 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. Tomorrow NBC's 300 Man News staff will once again spring into action to bring you every important news development of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Yes, from wherever news is being made, NBC will present it when it happens. Following their comprehensive broadcasts from the Republican National Convention one week ago, NBC received thousands of letters praising their most complete coverage. One teacher from Michigan wrote, quote, Again may I express my gratitude to your network for being on the scene of every important development during the Republican National Convention. I have recorded all of the important speeches, commentary and balloting on my Webster Electric ecotape recorder, and I intend to record all of the Democratic Convention from NBC too, unquote. Well, our teacher friend need not worry, for NBC will have expert radio reporters such as George Hicks, Morgan Beatty and Richard Harkness making it possible for you to attend the Democratic Convention on NBC. Make NBC and this station your convention headquarters. Now, Tales of the Texas Rangers. And now from the files of the Texas Rangers, the case called Round Trip. It is a Thursday evening in May 1946 in the city of Houston, Texas. In a shabby travel agency near the waterfront, several people are sitting on benches ranged around the walls of the poorly lighted room. A little past eight o'clock, a man enters, speaks a few words to the clerk, then walks toward one of the men at the other end of the room. Your name Dave Hobart? Yeah, that's right. You the fellow that's driving up the wiggle? That's right. You got your baggage with you? Yeah, just this one suitcase. Where's the car? On the front. Okay. Do you know where I was beginning to think maybe you weren't coming? No, I got delayed. The truth of the matter is I promised to bring my kid a toy fire engine for his birthday. I forgot all about it until most of the stores were closed. I had an awful time finding that fire engine. But I got it. Hope you didn't mind waiting too much. Not as long as you got here. I don't feel like spending another night in Houston, I tell you. This your car? Yeah. I'll get in this side and slide over. Just throw your suitcase on top of those newspapers in the backseat. All right. Hey, what you doing with all those papers? Oh, I'm a bundle carrier for two papers. Running a regular route between here and Waco. I just take passengers along to pick up a few extra bucks. Oh, a bundle carrier and pay pretty good money? It's a living. Hey, where you going? This isn't the way to the Waco road. Yeah, I know. Got another passenger to pick up down at the end of the block. If he hasn't got tired of waiting and left. Been working down here in Houston? I've been looking for a job. Just got back from Germany a few months ago. Army? Yeah. No good jobs run now. Guys who got back first took them off. I don't recognize the other passenger over there. You the fellow that's going up towards Waco? Yeah. Hey, sure took your time getting here. Where am I to put these two suitcases? Oh, just throw them on top of those newspapers in the back. All right. You know I was going to be so crowded in your car. I'd have waited and taken the train in the morning. We'll get you where you're going. I hope both of you felt like coffee. I usually stop a couple of times on the way. That's okay. Sure. I don't think you don't make too many stops. Been driving this night rock ten years now. The only thing you don't like about it, don't give me enough time with my wife and kid. Either you fellas married? Uh-huh. How about you? Nah, I'm in the Merchant Marine. I've seen lots of girls in lots of countries. None of them worth marrying. You could change your mind one of these days. Nothing like it. Having a wife and kid to come home to. You know something? I take passengers on this run almost every night. Make an extra five or six bucks. And every cent of that money goes into a special account. Earmark for sending my boy to college. Is that so? Yep. My wife and me, we made up our minds. He's not going to carry newspapers for a living. We're giving him the best education we can get for him. Well, sometimes even when you've been to school, you got trouble making a living. Not my kid. He's really going to be something. Hold the wheel a second, will you? Okay. I want to show you a picture of him. I got my wallet. Let's get this rubber band off. Here. Oh, all