 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. Fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. Before we bring you today's story of the Texas Rangers, let's talk a moment with Phil Harris and Alice Faye during a break in the rehearsal for today's Phil Harris Alice Faye show. Thank you, Bill Foreman. You know, folks, I welcome this opportunity to talk with you about the great lineup of stellar entertainment that's stored for you this evening right here on NBC. Right after tales of the Texas Rangers, Tallulah Bankhead will bring you all of her darling guest stars on the big show. And I know that she has some of your favorite entertainers with her today, and I hope you'll listen to the big show. And then, right after Tallulah and her guests, it's time for my show. The show... Our show. You could be right. Our show, the Phil Harris Alice Faye show with Frankie Remley, Brother William, Julius Abruzio, and little Alice and Phyllis. And don't forget the theater guild on the air, Phil. That's right, immediately following our show, you'll hear your favorite stars of Hollywood and Broadway in great plays on theater guild on the air. So we hope you'll stay tuned right here to NBC. Thank you, Phil Harris and Alice Faye. And now, here's today's adventure of the tales of the Texas Rangers. And now, from the files of the Texas Rangers, the case called the Ice Man. It is 3 a.m. on September 17, 1948. In a farmhouse nine miles north of Rainer, Texas, Helen Dryer wakes from a sound sleep, raises herself on her elbow, and listens for a moment. Then she leans across and taps her husband urgent down the shoulder. Wake up. All right, I'll get up. What's the matter? I don't hear nothing. Dead Dryer, farm road 22. The man's down in my kitchen. He's coming along the hall towards the stairs. I think he's heading upstairs, Sheriff. Don't try to stop him. I've got the stone balls. You're not going to know. No, no, no. Honey, do you see what he looked like? Sheriff reached the Dryer farmhouse 20 minutes after the departure of the intruder. He found Mrs. Dryer in a state of hysteria and sent her upstairs with her husband. After a cursory investigation, he immediately contacted the Texas Rangers and requested assistance. Ranger Jase Pearson was assigned arriving on the scene at 4.25 a.m. The Sheriff led him directly to the kitchen. Hey, you see what I mean, Jase? Yeah, I'm glad you called us, Sheriff. Looks like it might be the one we've been after a long time. I kind of figured it was. Wade broke into the kitchen and raided the icebox first. I can't get over that. Eating the family's food before he tackles a job. He's pretty cool. It's one of the things that's made him so hard to catch. Let's see if he's left another one of his trademarks. You looking for anything special, Jase? I've found it. What is it? Method he uses to trip the latch on the screen door. Pushes an ice pick through the screen. Does he always carry that ice pick with him? As far as we know he does. Cap Stinson over at headquarters calls him the Iceman. Iceman or no. I sure don't relish having him in my county. Fred, you'll have him around town for one more night anyhow. Oh, I would make you say that. It's part of his MO. Always hits two nights in a row in the same area. Fix House is pretty far from town and the second place is always on the opposite side of town from the one he worked the night before. Shouldn't be hard to nab him then. It's what we've thought for over a year now. We even know a couple of other interesting things about him. He never enters a house where there's a dog and he wears gloves on the job. And even knowing this, we haven't been able to catch him. So you haven't been getting any fingerprints on him then, huh? No. I sure wish somebody at least get a look at him. We've learned a lot about him since he's been operating but we still don't have any idea what he looks like. Well, maybe the dryers can tell us something. She ought to be feeling better by now. And just a second. This is on the floor. Do you have a piece of paper handy I can use to sweep some of it off? Well, here's a sheet out of my notebook. Add to the trick. Uh-huh. Thanks. Yeah, I thought so. What is it, Jay? May I smell it? I'd say it was snuff. So would I. Mr. Dreyer use it? Nope. Ted smokes cigars. Looks like we've just discovered another one of the Iceman's habits. And every time we do, we get just a little bit closer to catching him. I sure hope you're right. Let's go up and see if the dryers can tell us anything. Ms. Dreyer was right jumpy when I got here. Not much wonder either. She was the one first her to be moving around in the kitchen. How much money to get here? Over $80. Ted had just been to the bank. All right, if the ranger and me come in. Sure. Come on in, Sheriff. Can you help here? No, we think so. How are you feeling now, Ms. Dreyer? Oh, I'm still a little shaky. I don't think I'll ever sleep again tonight. The way he came right into this room. Now, honey, honey, it's all over. I know. I'm still so scared. Sure. Yeah, sure. Don't you and a sheriff want to sit down, ranger? No, thanks. We'll just be a few minutes more. I've been thinking since it happened. Maybe I did wrong not trying to stop him. You're lucky you didn't, Mr. Dreyer. A couple of