 Files of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McRae as Ranger Jase Pearson. Another authentic re-enactment of a case transcribed from the files of the Texas Rangers. States and places in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. This week is filled with happy surprises for all radio listeners. For it marks the return to the air for the fall season of five of your favorite NBC radio programs. Tuesday evening the Cavalcade of America will once again recreate the interesting stories from our nation's history. Stars of Hollywood and Broadway will portray historical roles each week on Cavalcade of America and Tuesday's star will be lovely Joan Caulfield. Wednesday evening the big story returns to bring you the adventure and thrilling experiences behind the headlines in America's newspapers. And Thursday marks the return of two fine programs. First it's the Roy Rogers show featuring new adventures in the wild and woolly west. Later Thursday it's Father Knows Best back on NBC with Robert Young in the title role. And Friday your hit parade returns with the top music of the land as played and sung by Guy Lombardo and his orchestra. So for the finest in entertainment all week long remember to hear these wonderful shows. Now today's tales of the Texas Rangers. Now from the files of the Texas Rangers the case called Three Victims. It is 5 30 on a Saturday afternoon in August 1935. 18 miles south of the town of Horton in the hilly section of Texas. A young couple on horseback rides with a brush toward the crest of a long sloping ridge. That's path up ahead honey. Yeah I didn't think we'd ever make it. I'm not tired are you? Well maybe a little. How about one more race. Sit down the road and across the field over the creek. I've had enough racing today Tim besides you cheated on the last one cheated. That's a fine thing to say. It's true I'd have won easy if you hadn't cheated and gone through those cotton woods. Oh you know that shortcut as well as I do. Well I forgot about it and it wasn't fair for you to remember. Let's stop a second Tim. Such a pretty view from here. Oh boy. Oh this is the nicest time of day. Yeah. God makes those hills look just like a painting. Remember how we used to ride out here Saturday afternoons before we were married. Yeah and I also remember when I had a work Saturdays you'd ride out here with Ernie Johnson. You're not so jealous of Ernie are you Tim? Me? Of course not. Yes you are. Tim. Oh. Well I ran across that field down there. Where? Oh yeah. Sure is making traction. He's not the colleague fellow who works for you every now and then. I believe it is. Oh sure sure that's Joe. Looks like he's running away from something. Don't see anybody after. Maybe something's happening down on the road. We better go see. Come on honey. No no not that way. We'll cut straight down this bank. It's quicker. All right. Easy boy. Come on. How you making it honey? I'm just fine. Car parts on the side of the road down there. Hey those two people lying on the ground next to her. Looks like they're hurt. Still you think? I don't know. Hurry up. Tim. Someone's coming down the bank toward the car. He's hurt too. He's waving. I don't think he's going to make it. He's falling. Tim look at all the blood on his sleeve. Oh boy. Oh boy. Oh he's just a kid. He can't be more than 19 or 20. He's still moving. Look at his eyes. I don't think he even sees us. All right. Come on fella. We've got to get you to a doctor. No no no. Come on fella. Let me help you over the car. Don't touch me. Come on. Give me a hand. All right. Mama. Papa. All right. You're going to be okay fella. You're going to be okay. He shot him. Tim you reckon it could have been Joe that did it? Maybe. I don't know. He sure turned up dust getting out of here. What happened fella? He run. Yeah. Yeah he robbed us. He shot mama and papa. He shot me. I ran up the hill. All right. All right now. Don't you worry. We'll get you in time right away. Damn. Man and woman over there. All that blood. I can't go any closer. All right honey. You stay here with him. We'll see if I can help you. Mama. Papa. Don't. Please don't. Oh I wish there was something I could. I never did anything bad to anybody. Why did he have to shoot him? Why? Honey you better right over the top of the place quick as you can call a sheriff. I'll have to take this fella to the hospital in his car. His mother and father. They hurt bad. They're dead. They're dead. When the sheriff was notified of the crime you sent his deputies to the scene of the shooting and requested assistance in Texas Rangers. Then he drove to the hospital to talk to the injured boy. The young man identified himself as Henry Elman but was in no condition to give the sheriff a detailed