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The Lone Ranger - "Murder Strikes Thrice" (Old Time Radio, 1942) · The Lone Ranger | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Brace Beamer appears as the Lone Ranger with John Todd
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: as Tonto in this Blue Network presentation. From October 2nd, 1942,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: comes The Lone Ranger, Murder Strikes Thrice, episode 1513, written
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: by Fran Stryker, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and produced
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: by George W. Trendle during the General Mills-Kicks sponsorship period.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Paul Zenber, a young vagrant, stands accused of murdering Zeke Martin,
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: while the poker game alibi he offers is denied by
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: each of the men he names. As the Lone Ranger
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: and Tonto examine the conflicting accounts, the supposed card players
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: themselves become targets. And now, we return to the original broadcast.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: Tonto .
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: THE END.
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: THE END.
• 2:55
  Speaker 4: With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the masked rider of
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: the plains led the fight for law and order in
• 3:00
  Speaker 4: the early western United States. The stories of his strength
• 3:04
  Speaker 4: and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: us through the generations. And nowhere in the pages of
• 3:09
  Speaker 4: history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return
• 3:13
  Speaker 4: with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From
• 3:15
  Speaker 4: out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the
• 3:17
  Speaker 4: great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again.
• 3:20
  Speaker 5: Come on, Silver. There's murder on the trail ahead.
• 3:25
  Speaker 6: Oh, Silver.
• 3:27
  Speaker 5: Always.
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: Excitement rippled through the hot, dusty town of Excalibur like
• 3:40
  Speaker 4: a refreshing breeze. The tense whispers of men and women
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: gathered on street corners and house steps rose and fell
• 3:46
  Speaker 4: on the thick summer heat. Suddenly there was a hush
• 3:48
  Speaker 4: as a bell tolled, and all eyes looked toward the courthouse.
• 3:52
  Speaker 4: Paul Zanber, a young vagrant and stranger to the town,
• 3:55
  Speaker 4: was on trial for his life for the murder of
• 3:56
  Speaker 4: old Zeke Martin.
• 3:57
  Speaker 7: Hurry, hurry in the courthouse.
• 4:06
  Speaker 4: Judge McKesson, his voice lined with emotion that he struggled
• 4:08
  Speaker 4: to conceal, leaned forward from his bench and looked down
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: at the defendant.
• 4:13
  Speaker 3: Zimber, the evidence presented against you in this court has
• 4:17
  Speaker 3: been purely circumstantial. Haven't you any alibi to offer in
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: your defense?
• 4:23
  Speaker 5: I didn't kill him, Judge. I swear I didn't. I
• 4:25
  Speaker 5: was playing poker when Martin was killed.
• 4:27
  Speaker 3: You mean you were playing poker at the time of
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: the murder?
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: I was playing with three men at the Black Casino.
• 4:33
  Speaker 8: That's how I got that money the court accused me
• 4:34
  Speaker 8: of stealing from the old man.
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: I won it fair and square.
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: That sounds like a reasonable alibi. Would you recognize these
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: men if you saw them again?
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: Sure, I would.
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: Do you know where to find them?
• 4:45
  Speaker 7: They're sitting right in the courtroom, Judge.
• 4:49
  Speaker 3: You say those men are here in this court?
• 4:51
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: Where are they?
• 4:52
  Speaker 9: There they are.
• 4:54
  Speaker 5: Sitting right there.
• 4:54
  Speaker 7: It's a lie, Judge. We never saw the kid before.
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: That's right, Judge. We never laid eyes on him till
• 4:59
  Speaker 5: this morning. You're lying, all of you. You're lying. What's
• 5:01
  Speaker 5: the matter with you?
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: Order. Order in the court. You three men come up here.
• 5:11
  Speaker 3: What are your names?
• 5:13
  Speaker 5: Cole Rankin, Your Honor. Lem Parsons. Seth Holland's at your service, Judge.
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: You deny that you played poker with the defendant, Paul Zimber,
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: in the black casino the night of the murder?
• 5:23
  Speaker 7: We do, Your Honor. We ain't been in the black
• 5:25
  Speaker 7: casino since it opened.
• 5:26
  Speaker 5: He's lying, Judge. I swear it.
• 5:28
  Speaker 8: That money they accused me of taking from Zeke Martin,
• 5:30
  Speaker 8: I want it from these men.
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: It's the truth, Judge. You've got to believe me. I
• 5:33
  Speaker 5: didn't murder any old man. The kid's daffy, Judge.
• 5:36
  Speaker 7: It wasn't anywhere near the black casino the night of
• 5:38
  Speaker 7: the killing.
• 5:38
  Speaker 3: That's right, Your Honor.
• 5:39
  Speaker 5: You men are lying, and you're hanging me. You're just
• 5:41
  Speaker 5: the same as murderers. Let's get out of here, Leon.
