Texas Rangers - The Trigger Man

Wheaties presents Joel McRae in Tales of the Texas Rangers.

Onstage tonight, transcribed from Hollywood,

another in the Wheaties big parade

of exciting half-hour presentations.

Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McRae as Ranger Pearson.

Texas more than 260,000 square miles

and 50 men who make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America.

Now from the files of the Texas Rangers come these stories based on facts.

Only names, dates and places are fictitious or obvious reasons.

The events themselves are a matter of record.

Case for tonight, the Trigger Men.

At 9 o'clock on the evening of May 27, 1947,

Jasper Leach, operator of an independent service station in Edo, Oklahoma,

was preparing to shove down to the night.

Suddenly, two men in a green convertible

pulled into the service island of his station.

Close for the night, fellas, pumps are all locked.

We got to get some gas.

All night, place on the highway south, Mr. Big Station, you're heading that way.

I don't like big stations, we're gasping up right here.

I got a tire you can fix.

Now look, I told you I'm close to them.

I heard him hit, now get moving.

I'll put a slug in you.

All right, Mr. I ain't arguing with the gun.

He gets a pump cord and made them fill a couple extra five gallon cans.

All right, Joe, stop playing the podium and get their flat spirals.

Here's our hot for action.

Okay, okay, but let's take it up, man.

Well, come on, hey, she'd get with the pump.

Keys are in the office.

Well, let's get him.

And while we're in here, you might as well open this safe.

I don't know the combination.

Yeah.

I set open at your hick.

All right, Mr. I'll open it.

But you ain't getting that way with this.

Not by a dang side.

We'll talk that over later.

Just you and me, hick.

Just you and me.

KDX-8 oil units, KDX-8 oil units.

Oklahoma State Police advised that about 9 p.m. of 527 gas station attended

at 8 Oklahoma was robbed and beat the death of Tyran.

Subjects tentatively identified as,

number one, Joe Gordon average size, eyes blue,

air blonde, complexion fair.

Number two, tiny Gordon, six foot three, peculiar wall, pigeon toad.

Same coloring as brother.

Subjects now believe to be in Texas on route to Mexican border.

Water six states and FBI for murder, bank robbery, narcotics, other charges.

Here's caution, these men are dangerous.

KDX-8 oil units.

Tales of the Texas Rangers will continue in just a moment.

Get up and get at them with Wheaties.

Yup, for folks up and doing, for folks going places, breakfast of champions.

Sure, begin a better breakfast with Wheaties tomorrow.

And see if you don't feel the difference all morning long.

Here's why.

There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake.

You got it?

There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake.

That's why Wheaties can give so much.

Energy, you bet, whole wheat energy.

Vitamins and minerals, you bet and protein too.

That's why Wheaties at 7 can make a difference at 11.

There's energy in them, Darflakes.

You try them tomorrow morning.

Make yours Wheaties.

Pour on the milk, put on the fruit and eat happy.

Yes, and work happy.

Tomorrow, see for yourself how Wheaties at 7 can help at 11.

Breakfast of champions.

Breakfast for you.

There were no further signs of the Gordon Brothers on the night of May 27th.

But on the morning of the 28th, Captain Stinson of the Texas Ranges received a report that looked like a lead.

And immediately sent for Ranger Jace Pearson.

You sent for me, Captain?

Yeah, Jace.

I want you to get right over to the General Hospital in Palo Pito County.

In a double shooting, Deputy Sheriff and his son.

Where did it happen?

Near Mineral Wells, but check the hospital first.

Shooting took place during the night.

Ranger found them in this morning.

Mineral Wells, that's on the road south from Ada Oklahoma.

You think it might have been a Gordon Brothers?

It smells like them.

They were headed south according to all previous reports.

I figured they were making their run for the border.

And they'll kill anybody who tries to stop them.

Sure looks that way.

But Deputy never saw who gunned him, Jace.

If he can talk, get all the information you can.

And if it looks like the Gordon's, stay with it all the way.

We don't want them to get across the border.

I understand.

Judging by their past movements, they steal cars and dump them for new ones at regular intervals before they get too hot.

So don't pin too much in any car descriptions.

I won't.

I'll see you later.

Oh, Jace.

Yeah?

You get anything hot reported by phone.

If I have anything for you, I'll have the radio dispatcher tell you to call in.

A man whereafter might have a short wave, sir.

Right, Cam.

One thing more, Jace.

This department hasn't lost a man in a long time.

Let's keep it that way.

Yeah.

I wouldn't want to be the one to spoil a record.

I checked my car out and headed for Palo Pinto County.

