Texas Rangers - Illegal Entry

0:00Music Hales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel MacRae as Ranger Jason Pearson. Another authentic reenactment of a case transcribed from the files of the Texas Rangers. Music Names, dates and places in the following story are fictitious for obvious reasons. The events themselves are a matter of record. Friends, 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.

1:03Walter O'Keefe consistently comes up with great comedy and entertainment Monday through Friday on double or nothing. Listen and you'll agree. And then there's the program with a heart, Striket Rich. The grand entertainment that Warren Hall brings you every day on Striket Rich is just what the doctor ordered if you suffer from the housework blues. And from Chicago Tommy Bartlett brings you welcome travelers, 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. Then of course 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. Now here's today's tales of the Texas Rangers. And now from the files of the Texas Rangers the case called illegal entry.

2:05It is 10 30 on a night late in August 1940. In the southwest Texas town of El Corso near the border the streets of the Mexican section a dark and quiet. A man stands smoking a cigarette in a doorway and one of the darkest streets. When he hears steps approaching he throws a cigarette away. Hey, senior. See? I want to ask you something. See? What is it? You know some people named Gomez live on the street. Yes, senior. On this street there are maybe 10 Gomez families, which one you mean. They're supposed to live at number 624. I couldn't find the house. This is no surprise. The house number is only to 500. This can be. Here look it is written on this piece of paper 624. It's too dark. I cannot see the paper. You see this man? You make one move and never move again. What do you want? You'll give it to me, all of it.

3:06I got no money. I said I got no money. If I got money you'll give me that nice. I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you. Help! Help! Help! Stop back here. Stop here. Stop the thief. Get the car. He's going up his stairs. Come back. You pass out here. What is that? Get back in that room. You should shut up right, slid your throng. He's gone far away. Where's that door, little? I'll get back. Come on. We go out. You want me to use this knife? Come on, I say. Wait a minute. This pocket book on the table. You got money in there? It's my paper. Come here. See? See? This is better.

4:07Now we go down. Go down. You remember the knife and we'll write the final. Come on, hurry. Get rid of that. Come here. Now look. We're going out to the street. Anybody stop us? We're just out for a walk. You hear that? No. Now, put your arms for mine. That's the knife? See? If you tip off anybody I push that knife right through you. Now come on. Walk. He's way to the right. Where are you taking me? Shut up and walk. Faster. Come on, faster. The people searching for the fugitive became suspicious when they saw light on the Maria Santos front door and failed to receive an answer to their knocking.

5:07The sheriff was summoned. When he gained entrance to the room and saw the back door open he phoned for assistance from the Texas Rangers. Rangers, Jason Pearson and Clay Morgan were assigned. Ranger Morgan arrived first and after preliminary investigation went out to his car to send a radio call. Can KDXA give Lab Crews approximate time of arrival? Lab crew will be at El Corso within two hours. Ten four unit 22 clear. KDXA Austin. Over here, Jason. In here long clay? Oh, maybe half an hour left the sheriff in charge upstairs. Ford, I got said a hold of man stabbed somebody. Yeah, and then took off, happened about two hours ago. Tell her, hurt man. Just his arm. He helped chase the thief. People around here think the man went into this building. What do you think? I know he's not here now. There's a room upstairs with a back door open. The man could have gotten in and taken the girl that lived there along with him for protection. Sure, she wasn't in on the deal. Well, I thought of that, but the fellow with stabs said there was only one person. Stuff from the girl's purse is dumped all over the place. She could have been robbed too. Anybody get a good look at the thief?

6:07The victim said the man was Mexican. Couldn't see his face though, too dark. Any possibility of prints up in the girl's room? I found a few on her purse, pretty blurred. They could be the girls I call the lab anyhow. I don't know. Looks like our best vets define that girl. You have a description of her? Better than that. I found a picture in a room. Yeah. One on the left is her. I'm going to take it over the sheriff's office now and put it on the wire. Anybody doing a house town? Yeah, the deputies are taking care of that. Well, I'd better get moving. You coming along? No, or I can all get upstairs and have a quick look around. And I'll give those deputies a hand looking for the girl. Go KJ. See you soon as I get there. Hey! Hey! Oh, hello, Sheriff. Oh, howdy, Jace. You're just in time. I was up. My deputy called. They've located Maria Santos. You all right? I don't know. My men found her in a box card down at the freight yards. When we arrived at the freight depot, we saw attendance carrying Maria Santos on a stretcher toward Nambulans. She'd been badly beaten, but she was still conscious. We decided that since she was the only person who had seen the man we were after,

