Original subtitles

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- Ma, I gotta talk to you. - No, not now.

Can't you see I'm busy with the baby? Go and eat your breakfast.

I did eat my breakfast.

Well, then, go on to school.

Come on, now, Hettie, eat your breakfast.

Eat your breakfast.

Why don't you ever listen to me?

All right, talk.

I don't wanna go to school.

You told me you don't wanna go to school.

You told me until my head's ready to spin.

Now, your pa says you're going, and that's final.

He ain't my pa.

Well, he's my husband.

And as long as he keeps a roof over your head and clothes on your back

and food in your mouth, he can tell you what to do.

You never listen to me. You side with him against me all the time.

And you make trouble all the time. Now go on, get.

Treats the dog better than he treats me.

He comes at me one more time with that belt and I'm gonna tie it around...

You're gonna what? You're gonna do as you're told.

Okay, here we go. Everybody to school. Come on, everybody.

Everybody in, now. Let's go. Here we go.

Come on.

Well, this is... this is the big day, isn't it?

First day of school.

And in a... a new schoolhouse. Well, actually, this is just a temporary one.

We're gonna be building the new one pretty soon.

From now on you're gonna be doing your learning right here.

I want to... I want you to meet Mrs. M. K. Curtis.

I'd say she's the social conscience of Virginia City.

And we all owe a special thanks to her

for putting the idea of the school into my head

and then convincing me that it had been my idea all along.

You'd have come to it, Ben.

It didn't take much besides common sense.

And now I want you to meet your... your new teacher, Dr. Lyman.

Probably the best educated man in this part of the world.

You said you wanted the boy, Ben, but I don't know why.

You'll never pound anything into his head.

Billy, I think you'd better take your seat with the others.

- Tom, thanks for bringing Billy in. - He's not my boy. He's my wife's.

If he was mine and acted the way he does,

he wouldn't be able to walk, let alone sit down.

Well, I think this school offers everybody a big opportunity.

Some of you may grow up to be smarter than we are.

Uh, Ben, if you go on talking much longer,

school will be over for the day.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

- Well, Doc, it's all yours. - Thank you, Ben.

You'd better keep a close eye on them, Ben.

They look like a difficult group to handle.

- I'll watch them closely. - You see that you do.

I'm afraid it's gonna take much more than your speeches

to make a real school out of this place.

Matilda, you're an amazing woman.

Here you are with all the money in the world

so you shouldn't have to worry about anything,

and yet you keep worrying about other people.

That's probably because I can remember what it was like

when we first came here.

Before my husband made his strike.

It was a fight, it was a scramble just to stay alive.

I don't think education cures all the world's ills,

but I do think it helps.

Yeah.

Good day, Ben. All right, Luis.

What happened?

They built a fire in the middle of the floor.

I give it back to you. It's all yours.

Buddy. It's a long walk to school. Hop on. I'll give you a ride.

Don't want a ride.

You'd better. You're already late.

I ain't goin' to school.

You wanna bet?

Come on.

All right, girls, that's it. Come on. Let's go in.

Hey, Fletcher, come on!

All right, boys, you too.

Inside. Come on, let's go.

"By the shores of Gitche Gumee,

by the shining big sea water,

stood the white w... wigwam of N... No... Nokomis."

Continue, Ted.

I don't like readin', and even if I did, it wouldn't be about Indians.

My pa don't like 'em either.

Ted, your pa ain't goin' to school. You are.

You'll do what you're told, all right?

"There the wrinkled old Nokomis nursed the little Hiawatha."

Well, here we are, Billy. No charge for the ride.

Well, come on, you gonna get down by yourself, or you gonna do it my way?

Very good, Ted.

Deborah, do you know what Longfellow was trying to show us?

That Indians have babies. So does everybody else.

Didn't wanna spoil your attendance record, Doc. There was one missing.

Sorry you were late.

- I wasn't late. - Come on.

I wouldn't be here at all, but his horse outrun me.

Yeah, well, that's true. Sit down.

Now you gotta make up for lost time.

Deborah, would you please pass Billy the book?

Billy, the class has been reading parts of Longfellow's poem, Hiawatha.

I'm sure you'd like to take your turn.

Well, Billy, I'm sure you must have learned to read

at the Virginia City School.

