05x36 - Roscoe Turns Detective

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.
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05x36 - Roscoe Turns Detective

Post by bunniefuu »

How's little toomey?

Doc figures he's got

A bad concussion.

- They clobbered him

On the head.

- Them weasels.

They got away with all

The horses and mules

In consignment

To fort huachuca.

- Roscoe will find them.

- Roscoe?

Yeah.

One of them mules

Kicked roscoe.

Look here-- he was

A mine-working mule.

Leastwise he was wearing

A cleat-toed shoe.

That's a pretty bad

Bruise.

Yeah. Say,

Reckon doc goodfellow'd

Take a look at him?

Well, I'll ask him.

♪ 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:

"The life and legend

Of wyatt earp."

( Wyatt narrating )

In the opinion of mule owners,

A mule is more intelligent

Than a horse.

In the opinion of

Shotgun gibbs, his mule roscoe

Was smarter than all other

Mules and most human beings.

Thus when a consignment

Of army remounts was stolen

From a livery stable

In tombstone, roscoe happened

To be the only eyewitness.

What could roscoe

Do about it?

Wyatt?

- Yes, sir?

- Mr. Toomey should

Be all right.

Let him rest on that cot

And don't pester him

With a lot of questions.

Yes sir.

Uh, roscoe's hurt.

Roscoe?

That mule?!

Yes, sir.

Mr. Gibbs and i--

Well, we'd like you

To take a look at him.

Well, he can't be hurt much.

If a mule's really hurt,

He lies down.

Just as a favor,

Would you look at him, sir?

I haven't had

A decent night's sleep

In a week, and now

You want me to--

( Sighs )

Oh, all right.

- Howdy, doc.

- Gibbs.

Well, no broken bones.

Rub some arnica

On him, gibbs.

And put some balsam of peru

On that cleat cut.

Well, can't you give him

A little regular doctoring?

( Sarcastically )

Oh, certainly!

Take him to the hospital,

Put him in bed

And I'll sit up

The rest of the night

With him.

He's, um, a little short

On sleep and a little

Short on temper.

Come on, we'll take roscoe

On over to the yard

And back to the jail

And doctor him ourself.

Roscoe don't take it kindly

Being made light of.

You forget he's our only

Eyeball witness?

Yeah, that's right.

Mm-hmm.

But what you don't remember

Is that the last time

A mule done roscoe

A dirty trick

Roscoe caught up

With that same mule

Three months later.

That's right, he did.

In dodge.

Roscoe's got a memory

Like an elephant.

Besides what else you got

To work with on this case

Besides roscoe's memory

And that there shoeprint

On his rump?

Nothing else.

Not now anyway.

Well, you ought to treat him

With a little more

Respect then.

Mr. Gibbs,

If that mule helps us

Recover government property

- I'll make him

A deputy marshal.

- Hey, you hear that, roscoe?

- ( Brays )

- Even better, huh?

Don't tell me roscoe

Understood that.

Well, no, not the words,

But it's the tone

Of your voice, wyatt.

Roscoe knows

You're treating him like

Somebody important.

You know, to a mule,

That's a heap better than

A peck of apples

Or high-class doctoring.

Well, people value it

The same way, mr. Gibbs.

Bring him inside,

Corporal.

Come on, boy.

Marshal earp, we got your

Telegram at the fort last night.

I caught one of the thieves.

He has two mules he can't

Account for.

- I bought the mules.

- You have no bill of sale.

The prisoner was headed north

To a gypsy camp

When corporal higgins

And I stopped him.

- Your name, sir?

- Lieutenant grange,

Army intelligence.

My prisoner says

He is louis vanik.

- Do you have the mules outside?

- Yes, sir.

Mr. Gibbs, bring roscoe

Around front.

I'd like to have him take

A look at those mules.

After you, sir.

Pick 'em up.

Whoa whoa.

Old shoes,

No toe cleats.

- Same here.

- What's that got to do

With it, marshal?

One of the stolen animals

Kicked deputy gibbs's

Mule roscoe.

He was wearing

A mine mule's toe cleat.

All right, roscoe,

Look 'em over.

Well, what do you think?

( Grunts )

Lieutenant's got

The wrong mules.

Are you sure that roscoe

Would recognize all

The stolen mules?

- Of course he would!

- I tell them I don't buy

Stolen animals.

That's enough.

Marshal earp, you can't

Be serious.

Of course it...

It's just a theory,

Lieutenant.

