August 6, 2025 • 29 mins
Chronicles the cases of a law enforcement officer in the American West, blending traditional Western themes with modern investigative techniques. The stories are based on real cases.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The National Broadcasting Company presents Joel McCrae in Tales of
the Texas Rangers. Tonight transcribe from Hollywood another authentic reenactment
of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers.
(00:24):
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger
Jace Pearson, Texas more than two hundred and sixty thousand
square miles and fifty men who make up the most
famous and oldest law enforcement party in North America. Now
(00:54):
from the files of the Texas Rangers come these stories
based on fact only. Names, dates, and places are the
pitches for obvious reasons. They events themselves are a matter
of record. Case for Tonite the Cactus Pair.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It is four pm the afternoon of March twenty eighth,
nineteen forty seven. Robert Coot's, a new hand on the
Triangle Ranch, is repairing of fence on the Southeast Range.
He stops as a writer aproaches, ooh ooh, how'd he
brect on?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Howd he meet Coots? Well, I see you finally got
my job.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
I got a job because there was one open. If
you left it open at your worry, I reckon, not mine.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
You've been making up to the old man, trying to
get me fired ever since you came into this country.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
That ain't sowing, you know it. I've been looking for work. Yeah,
but you didn't get fired in mine. I can You
got sacked because you can't leave a bottle alone. Sounds
like you're calling me a lad. I ain't calling you anything.
I'm just telling you I have about clearing off.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
You're telling me to clear off this range. All right,
I'll get but before I do, I'm gonna whip your
tail coats.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
You better not try it because you ain't about to
whip my tail. Wait. Wait, show now, clear off. Like
I told you, don't come back. It's gonna be no
need for me to come back. Put that shock stand
away from me. Get away. Here's the other barrel for
good measure. All right, boy, come here here.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
The body of ranch hand Robert Coots was discovered by
the owner of the ranch next day. When he wrote
out the search for the missing rider. He summoned the
sheriff and the Sheriff cold with the assistance of a
Texas ranger. Ranger Jase Pearson was a signed to the case.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Say you spotted the buzzards this morning, mister Golf. Yeah, yeah,
and I found Coots. Im look, I'm me must have
been shot sometime yesterday. I thought I heard a shotgun
yesterday afternoon through the road out. Then why didn't you, Sheriff?
You know, even having a time with the kyots and
mountain cats lately. I just figured one of my hands
must have spotted one and cut loose. Coots was fixing
(03:30):
the break in the fence. Uh, that's right. I might
have known something was wrong when Coach didn't come back
to the riots last night. Spot's just up ahead with
my deputy standing. Yeah, I can see the body now.
Anybody been stealing paddle around here lately, Sheriff, Oh, few, headman,
then jas nothing big Coots might have run into somebody
doing it though, might have here we are hobo right, yeah,
(04:01):
Hide the horses off the fence here, and I want
Tom tramping around their body. Coots with you a long time,
mister Golf. No reason no hired him on less than
a week ago. There was no round here. Jase only
been here about a month, all told you? Ever say
where he came from? Hip hip over on Martha hit
with both bells. Jace once through the stomach, once through
(04:23):
the head. Yeah, I was on the ground when the
second charge hit him, though. Look some of the shot
clipped the grass mm and killer's force stopped here too.
Looks like Coots must have had a fist fight with
a man who killed him. How do you figure that, Jason?
My little dried blood in the grass here, scuffle marks
(04:45):
and some of the blades pressed down as though somebody
had been lying here. Coots was shot though it might
be his blood, you know, but his wounds. He was
killed instantly. He didn't move fifteen feet and then back
again after getting blasted like that. Come on, yeah, what
are you looking for? Marsh moved off this way, Prince,
mixed right in with some of your herd. It was
(05:07):
grazing around here, and then took off mighty sudden. See
here where they dug in to get started. Yeah, that
could mean the cattle people, all right, chasing the stock.
Jas we'll find out. Let's get back to the horses.
Follow this trail, all right, this is far enough. Whoever
(05:36):
it was, he wasn't trying to steal the cattle. He
was following the herd tracks. So the trail of his
horse wouldn't stand out clear. I don't see how you
can tell that herd moved up rains toward the Mesa.
Anybody stealing them would have been driving him to the
south fence where the state road is. I have to
get him to a truck to get him away. Well,
well made him wrung, then, jays, a shotgun must have
stampeded him. They'd been driven, someone had left marks where
(05:59):
they out to get away from the rider, and the
rider would have left tracks cutting after him. I see
what you mean. But shouldn't we keep on trailing them? Go? Yeah,
but not this way. He was headed for rocky ground
near the Mesa, trying to lose anybody who might follow him.
He's smart. I don't get your plan. Well, he was
careful leaving here after he killed a man. He mightn't
have been so careful riding in before he killed. You know,
(06:22):
backtrack the trail he took getting here. It might tell
us where he came from. That makes sense. Jeez, let's go, ranger.
Can I have the body picked up by the funeral
house now? Yeah? And even an autopsy isn't gonna tell
us much. Huh. I thought you could tell a lot
from the shot to kill somebody. That uh, ballistic stuff,
(06:43):
not so much with a shotgun. Barrels are smooth bore.
Don't leave rifle, Marx. But hey, hold it, what's your
planing ranger? These empty sixteen gage shotgun shells. Killer might
have ejected him here to reload his shotgun in case
(07:03):
he ran into trouble. Oh can you tell anything with those?