• 5:45
  Speaker 3: I need a drink. One year passed.
• 5:57
  Speaker 4: As the three men pushed their way through the excited courtroom,
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: a grim-faced man with small, shrewd eyes pulled his hat
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: lower over his features and watched them pass.
• 6:06
  Speaker 7: Then as the clock ticked away, what seemed a.
• 6:07
  Speaker 4: Lifetime to the crowd, which tensely awaited the outcome, the
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: trial came to an end.
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: A defendant will rise and face the court. Paul Zinber,
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: you have been found guilty of murder. It is my
• 6:31
  Speaker 3: duty to sentence you for the term of your natural
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: life to the state prison.
• 6:38
  Speaker 7: Life in prison. Come along, Zinber.
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: But I'm innocent, Judge.
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: Yes, Zinber.
• 6:45
  Speaker 7: I just want to thank you, Judge.
• 6:47
  Speaker 5: You and those three men who framed me. Today is
• 6:50
  Speaker 5: my birthday.
• 6:52
  Speaker 6: Thanks for the birthday present.
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: One year passed.
• 6:57
  Speaker 10: In the town of Excalibur, the case of Paul Zenber
• 7:00
  Speaker 10: was virtually forgotten.
• 7:15
  Speaker 4: Then one night, Cole Rankin was celebrating his birthday with friends.
• 7:18
  Speaker 5: Happy birthday, Cole! Speech! Speech! Come on, Cole, give us
• 7:23
  Speaker 5: a toast. Here, Cole, here's a drink. Now, give us
• 7:27
  Speaker 5: a toast. Come on, Cole, don't be bashful.
• 7:30
  Speaker 9: Well, I ain't much on speech-making, folks, but here's hoping
• 7:34
  Speaker 9: you're all as happy on your birthday as I am
• 7:36
  Speaker 9: on mine.
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: Drink up! Hey, folks, what's the matter with Cole?
• 7:43
  Speaker 9: Cole drank that liquor and passed out like he was poison.
• 7:57
  Speaker 4: Lem Parsons slept late the morning of his birthday. His wife,
• 8:01
  Speaker 4: knowing him to be an early riser, wondered at this
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: and finally went up to wake him.
• 8:05
  Speaker 7: Lem?
• 8:06
  Speaker 5: Lem, wake up. It's almost noon.
• 8:09
  Speaker 11: Oh, crap, that man, wasting half his own birthday... Liam,
• 8:14
  Speaker 11: get up. It's your birthday. Liam.
• 8:16
  Speaker 7: A knife.
• 8:20
  Speaker 11: Liam's been knifed.
• 8:29
  Speaker 4: Seth Hollins began celebrating his birthday in a cafe, but
• 8:32
  Speaker 4: he didn't seem to be enjoying it.
• 8:34
  Speaker 5: Step up to the bar, boys. The drinks are on me.
• 8:37
  Speaker 5: Sure enough, Seth. Be right with you.
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: Whatever drink you do, Seth.
• 8:41
  Speaker 5: My birthday. Your birthday?
• 8:43
  Speaker 7: You don't look very happy about it, Seth.
• 8:45
  Speaker 5: I don't blame him.
• 8:46
  Speaker 9: Look at what happened to Cole Rankin and Lem Parsons
• 8:48
  Speaker 9: on their birthdays.
• 8:49
  Speaker 5: Yeah, that's right. Forgot about that. There was just accidents.
• 8:52
  Speaker 7: Nothing's going to happen to me.
• 8:54
  Speaker 5: Of course not, Seth.
• 8:55
  Speaker 3: Well.
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: Here's to you. Yeah, many happy returns of the day.
• 9:01
  Speaker 7: Well, guess I'd better be going.
• 9:04
  Speaker 5: Promise the wife I take her to the new tent
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: show tonight. Sure, we know how it is, Seth. See
• 9:09
  Speaker 5: all you boys later.
• 9:10
  Speaker 12: Sure, Seth.
• 9:11
  Speaker 5: Have a good time at the show. Give our regards
• 9:13
  Speaker 5: to the missus. His birthday, eh?
• 9:16
  Speaker 9: I wouldn't be in Seth Holland's shoes tonight for all
• 9:19
  Speaker 9: the gold west of the Panhandle.
• 9:21
  Speaker 5: What was that? Sounded like a gun.
• 9:22
  Speaker 13: Somebody just shot Seth Holland.
• 9:34
  Speaker 4: Once again, the hot, dusty streets of Excalibur buzzed with excitement.
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: This time over three murders. The Lone Ranger saw the
• 9:41
  Speaker 4: story of the sudden deaths in a copy of the
• 9:42
  Speaker 4: local paper and took it with him to camp near town.