people have tried. He's pretty handy with an ice pick he carries. Has he killed anybody? No, but he's come close. He gets cornered. He's like a weasel. You seem to know a lot about this fella. You're laid eyes on him. Well, then how did it... That's not hard, Ted. Our man's been operating for over a year in different parts of Texas, and the ranger's got a good idea of his M.O. M.O.? Modus operandi. It's the pattern habitual criminals follow on a job. Uh-huh. Almost like a signature. But what we really need is some description of the man himself. I wish we could help here, but it was right dark in our room, and he didn't use a flashlight. Well, I saw his shadow when he crossed in front of the windows. So did I, honey, but that's not what the ranger wants. We appreciate you trying anyhow. What do you figure we ought to do next, Chase? Be light in a few minutes. We'll see if there are any tracks to follow outside. You won't stand much chance of catching up with him this late. I know. We might get a line on something almost as important. The direction he took when he left here. As soon as it was light enough for trailing, we went outside. Back at the house, we found a spot where the thief had rested on the ground prior to the burglary. Near the front door, we discovered tracks leading southeast across the fields. I unloaded charcoal from the trailer, and the sheriff borrowed a horse for Mr. Dreyer. Tracks were easy to follow. After about three miles, we pulled up. Oh, charcoal. Whoa, whoa, boy. Yeah. What do you make of that, Chase? Looks like he stopped to rest again. The way the brushes crushed, I'd say he'd spent quite a while here. Yeah, and I don't figure it. Why would a man who just broke into a house stop so close to the place you're at? Could have been waiting for something. How far is the main highway from here? Pretty close, just over that ride. We'll see if the tracks lead there. Get up, charcoal. Come on, boy. If you're right about here's waiting for something, it could be he's got a partner with the car. Meet him on the highway at some special time. Maybe, but our iceman strikes me more as the type would work alone. Tracks look like they're going to lead right on to the highway, Chase. Supposed to do. Where do we go from there? See if he crossed the road. If he did, he might give us some indication of where he was heading. And if he didn't? That's something we'll have to try and figure out. Oh, charcoal. Tracks stop at the highway, all right? Uh-huh. Take a look over here. Well, Chase, it's a snuffbox. Looks like it's been run over by a car. Uh-huh, or something heavier. Sheriff, we just might have the answer to one of the biggest problems about our man. What's that? Transportation. How he gets back into town after a job. I don't follow you, Chase. Come on back here. There are these marks in the gravel. Yeah. What do they look like to you? Well, they could be tire marks. From dual wheels. Double spur to gravel where they started off. And up there where the snuffbox was, you can see where the front wheels turned. You figure he might have been picked up by a truck? It's a little too long for a truck. Could have been one of those big trailer jobs. Then the rear wheels wouldn't have traction. No, I got a hunch it was a bus that picked our friend up. Well, there is a bus due in town from this direction at 450. And make it pass here around 430, just right for the Iceman to make it. You mean he might plan his jobs around Buscatchel? It's possible. I reckon we'd better try to locate the driver who brought in that bus. That shouldn't be too hard. Drivers all change at Rainier. And we're going to get into town. See if you remember picking up a passenger at this spot. Hey, Chase. We could really be on to something. We've got a few other angles to check before we're sure. But if they pan out, we've got just one more detail in the Iceman's MO. And this might be the one that trips him up. We reached the Continental Trailways bus depot 8 that morning and located the driver who had brought in the 450 bus. He remembered picking up a single passenger eight miles from Rainier. But was unable to describe him. I left the sheriff in the depot restaurant and called Austin. Twenty minutes later, I had the information I needed. I joined the sheriff at the restaurant counter. Grab a seat, Chase. I ordered just some eggs and coffee. Told the girl to keep them hot like you got here. Thanks. Hey, Miss, you can bring the rangers' order now. Find out anything from Austin? Plenty. Every job the Iceman's pulled has been at a time and place where he could have used a bus to get back to town. Hey, then we are on to something. Yeah, and we're going to try to take advantage of it tonight. Thanks, Miss. Hey, Chase, how do you figure to work it? According to the Iceman's MO, he'll pick a house south of Rainier tonight. We can be sure it'll be somewhere not too far from the main highway into town. You reckon we can get him when he tries to board the inbound bus? We're going to try. Check the schedule. The early morning bus from the south gets to Rainier at 5.06. We'll be tailing it all the way in. It sounds like it might work. How far out do you want to pick it up? 15 miles ought to do it. But we'll make it 20 just to be safe. 20 miles. We'll have to be out on the highway at 4. I reckon we ought to leave here about 3. Uh-huh. We better go catch a few hours sleep now, Sheriff. I don't think we'll get much tonight. At 3 the next morning, the Sheriff and I drove south on the highway out of Rainier. It was still dark when we picked up the inbound bus at 4.17 a.m. We tailed it for 5 miles without seeing anyone. 