 The national broadcasting company presents Joel McCrae in Tales of the Texas Rangers Tonight transcribed from Hollywood another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jayce Pearson Texas more than 260,000 square miles and 50 men who make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America Files 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 record Case for tonight that trap. It is 1 10 a.m. May 17th, 1948 The highway across a barren and thinly populated portion of West Texas is deserted Except for a truck and trailer pushing steadily Westwood, Tordell Paso You sure were snoring I could barely hear the motor all over with our sleep since eight o'clock last night almost 1 a.m. Now How are we doing? It would be an El Paso by sex. We're right on schedule me to take the wheel. No, wait We gas up at Frito Junction. It's only another 50 miles. Okay Yeah, sure. We'll be glad to get home and see my wife You call the long distance when we stop for supper. Yeah, but I'm not an old-timer like you This is our first baby. We're expecting you already got four. Yeah, don't let me kid You feel the same way about all of them. No matter how many you have what are you hoping for? Oh, just a healthy kid I guess that's all Although I'd kind of like a little girl. You get one. You have a real picnic Girls are born smarter and we are my youngest one. She can work me over for anything She wants faster than a quarter horse and get more. You don't look like you're feeling any pain from it All right, it's a big kick get the things they want. Yeah, but don't get me wrong I'm just as fond of the three boys, too Yeah, girl does get under your skin a little more there More affection like boy grows up. You want to kiss him? He kicks up his heels You get to be eight nine years old the closest you get to him is shaking hands. You know what I mean sure sure I guess we were the same with our folks Wouldn't trade him for anything no boys or girls And then your own blood you Well, you'll find out sims. You got a lot of fun and living ahead of you They'll worry you when they get sick and they'll break your heart when they get kid troubles that you can't help them with Nothing you'll ever have will mean as much to you as your youngers. I've been worrying about mine already and she Hey Wow, whatever it isn't even here yet. I keep wondering if I'll be able to make it You know bring them up educate them help them to be somebody. Yeah, that's something else You'll worry about with each new one man. I'm so scared now I think I'll just settle for one kid and leave it at that That's what I said 12 years ago with our first but you'll change your mind. I guess so Mary says that she What's that ahead where oh Somebody waving a red Lantern we must be coming to that narrow bridge over Lanterns Creek He's supposed to be washed out again by a flash flood It could be although it don't look like there's been any rain here since we started the whole east four days ago Just the same they got it blocked. Yeah, look over. They put up a date to a sign Yeah, I probably wants us to go the left end of the old road No sign points to the right and the fellow with the lantern is waving us that way. Yeah, I guess he knows what he's doing Don't look like much of a road this way does it? Might a rough going. I hope this don't last to Hey, this ain't even a road. Oh, it's just a little dead-end turn off That guy must have been crazy sending us in here back in this rig out is sure gonna be a job. Ah, what a dumb trick I'm gonna walk back and ask him what the name of places made him turn this off this way. I'll come with you You think they'd have a highway patrol car station there to Wait a minute, what's the matter by the road guy with the lamp is moving that detour sign get back in the truck quick What is it Grover? What's wrong? It's like a hijack get a rolling back at some don't mind what you hit. Just keep Don't shoot anymore. Don't shoot. He's hurt. You can take you These of Warren Grover and Luther Sims were discovered and the sheriff notified he called for help from the Texas Rangers Ranger Jase Pearson was assigned Here the body Jase must have been dragged into the brush when the truck was stolen lucky thing Mr. Archer here found them mighty lucky could have been here for days. How'd you happen to come across a mr. Archer? Well, it weren't me one of my kids found them We pulled off the highway fixing to make camp for the night Boils gathered wood for the fire They're out of yelping come begging out of here like a scared jack rabbit make a habit of camping out at night with your family Your man can do about it when he ain't working And motels and braces cost money. Where do you come from? That parking saw way. We're heading for California my grittory workers, huh? You can talk to his family later if you want Jase I let Archer pull his car into a clearing up the highway about 200 yards the other side of the bridge He didn't want to keep the kids around here Hey, if you ain't got nothing else to ask me like to get back to my wife come shaky All