Sergeant Rutledge

Well, there's young Cantrell. Let's go, he's a day late.

All right.

Ah, Dickinson. Hold that a minute, will you? Don't drop it.

That's my whole case in there. Evidence, affidavits, everything.

Try dressing on the front seat at a gallop.

- How do I look? - That's how you look.

- Turn around. I expected you yesterday. - I know.

- Any luck at the Jorgenson ranch? - No, not yet.

Hightower, take the rest of this gear to adjutant's quarters, will you?

Yes, sir.

- How much time we got? - None. Come on.

- All my buttons buttoned? - Yes.

Officers' wives?

Oh, they're not gonna let the women sit in on this, are they?

Spicy case like yours, try and keep them out, they'd have your scalp.

Trying to make it into a Roman circus.

Tom, they want to see a hanging.

President of the court-martial is Colonel Otis Thornton Fosgate...

I know, I know all about it. I know Old Stone Face.

Tom, I admire you for defending Rutledge, but

you might as well know, I think he's as guilty as hell.

Well, you might as well know, I don't.

Is Mary Beecher here?

Not too friendly.

I'm not calling her as a friend, I'm calling her as a witness.

Good luck, Tom.

Mary, I know this is gonna be an ordeal for you,

but I had to call on you. Rutledge needs all the help that he can get.

And whose fault is that?

What is done is done.

We're in the hands of the court now, and whatever you feel about...

But you're defending him.

You. You of all men.

Well, if you had some knowledge of the facts...

Ten-hut!

Silence. Silence! Quiet!

You civilians, get those hats off! Put out those cigars!

Sergeant, see that they do, and if they don't, throw them out!

Yes, sir.

Otis isn't feeling very well this morning.

- He had a little glass of wine last night. - Yes.

I want something understood right here and now!

This is a court-martial! It is not a quilting bee.

It's not a quilting bee.

Now, if there is any further disturbance, or undue chatter,

I am gonna clear this court at once!

Cordelia, your husband wouldn't put us out, would he?

He wouldn't dare. Just let him try.

- Court is ready, sir. - Very good, Captain.

Now, I have been told that counsel for the defense is not in the post.

- Well, if that's true... - Lieutenant Cantrell is present, sir.

My apologies if my last-minute arrival has inconvenienced the court.

Very good, Cantrell.

Now, is trial judge advocate ready to prosecute this case?

Captain Shattuck, sir. I'm ready for the prosecution.

Oh, yes. Yeah.

You're the officer sent down from General Nelson Miles' headquarters, aren't you?

I see, you wear the 14th Infantry insignia.

I've been away from the regiment, sir,

detailed to the Judge Advocate-General's department for 10 years.

Oh, yes. Lawyer, eh? Lawyer.

Sent down here to keep a staff eye on field soldier justice, is that it?

On the contrary, sir, justice was guaranteed the accused

when you were detailed as president of this court.

Now, counsel being ready and present,

this general court appointed by departmental special order 104 under

date 8th August, 1881, is now in session.

All right, Sergeant. The accused, Sergeant Rutledge, will be brought in.

Yes, sir.

First Sergeant Braxton Rutledge, C Troop, 9th United States Cavalry.

Hang him from the rafters! Hang him high!

Quiet! Quiet!

- Mr. President? - Order.

Mr. President, I request this courtroom be cleared of all spectators.

This is not a public show.

A soldier is on trial for his life before this court.

And furthermore, by the very nature of the charges alone,

this is certainly no place for ladies.

Request granted. Dickinson.

Clear this courtroom of everybody not directly connected with this case!

Clear them!

Everybody.

Out.

Otis, Otis, tell this person you don't mean me.

Out, Cordelia.

Captain Dickinson, escort Mrs. Fosgate and her friends to the door.

Oh, really.

This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life.

Otis Fosgate, wait till I get you home and really tell you what I think of you.

Now, gentlemen, I want counsel for both sides to understand that this court-martial

is being held behind closed doors with no prejudice toward the accused,

and solely because of the scandalous nature of the charges

and to avoid offense to public decency.

- Mulqueen, read the charge sheet. - Sir.

Since the court acknowledges the unspeakable nature of the charges,

I would like to suggest that out of deference to the young lady

whose presence is necessary as a witness,

that the court omit reading of the charges and specifications in detail

and simply cite the accused as charged

with violation of the 92nd Article of War on both counts.

Defense Counsel, any objections?

As long as the court is aware of Captain Shattuck's sly attempt

to create prejudice, no objections.