Well, I'll bet you

A whole month's pay

That these here mules

Wasn't with the one

That kicked roscoe.

Marshal earp,

I want this man

Held as a suspect

And his horses and mules

Impounded as evidence.

If those are

Your orders, lieutenant.

Corporal higgins and I

Haven't time to consult

Roscoe--

Your detective

In this case.

Mount up!

We must find

The rest of the g*ng

And recover the animals

They stole.

Good luck, lieutenant.

Your friend is right.

The mule never forget

A man who hurts him.

Say, he sounds like a real

Muley man, don't he, roscoe?

I vote

We turn him loose.

No, can't do that.

I'm sorry, but we're gonna

Have to hold you in jail

Until we can make a tour

Of the traders' camps.

I'm gypsy.

Will I be hanged?

Stealing animal

Is a bad charge.

You'll be booked

On suspicion.

Nobody'll know what

The charge is.

I thank you.

Remember,

You're my only friend.

If you don't

Know mules, who does?

Howdy, marshal.

You looking for somebody?

( Grunts )

Howdy.

The liveryman in tombstone

Was hit over the head

Last night.

Some army horses

And mules were stolen.

Mr. Gibbs, have roscoe

Take a look at those mules.

Ain't nothing here, wyatt.

What's the idea of taking

This animal in so close

To our mules?!

He might have

A disease.

- Mister, you want trouble?

- Take it easy, mr. Gibbs.

You lawmen are all alike.

You think you can get by

With anything.

- What's his rump doctored for?

- He got kicked by another mule

Last night.

Yeah?

We'll see.

Hold it!

Mr. Gibbs.

Come on, mount up.

Take roscoe inside there.

I'll watch it out here.

- ( Neighs )

- Hey, roscoe, roscoe.

What's the matter with you, boy?

What's bothering you?

What's bothering you?

Back off.

Back up, back up, whoa.

Whoa.

Now stand steady, boy.

Stand steady.

Whoa, mule,

Whoa, boy.

Whoa whoa.

Hey, wyatt,

Get in here, will you?

Well, this here's one of them.

Feel that toe cleat?

- I can feel it.

- Yeah.

( Braying )

Roscoe don't

Like him, huh?

No. Neither one of 'em

The mules that kicked him.

But he remembers them

From last night all right.

Oh, I see.

They were traveling

In bad company, is that it?

Yep. We're on

The trail now, boy.

( Grunting, sniffing )

There's somebody coming.

You cover me in here.

- I'll go around the side.

- Right.

- That's a strange horse.

- Yeah.

Must be somebody

In the barn.

Let's take a look.

You in there, come out!

- Drop 'em.

- ( g*nsh*t )

Pick him up.

Now you just

Bought those mules

From a fella, huh?

That's right.

He and his boys had a lot

Of horses and mules.

Which way were they headed?

They rode off towards

Dice box canyon.

- Skinner malone's camp?

- We don't know anything more.

- That's it.

- Mr. Gibbs,

Bring roscoe out here.

Now we'll come back

For you, after we've paid

A visit to malone's.

Let roscoe take

A good look at 'em.

Roscoe, are you dead certain

You didn't see them fellas

There last night?

Take a look,

Take a look.

Didn't see 'em, huh?

Nope.

They wasn't in on it.

If they'd have been, he'd have

Bit a hunk out of 'em.

Maybe he's right.

Let's pay a visit

To dice box canyon.

You let me handle malone.

You and roscoe take

A look around, see if

Roscoe can find anything.

You think malone's apt

To make a fight?

No, I don't think so.

He does too much business

With the army.

He'll wanna

Clear himself.

They told me you were

Smarter than this, earp.

( Chuckles )

Looking for army remounts

That ain't even been branded.

Well, we'll find 'em,

Mr. Malone.

Not in my remuda.

Why, I'd be a fool to cross

Colonel hibbert at the fort.

Look around.

I don't want you

Restless.

Well, no luck

At all, wyatt.

Maybe roscoe's

Lost his memory.

Oh, it ain't that.

Ain't no mules

In that remuda.

Roscoe don't pay

Much attention to horses.

We'd better head back

To tombstone.

Maybe lieutenant grange has

Already solved the case.

( Roscoe brays )

- ( Braying )

- Hey, roscoe!

Come back here, roscoe.

Come back here.

Come here, roscoe.

Roscoe.

Here, roscoe.

Stop it.