right. I got the wheel now. See if you don't think he's the finest kid you ever set eyes on. Now bring it over closer to the dashboard line. Well, what do you think of him? Good looking boy. Yeah. How y'all, mister? Thanks. You mind holding the wheel again? Every time a wallet gets full, I have trouble getting this picture back in. You shouldn't carry so much money in it. Oh, got to. It's collection day. There we are. I'll take the wheel now. You mean to say you collected all that money just in newspapers? Oh, you'd be surprised how it mounts up. And which was all mine? It's an awful lot of dough. Yeah, it sure is. At 8.20 the next morning, a highway employee cutting grass alongside the road 10 miles south of Colby, Texas, found the body of a man lying in the ditch. There were two bullet wounds in his head. When the sheriff arrived, he immediately recognized the man as Robert Dixon of Waco. The sheriff requested assistance from the Texas Rangers. And at 9.25 Ranger Jase Pearson pulled up in his car. Howdy, Sheriff. Howdy, Jase. The body's right down here. I understand you knew this fella. Yeah, I knew. Bob Dixon was a finer man as you'd want to meet. Here's the body, Jase. How did you happen to know him? He had a newspaper bundle out between Houston and Waco. I used to see him in diners along the road. He was a great coffee drinker, just like me. We got to be pretty good friends, meeting like that every week or so. You located the car he was driving? I thought it was found about 15 minutes ago, but it turned out to be a false alarm. I checked his pockets, Jase. Empty. Cleaned out. Pretty clear case of robbery. The bullet centered his head from the right side. These powder burns means he was shot at close range. Yeah, I figured it was somebody who was riding with him. Was he in the habit of picking up people? Yeah, I had some kind of arrangement with the travel agencies down in Houston. He used to carry a passenger too with him almost every night. Yeah, we'd better check with those agencies. They can tell us who rode with Dixon last night. As far as I know about those places, sometimes they keep a record of customers' names and sometimes they don't. Uh-huh. Right now it's the only lead we've got. That sounds like my call. Better see what they want. You know, Dixon was always talking about his wife and kid. Never seen a man so proud of his family. I'd sure like to get my hands on the one who did this. KTXA. Unit 10 to KTXA. Go ahead, KTXA. By highway patrol near Farm Road 4-2, three miles south of Cody. 10-4, unit 10 clear. KTXA, Austin. I don't want to give you something to go on. Yeah, let's get over there. The highway patrol was waiting for us on Farm Road 42. Dixon's car was about 50 yards from the road, half covered with brush. Sheriff and I walked toward it. It looks like he started to hide in the car and then changed his mind. Help me pull this brush aside, will you, Sheriff? Well, I can't help wondering why he picked this spot to leave it. Seems to me he'd have dished it closer to town or else picked a place where it wouldn't have been found so quick. Well, there's one reason he might have left it here. There's blood on the front seat. You mean because there's so much of it? Yeah, probably got panicky when he got close to town. He decided to walk the rest of the way. That sounds logical, Jase. But it still don't bring as much closer to knowing who did it. We'll bring a lab crew to go over the car for prints. Maybe... Wait a minute. What's the matter? I'll slip a paper above the sun visor here. Anything interesting? Could be. Pick up Dave Hobart at Thomas Travel Agency. Thursday, 8 p.m. Jase, that is something. Yeah. Here is tracks going toward the road. More than life, he'd just hide tail for town as soon as he ditched the car. That's funny. Tracks turn into that brush. Now, why would he go off this way? That don't make...Jase. Next to that rock. Yeah. A leather jacket and a pair of khaki trousers. No doubt about it being his. Look at the blood stains on him. Must have shed these right after he left the car. That means he probably had other clothes with him. Yeah, well, I'll go through the pockets here. I'm doubt if he left anything in them, but you never can tell. Nothing in the trousers. Try the jacket. There's a couple of pennies. Looks like they've been in the pocket for quite a while. Hey, here's a stub of a bus ticket. Kobe to Houston. Any date on the bag? That's kind of blurred. See if I can make it out here. Yeah. May 