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August 4, 2025 • 19 mins
Gunsmoke was a beloved American radio Western drama series centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillon, played by William Conrad. The program aired from 1952 to 1961 and is widely considered one of the greatest western series ever produced for radio or television. It was gritty, featuring tough and sometimes very violent subject matter. Gunsmoke is a treasured classic that left a permanent mark of the history of radio and westerns.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Around Dodd City and in the territory on West. There
is just one way to handle the killers of the spoilers.
And that's where the US Marshal and the smell of
guns smoke. Starry William Conrad the story of the violence

(00:43):
that moved west with young America, and the story of
a man who moved with it.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
I'm that man, Matt dyllon United States Marshall. The first
man they look for, and the less they want to meet.
It's a chance the job, and it makes them unwatchful,
a little lone man math.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
I sure like to meet whoever's running the kitchen in
this place.

Speaker 4 (01:22):
Oh, a cook that can make antelope stew tastes like
Perrie dog.

Speaker 5 (01:27):
Gotta be something to see.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
No, it's not.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
You're forgetting it. Don't half that bowl of chili PEPs.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
In yours, you spoiled Kitty Dodges in Saint Louis.

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Saint Louis, I was there six months, four years ago.
We're reading school, well that's what they call it.

Speaker 6 (01:57):
And then I went to bed. No, I was up
on Aunt Kenny, out of the brand place.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Oh, miss Blad, have a baby.

Speaker 6 (02:06):
That's a boy, that's five. I've delivered out there.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
It seems to me it's about time they gave you one.

Speaker 6 (02:12):
No no thanks.

Speaker 4 (02:13):
I've got enough trouble all by myself, and I'll turn
this up. Man, it's got so I'm.

Speaker 6 (02:18):
Afraid to be driving under the prairie at all.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
No end him.

Speaker 6 (02:23):
I ran into Sam Butler just outside there. He drove
in with his whole family and all his belongings loaded
onto his weg.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
He says. He's quick.

Speaker 4 (02:31):
Why pawnees wiped out another family up near his place
on the Smoking Hill River.

Speaker 6 (02:36):
A couple of days ago.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
That's the second raid in the last two weeks. I
wonder he's scared.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
Maybe he's telling everyone who listened that it's a shameful
thing for the law to be hiding out in Dodge
City while whole family is being slaughtered in the country.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
He is, I thought you'd like to know, uh, he
said with Kenny Doc, I'm gonna go have a talk
with Sam, but for sure, see you both. Leader.

Speaker 6 (03:12):
I'm saying doesn't matter. Stands out there and exclusive his
family said with the savage, this is crazy.

Speaker 4 (03:18):
You can't fight a Ponty Walk party all by yourself,
and we shouldn't get.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
No help from a law around here.

Speaker 6 (03:24):
We can die runs for all along here, right.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, I lost time.

Speaker 6 (03:30):
Well, where have you been hiding, Marshall?

Speaker 2 (03:33):
I have the pawnees made another raid up near you?

Speaker 6 (03:36):
If you're call shooting and scalping a man and his
wife and their two boys a raid. Those men never
had a chance to fight for as I.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
See, man, the boys were coming on fourteen or fifteen,
hold up to handle the rifle, but they got caught outside.

Speaker 7 (03:50):
They never even made the house.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Never made the house.

Speaker 6 (03:53):
I've seen him with my own eye, as Marshall, And
if you've seen him, you'd be doing something about it
instead of sitting around here and died.

Speaker 7 (03:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
I'm not hired to fight Indians, Sam, That's the army's job.
And you ought to be out helping army.

