 Rangers starring Joel McRae as Ranger Jayce Pearson. Another authentic reenactment of a case transcribed from the files of the Texas Rangers. This is in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. With only six shopping days till Christmas, thoughts go quickly to the many happy, hurried preparations for this wonderful religious feast day. There are presents for the children, the turkey for dinner, and a thousand and one important things to plan in a range before December 25th rolls around. Sunday is probably your day to rest, your day to take it easy. And it's on Sunday that NBC brings you a whole evening of great entertainment to help you relax, put you into a holiday mood, and provide you with many hours of pleasant radio listening. Today here the big show with stars including Rosalind Russell, Phil Silvers, Jack Carson, Sarah Vaughn, and many more. Yes, a full 90 minutes of great entertainment is yours. Comedy, drama, music. It's the big show. Then Phil Harris and Alice Faye are featured in a half hour of mirth and music. Later, Theater Guild on the Air presents Terrone Power and Loretta Young and Aerosmith by Sinclair Lewis. Stay tuned to NBC. Now entering its second quarter century as the leader in radio programming. And now from the files of the Texas Rangers, the case called Pick Up. It is 1130 on the night of July 15th, 1948, in a hobo jungle just outside the freight yards of Stone Canyon, Texas, two men crouch beside a small fire. Ain't that coffee ready yet, Whitey? For you know it, the freight will be here. Well, it ought to be ready now. Hand me them two tin cans. Catch. I wish we was already right in that rattling, Joe. I'm getting cold. You're always getting cold. Well, it's my chest. Ain't been right since last winter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, here's your coffee. You know, I've been thinking, Joe, maybe we ought to stick around a while. What for? Well, it's plenty of work here. Besides, I'm getting tired. Always moving. Never getting set long enough to rest. Now what's the matter? This coffee. What'd you put in it? Well, I bet it the same as always, Joe. I ought to know better than to let you make it, Whitey. You never could make a cup of coffee fit your drink. Come on, let's grab that rattling. Hey, you're pouring the coffee on the fire. That's all it's good for. Put out fires. Come on, let's go. Well, let me finish my coffee first. Come on, come on, Whitey. You want to miss this freight? Well, OK, Joe. Joe, Joe, wait. I can't run so fast. Come on, come on, Whitey. Joe, Joe, I'm trying, Joe. Wait, Whitey, Whitey, why are you with the door open? Yeah, yeah, all right. Hurry up, will you? I can't, I can't think it, Joe. Give me your hand. There you go. I don't know why I bothered with you. Lord trouble. Move out of the way. I want to get the door closed. Might be some railroad takes a while. That's better. Joe, there's somebody else riding in this car, over in the corner. So what? You don't know the railroad? Well, he's laying on his face. Something's wrong with him. He's probably drunk. Leave him be. Well, maybe he's sick. I'm going over. Joe, now what's the matter with you? This guy, he's dead. What? Yeah, we see. Yeah, we had to pick this car. We got to get out of here, Joe. You crazy, Whitey. This rattle is moving too fast now. We get killed. Well, let the cops find us in here with that stiff that sent us away for good. We got to get out of here, Joe. Wait, I've got a better idea. He's going to get out. You, you're going to throw a dead man off the train? Why not? You won't care. I still think we ought to leave him be. Get out soon as the rattle slows down near a town. What's the matter, you chicken? Come on, get hold of his other arm. Joe, no, won't grab it, Whitey. Let's get him over to the door. Oh, I feel sick. You're always healing sick. Sure is rock country out there. They don't have to worry about him no more. Okay, Whitey. What do you say we get some sleep? Whitey was found in a rocky ravine a day later by a Mexican nester, Julio Ramirez, who rode to the nearest town and reported his discovery. In the absence of the sheriff, the rangers were notified. Within two hours, rangers Pierce and Clay Morgan were riding to the ravine together with Ramirez. How much farther, Julio? It's not far, senor. Just over this slope. The dead one is there at the bottom. Are you sure you've never seen him before? Yeah, but no, senor. And I would know because in a whole year I see maybe like six people. This one I never seen. That's why it was such a great surprise to find that dead one. Oh, Rosita. She was so scared. Rosita? That's my burro, senor. She was so scared. Ah, senor. There, there, there is the dead one. He's down there by the rocks. Oh, who are you? Whoa, boy. Eh, Jace, railroad tracks in this side of the ravine. Uh-huh. Julio? Yes, senor. Often do the trains come past here? Oh, two times a day, senor. But they do not carry a lot of people. You