If we find the gun they came from, we might
be able to match the way the hammer hits the shell. Yeah,
if we find the shotgun, every rancher in ky Polkan
the county must have one. The sheriff and I'm backtracked
(07:27):
on the approach the killer had used to get to
the Triangle ranch owned by Gaulf But we came to
a dead end. Well, Jason, yes, this as far as
we go. They'd followim on pavement or the gravel road shoulder,
and I rode out from town. It's too bad. I
was hoping he'd come from a ranch someplace with a
narratives down to one spot. Not much we can do now,
(07:48):
so I can go around exambling shotguns. One other thing. First,
A couple of deep tracks in that ditch off the
road must have had rain here, Yeah, day four yesterday.
That's why I left such a clear print there yesterday.
Then I want to get a kit from my radio
car and drive back here. Well for take a couple
(08:09):
of photographs of that print, make a faster impression of it.
Help us to identify the horse if we find him.
We took the cast and headed for town to check
every horse in the territory. It would have been impossible,
so I had to gamble on a shortcut. Howdie ranger?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Audi Haudi? Hey? Mind dropping that hammer a minute and
taking a look at this here? He hey? Ready it
faster cast shoe print of a left hind hoof. You
remember making a shoe like this? Head common flit share
it was cocked or something. I might remember, but I
(08:52):
don't know. I know it's a tough one. But all
shoes are a little different. We're in different places. Hoops
have to be fitted for slightly different shapes. That's true, right,
If I come across that shoe now, after seeing the cast,
I might recognize him. Good. I'm gonna leave this cast here.
If anybody brings in a horse to be shod, and
the left hind hoof looks like the cast don't touch
(09:14):
it until you call us. You're right glad to have
keep my eyes open. Any other blacksmiths around here, Sheriff,
Oh not for over fifty miles. Were gonna look a
for that gun. Now you start on it. I'm gonna
pay another visit to the Triangle ranch. I want to
talk with mister gauld again. Finish here in a minute,
(09:37):
er Joe, you know, run on the rest of the
irrigation clumps with this. Okay, that's fine.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Good.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
What was it you wanted to know? I asked you
if Coote seemed nervous, like he'd been running away from
something or somebody who was afraid might catch up with him. No,
I can't say, dud well, he was anxious about what's
find it? Job seemed like good workers. So when I
had an opener and I took him on regular, oh
one of your hands leave, I know, no, say I
(10:10):
I had to fire a folk named Harvey Brecktt fired him. Huh,
Why you're drinking, making trouble in the bunk house and
I'm doing his work? Did this break? No, coats, I
just have seen him around. I'd a break take it
when you told him he was fired? She was kind
of drunk. Cuss me out, though? Is that all? Yep?
I paid him off, give him an extra month, Like
(10:30):
I do with any hand, I have to let go.
He seemed all right after that. You know where this
break is living now here? He's bunked up one of
them deserted dobe huts by the old quicksilver her mind,
Rhodes washed out though all the huts rampedish. Since mine
stop operating, why really you want to seem? I sure
intend to. I went back through town and picked up
(11:01):
the sheriff, and we rode our horses out to the
bend and mine. I've checked one hundred guns today, chase
every tough and near tough I could think of. Oh good, though,
huh uh? No hammer marks like the one we're looking
for to fire the guns to get a test shelt
for comparison. Sure, but I'd swear none of them was
a gun we want. I kept the most likely ones
and labeled them for UV good. You can add one
(11:23):
more when we test Brick's gun. And here the shacks
now poor must be that one little smoke's coming up
the chimney. That's Brick Good is coming. Your fella's looking for.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Oh howdy, share howdy.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Brick Ranger wants a few words with you. Okay, mind
if we come inside? All right, reckon. You know that
somebody killed a man who took your place over the
Triangle Ranch. Yeah so I heard on Tuesday afternoon? Where
were you? I was right here? Anybody who says I
(12:04):
wasn't as a liar? Nobody said anything yet? Where's your shotgun?
I don't have a gun? You don't, huh? And where's
the gun you clean? Not long ago? I didn't click
and tell me you didn't. It's ay. Rag in the
corner says you did. This. Rag was used for cleaning
(12:25):
the gun and nothing else. Better. I got the gun bricked.
We want to see it. It's under the bunk. Sixteen
gage double barrel, Yeah, loaded two he Let me have
it a minute. I just matched these with the shells
(12:51):
you've been carrying twins, all right, Sheriff, No doubt about
this matcham brack. We found the shells on the Triangle Ranch.
Hammer marks match yours and Coots was killed with a
shotgun at that gun.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Sure you found shells from it on the Triangle Ranch.
Because I worked on the Triangle Ranch. Remembering, hey, you
can get laughed out of court with evidence like that,
I fired a hundred shots out there at coyotes.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
The story could hold, Jase. Maybe maybe not, because there's
one other thing, Brick. We're all going to take a
ride into town after I checked the shoes on your horse.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
That's real interesting, Ranger, because if we're riding in the town,
you'll be packing me behind you.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
I don't own a horse.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
You are listening to Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring
Joel McCrae as Ranger Jase Pearson. Now we continue with
tonight's case, the Cactus, an authentic story from the files
of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Breck had a stop and he knew it. His story
about the coyotes and the empty shotgun shells covered him
and we didn't even have enough to take him in.
