Texas Rangers - Squaredance

0:00So you're running out of closet space. The good news? You don't need to stop shopping. You just need to start selling, with the real real. The real real is the world's largest and most trusted resource for authenticated luxury resale, whether it's that mini bag that can't even fit your phone. Or those boots you never fully broke in. The real real handles everything, from photography and copywriting, to shipping and pricing. So you can just sit back, get paid, and make room for things that actually feel like you. And with 10,000 plus new arrivals every single day, from top designers like Prada, Saline, Louis Vuitton, and Louis Vé, all for up to 90% off retail. You're bound to find something perfectly on-brand to fill that extra closet space with. Plus, right now, you can get an extra $100 to shop when you sell for the first time. Make room for what feels like you. Go to therealreal.com to start selling and get your extra $100 to keep shopping at therealreal.com. That's therealreal.com, Terms Apply. Does your family's schedule look like an endless list of appointments, games, and practices?

1:03Does keeping everyone on schedule feel impossible? The Skylight Calendar is here to put an end to your scheduling stress, with its all-in-one shared display, visual structure, and color-coded scheduling. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15-inch calendars by going to MySkylight.com-slashget30. Go to MySkylight.com-slashget30 for $30 off your 15-inch calendar. That's M-Y-S-K-Y-L-I-G-H-T dot com-slashget30. The National Broadcasting Company presents Joe McRae in Tales of the Texas Rangers. Tonight, transcribe from Hollywood another authentic reenactment of a case from the files of the Texas Rangers. Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joe McRae as Ranger J.S. Curson. Texas more than 260,000 square miles, and 50 in will make up the most famous and oldest

2:04law enforcement party in North America. Now, from the files of the Texas Rangers, come these stories based on facts, only names, dates, and places, are fixtures for obvious reasons. They have uns themselves, not a matter of record. In case for tonight, square dance. It is 9.50 p.m. this Saturday night, October 14, 1949. There is a square dance in progress at the fun spot, a barn-like dance hall on the outskirts of Bank of Hill in West Texas. Mrs. Mort Rogers, a rancher's wife, is seated in a corner, waiting for a husband to return with him soda pop.

3:05She looks up as a string ball person. That looks like I found me a pretty little walk line. How come you ain't dancing, man? Back in time, a little out of breath in the life, when my husband went to fetch me some soda pop. Good, right? He's fetching it. You and me can dance. Not a couple leaving that square over there. Come on. No, no, thank you. But I'd rather work for him. Oh, you're just going to waste sitting there. Come on. I'd rather not. No, I ain't the kind of a man who takes no finances, especially when they put it down. I told you, I don't want to dance with you. Come on. Come on. Let's go. What's the matter, Harry? I was waiting for you. And I just had to buy an acid for a dance, that's all. And left thing of marks all over on. Looks like you asked pretty rough. You know how I'm done. You're going to get a heart about it. Take these pop bottles, Harry. I'm not done. That's a take. No, you want to repeat that question?

4:05Places for you. Probably full of friends of yours. I don't know anybody around here. It's just happening. Why don't you just happen enough? Oh, you're getting a stroke. Go ahead, beat it. All right. Maybe I'll meet you alone. And it's time you want to try. Oh, please. Let him go. I know. Well, it seems like somebody like that. I want to remind what people have in common. Hey, wait a minute. Get your tongue. Look at you. Honey, you're shaking. Not for me. It's a little showy in here now, Harry. Where's that little jacket you brought? I left it out and come. I'll go fetch it for you. You think that's old, more? Oh, no, no. Just turn him blue. All right. Would you mind getting a phone? I said I will, didn't I? Any more strangers? I'll see you at dance. Hit him with that pop bottle. I'll be all right. Yeah, he's got me. All right, I'll find him.

