Original subtitles

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- Hello, Mr. Burns. - Where you been?

I just come back from Sacramento. Spent two weeks with honorable cousin.

Well, I think the Cartwrights should be here to meet you.

Hop Sing travel all alone. I go livery stable, I rent horse,

I go back to Ponderosa.

Well, they're gonna be glad to see you.

Two weeks of their own cooking!

- Hop Sing, what can I do for you? - Mr. Jackson,

you have a nice horse for rent for Hop Sing?

Sure thing. This one's all ready to go. Cost you a dollar.

You can bring the horse back whenever it's handy.

He's a good horse? He no buck?

Dan ain't bucked in ten years.

Very good.

Hey, China boy.

You ride a horse pretty good?

Not very good, Mr. Younger, just so-so.

Oh, you know me?

Oh, yes. I... I remember you.

You come to Ponderosa one time with... Mr. Davis.

That's right, I did.

And got shoved off the place.

All set, Hop Sing.

Wait a minute, China boy.

- Answer me a question... - Leave him alone, Emile.

You stay out of this.

You got in my way once before and I had to move you.

You don't want that to happen again.

Now, I have heard that this pigtail gets a China boy into heaven.

- Let's go. Sorry. Let's go now. - Hold on, China boy.

Mr. Younger is talking to you.

What I was wondering...

if that pigtail will get you to heaven, why won't it get me to heaven?

It's about the only way you'd get in, Emile.

- Look at that! Ain't that pretty? - No!

Throw him on the horse, Joe.

We don't need him no more.

Hup! Hup!

Hello, Hoss. Come in to meet your Pa?

No, he won't be back for another month yet.

We came here to see about Hop Sing.

He was supposed to be coming in on yesterday's stage from Sacramento,

- and he ain't showed up. - Hop Sing came in yesterday morning

on the ten o'clock stage.

- You sure about that? - Stood right here and talked to him.

He was going to the livery stable to get a horse and ride out to your place.

- Let's go down to the stable. - Yeah.

Giddy-up!

- Hiya, Tom. - Hi, Joe.

We're looking for Hop Sing.

Didn't he get to the Ponderosa?

- Well, he was here, then? - Yeah, and he left at a dead gallop.

I figured he'd head for home like a scalded cat.

I've been waiting to see what you Cartwrights were gonna do.

What do you mean, Tom?

Emile Younger cut off Hop Sing's pigtail.

- He did what? - He cut off Hop Sing's pigtail.

I tried to stop him, but Younger and Davis, his partner, were together.

So I got slapped sideways is what it amounted to.

- And Emile just went ahead. - He did ride out, though?

Yeah, they put Hop Sing on a horse, booted the horse, and out he went.

I figured he'd headed for home.

But he didn't. He never showed up.

- You know what that's gotta do to him. - Yeah.

At this time, he doesn't know where he's at.

- Tom, thanks. - I'll let you know if I hear anything.

- Sure. - Thanks, Tom.

Do you realize what that pigtail meant to him?

Yeah.

Well, I reckon we ought to split up and go looking for him,

- don't you reckon? - Yeah.

Joe, why don't you take the lake road and I'll take the Beaver Meadow trail.

Candy, you stay on the main road and see if you can find

- any place he pulled off. - Right.

Three hours and we'll meet at the old relay station.

Yeah, good enough.

Joe Whitby told me you sold him Danny for a hundred dollars.

Yep, I sold him.

That buckskin was mine! I raised him from a colt.

You didn't have no right to sell him, no right in the world!

This ain't the best paint in the world,

but I gotta do something to brighten this place up.

He wasn't a ordinary horse. He was a cutting horse.

There ain't a better cutting horse anywhere!

We ain't in the business of raising pets. Man wants a horse,

- I'll sell him a horse. - He wasn't for sale!

He was my own personal property.

Are you gonna quit your whining

or am I gonna have to take you outside and slap some sense into your head?

You ain't got the guts to kill me.

Now go.

Get out of here!

Go! Get.

Hop Sing.

Go away, Little Joe, please.

Hey.

Come on, now, Hop Sing. Nothing's that bad.

It's bad.

It's very bad.

