Speaker 1: In the mining country of Montana Territory. It seems that
it's one thing to find gold and another to claim.
Speaker 2: It as your own.
Speaker 3: Front Tier Gentleman.
Speaker 4: Herewith an Englishman's account of life and death in the West.
As a reporter for the London Times, he writes his
colorful and unusual stories, but as a man with a gun,
he lives and becomes a part of the violent years
in the New Territories. Now starring John Dayner, this is
the story of J. B. Kendall Frontier Gentleman.
Speaker 1: I've been traveling along the Mullen Wagon Road in Montana Territory,
and I was looking forward to reaching Helena before dark.
Speaker 2: When my horse began to.
Speaker 1: Go lane and I realized I faced the prospect of
camping out.
Speaker 2: Was still one other night.
Speaker 1: I had just rounded a bend in the trail when
I saw the small figure plodding along on foot ahead
of me.
Speaker 2: He carried a.
Speaker 1: Pack on his back, and as I drew nearer, I
saw that he was no more than a boy seventeen
or eighteen. A Hello, hell, yes, but I don't think
i'll get there tonight. Horse has gone lane.
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, right fore leg huh.
Speaker 2: Yes, he slipped off a rut a mile or so
further back.
Speaker 6: Too bad, thought, mart, Get a ride with you. There's
been many wagons along today.
Speaker 2: Now how far have you walked?
Speaker 5: Mostly from Ford Benon?
Speaker 6: Got a couple of rides day four yesterday. See, you
don't happen to have any food on you. I ain't
got much, but I could pay a dollar or two.
Speaker 2: I guess I've enough of the two of us. You
better save your money.
Speaker 1: Oh that's nas Keep your eyes open for a decent
bit of brown and we'll make a camp. About half
a mile beyond, we found a somewhat sheltered spot at
a way off the trail. The youngster, his name was
Bill Richmond, gathered wood.
Speaker 2: And I prepared the food. It's almost dark by the
time we had finished.
Speaker 5: That was as fine a meal as I've ever eaten,
mister Kendall.
Speaker 2: And I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Speaker 5: Bill, you smoke, no, sir, I have been the taste
for it.
Speaker 1: Yet you've got time take my advice when you do
use a pipe, sir.
Speaker 2: Where do you come from?
Speaker 5: Kentucky?
Speaker 6: The long way from home? It wasn't much of a place.
I figured I was old.
Speaker 2: Enough and you came out here for gold.
Speaker 5: That's right. You make any strikes, mister Kendall.
Speaker 1: Oh no, I another prospector. How did you get to
Fort Bentonville?
Speaker 6: I worked my way up one of them river boats.
I sure learned plenty about gold mining from some of
them fellas.
Speaker 3: You know what this says.
Speaker 6: There's places in this country where you can pick the
gold right off the ground.
Speaker 2: I imagine the trick is to find those places.
Speaker 5: Oh, I will, of course. I don't mind digging something
by half year.
Speaker 2: I wish you liked them. Hello, sounds that we have visitors.
Speaker 5: How are you mean my piles saw the light of
your fire off of the trail.
Speaker 3: You mine company?
Speaker 2: No, not at all.
Speaker 7: Oh, my name is Jack Himpton of this Here. This
is Rod Goodall Hodey, and him with a long face.
There it's Dauncy Abbitt, Hi JB.
Speaker 2: Kendall.
Speaker 1: The nipper is Bill Richmond Holley. I'd offer you some food,
but I'm afraid we used the last.
Speaker 2: Oh that's all right, we got our own grub.
Speaker 5: But how's the firewood enough?
Speaker 2: I think.
Speaker 3: Dancy your return for the grub get going.
Speaker 2: Nothing?
Speaker 3: I hate worse.
Speaker 7: He eats cooking like thunder but he sure knows how
to make a sell of a gun. Stew Oh, no,
that fire sure does feel good.
Speaker 5: You and the kid have any luck find any traces
around here?
Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, mister Goodall, I haven't been looking.
I'm on my way to Helena. No Bill is the
prospect then?
Speaker 6: Oh sure, boy, we just camping down for the night.
I am to try my luck west to held him.
Speaker 3: So huh, well, now, boy, how come you're waiting? Did
he get there?
Speaker 5: Tell a big stritch, that's how come? Mister.