14th to 46th. Well, that was Tuesday. Sounds like the man we're looking for could live right here in Kobe. The fellow whose name was on that slip of paper in the car. You reckon he's the one that killed Dixon? We won't know that till we find him. We decided that the best way to locate Dave Hobart was to check all post offices in the area. We didn't have to look far. The postmaster at Kobe told us an ex-soldier by that name lived on a farm with his parents 12 miles south of town. The farmhouse was about a mile off the main highway, not far from the spot where Dixon's body had been found. When we arrived at the house, we saw someone chomping wood next to a shed. I reckon he's the fellow we're looking for. Could be. Your name, Dave Hobart? What? Yeah. Something to do, boy. First thing you can do is drop that ex. What's all this about? Drop it. Okay. Were you in Houston last night? Why? We'll ask the questions. Were you in Houston? Yeah. When'd you go down there? Tuesday morning. When'd you come back last night? Huh? How? Paid a man to give me a ride. Through the Thomas travel agency? How'd you know? I told you we'd ask the questions. This man you rode with, did he have newspapers in the back of his car? Well, what if he did? He was robbed and killed last night by somebody riding with him. It was okay when I got out of the car. Besides, there was another guy with him. Who was he? How should I know? You gotta do better than that, Hobart. Do you have a gun? The only gun I ever had was the one Uncle Sam gave me. I was sure glad to give it back to him. Why were you in Houston? Because I was looking for jobs. Did you find one? I had a few offered to him, but it didn't take him. Why not? Because it didn't pay enough. Robbing and killing pays more, huh? You look, Sheriff. I didn't kill this guy. You find that other fella in the car and you've got your killer. Hobart, you say you were in the Army? Yeah. And I reckon you got some more khaki trousers like the ones you got on. And I reckon you were wrong. It was the only pair I got left. You ever own a leather jacket? No. We'll check and find out if you're telling the truth. Well, go on, check. How'd you get into Houston on Tuesday? Go to Ryan. You sure you didn't take the bus from Colby? Why would I go back there to take it? There's a 12 miles closer to Houston. You might have been in town that morning. Then you'd have got on there. I wasn't in town. And what's taking the bus gotta do with this anyhow? I found a canceled bus ticket from Colby to Houston that we're pretty sure the killer used. It's dated Tuesday, the day you went to Houston. Look, you've got the wrong man, I'm telling you. Maybe so, but you're coming along with us anyhow. Oh, what, too? To the bus station in Colby. Maybe somebody there will remember if they sold you a ticket. We arrived in Colby a little past noon. The bus station was located in a restaurant across from the courthouse. Through the window we could see a heavy-set woman sitting at the cash register eating a large piece of pie. The sheriff said she ran both the restaurant and the bus station. It took Hobart inside. Go on in over there. All right. Buddy, something I can do for you. Howdy, Maggie. Ranger, I'd like to ask you some questions. We don't mind. Oh, I don't mind. Hey, Sheriff, you ever eat any of my hot raspberry pie? I don't believe so. Oh, it's mighty good. If I do say so, let me cut your boy's a slice. Not right now, thanks. Only thing I've got to give is raspberries and seeds to keep getting in my teeth. But you fellas want to know. You're the only one who sells the bus tickets here? Yeah. And then somebody takes a notion to buy one. Did you ever see this boy before? Oh, listen. He's kind of shy, ain't he? He left up ahead, sonny. Let me get a look at you. He's a good-looking boy. Yeah, I reckon I've seen him a few times. Did you sell him a bus ticket to Houston on Tuesday? Well, it's past Tuesday. Uh-huh. Well, that was a mighty slow day, only sold three poor tickets. Just one of them was to Houston. Did this boy here buy it? Oh, no. I don't reckon he did. You see? I told you already. Just a minute, Hobart. You remember who did buy it, ma'am? Well, let me see. See, I just got to organize myself here a minute. Oh, I always feel sluggish right after I eat. Oh, yeah. Now, I remember it was Jim Mayo bought the ticket. Jim Mayo? Jase, if he's mixed up in this at all, he's our man. Oh, makes you so sure. Well, I've known him ever since he was