 The national broadcasting company presents Joel McCrae in tales of the Texas Rangers From Hollywood another authentic re-enactment of a case transcribed from the files of the Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers starring Joel McCrae is Ranger Jayce Pearson Texas more than 260,000 square miles 50 men who make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America From the 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 open and shut It is 1 37 a.m. September night 1945 John Meston a wealthy rancher is awakened by the sound of a speeding car screeching to a stop on the driveway outside his house Seconds later he jumps out of bed and reaches for a robe as the downstairs door opens His daughter Connie comes up the stairs screaming hysterical Hold of yourself There was a man with a bandana We were parked there Yeah, yeah, sit down sit down while I call the sheriff Get something for your nerves Operator give me Sheriff Sykes. I want to report a murder Connie Meston was in no condition to be questioned and Sheriff Sykes had only an incoherent story to follow He called the Texas Rangers Ranger Jayce Pearson was assigned to the case. He arrived at the Meston ranch shortly before dawn Might as well wait here in the library Ranger doctor still in with the girl. He's had a mighty bad shock She tell you where it happens here. Yeah, the old cattle road east of the ranch I got some men riding out there now They'll call us as soon as they find the body that girl isn't gonna be able to talk real soon We better get out with your men Here's a girl's father. Sorry to keep you waiting for you. How are you mr. Meston glad you got here Ranger Can we talk to your daughter now mr. Meston? I'm afraid not Doctors put her to sleep Says she must have absolute rest for a few hours. There's no point in our waiting and sheriff We can come back later. I'm sorry, but that would be best. I'll walk out with you What's the best way to get to that cattle road drive into town then around the highway Be sure to cut across the ranch on horses. You've got yours in your trailer Maybe mr. Meston will lend me one take your pick of the stable chair Couldn't we drive across the range? No, you've got a ravine to cross and a stream to forward What time did your daughter get home mr. Meston? Just a minute before I call the sheriff little after 1 30 I've only been in bed about an hour Locked up about 12 30 and turned in Is this the car she came home in yeah Bob Brady's car I heard a drive up then I heard a crying Came in and tore up the stairs to my bedroom I'm afraid it's going to take a long time to get over this Don't let anybody touch this car until I can get a fingerprint man to go over it killer may have left his mark someplace I'll see it ain't touched. Well, I'll go get me a horse and stable ranger How well did your daughter know Brady? Well, they went around together for a spell But this date last night was the first they'd had in a long time Brady worked for me doing what a count and handle all the ranch business Got an office and one wing of the house I see now radio for a fingerprint man to come down from our lab while the sheriff's getting his horse Want me to ride with you for any reason? No Better do whatever you can to bring your daughter around so we can talk to her. We'll be back later I made my radio call and then sheriff Sykes and I cut across the ranch to the old road The riders had just found Bob Brady's body. Nothing had been touched Riders waited while the sheriff and I went over the ground Standing right beside the car when he was killed The car tracks are heaviest here where it was parked. Yeah Brady and the girls been walking around though a prince go over that way and then turn around and come back here to the body There's a third set of Prince mixed in with theirs. Yeah, it must be the killer. Yeah Came up the road here and stopped beside the car and walked on again The powder burns on Brady's coat shot from close up I only saw the girl for a minute couldn't make much out of what she was saying But I think Brady was killed with his own gun. I'll come carried an automatic in the glove compartment of his car He towed it quite a bit of the ranch's cash on him sometimes It's funny the killer didn't use his own gun unless he didn't have one Now the girl said Brady tried to get his gun from the car Fella took the gun away from Brady and killed him so I guess he couldn't have had a gun of his own it doesn't make sense He was taking a mighty big chance stage in the hold up if he wasn't armed Although I guess it was robbery. All right, Brady doesn't seem to have a scent on him. No wallet. No wristwatch. Nothing. Yeah No doubt about the moody Well, I guess I better have the body moved into town deputy can notify Brady's mother Yeah Better an order in a topsy report isn't gonna tell us anything. We don't know though Keep a couple of your riders here sure thing But what do you want them to do beat the brush and look for Brady's gun while they're looking we can follow this extra set of tracks And see where they lead I Expected to follow the marks of a man who didn't want to be followed the usual erratic trail at killer leaves when he's trying to Throw off pursuit, but this trail led straight as an arrow Whoever he is he sure didn't cover his tracks very well. No unless he's headed for some spot where he knows his trail will be lost Wait a minute. Oh, oh boy What is it? Trouble may start here. Yeah turned off the road into the fields Ground's worn that way though. It's a path. It's been used before come on Grass has been trampled from regular use anybody live out