Mark & I were helping a friend of ours, Sid Halpern, drive his cattle from Willow Springs to North Fork. We had a long, hard day. We were just making camp for the night when a rider rode into our camp. He said he was
looking for work. He was low on funds and was wondering if he could hitch a meal from us. He introduced himself as Clemmie Martin. After we ate our supper we sat around the fire talking. We didn't realize that Clemmie was checking Sid and I out. We didn't know at the time that he was a bounty hunter. He asked us if we ever heard of a man by the name of Roy Coleman. With that Sid reacted. Clemmie drew his gun on us. He was having trouble telling us apart. The description on the wanted poster read - 6 ft., 5 in. tall, light haired, squared jawed. It could have been either one of us. I started for my rifle, but Clemmie saw me. Sid told me to stay out of it. Clemmie told Sid to saddle up his horse and get on him. I told Sid that we could handle the cattle. That he should go with him and get this straightened out. He told me there was no mistake. That I should take care of things and that the cattle was bought with honest money. "The reward gets paid in Texas. You think a kid like you can ride me 400 miles to Texas? Maybe your biting off more then you can chew boy," said Sid. This just upset Clemmie. "Everybody thinks just because I'm a kid with a bum leg that I ain't good for nothing. We'll see about that." Sid went to get on his horse. He had a gun hidden. He drew and shot Clemmie. Clemmie shot Sid several times. Clemmie was dead. Sid was in bad shape he knew he wasn't going to make it. He asked me if there was someway I could 
keep the truth from his wife and son. I nodded to him as he died in my arms.
Mark and I packed up and talked about what had happened. Mark wanted to know if takin' Halpern back was a good idea. He has a family, we had to take him back. We agreed not to tell anyone the truth about what happened. Except for Micah. We needed to keep the record straight. The rest was between us. "Head 'em up and move 'em on boy." We started to move the cattle.
We didn't know that Clemmie's older brother, Gavin, and his father, Ezra, were not to far behind us. Clemmie had told us how his brother was the first to have spotted Halpern and was on his trail too. By this time they had come to Clemmie's grave. They found his belongings and inside his hat was the wanted poster. Gavin, didn't know that Halpern was dead. As far as he knew he was still looking for the man with the description on the wanted poster. They ended up in an argument. Ezra wanted to let it up to the law, but Gavin wouldn't hear of it. Ezra didn't want to loose his other son. Gavin was a mean one. "Now there's Clemmie's gun. That's all he left ya," He thru the gun and holster on the ground. "Maybe an old man who lost his nerve oughta use it on himself if he ain't got the spine left to use it on the one who killed his own flesh and blood."
We had told Mrs. Halpern that the cattle had stampeded. Sid had fa
llen off his horse, his gun went off and killed him. We went to Sid's funeral. We stopped to talk to Mrs. Halpern after the funeral. She found it to be an unusual accident. Micah backed us up and said that it wasn't all that unusual. Things like that happen on the trail. Micah went over to Toby. "Toby, now that your the man of the house, your Ma's gonna be lookin' to you for a lot of help," said Micah. "I know sir, I'll do my best." "Ma, we better hurry if we don't want to miss the stage," said Toby. I told Mrs. Halpern how much I and the town would miss them. She felt it was best for her and Toby to go back east. They had a few things to pack and then they would be on the stage.
Just as we were riding off, Gavin and Ezra rode up to the cemetery. The gravedigger was covering up Sid's grave. Gavin asked him if that was somebody's handy work or did he just die natural. The man told him what had happened to Sid. Gavin thought it to be an unusual accident. He asked who brought him in. He told
him about Mark and I and that was us just riding off. Gavin pulled out the poster and compared it. He thought I was Roy Coleman. He was prepared to get revenge for Clemmie and make $2000.00 besides.
I was setting outside cleaning my rifle when Gavin and Ezra rode into our ranch asking for a drink of water. I went to show them where the trough was. Gavin caught me off guard. When I turned around he kicked me and knocked me to the ground. He drug me into the house. Mark was tending to me when Gavin came over and banged my head against the cabinet. Mark attacked him and Gavin thru him aside. I was dazed but went for him. He had been looking for Coleman for seven years. He blamed me for Clemmie's death. He was looking forward to those 400 miles. He kept saying I was gonna pay for his brothers death. He was more interested in the reward money for the train robbery Colman was wanted for. He accused me of killing the other man so they wouldn't find out the truth, that I was Coleman. Mark kept yelling to me to tell them. I couldn't. I had to give Mrs. Halpern and Toby enough time to get on the stage and get out of town before I would say anything. I had to keep my word to Sid. He went and got a rope and hollered to his Pa to help tie us up. They went out to feed the horse. They where getting ready for our long trip.
"Why didn't you tell them Pa?" "If I would have told them the
truth son, they would have had to go into town to check my story. That means they would have questioned Mrs. Halpern and Toby. In another hour, they'll be on the noon stage, then it won't matter." Later they came back in. "Ready to go Coleman, said Gavin." I told them that Coleman was dead and that he was buried this morning. Gavin didn't believe me. That's because he didn't want to. I told them that Coleman and Clemmie killed each other. "Mark and I was there when it happened. We kept quiet to protect Colman's family," I said. Ezra believed me. "The poster said that Coleman pulled the train robbery seven years ago, June the 5th. I was a thousand miles away at the time. I told them to look in my Bible. I buried my wife in Oklahoma City, June the 3rd, that same year." It didn't matter to Gavin, all he really cared about was the reward money. Ezra tried to talk him out of taking me in but Gavin wouldn't listen. Ezra went to get the horses ready. When Gavin brought us out I got a chance to talk to Ezra. I told him that Gavin wasn't going to let us live. He questioned Gavin about this. "Pa, it's $2,000.00," he said. "That's more money then we seen in our life." I asked Ezra if that was a good price for my boys life too. He looked at Mark. He turns
to his son and said, "I can't, I can't." While he had his attention I hit Gavin with the rope and knocked him down. Mark and I ran into the barn. Gavin charges in the barn shooting. Mark went up in the loft. Mark took the rope and lassoed the rifle out of Gavin's hands. Gavin drew his pistol as I charged at him. We continued to fight. He dives at me and falls unto the pitch fork.