The accused stands charged with violation of the 92nd Article of War on both counts.

Sergeant Rutledge, how do you plead?

- Guilty or not guilty? - Not guilty to both charges, sir.

Not guilty?

Lieutenant Cantrell, is this prisoner's plea made on advice of counsel?

Yes, sir. Not guilty on both charges and not guilty on all specifications, sir.

All right, proceed, proceed.

All right, Captain Shattuck, call your first witness.

- I call Miss Mary Beecher to the stand. - Sir, I appeal to the court.

Captain Shattuck knows very well Miss Beecher is here as witness for the defense.

Sir, I know of no rule

which says prosecution may not call the defense witness

so long as it does not later impeach her testimony.

Miss Beecher, please.

Do you swear the evidence you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth, so, help you God, ma'am?

- I do. - Thank you, ma'am.

And now, Miss Beecher, in your own words,

will you kindly acquaint the court with all the circumstances

that lead up to your first meeting with the accused, Sergeant Rutledge?

And everything that transpired thereafter?

Well, I... I was returning to Arizona after an absence of

12 years in the East.

And when I arrived at Junction City,

I discovered that there were no longer any passenger trains

running through to Spindle Station into Fort Linton.

And through the friendship of a conductor, Mr. Owens,

whom I'd known since I was a little girl,

I managed to get a ride in the caboose of his freight train

and I was supposed to meet my father at Spindle Station.

Mr. Owens had sent him a telegram from Junction City.

And it was on the caboose of that freight train that I

first met Lieutenant Cantrell.

He says the horses need water.

- You hear that, Owens? - You think I'm deaf? Deaf and dumb?

You've been screaming for water louder than them remounts

since we left Junction City.

How long before we get to Spindle Station, Mr. Owens?

Well, the way I got it figured,

with the sand on the tracks and the wind against us, I'd say,

half-hour at the outside. About midnight.

You hear that, Miss Beecher?

Half-hour, you'll get off at Spindle, and I'll go on to Fort Linton.

You sound surprised, Lieutenant Cantrell.

What I've been trying to say is that you're a very attractive, young and

a rather mysterious lady,

and I'm a lonely bachelor in a lonely land.

Now, there's nothing mysterious about me.

I'm just coming home after 12 years.

But somehow, it doesn't seem like coming home at all.

I'd forgotten what a lonely land Arizona territory really is.

Why did your father send you back East, Mary?

Was it school or what?

No, it was promise he made to my mother, just before she died.

I hated going. I loved Arizona then. And now, I just don't know.

Don't you worry, Mary.

I sent your father that telegram from Junction City like you told me, and

he'll be at Spindle Station to meet you and mighty glad to see you, too.

Why, sure he will.

You know, Arizona has changed considerably since Geronimo was taken.

We haven't had any Apache trouble in, oh, I don't know, two or three years.

Spindle Station coming up.

You and your dad-blame horses, Laredo.

You're running powerful late already.

If he had his way, Mary, he'd have me throw you off the train without stopping.

If you're in such a all-fired hurry, fetch out her other bag.

- Would you like some more hot coffee... - No, thank you.

It's a pretty long, cold ride over there to Spanish Wells.

I'll have to get used to these Arizona distances.

Well, now, you know, it's only about an hour on the train

from Fort Linton to Spindle, and then

from Spindle to Spanish Wells, that's just a short day's ride.

- Well, that's still quite a distance. - Not if there's a welcome at the end of it.

- My name's Tom. - Goodbye, Tom.

There'll be a welcome for you.

Bye, Mary.

Oh, Nate. Nate Hedges.

Hey, Nate, wake up, Nate. Nate, where are you?

He's around here someplace. I just...

Hey, Nate! Nate Hedges, wake up.

Hey, Nate!

Oh, Nate!

There ain't nobody here to meet you, Mary.

I did send that telegram to your Dad, you know.

Well, don't worry, Mr. Owens, I'm sure he'll be along soon.

Well, Nate'll take care of you till he come. You remember Nate Hedges, don't you?

- Why, Nate Hedges, is he still here? - What's the trouble, Mary?

My father isn't here yet, and I don't know what...

Excuse me, just a minute, Mary, I think I'm gonna...

Nate. Busy, Nate?

Nate. Nate?

Busy?

Now, look here, Owens.

I got two carloads of valuable remounts on that train.

You ain't gonna hold me up for anymore of that hugging and kissing.

- Hold your horses, Laredo. - That's just what I ain't gonna do.

Nate!