1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:10,160 Wheaties presents Joel McCrae and Tales of the Texas Rangers on stage tonight, transcribed 2 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:15,439 from Hollywood. Another in the Wheaties Big Parade of exciting half hour presentations, 3 00:00:23,839 --> 00:00:29,640 Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Pearson, Texas, 4 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,399 more than two hundred and sixty thousand square miles and fifty men who make up 5 00:00:34,439 --> 00:00:53,439 the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America. Now from the 6 00:00:53,439 --> 00:00:58,119 files of the Texas Rangers come these stories based on fact only. Names, 7 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,960 dates and places are fictitious, obvious reading they amnin them. Founds are a 8 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:22,560 matter of record. Case for Tonight, the White Elephants. It is January 9 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:26,480 sixteenth, nineteen fifteen, the time six twenty eight pm. A freight train 10 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:32,319 just outside of the West Texas town gained speed and rolls through the gathering dust. 11 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,719 Inside the gondola ca A hobo crouches in the corners. The brakeman comes 12 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,599 toward him. All right, Paul, this is where you get up. 13 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,000 Now, listen, pout. Just let me get to the next town. 14 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,680 And I just just I said, this is where you get up. But 15 00:01:46,879 --> 00:01:49,159 we're moving now. You get on. When we was moving, you can 16 00:01:49,239 --> 00:01:52,560 get off. Now, come on, arodt whad listen, don't don't don't 17 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,920 do it? I tear it on you eat me like this, Let go? 18 00:01:56,359 --> 00:02:04,239 You want to get up? You look round, sluck me with it, 19 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:24,879 you ain't. Tales of the Texas Rangers will continue in just a moment. 20 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,360 You take a nice ripe, plump kernel of wheat and you roll it 21 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,319 out flats, and you toast it a little, and what have you got? 22 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,840 A wheaty? Do that over and over and over again. Do that 23 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,319 enough times, and pretty soon you have a whole bowl full of wheaties and 24 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,120 you can sit down to breakfast. Of course, you and I know not 25 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,120 many people go to all that work to get their breakfast wheaties. They just 26 00:02:50,159 --> 00:02:53,120 tip up that big wheaties box and let those crisp little flakes tumble into the 27 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:58,159 bowl. And you know what, when you do that, you get the 28 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,120 very same one hundred percent old wheat goodness and energy that you'd get if you 29 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:07,800 rolled out your own wheaty's flakes. Colonel by colonel, and the best tip 30 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,199 I can give you is to tip the wheaty's into your own bowl. First 31 00:03:10,199 --> 00:03:15,960 thing in the morning and see how Wheedy's at seven can help At eleven. 32 00:03:24,319 --> 00:03:29,000 At two fifty five am of the morning following the freight train incident, a 33 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,879 rancher named Banker noticed a small coupe parked on the shoulder of the road. 34 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,800 It bore Oklahoma license plates. Banker turned his spotlight on the car saw a 35 00:03:37,879 --> 00:03:40,960 man slump down on the driver's seat. A half hour later, Sheriff Calwell, 36 00:03:42,039 --> 00:03:46,479 notified by Banker, began investigation of the murder and called in the Texas 37 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:50,759 Rangers. Ranger Jase Pearson was assigned to the case, and a few hours 38 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,400 later Pearson, Banker, and Sheriff Carwell stood at the scene. Pearson listened 39 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:59,000 to Banker, it was just about three this morning when I saw it, 40 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,360 Ranger, come, you were driving along this road that light. I've been 41 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,639 to a rancher's meeting. In our mirrors. I was going to spend the 42 00:04:04,719 --> 00:04:09,000 night there and change my mind. Uh huh did you take this road when 43 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,080 you left? Four our mirrors? Yes, sir, what time? Uh 44 00:04:12,199 --> 00:04:16,360 yesterday morning? About uh seven, seven thirty and then this car came here 45 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:21,319 sometime