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02x35 - Dull Knife Strikes for Freedom

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.

02x35 - Dull Knife Strikes for Freedom

Post by bunniefuu »

( Men 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:

Historians have told

As many lies about

The american indian

As about any minority group

In the united states.

Marshal wyatt earp knew

Indians did not agree

With the indian haters

Who called them

"Unprincipled savages."

To marshal earp,

The indians were people.

Some good, some bad.

And their leaders were

Sometimes wrong

And sometimes right.

This was a dangerous opinion

For a man to hold in .

And it took the fabulous

Saga of dull knife

And his break for freedom

To test whether

Wyatt's career

As a peace officer

Would come to an end

With a prison sentence.

( Knocks on door )

Please excuse us,

Mr. Masterson.

Mr. Earp,

We are afraid.

What about?

Chief dull knife

And his people

Have left

Oklahoma.

Soldiers after them.

- Was dull knife

On the w*r path?

- No no.

Cheyenne do not like

Indian territory

In oklahoma.

They wanna go

Back home.

Back to

Their own country--

Montana, wyoming.

Well, how far does

Dull knife think

He can get?

( Speaks in

Native american language )

( Speaks in native

American language )

Chief dull knife

Has many warriors.

We count maybe

Women and children.

Well, is little wolf

In on this?

He's next to dull knife

In command.

( Sighs )

It's foolishness,

Mr. Cousin.

There are too many miles,

Too many soldiers.

Now you tell your people

To turn back.

We're not important

Enough, mr. Earp.

( Speaks in native

American language )

Mr. Brother says maybe

Dull knife listen to you.

No, that's bad

Medicine, wyatt.

( Horses approaching )

It's major benteen.

Well, you take them

In the cell room.

I better talk

To the major alone.

All right.

And they crossed

The cimarron here.

And then they raided

Mead city here.

And they burnt

The chapman and tuttle

Ranch in the mulberry.

Now people are dead,

Houses burned.

So a posse from dodge

Could be useful, wyatt.

Well sir, in addition

To being town marshal

Of dodge,

I'm also a

United states marshal.

If you ask me to help,

Well, that's what I'll do.

How soon can you start?

- Half hour.

- Good.

There's a big gap

In our line--

The bushwhacker country.

I'm counting on you

To plug it.

Yes, sir.

Then I'll see you

Tomorrow

At the lost

River triangle.

So long, wyatt.

Good luck.

I'll be seeing you,

Sir.

Dull knife raided

Mead city.

Did you know

About that?

No.

But dull knife

Give strict orders.

We'll have to go

Out there.

All of your deputies

And most of mine.

All right, I'll pass

The word.

- Minutes.

- Yes, sir.

Mr. Earp...

We're your friends.

We come to ask

A favor.

Such as?

We think we take you

To dull knife.

We think maybe you tell him

To go back to oklahoma.

You know where

To find dull knife?

( Speaking in native

American language )

But your heart

Is angry.

You blame dull knife

For raid on village.

He's the chief.

He's responsible.

Good-bye, mr. Earp.

Sometimes you think

Like indian.

Now you think

Like soldier.

I'm sorry.

Maybe--

Maybe dull knife isn't

Responsible for the raid.

But major benteen

Is gonna hold him

Responsible.

Do you understand that?

Please.

You talk to our chief.

Listen, my friend,

Sheriff masterson and I

Must take a posse

Out there.

We'll be expected to turn

Your people back by force.

If we can.

I can't use you as scouts

Against your own people.

We will take you

To dull knife.

( Speaks in native

American language )

Mr. Brother says,

"You have heart that

Is not white man or indian."

We trust your heart.

Now look,

Don't try

And butter me up.

Why do you want me

To talk to dull knife?

To save our people.

My friend,

I can't do that.

This whole business

Has gone too far already.

People k*lled,

Houses burned.

The army is after

Dull knife.

I'm only one man.

No matter what I think about--

We trust you.

We go now.

Please.

They wait here now.

You come with us,

Mr. Earp.

All right.

Now hold it, wyatt.

This is lost river

And it's the worst

Of the bushwhacker

Country.

So?

Well, if dull knife

Is holed up there,

He'd have to come out

Along this riverbed.

And we can hold him up

Long enough for the

Soldiers to come.

That's right, sheriff.

But not if you go in there

And get yourself captured

As a hostage.

Dull knife's got himself

In a tight corner.

Well, I may be wrong.

And if I am

And the cheyenne try

To break out,

You gentlemen

Go to sh**ting.

And sh**t you,

I suppose?

Well, you're not

Gonna have any time

To be particular.

You'll be fighting

For your lives.

I'll see you later.

♪ Oh

♪ The bushwhacker country

Is bad land ♪

♪ A law unto its own

♪ Well, the outlaw rides

♪ And the indian hides

♪ Among its caves of stone

♪ For the bushwhacker country

♪ Is law unto its own

♪ Be wary, my friend

♪ Every tree, every bend

Of the trail ♪

♪ May be your doom

♪ For the bushwhacker country

♪ Will swallow you

Like a tomb. ♪

Great chief dull knife.

