August 15, 2025 • 30 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. Explore a world of immersive, ad-free audio experiences from nature sounds to timeless stories at https://www.adfreesounds.com
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae's ranger Jase Pearson.
Another authentic reenactment of a case transcribed from the files
of the Texas Rangers. Names, dates, and places in the
(00:42):
following story are fixtitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves
are a matter of records.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
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Speaker 3 (01:51):
And now here's today's.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Adventure with the tales of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And now from the files of the Texas Rangers, the
case called Illusion.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
It is three am on October third, nineteen forty five.
The town of Eagle Rock, Texas. Sheriff Glen Minton is
awakened by an urgent knocking on the door of his house.
He slips on a bathrobe and walks downstairs as a
knock caut to me.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Just a minute, I'm coming all right now, who is as?
Speaker 6 (02:35):
I gotta talk to you, Sheriff. Please let me.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Come in, all right, come in?
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Oh sure, I'm those scared now.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
Now, now, whatever it is, it can't be that bad.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
You don't know, you don't know, you care now you.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Just sit down and relax.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
No, please don't leave me. Sure if they tried it again,
tried what they've tried to kill me?
Speaker 7 (02:54):
Who?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I don't know?
Speaker 6 (02:56):
Somebody somebody wants me down.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
Now look here, Amy, I know who since you were
a kid, and I'm gonna talk to your like a father.
Speaker 8 (03:03):
I know what you're gonna say.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
You think I'm imagining things.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Well, it kind of looks like this is the third
time in the past two months you've thought somebody was
trying to kid it. They are, I know it, Amy.
The other times we proved to you it was either
accident or imagination.
Speaker 7 (03:17):
You've never believed me when the brakes went out of
my car, when that man came into the.
Speaker 6 (03:21):
House to kill me, you didn't believe it.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Amy. You said that power was still in the house
when I got there, and you know I didn't find nobody.
Speaker 6 (03:28):
He was there. I know he wasn't. Tonight he came back.
He tried to blow me up. What I woke up
and smell gas.
Speaker 7 (03:35):
Before I could get out of there, there was an
explosions were the bathroom.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
I think part of my bedroom blew up. I don't
know how I wasn't killed.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
Or whey didn't you phone stead of driving all the
way in here?
Speaker 7 (03:44):
Phone wouldn't work.
Speaker 6 (03:46):
Oh it was awful. Why do they want me to why?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
What kind of gas fixtures do.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
You have in the bathroom?
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Well, there's a little stove and the hot water heated.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Where's your husband Dane Mark's caves.
Speaker 7 (04:01):
He'll be back in the morning, Sheriff. Somebody came in
and turned the gas on.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
I know it.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
Amy, think hard now, could you have left that gas
on yourself?
Speaker 6 (04:12):
No?
Speaker 7 (04:13):
No, I couldn't, Sheriff. You've got to listen to me.
Somebody is trying to kill me. Somebody wants me dead.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
All right, Amy, and I'll get hold of yourself. We'll
go out to your house and have a look.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
The sheriff made a preliminary investigation at the West Ranch house,
then requested assistance from the Texas Rangers. Ranger Jase Pearson
was assigned and reached the ranch at ten that morning.
Mark West, Amy's husband had arrived home.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
In the meantime.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The two officers left mister West downstairs with his wife
and went up to investigate the scene of the explosion.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Pretty much of a mess, and it, Jase, missus West
was lucky though.
Speaker 9 (04:58):
I've seen gas heater explosions and there wasn't a thing
left of the house.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
What do you make of it? You figure somebody could
have come in here and turned the gas on, like
Amy says he could be. Peter Vale was open, Yeah,
but Amy could have left it open herself. You know
how careless people are about things like that.
Speaker 9 (05:13):
Uh huh, you say, missus West thinks somebody had tried
to kill her a couple of times before.
Speaker 5 (05:18):
That's right, But Jace, to tell the truth, I don't
put much stock in what she's been saying. Why not, Well,
Amy's always been kind of high strung, get yourself all
upset about little things. You know how women are sometimes.
Is she happy with her husband? Oh, Mark's always been
real good to her. Seems to be crazy about Amy
and her about him. Only one thing wrong I ever knew.
(05:40):
What's that? Well, both of them's always wanted kids and
they never had any. Last five six years, Amy's been
kind of brooding about it.
Speaker 9 (05:48):
What about these other times, she said attempts have been
made on her life?
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Well, the first time it was the brakes on her car.
They went out and Amy's smacked into a fence. She
was lucky, just shook her up some Annick said it
could happen to any car. And the second time she
phoned me and said there was a prowler downstairs. When
I got here, she swore she could still hear him
walking around. I looked everywhere and I didn't find a
sign of anybody. Where was her husband away? He'd gone
(06:13):
up to Dallas early that evening. Do you reckon he's
involved in this? Oh? I don't think so, Jase. Like
I say, he's pretty fond of her as.
Speaker 9 (06:20):
Far as you know, Sheriff. Did missus West ever try
to take her own life?
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Well, just between us, the way Amy's been activatedly, I
wouldn't put it past her.
Speaker 7 (06:29):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
And we better go down and have a talk with
both of them. If Amy does have ideas about suicide, Jason,
how come all this talk about somebody trying to kill her?
Speaker 9 (06:39):
Human mind's a funny thing sometimes that's the way it works.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
You mean, she could have done all these things herself,
and yet she really believes somebody else has been doing them.
Something like that. You know that, trust my mind. When
I was talking with him, living room, the doors open.
Speaker 10 (06:52):
Oh yeah, what'd you find, Ranger?
Speaker 5 (06:56):
I can't say for sure.
Speaker 9 (06:57):
Mister West might have been deliberate, and then again, it
could have in an accident.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It wasn't any accident.
Speaker 10 (07:02):
Uh, honey, you're jest have said it.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Wasn't any accident. A kill you. He came in here
just like you did. The last time turned on the
gas and tried to kill me.
Speaker 10 (07:10):
Honey, Why would anybody want to kill you?
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I don't know, but he wants me dead.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Amy, You've got to stop this. I don't know if
a person in the world who wants you dead. Everybody
loves you. That's the truth. Amy. I've never heard a
soul in town speak a harsh word about you.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
It's no use trying to cover it up. Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (07:26):
Somebody wants to kill me, and when it's too late,
you'll be sorry you didn't believe me.
Speaker 10 (07:30):
Money, don't talk like that.
Speaker 9 (07:32):
Please, missus West, we'd like a statement from you about
what happened last night.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Do you mind coming in town with a sheriff and me?
Speaker 7 (07:38):
All right, I'll come, but I want Mark with me.
I won't go unless he comes along.
Speaker 10 (07:43):
Sure, Honey, I'll be glad to come.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Sheriff, you take Missus West out to the car. We'll
be along in a minute, all right, Jason, come on, Amy,
I don't know what to do about this ranger. I
just don't know. Mister West. I think you life needs help.
