All language subtitles for Gunsmoke.S19E10.Lynch.Town.720p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-DarkSaber_iris2_track3_[und]

ANNOUNCER: "Gunsmoke," with
Milburn Stone as Doc, Amanda

Blake as Kitty, Ken
Curtis as Festus,

Buck Taylor as
Newly, and starring

James Arness as Matt Dillon.

CLYDE: You cheated me!

Nobody's gonna slip card me.

WOMAN: Now, Clyde,
you stay there.

CLYDE: Get your hands
off me, you old sow.

I'm gonna leave here when I get
my $4 back from that thieving

dealer over there!

MAN: How do you wanna
leave here, friend?

Walking on your feet or
crawling on your belly?

WOMAN: Don't even ask.
Just throw him out.

Get outta here!

Hold it, hold it!
What's the problem here?

Why you!

Simmer down!

Ah, he was nickel and
diming the gaming tables.

Eating his weight in free lunch.

I was cheated!

That skinny dealer
in there cheated me.

She gave him the
eye to bottom deal

me just as my luck was running!

You're the one that had the
argument with the storekeeper

yesterday.

I told you then to
stay out of town.

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

And I ain't gonna get outta
nowhere till that sorry excuse

for a female coughs up my $4!

You ain't gonna--

Simmer down!

Stinking, crooked town
won't do right by you, 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, honey.

One more word out
of you, and you're

gonna spend the rest of the
summer on the county road gang.

Now, get.

Now!

Come on, Jake.

Now, Jake, there ain't
no sense in doing

road all summer at $0.10 a day.

Took me a whole
week to earn that $4.

A whole week.

You oughta be getting
some sleep, Jake.

It'll be light soon.

You still figuring on
going down to Attatown

to see if they need
any cotton hands?

Law, it 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.

You get somebody
to eat in town, boy?

Yeah, 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 wearing it when they

threw you out of the saloon.

I took it off just before I
sit down at that card table.

Well, we'll be fair
warm heading south.

I left it hanging
back there on a hook.

Hey, wait a minute, Jake.

That damn coat ain't worth it.

If that sheriff sees you
coming 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?

[glass shatters]

You all right?

[screaming]

Who was that screaming?

Jareth.

Jareth, he's dead.

I didn't do it.

Doc.

You're up kind of
early, ain't you?

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

You know, someday
I'm gonna figure out

why babies always
decide to get born just

as I'm getting ready for bed.

Where you heading for?

I gotta go to Kingville.

I got a wire from
the Sheriff up there.

There's been a murder,
and people are getting

all stirred up, I guess.

Do you think
you'll be gone long?

Not long.

Come on, Matthew.

Take care of yourself
now, you hear me?

Doc, you remember them
pills you went and sold me

to ease the twinges in my knee?

Sold 'em?

I gave 'em to you,
a 30 day supply.

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

Only supposed to take
one after each meal.

What's the matter with you?

Well, that's exactly
what I done, Doc.

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

No, I don't see.

Why, it was like yesterday,
with Burke having coffee

and cinnamon rolls with him,
and then some breakfast, eggs,

and bacon, and biscuit,
and gravy with old Sam,

and then Ma Smalley,
just when I was fixing

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
something in my knee,

Doc, but now I got these here
twitches in my head, just--

Oh, well, there's nothing
to worry about there.

That just means that
you're non compos mentis.

Oh.

What that means is that
you've got a positive, ironclad

guarantee, Festus,
that you will never

die of overexercising your
cerebral processes, you see?

Oh, that's good.

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

He's locked up.

What for?

He's charged with murder.

You can go in and see him.

Go ahead.

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 getting my coat.

Seen Cate moving around
the office, stumbling

like she's drunk or something.

She fell.

Hit her head, I guess.
I don't know.

It was a lot of blood.

I never touched her.

That safe was open.

There was all that
money, and I took it.

And they caught you with it.

Just wanted to get my coat.

Kid, you know where
Elbow Creek is?

Sure, it's where Jake and me
spend the day cleaning livery.

