
Gunsmoke 1957-12-29 - Whered They Go
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Matt Dillon
Around 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. Gun smoke Starring William Conrad. The story of the violence that moved west with young America. And the story of a man who moved with it. I'm that man. Matt Dillon, United States marshal. The first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chance, a job. And it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Chester
We're gonna stop in at the long branch for a minute, Mr. Dillon.
Matt Dillon
I might as well, Chester. There won't be much going around town tonight.
Chester
Sure do hope they got a rip snorting fire going.
Matt Dillon
That wind's got a nip to it all right.
Chester
And it's gonna blow up worse for em. Morning.
Matt Dillon
Two? Looks like it.
Chester
I thought Buck might be here, but it don't seem no place.
Medora
Oh, mouse.
Chester
Yes, there you go.
Medora
You want to go over the stove? Like warm?
Matt Dillon
Yeah, it feels warm right here, kitty.
Medora
After that wind outside goes right through you, doesn't it?
Chester
So I think I'll reach on over by the stove, Mr. Dillon. Might be some kind hearted stranger who. Buy me a beer.
Matt Dillon
Delta never gives up hope, does he? Sit down, kitty. See if you're not too busy.
Medora
Thanks, miss. Don't you believe in kind hearted strangers?
Matt Dillon
Not since I was 9 years old.
Chester
Took you so long.
Matt Dillon
I was kind of slow growing up. Feel like a bear.
Medora
I feel like a kind hearted stranger.
Matt Dillon
But I wouldn't exactly call you a stranger, Kitty.
Medora
Well, you'll have to admit I'm kind hearted. But Sam. Couple beers. You think a real bad storm's coming up, Matt?
Matt Dillon
Well, it's that time of year.
Medora
I remember the blizzard last year around Christmas time.
Matt Dillon
Oh yeah, that was a rough one all right, wasn't it.
Medora
Matt? Things would be rough this time of year, even if the weather weren't bad.
Matt Dillon
Huh? What does that mean?
Medora
Our holiday season. Families getting together and all. Just ordinary decent good times.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, the people still live that way.
Medora
Kitty, There are not many out here.
Chester
I sure don't.
Medora
Oh, I'm sorry, Ma. This time of year I hate us thinking too much and remembering too much.
Matt Dillon
Well, that's no good. This is a hard town and a hard country. You go soft and it'll kill you.
Medora
I remember nights of you coming here after you had to kill a man. Nights you stayed till sun up, not talking. Alone mostly. And dying a dozen deaths inside.
Matt Dillon
You know something? You're as sentimental as justice.
Medora
Come on.
Chester
Chance to. I've been robbed, Marshall. Held up right in my own sewer.
Matt Dillon
But how it happened? Fell.
Chester
Come right in after closing time, bandana over his face, stuck a gun in my stomach and took everything to cash drawer $68.
Matt Dillon
It sure took you long enough to get around telling me about it.
Chester
He. He tied me up, left me there in the back room. I just now got loose. You got to go after him, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
That's kind of a tall order, isn't it, Trayvon? A five hour head start.
Chester
Well, that don't matter now. Cause I know who he is.
Matt Dillon
I thought you said you couldn't see his face.
Chester
I couldn't, but I could tell by his voice. And he walked and everything about him. It was Clint Doty.
Matt Dillon
Clint Doty?
Chester
Yeah, he's the homesteader up the river.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I know him. I know him. I can't believe Clint's the kind to do a thing like that.
Chester
And it was him all right. I'm 100% certain.
Matt Dillon
Well, all right. We'll ride out in the morning and bring him in.
Chester
In the morning?
Matt Dillon
Well, if it was him, he'd be there.
Chester
Oh, but Mar.
Matt Dillon
Jonas, I'm not going to ride 12 miles up that river bottom at midnight with a blizzard coming up for $68. Now we'll leave in the morning. That's.
Chester
He must have heard us riding up, Mr. Johnny.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, you'd think so.
Chester
I suppose he's got a hole up in the house and just try to shoot it out.
Matt Dillon
I don't think Tony's the type, Chester.
Chester
Well, nobody didn't think he was the type to hold up Mr. Jonas either. Well, morning, Marshall Tester. How are you?
Matt Dillon
How are you, Doddy?
Chester
Come on in and said I got some coffee on the stove.
Matt Dillon
Oh, it might warm our hands a little bit. Come on, Chester.
Chester
Interesting. I reckon my daughter can rustle up some eggs inside meat if you ain't at.
