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02x19 - Wyatt and the Captain

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.

02x19 - Wyatt and the Captain

Post by bunniefuu »

As a member of the

United states army,

Sergeant craig will

Stand court martial.

I demand he be released

In my custody as my prisoner.

He m*rder*d a civilian within

The city limits of dodge.

The law says it's

My duty to hold him.

Well then, marshal,

I'll take him by force.

♪ Wyatt earp ♪

♪ Wyatt earp ♪

♪ Brave, courageous,

And bold ♪

♪ Long live his fame ♪

♪ And long live his glory ♪

♪ And long may

His story be told. ♪

[Announcer]

The life and legend of

Wyatt earp,

Starring hugh o'brian.

[Narrator]

Wyatt earp rode into dodge city

One bright may morning in ,

And was chief marshal by noon.

One month later, general custer

Rode in proud defiance to his

Death on little bighorn.

That same year saw the close

Of a long and bloody campaign

That drove the plains

Indian from the dakotas.

From his last hunting ground

And his way of life.

Battle-weary troops were moved

East and south to regroup

And recover.

Among them were men whose

Memories were scared by too

Much cruelty and k*lling.

For these men, violence

Became their way of life.

[Drunken chatter]

Private crenshaw.

Sergeant craig, sir.

I'm out of tobacco.

Give me some tobacco.

[Laughs and mutters]

Darn if I ain't fresh

Out myself.

Ah ha, general store

And emporium.

Follow me, private crenshaw,

And we will go a foraging.

[Singing drunkenly]

♪ Hi-h* a merry-o ♪

♪ A foraging we will go ♪

Today we have

A sale on blankets.

You perhaps know more

About these than I do.

I'll be with you in

A minute, gentlemen.

I'm sergeant craig, mister.

Old injun fighter

From way back.

Only time you'll ever

Find sergeant craig,

Waiting on an indian.

Is when he's got

A r*fle in his hands.

Now give me some

Chewing tobacco.

All I have is union twist.

Well so, what's the difference?

It's chewing tobacco, ain't it?

Hey, private crenshaw?

If union twist is good

Enough for the union,

Good enough for a couple old

Union soldiers, right serge?

Hooray!

Well pay the man,

Private crenshaw.

Sir, I ain't a chawing man.

[Yells]

Pay up!

Yes, sir.

All present and paid for

Sergeant craig, sir.

Well...

Come on, sergeant.

You reckon.

Seems to me...

That's a pretty good

Looking squaw.

For a squaw.

Pretty enough almost

To kiss, ain't she?

Please, sergeant,

Let's not have any trouble.

No.

Come on, come on, sir.

We got guard duty.

All right. Hmmm.

Leave us alone, soldier.

We don't make trouble.

That's right, injun.

You don't make no

Trouble at all.

[Crenshaw]

No. Come on, come on, sir.

Let it go.

[Bottle clanks]

[g*n fires]

[Woman screams]

[Woman cries]

All right a couple of you help

The doc take him over to the

Coroner's office.

[Woman continues to cry]

You know it's times like this,

Marshal that makes me think

Maybe I should have

Stayed in cincinnati.

Well the important

Thing, mr. Whittle,

Is will you make

Positive identification?

I certainly will, sir.

Good. Will you come down to the

Office and sign a statement?

I would be glad to.

It's high time something

Was done about that sergeant.

He's done nothing since he's

Been here but give us one scare

After another,

I don't know why you haven't

Arrested him before this.

He's a soldier, mr. Whittle.

He and his company has spent

Better than six months

In the black hills,

Fighting the greatest alliance

Of indians in frontier history.

I know, I know. I should think

He'd have his fill of fighting.

Most of them have.

Most of them are

No trouble at all.

Some are like sergeant craig.

They...

Well, something

Happens to them.

They get crazy like.

Well, they've seen things

That a man like you

Couldn't even dream of.