Would you have any objection if I took her to
a psychiatrist?
Speaker 10 (08:04):
You know one around here?
Speaker 9 (08:05):
There's a doctor Sobel who's done some work for us
in the past, works at a private hospital about forty
miles from here.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
I can take Missus West to see him if.
Speaker 10 (08:12):
You want ranger. You don't know what a loader would
be off my mind.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
I've been thinking about something like that for weeks, just
haven't been able to get up enough nerve to talk
about it. Probably better if the idea.
Speaker 9 (08:22):
Comes from me. I'll mention it to her. On the
way into town, I talked to Missus West. At first
she was reluctant to see the psychiatrist, but by the
time we reached the sheriff's office, she'd consented.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
After the sheriff took her statement.
Speaker 9 (08:39):
About the explosion, I drove Missus West and her husband
to the hospital.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
While she was talking to doctor Sobol, Mark West and
I waited in the outer office. Two hours later, the
doctor opened the door between the offices.
Speaker 11 (08:51):
Sorry, I kept your waitings for long, gentlemen. Missus West,
you can go into the other room with your husband. Ma'am, Hi,
A few it, honey, all right, I've given your I
have some capsule, mister West, just a mild sedative.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
See that she takes one every night before she goes
to bed.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
Sure, doctor, it won't help.
Speaker 10 (09:08):
It will if you make up your mind to let it.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
Nothing's gonna help. Somebody wants me dead, sooner or later,
you'll kill me.
Speaker 11 (09:17):
Well, we'll talk more about it, Missus West, sometime soon. Now,
if you and your husband don't mind waiting, I'd like
to speak to the ranger for a second. What do
you think, doctor, Well, it's only a preliminary examination. I'll
want to spend much more time with her. But there
doesn't seem to be any clinical psychosis present.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
You mean there's no definite insanity. I am almost sure
of it. What about this idea she's got that she's
going to be killed?
Speaker 11 (09:45):
She's an extremely unstable woman, Ranger, and she's under some
kind of severe emotional strain.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
What it is I don't know yet.
Speaker 9 (09:53):
The Sheriff and I'd like to help her any way
we can. Is there anything we can do in a
case like this, Ranger, Nothing, nothing at all.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
I drove mister and Missus West home and then went
back to the Sheriff's office.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
After talking to him, I decided there was nothing further
I could do.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
I returned to headquarters A week later. I received an
urgent message from the sheriff. Missus West was in his
office and insisted on seeing me. I went there, sorry
to bring you back, Jase. But miss West wouldn't talk
to anybody, but you said it was important.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
It's important, all right, Ranger, real important.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
What is it, Missus West?
Speaker 7 (10:32):
Maybe you won't think I'm crazy now, maybe you'll believe me.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I never did think you were crazy, man.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
Yes you did, but you're going to see you.
Speaker 6 (10:39):
Everything I told you was true, sweet till I get
it out of my purse.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
There, Look, m aren't they the capsules? Doctor Sobo gave
you yes?
Speaker 7 (10:49):
And now I know I wasn't dreaming. In the past
few months. My life has been in danger.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Now it makes you so sure.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Now this, oh you see inside the capsule?
Speaker 6 (11:02):
That's the color the powder should be green.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
But look at this capsule, Potter. And that one's green too, Amy.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I Oh, I had another capsule I wanted to show you,
but I hadn't marked.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yes, Missus West, that's green too.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
I don't know where. Oh here he is I knew
I hadn't marked.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
See the little nick In the end, what did you
want to show us, ma'am?
Speaker 7 (11:31):
Inside this capsule there. The powder in this one's white.
It's poison, Ranger.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
That's something we can't say. Let's been analyzed, ma'am. If
you like, you.
Speaker 7 (11:43):
Don't have to analyze it. That powder's poisoned.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
Now, look, Amy, Doc Sober gave you those pills. You
don't think he'd try to poison you.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
No, not him.
Speaker 7 (11:52):
But now I know who wants to kill me. I
saw him. He didn't know I was watching, but I
saw him take the green powder out and put the
poison in.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Who was this, missus West?
Speaker 6 (12:06):
My husband? My husband's trying to kill me.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
In just a moment, we will continue with Tales of
the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jace Pearson.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
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(12:52):
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Speaker 3 (12:54):
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Speaker 3 (13:10):
To the cancer pation.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
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So give generously to your unit of the American Cancer Society.
Simply mail your contribution to Cancer Care of your.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Local post office.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Now back to Tales of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
We continue now with Tales of the Texas Rangers and
our authentic story illusion.
Speaker 9 (13:51):
We had the white powder that Missus West had taken
out of the capsule analyzed it was poison, a lethal
dose of arsenic. We took it to the ranch and
began looking around in the hope of finding the source
of the poison. Her husband was out on the range,
and we started our search in the kitchen.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Nothing in this cupboard, James, I'll try the one in
the corner.
Speaker 9 (14:10):
Missus West, you're absolutely sure you saw your husband put
the poison in that capsule.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Yes, he was standing right there at the table. Oh,
How could Mark do such a thing to me?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Hey, you and mister West always get along well, Yes.
Speaker 7 (14:25):
Till about a year ago when he said he wanted
a divorce. Naturally, I was surprised.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
What did you tell him?
Speaker 7 (14:32):
I said I wouldn't think of it, and a few
days later he asked me to forget it.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
He never mentioned it again.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
You think of any reason why he wanted a divorce.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
I can now those business trips of his times. He
stayed away two or three days buying cattle. He says
he was with another woman.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Now you might be jumping at conclusions, you know, ma'am.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
No, I'm not. Why else would he wanted a divorce?
Speaker 10 (14:55):
Yeez?
Speaker 5 (14:56):
I reckon, I've got what we've been looking for. Oh.
Speaker 9 (15:01):
I bought at the Lion's drug store in town just
about half an houce.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Gone, looks like you were scooped out with a teaspoon.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
You see.
Speaker 7 (15:08):
I told her he was trying to kill me, and
now I know why, because he's got another woman.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Missus West, did you buy this poison me?
Speaker 6 (15:19):
Well, I've never bought anything like that.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Then we'll check and see if your husband did.
Speaker 7 (15:23):
You you're going back to time, yes, ma'am, don't leave
me here.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
Well, please, I'm afraid of him. I don't want to
stay in this place a minute longer. He'll kill me.
Take me rich your ranger, play.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
All right, Missus West. You can wait in the Sheriff's
office while we go to the drug store.
Speaker 10 (15:45):
Oh right, I put that pison register.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Yeah, here we are any idea when this poison was bought?
And I'm afraid not right, We'll just start turning pages.
There we come to it. Wish wish, Well if that
ain't luck hit it on the third page. Yeah, it
was rat poison?
Speaker 10 (16:07):
All right? What day did he buy it?
Speaker 6 (16:09):
Around you?