• 9:45
  Speaker 7: What did the paper say? It doesn't tell a great
• 9:48
  Speaker 7: deal more than we already know, Tonto. Three men were murdered.
• 9:52
  Speaker 7: All three by the same man. The fact that each
• 9:55
  Speaker 7: was killed on his birthday proves that. But why on
• 9:58
  Speaker 7: their birthdays? I don't know.
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: Not know.
• 10:00
  Speaker 7: All right, Tonto. I'd certainly like to.
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: Now, wait. What?
• 10:05
  Speaker 7: The last paragraph says that the Good Citizens League of
• 10:09
  Speaker 7: Excalibur is holding a meeting tonight to protest the murders. Order!
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: Order! I mean to conduct this meeting in an orderly
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: and respectable manner. Those of you who are unable to
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: comply are invited to leave at once.
• 10:39
  Speaker 5: We don't mean to be troublesome, Judge.
• 10:42
  Speaker 12: We came here to find out what's being done about
• 10:44
  Speaker 12: their murders. We don't aim to leave till we do.
• 10:47
  Speaker 5: That's right. Shame speaks for all of us, Judge.
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: That's right, Judge.
• 10:50
  Speaker 5: We want action.
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: Very well, Shane. But I suggest that you address your
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: remarks to Sheriff Tim Runyon like a gentleman.
• 10:56
  Speaker 5: Well, Sheriff, what about it?
• 10:58
  Speaker 7: Shane, all of you, I've told you I'm doing my
• 11:01
  Speaker 7: best to solve the murder.
• 11:02
  Speaker 5: Well, your best isn't good enough, Sheriff. Cole Rankin was
• 11:05
  Speaker 5: poisoned more than three months ago. And you haven't arrested
• 11:08
  Speaker 5: the Jets for the Diddy Jets. Cook's right, Sheriff. Len
• 11:11
  Speaker 5: Parsons was stabbed. You haven't done anything about that either.
• 11:14
  Speaker 7: No.
• 11:14
  Speaker 9: And now Seth Hollins has been shot. It's getting so
• 11:17
  Speaker 9: this town ain't safe to live in anymore. What are
• 11:19
  Speaker 9: you aiming to do about it, Sheriff?
• 11:20
  Speaker 5: You only give me a chance. I'll charge you a chance, Sheriff.
• 11:24
  Speaker 8: Franklin, Parsons, and Hollins all testified against Paul Zimber at
• 11:27
  Speaker 8: his trial. Due to their say-so, Zimber was convicted of
• 11:31
  Speaker 8: murder on his birthday. All three of them men died
• 11:35
  Speaker 8: on their birthdays. Why, it's as plain as daylight who
• 11:38
  Speaker 8: the killer is.
• 11:39
  Speaker 5: Sure, I remember when the kid said it at the trial.
• 11:41
  Speaker 7: I've already considered Xenber Hook. He can't be the murderer.
• 11:45
  Speaker 5: He's in the state prison.
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: Are you sure? Of course, Tim, sure. He was sent
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: to prison for life. I sentenced him myself.
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: Maybe he escaped.
• 11:54
  Speaker 3: Nonsense. If he had, the prison would have notified the
• 11:57
  Speaker 3: sheriff to be on the lookout.
• 11:58
  Speaker 5: Maybe it did, Judge. And the sheriff neglected to tell you.
• 12:01
  Speaker 8: because he didn't want to admit he couldn't catch up
• 12:03
  Speaker 8: with Zember.
• 12:04
  Speaker 5: That's a lie!
• 12:05
  Speaker 9: Don't make no difference, Sheriff. You got to admit Hook's
• 12:07
  Speaker 9: got an angle on this case, and you ain't.
• 12:09
  Speaker 12: We're asking you to step down and surrender that star, Sheriff.
• 12:13
  Speaker 12: If you aren't man enough to catch Zember, we'll appoint
• 12:15
  Speaker 12: someone who is.
• 12:16
  Speaker 5: We're with you, Shane. Let's make Hook sheriff. Oh, wait!
• 12:21
  Speaker 5: Why don't you give your sheriff a chance? It's a
• 12:23
  Speaker 5: mass man. Yeah, look who's with him, an Injun. What's
• 12:25
  Speaker 5: that you said, stranger?
• 12:27
  Speaker 7: I know about Tim Runyon... He's entitled to that star.
• 12:30
  Speaker 8: You got no cold buttin' into business that don't concern you, stranger.
• 12:33
  Speaker 5: A masked man and an engine.
• 12:35
  Speaker 12: That's a mighty odd combination, huh, boys? Maybe they're workin'
• 12:39
  Speaker 12: with Zemper.
• 12:40
  Speaker 7: What are we waitin' for?
• 12:41
  Speaker 5: Let's get them!
