That would be

Judge jewitt, sir.

Please tell him

I'd like to see him.

Allan pinkerton.

I'd like to speak to

The judge and marshal earp

At the same time.

All right, sir.

This is mr. Allan pinkerton,

The pinkerton, mr. Earp.

I'm very glad

To know you,

Mr. Pinkerton.

Why, you're so young.

You can't be wyatt earp.

Well, we're even.

I didn't think you

Could be mr. Pinkerton.

Just as a matter of form,

May I see your credentials?

Do you need

All my papers,

Or would a letter from

The governor of kansas

Be sufficient?

No, that'll do.

- Won't you have a chair?

- No, I haven't the time.

I merely wanted

To check in with you

And the local judge.

A courtesy call,

Mr. Earp.

You after

A train robber

By the name of red kelly,

Alias red bascomb?

Why, yes,

That's right.

Railroad sent you, huh?

I'm after him, too.

He just k*lled one of

His pals at the orient saloon.

m*rder*d?

Where is the dead man?

Doc fabrique, our coroner,

Is taking care of the body.

Did you see the body?

Yeah. It was pretty

Badly messed up by shotgun,

But I'd say

He was about ,

Six-foot tall,

Brown hair, brown mustache.

Poor williams.

I've been afraid of this.

He was one of my men.

- I had him planted in

The crumby newton g*ng.

- I'm sorry.

Well, it's my fault.

I didn't want him

To risk it.

I should have

Ordered him not to.

Williams joined

The crumby newton g*ng

More than a year ago.

He's been with them

Ever since.

He was going to be

Our chief witness

When we rounded them up.

He was with the g*ng

In the hannibal and saint

Joe robbery last week.

Hmm, that was a pretty

Brave try he made.

I aim to arrest

Red bascomb, or kelly,

Or whatever name he's using,

Tonight if I can.

No, no, absolutely not.

My men will be here

In the morning.

We'll handle the case.

- I'm sorry, sir.

- What?

Mr. Pinkerton, the m*rder

Was committed in wichita,

And we kind of like

To handle our own cases.

Why, that's ridiculous.

You're not a detective.

You're just a--

A cow town marshal.

- You must be judge jewitt.

- Yes.

- I'm allan pinkerton.

- How do you do,

Mr. Pinkerton?

Not well,

Not well at all.

One of my best men

Was k*lled here today.

I'm sorry

To hear that.

Young mr. Earp here

Says he's going to

Handle the case.

Jewitt:

Well, why not?

I'm just a cow town

Marshal, your honor.

Don't take it wrong.

I merely suggested that

You lack the experience.

Judge, I must ask

That you rule him

Out of the case.

- Request denied...

- Huh?

Emphatically.

Mr. Pinkerton,

You have great fame

As a detective,

But certainly no right

To come into wichita

And dismiss our marshal.

Well, thank you,

Your honor.

I got an idea how

I can nab red bascomb.

I guess I'd better

Be working on it.

Mr. Pinkerton, I'm

Mighty glad to be able

To work with you.

And what if that boy

Makes a mess of it?

Mr. Pinkerton,

That "boy"

Is one of the best marshals

On the western frontier.

He hasn't mishandled

A case yet.

If he blunders

On this one,

I'll authorize you

To take over,

But not before.

It's the old yardstick

Dodge, mr. Bascomb.

You tie

A couple of matches

At the end of it.

Didn't your train-robbing

Pal newton tell you

Never to sh**t

At a match flare

In a dark room?

Come on,

Get up.

Go on.

Will you have a cigar,

Mr. Pinkerton?

No, thanks, judge.

Never used them.

Earp:

Get in there.

Mr. Pinkerton,

Meet mr. Bascomb.

Is that your man?

Yes. Well, you

Don't waste time,

Do you?

Has he told you

Where he and williams

Hid the money?

- No, sir.

- $ , , Earp.

It's rather important.

I'll make it a lot easier

On you if you tell me

Where the money is.

You find it.

You're the great

Detective.

I'll find it.

And you'll hang

For murdering williams.

Who's williams?

I never heard of him.

- Why, you--

- Hold it, mr. Pinkerton.

We haven't got proof

That he m*rder*d your man.

As far as

The money is concerned,

I know where it is.

Pinkerton:

Why didn't you say so?

You want just him

And $ , ,

Or you want newton

And the whole g*ng?

My first job

Is to recover

The hold-up loot.

Is it too much to ask

That marshal earp

Turn over the , ?

I think that request is

Quite in order, wyatt.

All right, sir,

If that's the way

You want it.

- But you don't agree?

- No, sir, I don't.

If newton finds out

That mr. Pinkerton

Recovered the money,

He'll never come

Into wichita.

We'll get him

Eventually.

I must insist, judge.

All right. Turn over

The money, wyatt.

Yes, sir.

Paul, book mr. Bascomb

On suspicion of m*rder.

- Ollie, put him

In cell two.

- Yes, sir.