Matt Dillon
Thanks, Jody, but we had breakfast before.
Chester
We left Dodge and you can get warm at least. What you trying to do, Marshall? Blow up a Storm?
Matt Dillon
That looks that way.
Chester
It's been snowing since daybreak out here in the river bottoms. That wind blowing, it's gonna start drifting.
Matt Dillon
That probably will.
Chester
Well, I'll heat this coffee up a little. What brings you out this way, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
You, Cody.
Chester
Me? What do you mean?
Matt Dillon
We're here to arrest you. Take you back in. What for? Armed robbery.
Chester
Armed robbery? You mean that hold up at the general store?
Matt Dillon
News seems to travel fast, doesn't it? How'd you know about it?
Medora
Well, I tell that armed robbery.
Chester
Oh, you. You know my wife again.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, sure. How are you?
Chester
Morning, man.
Medora
Did I hear you accusing Clint of robbery, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
That's more a matter of Wilbur Jonas accusing him.
Medora
When did this happen, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
Yesterday evening around 7 o'. Clock.
Medora
Clint hasn't been away from this place for two days.
Matt Dillon
Yeah.
Chester
No, I'm a door.
Matt Dillon
A wife's word might not stand for much under the circumstance.
Medora
Are you calling me a liar?
Matt Dillon
No.
Chester
Bandora, stop that. There's people seeing me in town yesterday.
Matt Dillon
Evening and Wilbur Jonas claims he's one of them.
Chester
Well, the way I heard it, the fellow that held him up was wearing.
Matt Dillon
A mask because he recognized your voice.
Medora
Well, that Jonas couldn't recognize s apples if he had a mouth full of him.
Matt Dillon
Well, I guess that'll be something for the judge to decide.
Chester
Man in your. You're going to take me into jail.
Matt Dillon
But you can prove you were somewhere else at 7 o' clock last night.
Chester
That might be kind of hard to do, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
And then we better get started. We've got a hard ride ahead of us.
Chester
Oh, now wait a minute. I can't go off and leave Medora like this with a storm coming on.
Matt Dillon
Maybe one of the neighbors could come over and stay with her.
Medora
There's none closer than five miles, Marshall. And they all got plenty of troubles of their own this time of year.
Chester
I ain't even got enough firewood. Split it up to last year, more than a day and a half. I was aiming to get some laid in today.
Matt Dillon
I'm sure she's made out before.
Chester
Oh, well, maybe so, but not in her condition.
Medora
Plan condition?
Matt Dillon
What are you talking about?
Chester
Well, she's gonna have a baby, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
Oh, for the love of.
Chester
It's mighty hard on a woman having her man took off to jail. And not even wood in the house to keep warm.
Matt Dillon
Now look, D.O.D.
Chester
You know, wouldn't take no time at all if the three of us was to pitch in together.
Matt Dillon
All right, do let's get at it.
Medora
Betsy.
Matt Dillon
What's the matter, Trustee?
Chester
Well, his Cursed axe needs sharpening again, Mr. Dillon. It ain't too good a steel. The marshal's got the best of it.
Matt Dillon
You couldn't prove it by me.
Chester
Well, listen. Sure don't hold its edge none. Why, here, Chester, let me touch it.
Matt Dillon
Up with a stone.
Medora
Oh, my gracious. That edge is my cheesy.
Chester
You ask me, we've already cut enough wood to last through this winter. And half of that. Stop that.
Medora
Don'ty.
Chester
That stove eats it up pretty fast.
Matt Dillon
Tuster's right, dy. We've chopped enough.
Chester
Well, she's got to use some of it to cook with, too, you know.
Matt Dillon
It's enough here to laugh so she can make other arrangements. Now, let's pack it into the shed and head back for town before that snow gets any worse.
Chester
Well, whatever you say, Marshall.
Medora
Yes, sir. You, Mickey, feel like taking on some vittles? I got some nice hot stew ready.
Chester
Did you say Venmo?
Matt Dillon
Now we gotta get started, Madora. It's getting late.
Chester
Oh, it won't do no harm to you. First it'll make the trail shorter, Marshall.
Medora
Well, my, just look at all that firewood. I'm right obliged to you, men.
Matt Dillon
You're welcome.
Medora
I reckon I'll need every stick of it, too, with this wind driving the snow in through the north wall of the cabin.
Chester
God thing, I clean forgot.
Matt Dillon
Forgot what?
