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02x18 - The Man Who Rode with Custer

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.

02x18 - The Man Who Rode with Custer

Post by bunniefuu »

[Vocalizing]

♪ 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 battle of

The little bighorn

In june was

The worst defeat

Ever suffered

By the white man

In his long fight

With the indians.

The news of this disaster

Had repercussions

In dodge city

And other frontier towns.

Custer's better critics

Were a handful of civilians

Who worked

For the indian bureau.

The hoodlum element

Had an old score to

Settle with the army.

For it was the army

Which tried to stop them

From cheating

Their indian wards.

Business as usual,

Mr. Tom.

Maybe this hick cow town

Ain't even heard

About the licking

Custer took.

Newspapers have been

Making excuses.

You fellas circulate around.

Let's get the truth

Told our way.

Yes, sir. Come on, men.

Let's start with this

Long branch saloon.

Now I'm sick and tired

Of hearing all this gossip

About what happened

To custer in montana.

You men weren't there

And you don't know

What happened.

Now next time there's

Rawhiding the soldiers,

I'm gonna close

Every place below

The line.

You understand that?

Now pass the word.

Shall I take these

Brave warriors in

For packing g*ns?

No, because I think

They're real anxious

To go after sitting bull.

Now your name is johnson.

You're a cheap peddler.

You work for an indian agent

By the name of tom ellidge.

Is he in town?

At the dodge hotel.

And you better not

Be showing--

Ellidge is a swindler

And a thief.

I don't want him spreading

Lies about brave men.

You tell him I said so.

You're messing in

Something too big

For a cow town marshal.

Mr. Tom make you

Pull in your horns.

What's behind all this?

There are a lot

Of indian agents

Who don't like the army.

Captain bentine chased

Ellidge out of two jobs

For swindling the indians.

Tried to get him fired.

So ellidge wants to get even

With the captain, huh?

Hmm.

How do you think

He's gonna do that?

Maybe ellidge

Will tell me.

You take that on back

To the office

And ask the other

Deputies to start

A patrol.

Captain bentine

Has been a good

Friend of ours.

Why don't we run ellidge

Out of town?

No, not yet.

Johnson's too c*ck.

I'll go have a little session

With mr. Ellidge.

With the public sore

At the army over

The custer m*ssacre,

Now is the time

To hit hard.

I've already got six survivors

From major reno's command

Ready to testify.

They're being held outside

Of town and under guard.

There will be two indians,

Mr. Cousin and mr. Brother,

Coming into town.

What makes you think

Two indians will come

Into town

At a time like this?

Because I sent

Them a message

Supposedly from their

Good friend wyatt earp.

Watch the north trails

And remember I want 'em alive.

You get double that

When you bring 'em in.

[Knock on door]

Who is it?

Marshal earp.

Just a moment.

Come in, marshal.

Mr. Ellidge.

That's right.

I just disarmed some

Of your men.

They were picking a fight

With a couple of soldiers.

Now maybe you can

Tell me why.

It's only natural,

Isn't it?

Why?

Sit down.

We resent

Custer's failure.

It'll make the work

Of the indian bureau

Twice as hard.

We warned the army.

And the army warned you.

Captain bentine told me

Before the th moved

To fort lincoln

That he was gonna file

Criminal charges

Against you

For what you did

To the indians.

He said that?

Huh. By the time

The court of inquiry

Gets through with bentine,

I don't think he'll be

In any position to

Make trouble for me.

I get it now.

Now you get a hold

Of your men and move out.

You understand?

So that's the way

You help a friend

In serious trouble?

Captain bentine?

My men have picked up

Deserters from major reno's

Command.

And they're ready

To charge bentine

And reno

With disobeying orders,

Stupidity,

Cowardice.

I can break your friend.

Get him kicked out

Of the army.

Well, I wouldn't

Wanna see

My friend get kicked

Out of the army.

I usually don't

Make deals, mr. Ellidge.

You probably heard that.

But in case somebody else

Holds the trump card,

You might, eh?

What's your deal?

My men are looking

For two cheyenne.

A mr. Cousin and mr. Brother.

Yeah, I know 'em.

They weren't in the fight,

But they know two moon

And brave bear.

So?

It's important

To have testimony

From the indian side.

Now we can pick up

Cousin and brother,

But getting him to talk

Is something else again.

Can you help us?

I might if it would

Help captain bentine.

He's small fry.

We're after sherman

And sheridan.

We're gonna prove

To congress that the army

Mismanaged the whole campaign.

Now you help us do that

And it'll change things

For bentine.

All right.

When you bring in mr. Cousin

And mr. Brother, I'll talk

To 'em,

But your men should

Be real gentle.

I don't antagonize

Witnesses, mr. Earp.

You be sure of that.

Because for every mark

On them, I'm gonna put

Two marks on you.

I just sent

The patrol, wyatt.

Did you talk to ellidge?

Yeah, just now.

He thinks I'm on his side.

That's the way we've

Gotta play it.

Now you go find johnson.

I wanna talk to him.

Johnson?

That's right. Right away.

Don't let him see you.

Just come tell me

Where he is.