Mr. Pinkerton,

The $ ,

Is in the back room

Of the orient saloon.

- I suppose you want

To handle this yourself.

- That's right, I do.

I'm no great

Detective, judge,

But I'd still

Rather have newton

And his whole g*ng.

It's empty.

Yeah, it sure is.

Makes me look kind of

Stupid, doesn't it?

Well, I knew

You would bungle it.

Or did you?

- What do you mean?

- There was a small fortune.

You told me

You knew the hiding place

And you had the combination.

I'm going to have

A little talk with judge jewitt.

Yeah, you do that.

Unlock it.

- Questioning me

Is a waste of time.

- Somebody took that money.

- Oh, it's a trick.

- No trick.

You've been

Double-crossed, red.

Why, the dirty...

( Mutters )

There's nothing

I can do about it.

Well, that suits me.

I'm releasing you.

- What?

- Insufficient evidence.

Go on.

Get out of here.

- No trick?

- Nope.

All right.

Paul, give him his g*n

And g*n belt back.

Ollie, tail him.

I don't care

What he does.

Just stay out of sight

And follow him.

Yes, sir.

( Sighs )

( Approaching footsteps )

And don't misunderstand

Me, judge.

I'm not accusing earp

As to the robbery haul.

It may well be,

As he says,

That the saloon keeper

Could open that safe

And that he,

The saloon keeper,

Took the money

After red bascomb's

Arrest.

- Well, I believe wyatt.

- Ah!

But do you think

He acted within his authority

When he released bascomb?

No, mr. Pinkerton,

I don't.

Isn't it true

That a man arrested

On suspicion of m*rder

- Can only be released

By a judge?

- Yes.

Then earp has

Arrogated to himself

A judicial function.

I'm sure

That marshal earp

Must have had

Some compelling reason

When he turned

Bascomb loose.

All right, earp,

What reason?

Mr. Bascomb is small fry,

Mr. Pinkerton,

But he'll get the money

Back from the man

Who took it.

- Then he'll

Lead us to newton.

- Stupid thinking.

Jewitt:

Hold on, now.

If we assume that bascomb

Recovered the money,

Why do you believe

He'd take it to newton?

Because he's afraid

Of newton.

It means his life

If he makes off with

More than his share.

He'll either try to take

The money to newton,

Or he'll wait until

Newton comes into town

For the whacking up.

- But either way,

I'll get newton.

- Absurd, a pipe dream.

The money is gone,

And so is bascomb.

And I stand here

Empty-handed

Because of

Your impudent effort

To play detective.

Wyatt.

( Whispering )

Tell ollie to put

Four more guards

On the hotel.

Bascomb just k*lled

Egan, the owner of

The orient saloon.

He took the $ , ,

And my deputies

Have him holed up in a room

Over at the wichita hotel.

Don't you owe wyatt

An apology?

Well, if this is true

And he goes to the hotel,

Arrests bascomb,

And recovers the money--

Shut up!

Look, I want newton

And his whole g*ng.

He's taken

Times $ ,

From banks and trains.

Mr. Pinkerton

Thinks I'm stupid.

I think he's an idiot.

Watch your temper,

Marshal.

I don't think either

Of you are stupid.

I think you're

Both trying honestly

To clean up the newtons.

You just differ

As to method.

Now, listen,

This is my case.

It always was.

My men will be here

In the morning.

Then we'll proceed

As I say.

I wouldn't advise you

To try to stop us.

Good night, judge.

Good night.

Wyatt, you're on

Shaky ground, you know.

Releasing bascomb was

Quite out of order.

Sir, mr. Pinkerton thought

I stole that money.

I had to release red

Hoping that he'd

Go after it.

Well, I've stood

By you

As long as I can,

Wyatt.

- Sir?

- You mustn't have any more

Trouble with pinkerton.

He carries

A special appointment

From the governor.

He can walk into

Any federal court

And accuse you

Of obstructing justice.

- Even when he's wrong?

- Right or wrong,

You keep out

Of his way.

He's too big for us.

I can't save you again.

Good night, wyatt.

Good night, judge.

( Snaps )

Ollie's got the hotel

Covered, wyatt.

He wants to know

What to do if bascomb

Makes a run for it.

Follow him.

Loading the buntline

Special, huh?

You expecting

To do some long-range

sh**ting tomorrow?

I don't know

What I'm expecting.

I overheard

Mr. Pinkerton say

- His men would be here

In the morning.

- Yep.

You gonna turn the case

Over to them?

No, but I think bascomb

Will stay holed up,

And I think

Pinkerton will try and go in

After him in the morning.

If he does,

There'll be a fight.

The man I released

From jail will k*ll

A pinkerton or two,

And I'll be blamed

For it,

And I won't

Be marshal anymore.

But there are

More important things

Than being a marshal.

( Clicks )

- Good morning, al.

- Good morning, boss.

Crumby newton rob

Any more trains?

No, but we got a report

Last night that he's

Headed this way.

We'll take care

Of him later.

