The life and legend
Of wyatt earp
( Men vocalizing )
♪ Wyatt earp, wyatt earp
♪ Brave, courageous and bold
♪ Long live his fame
♪ And long live his glory
♪ And long may
His story be told. ♪
Narrator:
In marshal earp's time
There were indian wars
And cattle wars,
And the steady brawling
With . S among
Bad-tempered cowhands.
But the deadliest fighting
On the frontier of
Usually started with a dispute
Between two towns
For the honor
Of being designated
The county seat.
Dodge city had been named
Capital of ford county, kansas.
But fort dodge,
Only six miles away,
Asked why should a wicked town
Like dodge be the county seat.
Besides, the residents
Of fort dodge
Were desperate
For another reason.
( Clamoring )
There you have it
In black and white.
Pooh, washington's always
Changing its mind.
The army's got to economize.
There just won't be nothing
To fort dodge
But a keep-house party
And a name.
I thought you had this
All fixed, mr. Granger.
I'm surprised at you,
Judge franklin.
My father did everything
He could to keep
This fort open.
There's no use squabbling
Over something that's
Finished and done with.
I've called a meeting
For this afternoon.
You have
Some new idea, tarky?
- Just come to the meeting.
- All right, I will.
And I say fort dodge
Should be the county seat.
Instead we've let dodge city
Hold squatters' rights.
( Crowd agreeing )
The people of ford county
Never did vote
To make that miserable town
Their capital.
- That's right.
- No no.
Man:
You tell 'em, tarky!
Are you gonna let
Dodge city get away
With calling itself
The high mucky-muck town
Of our county?
- No no!
- Of course not!
Good good.
We'll ask the governor
To hold an honest election.
( Cheers )
You head the delegation,
Judge franklin.
Thank you, mr. Granger.
I'll do just that.
Collect as many more signatures
For the governor
As you can before
The stage leaves.
And don't talk
To any dodge city men.
Judge franklin
Knows that.
( Laughs )
Yes, chickie?
- I know wyatt earp.
- Him?
Hmph!
He's hand in glove
With kelley and judge tobin.
You keep out of it, edna.
A political fight's
No place for you.
And if we don't win it,
Fort dodge will be a ghost city
- And we'll have to move on.
- ( Hoofbeats )
There are soldiers
Headed this way.
Go wait on them.
You wait on 'em.
I'm going to dodge city.
Edna!
I forbid you having anything
To do with wyatt earp.
You've made eyes at him
Every time we went over there.
- You're old enough
To have some pride.
- Pride?
We're broke
And we're in debt.
And I knew tarky granger
In the army.
- He's a born politician.
- Hold on, jim.
You're assuming
That he'll try to get
A special election.
What else? They can't
Just build a courthouse
At fort dodge
And say
"We're the county seat."
Am I right now, wyatt?
- Yes, sir.
- You hear wyatt?
He knows it'll be
A political play.
But I can't head them
Off at topeka.
The governor knows I backed
Milliken in the primary.
You're the best man
We've got, sir.
There's only a quarter
Of an hour to catch
That train.
Oh, all right.
( Men vocalizing )
Hi, wyatt!
Well.
Howdy, miss edna.
Guess they heard
About it in dodge.
- They sure did.
- What do you think?
Well, if they want
To call a special election,
They sure can do it.
Does that mean
You're against us?
Miss edna,
I seldom mess around
In politics.
Papa's right, you know?
Dodge city isn't morally fit
To be capital of ford county.
Oh, a dirty, nasty,
Wicked town.
That's the truth
And you know it.
What will people say
Later on?
Fort dodge can start
With a clean slate.
This place is
A disgrace to kansas.
- Miss edna.
- Yes, sir?
Did your daddy
Send you over here?
Of course not.
He tried to stop me.
Then why'd you come?
- Pa says I got
A girly crush on you.
- What?
But that's not
Why I came!
We have to find out
What dodge city folks
Plan to do
About the election.
Gotta know so we can
Plan our campaign.
- ( Laughs )
- What's funny?
I don't see
What's so funny.
You're telling me
The truth.
