 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. Places in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. Later this evening, great entertainment continues on the NBC radio network with such stellar programs as The Big Show, The Phil Harris Alice Faye Show, Theater Guild on the Air and The $64 Question. Immediately following tales of the Texas Rangers, you hear The Big Show with Tallulah Bankhead and Oliver Guest Stars. Today, listen for Viraline, Jack Carson, James Barton, Tony Bavar and Bob and Ray along with Meredith Wilson and The Big Show Chorus and Orchestra. The Big Show brings 90 minutes of enjoyable listening and then Phil Harris and Alice Faye step before the NBC microphones to bring you mirth and music in their own inimitable manner. Later it's Theater Guild on the Air with Dorothy McGuire, David Niven and Roddy McDowell in the Theater Guild presentation of The Thief and then to You'll Be Happily Entertained by Jack Parr as he asks the $64 Question. So keep tuned here for continuous great entertainment. And now back to tales of the Texas Rangers. Now from the files of the Texas Rangers, the case called Night Chase. It is 9.20 on the evening of May 5th, 1937. 16 miles north of Durham, Texas. Rancher Jim Fuller and his wife Susan are driving up the dirt road which leads to their ranch house. The show has a long haul in the town and back. I reckon the movie was worth it. It was a good movie, wasn't it? Yeah. The girl is so pretty too. We got prettier ones right here in Texas. Oh, what's an old fella like you know about pretty girl? Yeah. And I did pick you out, didn't I? Why Jim? Yeah. Susan wasn't to blame dark in his car. I'd say he was blushing. Well, maybe I am, but one thing I ain't gonna sit here all night letting you tease me. Let's get on into the house. You go ahead, honey. I'm gonna take a walk down to barn. I want to take a look at that Mayor's leg. Well, don't be long, Jim. I'll have some hot cocoa fixed on to get back. Susan, come here. Quick. What? What's wrong? Down there. Toward the East Range. Why, it looks like some men with flashlights. What are they doing? Yeah, they got a truck with them. Must have broke down the fence and backed it in. Jim, ain't that where you got the heifers and calves? It sure is. I'll bet anything them fellas are fixing to rustle my calves. Jim, where are you going? I'm gonna get my shotgun go down there after them. Jim, wait. If those men are rustlers, they've probably got guns too. Now, why don't you phone the sheriff and let him have it? Well, please, Jim. All right, all right. Come on. Should have had them calves branded before now. Rustlers, get them. I'll never be able to identify them. Well, maybe they won't get away. You stay out here in the porch, honey. Keep an eye on them while I call the sheriff. They start to take off. Now you sing out. All right, Jim. You get me the sheriff quick. They still out there, Susan? I only see one flashlight now. I think... Hello, Sheriff? This is Jim Fuller. I got a rustlers on my place. Yeah, down to the beginning of my East Range. Jim! It just meant a sheriff. What is it, honey? They just started off. They're taking off now, Sheriff. Could you see which way they headed, Susan? Looks like they might be making for that road. Runs along the other end of the range. Moving toward Farm Road 48, Sheriff. Yeah, I know you will. I sure hope you'll get them. The sheriff alerted his deputies for pursuit of the rustlers and requested assistance from the Texas Rangers. Rangers Jase Pearson and Clay Morgan returning from a case were contacted by radio and informed that the sheriff had blockaded the south end of Farm Road 48. They were to set up a checkpoint on Farm Road 48, 15 miles to the north. Stop signs and players are all set, Jase. Good, Clay. Pretty good spot for a roadblock. Curve on one end, that hill on the other. Yeah, sounds like our first customer coming now. That's your car. Couldn't be our boys. Wave them through, will you, Clay? It's all right. Go ahead. You don't figure they could have cut off on another side road, do you, Jase? The sheriff said there was no turnoff between here and the ranch. Clay. Yeah, it's a truck all right, coming pretty fast. They just flipped off their lights. Must be them. They don't stop trying to get their tires. They're not going to stop. Give it to them. Come on, let's get out of here. Yeah, cut a swan, we hit a back tire. Might have, but they got two wheels on the rear. It's going to be tough working up any speed with the horse trailer on the back. Give her all she's got. I'll get on the radio. Unit 10 to KTXA. KTXA, unit 10. Go ahead, unit 10. Subjects failed to halt at roadblock. They're proceeding north on farm road 4-8, unit 10 pursuing. We'll notify all units. 