I wasn't there very much. They didn't send a posse after me.

Billy, I thought that we'd have a recess after you've finished reading.

But I guess the class will just have to wait for you to make up your mind.

Candy, if you boys would like to take a recess, I think it'll be all right.

This may take a little time.

All right, Doc. We'll be right outside if you need us.

Come on, read, will ya? My feet are falling asleep from sitting.

You keep out of this, you little pipsqueak.

No need to rush. Let Billy take all the time he needs.

We missed recess. I'm sure the class won't mind going without lunch.

Come on, read it. It ain't gonna hurt ya.

Wake up, Billy, will ya? Come on, get it over with.

Come on. My stomach's rumbling.

All right, Doc.

You're smart. Or you think you are.

I suggest you read the short passage on page 43.

Billy, would you please stand?

"Homeward went Hiawatha.

Pleasant was the landscape around him.

Pleasant was the air above him.

For the bitterness of anger had departed wholly from him."

Excellent, Billy. Particularly fitting.

That's about an Indian, not me.

Perhaps in time you'll be as bright as an Indian.

Billy, Billy.

Billy. Apologize.

You're real funny, aren't you, Doc? Makin' me look like a nothin'.

That wasn't the purpose, Billy.

Yeah, well, you just go ahead and laugh.

The school's gonna need another school teacher fast.

- Billy. - 'Cause you aren't gonna be around.

You ain't threatenin' nobody, Billy.

I don't make threats.

Get your hat and get on home.

I heard all I wanna hear about that school.

All I said was they don't teach you nothin' you can use.

If they don't teach you nothin' else,

you'll learn to speak when you're spoken to, and that'll be a big help.

Big words, that's all they throw at ya. Well, I don't need big words.

I wanna be a blacksmith.

I don't care what you or anybody else says.

I ain't goin' to school no more.

There's only one language you understand.

- Oh, Tom, please. - Let go.

Put that gun away.

Uh-uh. You hit me for the last time.

You make one move and I'll put a bullet in you.

Matty, my friend, Virginia City will never be the Athens of the New World.

Based on my experience of today,

in a few short months the alphabet will disappear completely.

Oh, Doc, lots of those kids, they've never been to school before.

Why, you can't expect them to sit still and learn all at once, now, can you?

Matty, let us face an unpleasant truth.

I have an unparalleled record of failure.

Ranching. Mining.

Even dentistry.

And now I can add to the list school teaching.

Oh, no, come on, Doc, that's not true. You're a real smart man.

Why, listen, Doc, you know that most everybody in this town

comes to you asking for advice.

There's Judge Morgan, the sheriff.

Yeah. I seem to have all the answers for everyone... except myself.

Yeah, but don't take my word for it.

- There are certified witnesses. - Doc.

Oh, you better give me another one. It may dull the pain a bit.

Ben, I hereby tender my resignation

as headmaster of the Ponderosa Preparatory School,

and that will save you the embarrassment of firing me.

Doc, nobody's firing you.

I know you're discouraged.

But I sure would like you to stay on as teacher.

Ben, I can't handle it.

That Burgess boy and his friends, they'll...

they'll turn the place into a shambles daily.

There won't be any more trouble with the students, big or little.

Oh. I didn't realize the Cartwright reputation included miracles.

This is one of the easier ones.

Will you stay on, Doc?

It's a crime to ruin a consistent record like mine.

Never once sullied by success.

But if you want me to, I'll stay.

I want you to.

I'll see you in the morning, then. Goodnight, Matty.

Matty... may I have a nightcap?

I'll need a good night's sleep.

Break it up! Break it up, you two!

If you wanna finish this fight, there's a big street outside.

- He called me a thief. - Nobody's invented another name for it.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's pretend to be civilized.

What seems to be the trouble?

The trouble is he don't wanna believe

what is written down legal in black and white.

That's not true! My father wanted me to have the Lucky Coulter!

Easy. All right, now, one at a time.

Dick, what's... what is the earth-shaking problem?

Well, Doc, a few months ago my father wrote me.

He knew he was pretty sick.

He wanted me to come back here and take things over for him.

When I got to town, he was already dead,

and Billings here's walking around with a bill of sale

for the Lucky Coulter for 5,000 dollars.