We left him and headed back for town. If he
is the one, Jase, we're going to have a time
proving it. Gun would have made a strong case against
anybody who hadn't worked on the ranch. But he can
all by that. Yeah, you got someone your mind, Jase.
(14:37):
What is it? He swore he hadn't been on the
Triangle Ranch in a week since Golf fired him. Yeah,
we can't prove otherwise. I don't know if he did
shoot at a coyote, must have been before Golf fired him.
That means those empty shells would have been lying out
on the ground when it rained two days ago. A
cardboard portion of the shells don't look like they'd been wet.
(14:57):
His son could have dried him out after the rain, Jase. Yeah,
there's some metal on the shell too. I'm gonna send
those shells through to the lab at Austin. You think
they'll be able to tell it to've been out in
the rain or nut metal gets wet. It's gotta be
some oxidation. I will know whether there is or not
if there isn't for me, and the shells were fired
in the past two days. Yeah, but he'd still stick
(15:18):
to his story. Jase. You know how jury is with
scientific evidence, little leary of it sometimes. I know he'll
need more. I wasn't thinking of the shells as jury evidence.
I was thinking of him as a timesaver for us. Uh,
he's telling the truth, he'll have to start all over.
But if he's lying, we'll have to trip him up.
(15:47):
I sent the shells through to Austin and while I
waited for a report, I drove to Koot's old home
at Marfa. He'd been well liked. There no reason for
anybody to follow him and kill him. It was a
routine check. And on the way back I got my
report from Austin, KTXA to Unit ten, Unit ten to
KTXA go ahead, a report from Loustin Lab on exhibits
(16:09):
submitted by Unit ten for examination Ready for it. Lab
report slight.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Oxidation probably caused by brief exposure to normal night moisture.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
No evidence the shells were thoroughly soaked, though no indication
of such exposure, and LAB report ten for Unit ten
clear KTXA Austin. I drove back south as hard as
I could. When I got near the Quicksilver mine, I
(16:41):
took charcoal out of the trailer and rode onto the
shack Brick had been using to make sure he was
still around. Oh boy, oh charcoal, crack open up. I
want to talk to you, all right, What do you
want this time? I just want to make sure you're
(17:04):
still around, that's all. Well, you see me, don't you? Yeah?
I see something else too, looks like you've been packing
a few things in there. That's my business, not yours.
I'll make it my business. If you try to leave
this county, I'll look, Rangie, you've got nothing on me here.
You had taken me in before. If I want to
move out of here, I reckon I can move. You
try it, and you'll hit the county jail so fast
(17:25):
it won't even give your spurs time to rattle.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, you're talking big, but you ain't got a charge
to hold me on. It ain't no law against shooting coyotes.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Now, but there's a law against moving into a shack
without the owner's permission. The mining company give you the
right to live here. Yeah, that isn't going to be
hard to check.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
On all right, then, Ranger, go back to town and
chick because until you do and get a warrant, you
got no right.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
In here, have you? Okay, Brey, I'll be back and
you better be here. I got back to town as
fast as I could. I had to have a minor
charge to hold him on because I pulled up to
the Sheriff's office I found out I wasn't gonna need it.
(18:10):
Stay in the car chase. Why what's happen? You got
here just in time? We're just hitting for my car.
Let's move which way right ahead? Blacksmith shout, he found
the horse we've been looking for. Oh why, oh yeah,
(18:31):
here Ranger looks like the cast. Oh whoa boy? You
see this nick in the left hind shoe. Snail bent
a little shame as the impression of the cast, and said,
all right, who wounds him? Ranger? You're probably gonna eat
me out for this? But he's mine yours. You mean
(18:53):
to say you couldn't recognize the shoe you fitted to
one of your own horses. But that's a trouble, Ranger.
I didn't show him. I only part him a month ago.
I just going to put new plates on him for
the first time. Now, that's how come I just spotted
the shoe. What were you doing out on the Triangle
ranch when Coots was killed? But Ranger, I wasn't out there.
Your horse was last Tuesday, but I wasn't riding him.
(19:14):
I loaned him out. You better tell us who you
loaned them to. Well, let Harvey breck use him. Frey. Well, well,
my wife couldn't tell you.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I'll call her.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
You don't have to call her. Come on, Sheriff, let's go.
He stopped for the sheriff's horse, loaded him in the
double trailer with charcoal, and then headed to the mine.
Left the car at the wash out, unloaded the horses,
(19:42):
and rode to the adobe shack Breck was using. We
got enough to take him in now, Jason, he's still here.
He was packing the leaves. Look, yes, let it, here's
the hooey was using rack a light under the door.
We're on time, then, how much to spare? So since
she figures to move out tonight, he won't move now
stop here. Huh, he isn't gonna come easy, share. Watch
(20:10):
out for that shotgun. He wants gun player, he can
have it, and we'll know when he answers the door.
All right, Breck, open up. We know you're in there. Breck,
Now come on, maybe waiting in there so he can
nail us with that shotgun. If we bust in, we
can wait out here for your breck. Yeah, that light
(20:31):
in there could keep us waiting all night. If he's gone.
You mean it's a trick to slow us up. We'll
find out. Keep that door covered while I kick it in.