account of the killings. In the meantime Ranger J. Spearsen arrived at the spot where the bodies were found and began questioning Alice Duncan who had returned after calling the sheriff. Where was the boy when you first saw him Mrs. Duncan? He was up this hill about half way between here and the brush. But he was on his way back toward the road. That's right. Oh it must have been awful for him. The folks get shot and having to run away to keep from being killed insane. Looks like he was shot at even after he ran away. How do you know that? When I was up there I saw some bullet holes in the trees. You were your husband here any shots for you got here? No. First we knew anything was wrong was when we saw the colored fella running across the field. You're sure he was coming from this direction. Oh yes. Right from where the car was. You know his name? His first name's Joe but I don't know his last. I'm sure my husband does though. Joe works for him sometimes. I think that'll be all for the time being Mrs. Duncan. Thanks. It's all right Ranger. I reckon I'll wait for my husband and ride home with him. What's the matter man? Nothing. I still kind of... You're a little pale. Better sit down over here on this rock. Oh thanks. I guess I am feeling a little sick. All of a sudden when I looked at those bodies again I... It's funny I didn't feel this way till now. It's the reaction. Sometimes it takes a while to hit you. I got some water in a canteen in my car. Would you like some? I'll be all right. I'll sit for a minute. Well that poor boy. The way he looked when he found out his folks were dead. His eyes. That awful cry. You don't have to talk about it anymore now ma'am. No. Sheriff's car is coming. Maybe he's got your husband with him. Excuse me a minute. I'm feeling a shaker. Let's go. Howdy Chief. Hello Sheriff. This is Tim Duncan. Well howdy Ranger. I think you better look after your wife Mr. Duncan. She isn't feeling too well. Oh well then I'll take her right home. She doesn't want to ride her horse back. I'll have my deputy take her home in the car Tim. All right thanks Sheriff. J.P.'s on his way out Jayce. Did you talk to the boy in the hospital? I tried. Found out his name was Henry Elman. Only thing I could get out of him was a man who robbed him was a Negro. Young Elman was really in a state. The dark finally had to give him a hypodermic. Who's that in your car? Well it could be our man Jayce. That the fellow the Duncan's were talking about? Yeah Joe Cartwright. Tim knew where he lived so I picked him up at his house on the way out here. Did you talk to him? A little bit. He sure tells a phony story. Personally I think he's in this thing up to his ear. Now let's get him into town. We'll find out what he knows. The sheriff took Joe Cartwright ahead in his car and I followed. On the way into town I radioed for a lab man to check over the scene of the shooting. Joe was fingerprinted and photographed. 20 minutes later the sheriff brought him into the office. Go ahead Joe. Yes sir. Sit down. Yes sir. Range appears and wants to ask you some questions. Please Mr. Sheriff. I got a headache. I got it real bad. Where were you between five and six this afternoon Joe? I reckon I was home sir. Now wait a minute. You told me before you were at the car where the people were killed. Please my headache. I'm a back two. I can't think I'm so tired. Were you at the car Joe? Yes sir. I reckon I was. Did you kill Mr. and Mrs. Elman? No sir. I didn't kill nobody. How did you happen to be at the car? Well sir I was walking along this road and I hear shooting. I run to see what it was and when I got to the car I seen two people walking. I seen two people laying on the ground. Looked like they're dead. Tell the ranger what you did then. I wanted to call the police. So I run across the field at Mr. Smith's house. That's about three miles from the car. I know Mr. Smith he got a phone. No did you call? No sir. Mr. Smith he went home. What did you do then? I started running some more. Down toward the store near where my house is. I know that is the next phone. But you never did phone did you Joe? No sir. Why not? I was cutting across the field and when I got almost down to the road I hear sirens making a big noise and a couple of cars coming long fast. So I know somebody done already called the police. Then you went back to your house and didn't bother anymore about it. That right Joe? Yes sir. I had to feed my hog. I don't think you're telling us the truth. I am telling the truth Mr. Chef I didn't kill nobody. You see your sleeve a second Joe. My sleeve? Uh huh. You know what this spot is on the corner of your cuff? No sir. It's dried blood. How did it get there? Uh I don't know sir. Maybe when I've been over them people