• 12:42
  Speaker 13: Get him, boys!
• 12:43
  Speaker 5: He went through that window. They're swingin' on the horse. Yeah,
• 12:46
  Speaker 5: let me throw a beat on him.
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: Come on, Sidney!
• 12:49
  Speaker 3: Get him up!
• 12:50
  Speaker 4: Come on! Thundering into the night, the silver-shod hoofs of
• 13:03
  Speaker 4: the great white stallion and the flying feet of the
• 13:05
  Speaker 4: paint soon outdistanced any thought of pursuit.
• 13:08
  Speaker 5: All right, Tonto. We're out of sight. Slow down.
• 13:09
  Speaker 3: Easy, Silver. Easy, boy. Steady, Scouts. Steady, fellas.
• 13:11
  Speaker 11: Steady.
• 13:12
  Speaker 7: Well, everything seems to point to Paul Zimber as a killer.
• 13:16
  Speaker 7: Zimber must have escaped from prison and returned here for
• 13:18
  Speaker 7: revenge on the men who convicted him.
• 13:20
  Speaker 5: And what we do now?
• 13:21
  Speaker 7: We're going to make sure of that fact, Kimo Sabe.
• 13:24
  Speaker 7: He ran to the prison where Zimber was sent. Find
• 13:26
  Speaker 7: out all you can about him. I've got another job
• 13:28
  Speaker 7: to do.
• 13:28
  Speaker 9: We'll meet at the camp.
• 13:47
  Speaker 4: Late that night, Tim Runyon was packing his belongings, preparatory
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: to taking leave of the sheriff's office in the town jail.
• 13:54
  Speaker 7: When he heard the door open stealthily....
• 13:57
  Speaker 5: Who is it?
• 13:57
  Speaker 7: Don't make a move or I'll shoot. You don't have
• 14:00
  Speaker 7: to hold a gun on me, Tim. Oh, it's you.
• 14:03
  Speaker 3: I wanted to talk with you.
• 14:06
  Speaker 7: Who are you? At the meeting tonight, you said you
• 14:09
  Speaker 7: knew about me. I do, Tim. You've been doing fine
• 14:12
  Speaker 7: work in Excalibur. Men like you who are upholding law
• 14:15
  Speaker 7: and order in the West. Not anymore, I'm not. What
• 14:19
  Speaker 7: do you mean? They took away my star after you
• 14:21
  Speaker 7: left the meeting... I gave it to Hook. So Hook
• 14:24
  Speaker 7: is sheriff now, huh? I know when I'm not wanted.
• 14:26
  Speaker 7: I'm clear now. Don't be hasty, Tim. I'm here to
• 14:30
  Speaker 7: help you get that badge back.
• 14:32
  Speaker 11: Well.
• 14:32
  Speaker 7: Shane and Hook worked together to get the crowd to
• 14:34
  Speaker 7: vote you out of office and Hook in. I wonder why. I.
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: I don't know.
• 14:39
  Speaker 7: They were pretty anxious to pin the murders on Zember, too.
• 14:42
  Speaker 7: But if it was Zember, the state prison would have
• 14:44
  Speaker 7: notified me of his escape. We'll soon know whether Zember
• 14:47
  Speaker 7: is in prison or out, Tim. Meanwhile... Judge McKesson must
• 14:51
  Speaker 7: be warned.
• 14:52
  Speaker 3: Warned? What about?
• 14:54
  Speaker 7: Judge McKesson is even more responsible for Zimbers being sentenced
• 14:57
  Speaker 7: to prison and the three men who were murdered. He
• 15:00
  Speaker 7: may be the next victim.
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: I'll go with you.
• 15:02
  Speaker 7: The judge is my friend. His daughter Jane and I are.
• 15:06
  Speaker 7: I mean... I understand him. But you'd better wait here.
• 15:10
  Speaker 7: The judge may be concerned that you're investigating the case
• 15:12
  Speaker 7: now that Hook is sheriff. But I... I don't even
• 15:14
  Speaker 7: know who you are. I've left something on your desk
• 15:16
  Speaker 7: that may tell you... Something on my desk?
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: What.
• 15:20
  Speaker 7: A silver bullet. A silver bullet, a mask, and a
• 15:26
  Speaker 7: white stallion. The Lone Ranger.
• 15:42
  Speaker 4: The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us
• 15:47
  Speaker 4: to pause for just a few moments.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 16:17
  Speaker 14: THE END.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 16:56
  Speaker 7: Now to continue our story.
• 16:57
  Speaker 4: As the Lone Ranger rode toward the McKesson Ranch to
• 17:00
  Speaker 4: warn the judge against the dreaded killer, the old gentleman
• 17:03
  Speaker 4: listened patiently to his daughter Jane in their parlor.