10-4, unit 10 clear. KTXA, Austin. I think we're gaining some, Jase. Sounds like they think so too. Yeah, let me get that rifle. Jase, you all right? Yeah, I guess so. Two scratches from the glass. Sure made a mess of the windshield with that one. Hope their aim doesn't get any better. I'll see if I can spoil it. Watch yourself. Yeah, they're splitting up, Jase. Take the one across the road. I'll get the driver. This one's dead. How'd you make out? Come on. He went down to that scrub. He could have headed anywhere from there. Can't be too far away. You keep after him. I'll go back and unload the horses. Catch up with you in a few minutes. Charky, who damn, who boy? Making out. Oh, some tracks. Not very clear. Ground's too rocky. What I could follow with my flash coming down here, he headed along the bottom of this gully. I lost the trail just for a gut feel. Yeah, this rocky ground makes night trailin' rough. Uh-huh. Wait a minute. Who? Who? What is it, Jase? Over there, a shack. Yeah, no lights. Could be worth takin' a look. Let's go. Yeah! Now, chances are, we won't get him tonight. No, but maybe whoever lives in the shack heard him go by. Might get a line on this erection. What if we don't? Now, we go back and see what we can find out about the dead man. Truck ought to tell us something too. Hey, did you hear the way those calves were ballin'? Yeah, someone got hurt when the truck turned over. Poor devils. Who? Who, Charlie? Who, Dan? Who, boy? Oh, not a sound. Big to be inside, Jase. Could be. You stay here and cover me while I go up to the door. Sure. See you soon, you. Texas rangers. You here alone? See? See, I'm alone. Eh, you forgive I'm not dressed. I was asleep. We'd like to come in for a few minutes, if you don't mind. Oh, see. See you soon, you. Please, come in, please. It's all right, Clay. Come on. All right. I just make the light in the lamp tonight. Hey, un momento, senor. Yeah. You been here all evening? What's this? Yes, senor, I'm here. This is my house. Tonight I'm tired and I go to sleep early. We're looking for a man. We think he might have come this way. Yeah, man, if... Well, what does he look like, senor? We don't know yet. But he stole some cattle from a ranch down a piece. Eh, that's too bad. Did you see anybody pass here tonight? Oh, no, senor, no. Nobody. Any noises outside? Noises? No. Nobody but you. All right. Come on, Clay. You're gonna go now, senor. And we'll be back in the morning to pick up our man's trail. You better keep your door locked tonight. Sí, sí, señor. Adiós, senores. Adiós. You can come out now. They're gone, senor. You did real good, Petty. I'm proud of you. Well, sí, sí, I do just what you tell me, senor, because I'm so scared. Yeah, right to be. You'd have said one word out of blowing your head off. Oh, no, no, no. You heard me. I told them not. Ah, you told them not. Sí, sí, now you go, senor. Please, they come back tomorrow. Yeah. And you're gonna forget you ever saw me. Oh, sí, sí, senor. I don't tell them. I forget everything. Sure, Petty. You said it just right. You're gonna forget everything. Evening. My name's Jim Fuller. Chef asked me to tell you a new interface to JP. You the man whose cattle were stolen? Yeah, I got most of them rounded up again, though, except for one head shoot, because he was hurt too bad. You didn't touch anything on the truck, did you? No, no. Highway patrol wouldn't let nobody touch nothing. Want to start with the dead man, Jase? Yeah, might as well check the truck first as long as we're up here. We'll see you later, Mr. Fuller. You sure, Angie? Don't this anything funny about the truck playing? Yeah, no license plates. You want to check the chassis number? I'll try the motor. Sure. A couple of shells from an automatic on the ground. That'll be some help. How about the chassis number? Seal plate's been taken off. I figured it would be. Come here and take a look. What do you find? Motor number chiseled off. Sure went to a lot of trouble. Get a lab crew up here. Have them work it over. You think they'll be able to bring out the number with acid? Either that or by heating it hot enough so the number shows. Sometimes that works better. Well, we better go see if the dead man has any kind of identification. Yeah. But I got a hunchy one. Yeah, they must have planned this pretty careful. And for a long time, motor number wasn't taken off yesterday. Bodies over at the left, Clay. There's one wrestler who won't try a second job. I like to make sure his partner won't either. Oh, yeah. Here's his gun. Old one. 38 Colt revolver. Yeah. That means the other man had the automatic. Check his pockets, Clay. I'll hold the light. All right. A little bit of change. Cigarette. Yeah, it looks like your hunch was right, Jay. Nothing, huh? Uh-uh. What's our next step? We're ready over the lab crew, then as soon as it's light, we'll head back to that gully and start tracking again. At dawn, we retraced our steps of the night before. Even in daylight, the rocky terrain made it difficult to pick up a trail. We split up and began crisscrossing the area. 40 minutes later, Clay called me. Hey, Jayce! What'd you find, Clay? Oh, boat chargers. These