a kid. Not caught forging checks when he was 15. Been up for everything from vacancy to horse theft. He's still got to be sure the ticket we found was the one that was sold to Mayo. Ma'am, you keep a record of the serial numbers on the tickets you sell? Yeah. I've got them in my audit book on that shelf behind me. Am I looking up the number of that ticket you sold Tuesday? Oh, all right, Ranger. I didn't even know Mayo was back in town. Thought he was in the merchant ream. Could have been between ships. All the fella in the car with me said he was in the merchant ream. Right here. Here we are. Let me see now. You got the ticket, Sheriff. Right in this envelope. Tuesday, May 14th. Kobe to Houston. Ticket number 3544. That's our ticket, Sheriff. Says Mayo's one more after. Look, Jace, 3544. In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCray as Ranger Jace Pearson. There are seven million smart people in this country. Are you one of them? Yes, every payday, seven million people save a total of $140 million. Mister, that's a lot of money in anybody's book. Who are these people that save all that dough? Millionaires? Big executives? Nope. They're just average people, but they're smart. They know the only sure way to save is to do it systematically, every payday. And they know there's no safer, better way to do so than by buying United States defense bonds through the payroll savings plan where they work or the bond a month plan where they bank. How those savings steadily mount up, too. Because they go into improved series E defense bonds that now pay 3% interest compounded semi-annually when held to maturity. Why don't you join the millions of smart people building their future now with regular investments in defense bonds? They're now even better. Now the second act of tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, round trip. We released Dave Hobart, then went to the house in Colby where Jim Mayo's parents lived. They said he'd gone to Houston Tuesday and had not been home since. We put out an APB on him and stationed a deputy at his house. Then we started checking Seaman's hiring halls in the port cities hoping to pick up a lead on his whereabouts. We worked along the coast from Galveston and on Saturday morning we walked up the stairs of the hiring hall at Corpus Christi. I'm getting discouraged, Jason. Could be he didn't even come near one of these hiring halls. It used to be me shipping out to be the first thing he tried to do. Well, I sure hope this dispatcher can tell us. What's on your mind, Stance? You're not figuring the ship out, are you? We'd like some information from you. Well, if it's about ship, you've got the right man. You remember seeing a man named Jim Mayo in here? I reckon so. When was he in here last? Yesterday. Jason. You happen to know where we can find him? I reckon I do. Mind telling us. I sent him on to the John Duncan yesterday. She's bound through the canal for Honolulu. You make sure of that? Yeah, I'll look it up in my card file here. He's a fireman water tender, you know. Got a lot of calls lately for fireman water tenders. Uh-huh. Oh, here's his card. Wait a minute. What's the matter? I'll give you, Jim, some wrong information. Mayo's not on the John Duncan. Well, that's relief. Glad we don't have to go all the way to Honolulu for him. No, Mayo signed on to the Humphrey victory. She left last night. Where was she bound? Let me see. Yeah, Victoria, Brazil. I called headquarters and informed them that Mayo was on a ship headed for Brazil. It was decided that he should be arrested when his ship arrived in Victoria. Clearance was made with the Brazilian government through the American Embassy in Rio. The sheriff and I were detailed to make the arrest and bring the prisoner back. We boarded a plane and flew to Victoria in the morning of the 2nd of June, not quite three weeks after Robert Dixon was killed, the ship on which Mayo was working dropped anchor for quarantine just outside the Victoria harbor. Together with Lieutenant Delotto, the Brazilian police, the sheriff and I rode out toward the ship in a harbor patrol launch. All be long, Jace. I can make out the faces of the people standing along the rail now. Yeah. It looks like the braid on his hat. I'd say the fellow standing by the gang was Captain Dreyer. You are sure, senor, that all has been prepared for you aboard the ship? We've been in radio contact with the captain. And this is a mile. You are sure he does not have word