I reached the hospital at 9.45 a.m. and saw the doctor in charge.

You pulled through, I think, but his condition is critical.

Shots three times through the back.

One of the bullets is lodging his spine.

Which room's he in?

I'll show you.

Deputy's son heard bad, too.

Too bad, Ranger.

Dead, unarriable.

He knows it?

Yep.

He knows.

It'd be better if you could wait.

I wish I could.

I can't.

I understand.

He's in here.

The deputy was lying on his stomach.

A day's look on his face like he was remembering something over and over but still couldn't believe it.

I knelt on the floor beside him so he could see me while he was telling me what happened.

You see, my boy built himself one in a hot rod cast.

I don't know all chassis and spare parts.

You know youngsters.

Yeah.

I had broke down on him last night.

Full with it and couldn't get it to start.

Call up home by midnight.

Tell me in his mind why I was out for late.

Sure.

I'd drove out in my car and meet him where he called from up at Salesville.

Both pulled around with his car some but he wasn't fixing to go at all.

Here.

Just a little water through this glass straw.

Better?

Yeah.

Thank you.

You couldn't get the car started.

Yeah.

Yes.

Finally I told the kid to come on home and we'd get it taken care of today.

Well, they can they don't matter now.

What happened on the way home?

We passed the carpet place.

Big place.

It raised his silkworms.

Here.

Let me fix that.

Tell all for you then.

Thank you.

Worms.

He'd often leaves the mulberry trees.

He was passing a grove.

Carves mulberries.

Spotted fire.

Little campfire like deep in the grove.

Almost out of sight.

I see.

Not a bit of stop.

Have a look.

The kid.

He wanted to get out of the car with me.

I don't know why I let him but I had no way of knowing.

Of course you couldn't know.

We walked in.

I guess it was coming one of them kicked at the fire.

So I shadowed.

That's all.

I yelled at him to stand what I wasn't.

They started blasting.

Go on.

I turned, pushed the kid down.

Something hit me in the back.

Went out.

When I came to, my kid was lying there.

Just a couple of feet from it.

Fifteen years old.

Don't try to talk anymore.

Get him.

Please get him.

Leave my kid.

I left the hospital and headed for the Carvath Ranch outside Mineral Wells.

Big Jim Carvath, the owner of the place, took me into the mulberry grove

where the deputy and his boy had been gunned.

Well, this is the spot.

Sheriff's comb drove a pretty complete though.

Had their fire right over here.

What are you digging out of their meshes?

Fire wasn't burning on.

Started with a road map and an envelope.

The corner of the envelope not quite burned and just make out the stand.

It's Mexican.

Maybe our lab can make out the postmark.

Out of that shard, hunk?

Yeah.

If I can slide it into this fresh envelope,

I'm breaking it up too much.

You fell a sure configure a lot from a littler reckon?

Sometimes.

When they left, they went through there toward the road.

How do you know that?

Here's the mark where the fire was kicked.

Steps from it, move that way.

It might have been the sheriff and his, man.

Not in low-heel eastern boots.

See the impressions?

Oh.

One set, same as yours, a mine, set for the difference in boots.

The other set scuffs in at the toes, man, who made those as pigeon-toed.

You sound like you could draw a picture of them.

I could now.

Let's see where these prints lead.

They led to the road, or almost to the road.

Just at the edge of the road were tire markings where a card

been backed into the mulberries to screen it from sight.

Well, this is it, all right.

You can see where it scraped the branches.

Did more and scraped them.

And this one's been torn off.

The part that got torn off isn't on the ground.

Low branch, too.

Oh, that means something.

From the tire marks and the height of the branch,

it means the baggage compartment of the car was open,

and then closed down on the end of the branch.

See, it snapped off on the car move.

You sound like that's worth knowing.

It might be worth pointing.

The highway patrol turns up an abandoned car with a piece of mulberry branch caught on it.

I drove back to headquarters and turned the charred envelope over to the lab,

and I went in and reported to Captain Stinson.

Sounds like the Gordon Brothers, all right?

I'd bet on it.

And if they're in the habit of ditching their cars,

we'd better check on all the stolen and abandoned.

We find the car we know which way they're headed.

I'll send out a bulletin on it.

What did Lab say about the envelope?

It burned pretty bad, Captain, but they think they can restore it.

Take time, though.

If they can bring out that Mexican postmark,

it might tell us where the Gordon's playing across the border.

That's what I was thinking.

They won't go through a regular border station.

It'll be an illegal crossing, and they'll probably have a hideaway arranged on the other side.

Yeah, probably other members of the Crawford gang.