5:13Yeah. Look who's here. Well, it's you. What you doing hanging around these cars? Thought I'd tell you to get lost. Better watch your tongue. You ain't surrounded by friends now. Yeah, I figured you'd follow me out. I didn't follow you. Come out to get my wife's jacket. And that's for friends, Miss. I don't need any to hand the likes of you. I want you to get while it's getting good. Too bad your wife didn't come out to get her own jacket. Hey, she's got a cute. Shut up. Right now. Yeah, for what I asked her to dance if she hadn't given me the eye. Right here. All right. Well, get up. Get up and fight. Or get up and run. I'll fight. Or we'll fight, my wife. Wait with this. I'm going to learn something like you. Carry a knife. I'm going to know it. Just once more for good measure.

6:16Guess your wife ain't going to be so particular if she dances with from now on. When Mort Rogers failed to return to the dance, his wife came out to look for him. Her screams as she found the body brought dances streaming from the hall. Somebody summoned the sheriff, and he in turn called for the help of a Texas ranger. Ranger, a jace person. It was a sign. He arrived at the parking lot outside the fun spot shortly after midnight. Hardy, Sheriff. Well, hardy, jace. I'm glad you were close by. Here's the body. Radio was buzzing with calls as I drove in. KTXA's Arden Roadblock set up on every highway near here for a hundred miles.

7:17Yeah, I know. I phoned in a description of a stranger who was at the dance tonight. I heard it. Let's hope they can pick him up. They'd got him sure if I'd had the description earlier, but it took almost an hour to get Ms. Rogers so she could talk. Is she the dead man's wife? Yep. Saw the whole thing then. No. No, she was inside when it happened. Come out and found the body. Then why the pickup for the stranger in particular? Rogers have trouble with him? Just words. Nothing anybody saw. Tried to force Ms. Rogers to dance with him the way she tells it. Rogers come along so it was going on and ordered the fella out. A whole thing happened less than two hours ago. Till it can't be too far away then. Yeah. Far enough. Yeah, but if the roadblocks don't pick him up, we'll know he's either living or hiding within a two hour ride from here. Could be a hundred yards away or a hundred miles away. Even then, he might not be the one. Over 60 couple of the dance tonight. Any one of them could have stepped outside. I haven't let a car pull out since I got here. Good. You shake everybody down? Yeah, I didn't find anything on anybody, though.

8:17Deputy has two knives and a gun that were ditched under benches when he started searching. Knives clean. Far as I could tell. I'll send him through to Austin. Make sure if there's any blood left on one of them the lab will find it. We're not going to have to wait for that, though. Not if the killer's still around. Why? It's wound on Rogers throat. Cut the juggler. See how the blood spurs it out. Killer couldn't miss getting some of that blood on his clothes. You check for that on the shakedown? Yes. Just her hands. You better line them up again inside. Bloods had time to dry. Killer may have had a chance to try and wash it out, but we'll have to check every suspicious looking stain. Well, I got the names and addresses of everybody in the place. Good. You can use that as a checklist. Make sure nobody's taken a run out since you got here. Deputy's been stationed all around. All doors have been locked. Except this one leading out to the parking lot. I had let folks out here because some of them have got baby sleeping in their car. I understand. Let's get them in. Right. All right, inside again, folks. Everybody inside.

9:18So, Charlie Higgins, don't let any stragglers hang back. Keep them moving. You better send one of your deputies into town. Pick up some clothes from the jail or someplace. The finance is suspicious stains. A few of these people might have anything to wear home. The sheriff's list checked out a hundred percent. Nobody's run. A couple of cop folks had stains on their shirts and jeans. We took their clothes and sent them through the Austin for analysis. Next morning, I got my report. A long distance call from my chief, Kevin Stinson. Austin Lap is finished with the stuff he has sent through, Jays. Both of them have a clean. I see. How about the clothing, Kevin? Well, there was human blood in one of the shirts. A small stand. According to your report, they're cowboys. You got it from city cut himself and got a little blood on it. Lap says a bloodstain is typo. Typo, huh? That's right. He's not our boy then. Medical examiner did not topsy on Roger's during the night.

