Texas Rangers - Blood Trail

Fails of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McRae as Ranger J. Pearson, another authentic reenactment

of a case transcribed from the piles of the Texas Rangers.

Names, dates and places in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons.

The events themselves are a matter of record.

You know, when Thursday rolls around, it will bring more top radio entertainment to you

over these NBC stations.

Thursday starts right off in high gear with Robert Young, starring as heroic and harassed

Jim Anderson of Father Knows Best.

The Anderson's are just like your family, but funnier, for the head of the household can

get himself involved in situations that take the concerted effort of wife and progeny

to get unraveled, and usually Jim rises from the battle bloody but unbod and still firmly

convinced that Father Knows Best.

For adventure fans Thursday holds the promise of top mystery listening also, as NBC presents

Mr. Keene, tracer of lost persons, who matches his deductive reasoning against the violence

and murder of crime.

Here join Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday of Dragnet, the true story of your police force

in action.

Father Knows Best, Mr. Keene, tracer of lost persons, hear all these and more Thursdays

on NBC.

Now back to tales of the Texas Rangers.

Now from the piles of the Texas Rangers, the case called Blood Trail.

It is 7.30 on a Saturday evening in July 1929.

For a week an oppressive blanket of heat and dust has surrounded the town of Whitney

and the Texas Penn handle.

Despite the unpleasant weather, however, Whitney is enjoying its usual Saturday night activity,

a share of Dave fellow strolls down Main Street.

Webb, you're as stubborn as a mule.

Oh, howdy, sir.

Howdy, Harry.

You having trouble?

No, just a little argument with red.

Another one.

He just plumbed stubborn.

Won't admit nothing.

Well, what won't he admit this time?

Well, it's like this.

I've been living here with me for 40 years now, around the panhandle all the life.

I say this is the hottest you license off to, and Webb says different, huh?

Red says this part of the summer of 18.

I say, 18 want mirrors, huh?

What do you say, sir?

Now, Harry, you know I make a practice of never taking sides in an argument.

But if you want the facts, well, I just come from my office.

Well, the report on my desk says it's the hottest July in 65 years.

And I know this time.

I know this.

Yeah.

And I sure wish that I was wrong, though, if this heat don't let up, I'm going to be

a poor man.

Looks like nobody's going to make a cup.

Yeah, everybody seems to be worried.

And remember, when we had to, hey, who's that over there, sir?

Hmm.

Where?

Oh, younger.

Come towards the drug store.

Oh, looks like a drunk.

I better get on over there.

Sure.

I've got to sleep.

Hey, sure.

I think that old Doc Thomas.

Doc Thomas.

Yeah.

You're right, Harry.

I didn't know Doc.

It's a drinking man.

Say, he got off his arm until seven.

I don't have it.

Better help me get him off the street.

People are starting to look at him.

I'm sure.

Who the thought that old Doc would say?

Sure if he's walking out the street, you'll get here.

Doc, Doc, look out.

Doc, Doc.

Come on, Harry.

Hope he ain't a good man.

Maybe not the car just to get him.

I'm not here.

Move into it.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's not.

Now help him.

Help him out.

He's heard of, man.

Hey, why don't you folks solve Dr. Peele's and tell him to hurry.

Right, sir.

Hold on.

Give me a hand, Harry.

We have to get him up onto the sidewalk.

Sure.

I think this was the first time he ever took a drink.

Well, this had to happen.

All right, folks, move back.

Will you give us a move on here?

All right.

I'll set him right down here, Harry.

Yeah.

There we go.

There we go.

Yeah.

Left blood.

I didn't think that car hit him that hard.

Yeah, it didn't.

Look at his shirt.

It's soaked.

He's been bleeding a long time.

You mean, when he was staggering down the street,

he was already hurt?

It appears that way.

From the look of it, somebody gave the doc an awful quack

on the head.

What?

Who won't do that?

Who?

Doc Thomas.

I don't know.

And I'm afraid we're not going to find out from him.

Doc Thomas is dead.

It was easy for the sheriff to trace Dr. Thomas's path before he was hit by the car.

Drops of blood on the sidewalk led directly to the doctor's office on a side street, four

blocks in the scene of his death.

The sheriff called for a Texas Ranger.

Ranger J.S. person was assigned joining the sheriff outside the doctor's office at five

o'clock Sunday morning.

All right.

I couldn't get here sooner, Sheriff.

Austin told me you were the nearest Ranger J.S., but they said you were quite a piece of

wave.

Yeah.

Whatcha call falls?

So, reckon you'd like to take a look at his office first.

This is the waiting room, not much to see here.

It's the office that'll give you a shock.