It's kind of hard

To explain.

It seems to me that you're

Trying to make excuses

For a m*rder*r, marshal.

Not for a m*rder*r, mr. Whittle,

But maybe I'm trying

To make excuses

For a professional soldier.

Coroner's making out

The death certificate.

How's his squaw?

I sent for his relatives.

She'll stay with him

Until they fetch him.

So you're on duty

Tonight, aren't you?

Yeah.

Good, I want to ride out

To the fort to pick up

The sergeant.

On what charges?

m*rder, what else?

Wyatt.

You think we have a case?

You know the accused

Is a soldier.

I never heard of a soldier being

Charged with k*lling an indian.

We got an eye eyewitness,

Mr. Whittle,

Says it was a plain

Case of m*rder.

Anyway, it's not up to

Me to try the accused,

But it is up to me

To bring him in.

I don't know, marshal.

I hope that I'm doing

The right thing.

I'm sure you are,

Lieutenant.

Civil law takes precedence

In a civil crime.

You have no problem.

Hmph.

You don't know captain brook.

I'm afraid he'll hold

A different view.

Why should he? The law

Is the law, isn't it?

But marshal,

This is an indian.

Indians aren't citizens.

And the law isn't too

Clear on this point.

And a man like captain brook--

Look, lieutenant, if you

Have any worries forget it.

I'll take full responsibility.

[Knocking on door]

[Lieutenant]

Come in.

You sent for me, sir.

Sergeant craig, this is

Marshal earp of dodge city.

He has a warrant for your

Arrest, claims you k*lled

An indian.

Self defense, marshal.

The red skin pulled a knife.

According to the owner of the

Store where it happened,

The indian was trying to get

Away when you shot him

In the back.

Well I've got

A witness myself.

Private crenshaw was

With me, lieutenant.

He'll have a

Different story.

You'll get a chance

To tell it, sergeant.

You'll get a fair trial.

I'm to go on trial

For gunning an injun?

What the u.s. Government

Pays me to do?

There's a difference, soldier.

This indian happened

To be a cherokee,

Third generation

Civilized.

Cherokee, comanche

So what's the difference,

They're all the same.

I don't intend to try

Your case, sergeant,

Just put you

Under arrest.

Now give the lieutenant

Your handgun and let's go.

[Sighs]

Give me the revolver, craig.

Are you going to let him get

Away with this, lieutenant.

I have no authority

To prevent it.

Now give me that revolver.

All right, sir.

But when the

Captain comes back,

You better have

A different story.

It'll be on

The morning report.

I wouldn't wait that long

If I was you, sir.

It's going to be bad enough

You let a civilian run it over

One of his boys.

That'll be enough

From you, craig.

Now get out of here.

Thank you, sir.

Who's in charge here?

I am, sir.

You wyatt earp?

Yes, captain.

I've come for sergeant craig.

I'll ask you to be so kind as to

Release him into my custody.

You captain brook?

That's right.

Well didn't lieutenant mead

Explain to you about him?

Lieutenant mead is fresh

From the parade grounds

Of washington, sir.

He's got a great deal to learn

About military practice

On the frontier.

Such as?

Such as the army's right

To discipline its own men.

Well, captain, if the sergeant

Had k*lled another soldier

Out in the territory someplace,

You'd have claim to him,

But he didn't.

No, he k*lled a civilian

Right here in this town.

That places him right

In the hands of the local law.

[Laughs]

Come, mr. Earp,

You can't be serious.

Since when is it a crime

To k*ll an indian?

In self defense?

Well I don't intend to debate

The case with you, captain.

He's my prisoner by

Order of civil law.

I'm going to keep him.

Good day, sir.

For a minute I thought

He was going to bust.

I bet we haven't seen

The last of him yet.

Hmph.

[Craig]

You've got a real safe bet

There, mister.

By the time he gets back, he'll

Have a full head of steam

And then you'll

Really see him bust.