That's right, because I worked hard for the old man,

and that's why he sold me the Lucky Coulter mine.

He knew this kid'd run it into nothin'.

That's not true. My father wanted me to have the Lucky Coulter.

Suppose we take a look at the letter and the bill of sale, hmm?

You bet. It's all proper, notarized and everything.

Take a look at that.

Go ahead and read it out loud, Doc.

I want everybody to know what a thief he is.

"In the short time the Lord has allotted me,

I hope we can patch up our differences of the past.

If you have gotten over all those wild half-baked ideas

and if you can prove to me you have finally grown into a man,

perhaps you can take your place running the Lucky Coulter.

Your father."

There are a great many ifs in this letter.

Your father must have changed his mind.

Coulter, I'm sorry, but the bill of sale is legal.

It figures.

You're as crooked as everybody else in Virginia City.

And what could I expect from a drunk?

The judgment was sober.

Doc, for your own good, stay out of my way.

Don't you ever come near me again.

Uh, Doc, can I have my bill of sale back?

Hmm?

Oh, I'm sorry. I... I was studying it.

- Matty? - Yeah, Doc?

Could I have a second nightcap?

This is not one of my better days.

Come on. Hey, come on, come on, break it up. Sit down.

Sit down over there.

Doc's a half an hour late.

We ain't gonna be able to keep them kids quiet long.

If he doesn't get here in the next 10, 15 minutes,

we'll just send 'em home, that's all.

Where's the doc? Couldn't you find him?

He's dead.

They found him about five miles from here in Alder Creek.

Somebody shot him.

Sheriff has at least a dozen of us out trying to round up people

who might know something that'll help.

I'm here. Joe Cartwright's over at Chip Lang's.

The sheriff just wants to see Billy, that's all.

Got to tell him, Nora. Wouldn't be right not to tell him.

Well, it's for the best, I guess.

That boy's a bad one.

I've said it time and again, he's gonna come to no good.

Can you tell me where I might find him?

Got no idea. But I can tell you what he done last night.

He threatened to shoot me, put a bullet in me.

In my own house, with my own gun.

Generally, it takes two to start an argument.

- What was the fight about? - There was no fight. He's just mean.

Do you have any idea where he might be?

No. But I ain't finished telling you what he did.

He sneaked back last night

and took the best horse and the best saddle on this place.

Stole 'em from his own family.

What about his friends? Is there anyone special he hangs out with?

With Chip Lang and that Henry boy. They's always under foot.

Wanting to take him to hunt or to fish,

anything so long as it didn't have anything to do with work.

Thank you.

Does the law figure, then, that Billy killed that teacher?

- Is that the way of it? - Gotta be.

- He threatened to shoot me, didn't he? - Nothing's settled yet, Mr. Burgess.

The sheriff wants to talk to a lot of people, not just Billy.

He left home last night. They haven't seen him since.

He had a fight with his old man. Stole his rifle.

I went over to Chip Lang's. They haven't seen him in about a week.

- We better go to Jeff Henry's. - Let's hit it.

- Isn't that Jeff Henry? - Yeah.

Billy?

Billy?

This all you brought?

It's all I could get without cleaning out the cupboards.

- I got some news too. - Mmm?

Doc Lyman was killed.

Bushwhacked.

Yeah? So?

That's all I know.

- They don't they know who did it? - Not that I heard.

Posse's out ridin', though. Huntin'.

Let 'em.

Enough grub to get me to Sacramento. That's all I care.

Hey, well, what are you gonna do when you get there?

Lots of things.

Cowhand, maybe.

Or a gunfighter.

You gotta be awful fast to be a gunfighter.

I am fast.

The more I think about it, better I like it.

People don't yell at you when you're a gunfighter.

They say "yes, sir."

'Cause they're scared not to.

You're not going anywhere for a while, Billy.

Oh, oh, oh, oh. Easy. Easy. Oh.

Come on, Billy. Come on, Billy. Nobody's gonna hurt you.

Come on, come on. Come on. Oh.

Howdy, Ben.

Roy.

What I heard just now true?

You and Candy brought Billy Burgess in?

Yeah, he was on his way to Sacramento.

And he just confessed to the killing of Doc Lyman.