tracks, Jayce. Pretty clear ones. Uh-huh. Line them up. Looked like they lead from anyplace special. Yeah, the Mexican shack. Let's ride over there. Have another talk with him. Get up, Charkey. Come on. You figure our rustler could have been there some time last night? As well, by the front door. He might have been pretty thirsty from running. Could be stopped for a drink. Might be some fingerprints handy if he did. That's what I'm hoping. It doesn't look like the Mexican's awake yet. Maybe he's still inside, scared to come out. Ooh. Ooh, Charkey. Oh, boy. Ooh. Clay, through that window. Yeah. Funny he'd have a lander and burn it in broad daylight. And even funnier, he let it smoke that way. Come on. He might be off somewhere. But he wouldn't leave that lander and burn it. Come on. Let's go in. Jayce, in the corner. Yeah. Our Mexican friend. Shot to death. In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae as Jayce Pearson. Most of us know that the regular purchase of United States defense bonds is the safest and surest way to save. But as we begin this new year, it's a good time to check up and ask, are you buying as many defense bonds as you should regularly? Set up a plan for buying bonds right through the year. That's the practical way to make sure that you actually do buy bonds instead of just thinking about it. One way is to join the payroll savings plan where you work. Ask your employer to set aside a certain sum from each paycheck and invest it in defense bonds for you. If you're not on a payroll, join the bond a month plan at your bank. Ask your bank to charge a certain amount against your checking account each month. They'll use that amount to purchase bonds which will be sent to you regularly. No matter what plan you use, be sure to buy defense bonds systematically. That's the sure, sensible way to save. And it benefits both you and your country. And now back to the Texas Rangers. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Night Chase. An automatic shell on the floor of the shack indicated that the rustler we were after had shot the Mexican and followed the killer's tracks to the main highway four miles north where they ended. Then we went back to town. A lab crew was able to bring out the motor number on the truck by heat process. By mid-morning, we traced ownership of the truck to Harry Crowley, a tenant rancher whose place was near Fillmore, 30 miles east of the crime. Shortly before noon, we were approaching the Crowley Ranch. Chase, you're still thinking about the Mexican, aren't you? And it was something couldn't be helped. Maybe not. You really think our man was hiding in the closet the whole time we were there? Must have been. There's no other reason why he'd shoot him. Man running away doesn't stop off in a lonely shack to commit murder just to pass the time. Yeah, well, you could be right. But if he was there, that'd make the dead man an awful good actor. He probably thought it was the only way to save his life. Too bad he was so convincing. Here's the Crowley Ranch, Chase. Yeah. I sure hope we find something here. This is one killer I want to settle with personally and soon. Well, we can be pretty sure this Crowley was one of the two wrestlers. We'll have to find out if he's the killer or the one I got. Here comes somebody. Watch it. Yeah. This is Crowley? Yeah. We're Texas Rangers. We'd like to talk to you. Can we come in? All right. Give me that photo plate. Thanks. Did you ever see this man before? Well, that's my husband. What happened to him? I'm afraid I got bad news for you, ma'am. Your husband was caught rustling cattle last night. He was killed. Killed? I'm sorry, ma'am. I knew it was going to happen. I knew it all along. Maybe you better sit down, ma'am. I don't want to sit down. Kept telling Harry, you got a ranch and a wife. You got to take care of us both. Not him. He had to keep thinking up big ideas to make easy money. But now he's got just what I told him he'd get. How long was your husband mixed up in cattle rusting? How would I know? He never told me nothing. Always away from the ranch, leaving all the work for me. We're looking for another man who was with him last night. Do you know of any people he went around with? No. Didn't he ever bring friends out here to the ranch? Him? He was hardly ever here to sell. When he was, it just spent his time joining about all the big things he was going to do. He was going to be rich, Harry was. Him. Rich. All right, ma'am. We'll be going now. But we'd appreciate it if you'd stay here. We'll send somebody around to pick you up this afternoon. Pick me up what for? I have to go over to Durham and identify your husband's body. By the way, ma'am, you have a phone here? A phone? We can't afford no phone. Thanks, ma'am. Hey, something fishy about this, Jase. She didn't seem at all surprised when we said her husband was dead. I know. Did you notice her eyes red and swollen like she'd been crying for hours? Think she already knew