August 18, 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,
(00:23):
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger
Jase 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
(00:52):
from the files of the Texas Rangers. Call these stories
based on fact only, names, dates, and platographic dishes for
obvious reasons. Imps themselves are a matter of record. Case
Fortnight Square Dance.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It is nine fifty pm Saturday night, October fourteenth, nineteen
forty nine. There is a square dance in progress at
the Fun Spot, a barnlike dance hall on the outskirts of.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Bankerville in West Texas.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Missus mort Roger's, a rancher's wife, is seated in the
corner waiting for a husband to return with some soda pop.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
She looks up as a strange u.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Persash looks like I found me a prety wall dance
how come you are dancing?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Mancheckon, I'm a little out of breath in the last one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
My husband went to fetch me some soda parts. Good wow,
he's fashionate.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
You and me can dance.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Not a couple needing that square over there?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Come on?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
No, no, thank you?
Speaker 6 (01:58):
But I.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Oh, you are just going away sitting there? Come on, please,
I'd rather not.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I ain't the kind of man it takes no for
an answerse especially from a pretty girl.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I told you I don't want to dance with you
on my arm too.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Don't out here.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
It's matter Mary. I was waiting for that, and I.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Just happened buying ashes for a dance, that's all, and
left thing of marks.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
All over arm.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Looks like you asked pretty rough.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It ain't no harm done. You're gonna get hard about it.
Take these pop ups hand my things, I said, take
it now.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
You want to repeat that question?
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Place this way?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Tryingly? Full of friends?
Speaker 6 (02:38):
You yours?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
I don't know anybody around here that just happened.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Why aren't you just happening out before you get in trouble? Ahead?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Beat it all right, and maybe I meet you alone
an it's time you want to try.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Please let him go I'm hold it, or.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
It seems with somebody like that wandering anyway people.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Having he went out, drink your tongue.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Look at you, honey, you're shaking.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
From here, show in here.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Now that I was a little jacket, you boy left
it out and tone, I go fetch your course.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Hang that cold more?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Oh no, no, just turning blew us?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
All right?
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Would you mind getting town up?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I said a word, didn't he any more? Stranger's eyes
hit the fans.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Hit him with that pop bottle. I'll be all right, alright, bottle.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Ah that cos here?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
It's you.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
What you're doing hanging around these CAUs o? I'll tell
you to get lost.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I'll watch your tongue. You ain't surrounded by friends now, hmm.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
And I figured you follow me out.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
I didn't follow you.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Uh come out to get my wife's jacket. And as
for friends, mister, I don't need any of the handle
like for you. And why don't you get while it
getting's good to bad? Your wife didn't come out to
get her own jacket. And she's kind of cute, shut
up running for what I asked her that dance, and
she hadn't given me the eye?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Why are you.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Come on, get up, get up and fight or get
him run.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
I'll fight.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
We'll fight my way.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
With this stone like you carrying. Now, I'm going to
know it just once more for good Nasion. I guesse
your wife ain't gonna be so particular who she dances
with from now. When mort Rogers failed to return to
(05:12):
the dance, his wife came out to look for him.
Her screams as she found the body brought dances streaming
from the hall. Somebody summoned the sheriff, and he in
turn called for.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
The help of a Texas Ranger. Ranger Jace Pearson was
a sign.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
He arrived at the parking lot outside the fund spot
shortly after midnight.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
Hardy, Sheriff, Hardy Jace.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I'm glad you were close by. Here's the body. Radio
was buzzing with calls as I drove in kat Xa's
ordinan roadblock set up on every highway near here for
one hundred miles.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
I phoned in the description of a stranger who was
at the dance tonight.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
I heard it. I just hope they can pick him up.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
They'd got him, sure if I'd had the description earlier,
but it took almost an hour to get Missed Rogers
so she could talk.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
She the dead man's Yeah, saw the whole thing, then huh.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
No, No, she was inside when it happened, come.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Out and found the body.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Then why the pick up for the stranger in particular,
Rogers have trouble with him? Just words? Nothing anybody saw it,
tried to force Miss Rogers to dance with him. The
way she tells it, Rogers come along and saw what
was going on in ordered to fall out. The whole
thing happened less than two hours ago. Until it can't
be too far away then yeah, far enough. Yeah, but
if the roadblocks don't pick him up, we'll know he's
(06:27):
either living or hiding within a two hour ride from here.
Could be one hundred yards away or one hundred miles away.
Even then, he might not be the one over sixty
couple of the dance tonight. Any one of them could
have stepped outside. I haven't let a car pull out
since I got here.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Good, you shake everybody down. Yeah, I didn't find anything
on anybody, though.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Deputy has two knives and a gun that were ditched
under benches when he started searching knives clean far as
I could tell.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
I'll send him through to Austin.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Make sure if there's any blood left on one of
them in the lamb, I'll find it.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Eh, we're not gonna.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Have to wait for that, though, not if the killer
is still around. Why it's wound on Roger's throat. Hath
the juggler see how the blood spurret it out. Killer
couldn't miss getting some of that blood on his clothes.
You check for that on the shakedown or just their hands.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Geez, you better line them up again inside flood's had
time to dry.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Killer may have had a chance to try and wash
it out. But we'll have to check every suspicious looking
stain well. I got the names and addresses of everybody
in the place.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Good, you can use that as a checklist.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Make sure nobody's taking a runout Since you got here,
deputy's been stationed all around. All doors have been locked
except this one leading out to the parking lot. I
had to let folks out here because some of them
have got babies sleeping in their cars.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
I understand. Oh, let's get them in right all right?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Inside again, folks, everybody inside, Joe Charlie Higgins, don't let
any stragglers hang back, keep them moving them.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hey, you better send one of your deputies into town.