I'll be over in the office.

Right.

Thank you, sir.

I win again.

Mr. Johnson,

I'd like to have

A little talk with you alone.

I just had a nice little

Talk with your boss.

I was wrong about him.

I don't like you.

I think you know that.

But as an officer

Of the law,

I do an awful lot of business

With people I don't like.

I found out that mr. Ellidge

Is on a special assignment.

Just so happens

I agree with his views.

He told me

About the soldiers.

About the witnesses.

That's right.

Major reno's battalion.

He told me that you knew

Where to find them.

That I should ask you.

That means we're

All working together?

That's right.

Good.

I'll send

Mr. Masterson over.

You can give him

The information.

Marshal earp.

Marshal earp,

I'm mrs. Bentine.

Howdy, ma'am.

Howdy, captain.

I used to know the captain.

He's angry because I made

Him to come to see you.

Where can we talk?

Take the side street

To the back door

Of the jail.

I'll join you there.

Giddyap.

And everyone knows

That fred was the hero

Of that fight.

He saved major reno

From being wiped out.

But just because

He technically

Disobeyed an order,

He wants to sulk in his tent

And let them court martial him.

Do you think that's sensible

On his part?

No, ma'am.

I did disobey the order.

I've got to tell 'em so.

But you saved reno.

You couldn't have saved

General custer even if

You tried to join him.

The court will blame me,

Excuse me, ma'am.

I've read the papers.

They tell it that custer

Attacked , indians

With only men.

Isn't that the main reason

You got beaten, captain?

Well, yes.

They were all too brave.

But the public doesn't

Think about that.

They want some officers

To punish.

Reno and me.

Not you.

The only one that's

After you is that

Crook tom ellidge.

He's with the indian bureau.

Fred caught him selling

Supplies that had been

Bought for the cheyenne

And tried to get him fired.

Wait.

Let me tell mr. Earp

The rest of it.

Ellidge is supposed

To be right here

In dodge city.

Yes, he is here.

I'm glad you both came.

You see, I knew mr. Earp

Could help us.

I don't see how.

Well, the captain's

Tired, ma'am.

He isn't

Thinking straight.

That was a real good fight

You put up on reno hill, sir.

I should have let reno

Save himself

And gone down the valley

To help custer.

All right, sir,

All right.

Mrs. Bentine,

I'll take you on over

To the kansas hotel.

But I think you oughta

Register under

A different name.

I'm gonna ask the captain

To stay here in my office

For a few hours.

Ellidge is busy

Collecting eyewitnesses.

And I'll be busy

Recollecting them.

I'd consider it

A personal favor

Of you'd stay--

All right, go ahead.

You and the missus.

I guess I saw

Too many indians.

You wanna rush 'em?

No, just try and knock

'Em off their horse.

Aim carefully.

Don't k*ll 'em.

[g*nshots]

[Shouting]

You're not gonna turn

'Em loose so they can ride

Into dodge, are you?

They need doctorin'.

They'll squawk to ellidge.

I can't help that.

We'll get the soldiers.

Ellidge can take a hand.

Now get on your horses.

Come on.

All right,

Now get out of here.

How come you started down

This way, mr. Cousin?

Indian agent says

You wanna make talk

With us.

I do, but first

We gotta pick up

Some soldiers.

Got any objection

To helping the th cavalry?

[Speaks native tongue]

No.

We help.

They are brave men.

Good.

Better get started.

We still got ten miles

To that camp.

Yeah. Go get the rest

Of the horses.

Wyatt, the campfire

Is getting pretty close.

All right, let's

Take 'em on foot.

Tie up the horses

Over there.

Ellidge said he was

Holding six soldiers.

He can't have more than

Half a dozen guards

Out here.

Go in from four sides.

Take the guards,

But don't sh**t

Unless you have to.

All right, let's go.

Hold it!

Who are you?

Don't sh**t,

Mr. Masterson!

Drop those g*ns.

All right, tie 'em up.

Take their sidearms.

Go pick up that man I wounded

By the tree. Bring him in.

All the other guards

Accounted for?

Yeah, we each got one.

Good. They won't be

Standing guard over

Any other camp.

All right, walk these men

Over there and sit 'em down.

I'm wyatt earp,

United states marshal.

Is that so?

Are you sergeant malloy?

D troop?

Major reno's battalion?

I'm john smith.

He's joe smith.

We're all named smith.

You're a bunch of stragglers.

You could be charged

With desertion.

But that's gonna be up

To captain bentine.

Captain bentine

Of h troop?

He's dead.

No, he isn't.

Are you sure?

Yep.

Well, that b*llet-eating

Old buzzard.

Bentine made it.

Last time we saw him

He was on a hill

Yelling orders

At major reno.

Where were you men?

We wasn't running, mister.

About , sioux

Had us pinned down

In the bushes by the river.

Show 'em what they gave us

To fight with.

Watch it!

It's not loaded.

An old springfield.

Even the cartridge

Extractor is busted.

You got a good winchester.

Of them and it might

Have been different.

Yeah.

Yeah, maybe it

Might have been.

But I haven't got time

To refight the battle

With you, sergeant.