10 miles from town and still no results. The 7 mile mark, the Sheriff leaned forward in his seat. Hey, Jayce. Yeah? Can you get a little further over to the right? You think you see somebody? I'm not sure. How about now? Yeah, that's better. Yeah, up at the top of the next hill. The bus head lies just caught him standing at the side of the road there. Hold on, Sheriff. We're going around the bus. Then we're going to roll. You see him now? Yeah. Stay on your toes in case he makes a break when we stop. Right, Jayce. Get close to him. Watch out for that ice pick. I'll try not to get that close. Get ready. Well, can you beat that? A woman. I ought to kick myself. She had me fooled, too. There ought to be some kind of law against women wearing slacks. I reckon she works in the aircraft plant. And we'll let the bus pass us again. You might still be between here and town. What do we do if we don't spot him? Turn around and come out again. There's another bus due at 9.03. We'll pick it up at the same place and tail it. He's got to be around here somewhere and we're going to find him. The bus we were following picked up no more passengers on the way to town. We repeated the procedure with a 9.03 bus. Still no results. Little before 10 that morning, the sheriff and I walked into his office. I swear I don't understand it, Jayce. I just don't understand it. How come he didn't show up? That beats me, Sheriff. For a year or more, a man operates a certain way. He picks off two houses and two consecutive nights. I don't know. Maybe I was all wrong about that bus routine. No, I don't think so. Once you figure his pattern, it's laid out too clear. Couldn't be only coincidence about his robbing houses near the main highway just an hour or so before a bus passing. I guess not. But if taking a bus into town is part of his ammo, where was he? No robbery reported last night. Could be he decided to lay low for a night or two. That doesn't figure either. He was scared the night before, made an $80 haul from the dryers and never even knew they were awake. Yeah. Looks like he might have cleared out. What are your plans now, Jayce? I reckon I better start back to headquarters. Cap says he's got enough work lined up to keep me busy a month. Well, I'm sure sorry it didn't pan out. I sort of had my heart set on helping to haul in that little weasel. Well, keep in touch with us, Sheriff. If you hear anything, give us a yell. A sure will, Jayce, and thanks for everything. Come on, Sheriff. Sheriff home. Yeah? What? Wait a minute. Jayce! Oh, Jayce! Yeah, come here. All right, now give me that again. I see. Sure. Okay, we'll handle it. So long. What's up? Reckon Cap's tents won't have to get along without you for another day. I don't think you'll want to leave now, anyhow. Why not? Our man did hit last night. Robbed an old fellow named Earl Sweezy, 10 miles south of town. I guess I was wrong about that bus routine, after all. Maybe. But I got an idea last night with something new for your ice man. He stole the old man's car, used it for his getaway. I wonder what made him break his ammo like that? I reckon he had to get away fast. What do you mean? He stabbed old man Sweezy with his ice pick. In just a moment, we will continue with Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCray as Ranger Jayce Pearson. Have you ever stood on a western plane and watched the black funnel-like cloud of a tornado sweep across the countryside? Have you ever seen the destruction left in its wake? Whenever and wherever disaster strikes, your red cross must be prepared. Prepared to care for the injured, the homeless, the destitute. Following the sweep of a tornado, the raging waters of a flood, the blow of a hurricane, the need for help is immediate and urgent. If you are there on the scene, you will certainly do all you can to help. But even if you are hundreds of miles away, you can still answer the call of the victims through your red cross. For you, all of us are the red cross. Our red cross sets up shelters for the homeless, provides food and clothing and medical care. Then when the danger has passed, our red cross stays on for the long and expensive job of rehabilitation, rebuilding shattered lives and homes. Many people lack the resources to make a new start after disaster losses. Then they turn to you and you answer their call through your red cross. Give and give generously to the 1952 Red Cross Fund Drive. And now the second act of Tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with Tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, The Iceman. We left immediately for Earl Sweeney's farmhouse. On the way, the sheriff told me as much of the stories he'd heard over the phone. The old man had surprised the intruder and struggled with him before he was stabbed twice in the shoulder. When we pulled up to the house, the doctor was just leaving. He informed us that