And several other killings

that have been unsolved around here for the last six months.

There was the Patty Rand case, dance hall girl.

There was that feed salesman that disappeared about six months ago,

never heard from.

Ben, I asked this kid, why did he do it?

And he said, "I just needed some more spendin' money."

I explained to him what he was getting himself into.

And he said, "I don't care."

He just insisted on confessing in front of witnesses,

and of course the other prisoners were listening too.

Here's the confession.

Big talker.

You done everything you confessed to,

you'd have to be a lot older than you look.

I done what I said I done. All of it.

Well, I might believe you, but you could have trouble convincin' a jury.

They'll believe me.

They might at that.

Do you mind if I talk to him?

By all means, go ahead. You might find something that I missed.

Don't let him scare you, kid.

He ain't a lawyer nor a sheriff. He's just a Cartwright.

Now, you shut up, Sully.

Call me if you need me, Ben.

Billy.

You mind squinching over a bit so I can sit down?

You sure are in somewhat of a mess.

You killed quite a few people.

What difference does it make? I don't keep score.

There's a couple of things I'd like to check on here,

something you wrote here.

Uh, this dance hall girl at the Silver Dollar,

and the feed salesmen you murdered.

What were their names again?

I don't remember.

You don't remember the names of the people you killed?

Look, I don't worry about people's names.

They're all the same. Rotten.

You realize you're probably the most important criminal

in Virginia City right now?

No one else in Virginia City killed three people.

Maybe years ago, but not now.

People'll remember Billy Burgess.

For how long?

It doesn't matter.

What did you do with the money that you stole?

I spent it... on a lot of things.

- What kind of things? - What difference does it make?

It says here that you followed Doc Lyman to Alder Creek...

and you murdered him there.

What time was that?

Midnight, or later.

- Are you in Virginia City at midnight? - Sure. Lots of times.

It wasn't hard sneakin' out when the folks went to sleep.

Did anyone see you?

Anyone at all?

Mm-mm. Nobody.

I stayed clean out of sight.

And yet you say you saw the doc come out of the saloon and go home.

Followed him, didn't I?

- Well, you say you did. - I did. And I shot him.

- Why? - 'Cause I wanted to.

'Cause he tried to make me look like a fool.

And these other things, you did them too?

I sure did.

- Roy? - Coming.

I think you'd better get over to Burt Osgood's office.

Tell him I'd like him to take on the Burgess boy's defense.

What did he tell you?

Joseph, that boy needs the best lawyer in town.

Save your time, and your money, Ben.

There isn't going to be any trial.

Matilda, you're a remarkable woman,

and I can't begin to add up what Virginia City owes you.

But you can be wrong.

I must admit, you disappoint me, Ben.

I thought you'd be the one man who would understand.

Understand what?

That you don't risk sending a boy who's underage to the gallows.

You just don't take a boy who has been beaten and mistreated

ever since he was an infant

and force him to stand trial for something over which he had no control.

Or had nothing to do with.

- That's beside the point. - Is it?

I think it is.

Judge Rogers, you and I have thought this out very carefully, haven't we?

What we're doing is a little unusual.

But Matilda has convinced me it's the humanitarian thing to do.

Of course it is.

What chance would that boy stand at a trial with his reputation,

and with the way everybody felt about Doc Lyman?

Oh. Now it's the humanitarian view.

We just railroad the boy out of town quietly?

That's a very cruel thing to say, Ben Cartwright.

Nobody is going to railroad anybody.

There will be a closed hearing tomorrow morning,

and Judge Rogers will turn the boy over

to the warden of the Nevada State Penitentiary,

not as a prisoner but in the warden's custody.

He will live with the warden until he is grown.

And then if he is a useful member of society, the judge will set him free.

What is so terrible about that?

Well, it sounds perfectly marvelous.

There's just one question.

- What if the boy's innocent? - Innocent?

Ben, there's a signed confession admitting three murders.

And despite that confession,

Hoss and Little Joe and I are working day and night

trying to prove that it's not true.

If... if the boy is innocent, which is very doubtful,

he'll have ample time to prove it when he's grown.

Meanwhile we just sweep the whole mess under the rug?

Matilda, how would you like to be that boy's age right now

and look forward to living for years under the stigma of murder?

