Speaker 1: It's National Wheaties Week. Yes, it's National Wheaties Week, and
Wheaties present Joel McCrae in Tales of the Texas Rangers
on stage tonight, transcribed from Hollywood, Another in the Wheaties
Big Parade of exciting half hour presentations, Tales of the
Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger 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 from the piles of
the Texas Rangers come these stories based on fact only. Names, dates,
and places are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves
are a matter of records. Tonight's case the Open Range.
Speaker 2: It is August fourth, nineteen forty eight. Maury Buckland, Sun
Dave and driving across their ranch and jeep dropping off
salt cakes for their cattle.
Speaker 3: There's the last stop, Pa, there, Bill prop this one
here on smatter, Pa.
Speaker 4: The last salt cake we dropped here is hardly touched.
Speaker 5: Look at it? Huh? Why uh? No point leaving another one?
Speaker 4: Usually quite a few heads around here.
Speaker 3: I wonder why they're not touching it. Suppose somebody could
be running them off the rustler's paw. That's kind of
out of date.
Speaker 5: I'd say. Maybe there's a breaking fence down to the
old road.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeh, Bill, you better drive around the cotton woods
than ever.
Speaker 5: Look there's a break. We can fix her right now.
I have to go back and get horses, nor if
we're gonna pick up the strays. Yeah, we'll be.
Speaker 3: Able to see the fence now soon as we get
over this rise.
Speaker 4: Hey, Paul, Paul, pig truck down?
Speaker 5: That if what's a man?
Speaker 6: And some of us stop?
Speaker 5: So that's what's been happening to him? Feed it up,
poll kit, my rifle back here, she is coming. You
dona better stay right we here from me.
Speaker 6: I'll get you for this come back back.
Speaker 5: Oh what.
Speaker 1: Tales of the Texas Rangers will continue in just a moment.
Speaker 5: It's National Wheati's Week, all right, And it couldn't happen
to a nicer flake because look, there's a whole kernel
of wheat in every wheaty's flake, and you know, whole wheat.
Of course, the naturally sweet whole wheat flavor of wheaties
is important too, and good. I my come on help
celebrate national Wheati's weak. Just buy and that's all. Buy
him and see how Wheaty's at seven can help. At eleven, Dave.
Speaker 2: Buck La managed to drag his father to the jeep
and drive to the nearest hospital, but the father was.
Speaker 5: Dead on arrival.
Speaker 2: Sheriff Clyde Johnson immediately called the Texas Rangers, and Ranger
jas Pearson was assigned to the case.
Speaker 5: What are you looking for? Ranger? And I thought we'd
find some truck tire markets here. Share Brown's plenty hard
except for the dust settle on the top had a
whole attractment. Hey look, just a big wide monk.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 5: Probably some brush hung from the tailgate of the truck.
Wipe the trend right out behind him, go through the fence.
Speaker 7: Yeah, must have been operating right about here.
Speaker 5: Yeah, twenty cattle tracks, but no bootprints.
Speaker 4: Wiped out their tracks like they did with the truck.
Speaker 5: Smart. Probably dragged branches behind them. And see where they
were here though the back of crumbs and paper where
they ground out their cigarettes. Yeah, it's like fifteen or
twenty head they run off from the marks. All right,
let's go back to the car for a second. How
did the Butler's brand their herd? Ooh, just this simple
letter L. Butler's wife's name was Lou. Do you know
if their brand has been registered? I don't believe it
ever was Ranger. Why I'm gonna make a radio called
the KTXA and Austin Unit ten the KTXA Unit ten
to KTXA KTXA to ten. Unit ten requests headquarters to
ask all commission houses to be on lookout for marketing
of any cattle carrying letter L brand or any aldered
brand that might have been made to cover letter L.
Speaker 8: We'll do.
Speaker 5: Maybe part of stock stolen from Buckler ranch on eight four.
Notify Unit ten if any lead turns up. Unit ten
ten to four we'll keep you in A ten in
form d e x A Austin. Good idea of that call,
might get a lead. Yeah, when we get through here,
I want to go into the hospital and see Dave Butler.