Dig up some clothes in the jail or someplace to
find any suspicious stains. A few of these people mightn't
have anything to wear home. The sheriff's list checked out
one hundred percent. Nobody'd run. A couple of cop folks
(08:16):
had stains on their shirts and jeans, and took their
clothes and sent them through to Austin for analysis. Next morning,
I got my report a long distance call from my
chief Captain Stinson Austin. Lamb just finished with the stuff
he's in through JS. Both knives were clean. I see,
how about the clothing cabin Well, there was human blood.
Speaker 6 (08:34):
In one of the shirts a small stand.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
According to your report, A couple you got it, phems,
He did cut himself and got a little blood on him,
Lap says a blood.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Stain his typoo TYPEO.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Huh, he's not our boy. Then medical examiner did an
autopsy on Rogers during the night.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
Rogers blood was a b.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
Everything keeps puting to the stranger who got away? Do
you think missus Rogers gave a good description?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
She gave me the same rundown she gave. The sheriff
claims she'll never forget what he looked like.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
Do you think she'd recognize a foot o over him
if she saw it.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
I'm sure she would.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
Good. The boys at Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Are going through the gal They're pulling shots of all
known criminals who fit.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
That description, especially the ones who were too free with
a knock. I'll bring the foots down myself.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Let missus Rogers go over them while I'm waiting. I
think I'll have a look through the ranch area around here.
All we know about the man where after is that
he got away. We don't know whether he was in
a car, or on foot or mounted. A few cow
folks did come into the dance on horses.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I see it, fella we're looking for. Might be a new.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Hand just drifted into the territory. I got charcoal on
my horse trailer. Chef's getting his mouth. He'll keep us busy.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Until you get here, unless you have another idea.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Oh, JS, you go ahead, I'll.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
See you tonight, right bike apain bye, JS.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Reready, sheriff if.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
You are mine.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
UN's all saddled now.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
I'll get charcoal out of the trailer.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
He rode from ranch to ranch, taking shortcuts of the
gullies and arroyos, working through the good grazing as well
as the bad lands, riding close to get a good
look at cow folks working the range wherever we spotted them.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
We're on Bhu Baker's land now be able to see
the ranch house. When we reached the end of these trees.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
How many hands he got on the place?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Three?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
They've been around for quite a spell, unless he took
on a new one, Robaker. That seems to me. His
name was on the list of folks who were at
the dance. Yeah, he was there with his wife.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Well, then he was asked if he noticed the stranger.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Asked everybody that anybody by that description was working for
me spoke up. Well, I thought we might talk to
his hands. Even if they weren't at the dance, they
might have noticed a stranger around some place.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
Possible for a try.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Hey there's Whubaker not climbing into his tractor there with
the tone shed. Hey, Hobaker, he sees us, Sir.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Herley, glad to see your sheriff. Matter of fact, I've
been thinking of fooming you.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
You got some information on the Rogers case.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Well, no, it's something I guess I shouldn't even be
bothering you with right now. Just wanted to put in
a little complaint.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
What kind of complaint, Blue Baker?
Speaker 6 (11:24):
Well sint?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Just before the dance last night, the missus and me
did some shopping in town.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Matter of fact, going to the dance was an afterthought.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Just decided to drop in when we was driving home
and past the front spot, Well said, Like I said,
I hate to bother you about it.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That couple of things was stolen out of my.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Pick up while we was at the dance. New bridle
l I'd bought in town, and a new pair of
wire clippers.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
You're sure those things were taken while you were at
the dance.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Well, they couldn't have been taking any place else. They
were the last things.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
We bought before we went to the dance. Put him
on the shelf behind the cab seat.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Could be something to this day, You sure could.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Anybody's stealing things from a car wouldn't be doing it
while you and your deputies were all over the.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Place and we were there.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
It don't after everybody had cleared out. Stuff must have
been taken out of Bluebaker's pick.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
Up before Rogers was killed.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Say, as a matter of fact, Rogers might have surprised
somebody going through the cars. I wouldn't rule out the
stranger we're looking for. He left the dance all before
Rogers went outside, bridling wire clippers wouldn't be easy to trace.
I wonder if he might have taken something else. Well,
I haven't had any other complaints, and people don't always complain.
Thanks Bruebaker. Come on, Sheriff, let's get back to town.
(12:35):
It's along along. You have charge.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Come on, Holly, let's go.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
You planning to check over that fence list again?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Or call every name on it see if anything else
was taken from that parking lot.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
I'm sharky. Come on. In just a moment.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
We will continue with Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring
Joel McCrae as Ranger Chase Pearson.
Speaker 7 (13:12):
Three Chimes Mean Good Times on NBC tonight over most
of these NBC stations. Theater Guild on the Air will
feature Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth in ethan from Mister.
Massey also starred in the player's original production in nineteen
thirty six, while Miss Bruth is well known for her
dramatic performances on radio on a Broadway stage. Remember to
hear them on the Theater Guild on the air presentation
(13:33):
of Ethan from Tonight.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and
tonight's Case Square Dance, an authentic story from the files
of the Texas Rangers. The sheriff and his deputy started
a phone check of people who'd been at the dance,
asking them to list missing articles. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson drove
(13:57):
in with the gallery shots of possible suspects. We took
them over at the funeral home to see if Missus
Rogers could identify the stranger who quarreled with her husband.
Captain showed him to her one by one. How about
this one, Missus Rogers? No, well this is the last one.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
No, that's not humid.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Hey, yes, that does he Jesse. The man were after Ison,
a known criminal, not in this state any huh.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Can I can I go back to my husband?