between seven thirty yesterday morning and three this morning. Hey guess so you 46 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,759 never saw the dead man before. Huh, what's the first time I laid 47 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,639 eyes on him? All right, mister banker, you can go hey, 48 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:34,879 you need me, I'll be home. Identification on the body at all, 49 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:39,399 huh, Sheriff. Nothing in the pockets picked clean as a whistle. Anybody 50 00:04:39,399 --> 00:04:42,079 else been around the car? Nope, Deputy kept his eyes on it. 51 00:04:43,319 --> 00:04:46,160 Cars facing west, going west when it was stopped. Car tracks on the 52 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,000 shoulder tail, that m blood on the seat, yep, thirty eight bullet 53 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,759 on it. Thirty eight might be a police special banker got one banker, 54 00:04:54,879 --> 00:05:01,360 but uh, just asking him for now. You see, I you see 55 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,839 something? Look here, sheriff. Huh. Set of tracks leading up to 56 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:10,439 the car. Ordinary shoes, not boots. Heel marks are too broad for 57 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,680 boots. Yeah, it looks like it. Look at this one sole print 58 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,279 with a hole in it. Now, look the prints lead from that way 59 00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:21,600 north up to the car. A little scuffle and the prince turned back north. 60 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:25,920 In other words, Sheriff, somebody walked up to the car, stood 61 00:05:25,959 --> 00:05:30,399 there, then turned and went back north. On hears something else. Grease 62 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,399 looks like grease smeared on the car door. Same side. Footprints are on 63 00:05:33,759 --> 00:05:36,839 grease might be from the car. Looks too stiff and heavy for that. 64 00:05:38,079 --> 00:05:42,680 Eh. What about it coming from a freight train, Jase? Why well, 65 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,240 there's tracks about a mile off here. Frate's use a side and to 66 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,319 pull on when passengers gotta pass. Mm. Maybe it all ties in the 67 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,240 sheriff a shoe with a hole in it. Grease freight siding. Yeah, 68 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,680 might be worth going after. Where do we start here? At the car 69 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,920 first, I'm gonna check it over inch by inch. Meantime you get hold 70 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:13,639 of a freight schedule, I'll meet you at your office. When I checked 71 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:15,319 the car inside and out, I found him a few things that were interesting 72 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,800 and a little puzzling. I sent a sample of grease to the laboratory for 73 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:24,160 analysis and took plaster cast of the footprints. Then went on the Sheriff Caldwood's 74 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,160 office. He had the information I'd requested. Here it is Jay's schedule of 75 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,720 freights went through yesterday. How many three of them? You can check those 76 00:06:30,759 --> 00:06:33,199 all? Right? Of course we might be sending the dogs up the wrong 77 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,319 tree. Looks like a hobo to me. Yeah. Let me see the 78 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:42,120 dead man's fingerprints. Sure they are? These matched with some of the prints 79 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,600 in the car see closed delta. Yeah, how about those others you got? 80 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,360 Picked these up on the door that had the grease on it, smear 81 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:54,000 it all over, A couple clear enough to use only only what jas you 82 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,839 know? There wasn't a single print on the steering wheel. Seems like the 83 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,720 dead man's prints ought to be on it. I didn't find any gloves on 84 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,879 him nor in the car. Yeah, you know, by the way, 85 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,920 I got a call out if any hobo picked up or seen on those trains. 