Texas_Rangers_1951 09 30_46_Death_Shaft.mp3

0:00The National Broadcasting Company presents Joel McRae in tales of the Texas Rangers. From Hollywood, another authentic reenactment of a case transcribed from the piles of the Texas Rangers. Tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McRae of Ranger Chase Pearson. Texas won 260,000 square miles. At 50 men who make up the most famous and oldest law enforcement body in North America. Now from the piles of the Texas Rangers come these stories based on facts. Names, dates and places are fictitious for obvious reasons.

1:02The events themselves are a matter of record. Case for tonight, Jeff Schaff. It is 9.30 a.m. November 18, 1941 in the big bend in the country of West Texas. J.C. Wilford of the Bureau of Mines and Fred Blazel are winding up a narrow dirt road toward Blazel's abandoned mine in Black Hawk Canyon. How long do you say it spins since you operated your mind Mr. Blazel? I never have operated Wilford. It was left by my brother when he passed on. I was understood there was all here if you had the money to get it out but I didn't. So I just let her sit here. I haven't even been near the place for two years anyway. But lately I've been reading that the government thinks to get some of these mines going again. So I got in touch with you at the Bureau of Mines to see if you think it's a worthwhile proposition.

2:07Well, if it looks promising and tall, we can make a thorough survey to do a little diamond drilling and see what we've got. Then if it looks good you think the government alone the money'd operate it? That's something I can't answer. All we at the Bureau do is make the recommendation. Hey, pretty desolate country round here isn't it? I'll see. Here we are. Oh, is that the entrance to the mine ahead? That's it. No, I'm not going to do it. And padlock. It's my brother put that door on the entrance to the shack when he quit working the mine. Yeah, I got my key. That's funny. You want some out of this? He doesn't seem to fit. You sure he's the right one? Yeah. Hey, this isn't the same lock on you. Well, there was a master padlock on you before now it's just a cheap one from a dime store look like. That's strange. Food won't switch to us.

3:08Why? I don't know. Somebody must have been snooping around up here. Wait. These are in bottom line over here. See if I can find that lock on. You're fairly new lock by the look of me. Okay, let's open the roof. Yeah, then got to the flashlight. I better go for it. Okay, weapon. So wetting him. Yeah, these riffs collect a lot of moisture when the mine's knocking you, sir. Please do it. It's a matter of weapon. Look, they're on the ground in front of us. Holy smoke, a skeleton. Clues just about all right out of the way. And a different padlock on the entrance. Looks like somebody didn't want this skeleton found. Well, if you take a look at this girl, you'll see why. It's all bashed in for sure, yes.

4:08The club will rock by the look of it. Yeah. Whoever that was looks like he was murdered. The two men notified Sheriff Benson, who requested help from the Texas Rangers. Ranger, a Jace Pearson was assigned to the case, joining the sheriff and two men at Blazel's mine. Hmm, pretty damn sheriff. Sure is. You men touch anything in here? No, nothing, Ranger. I have to add up the new lock we come inside. But just as soon as we saw the skeleton, we got out in the hurry and called Sheriff. Isn't that right, Ranger? You haven't tried me yet. Well, there it is, Jason. Yeah. Hmm. Because, sure, it is bashed in. It's pretty hard to tell how long he's been dead, Jason. Yeah, remains with deteriorate pretty fast in this dampness. And as far as telling who it is, whoa, they're all rotted away, so the same would go for any papers he might have been carrying. Just a minute, Sheriff. Hmm?

5:08Look. I mean, he's rocks on the side here. But it looks like a little wallet. It is. Pretty well preserved, too. Sure, sure. It was a little higher than the skeleton up out of the way. Yeah. Pretty lucky for us. Looks that way. Any money in there? No. Just some papers. Hmm. Might have been robbery. He'll have took the money and tossed the bill pulled away. Can you make out the writing on any of the papers? Gilbert, W.M. Matt, and you. You know, name anything to you, Blightville? I was just trying to think. No, I don't. I don't remember ever hearing it before. How about you, Mr. Wofford? Being from the Bureau of Minds, you probably spend a lot of time around this part of the state. Do you ever hear the name before? Matt, and it sounds a little familiar, but I can't seem to place the range of him, sorry. Okay. I guess that'll be all enough. Let's get back outside. The one sign statements from you can drop around the sheriff's office and make him.