• 17:06
  Speaker 11: But, Dad, you promised me you'd be careful.
• 17:08
  Speaker 3: I am careful, Jane.
• 17:09
  Speaker 11: No, you're not. Not when you return to the ranch
• 17:12
  Speaker 11: after midnight alone.
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: Come now, Jane. I'm not a child, you know. Besides,
• 17:16
  Speaker 3: I didn't realize a meeting would last so long.
• 17:18
  Speaker 11: Oh, Dad, you know how I worry about you.
• 17:21
  Speaker 10: After those three men were murdered, I... I just had
• 17:24
  Speaker 10: a horrible feeling that That you'd be next.
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: Oh, now, what put that fool idea into your pretty head?
• 17:30
  Speaker 11: It's not a fool idea, Dad.
• 17:32
  Speaker 10: Those three men testified against Paul Zinber at his trial.
• 17:36
  Speaker 10: And you were the judge who sentenced him. Oh, why'd
• 17:39
  Speaker 10: they take away Tim's star? I was counting on Tim
• 17:43
  Speaker 10: to help me protect you.
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: You're in love with Tim, aren't you?
• 17:47
  Speaker 11: I guess I am, Dad.
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: I'm glad, Jane. Tim's a mighty fine boy.
• 17:52
  Speaker 11: Thanks. Tim thinks a lot of you, too.
• 17:57
  Speaker 7: Jane.
• 17:58
  Speaker 11: Yes, Dad?
• 17:59
  Speaker 3: If anything should happen to me, I want you to
• 18:02
  Speaker 3: take this key. It unlocks a box of my name
• 18:05
  Speaker 3: at the bank.
• 18:06
  Speaker 11: Dad, what are you saying? You don't really think that.
• 18:08
  Speaker 3: Of course not, Jane. It's just that I.
• 18:11
  Speaker 11: Who's that?
• 18:12
  Speaker 3: I don't know. It's pretty late for anyone to come calling.
• 18:15
  Speaker 11: Don't go near that window, Dad.
• 18:17
  Speaker 3: Jane, what's come up? Jane, put down that rifle.
• 18:19
  Speaker 11: It's a masked man, Dad. You can see him in
• 18:21
  Speaker 11: the moonlight. I'll bet it's the same man you told
• 18:23
  Speaker 11: me escaped the meeting.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: Jane, what are you doing?
• 18:25
  Speaker 11: He's riding up to the house.
• 18:26
  Speaker 3: Jane! Jane, put down that gun.
• 18:29
  Speaker 5: It came from Tim Runyon.
• 18:31
  Speaker 11: Dad, did you hear? He's come from Tim.
• 18:33
  Speaker 10: Well, come ahead, stranger, but keep your hands up.
• 18:36
  Speaker 11: Open the door, Dad.
• 18:37
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: Good evening, Judge.
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: Good evening.
• 18:42
  Speaker 7: Tim told me about you. Who were you expecting when
• 18:45
  Speaker 7: you took that shot at me, Jane?
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: Well, I didn't... She had a crazy idea the birthday
• 18:50
  Speaker 3: murder was coming for me.
• 18:52
  Speaker 7: It isn't a crazy idea, Judge.
• 18:54
  Speaker 11: There, you see?
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid I don't understand.
• 18:57
  Speaker 7: You may be next on the murderer's list.
• 18:59
  Speaker 3: Why would the murderer want to kill me?
• 19:02
  Speaker 7: For the same reason he killed the other three.
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: Revenge. Then you think Paul Zender is the murderer, too.
• 19:10
  Speaker 7: Don't you?
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: Well, I.
• 19:13
  Speaker 7: When is your birthday, Judge?
• 19:15
  Speaker 11: Well, you don't think that.
• 19:16
  Speaker 7: We can't be too careful, Jane.
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: It's Wednesday.
• 19:19
  Speaker 7: Wednesday. That gives us a week before we can expect
• 19:22
  Speaker 7: a murderer to strike here.
• 19:23
  Speaker 11: Well, what makes you think he'll wait to strike a
• 19:25
  Speaker 11: dead on his birthday? What if he strikes before?
• 19:27
  Speaker 7: He won't, Jane. Denver was sentenced to prison on his birthday. Apparently,
• 19:32
  Speaker 7: he seeks revenge by murdering the men who sent him
• 19:34
  Speaker 7: there on their birthdays.
• 19:35
  Speaker 11: Oh, Dad, what'll we do?
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: There's only one thing we can do, Jane. Stay here
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: and face it. Oh, no. What are your plans, stranger?
• 19:44
  Speaker 7: You'll hear from me, Judge.
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: Adios.
• 20:00
  Speaker 4: Four days later, a few miles from the camp, the
• 20:03
  Speaker 4: Lone Ranger awaited Tonto's return.