You know what the actual cause of death?

What did you hear?

Loss of blood.

Had a skull fracture, too.

Haven't found what he was hit with, though.

Look at that, James.

Some mess.

Not a stick-up furniture left in one piece.

Look out for that broken glass.

Never would have thought old Doc Thomas could put up such a fight.

Didn't he ever have a nurse here with him?

No.

I think he couldn't afford it.

He treated everybody rich or poor of the Doc dead and didn't mind waiting to be paid.

Did he have any money on him when he died?

Oh, I don't believe it was Robert, Jason.

He had about 15 bucks in his pocket.

Yeah, the phone's ripped out.

Looks like he was trying to call somebody.

Maybe not.

Could have been tore out during the fight.

I don't think so.

Of course, out of the way of any furniture that got pushed over.

And look at the way the wires are torn.

Now, I'd say somebody meant to pull them out of the wall.

One thing I don't understand.

The fellow that had this fight with Doc wasn't after money, he probably meant to kill

him.

Sounds likely enough.

Erwin, why didn't he?

The way the Doc was weaving when I saw him, there would have been a cinch for the killer

to catch him before he ever got the main street.

I think this will answer your question, sure.

That's probably died, blood.

Oh, but how, Jason?

His blood spots all over the office and some in the waiting room.

None as large as this.

From the size of it, he must have been lying here at least a few minutes.

Could be, got knocked unconscious.

Killer thought he'd finished his job and took off.

And you figure the Doc came to, got up and staggered downtown, huh?

Yeah.

The fight must have made quite a racket.

Any of the neighbors here, anything?

No, I checked that.

People on both sides were out, downtown for the evening.

You looking for something special, Jason?

Yeah, and I've got it.

Doc's appointment, both.

Only one appointment after five o'clock.

Six thirty, Carl Hinkle.

You know I'm sure?

Sure.

German fella lived here about ten years.

I guess he was, hey, wait a minute.

I think we're on to something, Jay.

How do you mean?

Carl Hinkle's wife.

The Doc delivered her baby about six weeks ago.

Mrs. Hinkle died right after the baby was born.

I've heard downtown that Carl blamed the Doc for her dying.

I see.

What does Hinkle live?

Not far from here.

Over near the Santa Fe depot.

Come on, Sheriff.

Let's wake him up and have a talk with him.

It was six ten when we reached Carl Hinkle's home.

It was a small but neat flame house, running the railroad tracks.

Nobody answered our knock, so we walked round to the back door.

Hinkle was washing something out in a laundry tub on the porch.

It was a big blonde man who looked at us solidly as we walked toward him.

One in Carl?

Why?

Carl, this is Ranger Pearson.

He and I'd like to talk to you.

No, I'm sure the Inspector, I'd find my hands.

For the early be doing washing, isn't it, Mr. Hinkle?

Yeah, I wash with a baby.

Some of your own clothes there, too, aren't they?

I wash with myself, too.

You always do the baby clothes yourself, Carl?

Nobody does for the baby, but me.

My wife is dead, so I got it to for the baby.

Mr. Hinkle, did you visit Dr. Thomas last night?

Oh, yeah.

Why?

With money, I go to pay him. Every week I pay a little.

You usually make an appointment just to pay him money?

No.

But you made a special appointment last night.

Why?

I have an egg in my leg.

I asked the doctor to fix it.

Why do you ask me this question?

Somebody murdered the doctor last night.

Murdered?

He was killed just about the time you were in his office.

I didn't do it.

We're not saying you did.

I mean, what you think, no?

Mr. Hinkle, your wife died while she was under Dr. Thomas' care.

Yeah.

Did you blame him for that?

You should have been more careful.

No, I'm left with an empty house, an empty hut.

If he'd been more careful, this wouldn't be.

But you still say you didn't go in the last night and kill him?

I went in there for the egg in my leg.

What are you giving us, Carl?

You went to get treated by a man you didn't trust,

for which my wife made the mistake.

You'll be with me twice careful.

You know, Mr. Hinkle, you were the last person to see the doctor before he was attacked.

No, no.

I was not.

Then who was?

Well, when I come from the office, a man sits in the waiting room.

Do you know who this man was?

Sure, I've seen him many times.

Mr. Hanna, he must mean Tim Horner, Jason.

Carl hand on Jim Ford's rank.

Yeah, yeah, that's the one.

He goes into the doctor when I leave.

All right, Mr. Hinkle.

We'll check your story.

But if it doesn't hold up, we'll be back to ask you some more questions.

Let's go, Sheriff.

We drove off of the Ford Ranch with a small place that had seen better days.