86 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,680 Good Now, I found these tucked under the sunrise in front of the 87 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:16,360 driver's seat gasleen receipts made out to Carl Thompson. Oh that'll save a lot 88 00:07:16,399 --> 00:07:21,680 of checking forward the dead man's prints anyway, that's steering will bothers me? 89 00:07:21,959 --> 00:07:30,160 Excuse me? Jason Sheriff called one. Yeah, good hold him. We'll 90 00:07:30,199 --> 00:07:34,079 be there as soon as we can make it. Something else. Jase Braakman, 91 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,839 in one of those frights we've been checking, has a story some hobo 92 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:50,319 slugged him and jumped Okay, let's go. The brakeman took us to the 93 00:07:50,319 --> 00:07:55,199 approximate spot that hobo jumped off the freight. Sheriff Calwell and I picked up 94 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,120 the trail and followed it by horse. We hoped to apprehend the suspect before 95 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,839 he could reach a town and lose himself and us. After six hours, 96 00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:11,079 we stopped. What's the matter, Jace, Tracks are different. Come here 97 00:08:11,079 --> 00:08:16,959 and take a look different. Yeah, look, the right prints a little 98 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,600 deeper favoring his left a little hurt himself. Huh. Mister twisted his leg 99 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,879 when he took the jump off the freight. Kept getting worse. Sat down 100 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,120 here, smoked a cigarette. Here's the butt. He ain't gonna make such 101 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,679 a good time with a bum leg. We've been traveling at the study trot. 102 00:08:33,159 --> 00:08:52,000 Uh huh, Okay, let's get going. The suspects trail showed increased 103 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:56,000 favoring of his left leg. His progress became slower more and more often he 104 00:08:56,039 --> 00:08:58,600 stopped to rest, and the trail became fresher and fresher. Evidence in the 105 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:03,799 dessert shack showed suspect that rested there for quite a while. We picked up 106 00:09:03,799 --> 00:09:09,639 the trail again. We're getting close, Sheriff, How do you know noticed 107 00:09:09,639 --> 00:09:16,039 something? Just now, take a look at these prints, same as the 108 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:20,600 ones we've been following. Not quite hole in the right shoes. Not that 109 00:09:20,759 --> 00:09:22,679 I'm talking about this and hill he crushed? What about it? Quite a 110 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,399 few of the princes had an hills in him, crushed and rebuilt. So 111 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:28,720 and start working on a new hill when the old one's been tramped down. 112 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,159 This one's so fresh they haven't had time to rebuild. Hey, that's right, 113 00:09:33,799 --> 00:09:35,600 he can't be far off. So we better leave the horses tied up 114 00:09:35,639 --> 00:09:54,360 here, sheriff, and start moving on foot. At fifteen that evening we 115 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,720 found the men we were hunting. He was asleep. He gave us no 116 00:09:56,799 --> 00:10:01,600 trouble, and he denied anything and everything about the We took him back, 117 00:10:01,639 --> 00:10:03,720 and I kept questioning him, but he stuck to his story. And I 118 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:07,840 never was there. I didn't do it. Never own a gun thirty eight 119 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:09,720 Police Special two one hundred times. I never owned no kind of gun. 120 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,399 How'd you take all that skin off your arm? Don't know? Maybe you 121 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,399 got that while you were running away, when you jumped off the freight after 122 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:20,840 you sluged the brakeman. No, no grease on your jacket. How did 123 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,240 it get there? Maybe maybe off in the freight. Sure that car we 124 00:10:24,279 --> 00:10:26,519 showed you, the one you said you never seen before, the truth is 125 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:31,120 it? Hold up your right foot, Hold it up, hold on the 126 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:37,080 right shoe? What else? Here's a plaster cast cast at the print of 127 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,440 the scene of the murder. Take a good look. Yeah, but I 128 00:10:39,519 --> 00:10:43,600 wasn't there. I did you ever hear a fingerprint? You? Here are 129 00:10:43,639 --> 00:10:48,519 yours? And here's a set found at the crime They match. Still say 130 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:50,240 you weren't there. I didn't deal nobody. Let me see your hands. 