10:20Roger's blood was AB. Everything keeps pointing to the stranger who got away. Do you think Mrs. Rogers gave a good description? I think so. She gave me the same rundown. She gave the sheriff. claim she'll never forget what he looked like. Do you think she'd recognize a photo of him if she saw it? I'm sure she would. Good. The boys in Austin are going through the gal. They're pulling shots of all known criminals who fit that description. Especially the ones who went too free with a hat. I'll bring the photos down myself. Let Mrs. Rogers go over them. While I'm waiting, I think I'll have a look through the ranch area around here. All we know about the men were after is that he got away. We don't know whether he was in a car or on foot or mounted. Few cowfolks did come into the dance on horses. I see. Fellow, we're looking for him. Might be a new hen just drifted into the territory. I got charcoal in my horse trailer. Sheriff's getting his mouth. Keep us busy until you get here. Unless you have another idea. No, James. You go ahead. I'll see you tonight. Right. Bye, Kevin. Bye, James.

11:24Ready, Sheriff? If you are, my mom's all settled. I'll get charcoal out of the trailer. Let's go. We've worked for my ranch to ranch, taking shortcuts to the gullies and the royals. Working through the good grazing as well as the badlands. Riding close to get a good look at cowfolks working in the range, wherever we spotted them. We're on boobakers right now. The able to see the ranch house when we reached the end of these trees. How many hands you got on the place? Three? They've been around for quite a spell. Unless he took on a new one. Roobaker. That seems to me. His name was on the list of folks who were at the dance. Yeah, he was there with his wife. Well, then he was asked if he'd noticed the stranger. Asked everybody that. Then anybody by that description was working for him. He'd spoke up. Well, I thought we might talk to his hands. Even if they weren't at the dance, they might have noticed the stranger arms inflated. Possible. Worth a try. Hey, there's boobaker not climbing into this tractor.

12:26There's the tool shed. Hey, boobaker! Do you see this? How, sir? I can hear you. Oh, boy. Oh, sorry. Hey. Hey. How are you? I had to see you, sir. Matter of fact, I've been thinking of foaming you. You got some information on the Roger's case? Well, no. It's something I guess I shouldn't even be bothering you with right now. Just wanted to put in a little complaint. What kind of complaint, boobaker? Well, see. Just before the dance last night, the Mrs. and me did some shopping in town. Matter of fact, going to the dance was an afterthought. Just decided to drop in when we was driving home and passed the front spot. Well, sir, like I said, I hate to bother you about it, but kept the things we stolen out of my pickup while we was at the dance. New bridal-eyed boarding town and a new pair of wire clippers. Are you sure those things were taken while you were at the dance? Well, they couldn't have been taken any place else. They were the last things we bought before we went to the dance, put them on the shelf by on the cab seat.

13:27Could be something to this, Jake. Sure could. Anybody stealing things from a car wouldn't be doing it while you and your deputies were all over the place. And we were there until after everybody cleared out. Stuff must have been taken out of rubakers pickup before Rogers was killed. Just matter of fact, Rogers might have surprised somebody going through the cars. I wouldn't rule out the stranger we're looking for. He left the dance all before Rogers went outside. Rhydland wire clippers wouldn't be easy to trace. I wonder if he might have taken something else. Well, I haven't had any other complaints. People don't always complain. Thanks, Rhydbanker. Come on, Sheriff. Let's get back to town. Sure. So long. So long. Yeah, I'm charging. Come on. Now, let's go. You planning to check over that dance list again? We'll call every name on it. See if anything else was taken from that parking lot. I'm charging. Come on. Let's stop. Rhydland wire clippers.

14:34In just a moment, we will continue with tales of the Texas Rangers, starring Joel McRae as Ranger J. Pearson. Three chimes mean good times on NBC. Tonight, over most of these NBC stations, theater gill on the air will feature Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth in Ethan From. Mr. Massey also starred in the plays original production in 1936, and this booth is well known for her dramatic performances on radio and the Broadway stage. Remember to hear them on the theater gill on the air presentation of Ethan From Tonight. We continue now with tales of the Texas Rangers, and tonight's case, Squared Dance, an authentic story from the files of the Texas Rangers. The sheriff and his deputies started a phone check of people who'd been at the dance, asking them to list missing articles. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson drove in with a gallery shot to possible suspects. We took them over to funeral home to see if Mrs. Rogers could identify the stranger who crawled with her husband.