I'd find it easier to live with than hanging.

Would you?

I wonder.

I'd sure hate to be Billy Burgess set free your way.

I'm sorry you don't agree with us, Ben.

There will not be a trial.

The closed hearing will be tomorrow morning.

Well... I just don't know how Carson City is gonna look at this.

What's Carson City got to do with it?

I'm sending a wire to the state's attorney in Carson City

requesting that he assign a new judge to this case.

I don't think he'd approve of the way you and Mrs. Curtis are handling it.

Ben, we're old friends. We can thrash this out.

Then make your ruling now, Judge.

Either it's a real trial or I send that wire.

"This confession is of my own free will."

Signed: William Burgess.

Order, please.

Your Honor, this confession is ridiculous.

The boy didn't know what he was signing.

Are you trying to say that Sheriff Coffee tricked the boy

into signing the confession?

No, Your Honor, no, I'm... I'm only saying

that I think there may have been other reasons for his signing it.

Why, he's confessed to everything but the killing of Joaquin Murrieta.

Mr. Osgood, I don't like your implication.

No sheriff in Virginia City

has ever had a finer reputation for honesty than Roy Coffee.

Your Honor, I move that the boy's full confession be accepted in evidence.

- So ruled. You may step down, Roy. - Thank you.

Mr. Burgess, your son,

well, your adopted son,

has admitted to three cold-blooded murders

on the nights of February 17th, April 12th and April 20th.

Now, Mr. Burgess, did you see the boy on any of these nights?

Not after supper. He never used the place except to eat.

And cause trouble.

Objection, Your Honor. That's a matter of opinion.

Strike it from the record.

I don't know the law, Your Honor,

but I know a bad 'un when I see him.

- I object. - Sustained.

Mr. Burgess, on the night the murder of Randall Lyman occurred,

wasn't there a bitter argument between you and Billy?

With him around, there was always an argument.

That night he threatened to shoot me.

Threatened you? Wasn't he only trying to protect himself?

Not the way I saw it. And I was there.

Didn't Billy tell you that night that he was going away for good,

that he was going to California?

And isn't that the only reason he was hiding out

when the sheriff's men found him?

That's his excuse. Doesn't seem to be helpin' him much.

Mr. Cartwright, would you say that Billy Burgess

was a model student at the Ponderosa School?

Oh, he wasn't much different from the rest of the youngsters.

Sort of hard to talk a young fella like that into likin' school.

You mean he was no different from any of the others?

Well, he was a little bigger. Maybe a little noisier.

Mr. Cartwright, did any of the other students

threaten the teacher?

- No. - You did hear the threat?

You reported it to the sheriff, didn't you?

Mr. Cartwright, come outside. It's very important.

Well, but...

Please answer the question yes or no.

Answer the question, Mr. Cartwright.

- Well, yes, but... - That's... That's all.

Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. I have no further questions, Your Honor.

- What is it? - I think we've finally got something.

You know Matty over at the Silver Dollar Saloon?

He told us that Dick Coulter had a big argument with Doc

the night before the murder.

Coulter was real mad, told Doc to stay away or else.

Let's go see him.

Ma'am. Is Dick Coulter here?

He's here. If you wanna call it that.

Ricardo!

Señor Ricardo.

Ben.

Oh, you see, Ines? I told you providence would provide us.

And I found us another little bottle of whiskey too.

I don't care about whiskey. I want horses so we can get out of here.

Ben, I've disappointed the little lady.

And whiskey's always been a little bit of that problem.

Dick, when was the last time you saw Doc Lyman?

I haven't seen him since the night

he delivered his brilliant judgment on the Lucky Coulter.

You haven't seen him since then?

That would have been a little bit of a miracle, Ben.

You see, immediately following my humiliating defeat,

Ines and I came back here to do us... a little bit of celebratin'.

The horses didn't have the same idea. They went back to the livery stable.

Ay, que stupido. You rent cheap horses.

Oh!

You've both been here since the night of that argument?

By no choice of mine.

You can see I'm fast approaching a famine.

What d'you wanna know about Doc Lyman for?

No reason now.

We'll have the livery stable send you a couple of fresh horses.

And send me out a few bottles too, 'cause I'm gonna need it.

Gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

- We have, Your Honor. - How do you find?

We find the defendant guilty.

Comin' in from all over.

With picnic baskets.

Well, I wanted to be a big man.

I guess I am.

I never killed Doc Lyman, Mr. Cartwright,

or anybody else.

Well, I never suspected you did.

I ought to whip you within an inch of your life.

And I still may.

Come in, Ben.

I thought it would be you.

Have you come to ease your conscience?

Matilda, I need your help.

- Now you need my help? - Yes.

Now, when it's too late.

I just got through talking with Roy Coffee and Judge Rogers.

We're gonna send a wire to the governor

asking for a stay until we get new evidence.

What new evidence?

The boy is innocent, Matilda. We'll find new evidence.

You still wanna gamble with that boy's life, don't you, Ben?

One thing that you could always say about my husband.

When he sat down to play poker, he knew what the odds were.

May I have permission to use your name?

It'll add weight with the governor.

No. I won't do it for you.

But I will do it for the boy. I don't know how much good it will do.

- Thank you. - I'm sorry for you, Ben.

You're going to have to live with this for a long time.

I know I won't be able to sleep nights, and it wasn't my decision, it was yours.

Come in.

Oh, hello, Ben. I hate to bother you, Mrs. Curtis.

But I'm gonna have to have that check for the Lucky Coulter.

My stage leaves in about ten minutes.

Oh, yes, Walt. I'm sorry.

My mind has been on other things. I'll get it for you.

Here it is. 10,000 dollars.

And here's the bill of sale made over to you, Mrs. Curtis.

Thank you. And good luck to you in California.

Thank you very much.

- Bye, Ben. - Have a good trip.

Why would he sell you the Lucky Coulter for 10,000 dollars?

He could get 40 or 50 thousand for it.

Well, I don't see that that's any of your business, Ben.

- Let me see that bill of sale. - I'm quite capable of handling my...

May I see it, please?

It's all signed and legal and notarized by Merv Travers.

When did Lucy Travers have her baby?

In early January.

- Ben, a boy's life is at stake. - When?

It was the 10th of January.

I remember because that's my birthday too.

She was very close to death. Merv never left her side.

You'd better send that wire. There won't be time for an answer.

Might not have to send that wire.

Oh, Ben. Did you come to see me off?

Yeah, in a manner of speaking, I suppose I did.

Driver, Mr. Billings' luggage, would you set it down, please?

Well, leave it where it is, driver.

What do you think you're doing, Ben?

Well, I've just been looking at the Lucky Coulter bill of sale.

It's kind of unusual.

According to the date, January 10th,

it was signed by the notary on a day when he wasn't even around.

Merv Travers signed it and he put his seal on it.

No. No, he didn't.

You see, on the day that you say he signed it,

Merv was taking care of his sick wife.

Now, we can easily check up on that, just ask Merv.

Well, I'm gonna miss my stage, Ben.

Doc Lyman smelt something funny too and checked up on you.

Found out that old man Coulter's signature was a forgery too.

Is that why you killed Doc Lyman?

That's ridiculous, Ben. Don't move, Ben.

Don't anybody move and you won't get hurt.

- Get back. - Get off me! Get away from me!

- Drop your gun! - No! Please let me go.

- You. - I don't wanna go with you.

- Get off of there. - Do as he says.

No!

Okay, recess is over. Come on, kids. I gotta learn you some grammar.

- Come on. - Oh, sure.

The new teacher seems quite capable.

Yes, as a matter of fact,

size and brawn were taken into consideration for the job.

Hello, Billy. Everything all right?

- Fine. - Good.

Jeff's pa makes you work pretty hard, but I like living there.

Good.

Thanks for arranging it, Mr. Cartwright.

He wanted you. Asked for you.

You better get in there before it's too late.

That Hoss is a rough headmaster.

You were lucky, Ben.

You took a big chance.

Yeah.

I'd do it all over again if I had to.

I'm sure you would.

Now, we... we're not really in any argument.

We both want the same thing.

Protection for the youngsters from those horrible adult laws,

and protection for their rights too.

- That's a large order. - Yeah, I suppose it is.

I guess we won't see it in our time.

Maybe someday.

People are too smart not to change.