Look, I know how much it meant to you, but...

that's one good thing about hair, it grows again.

It take long... long time.

But you're gonna live a long, long time.

When you're ready for the pearly gates, you're gonna have plenty of hair.

Hair belong to me. Mr. Younger, he take.

He not give back.

- You want it back? - Without hair...

ancestors very unhappy with Hop Sing.

Hop Sing cannot face elders. Lose face.

Hop Sing very shamed.

Come on, now.

Look, I'll make... I'll make you a deal. Get on your horse and ride

to the old relay station at Twin Forks and you wait for Hoss and Candy.

I'll go over to Younger's place and see if I can't get it back for you.

How's that sound?

It sound very good.

- Excuse me, I... - Come on.

Joe.

You come looking for a good horse?

I got horses that'll make your Ponderosa stock look like crowbait.

You like my souvenir?

I think it belongs to a friend of mine.

- You don't say? - Yeah, I do say.

I'm gonna take it back to him.

Not sure how I'm gonna pay you for it.

Hop Sing told us what you were up to.

If you hadn't come along when you did, we was gonna come after you.

I don't need any help with the likes of Younger.

Oh!

There you go.

Thank you, Little Joe. You very good to Hop Sing.

- Forget it. - Hop Sing no forget.

Someday maybe I help you.

All right, you got a deal. Go on, get in the wagon.

What you got on your hand?

Paint. Younger was painting a table. Must have fallen against it.

We had a little discussion before I left his place.

Let's get out of here. Giddy-up!

Cartwright! Hey, Cartwright!

- Whoa! - Wait.

- What do you want, Davis? - Somebody went and killed Emile.

Yeah, hit him on the head with a two-by-four.

He's lying on the floor at our place now, dead.

The two-by-four was fresh painted.

Look, I don't want no trouble. I'll just go get the Sheriff, that's all. Hup!

Joe...

did you hit Younger with a two-by-four?

- What, do you think I killed him? - That ain't what I asked you.

I hit him. I hit him with my fist. Just my fist.

All right.

Well...

he's dead, all right.

I swear, he was lying there when I left, but he was knocked out, that's all.

White paint in his hair, and hair all over this two-by-four,

and handprints all over this. This has got to be what killed him.

I... I never touched that two-by-four. I got the paint on my hand on this table.

Look, this table wasn't like this.

It was lying on the floor, and somebody's painted over it again.

There was a handprint on this table!

Well, unfortunately, little brother...

it ain't there no more.

Here come Roy and Davis.

What are you doing here? I figured you'd be running.

Joe, is it like Davis here told me? Is Younger dead?

Yeah, he's dead all right.

Go ahead, take a look.

There's Emile, like I told you. There's the two-by-four.

See the hand marks on it, the white paint on Emile's hair?

Yeah.

- Joe... you were here? - Yeah, yeah, I was here.

Look, Younger cut off Hop Sing's pigtail.

I came back to get it. We had a fight.

He was lying on the floor when I left, but he was knocked out, that's all.

Did you knock him out with that two-by-four?

No, I didn't touch the two by four.

What about this white paint on your hand?

We were having a fight. I fell back against the table.

- The paint was wet. - That's a lie!

- Sheriff, there ain't no mark... - I know there's no mark on it now,

but there was before!

Joe, I'm gonna ask you straight out.

- Did you kill Emile Younger? - No, I did not.

You were here. You had a reason to have a fight with him.

You admit that you had one.

That two-by-four in there undoubtedly killed him.

And there was a hand mark on the two-by-four

and you have white paint on your hand.

I don't have any choice but to take you in to jail.

Hoss, if you and Davis here'd load the body in the buckboard,

I'd appreciate it.

I'll be right on into town. I'll get the lawyer and telegraph Pa.

Thanks.

I'm also the county prosecutor, with a job to do.

Let me help you by accepting a plea of second-degree murder.

- What? - Well, I don't believe

that the murder was premeditated.

I think it was something that happened in the heat of a fight.

A smaller man defending himself against a bigger man

by whatever means was available.

Look, Sam, I didn't kill Younger. I swear to you, I didn't kill him.