7:09it was necessary to get a statement from her immediately. I got the doctor's permission to question Maria on the way to the hospital. As soon as she was settled in the ambulance, I climbed in. He could still be around the yard somewhere, Clay. Sheriff, and I'll go over the place with a fine tooth comb. See you later, Jace. I mind you, Pearson, Miss Santos. Oh, Lily, do you find him here? No, that's why I'd like to ask you a few questions. Will it hurt you too much to talk? I can talk, Senior. He's only the... Oh, my God. Did he stab you? When we walked to the freight yards, he held a knife in my sight. He kept sticking me. You got a good look at his face? Oh, Senior. The face I will never forget. Have you ever seen him before? No, Senior. I don't think he's from El Corso. Maybe... Maybe he's from Mexico. Can you give me an idea what he looked like? Something that'll help us identify him. Well, he had two scars.

8:09What kind of scars? One under his eye, little one. And a bigger scar, the corner of his mouth. Making him look like he's always smiling. But this one, he's not the kind of smile. Did he take you directly from your room to the freight yards? Oh, my God. He made me walk through the streets with him. Sometimes we pass people out. I want to yell, but he held a knife in my sight. He kept sticking. What happened when you got the freight yards? Well, he walked and we keep on walking. I was tired, but he wouldn't let me stop. Then I hit the cheap cry. The cheap? You see on the freight train. The train began to move and... Oh, although I said this many get excited. He made me run over to a box card, a stand by itself. Was that when he hit you? I think so. It's hard to remember now. Did you see where he ran after he hit you? No, senior. The last thing I remember, I see his face. His mouth looked like he was smiling. And you don't have any idea if he ran toward that moving train? No.

9:10Senior, this money, you think maybe he'd get away on the train? That's hard to say, Miss Santos. We're going to do our best to find out. As soon as we reached the hospital, I got a ride back to the freight yards. Our man had not been found. I figured it was more than an even chance he'd escaped on the freight train. Maria described. I checked with a trainmaster. He informed me that a train carrying sheep had left several hours before. It was a slow freight, due in Lubbock at noon the next day. I picked up clay and we headed north on the highway, which paralleled the railroad tracks. I oughta be catching up with the train pretty soon, Jason. What do you figure on doing when we come alongside? Much we can do to look light. I was thinking about that. If we try to stop the train now, he might get away in the dark, but it won't be light for over an hour. No. Hey, bet that's it up ahead. All right, those caboose lights? Looks like them.

10:10It's not moving very fast. It gives you a funny feeling knowing our man might be riding that baby. Wish we could be sure, though. I got a hunch he had a train get away in mind when he took the girl down the freight yards in El Corso. What are we gonna do, drive alongside the train to the daylight? It's too risky. If he is aboard and happens to spot us, he'll get suspicious and skip. You bet if we stop someplace up ahead and wait for him. Got any ideas? Not yet. Get the map out of the glove compartment. Will you clay? Yeah. Well, you won't know. See if you can locate the next station the trains do to pass through. All right. Let's see. Yeah, nearest town out from here would be hamlet about 12 miles up ahead. 12 miles. I won't give us too much time. Anything north of that? Not for 40 miles. I don't have to be hamlet. What do you have in mind? We need some advice about the best place to have the train stopped. We've got to get word to the engineer and warn him what's gonna happen. Unit 10 to KTXA. KTXA, unit 10. Full accurate unit 10. This unit now alongside Northbound freight train number 2-4.

11:14Position 12 miles south of Hamlet. Believe man who committed El Carso hold up aboard train. Can KTXA relay message immediately to railroad operations chief? You can't do. What is the message unit? In order to make search of train as early as possible after daylight, this unit requests that engineers stop train at some suitable point north of Hamlet, Texas. Suggest unpopulated open area to be selected to reduce chance of fugitives escape. Jet 4. This unit will check with Hamlet station master to learn if message was received in time for him to deliver it to train. Jet 4. Unit 10, clear. 88 miles. Now there's the engine, Jason. Sure as a strain enough that hill. Yeah, let's hope it keeps on moving slow. A lot of things have to happen before that frame passes through Hamlet. The door must be around the other side. Yeah, sounds like the station master's doing some chipping. It could be the message for that frame if he does some type any faster than that the train will be in a lobby before he finishes.