right go ahead, but when you get to the car say put I ain't got no place special to go. Thank you You got a flashlight Jase mine's about to Peter out. Yeah There you give your batteries the rest you say they were doing El Paso at 6 this morning Yeah, yep was on schedule to until they got here I reckon made their supper stop on time last night the company checked back When'd you get the request to look for the truck got the description and license number early this afternoon when they was Overdue and nobody had heard from them company figured if they'd had a breakdown they'd have called in According to their schedule They should have reached this spot a little after midnight last night and whoever took that truck had plenty of time to get a long ways From here with it before sunup not much chance of anybody spotting them. That's right. We better take a look around I've been all over the ground between here in the highway, but I guess it won't hurt to look again Conditioned my light was in I might have missed something I Can show you where they were when they drop blood stains on the ground out here. Yeah, I saw him right where the truck was Stings aren't far from the tire marks. They're funny tires Yes, different pattern right smack down the center of well know those inside tracks were made by archers car when he drove in Covered part of the truck marks way this place is rutted. He'd fall right into the same track. Hmm. I didn't think of that Here's something. What is it cartridge shell look at it? 45 caliber army automatic Oh, and here's another one. Yeah, we won't have to wait for an autopsy to tell us what the murder weapon was Hey, I just thought of something what that 45 army automatic There's an army camp about 40 miles further on just just 10 miles this side of free tow junctions. I'm afraid that won't help us sheriff Number marking on these shells is a 17. That's the old 1917 ammunition series World War one No camp would be using ammo that old too bad I thought for a minute we might have a fast lead you arranged to have the bodies moved Yep, sent my deputy to town for an undertaker. Good. Let's walk out to archers car talk to his wife and kids There's one thing I don't understand base. Why did they pull their truck off the road a trucker riding alone? Might do it to grab some sleep, but not a scheduled rig with two drivers I can't figure that either Arches cars up this way other side of the bridge might as well leave your car right where it is not much of a walk Sure Hold it sheriff What is this mark just off the road shoulder here? Sort of a circle in the dirt. Yeah, whatever made the circle was wet and kind of oily What do you suppose me or it would make an oily round impression that size? Oh, I don't know unless maybe it was a lantern. That's what it was. All right, and here's something else Four small rectangular marks in the earth base of each mark about two by four You know, I can't figure that this somebody had a table out here. I don't think it was a table Another thing that would make four mark space like that's a wooden saw horse. See this bridge ever wash out sometimes when there's a flash flood Hey, I see what you're aiming at when there is a flood highway patrol sets up a detour sign Since traffic through that road over across the highway when that happened last oh not in a couple of months These marks aren't that old Somebody detoured that truck into the dead-end road on this side lantern and saw horse were setting here until they were moved Onto the road to set up a block. They must have had that particular truck pegged in Came through at a time when there isn't much traffic between the last down to the east and Frito junction. Come on Let's talk to Archer You got a list of the cargo the truck was carrying told my deputy to wire a request for it after we found the truck had been stolen It'll come through to my office. Good as we'll have to track this down through cargo I got a hunch that the truck has been emptied and ditched by now Archer didn't know any more need already told us and his wife and three pale undernourished kids couldn't add anything We waited until the bodies were picked up and then headed back for town The next morning there was a wire from the trucking company waiting at the sheriff's office a list of the missing trucks cargo Here's report on cargo. Jace valued at $39,000 and C Shipment of automobile radios, huh? That's a break. Why because they all have serial numbers There's a lot of work if they try and change the numbers and if they don't one of the sets will turn up sooner or later Yeah, but they didn't send the numbers through to us Jace just to set me a can model. I'm radioing my headquarters to get them. Come on Austin can contact the manufacturer and have him send a complete list of the cereals through and they can distribute the list to all law enforcement agencies on a Statewide bullet. You don't stand much chance of cracking this if we have to wait for a hot car radio to turn up Don't worry. We're not gonna wait. We've got plenty of other things to