131 00:10:52,519 --> 00:10:54,159 When did you wash him last? Don't know, maybe a couple of days 132 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,519 ago. You know, we can tell if you fired a gun. I 133 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:00,000 never had no gun. Did you rob the man in the car? No? 134 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,399 No, look at me. You were there, weren't you? We 135 00:11:03,519 --> 00:11:07,039 can prove it away, all right? I was there, but I didn't 136 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,879 kill him. Why did you lie? Well, I was scared. If 137 00:11:09,919 --> 00:11:13,120 you're innocent, you don't have to be rainge. I got a couple of 138 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:18,240 raps, bag raps, A sure, sure, we can check that too, 139 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,159 all right, right, I got a couple of wraps, pink and 140 00:11:20,159 --> 00:11:24,440 stuff, nothing bacon. Now, look tell me exactly what you did. 141 00:11:24,159 --> 00:11:28,039 Well coming off afraid, I was walking across when I've seen the car. 142 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:33,840 I figured it was funny, something funny. Why car park like? Then 143 00:11:33,879 --> 00:11:35,759 I walked over seeing the fellow in there was dead. I beat it, 144 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,039 hoped the frase not all? You know what? Else? Heps? Now, 145 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,320 did you get in the car? Did you touch the body or take 146 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,960 anything? I swear range I didn't. Did you touch the steering wheel and 147 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,759 then wipe it off? No? No? What? Look I tell you? 148 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,039 Yeah, shriffme, mirror with you. Sure you stay, but I 149 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:01,120 got no place to go. Here's all the dope and the murdered man. 150 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:09,120 Thompson come in just now? Oh Thompson, resident Tults, Oklahoma, traveling 151 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,519 salesman for Prince Extract Company. This checked double all. He's with the gasoline 152 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:18,919 receipts. What about him the hobo? Yep? I think the only crime 153 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,519 he committed was failure to report what he saw. His fingerprints were all over 154 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,919 the outside of the one door of that car and none inside. Seems to 155 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:28,639 me if he thought of cleaning up the inside, he'd have done the same 156 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:33,080 outside. Yeah, looks like it. We're given the paraffin test anyway, 157 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,480 and see if he's fired a gun lately, and if he didn't start all 158 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:56,000 over and start with that clean steering wheel. In just a moment, we 159 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:01,919 continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Chase Pearson. 160 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,679 I guess nobody gets much of a taste treat out of taking their calcium and 161 00:13:05,759 --> 00:13:11,879 iron and phosphorus or their vitamins straight. But you simply have to have all 162 00:13:11,919 --> 00:13:15,559 those things to keep feeling good. And you should have them first thing in 163 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,519 the morning, too, because morning's the time you do most of your big 164 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:24,639 day's work. That's when you really need the energy. You see, morning 165 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,240 is the time when you really Wait a minute, Frank, why don't you 166 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:33,120 just tell them this, See how wheats at seven can help at eleven, 167 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,960 Ah, you took the words right out of my mouth. Of course, 168 00:13:35,039 --> 00:13:41,360 wheaties at seven because wheaties have all those vitamins and minerals. That's how wheaties 169 00:13:41,399 --> 00:13:45,960 give you the zip it takes to feel eager and ready for anything all morning 170 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:50,639 long, whether you drive a truck or plow a field, or if you're 171 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,399 just playing busy with a multitude of household duties. And wheaties do you another 172 00:13:54,399 --> 00:13:58,919 big favor. Wheedies wrap all those vitamins up in a wonderful, sunny, 173 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,000 toasted nut like flavor. But fairly, hollers, give me some more. 174 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:09,159 Wheedies are crisp, they're munchie, you know, fun that you on taste 175 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,120 is good going down, as they make you feel when they get there. 176 00:14:11,919 --> 00:14:16,240 So do this, will you, Not for me, but for yourself. 