Speaker 1: Slaughter's my name, Luke Slaughter. Cattle's my business. It's a
tough business, it's big business. I've got a big stake
in it. There's no man west of the Rio Grand
big enough to take it from me.
Speaker 2: Luke Slutter of Tombstone. Luke Slutter of Tombstone. Civil War
cavalryman turned Arizona cattleman. Across the territory, from Yuma to
Fort Defiance, from Flagstaff to the Watchukas, and below the
border through Chihuahua and Sonora. His name was respected or feared,
depending on which side of the law you were on.
Man of vision, man of legend, Luke Slutter of Tombstone.
Speaker 3: Yeah, those are good cattle, all right, Slaughter.
Speaker 4: Then we've been buying for the fort.
Speaker 1: Cattle's my business, Captain. Will you give me for them?
Speaker 4: Thirty five dollars ahead?
Speaker 1: Fair enough?
Speaker 4: Of course, that's delivered at Fort Watchuka.
Speaker 1: Well, now that'll be ten dollars ahead more.
Speaker 4: It's only forty miles.
Speaker 1: Two days of trail herding. That takes time and riders.
Speaker 5: Eh, all right, But if the beef isn't delivered to
the fort by day after tomorrow, it's no deal.
Speaker 6: I'll have the herd there very well.
Speaker 4: See if the fort slaughter, it's along? Which dog? Hey goodbye?
Speaker 1: Can't here along.
Speaker 3: Luke slaughter? You you ain't telling me all.
Speaker 1: You know, I never have, Wichita, and I'm too old
to start.
Speaker 7: Now, how come the cavalry is willing to pay ten
dollars ahead for delivery when they got riders all over
the place and could trail them.
Speaker 1: Cattle trail herding's a job for cow polks, not soldiers.
Speaker 3: These critters are no trouble to handle.
Speaker 1: Nope, but other critters might be.
Speaker 3: Would these other critters be too legged?
Speaker 1: Yeah? The trouble with you, Wichita is you don't pay
enough attention to what's going on? Eh?
Speaker 3: Just what is going on?
Speaker 1: Fort Watchuka has been buying its beef from the Triple
X outfit down on the border.
Speaker 7: What for they got the scornier's cattle in the side
of East Texas.
Speaker 1: That's what the army found out. Two or three times
they've tried buying from some of the ranches around here.
Speaker 3: What happened?
Speaker 1: Just about everything stampedes, riders, shot, heard, scattered. Nobody's made
a delivery to the fort yet except the Triple X.
They never seem to have any trouble at all.
Speaker 7: Well, you just sold a mercy cattle. But looks to
me like you bought yourself a peck of trouble.
Speaker 1: Maybe so those forty miles to the fort could be
long ones.
Speaker 4: Howdy, luke, what brings you to time?
Speaker 1: Him? See you Sam for me? One? Eh?
Speaker 5: Most folks don't go call on a saloon keeper step professionally.
Speaker 1: I mean, this is a social media well let's call
it business run. In a place like this, you must
learn a lot, I.
Speaker 5: Reckon I do. Somehow, folks do a lot of talking
after they've.
Speaker 1: Been standing at the bars, and you do your Sarah listening.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I pick up a little information.
Speaker 1: Now, man, what do you know about a spread down
along the border that's called the Triple X?
Speaker 4: Stay away from it.
Speaker 1: I hadn't planned on going near it. But kind of
a layout.
Speaker 5: Isn't supposed to be a cow outfit? Pretty poor excuse
for one. From what I hear, any of their riders
come in here, all of them, every chance they get.
It's a hard drinking bunch of ombrees wearing the guns
down low and tied. Somehow, they just don't act like
real cow pokes.
Speaker 1: Hired gun slingers.
Speaker 4: That's the way I figured it.
Speaker 5: Then there's a mess up them during near enough for
private army.
Speaker 1: I've heard a little about the outfit and what you
say seems to fit. Who runs this spread?
Speaker 4: Fella named Bull watching. I never seen him. They see
he never gets far from the border.
Speaker 1: Maybe he's got a reason for sticking close to the border.
Speaker 5: And two of them he's wanted for a killing and
Bisbee and another in Tushine does most of his talking
with a gun.
Speaker 4: What's your business with him?