Speaker 7: Now you listen to me. Boy, the ain't no sense going.
Everybody else goes for all.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 5: You're sitting on a bindser right now.
Speaker 3: You're judging me? Yea rod right? Ain't that the true?
Speaker 8: He could be sure it could listen I heard stranger
all that pulling your leg build No, sure, no such
a thing, mister, I would now listen here, me and
the boys.
Speaker 2: We was working deer Lodge country a year.
Speaker 5: But Dauncy, you remember I remember why?
Speaker 2: Sure?
Speaker 7: Now, a couple of fellas right in the next camp
to us, they got into shoot up. Next thing, you know,
one of them bites the dust. Other fella he starts
out to Bury, the poor son of a gun. He
digs a grave right there in the camp. And what
do you think, paid dirt lousy.
Speaker 2: Will go, mister Hintons, you'd take first prize with that one.
In a minute. You'd have me believe the.
Speaker 5: Truth, though over seen stranger things from that, And that's
a fact.
Speaker 2: It was a pleasant way to pass the night.
Speaker 1: Three prospectors, hard picking rough men, spinning one tail after another.
They'd never find a better audience than Bill Richmond than
they knew were. I could see him absorbing every word.
It wasn't until the fire was getting low that he
finally turned in. At first I thought I heard the
shouting in my dreams, and then I knew that I
was awake and it was beginning.
Speaker 2: To grow light in the east.
Speaker 5: I'm rich What are you talking about?
Speaker 2: Bill?
Speaker 5: Just like me said, here, I found it.
Speaker 3: Found what the gold.
Speaker 5: Was, mister mister hands luckier gold or not? I thought
about what you told me, No, all them stars. I
didn't even sleep for it. And this morning, this.
Speaker 6: Morning I got about walk up a gulch and I
found this out.
Speaker 3: Let me see that.
Speaker 5: Iron pyre ride?
Speaker 2: So bet you ain't it gold?
Speaker 5: Mister Kendall it is the fellas on the boat. They
told me what to look for iron pirate rights.
Speaker 3: Daunty, fetch me the hammer.
Speaker 5: I got more in my buckets. Look at this.
Speaker 3: Will you shut your mouth a minute?
Speaker 5: Where'd you find it?
Speaker 2: Surface?
Speaker 6: No, no, kind of kind of sticking out of a
rock in a gully.
Speaker 5: I can show you. Well, I'm sure obliged to you,
mister Hinton. Here's the hammer.
Speaker 2: If you want my opinion, you're wasting your time. That's gold.
Speaker 5: Sure it is, mister Kendall, it's it's soft.
Speaker 2: No alloy me, She'll be a cop.
Speaker 5: Look at the color, pure gold.
Speaker 3: Show us where you found it.
Speaker 5: Boy.
Speaker 1: We followed the Bill into a couch which began no
more than one hundred yards from campfire.
Speaker 2: He turned into a shallow gully and stopped.
Speaker 1: I could see where he had cut into the rocky
bank with his pocket knife. And I could see something
else too, in the faces of the men who stood
over him, the guarded tones of voice Bill.
Speaker 5: Bill, I would say that you've hit it. That's a fact.
Speaker 6: Ain't no question in my mind, no telling how far
that vein goes said. Don't think I'll forget you, Fels,
because I won't I'm going to make a fine present
to all of you.
Speaker 5: That's mighty thoughtful, boy, mighty thoughtful.
Speaker 1: I imagine one steaks out of claim now, isn't that so?
Mister Hinton then registered in Helena.
Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that sure is, Kindle.
Speaker 7: That's the thing to do, Bill, Bill, I don't guess
you'd mind if me and the boys take a look
on up the gully aways, would you?
Speaker 3: It should be bloody for all of us.
Speaker 5: So you go right ahead. I ain't no hob Now
I got all I need right here.
Speaker 7: Good, good, and we will help you nyway, make out
the claim all proper legal.
Speaker 5: Well, that's fine, let's go boys.
Speaker 6: Oh candle, are you coming in just a moment, mister Kendall, listen,
how you planning picking me up?
Speaker 5: Sharing your food with me? No, I'm cutting you in
for a share of this.
Speaker 1: Oh no, no, no, it's yours. If there's more here,
I'll stake my own plane.
Speaker 5: No, no, you don't have to. Now this here must
be worth hundreds and thousands.