Speaker 1 (14:31):
No, I won't have been near him until I.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Had sure, ma'am, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
We wasn't even married a year. We had our first anniversary.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And might as well get back to the Sheriff's office.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Captain well.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Young, I like that and a nice future.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
That killer left her. We got to get him.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
I'll stay on until I oh, there's a sheriff. Now,
it looks like we've hit something. On that phone check,
Jase Deputy, just got a call from Pernie Richard's not
the old man, but Pernie Junior.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Something missing from his car.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Yeah, ladies, Hamilton ristwatch. Pernie bought it for his gal's birthday,
left it in the glove compartment.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Of the car, was fixing the surpriser with it today.
That's gonna help jeez plenty new purchase like that. The
jeweler will have a record of the serial number on
the watch. Killer might try to sell it or pawn
at someplace. He might just give it to some gal.
I don't think so, man or after it doesn't sound
like he'd have a gal of his own. Come on,
let's get a run down on that watch. We got
(15:51):
the serial number and put out a bulletin to jewelers
and pawn shops, all the logical places where a man
might dispose of a watch. Because it was Sunday, we
had a break. The bulletins would be on filed before
the killer had a chance download. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson was
in phone contact with Austin digging up another angle.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I wanted.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Well, thanks all. Not necessarily might mean anything, but it
can't hurt us. I'll call you later if I need
anything else, Right, goodbye, I'd have anything a little. I
asked him to check open files unsolved cases of pity fifth,
especially things taken from cars in dancehall parking lots, Muspe.
(16:34):
Plenty of cases like that. The same man wouldn't be
responsible for all of them. No, but a couple of
cases follow a pattern. Jes, I've written them down now.
Look here portable radio stolen.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
From a car.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Week before last outside of Elderton Roadhouse, there was having
a square dance. And here's a constable's report, same night,
same place. Man answering the description of our stranger, got
in a beef. He pulled a knife on a fellow,
didn't get a chance to use it though, and ran.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Before the law could get there.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Hey that's good.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Now here's another one. Also, a square dance south of
here at pars Crossing happened a month ago. Manager at
the dance hall ordered someone fell out for bothering a
woman again the same description. Fellow went outside and threw
a rock through a.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
Window and got away. Cot had been looted.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
That's our boy, all right.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Yeah, but we still don't know who he is. Something
we do know though, Look at this county map. He's
been here in Bankerville, west of here in Elderton, and
south of here at pars Crossing, all within a month.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Means he must be living in this area or hanging
around at some place. And draw a circle around the
three spots he's been seen at. Gives us a radius
of about forty miles in any direction, and that fits
because he wasn't picked up in the roadblocks.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
I don't know, jeez.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
He's been a stranger in all three places, and they're
the only towns around here. Most of the area in
the middle of your circle is hill country and bad
lands and not many rangers.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
He might be working on.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Oh but there's a lot of prospecting going on in
those bad lands, Captain Big new Kick. Not gold or
silver anymore? Uranium? Oh hey, not many people would see
a prospector not unless he had a habit of wandering
into some town on a Saturday night with a ynn
for square dancing or r jays. I'll buy it, won't
you move? Thought the sheriff and I might do a
(18:25):
little prospecting too.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Uranium.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Now a man with a knife.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
The sheriff put in with me.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Next morning, we loaded his horse into my trailer with
charcoal and headed into the bad lands. The old settlement's
up ahead. We can leave the car at Red Miller's store.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
I thought the settlement was deserted.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Well, it was for a few years, but Miller opened
up again because of this prospect. Can think reckon? They
give him enough trade to keep going. It's either they
buy from him or take a hard trip every time
they have to lay in supply.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I never thought of that.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Miller may have seen a man possible coming into the settlement.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Now, ghost town. Where's the store.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Long bloby building just ahead? A lot of cars parked
under a shed just behind it. I said, well, I
hope he's got some soft drinks in a way of
keeping him cold. His son's a scorcher. Well, we'll be
able to watch your whistle in a minute. Here we are,
yeah hard.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
They think Miller could make a living here.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Well, there's just him and his old lady. I reckon,
they don't need much to get by. Huh, looks like
we'll be his only customers. Hello, anybody here? Who wall
last shirt?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Howdy party, missus Miller? This here is Ranger jas Pearson Man.
Where's Reb?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Miss Miller?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Oh now he's just plain gonna die because he missed
your chrief.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
But he drove up telegence.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
See the dock his back again.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Oh that's too bad.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
But here'll be back for supper if and you can stay.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
We might have to depends on whether or not you
can help us.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
Somebody here can help us?
Speaker 6 (20:19):
All right? What is it? Jase?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Take a look in this showcase? Well, ab.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I'd called his attention to something that stood out like
I saw I found. The star was run down and
shelves barely stocked with necessities. But there before our eyes,
in the dirty showcase, with cracks running through the glass,
was a brand new Hamilton wristwatch. Reb is stuck in
some mighty fancy merchandise, ain't he, Missmiller? Oh you mean
that watch? You want to buy it? All we want
(20:54):
to know is where you got it?
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Well, Web took it in trade from a fellow who
run a bill here.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
What's his name?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
So why cart's his last name? Don't know his first one?
Speaker 2 (21:04):
That?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Uh, that watch ain't stolen, is it? We can tell
you that in a minute.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Get it out of the case, sheriff.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Right, you remember the serial number?
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, I got written down in my book.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Try the back cover off, you know, fingernails won't do it.
I'll have to find something. When did this car bring
the watch in?
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Ma'n?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Well?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yesterday Sunday rabs all his trusting people. You know, car
pulled him more than twenty dollars Instead of cash, you
give Red the watch and the power of wire clippers.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Wire clippers, you hear that, chef?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I sure did.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
I'll have this watch case.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Open in a minute.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Oh I told Red not to trust nobody. Reckon carp
wouldn't even trade here if and he had cash, couldn't
give Red no money? Oh no, But when he come
back yesterday he had new brider for his horse, Reckon.