The ranch house needed a coat of paint.

Some rusty farm machinery leaned against the side of the barn

and an old gelope sat next to the house.

In a corner of the barnyard of Mexican was hammering some crates together.

As we approached, he started kicking some chickens

which cracked around his hand.

He's one of the up's, Senor.

He's chickens, they're always on the forge.

One can't even do the work instead.

Can I help you, Senor?

He's Mr. Ford, around.

Put it on his Cato.

But he's going to be here any minute, now.

We're looking for a man named Tim Horner.

Is he with, Mr. Ford?

Oh, I'm pretty sorry, Senor.

I only come to the ranch with yesterday to help Sonia for the boxers.

There is one man who works with Sonia for it, but I don't know his name.

Big fella, about the size of the ranger here, got black hair.

He's here, that's the fellow 60.

Yesterday afternoon, I think.

What about this morning?

No, no, Sonia.

This morning when I come to drink the coffee, he's not here.

When Sonia for it go out to the cattle, he's still not here.

God, I'm making very angry.

Oh, yes, yes, yes.

When this man, he is not there.

Oh, Sonia for it, he course, that's where, and he, oh, oh, there, here, Sonia for it.

He's going to tell you about this there.

Oh, boy.

Hey, howdy, Jim.

Howdy, Sheriff.

Morning, ranger.

What can I do for you?

We're looking for that handy, or is Kim Horne?

Well, I reckon it makes three of us.

When I find him, I'm going to break him in half.

The only hand I got, and he walks out on me, just when I need him most.

When did you see him last, Mr. Ford?

Yesterday, even, he asked me if he could go into town.

I said, sure, if he'd be back here, daybreak this morning, he ain't showed up.

Don't reckon he will, neither.

Well, make sure you think that.

I'll check the place where he sleeps.

All this stuff's gone.

Look, I'm going to go on the porch where we can set him be comfortable.

That'll take care of the house, was he?

Yes, yes, Daniel, I do, but for you.

I'll throw all I've done for that boy, Tim Horne.

Now, when I only need him a day or so longer, he takes off.

You moving somewhere, Mr. Ford?

I'm selling out range of luck, stocking bow.

Why, I didn't know that, Jim.

I said much about it.

But figure it out about all I want, a rancher.

Ford has been after me a long time, the selling place.

He said, yeah, I'm going to take it easy from now on.

When Tim Horne left you yesterday, was he sick?

Sick.

That boy never had a sick day in his life.

We just lazy, that's all.

Here, how come you so anxious to find out about him?

A doctor in town, by the name of Thomas, who was murdered last night.

Oh, yeah, yeah, I heard about old Doc Thomas.

It's too bad, with a fine fella.

But what's he got to do with Tim?

We're pretty sure Tim was in his office just about the time Doc was slugged.

That's true.

You think you think maybe Tim was going to kill him?

We don't know yet, but it's skipping out, it's not going to help him any.

I'm reckon it will.

He just never know, will do him.

Now, who the thought of boy I had working for me was a killer.

Well, I sure hope you find him.

We will.

Come on, Sheriff.

Let's get back to town.

On the way to town, I radioed Austin and requested an all points bulletin on Tim Horne.

And the sheriff and I started combing the countryside.

The rest of Sunday passed without any luck.

Early Monday morning, I stopped at the sheriff's office to pick him up.

Good morning, Jason.

Howdy.

We didn't get enough of a lot of sleep last night, did we?

We'll make up for it after we get Tim Horne.

Yeah, but when that's going to be, I don't know.

It appears like he just plain disappeared.

That's one thing people can't do, Sheriff.

Sometimes they take a little longer to find, but sooner or later they turn up.

Are you ready to get moving?

As soon as I finish mocking these last two reports.

You know, it just beats me, Jason.

Why Tim Horne would want to kill old Doc Thomas?

I don't guess we'll know that till we find Tim.

Well, I reckon I'm ready, where you want to start today.

How about the Stoney Creek section?

Suites me by just a minute, Jason.

Sheriff, fellas.

Yeah?

You did?

Where?

Yeah.

Yeah, we'll take care of it.

Well, you were right.

Tim Horne has been fine.

Good.

They're bringing him in.

We have to go get him.

He's dead.

In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McCray

as Ranger Jace Pearson.

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We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Blood Trail.

Tim Horner's body had been located ten miles out in the brush by two boys on a camping

trip.

Within a mile of a spot where a highway patroman was waiting with the boys, the youngsters

pointed out where they'd found the body.

We left him with a patroman and then, of course, as the rest of the way.

You reckon Tim got scared and took his own life, Jason?

That's something we'll know pretty quick.