Speaker 1: Listen to me, Bill, The most important thing is for
you to register that claim, get title to it.
Speaker 2: You understand, sure?
Speaker 5: Sure?
Speaker 2: All right? Have you got a gun?
Speaker 5: No? I ain't got no gun.
Speaker 1: Well you're not how to use one, oh, I guess,
so I'd take it just in case of accidents.
Speaker 2: I'm going with the others. Now, if any more strangers come,
don't tell them what you found.
Speaker 4: All right, mister Kendall, you better go back to camp
now wait for.
Speaker 1: Me there, Sure you say so. I stayed with the
three prospectors almost the whole day. We found traces all right,
low grade or but nothing really worth working. It was
late afternoon when we retraced our steps to the camp.
On the way we passed through the gully and the
sight of Bill's claim. The sun had already fallen behind
the mountains to the west, and there was a chill
in the air.
Speaker 7: Can't just figure it just the one vein.
Speaker 1: Possibly it's a question of digging. Seems to be a
number of gullies running off.
Speaker 7: We looked around these parts couple of years back, remember Rod.
Speaker 2: That's right.
Speaker 6: I'd swear what the kid founds a freak might not
go more in a foot or two than peter out.
Speaker 7: No, don't look that way to me. I'd say she'd
show better. And no, two thousand dollars a ton, lucky boy, Yeah, say, Kendall,
you and the boy partners or something?
Speaker 2: Oh no, I met him yesterday for the first time.
Speaker 7: Oh man, Can I search your lifetime not find anything
like that? Yeah? Kind of crazy? Ain't we telling stories?
And he takes us up on it and finds this?
I think that'd be worth a sharing the claim, wouldn't
you sure were shooting?
Speaker 5: Wouldn't have come looking if we hadn't given him the idea?
Speaker 2: What do you think, Kendall?
Speaker 1: I think, gentlemen, that this is Bill Richmond's claim and
we better get it stacked out for him before dark?
Speaker 2: Where you see it?
Speaker 5: Huh?
Speaker 2: Exactly that way? Well, might as well get on back
to Ken.
Speaker 1: Don't do you think it would be a good idea
to help the boy to take out his claim before night?
Speaker 5: No? No, Kendall, I'm contired right now. How about you?
Speaker 2: I sure had enough for one deal.
Speaker 7: It's been there a long time. Yes, you won't be
moving tonight, Kendall. You know how to stake out acclaim?
Speaker 2: Unfortunately?
Speaker 5: No?
Speaker 2: Oh huh, I guess it.
Speaker 3: Can wait.
Speaker 7: Do something about it in the morning, huh, because right
now I sure could use some.
Speaker 4: Grub In a moment. We returned to Frontier Gentleman, a
suspense story starring Agnes Moorehead and the latest action packed
adventure with insurance investigator Johnny Dollar are two of the
exciting dramas waiting for you on CBS Radio today. If
you like your listening on the thrilling side, don't miss
Agnes Moorehead on Suspense, and don't miss Johnny Dollar's tense
tangle with aspir Ring on most of these same stations today.
And now we return you to Anthony Ellis production of
Frontier Gentlemen.
Speaker 1: In the camp Now, there was a very different atmosphere, sullen,
I think is the.
Speaker 2: Best word for it.
Speaker 1: A subtle hostility had settled like a gray mist. I
saw the men huddle together as Bill and I prepared
the campfire, and I had a pretty good idea of
what they were talking about.
Speaker 5: She going fine.
Speaker 2: Now standle listen to me. Bill.
Speaker 1: I think we may be in for a bit of trouble,
and no matter what happens, keep your head. No time
to explain now you'll see.
Speaker 9: Just don't lose your temper.
Speaker 2: Bill.
Speaker 5: Yeah, mister Hinton, Bill, me and the boy's been talking.
Speaker 2: Now we figure.
Speaker 5: While it's still light, you ought to get the claim staked.
Speaker 3: Out all regular.
Speaker 7: Yeah, that's fine with me, of course, doing you a
service like that, seems how you nor Kendall know about
such things?
Speaker 5: We reckon?
Speaker 2: It ought to be worth something to you.
Speaker 5: Oh that's all right. I don't want something for nothing there,
see see what I tell you?
Speaker 2: Boy, he's a good kid, right. What do you think
such services are worth? Mister Hinton?