You see, politicians...
They very seldom do that.
We're not politicians.
We're home folk.
All right,
No more joking.
Miss edna,
In my opinion I think
Fort dodge has
A very good chance
Of becoming the county seat.
- There!
- But not if you try
Any shenanigans.
- It's gotta be strictly honest.
- Do you think we'd cheat?
Well, not you, miss edna.
But those political fellas...
You warn your daddy, hmm?
Yes, sir.
I'll tell papa.
Wyatt?
Won't you be on our side?
No, I'm gonna have
To stick with dodge.
Why?
It's kinda simple,
Miss edna.
If dodge city is too wicked
To become the county seat,
It's kinda my fault because
They hired me
To clean up this town.
Papa will win you over.
And if he can't,
I'll sure try.
Now don't you laugh.
- I can be girly girly.
- No no,
You stay just
The way you are, huh?
And look, let's both stay
Out of politics, huh?
Now you go on, scoot home.
Mr. Granger,
I'm smiley dunbar.
- This is dave rickerd.
- Howdy.
- Howdy.
- We both kinda fool
With politics in dodge.
Just the men I want to see.
Come inside.
The first thing we've got to do
Is take them records
From kelley's office.
Possession is / ths
Of the law.
Besides kelley's got
A list of the voters.
- Stealing records--
- We'll take care of it.
This is frontier politics,
Mr. Granger.
You can't win
The election without the list
Of registered voters.
We have to add a lot of cowhands
And maybe some dead men.
- I don't like it.
- Nobody likes it.
The point is do you want
Fort dodge to be a ghost town
Or the county seat?
We can swing
A couple of hundred votes
From below the line in dodge,
But that won't be
Enough for us, granger.
All the voters
Outside of dodge,
The rest of ford county.
Still not enough.
We thought you wanted
To win this election.
But I guess
We're wasting our time.
Come on, dave.
No, wait.
Kelley and his people
Have cut a few corners,
I reckon we'll have
To do the same thing.
Now you're talking!
Politics, mr. Granger,
Politics.
Well, let's drink
To it.
( Men vocalizing )
Whoa.
Dave, keep an eye
On the front door.
- I'll break in the back.
- Right.
That does that.
Hal, see that these get out
First thing in the morning.
- Will you?
- Yes, sir.
I'm going to turn in.
- You and hank split
The dogwatch.
- Right.
It sure is quiet
Tonight, isn't it?
That's the way I like it.
Hal.
There's a man standing in front
Of mayor kelley's office,
- And a wagon just
Turned the corner.
- I'll take a look.
No.
Let's give 'em time.
Let's go out the back door.
- Hey, dave.
- Are you gonna
Take all night?
I've got the voters' books
And the tax books.
Grab the police record
And we'll get out of here.
- Time to jump 'em?
- No.
It's smiley dunbar.
He's probably working
For the people over
At fort dodge.
I bet they're making off
With the record books.
I know. I want 'em
To pull this job.
( Clicks tongue )
You go get your horse
And follow them.
Don't let 'em see you.
Come in here.
I want you to see this.
Look at that!
Robbed, stolen.
All cleaned out, all the city
And the county records gone.
Look at it.
Just look at it!
- I know, mr. Mayor.
- You know? What do
You mean you know?
Hal and I saw
The whole thing last night.
You saw it and you let
Them get away with it?
- Yes, sir.
- Why on earth would you--
Mr. Kelley, hal trailed them
To granger's store
- At fort dodge.
- Tarky granger!
Fort dodge-- it's a dirty
Political trick!
Why are you wasting time?
Get a posse and hit them quick.
sh**t 'em down.
Crack their skulls.
But you get those records.
That's an official
Order.
All right, if you want
Fort dodge to win.
I want them in jail--
What is this now?
Fort dodge winning?
Well, they made
A bad move, your honor.
Next they'll try
To doctor the voting books.
- And we just let them, huh?
- Uh-huh.
And then we let them
Stuff the ballot boxes.
What--
Oh.
And then
We nab them, huh?
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll teach them
To get
Into a political fight
With jim kelley.