6:11I'll be in this afternoon, Blight's okay. Sure. See you then, Blightville. Mom, we'll pretty early give you a lift back to town, right? You're through here, Judge? Not quite. Take this broken padlock along. I want to look at this house on the door. No, I don't. If you can tell much from that. It's all scratched up. We're blazed out, pride off that padlock. Yeah, I know. There's one thing sort of puzzles me, a little sheriff. What is it? This new lock isn't rusty enough to have been out here in the open for very long. What do you figure that means? I won't know until I can get some idea of the approximate time of death. Come on, let's get back to town and start checking on Gilbert Medin. See if we can find out how long ago he was murdered. Back at the sheriff's office, I checked through the missing persons reports and found one on Gilbert Medin filed by his wife eight months before. Mrs. Medin was promptly notified and requested to meet us at the sheriff's office for routine questioning. Never should, Mrs. Medin. Thank you, Sheriff.

7:12I'm sorry to be asking questions at a time like this, ma'am. That's all right. I don't suppose there's any doubt it was Guil. I'm afraid not, ma'am. We found his wallet and the lab confirmed the identification by means of the teeth. But I felt for some time that Guil must be dead. In a way, it's almost better knowing instead of wondering. I know. Mrs. Medin, our lab is trying to establish the time of your husband's murder. I know. I know. Mrs. Medin, our lab is trying to establish the time of your husband's murder. Now, according to our information, you filed a missing persons report on last March 23rd, a little less than eight months ago. That's right. What were the circumstances surrounding your husband's disappearance? Well, Gilbert was a mind-broker. He made trips in the mining country even now and then. He planned to be away for two or three weeks, so I decided to visit my relatives in Kansas while there was going. I see. When was that? Right around the first of March as I remember. And how long were you in Kansas? Three weeks.

8:12Did you hear from your husband during that time? Yes, I did. I got a letter from him just a couple of days before I was to return home saying he would meet my train. But he wanted the deeper when I arrived, called all over town trying to locate him and then when I couldn't knock out worried, the next day I filed a report with a police. Well, let's see. Let's see. Let's make it about the 20th of March when you got that last letter from your husband. That means he was alive until the time he mailed it anyway, which would be about the 18th of March. Come in. All right. That's my statement with your deputy, Sheriff. Anything else? All right, enough. Mrs. Madden has Mr. Bladeslow. How did you? Mrs. Madden has to blaze the loans of the mine where your husband's body was discovered. Oh. Sorry to make your acquaintance end of this sort of circumstance, Mrs. Madden. Oh, Sheriff, I'm sure you told me where this mine was over the phone when you notified me, but what with the shock I don't seem to remember. Oh, my mind is over in Black Alcanyan, Mrs. Madden.

9:13Black Alcanyan? That mean anything to you, Mrs. Madden? Oh, really? Who? Oh, really? You've got Black Alcanyan somewhere. Look, Mrs. Madden. Who is this old Willay? Well, he has a mind up there. He's a stranger, man. He's very eccentric. Well, what makes you think he had anything to do with this? Because in that last letter, I got from Gil, but he mentioned something about Owen Willay, pasting him again. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. I still don't get the connection between your husband and this old Willay, Mrs. Madden. Well, you see, about two years ago, my husband made a business trip into that region. I went with him. This old Willay was hanging around a little store where we stopped for a cold drink. When he found out my husband was in mind, Broke. He became very excited. Said he had a valuable mind he wanted Gil, but he looked at it. Did your husband inspect Willay's mind? No. Because the storekeeper Broke in told us Willay's mind was brutal. Willay became furious and finally the storekeeper threw him out. I see. Did Willay threaten your husband, Mrs. Madden? Well, he wrote a few crazy subtle letters to Gil, but accusing him of being a spot