He's empty. Reckon made his getaway. We went over the
ground outside to get his direction led toward rugged country,
and we followed as fast as we put on horseback,
cut him back and forth to pick up his marks,
(20:55):
went up into these hills, share and made some time.
He was easy to trail as far and he's on foot. Yeah,
but we're gonna be on foot too. Now, why he's
headed for the border Jase three or Grand's that way.
But no horse can take this country between here and there.
Oh boy, charco, how far is it to the river?
Forty miles? The country the devil won't have and we'll
(21:17):
have to cover every inch of it on foot. That's
what he's doing. Come on, let's go. We must be
close to him by Hey, look sheriff, that's him top
of the ridge. Get the cover under that leg, humble
of horses so they can move off from grays later.
(21:37):
How are we going to get to him? Long way
up that bridge, and we'll be moving right into his sight.
You go around that way, all right, Crawl and hunk
whatever cover you can find. I'll go the other way
and see if we can't circle in behind him. Move
slowly inches at a time at the side of the
(21:58):
treacherous slope. Took almost an hour, and it was just
what Breck wanted, all right, don't move, Yes, yeah, jeez,
he isn't here. Of course he isn't. I should have
figured his play. The only reason he fired from uphill
(22:19):
was the triggers and to given him time. I'm sure
it was. He's ahead of us with a knight to
cover him. We don't have horses to give us an
edge anymore. I see if we can pick up his trail, jays.
If we're going into this, we're going to need water
time to go back for it. Now, we'll have to
get it as we find it. If we find it
(22:40):
and he's headed this way, come on, we'll have to
keep trail cutting, and it's gonna be plenty rough. It's
like the sheriff said, country the devil wouldn't have wreck
was piling up a lead. With every hour of the night.
(23:04):
We have to cover two miles to his one chase.
Every time we lose the trail, he games ground can
be helped. We get to the top of this original
maybe the wrong one again, like the last two. We
climb the daylight in a couple of hours'll be able
to spot his tracks better then, and we can fans.
(23:28):
Maybe we better rest until then, can't. I'm counting on
him having the rest. That's the only time we can
make up on him. Reckon your right chase. But there
will be another day and night of this without a
wink and no guarantee we catch him at that. He
may go any directions and make us crossing. You want
(23:51):
to rest a few hours when I go on ahead?
If you're going, I'm going good. Come on. If we
only knew which pull the sheriff. What scrub between the rocks? Yeah,
throw your light on it, all right, Look barely growing
(24:16):
in the earth between the rocks, roots ripped out a
little and exposed fresh to grab the scrub. Pull himself
up good, and it's we aren't climbing this forenoth this time.
Now we better keep on climbing. Almost twenty four hours
(24:50):
getting dark again, jays, Yeah, and more mountains ahead. Hey wait,
losen no, no, got over this way. Something on the
ground by that cactus patch? Yeah, dug for water again
and hit it too, Still wet, Dig a little, get
(25:13):
a drink from yourself. Knows the country all right, never misses,
seems to know just where to dig. If there's even
a mouthful of water. What's your doing over there. He
ate here the rest of two access pear has been
cut in skin son hasn't dried the skins out yet.
(25:38):
He's only an hour or so I had. Now this
track show he's slowing down, still going fast enough to
make that river. Sometimes in night though, we'll be there too.
Then little water running up in this hole. Now, Chase,
you better take him house, for you've clean the canyon.
Chase the rivers narrow there? How far a mile awad
(26:01):
gotta run in the sheriff? Can you make it suck?
His shot gun couldn't holler it any further? Lightening up
to make his last run. I think I heard something
(26:22):
that good. Keep going. We heard him in front of him,
and we broke through the brush of the river. He
was just waiting in Stop breaking, I'll get him.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Don't make me put a bullet in you brack.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
You you ain't taking a meet. Oh yes I am.
I go I'm over the border while you're still in
the river. I go white that I don't shot get him. Yeah,
but you're going to have to help me drag them
the shore. You four feet made. You needed just a
(27:07):
few more seconds.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Just about as long as it took to eat a
cactus fear. R. V.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Breck was tried and convicted for the murder of Robert
Coots is sentenced ninety nine years.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
And now here again is the star of our show,
Joel the Craze.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
When the Allies invaded Normandy in World War II, they
got an idea as to how far the fame of
the Texas Rangers had spread. Both surrendering Nazis and liberated
free French said they knew the war was as good
as over because the Texas Rangers had landed. Of course,
it was the heroic American Ranger troops who made the landings,
but nothing could convince the Nazi war prisoners that these
(28:11):
were not the terrible Texans they had heard about in
many American legends. Good Night, Folks, see at the same
time next week.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Next week Joel McCrae and another authentic reenactment of a
case from the files of the Texas Rangers. Joel McCrae
(28:46):
is currently seen starting in the MGM production.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Stars in My Crown The Night's Past.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Included Tony Barrett, Williams, Herbert, Tom McKee, and Gerald Moore.
The story was transcribed and adapted by Joel MerCad and
The program is produced and directed by Stacy Keith. This
is hal Given speaking.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Three chimes mean good Times on NBC Monday Means Music
on NBC. Tomorrow Night, The Voice of Firestone presents a
selection of melodies in the Christmas Spirit with Metropolitan Opera
star Jerome Hines, a solarist, The NBC Symphony brings you
another one hour concert featuring works by Vivaldi and Beethoven
(29:40):
under the baton of the brilliant young conductor Guido Cantelli.
