The Sutler | Gunsmoke (09-05-53)

Gunsmoke | OTRWesterns.com

U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon investigates suspicious activity involving a man named Vail, who is working as an assistant to the Army sutler, Wil

Key takeaways

• Will Jonas, the Army sutler, is facing replacement by an assistant named Vail.
• Matt Dillon suspects Jim Linza is a renegade who previously fought alongside Indians.

Main topics

• Military supply theft
• Identity deception

Notable quotes

I'd sure keep an eye on him and find out what he's up to.

Conclusion

A classic Western tale of vigilance and the uncovering of corruption w

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:15) Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. You can find more Western shows at our website by going to otrwesterns.com. Now, let's get into this episode. Speaker 3 (0:45) Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke. Jim Conrad, the story of the violence that moved west with young America, the story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. That's Speaker 6 (1:50) you, sir. Speaker 6 (1:55) Not so loud. Major's got guards walking all the way around the fort Speaker 7 (2:00) these nights. Oh, what do you care? You ain't a soldier. You ain't done nothing. Look, Si, I don't want nobody Speaker 6 (2:05) at all to get suspicious of me. Not for a week anyway. Speaker 7 (2:08) What do you mean, Speaker 6 (2:09) not for a week? That's what I want to tell you. I'm going to be hauling rifles into Dodge starting day after tomorrow. Rifles? That's right. About four wagon loads. Speaker 7 (2:20) That'll be a heap of rifles, Jim. Sure. What about Jonas? Will he give you time off to do it? Speaker 6 (2:30) He's just a fool. I figure it'll take me before five days, Si. And afterwards, I'll just quit and disappear before anybody catches on. When they do, we'll be a long ways from here. Speaker 7 (2:46) The army will get their rifles back to him. Next time, they go Indian hunting. Shard's about due. Speaker 6 (3:19) for the first time all week. She made it. Speaker 5 (3:21) Now, you can't expect the train to pull in on time every day, Chester. Speaker 6 (3:25) Well, the railroad people expect her to. Otherwise, they wouldn't write it down on the schedule board up there. Well, Speaker 5 (3:30) that's the time they hope she'll arrive. Speaker 6 (3:32) Well, then they ought to say so. With all their money, they can afford to be honest about such things. What Speaker 5 (3:37) have you got against the railroad, Chester? Speaker 6 (3:39) They're so rich, that's all, and I'm so poor. Speaker 5 (3:43) How was Saturday night, Chester? You never told me. Speaker 6 (3:46) Why, they must have been using a marked deck on me. I never had such a run of bad luck in my whole life. Speaker 5 (3:52) Aren't you old enough to know you can't play poker with a woman sitting on your lap? Speaker 6 (3:56) A woman? We was in the O.K. stable, Mr. Dillon. We didn't even have a glass of beer. Speaker 5 (4:02) Then you didn't have much fun for your money, did you? Speaker 6 (4:04) No, sir. I didn't enjoy one minute of it. Not one minute. Speaker 5 (4:08) Hey, Speaker 7 (4:09) you fellas busy? What can Speaker 5 (4:12) we do for you, mister? Speaker 7 (4:13) I got some supplies coming on the train. I need a little help loading my wagon. Speaker 5 (4:17) Why don't you hire someone? Speaker 7 (4:19) I aim to hire you two men if you want to work. I'll give you 20 cents an hour. That's fair enough. Speaker 5 (4:24) Here's your chance, Chester. You won't get rich, but it's something. Speaker 7 (4:27) All right. I'll take it, mister. Speaker 5 (4:30) What about you? Oh, thanks, but I got to pick up some mail. Speaker 6 (4:34) You're talking to the U.S. Marshal, mister. He don't Speaker 7 (4:37) take odd jobs. Speaker 5 (4:39) U.S. Marshal? Speaker 7 (4:40) Not a fact. But I don't see no badge. Speaker 5 (4:44) Well, I don't often wear one. Speaker 7 (4:46) Well, I'm glad to meet you, Marshal. My name is Will Jonas. I am the settler out of Port Dodge. Glad Speaker 5 (4:51) to know you, Mr. Jonas. My Speaker 7 (4:53) supplies are in the last freight car, Chester, down yonder. Well, where's your wagon at? It's on the other side of the train. Won't take more than an hour, hour and a half, maybe. Thirty cents. But I can sure use it. Well, Speaker 6 (5:05) let's get at it, Mr. Jonas. Funny thing, Mr. Jonas, I never knew what a settler did before. Speaker 7 (5:27) If you was in the Army, you'd know, Chester. Sutler is to the Army what a general storekeeper is to civilians. We sell the stores everything from extra food, clothes, whiskey, and playing cards. Is that what was in all them boxes? They sure were heavy. Of course they were heavy. That's why I needed help. That's why I'm buying you a beer. Hey, look. Speaker 6 (5:52) There's Mr. Dillon. Speaker 7 (5:53) Who? Speaker 6 (5:54) Mr. Dillon, the Marshal. Speaker 7 (5:57) Oh, sure. Let's go sit with him. He seemed like a nice fellow. Speaker 6 (6:01) Well, you go ahead. I'll get the beer. All Speaker 7 (6:03) right. Here. Here's your money. Speaker 6 (6:05) Thank you, Mr. Jones. Speaker 7 (6:13) Join you, Marshal? Sure. Sit down, Mr. Jones. Speaker 6 (6:17) I Speaker 7 (6:18) would have met you before, Marshal, but I usually drive straight to the depot and straight back to the fort. Oh? Have you been at the fort long? Three, four months. I've been a settler for ten years, ever since I got married, in fact. Is your wife at the fort? She is. She helps keep the store. Speaker 6 (6:37) Looks mighty good, little working man. Speaker 5 (6:40) Don't take on airs, Chester. It wasn't much over an hour. Here's to you. Don't you have some sort of rank in the Army, Speaker 7 (6:52) Mr. Speaker 5 (6:53) Jonas? Speaker 7 (6:53) No, I don't mean much, Marshal. I'm sort of Speaker 5 (6:55) a Speaker 7 (6:55) warrant officer. I ain't really in the Army, though. In fact, the Major's about to fire me any day as things stand. Why is he going to fire you? My assistant, a fellow named Vail, I hired a few weeks ago. The Major likes him. He wants to make him the Chief Suttler. Gee, this