10:15what he called the big companies. Mr. Blastel, have you ever heard of this old Willay? No, I haven't, but that doesn't mean anything. I'm not acquainted with anybody in that area. James, I sure think there's old Willay. There's worth questioning. So do I, Sheriff. We'll head back to Black Hawk Canyon and see if we can find him. Right now, he sounds like a first-class murder suspect. In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McCray as Ranger Chase Pearson. It's the silver jubilee on NBC. Here's great news for all of you Western fans. Beginning next Friday on most NBC stations, Roy Rogers, the King of the Cowboys, and Day Levens, the Queen of the West, will bring you the new Roy Rogers show. Yes, beginning next Friday, be sure to listen for Roy Rogers, Day Levens, and Trigger in new adventures in Paradise Valley.

11:19It's the Roy Rogers show Friday on most NBC stations. Be sure to listen. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers and tonight's case, Death Shaft, an authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers. As a matter of routine, I checked up on Mrs. Madden's story of a visit to relatives in Kansas, and quickly confirmed the fact that she was there during the period she had stated. Next, Sheriff Benson and I drove to the small general store in Black Hawk Canyon and questioned the storekeeper. Oh, Willie, sure I know him, Regent. Comes in here once a month regular for supply. Crazy decoupers. Well, I should live, Frank. Well, about 20 miles up the canyon, he's got a new count mine up on East Rim. Of course he thinks it's just Chuck Fuller. Yes, surprise. I wanted to think back about two years ago, an incident involving Old Willie and a minebroker named Madden,

12:24has supposed to have taken place here in your store. You remember anything about it? Sure do. Willie started giving this minebrook a usual jaw-wagon about his mind being variable. So I beat I better stick more in and tell the fellow Willie's mind wasn't worth a dead bone chance. What happened then? Oh, Willie forgot the handle in his crazy way. Scottish Spartan, a bunch of threats and other Hoonie talks to I finally had to kick him out of the store. Well, Jesus, sure checks with what Mrs. Madden told us. Yeah. Mr. Price, can you give us directions for finding Willie's place we'd like to pay him a visit? Well, pretty rough country up there. And we got horses in the trailer outside. Oh, wait a minute. That case you can make it all right. Hey, you find the trailer eating north off the road up ahead about five miles. You stick to the trailer until it cross the dry creek. And you see another trailer taking up the side of the canyon. The second trailer leads us to Willie's mine, huh? Yep. Of course, sir. May that find him there?

13:24Why not? He's pretty skitterish about visitors. That's just why I want to pay him a visit. See if he's got anything to be skitterish about. We should be just about there, Sheriff. Yeah. By the climb. Looks like we're directly across the canyon from Blair's Hill's mine. Look. Well, see Willie. It's close, all right. Once we get around this bend in the trail, yeah. Looks like some digging's up ahead there. And just take a look at that shack there. Some place. The Albinine sign. Our paper's cardboard. I wonder what keeps it up. Probably that stovepipe's sticking up through the center of the roof. Yeah. It's smoking too. Well, he must be home all right. Ooh, who's got a cold? Oh, boy. Would you look at the junkies that hang on the outside walls? These are the Bobwaw tin cans, keys, bottles, like Willie's hard pack wrap.

14:26The door's open. Nobody inside. Inside looked like the outside. Only more so. Wonder where I hold it. Look over there in the bushes. Yeah. Something moved, all right? Willie, come out of there. Willie. Hey. Somebody's coming out, all right. Sure don't look very friendly with that rifle. What do you find, watch? Use all that rifle down and we'll tell you. You've got no call to come poking around my property. You're wrong there, Willie. This is Sheriff Benson, and I'm a ranger Pearson. I want to ask you a few questions. Now drop that rifle and come over here. You think I'm going to kid you about my mind, don't you? Yes, and I'm not. Now, just a minute, Willie. You want to get it away from me just like all the rest.