Look, Sheriff, Jake
never killed nobody.

That's up to the
circuit judge to decide.

You talking about that
old drunk that gave

me 10 days up in Quartz Town?

Judge Warfield is due
at Elbow Creek today

to officially open
some homestead land.

And I want you to tell him
we need him here at Kingville

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?

Found out I sent a
wire to the nearest

US marshal, Matt
Dillon at Dodge City.

What do you need him for?

I'm guessing 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
Ritter 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 openly 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.

Come on, Judge.

The town was getting awful
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 you,

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

I'm beginning to remember
that loudmouth father

of yours striking my
bailiff in Quartz Town.

I see you have inherited
some of his manners.

Look, Judge, Jake is
always arguing with people,

but he wouldn't hit no woman.

I mean, he's yelling
all the time,

but it doesn't mean anything!

Cate had many friends
throughout the county.

You tell Sheriff Ritter that I
think the trial should be held

well out of the county itself.

I'll see that papers are
forwarded to any town

that he or Marshal
Dillon selects.

But there shouldn't
be no trial!

Jake couldn't kill
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
nothing, you drunken sod!

You whelp!

Come back here, you brat!

I'll--

Marshal, thanks for coming in.

Things quiet down in Kingville.

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

What does that mean?

They said they had a
citizens' court to try

to Jake Fielder, the boy's pa.

All right.

Get Warfield sobered up
and get him 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.

Jake's 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.

Whenever 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 talking 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 ran into a
dozen men like Mr. King before.

The whole world jumps
when they want it to.

Miss Nolan, you
say you came down

here 4 o'clock this morning?

No more than a minute each way.

And Cate was dressed?

Yes, sir.

Anybody else been in 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 the saloon close up?

Midnight, sir.

You came down here 4
o'clock in the morning?

What are you, an early riser?

No, sir.

I mean, I kind of had a
restless night, like they say.

Wind keeping me awake, I guess.

Come down to make
myself some coffee.

Was Cate a heavy drinker?

Heavy?

Oh no, sir.

Cate never touched
a drop in her life.

Least wise not that
I ever knew of.

Thank you, Miss.

You could have
denied his request.

You could have ruled
that Fielder killed her,

and that would have been it.

Such a denial and
ruling would imply

an inquest had been duly held.

Dillon would have challenged it.

And what in hell ever
prompted you to bring 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.

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
into some kind of order.

Now, some hotheads 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
man who did it, so it's open

and shut that unknown
persons-- outsiders,

we'll call them-- did it.

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

The inquest that
Marshal Dillon requests

is a hearing into Cate's
death, not Jake Fielder's.

Cate's death?

But Jake Fielder killed her.

He was arrested and
being held for trial.

It's the legality of
his death the Marshal

ought to be concerned with.

You must follow his
logic, Mr. King.

If the inquest verdict
in Cate's death

reads that she was killed at
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,
just a slightly twisted but not

too painfully out of joint.

But if the verdict
in Cate's death

is that she was killed 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.

All right.

Warfield, tomorrow morning,
you're going to open and close

that hearing within an hour.

Jake Fielder killed
Cate Gear, and he

did it beyond a question.

That Marshal goes back to Dodge
with nothing to hold him here,

because just as
you said, nobody's

gonna care about
a killer who died

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.

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, there's that boy
staying, Fielder's son?

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

Better bring him into town.

I don't want it to look
like the people of this town

don't care about the orphan of
a man that got himself hanged.

In fact, he can stay right here.

That insulting
brat here with me?

I don't want him
stirring things up.

Just keep him here quiet.

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

You know, I got a hunch it
shouldn't be too hard to prove

that Jake Fielder should
have been a swinger

from a rope years ago, Ritter.

Oh, and Your Honor, if you
have so much as a nickel beer

before this inquest is over--

[knocking on door]

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.

And you had to be
told to eat everything?

I mean one doesn't waste food.

Oh, that works out OK too.

People waste it.

I mean, Jake and me used to
do pretty good in the garbage

cans around
high-falooting places.

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

Somebody spit tobacco
juice over it,

but we just cleaned it
off 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.