Hey I don't see whittle's

Statement here.

Hasn't be brought in yet?

No, not yet.

When I stopped

Around this morning,

He said he hadn't had

Time to get to it.

He wants to get it right.

Mead! Lieutenant mead!

Begging your pardon, sir,

Lieutenant mead is not here.

He left this morning.

Where's he gone?

He didn't say, sir.

There was another soldier with

Sergeant craig last evening

When he had that altercation

With the indian.

Who was he?

I believe it was

Private crenshaw, sir.

Tell him I want to see him.

Yes, sir.

You don't have to be

Afraid of me, crenshaw.

Long as my men

Are loyal to me,

I'm loyal to them.

You understand, trooper.

Yes, sir.

You ever hear the phrase,

Esprit de corp?

Yes, sir.

Know what it means?

Why I think so, sir.

It's what this

Company has, crenshaw.

We've fought together,

Been beaten together,

And we've won together.

That means something,

Doesn't it, son.

Yes, sir.

Have a drink.

No thanks, sir.

[Louder]

Have a drink!

Yes, sir. I think

I will.

[Coughs]

Now then, crenshaw.

You say that this indian

Pulled a knife and attacked

The sergeant.

No, sir. He didn't

Pull the knife.

Don't hedge, soldier.

It's my understanding

That this indian had a knife.

That he did, sir.

Well then, am I correct in

Assuming that he was reaching

For this knife

When the sergeant,

In order to protect himself,

Grappled with him.

Well, I guess...

I mean I'm sure that's

The way it happened sir, you

See...

I wasn't exactly

Watching at the time.

Hmmm.

Now then, how many people

Were in the store at the time?

Besides the sergeant and me,

I guess just the indian

And his squaw.

And the proprietor

Of course.

Yes, sir.

Well the squaw wouldn't

Count much in court.

You wouldn't count much either.

Uh, being an army man,

I'm somewhat prejudiced.

So that bullheaded

Marshal has only one man

On which to rest

His case, hasn't he?

That storekeeper.

[Doorbell rings]

Good afternoon, gentlemen,

May I help you?

You may, sir.

You most definitely may.

It concerns the altercation

Which took place here yesterday

Between one of my men

And an indian.

Yes?

Other than private

Crenshaw here,

I understand you were

The only witness,

Uh, discounting

The squaw, of course.

That's quite true, captain.

As a matter of fact, I was just

Writing out a statement

For the marshal.

He asked me to set things

Down just as they happened.

I'm afraid the marshal is

Leading you down the garden

Path, mr. Whittle,

When he asks you to take a stand

Against the brave fighting men

Of your country.

Particularly when these fighting

Men are engaged in mortal combat

With a savage enemy.

With those self-same

Indians, sir,

Whom you so obviously wish

To give aid and comfort to.

I dare say, sir, you have no

Concept of the enormity of

This incident.

Mr. Whittle bring in

His statement yet?

No.

Sergeant's on trial docket

For : tomorrow morning.

Yeah, I know. Harris

Is prosecuting.

He's going to stop by later

This afternoon for depositions.

Whittle better not wait

To bring in that statement.

He better come here in person.

I better go tell him.

I've been giving this

Quite a bit of thought

Since last evening, marshal,

And to be perfectly honest,

I can't rightly say it was

Entirely the sergeant's fault.

[Sighs] look, the last time

I talked to you, mr. Whittle,

You were yelling for

That sergeant's blood.

Now who changed your mind?

Well, I was angry.

Now I've had a change

To think things over

And cool off.

I just can't honestly--

Was captain brook

In here to see you?

All right, so he was here.

Did he threaten you?

Of course not.

The captain happens

To be a gentleman.

I'm not asking for a character

Reference of captain brook,

I'm just asking for

A little character from you.

Now I'm a taxpaying

Citizen, marshal,

And I'll ask you to watch

Your tone of voice.