15:26You're spiced for a mess, what you are. You come poking around here trying to get it. What are you talking about, Willie? Spies for whom? For the big companies. They all want my mind, because they know it's right smack dab on the biggest being in the county. That's why they send spies, scooping around here, like you do. I don't know, James. Willie, have you ever been near the blazed line across the canyon from here? He's good as this and is. Answer my question. Have you ever been near there? Maybe. How long ago? A couple of days. What were you doing over there? Patrolling. What do you mean, patrolling? I patrolled all over. Got a watch for the spies. Every year the name Gilbert Madden. He's going to never get my mind. All I need is a little money to operate that. I asked a question, Willie. If you ever hear of Gilbert Madden. You heard him, Willie. Maybe your head and maybe your ears. You first feel what you're spying just like he did.

16:27Just like who? Madden? You're pretty smart, don't you? But then I'm going to trap me. He had his chance to get me money for the mind, but he wouldn't. That's why you killed him? Yeah. I think you're going to get me confused with your smart self, don't you? I know. I ain't got too much on my mind, patrolling to worry about sitting in anybody. Yeah, I wonder. We got a witness that you had a fight with Madden. And for the more than a minute, Sheriff, what is it? Just having to know to something hanging on the outside wall here. Just a bunch of old rusty keys? Yeah. But this one isn't as rusty as the rest. Let me see. Jason, that keys the same maker's a locked blaze, they'll pry it off the handle and store his mind. That's right, Sheriff. Come here, Willie. Hey, what you want? What'd you get this key? Say, that's a goodness. You want to trade them? What'd you get it? I saved keys.

17:27Which stall, Willie? Where'd you get it? Coming around here, asking me all kinds of questions. You got no call. Let that padlock back him off, or she's. I'm sure interested to see whether this key fits him. So am I. Come on, Willie. Get your burrow. We're going to take a ride. Let's go. Let's go. May you be come down here with you fellas. You think I'm not roist, do you? That locks him a desk here. You can't be down here while one of your other spies dukes around my mind. Take your samples. Here it is. Let's have it. Okay, now I'll try this key in it. Pitch. Sure it does. Well, I guess that does it all right. Can I go now? No, Willie. I don't think you'll be going anywhere for quite a spell. The sheriff booked Willie, but we weren't able to get any sort of coherent statement out of it.

18:28Finally, we locked him up and went back into the sheriff's office. Well, the guy must have weathered out to give us a confession. I suppose we could get a conviction over it. Maybe. I think they find him mentally incompetent. And so they'll put him away. Yeah, that's just what I was thinking. You pretty rough on the M.P. happen to be innocent, wouldn't it? You agree? Innocent. Now, Jay, yeah, I know. You have two witnesses to the fact that Willie threatened Gilbert Madden. That's right. Mrs. Madden and the storekeeper. But what clenches it is a padlock on Blaze Delt's mind, Jay? That key we founded Willie Shaik Pitchett. That's about a solid evidence. Or it seems to me? I wonder. What do you mean? A couple of things about this don't feel quite right to me, Sheriff. Well, work, for instance. Well, near as the lab can figure Madden was murdered about eight months ago. That's right, last March. But the lock blazed will broke off the mine entrance, was hardly rusty at all. And either was the key we found hanging out in the open, it Willie Shaik. What's wrong with that, Jay? Willie broke off the original lock when he hid Madden's body.

19:30But Madden died eight months ago, and that second lock couldn't have been on the past padlock. Well, maybe Willie didn't put the lock on right away. Maybe later he got the worry about somebody discovering the body and... Well, that's when he put it on. Sheriff, a time you're most worried about a body being discovered is right after you've killed a man, not several months later. Sure. That's a way of sensible person would react. But remember who we're dealing with? Old Willie. Who's not exactly what you call a sensible man. I know, Sheriff. But then there's the part about the key hanging right out in plain sight at Willie Shaik. Now, Jay, you said yourself Willie was pot-packed, right? Remember all the junkie out hanging around the shirt? Sure I do, Sheriff. I also remember what Willie said when we showed him that key. Say, that's a good one. Just like he never noticed it before. Will you get mad, Jay? Maybe Willie did kill Madden. But it seems to me there's a bear chance he didn't then how'd he get that key? We could have found it. Or it could have been planted there.