A plea of guilty to second-degree murder

would mean a sentence of ten years in prison.

Thanks!

A conviction of first-degree murder would mean death by hanging.

No!

Now, look, I'm not gonna plead guilty to a murder that somebody else did.

Do you have in mind who the somebody else might be?

What about Davis?

That thought occurred to the Sheriff and me.

Davis was with Mr. and Mrs. Whitby in the presence of their children

when Younger was killed... beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Sam, I did not kill Younger.

I hope you'll get a good attorney to defend your brother.

We got the best, Sam. We got Ed Geltner.

You're gonna need everything he's got...

to keep Joe from the gallows.

Sheriff.

Come on, Joe.

Did you hear anything from your pa yet?

No. Reckon it's a little early yet. Sure wish I could, though.

Sit down, Candy. Have a piece of pie.

Oh, yeah, a piece of pie sounds good.

I go get.

How did Hop Sing get his pigtail back on?

He decided to tie it together. Till he could grow another one.

Ah, thank you, Hop Sing.

Little Joe in jail.

Is all my fault.

Nothing Hop Sing can do to help.

If you wanna help him, buddy, take him a couple of these pies.

The grub in that jail is terrible.

Is a good idea. I go right away. I cook now.

Now that you've had an opportunity to talk to Joe, what do you think?

Well, I don't think your brother's chances look very good.

- But why? He didn't kill Younger. - Are you sure of that?

- What do you mean? - Hoss, the evidence against Joe

is pretty strong. He had the motive, the opportunity, and the paint on his hand

makes it look as though he handled the murder weapon.

Yeah, but he didn't. He told me he didn't, and he don't lie.

Oh, Hoss, when a man's faced with the gallows,

he'll lie himself blue in the face. I'm not saying Joe's a liar...

Excuse please, Mr. Hoss, Mr. Geltner.

I'm not saying Joe's a liar,

but it'll be pretty hard to convince a jury he's not.

Well, what are you gonna do?

Well, I'll salvage what I can. You go on home. I'll see you later.

If you need anything else, Little Joe, you just holler.

- Good morning, honorable Sheriff. - Hello, Hop Sing.

- What have you got there? - It's a pie for Little Joe.

Oh.

Hey, that smells good. You're gonna have to leave it out here, though.

The prosecutor gave me a list of the people that could see Mr. Joe,

and... your name wasn't on it.

Oh? You give to Little Joe, please.

All right, fine. Maybe he'll give me a little piece too.

Oh, you got a nice table.

Oh, that's evidence.

This is the club that killed Emile Younger,

and I'm sorry to say that Little Joe's hand mark's on it, too.

Must see Little Joe.

Now, Hop Sing, I told you I couldn't let you see Little Joe.

Your name ain't on the list.

It is very important.

Doesn't make any difference. The answer is no.

Now, I've got my orders and I'm giving you yours.

You run along and take care of your business and I'll take care of mine.

Can I have paper, pencil, please?

I think the county can afford that, yes.

- Thank you. Thank you so much. - You're welcome, whatever you done.

What do you suppose he's up to?

I don't know. I ain't never seen him that excited before.

He's talking a lot of gibberish.

He's going to explode like one of his firecrackers.

I find! I find!

- What are you talking about? - I find! I find! I find!

- Find what? What? - Little Joe chop on razor.

- What? - Little Joe chop on razor.

Wait a minute. Chop on razor. Is that what you're saying?

- Little Joe is innocent. - Oh, Hop Sing, we know that.

You can prove.

Well, no, we can't prove it. I wish we could.

I prove.

I prove.

You can prove? How?

Chop on stick kill Younger. It's not Little Joe chop.

- Chop belongs somebody else. - What's this?

- Look. - Hop Sing, be careful with that thing.

It's Little Joe razor. Nobody touch razor except Little Joe.

- That's right. - This is Little Joe chop.

Chop... Hop Sing, what are you talking about? What is a chop?

You got chop, I got chop, he got chop.

Everybody got chop. All chop is different.

Look, Hop Sing, just calm down. Now, I know you're all upset

about losing your pigtail and Little Joe being in jail and all,

but this is no time to panic and lose our heads.