He had to pay cash for that someplace.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You reckoning wrong, missus Miller. He got that bridle the
same way he got the watching.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Wire clippers.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
That does it? Here's the number jase H four two
seven nine nine one.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
H four two seven and that's it all right. Pip's
our boy.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Where is he?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Well, he's out and here's a reckon. He sat it
up and rolled off after he brought our car back yesterday.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
He had your car all Saturday night, Chrish. You know
Rab he'll lend anything to anybody. That's why we ain't
got nothing ourselves.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Carp never even paid him for the guys he used up,
then had the nerve to buy his shirt and jeans
while he used my tub to scrub out his old
clothes and water scarce as it tears.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Don't need two guesses what he was scrubbing for a cheff.
You can say that again.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Come on, Sheriff, let's get the horses and moved. Thanks, ma'am.
But that's something we already know. It was rough going
through the bad lands, and the territory we had to
cover was big. We met prospectors here and there, but
not Corp. The end of our second day, the trail
(23:08):
led to rocky ground, thinning out in spots and disappearing
in others. I kept going until the sun dipped under
the rim and darkness came past. Oh, I can't see anything, Jason.
If the tracks were heavier, we could keep going, but
the gun's too hard. Can't pick up march like that
in a flashlight.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
I know.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Better find a campsite. Rustle some grub, well, you can
do the eating. All I want is a place to
arrest my boone. We'll find a spot when we get
on level ground.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Up chark, come.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Shuff.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah, it's like somebody solved our camp problem for us.
Over there at the right sparks and fire behind those
rocks circle around part. Maybe it could be so centure somebody.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Let's ride for it.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Up for it on turn.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
He's a fire now, jeeh man getting up. He can't
see us yet. Here's what's coming. Looks like a big
fellow carp is big missus, Rogers said, about six three.
His horse is there. Jeez, he's moving over towardy and.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Be able to see us in a minute. Dripped away
from me.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Leave a little distance between us, all.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Right, you know over boy, that's good, heems to be waiting.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Don't go all the way and mounted fouck and we'll
walk to him.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Oh wolchok, oh boy.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Oh all right, keep the same distance. Who's head out
there right looking for somebody? I'll tell you in a minute.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
Keep your eyes open. Shaft.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Now a fellow named carp is that you? What do you
want to see karp about? It's kind of a personal
matter unless you're a carp. He out behind his horse, Jason,
you stay where we are.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Hold the chaff, would rifle from.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
His saddle chair, get mounted right off. I don't like
anyvice sneak aroundy at night, and I don't like getting
mounted and riding away from a fire makes my back
too good a target.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
So you you look like at Texas ways. You got
good eyes, and I'm a traff cart, So don't find
anything funny.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Put that rifle down and let's have a talk.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
What do you want? What do you want to see
me about?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
I want to invite you to a square dance?
Speaker 6 (25:30):
He dropped down.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Go over hunt the fire. Jason can't see You.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
Can't see us either.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
It must be close behind that fire. Shoot into it.
The chip sparks off. That heavy log that's burning might
be able to shower him with a big hot foot.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
I say, when let go.
Speaker 6 (25:46):
Got get it.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Jason's up, got your gun?
Speaker 6 (25:48):
Cart?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
You hit him?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
There is and there's his gun on the ground. Gun
stock split. That's what I hit, not him. Shot, knock
him out. Yeah, just a scene. He's out cold. Now
he's laying here. I might just as well get these
cuffs on his head, a shirt.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Shut your heart.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Ups come, that knife laid it cold my heart.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Jeez, he almost planted that in my rib. It's something
he won't try again. Come on, Carp, get up, Hey,
save your story for the Jerry Carp. Maybe you can
tell him how to be a big hit.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
Had a square dance? Come on, get more.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Randolph Copp was tried and convicted for the murder of
Rancho morph Rogers. The final piece of evidence against Karp
was a bloody fingerprint on the steering column of the
car he had borrowed from storekeeper Red Miller. It was
Carp's right thumb print, and the blood specimen matched the
type of the slain man. Carp was sentenced to Huntsville
Penitentiary for a term of ninety nine years.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
And now here again.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
It is the star of our show.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Joel McCrae, a famous Texas ranger, was once asked what
he considered the most important quality in a ranger. Well,
he pondered, I liken a good ranger to that broad
brimmed hat of mine hanging over there on that old steerhorn.
It's made of some sort of fabric that holds up.
It takes the toughest handlan I've ever seen. Must be
(27:53):
in the character of the material, I guess, because as
old as that hat is, it's never showed a sign
and going to pieces like hats or men little common glued.
Good night, folks, See you next week.
Speaker 6 (28:09):
Next week.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment him a case.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
From the files of the texts of Rangers.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Joel McCay is currently seen starring in the MGM production
stars in Mike Crown to Night's cast included Tony Barrett,
Lou Cookman, Betty Moran, Parley bear Byron Kane, Joe Forte,
and Jeanette Nolan. This story was transcribed and adapted by
Joel Murcot, and the program is produced and directed by
Stacy Keith. Hel'll get me speaking.
