 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. These in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. 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 the housework blues. From Chicago, Tommy Bartlett brings you Welcome Travelers and interviews with many interesting guests who each day pass through the windy city. And for more fun, listen for Bob and Ray, those two zany comics. 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 Little Sister. It is a Thursday afternoon in September, 1947. Four miles east of Winston, Texas, a 17-year-old girl gets off a bus. She wears a cheap red satin dress, spike-heeled pattern leather shoes and carries an imitation alligator suitcase. She trudges up a dirt road to a ramshackle house. In the yard, a younger girl is pouring slops from a bucket into a pig trough. Hi, beauty. How come you know my name? How do you like that? The kid don't even know her own sister. Huh? Only it ain't Billy Sue. Now, that's a hick name. You just call me Billy. You changed. Your hair used to be brown. I fixed it up a little. Do you like it, baby? Yes, real purdy. I ain't the only one who's changed. When I left here three years ago, you was a scrawny little kid. You sure filled out. I'm 15 now. You could pass for 18. Yeah. Bet they'd even think you was 19. Where's Pa? I drunk somewhere, I reckon. He ain't been home in near a week. Yeah. He's the one I ain't changed none. Well, you get them pigs. Pa's feeling. She stole a sow. She had a litter. Billy Sue. Billy. Billy, that dress you got on. Nice. Ain't it? Sure looks purdy. You reckon I could touch it just once? Sure, baby. You touch it all you want. Feels so smooth. I bought it in Oklahoma City. You been all the way up there? I've been lots of places since I left here. I got myself married, too. Married? Where's your husband? Him. I walked out on him. He was a no-good bum, just like Paul. Oh. That sure is a pretty dress you got. Yeah. Dumb giving me the creeps. It was just like I did three years ago. He even smells the same. Where'd you come back for? To fetch you. Me? What for? You're going to help me. We're going to make a lot of money, you and me. How? I'll tell you all about it later. First, we go in town and get you a new dress. You going to buy me a dress like the one you got? That'll be just the beginning. Baby, you're going to have ten dresses as soon as we knock over a few movie houses. Movie houses? What you talking about? You'll see what I mean. Come on, baby, we got a lot of things to do for tonight. Look, Rick and I'm scared soon. Sure. I was scared too. First time I pulled a job, you'll get over it. Don't go so fast. I can't walk good in these high heels. You'll get used to them, baby. And that dress sure makes you look great. You passed the 19. Easy. Do you remember everything I told you? Rick and Sue. Billy's suit. I told you to quit calling me Billy Sue. Billy's supposed somebody sees me that knows me. Forget it. You're 40 miles away from Winston. Nobody'd know you in that dress. Okay, there's the movie house. You've gone up to the ticket window. You're going to be right behind me now, where you said. Yeah, don't you look back at me or nothing. Don't even let on you know me. I won't. I'll get going. Billy's supposed to catch you. They ain't going to get close to us. I've done this so many times I could work at my sleep. But suppose when I ask her for change, she's got it. How many times I got to tell you? She ain't going to have change. Manager comes out every half hour or so and gets the money and puts it in a safe. Now, stop moving. One ticket. That's a sass, please. Oh, don't you have nothing smaller than that? That's all I got. I ain't got change for a $20 bill. I have to call the manager. Miss Bob, I need change for a $20 bill. Yes. You bring it right down. You want to step aside and let the lady behind you get her too. One, please. Thanks. Here you are. Thanks. Open and put your hands up. What? This is a stick up, Buster. Look, you can't get away with it. Shut up. Now, give me the money out of that safe and don't try nothing funny. I'll blow your head off. Now, look. Get moving. Now, you get over in that corner and turn your back. What are you going to do? Just get over there and turn around. That's right. This is what I'm going to do. And one more. You're going to keep your mouth shut for a while. I discovered a few minutes after the departure of the two girls. The deputy sheriff of that area was summoned and the assistance was requested from the Texas Rangers. 