He might just be able to describe them. Hey, wait,
what do you got? Ole cigarette? Lyon right here near
this bush and scorched? Somebody started to light it but
didn't finish. Yeah, that's match books, lion and the bush.
Whatever happened it made a feller forget about his cigarette.
Must have been when the Bucklers came over the hill.
Feller saw him through the cigarette and matches down just
he was getting ready to light up here. That could
be all right. Half the matches are still in the book.
Ones that are missing are all torn off from the
left side of the book. So so the man who
had this book of matches is left handed. Let's get
at the hospital.
Speaker 9: No, Ranger, I'm right handed, so was pop matches couldn't
have been harsh.
Speaker 5: Just making sure. Can you describe any of the stock
they made off with, Butler?
Speaker 9: Well, yeah, most of them were white faced, but there
was one of the calves that had a modeled face.
Speaker 5: Modeled huh yeah, good that helps.
Speaker 4: My plow was such a good guy, Ranger.
Speaker 9: I wish I could climb out of here and help
you find those dirty.
Speaker 5: Can you give me any kind of a description of
the man.
Speaker 7: No, never got a good look at him.
Speaker 5: A couple of days went by, then a week there
was no sign of the buckler cattle with the l brand.
I went back to headquarters to see Captain Stinson. No
sign of those cattle. Not a head Captain. Well, they
might be afraid to unload them so soon after a killing.
That means they'd have to vendor order the brands and
put him out the grays. I think they'd want to
be too close to him for fear of being spotted.
Neither do Wire Jason. That's why I've got an idea.
Ever think of trying Camp Hood now, but I should have.
It's a perfect spot for him, thirty five square miles
of free grazing land.
Speaker 4: Yeah, ever since the army deactivated the camp, a lot
of ranchers have been using it.
Speaker 5: Our last check showed.
Speaker 4: Fifteen thousand head there, all kinds of brands fatten them
up until the owners cut him out for marketing.
Speaker 5: Sure Buckler's cattle with ordered brands covering that l could
be waiting there for the thief to come back and
get him whenever he wants. Yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaker 4: That's a lot of territory and a lot of cattle
for one man to cover. I'm going to have Bud
Kirk's come in and go with you, Kurtz. Fine, the
commission houses are still on the alert. We got them
stopped on the selling end. Now it's up to you
to find those cattle.
Speaker 5: They're the only key to the killer Bud. Kurtz and
I drove to camp Hood, unloaded our horses, and started
to check the open range. In three days we ran
across more than fifty brands, all legitimate. But on the
fourth day, our folks are pretty busy, Kurtz, Yeah, cutting
out a few calves. Over there, there's a branding fire
and two men. You see us coming and keep your
eyes peeled and may be all right. But if they aren't,
one of them may throw a gun. Oh oh boy, Rangers,
STI you've left that with Gophy. No hold him for
a minute, that's the matter, Ranger. Let me frisk you.
I'll get this fella. Why what's wrong? Ranger? Ain't got
no gun? Just checking out? What's your brand?
Speaker 4: Nothing on this fellow. Well there's the iron right there.
Speaker 5: Jay in the center of a box.
Speaker 4: Huh yeah, my name's Jack Stern. Got a ranch up
in box canyon. Brand's supposed to be Jack in the box.
What are you doing with this stock? Changing over to
my brand from what an L brand? No square? You
like that one over there? He had my brand on
him yet, And take a look at it.
Speaker 5: See yeah, I see it's a square you now, but
it was an l and brand's been ordered. Okay, let
him go fine something Chase? Yeah, where'd you get this stock?
I bought him last night? Anything wrong? They were stolen
a week ago. I got a bill of sill for them.
Speaker 4: Ranger, a fellow who had him, was cutting them out yesterday.
He said he was taking some stairs to market, but
he wanted to sell the cash for six dollars ahead
so he wouldn't have to keep coming all the way
back from Ralow to get him. Came from Ralloh. Huh,
that's what he said. So here's the bill of sale.
Name was Vic Morad Angel. You must be making a mistake.
Speaker 5: Maybe how many cats he sell?
Speaker 2: You?
Speaker 5: Hate them? Boys?