Stay tuned for the sixty four dollars question with more
good Times on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company presents Joel McCrae in Tales of
the Texas Rangers. Tonight transcribe from Hollywood another authentic reenactment
of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers.
(00:24):
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger
Jace Pearson, Texas more than two hundred and sixty thousand
square miles and fifty men who make up the most
famous and oldest law enforcement party in North America. Now
(00:54):
from the files of the Texas Rangers come these stories
based on fact only. Names, dates, and places are the
pitches for obvious reasons. They events themselves are a matter
of record. Case for Tonite the Cactus Pair.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It is four pm the afternoon of March twenty eighth,
nineteen forty seven. Robert Coot's, a new hand on the
Triangle Ranch, is repairing of fence on the Southeast Range.
He stops as a writer aproaches, ooh ooh, how'd he
brect on?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Howd he meet Coots? Well, I see you finally got
my job.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
I got a job because there was one open. If
you left it open at your worry, I reckon, not mine.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
You've been making up to the old man, trying to
get me fired ever since you came into this country.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
That ain't sowing, you know it. I've been looking for work. Yeah,
but you didn't get fired in mine. I can You
got sacked because you can't leave a bottle alone. Sounds
like you're calling me a lad. I ain't calling you anything.
I'm just telling you I have about clearing off.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
You're telling me to clear off this range. All right,
I'll get but before I do, I'm gonna whip your
tail coats.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
You better not try it because you ain't about to
whip my tail. Wait. Wait, show now, clear off. Like
I told you, don't come back. It's gonna be no
need for me to come back. Put that shock stand
away from me. Get away. Here's the other barrel for
good measure. All right, boy, come here here.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
The body of ranch hand Robert Coots was discovered by
the owner of the ranch next day. When he wrote
out the search for the missing rider. He summoned the
sheriff and the Sheriff cold with the assistance of a
Texas ranger. Ranger Jase Pearson was a signed to the case.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Say you spotted the buzzards this morning, mister Golf. Yeah, yeah,
and I found Coots. Im look, I'm me must have
been shot sometime yesterday. I thought I heard a shotgun
yesterday afternoon through the road out. Then why didn't you, Sheriff?
You know, even having a time with the kyots and
mountain cats lately. I just figured one of my hands
must have spotted one and cut loose. Coots was fixing
(03:30):
the break in the fence. Uh, that's right. I might
have known something was wrong when Coach didn't come back
to the riots last night. Spot's just up ahead with
my deputy standing. Yeah, I can see the body now.
Anybody been stealing paddle around here lately, Sheriff, Oh, few, headman,
then jas nothing big Coots might have run into somebody
doing it though, might have here we are hobo right, yeah,
(04:01):
Hide the horses off the fence here, and I want
Tom tramping around their body. Coots with you a long time,
mister Golf. No reason no hired him on less than
a week ago. There was no round here. Jase only
been here about a month, all told you? Ever say
where he came from? Hip hip over on Martha hit
with both bells. Jace once through the stomach, once through
(04:23):
the head. Yeah, I was on the ground when the
second charge hit him, though. Look some of the shot
clipped the grass mm and killer's force stopped here too.
Looks like Coots must have had a fist fight with
a man who killed him. How do you figure that, Jason?
My little dried blood in the grass here, scuffle marks
(04:45):
and some of the blades pressed down as though somebody
had been lying here. Coots was shot though it might
be his blood, you know, but his wounds. He was
killed instantly. He didn't move fifteen feet and then back
again after getting blasted like that. Come on, yeah, what
are you looking for? Marsh moved off this way, Prince,
mixed right in with some of your herd. It was
(05:07):
grazing around here, and then took off mighty sudden. See
here where they dug in to get started. Yeah, that
could mean the cattle people, all right, chasing the stock.
Jas we'll find out. Let's get back to the horses.
Follow this trail, all right, this is far enough. Whoever
(05:36):
it was, he wasn't trying to steal the cattle. He
was following the herd tracks. So the trail of his
horse wouldn't stand out clear. I don't see how you
can tell that herd moved up rains toward the Mesa.
Anybody stealing them would have been driving him to the
south fence where the state road is. I have to
get him to a truck to get him away. Well,
well made him wrung, then, jays, a shotgun must have
stampeded him. They'd been driven, someone had left marks where
(05:59):
they out to get away from the rider, and the
rider would have left tracks cutting after him. I see
what you mean. But shouldn't we keep on trailing them? Go? Yeah,
but not this way. He was headed for rocky ground
near the Mesa, trying to lose anybody who might follow him.
He's smart. I don't get your plan. Well, he was
careful leaving here after he killed a man. He mightn't
have been so careful riding in before he killed. You know,
(06:22):
backtrack the trail he took getting here. It might tell
us where he came from. That makes sense. Jeez, let's go, ranger.
Can I have the body picked up by the funeral
house now? Yeah? And even an autopsy isn't gonna tell
us much. Huh. I thought you could tell a lot
from the shot to kill somebody. That uh, ballistic stuff,
(06:43):
not so much with a shotgun. Barrels are smooth bore.
Don't leave rifle, Marx. But hey, hold it, what's your
planing ranger? These empty sixteen gage shotgun shells. Killer might
have ejected him here to reload his shotgun in case
(07:03):
he ran into trouble. Oh can you tell anything with those?