15:34Captain showed him to her one by one. How about this one, Mrs. Rogers? No. Well, this is the last one. No. That's not what you mean. Yes, that does it, Jesus. The main word after isn't a known criminal. Not in this state anyhow. Can I go back to my husband now? I want to be near him until I head. Sure, ma'am. Go ahead. We wasn't even married a year. This mess with I had our first anniversary. Very nice. We'll get back to Sheriff's office, Captain. Yeah. Young bride like that. A nice future that killer left her.

16:34We got to get him. I'll stay on until I... Captain! No, there's a sheriff now. Looks like we've hit something on that phone check, Jason. Deputy just got a call from Perney Richards, not the old man, but Perney Jr. From his car? Yeah. Ladies Hamilton wristwatch. Perney bought it for his gal's birthday. Left it in the glove compartment. The car was fishing to surprise her with it today. Hey, that's going to help, Jesus. Plenty. New purchase like that. The jeweler will have a record of the serial number on the watch. Killer might try to sell it or pawn it someplace. He might just give it to some gal. I don't think so. Man, where after it doesn't sound like he'd have a gal of his own. Come on. Let's get a run down on that watch. We got the serial number and put out a bulletin to jewelers and pawn shops. All the logical places where a man might dispose of a watch. Because it was Sunday, we had a break. The bulletins would be on file before the killer had a chance to unload. Meanwhile, Captain Stinson was in phone contact with Austin,

17:34digging up another angle. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I wanted. Well, thanks. No, not necessarily. Yeah, it might mean anything, but it can't hurt us. I'll call you later if I need anything else. Right. Goodbye. Have anything? A little. I asked him to check open files, unsolved cases of pity-fipped. Especially things taken from cars in dancehall parking lot. I'll speak plenty of cases like that. The same man wouldn't be responsible for all of them. No, but a couple of cases, follow a pattern, Jesus. I've written them down. Now look here. Portable radio stolen from a car week before last, outside of Elderton. Roadhouse there was having a square dance. And here's a constables report. Same night, same place. Man answering the description of our stranger got in a beef. He pulled a knife on a fella. Didn't get a chance to use it though. And ran before the law could get there. Hey, that's good.

18:34Now here's another one. Also a square dance. South of here at Paws Croscent. Happened a month ago. The stranger at the dancehall ordered some fella out for a bother in a woman. A game the same description. Filler went outside and threw a rock through a window and got away. Cock had been looted. That's our boy, all right? Yeah, but we still don't know who he is. Something we do know though. Look at this county map. He's been here in Bankerville. West of here in Elderton and South of here at Paws Croscent. All within a month. Yeah, that's right. Means he must be living in this area or hanging around at some place. And draw a circle around the three spots he's been seen at. Gives us a radius of about 40 miles in any direction. And that fits because he wasn't picked up in the roadblocks. I don't know, Jesus. He's been a stranger in all three places. And there are the only towns around here. Most of the area in the middle of your circle is hill country and badlands. And not many rangers he might be working on. Oh, but there's a lot of prospecting going on in those badlands, Captain.

19:36Big new kick. Not gold or silver anymore. Serenium. Hmm. See, not many people would see a prospector. Not unless he had a habit of wandering into some town on a Saturday night with a yen for square dancing. All right. Jesus, I'll buy it. What's your move? Thought to share if I might do a little prospecting too. You'll rate him? No. A man with a knife. Share a foot in with me. Next morning we loaded his horse into my trailer with charcoal and headed into the badlands. The old settlement's up ahead. We leave the cart, red miller's store. I thought the settlement was deserted. Well, it was for a few years that the miller opened up again because of this prospecting thing. Brick and they give him enough trade to keep going. It's either they buy from him or take a cart trip every time they have to lay in supplies. I never thought of that. Miller may have seen a man. Possibly. Coming into the settlement now.