here, you know, nope. Yeah Yeah, an old shack about a mile and a half cross used to be a line house owner rented to a Mexican We better have a talk with him. We can move a little faster, but keep your eye out for those tracks as we go Yeah, yeah, we reached the shack and the earth around it were the boot prints of a man They match the ones we've been following He's in there all right ranger. Yeah They still have that gun with him. He was up late. Could still be asleep. Come on. We'll see take a look at these boots Right beside his bunk bent male in the heel of one of them Made the March we've been following all right. He's our boy All right, you wake up Who's that come on get up Please what have I done? Why'd you come here? What's your name? Jose Morales, and you're where were you last night? I what I walk into town anybody see you there She says no the man in the package store. I Stopped there to buy a bottle of wine. There's the bottle on the table. What time do you leave town Morales? He was Almost midnight I think and you walked home too. Yes, and you see but why do you ask me all these questions? I don't know how long does it take you to walk back here. Oh Our maybe more. I don't have a watch. Are you sure you don't have a watch now. Yes Yeah, I never own one. How about a gun? I Don't have a gun. How did you come when you came home? Well, I No, I don't remember senior. I just walk you better remember you came up the cattle road We followed your boot tracks. Were you alone all the time? See you didn't see a car parked on the cattle road See says and you see there is man and girl there. They will remember that they see me there What's that? Hold it sheriff go ahead Morales. When did they see you? On the way home. I passed by the car. I think maybe the car is Broke down so I took a look inside, but there's nobody there. Uh-huh, and then I walk a little further I meet a man and girl. I asked them is something wrong with the car. Go ahead. Well, they told me no So I just come away Senior if you can find him they will remember they can tell you I was there this man's walking himself right into the electric chair Jay, yeah, too easy You better get dressed Morales. You're coming with us, but why is and you are what have I done? You will find out later just get dressed Let's call this shack sheriff see if we can find that gun We didn't find the gun or anything else that might have been taken from Brady and the sheriff's riders drew a blank, too But we had enough to hold Morales at the jail. We locked him up and went back to the Meston ranch Before you speak to my daughter gentlemen, I want to ask you to kind of take it easy In here Connie it's Sheriff Sykes in the ranger. Howdy, miss Connie. Hello Miss Meston, would you mind telling us just what happened last night? well Bob called me Bob Brady He wanted to see me We hadn't seen each other for some time. I thought he worked here at the ranch Well, it did. I meant we hadn't been out together for a long time. I'm sorry go ahead Well, he he picked me up here and we drove Then we parked up the whole cattle road lots young folks parked there on an off ranger sort of lovers lane We'd been there quite a while talking See Bob was gonna be married next month to a girl named Mildred Peterson. She's a school teacher, ain't I see go ahead miss Meston Well, he asked me if I wouldn't change my mind and make up with him Before he got married and it was too late. Mm-hmm. I Told him we weren't right for each other. He'd be happier with somebody else and then well All of a sudden the man came up to the car. It was dark. He had a bandana over his face. Go on We he held us up and made us get out of the car. Yeah, I'm not sure I was frightened He had something in his hand He took Bob's wallet in his watch and then And he told us to stay right where we were didn't he take anything from you Well, yes Yes, he took my purse and then what happened well, all of a sudden Bob made a dash for the car He he got his gun from the glove compartment, but the man was right after him. They They fought the man got the gun away from Bob And he shot Bob and ran away Gentlemen What were you wearing Just a plain blue dafford address it's right there on the chair After that you took Brady's car and drove back here and your father called the sheriff's that right yes Driving back from there. You had to come through town. Why didn't you stop and get to a phone? I was frightened. I couldn't think I wanted to get home. You should be able to understand that ranger after all the girl kept sure Mr. Meston just checking You said you were in bed and heard your daughter drive up. Is that right? Yes. I told you before I Locked up and turned in about 12 30 Connie come home about an hour later came in and right up to your bedroom Is that right? Yes, why just get in the picture? All right sheriff we can go now right? Oh, we can find our own way out mr.. Meston miss Connie can come in a town dictator statement in a day or so Thank you Well ranger this looks like a quick one to me case against the Mexican Morales is open and shut I didn't know sheriff somebody's lying Meston said he locked up and went to bed his daughter came in and went tearing up to his bedroom. Well, what's wrong with that? How'd she get into the house if Morales took her purse her keys would be in it. Well, she Might have had her key in the pocket of her dress might have except for one thing That dress has no pockets In just a moment we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers Starring Joel McCray as ranger jace Pearson This month the national broadcasting company celebrates 25 years of bringing