Speaker 8 (04:06):
A long man in the country.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Army doesn't need help. But there's something strange about those parties.
What's strange about him? He's killed right men before and
they got right up there and look around. I'm sorry
you're quitting, Sam. We need settlers out here, not dead ones.
You don't, Oh, that's right, not dead ones. Chester And

(04:42):
I left Dodge that afternoon and taught even in the
next day, we run across a troop of cavalry camped
on the Smoky Hill River and commanded by a young
officer who was new to this part of the country,
Captain Star. He was anxious to make a success of
his first expedition so far he had seen an Indian.
I decided to stay with him for a while. I'm

(05:04):
glad I did. The next afternoon, while we were on
the march, the scouts reported another settler's cabin burn, the
family killed. At my request, Captain Star filed his troop
bottom patrols while he and Chester and I rode forward
to the scene of the swatter family.

Speaker 7 (05:28):
Man and wife and her boy.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Look over their Chester against the water barrel.

Speaker 7 (05:36):
My it's the little girl.

Speaker 9 (05:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
They scalped him, every one of.

Speaker 7 (05:55):
Them, even that little girl. The even scalp or.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
At least they didn't torture them. Did they torture the
other family? Captain No, they didn't marshal them. They shot
them just like this, scalped them. Where you're going, Marshall?
What is it, Captain stime? Last night she told me

(06:20):
this is your first tour of duty in the Indian country.
That's right, Marshall, take a look around, Captain, I have
all right. All three of these settler families were killed
in the open outside their cabins. Now does that mean
anything to you? Well, I guess the pawnees a bribed them,
and they should. There are not many arrows around. These people.
Had had a chance to put up a fight, there'd

(06:42):
be a lot of arrows. But they were shot marshal
with rifles. At the ground, Captain, there are no tracks.
Every sign of the track's been dragged out with a blanket.
That's you're right, I had noticed them. There's one other
thing you hadn't noticed, or maybe you don't know about.
What's that? That boy there, how would you say? Was

(07:02):
all about the same age as the boys at the
last place, maybe twelve thirteen, a captain, that's old enough
to be a brave in a couple of years. If
he was a pawnee, Now what do you mean if
he was a pony? They usually keep a boy that age.
They don't kill him, They take him and try to
make a brave out of them. Oh, oh, I didn't
know that.

Speaker 7 (07:22):
You don't think it was pawnees that done this?

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Miss John, No, I don't trust him. And where moccuss
doesn't care about his tracks. He's got nothing to hide.
I'm afraid I don't understand. But it wasn't Pawnees that
did this, Captain, wasn't Indians at all. It was a
white man. Marsha Gillam. Yeah, no white man would shoot

(07:49):
the little girl over there. And then the scalper, Captain.
That you ever hear what Chivington did the the Shai
ends at sand Creek, Kellen scalp them all. He said,
big and little nets make life. I'm gress has repudiated
that whole of them are Life still happened, Captain, And
there was still a white man that did it. Yes,
I suppose you're right, I'm right. But why would they

(08:12):
do with there was horses see that corrala Manmissa had
six seven head of horses. Yeah, the other settlers just too.
They stole the horses in prevate, whatever they could find
in the cabins. And right now they're sitting around camp somewhere,
drinking coffee and laughing at all of us Indian hunters.

(08:32):
I'll find them a big country, Captain. I've got a
trip of cavalry out there, Marshall, over one hundred men
all right, suppose you do find some riders with a
bunch of horses. How are you going to know that
the men you're after those horses at Brandon aren't thinking
what brands? I don't know, but they must be registered somewhere. Yeah,
they'd be. Well, you're finding all that out. Some of
the families are going to be swatted. No, Captain, there
isn't time. I didn't realize how new I am at

(08:58):
this game. Marshall. What would you suggest? Well, there uh
used to be a corral about five miles up river
from here. Still stand there. We'll bait it with a
couple of dozen had a good cavalry horses, and they'll

(09:19):
come to us. But I do it, and I'll have
my troop deployed and ready to move in. Now that
wouldn't work, Captain. You can't hide a hundred men. You'll
have to keep your cavalry clear aware. But how can
be Shastra and I'll be there.

Speaker 5 (09:31):
We'll we'll wait for him, you know, a little dam

(09:54):
green branches.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
I will drum on the fire chest, tell us have
someone smoke.