20:38Ghost town. Where's the store? Long gluby building just ahead. A lot of cars parked under a shed just behind it. All right. I said. Well, I hope he's got some soft drinks in a way of keeping them cold. This sun's a sculpture. Now, I'm going to be able to watch your whistle in a minute. Yeah, here we are. Yeah. Are they think miller could make a living here? Well, there's just him and his old lady. They reckon they don't need much to get by. It's like we'll be his only customers. Hello? Anybody here? Hello? Well, man. If you didn't, sir, Bruno, howdy. Howdy, Miss Miller. This here is Ranger Jace Pish. Howdy, man. Where's the red, Miss Miller? Oh, now he's just plain going to die because he missed you, Shife. But he drove up to her to see the duck. She's back again.

21:38Oh, that's too bad. But he'll be back for supper if you can stay. We might have to. Depends on whether or not you can help us. Somebody here can help us, all right? What is it, Jace? Take a look in this showcase. Well, I'll be back. I'd called his attention to something that stood out like a sore thumb. The store was run down and shelves barely stocked with necessities. But there before our eyes, in the dirty showcase with cracks running through the glass, was a brand new Hamilton wristwatch. Maybe it's stuck in some mighty fancy merchandise, Andy Miss Miller. Oh, you mean that watch? Do you want to buy it? All we want to know is where you got it. Well, we've took it in trade from a fellow who run a bill here. What's his name? Well, Carp's his last name. Don't know his first one. That, uh, that watch ain't stolen, is it? We can tell you that in a minute.

22:38Get it out of the case, Sheriff. All right. You remember the serial number? Yeah, I got a written down in my book. Let's find the back cover off. You know, fingernails won't do it. I'll let you find something. When does Carp bring the watch in, ma'am? Well, yesterday, Sunday. Robes only trust in people, you know. Carp already mourned $20. Instead of cash, you get rid of the watch and pile wire clippers. Wire clippers? You hear that, Sheriff? I sure did. I'll have this watch case open in a minute. Rob told Rob not to trust nobody. Rick and Carp wouldn't even trade here if he had cash. Couldn't give Rob no money. Oh, no, but when he come back yesterday, he had new bride or far's horse. Rick and he had to pay cash for that someplace. You reckonin' wrong, Mrs. Miller? He got that bride all the same way. He got the watch and wire clippers. That does it. Here's the number, Chase. H-427-991.

23:40H-427-991. That's it, all right. Carp's our boy. Where is he? Well, I was out in here. There's a wrecking. He sat it up and rolled off after he brought our car back yesterday. He had your car. All sat at the night, Sheriff. You know, Rob. He'll lend anything to anybody. That's why we ain't got nothin' ourselves. Carp never even paid him for the gas he used up. Then have the nerve to bury his shirt and jeans while he used my tug to scrub out his old clothes and water scarces and tears. Don't need two guesses what he was scrubbin' for, Sheriff. You can say that again. Come on, Sheriff. Let's get the horses and move. Where the pears don't know where they look like? Thanks, ma'am. But that's somethin' we already know. It was rough going through the badlands and the territory we had to cover was big. We met prospectors here and there, but not carp. At the end of our second day, the trail led to rocky ground, thinning out in spots and disappearing in others.

24:41I kept goin' until a sun dip under the rim and darkness came fast. Oh, I can't see anything, Jason. If the tracks were heavier, we could keep goin', but the ground's too hard. Can't pick up marks like that, but flash light. I know. Better find a campsite. Russell some grub. You can do the eatin' all I want is a place to rest my bone. We'll find a spot when we get on level ground. Up chart. Come on, love boy. Cheryl. Yeah. It's like somebody saw their camp problem for us. Over there at the right. Sparks. Fire behind those rocks. Circle around. Cart, maybe. Could be. It's essentially somebody. Let's ride for it up for it. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. You see the fire now, Jason? Man, gettin' up. He can't see us yet. Here's us comin'. Looks like a big fella. Carpe is big. This is Roger set about six-three. His horse is there, Jake.