Speaker 6 (29:00):
And enjoy the very best. Be sure that you dial
and write, see right.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You want to hear Phil Bakers every Sunday Night, sixty
four dollars questions
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Every Sunday Night, Everything, Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth and
Theater Guild Next 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,
(00:23):
Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger
Jase 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
(00:52):
from the files of the Texas Rangers. Call these stories
based on fact only, names, dates, and platographic dishes for
obvious reasons. Imps themselves are a matter of record. Case
Fortnight Square Dance.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It is nine fifty pm Saturday night, October fourteenth, nineteen
forty nine. There is a square dance in progress at
the Fun Spot, a barnlike dance hall on the outskirts of.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Bankerville in West Texas.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Missus mort Roger's, a rancher's wife, is seated in the
corner waiting for a husband to return with some soda pop.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
She looks up as a strange u.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Persash looks like I found me a prety wall dance
how come you are dancing?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Mancheckon, I'm a little out of breath in the last one.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
My husband went to fetch me some soda parts. Good wow,
he's fashionate.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
You and me can dance.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Not a couple needing that square over there?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Come on?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
No, no, thank you?
Speaker 6 (01:58):
But I.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Oh, you are just going away sitting there? Come on, please,
I'd rather not.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I ain't the kind of man it takes no for
an answerse especially from a pretty girl.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I told you I don't want to dance with you
on my arm too.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
Don't out here.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
It's matter Mary. I was waiting for that, and I.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Just happened buying ashes for a dance, that's all, and
left thing of marks.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
All over arm.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Looks like you asked pretty rough.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It ain't no harm done. You're gonna get hard about it.
Take these pop ups hand my things, I said, take
it now.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
You want to repeat that question?
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Place this way?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Tryingly? Full of friends?
Speaker 6 (02:38):
You yours?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
I don't know anybody around here that just happened.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Why aren't you just happening out before you get in trouble? Ahead?
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Beat it all right, and maybe I meet you alone
an it's time you want to try.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Please let him go I'm hold it, or.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
It seems with somebody like that wandering anyway people.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Having he went out, drink your tongue.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Look at you, honey, you're shaking.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
From here, show in here.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Now that I was a little jacket, you boy left
it out and tone, I go fetch your course.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Hang that cold more?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Oh no, no, just turning blew us?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
All right?
Speaker 6 (03:20):
Would you mind getting town up?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I said a word, didn't he any more? Stranger's eyes
hit the fans.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Hit him with that pop bottle. I'll be all right, alright, bottle.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Ah that cos here?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
It's you.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
What you're doing hanging around these CAUs o? I'll tell
you to get lost.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I'll watch your tongue. You ain't surrounded by friends now, hmm.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
And I figured you follow me out.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
I didn't follow you.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Uh come out to get my wife's jacket. And as
for friends, mister, I don't need any of the handle
like for you. And why don't you get while it
getting's good to bad? Your wife didn't come out to
get her own jacket. And she's kind of cute, shut
up running for what I asked her that dance, and
she hadn't given me the eye?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Why are you.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Come on, get up, get up and fight or get
him run.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
I'll fight.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
We'll fight my way.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
With this stone like you carrying. Now, I'm going to
know it just once more for good Nasion. I guesse
your wife ain't gonna be so particular who she dances
with from now. When mort Rogers failed to return to
(05:12):
the dance, his wife came out to look for him.
Her screams as she found the body brought dances streaming
from the hall. Somebody summoned the sheriff, and he in
turn called for.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
The help of a Texas Ranger. Ranger Jace Pearson was
a sign.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
He arrived at the parking lot outside the fund spot
shortly after midnight.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
Hardy, Sheriff, Hardy Jace.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I'm glad you were close by. Here's the body. Radio
was buzzing with calls as I drove in kat Xa's
ordinan roadblock set up on every highway near here for
one hundred miles.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
I phoned in the description of a stranger who was
at the dance tonight.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
I heard it. I just hope they can pick him up.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
They'd got him, sure if I'd had the description earlier,
but it took almost an hour to get Missed Rogers
so she could talk.
Speaker 5 (05:59):
She the dead man's Yeah, saw the whole thing, then huh.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
No, No, she was inside when it happened, come.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Out and found the body.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Then why the pick up for the stranger in particular,
Rogers have trouble with him? Just words? Nothing anybody saw it,
tried to force Miss Rogers to dance with him. The
way she tells it, Rogers come along and saw what
was going on in ordered to fall out. The whole
thing happened less than two hours ago. Until it can't
be too far away then yeah, far enough. Yeah, but
if the roadblocks don't pick him up, we'll know he's
(06:27):
either living or hiding within a two hour ride from here.
Could be one hundred yards away or one hundred miles away.
Even then, he might not be the one over sixty
couple of the dance tonight. Any one of them could
have stepped outside. I haven't let a car pull out
since I got here.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Good, you shake everybody down. Yeah, I didn't find anything
on anybody, though.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Deputy has two knives and a gun that were ditched
under benches when he started searching knives clean far as
I could tell.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
I'll send him through to Austin.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Make sure if there's any blood left on one of
them in the lamb, I'll find it.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Eh, we're not gonna.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Have to wait for that, though, not if the killer
is still around. Why it's wound on Roger's throat. Hath
the juggler see how the blood spurret it out. Killer
couldn't miss getting some of that blood on his clothes.
You check for that on the shakedown or just their hands.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Geez, you better line them up again inside flood's had
time to dry.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Killer may have had a chance to try and wash
it out. But we'll have to check every suspicious looking
stain well. I got the names and addresses of everybody
in the place.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
Good, you can use that as a checklist.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Make sure nobody's taking a runout Since you got here,
deputy's been stationed all around. All doors have been locked
except this one leading out to the parking lot. I
had to let folks out here because some of them
have got babies sleeping in their cars.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
I understand. Oh, let's get them in right all right?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Inside again, folks, everybody inside, Joe Charlie Higgins, don't let
any stragglers hang back, keep them moving them.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Hey, you better send one of your deputies into town.