you the best radio programs Seven days a week you can depend upon NBC for music drama Comedy entertainment of every kind as well as the latest up-to-the-minute news from every corner of the world When you tune where you hear the familiar NBC chimes, you know you're tuned for the finest in radio listening We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and tonight's case open and shut an authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers I Checked on Morales story as best I could he had been in town and he had bought a bottle of wine to take home with him The night of the murder, but when I got back to the jail the sheriff had evidence piling up against the Mexican Your fingerprint crude dropped off copies of prints they found on Brady's car These prints were found only on the door of the car now compare with these Same man. All right matching set of the prints. I rolled off Morales when we brought him in He must have done it maybe but I'm not convinced. I'll see you later Here where are you going ranger to see Brady's mother and the girl he was going to marry The only boy had left His two brothers were killed in the war and please mother Brady. We've got to help the ranger. Oh I'm sorry ranger. It's all right, ma'am How long it had been since your son had been out with Connie Meston before last night six months. I Thought it was all over. I thought you'd leave him alone when she knew him and Melvin was going to be married Did he ruled about her much during the time he wasn't seeing her? No He knew it was best. She was spoiled. She never really wanted it So punch found out you couldn't have him miss Peterson You and Brady ever quarrel about Connie Meston. Oh, no, he was over it. He knew what she was He's a cruel heartless little cheat She made his life miserable. Have you got any idea why he called her and asked her to see him that night? Well, ranger. He didn't call her She called him you're sure of that. I heard him answer the phone He didn't want to go but she must have been insisting because after a while he said all right. He'd meet her just once for the last time Thanks ranger, is it true what we heard? You've got the killer in jail. I wouldn't count on that yet I went back to the jail and questioned Morales again He was frightened, but his story never moved an inch from what he told us the first time Then I saw the sheriff. I spoke to district attorney Jace. He thinks we got enough to take the grand jury for an indictment Give me one of the mug shots you took a Morales when you brought him in sure Here's a picture Thanks, I Want Connie Meston to look at it and see if she can identify Morales She said the man who stuck him up had a bandana over his face She said a lot of things sheriff Brady struggled with the man who killed him Morales carried a bottle of wine from town to his shack We checked that if he had a struggle with anyone, how come he didn't drop the bottle and break it Seems like it would have broke don't it you got a bandana here. Yeah the one we took from Morales Why no not that one. I want one with a different color and pattern. Maybe you wanted my deputy's logger get it I want to see how many lies Connie Meston can tell I won't be satisfied with a case against Morales until we find Brady's gun and the things that were supposed to be stolen. I Went back to the Meston ranch the next morning Connie Meston was taking Brady's death hard As hard as a rock She wasn't at the ranch house. She was near the corral training a jumper to take a fence All right, come on boy now. Let's go come on back again. Come on glad to see you've recovered from your shock Had to find something to occupy my mind. I'd work my horses Got a minute in the show at El Paso next Sunday and be nice if the horse lives that long the way you use that whip It happens to be my horse What do you want anyway a little information? We may have the man who killed Brady. Oh, yeah, I heard the Mexican Morales news gets around Here's a picture of him. Is he the man? Well, he could be It looks like the one what do you recognize that scar on his chin? Yeah Well, no, I mean no, he his face was covered. Yeah, I I almost forgot about that Is this the bandana you saw? Well, it was dark, but it was just like that one. Uh-huh. Well, thanks Is that all you want to know Ranger? Yeah, that's all for now. I Saw Connie Meston's father's I was leaving the ranch. He seemed pale and shaky see me there I was certain that Connie Meston was lying all the way the sheriff dropped a bombshell in my lap when I got back to the Jail, he was running for his car when I drove up Hey sheriff sheriff. Where you going? Oh, I I'm glad you got here I was just heading for Morales place. You want to come along I reckon why what's out there? I think we're gonna find the gun and the stuff he stole look here Just got this in the mail was posted last night in the Mexican section The note was printed in Spanish on yellow paper It said look in cattle tank near Morales house. That was all reckon Morales trusted a friend who decided to double-cross him We better get out there Hey Well, there's no doubt about this case now ranger we find that gun and Morales is headed for the electric chair for sure Hey here Here's something else. What'd you find the watch? Radiance wrist watch good Well, this is all of it Come on. Let's get out of this water. Sure Oh Nice. Oh The gun the girls first Brady's wallet wrist watch right on Morales doorstep That's the end of this case. No, it isn't so now Jay look at these things sheriff Look at the muzzle of this gun. It's clogged solid with dirt packed tight Well always some mud in