Speaker 4: Bought these two in here and they're getting the others?
Speaker 5: Now? Is there modeled facing the bunch stern? Yeah, there is.
Speaker 4: Guess that settles it, Chase, this is Butler's stock.
Speaker 5: Yeah. He better drive him out and have a van
pick him up. Lab can examine the brands. Now, what
about my money? Your claims against the man who sold
them to you? Vic Morath from Ralloh if that was
his right name?
Speaker 4: If he moved steers out too, Jase, they should be
turning up at a commission house in a day or so.
Speaker 5: Yeah. In the meantime, Stern, I'll have to hold you
and your boys in custody for possession of stolen property.
Speaker 4: Ain't it enough that I lost four hundred and eighty dollars?
Speaker 5: Maybe it'll teach you not to pay cash for cattle.
Until you checked on him, I didn't pay cash. We
gave Maratha check a check. You mean he took a
check from you.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, Hey, maybe I can stop payments.
Speaker 5: You won't have to. We'll do it for you. Where's
your bank ranchers and merchants trust in Abilene? President knows me.
His name's Chelmers. All right, Stern Church, you bring him
and his voice in the town with a stop. I'll
meet you there. I got to get to a phone
and call that bank. I rode charcoal hard in the town,
found the phone and put a call through for mister Chalmers,
president of the bank in Abilene. But I was too late.
Speaker 6: I'm sorry, Ranger Pewson. But mister Marath cashed that check
shortly after we opened this morning.
Speaker 5: Did you ask Marath for identification? Yes, but he didn't
have any on him, and you cashed the check anyhow well, he.
Speaker 6: Asked us to call his bank in Radoh for a
reference to save him time. He even paid for the call.
Speaker 5: You mean he actually comes from Raulh and they've heard
of him there.
Speaker 6: The Raudo State bank said he had an account there.
Speaker 5: But you don't actually know whether the man was Marath.
Speaker 6: Well, after all, Ranger, when the man paid for the
cour all to his own.
Speaker 5: Bank and Ronel, did Marath endorse the check?
Speaker 6: Yes, it was endorsed in my presence.
Speaker 5: Will you rush that endorsed check to my headquarters? I
want to look at that signature. When the check came through,
Kurtz and I left for Ralo, Texas Rullo. We went
directly to Morass Bank. Vic Murray, Well, yeah, I know
this is his signature. Might have to compare it with
his signature card. Get more.
Speaker 6: M M A M s au A.
Speaker 5: Who we are now?
Speaker 4: He takes both signatures and.
Speaker 5: See they're not the same. Jayce, no, thank you anytime?
Ranging come on, but no, Jace Morass Rants is only
about a mile out. We better drive out there and
see him. I'm sure you won't have a drink. Rangers.
Speaker 7: Oh thanks, somebody's been using my name huh looks that way.
Speaker 5: You know who it might be. No, but it's this injured.
Wouldn't be a friend. Forgery is a mighty low trick.
I figured it may have happened one hundred times before,
mister Morath. If this is the first time we caught it,
I'm mighty glad you did.
Speaker 7: I don't like my name being mixed up with eating
and killing.
Speaker 5: Of course, you'd never see the checks. They'd go right
back to the man who made them out after they
were cashed. Anybody ever forged your name to a check
that went through your own bank. I know if.
Speaker 7: Anybody had, and I knew it, I'd have taken a
bullwhip to him.
Speaker 5: No help here, jays now. Well, thanks for your cooperation,
mister Marath. We can find our way off.
Speaker 4: So long, mister Morath, you sure you won't take one
of these before you go?
Speaker 5: I'm having another.
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 4: Thanks, I've certainly let us into a blind flash. Huh,
I said, Marat was no help.
Speaker 5: What's the matter with you, jas? I was just thinking
of that book of matches I found on the range
out of Buckler's, the ones.
Speaker 4: Who were dropped by somebody left handed.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I watched Marath pouring that drink for himself. He's
left handed. Kurtz, that's mighty feel and circumstantial. Jays, sure,
I know it is just a passing thought. I better
call kt XA Unit ten to KTXA, Unit ten back
in service.
