The Texas Rangers Page #6

Of course. I...

I'd be mighty proud

to do so,

but the courthouse

has been abandoned,

used for a storehouse

for years.

Fact is, it's full

of green hides right now.

I might add,

Mr. Higgins' hide, so...

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, what's the matter

with this place?

This ought to make

a good courthouse.

Judge, your bench

will be right there,

in back of the bar.

We'II twist

the roulette table around,

the jury can sit there.

The prosecution can sit

at the stud table there,

the defense back there.

And where do I sit?

Hear you got a warrant

for my arrest.

You Higgins?

Let's have it.

Brought my Iawyer along

to see that everything

comes off Iegal-Iike.

You don't mind, do you?

No, the more, the merrier.

You know, I never been

in court before.

Ought to be

kind of interesting.

Yeah, it ought to.

Let's have a drink

on that.

You bet.

Yeah. Yes, sir.

You, too, Ranger.

No, I gotta go dig up

one first-class witness.

Casper Johnson,

now, it has come

to my attention

that you publicly stated

that you saw Higgins

enter into the Iivery stable

on the afternoon in question.

Now, is that so?

Dave, that ain't fair

to put me on the spot

Iike this.

TWITCHELL:
Your honor,

I insist you make the witness

stop beating around the bush.

Oh, he's a bit confused,

but he's doing

the best he can.

Yes or no, Casper?

Well, I was up in the Ioft,

but you can't see good

from there,

and I had a fork full

of hay at the time.

Never mind that. Did you

or did you not see Higgins

go into the Iivery stable?

Well, it's nearly a year ago.

I've... My memory

ain't so good anymore.

My wife said to me

only yesterday, "Casper..."

(ALL LAUGHING)

(GAVEL BANGING)

JUDGE:
Order!

Now, Iook here, Casper,

murder is

a pretty serious business.

Unless you can state

positively

that Higgins is the man

that entered the Iivery stable

and shot the Hartford boys,

you'd better get down

off that stand.

That's a good idea, Judge.

I shouldn't have come here

in the first place.

Far be it from me

to convict an innocent man,

so, if you don't mind,

I'II just toddle along.

Just a minute, Judge.

I wanna ask the witness

a couple of questions.

TWITCHELL:

This is most irregular.

You can't do that!

Who says I can't?

Get up there.

Casper, I'm advising you

to tell the truth

'cause if you don't,

your address is gonna be

the state prison

in Huntsville.

Now answer direct,

yes or no.

You saw the defendant,

Jess Higgins shoot and kill

Dick Hartford, didn't you?

Well...

Come on!

You did, didn't you?

I merely thought that...

Yes!

Yes.

Say, who's running

this court?

I am, from now on.

Sit down.

Then Fred Hartford

came in the stable,

and Higgins shot

and killed him, didn't he?

Well, in a way...

Didn't he?

Yes!

Yes.

That's all, Casper.

Thanks.

Whew!

The court has heard

all the witnesses

it needs to hear.

Right.

Sum up, Mr. Twitchell.

Gentlemen, it's up to you

to bring in a verdict.

A just verdict!

Conviction!

Now, if Mr. Higgins is guilty,

he should be punished,

but no one but Casper Johnson

saw the shootings.

Now, we have here

the rather incoherent story

of a man who affirms,

then denies,

then affirms

that he saw the killings.

It seems to me

he shouldn't be

a witness at all!

Therefore, we don't want

to hang or send to jail

an innocent man,

so you must weigh

the evidence

very carefully.

(CLEARING THROAT)

There is only one verdict.

You know it as well as I do.

Forget what

the prosecuting attorney

just said.

I object!

Sit down and shut up!

There's only one way

to clean up a county

Iike Kimball.

Get rid of men

Iike Higgins for good.

If you don't respect

your own courts of Iaw,

you'II never get rid

of Iawlessness.

You all came to Texas

to better yourselves

and to make homes.

You want Iaw and order,

don't you?

Sure.

Yes.

The Rangers

can make arrests,

but when a man is guilty,

it's up to you

to send him to jail!

Are you cowards,

afraid to say

what you think,

or are you citizens

of a great state?

Wait a minute, Ranger.

You're not running

this town. I am!

Just a minute!

Don't reach

for that gun, Ranger.

Move over, Jess.

I wanna hit him

right between the eyes.

No, you don't!

Higgins, get back

to your chair!

Keep an eye

on him, Sheriff.

(ALL MURMURING)

Sit down, Jess.

Thanks, stranger.

I can't understand men

that have such Iittle regard

for Iaw and order.

As judge and coroner both

of Kimball County,

I find that these

worthless skunks

come to their untimely end

through their own

willful negligence.

Just a Iittle slow

on the trigger.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(ALL CHATTERING)

AII right, Iet's proceed.

Order!

Jury, have you

reached a verdict?

Yes, sir, we have,

and we find

the defendant guilty.

(ALL CHEERING)

JUDGE:
Order! Order!

Does that mean

I have to go to jail?

Now, don't worry...

(GAVEL BANGING)

Jess Higgins, stand up.

I sentence you to 20...

Fifty years of hard Iabor

at Huntsville Prison.

Court closed!

Fifty years?

(ALL CHEERING)

Of all the murdering,

high-handed tricks!

Come on, Jess.

Fifty years!

Congratulations, Judge.

Thank you, my boy. Thank you.

Thank you.

(PIANO PLAYING SALOON MUSIC)

You had a grand chance

to snuff out Higgins there.

Why didn't you do it?

It's better

the way it happened.

I didn't want any shooting.

When I take over the county,

I'II show 'em

what a piker Higgins was.

I'II take everything away

from these worthy citizens

but their eyeteeth.

Sam, I want you

to do something for me.

We're calling

the whole deal off.

We're what?

The deal's off.

You're joking.

You're going your way,

and I'm going mine.

You're not gonna do business

in Kimball County.

You're Ieaving it

the way I'm Ieaving it.

(CHUCKLING)

Jim, you scissorbill.

Sometimes I think I know you,

and then again maybe no.

I don't know

what's happened to me

since I come down here.

I guess it's kind of Iike

when a fellow gets religion

even when he don't want it.

Well, I don't know

what it's all about,

but if that's

the way you feel,

it's good enough for me.

Thanks, Sam.

Ranger Hawkins done

single-handed what

we all were afraid to do.

There he is now.

Mr. Hawkins, you've brought

Iaw and order

to Kimball County

for the first time.

We, as citizens, have

kind of made a Iittle pool

and bought

the Hartford brothers' ranch

to give to you

as a token of appreciation.

(ALL CHEERING)

Well, gentlemen,

that's mighty nice

of all of you.

If I ever do settle down,

I wouldn't want

a better place

than Kimball County.

That's right!

The town needs

such men as you.

Yes, sir.

Well, boys, I guess

the drinks are on me.

(ALL CHEERING)

Well, Jim, Iet's drink

to our own finish.

May we never meet again.

Oh, I'II keep out

of your way, Jim.

Success.

And good Iuck.

MAN 1:
Polka-Dot Bandit Gang

robs First National Bank

in Wichita Falls,

escapes with $18,000,

MAN 2:
Outlaw gang

believed to be led by

notorious Polka-Dot Bandit

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