do. How many deputies you got handy three How about sending them back along the highway? We know where Grover and Sims made their supper stop I'd like to find out if they made any stops after that before they were killed good idea as a matter of fact Whoever stole the truck may have turned it around and headed back that way killers may have been spotted It's a chance on the other hand maybe our to send one man toward Frito Junction in El Paso Just in case the truck kept heading west never mind. I'll handle that part of it myself I'm heading for Frito Junction as soon as I can make that radio call I Put through a request for the serial numbers then headed for Frito Junction on the way I got a radio call from KTXA the missing truck had always made a regular stop at the mobile gas station in Frito Junction when I got to the station I sent for the man who'd been on duty tonight the truck was hijacked Yep, I was on duty not for last ranger, but Grover and Sims didn't stop here I know they didn't they never got this far what I want to know is did you see their truck the stations right at the Crossroads the truck came through with somebody else driving it There's a chance you might have seen it ranger I'd like to help you but well there ain't much business during the night Even though the boss does keep the place open isn't a combination of truckers I usually stretch out on a cot in the office if a truck stops I get up if it don't I just here go past Any other stations around here open at night nope the truck Grover and Sims were driving always stopped here, didn't it? Yep, company they drove for has a credit account here. They hauled between El Pas in Houston Well, their tanks are always just about dry when they hit here on the return hall from Houston I see you mean the truck would be too low on gas to go much further than this without filling up providing it came this way That's right. Thanks. That's a big help. You're welcome ranger. Wish I could help more Grover and Sims were pretty nice guys. That's the trouble with a kill him the wrong people usually get killed And it sounds like you've got an impatient customer out there Yep, one of the soldiers from Cambodia boys are busy on the pumps. I might as well help him Hey, he's got the drive blocked. I'll ask in the back up so you can get your car and trailer out It's all right. He doesn't seem to want gas may want directions to someplace Yeah, but you have to pull around the back you're blocking a ranger's car That's okay Just want to make sure you're gonna help me doesn't seem to be much wrong with that motor There isn't anything wrong with it It's in top shape and what do you want to put it in the shop for got a new radio that you might be able to install it for You are listening to tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jayce Pearson We continue now with tonight's case the trap an authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers a Soldier with a new car radio You didn't have to mean anything but it might the make-and-model of the city had matched what I was looking for I got the serial number from the carton it came in and phoned it through to the sheriff for a fast check against the Manufacturers list then I went into the shop to ask a few questions You have to drill holes for the antenna I guess unless you want to wear it in your hat I will it's like a good set. Yeah, pretty expensive Well, it told me it sells for about 85 bucks. What'd you pay for it? I didn't buy it. I made a deal for it sort of what kind of a deal What do you ask me that for ranger something wrong? I didn't say that I was just wondering what kind of a deal a fella could get on a car radio a man You got this from have any others he wanted to get rid of I don't think so. He just gave me this for a trade You know on what? Stopped my head that he needed Look my pass is only good for a couple hours. I didn't think it'd be this long Maybe a better let it go and I'll come back in next time on the town. Okay. I think you better stay around my past Maybe I can get you a little extension of time. What's the camp number? I'll call your commanding officer. Well, what do you want to do that for? Yeah, what's matter Ranger? What is it? It's that radio Grover and Sims were hauling a truckload of auto radios when they were hijacked and killed What you telling me that radio stolen? No, I'm not not yet But I'm waiting for a check on the serial number and you're not leaving here until I get it Look, you got to believe me that guy gave me that set. Yeah, you've been pretty evasive about telling me why he gave it to you I told you it was a trade for what come on talk up. Well, I I can't tell you that Get me a trouble if this is one of the sets taken from two murdered truck drivers You'll be in plenty of trouble unless I know where and how you got it sounds like you better tell him soldier I Got the set in exchange for some gasoline gasoline, huh? I go ahead. Well, it was night for last Just after two o'clock. I just started guard duty at camp my post was long the fence by the motor pool from two to four Arranger, that's not long after the time you said Grover was never mind melligan. Go ahead. Well, I I heard this Car stopped near the fence. Are you sure it wasn't a truck? No, no, I was a car So I walked over to the fence where it was parked. I sort of gave the challenge, you know as to it was and Man walked up Said he needed some guests and you gave it to him just like that No, no, no, he said he'd pay me for it. I told him it was against regulations and Then he said it wasn't for him said a couple of women were stranded down the highway in their car And then he said he give me a car radio. Oh Well, it seemed like a good deal. So I opened a pump and filled some cheap cans for him. How many gallons? 