Speaker 2: KTXA to Unit ten, have message for you, Go ahead, KTXA.
Cattle with L brand offered for sale this afternoon at
Tully commission House, fort Wood. Cattle Inspector reports brand might
have been L brand from Buckler rancher.
Speaker 5: Did commissioner get name an address of seller.
Speaker 2: Seller refused to have check mailed. We would pick it
up tomorrow after stock was weighed in price gave his
name is Vic Marath, ral Texas.
Speaker 5: Just left Marath at home in Ralloh Unit ten and
Unit six proceeding to Fort Worth will be there when
commission House opens in the morning. Unit ten ten to
four got a long drive ahead of us. Jason, Yeah,
this is the break we've waited for.
Speaker 4: It's not too important, now, is it that Marath happened
to be left handed?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 5: Not now, it isn't.
Speaker 1: In just a moment, we continue with tales of the
Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jase Pearson.
Speaker 5: It's National Wheaties Week everywhere, even backstage in our studio
here tonight. Sure it is. We're all buying and eating
wheaties this week. And here's living proof. The man who
dramatizes tales of the Texas Rangers, mister Joel Murcott, Am
I right, Joel, you gotta hear wheaties.
Speaker 10: I sure, am, Frank. And not only that, I've got
wheaties written to the breakfast script for missus Murcotton. Are
four kids too? Seems like eating wheaties little enough to
do for them when they do so much for us folks.
Speaker 5: I hope you feel that way.
Speaker 10: But even if you don't try wheaties once, just to
show us you like our shows, what do you say?
After all, National Wheati's Week only comes once a year.
Speaker 5: Thank you, Joel Murcott. We reached fort Worth during the
night and examined the cattle in the commission House stockins.
They were part of the Butler l Brands all right.
All next day, Bud Kurtz and I were staked out
in the commission House office. The man impersonating Marat never
showed to pick up his check. Well, I have to
wait again tomorrow, Chase. I don't think so he won't
be coming. What do you mean ourman didn't show because
somebody tipped him not to show.
Speaker 4: I think somebody in the commission house slipped up.
Speaker 5: Maybe not Hurts, Maybe we slipped up. Maybe we did.
What do you mean, Chase? I'll tell you as soon
as we find a photograph of Vic Morath, the real
one from Raaloh. It took almost two days to find
a picture. We went through newspaper files, Breeders publications, Cattleman
and Ranchers Journal's, County Fair, souvenir books. Captain Stinson found
what I was after, Jase, look Marath one of these? Yeah, yeah,
that's it, Captain. That's Marath in the center group picture.
Who are the others? Picture comes from a breeders journal.
Captain says it's the Marath ranch rodeo team had the
highest group score at the Ronal Radel Rodeo in nineteen
forty six, two years ago. I want to see if
Stern or Chile Where's the Banker can identify Marath as
the man who sold those calves, so.
Speaker 4: We know it wasn't Wrath. Jase, the signatures didn't match.
Speaker 5: They don't have to. Marath is left handed. He might
have endorsed the check with his right hand just to
cover up. Jas may have something there. It's worth trying.
Stern has been released. I'll call him at his ranch
and have him meet us at his bank in Abilene.
How about it, Stern? Is this the man the bareheaded
one in the center.
Speaker 4: No, no, Ranger, I never saw him before.
Speaker 5: How about you, Chalmers? Is this the man who presented
the check?
Speaker 4: No, no, it isn't another wash out, Jase, And let
me see a picture again.
Speaker 5: Sure here I am. I'm not sure, but this fell
on the end right here. Now you look at it, Chalmers? Why, yes, yes,
I believe that is the man one of the cow polks.
Speaker 6: Huh.
Speaker 5: Come on, Kurtz, we're going to visit the sheriff at
Rolloh yeah, yeah, I know.
Speaker 3: That fella quit working for Marath bout a year ago,
bought himself a little ranch not far from Morass over
near a Comanche coach.
Speaker 5: Cow polk has to be pretty thrifty to buy a ranch.
What's his name, er.
Speaker 4: Buzz Black. Let it get over to Kamanche Gulch.