the bottom of a cattle tank, but this isn't mud It's packed earth and it's packed so tight. It didn't dissolve in the water. Yeah Say that is funny sheriff this gun was buried some place after it was fired Buried and then dug up again and thrown into this cattle tank. Say you're right Traces of dirt packed into the holes of the watch band to and in the wallet sure But look at this purse the purse wasn't buried or the same dirt had be jammed in the metal frame Connie Miston's keys She had him when she ran home after Brady was shot She brought the purse with her to plant with the stuff she dug up after she knew Morales was under suspicion You mean she killed Brady buried the evidence before she went home to make it look like robbery. Yeah Because the real motive was jealousy You hold Morales another 24 hours. That'll be long enough to get what we need then Connie Meston can take his place But you've got no proof on her. I'll send that anonymous note through to the handwriting division at our lab They can get a sample of Connie Meston's writing from horse show registration blanks at El Paso for comparison Yes, but will that help Ranger after all the note is printed and it's in Spanish. There'll still be similarity in letter formations Besides registration blanks usually asked for printed information on breeding and identification If Connie Meston wrote that note lab will know it If checked Connie Meston's printing on registration blanks for the horse show matched the printing on the anonymous note It was almost enough, but I wanted one more thing a trace of dirt on something she owned a trace that would match The birth that had been packed in the muzzle of Brady's gun when it was buried I drove out to the Meston Ranch and found Connie in the stables Mind if I come in oh You here again Well, you want this turn I thought you might like to know we found Brady's gun Anonymous note pulled us where it was cattle tank out of Morales place. Hmm. You got a good case then No Morales didn't put the gun in the tank How do you know because the gun and the other things had been buried they were dug up again and thrown in the tank Well, maybe decided to change the hide-and-place while we were holding him in jail. That's not likely Morales didn't kill Brady. Well, you know who did not for sure, but we'll find out Whoever dug those things up must have carried him in something while they were taking him to the cattle tank Some dirt was jammed in the muzzle of the gun We find out what it was carried in clothing. Maybe somebody's pocket. We can match the dirt in our lab. I see That's very interesting. I thought you'd think so. Well, I guess I better be getting back to town I drove away from the ranch and parked behind some trees It gave me a view of the stable a minute after I left her Connie Meston came out riding like the wind I unloaded charcoal from the trailer and followed her always keeping cover between us She didn't seem to be carrying anything to dispose of but all of a sudden she came to a stop by a stream She took the saddlebags and started to shake them out over the water Oh boy. Oh boy. All right charcoal. Let's go Say right where you are miss Meston I'll take those saddlebags and Empty them into a stream none that I know of I'll take them then Ranger cuz they're empty not as empty as you wish They were and a few grains of dirt stuck in the seam. That's all we're gonna need Well, you can't make anything out of that. Oh, I got a few other things that anonymous note in Spanish match the registration blanks You send into El Paso. I don't think you'll be showing your horses Sunday. Why you Won't be using this again either now get on your horse and ride for the house I'm taking her in mr. Meston Got an idea you started to suspect she was lying the same time I did She's not lying Ranger. She didn't know nothing about it. I did it. I shot crazy. I'm sorry, but that won't work either I got her pinned down all the way Money what kind of a father are you if you can't help shut up Yes, I should have started 20 years ago before electric get to be what you are Maybe I'm not legally guilty Ranger But I'm guilty raised another way I did Too bad you didn't think of it sooner All right, Connie. Let's get into town Connie Meston's trial was spotted with hysterics that failed to convince the court although she maintained she was innocent in the face of overwhelming evidence against her Then is the trial near to close she changed her plea to guilty and in an effort to avoid a death sentence She confessed she was sentenced to the women's prison at Huntsville for 50 years week Joel McCrae and another authentic re-enactment of a case from the files of Texas Rangers Kray is currently seen starring in the Universal International Technicolor production cattle drive the cast included Tony Barrett, Joan Banks, Francis X Bushman, Barley Bear, and Vivi Janis Technical advisor was Captain M.T. Lone Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers This story was transcribed and adapted by Joel McCrae and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keith Hell give me speaking It's the silver jubilee on NBC Next it's the big show with stars including Sophie Tucker, June Valley, Jerry Lester, Anne Sheridan, Morton Downey, and your charming hostess Tallulah Bankhead then enjoy mirth and music with Phil Harris and Alice Faye Later a theater guild on the air presents Age of Innocence co-starring Claudette Colbert and McDonald Kerry and for pictures of your favorite NBC stars by the current NBC silver jubilee issue of radio TV Mirror magazine Next it's the big show all this and Tallulah too on NBC