Oh, you mean they
pay for all this,

and then you kind of
do 'em a favor back?

That's not what I said.

Jake used to call it one
hand washing the other.

That's why the fella on the
bottom kept getting 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?

Soon as she had me.

Who raised you?

Always been with Jake.

Them law books?

They are.

Always wanted to
read a law book,

ever since the time
they stuck Jake

and me in a Kansas City jail.

What was the offense?

We didn't have $10.

They said it wasn't allowed.

I always wondered if
somebody wrote that down, you

don't have $10, you go to jail.

It's called vagrancy.

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

Here's a mouthful.

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 around for me.

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 doing all right

with them shipping charges.

You know, you had 2%
to the nearest dollar

they said for shipping charges.

But everything in the
catalog was in 98.

You know, 1.98, 3.98, 6.98.

I finally figured
out that a fellow

was paying 2% shipping
charges on $0.02

sense he never even paid.

Which obviously stood
you in good stead.

Are you finished eating?

Well, can I-- 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 the
mail order catalog.

Hey, Judge, I was
figuring 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 I just don't know about it.

Take your bath!

It was awful early in the
morning about 4 o'clock.

And I was sleeping, and I heard
some screaming that woke me up.

And I-- well, I grabbed
my gun, and I ran outside.

And he was coming out of Cate's,
and I bumped right into him.

Well, he told me then that
Cate was drunk and staggering.

And she was holding
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 Cate

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 hollering 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 out of 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
Nolan to the chair.

Just-- just the shock of it.

I kept screaming.

You were also present at
the time Jake Fielder made

threatening remarks to Cate?

Yes, sir.

He was powerful mad, I tell you.

You may step down, Miss
Nolan, unless Marshal

has further questions.

Miss Nolan, you say
that Cate was fully

dressed when you found her.

Yes, sir.

Was she always in
the habit of being

dressed that late at night?

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 can only
delay these proceedings.

But, Your Honor, it seems to
me that if Miss Gear 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 Cate's personal life?

Well, this young lady has
just told me that Cate 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 any.

You know, Miss Nolan,
you've been pretty nervous

during these proceedings.

Could it be because you're not
telling us something you know?

Why--

Miss Nolan, are you aware
of the severe penalty

for obstructing justice?

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

Well, them maybe you'd
better tell us what

it was that you didn't see.

Well, I heard a noise
downstairs about 2:30.

And I come down, and I saw
the light on in Cate's office.

And I heard her
screaming and hollering,

telling 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-- I didn't even see Cate.

And she wasn't using anybody's
name with all this hollering?

No, sir.

She was just-- she was just
hollering at him to get out.

Miss Nolan, I--
I think maybe you

got a pretty good idea
who was in that office,

even if you didn't see him.

Maybe that's why
you're so nervous.

Marshal, this is
pure speculation.

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

You may step down, Miss Nolan.

It is my finding after listening
to all of the witnesses

at this inquest that Cate
Gear died at the hands--

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

at Cate'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, would you
please-- since we're

going to be crossing all
the T's and dotting all the

I's, I think that
Jake Fielder's son

here ought to be questioned.

Why, certainly nobody else
can 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 to 1 o'clock.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Mr. Hart.

There's a witness
chair waiting for you.

Marshal, I-- I was
just gonna ride out

to my-- to my sister's place.

I got word she wasn't
feeling 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 feeling that bad.

Let's go.

Where did you pick up
that disgusting habit?

What?

Get rid of that
cut in your mouth.

You've had the
upbringing of an animal.

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

yelling 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 slyer,

better thieving than everybody
else, or you get left out.

And that philosopher placed
him at the end of a rope.

Well, and Jake was
stupid, all right.

I resent your
insulting your father.

I'm not insulting him.

I'm just saying the truth.

How in the world did
he put up with you?

Didn't, I guess.

Always fighting, 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 were together.

That's all.

Like two fellas going in the
same direction and no reason

to be together, no
reason not to be.

What a pair.

Look, Judge, I know you gotta
say Jake killed 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
something 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 lawbooks.