Look.

- Look. - That's my thumb mark.

Is that a chop?

That's a chop. Everybody got chop. All the same, is different.

- Now, wait. You lost me again. - Wait, wait, wait. What you're saying

is that Hoss has a chop, I have a chop, you have a chop,

- but they're all different. - That's right.

And you can look at a chop and tell who made it?

- That's right. That's right. - Oh, come on!

- Do you mind if I test you? - Sure. All right.

All right. All right. Come over here.

Close your eyes. Close them.

All right, Hop Sing, come here.

Now, there's two chops here.

You tell me which one's me and which one's Hoss.

Where you going?

This chop... this chop, Mr. Hoss chop.

This chop, your chop.

That's pretty good. How'd you do that?

I copy chop from stick kill Mr. Younger.

Look, Little Joe's chop on razor. Two chop not the same.

What do you think, Hoss?

I'll be darned!

Well, they... they sure are different, ain't they?

Seems that way to me.

D'you know something?

I think old Hop Sing may have something, Candy.

With this information, we can prove...

that that chop, or that mark, on that two-by-four ain't Little Joe's.

And therefore, we can prove his innocence, can't we?

That's right, Hoss.

That's what I say. Chop prove Little Joe is innocent.

Little Joe help Hop Sing. Now Hop Sing help Little Joe.

How'd you get to know all this stuff about chops?

Chinese know about chop long, long time. Thousand year.

Everybody chop is different.

Sign paper with a chop, make pottery, put chop in wet clay,

then everybody know who make the pottery.

- A trademark? - That's right.

Yeah, or a signature.

Everybody born with a chop.

It's his chop all his life. Never change.

Chinese people is very smart.

Know this a long, long time.

Trouble is, nobody else knows it.

How we gonna make them believe it?

That's what we got a good lawyer for.

Well, it's very interesting, but of no practical use to us whatsoever.

Mr. Geltner, you mean...

- you mean we can't use it? - No, we can't.

- I don't understand. Why? - No judge would accept it as evidence.

But why not?

Well, first, there's no scientific proof

to substantiate your cook's claim that every man's thumb mark is different.

Second, there's no legal precedent.

And without precedent, it will not be given serious consideration.

But Mr. Geltner, the Chinese have been using this for over a thousand years.

I mean, their thumb prints on their pottery, they use it like a trademark.

- Ain't that precedent enough? - Not in this country it isn't.

Now, Hoss, your brother's gonna be faced with an American court.

And there's no place there for Chinese superstition.

We're gonna face an American jury, and we gotta give them cold hard facts.

- That ain't cold hard facts enough? - Not in this country, it's not.

Well, that's the only choice we got.

It's the only way we can save Little Joe.

Hoss, in my opinion, the only way we can save Little Joe

is by a plea of guilty to second-degree murder.

Mr. Geltner...

that's ten years in a penitentiary.

Ten years... or the gallows.

It's your choice, Hoss. Which is it gonna be?

I'm not gonna plead guilty to something I didn't do.

I know. I told Geltner that. And I told him I didn't blame you a whole lot.

He says it's either that, take ten years, or...

or hang.

Yeah, well, it's not gonna be either one.

He ain't gonna have nothing to do with Hop Sing's chops or finger marks.

He says if you don't plead guilty to the second-degree charge...

he won't even take the case.

Well, we'll get another lawyer, then.

No, Joe, that... that ain't gonna work either.

I've talked to Mr. Williams and Mr. Thomas both.

They feel the same way about it Mr. Geltner does.

All right, then, you handle it.

- Oh, you ain't serious. - Oh, yes, I am.

But Joe, I... I don't know nothing about being a lawyer.

That doesn't make any difference.

I'd rather have you handling it and believing in me

than have the best lawyer in town that thinks I'm guilty.

Oh, Joe, you'd be putting your money on a lame horse.

It's my money.

It's my neck, rather.

Look... let me go back over and talk to Geltner one more time.

Maybe I can do something. I'll see you later.

Right.

Come in.

- Oh, hello, Hoss. - Howdy, Mr. Geltner.

Sit down.

Just over at the jail talking to Little Joe.