Speaker 1: Well, nothing so far, but I just made a cat
old deal that Watson may not like.
Speaker 4: Will you watch out for him, Luke, He's a mean one.
Speaker 1: I'll watch him. Thanks for the information, Sam Oh, steady boy,
We're heading home.
Speaker 4: All up about it?
Speaker 2: Just a minute?
Speaker 1: That's on your mind, stranger, Luke Slaughter, ain't you that's right?
I don't think I know you.
Speaker 8: I'm Slay. This is Ringo. We work for Bull Watson
Triple X.
Speaker 1: I've heard about him.
Speaker 8: We got a message for you.
Speaker 1: Okay, what is it?
Speaker 8: The boss heard you sold a lot of cattle to
Fort Wachuka.
Speaker 1: He just gets around fast.
Speaker 8: Watson's got the exclusive contract to supply the Fort.
Speaker 1: No, it's funny. The army never mentioned that to me.
Speaker 8: Well, it's sort of an informal contract. Nobody sells beef
to the army but us I have.
Speaker 1: I'm hitting the trail with my herd first thing in
the morning. Watson ain't going like. I don't care what
Watson likes. I'm going right down the Douglas Road to
Crossbone Valley, up through Granite Pass and down to the fort.
If Watson thinks he can stop me, he knows where
he can find.
Speaker 8: Me on a warning, you, slaughter, I don't hit the
trail with him.
Speaker 1: Cattle you through talking, yep, I reckon. I am from
here on.
Speaker 8: We'll beat the idea into your thick kid with a
barrel of a forty five.
Speaker 4: Get him ringo.
Speaker 1: All right, stay where we are.
Speaker 8: You're pretty fast with that thing.
Speaker 1: Shut up and drop your arms. That's better. Another two.
You hit the saddle and tell Watson for me that
if he's gonna try and stop that cattle drive, he'd
better hire every gun slick he can get his hands on.
He's gonna need him. Oh, oh, holder, howdie sheriff, Good afternoon, Luke,
how's business? I ain't never seen a time.
Speaker 9: When the law business wasn't real brisk in coach Cheese County.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I reckon you could keep busy and never get
outside of Tombstone.
Speaker 6: I could use about five more good deputies.
Speaker 1: One sign up, lukeh. Sorry, I've got enough trouble, but
maybe I can throw a little more business your way.
You interested in a fellow named bull Watching very much?
But yeah, he's a slick one.
Speaker 9: Every time I head south, he scoots back across the border.
Speaker 1: Maybe we can lure him away from the border this time.
Speaker 9: I don't see how he usually sends a bunch of
his gun slingers to do any dirty work it has.
Speaker 1: To be done. I figure to keep his gun slingers
so busy that the boss will have to come up
and finish the term.
Speaker 9: You think you can get Watson out in the open,
deal me in.
Speaker 1: I'm trailing to herd of cattle to Fort Watchuka's starting
in the morning. I think it'd have a little trouble
with some of Watson's hands. Want me to go along, No,
I'm starting up with my own men. I think we'll
do all right at first, but day after tomorrow, when
we go over Granite Pass, Watson should be ready to
make his play. He tries anything while we're going through
that gorge. I'd like to have your help.
Speaker 9: I'll round up a few men I can count on
to meet you there. If I get my hands on Watson,
it'll be well worth.
Speaker 1: A trip, all right, meet me at the south end
of Granite Pass on Thursday morning. I'll try to set
it up so he'll come to the party, okay, with
your Tom's where we leave the road and take off
through the hills.
Speaker 10: It's got him turned oka, ha, let's got him gone.
Come on, let's ride on ahead.
Speaker 1: Where are we going. I'm gonna take a look at
Pistol Springs. The water's dried up there. We'll have to
go ten miles out of our way to get back
to the river. He luke, if you wish to ask me,
I didn't.
Speaker 7: Yeah, but if you were to, I don't think it's
very smart two of us right now, this way, when
we might run into watching a bunch of his hands.
Speaker 1: Here, they say Watson never gets this far north. He might.
He might, but the odds are all in our favor.
The perfect place for him to try to stop, says,
when we go through Granite Pass, he won't be there
till tomorrow.
Speaker 3: Well there's a springs, yeah.
Speaker 1: And plenty of good water too. Our lucks holding out. Okay,
you want to ride on down. There, no no reason
to well up in the state of these big rocks.