25:41He's movin' over toward it. Be able to see us in a minute. Drift away from me. Leave a little distance between us. All right. You know the boy. That's good. Seems to be waitin'. Don't go all the way in mounted. Pull up and we'll walk to him. Ooh, who's that? Ooh, who's that? Oh boy. All right. Keep the same distance. Who's that out there? Well, I can push somebody. Who? I'll tell you in a minute. Keep your eyes open, Sheriff. Maybe I better come in now. A fella named Carpe. Is that you? What do you want to see? Call up the bomb. It's kind of a personal matter. Unless you're a Carpe. He got behind his horse, Jake. You stay right where you are. Hold it, Sheriff. Ooh, who's charred? Oh, who's charred? Pull the rifle from inside the whole chair. You better get him mounted right off. I don't like it if I speak around being nice. And I don't like getting mounted and riding away from a fire. Makes my back too good a target. So you? You look like it takes a sweet.

26:41You got good eyes. And I'm a Sheriff, Carpe. So don't find a thing funny. Put that rifle down and let's have a talk. Well, where do you want? What do you want to see me about? I want to invite you to a square dance. You? Pick the dirt shower. He dropped down. Go on fire, Jake. I can't see you. I can't see you, either. I must be close behind that fire. Shoot into it. Chip sparks off that heavy log that's burning. I'd be able to shower him with a big hot foot. All right, say when. Let's go. That did it, Jake. He's up. That's your gun, Carpe. I'll kill you. You hit it, Jake. There he is. And there's his gun on the ground. Guns, Carpe. That's what I hit not him. Shock knocked him out. Just the scene. He's out cold. Well, he's laying here. I mean, just as well get these cuts on his head.

27:41Look out, champ. Shut your heart up. That night. Let it go. Oh, my arm. Thank you, Jake. He almost planted that in my ribs. It's something he won't try again. Come on, Carpe. Get up. Hey, Jake. Save your story for the jury, Carpe. Maybe you can tell him how to be a big hit at a square dance. Come on, get moving. Come on. Randolph Carpe was tried and convicted for the murder of rancher Mort Rogers. The final piece of evidence against Carpe was a bloody fingerprint on the steering column of the car he had borrowed from Storkeeper Red Miller. It was Carpe's right thumbprint. And the blood specimen matched the type of the slain men.

28:42Carpe was sentenced to Huntsville Penitentiary for a term of 99 years. And now here again is the start of our show, Joel McCray. A famous Texas Ranger was once asked what he considered the most important quality in a Ranger. Well, he pondered, I like an a good ranger to that broad brimmed hat of mine hanging over there on that old steer horn. It's made of some sort of fabric that holds up and it takes the toughest handling I've ever seen. Must be in the character of the material, I guess, because as old as that hat is, it's never showed a sign of going to pieces. I never did like hats or men that'll come unglued. Good night, folks. See you next week. Next week, Joel McCray and another authentic reenactment of a case from the file of the Texas Ranger.

29:49Joel McCray is currently seeing starting in the MGM production stars in my crown. Tonight's cast included Tony Barrett, New Crudeman, Betty Moran, Holly Bear, Byron Kane, Joe Fortay, and Jeanette Nolan. This story was transcribed and adapted by Joel Markov, and the program was produced and directed by Stacey Keith. Hell's good news, Peter. And enjoy the very best of the video. It shows that you dial and write. Try to order here, field bakers every Sunday night. The $64 question. Every Sunday night NBC. And enjoy the very best of the video. It shows that you dial and write. Try to order here, field bakers every Sunday night. The $64 question. Every Sunday night NBC. Raymond Massey and Shirley Booth and Theatre Guild. Next on NBC.