mean the freight trains? Yes, yes. That's it. Freight trains. They could have fallen off one of these freight trains. Yeah, we're no better when we get a look at the body. Get up, Char. Come on, come on. Yeah, Harry, Rosita, Harry. No, no, no, Rosita. Don't be scared. The dead one will not hurt you, querida. Easy, Char. Easy, boy. Yes, senor. My Rosita. She's still scared. If you don't need me some more. You can go now, Julio. Thanks for helping us. Ah, por nada, senor. I'll be in my shack all over that hill. Harry. Adios, señores. Oh, Char. Oh, boy. Oh, let's get to work, Clay. Shirt's torn, there's dirt and rock dust all over his back. Looks like he did fall off one of those freight or got pushed. Yeah, turn him over, will you? Yeah. Jays. Yeah, shot in the chest. Well, that's our first break. Bullet didn't go through the body. We'd be able to turn the slug over to ballistics. Help check him for identification. Isn't that what you call a pretty boy, is he? Rolling down that hill didn't improve his looks, any. You find anything? Not yet. Pockets are clean. I don't think we'll get much from the dungarees in the shirt. Hey, wait a minute. What is it? Laundry mark on the shirt. CJ 405. That's some help. Not too much. We'll have to check every laundry in Texas to find out where this came from. I got a hunch we may not have to do that. That stain on his shirt, and those two on his dungarees. Or would you say they were? They could be crude oil. Uh-huh. Take a look at his shoes. Some more stains on top and oil caked in the soles. Yeah, it looks like it worked in the oil fields. We'll have the lab go over these clothes, but it sounds like a pretty good bet. An awful lot of all towns in Texas, Jays. Yeah, but only one I know of on this rail line. You mean that boom town south of here? That's it. Ralston. Well, I suppose we find out he did come from there. How'd he get in one of those freight and who pushed him off right here at this spot? We'll worry about that later. Come on, Clay. We got a lot to do before we head for Ralston. We arranged for the local justice of the peace to bring the body into town. And we photographed the dead man in the laundry mark on his shirt. Three hours later, we were in Ralston checking the laundries. The second one told us what we wanted to know. The dead man was Carl Jessup, an oil well rigger who worked for an independent operator named Hamlin. We located Hamlin at one of his drilling rigs. Well, what can I do for you, Range Houston? I'd like to ask you a few questions. Sure. Excuse me just a minute. Scotty, tell Al over in the knowledge house to come on out and check that bit when you get her up. Alright, what kind of questions? You know a rigger named Carl Jessup? I did. What do you mean you did? Well, he worked for me two nights ago. Didn't show up for work the next morning, so I figured he took off. Any reason why he'd do that? Well, he just been paid him once wages. Maybe just wanted to move on, work someplace else. But he didn't tell you he was gonna quit. No, he didn't. Wasn't surprised though. Why not? Well, Carl was always kind of restless. Big, homely boy. Got the idea he was always unhappy about something. Anything in particular he was unhappy about? Well, I don't rightly know. Seemed like he was carrying a grudge against the world because he was born so homely, I guess, but that's only a guess. Play show Mr. Hamlin the photo. Yeah. Is that Jessup? Yeah, that's him all right. It was kind of funny, Ranger. Was he hurt or something? He was murdered, Mr. Hamlin, shot through the chest. Murdered? But who'd want to... That's what we're trying to find out. Did Jessup ever fight with any of the other oil workers around Ralston? Not gonna know of. Like I say, he was quiet and never cracked a smile, but I never seen him fight with nobody. When was the last time you saw him? Like I say, two nights ago. I just paid them in and most of us went down to the Bonanza Cafe for a glass of beer. Jessup was there. Did he seem upset about anything? Upset? No matter the fact, he was looking happier than I ever seen him look. Can't say as I blame him, neither. How do you mean? Well, he was talking with the prettiest redhead I've seen in a long time. Oh, you know her name? No, no, never seen her before. But can you describe her? That ain't hard. She's about five, four, built like a... Well, as you know what I mean. Didn't it strike you funny, Mr. Hamlin, that a pretty girl like that would be hanging around an ugly fella like Jessup? Well, maybe it did a little, but you never know about women. Besides, I figured that was strictly their business. I'm glad you see them leave the cafe together. Might have. Couldn't swear to it. I remember looking up once and they were both gone. Say, you figured this gal shot Carl? We don't figure anything yet. This Bonanza cafe, is it near the freight yarns? Yeah, about a block away. How much money Jessup get paid that night? Well, I'd have to