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Twenty fifthfoot? Did you say he? That's right? And then
there's some kind of mistake, Ranger, it wasn't him bought
that poison. It was her? See Amy West.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Did you go to the drug store already?
Speaker 5 (16:30):
Yane, we went to the drug store.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
Sure, if it's something wrong.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Miss West, out at your house, you told us you
hadn't bought any rat poison. Yes, this is the poison
register from Land's drug store.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Missus West. Yes? Is that your signature? O? Sony? Chance
somebody else could assigned your name?
Speaker 6 (16:55):
No, no, hit the mind. I remember buying now. I
don't know how I could have forgotten. Please don't be
angry with me.
Speaker 9 (17:14):
Please, we're not angry, Missus West. All we want to
do is help you.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
Oh I'm such a fool.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
I hate to ask your questions from now, said Amy,
But it's important that we find out about this. Did
you really see Mark put poison in that capsule last night?
Speaker 7 (17:29):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (17:29):
I thought I did. I don't know now. Everything seems
to be.
Speaker 7 (17:36):
Spinning around in my head. I'm not sure of anything
an involved.
Speaker 5 (17:42):
I think that's enough for now, Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
I could see it so clear, Marks standing by the
kitchen table.
Speaker 6 (17:49):
I'm putting that white bottle. Maybe I've been imagining things
all along. Maybe I'm crazy.
Speaker 7 (18:00):
Oh, Ranger, please help me.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I think we better take you over to see doctor
Soble again. Man, I don't care.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
What you do.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
Just doesn't help me.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Help me.
Speaker 9 (18:20):
I called doctor Sobol. He said he'd get a room
ready for Missus West. While the sheriff took her to
the hospital, I headed out to the ranch to see
her husband. I learned he was still out in the range,
so I unloaded charcoal from the trailer and started out.
It was nearly five when I found him gonna make
shift branding pen three miles from the house.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
Woo woo, jerky oo hoo, boy.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
So asked, Oh honey, Ranger, be right ready here, all
right up for the rest of the Ted want to wind it.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
Up before sunder.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
What can I do for you, Ranger? I'm afraid I
have some unpleasant news for you. Who's about Amy? Sheriff
just took her over to the hospital. What's happened to her?
Nothing serious, She's just a little bit upset. Oh, I
thought you were going to say something, mister West. I
get so worried about our way she's been acting lately.
Can't sleep nights thinking about it. And doctor Soble is
one of the best in Texas. If anybody can help her,
(19:10):
he can. Sometimes I think she's better and then it's
like a kurt and drop in front of her eyes.
She looks at me like she's never seen me before.
It's pretty awful, Ranger, Yes it is. I'd like to
go see Aim as soon as I can.
Speaker 9 (19:23):
Well, you'd better call doctor Sober first, but I don't
think there'll be any objection.
Speaker 10 (19:27):
She take her medicine along with her.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I couldn't say.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
I better bring it to her, she'll be needing it. Oh,
I don't think you'll have to do that, mister West.
If she needs medicine, they'll give it to her at
the hospital.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Oh yeah, yeah, I suppose you wouldn't.
Speaker 10 (19:40):
Then well, I'll be along to see her tonight.
Speaker 9 (19:49):
On the way back to the hospital, I kept thinking
about his mentioning the medicine bothered me and created a
growing suspicion in my mind. Time I reached the hospital,
I was convinced we didn't have all the answers.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Sheriff and I decided to listen to any conversation between
West and his wife, who set up a hidden microphone
in an empty room, and we asked the head nurse
to have Missus West moved in there.
Speaker 9 (20:09):
We settled down in an adjoining room with earphones and
the tape recorder. Seven thirty five, we heard the door
and missus west room open and close.
Speaker 12 (20:19):
Hello, honey, Hello, man, Uh you feel better.
Speaker 11 (20:25):
I've I don't know.
Speaker 10 (20:27):
Uh, you'll be alright.
Speaker 12 (20:28):
Ranger said you had a real good doctor.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Oh, I got see.
Speaker 12 (20:32):
Yeah, honey, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Everything is still mixed up, right, Sure, I'm sure, Oh, Ry, Oh,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 10 (20:41):
You'll be alright.
Speaker 12 (20:42):
When you get out of here, we're gonna have the
best time we've had in the whole twelve years.
Speaker 10 (20:46):
We've been married. You really mean your honey.
Speaker 12 (20:49):
Maybe we'll go away someplace, maybe Europe for a few months.
Oh Mark, Uh, you just get a good rest so
you can get out of here.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Oh almost forgot.
Speaker 12 (20:59):
This is done life since some candy? You know, that
chocolate fudge you're so crazy about?
Speaker 7 (21:04):
Yeah, Hammy, Oh I don't wanna honey.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
You know you love this stuff.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
Go on, take a piece.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
See what's the.
Speaker 10 (21:16):
Matter, honey, don't you want any You eat something? Huh?
Speaker 6 (21:22):
You eat some?
Speaker 12 (21:24):
Sure, honey, sure you're good. Sure you won't have something?
Oh my, what's the matter?
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Sometimes I think I'm the biggest fool in the world.
Speaker 10 (21:37):
Oh, you're just tired, honey.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (21:40):
I'd said I shouldn't stay too long. I leave the
candy here by your bed, just in case you get
hungry later on, and I'll be in to.
Speaker 10 (21:47):
See you tomorrow. Night, Mark, night, honey. Sleep well?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Oh what do you think? Yes, I don't know. Right
at the moment, I'd say it was a toss up.
Let's get in there, coy In evening, ma'am, fellow Amy, it's.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Nice of you to come and visit me. You just
missed seeing Mark.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Missus West. Have you eaten any of the candy on
the table?
Speaker 6 (22:13):
Huh oh, Mark Brownie.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
No, I haven't eaten any.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Would you like some ranger?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Yes, ma'am, if you don't mind, I'll take the whole box. What.
Speaker 9 (22:23):
I'm sorry, Missus West, but we want to be sure
it's just candy. We submitted the box of candy for
rush analysis. Forty minutes later, the results came through. One
of the pieces of candy contained our snake. We broke
the news to Missus West. She accepted it in stony silence.
We decided to let West believe his plan had succeeded.
(22:46):
We outlined our idea to the doctor. At midnight.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
We had him phone West and asked him to come
to the hospital as quickly as possible. When he arrived,
he was kept waiting alone for nearly an hour. Sheriff
and I sat in doctor Sobele's outer office. Finally, we
phoned the receptionist and told her to have West come in.
You gotta really be stewing by now, Jason. That's what
I'm counting on. Jase. I swear I didn't hold it.
He's coming, Oh, doctor in his office, he's upstairs. Come
(23:12):
on in, mister West. He told me to get down
here as quick as I could. I've been waiting for
an hour. What's it all about it? I don't know.
We got a call too.
Speaker 10 (23:20):
How long you've been here?
Speaker 4 (23:21):
In?
Speaker 5 (23:21):
About an hour?