that you have come? Unless the radio operator is a special friend of his. I won't do him much good if he does know. He's boxed up on there like a maverick at brand and time. I beg your pardon, senor. Now, the sheriff means it'd be hard for Mayo to get off the ship. Oh, well, here we are. Now, let's get aboard. Well, the way this thing's bombing around here. I hope I don't break my neck getting on of those steps. Making it all right, Sheriff? Yeah. And I just soon have come after this guy on a horse. Ranger Pearson? That's right, Captain. Lieutenant Delato and Sheriff Olson. I do. I've got to admit this is a new experience. Having a ranger and sheriff board my ship in a foreign port. He's not exactly running the mill for us, either. No, I suppose not. Well, I followed your instructions, ranger. Mayo doesn't have any idea you're after him. Where is he now? On watching the engine room. Well, maybe it'd be a good idea to clear the other men out of there before we go down after him. They could get hurt if he makes trouble. No, don't worry about that, Sheriff. Chief Engineer tells me Mayo's on Donkey Watch. That means he's down there alone. Would you take us to the engine room entrance? Sure, this way. How'd you get him back to the States? Now, we've already booked passage on the Goodman victory. She's sailing for New Orleans at midnight. Goodman? Well, it's just like this one. She hasn't got a brig. We got one of the cabins set up for Mayo. Oh, here we are. You want me to go down with you? If you don't mind, we'd rather have you and the Lieutenant stay here. We'll pick him up alone. Okay. Well, good luck. Thanks. He'll add heat, Jase. We'll be slashing the face. I don't know how a man can work down here. I reckon you get used to anything. Yeah, there he is. Between those boilers. Got his back to us. He's working on something at that table. He sees us now. Get ready in case he tries to duck behind one of those boilers. Yeah. Well, it isn't my old friend the sheriff. Got a ranger with you, too, huh? You fellas a little far from home, ain't you? We've come to get you, Mayo. Me? For what? So we can take you back to the States. You're wanted for the murder of Robert Dixon. I don't even know anybody by that name. You rode with him from Houston to Colby on the night of May 16th. We think you robbed and killed him. You don't know what you're talking about. You're innocent. You have a chance to prove it back in Texas. Come on, Mayo. Don't be crazy. I'm not going anywhere with you. This is Brazil. What's that got to do with it? I know my rights. You got no authority to arrest me here. It's all been taken care of. There's a Brazilian police officer up above with a captain. Now, let's get going. Oh, yeah? Okay. If that's the way you want it. Look out, Jason. It's not a race. Yeah. You think you're going to get me? Drop that rat. I'll get it. That's better. Now, get moving. We've got a long trip ahead of us. We put Mayo aboard the ship that was to take us back to the States and lock him in a cabin. Lieutenant Delado stayed in the passageway outside the cabin to guard him while the sheriff and I went to the dock office to place an overseas call to Austin. I informed headquarters that we had arrested Mayo and were sailing with him that night. It was nearly five in the afternoon when we walked across the dock back to the ship's gangway. Steve Adors were loading the last of the cargo aboard. Too bad you couldn't get a real good connection when you talked to Austin, Jason. I think they understood what I had to say. Well, look at those sacks of coffee going aboard. Huh, hundreds of them. It's no coffee drinker like you happy just to look at them. Well, at least I know we won't run out of it on the trip home. Chief Mate said we should be in New Orleans in 10 days. I'll be glad to see Texas again. Too far away to suit me. It's been a long haul. It's not over yet. See, Lieutenant's fixing himself up real comfortable. Care, newspaper and all. You have made the call ranger Pearson. Yeah, we got through. How's the prisoner? All is quiet, senior. Not a sounder from him. I think maybe he sleeps. Yeah, it must be pretty warm in there with that porthole closed. I reckon we ought to take him out for a while, Jason. Yeah, it's about time for him to have some food anyhow. You have the key, Lieutenant? See, here you are, senior. I'll get him, Jason. I will be sorry to see you go, senior. It has been a pleasure to work with you. Thank you. What's wrong? The