You remember me?

My friend.

Marshal earp.

You brought men who

k*lled my daughter

To justice.

I do not forget.

I am sorry we have to

Meet again this way.

Sorry?

You and your people

Are on a breakout.

I have orders from the army

To help stop you.

Marshal earp

Has good scouts.

They bring him

Across our path.

Don't blame mr. Cousin

And mr. Brother.

They're trying to be

Loyal to you.

Soldiers and posse men

Are close behind us.

You and your men

Guide lost river.

Let us not speak lies.

All right.

Then who raided

Mead city?

Not dull knife.

People were k*lled

By indians.

Ah!

( Speaking in native

American language )

Little wolf, go!

I will ask little wolf

If he knows about this.

I do not.

My friend,

You're in trouble.

How can a sensible man

And a great chief

Hope to make it

All the way to montana?

We have come this far.

I can't understand

Why you broke out.

You can understand freedom.

If you had a fair chance.

White man always

Give us fair chance.

After fight at washita,

The soldiers say,

"Make peace and go home."

Then politicians

In washington say,

"What is home

To a cheyenne?

Send them

To oklahoma."

They promised you

That you could

Go back to the mountains?

Yes.

In writing.

Well, then they

Lied to you.

But a breakout only

Makes things worse.

You become

K*llers, outlaws.

Who can control

A young man?

If cheyenne did

This thing in mead city,

It was against my orders.

I believe you.

But it wasn't

Common sense

To expect that you

Could travel

, Miles through

A white man's country.

( Grunts )

What is common sense?

Surrender.

Go back to

Oklahoma territory.

No.

( Horse approaching )

Our young men...

About so many of them,

I will punish them quickly.

I promise.

No.

You think I lie to you?

They must be rounded up

And turned over to me.

That's the law, my friend.

And what if I do this?

I can't make deals.

You will try to stop us

From moving north

Out of lost river?

Those are my orders

From major benteen.

Ah!

( Speaking in native

American language )

I knew you couldn't

Trust them.

No, you leave us

Right here.

And get on back

To the river gap.

This could be a trick

To sneak by us.

We're not gonna

Leave you tied up

For a scalping party.

I said

Leave us alone!

- Are you loco, wyatt?

- No!

Dull knife's gone

After the indians

That raided mead city.

I think he'll turn

Them in to me.

Turn his own boys in

For a hanging or prison?

- Come on, wyatt!

- Look, mr. Masterson,

This is a federal posse.

Yes, sir.

All right then.

You go on back there!

You want a lot of

Cheyenne to make you

Look like a greenhorn?

No.

I guess you're right.

No sign of indians

Anywhere, sir.

Very well.

Ride back

To captain halleck

And tell him

To assemble

All the patrols.

We'll move on

Toward lost river.

Yes, sir.

Marshal earp,

Chief little wolf.

How do you do?

Untie them.

Six of our young men

Admit their hearts

Were bad.

They will go with you,

According to

White man's law.

There are only

Four prisoners.

No, there are six.

Those two in the back.

Claim the right

To die fighting.

Is that necessary?

Our laws aren't

Too tough on

Your people.

Young bear

And lame eagle

Commanded the raid.

For that

They must die.

I have decided,

Mr. Earp.

Just wild boys

Who probably got drunk.

No, they risked

Their freedom.

You have been free

Always.

What do you know about

Prison camp far from home?

And have you ever

Seen our home, mr. Earp?

There is brave water.

It does not sulk

In ponds and puddles.

Our rivers leap off

The forbidden cliff

With the sound

Of w*r drums.

And in our homeland,

The buffalo wait for us.

They have fled

Beyond the range

Of white man's g*n.

Perhaps it must soon be

That the buffalo

And the cheyenne

Will be driven

To the edge of the world.

But if we must die,

We seek the liberty

To die at home.

Is that too great a freedom

To ask of white man?

No more prison camp,

Mr. Earp.

If those two had

Obeyed orders,

We might have reached

Our home in peace.

We would not

Have been stopped

If they had not

Burned and k*lled.

( Shouts in native

American language )

( Speaks in native

American language )

There's no sense

To this fight.

Stop it!

You are still

My prisoner.

Please, mr. Earp.

It is our law.

( Both shouting )

That was m*rder.

Lame eagle was

His only son,

Marshal earp.

We grant them

An honorable death.

And you call it

m*rder.

We are happy men

Riding home in

The sunshine.

There is no pain

In us for making

Promises.

Because we never

Keep promises.

I don't believe that.

We fight and k*ll

No more.

Unless white man

Corners us.

You expect to have me

Let you go through.

No, not now.

You think like

All your brothers.

Bring white soldier.

We caught this man

Two hours ride from

Our camp.

Major benteen

And his troop

Of pony soldiers

Will attack us

From the rear.

You and your men

Will try to stop

Our retreat.

There will be fighting.

Yes, I guess

There will be.

Am I free to go?

You are still

My friend.

Go.

Thank you.

What about mr. Brother

And mr. Cousin?

