Jayhawkers: Cattle Drives, Kansas Hatred, and a Gunman's Justice
Posted January 17, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
Originally Aired: August 11, 1957 In Gunsmoke #279, “Jayhawkers,” Marshal Matt Dillon rides out with a Texas trail herd to help ease tensions between Kansans and bitter cattlemen—only to find himself embroiled in a deadly ambush by marauding Jayhawkers. When a trusted drover is murdered and suspicion falls on a newcomer named Studer, Dillon’s instincts prove true. As violence flares and tempers rise, Matt must act fast to deliver frontier justice before Dodge becomes a war zone. A rugged, character-driven tale of vengeance, law, and uneasy truces on the open range. Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis Tags: Western, cattle drive, Gunsmoke, WilliamConrad, Jayhawkers, frontierjustice, DodgeCity, oldtimeradio, 1950sradio, ambush, betrayal, TexasvsKansas, classicdrama, suspensepodcast, vintageradio, traildrama
From Gunsmoke: Old West Stories by OTR.FM Network. Visit the show’s website.