I do not own any part of Gunsmoke.
Kitty stood in the window crying as Matt Dillon shot and killed Mannon, looking back at her with disgust and anger in his eyes, Matt then turned and walked away.
Newly, having heard the shots, came running. He saw Matt walking slowly away, Mannon on the ground dead, and Miss Kitty standing in the window crying.
Newly should have stopped Matt Dillon from leaving. After all, the time when you could get away with shooting people in the street was over. Several things ran through Newly's mind. Should he run after and hold him for a coroners inquest? No, it would be a waste of time and money. Mannon was an escaped prisoner.
Who was going to pay the damage to the Dodge house? When Matt was Marshall he broke up the town often, but the outlaws or the government paid the bill. Maybe the reward money could be used. Newly was sure Matt would not take the reward.
Looking up at Miss Kitty, Newly found her reaction strange. Why was she crying? Miss Russell never cried she thought it a sign of weakness. Were her tears for Mannon? Could she have fallen for that out law?
Newly ran up the stairs to find Miss Kitty unresponsive.
Miss Russell knew Newly was there and saying something, but she could not understand his words. She didn't care. She felt numb. KItty could not come to terms with Matt just walking away, and that look.
Newly put a blanket around her and led her to those old stairs. She knew those stairs. She looked up the stairs hoping to see Doc. Doc was not there.
Dr. Chapman was asking her something. Kitty could not understand him. He took her into the room and sat her on the bed. Dr. Chapman gave her a shot. Her eyes became heavy. They closed once, but she did not rest. All she could see was Matt's face. Why did he look so angry?
Why didn't he come back and check on her?
thumbed through his old files. Looking at Newly he asked:"What happened to her?"
Newly looked confused."She was with Mannon for the last few days. He beat her up, maybe worse. I do not really know what happened." Dr. Chapman found the old file he was looking for: "Doctor Adams' file on Miss Russell is as big as a book. It's going to take me all night to read this. You being Doctor Adams assistant, maybe you can tell me something about Miss Russell."
Newly sat down. He felt old and tired: "Miss Kitty was already the owner of the Long Branch when I arrived in Dodge. She was something, all the men wanted her. Some because she was the best looking woman in the west. Some because she was a woman and owned the Long Branch. They wanted to teach her her place. Some wanted her because she was the Marshall's woman. I cannot tell you how many men bragged to me that they got her. I knew they were all lying. She was Matt's woman. Over the years she has been shot, knifed, kidnapped, and... well she was taken by a group of outlaws and they ahh... Well, no one ever talked about it cause Matt was fit to be tied."
Dr. Chapman:"The strongest among us always fall the hardest." He got up, entered the room where Miss Kitty was and closed the door.
The war department wanted Newly's report on the Mannon killing. A story was going around that Kitty threw Mannon's gun out the window, and Matt broke into Mannon's room then shot the unarmed Mannon out the window. The war department was demanding Newly bring Matt Dillon in for questioning. Newly talked to everyone in town. It seemed everyone saw or heard the window
break when Kitty threw out the gun, and everyone heard the shots, but no one saw the actual shooting. It seemed everyone's tale of what happened depended on how they felt about Matt Dillon. Those who thought of him as the hero of Dodge thought it was a fair shooting. Those who felt the west was freer before Dillon or had themselves or a friend arrested by Matt felt Matt shot an unarmed Mannon in cold blood.
ED Miller(The new prosecutor in Dodge), was planning to run for governor. Bringing down the legendary Matt Dillon and Miss Russell would put him in the office. Ed Miller,(The new prosecutor ) was going around saying Kitty and Matt were guilty of first-degree murder. The way Mr. Miller told it, Matt knowing Mannon was faster with a gun than him, had Kitty lure Mannon
to the room where she unarmed him. Matt then shot him.
Mr. Miller swore out a warrant so Newly had to arrest the still crying and unresponsive Kitty. Mr. Miller knew once Dillon heard about the arrest he would come running.