"Justice doesn't always hang a man does he," said Micah. "I guess not Micah. The one I feel sorry for is the old man. He's got to carry on the rest of his life alone. Little of it that's left." I told him he headed for the hills. He said he wanted to bury his son. Micah then rode off. "Pa, do you think he loved his son even at the end?" Asked Mark. "I think a father never stops loving his son Mark."
piddlin' stuff.....Jack Elam was in five episodes of "The Rifleman"—'Tension' as Gavin Martin—'Duel of Honor' as the arrogant Sim Groder—'
Shattered Idol' as Russell the pool shark—'Knight Errant' as Gates—'Shotgun Man' as Gus Smith.
He later was in 'Once upon a Texas Train' with Chuck(1988) and 'Support Your Local Sheriff.'(1971). He was a guest star on "The Untouchables." Love him in this Christmas episode of "Gunsmoke" as Titus Spangler─ 'P.S. Murry Christmas.'
Elam got his first movie job by trading his accounting services for a role. In short time he became one of the most memorable supporting players in Hollywood, thanks not only to his near-demented screen persona but also to an out-of-kilter left eye, sightless from a childhood fight. He appeared with great aplomb in Westerns and gangster films alike, and in later years played to wonderful effect in comedic roles.
Harry Dean Stanton played Clemmie in this episode. He was the one that shot and killed Sid Halpern aka Roy Coleman. He was in "Tomahawk Trail" (1957)as Private Miller with Chuck. Another "Untouchables" star. He appeared in "Cool Hand Luke" as Tramp. He played Toot-Toot
in Stephen King's "The Green Mile."
Robert H. Harris played Ezra Martin. He was the father of Clemmie [Harry Dean Stanton] & Gavin [Jack Elam]. Robert H. Harris played a duel role in 'The Wrong Man' ~ Curly Smith & Frank Hardy. Another "Untouchables" star.
His real name was Robert H. Hurwitz in New York . He appeared extensively on television series. From 1953-1956 he played Jake Goldberg in "The Goldbergs." He also made many Guest Appearances in many other TV series. These include eight appearances in Alfred Hitchcock Presents between 1956-1961 and six appearances in Perry Mason between 1958-1965. He also has appearred in other television series such as "77 Sunset Strip"—"Ben Casey"—"Rawhide" to name a few.
Gregory Walcott played Sid Halpern aka Roy Coleman in this episode. He played Blade Kelly in 'The Angry Gun,' he was one of the gang members who came to free Johnny.
He grew up in North 
Carolina and went into the Army just after the end of World War II. After leaving the service, he grew restless on the East Coast and, with $100 in his pocket, thumbed his way west to pursue an acting career. An agent who spotted him in a little theater play helped Walcott land his debut movie role in "Red Skies of Montana." A drill instructor in the Marine Corps movie "Battle Cry." He appeared (as a drill instructor again) in another Marine Corps story, "The Outsider," which earned him a Universal contract and his own TV series, "87th Precinct" (1961-62) with Robert Lansing.
Toby Halpern was played by Jeff Connors. He is one of four sons of Chuck Connors, he also appeared in
'The Schoolmaster' and 'First Wages.'
While filming 'Tension' they used what they called shiny boards instead of lights back then. When it came time for Jeff to say his lines, the shiny boards kept shinning in his eyes. Jeff told his Dad that the lights were really bright and Chuck said....."Just do your lines son, say it, it's hot out here."
*Reflectors, Mirrors, Shiny boards.....A reflector is designed to redirect or bounce light. The reflector has a hard side (sometimes called a lead side) with a smooth surface that gives a hard, bright light. The other side, called the soft side, gives a diffused pattern.
Jeff lives in California. I met Jeff on April 3, 2004 in Tehachapi. We had been there for "Chuck Connors' Day!"
Jeff said when he was in this episode he got to meet Jack Elam. He asked his Dad why Jack Elam's one eye was looking at him and the other one somewhere else. "Kids do say the darndest things!"
Jeff also had a small part in "Mad Bomber" with his father. Look for the three guys who walk up to another man and say "What do you have in the bag?" Jeff is the man with the bag.
In 'Tension'—the hutch does not have curtains. In 'Hostages to Fortune episode #160—Lucas looking for his bottle of whiskey. Notice the curtains on the hutch.
In 'Deadly Image'—Mark gets the whiskey out of the kitchen cupboard—do they kept it in the hutch or the cupboard?. See odds n' ends 9 You see this all throughout the different episodes.
'Tension'—When Ezra & Gavin Martin (father & son—bounty hunters) arrive at the McCain Ranch, the son, Gavin kicks Lucas; Lucas flinches BEFORE the kick is thrown. Thanks Rob!
'Tension'—When Clemmie unfolds the wanted poster, it's creased, but when the camera moves in on on the wanted poster it's perfect, no creases. Thanks Rob!
*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with 