20:30That'd be awful tough to prove either way, Jay. Sure, would. As long as it's a possibility we're not closing the case. Come on, let's talk to Mrs. Madden and see if she can give us a line on anybody besides, old Willie, who might have a reason for killing her husband. We drove out to the Madden house, but Mrs. Madden was unable to give us any new information. She suggested we go through her husband's business records, which were in a spare room he'd used for an office. So the sheriff and I started in. Well now, our later, the only things we found just made it look all the worse for Willie. What do you got, Jay? A bunch of letters written on a wrapping paper. Addressed to Madden. Crazy threatening letters. Who wrote them? You guess? Willie? Yeah, Willie. Listen. You better watch out. I ain't gonna let you steal my mind. That's really all right. First of them like that?

21:30Yeah. All six of them. Yeah, Jay, it looks all the worse for Willie now. We've been through just about all Madden's records and papers. And he's written the letters or all we come up with. The end from the looks of it, Madden kept records of just about everything. I don't know if I'll put these papers back, I guess. Okay. What do you got there? Violet canceled checks. Hand them over and I'll stick them here in the drawer. Okay, just coming through them. I guess there's nothing here. Hey. What is it? Sheriff, look at this check. It's dated two years ago. Let's see. Well, what about it? It just made out the case and signed by Madden. Yeah. But take a look at this pencil writing up in the corner. Pencil writing, let's. Well, I'll be. So will I. Come on. You want to make an arrest? Not yet. I need more proof and I think I know a way to get it. Just go along with whatever I say. Sure, Jay.

22:33Did you buy anything that's in the help and Gilbert's papers, Range Pears? I think we did, Mrs. Madden. You said you accompanied your husband on his business trip into the Black Carcane area two years ago. That's right. Why'd he go there? I just decided that the situation found out what mines were for sale. I see. He didn't actually transact any business, though. No. Of course, this really wanted him to come up and see his mine. But when the storekeeper told us the mine was no good. Yeah. And you stayed right with your husband the whole trip. Yes. Okay. Thanks, man. You say you found something in Gilbert's papers? We didn't know for sure. So I'd like to give you a receipt for these canceled checks. I want more time to examine them. Here you are. Cancel checks. Yeah. It looks like one of them's going to take the wrong man out of jail and put the right man in. Come on, Sheriff. See. Well, I'm glad to hear it. It'll be more I can do. We'll let you know, Mrs. Madden. Bye.

23:34She's lying, Judge. I got trooper. But now, we'll watch her have one of your deputies keeping eye on him. You don't want him to get away, but we don't want to pick him up yet. He's not okay. I'll call him off if we need drugs. Wait in my car around the corner. Meet me there. The sheriff made his call and rejoined me. We sat in my car waiting. And a little after dark, Mrs. Madden's car pulled away from our house, heading out of town. We followed keeping well back. Two miles out of town, she pulled off the highway, parked behind another car, got out and headed into the brush. Sheriff and I worked our way slowly and quietly in the direction she'd taken. Should be around here somewhere. Yeah. Keep it as quiet as possible, Sheriff. I think she can let you meet him. Looks like. Listen. Yeah. I hear him talking. Look, in that clear and ahead, man. Let's ease up a little. You're in a fool. You must have overlooked something when you went through those wreckings.