( Shouting, braying )

Whoa, boy.

Whoa now, boy.

Whoa.

Yes sir, you got your mule.

Didn't you, roscoe?

You sure that's the one?

I'll bet you his shoes

Will prove it.

Yeah, mining shoe

With a cleated toe.

It'll fit the scar

On roscoe.

- ( Brays )

- Hush up, roscoe!

Hush up!

Mind your manners.

What's all this

About, earp?

Mr. Malone,

You and your men

Are under arrest.

Arrest?

Just because roscoe

Don't like another mule?

Not just another mule.

That mule kicked roscoe

Last night.

He's part of the string

Of army mules that

Were stolen.

Earp don't know what

He's talking about, skinner.

And he ain't arresting me

On account of no mule.

Mr. Malone.

You want

To resist arrest too?

No, not me.

Ain't no judge gonna

Hold me and my boys

On what a mule thinks.

( Chuckles )

All right, mr. Gibbs,

We're taking this whole remuda

Back to tombstone.

Yes, sir.

Pick him up.

- ( Braying )

- Cut that out!

You stop that!

You try that again

And I'll kick your ribs in.

I ain't gonna stand

For no more nonsense.

You just behave yourself.

Come on up here.

Get up.

Come on.

( Cowboys calling )

Wyatt!

Good work.

How'd you find them?

I didn't.

Roscoe found 'em.

No time for jokes.

Unc toomey is conscious now.

He could stand

A little questioning.

That's fine.

Ask him if he can

Give a description

Of the army animals that

Were stolen, will you?

- Now that makes sense.

- Thanks.

"Roscoe found 'em"!

Marshal earp, is this

Supposed to be a joke?

No, sir.

No, roscoe recognized

The mule that kicked him

During the robbery.

And on the strength of

That evidence,

I arrested skinner malone,

His men and seized

Their remuda.

The court would like

A demonstration of roscoe's

Extraordinary powers.

All right, sir.

Uh, I have four mules

Out in back there.

Shotgun is over

With dr. Goodfellow,

Taking a statement

From unc toomey.

I'll handle roscoe so that

He can't be accused of taking

Suggestions from shotgun.

- That fair enough?

- No!

I must demand

The immediate arraignment

Of louis vanik,

- The man I brought in.

- Well, there's time

For that, lieutenant.

Mr. Earp will be allowed

To present his case.

Thank you, sir.

Now you'll observe,

Judge,

There are two black mules,

A bay and a sorrel.

Now roscoe--

Whoa, roscoe!

- ( Braying )

- Whoa whoa whoa!

Whoa whoa whoa.

Amazing.

Why are you so sure that's

The mule that kicked him?

I measured his hind shoes.

It fits the bruise on roscoe.

Too bad it's not

Legal evidence.

- Why not?

- A mule has no standing

In a court of law.

Obviously not.

Your honor,

May we get on

With the arraignment

Of that gypsy?

Whoa, roscoe, whoa!

Mr. Vanik, you admit that

You have no bill of sale

For the mule team

In your possession

When you were arrested

- By lieutenant grange?

- I buy mules from

My cousin julio.

Among our people it's insult

To ask for bill of sale.

That's right, your honor.

I'm sorry, but the law

Requires a bill of sale.

Lieutenant, the theft

Of government property

Is a federal offense.

Now I suggest that you

Take the defendant

To the federal courthouse

At prescott.

- No, I am innocent!

I didn't--

- Silence.

- Now the court orders that--

- ( Door slams )

- Excuse me, your honor.

- Yes?

This here is unc toomey's

Ledger book.

It's got the description

Of the horses and the mules

- In the army consignment.

- Hmm.

Marshal earp, I understand

You arrested a mr. Malone

And seized his remuda.

The court orders that you

Check this ledger

Against all animals claimed

To be owned by mr. Malone.

- Lieutenant.

- Sir?

Why weren't the army animals

Branded at the time of purchase?

Colonel hibbert's

Orders, sir.

We do not brand remounts

Until they have passed

Final inspection

- At fort huachuca.

- I go now, please?

No, sir.

You stay in jail.

Marshal earp may have recovered

The stolen animals,

But he hasn't caught

One thief.

Well, roscoe will

Catch him for you, judge.

Oh, of course he will.

Of course.

Wyatt, I let roscoe

Smell on him,

But roscoe don't think

He was with them thieves

That run off

With the stock.

Roscoe ought to be

The chief john law

In arizona.