Dig up some clothes in the jail or someplace to
find any suspicious stains. A few of these people mightn't
have anything to wear home. The sheriff's list checked out
one hundred percent. Nobody'd run. A couple of cop folks
(08:16):
had stains on their shirts and jeans, and took their
clothes and sent them through to Austin for analysis. Next morning,
I got my report a long distance call from my
chief Captain Stinson Austin. Lamb just finished with the stuff
he's in through JS. Both knives were clean. I see,
how about the clothing cabin Well, there was human blood.
Speaker 6 (08:34):
In one of the shirts a small stand.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
According to your report, A couple you got it, phems,
He did cut himself and got a little blood on him,
Lap says a blood.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Stain his typoo TYPEO.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Huh, he's not our boy. Then medical examiner did an
autopsy on Rogers during the night.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
Rogers blood was a b.
Speaker 6 (08:53):
Everything keeps puting to the stranger who got away? Do
you think missus Rogers gave a good description?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
She gave me the same rundown she gave. The sheriff
claims she'll never forget what he looked like.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
Do you think she'd recognize a foot o over him
if she saw it.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
I'm sure she would.
Speaker 6 (09:08):
Good. The boys at Austin.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Are going through the gal They're pulling shots of all
known criminals who fit.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
That description, especially the ones who were too free with
a knock. I'll bring the foots down myself.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Let missus Rogers go over them while I'm waiting. I
think I'll have a look through the ranch area around here.
All we know about the man where after is that
he got away. We don't know whether he was in
a car, or on foot or mounted. A few cow
folks did come into the dance on horses.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
I see it, fella we're looking for. Might be a new.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Hand just drifted into the territory. I got charcoal on
my horse trailer. Chef's getting his mouth. He'll keep us busy.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Until you get here, unless you have another idea.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Oh, JS, you go ahead, I'll.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
See you tonight, right bike apain bye, JS.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Reready, sheriff if.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
You are mine.
Speaker 6 (09:57):
UN's all saddled now.
Speaker 5 (09:58):
I'll get charcoal out of the trailer.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
He rode from ranch to ranch, taking shortcuts of the
gullies and arroyos, working through the good grazing as well
as the bad lands, riding close to get a good
look at cow folks working the range wherever we spotted them.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
We're on Bhu Baker's land now be able to see
the ranch house. When we reached the end of these trees.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
How many hands he got on the place?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Three?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
They've been around for quite a spell, unless he took
on a new one, Robaker. That seems to me. His
name was on the list of folks who were at
the dance. Yeah, he was there with his wife.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Well, then he was asked if he noticed the stranger.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Asked everybody that anybody by that description was working for
me spoke up. Well, I thought we might talk to
his hands. Even if they weren't at the dance, they
might have noticed a stranger around some place.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
Possible for a try.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Hey there's Whubaker not climbing into his tractor there with
the tone shed. Hey, Hobaker, he sees us, Sir.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Herley, glad to see your sheriff. Matter of fact, I've
been thinking of fooming you.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
You got some information on the Rogers case.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Well, no, it's something I guess I shouldn't even be
bothering you with right now. Just wanted to put in
a little complaint.
Speaker 5 (11:22):
What kind of complaint, Blue Baker?
Speaker 6 (11:24):
Well sint?
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Just before the dance last night, the missus and me
did some shopping in town.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Matter of fact, going to the dance was an afterthought.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Just decided to drop in when we was driving home
and past the front spot, Well said, Like I said,
I hate to bother you about it.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That couple of things was stolen out of my.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Pick up while we was at the dance. New bridle
l I'd bought in town, and a new pair of
wire clippers.
Speaker 5 (11:48):
You're sure those things were taken while you were at
the dance.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Well, they couldn't have been taking any place else. They
were the last things.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
We bought before we went to the dance. Put him
on the shelf behind the cab seat.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Could be something to this day, You sure could.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Anybody's stealing things from a car wouldn't be doing it
while you and your deputies were all over the.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
Place and we were there.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
It don't after everybody had cleared out. Stuff must have
been taken out of Bluebaker's pick.
Speaker 6 (12:10):
Up before Rogers was killed.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Say, as a matter of fact, Rogers might have surprised
somebody going through the cars. I wouldn't rule out the
stranger we're looking for. He left the dance all before
Rogers went outside, bridling wire clippers wouldn't be easy to trace.
I wonder if he might have taken something else. Well,
I haven't had any other complaints, and people don't always complain.
Thanks Bruebaker. Come on, Sheriff, let's get back to town.
(12:35):
It's along along. You have charge.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Come on, Holly, let's go.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
You planning to check over that fence list again?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
Or call every name on it see if anything else
was taken from that parking lot.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
I'm sharky. Come on. In just a moment.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
We will continue with Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring
Joel McCrae as Ranger Chase Pearson.
Speaker 7 (13:12):
Three Chimes Mean Good Times on NBC tonight over most
of these NBC stations. Theater Guild on the Air will
feature Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth in ethan from Mister.
Massey also starred in the player's original production in nineteen
thirty six, while Miss Bruth is well known for her
dramatic performances on radio on a Broadway stage. Remember to
hear them on the Theater Guild on the air presentation
(13:33):
of Ethan from Tonight.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and
tonight's Case Square Dance, an authentic story from the files
of the Texas Rangers. The sheriff and his deputy started
a phone check of people who'd been at the dance,
asking them to list missing articles. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson drove
(13:57):
in with the gallery shots of possible suspects. We took
them over at the funeral home to see if Missus
Rogers could identify the stranger who quarreled with her husband.
Captain showed him to her one by one. How about
this one, Missus Rogers? No, well this is the last one.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
No, that's not humid.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Hey, yes, that does he Jesse. The man were after Ison,
a known criminal, not in this state any huh.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Can I can I go back to my husband?