I figure they'll try to make it before tomorrow morning.

They'll be making their big run tonight.

Well, head south, Jace, toward the border.

We'll relay all information to you as it comes up.

I'd better get charcoal out of the barn and hitch up my horse trailing.

That's a good idea.

Wherever they try to cross, it's essential it won't be good territory for a car.

The border stations are covered, though, aren't they?

In case they do try illegal crossing.

They're mugs that hang in and every customs house from Brownsville to El Paso.

If the eye is given the mixture cover, and the Mexican police are helping too.

I'd better get going then.

So long, Captain.

So long, Jace.

And good luck.

I loaded charcoal into the horse trailer and headed south,

aiming for the center of the border near Valverde County,

so I could change my direction fast either way.

I kept a lead foot on the gas pedal.

Towards sundown, I was just outside El Dorado

when the radio dispatcher came through telling me to call headquarters.

I got Captain Stinson on long distance.

That moderate branch is paying off, Jace.

A abandoned car with a piece of it caught in the trunk has just been found

in Fort Stockton, Vegas County.

How long ago?

Less than 15 minutes, and the motor was still warm.

Highway patrol has grown up roadblocks at all points south and west.

They can't be far out of Stockton.

Must be planning to try a border crossing in Presidio or Booster County then.

Any report on that burned envelope?

Still working on it, Jace.

You better head for Fort Stockton.

If they do get past our block, they're within 90 miles of the border.

I'll do my best, Captain.

So long.

Well, it's another baseball summer with ball fans all over the country

watching their favorites and baseball champions all over the major leagues eating their Wheaties.

Yop and do they eat their Wheaties.

The Philadelphia Phillies, Ashford and Annas,

the Cleveland Indians, Lamon and Woodroll,

Stan Musil of the St. Louis Cards, George Kelly, the Detroit Tigers,

Peewee Reese, the Dodgers.

They're all getting their Wheaties, breakfast of champions.

And you know, so are a lot of other smart people.

Folks who want high stepping energy to stride through their mornings high wide and handsome.

They're getting Wheaties too.

Are you?

Well, listen.

You may not play ball for a living, but you can use Wheaties energy.

You can use Wheaties vitamins, minerals and proteins.

You can use breakfast of champions too.

There's a whole kernel of Wheat in every Wheaties plate.

A whole golden kernel rolled out flat and toasted.

Yes, there's a whole kernel of Wheat in every Wheaties plate.

That's why Wheaties can do so much and help send you through the morning on high.

That's why Wheaties at 7 can help at 11.

You have some Wheaties, the crisp way to get your whole Wheat.

Tomorrow morning, make yours milk and fruit and Wheaties, breakfast of champions.

See for yourself how Wheaties at 7 can help at 11.

I started for the roadblock area in Picus County, but I never got there.

I was still 50 miles away when headquarters radioed me to contact them by phone.

Had a feeling the news wasn't going to be good, and it wasn't.

We can forget about Picus counties.

The Gordon's broke through our roadblock.

Where?

Back road near Hover.

It turned atomic gun on the highway patrol and the sheriff's car.

Yeah, anybody?

True.

And two more badly wounded.

The men were just fine when they didn't answer a radio call.

Half and two hours ago.

And the Gordon's could be at the border by now.

The wildest part of it, Jace.

And you'll have to guess what?

Just a second.

Oh, he's in.

What is the third border?

Hard.

Oh, boy, come.

Here it is, Jace.

Lab report on the burnt envelope.

Where was it nailed from?

For Pichiers.

Right across the Rio Grande from the Santiago Mountains.

That country's murdered.

Worse for them than for us.

River swollen by spring rains.

They'll need a boat to cross.

County Sheriff can beat through the mountains with pauses.

Ten miles each side.

I'll get as close as I can by car and then charcoal and I'll ride in.

The Paseo Corner will have them.

You're the closest ranger, Jace.

But those men are dangerous.

You want to wait for some help?

No time for waiting.

Now's the time for getting them.

You'll hear from me.

In the south of Brewster County, the world comes to an end.

I drove as far as I could and met one wing of the sheriff's posse where Maravius Crick

runs into the Rio Grande.

Any sign I'm in, Sheriff?

Nope.

Got men working in from the other side of the mountains, though.

Get my horse and ride in with you ways.

And we can split and fan out.

Good.

Mighty fine horse ranger.

The best.

Come on, charcoal.

Which of your men knows this section best?

I'm here, Sanchez, Eric.

I'd like him to ride with me when we split.

Oh, he'd be proud to.

Sanchez!

Do you want me for something, Sheriff?