- ( Chuckling )

- You making small of my mule?

Mr. Gibbs, we're gonna have

To hit the trail again.

You go check and see that

We have enough provisions.

Yes, sir,

I'll take care of it.

Roscoe don't approve

Of malone here.

Turn up his nose

And snorted at him.

- Well-- well, I don't--

- Wyatt: mr. Malone?

( Door opens and closes )

Unc toomey's ledger here

Checks against horses

And one mule you claim to own.

Where'd you get 'em?

- I'm asking you a question.

- Why don't you ask

Roscoe where?

Because I'm asking you.

Now sit down!

Now it may surprise you to know

That I can hold you and your men

As receiving stolen goods

On this evidence here.

You gotta prove that

We knew they were stolen.

No. Judge spicer is

Holding young vanik

Because he has

No bill of sale.

Have you?

Well...

Now the local juries

Are prejudiced

Against horse traders.

They'll hang

That gypsy sure.

- And maybe you too.

- Yeah.

I'll tell you what I'll do:

I'll make a deal.

No deals.

But if you supply

Information leading to

The arrest of the thieves,

Judge spicer will

Take that into account.

All right.

I bought the animals

From whitey jones.

- Whitey jones?

- ( Writing )

- Where can I find him?

- Search me.

All I know is he used

To be in the army.

- What's he look like?

- Blond fella,

, About your size--

Maybe a little heavier.

- How many men with him?

- Four.

Just saddle tramps.

They took my money

And rode off.

All right,

I'll check this out

With lieutenant grange.

- Well?

- Jones is a common name.

There were lots of them

Nicknamed whitey,

I imagine.

He must be using an alias.

You're forgetting

Something, lieutenant.

- What?

- This had to be

An inside job

- At your own post.

- Incredible!

A consignment of remounts

Must be of record

At fort huachuca.

- Who buys them?

- One of the post

Settlers, I think.

A civilian?

But you didn't check

The settlers, did you?

You just rode right off

And arrested the first

Gypsy you could find.

Are you trying

To take over

Army intelligence?

A deputy united states marshal

Who gets his information

From a mule?

Roscoe found

Your stolen remounts.

Now I was going to let you

And corporal higgins

Return them to the fort

And claim full credit,

But now mr. Gibbs and I

Will ride along.

You're a greener,

Lieutenant.

You just may get lost.

We found the animals

At skinner malone's.

Lieutenant grange says

That a gypsy did it.

You found the animals

At skinner malone's camp.

Frankly I don't think

That either one of you

Has nabbed the guilty man.

That's right, sir,

We haven't.

I've checked carefully.

We have no post settler

By the name of whitey jones.

Well, a man

Don't go around

Stealing horses using

His own name, colonel.

Do you have a settler

Nicknamed whitey?

I'm not that familiar with all

The nicknames around here.

You mind

If we ask around?

Lieutenant grange has

Already done that.

I might add that I have complete

Faith in army intelligence.

You're entitled

To your opinion, sir.

We giving up

On this, wyatt?

I don't see there's any more

To be done, mr. Gibbs.

( Braying )

Roscoe!

Hey!

( Shouts )

Roscoe, whoa whoa!

Now listen here,

You obey the laws

Just like everybody else,

You hear?

You hold on

To that mule tight.

He's a k*ller.

Aren't you henderson,

Our remount buyer?

- Yes, sir.

- Whitey henderson, isn't it?

None of your business.

He's our man, wyatt.

- Gimme those cuffs.

- Well, now isn't this

A little bit ridiculous?

Simply because a mule

Doesn't like henderson?

Roscoe hasn't

Been wrong yet.

- Sir, I must change my report.

- How's that, lieutenant?

Henderson's nickname

Is whitey and he's used

The alias of whitey jones

In correspondence

With horse traders.

He had it hidden

In his closet.

Lock him up in

The guardhouse, lieutenant.

We'll deliver him

To federal court

For trial.

Yes, sir.

Whoa!

Hey, you know,

I almost forgot something.

- What's that?

- Here.

- For roscoe.

- Oh, no.

We thank you kindly,

Just the same.

You know,

Roscoe's big-headed

Enough as it is.

If you was to make him

A deputy marshal,

There just wouldn't

Be no living with him

At all, wyatt.

Well, perhaps

You're right.

- ( Braying )

- I don't think roscoe

Agrees with us.

( Chuckles )

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Long may his story...

♪ Be told. ♪
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