to see if they was dead I might have touched some of the blood. Then you might have got it on you when you killed them. I didn't kill them I tell you. Ain't nobody can say I did. Could be you changed your story when their boy gets a look at you. Their boy? Yeah. He wasn't killed. And he'll be able to identify the man who shot his parents. Mr. Ranger please. I don't know what this is all about and my head's hurting bad. Let me get some sleep please. Chef can you arrange a special lineup for tomorrow morning? I reckon so. Henry Elman should be able to come over by then. Joe? You anything else to tell us? No sir. Think it over. We'll talk to you again in the morning. Early the following morning we questioned Joe again. He still denied he had anything to do with the robbery and double murder. At 7 o'clock I called the hospital. The doctor said Henry Elman was awake and would be able to leave the hospital in 30 minutes. I asked the sheriff to prepare for the lineup. Then I left for the hospital. It was only three blocks from the sheriff's office but I took my car to save Henry the walk. I waited for him in a reception room. He was a slightly built boy of 20. His left arm was in a sling and his face was pale and drawn from the strain he'd been through the day before. Ranger Pearson? That's right. How are you feeling today? All a little better I think. The doctor said the bullet went through the fleshy part of my arm. He said I'd only have to wear this sling for a few days. That's fine. The doctor said you thought you had the man who held us up. We're not sure. We'd like you to make an identification. Well, I'm not real certain I can identify him. You must have gotten a pretty good look at him. Well, yes I did. But everything happened so fast I'm not sure I'd know him. Just do the best you can. Well, we better get going. Will there be a lot of men to pick from? Six or seven. We always like to have at least that many when we use the lineup for identification. Oh. You can go ahead. Thanks. I'm not sure I can walk all the way over to the jail. My car is right out here. Oh, thanks, Ranger. That's nice of you. Henry, I hate to bother you with a lot of questions, but it's important that we know exactly what happened yesterday. You're the only one who can tell us. I've tried not to think about it. When I think about it, I get an awful feeling inside. Well, we can wait a little while before we ask anything. The lineup will be enough for one morning. No. Maybe it'll be better if I talk about it. I gotta talk about it sometime. Here's the car. You get in first, Ranger. All right. You make it all right? Yeah. I can make it. Oh, I've never been in a police car before. It's interesting. What was it you wanted to know? Anything you can remember about yesterday. Well, I came home yesterday from my job in the oil fields. I work in a place about 50 miles from here. Uh-huh. I thought Pop and Mama looked tired, so I suggested we take a ride out in the country. We had a fine time Pop and Mama laughing. We can talk about it later if you want. No, I wanted to show Pop and Mama an old Indian grindstone, so we stopped and we'd walk up the hill a little way. But it wasn't there. I know the one you mean. It's about a mile from the place where your car was. Kind of tough to find if you don't know exactly where it is. I hadn't been out there in three or four years. When did you and your parents first see the man when you came back to the car? Well, yes. He must have been hiding behind it. He jumped out, waved a gun at us. Do you have any idea what kind of a gun it was, Henry? No. Is that important? Yeah, but don't worry about it. Our lab man will be able to tell as soon as he digs some of those slugs out of the trees. Oh. The man took all our money and then Poppe. He always had a bad temper. Poppe started to fight with him. Is that when he started shooting? Yeah, he shot Poppe first and then Mama. I tried to stop him and he shot me in the arm. I got scared and ran. Well, maybe I should have stayed and fought with him. You did the sensible thing. Here we are. I'm sorry you had to go to all the trouble using your car just for a few blocks. It wasn't any trouble. Did this man shoot at you all the time you ran? Yeah, some of the bullets came real close. I ran up to the brush and hid. How far at the brush did you go? Oh, just into the edge of it. Had to come after me. I would have run further. But he just shot up the hill at me. Then I saw him run away. Uh-huh. I sure hope you've got the man, Ranger. It can't bring Poppe and Mama back. But I think the man who did it should be punny. He will be. Go on in, Henry. There's nobody in here. This is just the room where you wait. I have the lineup in front of the holdover cell. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in a minute. All right. All set for the lineup, Sheriff? All ready, Jace. All right, you fellas. I'll get Henry. Every of you, fellas, form a straight line. That's it. All right, Henry. I'm feeling a little nervous. You'll be OK. Now, hand to your sides. No talking. Look straight ahead. It's far enough, Henry. Now take a good look at these men. Any of them the man who robbed you? That big man, the second for me, and could I hear him talk? Step out, Joe. What's your full name? Joe Cartwright, sir. Where do you live, Joe? Farm Rhone 102. Ranger. He's the one. He's the one. Take it easy, Henry. He killed Poppe and Mama. He killed... In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCray as Ranger Jace Pearson. Have you ever left home, locked the door behind you, and had the uneasy feeling that you left a burning cigarette behind? Better go back and check next time, because every 20 seconds, a fire breaks out in the United States through carelessness. These fires kill 11,000 persons each year. This figure for life or severely burn thousands more and destroys $7 million worth of property. Protect your home from fire by following these simple safety precautions. Don't smoke in bed or throw away lighted cigarettes. Clean out closets, attics, basements, any place where old newspapers, magazines, and inflammable materials are liable to accumulate. Repair defective electric equipment and replace worn or frayed wiring. Use cleaning fluids that won't burn and be careful with matches. Keep them out of the reach of children. Fires in the home, your home, can and must be prevented. Remember, don't gamble with fire. The odds are against you. And now, the second act of today's tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Three Victims. It took nearly an hour after the lineup to calm Henry Elman down enough to get his full statement. The lab man picked up a copy of it and took it with him to Austin. Henry told us his aunt was arriving from out of town. He wanted to help her with a funeral arrangement, so we sent him home with one of the deputies. We brought Joe Cartwright in for further questioning. After four hours, we were getting nowhere. Joe, you'd make it a lot easier for everybody if you just told us the truth. I am telling the truth. I've been telling the truth all along. I didn't kill nobody. How can you say that after Henry Elman identified you as the one who killed his parents? Because he's the one that ain't telling the truth. Where'd you put the money you took from those people, Joe? I never took no money. How about the gun? Did you hide that the same place you put the money? Mr. Chef, Mr. Ranger, you gotta believe me. I didn't steal no money, and I didn't kill nobody. I swear I didn't. All right, Joe. We're gonna force you to talk if you don't want to. If I know anything else about this, I'll tell you. But there ain't nothing more I can say. I'll get him. Ranger Pearson. I thought you were in Austin. Chef and I will both be out. See you in 20 minutes. When we reached the place where the Elmans had been killed, we spotted Mitch halfway up the hill. We climbed the path. Mitch stood at the edge of the clearing, looking into the brush. He turned around as we approached him. Hey, this thing beats me. I can't figure it out. What's on your mind, Mitch? Well, according to Henry Elmans' statement, he came up this hill and hid in the brush. Must have been just about where we were standing. That's right. He also said the killer was shooting up the hill at him. Where could he have been? There are bullet holes in the trees all the way up the hill. Six of them. Five on the way up, and one in that tree further up behind this brush. Bullets all came from Smith and Wesson 38. What are you getting at? Well, take a look down at the road. How far would you say it was from there to this brush up here? Maybe 60 feet. 63, to be exact. I measured it. Now, turn around and look up the hill. See that tree behind the brush? It's 20 feet further up the hill from where we're standing. Now, one of the bullets hit it. I measured the distance. The bullet went into the tree, two and a half inches. I'm sorry, Mitch, but this don't make much sense to me. Maybe it will in a minute. Jay's here to Smith and Wesson 38. Brought it back from Austin. Mind shooting a slug into that tree. Any special place you want me to stand? Right here at the edge of the brush. What now? You and the sheriff come with me. I want to show you something. I wish I knew what you were getting at. Henry Elman said the killer fired at him from the road. Like I told you, the bullet I found in the tree went in two and a half inches. Here's a hole made by your bullet, Jayce. Measure how far it went into the