Speaker 5: Jase. Yeah, thanks, sheriff. Sure, glad to be of service.
Speaker 4: Well, we're gonna be able to tell Marath who's been
using his name.
Speaker 5: We don't have to tell him I got a hunt.
He already knows. What makes you say that Black didn't
go back to pick up that check. Somebody warned him
those cattle were getting hot. That means Marath.
Speaker 4: But if he's in on it, why would he let
Black use his name?
Speaker 5: Because he's smart. The false signature makes him look like
an innocent victim. His reputation is good.
Speaker 4: And as soon as we went to him, he knew
we were on the trail, and he told Black and
the others to lay low.
Speaker 8: Right, let's get Black for a starter, all right, back.
Speaker 5: Off your hands.
Speaker 4: Huh he scared me?
Speaker 2: Sure, sure, I don't know what this is all about, but.
Speaker 5: It's about an old man who was shot to death
while you were running off some of his cattle with
an l brand me, you're crazy.
Speaker 4: I know you've got three people who can identify you.
Man who bought the Calves bank of cash to check,
and the commissioner who bought the steers from Fort Worth.
Speaker 2: All right, So what I found the cattle out of
camp Hood?
Speaker 5: I don't find cattle with a brand on them. They
weren't Mavericks. You better talk, Black, I'll talk when I
see a lord. You wait that long and the wrath
will run out and you'll be facing it alone. That
old rancher was murdered.
Speaker 6: I didn't shoot him. My sweat range up.
Speaker 5: He's gonna believe you unless you tell us who did
it and we find the gunny used. Horry, Horry, it
was Marath. He started the whole thing was his idea.
Who rode with you? One folks from here, six from
rat place? What's that right?
Speaker 4: The taking off in the brush chase.
Speaker 5: Too late?
Speaker 6: You may cover?
Speaker 5: Is the Marathe ranch over that way? Black? Yeah, yeah,
that was my riding. Must have sneaked up and hurd us.
I'm gonna handcuff you to this wagon. Wait a minute,
we'll be back for you later.
Speaker 4: Oh, Kurtz, they don't know we're coming on.
Speaker 5: They'll scatter chase. Better call headquarters for more units. We
put through the call and headed for Marat's ranch in
the car, hoping to beat the rider. He must have
stopped on the way and phone Morales because the ranch
was clear. When we got there, they cleared out chase.
Speaker 4: Better get the horses out of the trailer and start tracking.
Speaker 5: Wait a minute, Kurtz, look at this driveway. Yeah, brush
trailing behind a truck to wipe out the tracks. I've
seen that before, and this is fresh. A branch caught
in the edge of that mesquite when they turned into
the road and snapped it. The break is new. That
means they're heading for the highway. Probably all riding together
in the truck will be in arsenal on wheels. Come on.
Units we called for can set up roadblocks and converge
on Unit ten to KTXA, Unit ten to KTXA KGXA
to Unit ten.
Speaker 8: Go ahead.
Speaker 5: Subjects wanted for killing a Morey buckler making getaway and
cattle truck from Marath ranch at Ralloh. Check license numbers
of vehicles registered to Marath.
Speaker 8: We'll do a Unit ten.
Speaker 5: Subjects headed for main highway will probably turned south toward
closest border point. Unit ten and Unit six headed that way.
Have other units converge on area and set up roadblocks
with Highway patrol Units.
Speaker 8: Three and eight nearby. We'll notify them.
Speaker 5: We'll make direct contacts with units as we close in.
Unit ten ten to four Kurtz, you can comment there
the sheriff's radiocar in town. Give us a chance to spread.
Speaker 4: Out, for it's gonna be like tackling a tank.
Speaker 5: Jeez yeah, break out a Tommy gun and put it
on the seat. We moved in from all points. There
were no side roads that weren't covered by our units.
Marath and his name were locked in our ring. I
kept my foot heavy on the gas pet then far ahead.
As I approached the intersection of State twelve, I saw
the truck if over a rise, Unit ten, the Unit three,
Unit ten, the Unit.
Speaker 6: Three, Unit three go ahead, Unit ten.