Ranger wants you to ride with him.

That's good with me.

Thanks, Sanchez.

You got any signal arranged with the rest of your posse?

Three shots.

Two seconds, between each one.

Good.

Well, that's right.

All right, men, mount up.

Well, we'll follow the river.

Then you can drop off in pairs and head in toward the peak.

And sheriff will parry off.

If you hit ground too rough for your horses,

time off and move through on foot.

All got that?

All right.

All right, let's move.

Come on, let's get off.

We moved along the river, closing the circle,

and hoping that Joe and Tiny Gordon were inside of it.

The country got rougher, and no horse could have taken it

without the light of the moon.

Posse peered off and thinned out.

Finally, the sheriff and his last deputy turned off.

Sanchez and I went on alone.

How far away from Boquia, Sanchez?

About five miles, senior.

And we were off.

We were off.

We were off.

We were off.

We were off.

We were off.

About five miles, senior.

And it will be right across the river.

We better turn toward the peak, then.

We can't go in vain to find the horses.

Maybe we should leave them right here.

Easier to find again.

You're probably right.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Oh.

I am off over here.

There are some cabins up here in the mountains,

but the men we are after wouldn't know about them.

What kind of cabins?

Old hunters cabins from long ago

when there was good hunting.

But most of the game is gone.

Nobody lives in them anymore.

No.

But the gardens might know about them anyhow.

You said they do not know this country.

Yeah, they could have been told.

I'm eating somebody in Mexico.

Some of their gang might have come through here before.

That's why they picked this spot.

They're in such a hurry, though.

I don't think they would stop.

They would if the big boy got tired.

The big boy?

In a tiny garden.

He's pigeon-toed.

Something wrong with his feet.

He's big and heavy and carrying a lot of weight.

He's going to slow down in this country.

I think you're right, Ranger Pearson.

He ain't got good feet.

He's so down plenty in here.

The cabins in the territory were covering?

See.

Two of them.

Let's take a look.

See, the first one is right up this way to the left.

About two miles in.

It doesn't seem to be anybody in there.

No.

Maybe they're just waiting there.

Soon find out.

Stay clear of the doorway and keep your gun ready while I go in.

See, but you better have your guns ready, too.

Don't worry.

I got them.

Watch it.

Nobody here.

Come in.

Lamp here, I'll light it.

Showing over the lamps in you.

No.

I don't think I'll light it after all.

Use your flashlight instead.

See.

There.

Feel a glass.

The lamp can be.

It's warm, senile.

Use less than half an hour ago.

Could any of the posses have reached here before us?

No.

I don't think I'll light it after all.

Use your flashlight instead.

See.

There.

Feel a glass.

The lamp can be.

I've reached here before us.

I don't see how.

They all turning further back.

I mean the group working in from the other side.

No, they came all the way from hot springs farther than where we start.

That's where the sheriff's deputy went to get them.

Wipe your light around a little.

See.

Wait.

Wait.

Turned on that chair again, too.

Look.

Dust wiped off it.

Somebody sit there not long ago.

That scraped spot on the floor.

Sent with his legs straight out.

Scraping was done by his heels.

See.

You have a good eye.

I think I'll sit down there and stretch my legs.

My heels reach those marks?

No.

Not quite so far.

But why do you do that?

Because I'm six feet tall.

Man, that sat in that chair is taller.

Tiny Gordon is six foot three.

Come on.

Look around.

See which way they headed.

See.

I think this way arranged a person.

Why?

What'd you find?

Somebody step on the dead log, take off a piece of the bark.

Yeah.

And Prince there, too.

Here.

Flash your light.

See.

Here.

Two sets.

One of them with the toes turning in.

And throw the light that way.

See.

That bush.

First one through here held the branch back for the other to pass.

Knocked off a few berries.

Crushed them on the ground.

Still wet from the juice.

We got the direction now.

Let's move.

Better put that light off.

They headed for the rear, all right?

Should we fire the gun now, the signal for the posse?

No, we're too close.

Gordon's might here, too.

Probably think they're safe in here.

They don't know we've got a post mark.

Better chance to get them cold if they don't know.

See.

Do you think they're going to fight if we catch them?

With murder charges in a couple of states, they got nothing to lose.

They'll fight plenty.

They left the trail all the way.

Easy to follow even by moonlight.

Got pressures we moved along and saw more and more spots where tiny Gordon had stopped to rest.

The paste spots where Joe Gordon had moved around restless, they waiting for him.

Wasn't long before we could hear the laughing of the Rio Grande as the foothills dipped down for him.

Then we heard them, moving and talking in the reins to the edge of the river.