If we find the gun they came from, we might
be able to match the way the hammer hits the shell. Yeah,
if we find the shotgun, every rancher in ky Polkan
the county must have one. The sheriff and I'm backtracked
(07:27):
on the approach the killer had used to get to
the Triangle ranch owned by Gaulf But we came to
a dead end. Well, Jason, yes, this as far as
we go. They'd followim on pavement or the gravel road shoulder,
and I rode out from town. It's too bad. I
was hoping he'd come from a ranch someplace with a
narratives down to one spot. Not much we can do now,
(07:48):
so I can go around exambling shotguns. One other thing. First,
A couple of deep tracks in that ditch off the
road must have had rain here, Yeah, day four yesterday.
That's why I left such a clear print there yesterday.
Then I want to get a kit from my radio
car and drive back here. Well for take a couple
(08:09):
of photographs of that print, make a faster impression of it.
Help us to identify the horse if we find him.
We took the cast and headed for town to check
every horse in the territory. It would have been impossible,
so I had to gamble on a shortcut. Howdie ranger?
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Audi Haudi? Hey? Mind dropping that hammer a minute and
taking a look at this here? He hey? Ready it
faster cast shoe print of a left hind hoof. You
remember making a shoe like this? Head common flit share
it was cocked or something. I might remember, but I
(08:52):
don't know. I know it's a tough one. But all
shoes are a little different. We're in different places. Hoops
have to be fitted for slightly different shapes. That's true, right,
If I come across that shoe now, after seeing the cast,
I might recognize him. Good. I'm gonna leave this cast here.
If anybody brings in a horse to be shod, and
the left hind hoof looks like the cast don't touch
(09:14):
it until you call us. You're right glad to have
keep my eyes open. Any other blacksmiths around here, Sheriff,
Oh not for over fifty miles. Were gonna look a
for that gun. Now you start on it. I'm gonna
pay another visit to the Triangle ranch. I want to
talk with mister gauld again. Finish here in a minute,
(09:37):
er Joe, you know, run on the rest of the
irrigation clumps with this. Okay, that's fine.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Good.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
What was it you wanted to know? I asked you
if Coote seemed nervous, like he'd been running away from
something or somebody who was afraid might catch up with him. No,
I can't say, dud well, he was anxious about what's
find it? Job seemed like good workers. So when I
had an opener and I took him on regular, oh
one of your hands leave, I know, no, say I
(10:10):
I had to fire a folk named Harvey Brecktt fired him. Huh,
Why you're drinking, making trouble in the bunk house and
I'm doing his work? Did this break? No, coats, I
just have seen him around. I'd a break take it
when you told him he was fired? She was kind
of drunk. Cuss me out, though? Is that all? Yep?
I paid him off, give him an extra month, Like
(10:30):
I do with any hand, I have to let go.
He seemed all right after that. You know where this
break is living now here? He's bunked up one of
them deserted dobe huts by the old quicksilver her mind,
Rhodes washed out though all the huts rampedish. Since mine
stop operating, why really you want to seem? I sure
intend to. I went back through town and picked up
(11:01):
the sheriff, and we rode our horses out to the
bend and mine. I've checked one hundred guns today, chase
every tough and near tough I could think of. Oh good, though,
huh uh? No hammer marks like the one we're looking
for to fire the guns to get a test shelt
for comparison. Sure, but I'd swear none of them was
a gun we want. I kept the most likely ones
and labeled them for UV good. You can add one
(11:23):
more when we test Brick's gun. And here the shacks
now poor must be that one little smoke's coming up
the chimney. That's Brick Good is coming. Your fella's looking for.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
Oh howdy, share howdy.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Brick Ranger wants a few words with you. Okay, mind
if we come inside? All right, reckon. You know that
somebody killed a man who took your place over the
Triangle Ranch. Yeah so I heard on Tuesday afternoon? Where
were you? I was right here? Anybody who says I
(12:04):
wasn't as a liar? Nobody said anything yet? Where's your shotgun?
I don't have a gun? You don't, huh? And where's
the gun you clean? Not long ago? I didn't click
and tell me you didn't. It's ay. Rag in the
corner says you did. This. Rag was used for cleaning
(12:25):
the gun and nothing else. Better. I got the gun bricked.
We want to see it. It's under the bunk. Sixteen
gage double barrel, Yeah, loaded two he Let me have
it a minute. I just matched these with the shells
(12:51):
you've been carrying twins, all right, Sheriff, No doubt about
this matcham brack. We found the shells on the Triangle Ranch.
Hammer marks match yours and Coots was killed with a
shotgun at that gun.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Sure you found shells from it on the Triangle Ranch.
Because I worked on the Triangle Ranch. Remembering, hey, you
can get laughed out of court with evidence like that,
I fired a hundred shots out there at coyotes.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
The story could hold, Jase. Maybe maybe not, because there's
one other thing, Brick. We're all going to take a
ride into town after I checked the shoes on your horse.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
That's real interesting, Ranger, because if we're riding in the town,
you'll be packing me behind you.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
I don't own a horse.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
You are listening to Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring
Joel McCrae as Ranger Jase Pearson. Now we continue with
tonight's case, the Cactus, an authentic story from the files
of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Breck had a stop and he knew it. His story
about the coyotes and the empty shotgun shells covered him
and we didn't even have enough to take him in.