There's the three big boulders, Jason, just like those kids said.

Yeah, I must have been there campfire off to the left, whoo, whoo, chucky, whoo, whoo.

I'm sure there's a wild spot hadn't been for those kids we might never have found it.

Should be right around this middle boulder from what those kids say.

Jason?

Yeah.

We'll have to rush away from him, Sheriff.

It's the man we've been looking for.

It's Tim Horner, all right?

Shot twice through the chest at close range.

Look at the potter burns.

That's turning him over.

Well, we can be sure of one thing, Sheriff.

He didn't kill himself.

How do you figure that?

No blood on the ground, so he wasn't shot here.

Whoever did it carried him out here after he was dead.

He sure went to a lot of trouble.

Probably figured it was worth it.

Almost was, too.

See what you can find in this pocket.

All right.

Wallet.

A little bit of money, either.

Hey, Jason, look at this.

A box of pills.

Frecken Tim was ale and after all.

Could be.

Yeah, but Jim Ford said Tim hadn't been sick.

Jim Ford could have been wrong.

It's a cinch.

There's a tie in between this murder and Doc Thomas getting killed.

If we find out what kind of an ailment Tim had, we might get a lead.

But how do you figure to do that?

Tim ain't going to do any talking now.

Maybe we'll, Sheriff.

What's on your mind?

Autopsy.

Let's get moving.

We got a lot to do.

We got Tim Horner's body in the Whitney at one that afternoon

and requested the county medical examiner to make a rush autopsy.

He told us to wait in the pathology lab of the hospital.

A little less than an hour later, he joined us.

You got a gentleman?

I must say I've never done such a quick job.

I'm sorry, doctor, but it's necessary.

I dare say it is.

It helps find out who killed old John Thomas.

I'll do anything.

Could you find out, Doc?

Careful, Sheriff.

I don't want to break this slide.

I want to make a preliminary examination.

And I can tell you one thing, definitely.

What's that?

Tim Horner died sometime Saturday night, probably before midnight.

Why, that'd be only a few hours after Doc Thomas died.

Anything else, doctor?

Yeah.

Tim was a pretty sick boy, even before he died.

What was wrong with him, Doc?

I'm going to tell you a minute.

Since I examined this slide under the microscope,

he got an idea of what it was, Doc.

On this slide is a section of the dead man's spleen,

which is very badly diseased.

Could mean any number of things.

Can I get it sit here?

Yep.

Yes, I thought so.

But I wanted to be sure.

You know what it was now?

It was anthrax.

Anthrax?

But that's a cattle disease.

Also found in man contracted from six-starth and contaminated ground.

Does that help your injured?

Maybe.

It might just clear up our whole case.

I don't follow you, Jason.

I'll explain it on the way.

Thanks, doctor.

You're welcome.

Jason, where are we going?

Out to Jim Ford's ranch.

Jim Ford?

You think he's the man we're after?

Look at this way, Sheriff.

If Tim Horner had anthrax, chances are he got it from sick cattle.

Maybe from burying him at the place where he worked.

You mean Jim Ford's cattle are sick with anthrax?

Take long to find out, but I think they are.

Say, that could explain why Jim was so anxious to sell out all of a sudden.

Right.

Why he couldn't let anybody discover his stock was sick.

Otherwise, it had to be destroyed and he lose everything.

So the way you figured it, Tim knew the cattle had anthrax.

But he didn't know he had.

Until he saw Doc Thomas.

And once Doc knew there was anthrax around, he was bound to report it.

Well, how would Jim find out about that?

Could be picked up Tim at the Doc's office.

Found out he had anthrax.

Yeah.

And that might be why he had to kill both the doc and him to keep him quiet.

Something like that.

Now I understand why you're pushing that accelerator so hard.

Jim would be anxious to get his money for the property as soon as possible and then beat it.

If he hasn't already.

Well, suppose he is gone.

Let's find out first.

Yeah.

Jim's old gelophane here.

It could be a good sign.

He said he was selling off lock stock and barrel.

And I doubt if he'd try to make a getaway in that thing.

Maybe he's in town or somewhere posing the deal for the ranch.

Take long to be sure.

Let's try the door.

Yeah.

Looks like the bedrooms back this way.

Don't hear like he's taking much with him if he has gone.

Yeah, but if he's skipped, he's probably traveling light.

I...

Share it, listen.

What is it, Jay?

Sounds like that gelophane is coming up the road.

You don't think he's gone?

I don't know.

Let's get outside.

We want to take him alive.

Don't shoot unless you have to, sure.

What he did to Doc Thomas shooting's too good for him.