check my records to tell you exact, but I know it was a right fair amount, worked a lot of overtime. Must come to six hundred odd dollars. Are you thinking the same thing I am, Jayce? Yeah, sounds like the old confidence game, all right. And from what we know of Jessup, he was a sitting duck for it. Mr. Hamlin, you mind taking a trip to Austin with us? Well, what for, Ranger? We want you to go through our mug file of confidence girls. Maybe you can identify a pretty redhead. How about that one, Mr. Hamlin? No, that ain't her. Now, look, Ranger, I'm glad to help out if I can, but I'm getting a little tired of looking at gal's pictures. We don't have many more to go through. Hand me that last bunch of folders, Clay. Sure. Yeah, take a look at this one. Nope, nope. Don't even look like it. Besides, that one's a blonde. Gal, you once got red hair. Real red. It might be dyed. This one looked familiar? I don't... Wait a minute. Yeah, let me take another look. Yeah, that's her, Ranger. That's her. Oh, is it, Jayce? Well done, Lot. Served three terms of gory confidence record. I didn't recognize her first. Looks a might younger in that picture. It was taken four years ago. You sure she's the one? I couldn't miss her. She's sure got a pretty face. So she's the one that shot Jessup, huh? More likely the man she works with. Man? I didn't see no man with her in Jessup. You wouldn't have. He was probably waiting outside the cafe, maybe in the freight yard. Well, how'd you find out who the man was? If there was one? Little Dunlap's record ought to tell us something. Uh-huh. Yeah. You find something, Jayce? Could be. Each time Lil was arrested, she was with a man named Charlie Bond. Want me to get his file out? Yeah, but first take Mr. Hamlin over to the colonel and see if he gets transportation back to Ralston. Sure. Come on, Mr. Hamlin. All right. Meet you back here, Jayce? No, by the teletypes. I'm gonna get out and all points bulletin' on Lil Dunlap and Charlie Bond. In a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jayce Pearson. Charity is all mankind's concern, and especially at this time of the year, we must in our charity remember there are many less fortunate men, women, and children who have not even sheltered, much less a comfortable home where families can be reunited. We must in our charity remember the poor and the lonely who will not receive a Christmas present or be remembered by anyone if we forget them. We must in our charity remember those suffering in hospitals. Shut in and yet shut out from Christmas joy. We must in our charity remember young children whose dreams of Christmas we can help come true. Yes, charity is all mankind's concern. You can show your concern for mankind by supporting the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Through the Salvation Army, your charity brings Christmas happiness to legions of lonely and poor people. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Pick Up. We got out and all points bulletin' on Lil Dunlap and Charlie Bond with orders to spot and keep under surveillance but not to apprehend. Clay worked south and I worked north hoping to get some line on them. The first day passed without results, so did the second. The third day at noon I received an urgent radio call from Clay. I met him back at company headquarters. Well, you got back in a hurry, Jayce. What's up, Clay? Phone call from San Antonio about Lil Dunlap. Have they ever spotted? Well, not exactly, but a rancher identified her as the girl who picked him up in a cafe last night. She invited him to a party. And a shortcut through the freight yards. A man jumped out, slugged him and rolled him for all his money. Is that it? Yeah, that's it. Same old pattern. Did the rancher get a look at the man? No, Jayce was too dark, but it's a good bet it was Charlie Bond. How much did they get away with this time? Over $800. Doing all right. Yeah, not for long, I hope. You know, they must be pretty confident to start operating so soon after they murdered Carl Jessup. Yeah, but at least they're operating. Sooner or later, we'll get them. Probably not in San Antonio. Chances are they moved on soon as they made their hall there last night. Maybe. Hey, wait a minute. What's on your mind? San Antonio. Where's that folder with Charlie Bond's record? Over on the other desk. You got an idea, Jayce? Yeah, I'll tell you in a second. Here's what I want. Take a look at that page, Clay. Second paragraph. I don't get it, Jayce. It's just as Charlie wants a temper to escape from Huntsville with a cellmate. A guy named Earl Dorn, otherwise known as Mousy Dorn. You know this fellow? I sent him off on his last trip to Huntsville. He worked the confidence record, same as Charlie Bond. Yeah, but what's that got to do with... San Antonio, Clay? That's where Mousy lives. Never operated any other place. You don't think he was in on that job with the other pair last night, do you? No, but if he was as good a