25 and you didn't think there was anything wrong with a trade like that an 85-dollar radio for 25 gallons of gas the guy was stuck and how could he be stuck? He was only 10 miles from the station and it's open all night Well, maybe he didn't know that knew it all right But he didn't want to bring a stolen truck into this station And he didn't want to get that much gas in cans from a place that might be checked look Ranger, please I I'm up for discharge in a couple of months. Our camp is being deactivated. I don't want to get in bad You should have thought of that before you started to ladle out government gasoline What kind of sidearmers do you carry at the camp when you do a guard trick? Regulation on me 45 any 1917 series ammo none that I ever saw Are you gonna give me a break? I'm not a judge. I can't give breaks. You're the only key I've got to two dead men I'll call your post and have the MPs pick you up the gasoline is the Army's business But this radio is mine if it's stolen property. How could I know it was stolen? Can you describe the man you got it from no it was too dark besides Besides there were two men one of them stayed in the car It'd help your case a lot if you could tell us what they looked like even what kind of a car they were driving Well, it was dark. I tell you they talked to each other call each other by name. Well, yeah, yeah The fellow I gave the gas to he called the other one in the car and he said drive up closer. We're a sunny boy Sunny boy. That's not a name probably just a wisecracker nickname. I'm just telling you what I heard I'm trying to do everything I can to help you Thanks Hello, Sheriff Where you talked to the proprietor yourself Watson know if they had a hitchhiker with him any rider they might have picked up Sunny boy Talk to Watson again find out what he knows about sunny boy Jensen who he is and where he comes from and meet me back At your office. I'll get there as fast as I can roll The army camp was on my way So I took the soldier with me and turned him over to the camp authorities to be held I kept a lead foot on the gas pedal as I drove past the bridge in the side road where the truckers had been hijacked and slain It took me almost two hours to reach the county seat. The sheriff was standing in front of his office as I drove up Howdy, what'd you get something that might fit that Jensen's been traveling up and down this highway for years selling Electrical appliances to farmers and ranchers mostly men like that and have good market for car radios Once that shipment cooled off he could be our boy All right, you get any line on where he comes from works out of El Paso mostly But his home's a small ranch about a hundred and fifty miles southwest free tow Sonny boy Jensen can't be his real name No, it's bird from Jensen. They just call him Sonny boy Watson said he left the diner about five minutes after sims and Grover pulled out probably passed him on the highway Adam all staked out and set up that roadblock. You better climb in Going to El Paso now turns south out of Frito and head for Jensen's ranch I don't think he'd take that hot merchandise into El Paso Even if he got there before daylight, he'd run into some traffic and that's the trucking company's home base He'd be taking a chance on loading any place in the city. I see what you mean. You better check on him while we're rolling Unit 10 to KTXA unit 10 to KTXA This unit en route to Jensen ranch near County line 150 miles southwest of Frito Junction Request check on subject Bertram Jensen alias Sonny boy Jensen El Paso appliance dealer and owner of ranch this unit is headed toward Unit 10 clear I've been thinking Jase this couldn't have been a one-man job Jensen couldn't drive the truck and his car after the hijack wasn't a one-man job The soldier who gave him the gas they needed for the truck said there were two men in the car Two men with a bad murder rap hanging over them are Labeled to fight Jase and sure our sheriff better take the safety off your gun right now there mightn't be time later Unit 10 go ahead KTXA 10-4 unit 10 clear may answer a couple of our questions sheriff yep Where Jensen got that army 45 in the 1917 ammo series and to his partner was If you think he might have kept in touch with Dolph Mooney for almost 20 years There's an old saying sheriff about birds of a feather