177 00:14:16,159 --> 00:14:20,919 Hurry on down to the wheaties tomorrow morning and just see for yourself how wheaties 178 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:35,120 at seven can help. At eleven, the result of the paraffine test was 179 00:14:35,159 --> 00:14:39,639 negative, and we held the hobo pending further investigation. I reported back to 180 00:14:39,679 --> 00:14:43,600 my Captain Stinson at company headquarters. I told him I was pretty sure that 181 00:14:43,639 --> 00:14:48,639 the hobo story checked out. Yeah, it looks like it. But somebody 182 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,720 killed Thompson, killed him and then drove him in his own card where that 183 00:14:50,799 --> 00:14:54,279 rancher spotted it. There wasn't anything on Thompson eh, no money, no 184 00:14:54,399 --> 00:15:00,600 papers, only these caasleen charge account receipts. Somebody I went into an awful 185 00:15:00,639 --> 00:15:03,360 lot of trouble to clean him, but they overlooked these mm hm on top. 186 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,240 This looks like a plain case of murder with robbery as the motive. 187 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,759 But if that was it, why go to all the risk of being spotted 188 00:15:09,759 --> 00:15:13,840 in a car with Oklahoma plates? Why not just kill him and leave him 189 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:18,360 I don't know, jeez, what you're thinking. Well, Thompson was a 190 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,960 traveling salesman, traveled a lot in a few days. Now, suppose the 191 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,200 killer realized that with Thompson far enough away from the scene of the crime, 192 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,639 we'd have a pretty tough time finding out just where the murder was committed. 193 00:15:28,879 --> 00:15:33,799 Yeah, that could be. But why well, maybe the killer couldn't leave 194 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,879 the spot, so he did the next best thing, took Thompson's body away. 195 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,639 And maybe it wasn't just robbery or what else. I don't know yet, 196 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:46,440 but I got some more checking to do. It'll take maybe a couple 197 00:15:46,480 --> 00:16:06,000 of hours, and then I might have some answers. Well, a couple 198 00:16:06,039 --> 00:16:08,759 hours on the nose, jase you get anything new. It's more dope on 199 00:16:08,799 --> 00:16:12,279 Thompson, captain. He never carried much money, never was known to have 200 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,240 picked up a hitchhiker, and I got a pretty good idea of where he 201 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:21,080 was killed. These gasoling receipts tell a fair story. Yeah, ah, 202 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,759 how well, this one, for example, dated the fifteenth day before he 203 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,559 was killed, made out in Bannon. He got sixteen gallons of gas there. 204 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:30,639 Oh, did you ever think somebody else might have been using his credit 205 00:16:30,679 --> 00:16:34,480 card. Yeah, but Thompson traveled that route pretty often. Chances are he 206 00:16:34,559 --> 00:16:38,240 was well known at the service stations. Yeah, that's right, Okay, 207 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,879 go on. I ran a mileage test on his car. He got about 208 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:47,559 seventeen miles a gallon. Now his tank holds sixteen. I did a little 209 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,600 figure in just about enough gas was used to get him from Bannon to where 210 00:16:51,639 --> 00:16:55,559 his body was found. But he could have been killed anywhere between Bannon and 211 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:57,919 where he was found dead. Sure I know that, but it still looks 212 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:18,480 like my next stop is Bannon. Honey, Ranger, howdy? How many 213 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:26,559 whatever? She'll take? It's your thing? You the owner here? Yes? 214 00:17:27,039 --> 00:17:32,759 How long? A couple of years? You work alone nights? Yeah, 215 00:17:32,799 --> 00:17:36,359 take a look at this, will you one of my receipts, credit 216 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,920 card stuff? You know this Carl Thompson? Yeah, I see him ever? 217 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,640 Oh, four or five months? When'd you see Thompson last? The 218 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:47,880 evening he bought that gus Why anything wrong? Ranger? Was Thompson alone that 219 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:52,640 evening? H Yeah? I never remember him ever having anybody along. What 220 00:17:52,759 --> 00:17:55,480 else do you remember about that evening? Oh? One of the worst sleet 221 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,200 storms we ever had hit, Like it'd be tough for him to drive. 222 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:02,519 Then, oh, sure, hey, he was asking about some place to 223 00:18:02,559 --> 00:18:06,119 stay. He never stayed in Bannon before. I don't know leastways. He 224 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,279 didn't know much about the places. I told him to try the hotel. 225 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,559 He said it was full up. He said the motels were jam packed. 