Speaker 7: Even shares all around cut you in two of course,
even sit just a moment.
Speaker 2: Bill, pretty expensive, isn't it. I imagine a lawyer wouldn't
charge that much.
Speaker 5: Ain't no lawyers around here?
Speaker 3: Is it dat?
Speaker 2: No, sir?
Speaker 7: Now, Bill, It's kind of like protecting your rights, you see,
because if anything happened and you didn't get to get
your clean right dude, why the next feller comes along
the whole thing belonged to him.
Speaker 3: You see?
Speaker 2: Rather awkward situation, isn't it.
Speaker 5: H We're taking the gamble as much as you kid.
Why heck that that vein might not be worth nothing?
Speaker 2: The foot down.
Speaker 1: I was under the impression you thought it would work
out to about two thousand dollars in time.
Speaker 3: Mister. We're doing that is with a boy, not with you.
Speaker 1: I'm representing his interests that right, bill, Yes, sir, sue
about the same time as.
Speaker 2: He decided to help him register his claim. Mister good home,
what's your deal with the kid?
Speaker 7: Uh?
Speaker 2: We have a gentleman's agreement. Pretty smart, and you come
in for.
Speaker 1: Half presuming that I did that still leaves him half,
which is a lot better than a fifth share.
Speaker 2: As it happens, I have no intentions of doing so.
You believe this dude, kid?
Speaker 5: Yeah, I believe him.
Speaker 7: Well, we ain't getting noise. Don't so much as well
get going on the ground. I did it last night,
we'll do it again. It ain't my turn.
Speaker 3: Come over here, you too, Rob.
Speaker 2: Have you got the gun on your bill?
Speaker 5: Yeah? Stuck in my bill?
Speaker 2: Here, I'll keep your jacket buttoned. Don't let them see it.
Speaker 5: You figure they're gonna take my gold away from me.
Speaker 2: Mister killer, I think they'll make a good try.
Speaker 3: Well, I ain't gonna let them keep your voice down.
Speaker 6: I'm sorry, sir. That sure gets me mad though. I
heard about claim jumpers, but I have expected to run
into him this quick.
Speaker 2: The price of fame and fortune.
Speaker 5: They're gonna have to kill me to get mine.
Speaker 2: Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that. Ah, the
conference is over.
Speaker 1: I mean the boy's got an offer to make happy
to listen to any offer.
Speaker 3: You and the kid take fifty.
Speaker 2: We take fifty percent.
Speaker 1: Hmmm, I'll make you a counter offer. You take nothing,
I take nothing, Bill takes.
Speaker 7: Off you see, I told you now, Look, mister, you
ain't no position to make an offer till that claim
gets registered.
Speaker 3: It don't belong to no one.
Speaker 7: Now, if me and the boys decide to stake it
out for ourselves, what are you gonna do about it?
Speaker 2: I imagine there'd be some shooting, don't you.
Speaker 5: You only got one gun?
Speaker 2: We got three? Would you like to draw first?
Speaker 7: No, I ain't no use that kind of talk. Now,
nobody's talking about a shoot up. We just want what's
rightfully ours.
Speaker 3: We told the kid.
Speaker 5: Where the look that makes us equal partner?
Speaker 2: I don't think so, no, sir.
Speaker 7: If the kid rides in to get someone out to
stake that claim for him, you know we got the
right to take over while he's gone.
Speaker 2: If I let you it ain't your strike. He'll give
me power of attorney and writing.
Speaker 5: You bet ill will.
Speaker 2: What's he talking about?
Speaker 7: Are you a lawyer?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 7: Of course, maybe you're right to Helene leave him here,
very doubtful, all right, And they see how it is.
Speaker 5: We got all the grub, you got none. You can
just sit it out and wait by and by you
get some hunger, you'll sell us the whole thing for
some meat.
Speaker 1: And did you ever stop to consider that the wagon
trail is not very far away?
Speaker 2: All Bill has to do is to wait for someone
to come along.
Speaker 1: I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two
honest men who would give him a handsticking his claim.
Speaker 2: I'd be happy to stay here while he's gone.
Speaker 3: All right, all right, all right, Kendle, all right, all right,
you in.
Speaker 7: I guess we know. When we're licked, boy, we'll pull out.
I'll come cut your mouth, don't see say we'll pull out.
