 of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McRae as Ranger Jase Pearson. Another authentic re-enactment of a case friends' gripe from the files of the Texas Rangers. This is in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of records. Every day, Monday through Friday, there's top entertainment all day long when you set your radio dial to NBC. Listen for double or nothing, and you'll hear one of radio's funniest quiz shows. Yes, Walter O'Keefe consistently comes up with great comedy entertainment Monday through Friday on Double or Nothing. Listen, and you'll agree. And then there's the program with a heart, Strike it Rich. The grand entertainment that Warren Hull brings you every day on Strike it Rich is just what the doctor ordered if you suffer from housework blues. From Chicago, Tommy Bartlett brings you welcome travelers and interviews with the many interesting guests who each day pass through the windy city. And for more fun, listen for Bob and Ray, those two zany comics. And then there's Music and Charm with Dave Garroway. So remember, every day, Monday through Friday, chase your blues away with the wonderful daytime programs on this station of the NBC radio network. And now here's today's adventure with the Tales of the Texas Rangers. And now, from the files of the Texas Rangers, the case called Sell Out. It is 6.30 PM Friday, September 15, 1949, in Corvall, Texas. Jim Reeves, owner of the local hardware store is waiting on his last customers at the end of the first day of a closing out sale. And that'll be $24.61 for the lot. Thank you, Miss Looney. And I sure hope everything will be satisfactory. Here's my ticket for the deep-fraised, Jim. $148, I mine, eh? That'll do it, Charlie. Couldn't pick one up for a price like that any other time. I know it. Jim, I just can't believe you're really leaving us. Getting too old for this kind of work, Charlie. Me and Kerry have been looking forward a long time to living near Beth up there in Fort Worth. I'm sure glad the sale's been going so well. Been such a flock of people in and out of here all day. It looks like they beez you on bingo night. Yeah, it's going real good. Think we'll be sold out tomorrow. Well, ain't going to say goodbye now, Jim, because I'll be seeing you tomorrow anyway when I pick up that deep-fraised. Of course you will. Good night, Charlie, and thank you. And, Nancy. You call me, Mr. Reeves? Yeah, I'm going to lock up now, breaking you about as tired as I am. I'm sure sorry I got the ticket on that pressure cooker mixed up, Mr. Reeves. Don't you fret about a little thing like that, Nancy. You've been doing a good job. Don't know how I'd have got along without you. Better get what you want back there, Mr. Because I'm going to lock up now. I guess he didn't hear me. Sorry, Mr. But we're closing up for tonight. The sale's still beyond tomorrow. What are you doing with that bandana on your face? Shut up and do like I tell you. This gun ain't no toy. What do you want? I want you to get moving and open up that cash register. Well, go on. Get going, unless you want to load a lead in your belly. It's all right, Nancy. Just stay where you are. Now, come on. Open up that register and put the loop in this paper bag. Oh, Mr. Reeves. Keep your trap shut, sister. Stay back. Don't get scared, Nancy. Mr. The money in this cash register is everything I got in the world. I'm not going to give it up to a sneak and see. You put it in here or I'll plug you. Mr. Reeves do like he tells you, else you might get hurt. All right. Come on. Come on. Hurry up. I'm hurrying. Put the change in the bag, too. That all of it? Yes, yes. OK, then. Now move over to that wall and turn your back. Go on. You too, sister. Go on. Hurry up, I said. OK. Now don't either one of you make a move for five minutes if you know what's good for you. Girdy sneak heave. I'm not going to let him get away with it. Please, Mr. Reeves, do like he told you. You know I hate, I'm going to get his license number anyway. Mr. Reeves, please. He was rushed to the local hospital and the sheriff of Corvell County was summoned at once. Immediately, he notified the Texas Rangers. Ranger Jase Pearson arrived at the scene 45 minutes later and began talking to Nancy Taylor, the girl who witnessed the hold up. I know you've been badly shaken by this, Taylor, but I'm going to have to ask you to get hold of yourself and answer some questions. He never did anything to hurt anybody in his whole life. Want to help us find who shot him, don't you? All right then. Try to remember what the man looked like. I told you he had a bandana on. I couldn't see his face. How tall was he? I don't rightly know, Ranger, but he was a big fella. How big? You know what kind of a car the man was driving? It was black. Are you sure? Yes. Yes, Sheriff. Hospital telephone. Jim, we've just regained consciousness. We better get over there as fast as we can. OK, I'll talk to you later, Miss Taylor. Is it going to be all right, Sheriff? I'm sorry to upset you anymore, but I'm afraid not, Nancy. Doc says it's only matter of time. No use to operate now. Get some rest if you can, Miss Taylor. We'll see you later. You poor kid. Yeah, I'm a very nice experience for a girl. Get anything, Jase? Not much. She says she's sure the car was black. Charlie Pratt thinks the last poor digit on the license were 2144, but he isn't sure. Who's he, Sheriff? He's the drugist down at the corner. Did he see the shooting? Nobody heard the shot from around out in the street, just as the car was driving off. 2144, huh? Yeah. We better send that out just on the chance he was right. Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt. Unit 10 to KTXA. Unit 10 to KTXA. Subject wanted for hold up and shooting in Corvell County this evening believed to be about 6 feet 2, said to be driving black sedan. One witness reports last four digits of license may be 2144, 2144. Alert all units and have license division check records of cars this description with matching digits. Unit 10 now proceeding to County Hospital with Sheriff to interrogate victim. 10-4 if no other traffic. Unit 10 clear. I guess just about everybody in Corvell is going to feel as bad about this as Nancy does. I'm feeling kind of shook up myself. You known him a long time? Oh, yeah, and our nicer fellow never lived in Jim Reeves. Kerry, that's his wife. Well, it'll be just like killing her too, when they tell her. You've been able to locate her yet? Nope. Neighbor says she's taken a bunch of things she didn't need over to a family on some ranch out yonder. Just like Kerry, thinking of other folks even when she's moving and all. Where were they moving? Fort Worth. And they were both looking forward so to going up there. Daughter's got a little cottage in the back of her place. Jim and Kerry were always talking about best kid and what a good time they were going to have being grandparents to bunkies. Doug's have a way of picking on good people. I don't know why, and there are plenty of bad ones around. Good folks are more trusting, that's why. I swear, I don't know what Kerry's going to do now, Jim. Or a daughter will help her, won't she? Oh, sure, but Kerry's too conscientious to live on bed. Jim worked a lot longer than he should have, just so they could retire independent. I think Kerry'd take an old-age pension first. Or maybe he can raise some money for her on the hardware stuff that's left. Maybe, but I think Jim sold out most of his stock today. I might get that money back for her yet. I sure hope so, Jason. I hope Mr. Reeves can give us some kind of a lead to go on. It would help. Here we are, room three. We can go right in, Jason. Kerry? She's coming to you as fast as you can, Jim. Sheriff? Yeah, that's me. Have you got that filly yet? No, but we're going to. This is Ranger Pearson, Jim. Howdy, Sheriff. Yeah? Kerry's going to need that money off of that. Don't you worry about anything now. No, don't give me that, Sheriff. I heard the doctor, heard him talking. I feel so tired. Mr. Reeves, have you any idea who the man was who held you up? No, must be getting old. All to be able to handle a fellow his size. I thought he was a big man. Uh-uh, little sheep. How tall was he? About five foot and... Yes? Jeez. Yeah. A few minutes after we left, Mr. Reeves' room, his wife arrived at the hospital. The sheriff and I had to tell her he had just died. She took it even harder than we thought she would. We didn't want Mrs. Reeves to stay alone that night, so we drove her to a neighbor's house. By the time we left, it was too late to talk to the drugist, Charlie Pratt, so we went down to his drugstore the next morning. Morning, Charlie. Two fellas located, that runaway skunk yet? Not yet, but we're sure trying to. Ranger Pearson here wants to talk to you, Charlie. Just wanted to check a couple of things with you. I just can't believe it yet. Jim Reeves and me have been playing dominoes together every Saturday for nine to 10 years now. It's terrible. It's just terrible. That's what it is. My wife and I were just saying last night. Charlie, did you get a look at the man? No. When I come out, he was whizzing around this corner and that light color sit down like a bat out of Hades. Nancy Taylor said the car was black. Oh, that poor kid was so shook up, she probably don't know what she said it could be. You're certain the car was light colored, Mr. Pratt? I'm positive. You see, I was sitting up here at the counter. I was eating my supper. I remember that because I was thinking at the time how good them card fish balls tasted. Did you hear the shots? I sure did. And then they knocked me off my stool. Then I ran out into the street and I saw this car screeching around the corner. I tried as hard as I could to get the license. We were sure grateful for that, Charlie. Then I saw Nancy come running out of the store. She was the first one to get the gym and I reckon I got there next. You say the car turned the corner right here. Yeah, oh, that poor kid. What a terrible sight for a young girl like that. Why, it's lovely to give her nightmares for weeks, my wife said. Sheriff, if the car turned the corner here and Nancy came out of the store afterwards, then she couldn't have seen it. Well, I saw it and you can strike me pink if I'm not right about it's being kind of a light color. Well, thanks a lot, Mr. Pratt. Yeah, that's the wrong, Charlie. If there's anything more I can do to help you. You just let me know. Nancy's mom says she just went all two pieces last night. I'd sooner take