about her husband being dead? Could be. Some one man who could have told her or killed her. Well, suppose she does know something she didn't tell us. How do we find out? She has a certain connection with Crowley's partner. She'll want to tell him we're on this trail. Well, there's no phone in the house. She'd have to use that jalopy over there to get to him. Pull over that hill, Clay, or we can watch the house without being seen. She goes somewhere. We're going to be right behind her. Our hunch paid off. 20 minutes later, Mrs. Crowley left the house and drove to town. We followed. She stopped at a hardware store and went in. When she came out again, a man walked with her to the car, talking urgently. Then he went back into the store. We let Mrs. Crowley drive a little way down the street before we told her to pull over to the curb. Got your engine, ma'am? I thought we told you to stay home. I wanted to come in and tell my brother about Harry. That's your brother you were talking to outside the hardware store? Yeah. We'll go have a talk with him. You stay right here, ma'am, and this time do what we say. We might be on to something, Chief. Yeah, maybe. Only got suspicions to go on so far. We got to have more than that. In a second, Ranger, as soon as I get this can of paint down. Yeah. Now, what can I do for you? I'm Ranger Pearson. This is Ranger Morgan. Well, glad to know you're Rangers. My name's Holden, Hal Holden. Your sister told us she broke the news to you about her husband. How did you... You started to say something, Mr. Holden. No, no, I was just surprised. Ruth only left here a couple of minutes ago. Awful thing about Harry. It's terrible. You know anybody Harry was running around with? Somebody who could have been his partner on this job? Pardon it? No. Well, can you give us the names of any of his friends? I'd like to help, Ranger, but I don't reckon I know of anybody Harry ran with. I see. You mind telling us where you were last night, Mr. Holden? Me? Well, I... Look, Ranger, you think I was mixed up in this? That's just a routine question. Where were you? Out to the ranch, whole evening. Any special reason you were there the whole evening? Well, sure. I lived there. Did my sister tell you that? Mr. Holden, do you have a gun? No, I never have owned one. Lots of pretty guns in that rack over there. Seems like a man who sells guns would have one for himself. Yeah, you'd think so, wouldn't you? Tell you the truth, I've always been a little scared of guns. Thanks, Mr. Holden. We might drop back a little later on. Any time at all, Rangers. Any time. How about it, Clay? You look like the one you chased into the gully last night. I'd like to say it was for sure. It's the same build, but you know how dark it was. Yeah. If he saw a man, Jay, she's going to be tough to crack. I know. With his sister to bury him out, he's got a pretty good alibi. The thing we have to do is find the gun he used. Even if we do, we still have to tie Holden to it. You reckon we'd better have a look through the Crowley ranch house? Might turn up something. We'll have Mrs. Crowley take us through. Can I go now? Sorry to keep you waiting, ma'am. Better start back the ranch now. I still got some things to do in town. Well, they'll have to wait. We want to search your home. Be better if you're there. You can't do that. We can get a warrant and save time if you gave us permission. All right. You've got commission. Thanks, ma'am. You drive ahead and remember, we'll be right behind you. Wasting your time, ranger. You ain't going to find a thing in my brother's room. Maybe we'll agree with you, ma'am, after we're through looking. Jay! I found this in the waste basket next to the desk. Empty cartridge box. Yeah. Same caliber as the ones we found last night. Mrs. Crowley, have you any idea how this got in your brother's room? I must have belonged to my husband. Well, your husband had a revolver. 38 caliber cold. Shells in this box were made for a .32 automatic. Who's were they, ma'am? Well, I... I don't know. Your brother said he spent last night here. Did he? He was here the whole night. I kind of thought you might remember he wasn't here. It could save you a prison term. Prison? What are you talking about? If your brother is the man we want, and you're helping him, you could go to jail for obstructing justice. I got nothing to say. My brother was here at the ranch all last night. Come on, Mrs. Crowley. Why are you taking me? Down to the constable's office. You can't arrest me! We're not arresting you, ma'am. We'll have to have another talk with your brother. And while we do, we just want to be sure where you are. Didn't expect to see your back so soon. We didn't expect to be back so soon. Ficked up any leads in that partner Harry's you were looking for? I think so. You know who he is? We've got a pretty good idea. Well, I'm glad to hear. People like that, they'll be put away as soon as you can lay a hand on them. That's just the way we