Goodnight for Justice Page #5

That's right.

Is that because you

didn't actually see it happen?

Mr. Reed saw.

Of course he did.

Have a seat.

Mr. Reed...

...can you shed some light

on this mystery?

Be happy to, Judge.

Stand, please.

- Did you hurt your leg?

- Old injury.

I'm sorry to hear it.

I appreciate the concern.

So, why don't you start

by, uh, telling this court

how much land you own.

That's a lot of land.

That's the... that's the better part

of this valley.

I might have trespassed

on my way in.

It's the savages

I'm concerned with.

Not savages.

People.

The word "people" refers

to individuals rather than Indians.

Not in here it doesn't.

Those "people"

lit fires and spooked my cattle.

If they lit fires,

there should be evidence.

That shouldn't be too hard to find.

Be my guest.

I believe I already am

your guest, at the hotel,

which I'm told you own.

That's correct.

My hotel employs 23 people.

It pays a sizable tax

to the town,

which is helping to build

a new schoolhouse.

And, yet, with all that going on,

you still have time to concern

yourself with a few Indians

on a piece of land

you barely recognize?

I'm not on trial here.

No, no.

My apologies.

Must be the effect of that

good bottle of wine I ordered

at the restaurant last night,

which, I am told,

you are also the proprietor of.

I'm beginning to think

you're a bit envious, Your Honor.

Well, that may be,

considering that everything

I have in this world

would fit into two saddlebags.

You may sit down, Mr. Reed.

Why, thank you, Your Honor.

Who will speak for the tribe?

Curtis Whitecloud, Your Honor.

I will speak for my people.

Did you trespass

on Mr. Reed's land?

We come to town

only to trade supplies.

Our village is 20 miles from here.

We use an abandoned trail

that runs across a corner of his land.

It saves us a day's travel.

Did you build a fire

on this land?

We lit a small fire to keep warm.

We did no harm.

They've been warned

not to use that trail.

Do white people use the trail?

White people

don't threaten my property.

His people do.

Mr. Reed, the Cheyenne

have been building fires on this land

for hundreds of years

and somehow managed

to not destroy it.

So, you were arrested

in the act of trespassing?

No.

We were arrested when we

got to town, just like always.

- So this has happened before.

- Many times.

Sometimes they just spit on us

and call us names,

and sometimes they round us up

like cattle and beat us.

I see the bruises there

on your wrists,

and, uh, your clothes are torn.

What happened?

I was dragged down Main Street

behind a horse.

And the sheriff did this to you?

No.

It was them.

Can anyone step forward

and corroborate this testimony?

You know,

I'm beginning to think

there's something wrong

with the drinking water

here in Crooked Stick.

There seems to be

an epidemic of blindness.

I saw Mr. Whitecloud

dragged down Main Street.

I've seen things

that bad and worse, for years.

And you're

just coming forward now?

Yes.

Mr. Reed threatened

to torch my clinic

if I made any trouble for him.

Thank you, Miss Ramsey.

You may have a seat.

I'm ready to make my ruling.

Will the defendants please rise?

You don't knock a man down

and then accuse him

of living in the dirt.

You don't strip a man

of his clothes

and then punish him

for being naked.

While there are no laws

on the books of this territory

protecting Indians' rights,

there is a law that says you can't

hold a human being for no reason.

And we are all

human beings here,

regardless of our heritage,

and as such,

you men are free to go.

Mr. Reed, let this be a warning

to you and your men.

I don't care

how much land you own.

If I ever hear of another incident

of abuse regarding these people,

you will have the pleasure

of hearing another of my verdicts,

and I guarantee you,

you will not like it.

Case dismissed.

Next case.

- This isn't over.

- I expect it isn't.

My grandson said

you were looking for me.

You look the same

as you did back then.

You must be blind.

You still like those peppermints?

You remember me.

Well, it was

a pretty memorable day.

It was the last time

I saw Judge Shaw.

It seems like all the judges

who comes through here

end up with a bullet

in 'em eventually.

That's what they tell me.

I gonna do my best to see

if I can't break that tradition.

After today,

I wouldn't bet on it.

You know, it can't be

too good for your health

out here talking with me, either.

I'm an old man, long past

worrying about my health.

What do you remember about

the outlaws who killed Judge Shaw?

Not much.

They weren't from around here.

Best I recall,

they were just passing through.

- You remember any names?

- No.

Why the interest?

I thought they all died out there.

All but one. Took a bullet

in the leg and rode out.

If he's still alive,

he'd be about 50,

good with a gun,

dragging a limp.

Sounds like you're

describing Dan Reed.

How'd he make all his money?

I don't know,

and I don't intend to ask.

He just turned up here

half a dozen years ago with his wife

and started buying up

everything in sight.

He has a wife?

Not anymore.

She's the one

that re-named this town.

- We used to be called...

- Dry Gulch.

Yeah.

That's right.

She didn't think that was too pretty.

I have to say, I agree.

Of course, "Crooked Stick"...

it isn't much better.

Crooked Stick's

an Indian name.

Yeah.

Hey, come on, take a look!

Come on, you got to see this!

Come on over here!

Over here. Take a look!

It was him.

It was Reed.

Evening, Judge.

A man lies dead in the street,

and you're gonna do nothing about it?

Yeah.

Where's Reed?

He's in the hotel.

He's got his men there.

- What the hell are you doing?

- Keeping you company.

Evening, Sheriff, Judge.

Say what you got to say.

Mr. Reed...

I'm afraid you're

under arrest for murder.

So, who did I kill?

Curtis Whitecloud.

Yeah, I heard about that.

A real shame.

Get up.

You've got the wrong man, Judge.

I've been in this fine establishment

all evening

enjoying a leisurely dinner.

Don't bother ordering dessert.

One more time...

Get up.

You think because you've

got a lawbook and a gavel

you can tell me

how to run my town?

This isn't your town.

Well, I paid for most of it.

That makes it my town.

- Some things can't be bought.

I disagree.

Kill him.

I expect they'll get a few shots off,

and from this distance,

I don't think they'll miss.

I guarantee you... I won't.

You'd give up your life

over a dead Indian?

Young lady, that's a very pretty dress

you're wearing tonight,

but if Mr. Reed

doesn't obey the law,

you're about to have

his blood all over it.

Hm!

Put your guns down, boys.

Go.

You're crazier than I thought.

You have no idea.

You see all these

fine citizens here?

When my men come for me,

they won't help you.

Nobody will.

You expect me to stay

in this filth-hole?

Last occupants...

they felt the same way.

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