We'll rest the horses a minute and we'll head on
back to the herd. Oooo.
Speaker 7: I'm I'm just as glad watching to staying on his
own side of the mountains. I'd hate to tangle with
anybody in this mess of rocks and boulders.
Speaker 1: It's a pretty rough country and it stays rough clear
through Granite Pass. We got a tough drive ahead of us.
Speaker 5: You've gone as far as you're going, slough.
Speaker 4: Don't go for your guns.
Speaker 6: You cover nine ways.
Speaker 1: We were so durned careful with you. Tell but we
forgot to look up over our heads.
Speaker 4: I'm coming down, but don't move.
Speaker 6: There's a dozen guns around these rocks.
Speaker 3: Eh, that's too many for me. I get nervous when
I'm looking at one gun.
Speaker 1: O stranger. I have never seen you before, but i'd
say off, hen, you're a bull Watson.
Speaker 6: That's right, And I'm here with my boys because you
didn't pay any attention to the message I sent you
in town yesterday.
Speaker 1: I thought you'd follow up on that, but I didn't
expect to see you so soon or so far from
the border.
Speaker 6: I will never mind a polite conversation. Come on out, boys.
Speaker 3: Here, there's a mess up, Luke.
Speaker 1: Not as many as I figured. The rest of the
must be farther south.
Speaker 6: Toss your guns on the ground, both of you do.
Speaker 1: We do it, Luke, but pretty well out gunned. Got
any other ideas?
Speaker 4: Nope?
Speaker 6: Now let me tell you what happens next. You stay
here with me, Slaughter, So pile off your horse. If
your sidekick rides back and tells your men to turn
that herd around and head back for Tombstone.
Speaker 1: I ain't a going to do.
Speaker 6: What if those cattle ain't head in another way? In
ten minutes, I'll put a forty five slug right through
the middle of your boss.
Speaker 3: I'm leaving right now.
Speaker 1: Don't worry about me. Which bring the boys back with
you and clean out this Nesta sidewinders.
Speaker 3: Who can see no time for a grand stand play.
Speaker 7: You're liable to wind up with a big hole where
your stomach ought to be your friend.
Speaker 6: Which does got more sense than you have, Slaughter, I'd
get riding mister, and get that herd turn.
Speaker 10: I'm on my way here, Slade here, Bob, you get
your horse and trail them.
Speaker 6: That hurd ain't headed home in ten minutes.
Speaker 4: Just ride back and let me know.
Speaker 1: I ball.
Speaker 6: Sit down and relax. Slaughter, you heard ought to be
on the way back to Tombstone by now, And if
it is, you're gonna be all.
Speaker 1: Right, pretty sure of yourself, aren't you. Watson looks like
I hold the winning cards. We'll say about that. It
comes your boy's slide, fanning it like the devil was
after him.
Speaker 6: Now, what's happened?
Speaker 1: I'd say, Wichet, I didn't do what you figure he'd do.
Speaker 6: For one thing he did do is sign your death warrant.
Speaker 4: Slaughter says, a dozen.
Speaker 1: They're crazy.
Speaker 3: It may be crazy, but there's plenty of them, and
they're looking for trouble.
Speaker 6: Oh we'll give him trouble, but first I got a
little job to do.
Speaker 1: Stand up, Slaughter, you're elect Watson, you're out numbered.
Speaker 6: I'm not licked yet, but you're all too. I said
i'd put a slug in youth that herd didn't head
back for Tombstone. And I always keep my promises.
Speaker 2: In a moment Luke Slaughter of Tombstone returns. An expression
you hear a lot is something to the effect that
you can't have everything. It suggests a well, a kind
of responsible acceptance of life, I mean, not forever expecting
some miraculous good fortune. And most of us don't. There
are certain youngsters who refuse to go along with that idea.
Nearly every day they live, they experience miraculous good fortune.
The youngsters I mean are the ones with cerebral palsy.
The reason they experience wonderful good fortune so often is
that to many of them, just being able to take
a step is kind of a miraculous good fortune. Or when,
after years of training and struggle in therapy, when at
last some little kid with cerebral palsy is able merely
to lift a glass to his lips, well, that's having
everything to that child. Somewhere in America, cerebral palsy strikes
some child every fifty three minutes every day in the
year United. Cerebral palsy is fighting this ruthless, persistent crippler.