Speaker 1 (14:31):
No, I won't have been near him until I.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Had sure, ma'am, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (14:43):
We wasn't even married a year. We had our first anniversary.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And might as well get back to the Sheriff's office.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Captain well.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Young, I like that and a nice future.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
That killer left her. We got to get him.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
I'll stay on until I oh, there's a sheriff. Now,
it looks like we've hit something. On that phone check,
Jase Deputy, just got a call from Pernie Richard's not
the old man, but Pernie Junior.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Something missing from his car.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Yeah, ladies, Hamilton ristwatch. Pernie bought it for his gal's birthday,
left it in the glove compartment.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Of the car, was fixing the surpriser with it today.
That's gonna help jeez plenty new purchase like that. The
jeweler will have a record of the serial number on
the watch. Killer might try to sell it or pawn
at someplace. He might just give it to some gal.
I don't think so, man or after it doesn't sound
like he'd have a gal of his own. Come on,
let's get a run down on that watch. We got
(15:51):
the serial number and put out a bulletin to jewelers
and pawn shops, all the logical places where a man
might dispose of a watch. Because it was Sunday, we
had a break. The bulletins would be on filed before
the killer had a chance download. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson was
in phone contact with Austin digging up another angle.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Yeah, yeah, that's what I wanted.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Well, thanks all. Not necessarily might mean anything, but it
can't hurt us. I'll call you later if I need
anything else, Right, goodbye, I'd have anything a little. I
asked him to check open files unsolved cases of pity fifth,
especially things taken from cars in dancehall parking lots, Muspe.
(16:34):
Plenty of cases like that. The same man wouldn't be
responsible for all of them. No, but a couple of
cases follow a pattern. Jes, I've written them down now.
Look here portable radio stolen.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
From a car.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Week before last outside of Elderton Roadhouse, there was having
a square dance. And here's a constable's report, same night,
same place. Man answering the description of our stranger, got
in a beef. He pulled a knife on a fellow,
didn't get a chance to use it though, and ran.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Before the law could get there.
Speaker 5 (17:03):
Hey that's good.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Now here's another one. Also, a square dance south of
here at pars Crossing happened a month ago. Manager at
the dance hall ordered someone fell out for bothering a
woman again the same description. Fellow went outside and threw
a rock through a.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
Window and got away. Cot had been looted.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
That's our boy, all right.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Yeah, but we still don't know who he is. Something
we do know though, Look at this county map. He's
been here in Bankerville, west of here in Elderton, and
south of here at pars Crossing, all within a month.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Means he must be living in this area or hanging
around at some place. And draw a circle around the
three spots he's been seen at. Gives us a radius
of about forty miles in any direction, and that fits
because he wasn't picked up in the roadblocks.
Speaker 6 (17:51):
I don't know, jeez.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
He's been a stranger in all three places, and they're
the only towns around here. Most of the area in
the middle of your circle is hill country and bad
lands and not many rangers.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
He might be working on.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Oh but there's a lot of prospecting going on in
those bad lands, Captain Big new Kick. Not gold or
silver anymore? Uranium? Oh hey, not many people would see
a prospector not unless he had a habit of wandering
into some town on a Saturday night with a ynn
for square dancing or r jays. I'll buy it, won't
you move? Thought the sheriff and I might do a
(18:25):
little prospecting too.
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Uranium.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Now a man with a knife.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
The sheriff put in with me.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Next morning, we loaded his horse into my trailer with
charcoal and headed into the bad lands. The old settlement's
up ahead. We can leave the car at Red Miller's store.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
I thought the settlement was deserted.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Well, it was for a few years, but Miller opened
up again because of this prospect. Can think reckon? They
give him enough trade to keep going. It's either they
buy from him or take a hard trip every time
they have to lay in supply.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I never thought of that.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Miller may have seen a man possible coming into the settlement.
Speaker 5 (19:07):
Now, ghost town. Where's the store.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Long bloby building just ahead? A lot of cars parked
under a shed just behind it. I said, well, I
hope he's got some soft drinks in a way of
keeping him cold. His son's a scorcher. Well, we'll be
able to watch your whistle in a minute. Here we are,
yeah hard.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
They think Miller could make a living here.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Well, there's just him and his old lady. I reckon,
they don't need much to get by. Huh, looks like
we'll be his only customers. Hello, anybody here? Who wall
last shirt?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Howdy party, missus Miller? This here is Ranger jas Pearson Man.
Where's Reb?
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Miss Miller?
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Oh now he's just plain gonna die because he missed
your chrief.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
But he drove up telegence.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
See the dock his back again.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Oh that's too bad.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
But here'll be back for supper if and you can stay.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
We might have to depends on whether or not you
can help us.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
Somebody here can help us?
Speaker 6 (20:19):
All right? What is it? Jase?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Take a look in this showcase? Well, ab.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
I'd called his attention to something that stood out like
I saw I found. The star was run down and
shelves barely stocked with necessities. But there before our eyes,
in the dirty showcase, with cracks running through the glass,
was a brand new Hamilton wristwatch. Reb is stuck in
some mighty fancy merchandise, ain't he, Missmiller? Oh you mean
that watch? You want to buy it? All we want
(20:54):
to know is where you got it?
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Well, Web took it in trade from a fellow who
run a bill here.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
What's his name?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
So why cart's his last name? Don't know his first one?
Speaker 2 (21:04):
That?
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Uh, that watch ain't stolen, is it? We can tell
you that in a minute.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Get it out of the case, sheriff.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Right, you remember the serial number?
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, I got written down in my book.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Try the back cover off, you know, fingernails won't do it.
I'll have to find something. When did this car bring
the watch in?
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Ma'n?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Well?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yesterday Sunday rabs all his trusting people. You know, car
pulled him more than twenty dollars Instead of cash, you
give Red the watch and the power of wire clippers.
