Rye Miles #13621 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Reading a good book by William W. Johnstone, Dig your own grave. Great story but I have a question!!! Will Tanner tracks down two bad guys wanted for murder and robbery. He's in Texas but he's a Deputy U.S. Marshall from Oklahoma. The bad guys and others in the saloon where he grabs them all say he can't arrest them cause this is Texas. Will Tanner knows this but says they're wanted for murder and he can arrest themeven though he knows he can't, according to the writer. I thought a Deputy U.S. Marshall could arrest someone anywhere in the USA? True or not??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Depends. If it's a Federal warrant sure. He has jurisdiction anywhere in the US. A State warrant is different. Usually what would happen now is if a State jurisdiction knew the wanted person fled from Oklahoma to Texas, they'd go to the Feds and ask for a Federal Fugitive warrant to be issued. This would give the Marshal's the jurisdiction to make the arrest in Texas. The arrestee would go through an extradition process. I would think in the situation you cited, the Marshal would be able to make an arrest, but would still have to take the suspect before a Texas court to order extradition. You don't give a date, but I don't believe Oklahoma became a State until 1907, so that may also have caused issues with extradition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 I’m not sure how things worked back in that time period. I just assumed they shot everybody. Rooster Cogburn did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Parkers marshalls evidently only had jurisdiction in Indian and Oklahoma Territory. Matt Dillon evidently had problems going to Texas but then in 1874 there wasn't much of Texas settled west of Ft. Worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted November 27, 2019 Author Share Posted November 27, 2019 This doesn't really give a date but I'm assuming it's in the 1880's or 70's. Maybe the laws were different back then. The towns were so far apart that getting a federal warrant was probably very hard to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Parkers marshalls evidently only had jurisdiction in Indian and Oklahoma Territory. Matt Dillon evidently had problems going to Texas but then in 1874 there wasn't much of Texas settled west of Ft. Worth. I thought Matt was a town marshal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted November 27, 2019 Author Share Posted November 27, 2019 I thought Matt was a town marshal Matt Dillon Gunsmoke Matt Dillon is a fictional character featured on both the radio and television versions of Gunsmoke. He serves as the U.S. Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, who works to preserve law and order in the western frontier of the 1870s.Wikipedia Created by:Norman Macdonnell/John Meston Portrayed by:William Conrad (Radio), James Arness (TV) Gender:Male Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 I thought Matt was a town marshal Yep, that too but he was a duly appointed US Marshal and had Washington bosses. I guess had some sort of dual appointment because in the series he acts a town marshal, US Marshal, and basically as Sheriff. Seems odd theres no sheriff except in Hays City to the north where Matt takes condemned to be hanged. Oh yeah, There was an episode where a bureaucrat came down to admonish Matt of his hard approach to law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Matt Dillon is US (Federal) Marshall. I’ve seen the, “of Dodge City” tag on his title, and I don’t believe such a small regional area was ever assigned to US Msrshalls, but I’m not going to look that up. i imagine that a Marshall out of his jurisdiction could obtain the assistance of the US Marshal in whose jurisdiction he was operating. I think he would probably do that anyway, as a matter of courtesy. Now, throw down that pistol, and get down off the horse! Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc McCoy, SASS #8381 Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 Matt Dillon was a US Marshall, he often said "of Dodge City" and often introduced himself as "Marshall of Dodge City". I always figured that the writers just didn't bother to distinguish the difference. It was no more important to TV writing at the time than Matt carrying a 1892 rifle. They didn't think it mattered to the fans. Apparently it didn't; it sure didn't affect the longevity of the series. TV itself was only about 10 years old when Gunsmoke came on the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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