40 minutes after the crime was reported, Rangers Jase Pearson and Clay Morgan reached the theater. The boy said the cashier could tell us about it, Jase. It's probably her talking to those people just inside the door. Let us through here. Let us through, please. Evening, ma'am. Are you the cashier here? Well, yes, I am, Ranger. I can tell you everything that happened. It was terrible. It was just terrible. Uh-huh. Is the deputy around, ma'am? Well, no. He took poor Mr. Bob down to the hospital, but I can tell you all about it. Just the way it happened, I was the only one to see them both. I was just telling these people here. I was in a ticket booth. If you don't mind, maybe we'd better go someplace a little more private. Oh, well, we could go up to Mr. Bob's office and don't reckon he'd mind. That'll be fine. We'd like to see the office anyhow. Oh, for Ranger, the nerve of them two little hussies. How'd you know it was two of them? Oh, I seen them. The one went in and when she come out, the two of them went off together. Why might have been killed? Yes, ma'am. Everything in this office has been left just as it was. Well, there was a few people in here before the deputy come. We had to get poor Mr. Bob out of here, you know. Uh-huh. Take a look around, play, see if you can find anything. Okay. You get a good look at both these girls, ma'am. I sure did, Ranger. I'd know them any place. Suppose you'd tell me what they looked like. Well, a little one. She was the one to come up to the window first and give me the $20 bill. She had on a loud green dress and she's all painted up like a... Well, you know what I mean. How old would you say she was? Well, not very old, 16, 17 at the most. I remember wondering how she come to have a $20 bill. The other one was older? I reckon she was. She was real hard-looking and she had blonde hair. Of course, it wasn't natural blonde. Tell that right away. Anything else you could remember about them? Well, no, except they looked a little bit alike, not counting the older ones' dyed hair, of course. Not much around, Jay. Some blood stains over in the corner. The manager must have taken quite a wrap on the head. Oh, he did, poor Mr. Bob. When he come to, he looks so awful, like a walk-in goose. Of course, he wasn't walk-in, but that's the way he looked. Do you remember which direction the girls took when they left the theater? Indeed, I do. They went down to a Grossman's drug store. Thanks. You have a key to this office, ma'am? Well, yes, downstairs in the first. You mind getting it? We'd like to lock the room up till we get a lab crew here. All right, Ranger. You sure there ain't nothing else you want to ask me? Not right now, ma'am. Oh, well, I'll be right back in just a minute. She'll sure have something to talk about for a while. Yeah. What do you want to do after we close off the room, Jay? Check the area around the theater? Uh-huh. Somebody might have seen the girls when they left here. Maybe they haven't had a chance to get too far away yet. We didn't have to check far. The news of the robbery had gotten around. A witness who'd been standing outside the drug store has positive he'd seen the girls drive away in a blue four-door sedan. The record showed that a car of that description had been reported stolen from a service station in Winston at five that afternoon. We were fairly sure this was the getaway car and alerted all units. Following morning, we took statements from witnesses, including the injured theater manager. At 2 p.m., we received word that the car had been found parked on the side street in Farrell, Texas, 60 miles away. We went there and began looking over the car. Clay? Come here and take a look. Fine, Jay. A lubrication sticker on the door frame. The car was greased yesterday in Winston. It's a phenomena red 3250, then. They only put 102 miles on the car after they stole it. It's just 100 miles back to Winston. It didn't make any side trips. I reckon not. See what you can find here in front, Clay. I'll go over the back seat. Right. Blonde hair stuck in this upholstery. Hair is a cigarette butt on the floor. Now, lipstick got up to start a cosmetic factory. No doubt about it now. This was their getaway car, all right? Young punks. That cashier at the theater was right. They did have a lot of nerve. Probably more nerve than brains. I don't know. They're pretty slick timing to catch the manager while they have the safe open. Well, there's not much back here. Are you nearly finished? Yeah, just about. As soon as I checked, is it... Hey, Jayce. Here's some string. Let's see it. Hmm. The way it's not, it looks like it was around a box. Yeah. Could have been something these kids were carrying when they got into the car. Yeah. Well, let's get over to the hotel and start asking questions. You figure they might have stayed here in town last night? I don't know. But that's something we're going to find out. We went to the hotel. Nobody answering the girl's description had registered there. We drove back toward Winston, checking motels along the way. Five miles from the place where the car was abandoned, we got our break. The owner of the Half Moon Motel, a man named Jensen, told us the girls had been there the night before. You just stepped this way, Ranges. I got your card in the office. I wrote the license number down myself. Time to girls check in last night. Well, it's long about midnight. They woke me