Speaker 10 (23:22):
What's happened to Amy?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
We don't know. Mister Well went down to a room.
She wasn't there. Yeah, we were down there too.
Speaker 10 (23:29):
Where's that doctor? I'm gonna make him tell me something?
Speaker 9 (23:31):
And doctor Soble's up in the lab, he said he
couldn't be disturbed lab.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
What's she doing up there? The nurse said he was
making some tests? Hi, Amy, I don't know. I'm not
gonna stand for this. That doctor's got no right to
keep me waiting like this, not when my wife might
be dead dead? What makes you think that?
Speaker 10 (23:49):
Well, I'm sure that should.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
Amy didn't want to live.
Speaker 10 (23:52):
She wanted to kill herself.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
I never got that idea about Amy when you didn't
know the.
Speaker 10 (23:55):
Way I did.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
She was always talking about killing herself. Last night I
caught her feeling those capsules. The doctor gab her with
rat poison saw her put him in her purse. You did, yeah,
took him away from her. I can maybe I didn't
find no more recon Amy had some more. Why didn't
you tell us this before? I should have told you
all about this, but I didn't because I was ashamed.
(24:17):
Now you're gonna blame me. You're gonna think it was
my fault. Amy committed suicide.
Speaker 8 (24:21):
Well go ahead say it, mister West.
Speaker 9 (24:24):
You're able to be getting excited for nothing. Nobody said
anything about your wife being dead two years.
Speaker 10 (24:29):
I know it.
Speaker 8 (24:29):
She's not in her room and the doc's are making
some kind of tests. Anty she's dead. She committed suicide.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
She's dead. Take it easy, Mark, I can't understand it.
I tried to make Amy happy. Watch you want to
take her own life. We don't think she did, mister West. Huh.
Speaker 9 (24:46):
We think you tried to poison your wife with oursnake
in the candy you brought her tonight.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Can candy. I didn't bring her any chann We know
you did, but it's why Maybe died from eating poison.
CANi had it with her all the time.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I didn't bring it.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
To her, afraid you did. Mister West, who's got a
witness to prove it. Witness, bring missus West in. All right, Amy,
you can come in now.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
What's the matter?
Speaker 7 (25:15):
Mark? Aren't you glad to see me? Maybe you can
understand how I've felt all these weeks, hoping I was
seeing things and knowing I wasn't.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Now you know I all mistake, on your big mistake.
Speaker 6 (25:30):
You wanted me dead so you could be with your
other woman. Who is she?
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Mark?
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Is she pretty? You tell her how soft and silky
her hair is? Like you used to tell me, Amy?
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Please?
Speaker 7 (25:43):
You and she had little jokes together, like we used
to have little pet names for each other.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
Missus West. That candy you had in your room tonight?
Where did you get it?
Speaker 6 (25:53):
My husband brought it to me.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Maybe that ain't true. You know you had that candy
in your bag all the time. I saw you with
it last night?
Speaker 6 (26:00):
Did you, Mark, quaen you heard it?
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Try and remember? Gave me honey. You gotta remember, Ranger.
She forgets things, her mind wonders. I never brought the
candy to who? I swear I didn't. It's no good,
mister West. We know you brought the candy.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Oh, you're not gonna take her word. She's crazy.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
She say anything.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
We don't have to take her word.
Speaker 10 (26:16):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 9 (26:18):
You know what this is? I'll tell you, mister West.
It's a tape recorder. Your wife's room was wired. You'd
like to hear what you said to her tonight? So
who are you ready to tell us all about it?
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Now?
Speaker 8 (26:35):
All right?
Speaker 3 (26:37):
I tried to kill her?
Speaker 5 (26:39):
You're gonna give you a divorce. I don't think it
feels I when somebody else, Candy whether will be see
you a few hours now and then? Do you think
it feels?
Speaker 6 (26:50):
That's right?
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Mother?
Speaker 6 (26:51):
Cry? I didn't think you knew how.
Speaker 7 (26:54):
Go ahead and cry der hell all see.
Speaker 9 (27:02):
You, mister West, her or any other woman for a
long time.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Come on, in just a moment, we will tell you
the results of the case you have just heard.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Later today you will find more great entertainment all lined
up for you on this NBC station. Next, it's the
Big Show with a star studded guest list and your
unpredictable hostess to Lula Bankhead Meredith Wilson will be on
hand to direct the Big Show orchestra and chorus, and
be sure to hear the hilarious Phil Harris and Alice
Fay show featuring the comedy atticts of Frankie Remley, Julius Abruzzio,
(27:50):
and Brother William. There's mirtha Music with Phil and Alice
in their delightful program Remember to the Theater Guild on
the air will bring you another entertaining dramatization of exciting
play co starring two.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Of your favorite Broadway stars.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Yes, Sunday is fun Day on NBC because of the
many fine shows sent your way to add to your
listening pleasure. Later tonight, you want to hear Jack Parr
and the sixty four dollars question as Jack asks the
questions and gives away the money. So remember for fine
entertainment all the rest of the day, stay tuned to
this station of the NBC Radio Network. And now back
(28:26):
to the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
And now here are the results of the case you
have just heard.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
Suffering from nervous strain, Amy West went to a private
rest home.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
After six months.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
She was fully recovered.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Mark West, having confessed to the attempted murder of his wife,
was sentenced to ten years in Huntsville Penitentiary.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Next week, Charley McCrae and another off I think reenactment
of a case from the files of not Texas Rangers.
(29:24):
Joel McCrae will soon be seen in San Francisco's Story,
a Warner Brothers release. The cast included Tony Barrett, Parley Bear,
Jeanette Nolan, John Stephenson, and Byron Kane. Technical advisor was
Captain M. T. Lone Wolf Consales of the Texas Rangers.
This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E. Israel,
and the program was produced and directed by Stacy Keach.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Hell Give Me
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Speaking Next and enjoy ninety minutes of comedy, drama, and
music on the Big Show on NBC
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae's ranger Jase Pearson.
Another authentic reenactment of a case transcribed from the files
of the Texas Rangers. Names, dates, and places in the
(00:42):
following story are fixtitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves
are a matter of records.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Every day, Monday through Friday, there's top entertainment all day long.
When you set your radio dial to NBC, listen for
double or Nothing and you'll hear one of radio's funniest
quiz shows. Yes, Walter O'Keefe consistently comes up with great
comedy entertainment Monday through Friday on Double or Nothing. Listen
and you'll agree. And then there's the.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Program with a heart Strike It Rich, the.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Grand entertainment that Warren Hall brings you every day on
Strike it.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Rich is just what the doctor ordered.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
If you suffer from the housework blues from Chicago, Tommy
Bartlett brings you welcome travelers and interviews with the many
interesting guests who each day pass through.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
The Windy City.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And for more fun, listen for Bob and Ray, those
two s any comics. Then there's music and charm with
Dave Garaway. So remember every day, Monday through Friday, chase
your blues away with the wonderful daytime programs on this
station of the NBC Radio Network.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
And now here's today's.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Adventure with the tales of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
And now from the files of the Texas Rangers, the
case called Illusion.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
It is three am on October third, nineteen forty five.