We left him and headed back for town. If he
is the one, Jase, we're going to have a time
proving it. Gun would have made a strong case against
anybody who hadn't worked on the ranch. But he can
all by that. Yeah, you got someone your mind, Jase.
(14:37):
What is it? He swore he hadn't been on the
Triangle Ranch in a week since Golf fired him. Yeah,
we can't prove otherwise. I don't know if he did
shoot at a coyote, must have been before Golf fired him.
That means those empty shells would have been lying out
on the ground when it rained two days ago. A
cardboard portion of the shells don't look like they'd been wet.
(14:57):
His son could have dried him out after the rain, Jase. Yeah,
there's some metal on the shell too. I'm gonna send
those shells through to the lab at Austin. You think
they'll be able to tell it to've been out in
the rain or nut metal gets wet. It's gotta be
some oxidation. I will know whether there is or not
if there isn't for me, and the shells were fired
in the past two days. Yeah, but he'd still stick
(15:18):
to his story. Jase. You know how jury is with
scientific evidence, little leary of it sometimes. I know he'll
need more. I wasn't thinking of the shells as jury evidence.
I was thinking of him as a timesaver for us. Uh,
he's telling the truth, he'll have to start all over.
But if he's lying, we'll have to trip him up.
(15:47):
I sent the shells through to Austin and while I
waited for a report, I drove to Koot's old home
at Marfa. He'd been well liked. There no reason for
anybody to follow him and kill him. It was a
routine check. And on the way back I got my
report from Austin, KTXA to Unit ten, Unit ten to
KTXA go ahead, a report from Loustin Lab on exhibits
(16:09):
submitted by Unit ten for examination Ready for it. Lab
report slight.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Oxidation probably caused by brief exposure to normal night moisture.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
No evidence the shells were thoroughly soaked, though no indication
of such exposure, and LAB report ten for Unit ten
clear KTXA Austin. I drove back south as hard as
I could. When I got near the Quicksilver mine, I
(16:41):
took charcoal out of the trailer and rode onto the
shack Brick had been using to make sure he was
still around. Oh boy, oh charcoal, crack open up. I
want to talk to you, all right, What do you
want this time? I just want to make sure you're
(17:04):
still around, that's all. Well, you see me, don't you? Yeah?
I see something else too, looks like you've been packing
a few things in there. That's my business, not yours.
I'll make it my business. If you try to leave
this county, I'll look, Rangie, you've got nothing on me here.
You had taken me in before. If I want to
move out of here, I reckon I can move. You
try it, and you'll hit the county jail so fast
(17:25):
it won't even give your spurs time to rattle.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Yeah, you're talking big, but you ain't got a charge
to hold me on. It ain't no law against shooting coyotes.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Now, but there's a law against moving into a shack
without the owner's permission. The mining company give you the
right to live here. Yeah, that isn't going to be
hard to check.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
On all right, then, Ranger, go back to town and
chick because until you do and get a warrant, you
got no right.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
In here, have you? Okay, Brey, I'll be back and
you better be here. I got back to town as
fast as I could. I had to have a minor
charge to hold him on because I pulled up to
the Sheriff's office I found out I wasn't gonna need it.
(18:10):
Stay in the car chase. Why what's happen? You got
here just in time? We're just hitting for my car.
Let's move which way right ahead? Blacksmith shout, he found
the horse we've been looking for. Oh why, oh yeah,
(18:31):
here Ranger looks like the cast. Oh whoa boy? You
see this nick in the left hind shoe. Snail bent
a little shame as the impression of the cast, and said,
all right, who wounds him? Ranger? You're probably gonna eat
me out for this? But he's mine yours. You mean
(18:53):
to say you couldn't recognize the shoe you fitted to
one of your own horses. But that's a trouble, Ranger.
I didn't show him. I only part him a month ago.
I just going to put new plates on him for
the first time. Now, that's how come I just spotted
the shoe. What were you doing out on the Triangle
ranch when Coots was killed? But Ranger, I wasn't out there.
Your horse was last Tuesday, but I wasn't riding him.
(19:14):
I loaned him out. You better tell us who you
loaned them to. Well, let Harvey breck use him. Frey. Well, well,
my wife couldn't tell you.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
I'll call her.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
You don't have to call her. Come on, Sheriff, let's go.
He stopped for the sheriff's horse, loaded him in the
double trailer with charcoal, and then headed to the mine.
Left the car at the wash out, unloaded the horses,
(19:42):
and rode to the adobe shack Breck was using. We
got enough to take him in now, Jason, he's still here.
He was packing the leaves. Look, yes, let it, here's
the hooey was using rack a light under the door.
We're on time, then, how much to spare? So since
she figures to move out tonight, he won't move now
stop here. Huh, he isn't gonna come easy, share. Watch
(20:10):
out for that shotgun. He wants gun player, he can
have it, and we'll know when he answers the door.
All right, Breck, open up. We know you're in there. Breck,
Now come on, maybe waiting in there so he can
nail us with that shotgun. If we bust in, we
can wait out here for your breck. Yeah, that light
(20:31):
in there could keep us waiting all night. If he's gone.
You mean it's a trick to slow us up. We'll
find out. Keep that door covered while I kick it in.
He's empty. Reckon made his getaway. We went over the
ground outside to get his direction led toward rugged country,
and we followed as fast as we put on horseback,
cut him back and forth to pick up his marks,
(20:55):
went up into these hills, share and made some time.