12:18Howdy, Jess. Hey, you must be them ranges one ahead 24 stops. That's right. He's got the message in on the ticket here, typing it up now. And don't let us disturb him. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to have to go. Type it up now. And don't let us disturb you. Oh, you ain't disturbing me. Not a bit. Long as I've been here, I learned how to type pretty good and talk same time. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Gonna have the engineers start 24 up between four exception. So if that's all right with you, fellas. How far is that from here? Uh, 18 and half miles. Or it'd be good and light time, she gets there. I'm pretty flat country. Oh, flat and palm of your hand. You can see two, three miles, both sides of track. That's fine. Hey, isn't that the train? Yep, yep, that's her. Yeah, light on time, too. Well, you sure you're going to finish that messes before it gets here? Why, sure. She's got a good quarter mile yet. Yeah, here we are.

13:19Now, just get me a cup of water hoops. My landed. I'll be ready. Can we help you? Nope. I got them right over here. Yep. I understand there's some kind of criminal on that train. We think so. I don't want to rush you, but that train sounds pretty close. Now don't you worry, Ranger. She's only down by the first switch. Got plenty of time. Old Steve Dylan and his conductor will have their arms through those who've just won their sposto. Say, you Rangers want to come out on the platform with me. We'll come along, but we'll have to stay out of sight in case our man happens to be watching. Yeah, sure. You can stand right behind these posts here. Thanks. I can't nobody see from the train behind these here posts. Yeah, be back in a minute, too, Rangers. Oh, the way he was moving, I was sure he wouldn't make it. I reckon when you've been at this as long as he does, you get for the good of time.

14:21I need Steve. Anjury, I got the one hoop. Yeah, keep your eyes open, Clay. Maybe we'll spot somebody aboard. Not if your focus knows out now. Probably sleeping. Maybe so. Most of the sheep card, not like me, is one of those. That's hard to say. It's enough others to hide in. Grab it, gentlemen. Well, Kelly got the message, Rangers. Raking the races up to you. Thanks. Come on, Clay. Let's go meet a train. In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCray as Ranger Jace Pearson. Have you ever seen Lightning Strike? Then you know how Sarah Brod Paul's his strikes swiftly, crazily, without warning. And it could happen to you or to your child. If you should be stricken as a result of an accident or shock or a loss of life, you'd need costly and highly specialized care.

15:22But would that care be available? It's shocking but true that right now, 92 out of every 100 who suffer from cerebral palsy must go without that necessary care because there just aren't enough facilities. Think of it hundreds of thousands of people suffering needlessly when they could be helped. But in spite of the fact that the Texas Rangers are not the only ones who suffer from cerebral palsy, they must go without that necessary care because there just aren't enough facilities. But in spite of this tragedy, there's still hope, real hope that stems from present day research and treatments. You can help them more than 550,000 sufferers of cerebral palsy get these vital needed benefits and become self-sufficient citizens. Send your contributions to United Cerebral palsy, care of your local postmaster. Forget them not. And now the second act of tales of the Texas Rangers. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and our authentic story, Illegal Entry.

16:33We drove toward Twin Forks Junction where the train was due to stop. On the way we radioed headquarters and asked for some officers from the nearest town to assist us. Four of them were waiting when we arrived just past daybreak at the junction. As I gave the men last minute instructions, the train was visible in the distance. We don't have much time in so we better get moving. Constable, you take a man head down the track, work from the caboose forward as soon as the train stops. You have the two men cross the track when the train stops split up and work from the middle to our both ends. If you spot him, sing out. I reckon we better get the rifles, Jason, in case you make some break across that flatland. Yeah. Sure hope he hasn't jumped off somewhere along the line. If he got on, I don't think he jumped. He doesn't know where on his trail. I guess you're right, it's him. He'd be anxious to get as far as he could from Elcursor. Hey, he comes. Better get over in the signal engine air exactly where we were wanting to stop. It was like he's going pretty fast. Wrecking that old station master got the message mixed up? No, thanks, though.

17:34He's got the slow down now. Yeah, yeah. Let's go. Want to drive this box guy first? Uh-huh. Not in here. Next one's a sheep car. Probably won't find him in there. We just have to make sure it's a flat, huh? A gondola car down there. Somebody focus head over the side just for second. Come on, we know you're in there. Come on out. Show you soon. Hold this rifle. I'm going up and getting right. I'll keep it covered, jeez. I'll watch yourself. Okay, you. Come on, get up and get out of that corner.