friend of Charlie as I think he was, Charlie wouldn't leave San Antonio without seeing him. Maybe he and the girl even stayed with Mousy. Could be worth out paying a visit, huh? Yeah. Come on, Clay. Let's get to San Antonio. This is it. Doesn't look like anybody lives here. We'll soon find out. Not what you'd call a fancy house. Mousy never did go in much for trimmings. Yeah, I didn't think anybody was here. Try the door. Yeah. Jay, she's going out the back window. Yeah. Hold it, Mousy. Let me go. Come on. Come on. Let me go, huh? Stick around, Mousy. It's not polite to walk out on your visit. Well, I ain't done nothing, Ranger. Why are you trying to run away? I wasn't trying to run away. I just got scared. Let me go, huh? Sure. Come on. Let's go sit down. We want to have a little talk with you. Well, what do you have to me for, Ranger? I've been living right ever since I got our hunch fill. Sit down, Mousy. Yeah. Jay, over here on the sink. Yeah, you've been having visitors, Mousy? Huh? No, no, no. I had no visitors, no. You usually drink coffee out of three cups at once? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I forgot. My aunt and uncle from Houston, they come by for a cup of coffee. I see. Yeah. A middle cup, Clay. Hold it by the bottom and bring it here, will you? Yeah. Thanks. So your aunt and uncle were here? Yeah, yeah. My aunt and uncle, yeah. What colors your aunt's hair, Mousy? Huh? She's got gray hair, yeah. You're sure it isn't red, Mousy? Yeah. Yeah, well, why? The lipstick on this cup is bright orange, the kind a red-headed woman might wear. You sure it was your aunt and uncle that were here? Oh, yeah. Well, I... It could have been a little Dunlop and Charlie Bond, couldn't it, Mousy? Charlie? I ain't seen him in a long time. A real long time, ranger. How many times you've been in Huntsville? I don't remember. Twice, I think. Three times, I know. Yeah. Yeah, I remember now. Well, three times, yeah. You know what happens when you get sent up again? You can't send me up again. I ain't done nothing. We're looking for Charlie Bond and a little Dunlop. They were here, weren't they? No. If they were here and you don't tell us, the charge would be harboring criminals. The judge will throw the book at you. They weren't here. I tell you. All right, Clay. Let's take these cups down to Sheriff's office. We'll bring Mousy along for company. You can't take me in. I ain't done nothing. We won't keep you long, just till we take the fingerprints off these cups. Fingerprints? Uh-huh. As soon as we find out they don't belong to Charlie and Lil, we'll bring you back home. You ready, Mousy? I... Oh, wait a minute. You ready to start talking? Maybe. Maybe they was here. How long ago? Early this morning. They say whether we're heading? No, no. They didn't say. Come on, Mousy. Let's go. Oh, wait! Wait! Wait! I... I... Okay. Okay, Ranger. They're going to Gulf City. Sounds like they're going to try to luck with a seaport for a change, Jason. Which cafe will Lil be working, Mousy? I don't know. She and Charlie were talking about it. They figured I'd decide when they get there. Come on, Clay. I don't know. React to Charlie a little, Ranger. If I don't know, I'll throw you right off. I'll bet. Next time, just be more careful about who you invite for coffee. I phoned the Gulf City chief of police and asked him to stake out his men in every cafe where Lil might be expected. As soon as one of them spotted her, he was to keep an eye on her and phoned the chief's office. And Clay and I headed for Gulf City. Yeah, just 20 more miles to Gulf City, Jason. Yeah. We ought to make it before dark. The chief's men are the job. It shouldn't be too hard to spot Lil. Our problem is to take Lil and Charlie together. We'll have to set a trap, Clay. I don't follow you. As soon as we get to Gulf City, I'm going to borrow a pair of Dungarees and a denim shirt. What for? So I can pose as a seaman who's just been paid. Walk into the cafe where Lil is and try and get her to pick me up. Well, let's say she does, then what? And she'll lead us to Charlie Bond. But, Jay, Charlie's a killer. You won't be able to carry a gun in that seaman's outfit. But you'll have a gun and you'll be tailing me. From the minute Lil and I leave the cafe. Well, I hope it works. Not half as much as I do, Clay. Not half as much. We arrived at Gulf City around 7 o'clock. I outlined my plan to the chief and he arranged for some seaman's clothes. I changed into Dungarees and then Clay and I settled down in the office to wait. 10 o'clock. Maybe she's not going to show tonight. I'll give her time. She's probably waiting till the cafes fill up. So it won't be so noticeable when she walks out with her latest sucker. But only tonight that's going to be you. Things work our way. There'll be two other suckers tonight. Lil and Charlie Bond. If things work our way, I still don't like it, Jayce. You got a better idea? No, I reckon not. What's the matter? It's