The town of Eagle Rock, Texas. Sheriff Glen Minton is
awakened by an urgent knocking on the door of his house.
He slips on a bathrobe and walks downstairs as a
knock caut to me.
Speaker 5 (02:28):
Just a minute, I'm coming all right now, who is as?
Speaker 6 (02:35):
I gotta talk to you, Sheriff. Please let me.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Come in, all right, come in?
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Oh sure, I'm those scared now.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
Now, now, whatever it is, it can't be that bad.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
You don't know, you don't know, you care now you.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Just sit down and relax.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
No, please don't leave me. Sure if they tried it again,
tried what they've tried to kill me?
Speaker 7 (02:54):
Who?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I don't know?
Speaker 6 (02:56):
Somebody somebody wants me down.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
Now look here, Amy, I know who since you were
a kid, and I'm gonna talk to your like a father.
Speaker 8 (03:03):
I know what you're gonna say.
Speaker 6 (03:05):
You think I'm imagining things.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Well, it kind of looks like this is the third
time in the past two months you've thought somebody was
trying to kid it. They are, I know it, Amy.
The other times we proved to you it was either
accident or imagination.
Speaker 7 (03:17):
You've never believed me when the brakes went out of
my car, when that man came into the.
Speaker 6 (03:21):
House to kill me, you didn't believe it.
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Amy. You said that power was still in the house
when I got there, and you know I didn't find nobody.
Speaker 6 (03:28):
He was there. I know he wasn't. Tonight he came back.
He tried to blow me up. What I woke up
and smell gas.
Speaker 7 (03:35):
Before I could get out of there, there was an
explosions were the bathroom.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
I think part of my bedroom blew up. I don't
know how I wasn't killed.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
Or whey didn't you phone stead of driving all the
way in here?
Speaker 7 (03:44):
Phone wouldn't work.
Speaker 6 (03:46):
Oh it was awful. Why do they want me to why?
Speaker 3 (03:50):
What kind of gas fixtures do.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
You have in the bathroom?
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Well, there's a little stove and the hot water heated.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Where's your husband Dane Mark's caves.
Speaker 7 (04:01):
He'll be back in the morning, Sheriff. Somebody came in
and turned the gas on.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
I know it.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
Amy, think hard now, could you have left that gas
on yourself?
Speaker 6 (04:12):
No?
Speaker 7 (04:13):
No, I couldn't, Sheriff. You've got to listen to me.
Somebody is trying to kill me. Somebody wants me dead.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
All right, Amy, and I'll get hold of yourself. We'll
go out to your house and have a look.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
The sheriff made a preliminary investigation at the West Ranch house,
then requested assistance from the Texas Rangers. Ranger Jase Pearson
was assigned and reached the ranch at ten that morning.
Mark West, Amy's husband had arrived home.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
In the meantime.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The two officers left mister West downstairs with his wife
and went up to investigate the scene of the explosion.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Pretty much of a mess, and it, Jase, missus West
was lucky though.
Speaker 9 (04:58):
I've seen gas heater explosions and there wasn't a thing
left of the house.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
What do you make of it? You figure somebody could
have come in here and turned the gas on, like
Amy says he could be. Peter Vale was open, Yeah,
but Amy could have left it open herself. You know
how careless people are about things like that.
Speaker 9 (05:13):
Uh huh, you say, missus West thinks somebody had tried
to kill her a couple of times before.
Speaker 5 (05:18):
That's right, But Jace, to tell the truth, I don't
put much stock in what she's been saying. Why not, Well,
Amy's always been kind of high strung, get yourself all
upset about little things. You know how women are sometimes.
Is she happy with her husband? Oh, Mark's always been
real good to her. Seems to be crazy about Amy
and her about him. Only one thing wrong I ever knew.
(05:40):
What's that? Well, both of them's always wanted kids and
they never had any. Last five six years, Amy's been
kind of brooding about it.
Speaker 9 (05:48):
What about these other times, she said attempts have been
made on her life?
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Well, the first time it was the brakes on her car.
They went out and Amy's smacked into a fence. She
was lucky, just shook her up some Annick said it
could happen to any car. And the second time she
phoned me and said there was a prowler downstairs. When
I got here, she swore she could still hear him
walking around. I looked everywhere and I didn't find a
sign of anybody. Where was her husband away? He'd gone
(06:13):
up to Dallas early that evening. Do you reckon he's
involved in this? Oh? I don't think so, Jase. Like
I say, he's pretty fond of her as.
Speaker 9 (06:20):
Far as you know, Sheriff. Did missus West ever try
to take her own life?
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Well, just between us, the way Amy's been activatedly, I
wouldn't put it past her.
Speaker 7 (06:29):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
And we better go down and have a talk with
both of them. If Amy does have ideas about suicide, Jason,
how come all this talk about somebody trying to kill her?
Speaker 9 (06:39):
Human mind's a funny thing sometimes that's the way it works.
Speaker 5 (06:42):
You mean, she could have done all these things herself,
and yet she really believes somebody else has been doing them.
Something like that. You know that, trust my mind. When
I was talking with him, living room, the doors open.
Speaker 10 (06:52):
Oh yeah, what'd you find, Ranger?
Speaker 5 (06:56):
I can't say for sure.
Speaker 9 (06:57):
Mister West might have been deliberate, and then again, it
could have in an accident.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It wasn't any accident.
Speaker 10 (07:02):
Uh, honey, you're jest have said it.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Wasn't any accident. A kill you. He came in here
just like you did. The last time turned on the
gas and tried to kill me.
Speaker 10 (07:10):
Honey, Why would anybody want to kill you?
Speaker 6 (07:13):
I don't know, but he wants me dead.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Amy, You've got to stop this. I don't know if
a person in the world who wants you dead. Everybody
loves you. That's the truth. Amy. I've never heard a
soul in town speak a harsh word about you.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
It's no use trying to cover it up. Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (07:26):
Somebody wants to kill me, and when it's too late,
you'll be sorry you didn't believe me.
Speaker 10 (07:30):
Money, don't talk like that.
Speaker 9 (07:32):
Please, missus West, we'd like a statement from you about
what happened last night.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Do you mind coming in town with a sheriff and me?
Speaker 7 (07:38):
All right, I'll come, but I want Mark with me.
I won't go unless he comes along.
Speaker 10 (07:43):
Sure, Honey, I'll be glad to come.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Sheriff, you take Missus West out to the car. We'll
be along in a minute, all right, Jason, come on, Amy,
I don't know what to do about this ranger. I
just don't know. Mister West. I think you life needs help.
Would you have any objection if I took her to
a psychiatrist?
Speaker 10 (08:04):
You know one around here?