It was after dark when we reached the Jensen ranch when the door opened I knew it was Jensen There were little wrinkles under his eyes and his temples were gray But his face held a youthful softness as some faces do with a 16 or 60 It wasn't hard to understand why they called him Sonny boy Huh, but a long time since I've seen a ranger around here You uh looking for somebody sheriff and I heard you might be able to get us a bargain on a few things Sure What are you interested in automobile radios? Well, I got a few of my warehouse and I'll pass though. I thought you might have something around here No, I'm afraid not and maybe you know somebody who has No, I don't know many people. I live alone here. Don't see much of anybody at any company this evening No, two ash trays in this room don't agree with you They're smoldering butts in both of them So unless you smoke two cigarettes at a time and walk back and forth across the room to put them out, you haven't been alone Alright a neighbor's visited me. Is that a crime? No, where is he in the kitchen? Call him Don't go for him. Just call him from here Doc Hey doc Here anybody come in Jensen tells us you've been visiting him. Where are you from? From Borderville, well, that's about 50 miles from here. Yeah Jensen said you were a neighbor Well, that's right. Ain't it? This is don't mean much in Texas. Hey, I Just dropped in on Jensen unexpected Matter of fact, I just washed up fixing to start for home. Yeah, he just leaving. Oh, well, all right ahead I'll get you code to send the closet. Oh Before you open that I'd like to ask your friend a couple of questions Fifty miles is kind of a long walk, isn't it only way to leave this ranch should be in a car And if you've got one parked outside, we didn't notice it. I was gonna lend them mine. Oh, I see You said you dropped in unexpectedly How'd you get here without a car? Why? It's charade somebody dropped me off the gate. Uh-huh If you got nothing else to ask me I I'd like to be going. Yeah, imagine you would but I'm not quite finished Maybe you know where I could get a bargain in an automobile radio Well, I don't know nothing about radios. It's too bad. I thought you might Alright Jensen give Ms. Cote By the way, either you're heard from Dolph Muni lately. Oh get out of here You got no right asking questions. You got no warrant. You let us in Jensen My story is you broke in and you ain't gonna be able to deny Don't try that Jensen Take that gun out of his reach He drove through the window stay with Jensen. I'll get him I can see your muni you better stop running before I fire no sense trying to get in that car. It's locked That was in the air muni the next won't be how about it? Just walk this way with your hands high I had to steal a radio, but I didn't do the killer. I didn't I was on the highway with the detour sign when Jensen shot him Don't tell me muni. He saved that for the court. Where are the radios in the barn hidden Bales Potter We ditched the truck in Amber Lake All right, let's go in and get sunny boy. You can make your statement at the sheriff's office Bertram Sonny boy Jensen and Dolph muni were found guilty of the hijack murder of truck drivers Warren Grover and Luther Sims Both were sentenced to death in the electric chair at Huntsville Penitentiary Each of the convicted men made an appeal for clemency and in January of 1949 the sentence of Dolph muni was commuted to life imprisonment But the petition of Sonny boy Jensen was denied and on the morning of February 19th 1949 he was executed And now here again is the star of our show Joel McCray folks We want to thank you for the wonderful letters You've been sending to us and the warm and friendly interest you've always shown toward our show a lot of you Have asked the question. What's the title of the theme music heard on tales of the Texas Rangers? The music you hear at the opening and closing of our show is the Texas Ranger song Written by Sam Coslow and Harry Bain and is arranged by Robert Armbruster the conductor of the NBC Orchestra We're glad to know that so many of you like it. We do too And so mr. Armbruster the Texas Ranger song if you please Joel McCray is currently seen starring in the Universal International Technicolor production Frenchy Tonight's cast included Tony Barrett, Whitfield Connor, Herb Ellis, Parley Bayer, Wilms Herbert, Paul Gaubeuf and Bill Conrad This story was transcribed and adapted by Joel mercott and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keats Hal give me speaking Three times mean good times on NBC Next Sunday one week from today tales of the Texas Rangers will relinquish its broadcast time to enable you to hear One of the season's most dramatic events the theater guild on the air full hour and a half Production of Hamlet and make a note to be back with us for another exciting tales of the Texas Rangers two weeks from tonight Next week gets Hamlet in two weeks another tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCray be sure to listen Now the 64 dollar question tomorrow hear the boston pops on NBC