• 20:05
  Speaker 5: What did you learn, Tonto?
• 20:08
  Speaker 7: Must be important to make your ride, Scout, so hard.
• 20:11
  Speaker 5: Plenty important.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: Tonto bring big news.
• 20:13
  Speaker 7: What is it, Kimo Sabe?
• 20:15
  Speaker 5: Zender escaped prison.
• 20:17
  Speaker 7: How long ago?
• 20:18
  Speaker 5: Warden say four months.
• 20:19
  Speaker 7: That would give him plenty of time to return to
• 20:21
  Speaker 7: Excalibur and murder the three men who testified against him.
• 20:24
  Speaker 5: Huh. But that not the only news.
• 20:26
  Speaker 7: What else do you learn, Tonto?
• 20:27
  Speaker 5: Zenber, him judge's son.
• 20:28
  Speaker 7: Zenber, Judge McKesson's son?
• 20:30
  Speaker 3: Are you sure?
• 20:32
  Speaker 5: Judge make visit to prison after Zenber make getaway. Him
• 20:35
  Speaker 5: bring pardon.
• 20:36
  Speaker 7: You mean Zenber was innocent of the murder? No wonder
• 20:39
  Speaker 7: he wants revenge, Tonto. His fourth victim will be his
• 20:42
  Speaker 7: own father. We better head for town. Come on, Silver.
• 20:45
  Speaker 3: Come on, Scout.
• 20:46
  Speaker 7: Why didn't the warden notify Sheriff Tim Runyon of Zimber's escape?
• 20:50
  Speaker 5: Him say him send message by man named Hook.
• 20:53
  Speaker 13: Hook?
• 20:54
  Speaker 3: Ah, him sheriff now.
• 20:56
  Speaker 7: Hook took care not to deliver the message. I have
• 20:58
  Speaker 7: a hunch he and Shane are mixed up in these murders, Tonto.
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: They're as thick as thieves. All right, Silver, let's go.
• 21:04
  Speaker 5: Get him off this town.
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: Get him off this town.
• 21:18
  Speaker 4: That night and the following day, the Lone Ranger and
• 21:20
  Speaker 4: Tonto carefully observed the movements of the new sheriff and
• 21:22
  Speaker 4: his friend.
• 21:24
  Speaker 7: And late the following night, their vigil was rewarded. They
• 21:27
  Speaker 7: went into the office of the mining company, Tonto. That
• 21:30
  Speaker 7: company was owned by the three men who were murdered.
• 21:33
  Speaker 7: This may be the lead we've been looking for.
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: Come on.
• 21:49
  Speaker 7: There's Shane and Hook.
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: In the back.
• 21:51
  Speaker 7: Let's get closer so we can listen. Hold that candle steady, Hook.
• 21:55
  Speaker 5: I thought I heard somebody, Shane.
• 21:57
  Speaker 14: You got the shakes, huh, Hook? Give me some more
• 22:00
  Speaker 14: of that powder. You sure know what you're getting when
• 22:03
  Speaker 14: you blow the same thing. Yeah, it ain't big enough
• 22:05
  Speaker 14: to make a real explosion. Still don't see what you
• 22:08
  Speaker 14: have to do.
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: I told you once.
• 22:10
  Speaker 15: This record's not safe, naming me as a partner in
• 22:12
  Speaker 15: a mine along with Rankin, Parsons, and Hollins. If anybody
• 22:16
  Speaker 15: sees them but us, they'll stop suspecting Zember as the
• 22:19
  Speaker 15: murderer and start suspicioning me.
• 22:20
  Speaker 7: Well, why didn't you get them before?
• 22:22
  Speaker 15: Them three partners of mine left me for dead ten
• 22:24
  Speaker 15: years ago when they cheated me out of my share.
• 22:26
  Speaker 15: If they found the records missing, they'd have known I
• 22:29
  Speaker 15: was alive and turned me in to the sheriff.
• 22:31
  Speaker 7: Oh, that's why you killed them all, huh? Yeah, that.
• 22:34
  Speaker 3: To get back my share in the mine. Only now
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: I'm taking over the company.
• 22:39
  Speaker 7: What was that? Just your nerves, Hook.
• 22:42
  Speaker 15: Take it easy or you'll get yourself a mess of
• 22:43
  Speaker 15: goose pimples.
• 22:44
  Speaker 6: I'm regretting they ever let.
• 22:45
  Speaker 7: You get me into this mess.
• 22:46
  Speaker 3: You're getting paid, aren't you?
• 22:47
  Speaker 7: Yeah, but why'd they have to vote me in as sheriff?
• 22:50
  Speaker 7: Because Tim Runyon was getting too curious.