Mr. Sweeney was not badly hurt and was waiting for us. Well, sheriff, come in, come in. You two are injured. Thanks, Mr. Sweeney. Earl, you shouldn't be walking around with that bad shoulder. Now, sheriff, don't you be talking like that, doctor, telling me to stay in bed. It'd be more to death staying in bed. The doc said you did lose some blood. And I've got a lot more. It takes more than an ice pick to be letting all the blood out of old Earl Sweeney. We'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened last night. I didn't expect to be wanting to hear the whole thing just the way it occurred. Come into the kitchen with me. I want to show you just the way things was when I surprised this boy. Oh, we can stay right here for now, Mr. Sweeney. I think you'd be more comfortable. Oh, don't be spoiling the excitement from your ranger. I've been looking forward to telling you about this. Ever since you let me know you was on your way out, will you be coming with me? You fought with the burglar in the kitchen? Not I did. I was up in the bed, sleeping sound as you please, when I heard the rathen and the shuffling down here. What was this, Mr. Sweeney? Now, I wouldn't be knowing exactly, ranger, but I had a feeling it was some time after three or four o'clock. Here we are. I've left everything the way it was, except that I've cleaned up a little bit of blood that was in the floor there. You put up quite a fight at that, didn't you, Earl? I'm proud to say I did. If it hadn't been for that ice pick he was so fond of wielding, it would have been a different story altogether. What happened after you heard him down here, Mr. Sweeney? Yes, well, I come down the stairs easy, like, and when I got to the kitchen door, what did he suppose I'd seen this fellow doing? He was probably eating. Ah, somebody already told you about it. No, Mr. Sweeney, that's the way this man operates. Breaks into a house, eats, and then takes whatever money he can find. Is that so now? Well, well, I'll be quick about telling you the rest, ranger. I could just make out this fellow, sitting at the table, eating. I give a good run on a jumpin' before you know it, with his fightin' like two wildcats, and then he put this ice pick in my shoulder. Next thing you remember, I come to, and it was a bright daylight. I got up, and I made it over to Hank Flowers Farm. Don't you have a phone here? Never felt the need of one till now, Sheriff. Did you get a look at the man while you were fighting? Well, no. Ranger, that's hard to say. I seen him, and I didn't. What with his being so dark and all. Well, could you describe him? Well, the most I could say is about the size of him. He's right, and quick, quick. Oh, he was quick as a scared rat. Well, there's something else I forgot. What's that, Mr. Sweezy? The eyes of him. The eyes. I expect that was the only part of his face I've really seen. Me, nice. Looked at you the way a bobcat does when you get him cornered. Uh-huh. You think you'd be able to identify him if you saw him? As I said, I seen him, and I didn't. But I'm thinkin' I could identify him. We heard in town he stole your car. Is that true? It is, and I'm glad you asked me, ranger. I got it right off the... Thanks. That'll be all for now, and you better take it easy for a while with that shoulder. Oh, don't be worried about me. I'll be ready whenever you need me again. I hope that'll be soon, Mr. Sweezy. We put out a tracer on Mr. Sweezy's car. Around noon of the third day, the car was found covered with brush off a small dirt road near Route 190. We were checking the area when I received a radio call. KTXA, the unit 10. Unit 10 to KTXA. Go ahead, KTXA. Iceman has been located through the standard M.O. check in town of Delaney. Reported breaking and entering during early hours this morning. Delaney, that's 50 miles north of here. 10-4, does KTXA know exact location of crime with reference to center of Delaney? House belongs to a Brian Edwards. Location 12 miles east of town. 10-4, this unit will proceed immediately to Delaney. Unit 10 clear. He's already here east of town. Should be west for his second strike. Want to tail a bus again tonight, Sheriff? If it means another crack at this ice man, you just try and stop me. Let's get rolling, Jace. In Delaney, we checked the bus schedules and learned there was a continental trailways local inbound from the west at 457. By four, we'd intercepted the bus and started tailing it toward town. At 425, we spotted a man standing at the side of the road a quarter mile ahead of the bus. He passed the bus and pulled up 10 yards from the man keeping him in our headlights. He made no attempt to run as we got out of the car. I saw him throw something over in the brush, Jace. Stay where you are, mister. We want to talk to you. The bus is coming. I've got to get in town. Wave the bus on, Sheriff. Look, what you're doing, I've got to get on that bus. We'll give you a ride into town. You've got no right to do this. What's your name? I don't have to tell you nothing. I asked you where you live. I want an answer. Dallas. What are you doing out here tonight? Maybe I've been visiting a friend. Your friend to have a name? Look, you've got no business asking me questions like this. Risk him, Sheriff. You keep your hands on