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Wire clippers, you hear that, chef?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
I sure did.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
I'll have this watch case.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Open in a minute.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Oh I told Red not to trust nobody. Reckon carp
wouldn't even trade here if and he had cash, couldn't
give Red no money? Oh no, But when he come
back yesterday he had new brider for his horse, Reckon.
He had to pay cash for that someplace.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You reckoning wrong, missus Miller. He got that bridle the
same way he got the watching.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Wire clippers.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
That does it? Here's the number jase H four two
seven nine nine one.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
H four two seven and that's it all right. Pip's
our boy.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Where is he?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Well, he's out and here's a reckon. He sat it
up and rolled off after he brought our car back yesterday.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
He had your car all Saturday night, Chrish. You know
Rab he'll lend anything to anybody. That's why we ain't
got nothing ourselves.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Carp never even paid him for the guys he used up,
then had the nerve to buy his shirt and jeans
while he used my tub to scrub out his old
clothes and water scarce as it tears.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Don't need two guesses what he was scrubbing for a cheff.
You can say that again.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
Come on, Sheriff, let's get the horses and moved. Thanks, ma'am.
But that's something we already know. It was rough going
through the bad lands, and the territory we had to
cover was big. We met prospectors here and there, but
not Corp. The end of our second day, the trail
(23:08):
led to rocky ground, thinning out in spots and disappearing
in others. I kept going until the sun dipped under
the rim and darkness came past. Oh, I can't see anything, Jason.
If the tracks were heavier, we could keep going, but
the gun's too hard. Can't pick up march like that
in a flashlight.
Speaker 6 (23:25):
I know.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Better find a campsite. Rustle some grub, well, you can
do the eating. All I want is a place to
arrest my boone. We'll find a spot when we get
on level ground.
Speaker 4 (23:35):
Up chark, come.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Shuff.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Yeah, it's like somebody solved our camp problem for us.
Over there at the right sparks and fire behind those
rocks circle around part. Maybe it could be so centure somebody.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Let's ride for it.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Up for it on turn.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
He's a fire now, jeeh man getting up. He can't
see us yet. Here's what's coming. Looks like a big
fellow carp is big missus, Rogers said, about six three.
His horse is there. Jeez, he's moving over towardy and.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Be able to see us in a minute. Dripped away
from me.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Leave a little distance between us, all.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Right, you know over boy, that's good, heems to be waiting.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Don't go all the way and mounted fouck and we'll
walk to him.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Oh wolchok, oh boy.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Oh all right, keep the same distance. Who's head out
there right looking for somebody? I'll tell you in a minute.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
Keep your eyes open. Shaft.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Now a fellow named carp is that you? What do you
want to see karp about? It's kind of a personal
matter unless you're a carp. He out behind his horse, Jason,
you stay where we are.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Hold the chaff, would rifle from.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
His saddle chair, get mounted right off. I don't like
anyvice sneak aroundy at night, and I don't like getting
mounted and riding away from a fire makes my back
too good a target.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
So you you look like at Texas ways. You got
good eyes, and I'm a traff cart, So don't find
anything funny.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
Put that rifle down and let's have a talk.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
What do you want? What do you want to see
me about?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
I want to invite you to a square dance?
Speaker 6 (25:30):
He dropped down.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Go over hunt the fire. Jason can't see You.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
Can't see us either.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
It must be close behind that fire. Shoot into it.
The chip sparks off. That heavy log that's burning might
be able to shower him with a big hot foot.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
I say, when let go.
Speaker 6 (25:46):
Got get it.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Jason's up, got your gun?
Speaker 6 (25:48):
Cart?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
You hit him?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
There is and there's his gun on the ground. Gun
stock split. That's what I hit, not him. Shot, knock
him out. Yeah, just a scene. He's out cold. Now
he's laying here. I might just as well get these
cuffs on his head, a shirt.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Shut your heart.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Ups come, that knife laid it cold my heart.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Jeez, he almost planted that in my rib. It's something
he won't try again. Come on, Carp, get up, Hey,
save your story for the Jerry Carp. Maybe you can
tell him how to be a big hit.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
Had a square dance? Come on, get more.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Randolph Copp was tried and convicted for the murder of
Rancho morph Rogers. The final piece of evidence against Karp
was a bloody fingerprint on the steering column of the
car he had borrowed from storekeeper Red Miller. It was
Carp's right thumb print, and the blood specimen matched the
type of the slain man. Carp was sentenced to Huntsville
Penitentiary for a term of ninety nine years.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
And now here again.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
It is the star of our show.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Joel McCrae, a famous Texas ranger, was once asked what
he considered the most important quality in a ranger. Well,
he pondered, I liken a good ranger to that broad
brimmed hat of mine hanging over there on that old steerhorn.
It's made of some sort of fabric that holds up.
It takes the toughest handlan I've ever seen. Must be
(27:53):
in the character of the material, I guess, because as
old as that hat is, it's never showed a sign
and going to pieces like hats or men little common glued.
Good night, folks, See you next week.
Speaker 6 (28:09):
Next week.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment him a case.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
From the files of the texts of Rangers.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Joel McCay is currently seen starring in the MGM production
stars in Mike Crown to Night's cast included Tony Barrett,
Lou Cookman, Betty Moran, Parley bear Byron Kane, Joe Forte,
and Jeanette Nolan. This story was transcribed and adapted by
Joel Murcot, and the program is produced and directed by
Stacy Keith. Hel'll get me speaking.
Speaker 6 (29:00):
And enjoy the very best. Be sure that you dial
and write, see right.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You want to hear Phil Bakers every Sunday Night, sixty
four dollars questions
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Every Sunday Night, Everything, Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth and
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