What if they hide
The books?
- Well--
- Excuse me, wyatt.
Miss edna granger
Wants to see you
At the dodge house.
Thank you.
Miss granger might give us
An insurance policy
On those books.
- Now, wyatt, i--
- Now, mayor.
Thank the good lord
They didn't get everything.
Oh, it's a bad, nasty mess,
Judge tobin.
What luck did you
Have in topeka?
None.
The governor's ordered
A special election
For saturday.
Ahhh, they'll steal it
Just like they stole
The books.
Dodge city outnumbers them
Five to one, jim.
Not with smiley dunbar
And them hoodlum votes
Below the line.
They'll all go to granger
And his crowd.
Civic pride'll keep them
From voting to change
The county seat.
Civic pride is it?
They want a wide open town
And no marshal like wyatt.
They'll move to fort dodge
Lock, stock and barrel.
Well now, how's miss edna
And our insurance policy?
He's talking about
Mr. Granger's daughter, judge.
She doesn't favor robbery.
Hmph.
I suppose she'll be turning
Against her own father.
No sir,
If her father's involved,
She'll try to save him.
Any action
In topeka, sir?
Against us.
The whole county'll
Have to vote.
Saturday.
It's short notice.
Get your high silk hat,
Mr. Mayor.
We better start
Campaigning.
( Men vocalizing )
You tour the county
Until friday night,
Then make your big speech
In dodge.
Kelley and earp
Are too quiet.
Well, what have they
Got to shout about?
- It's too good to be true.
- You ask dave.
There wasn't
A johnny law in sight.
We're in, mr. Granger.
Those county records we got
Hold the election.
- Yes yes, I reckon.
- ( Door closes )
- It's edna.
Perhaps you'd better--
- Sure.
Howdy, miss edna.
- You see earp?
- Yes.
Wyatt was kinda worried.
It seems someone broke
Into the mayor's office
Last night,
Took all their record books.
That's no crime.
It's got to be something
Valuable.
Breaking into a place
Is a crime.
Forget it, chickie.
Let earp worry.
He's being paid for that.
Now you go into the store
And pack me some grub.
I'm hitting
The speaking trail
For votes.
- How long?
- I'll be back saturday morning.
That's election day.
And the fort's polling place
Will be here.
I'll need the key
To the safe, won't i?
The key? No.
No, there's money enough
For change in the cash drawer.
All right, papa.
You always left the key
With me before.
That's why I asked.
( Men vocalizing )
And I say to you,
My friends,
That dodge city was ordained
By the good lord
To be the metropolis
Of ford county.
If the seat
Of county government
Is moved to fort dodge
Grass will grow
In the streets of our town.
( Cheers )
If fort dodge
Wins the election,
We'll soon have a bigger
And a better dodge city.
( Cheers )
And we won't have
Wyatt earp as marshal.
( Louder cheers )
And we won't have
Jim kelley as mayor.
We won't have
Those three hypocrites:
Tobin, kelley and earp.
- ( Cheers )
- Man: get 'em out of here!
( g*nshots, cheering )
Pa has the record books
In his safe.
He wouldn't trust me
With the key, but I know
How to get into it.
- When are you coming over?
- Tomorrow after the election.
Why not today,
Right now?
I want the ballot box.
That's not fair.
You could get papa
Into worse trouble.
No, we can save
Your papa.
If-- if you'll help.
- Is that a promise?
- Yeah.
Thanks, wyatt.
I'm still in love.
Well, it's the first time
I've ever heard
Of a mourner's bench
- Before the election.
- Granger got the crowds.
Here and all over
The county.
- It looks bad, wyatt.
- They don't even have
To steal this election.
Smiley dunbar and his crowd
Wouldn't be happy
Unless they stole it.
Hal.
Let's just make sure
That all our votes
Are honest, huh?
Wyatt!
You're not suggesting
That I would stoop
To dirty politics!
Well, it is a big
Temptation, your honor.
Don't josh him, wyatt.
If they win, dodge city'll
Be the ghost town.
I'm sorry.
Oh, hal, I'll need
Special deputies tomorrow.