feel about it, Mr. Holden. Is there anything I can do, Hugh Rangers? We'd like to take a look at the guns you've got in that rack over there. Guns? Why, sure. Come on over. Are you interested in buying one? Just looking. Can I see that one? This raffle here? No, the .32 automatic above it. Oh, that one. Yeah. Of course, I don't know too much about guns, but people who do know tell me this one's a honey. Here you are, Ranger. Cleaned an oil recently, hasn't it? We just got it from the factory a few days ago. That's the way they send them to us. All right, so this one here, it's a different caliber with the same factory. Isn't it, Mr. Holden? Yeah, sure. What are you getting at, Ranger? Well, this other gun's hardly oiled at all, just enough to protect it from rust. You sure you haven't been using the .32? I told you, I don't know nothing about guns. Clay, there's a little workroom in the back of this place. I saw it when we were here before. How about checking it for cotton waste that might have been used to clean a gun? Sure, Jason. Look, Ranger, I got a right to know what this is all about. Sure you have. Take a look at this box. Take a good look. It used to have 32 caliber cartridges in it. We found it in your room. Who let you in there? Your sister? Mr. Holden, we think you were with your brother-in-law, Harry Crowley, last night. You tried to steal calves from the fuller ranch. Don't be crazy. I had nothing to do with Harry. You got away from us and you killed a Mexican because you knew he might identify you, didn't you? How do you figure to prove what you're saying? It won't be too hard. Not if Ranger Morgan finds the right piece of cotton waste in the other room. Cotton waste don't mean nothing? It does have a ballistic check. It shows that this was a gun that killed a Mexican last night. Where are you, Jason? I found that cotton waste. Pull a burnt powder. Wrap it up in paper and bring- You're not going to get me! Get down now, you rascal! I'll kill you! Not today! Get started! I got him! You sure put him to sleep, Jason. But good. He probably needed it. I don't guess he slept much last night. In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Immediately following tales of the Texas Rangers, stay tuned for The Big Show and its Galaxy of Stars. Today's Big Show guest list includes Jack Carson, Bob and Ray, James Barton, Vera Lynn, and Tony Bavar. And, of course, The Big Show is presided over by Miss Taluna Bankhead, with Meredith Wilson directing The Big Show, Orchestra and Chorus. Then here Phil Harris and Alice Faye for 30 minutes of mirth and melody. There's a laugh in every line when it's time for the Phil Harris and Alice Faye show. Later there's Theatre Guild on the Air. And here to tell you about today's program is one of its stars, Miss Dorothy McGuire. Tonight Theatre Guild on the Air brings you Henry Bernstein's story, The Thief. It is the story of the eternal struggle between what is true and what man wants to believe is true. It is the story of a young man's belief that his beloved is nothing less than the perfection he imagines her to be. Here the Thief, presented by Theatre Guild on the Air tonight on NBC. And now back to tales of the Texas Rangers. Oh, here are the results of the case you have just heard. At his trial on July 17, 1937, Al Holden pleaded guilty to murder and cattle theft. His sister Ruth Crowley received a two-year prison term for obstructing justice, and Holden was sentenced to life imprisonment at Huntsville Penitentiary. Here once again is the star of our show, Joel McCray. Howdy, folks. Ever since that broadcast last year, when I read a poem entitled Not Guilty, we've had requests from judges, lawyers, police officers, and even a jailer in Northern Alaska to repeat it. So here it is. Not Guilty. I guess I've seen a thousand men go in this jail and out, from tramps with month-old whiskers to rich men with a gout. Not one of them was guilty of the crimes the law accused. Seems they were all just victims of some officer's abuse. From the time the keys are rattled until they're locked up in the cell, their voices, though they differ from a whisper to a yell, the song is always just the same, that everyone will sing. I don't see why they put me here. I haven't done a thing. Makes no difference what they've done or how mean the crime has been. When they're locked behind those prison bars, they're always free from sin. Though the evidence be solid and their voice with guilt may ring, they'll stand right up and tell you, I haven't done a thing. So long, folks. See you next week. Next week, Joel McCrae and another authentic re-enactment of a case from the files of The Texas Rangers. This included Tony Barrett, Whitfield Conner, Jeanette Nolan, Herb Ellis, and Betty Lou Gerson. 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 is produced and directed by Stacey Keith. Hell, give me speaking. Next, the big show brings you 90 minutes of drama, comedy, and music on NBC.