- Yeah? - Well, you know how Little Joe is.

He's...

Well, he's sort of...

Well, he's hard-headed is what he is.

Yes, I know.

Well, he's bound and determined that he ain't gonna plead guilty

to something he didn't do. And I don't blame him a whole lot.

So I came back to ask you one more time

if you wouldn't plead his case innocent,

and do what you could with Hop Sing's

thumb marks or chops, or whatever he calls them.

No, Hoss, I won't. Because it won't work.

And that's my considered opinion as a pretty fair country lawyer.

Yes, sir. Well, had to ask you anyhow, didn't I?

I reckon under the circumstances, Mr. Geltner,

that you can consider yourself relieved of any responsibility.

I'll... I'll be doing his lawyering from here on out.

But Hoss, you're not qualified.

- Yes, sir, I know. - Look...

as your brother's lawyer, and as a friend of the family's,

I'm gonna insist that you let me plead this case.

Mr. Geltner, I don't reckon insisting's gonna do a lot of good,

unless you decide you wanna play it our way. Thanks, anyhow.

- Hoss. - Yes, sir?

I won't play it your way...

but I will be at the defense table to offer a word of advice now and then.

Thanks. You know, I got a funny notion

that some of that advice I'm gonna be needing a bunch of.

Thanks.

The case of the people versus Joseph Cartwright.

The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.

The record shows the defendant has entered a plea of not guilty

to a charge of first-degree murder.

I understand the defense would like to change that plea.

No, sir.

Your Honor, the defense will continue the plea of not guilty.

Who are you? And what part are you gonna play in this trial?

Well, I'm... I'm Joe's brother and I'll be acting in his defense,

if it's all right with you, sir.

It's all right with me, and I presume it's all right with the defendant.

Mr. Geltner, are you withdrawn from the case?

No, Your Honor, I'm acting in an advisory capacity.

All very irregular. However, Mr. Gordon, would you please begin?

I call Dr. Bliss.

He was killed by a blow from a blunt instrument.

Emile was dead on the floor, white paint on his hair,

and this here club lying right beside him.

No, sir, there wasn't any smear on that table.

It was clean painted, just like it is here.

Thank you, Sheriff. You may step down.

Your Honor... the people rest.

Mr. Cartwright, you may now begin.

Your Honor, I'd like to get our cook up here, Hop Sing, if I could.

Come on up, Hop Sing.

Hop Sing, you understand the meaning of the oath?

Yes, sir, Judge. Hop Sing is a very good Baptist.

I promise to say the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,

so help me God. I do.

Now, Hop Sing, these little lines

that all of us have on our thumbs and fingers... See them little lines?

- What do you call them, Hop Sing? - It's called finger ridge.

- Finger ridge or a thumb ridge, right? - Yes, sir.

Now, look here, if I was to pick up this two-by-four

while the paint was still wet on it, and leave a mark there

where my thumb and fingers all touched it, what would you call that?

- It's called chop. - Chop.

Now, if you were to pick it up while it was still wet,

and you left a mark on it, would it be exactly like mine?

No, Mr. Hoss, all chop is different.

All chops are different.

Your Honor, what's the point of all this?

I was about to ask the same question.

Well, Your Honor, if I can prove that everybody leaves a different mark

when they touch something, what Hop Sing calls a chop,

then I can prove that the mark or the chop on this two-by-four

was not made by my little brother.

Therefore, he never touched the murder weapon. Right?

We can't accept this testimony.

There's no proof that everybody leaves a different mark. There's no precedent.

Your Honor, it's been explained to me

that the Chinese have known about these marks for centuries.

They've been used as signatures,

as identifying marks on such objects as pottery...

- It's true. - I suggest this is precedent enough.

I object. Chinese beliefs, practices, superstitions...

have no place in an American court of law.

Let me remind you that a man is on trial here for his life.

This court, and I trust, the prosecution,

will listen to any evidence that may have a bearing on the final verdict.

Can you prove this theory, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, that's what I was aiming to do, Your Honor.

Go right ahead.

Candy, bring that package up here.

Now, then.

Gentlemen, here is a clean piece of glass. It's been wiped off.

There's not a mark on it.