Speaker 5: Subjects truck less than a mile ahead of Unit ten
nearing intersection point.
Speaker 6: Your area ready for the Unit ten, Unit six to
Unit ten go.
Speaker 5: I had Unit six, Unit six down main highways, but
in a section block highway at that point Unit six.
Subjects are between Unit six and Unit ten. Now unless
they turn off.
Speaker 4: Unit three the intersection point of state code were black
intersection good.
Speaker 5: Unit three, Unit eight has blocks still further south. If
subjects break through. I drew closer to the speeding trucks
had topped a rise and hit it down forward the
intersection of the State highway. I can see the sheriff's
car kurts it barrow blocking the road. Unit three's car
in the center of the turnoff. The trucks get it
and started to make a turn and come back forward.
I swung my car across the road, grabbed the tommy
gun and jumped down.
Speaker 6: Stop that truck. Let them have it. I should make us.
Speaker 5: No more will come out.
Speaker 8: Oh they're still alive.
Speaker 5: With your hands up?
Speaker 1: Yeah, how about you Clinton, I'm okay, all right, you man.
Speaker 5: Get over there and keep your hands up. I got
him covered, Jase one.
Speaker 4: Dead in the back hair and a couple of women.
It's Morat on the other side of the cab dead.
Speaker 5: He came out shooting and I nailed him there.
Speaker 4: He is better break that rifle out of his grip.
Ballistics can tell if it's the one that killed Buckler.
Speaker 5: He'll be the one, all right, all right. He wouldn't
have tried so hard to keep us from getting him.
Speaker 2: Vic Marath's rifle was positively identified as the one used
in the slaying of ranch Amori Buckler, Buzz Black, and
the other men who had assisted Marath were given penitentiary
sentences ranging from twenty to ninety nine years.
Speaker 1: And now here's the Wheaties Man, Frank Martin.
Speaker 5: Another triumph for the Rangers and another grand performance by
ar to sing we star mister Joel McRae, and here
he is with a few words for you personally about
National Wheaties Weeks. I hope you're enjoying tales of the
Texas Rangers, and it would give me a whole lot
of pleasure, Pardner, if I thought you'd go out and
get a box of wheaties tomorrow because of our program.
Since it's National Wheaties Week, it's a pretty good time
to get those wheaties. Will you do that? Good night?
Good night, Joel O Wheaties and I were going to
send you a free case of wheati's, but then we
thought tall that's silly. Joel McCrae eat sweeties, So chances
are his kitchen shelf is loaded. And what National Wheaties
Week is really for is to get other people to
eat wheaties, frankly, folks, is to get you to know
and appreciate the fact that there's a whole kernel of
wheat in every wheaty's flake. That's right, a whole kernel
of wheat in every Wheaty's flake. National Wheaties Week is
for you to buy wheaties and try them and see
for yourself how wheaties at seven can help at eleven.
So no free wheaties to you, Joel. Huh, You can
buy them just like all the rest of it, right, folks,
don't forget Breakfast of Champions. Come on, everybody to the
wheaties party. Eat a lot of.
Speaker 4: Wheaty second champions to dance together their cheek two cheek.
Speaker 5: This is National Wheaties Week. Eat a lot of wheaties.
Speaker 6: Secret Champions.
Speaker 1: Do Wheaty's a breakfast a Champions. Next week Joel McCrae
and another authentic reenactment of a case from the piles
of Not Texas Rangers. Joel McRae will soon be seen
starring in the Universal International Technicolor Productions Saddle Trends. Tonight's
cast included Tony Barrett, Tom Tully, Bert Holland, Joe dubal Byron.
Speaker 5: Kine, Paul Dubaff and Bob Cole.
Speaker 1: This story was transcribed and adapted by Joel Murcott, and
the program was produced and directed by Stacy Keach.
Speaker 5: Hal Gidney Speaking and This is the Wheaties Man Frank
Martin inviting you to listen on Wednesday night to Brian
don Levy in Dangerous Assignment on the Wheaties Big Parade.
See you then, and remember it's National Wheaties Week Tomorrow.
Sam Spade cuts a caper and Robert Merrill sings on
NBC
Speaker 4: Boom