Speaker 9 (08:05):
There's a doctor Sobel who's done some work for us
in the past, works at a private hospital about forty
miles from here.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
I can take Missus West to see him if.
Speaker 10 (08:12):
You want ranger. You don't know what a loader would
be off my mind.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
I've been thinking about something like that for weeks, just
haven't been able to get up enough nerve to talk
about it. Probably better if the idea.
Speaker 9 (08:22):
Comes from me. I'll mention it to her. On the
way into town, I talked to Missus West. At first
she was reluctant to see the psychiatrist, but by the
time we reached the sheriff's office, she'd consented.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
After the sheriff took her statement.
Speaker 9 (08:39):
About the explosion, I drove Missus West and her husband
to the hospital.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
While she was talking to doctor Sobol, Mark West and
I waited in the outer office. Two hours later, the
doctor opened the door between the offices.
Speaker 11 (08:51):
Sorry, I kept your waitings for long, gentlemen. Missus West,
you can go into the other room with your husband. Ma'am, Hi,
A few it, honey, all right, I've given your I
have some capsule, mister West, just a mild sedative.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
See that she takes one every night before she goes
to bed.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
Sure, doctor, it won't help.
Speaker 10 (09:08):
It will if you make up your mind to let it.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
Nothing's gonna help. Somebody wants me dead, sooner or later,
you'll kill me.
Speaker 11 (09:17):
Well, we'll talk more about it, Missus West, sometime soon. Now,
if you and your husband don't mind waiting, I'd like
to speak to the ranger for a second. What do
you think, doctor, Well, it's only a preliminary examination. I'll
want to spend much more time with her. But there
doesn't seem to be any clinical psychosis present.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
You mean there's no definite insanity. I am almost sure
of it. What about this idea she's got that she's
going to be killed?
Speaker 11 (09:45):
She's an extremely unstable woman, Ranger, and she's under some
kind of severe emotional strain.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
What it is I don't know yet.
Speaker 9 (09:53):
The Sheriff and I'd like to help her any way
we can. Is there anything we can do in a
case like this, Ranger, Nothing, nothing at all.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
I drove mister and Missus West home and then went
back to the Sheriff's office.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
After talking to him, I decided there was nothing further
I could do.
Speaker 5 (10:13):
I returned to headquarters A week later. I received an
urgent message from the sheriff. Missus West was in his
office and insisted on seeing me. I went there, sorry
to bring you back, Jase. But miss West wouldn't talk
to anybody, but you said it was important.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
It's important, all right, Ranger, real important.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
What is it, Missus West?
Speaker 7 (10:32):
Maybe you won't think I'm crazy now, maybe you'll believe me.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
I never did think you were crazy, man.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
Yes you did, but you're going to see you.
Speaker 6 (10:39):
Everything I told you was true, sweet till I get
it out of my purse.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
There, Look, m aren't they the capsules? Doctor Sobo gave
you yes?
Speaker 7 (10:49):
And now I know I wasn't dreaming. In the past
few months. My life has been in danger.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Now it makes you so sure.
Speaker 7 (10:55):
Now this, oh you see inside the capsule?
Speaker 6 (11:02):
That's the color the powder should be green.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
But look at this capsule, Potter. And that one's green too, Amy.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I Oh, I had another capsule I wanted to show you,
but I hadn't marked.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yes, Missus West, that's green too.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
I don't know where. Oh here he is I knew
I hadn't marked.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
See the little nick In the end, what did you
want to show us, ma'am?
Speaker 7 (11:31):
Inside this capsule there. The powder in this one's white.
It's poison, Ranger.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
That's something we can't say. Let's been analyzed, ma'am. If
you like, you.
Speaker 7 (11:43):
Don't have to analyze it. That powder's poisoned.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
Now, look, Amy, Doc Sober gave you those pills. You
don't think he'd try to poison you.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
No, not him.
Speaker 7 (11:52):
But now I know who wants to kill me. I
saw him. He didn't know I was watching, but I
saw him take the green powder out and put the
poison in.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Who was this, missus West?
Speaker 6 (12:06):
My husband? My husband's trying to kill me.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
In just a moment, we will continue with Tales of
the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jace Pearson.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
The cruel nature of cancer is well known. It strikes
young and old, rich and poor alike. Men as well
as women fall victim to this dread disease. And because
anyone can develop cancer, everyone must join in the fight
to conquer cancer. Every American shares in the hope that
soon cancer will be conquered. But we cannot just hope
(12:52):
for complete cancer control.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
We must take positive action.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Do your part, take positive action, strike back against cancer. Sir,
by joining the American Cancer Society's nineteen fifty two crusade,
your dollars will help support the Society's three essential programs
of research, education, and service.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
To the cancer pation.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
It is estimated that twenty two million Americans now living
will die of cancer. Fortunately, however, this is not an
unchangeable figure. By striking back together, we can reduce it substantially.
So give generously to your unit of the American Cancer Society.
Simply mail your contribution to Cancer Care of your.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Local post office.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Now back to Tales of the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
We continue now with Tales of the Texas Rangers and
our authentic story illusion.
Speaker 9 (13:51):
We had the white powder that Missus West had taken
out of the capsule analyzed it was poison, a lethal
dose of arsenic. We took it to the ranch and
began looking around in the hope of finding the source
of the poison. Her husband was out on the range,
and we started our search in the kitchen.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Nothing in this cupboard, James, I'll try the one in
the corner.
Speaker 9 (14:10):
Missus West, you're absolutely sure you saw your husband put
the poison in that capsule.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
Yes, he was standing right there at the table. Oh,
How could Mark do such a thing to me?
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Hey, you and mister West always get along well, Yes.
Speaker 7 (14:25):
Till about a year ago when he said he wanted
a divorce. Naturally, I was surprised.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
What did you tell him?
Speaker 7 (14:32):
I said I wouldn't think of it, and a few
days later he asked me to forget it.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
He never mentioned it again.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
You think of any reason why he wanted a divorce.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
I can now those business trips of his times. He
stayed away two or three days buying cattle. He says
he was with another woman.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Now you might be jumping at conclusions, you know, ma'am.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
No, I'm not. Why else would he wanted a divorce?
Speaker 10 (14:55):
Yeez?
Speaker 5 (14:56):
I reckon, I've got what we've been looking for. Oh.
Speaker 9 (15:01):
I bought at the Lion's drug store in town just
about half an houce.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
Gone, looks like you were scooped out with a teaspoon.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
You see.
Speaker 7 (15:08):
I told her he was trying to kill me, and
now I know why, because he's got another woman.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Missus West, did you buy this poison me?
Speaker 6 (15:19):
Well, I've never bought anything like that.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Then we'll check and see if your husband did.
Speaker 7 (15:23):
You you're going back to time, yes, ma'am, don't leave
me here.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
Well, please, I'm afraid of him. I don't want to
stay in this place a minute longer. He'll kill me.