Speaker 3: Kendle.
Speaker 7: Right, kid, found it his claim. And just to show you,
mister Kendall, that there's no hard feelings, we'll leave you
some of our grub.
Speaker 2: How's that extremely kind?
Speaker 5: Well, I'll pay for it him.
Speaker 7: Well you figure, oh kid, it's a present to you
make up for what we tried to do to you.
Speaker 1: Sort of a conscience save Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3: Well, come on, boys, let's get moving.
Speaker 1: I didn't have the heart to laugh at Hinton's clumsy
attempt to put us off guard in fact their belongings,
And within ten minutes we're riding off down toward the
mullon Roe. At the same time, I had no illusions
about our somewhat uncomfortable position.
Speaker 5: You figured they'll come back.
Speaker 2: I think there's no doubt of it.
Speaker 5: I'm sure glad I got to see gun.
Speaker 2: I hope you don't have to use it.
Speaker 5: You'll want me to get started on the grub is
you might as well.
Speaker 6: Sure something of what happens to fellas when they get
a sight of gold, ain't it.
Speaker 1: History has a way of repeating itself. Bill, I went
through something like this only a week ago and Fort Benton.
Speaker 5: You know what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 6: If that starts really worth something, I will sell out.
You know, I'm going back to Kentucky. I'll fix things
up just fine for my mom, Pauw.
Speaker 2: And the kids, brothers and sisters.
Speaker 6: Oh yeah, a whole slew them eight. That's one of
the reasons I took off.
Speaker 1: Well, the immediate problem seems to be our friends. If
I send you to Helen and now they might be
waiting for you. On the other hand, if I go,
they could come back here.
Speaker 5: I'm feared either way.
Speaker 2: No doubt. But your claim won't be worth much to
you if you're not alive to enjoy it.
Speaker 6: Hm.
Speaker 5: Mister Kendall, what are you doing in Montana? Oh?
Speaker 2: Nothing much, really, Bill. I think the word is drifting.
Speaker 1: I drift about do a little writing for a newspaper
in London, London, England.
Speaker 2: Mm hm.
Speaker 5: So you know something I never did learn reading and writing.
That's something else I'm going to do and I'll get back.
Speaker 2: It's a good idea. But to make preparations to make
sure you do go back.
Speaker 1: As far as I could determine their most likely line
of approach of the upper shallow draw, we packed everything
we could find under our blankets to make it a pier,
and we were to sleep in the clearing.
Speaker 2: An hour passed the moon.
Speaker 9: Rose, mister Kendall, Yes, yes, I heard it. Take out
your gun, but don't shoot unless I tell you to.
All right, sir, and keep down behind the brush.
Speaker 10: Now, boy, well, and should not have done it.
Speaker 7: Boys, No, wait a minute, it ain't them under the blankets.
Speaker 3: It ain't just drop your gun.
Speaker 2: Gentlemen, stand just where you are.
Speaker 5: We was just coming back to see you was all right?
Speaker 2: Your thoughtfulness shatters me. Told you it wouldn't work.
Speaker 1: Pick up their guns, bills, gentlemen. We'll wait until it's
light enough, and you are going to stake out a claim.
There'll be in the name of William Richmond. Are there
are there any objections?
Speaker 2: Good?
Speaker 1: All right, make yourselves comfortable, and then while we're waiting,
perhaps you'd like to tell us some more stories. The
next morning, bright and early, Bill's claim was properly marked off,
and to doubly ensure that there would be no more
different work, our dishonest friends were led well trust into
the Sheriff's office at Helena.
Speaker 2: Bill's strife didn't make him a great.
Speaker 1: Fortune, but it was enough to take him home a
richer man than he came out. I allowed him, under
the circumstances, to reward me, and he did very fairly
one thousand dollars.
Speaker 4: Frontier Gentleman was written, produced, and directed by Anthony Ellis
and stars John Dayner as JB.
Speaker 2: Kendall.
Speaker 4: Featured in the cast were Eddie Firestone, Larry Dobkin, Jack Moyles,
and Vic Perrin. Music was composed and conducted by Wilbur
Hatch right after the Ford Road Show, which follows immediately
on most of these same stations. Stay tuned for the
New York Philharmonic concert performance of Elektra, and join us
again next week for another report from the frontier gentleman,
John Wall Speaking. This is the CBS Radio Network