• 22:52
  Speaker 15: He was planning to examine the papers in that safe
• 22:54
  Speaker 15: for a clue to the killer after Rollins died.
• 22:56
  Speaker 7: What will everybody say when they learn their safe's been blown?
• 23:00
  Speaker 7: They'll say Zimber did it, Hook.
• 23:02
  Speaker 15: See, I'm leaving this pocket knife with the kid's initials, PZ,
• 23:05
  Speaker 15: right here on the floor for you to find.
• 23:07
  Speaker 6: Did you take that knife off the kid's body after
• 23:09
  Speaker 6: you killed him?
• 23:10
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 23:11
  Speaker 7: Hand me some more of that powder, okay? You sure
• 23:14
  Speaker 7: are a slick one, Shane.
• 23:16
  Speaker 6: Murdering your three partners and then framing Zember's escape from
• 23:19
  Speaker 6: jail to make it appear.
• 23:20
  Speaker 5: He did it.
• 23:21
  Speaker 3: Yeah, on their birthdays, too.
• 23:23
  Speaker 7: That way them killings led right to the kid's door.
• 23:26
  Speaker 15: Being six feet under himself, he'll never show up with
• 23:28
  Speaker 15: an alibi.
• 23:29
  Speaker 6: Just the same, I never ever agreed to free Zember
• 23:31
  Speaker 6: if I'd known you meant to murder the kid.
• 23:33
  Speaker 15: You got paid a mighty fancy bribe for that hook.
• 23:36
  Speaker 15: More than you made in a year as prison deputy.
• 23:37
  Speaker 6: I'm not complaining about the money, Shane. But I didn't
• 23:40
  Speaker 6: know I was putting my neck in a.
• 23:45
  Speaker 3: Against you? No.
• 23:47
  Speaker 6: Well, if the warden learns I never delivered his message
• 23:49
  Speaker 6: to Tim Runyon about Zimbrowski.
• 23:51
  Speaker 7: He won't.
• 23:52
  Speaker 15: Besides, it was necessary to keep Runyon from warning my
• 23:55
  Speaker 15: three ex-partners before I could get to him.
• 23:57
  Speaker 7: Yeah, but I can't help feeling that... Step back, Hook.
• 23:59
  Speaker 7: I'm going to blow this thing.
• 24:04
  Speaker 3: Up.
• 24:05
  Speaker 5: All right, Tudor. What's that? Ten minutes for me and Shane.
• 24:08
  Speaker 5: Fill him. No, you don't. Oh, my arm. Fill him, Hook.
• 24:11
  Speaker 5: You'll hang us. He thinks you.
• 24:13
  Speaker 7: Good work, Kimo Sabe. You've got nothing on us? We've
• 24:15
  Speaker 7: got plenty, Shane. The records in that safe and Zenber's
• 24:18
  Speaker 7: pocket knife clinch you as a birthday killer. You can
• 24:21
  Speaker 7: tell your story to the sheriff you ousted, Tim Runyon.
• 24:24
  Speaker 7: Get the keys from Hook's pocket, Tonto. We'll lock these
• 24:26
  Speaker 7: two in their own jail.
• 24:38
  Speaker 4: Early the next day, the day before the judge's birthday,
• 24:41
  Speaker 4: the old gentleman was alone with Jane in their parlor.
• 24:44
  Speaker 11: Oh, Dad, I wish this suspense were over. Your birthday's tomorrow.
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: It will be soon, Jane.
• 24:51
  Speaker 11: Dad, you sure you're all right?
• 24:53
  Speaker 7: Of course, child.
• 24:54
  Speaker 3: Why shouldn't I be?
• 24:56
  Speaker 11: I don't know. I'm just nervous, I guess.
• 25:01
  Speaker 5: Only.
• 25:02
  Speaker 11: Oh, you've been acting so strange lately.
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: Says Jane, it's just your imagination.
• 25:08
  Speaker 11: Yes, I guess you're right.
• 25:10
  Speaker 3: Jane.
• 25:11
  Speaker 11: Yes?
• 25:13
  Speaker 3: Jane, I... I want you to go into town.
• 25:16
  Speaker 11: Town? Why? I.
• 25:18
  Speaker 3: I need some pipe tobacco.
• 25:21
  Speaker 11: But I just filled your tobacco jar yesterday.
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: Jane, I... I want to be alone.
• 25:27
  Speaker 11: Oh, Dad, you don't expect a murderer today.
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: No, no, it's not that, Jane. I.
• 25:33
  Speaker 3: Please go.
• 25:35
  Speaker 11: All right, Dad, if it'll make you feel better. Take
• 25:39
  Speaker 11: care of yourself, darling.
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: A few minutes later, Jane rode away from the ranch
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: house and anxiously headed her horse toward town... Suddenly, she
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: heard hoofbeats and saw the Lone Ranger, Tonto, and Tim approaching.