Speaker 5 (10:01):
Yeah, I'll do it this morning.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Out to say that if they're anywhere, that's side of
the rocky mountains, and.

Speaker 7 (10:07):
They're sure to be scotting around things go enough forces
to leave the country.

Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yet besides, they're feeling mighty sick.

Speaker 7 (10:16):
It's doing Yeah, I've been thinking it's.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
Doing that will make you a rich tester, not thinking.

Speaker 7 (10:23):
I don't care as much about being rich. Is going
on living?

Speaker 2 (10:26):
What's bothering you? Oh?

Speaker 5 (10:28):
So there's going to us.

Speaker 7 (10:29):
I'm wondering how many they are them?

Speaker 2 (10:32):
You want to go back and find the cavalry.

Speaker 7 (10:34):
You didn't ask my questions, John, I mean you think
we're waiting.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
For there's no way of telling them, whether there's a.

Speaker 7 (10:41):
Whole passle of them, how the ruld are.

Speaker 5 (10:43):
We gonna take them?

Speaker 2 (10:45):
I don't really care how we take them.

Speaker 7 (10:47):
Just you're pretty mad.

Speaker 2 (10:49):
He just I just can't get that little girl out
of my mind.

Speaker 7 (10:55):
Because somebody, no loon, get someone cowboy probably maybe, Yeah,
sure you've seen smoke my fire. Now he's wondering what
that old crowd doing full of horses.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
He might be scotting it for the others. Those men
don't take any chances. We don't find out. Maybe be
warmped it's too late, you heat up some coffee for him.
Trust him. I think I'll have a coup of that too,
All right, horn, if you get on a stranger, we'll

(11:34):
have some hot coffee up in a minute. What time
my horse here? Sure he was some coffee. I missed
dry cat last night. You couldn't have been very far away.
Why didn't you ride on down to the river here,
I'll tell you why mist was lost?

Speaker 7 (11:53):
Rode till after dark.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
I lost your horse could have found it for you,
or maybe my horse ain't smart as yours. No offense
said on Chester's bringing the coffee now and then sitting
all morning?

Speaker 7 (12:08):
Mister, we got no sugar.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
You've been traveling pretty lighting?

Speaker 7 (12:15):
What do you mean music?

Speaker 2 (12:17):
You know? You know him? Horse right? A big removed,
no wagon much grub. I can see they were driving
those horses to Cheyenne, and only two of us. We
couldn't handle a wagon and the hurt. Oh only two?
Oh uh, I'm drifting, mister. Maybe you could use another

(12:38):
hand that maybe where you're from, Dakota Territory the name
of Lee's staff. And I'd sure like to see Cheyenne.

Speaker 7 (12:47):
I've never been there.

Speaker 2 (12:49):
Why don't you ride up there alone? At the beach chasing,
I heard of horses all the way, Yeah, broke, mister,
I wouldn't have much of a party in Cheyenne Broke,
would I? And I'll guess you would.

Speaker 1 (13:01):
I'm a good hand.

Speaker 2 (13:04):
I'll work cheap.

Speaker 6 (13:07):
How about it.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
Your good hand? Yeah, sure of course, mister, I wouldn't
hire you the herd sheep. Well, you said you made
a dry camp last night. How come you tie your
horse up without water? And while you stand here slapping
up coffee? It's my horse, ain't it? Yeah? Sure? How's
the coffee? The coffee? Said? Any?

Speaker 7 (13:31):
Good? For sure?

Speaker 2 (13:33):
Sure I have some more of it? Yes, sir, here
catches gone. I gonna get some rope, will tie hi
up while he's still out.

Speaker 5 (13:47):
Mister you sure he ain't just cowboy like you said?

Speaker 2 (13:50):
I was pretty sure, Chester, but this made me real
sure it was sticking out of his pocket.

Speaker 7 (14:01):
I'll get the rope, and we are hanging with him.

Speaker 2 (14:17):
See anything got, yester?