24:35No, I'm sure I didn't get a family interview made where you paid him for a praise in your mind two years ago. There's nothing in those wreckings to show the two of you knew each other. You're wrong, there, man. Hold it real steady, Blazel. Chris. Yeah. So the two of you didn't know each other until I introduced you, huh? You've been in it together ever since you met two years ago. Clarence, you little fool. You were tricking to come out here so they could catch us together. They just haven't improved with anything. I got proof right here in my pocket that you lied when you said you didn't know Madden, Blazel. Yeah, what kind of proof? Something you overlooked, Mrs. Madden. A check made out to catch. You didn't notice the pencil writing on it. Pinsel writing? Your husband made a notation that the check was to cover expenses of a trippy made to a praise Blazel's mind two years ago. You told me you were with your husband the whole trip. So you lied about not knowing Blazel. Clarence, you stupid Lizard. You got to listen to me. I didn't want any part of it but Blazel forced me to. What's that? I'm in the clear. I was in change as when it happened. Blazel killed my husband. Oh, that's how you're tricked by me. Why you didn't hold it, Blazel? You're not going to get away free, Clarence.

25:37Clarence, you see that? Sure I killed Madden Ranger. But it was her idea. That's a lie. I was right from the sky. I was her idea. I had to go about it. Put the body in my old mind and change life. You lied, Ranger. White and the key at Willie's shaft pretend Gina didn't know each other. Then produce the body so she could collect all the insurance. All of it was her idea. You shut up. You shut up. I'm not a head for this yet. You got to wear it out on me, will you? Where do I get through spills? Shut up. Shut up. You know, Sheriff? Strikes me we've only got one problem left. What's that, jeez? Getting them to talk slow enough so a stenographer can get it all down. Come on, both of you. Fred Blazel and Clara Madden were indicted and placed on trial for the brutal murder of Gilbert Madden. For her part in the crime, Clara was sentenced to 50 years in the women's prison at Gory.

26:37On the morning of May 3rd, 1942, Blazel was put to death in the electric chair. And now here's the star of our show, Joel McCrae. Hello, folks. First of all, we want to thank you kindly for the many wonderful letters and cards we received during the summer months. It's mighty heartwarming to know we have so many good friends. As a matter of fact, the Rangers themselves have received quite a few of your letters too. Like us, they certainly appreciated hearing from you. I'm sure that most of you will recall reading about a great Texas Ranger captain who retired from active duty on July 31st of this year. Some of our stories have been based on his exploits. He's the famous Captain M.T. Lone Wolf Gonzalez, whose favorite guns are engraved with a code he has always lived by in his colorful career.

27:38Never draw me without cause nor shield me without this honor. Tomorrow, it'll be exactly 31 years since Lone Wolf was sworn in as a Texas Ranger. And as in the past year or so in the years to come, we are proud to have him as our technical advisor. Congratulations, Cap. See you next week, folks. Next week, Joel McCrae and another authentic reenactment of a case from the Piles House, the Texas Ranger. Joel McCrae has currently seen starring in the Universal International Technical Production cattle drive. The cast included Tony Barrett, Bill John Stone, Lamont Johnson, Ken Christie, Betty Lugerson, and Brad Brown. Technical advisor was captain M.T. Lone Wolf Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers.

28:38This story was transcribed and adapted by Bob Wright and the program is produced and directed by Stacy Keat. Hal Gippney speaking. It's the Silver Jubilee on NBC. Today, here's the glithering premiere program of the Big Show broadcast from London, and featuring Sir Lawrence Olivier, Fred Allen, Beatrice Lilly, and your unpredictable hostess, T'Lula Bankhead. Then join in the farm with the Phil Harris Alice Bay Show as they launch their new comedy season. And later, see it or guild on the air brings you Joseph Cotton and Joan Fontaine in Main Street by Sin Clare Lewis. Ladies and gentlemen, the program you can't take it with you, starring Walter Brenner, is now heard at a new show. The show is on the show, and it's a great show. It's a great show. Ladies and gentlemen, the program you can't take it with you, starring Walter Brenner, is now heard at a new time and day.

29:42That's Friday on most NBC stations. Stay tuned for the Big Show and T'Lula on NBC, the national broadcasting company.