Join that fight and give hope and heart to some
little kid in one of the toughest fights on earth.
Join the fifty three minute march on cerebral palsy to
day and now, Act two Ofilliam and Robson's production of
Luke Slaughter of Tombstone.
Speaker 1: You want to give me back my gun and give
me a chance to draw against you.
Speaker 6: No, I don't.
Speaker 1: I didn't think you would.
Speaker 2: Look out, Boss had a come down.
Speaker 1: They got me.
Speaker 4: Let him have it, man, that's what you'll get him.
You don't.
Speaker 3: Come, we'll go.
Speaker 4: Stop it before I break your arm. Play, don't shoot
you hit me, hit through with him, get him off
with me.
Speaker 3: Come and Bossart, Hey, that was close.
Speaker 4: Let's go out here before we get killed. Come on,
let's go.
Speaker 1: Man, we're pulling out.
Speaker 2: You're gonna pluck Slaughter.
Speaker 4: Don't let him lie there. I want him alive when
we hit him at Granite Basket.
Speaker 7: Come on, hey, somebody really put a lump on your head.
Speaker 3: Come on, come on, snap out of it.
Speaker 1: Luke. We gotta chase some clear back across the border.
Speaker 3: You ain't thinking very clear. I only left two men
with a herd.
Speaker 1: It's not so good your durn right change.
Speaker 3: This bunch could circle around hit the herd anytime.
Speaker 1: We better get back to the cattle. Get the boys
together and let's ride.
Speaker 3: You feel all right?
Speaker 4: Oh?
Speaker 1: I just feel dandy. At least I've got a crease
on my scalp instead of a hole through my middle.
Speaker 5: Watching if my.
Speaker 1: Witch at What are you trying to do?
Speaker 3: Just trying to keep the critters calm down for the night.
Speaker 1: I have singing of yours. It's just as liable to
start a stampede.
Speaker 3: I guess I'm really singing to keep myself calm down.
Speaker 7: There's a dope like the idea of Watson and his
bunch of kyotes somewhere out there in the dark.
Speaker 1: I don't like it either. There's nothing to do but
wait it out.
Speaker 3: I told the boys to keep moving around the herd,
not to bunch up.
Speaker 1: Do you want him about lighting cigarettes? You can see
a match for a mile on a night like this,
I told him.
Speaker 3: I hope I remember one thing. Sure, nobody's getting any
sleep tonight with the cook.
Speaker 1: Well, it could be worse. There could be a moon.
Speaker 3: That what sounds like, Charlie he was over that way,
Come on camp. He can't see a dad blamed thing?
Speaker 4: A hope horse can.
Speaker 1: Chaddy?
Speaker 3: Where are you? Whoa where?
Speaker 1: What happened? What happened.
Speaker 2: I started a light a cigarette and some rattlesnake out there,
and that dark missed my hit by an each.
Speaker 3: Ye me, Machanna, I told you not know.
Speaker 4: I know, but I wanted to smoke. I forgot where.
Speaker 7: You better swear off smoking till daylight or you're a
live or not to be with us when the sun
comes up.
Speaker 1: Well, at least we know they're out there. We just
have to be more careful.
Speaker 3: We stand here, Gavin, we're a live.
Speaker 1: Drafts some more far I reckon. You're right, we better
split up. Looks like it's gonna be a long night.
Speaker 3: What's your planning now, Luke?
Speaker 1: Get up here on top of the hill. I want
to look at Granted passed before the cattle head into it.
Speaker 3: Oh you know, Granted passed like you know the back
of your hand.
Speaker 4: Luke.
Speaker 3: You figure that's the place.
Speaker 1: It's gotta be. It's the one perfect spot to stop
us between Tombstone and fourth Watchuka. You couldn't build a
better trap, eh.
Speaker 3: And we're the bait. That is, if Watson's going to
make another.
Speaker 1: Play, he'll make a play here we are. Woo oh boy.
Who there's a nice tight little bottleneck if I ever
saw one.
Speaker 7: Hey, nobody's climbing up or down their walls. If we're
heading into trouble, we'll find it straight up the middle.
Speaker 1: We'll find it all right. Take a look down there.