me. Shut up! Looks like the beginning of pay, Dirk, Jace. Box of snuff. Wallet pull of money and a pair of cotton gloves. I want to use these gloves. My gloves? I've got to write to you as many as I want. I've done the law a little better. I'll suppose you go get that ice pick you just threw away. I don't know what you're talking about. See if you can find it, Sheriff. I'll find it if it's the last thing I do. Now look, how long are you going to stand out here asking me questions? Until we're finished. Where were you tonight? I told you before. Visiting a friend. Who? Maybe I can't tell you. Maybe she got a husband. Jace? Find it? Yeah. Sharp and shiny. How many houses you break into with this, Tagger? I never saw that before. I don't think I'd claim it either if I'd stabbed as many people with it as you have. You're wasting your time. You promised me a ride into town. Am I going to get it? Yeah, but not to the town you think. You're going to get a ride a long way back to a town called Rainer. We arrived in Rainer around 10 that morning. We locked Tagger in a county jail and contacted Mr. Sweezy. We told him we wanted him to make an identification and arranged to have a special show up in the cell block. Tagger and five other men were to be presented to him in the hope that he could identify the man who'd entered his house. Come on in. We've got the six of them over there in one cell. Fine. This'll be fine, Mr. Sweezy. Wait here while the sheriff brings the men out. I'll have them out for you in a second. Ranger, if I'm not able to identify this man, do you have enough on him to send him away anyhow? Maybe. But without identification, a good lawyer could get him off. All right. All right. Come on out of there. Come on and stop talking. Now form a straight line in front of the cell. Get moving, all of you. Get a little closer now, Mr. Sweezy. Maybe these men look familiar to you? Yeah. I'm not able to say for certain, Ranger. Just take your time. That one. Start from the left. That might be him. You. No, the next man. Step out. How about it, Mr. Sweezy? Maybe if he was to talk. Anything special you want to hear him say? Maybe if he was to say, I'll get you. That's what he said when we was fighting. Let me hear you say, I'll get you. Look, what is this? Say it. I'll get you. Maybe if he was to whisper, that's the way he says when I heard him. Whisper those same words. I don't know how. You heard the Ranger whisper. I'll get you. Mr. Sweezy. I can't be sure. I just wouldn't want to be saying it. Thanks anyhow. Sheriff? Wait a minute. What is it? I was just remembering. In the fight the other night, just before he put the ice pick in my shoulder, I had a hold of him and I scratched the back of his neck. Are you sure? And wasn't I almost forgetting? If that's the man, you'll have the mark of my fingernails across the scruff of his neck. All right, you. Turn around. Look, what are you trying to do? Turn around. You can't make me do nothing out of water. Ranger, it is him. That look he got in his eyes just then, he didn't have eyes any places. Him for sure. You did it. I'm engaged. I'll kill him. Come on. Get out of here. Let's get back in that cell. I said in the cell. You can't put me in it. I love it, Sheriff. I'll get out. That is all you want, Tagger. It's going to take more than an ice pick to get through that door. In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Hello, friends. This is Jack Park. I'll be with you later this evening with a $64 question, but right now I'd like to remind you about some of the other great shows this evening on the NBC radio network. In just a few minutes, you'll hear the big show with Tallulah Bankhead and a big array of guest stars. And of course, Meredith Wilson will be on hand to direct the big show orchestra and chorus. You will hear 90 minutes of scintillating comedy and music today on The Big Show. And then, right after The Big Show, stick around for the Phil Harris Alice Space Show with Frankie Remley, Julius Abruzio, William Williams and the entire Harris household. It's a program that's sure to please you. Later today, Theatre Guild on the Air will bring you stars from Hollywood and Broadway in an exciting Broadway play. And right after Theatre Guild on the Air, I'll be back with a pocket full of money and the $64 question. I'll be talking to a lot of contestants tonight, and maybe you will hear one of your neighbors. So why not stay tuned right now to the NBC for a whole evening of great entertainment. I'll be looking for you in our radio audience tonight. And now, let's get back to the tales of the Texas Rangers. And now, here are the results of the case you have just heard. On November 17, 1948, George Taggart was tried in the Rainer County Court on dual charges of Polonius assault and burglary. He was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in Huntsville Penitentiary. Next week, Joel McCray and another authentic re-enactment of a case from the Files of The Texas Rangers in San Francisco Story, a Warner Brothers release. The cast included Tony Barrett, Lillian Baya, Whitfield Conner, and Farley Bear. 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. Hal Gibney speaking. Next, The Big Show brings you 90 minutes of drama, comedy, and music on NBC.