Take me rich your ranger, play.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
All right, Missus West. You can wait in the Sheriff's
office while we go to the drug store.
Speaker 10 (15:45):
Oh right, I put that pison register.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
Yeah, here we are any idea when this poison was bought?
And I'm afraid not right, We'll just start turning pages.
There we come to it. Wish wish, Well if that
ain't luck hit it on the third page. Yeah, it
was rat poison?
Speaker 10 (16:07):
All right? What day did he buy it?
Speaker 6 (16:09):
Around you?
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Twenty fifthfoot? Did you say he? That's right? And then
there's some kind of mistake, Ranger, it wasn't him bought
that poison. It was her? See Amy West.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Did you go to the drug store already?
Speaker 5 (16:30):
Yane, we went to the drug store.
Speaker 6 (16:33):
Sure, if it's something wrong.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Miss West, out at your house, you told us you
hadn't bought any rat poison. Yes, this is the poison
register from Land's drug store.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Missus West. Yes? Is that your signature? O? Sony? Chance
somebody else could assigned your name?
Speaker 6 (16:55):
No, no, hit the mind. I remember buying now. I
don't know how I could have forgotten. Please don't be
angry with me.
Speaker 9 (17:14):
Please, we're not angry, Missus West. All we want to
do is help you.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
Oh I'm such a fool.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
I hate to ask your questions from now, said Amy,
But it's important that we find out about this. Did
you really see Mark put poison in that capsule last night?
Speaker 7 (17:29):
Yes?
Speaker 6 (17:29):
I thought I did. I don't know now. Everything seems
to be.
Speaker 7 (17:36):
Spinning around in my head. I'm not sure of anything
an involved.
Speaker 5 (17:42):
I think that's enough for now, Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
I could see it so clear, Marks standing by the
kitchen table.
Speaker 6 (17:49):
I'm putting that white bottle. Maybe I've been imagining things
all along. Maybe I'm crazy.
Speaker 7 (18:00):
Oh, Ranger, please help me.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I think we better take you over to see doctor
Soble again. Man, I don't care.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
What you do.
Speaker 7 (18:09):
Just doesn't help me.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Help me.
Speaker 9 (18:20):
I called doctor Sobol. He said he'd get a room
ready for Missus West. While the sheriff took her to
the hospital, I headed out to the ranch to see
her husband. I learned he was still out in the range,
so I unloaded charcoal from the trailer and started out.
It was nearly five when I found him gonna make
shift branding pen three miles from the house.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
Woo woo, jerky oo hoo, boy.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
So asked, Oh honey, Ranger, be right ready here, all
right up for the rest of the Ted want to wind it.
Speaker 8 (18:45):
Up before sunder.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
What can I do for you, Ranger? I'm afraid I
have some unpleasant news for you. Who's about Amy? Sheriff
just took her over to the hospital. What's happened to her?
Nothing serious, She's just a little bit upset. Oh, I
thought you were going to say something, mister West. I
get so worried about our way she's been acting lately.
Can't sleep nights thinking about it. And doctor Soble is
one of the best in Texas. If anybody can help her,
(19:10):
he can. Sometimes I think she's better and then it's
like a kurt and drop in front of her eyes.
She looks at me like she's never seen me before.
It's pretty awful, Ranger, Yes it is. I'd like to
go see Aim as soon as I can.
Speaker 9 (19:23):
Well, you'd better call doctor Sober first, but I don't
think there'll be any objection.
Speaker 10 (19:27):
She take her medicine along with her.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
I couldn't say.
Speaker 9 (19:31):
I better bring it to her, she'll be needing it. Oh,
I don't think you'll have to do that, mister West.
If she needs medicine, they'll give it to her at
the hospital.
Speaker 5 (19:38):
Oh yeah, yeah, I suppose you wouldn't.
Speaker 10 (19:40):
Then well, I'll be along to see her tonight.
Speaker 9 (19:49):
On the way back to the hospital, I kept thinking
about his mentioning the medicine bothered me and created a
growing suspicion in my mind. Time I reached the hospital,
I was convinced we didn't have all the answers.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Sheriff and I decided to listen to any conversation between
West and his wife, who set up a hidden microphone
in an empty room, and we asked the head nurse
to have Missus West moved in there.
Speaker 9 (20:09):
We settled down in an adjoining room with earphones and
the tape recorder. Seven thirty five, we heard the door
and missus west room open and close.
Speaker 12 (20:19):
Hello, honey, Hello, man, Uh you feel better.
Speaker 11 (20:25):
I've I don't know.
Speaker 10 (20:27):
Uh, you'll be alright.
Speaker 12 (20:28):
Ranger said you had a real good doctor.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Oh, I got see.
Speaker 12 (20:32):
Yeah, honey, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Everything is still mixed up, right, Sure, I'm sure, Oh, Ry, Oh,
I'm sorry.
Speaker 10 (20:41):
You'll be alright.
Speaker 12 (20:42):
When you get out of here, we're gonna have the
best time we've had in the whole twelve years.
Speaker 10 (20:46):
We've been married. You really mean your honey.
Speaker 12 (20:49):
Maybe we'll go away someplace, maybe Europe for a few months.
Oh Mark, Uh, you just get a good rest so
you can get out of here.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Oh almost forgot.
Speaker 12 (20:59):
This is done life since some candy? You know, that
chocolate fudge you're so crazy about?
Speaker 7 (21:04):
Yeah, Hammy, Oh I don't wanna honey.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
You know you love this stuff.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
Go on, take a piece.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
See what's the.
Speaker 10 (21:16):
Matter, honey, don't you want any You eat something? Huh?
Speaker 6 (21:22):
You eat some?
Speaker 12 (21:24):
Sure, honey, sure you're good. Sure you won't have something?
Oh my, what's the matter?
Speaker 6 (21:34):
Sometimes I think I'm the biggest fool in the world.
Speaker 10 (21:37):
Oh, you're just tired, honey.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (21:40):
I'd said I shouldn't stay too long. I leave the
candy here by your bed, just in case you get
hungry later on, and I'll be in to.
Speaker 10 (21:47):
See you tomorrow. Night, Mark, night, honey. Sleep well?
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Oh what do you think? Yes, I don't know. Right
at the moment, I'd say it was a toss up.
Let's get in there, coy In evening, ma'am, fellow Amy, it's.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Nice of you to come and visit me. You just
missed seeing Mark.
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Missus West. Have you eaten any of the candy on
the table?
Speaker 6 (22:13):
Huh oh, Mark Brownie.
Speaker 7 (22:15):
No, I haven't eaten any.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Would you like some ranger?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Yes, ma'am, if you don't mind, I'll take the whole box. What.
Speaker 9 (22:23):
I'm sorry, Missus West, but we want to be sure
it's just candy. We submitted the box of candy for
rush analysis. Forty minutes later, the results came through. One
of the pieces of candy contained our snake. We broke
the news to Missus West. She accepted it in stony silence.
