 The National Broadcasting Company presents Joel McCrae in Tales of the Texas Rangers Tonight transcribed from Hollywood another authentic re-enactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jase Pearson Texas more than 260,000 square miles And 50 men will make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America Rangers come these stories based on facts Only names, dates and places are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record This for tonight the white suit. It is 6 a.m. June 23rd, 1947 There is only one prisoner in the live-o County Jail his John Elliot Bascom and notorious and dangerous gunman In the anti-room connecting the jail with the sheriff's office Deputy George Keaton doses snoring at the end of a long and uneventful night's duty Miss George Oh, Uncle Ben you still here. Yes, sir. Yeah, but that prosecutor's office down the hall was powerful dirty Bob ready to go on home now as soon as I hang up my mouth, but I brew this here coffee for you coffee put it here Coffee Uncle Ben you're an angel Don't know about that miss John ain't nobody else beat my way Just put the pot and cup my closet when you're through. I'll take care of when I come on tonight. Sure. Thank you, Uncle Ben What's the matter with you now, Bascom? It's building so old. It's a wonder it doesn't all come apart Keep back I'll see what's the matter Let's see what's wrong with it Are you your underserved stuffed in the train? And discovered the bodies of his night deputy in the courthouse janitor when he came into his office at eight o'clock He immediately telephoned the Texas Rangers and a short time later ranger Jayce Pearson arrived Jayce Pearson, am I glad to see you. It's been quite a while sheriff. Jayce, it's a bad thing Anything involving Bascom is got any line on him yet? No, apparently slept out a ton of foot We don't even know what direction he took probably east up Rocky Valley That's the quickest way into open country Ranger Harris was ordered out on this assignment with me. Oh, where is he? I dropped him with a walkie-talkie at two mile bridge on the way in he's riding through the brush now cutting for a trail We ought to find out pretty soon if Bascom's still afoot and if he isn't another highway patrols already closed the main roads into This area as soon as we get a localization mounted units will move in and attempt to close the gaps We'll get him sheriff. I sure hope so Sheriff's office wholesome speed A man just stole my truck out of the field where I was working you got a description I didn't get a very dough what kind of truck a red half-ton pickup 46 model anything else to identify it's kind of beat up A grill is broken out in front. I think that's enough for us McDougal. You know who it was Well, I think so but you better get in as soon as you can and find a theft report just the same Follow miss truck was stolen about eight miles out of route seven. It's bascom all right, Jase white coveralls You know jail suits sure show up come on my units out front We'll get this on the radio as we roll Racing out of town seven with my double horse trailer still tumbled I radioed all units to be on the lookout for the truck Then I contacted Ranger Harris through his walkie-talkie and asked him to meet us at two mile bridge He was there when we arrived Nice timing Ed. What's up, Jase? You got a line on Bascom? Let's get your horse loaded in with charcoal. Okay, Bascom still a foot. No He grabbed himself a truck about eight miles down the road. Yeah, he would this side's clear, Jase Watch your toes. Oh, you got company in you go boy Better bring the walkie-talkie up front with you and got it Ready Sheriff Olson meet Ranger Harris. Howdy, Sheriff howdy ranger. So that's your walkie-talkie No much to it. Yeah, pretty contact all right hangs right on the saddle You can keep in touch with your headquarters with it at Austin No, no crack the range about five miles closer the better strictly a field outfit or scene all set Maybe we can drive mr. Bascom right into the roadblock at Drag Creek Crossroads What's the matter out of gas yeah fill her up be me more regular you betcha say Isn't this old Bob McDougal's truck? Yeah, I'm taking it into Prado He got all his repair work done it live. Oh, not this time hurry it up. Would you it's trying to bubble over on me? Phillip pipe must be bent All max your beats up a truck don't yeah Best farmer in the county, but awful careless about machines. Come on. Come on wind it up. That's enough gas Okay, you must be in a hurry. I am Gonna lose some time at dry week. Yeah, why the law's got a roadblock at the crossroads for some reason another Home and everybody through down to the seams of their drawers Five and two tens. That's 131 charge it Smart mechanic. Let's see how far that gas gets. This is Jim Perry. Get me the dry Creek store quick Break in on it the highway patrols got a roadblock there. I want to talk to one of the offices A smart aleck in