tree, will you? Here, here's this. Two and a half inches. See what I mean? This sure puts a different light on things. Oh, gee. It means that the bullet Mitch first found in this tree had to be fired from the same place as I just fired. But that would have been right at the place where Henry said he was hiding. Yeah, and if the killer was that close to Henry, he wouldn't have left him alive. You mean Henry's been lying? Beginning to look that way. But why? Something we'll have to find out from Henry himself. That must be the Elman place up ahead on the right, Jayce, the one with the wreath on the door. I've been thinking about it. If Henry was lying, there's only one answer I can see. He's the one who killed his parents. We can't be sure of that yet, but he's going to have a lot of explaining to do. Well, there's only one thing that bothers me. Henry was wounded, too. Just in the arm wouldn't be the first time somebody shot himself trying to cover up a crime. The whole thing's unbelievable, though. What could ever make a boy hate his folks enough to shoot him down in cold blood? If Henry did do it, we're dealing with a psychopath and a clever one. It's not going to be easy to get the proof we need. Yes. Oh, what can I do for you, Ranger? We'd like to see Henry Elman. He's down at the undertaking parlor, I think. I'm his aunt. Can I help you? You expect Henry home soon? He said he'd be back at five o'clock. It's almost that now. Could we talk to you, ma'am, alone? Why, certainly. Come in. Oh, we've had so many people in all day. Everybody feels so sorry for Henry, poor boy. Let's see. I think we can talk in the kitchen. Yes. I'm afraid you'll find things a mess out here. People have been coming in since morning. Haven't had a chance to even do the breakfast dishes. It's all right, ma'am. We'd like to ask you some questions about Henry. Is something wrong? Just routine. Nature, this case means we have to check every possible angle. Of course. I still haven't gotten over the shock. I feel like I'm walking around in a bad dream. What did you want to ask about Henry? Have you known the boy Ella's life? Only since he was six. That's when my sister and her husband adopted him. Did he get along well with his parents? As far as I know, I suppose they had the usual family squabble. Did Henry always have all the money he needed? Well, if anything, I'd say Will and my sister spoiled him. He always had plenty of spending money. Uh-huh. Not counting the strain he's been under the past couple of days. Does he get upset very often? Well, I'm not around him too much, but I do know once he tried to commit suicide. When was this? About three years ago. The family was visiting me in San Anton. Henry shot himself in the garage and started the car. We'd just found him in time. He said it was an accident, but I never believed it. Do you know if he's been depressed about anything since then? Well, he's been pretty disturbed about not finishing school. Why didn't he finish? We went to the university for a couple of years, but he wasn't a very good student. The dean persuaded Will and my sister to take him out. How long ago was this? About a year ago. Henry wasn't at all happy about it. And I don't think he liked the job his father got for him in the auto field. Oh, matter of fact, I heard him phone his boss this morning and then tell him he was quitting. Uh-huh. Ranger, if there's something wrong, I think I've got a right to know what it is. Yes, ma'am, you have, but I... Yes, Doris, they told me that... Oh. Hello, Henry. Hello, Ranger. Sheriff. Nice of you to stop by. We want to ask you a few more questions, Henry. About Mom and Papa, what happened yesterday? That's right. Well, I don't see what more you have to ask me. They've got the man who did it. Maybe so, but we'd like to have you come along with us anyhow. Well, I'm kind of busy now. The funeral's tomorrow, you know. I could talk to you later tonight, but it'll be better after the funeral. Henry, if the ranger wants you to go away... I haven't got time, Aunt Doris. Ranger, why don't you come back tomorrow night? Then I'll have plenty of time to answer all your questions. I think you better come along with us, Henry. Now. We put Henry in the car and drove out toward the place where his parents had been killed. When we reached the edge of town, I could see him getting nervous, but he said nothing until we began to drive along Farm Road 102. You wanted to ask me questions, Ranger? Well, why don't you go ahead and ask him? Well, why don't you ask me? Look, I know where you're taking me. You're taking me out to the place where Mom and Papa were killed, aren't you? Well, aren't you? Now you just take it easy, Henry. It's not fair to bring me out here. I'm not well. I