18:36I said, come on. I guess you're taking it up that night. Let me go. Let me go. I said drop that night. That's better. How I'll take it. Come on, get out of this car. Move. Okay, I'll go over the side. You all right, Pete? Yeah. What you want from me? I didn't do nothing. It looks like the boy we want, jeez. There's two scars on his face. Check with the description. Tell the engineer to go ahead and play it. Okay, we've got him. What's your name? I didn't do nothing. What you want me for? What's your name? Jose la Gura. You're under arrest, Jose. Okay. Robert, you're a salt and kid now. Come on. I don't go. No. Grab him, jeez. Grab him.

19:36Don't get me. What the cops on him claim? Yeah. You get the wrong pants and you're I didn't do nothing. Maybe not. A couple of people saw you last night. Could be you change your tune when they see you again. Come on. We took our prisoner back to El Corso and delivered him to the sheriff. For two hours, Jose denied all charges against him. At noon, the sheriff had him taken back to his cell. We phoned the hospital and learned that Maria Santos and Felipe Rivera, the man who had been stabbed, were both well enough to come down and make an identification. I picked up the two witnesses and at one o'clock, we walked along the courthouse corridor. Can you... You're sure when I see this man, he will not hurt me. How much chance of that, Miss? Scares. Just to remember, Kim, you're enough to make my backbone cold. I'd like to have him alone for five minutes, only five minutes. He is a bad one.

20:36Yeah, just go right in. Thank you. Well, that's what we wanted to know. You have a record of the girl's name. Yeah, hold on. Getting some interest in dope on our board, Jay. Good. You remember Miss Santos and Mr. Rivera. Sure. Both of you feeling better today? Oh, see you in your match, Jay. You sheriff in the next room? I'm doing some paperwork. You folks make yourselves comfortable. I'll be right back. I got the witnesses outside, Sheriff. Yeah, fine. Chase, I'll phone upstairs. Have my deputy bring Jose down. I'll be in there as soon as I finish this report. Take your time. So long. Very second, Jay. Uh-huh. Seems Jose is quite a record. Here, and in Mexico. What's he been up for here? Petty theft. People who were on a labor contract about 15 months ago. Got a 60-day sentence after he'd been here a month. He's deported as soon as he was released from jail. How about in Mexico? He wanted there for armed robbery. Could be why he didn't head back over the border after last night.

21:36There might be another reason. What's that? You're by name of Lupi Alvarez? How did she fit in? Jose used to go with her. It is trial he told the judge he stole the money so he could marry her. Howdy folks. Racken, you can identify the man who roughed up last night. I know Simson, your deputy. But if I hear his voice... I will know his face. He's hard to forget. Yeah. I should have been down here by now. I better go see what's holding up the works. Remember now, when he comes in, you don't have to say anything until he's out of the room again. Just take a good look at him. You will ask him to talk to you? Sure. We'll have him talk. I'm still afraid, Senior. You don't have to worry about a thing, Miss Santos. What's that? Sounds like the sheriff's callin' us. Come on. Yeah. Hey, what are you, Sheriff? I'll put it on the sticks. Right up here. Holy, it's a deputy. What happened, Sheriff? He's been slugged in his guns gone. Jose's got in the way. We sent out an all-points bulletin' on Jose, and we started combing the town for him.

22:38He had disappeared without leaving a trace. We decided that Lupi Alvaras, the girl whose name appeared on Jose's record, might possibly give us a lead. Following day, we checked her home in Laredo. An aunt told us that Lupi and her family were in North Texas, pickin' cotton, that'd be found on a farm outside Middle River. On the afternoon of the next day, we arrived at the farm. Lupi was out in the fields, but the foreman pointed out her mother lugging a sack of cotton toward the scales. Yeah. Yeah, I am Rosalvaras. You excuse him. So I'm a brat, but he's hard work to carry the cotton. We'd like to talk to you about your daughter, Mrs. Alvaras. Hey, Lupi. Lupi's done nothing, Senorice. We know that. We're trying to find a friend of hers, Jose LaGura. Oh, this one. He's no friend of Lupi. Didn't she used to go with him? No, Senorice. Oh, once Lupi, she go out with Jose. Oh, she doesn't like him. Jose, he's crazy for her.