Bob McDougal's truck just clipped me for some gas He was in too big a hurry to be honest and he deliberately took the wrong turn when I told him there were offices ahead Everybody knows that truck a red pickup with the mechanic and white cover all driving The crazy fool took off down the old big wash road telepatrol it can box them in there the road ends at the wash 10 the KTX a go ahead KTX a turn south 7 at Perry's filling station your vicinity that's Perry's down at the foot of the hill 10 for unit 10 approaching Perry's now We'll keep KTX a advised unit 10 clear That's Jim Perry out in front flagging us down now. I just got held up Yeah, we know for some gasoline you'd know that the radio Jim now that's the turn he took over there Yeah, the big wash road how long ago maybe 10 minutes pretty good start on this chase Yeah, the kind of country there is down here. Let's don't let him get any more The red pickup abandoned in the sandy bed of big wash four miles from the highway and radio the surrounding units John Baskin's tracks led straight into broken country beyond the wash Yeah, he couldn't go any further than the truck and neither can we looks like work for the horses from here on Ed Let's get him out. I'll give you hand jeans at the walkie-talkie Ed We ought to be able to contact any unit south of dry Creek with it pretty soon. Yeah, I believe you're right Hey, you boys leave me a foot case you can take the unit back Maybe join the highway patrol at dry Creek Baskin's headed southwest He probably figures to slip past the roadblocks. He might be making a wide detail over toward highway 11 might be Okay, anything else I can do. Yeah, keep your fingers crossed I will trailing Baskin been going to be any cinch for you boys Desperate armed and he knows his trails week. I know a good measure I don't like the looks of those clouds over there But all we need is a storm to wipe out what little sign he may leave. Well, let's get started it You are listening to tales of the Texas Rangers Starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jayce Pearson and now we continue with tonight's case the white suit an Authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers By four o'clock Ed Harris and I were deep into the rough country south of big wash We'd continually cut back and forth for Baskin's tracks finding them and losing them again Was slow work covering five miles to his one when he steadily build up his lead on us. He was infernally clever Take it easy going down here. Jay This canyon wall was any steeper. We'd be hanging by our collars. Oh, who charcoal? Hey, wait a minute. They hadn't pull up. Oh boy. What up? Oh? Now what Jayce Baskin didn't slide down here like we thought no look There's the rock he pushed over from the rim to make a skid mark. We've been following see it's lava Like the cap on the rim different from the rest of the rock down here So we've got to climb back to the top not a swan he started down here to cross this canyon It's what he wanted us to think anything to cost this time Trouble is we got to follow out every one of these blind trails. He's leaving us any one of them Maybe the McCoy. Hey, he'll be to California before we ever get out of these bad lands. He isn't to California yet Don't worry. He's working as hard as we are Come on red heart What a climb getting laid look at that son Jayce. Yeah Hey Low Sun has got its advantages Take a look at that slope over there across the canyon that patch of sand past that big mesquite Yeah tracks and footprints and Baskin did cross the canyon after all probably someplace a little downstream Jayce, how come we didn't see those tracks when we started down here from up before he couldn't have made them since then We aren't that close behind it. Oh tracks were there before we just didn't see him Now the Sun's low enough to throw longer shadows into the Prince's boots made make some twice as visible Yeah, we better start looking for a place to cross ourselves Let's find a little higher first. I'm worried about that storm the way it's piling up up red horse Probably loaded with static better try to make radio contact with a walkie-talkie while we can We'll need to work from this high ground to get through general call Jayce. Yeah Suppose you try it now. Yeah Unit 902 the unit in range Unit 902 the unit in range. Yeah, Jayce. Oh Unit 902 requests the location of unit 8 Then for unit 8 is now too far north fugitive still bearing toward highway 11 approximately 12 miles south and east of dry Creek Suggest unit 8 move south about five miles Unit 902 has had no direct contact with fugitive, but is following an identifiable trail will report any change Please relay to other units unit 902 player Say look Jayce Baskin may stay on the other side of the canyon or he may double back to this side Why don't we save ourselves a lot of riding and split up for a bit and I'll be a bad idea I'll take the canyon floor. It's sandy tracks will