up, they did. Of course, in this business, you get woke up pretty near every night. Uh-huh. Let me see. I got the cards out here in this box here. You know, I don't like to be nosy, but these girls done something wrong. They might be the ones who held up a movie theater last night. Is that so? Well, you know, I kind of thought that blonde girl was no good. What made you think that? You know, the kind of talk she was using. And I could smell liquor on her ten foot away. Cheap stuff it was, too. Uh, you find their card yet, Mr. Jensen? Hmm? Oh, yes. Let me see here. And here it is. Helen and Agnes Wilson. Probably using the phony names, Jensen. Yeah, but the license number on this card is the same as the one on the stolen car. You show us the room where the girls slept last night, Mr. Jensen. Yeah, be glad to, Ranges. You just come along. They had cabin three right across the way. You know that blonde, she talked like she's been around. But the little one, what? Shoot, I wouldn't think she'd been nowhere. Why do you say that? Well, the way she was gawking and fiddling around in that flashy green dress she was wearing. And when I took her to the cabin, she went right to the mirror and started looking at herself, just like she hadn't had the dress long. Hmm, here we are. Uh-oh. What's the matter, Ranges? You clean the room up. Oh, gotta keep them clean. The fella had the business for me, it wasn't so particular. Had to have the exterminators out here three times. Why'd you put the trash you took out of this room, Mr. Jensen? Well, there's one box out here. There, it's down at the corner of the next cabin there. The other one's backed by the incinerator. My wife was fixing to burn it. I'll see if I can stop her. Thanks. Come on, Clay. We'll go through this box in the meantime. Won't you wait a minute, Ranges? I'll empty it, Jason. Boy, the things people throw away. Toothbrushes, combs. Hey, look at this. Carboard box with an old shirt and pair of jeans inside. Wait a minute. Let me see that. Remember the wrapping string you found in the car? It was knotted just about right to fit around this box. Yeah, and he's all closed. About the size of a kid might wear. Some health under this tissue paper. Price tag. Size 12, 695. Might have been a dress. You close the box a second, Jason. There's a name printed on the outside. Mm-hmm. Morrison's department store, Winston. Well, the car was stolen in Winston. If this box did belong to the girl, it seems like they spent a little bit of time there. Yeah. We're going to get over there ourselves. I'm sorry, Ranges. My wife's already burned that other box, Clay. That's all right, Mr. Jensen. I think we found what we want. In fact, it might be just what we want. In a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCrae as Ranger Jase Pearson. In the armed forces of our country today, 40,000 women are working side by side with the young men of our country, filling important, highly specialized jobs of all kinds. To complete the great defense structure we are building to guard our country's freedom, 72,000 more women are needed in all branches of the service by the middle of the year. Women play an important part in the work of all our American armed forces. The Air Force, for example, has discovered that nearly three-quarters of its different jobs can be done by women. And a woman in uniform holds a proud position, absolutely equal with men in pay, benefits, and opportunities for training and travel. The requirements, she must be between the ages of 18 and 34, in good health and without dependent children. Young women with college degrees or the equivalent may qualify for officers' commissions. Registered nurses and medical specialists also receive commissions and are urgently needed. If you can qualify, you'll be doing a service to your country and yourself by enlisting now in the American Armed Forces. And now back to tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Little Sister. It was late in the evening when we arrived in Winston. We checked into the hotel, and at nine the next morning we headed for Morrison's department store. Inquiries proved that the price tag we had found in the motel trash box had come from a dress purchased in the store. The manager directed us to a Miss Daisy Riddell who ran the dress department. We waited while she finished with a customer. Here's your change, Mrs. Doherty. I'm sure you like your dress. Goodbye. I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Ranger, but it's Saturday, you know, we're always so busy on Saturday. It's all right, Miss Riddell. Just call me Miss Daisy, everybody in town does. What can I do for you? The manager said this price tag came from your department. Well, let me see. 6.95. Yes, that's ours. One of our less expensive numbers. We think a young girl we're looking for bought it here. We thought you might be able to help us. Do you have any idea when she bought it? We're pretty sure it was