Chester
The chinking, the chickens? No, the chinking. The chinkens all fell out of the north wall of the house. Oh, I was aiming to fix it today. I got a lot of bark slabs cut laying out back to the barn.
Matt Dillon
Look, don't.
Chester
It's mighty hard on a woman in Madora's condition with the snow and the sleet blowing in on it.
Matt Dillon
Donny, would it be all right if we first.
Chester
I reckon that about does the job downstairs.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I'm just about through here, too.
Medora
Well, that ain't a bad piece of.
Chester
Work, if I do say so myself. Oh, sir, a carpenter couldn't have done one bit better.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I gotta keep the wind out.
Chester
Oh, that looks fine, Marshall. Just fine. I'm mighty obliged to you, man. Oh, that's all right. Well, I know you got your duty to do. You got to take me in. And I want you to know there's no hard feelings about it. And I appreciate the way you've both been. Sedition. Help me get things in shape. So Maduro be all right here alone? It ain't many lawmen that take the trouble.
Matt Dillon
Well, she's got enough problems about making it worse for us. Let's Put the tools away and get started. It's gonna be dark before we get to Dodge.
Chester
Sir, you sure are right about her having plenty of problems, Marshall, in her condition and all. And now the cattle gone.
Matt Dillon
The cattle gone?
Chester
Of course, we only had about 20 head, but with me going to prison, maybe there would have been enough to see her through. Her and the little one.
Matt Dillon
What do you mean, the cattle's gone?
Chester
I had him there in the meta back of the corral, letting them pick clean what pasture was left. Guess they drifted off.
Matt Dillon
Well, of course they drifted off. When that storm hit, they turned tail and moved along with the wind. Cattle always do that, man.
Chester
I guess it don't matter much, though. Madora couldn't take care of nohow, not in her condition.
Matt Dillon
Well, she could if you'd hold them in the corral there next to the barn. All she'd have to do is push the hay out of the loft door.
Chester
I reckon they drifted down south there about three miles and come up against the bluff. Oh, they'll probably mill around and freeze to death there if storm keeps up.
Matt Dillon
About three miles, huh?
Chester
I was aiming to go after him, but of course, one man alone wouldn't have had much chance.
Matt Dillon
All right, dy, come on. Let's go find your cattle.
Chester
That's the meanest, crankiest or bunch of cattle I ever seen. All my born days.
Matt Dillon
Dog's really got a boot.
Chester
You know, that hat turned out to be more of a chore night, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
Yeah. Yeah, it sure said so.
Chester
I just don't know how I'd have managed without you fellas helping. We're mighty grateful to you. Me and Medora both.
Matt Dillon
Well, we couldn't let the cattle freeze.
Chester
Well, if you wait now till I put these landers in the barn, we can leave anytime you say. Oh, unless, of course, you'd like some.
Matt Dillon
Hot coffee for Jody. It's dark now. You know as well as I do we're not going to ride back to Dodge tonight.
Chester
Well, say, in that case, maybe you wouldn't mind helping me kill and dress a couple of dozen hands. Couple doesn't hens and hang them up under the ease to freeze.
Medora
Oh, my goodness.
Chester
Chicken broth. Mighty good for a woman in Maduro.
Matt Dillon
Look, Dody, we've already chopped your wood, fixed your house and rounded up your cattle.
Chester
Oh, you've been mighty.
Matt Dillon
All right, all right. We'll help you dress your chickens. We'll make soap for you, salt down the pork preserve eggs. Anything you say up until midnight. Then I'm going to get some sleep. And at sun up we're going to ride into Dodge and you're going to j. Chester. Hey, Chester, come on, wake up.
Chester
What's the matter, Mr. Jones?
Matt Dillon
You told me you're the one who's supposed to be on guard.
Chester
Huh? Why, it's after daylight. I must doze off for a second.
Matt Dillon
You wait a couple of hours, don't you?
Chester
Quint? Doty. Did he get away?
Matt Dillon
No, he's in there. I just woke him up.
Medora
Oh.
Chester
Well, I kind of figured he wasn't.
Matt Dillon
Going nowhere in that storm. What storm?
Chester
Why, it's over.
Matt Dillon
That died out during the night. You better get yourself collected, Chester. We're heading for Dodge.
Chester
My, just look at that sun on the snow with you now. Them boots had had a sw. Oh.
Matt Dillon
What's the matter?
Chester
Oh, Mrs. I'm so lame I don't even know if I can stand up straight.
Matt Dillon
Well, keep trying. I swear I'm gonna have to be.