porthole's been jimmied open. Mail's gone. Lieutenant Delato immediately notified his headquarters of the prisoner's escape. The Brazilian police threw a cordon around the city. Sheriff and I started checking along the waterfront. Not a trace of Mayo. By 7 that evening, we'd worked well into the center of town, and we're walking down the street toward the first of five or six dimly-lighted cafes. Now I'm beginning to think we're not going to find him in any of these places. And then he might have slipped through the police net and gotten into the jungle. If he has, it's going to be tough finding him again. Well, be easy for Mayo either if he does get into that jungle. Before long he'd be wishing he never got away. Let's check this bar, Sheriff. They don't seem to be in here. No. Let's go on and check. Oh, it's you, Captain. Aren't you and the sheriff sit down and join me? Thank you, but I'm afraid we haven't time. Well, we'll make it again. Shame you two had to make that long trip down here for nothing. For nothing? Well, sure you released your prisoner, didn't you? He escaped, Captain. Escaped? Well, I just saw him walking around town. I thought sure you decided to let him go. When did you see him? Well, it couldn't have been more than five minutes ago. Poked his head in here, looked around, and then took off. You remember which way he went? I'm not sure, but I think he went on down the street. Could be in one of those other bars, G. Let's find out. Thanks, Captain. Don't mention it. I hope you catch up with him. Next bar is just a couple of doors down. Mayo sure got a lot of nerve walking around the open like this. But that's the way he always was. Ever since I... Sheriff. Huh? In this cafe toward the bank. How bondy. Mayo, he's sitting at a table bigger than life. Come on. He must have been figured on a big evening. Look at those beer bottles on the table in front of him. I think he sees it. Watch yourself moving in. Yeah. Jase, he's picking up a beer bottle. What? Don't come any closer, Ranger. This bottle I just forget near me. How many yous in on it? Careful, Jase. Yeah. I said keep away. He had a dirty cup. You all right, Jase? Yeah. If I ever had any doubts about you committing that murder, Mayo, I've lost him now. What are you talking about? I'm innocent. Then why'd you try to escape? Why shouldn't I bust out? I told you I was innocent. I got my constitutional right. Yeah. The Constitution says you're entitled to a trial by jury. And that's just what you're gonna get. Come on. In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. For the Republicans, it's Eisenhower and Nixon. For the Democrats, it's still a race to see who will come out ahead in party favor. This week is all important for the Democratic Party as they hold the National Convention in Chicago. And you'll want to hear every history-making development direct from the convention beginning tomorrow on this station. NBC's ace news staff and technical crew, more than 300 people, will bring you all of the news as it happens throughout the convention city tomorrow and every day of the convention. So be sure to make this NBC station your convention headquarters. With microphones placed in every strategic location in convention hall, in candidates' headquarters, and in NBC's own special studios high above the convention floor, you can be sure of hearing all of the news. Men like George Hicks, H.V. Cottonborn, Richard Harkness and dozens of others will bring you all the important news developments. So attend the Democratic Convention on NBC. Now the conclusion of Tales of the Texas Rangers. And now, here are the results of the case you have just heard. Jim Mayo was returned to the United States without further incident. Ballistics experts testified that a revolver identified as Mayo's was the one which killed Robert Dixon. Dave Hobart, the ex-soldier in the Newscarrier's car, declared that Mayo was the man who had ridden with him and Dixon. Jim Mayo was found guilty of murder with malice and sentenced to 60 years in Huntsville Penitentiary. Michael McCray and another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers. T. Lone Wolf Consolace of the Texas Rangers. This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E. Israel and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keech. Tales of the Texas Rangers is heard weekly overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Hell, give me speaking. Wednesday is here the best of Groucho on NBC.