We decided to let West believe his plan had succeeded.
(22:46):
We outlined our idea to the doctor. At midnight.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
We had him phone West and asked him to come
to the hospital as quickly as possible. When he arrived,
he was kept waiting alone for nearly an hour. Sheriff
and I sat in doctor Sobele's outer office. Finally, we
phoned the receptionist and told her to have West come in.
You gotta really be stewing by now, Jason. That's what
I'm counting on. Jase. I swear I didn't hold it.
He's coming, Oh, doctor in his office, he's upstairs. Come
(23:12):
on in, mister West. He told me to get down
here as quick as I could. I've been waiting for
an hour. What's it all about it? I don't know.
We got a call too.
Speaker 10 (23:20):
How long you've been here?
Speaker 4 (23:21):
In?
Speaker 5 (23:21):
About an hour?
Speaker 10 (23:22):
What's happened to Amy?
Speaker 5 (23:23):
We don't know. Mister Well went down to a room.
She wasn't there. Yeah, we were down there too.
Speaker 10 (23:29):
Where's that doctor? I'm gonna make him tell me something?
Speaker 9 (23:31):
And doctor Soble's up in the lab, he said he
couldn't be disturbed lab.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
What's she doing up there? The nurse said he was
making some tests? Hi, Amy, I don't know. I'm not
gonna stand for this. That doctor's got no right to
keep me waiting like this, not when my wife might
be dead dead? What makes you think that?
Speaker 10 (23:49):
Well, I'm sure that should.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
Amy didn't want to live.
Speaker 10 (23:52):
She wanted to kill herself.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
I never got that idea about Amy when you didn't
know the.
Speaker 10 (23:55):
Way I did.
Speaker 5 (23:56):
She was always talking about killing herself. Last night I
caught her feeling those capsules. The doctor gab her with
rat poison saw her put him in her purse. You did, yeah,
took him away from her. I can maybe I didn't
find no more recon Amy had some more. Why didn't
you tell us this before? I should have told you
all about this, but I didn't because I was ashamed.
(24:17):
Now you're gonna blame me. You're gonna think it was
my fault. Amy committed suicide.
Speaker 8 (24:21):
Well go ahead say it, mister West.
Speaker 9 (24:24):
You're able to be getting excited for nothing. Nobody said
anything about your wife being dead two years.
Speaker 10 (24:29):
I know it.
Speaker 8 (24:29):
She's not in her room and the doc's are making
some kind of tests. Anty she's dead. She committed suicide.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
She's dead. Take it easy, Mark, I can't understand it.
I tried to make Amy happy. Watch you want to
take her own life. We don't think she did, mister West. Huh.
Speaker 9 (24:46):
We think you tried to poison your wife with oursnake
in the candy you brought her tonight.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Can candy. I didn't bring her any chann We know
you did, but it's why Maybe died from eating poison.
CANi had it with her all the time.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
I didn't bring it.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
To her, afraid you did. Mister West, who's got a
witness to prove it. Witness, bring missus West in. All right, Amy,
you can come in now.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
What's the matter?
Speaker 7 (25:15):
Mark? Aren't you glad to see me? Maybe you can
understand how I've felt all these weeks, hoping I was
seeing things and knowing I wasn't.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Now you know I all mistake, on your big mistake.
Speaker 6 (25:30):
You wanted me dead so you could be with your
other woman. Who is she?
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Mark?
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Is she pretty? You tell her how soft and silky
her hair is? Like you used to tell me, Amy?
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Please?
Speaker 7 (25:43):
You and she had little jokes together, like we used
to have little pet names for each other.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
Missus West. That candy you had in your room tonight?
Where did you get it?
Speaker 6 (25:53):
My husband brought it to me.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Maybe that ain't true. You know you had that candy
in your bag all the time. I saw you with
it last night?
Speaker 6 (26:00):
Did you, Mark, quaen you heard it?
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Try and remember? Gave me honey. You gotta remember, Ranger.
She forgets things, her mind wonders. I never brought the
candy to who? I swear I didn't. It's no good,
mister West. We know you brought the candy.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Oh, you're not gonna take her word. She's crazy.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
She say anything.
Speaker 5 (26:15):
We don't have to take her word.
Speaker 10 (26:16):
What are you talking about?
Speaker 9 (26:18):
You know what this is? I'll tell you, mister West.
It's a tape recorder. Your wife's room was wired. You'd
like to hear what you said to her tonight? So
who are you ready to tell us all about it?
Speaker 5 (26:34):
Now?
Speaker 8 (26:35):
All right?
Speaker 3 (26:37):
I tried to kill her?
Speaker 5 (26:39):
You're gonna give you a divorce. I don't think it
feels I when somebody else, Candy whether will be see
you a few hours now and then? Do you think
it feels?
Speaker 6 (26:50):
That's right?
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Mother?
Speaker 6 (26:51):
Cry? I didn't think you knew how.
Speaker 7 (26:54):
Go ahead and cry der hell all see.
Speaker 9 (27:02):
You, mister West, her or any other woman for a
long time.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Come on, in just a moment, we will tell you
the results of the case you have just heard.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Later today you will find more great entertainment all lined
up for you on this NBC station. Next, it's the
Big Show with a star studded guest list and your
unpredictable hostess to Lula Bankhead Meredith Wilson will be on
hand to direct the Big Show orchestra and chorus, and
be sure to hear the hilarious Phil Harris and Alice
Fay show featuring the comedy atticts of Frankie Remley, Julius Abruzzio,
(27:50):
and Brother William. There's mirtha Music with Phil and Alice
in their delightful program Remember to the Theater Guild on
the air will bring you another entertaining dramatization of exciting
play co starring two.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Of your favorite Broadway stars.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Yes, Sunday is fun Day on NBC because of the
many fine shows sent your way to add to your
listening pleasure. Later tonight, you want to hear Jack Parr
and the sixty four dollars question as Jack asks the
questions and gives away the money. So remember for fine
entertainment all the rest of the day, stay tuned to
this station of the NBC Radio Network. And now back
(28:26):
to the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
And now here are the results of the case you
have just heard.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
Suffering from nervous strain, Amy West went to a private
rest home.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
After six months.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
She was fully recovered.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Mark West, having confessed to the attempted murder of his wife,
was sentenced to ten years in Huntsville Penitentiary.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Next week, Charley McCrae and another off I think reenactment
of a case from the files of not Texas Rangers.
(29:24):
Joel McCrae will soon be seen in San Francisco's Story,
a Warner Brothers release. The cast included Tony Barrett, Parley Bear,
Jeanette Nolan, John Stephenson, and Byron Kane. Technical advisor was
Captain M. T. Lone Wolf Consales of the Texas Rangers.
This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E. Israel,
and the program was produced and directed by Stacy Keach.
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Hell Give Me
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Speaking Next and enjoy ninety minutes of comedy, drama, and
music on the Big Show on NBC
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