226 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,519 Allows he went where he went. I said he was going to try and 227 00:18:15,559 --> 00:18:19,200 find a place along the highway. Why anything wrong, plenty, Here's for 228 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:33,759 the gas. I might come back and ask you some more questions. Thanks. 229 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,319 I began a check of every possible place Thompson might have stayed that night, 230 00:18:38,599 --> 00:18:41,799 but I drew one blank after another. Then I got a lead at 231 00:18:41,799 --> 00:18:45,799 a motel on the outskirts of Bannon. Sure ranger, I remember that night. 232 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,720 Sleep was an inch thick. We was full up here, but I 233 00:18:48,759 --> 00:18:52,359 sent him to a place down the highway. The Star Motel been closed up 234 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,160 for sale for quiet a spout, but I heard it was opened up again. 235 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,720 I went to the Star Hotel. It was closed tight, Every cabin 236 00:19:12,839 --> 00:19:18,039 was locked, the windows boarded. There wasn't a soul around. I was 237 00:19:18,079 --> 00:19:22,160 just about to leave when I noticed something. The electricity must have been on 238 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,039 somewhere in the place, because the little wheel under the dials of the meter 239 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,519 was spinning. There was enough to send me back into town to ask a 240 00:19:27,559 --> 00:19:37,200 few more questions. Now, let me see you, ranger, star Hotels. 241 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,359 Ay, yes, sir, here's what we want right here. Uh 242 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,559 huh? Are these all electricity bills? Yes, sir. Let me see. 243 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,359 After three months ago, the bills were just for meter installation, minimum 244 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:55,279 service charge. That's right, Ranger. For the last three months four seventy 245 00:19:55,400 --> 00:20:02,119 five, three eighty nine five sixty m isn't it. The place is closed, 246 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:03,799 But for the last three months the bills have averaged over four dollars a 247 00:20:03,839 --> 00:20:07,640 month. Then that seemed peculiar to you. Well, Ranger, we just 248 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,720 sure, sure I know. Now, can you give me the name of 249 00:20:11,759 --> 00:20:22,519 the person to whom these bills were sent? Get it for you right away? 250 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:26,440 Why, yes, Ranger, mister Calson's here. I believe he's on 251 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,519 the phone right now. But if you come in, thank you, ma'am 252 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:34,119 you missus Calson. Yes, I hope I'm not bothering you any Miss Calson, 253 00:20:34,279 --> 00:20:41,960 not a tam will Ranger. My husband is here, okay, yeah, 254 00:20:41,079 --> 00:20:48,359 see I think that'd be ranged. Yeah, sure, tell you what 255 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,480 I'll come a little later, I'll bring the clent with me. Sure, 256 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:56,799 thanks for calling you by, And this is range up here. Hell, 257 00:20:56,079 --> 00:20:59,920 sorry to margin like this, mister Calson, but I got a few questions. 258 00:21:00,079 --> 00:21:03,480 Question. Sure, what about you own the Star Hotel, don't you? 259 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:08,200 Yes? I do Star Motel. That white elephant, White elephant. 260 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,839 I've been trying to get rid of it for two years. Why. Well, 261 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,519 like basically said, it ain't been worth a hoot since the new highway 262 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:19,920 went in two years ago. Half the traffic that used to pass it it 263 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:25,079 hasn't been used for two years. Well, I guess I didn't mean exactly 264 00:21:25,519 --> 00:21:29,319 What did you mean? I tried to keep it going for a year after 265 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:33,640 the highway went through, but couldn't rent enough rooms. Wasn't worth trying to 266 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,599 save? You got the keys to it, keys? Sure is something wrong, 267 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:41,079 ranger might be ma'am. Can you take me through the motel, mister 268 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:52,000 Calson anytime? Right now? Suit? You couldn't be better. Let's go. 269 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,160 I ain't been out here for close on three or four weeks. Did 270 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,000 you go through the cabins? Then? Just take a look. See kids 271 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,680 sometimes full round And that's why I boarded up the windows wenna. Take a 272 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:21,200 look at the office. Yeah, go