Red bascomb's

Holed up in there

With the money.

Say, great work, boss.

Mr. Pinkerton's

Cornered red.

Where's

Charlie williams?

Dead, k*lled

Right here in town.

- Bascomb?

- Yeah.

We'll even up

For charlie.

George, you and mike

Take the back.

Brick and I

Will take the front.

- Boss, you stay out of this.

- I'm not staying out of it.

You got a warrant

To search this hotel?

I don't need

A warrant.

- Well, I say you do.

- Earp, you're still stupid.

Earp:

Will you give me a chance

To work this out my own way?

Pinkerton:

Now you're

Obstructing justice

And defending

A m*rder*r and a thief.

- Get out of our way.

- Hold it.

- I warned you, wyatt.

- They haven't got

A search warrant.

I don't need a warrant.

I'm after a m*rder*r.

I think earp should

Turn in his star.

He will.

There's your search

Warrant, mr. Pinkerton.

I'm sorry, wyatt.

Well, at last,

We got rid of the local

Genius-- mr. Earp.

Mr. Pinkerton,

He got away!

- He rode off as we

Got around in back.

- Which way was he headed?

- Out of town

On the west road.

- Let's get him.

- They'll get him.

- Sure...

If newton doesn't

Ambush 'em.

Wyatt, where

Are you going?

I think they'll need

A little help.

He ought to be here

Pretty quick.

- I still think

He'll be here soon.

- ( Overlapping dialogue )

Here he comes now.

We were talking

About you.

The pinkertons are

Right behind me.

We haven't got time

To run for it.

We'll have

To bushwhack 'em.

Hide the horses, men.

Never mind the fire.

- Hurry up.

Get 'em on the other side.

- Get 'em under cover.

Everybody stay down now.

- Wait till they

Get all the way in.

- Get 'em out of sight.

Come on,

Get 'em out of there.

It looks like

A bushwhack.

Shouldn't we fire

A few times and warn

The pinkertons?

No. I want newton.

The pinkertons will ride

Right into that ambush.

It's none

Of my business.

Pinkerton made me

A private citizen.

Here they come.

( Low chatter )

Hold it.

There's their fire.

Morning, pinkerton.

You after me?

Pinkerton:

Stop it, we haven't a chance.

You'll pay

For that, mister.

The great pinkerton

Riding into a bushwhack,

Just like any greenhorn

From new york.

I'm the one you want,

Not my men.

There's plenty of time

For the k*lling.

Get off your horse.

You're hoping I'll

Make it quick and easy

With a b*llet

Through your head.

Back away.

I like the looks of you

With your hands up,

Knowing you're going

To get a b*llet

In your belly.

Take a shot

At me, newton.

You k*lled him.

No, I just creased

His skull.

Well, maybe you'd

Better crease my skull.

Isn't worth

Going to jail for,

Mr. Pinkerton.

You can take newton

And his boys

Back to town.

You won't have

Any more trouble

With red bascomb, wyatt.

Is he dead?

Bascomb brought

The money into camp.

It's probably

Hidden over there

In the brush someplace.

Al, see if you can

Find the money bag

In the brush.

Let's get the cuffs

On these men.

- Put the wounded on the horses.

Let's get back to town.

- Let's look for the money.

Wyatt,

Why let pinkerton

Take all the credit?

We're the ones

That saved his life

And the ones that grabbed

That newton g*ng.

What are you

After, ollie?

A place in history?

Most of that stuff's

Just written from hearsay

By men that are too lazy

To dig up the real facts.

And so pinkerton's a big hero,

And I'm a skunk.

Who's going to

Know the difference

A hundred years from now?

Why don't you wait

Until mayor holt

And mr. Murdock

Get back

From kansas city?

Or let me go to the judge

And tell him the truth.

- Never draw against

The drop, ollie.

- ( Door opens )

Hello, wyatt.

Ollie.

Wyatt, mr. Pinkerton

Told me

Just what happened

On the trail today.

Yes, I was wrong,

And I'm sorry.

All right.

I don't blame you

For being sore,

But it seems to me,

When mr. Pinkerton

Wants to make amends,

You should be big enough

To accept his offer.

Earp, I'd like to hire you

For my organization

At twice what

You're getting here.

Of course, I'd beg you

To take your star back,

But we can't afford

To double your salary.

Pinkerton:

A month,

And expenses.

I don't want your job,

Mr. Pinkerton.

First place,

I wouldn't work for you.

Then take back your star

With my apologies.

- On one condition.

- Yes?

Mr. Pinkerton,

My deputies feel

That they lost out

On some glory.

I want you to mention

Their names in your report

On this case.

And yours, too.

Well, I'll tell you,

Mr. Pinkerton,

I've done a few smart things

And been cussed.

I've made a lot

Of stupid mistakes

And been praised.

So i... Just assume

You wouldn't mention

My name at all.

Well,

If that's the way

You want it.

That's the way

I want it.

♪ 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.

( Male vocals

Humming melody )