All right, tonight.

Take it easy, man.

How do you know?

How you really met our letter?

It's something that's last night.

Let's try it again.

I know we ain't moving on a tight schedule.

Suppose they don't come.

You lighten a couple of knots.

We'll go back in that capitol and pull up again until tomorrow night.

Besides, who's going to see us here?

Maybe an idiot or something.

I don't know who's going to be trapping around.

What are you?

Daniel Boone or something?

Ryan.

No one should tell me to try and do it.

I'm not tiny.

We figured that right.

They're expecting a pickup from the Mexican side.

She's putting the boat down.

The boat doesn't come here.

The boat doesn't come here.

You're lucky.

They carry a forty-five.

You try to carry a timey gun away.

You were dropping around, man.

And it killed yourself and me too.

I might turn you some day, Joe.

Shoot your mouth off.

Ryan, come on.

Try it.

I'm going to frame you.

Why?

You want to put you to go on, Joe?

And try it.

Well, they got forty-five.

But so will we, see?

Let's move in and take them.

We slipped down to the edge of the reeds.

I kept Sanchez to move off about thirty yards

so they'd have to come between us

if they made a break away from the river.

We couldn't see him in the reeds,

but they couldn't see us either.

Sanchez reached his position

and then I straightened up.

Come on, Joe.

Where are you?

Tiny!

Joe!

Get up here!

I'm a Texas Ranger.

There's a posse of twenty men in the hills.

You're surrounded.

Will you come out?

How long do you any good?

This way, Tiny!

Open up Sanchez!

Don't get through here!

That's a posse signal, Tiny.

They'll all be heading this way.

You will be heading this way!

Wait!

What's the matter, Tiny?

You're gun empty?

Why do you think you're dead?

Hey!

How'd you fail?

You're dead.

You're dead.

You're dead.

You're dead.

You're dead.

Wait!

What's the matter, Tiny?

You're gun empty?

Why do you think you're dead?

Hey!

How'd you fail?

How'd you fail?

As ever, kill anybody.

You don't even come close.

Where are you, you hicks?

Stop!

Kill all of you, you stupid hicks!

I'm only using all of you!

Oh, yeah?

Rest of the posse, you'll be here soon.

It'll be daylight.

We'll starve you out and burn you out.

You're a hogtag.

You better give him up while you can.

I ain't giving up.

I'll take a lot of your hicks with me.

Come on, Joe!

Wait!

Wait!

Wait in this way, Sanchez!

Yes!

Joe!

No!

No!

Get dirty!

No!

No!

No!

No!

Get out your pants, Tiny.

Hicks!

Hicks!

Hicks!

Hicks!

Hicks!

Hicks!

All right, Sanchez.

You got it, say you are.

I guess this job is almost finished.

Almost finished.

They look very finished good.

I mean, the rest of the Crawford gang are from across the river.

A nice surprise for them if they come over in their boat.

Possibly here soon.

We may be able to take them by surprise.

Easier than these two, Senor.

You know, I don't think their life is very much.

I saw what they did to a deputy sheriff and his kid.

I didn't like the Gordon Brothers very much either.

Two hours later, other members of the Crawford gang were surprised and captured without resistance

when they crossed the Rio Grande to keep their rendezvous with the Gordon Brothers.

They were turned over to federal authorities to stand trial for their crimes.

Well, partner, whether you're riding the Texas Prairie or smelting steel in Pittsburgh,

first you need your Wheaties.

Yep, breakfast of champions for folks with big things to do.

It's a brighter morning and a better job when you begin a good breakfast with Wheaties.

Here's why.

There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties' plate.

Yes, there's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties' plate.

That's why Wheaties can give so much.

Whole wheat vitamins and minerals brought in too.

Whole wheat energy to help you stride through the morning high-wide in Hanson.

Yes, there's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties' plate.

That's how Wheaties at seven can help at eleven.

You try them.

Golden flakes, crisp flakes, Wheaties flakes.

Have some tomorrow with milk and fruit and see yourself.

How Wheaties at seven can help at eleven.

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

Joel McCray will soon be seen starring in the Universal International Technicolor production saddle trend.

Tonight's cast included Tony Berrett, Tom McKee, Tom Holland, Jack Rootian, Byron Kane, and Jane Ovello.

This story was transcribed and adapted by Joel Merckock and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keith.

This is how Gipney's speaking.

And as the Wheaties' man Frank Martin inviting you to listen, he was denied to the penny-singleton show on the Wheaties' Big Parade.

See you then.

Tomorrow Rose Bampton sings with the Summer Symphony on...