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-- the way

you look at people,
and-- and they

like you, 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 you.

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

Just being liked.

People seeing something,
sorta knowing you

wanna be kind, sorta
knowing 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.

The 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-- I notice you keep
referring to your father

by his given name.

A given name means his first
name as opposed to your calling

him--

I know what it means.

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 out
of 10 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 assault
and finally murder.

Oh, I guess it's pretty
clear what kind of a man

Jake Fielder was.

How old are you, boy?

16.

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 Tucson

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

Picked the pocket of a
driver when we needed

train fare to Abbeyville.

And I remember once
when I was sick,

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

Was your 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 has

this got to do with anything?

I'll handle this
hearing, Mr. King.

About those beatings?

Plenty of times.

I already told you once.

He beat 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 running away.

Took firewood to
my back that time.

Near broke it.

And he never loved you?

Jake?

I told you 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 beat
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
beat 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 clothe 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.

It 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.

[sobbing]

Jake.

It's like I told
everybody already.

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

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 must have
forgot, I guess.

How much money did the
bar make over the weekend?

$300, maybe.

DILLON: And what about
the gaming tables?

I don't know about that.

DILLON: 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.

Cate 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?

Cate 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.

According to those
vouchers, over $1,500

was made at the tables
on that weekend.

Are you still gonna tell me that
Cate 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 you?

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

That--

Well, who did she
get it for, then?

She doesn't drink yourself.

Marshal, you're asking
tricky questions.

Nothing tricky about it.

But I'd advise you
to think pretty

carefully before you answer.

Them reporters are writing
all this down, Mr. King.

I got a wife and two boys.

I don't want 'em to think
I'd done nothing wrong.

You're right, Marshal.

We-- we was there, all right.

But nobody done nothing to Cate.

Who's we?

Mr-- Mr. King and-- and me.

Mr. King and-- and
Cate was arguing.

Seems as Cate was trying to
hold out some money on him,

and suddenly Cate
just up and slapped

Mr. King across 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 Cate in the saloon?

Well, Cate got all the money
from the bar, but-- but all

the money from the gaming
tables and all the rest,

well, that-- that
went to Mr. King.

Cate had to pay him every month
in order to stay in business.

But Cate was
alive when we left.

Isn't that true?
-Oh yes, sir.

That-- that's right.

She was.

She hit her head
on the wood box,

but it didn't appear to
be nothing wrong with her.

She was just cussing
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'd done.

Couldn't say nothing
to nobody about it,

because it just wouldn't
look right for nobody

to know that Mr. King was making
money off of Cate's place.

But nobody done nothing wrong.

No, nothing except leaving
an injured woman lying

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 Cate Gear was
alive when we left.

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 killed her!

Any other questions, Marshal?

No, Your Honor, but I
do have an observation.

Now, nobody actually saw
Jake Fielder kill Cate Gear.

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 her staggering
around the office,

and then 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,

Cate Gear was alive
when last seen,

I hereby rule that the evidence
presented indicates that she

died at the hands
of-- I hereby rule

that Cate died 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.

The people who did this terrible
deed will have to live with

their personal guilt.
However, there were

many invisible
hands on that rope,

Sheriff Ritter'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 condones murder.

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 judgement,

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 was based upon.

Sheriff Ritter 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 died

at the hands of misfortune.

There are those who
will say when they've

read the reporter's
comments that no justice has

been done here.

I disagree.

Lynch towns cannot survive.

They inevitably wither
into the obscurity

they've so justly earned.

We need no predictions
from a gutter drunk.

That's 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 is adjourned.

Well, what 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
[inaudible], Nebraska?

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.

Thinking of going back?

I'm a bit more patient now.

I suppose the
town's grown a lot.

I wouldn't be surprised
that I'd need a law clerk.

What's a law clerk do?

Well, 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.

[inaudible], boy.

I'll tolerate none
of your impudence and

your disreputable appearance.

ANNOUNCER: Stay tuned
for exciting scenes

from our next "Gunsmoke."

[theme music]