They go with you.

( Speaks in native

American language )

This time we fight

With our people.

I can't let you

Go through the gap.

You know that.

I've got orders

From the army.

We know.

Good-bye, mr. Earp.

( Speaks in native

American language )

( Responds in native

American language )

Take white soldier,

My friend.

You will need him.

Also the prisoners.

Must we k*ll a friend?

Or he will k*ll us.

Mr. Earp?

I saw their camp.

They have at least

Braves all armed.

Well, major benteen isn't

Gonna be riding out here

With just one troop.

Yes, sir, he is.

It was me.

I let dull knife

Go through.

Major benteen will

Expect us to fight.

Benteen and custer

And the others

Expected us to fight at

The little big horn too.

It'll be another

Custer's m*ssacre.

Come on, let's

Head for the gap.

Now we should hit 'em

Before sundown.

I hope earp brought

Enough men to shut off

The lost river trail.

You ride back and get

The troops started!

Well, for god sakes,

Wyatt!

Figured you'd been burned

At the stake by now.

( Mutters )

Chief dull knife was

Very polite to me.

Oh, corporal jordan,

This is

Sheriff masterson.

Howdy.

He claims that

Major benteen's gonna

Attack the cheyenne

With just one troop.

Benteen must be loco.

Yeah well, they can't

Tell him that.

Hey casey,

You and tibbs

Ride into

Dull knife's camp.

Tell dull knife that

He can come through

The gap.

I want him

To move fast.

Wait a minute,

You're not gonna let them--

Yes, I am.

Let those indians

Go through to montana.

Go on, move!

We'll catch it

From the army.

Just me,

Mr. Masterson.

I made the decision.

Now I don't make

A last ditch fight

To stop the cheyenne

From going home.

With a government

Promise then they

Could go.

They'll call you names.

You know something?

I think you're right.

Now look, I left

Four indian prisoners

Tied to the horses

Just around that

Bend over there.

You take your deputies

And go pick 'em up.

Then head back

For dodge city.

Yes, sir.

You know,

Benteen can

Arrest you.

He sure can.

Well, what are you

Gonna say?

Nothing.

You can visit me

In jail sometime.

Now go on, move.

Wyatt says to

Get back to dodge

With some prisoners.

Come on, hit the leather!

( Fanfare )

Yeah, that'll

Be the major.

Yeah.

He'll be snorting fire.

Well, I hope we waste

A lot of time

Showing him my hide.

Dull knife needs

All the head start

He can get.

Ah, you explain it

To the major, mr. Earp.

He'll cool off

And realize

You done

The right thing.

( Horses galloping )

I wonder if he will.

Wyatt.

Where are the indians?

They've gone.

Your men,

Where are they?

I sent them back

To dodge city.

They've got the indians

Who raided our people.

You had orders

To hold this gap.

Why didn't you?

Sir, mr. Earp thought--

Corporal!

I'm asking mr. Earp

A straight question.

Well sir,

I never explain.

The indians got away,

Let's just leave it

At that.

Now, wyatt!

I will not tol--

Marshal earp,

You will consider

Yourself under arrest.

You will report

To the federal judge

Nearest our command.

Yes, sir.

Corporal,

March your horse

- And return to the troop.

- Yes, sir.

Would it be too much

To ask you, marshal,

Which way dull knife

Was heading?

He was heading home.

( Grunts )

- Captain.

- Yes, sir?

Major benteen filed

These charges against

Marshal earp.

Where is he?

He's due at any moment,

Your honor.

He's been out in campaign

Against dull knife.

Yes, I know.

Marshal earp?

You refuse to plead

Either guilty

Or not guilty.

Now these are

Very serious charges.

Malfeasance in office,

Cowardice,

Refusal to assist

In stopping the escape

Of hostile indians.

Have you any statement

To make to this court?

No, sir.

( Men murmuring )

Major benteen, sir.

This is corporal jordan.

Very well.

The court will hear

Your testimony

In support

Of your accusations.

If the court please,

I ask that the courtroom

Be cleared.

For what reason, major?

My statement will involve

Military matters

Of a confidential nature.

I see.

Very well.

Clear the court.

( Men chattering )

So after my bad temper

Cooled somewhat,

I listened to

Corporal jordan's story.

The corporal was a prisoner

In dull knife's camp.

He says that I had

Badly underestimated

The indians' strength

And that I would have

Stood no chance

To capture them with

The force at my disposal.

Then, uh, marshal earp

Prevented you from making

A tragic blunder.

That's--

That's about the size

Of it, your honor.

So I wish to withdraw

My charges.

And apologize

To marshal earp.

Thank you, major.

The army should thank you.

And major benteen,

When will you people

Get enough men out here

To do the job?

Never, judge.

Starving our western army

Is somebody's idea

Of national defense.

Hmm.

Case dismissed.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, marshal earp--

I don't know what can

Compensate you

For the three weeks

Of embarrassment

And kicking around

By the army... And the law.

Well sir, I'm quite

Happy about it all.

♪ 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. ♪