Cold Blood: Tales of the Texas Rangers (February 17, 1952)

“Cold Blood” is an episode of Tales of the Texas Rangers, the old-time radio show, first broadcast February 17, 1952. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

When a farmer's wife is murdered, he blames his hired hand Eli Wilbur. Before the law can arrest him, Eli flees to his sister Nellie's house, bloodied and frightened, claiming the farmer beat him after accusing him of the crime. Texas Rangers Jace Pearson and Clay Morgan arrive to investigate the strangling death and must find Eli before an angry mob does.

East Texas farmland and the town of Lundy, April 22, 1935

Characters: Ranger Jace Pearson, Ranger Clay Morgan, Eli Wilbur, Nellie Johnson, Ralph Dean, The Sheriff, Clay Morgan

Listen for: The mystery of who actually killed Mrs. Dean and why Eli ran when confronted with the accusation. Watch for the Rangers' clever questioning and their discovery of clues at Nellie's house.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.