Forget it.

When this case blows up

In court tomorrow, mister,

I just hope you turn out to be

A better judge of character

Than I've been.

[Doorbell rings]

[Horse hooves running]

Dismount.

Take position to guard

This office.

No one passes.

I'm marshal earp.

Sorry, sir.

I don't care what your

Orders are, deputy.

I'm giving you just

Three seconds.

[Door opens]

Oh, good evening, marshal.

I've come for my prisoner.

You've come to take him

By force, captain?

If necessary, yes.

Well, I think you better first

Put the whole town under

Martial law.

You don't happen to have

A legal leg to stand on.

Yeah, I know. I just

Saw mr. Whittle.

Then be sensible,

Give me the prisoner.

No.

Look here, earp, you couldn't

Even get the sergeant convicted

On manslaughter without

A witness and you know it.

My job is to take him to

Trial and to trial he goes.

Now you get out of here.

Hold it, hal.

Crenshaw, get in here.

Keep these two covered.

And you deputy, get in

There and open that cell up.

Let the prisoner out.

Go ahead, hal.

Give him all

The rope he wants.

[Keys jangling, door opens]

Outside, sergeant, hurry.

Just let me get my

g*n, captain, sir.

Hurry, sergeant.

Use my horse.

[Fighting noises, groaning]

Stop there,

Or I'll sh**t.

[Fighting noises continue]

[g*nf*re]

[c*ck g*n]

[Fires g*n]

Hey, you take that g*n

And get out of here.

You're wrecking my store.

Shut up back there.

[Fires g*n]

[g*nf*re in background]

Fire, you idiots.

Don't just stand there,

sh**t him down.

[g*nf*re continues in

Background]

Fire, I said.

sh**t him, you cowards.

sh**t him.

I've done my best

To avoid bloodshed.

But if that's what you

Want, let's have it now.

I ordered you to fire.

[Cries]

I order you to

sh**t this man.

I'll make you wish

You were never born.

[Fires g*n]

[g*n fire continues]

[g*nf*re continues

In background]

[Cries]

Ooof!

[Whittle]

I got him! I got him!

Marshal! Hey,

Marshal, come on!

I got him! Come in,

Marshal. Hurry up.

[Door thuds open]

[Front door glass breaks]

You kick that g*n

Over here.

Hey, marshal.

If you give me one more

Chance to reconsider,

I'll be glad to testify

Against this ruffian.

Thank you, mr. Whittle.

I'll remember you

For this, mister.

You sure will, sergeant.

You sure will.

Come on, move out.

[Chatter]

[Soldier]

Ten-hut.

[Crying]

Whatever happened

To you, captain?

[While crying]

I...i don't know.

Take the prisoner inside.

You can put up

That g*n, mr. Earp.

There will be no more trouble.

The colonel's

Apologies and mine.

The captain hasn't been

Himself for some time now,

So I took the liberty of

Sending parade last week.

The colonel arrived

As soon as he could.

Earp, colonel grayson.

Marshal.

How do you do, sir?

Stay with captain brook,

Lieutenant.

Yes, sir.

Now I don't ask you to

Understand, mr. Earp,

But I want you to know the

Army will pay for all damages

And make any

Necessary restitution.

Thank you, sir.

And what about the prisoner?

The sergeant falls entirely

Under civil jurisdiction of

Course.

Lieutenant mead explained

Everything to me.

I only wish I could explain

Captain brook's case as easily.

All I can say is he's been in

The indian fights too long,

And he's not himself.

He'll be sent east to

Have his case reviewed.

Well as far as

I'm concerned, sir,

The incident

Never happened.

Well thank you, sir.

Troops. Head 'em out.

Mount!

[Chatter]

Forward!

[Shouts]

What a day.

You think it was

Worth it?

Hal, anytime the sun

Sets on law and order,

It's worth it.

♪ 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 ♪

[Singers humming]