Thursday, ma'am. Thursday? Well, let me see. That was the day before yesterday. Do you remember what color the dress was? It was probably green. Green. Would you step over here with me, Ranger? We don't sell many of these 6.95 models. In fact, we've had a dreadful time selling them. Between you and me, I don't know what ever possessed Mr. Morrison to buy them. Was it a dress like this one? We've never seen the dress, but I think it'd be a brighter green. Well, I see. Now, what about this one? Yeah. Yeah, that looks more like our girl's speed, doesn't it, Jace? Uh-huh. It's in pretty well with the descriptions we've heard. Well, I think I could help you, Ranger. Well, you certainly appreciate it, Miss Daisy. She came in Thursday afternoon around 3.30, I think it was, with our sister. You remember their names, ma'am? Well, yes, I do. It's Simpson. The younger one's Buena, and the older one's, uh... Oh, now, let me see. It's Billy Sue, I think. Did the sister have blonde hair? Bleached blonde. She was so particular about the dress she picked up for the younger girl, and you should have seen the thing she was wearing. You know these girls pretty well? I knew their mother when she was alive. She'd come into the store once in a while. Their father still alive? Well, I wouldn't know. I would be surprised if he'd killed himself with a drink. Do you have any idea where their house is? Well, family used to live here in town, but it seems to me I've heard they live out on one of the hills near town. Now, I don't know just where, though. Would you know anybody who might be able to give us a lead on where the girls have gone? Gone? Our Rangers, Fars, I know. They're still around. What makes you think that? The little one, Buehler. She was in here yesterday just before closing time. She bought... Yes, ma'am? Well, she bought an undergarment, so they must still be around. Uh-huh. Well, thanks very much, Miss Daisy. I hope I've been able to help you some, Rangers. I think you have, ma'am. Let's go play. We checked with the sheriff's office and learned that the Simpsons lived on a hill looking the main highway four miles east of Winston. We drove there and went up to the door. Must be somebody inside. Jay's smoke's coming out the chimney. Stand clear when I open the door. That blonde might get ideas about using her gun. Somebody's been eating, though. Looks like they're left in the middle of a meal. One plate. Could have been the father. Maybe. Then I wonder where he could have... Hey, Jayce, out that window. I don't see anything. She just stuck behind that shed. I think it was the little one. Come on, let's go out the back. I don't see her going up the hill, so you must still be back in that shed. Buna, come on out here. All right, play. You start around that way. I'll take this side. Okay. Did she get you bad? No, just in the arm. Go on back to the car. I'll take care of her. Can you stay away from me? Are you sure you don't want me to stick her out? No, you better get something on that arm on, man. All right. Be careful, Jay. She's a mean one. Yeah. Now, give me that pitchfork, Buna. Don't you come no closer. You get it. Give it to me. Where's your sister, Buna? Where's Billy Sue? You're going into town. As soon as I help you over to the car, the Simpson house, in case Billy Sue showed up. As soon as Clay had his arm checked by a doctor, we took Buna to a quiet office in the county courthouse and began questioning her. We convinced her we knew she and her sister had held up the movie theater. When she realized that her sister was free and she alone would be punished, her resentment toward Billy Sue began growing. That dirty Billy Sue, she got me into this. Where is she, Buna? I don't know. Dirty Billy Sue ran out and left me. When she run out on you? Morning after we stole the money from the movie house. Told me I was going to have ten dresses just like this one. Then run out on me. Why'd she do that? On account of that dirty Tim. Hadn't been for him, we'd still be together. Not have him a new dress. Who's Tim? Some friend of Billy Sue's husband. We see him in Farrell right after we got rid of the car we had. She plan to meet him there? No, she just run into him. Went off and nut about him. We got half drunk and Billy Sue told Tim she wanted him to work with us. He said he wasn't going to work with no kid like me and then drove me back to Winston and Billy Sue made me get out. Are they around Winston now? I don't know. Rick and he took off someplace. They're still half drunk. What you going to do with me? You going to put me in jail? No, you're going to be sent someplace. You should have been a long time ago to school. School? I don't want to go to no school. Dirty Billy Sue, she got me into this. You better not come around me again. Before you ran into Tim, did Billy Sue have any ideas about the next movie house you were going to hit? Yeah, we was going to get a big one, Sunday night, a real big one. Billy Sue figured we'd get close to $300. Where was this? Over at Argan. It's going to be easy. There's a lot of movie houses in Argan. Which one was she talking about? She said it was the biggest one in town. That's all I know. You going to catch Billy Sue? I hope so, Buna. I hope you do too. I hope you catch her in that dirty Timbo. Serve them good. All right, Buna. Arrange your morgue and I'll take you over to the sheriff's office. You'll be staying there until they come from the school to pick you up. Hey, they going to let me wear my dress at that school? They'll give you another dress. Yeah, I know. Some kind of uniform. This year's only real dress I ever had. Sure was pretty for a cut old Torah. We put out an all points bulletin on Billy Sue and her male companion, then we drove to Ogden and checked the movie theaters. The largest was The Real. The next day, Sunday as soon as the theater opened at 1 p.m., we began to set our trap. We stationed at Deputy Sheriff outside the theater and we instructed the cashier on what to do and asked the manager to stay away from the entrance and out of sight. Clay and I sat alone in the manager's office and waited. Nothing happened all afternoon. A few minutes before the last show started that evening, we were still waiting. It's 10.15, Jase. The cashier's due to close the ticket booth in 20 minutes. It's still time for Billy Sue and her boyfriend to turn up. You sure you got that safe fix so you can open it easy? Yeah. You know, Jase, I've been thinking, maybe we shouldn't have let the cashier in on this deal. She might tip him off by acting kind of nervous. Deputy will grab him before they get away. I hope they go through with the job, though, and get a good, clear case against this girl. We're still not sure she's going to show. No, but that could be it. I'll get it. Yeah? Uh-huh. Hold on a second. There's a man at the ticket window, Jase, gave the cashier a $100 bill. Tell her, say, the manager will be down with a change. Tell him the manager will come right down. Looks like we might see Billy Sue any second now. Uh-huh. You ready with the safe? Yeah. You better grab her quick when she comes in. I'm going to feel like a shooting gallery with my back facing that gun of hers. I'll give you the word when to open the safe. Be sure you make plenty of noise doing it. She's coming. Open the safe. Open the stairs. I want to meet your boyfriend. My name ain't Billy Sue. It's Billy. Well, whatever it is, let's get going. Do you know I was going to hit this place? We had an idea you would. I know. Was that no good sister of mine? Buna, she come and told you, didn't she? Never mind who told us. I'm shutting them food with her kid like that. I must have been crazy. You were crazy, all right? The day you shot at Robin movie houses. Yeah? I think maybe you better put on these braces. Next time you have a chance, let's hope you really know better. In just a moment, the results of the case you have just heard. Later today you will find more great entertainment all lined up for you on this NBC station. Be sure to hear the first nighter starring Barbara Lutty and Olin Suley in a light comedy drama. Then it stars in Cackie and Blue featuring talented members of the armed forces with a well-known guest emcee. And be sure to hear the hilarious Phil Harris and Alice Fascio featuring the comedy addicts of Frankie Remley, Julius Abruzio, and Brother William. The theater guild on the air will bring you Dear Brutus starring Madeline Carroll, David Niven, and Angela Lansbury. Today's theater guild on the air play is a delightful fantasy that's sure to please you. Yes, Sunday is fun day on NBC because of the many fine shows sent you away to add to your listening pleasure. Later tonight you'll want to hear Jack Parr and the $64 question as Jack asks the questions and gives away the money. So remember for fine entertainment all the rest of the day, stay tuned for the next episode of the NBC Radio Network. And now, back to the conclusion of today's Texas Rangers adventure. Here are the results of the case you have just heard. Huna and Billy Sue Simpson were sent to the state school for girls. On Billy Sue's 18th birthday she was transferred to Glory Women's Prison to begin a seven-year term for armed robbery and assault. Tim Walsh, the man who assisted in the attempted hold-up of the real theater received a prescribed jail term. The father of the two girls was located and received a sentence for child abandonment and negligence. Another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers, Sue Simpson, and Huna Simpson was Mary and Richmond. Clay Morgan was played by her bellies. Others in the cast were Betty Lugerson, Tony Barrett and Howard McNair. Technical advisor was Captain M.T. Elone Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers. This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E.Israel. And the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keech. Hal Gibney speaking. Next, it's The Chase on NBC.