You'll notice your names up there. I want you to take your right thumb,

and put your thumb mark right above each of your names.

And, Ed, I'll show you yours.

Right there on the corner, Ed.

Right there in the middle, Bill.

- There you are, Hoss. - Right.

- May I examine that, please? - Yes, sir.

Don't put any marks on it, or smudge any of those that are already on it.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I had no intention of interfering with this demonstration of...

oriental abracadabra.

Now, Hop Sing, we'll blindfold you.

If you'd like to examine this.

No, that's perfectly all right.

OK.

Now then. I'd like one of you fellas to put your right thumb print on this.

- Your Honor, I object. - No, that's all right, Mr. Geltner.

That's all right. See what Hop Sing will do with it.

Now, Hop Sing...

examine that thumb print on that mirror...

and tell me who it belongs to.

This is gonna make it tougher.

Haven't you ever gambled?

Not when there's a man's life at stake.

Chop on mirror is not belong to jury.

Chop on mirror is belong to Mr. Gordon.

I protest. This is a trick.

Mr. Cartwright signaled Hop Sing in some way.

Well, my chop, my mark, wasn't even on that pane of glass.

Oh, I beg your pardon, Mr. Gordon.

You remember when you took the glass from me?

I told you not to, but you did. You put a mark on it.

Whether you know it or not, you put one on there.

You oughta get yourself a good lawyer.

Your Honor...

gentlemen of the jury,

Mr. Gordon had no more idea that he was putting an identifiable mark

on that glass or that mirror when he did

than the murderer of Emile Younger knew

that he was putting an identifiable mark on this weapon.

This weapon of murder.

Now, Your Honor,

all I have to do

is prove to you

and these men here in this jury...

that that mark on the murder weapon

is not that of my little brother. Joseph.

Here, Joseph, put a thumb print on there.

Go ahead and put both of them on there.

Mr. Hoss.

Are you sure?

Your Honor...

I don't know how to go about this.

Don't know what the rules and regulations are,

but I'd like to have Mr. Jackson take the stand.

I object.

Mr. Gordon, will you approach the bench?

Mr. Jackson, step over here and be sworn.

Hop Sing, go out there and take my chair, will you?

Mr. Jackson...

you used to own that Younger-Davis property, didn't you?

And then Younger sort of beat you out of it?

- No, I never felt that. - As a matter of fact,

you've been holding a grudge against him ever since, haven't you?

No, I never held any grudge.

Mr. Jackson, the other day when you told us,

Joe and Candy and me,

that Younger had cut off Hop Sing's pigtail,

didn't you know that was gonna make trouble? I mean, big and bad trouble?

I didn't think it would cause any real trouble.

Didn't you go out there

- to make sure Younger... - I didn't go out there!

You waited until you saw Little Joe come out, then you went in.

- Oh, no, I never went in. - Oh, you didn't go in?

You found him unconscious, picked up this two-by-four,

- and you beat him to death with it, - No, I didn't!

Then you painted over Joe's handprints on the table.

- No! No, I didn't. - Hop Sing?

Mr. Hoss?

Will you stand and tell this court, this judge and jury,

exactly what you told me a moment ago?

Chop on club same as chop of Mr. Jackson.

Oh, no. No. No. No.

No! No!

Jackson, you behave yourself!

You will hold Mr. Jackson until charges can be brought against him.

Come on, Jackson.

I declare this a mistrial.

The defendant, Joseph Cartwright, is released on his own recognizance,

pending a new hearing. This court is adjourned.

You did it! Brother, thank you!

Joe, I'm glad we got the right man.

So am I.

It's been a memorable homecoming. What I'm particularly proud of

is the way everybody handled themselves, and especially you, Hop Sing.

I just don't know how we can thank you.

Is all the same, Mr. Cartwright. Is not necessary.

Hey, here we go, Hop Sing. Take a look at that.

We cooked them up special to show our appreciation.

- Here we go. - Thank you.

- Grab a couple of these. - Dig right into that.

- What's the matter? - What's the matter?

I save your life.

You try to kill me?

You keep your chop off my chop.

You punch a cow, Hop Sing cook. All right? Huh!