can't stand a lot of strain. It's just not fair. All right, Henry. Get out. What for? We want you to show us something. What? Get out of the car, Henry. Well, you've got no right to bring me out here, Ranger. That's the spot where your car was parked yesterday, isn't it? And I've told you all I know. You've got the murderer. Why do you keep asking me questions? Why'd you run when the man chased you? Why do you call him the man? You know his name. It's that Joe fellow. I pointed him out to you, and those other people saw him, too. The ranger asked you a question, Henry. Where'd you run? I told you that up this hill. Show us just where you ran. I don't know why I have to do this. Come on, show us, Henry. All right. It was this way. Over here toward this path. Was he shooting at you all the time? I told you he wasn't. He only started to shoot after I ran up the hill. Up this path? You know that? Come on, Henry. I'll help you. You take your hands off me. That's my sore arm. I was shot there. The man who killed Mom and Papa shot me, too. I believe you're right about that. Well, of course I'm right. Come on. You're sure he didn't come up the hill after you? Why do you ask that? Just answer the question. I've already told you. He stayed down on the road and shot at me up the hill. Uh-huh. Henry, your mother and father took you out of school last year, didn't they? Yeah. My father wanted me to work. I shouldn't have left school. I owe it to the world to finish my education. What were you studying? Physics. Everybody in the university admired me. The professors said that I'd be the world's most brilliant scientist someday. Why are we stopping here? This was as far as you went, wasn't it? You hid at the edge of the brush there. That's right. You see how you were able to pick Joe out of the line-up. What do you mean? You had a clear view of the road from here. I saw him closer than that when he shot Mom and Papa. And when he put that bullet through my arm. You never shot your parents, Henry. What are you talking about? I saw him, didn't I? No, you didn't. Our lab proved that the bullet he found in the tree up there had to be shot from where we're standing right now. Oh, what's that mean? That nobody shot at you. That you stood here and shot into that tree yourself. I don't know what you're doing. You killed your parents, Henry. Now, didn't you? Yeah. I killed them. I had to do it. They took me out of school. I had to do it. Where'd you put the gun and money? I buried them. I passed that big rock. Take a look, Sheriff. George. I killed them. You should have known I had to go to school. Why did they take me out? Let's go. I had to kill them for a long time now. I hated them. I hated them. Come on, Henry. In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Here at NBC, we're all excited about the five great programs which return from their summer vacations this week. And we know that all radio listeners will be happy that many of their favorite shows will once again be a regular part of our program lineup. Listen to this list of top entertainment. The Cavalcade of America. Big Story. The Roy Rogers Show. Father Knows Best. And Your Hit Parade. Tuesday, Joan Caulfield will star on the Cavalcade of America drama series of the Patriot with Chestnut Curls. Wednesday's Big Story broadcast comes directly from the front pages of the Detroit Free Press and is a story which will touch your heartstrings. Thursday evening, Roy Rogers will tell the story that happened when Trigger shoots the works. And Robert Young returns to the Anderson household to find that, be it ever so humble, there's no place like home when Father Knows Best. And Friday evening, Guy Lombardo and his orchestra will play and sing America's favorite song popular music on your hit parade. Make a note to hear all of these popular programs on NBC. Now the conclusion of Tales of the Texas Rangers. And now here are the results of the case you have just heard. Joe Cartwright was immediately released from jail. Henry Elman made a full confession to the murder of his parents. On November 21, 1935, he was given a sanity trial in the county court. A six-man jury declared him legally insane. Henry Elman was committed to a state mental institution. Next week, Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment of a case from the Files House, the Texas Rangers. Currently seen in San Francisco's story, a Warner Brothers release. The cast included Tony Barrett, Virginia Gregg, Bert Holland, Ken Christie, Ernie Newton, and Roy Glenn. 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 Keach. Tales of the Texas Rangers is heard overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Hell, give me speaking. Tonight here, the Hollywood Bowl concert on NBC.