- Yes, sir.
- !
You'll need two dozen
Just to guard
The polling place
At the fort.
Judge, I think you
And mr. Kelley are
Plumb tuckered out.
Why don't you just let me
Handle the police work, huh?
He's right, jim.
Just tell us one thing:
Are you gonna get back
The county records?
Yes sir, and the fort dodge
Ballot box too.
Well, it's in
Your hands, wyatt.
Come along, jim.
Busy day tomorrow.
Now don't miss, wyatt.
It means your job
And my job and the finish
Of dodge city.
The polls close at : .
That gives us a half
An hour of daylight.
I'm going into fort dodge
With the peddler's wagon
And the fastest team
Of quarter horses that
Chalk beeson has.
- No posse?
- Yes.
You leave town here
With the boys at : .
If I get in any trouble
There'll be g*nf*re.
You just head for
The sound of g*ns.
Jim note-- friend, if you
Want to read the fine print,
Step inside.
We're in a hurry.
- Howdy, big "t"!
- Howdy, judge.
- Hiya, judge.
- Glad you could make it.
Just a moment, judge.
Are these men residents
Of fort dodge?
Lived here
All their lives.
Sorry,
But we need their names
And registrations.
Lock 'em
In the storeroom, boys.
We're busy
With an election.
Now does anybody else
Have any suggestions?
- I've had enough.
- You can't do anything
Until wyatt comes.
You'd spoil
The whole plan.
How did I ever
Get into this?
You wanted to save
Fort dodge and us,
But the wrong
Politicians took over.
Wyatt says that--
Hey, your honor,
Give us a hand.
We've got a couple indians
Out here that won't vote
Unless you say
It's all right.
Very well.
Well, we've got about
Votes for fort dodge.
Open up the safe
In there, granger.
Hey, what's the meaning
Of this?
We're gonna burn
The county record books
So they can't trace
The phony votes.
That's stupid.
If you win you'll need
The county tax records
And city police reports.
Who do you think's running
This show, you or me?
- You're not gonna
Burn these records!
- Take care of him, dave.
Stop it!
You stop it!
You keep out of this!
Lock him in the storeroom
With the others.
- You leave those alone!
- Why, you little brat!
Why, you--
Go lock the door
To the store.
But my father,
He went in--
He'll be all right.
Go on.
Take the ballot box
Out to the wagon.
( Dave knocks )
Smiley, open up.
Smiley, open up!
- You get down from there.
- I'm going with you.
We're gonna have to make
A run for it.
Let's go, come on.
Out front
And get the horses!
Come on, get up!
Come on.
Whoa whoa whoa!
What are you stopping for?
They're right behind us.
Get behind those rocks,
Come on.
Keep your head down.
( g*nshots )
Here, reload that
For me.
Give me
The winchester.
Why didn't
You k*ll them?
No need for it.
Posse'll be coming any minute.
All right,
Drop your g*ns.
- Drop your g*ns!
- ( Men vocalizing )
The accused
Will please rise.
Mr. Dunbar,
Judge franklin,
Mr. Rickerd, you're found
Guilty of election fraud
And sentenced to two years
In the state penitentiary.
- Mr. Granger.
- Yes, judge.
Your daughter cooperated
With marshal earp,
And you yourself tried
To prevent the destruction
Of valuable records.
The court sentences you
To six months in jail
And will stipulate that you
Be paroled immediately.
- Adjourned.
- ( Murmuring )
This way.
Come on.
Are you still here?
Where's your dad?
He went on over to the hotel.
I've been waiting for you.
I wanted to thank you.
Well, i...
I think judge tobin is
The one you want to thank.
Him too.
Wyatt...
I don't supposed that you'd
Ever feel like marrying me?
Uh... Well, honey...
You see,
I'm an old old man,
But if I was your age,
You'd be the first girl I'd ask.
Politician.
( Men vocalizing )
♪ 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 ♪
♪ Wyatt earp, wyatt earp
♪ Brave, courageous and bold
♪ Long live his fame
♪ And long live his glory
♪ And long may
His story be told. ♪