Speaker 7 (14:18):
Be some dust on my way, said the righteous way.
I reckon maybe half a dozen riders.

Speaker 2 (14:25):
Your friends don't take many chances, do they stay? There?
Ain't no friends of mine. I'll tell them that when
they get here. You better turn me loose.

Speaker 6 (14:33):
You ain't gonna tell nobody.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
No, you mean they won't like it. You're being all
tied up that way.

Speaker 7 (14:38):
I mean you ain't got a trance Marshall. I know
you bout rymes. How are we gonna fight six man?

Speaker 2 (14:44):
I've been thinking, Chester, but.

Speaker 7 (14:45):
We can't stand up to six man. We wouldn't have
a chance.

Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh we wouldn't. I'm gonna do something I ever did
before in my life. What get your bandana and fixed
steps so he can't talk? Good? Well, I ain't gonna
do you no good. You shut up and get on
your feet. Yeah, on your feet, sack. Come on, get
our rifles. Chester, turn around that out to keep you quiet?

(15:14):
Set right now? Walk get right a fact, you get
down behind that log over there. Chester, I'm gonna keep
stap with me right here, all right, step right down.
Won't you make any noise? I'll but your skulls so
help me and I'll go online now okay, Chester's I

(15:41):
keep the son out your rifle. They gotting pretty close
right now. But what was to do? Fight it out here?
I just try to hate for either of us to
get killed by men like them. When I start shooting,
you start, you take whoever's on your side first and

(16:02):
then work in. Yeah, so they'll never know it. Shut
up now how they are? It might be over to
the river. We'll get down wait here for him. Yeah,
maybody he stops killed them already we didn't hear. No, shoot,

(16:27):
I don't like this jake that.

Speaker 7 (16:30):
Should have been back long time ago. That knows what
he's doing. Well, I'm sure fine.

Speaker 2 (16:36):
Horse is either.

Speaker 7 (16:43):
Don't you know more? All right?

Speaker 2 (16:45):
Probably your guns away?

Speaker 8 (16:47):
Sure?

Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yeah, I turn around, get your hands up the air.
All rights to come over here. We killed four of him.
It's doing four of them, rank, step up to the fire.
I'm not at least as you two stopped just in time.
You can turn around. Who are you? What your ambush

(17:12):
us for? Well, you're not here for man, I'm a
us marshal. Mister, you are a lye. I mean what
kind of marshall ambush.

Speaker 6 (17:19):
A bunch of men like that?

Speaker 2 (17:20):
My kind.

Speaker 7 (17:23):
Bends killing.

Speaker 5 (17:25):
No, you shouldn't talk now.

Speaker 2 (17:26):
It's murder, That's what it was. It was plain murder,
that sure was. Even if he is a marshall, Gi'll
hang for this. He never give us a change. You
are right, mister, I didn't give you a chance. There
were too many of you, And besides, I never knew
any men that deserved a chance less than you. You
talking about we ain't done nothing. I can this sell

(17:48):
our hair ribbon and your friend staffs pockets. Yeah, take
a look at it. Well, what's this you see? Nothing?
Just moved yellow ribbon. There was more than just a ribbon.
You flashed your fool staff. I didn't take nothing else.

(18:11):
That was just kind of assumnir.

Speaker 6 (18:12):
I told you to get rid of everything.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
And our staff. I'm sorry you came in alone. I
wish you had been with the others. But I'm going
to see you hanged, all three of you. That little
girl's yellow hair ribbon that is going to hang you.

Speaker 8 (18:54):
Guns or hot director in Hollywood by Norman McDonald's card,
William As, Matt Dylan, Us Marshall and I said Tory
especially looking for a Don's book by John Meston, featured
in the cast, Will Lauren stopped getting, John Dayner and
Harry Bartell early.

Speaker 2 (19:11):
There is toughter. Honry McNair is not in Georgia. Allis
is getting

Speaker 9 (19:17):
Getting
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