I just wanna know

Why you made a deal

With a crook like ellidge.

And we knew it was the worst

Messed up battle

Any soldier's ever had

To try and live through.

So when crazy horse

And , indians

Made their march

Past the hill,

What was the use

Of staying?

We were whipped

To a frazzle.

So you retreated

South, huh?

I'm tired of lying, mister.

We ran south.

The fight was over

And none of us knew

What to do about it.

Had did ellidge find you?

You won't believe this,

But we just run on to him

On the trail in nebraska.

He was out hunting

For troopers like us.

So he offered you money

And political influence

So you wouldn't be charged

With desertion, huh?

What were you supposed

To do in return?

Well--

You better tell me,

Sergeant.

We were supposed

To swear on oath,

Blame it all on the officers.

Especially

Captain bentine.

Well, yes, sir.

How do you feel

About that now, sergeant?

Like a skunk.

Captain bentine was

The best officer

On the field.

He's probably got

The soldiers, too.

Rockin' fool johnson.

Have the rest of my

Traitors come in yet?

About of them,

Mr. Tom.

Stay here.

I'll round 'em up myself.

Ellidge is waiting

For the indian bureau

Commissioner,

But I've got all the witnesses

He was gonna use against you.

Technically,

Sergeant malloy and

His men are deserters,

But the truth is ellidge

Was holding them against

Their will

And was trying to bribe them

Into lying about you.

It's up to you now,

Captain.

Fred.

Yes, my dear?

All you have to do is take

Those men to fort dodge.

They'll tell the truth--

Don't you see?

Reno's men.

I can imagine

What they'll say.

Mr. Earp, you're his friend,

A wonderful friend.

Can't you--

Excuse me.

Sergeant malloy,

Come on in.

Will you please?

Sergeant malloy,

D troop, sir.

I'm glad to see

You alive, captain.

If it hadn't been for you,

The rest of the boys and me

Wouldn't have made it.

I disobeyed an order,

Sergeant.

Well, who didn't, sir,

With , sioux and cheyenne

Overrunning us?

What was the order?

Mr. Cousin.

Captain bentine,

This is my friend

Mr. Cousin.

He talked to several chiefs

After the fight.

Mr. Cousin, did two moon

Or brave bear think

There was any way

Of reinforcing

General custer?

No, the sioux

Would have k*lled

All soldiers crossing valley.

They had general

Custer surrounded.

He's right, captain.

The white soldier

Brave and proud.

Indian proud also.

But in w*r, no chief

Take blame for defeat.

All indian people

Take blame.

We're all to blame, captain.

Yes, all of us.

Cheap politicians

Scattering the army

In dozens of little forts,

Bad food, poor g*ns--

Now now.

Sergeant malloy.

Yes, sir.

You and your men

Report to me at the earliest

Possible date.

Thank you very much, sir.

We will ride to fort dodge.

I've already filed

My report,

But you and your men

Will be asked to make

Written statements.

If you're required

To mention me,

I shall expect you

To refer to me as

A bad-tempered old buzzard.

Is that understood?

Yes, sir.

[Boots click together]

You checking

The arsenal, wyatt?

You're forgetting mr. Ellidge.

He can't afford to let malloy

Get to the fort.

You think he'll try

To stop us?

One of my deputies

Says he left dodge

With a bunch of white traitors.

You know what that means.

Not more fighting.

This may be the last

Battle, ma'am.

I think one of the main

Reasons we take such

A licking is that

We spend too much time

Fighting among ourselves.

Ellidge had his men

Are in there.

I think they see you.

Expect you to go after him.

Well, captain,

What do you think?

I can't take soldiers

Into a fight

With civilians.

But if a fight starts,

We can always ride

To the rescue.

All right,

We'll start it

And you can rescue us.

When the sh**ting starts,

We'll come in from the

Right and the left.

Fine.

What about bentine

And the soldiers?

They'll all come in,

Mr. Tom.

And they'll all get

What custer got.

We can't hold out here.

Are you sure the captain's

Men ain't g*n-shy?

I don't know.

Can we sh**t?

No, wait.

Now?

Now.

[Shouting]

Charge!

Stop running

And keep firing.

Good old winchester.

That's ellidge,

Ain't it?

Halt! Surrender!

Drop your weapons!

Bring 'em down here, men.

Sergeant malloy.

Yes, sir.

Didn't I see you and mike

sh**ting at two horsemen

On the ridge?

Yes, sir.

Where are they now?

They're casualties, sir.

Man by the name of ellidge

And a pal of his.

Wounded?

Dead, sir.

Well, I wonder how

The government will

Take the news.

Well, bring in the bodies.

We'll take care

Of that, captain.

Mr. Masterson

And I k*lled ellidge

In the line of duty.

I fired the fatal

Shot, sir.

Thank you.

Prepare to mount.

Tell mrs. Bentine

That we'll probably

Be put under arrest

At the fort.

I don't think so, captain.

If anybody comes out

Of that court of inquiry

With honor,

You'll be the man.

You deserve

A better friend, wyatt.

Troop, forward!

[Shouts]

♪ 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 ♪