ahead, mister Calson, Sure nothing 273 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:26,160 in here, nger, No, that's not are you thinking particularly you're looking 274 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,200 for? Yeah, you have this floor washed lately. Oh heck no, 275 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,960 ain't no use paying for something like that. It's been washed recently. Uh 276 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,680 why now? You know scrubbing wood with hot water always raises the grain, 277 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,839 and hot water isn't as good as cold to wash out bloodstains. But blood, 278 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:53,640 holy cons right here? Go on? What the devil is this two 279 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:57,000 way you fellows? My guess is a couple of men I want from murder? 280 00:22:57,039 --> 00:23:03,279 Mister Calson murder telephone? Why everything? Okay? Yeah? Purus? 281 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,119 That guy me? Why I never carry a gun? Well, we'll just 282 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:10,440 make sure. Ah, he's clean, all right, now strip the ranger's 283 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:14,960 gun belt. Wait a minute, you got the drop on me. Maybe 284 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,759 i'd have to be a fool to draw. But if you don't want me 285 00:23:17,799 --> 00:23:21,359 to be a fool, don't touch these guns. You try and take them 286 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,279 off me and I'll go down use them and I might get lucky. All 287 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:30,759 right, lock let him alone. He's too smart to start anything. Go 288 00:23:30,759 --> 00:23:33,240 get the panel truck out and start loading us stuff. Fast. Well, 289 00:23:33,279 --> 00:23:36,519 what about them? We can lock them in, fix that car so they 290 00:23:36,559 --> 00:23:38,279 can't get out of here for a while after we leave. If they try 291 00:23:38,319 --> 00:23:41,640 to come out while we're still here, we'll bless whatever door of window they 292 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:47,079 try to come through. Get that ranger, I get it, Okay, 293 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,359 I'll be outside. Chuck. So your name's Chuck? Huh? Good as 294 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,559 any What are you and that other fellow doing in my Please go ahead, 295 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,960 Chuck? Tell him some other time. Friend, Now you too, listen 296 00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:03,359 because I ain't gonna say this twice. Try to bust out before you hear 297 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:07,440 us. Drive off and you'll get it good. I'll stay your foot. 298 00:24:11,599 --> 00:24:15,640 They got us locked in. Yeah, Oh don't go hear that windowy, 299 00:24:15,839 --> 00:24:18,279 you heard what he said, a little crack in the boarding. I'm just 300 00:24:18,319 --> 00:24:22,519 taking a look. What are they doing? Come here and take a look 301 00:24:22,519 --> 00:24:26,160 for yourself. Well, I should have watched the place more. I never 302 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,720 knew anyone who's using it, and use plenty. Look what they're taking now 303 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,759 first, all kinds of stuff. It's beginning to make sense. Closed down 304 00:24:33,759 --> 00:24:37,920 the hotel made a nice storage bin for stolen unsmuggled goods until I could run 305 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,039 into the markets. Oh, they'll get away you you said there was a 306 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,160 murder. Take it easy, mister Calson. We'll get them, or they'll 307 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,440 be across the border in a half an hour before we could even reach a 308 00:24:47,519 --> 00:24:51,680 phone. Maybe you better take a chance and get shot down in cold blood. 309 00:24:52,079 --> 00:24:55,319 No, but we'll get them, all right. Know why, mister 310 00:24:55,400 --> 00:25:07,480 Calson? Why because you will help. I pinned Calson with a quick headlock 311 00:25:07,519 --> 00:25:10,200 and then got one arm up fine him an applied pressure so I could keep 312 00:25:10,279 --> 00:25:12,200 him still while I had a free hand. I reached into his jacket and 313 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,319 found what I was looking for under his shoulder. Then I pushed it. 314 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:19,039 But herre you crazy? He almost prove my arm u off. Calson? 315 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,839 Do you think I saw this gun bulging under your coat and they deliberately missed 316 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,160 it when they frished you. You played it real smart almost, so I 317 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,240 don't know what you're talking about. This gun and the electric bills you paid 318 00:25:30,279 --> 00:25:32,920 him, paid bills that were being run up in a place that was supposed 319 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:34,960 to be shut down. Seemed kind of funny. You never complained of the 320 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,559 power company, So what you got a phone call from your friends out there? 