not really funny, but I can't get over you in that seaman's outfit. You look like you haven't spent a day on land in ten years. Just so it convinces Lil. And it ought to. I'm convinced and I know you. I'll get it. Ranger Morgan. Where? Yeah, right away. Come on. Lil, the anchor cafe. Let's go, sailor. The cafe was crowded with seamen when I walked in. I spotted Lil at the corner table and passed her on my way to the counter. Took out a wad of bills and made sure she could see them and then I asked the proprietor for change to play the jukebox. I put in a nickel and when I turned around she was standing at my shoulder. Hello, sailor. Hi. You like music, huh? We don't get to hear much about ship. You are one of the tankers? Yeah. What's your name? Jack. Jack. That's a real nice name. Mine's Lil. Buy me a beer, Jack? Sure. Come on over. I hope you don't think I did wrong coming up to you and speaking first. I'm glad you did. One beer and coffee, please. Well, don't you drink beer? Yes, sometimes. Oh, I knew when you came in you'd be nice to talk to. I was right, too. It's funny. I was thinking the same thing when I saw you. Were you? I didn't even know you'd noticed me. Oh, that pretty red hair and how could I miss you? You are nice. Gee, I wish we could dance in here. Yes, so do I. Hey, I got an idea. Two friends of mine are having a party tonight. Why don't we go? We could dance there. I couldn't go in these work clothes. Oh, that won't make any difference. Come on, Jack. Well, but don't you want to wait for your beer? There'll be plenty at the party. Come on. Okay. Forget that beer and coffee. Maybe I'll go back to ship and change into some better clothes. I told you it won't make any difference. My friends won't care. Which way? Right down here. Sure, I'm glad I met you tonight. Yeah, me, too. We've met a long time before this. You see, I was right. You are nice. Oh, we'd take a shortcut through here. Freight yard? My friends, they're right on the other side. This'll save us a couple of miles of walking. I know. If you say so. It only takes a few minutes. How come you're so quiet all of a sudden? I reckon I don't have much to say. Well, I expect we'll have a lot to talk about before the evening's over. Say that again. Now, that's more like it. For a minute there, I was beginning to think you didn't like me. Are you scared of something, Leo? Of course not. Why? The way you're looking around, I... No, you don't! Slug him, Charlie! Slug him! Give me that gun! Charlie, look out! Grab the girl, Clay! I've got this one! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! I can't! Yeah, come on! I said, give me that gun! Oh, Charlie! Yeah, he'll be all right. You okay, Jay? Yeah. Put the other pair of cuffs on, Charlie. Sure. Dirty, dirty cops! Hey, you sure hit him hard, Jay. She's out cold in the... I should have known you were a cop. I should have figured it out the minute I saw you. Don't worry, Leo. You'll have plenty of time for a figure, and from now on... In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Music means all things to all people. Music is relaxation, adventure. Elysian fields of dreams come true. We of NBC feel proud of our Monday evening lineup of truly fine music programs. Tomorrow means more fine music on NBC, with the railroad hour featuring Gordon McRae. Tomorrow Nadine Conner will guest on the railroad hour production of the Romberg Gershwin musical Rosalie to add to your Monday evening listening pleasure. Also tomorrow there's the voice of Firestone with guest Jerome Hines and Howard Barlow directing the orchestra in March of the Toys. Later there's the telephone hour with guest soloist Michael Rabin and the orchestra under the direction of Donald Voorhees. And enjoy the Mario Lanza show with Mario Lanza, lovely Giselle Mackenzie and Ray Sinatra, and the orchestra. Yes, Monday is your invitation to hear the railroad hour, the voice of Firestone, the telephone hour, and the Mario Lanza show. Hear it on this station. And now here are the results of the case you have just heard. Faced with ballistics proof that his gun killed Carl Jessup, Charlie Bond admitted shooting him and placing his body in a freight car. Bond and Lil Dunlop received life sentences in the penitentiary. Early in 1949, whitey homes of vagrant dying of tuberculosis in the county hospital confessed that he and another man had thrown the body of Carl Jessup from a moving train, thus clearing up the unsolved element in the case. Sweet Joel McRae and another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers, included Tony Barrett, Tom McKee, Brad Brown, Herve Ellis, Bob Sweeney, and Joan Banks. Technical advisor was Captain M.T. Lone Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers. This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E. Israel, and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Pease. Hal Gibney speaking. Next it's The Big Show, all this and Tallulah 2 on NBC.