be easy to spot there and you can work along this rim All right, but watch yourself Ed. You'll be in the open down. Yeah, just let Baskin show himself once That's all I want. Come on red horse going down Something about a man hunts sharpens the hunter's senses I sat on the rim for long moments watching Ed Harris descend that canyon wall feeling danger Without being able to identify it Suddenly smoke blossom behind a rock on the opposite rim I saw Harris sagging his saddle before the horse carried him out of sight Dim by distance came the liking sound of the shot Go Charles go boy that by now and he'll really run. How bad are you hit flesh wound clean just above the elbow here? Let me get this kerchief on it. I'll be all right. Pull your sleeve out of the way. Yeah He wouldn't pick my left arm. I didn't know I was a southpaw Something we may be asking him right sudden. Are you okay now? Pick up his trail on the rim. We'll have to watch sharp. He's gonna try to keep that white suit out of sight Now the way this close to it. Come on That chance of picking up anybody's trail here Jayce Heard of elephants gonna cross this loose shale without leaving a trace. Maybe I'm a look here You see them. Yeah And so whole trail of ants don't go after anything in this country. They can't eat. Let's see what these are having for supper Here we are On this piece of shale. Yeah blood and then I did nail them We got a wounded animal on our hands Jayce May let go at us and behind any of these brush clumps. I don't think he's hurt so bad He won't keep on running. There's just a few drops here. I'm afraid you just creased him That was pretty long rain and it won't be the next time I get him in my sights. I promise you that I Own something for this arm. Let's go probably headed for that big mosquito picker. Yeah, he would come on Circle around below him Ed make a lot of racket like we're still together and hunting blind Maybe you can flush him back between those big rocks, okay I'll try it Jayce hide charcoal out behind the side of them Maybe we can rig up a little surprise party for mr. Baskin when he comes through but be careful Well, yeah, he won't give you a chance. Don't give him one chance that killer Just let me get my hands on him. Come on red horse hit that fuck easy charcoal We go this way the shade of this rock for you charcoal easy now boy quiet quiet We're Texas Rangers What's he doing here? Ask him I'm scared But I'm here in this place is nobody I am a lonesome man mind my ship Then I heard the gun Two three time when now a few minutes ago I think maybe it's my friend Diego come from next valley with gun to kill coyote We have much trouble with coyote here, sir. We aren't looking for coyotes. Where'd you close? I go to see if it's my friend when this Molo hombre this very bad man is jump from the bush. He's going to very big He took my clothes He tell me not to move when you're wrong. I stand still till he's gone Which way he go Sorry Pedro forget about your clothes you're a lucky man to be alive Better get some more clothes before that storm hits You aren't exactly dressed for bad weather Looks like our surprise didn't come off it. Let's get moving before Baskin builds up a lead on us again Yeah, let's go red horse And I picked up the trail shortly But Baskin managed to stay ahead of us using a large bag of tricks to keep out a sight even if he couldn't shake us When the Sun set behind towering thunder clouds, we're working our way down a wide-arrowed valley keeping some distance apart Pick them up charcoal. Yeah Boy see them there. They are heading right down there in the valley Precious daisies to yeah, no blow sand drifted into them at all We better try that general call again. It's report opposition. Look at the direction those tracks are taken They've been swinging that way the last half hour. Yeah, I noticed that it had it almost do east now Baskin's pulling another big red herring on us He made for highway 11 long enough for us to report it and set up interception for them there And then he swings straight east for highway 13 so that catches us with our units down. Don't it Baskin's gambling that it does I'll try the call Unit 902 to unit and range 902 the unit and range 902 the unit and range no use Jase you can't raise anybody we're too far out now Weather isn't helping any either on this lower ground. Looks like we're in for real soaking before night. Yeah Baskin can't possibly be much ahead of us Maybe we can tree him before he gets through to the highway handle them on our own from here on You can't risk it head if he slips us and gets through to make a ride with somebody or steal another car You'll be gone. Yeah, I guess here's where we separate then Kind of out of the running with this year bum arm. Give me the walkie-talkie now double back till I'm in range of the units on highway 11 again That's good. It'll ride all right like that Anything special for the boys? Ask them to request