Charlie's word for the color of the car. Look up the street, Sheriff. Yeah. She couldn't possibly have seen that car. No, not if it turned the corner before she came out. Well, I reckon Nancy's kind of mixed up about things. Yeah, she must be. I think we ought to have another talk with her, though. We may have radioed the wrong description of the car. We headed for Nancy Taylor's house. When we got there about 11 or mother told us she'd gone over to pay her respects to Mrs. Reeves. We drove over to the neighbors where Mrs. Reeves was staying and waited in the car till Nancy came out. She was with her boyfriend and we asked him to drive her down to the sheriff's office. We'd just gotten out of our car when they drove up behind us. I'll wait out there for you, honey. Will it take long, Sheriff? I can't tell. Why don't you come inside and wait, Bob? It'll be all right. We'll want to keep sure. OK. Try not to keep her any longer than you have to, will you, Sheriff? She had an awful bad night, Mrs. Taylor, sir. I know we'll make it as short as we can, Bob. But there are two or three things we want to clear up. Ranger, I've told you everything I know about it. What more do you want to ask me that I haven't already talked to you about? I'm going to be sure and get your statement down as soon as we can, Nancy. The quicker we get at it, the more clearly you'll remember what happened. Yeah. Here. Sit down here, Nancy. Thank you. Here's a chair for you, Bob. Oh, thank you. Nancy, we know when a thing like this happens, everybody gets a little excited. Oh, it's the worst thing I've ever been through. He was the sweetest, old man. And poor Miss Reeves. Oh, I wanted to say something to make her feel better. I just couldn't think of a thing. Let me ask you something, Nancy. How tall did you say that fella was? Well, I don't know exactly, except he was pretty big. We talked to Mr. Reeves before he died. He seemed to think the man was fairly short. Oh, Ranger, I'm just sure he was a big, broad-shouldered man, kind of husky, as well as being tall. There's another thing, Nancy. Yes, sir? You told me the car you saw was black. Yes, sir. Are you sure it wasn't a lighter color? Well, it could have been a real dark green, I guess. Why? We're having a little trouble getting the description of the car straight. Mr. Pratt says it was a light color. He's wrong, Ranger. I was closer than he was. Of course, he says by the time you came out, the car had turned the corner. Well, that didn't so. I ran right out there when I heard the shots. And I saw the car. It was either black or else maybe a very dark green. What's the matter? Don't you believe me? It's your statement. I want to write it down and have you sign it. Now? Uh-huh. Can you wait, Bob? Excuse me, Ranger. I don't mean to be buttoned in. Couldn't you do that tomorrow? Nancy's been under an awful strain ever since this happened. And I know you'd get better results if you'd just let her get some rest. I'll get it. As soon as we get an accurate description of the car, the better chance we have of catching the fellow. Well, uh, as I say, I'm not too sure whether it was black or green. That's all right. You can put that down in your statement. Jayce, maybe we better take Nancy's statement later. I'll come. License division says the number Charlie Pratt gave us belongs to a car dealer in El Moncro. Got a lot of cars there with the same dealer's number, green and black sedan boats. You mean you found the car the fellow used? We don't know, but it looks like we're getting warmer. Maybe now you'll be able to track that guy down, huh? I hope so. Name of the dealer is Andy Rort, Jayce. Nancy, you stand by to identify him. We'll get that kill and unbend it before you know it. In just a moment, we will continue with Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCray as Ranger Jayce Pearson. Friends, at this moment throughout the country, millions of motorists are beginning to wind their way home along crowded highways from a long Memorial Day weekend. It is at times such as these when accidents happen more frequently, when death and driving draw closer together. You can help to decrease the accident and death rate on our nation's highways. Excessive speed for driving conditions is a major cause of many motor accidents. Control your speed at all times to keep within the safe speed, not just the legal limit. America's professional truck drivers are taught to drive ahead of themselves to avoid accidents by seeing them threaten before they can happen. They know that careful driving keeps them from having accidents which may take lives. Speed is the number one killer on the highways, so drive carefully today on your way home from an enjoyable weekend and tomorrow, wherever you go in your car. Exercise caution, courtesy, and the golden rule for the life you save may be your own. Now the second act of Tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with Tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, sell out. The sheriff and I decided the druggist, Charlie Pratt, was the best one to help us spot the car. We told the tailor girl to be available in the event we picked up the killer. And we headed for El Mantro. As we drove up to the dealer's place, two highway patrolmen were talking to a large man in the used car lot. OK, Mr. Pratt. All right, Mr. Pratt. There must be Rourke standing over there with a patrolman. Say, Jace, he's a big guy, isn't he? I guess Nancy's description was right. Yeah. Howdy, boys. You, Andy Rourke? Yeah. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind. Well, I've answered so many from the highway patrol that I am getting kind of used to it. That's fine. Look, Ranger, what is this? Sergeant here says you got me mixed up in that murder up in Corvall yesterday. That's right. Witness all your license on the murder car. That's a dealer's license. Got it on most of my cars sitting here in the lot. Where were you about 6.30 yesterday evening, Mr. Rourke? I was out demonstrating one of my cars to a customer. What's his name? I don't know. Some fella going through town. You know where we could reach him? No, I don't. There's not much of an alibi, Rourke. You got any black sedans or dark green ones in here? Sure, I got two black sedans and one dark green one. Well, Ranger, I'm dead sure it was a lighter color. Mind if we look around? Help yourself. Only get it over with, will you? I wouldn't be given orders if I were you, Rourke. Sorry, Ranger. I'll be around if you need me. Close your come along and start showing us those sedans. OK. There's the two black ones over there and the dark green ones over yonder. Take a good look at these cars now, Mr. Pratt. No, no, it wasn't either one of these. I'm still dead sure it was kind of light colored. You got any light colored cars, Rourke? What color? We don't know exactly. Hey, hey, here it is. This is the one, Ranger. I'd know it just as sure as I'm standing here. Are you positive? Yeah, that's the one. See those vertical guards in the bumper? Well, the reason I couldn't get the whole number is because those stuck up in front of the plate. I remember now. Was this the car you were demonstrating yesterday, Mr. Rourke? Say, say, wait a minute. I'm waiting. Come to think of it, I loaned that car to a fellow yesterday. What was his name? Darn if I can remember now. Come in here and wanted a grease job done on his car. Needed transportation and took kind of a shine to this sedan. Thought I might sell it to him if I let him use it for a few hours. Don't you keep a record of the names of people who borrow your car? Yeah, yeah, got it right in my book here. Now, here it is. Robert Thatcher, RFD 43 Corvall. Let me see that. Robert Thatcher. Uh-huh. Nancy Taylor's boyfriend. We headed back to Corvall. By 6.30, we'd picked up a warrant for Thatcher's arrest and drove out to his house. His mother answered the door. Howdy, Miss Thatcher. Well, hello, Sheriff. Is Bob at home? No, he ain't. Well, when do you expect him? Why, I don't really know, Sheriff. Ranger and I'd like to talk to you for a minute, ma'am. Well, all right, come in. When did Bob leave, Mrs. Thatcher? About an hour ago, I reckon. Why? Can you tell us where he went? I didn't have no chance to ask him. What you want with him? Ma'am, I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you, but it looks like he's in trouble. Serious trouble? Yeah, we want to talk to him about Jim Reeves' murder. We have evidence he was probably driving the murder car the evening it happened. I don't believe it. You know if Bob owns a gun? No, we don't. Have you ever seen a 32 around the house? No. I sure am sorry to distress you with this, ma'am. It does look funny. Bob's taken off so sudden. Wait a minute. The reason Bob took off, Sheriff, was because he'd been having a fuss with his girlfriend. Nancy Taylor? Yeah. But the kids come home this afternoon and they told me they were going to loathe. That don't sound like he's mixed up with no murder, does it? Did Nancy go with him? No. They had a little tiff while they're sitting out in the car. You know how kids are. She used to be kind of ordinary like that myself. And while Bob was packing, Nancy run off. Do you know where she went? No. Oh, she's all upset. And Bob, he run after her. When he come back, he said he left her down to the creek summers. He was mad, but I reckon he'll cool off and come home for a nightfall. Mrs. Thatcher, I've only one horse in my trailer. You got one the sheriff could borrow? Well, yes, I think so. Why? I reckon we better see if Nancy's all right. Ranger, if you're thinking, my Bob might have done something to Nancy. Well, you're wrong. Maybe we are, ma'am, but we're not taking any chances. Mrs. Thatcher stood by the crowd fence, staring after us as we picked up the double tracks and rode out across the field. They led to a dry wash, and were fairly easy to follow. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Look, Sheriff. Yeah. Thatcher's steps turned back here, and hers go on. You think she's all right then? I hope so. Let's move on a little farther and see where these tracks lead. Get up, boy. Come on. Oh, wait a minute. Hold it, Sheriff. Oh, who trucked you? What is it, Jace? Ho, ho, ho. The tracks stop here. Must be close by. Garen, I'm mighty relieved at you, Ranger. Sit down here on this log, and Nancy. You look pretty tucking. I'm not tucking, Sheriff. I'm terrified. If I couldn't run fast, I'd be dead by now. He was going to get me. He meant it, too. Bob Thatcher? Yeah. You see, when he heard you were going down to Carla, he knew you'd find he borrowed that car. So he told me all about it. Killing Jim Reeves, you mean? Yeah. Of course, I was just horrified. I didn't want to have any more to do with him. Imagine killing that sweet old man. Yeah. I was thinking about it. Well, when I told Bob how I felt about crime and the like, he just turned on me. He started slapping me around. Oh, so awful. And he'd kill me if I wouldn't run off with him. Try to get me mixed up in this thing. You are mixed up in it. Have anything to do with you, Nick? You had plenty to do with framing the holdup that led to the killer, no, didn't you? Say, now you can even think anything so awful, let alone say it to me. You can stop crying, Miss Taylor, because this isn't fooling anyone anymore. What do you mean? I mean you tried to throw us off the track by lion to us and given us wrong information about the man's height and the color of the car. Gee, Ranger, he was my boyfriend. I was just trying to protect him until I could persuade him to give himself up. I was just being loyal. You know how women are. I thought you said a minute ago you didn't know anything about it till this afternoon. Did I? I'm just all mixed up, that's all. Sure are. You're coming in with us now. Ranger, listen, would it help you if I told you what Bob told me about the money? What about the money? Well, you see, he put it in the grain exchange bank down at Elvira Saturday morning before he knew about the license number. Yeah. Well, the bank was closed at noon Saturday and all day Sunday he couldn't get it out. You mean he's gonna pick it up Monday morning? Oh, I'm dead sure he will. That is knowing Bob. I don't think he'd need without it. Without even knowing him, I don't think so either. Come on, Miss Taylor. I'm taking you into town and I'll drop you off the county jail. Me? Well, I've just been trying to help you, Ranger. You have. And we'll be on hand to meet your boyfriend when the bank opens Monday. When the bank and Elvira open Monday morning, the sheriff and I were staked out across the street and around the corner from the building so we could see Thatcher when he showed up. We told the manager of the bank our plan and he gave us a key to the back door. Two minutes after the bank opened, Thatcher appeared. Soon as he was inside, we moved up closer. You think we ought to grab him now, Jayce? No, Ridley draws the money out. You go in the front, sheriff. I'm gonna hot foot it around to the back door. You got the key? Yeah, right here. Now don't go up to him until you see me open the back door, sheriff. Remember that. Because then if he gives us any trouble, I can grab him. OK, Jayce. All right, Thatcher, let's have that cash. Don't you come any closer. I'm warning you. Put down that gun, Thatcher. You've already killed one man. But make sure they got mine killin' another. The first one's the hardest, you know. Put that gun down. You don't step aside, sheriff. I'll put a bullet right in your gullet. With this gun, Thatcher. We need it for evidence. Give me that gun. Give it to me. I didn't mean to kill the old man, Ranger. Get up. The gun just went off in my hand, honest. Yeah, guns have a way of doing that when you point them at people. And when you hold someone up with them, they usually backfire. In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Friends, later today, Meredith Wilson joins your Sunday lineup of enjoyable radio programs on the NBC radio network. Meredith Wilson's music room is the locale of his new Sunday show, and you'll hear Meredith talking people, as well as your favorite music. So remember to tune for Meredith Wilson's music room later today. Also on your entertainment list today is the first nighter presenting Barbara Luddy and Olin Suley in another presentation from the little theater off Times Square. Then more drama awaits you on Theatre Guild on the Air. Today's Theatre Guild presentation, a dramatic story entitled, Remember the Day. It stars Helen Hayes and MacDonald Carey. And from the armed forces of our nation comes another fine program today, stars in khaki and blue, it's called. You'll enjoy this program and the talented service men and women to whom it gives an opportunity to perform. Yes, Sunday brings most enjoyable listening for you on NBC. So stay tuned to this station. Stay tuned for Meredith Wilson's music room, the first nighter, Theatre Guild on the Air, and all the rest. Now the conclusion of today's tales of the Texas Rangers. And now here are the results of the case you have just heard. Ballistics prove that the bullet which entered Jim Reeve's body came from Thatcher's 32 Revolver. Thatcher signed a full confession and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary at Huntsville. Nancy Taylor received a sentence of 15 years in the women's prison at Gory. We told McCray in another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers The advisor was Captain M.T. Lone Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers. This story was transcribed and adapted by Betty Mears and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keith. Hal, give me speaking. The chase brings you more adventure on most of these NBC stations. This is NBC.