He was easy to trail as far and he's on foot. Yeah,
but we're gonna be on foot too. Now, why he's
headed for the border Jase three or Grand's that way.
But no horse can take this country between here and there.
Oh boy, charco, how far is it to the river?
Forty miles? The country the devil won't have and we'll
(21:17):
have to cover every inch of it on foot. That's
what he's doing. Come on, let's go. We must be
close to him by Hey, look sheriff, that's him top
of the ridge. Get the cover under that leg, humble
of horses so they can move off from grays later.
(21:37):
How are we going to get to him? Long way
up that bridge, and we'll be moving right into his sight.
You go around that way, all right, Crawl and hunk
whatever cover you can find. I'll go the other way
and see if we can't circle in behind him. Move
slowly inches at a time at the side of the
(21:58):
treacherous slope. Took almost an hour, and it was just
what Breck wanted, all right, don't move, Yes, yeah, jeez,
he isn't here. Of course he isn't. I should have
figured his play. The only reason he fired from uphill
(22:19):
was the triggers and to given him time. I'm sure
it was. He's ahead of us with a knight to
cover him. We don't have horses to give us an
edge anymore. I see if we can pick up his trail, jays.
If we're going into this, we're going to need water
time to go back for it. Now, we'll have to
get it as we find it. If we find it
(22:40):
and he's headed this way, come on, we'll have to
keep trail cutting, and it's gonna be plenty rough. It's
like the sheriff said, country the devil wouldn't have wreck
was piling up a lead. With every hour of the night.
(23:04):
We have to cover two miles to his one chase.
Every time we lose the trail, he games ground can
be helped. We get to the top of this original
maybe the wrong one again, like the last two. We
climb the daylight in a couple of hours'll be able
to spot his tracks better then, and we can fans.
(23:28):
Maybe we better rest until then, can't. I'm counting on
him having the rest. That's the only time we can
make up on him. Reckon your right chase. But there
will be another day and night of this without a
wink and no guarantee we catch him at that. He
may go any directions and make us crossing. You want
(23:51):
to rest a few hours when I go on ahead?
If you're going, I'm going good. Come on. If we
only knew which pull the sheriff. What scrub between the rocks? Yeah,
throw your light on it, all right, Look barely growing
(24:16):
in the earth between the rocks, roots ripped out a
little and exposed fresh to grab the scrub. Pull himself
up good, and it's we aren't climbing this forenoth this time.
Now we better keep on climbing. Almost twenty four hours
(24:50):
getting dark again, jays, Yeah, and more mountains ahead. Hey wait,
losen no, no, got over this way. Something on the
ground by that cactus patch? Yeah, dug for water again
and hit it too, Still wet, Dig a little, get
(25:13):
a drink from yourself. Knows the country all right, never misses,
seems to know just where to dig. If there's even
a mouthful of water. What's your doing over there. He
ate here the rest of two access pear has been
cut in skin son hasn't dried the skins out yet.
(25:38):
He's only an hour or so I had. Now this
track show he's slowing down, still going fast enough to
make that river. Sometimes in night though, we'll be there too.
Then little water running up in this hole. Now, Chase,
you better take him house, for you've clean the canyon.
Chase the rivers narrow there? How far a mile awad
(26:01):
gotta run in the sheriff? Can you make it suck?
His shot gun couldn't holler it any further? Lightening up
to make his last run. I think I heard something
(26:22):
that good. Keep going. We heard him in front of him,
and we broke through the brush of the river. He
was just waiting in Stop breaking, I'll get him.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Don't make me put a bullet in you brack.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
You you ain't taking a meet. Oh yes I am.
I go I'm over the border while you're still in
the river. I go white that I don't shot get him. Yeah,
but you're going to have to help me drag them
the shore. You four feet made. You needed just a
(27:07):
few more seconds.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Just about as long as it took to eat a
cactus fear. R. V.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Breck was tried and convicted for the murder of Robert
Coots is sentenced ninety nine years.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
And now here again is the star of our show,
Joel the Craze.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
When the Allies invaded Normandy in World War II, they
got an idea as to how far the fame of
the Texas Rangers had spread. Both surrendering Nazis and liberated
free French said they knew the war was as good
as over because the Texas Rangers had landed. Of course,
it was the heroic American Ranger troops who made the landings,
but nothing could convince the Nazi war prisoners that these
(28:11):
were not the terrible Texans they had heard about in
many American legends. Good Night, Folks, see at the same
time next week.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Next week Joel McCrae and another authentic reenactment of a
case from the files of the Texas Rangers. Joel McCrae
(28:46):
is currently seen starting in the MGM production.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Stars in My Crown The Night's Past.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Included Tony Barrett, Williams, Herbert, Tom McKee, and Gerald Moore.
The story was transcribed and adapted by Joel MerCad and
The program is produced and directed by Stacy Keith. This
is hal Given speaking.
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Three chimes mean good Times on NBC Monday Means Music
on NBC. Tomorrow Night, The Voice of Firestone presents a
selection of melodies in the Christmas Spirit with Metropolitan Opera
star Jerome Hines, a solarist, The NBC Symphony brings you
another one hour concert featuring works by Vivaldi and Beethoven
(29:40):
under the baton of the brilliant young conductor Guido Cantelli.
Stay tuned for the sixty four dollars question with more
good Times on NBC
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