23:40He run after her. He makes Lupi afraid. He's a bad one, this Jose. Has Lupi heard from him recently? No, Senorice. Lupi, she doesn't even know he's back from Mexico. Ah, do you know he was back? Why should I not know, Senorice? No, Senorice. He was here only a few hours ago. What? See, when I bring the Lord of Cotton before this one, Jose, he's done by the scale. He looked like crazy, man. He see me, he asked me where Lupi is. You tell him? Me tell Jose where Lupi is, and no, Senorice. I lied to him. I said, Lupi, he's in town to me. Do you know where Jose went? See, first he tried to borrow money from me. When I said no, he got to Juan. The boy who tried one of the trucks to the cotton gin. He asked Juan for a ride into town. Did he take him? See? Juan, he doesn't like Jose, but he's a nice boy. He takes Jose with him. Juan, come back here. No, Senorice. Many trucks come to the cotton gin. Sometimes Juan has to wait 68 hours.

24:40Maybe he's still there. Thanks. Please, Senorice. If you find Jose, you will not tell him where Lupi is. He will make trouble for her. Don't worry, Senorice. We find Jose. We're going to see he doesn't make trouble for anybody. Not for a long while. We went to the cotton gin and found Juan, the boy who had driven Jose into town. His truck was in the middle of a line of trucks which moved slowly toward the gin. Juan told us Jose had borrowed $3 from him and gone on into town to get something to eat. He'd asked Juan to wait at the gin, saying he wanted to ride with him back to the farm. We decided our best chance for picking up Jose was to watch Juan's truck. We stood behind an empty wagon near the gin and waited. I don't know, Jase. It's been over an hour. Maybe we'd have done better to cover the town instead of waiting for him here. Maybe. When I think he'll head back here, he wanted to get out to the farm, make another try to see Lupi. He could have walked. Not likely, did.

25:40Six miles out there. He knows he's got a sure ride here with Juan. All the same, I'd feel better if I knew exactly where he was. Well, forget he's got that deputy's gun and he's way. Huh? Walken toward the truck. Yeah. Look at the way he's stagging. Since he didn't use that $3 for food. Why'd you feel better there like that? Go on, man. You've got very dreamy hands. Hey, Juan. You're not good at work all the time. What time are you work all the time, Juan? Forget about Juan. You can talk to us now. What? No, no. That's still Jose. I got it. Are you funny? The 31, you say what? Come on, Jose. Popular boy back in El Torso. We want to get you there fast. No, I don't go. Let's get moving. Don't go to El Corso. It'll only be for a little while, Jose. And I think the state will give you a more permanent home.

26:46In just a moment, we will tell you the results of the case you have just heard. Later today, friends, you're invited to hear the sparkling premiere performance of a new radio series, Best Place. Best plays will present a series of one-hour adaptations of many of the nation's great stage shows. Today, you will hear Maxwell Anderson's winter set, co-starring Burgess Meredith and Maureen Stapleton. Then later, be sure to hear Meredith Wilson's music room. Meredith will bring you the finest and recorded music, as well as interviews with some of the music world's greatest artists. Yes, Meredith Wilson's music room is another new addition to your Sunday lineup of great radio listening on the NBC Radio Network. And tomorrow, you'll hear more top musical entertainment on NBC. Monday's musical offerings this week include Eleanor Stieber, on the voice of Firestone, Dorothy Warren-Schold and Gordon MacRae on the Railroad Hour, and Michael Rabin on the telephone hour. So make your Monday evening listening a relaxing pleasure by tuning to all these wonderful musical shows.

27:48Now here is the conclusion of tonight's Tales of the Texas Rangers. And now here are the results of the case you have just heard. Jose LaGurra was tried and convicted on counts of armed robbery of felonious assault and kidnapping. It was sentenced to 23 years in the state prison at Richmond, Texas. The Mexican government requested that upon his release, he be sent to Mexico to serve sentence for crimes committed in that country. Next week, go to McCrayon and other authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers. This is the case.

29:00Joel McCray has currently seen starring in San Francisco's story a Warner Bros. release. In the cast you heard Herbellis as Ranger Clay Morgan. The role of Jose LaGura was portrayed by Tony Berrett, and Lilian Biot was Maria Santos. Jeanette Rollin was heard as Rosa Alveris. Al March played the role of the sheriff, and the station master was Jan Arben. Technical advisor was captain MT Lone 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 Keith. Carl Gibney speaking. Tonight the chase brings you more adventure on NBC.