Speaker 3: Oh oh yeah, a couple of them on that side
of the road. There's some more up in the rocks.
Speaker 1: There's some of that clump of trees. Watson brought in
some more men. I can count about fifteen, and there.
Speaker 3: Must be more hiding around somewhere. We can't fight that
kind of odds.
Speaker 1: And keep the herd moving too well, I guess we
can Shooh.
Speaker 3: What a trip this has been.
Speaker 7: We have a gun battle, you get your skull cut open,
Charlie almost gets shot, and now we run into a
small army.
Speaker 1: Oh we need now is to have the cattle stampede.
Speaker 3: Don't even mention it. It'll happen, Sure it.
Speaker 1: Well, I'm gonna make it happen.
Speaker 3: Luke Slaughter, you want to get more sleep night. You're
loosing your grip.
Speaker 1: Now, can't you see that hurd of ours will fill
this pass from wall to wall. You get all our
riders behind the cattle start. I'm running through there, and
we'll flush Watson and his crew out like a bunch
of quails.
Speaker 3: By golly, it might work.
Speaker 1: Yeh.
Speaker 3: Wait, Now what happens when we get to the other
end of the pass.
Speaker 7: They'll fan out there, wait for the cows to go
by and chop us down like ducks and a shooting gallery.
Speaker 1: We'll just bottle up the other end of that pass
and grab them as they come out. You and who
else The sheriff and a pack of deputies are riding
out from town right now. I'm going over the mountain
and meet him. You get on back and tell the
boys what to do.
Speaker 7: Luke, Sometimes I wish you'd let me in on these things.
Sooner i'd feel dirn sight more comfort.
Speaker 1: Everything worked out just about like I figured it with Sheriff.
Speaker 6: Are you sure Watson's in there?
Speaker 1: He was the last time I looked. When he comes out,
I want him. I owe him for a lump on
my head. Well, we better get ready.
Speaker 9: Pull up, man, all right, Man, spread out across the past.
As they come out of the canyon. Each of you
pick a man and ride him down.
Speaker 1: They'll be pretty busy. Stand out of the way of
that stampede. Watch out for him. They're all professional gun slicks.
Speaker 9: Any questions, good, I'll scatter out and good luck to you.
Speaker 1: Not a bit too soon, sheriff. Look at that cloud
of dust up in the pass.
Speaker 6: Yes, sir, how big a hurt is it?
Speaker 1: Not? He head and there's a spooky bunch of critters.
Nothing stopping them once they really get started. I don't
think I can hear him now. Yeah, here they come,
and here come the gents were looking for a fan
and the breeze to stay ahead of the herd.
Speaker 4: Get out of man, it's working, Luke.
Speaker 1: You're too busy running to put up bunch of a fight.
Look there's Watson. Come on, let's get him up.
Speaker 3: What come on up?
Speaker 1: What's losing ht on him?
Speaker 3: Look out he's trying to shoes uple of stuff to that.
Speaker 4: He's got him.
Speaker 1: He's down, but he's still rolling around. Whoa Watson, Get
on your feet.
Speaker 4: I think you broke my shoulder.
Speaker 1: Look he comes to hard stake it with my stare
at Watson.
Speaker 4: Come on, I'll hold you up.
Speaker 1: Oh he made it him close to getting caught in
her own trap.
Speaker 7: Yeah, Oh he's sure work, slick man.
Speaker 3: I never saw a gang rounded up as quick.
Speaker 1: As Watson's punch serfs men did a fine job. You
can get the boys and round up are herd, and
you've got them calm down, we'll drive them on into
the fort.
Speaker 6: Looks like you win, Slaughter while I'm at at might
as well. Thank you for saving me from that herd.
Speaker 1: I didn't want you to get seated. Out of what
you get com and Watson a date with a rope
at the Territorial Prison and Humor.
Speaker 2: Luke Slutter of Tombstone, starring Sam Buffington, was written by
Paul Pierce and directed by William and robeson editorial supervision
by Tom Henley. Supporting mister Buffington were Junius Matthews, Barney Phillips,
Jack Edwards, Charles Seal and Normalden, with music composed and
conducted by Wilbur At.
Speaker 1: Next week. At this time we returned with slaughters the
name Luke Slaughter. When we meet up again, you can
call me that Luke Slaughter. This is the CBS Radio Network.