coverage on highway 13 all the way to Prado Keep trying till you get through. I'll stick on his trail I'll have a really into Katie XA in half an hour soon as you do you better head out toward dry Creek and get that arm Looked after I'll wait till we've got Baskin. Good luck. Jase same to you head 20 minutes later the rain struck with cloudburst intensity bringing complete darkness But not before John Baskin's tracks led me on to an adobe bench where sheep had been grazing He'd removed his boots here and his tracks blended with a maze of other bear footprints left by Mexican sheep herders I rode on slowly Suddenly a small rain-branched boy stepped out from the brush charcoal nearly ran him down Steady boy. Hey, you there Hey boy Nino Yeah Like a frightened little rabbit light winked as the door opened and closed the door to an adobe shack As I approached I saw the blinds were tightly drawn almost as though to prevent the leakage of any tell-tale light from the candle burning dimly inside Oh charcoal Open up Texas Ranger, I mean out of this rain. I want to ask you some questions Oh, no, sir. I cannot let you in my heart when he's sick. He's very sick That's your boy that just ran in here He's in your my Juanito. He was going to look for the mama goat Storm she's bad He frightened him senior gave me a turn for a minute too. Look. I need a little help me I would do anything for the Texas Ranger trailing a man a very dangerous man He must have passed closely here about the time the rain began. Where is he now? We have seen nothing when he told me nobody's in your maybe your husband did then Anyway, I want out of this rain He was deathly afraid but her eyes told me she wasn't afraid of me Of the storm perhaps of the sickness in her house Or of the blanket wrapped man lying on a bunk in a corner of the room with his bare feet protruding toward me The door was thick. I pushed it inward as far as it had gone step quickly Slide your gun out from under that blanket and drop it bascom The gun bascom drop it or I'll break your other eye You would be stubborn bascom. Now you really got something to be sick about Do something I'm I'm bleeding to death. You won't get off that easy We're saving you for the electric chair You got something I can use for bandages senora. Oh my oh Gracias, this will do fine How did you know he was holding a gun on you and the boy making you do what he said See how good you know Your real husband's a cheap man, isn't he? Yes, sir. He's working your prattle now. Well, look at these bare feet sticking out here You ever see an honest to goodness cheap man with his toes all crowded together from wearing cowboy boots Better put some water on the heat. I'll need it to patch him up enough to take him in John bascom was tried in libel county and found guilty of the murder of two men On the second day of december 1947 at huntsville prison his sentence was carried out death in the electric chair And now here again is the start of our show Joel mccray One of the pleasures afforded us here in this show is the large number of letters We receive asking for special information about the texas rangers This week we received one an especially interesting letter in which the writer said she had heard of an official rangers prayer An inquiret of such a prayer actually existed It does The prayer was written by captain pierre bernard hill Chaplain of the texas rangers and I should like you to hear it Oh God whose end is justice Whose strength is all our stay Be near and bless my mission as I go forth today Let wisdom guide my actions. Let courage fill my heart And help me lord in every hour to do a rangers part Protect when danger threatens Sustain when trails are rough Help me to keep my standard high and smile at each rebuff When night comes down upon me I pray the lord benign Whether on lonely scout or camped under texas sky Keep me oh god in life And when my days shall end Forgive my sins and take me in For jesus sake Amen Good night folks Good night Next week joel mccray in another authentic re-enactment of a case from the files of the texas rangers Joel mccray will soon be seen in the universal international technicolor production frenchie Tonight's cast included tony barrett her butterfield barney phillips bill johnstone herbellis and lily and bio This story was transcribed and adapted by tom w blackburn and the program was produced and directed by Stacey keech. This is how give me speak Three chimes mean good times on nbc Tonight theater guild on the air presents judy garland in the prize winning novel alice adams co-starring thomas mitchell Another sunday evening favorite is the 64 dollar question starring jack par Tomorrow on the station of the chimes You'll hear gordon mccray as your singing master of ceremonies on one of his wonderful musical journeys aboard the show train The chimes are your invitation to the best in radio entertainment Be sure to hear judy garland next in theater guild on nbc