• 25:54
  Speaker 5: Oh, boy.
• 25:56
  Speaker 11: Tim.
• 25:57
  Speaker 3: Oh, Tim.
• 26:00
  Speaker 5: James, what are you doing here?
• 26:01
  Speaker 11: Tim, I was riding to see you.
• 26:02
  Speaker 5: I'm so worried.
• 26:03
  Speaker 7: Where is James?
• 26:04
  Speaker 5: It's dead.
• 26:05
  Speaker 11: He's acting so strange. He asked me to leave the
• 26:07
  Speaker 11: house so he could be alone.
• 26:08
  Speaker 5: Leave the house?
• 26:10
  Speaker 7: Well, that's funny.
• 26:11
  Speaker 11: Tim, if anything happens to Dad, I.
• 26:12
  Speaker 7: Nothing will, honey. You leave it to the Lone Ranger.
• 26:14
  Speaker 11: The Lone Ranger?
• 26:16
  Speaker 7: You mean.
• 26:17
  Speaker 3: Sure.
• 26:17
  Speaker 7: Didn't you know?
• 26:19
  Speaker 10: Thank heaven my aim was bad the night I shot
• 26:21
  Speaker 10: at you from the house.
• 26:23
  Speaker 11: Dad!
• 26:23
  Speaker 13: Come on, Silver.
• 26:33
  Speaker 4: Through the door of the ranch house rushed the lone
• 26:34
  Speaker 4: ranger with the others close in his heels.
• 26:36
  Speaker 5: I'll take that pistol, Judge. Dad, are you.
• 26:39
  Speaker 11: Dad, you were going to shoot yourself.
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: Yes, Jane, I was. But this pistol is loaded with blanks.
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: I tried the gun before I put it to my head.
• 26:48
  Speaker 7: I put them there, Judge.
• 26:49
  Speaker 3: You?
• 26:50
  Speaker 7: Yes. I suspected you might try to take your own
• 26:53
  Speaker 7: life to shield your son from punishment as a birthday murderer.
• 26:56
  Speaker 3: Yes. I wrote this suicide note confessing to the murders myself.
• 27:02
  Speaker 7: I'm going to destroy this note, Judge. Your son didn't
• 27:06
  Speaker 7: kill those men. The real murderer has confessed. But I...
• 27:10
  Speaker 7: Your son is dead, Judge. Paul Zinber was also killed
• 27:13
  Speaker 7: by the murderer.
• 27:15
  Speaker 3: Paul did?
• 27:17
  Speaker 11: Paul Zinber was my brother?
• 27:19
  Speaker 7: Yes, Jane. His real name was Paul McKesson. I think
• 27:23
  Speaker 7: you'd better tell her the rest, Judge.
• 27:25
  Speaker 3: Yes. You were just a child when Paul ran away
• 27:31
  Speaker 3: from home, Jane. I thought he had died. And at
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: the trial, I saw that Paul Zender was my son
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: grown up.
• 27:41
  Speaker 7: Oh, Dad. Hold on to my hand, honey.
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: The hardest task I ever had was to send my
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: son to prison. Then not long ago, I learned that
• 27:50
  Speaker 3: Paul was innocent. Confirmed killer who was scheduled to die
• 27:55
  Speaker 3: came to being confessed to Zeke Martin's murder.
• 27:58
  Speaker 7: And the three men who testified against Paul lied?
• 28:01
  Speaker 3: Yes. I went to the prison to have Paul released,
• 28:04
  Speaker 3: to welcome him home as my son... They told me
• 28:07
  Speaker 3: it'd be his escape.
• 28:08
  Speaker 11: Oh, Dad, don't.
• 28:09
  Speaker 3: Those three men were murdered. Everyone believed Paul had returned
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: here for revenge. I.
• 28:16
  Speaker 3: I came to believe it myself. I wanted to make
• 28:19
  Speaker 3: amends to him for sending him to prison when he
• 28:22
  Speaker 3: was innocent. For making him a murderer. I decided to
• 28:26
  Speaker 3: clear my son by confessing to the murders myself. Then, uh.
• 28:30
  Speaker 11: Then the Lone Ranger saved your life. I'll never stop
• 28:34
  Speaker 11: thanking you....
• 28:38
  Speaker 7: He's gone.
• 28:39
  Speaker 3: Yes, Jane. He's gone.
• 28:42
  Speaker 5: Well, sit away!
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: Away!
• 28:45
  Speaker 7: Away! THE END.
• 29:40
  Speaker 2: THE END The story you have just heard is a
• 30:14
  Speaker 2: copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: This has been The Lone Ranger in Murder Strikes Thrice.
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: Follow The Lone Ranger for more classic Western broadcasts.