Oh, that ain't Jim at all.

It's Jose.

Yeah, but I'll be a security.

Where's Mr. Ford, Jose?

Oh, he made a big deal.

Senior Ford get money for the ranch.

Woof, so much money.

I never...

Where is he?

I take him to the railroad bay, so he can wait for the train.

Which train?

You do wonder, goodbye.

North?

That's the limited.

Sometimes it leaves with me.

432.

And it's 415 now.

Come on, Sheriff.

We're going to catch a train.

I don't know if we can make it, Jay.

I'm just pulling out.

Come on.

I don't think we'll catch it.

We'll make it.

Go on, go on.

Hey, Ford, it's up close.

Go on, pull it.

Got it.

Got it.

Can you make it, Jay?

Yeah.

You know, this is the easiest way to board the train.

Keep your young, Sheriff.

Ready to go?

Yep.

Ellie's not in this car, Jay.

And we'll try them all.

I sure hope Jose didn't give us a bump steer.

Somehow, I don't think he did.

There's a diner up ahead.

We haven't eaten since morning.

Better not to think about it.

That food sure smells good.

Case?

Yeah.

Looks like Jim Ford got hungry too.

Get back to us.

We move in and take it.

No, talk to him first.

Sit down to the table.

Come on.

Come on.

Howdy Jim.

What?

Mind if we join you, Mr. Ford?

Well, no.

Sit down.

Didn't know you fellas were traveling, no?

You were the wait of a few minutes ago.

How about you, Mr. Ford?

Well, me, I sold my ranch.

Like the set I was going to do.

I don't mean to get no with these Jim,

but how much did you take for the ranch?

Parliament fell on the show.

16,000.

A little expensive for rundown property and sick cattle, isn't it, Mr. Ford?

What are you talking about, Ranger?

Kim Horner had anthrax.

He got it from your cattle.

Why, you're crazy.

Not as crazy as you for thinking you could get away with killing Doc Thomas and Tim Horner.

Can you prove that, Ranger?

I think so.

And we'll start with this.

Hey, what are you doing?

Just taking the gun out of your shoulder holster?

So big, I couldn't miss it.

Well, Ranger.

You got my gun.

You still can't prove nothing.

I won't have to.

We got a ballistics lab for that.

While we're waiting for the lab report, you'd cool your heels and jail.

Okay.

Well, on what charge?

You can't hold me until you get some proof.

That's right.

In the meantime, we're holding you for carrying a concealed weapon in a public place.

What are you waiting for, Jason?

He's going out for fire.

Don't fire too many people.

Grab him, Jason.

Grab him.

I got him.

Let me go.

Let me go.

Let me go.

Take it easy, Ford.

You'll get off soon enough.

And then you'll take another little step.

But ends in a Huntsville.

In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard.

There's more good radio listening, Wednesday night on NBC.

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Yes, walk the Pleasant Campus of Ivy College with Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman as Dr. and Mrs. Hall of Ivy.

There's adult comedy and heartwarming human philosophy in each sparkling broadcast of the Halls of Ivy.

Then, P.V. Guilty, Judge Hooker, Leroy, and all the gang bring you a half-hour of Murth & Music with the one, the only, the great guilders leave.

Later, Groucho Marx is your genial paymaster of ceremonies on You Bet Your Life, Radio's Marriest Quiz Show.

There's prize money for lucky contestants and fun for everyone, as Groucho Marx asks the questions and provides the last.

And for high adventure on Wednesday, here, both big story and very Craig, confidential investigator.

Yes, Wednesday means top entertainment on NBC.

Stay tuned to the NBC Radio Network.

Every day of the week, the finest entertainment is as close as this station.

Now back to tales of the Texas Rangers.

And now, here are the results of the case you have just heard.

Well, listic evidence proved conclusively that Jim Ford had killed Tim Horner.

He was tried and convicted of first degree murder.

Ten months later, he confessed to the killing of Dr. John Thomas with a paper weight from the doctor's desk.

Jim Ford died in Huntsville, Penitentiary of a kidney disease on June 17, 1930.

Just 20 days before he was due to go to the electric chair.

Next week, Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment of a case from the Files House, the Texas Rangers.

Joel McCray has currently seen starring in the Universal International Technical Production cattle drive.

The cast included Tony Barrett, Tim Graham, Henry Rollin, Wiley Bear, and Barney Phillips.

The technical advisor was Captain MT Long Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers.

This story was transcribed and adapted by Charles E. Israel.

And the program was produced and directed by Stacy Keach.

This is Hal Gibney speaking.

Starting Wednesday, Robert Montgomery tells how a citizen views the news over NBC.