Chester
Spoon fed for a month. I ain't never worked so hard in all my life.
Medora
Hello? Is anybody hard?
Chester
Somebody outside?
Matt Dillon
Yeah. By golly, it's dark.
Chester
Dark?
Matt Dillon
Well, come on in, you old reprobate.
Chester
I was just tying up my horse and buggy. Wonder what he's doing out this way.
Matt Dillon
Seeing a patient, I guess. He must have left town awful early.
Chester
Hey, did somebody ride up?
Matt Dillon
Yeah, it's Doc. You about ready to leave? Billy?
Chester
There's still a mind to take.
Matt Dillon
Nothing's changed.
Chester
Well, Matt. Chester.
Medora
So this is where you've been hiding out.
Matt Dillon
How are you, Doc?
Chester
Good morning, Clint. Morning Dollar. Get any coffee? Oh, have some in two shapes, Doc. Medora?
Medora
Yes, please.
Chester
Will you come out and fix some coffee?
Medora
Yes, a minute.
Matt Dillon
What are you doing out here this time of morning, Doc?
Chester
Oh, the Murdoch baby was acting up. Touch the croup. So I spent the night there. Thought I'd just drop over and say hello to Dodors. Long as I was this close.
Matt Dillon
You couldn't have done that in town. I'm taking him in.
Chester
You're taking him in? For what?
Matt Dillon
Robbing Jonah Sendmel's store night before last.
Chester
Robbing the. Now where'd you get that idea?
Matt Dillon
Jonas claims he recognized him.
Chester
Wilbur Jonas hasn't got the sense the good Lord gave a gopher magic they caught.
Matt Dillon
The fella had done that. What?
Chester
That's right. There was some drifter riding through town. He threw a lot of money into a poker game and the boys got kind of suspicious and he finally admitted the whole thing. So they buy the jail keys and judge bent and lock them up until you get Back. Well, Clint, didn't you tell him? Well, I.
Matt Dillon
Tell me, Clint.
Chester
He couldn't have done it, Matt. He was playing poker at the time with me and Mollus Grimmick in the back room of the livery stable.
Matt Dillon
Dodie.
Chester
Now, Marshall, I didn't lie to you. You asked me if I could prove where I wasn't. I didn't know Doc's word was actual proof. Clement Doty. He done that deliberate, Mr. Dillon. Letting us think he was guilty just to get us to do all that work for him.
Matt Dillon
And I suppose the st story about your wife having a baby.
Chester
Oh, that's the gospel truth, Marshall. Well, it sure is, Matt. I'll vouch for that. Let me see now. It's about another six months.
Matt Dillon
Let me see.
Chester
Around the first of July.
Matt Dillon
First of July?
Chester
Yes. I didn't say when, Marshall. You didn't ask me.
Medora
Ain't you going to wish us well?
Matt Dillon
The first of July? So help me, Dody, for two cents.
Chester
We might even name him after you, Marshall, if we can't think of nothing else. Oh.
Matt Dillon
All right. All right, Don, how about some of that coffee, huh? Gun Smoke produced and Directed by Norman McDonald. Stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. marshal. The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Les Clutchfield with editorial supervision by John Meston. Featured in the task were Joseph Kearns, Virginia Gregg and Ralph Moody. Charlie Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc and Georgia Ellis City. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gun Smoke. Get the complete news first on the CBS Radio Network, CBS Chicago, the 780 spot in your dial WBBM.
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Episode: Gunsmoke 1957-12-29 – Where’d They Go?
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
This episode features the classic radio drama Gunsmoke, originally aired December 29, 1957, titled “Where’d They Go?” The tale unfolds as Marshal Matt Dillon pursues justice in Dodge City, facing harsh weather, doubt-filled accusations, and unexpected domestic duties. The story weaves humor and warmth into themes of hardship, trust, and community spirit on the American frontier.
Matt accuses Clint of the robbery, who responds with calm confusion.
Clint's wife, Medora, attempts to vouch for him, asserting he hasn’t left the homestead, but Matt doubts a wife’s testimony will hold up.
“A wife's word might not stand for much under the circumstance.”—Matt Dillon (07:26)
The episode is marked by dry humor, neighborly bickering, and stoic kindness typical of western dramas. The cast’s banter, especially as lawmen turn domestic helpers, provides warmth amid the frontier’s cold reality.
This episode is a testament to the enduring appeal of classic radio drama—mixing suspense, humor, and the spirit of community in the Old West, all capped by a clever twist in true ‘Gunsmoke’ fashion.