321 00:25:38,599 --> 00:25:41,559 They tipped you because they saw me nosing around here earlier. Right, 322 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:47,160 Oh, okay, okay, take a look out there. They're almost finished. 323 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,119 In a couple of minutes they'll be gone, and half an hour they'll 324 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,559 be over the border. How about you. You want to stick back here 325 00:25:52,599 --> 00:25:56,400 and face a murder charge. There's a nothing you can prove. There's plenty 326 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,559 we can prove, Calson, and you're holding the bag. You'll have a 327 00:25:59,599 --> 00:26:02,759 tough time. I'm explaining those electric bills and then missing your gun. I 328 00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:04,920 didn't kill that man, did this, Chuck do it? Yeah? Yeah, 329 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,079 that schems would come in the show was going on. Chuck killed him 330 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,279 then drove him away. All right, now listen real careful to me. 331 00:26:11,519 --> 00:26:15,279 I'm gonna fire this gun of yours. Then you hammer on the door and 332 00:26:15,319 --> 00:26:18,240 holler for him. Get it. What do you want to Just listen when 333 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,759 they come up, tell him you had to kill me. Tell him to 334 00:26:21,799 --> 00:26:25,319 open the door. Then mister Calson stepped back and out of the way fast. 335 00:26:26,559 --> 00:26:30,559 They'll be gone in a minute. Make up your mind, all right, 336 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,559 go ahead on it. Any funny tricks and you get it first. 337 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:40,000 Now ready, turn that door, dollar, Chuck, Look, give me 338 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:45,599 a fast over the door. Now when it's opening. Step back over the 339 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,000 door. I had to kill him. He was making a break for it. 340 00:26:48,079 --> 00:26:52,119 You get just knocked him off. Reach. Hey, what's a big 341 00:26:52,119 --> 00:27:03,359 idea are you? We've come back for him later, calson. Meantime, 342 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,000 lets you and me get back to town. I got you a deal for 343 00:27:07,079 --> 00:27:30,920 this white elephant motel. You can trade it for a jail cell. And 344 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,160 now here is the wheaties man. Frank Martin, all right, sound effects 345 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:40,920 man ring the alarm clock. Yeah. I used to grow too when I 346 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,640 heard that sound. And one morning I said to myself, now, look, 347 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,000 Martin, you gotta get up. Why fight it? Think about something 348 00:27:48,039 --> 00:27:52,400 pleasant? And right away I thought, wheaties. That's about the pleasantest thinking 349 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,079 a man can do. Why when you figure you can sit down to a 350 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,079 bowl of good, crisp wheaties, and then if you like time the world, 351 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,519 when you know a bowl of wheaties and milk and fruit can help you 352 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,599 work good because you feel good? Why it almost makes you want to shake 353 00:28:07,599 --> 00:28:11,039 hands with your alarm clock. And when you hear it, come morning, 354 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:15,480 roll out happy, reach for the big orange and blue box and see how 355 00:28:15,559 --> 00:28:25,240 wheaties at seven can help at eleven next week Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment 356 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:41,039 of the case from the Piles of not Texas Rangers. Joel McCray will soon 357 00:28:41,079 --> 00:28:47,400 be seen starring in the Universal International Technicolor Productions Saddle Tramp. Tonight's cast included 358 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:51,880 Tony Barrett, Paul McCay, Louke Krugman, Jeff Corey, Robert Bruce, 359 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:56,559 Byron Kine, and Jeanette Nolan. This story was transcribed and attapt it by 360 00:28:56,599 --> 00:29:00,079 Russell Hughes. The program was produced and directed by Stacy Keith. And this 361 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:10,519 is Hell, Give Me Speaking, and this is the Wheedies Man Frank Martin 362 00:29:10,599 --> 00:29:15,680 inviting you to listen Monday night to Frank Lovejoy and Night Beat on the Wheaties 363 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:33,000 Big Parade. See you. Then listen tomorrow for the Summer Symphony. Now 364 00:29:33,039 --> 00:29:36,240 It's Basin Street Time on NBC