Interrupted Journey | The Lone Ranger (05-05-54)

Old Time Radio Westerns

In this classic episode of The Lone Ranger, a prospector named Pete Barrow's journey to Galveston is interrupted by the violent escape of co

Key takeaways

• Convicts Speed Royal and Spider Randall escape prison by overpowering guard Hank Parris with a homemade knife.
• The outlaws steal horses and clothing to disguise their identity during their flight.
• Pete Barrow is targeted by the convicts while traveling, resulting in him being robbed of his cash and wounded.
• Peggy Wilson and her son Joey use a clever tactic to disarm the criminals by removing bullets from their guns overnight.
• The Lone Ranger uses a silver bullet to disarm Speed Royal during the final confrontation at the cabin.

Main topics

• Prison escape
• Western justice
• Outlaw robbery

Notable quotes

A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o' silver!

Conclusion

A thrilling adventure demonstrating that even the most unexpected char

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:15) Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. You can find more Western shows at our website by going to otrwesterns.com. Now, let's get into this episode. Speaker 7 (0:35) The Lone Ranger! A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o' silver! The Lone Ranger! Speaker 7 (1:05) Before this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor. With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger Speaker 8 (1:57) rides again! Come on, still there! Let go, big fella! Are you still there? Speaker 7 (2:14) Pete Barrow was geared for travel. His saddlebags held provisions, and he carried gold and cash enough for the long trip from the southern part of Texas to Galveston. With a last look at his comfortable cabin, Pete touched his spurs to his horse's flanks. Come on, get up. Come on, Speaker 4 (2:31) Blackie. Come on. We've one stop to make, Blackie, before we leave these parts. Come on, Blackie. Come on. Speaker 7 (2:43) Pete traveled steadily for half an hour. Then as he approached a small cabin belonging to a widow named Peggy Wilson, he removed his battered hat and smoothed his bushy red hair. Oh, Speaker 4 (2:54) doggone it, Blackie. I wish I could get up nerve enough to ask her to marry me. Speaker 7 (3:00) Hello, Joey. The widow's son, Joey, ran from the cabin to hail the young prospector. Speaker 4 (3:05) Oh, oh, oh, Blackie, oh, boy. How are you, Joey? Fine, Pete. Is your mom busy? Speaker 3 (3:11) Busy, but glad to see you, Pete. Come on in. Easy, Speaker 4 (3:14) steady boy. Thanks. I wanted to stop to say goodbye. Speaker 3 (3:19) Goodbye? Speaker 4 (3:19) Yeah, I'm going to Galveston. Oh, but what Speaker 3 (3:22) about your claim? Speaker 4 (3:23) Oh, I'm not pulling stakes for keeps. I'm just going to pick up and pay for machinery that'll help me get the gold out of the claim faster. Oh, how long will you be gone, Pete? Oh, maybe a month. But, Dad, I'll be worried about you two while I'm gone. Speaker 3 (3:37) Oh, we'll be all right, Pete. Of course, we'll miss you. Speaker 4 (3:41) Well, I... Oh, doggone it, I... Why don't you marry me, Peg? But, Pete... My gold claims are mighty good when I can take care of you and Joey in first-rate style. Gosh, if Mom married you, you'd be my dad, wouldn't you? That's right, Joey. I think I'd like that, Mom. It'd be great to have a dad. How about it, Peg? Speaker 3 (4:00) Why, I can't give you an answer now, Pete. I'd have to think it over. Speaker 4 (4:05) How long will that take? Speaker 3 (4:06) Well, when you get back from Galveston, I'll tell you what I've decided. Speaker 4 (4:10) But that's a month from now. Speaker 3 (4:12) Well, that'll give me plenty of time to make up my mind. Speaker 4 (4:15) Well, I reckon I'll have to wait till then to know. Speaker 3 (4:18) You waited a long time to ask me, Pete. Another month shouldn't make any difference. I hope you have a good trip. Speaker 4 (4:26) Thanks. Stop and see us as soon as you get back, Pete. I sure will, partner. Good Speaker 3 (4:30) luck and goodbye. Speaker 4 (4:32) So long. And take care of yourself. Speaker 7 (4:39) Late that night in a prison a short distance south of Houston, a killer named Speed Royal gripped a crude knife he had fashioned from a tin plate. He tested the edge carefully while his cellmate watched anxiously. Speaker 8 (4:52) What about it, Speed? The edge is plenty sharp, Spider. Speaker 7 (4:56) All we've got to do now is get Speaker 8 (4:57) that guard to stand close to the cell door. I hope we can do it. Start moaning and groaning like you're sick enough to die. Yeah, all right. Speaker 7 (5:04) Oh! Speaker 7 (5:06) sick. I think I'm dying. Oh, Speed. Speed, Speaker 8 (5:10) I need a doctor. I'm awful sick. Oh. Speaker 7 (5:13) Hank Parris, the middle-aged guard on duty, came to the cell to investigate Spider Randall's cries. Speaker 5 (5:18) Quiet down, you. You Speaker 7 (5:19) wouldn't be quiet if you fell as sick as he does. Speaker 5 (5:21) What ails him? Speaker 8 (5:22) How do I know? He was complaining all evening he didn't feel good. Now I reckon his voice. Oh, I'm dying. You better get a doctor here, Prado guard. I Speaker 5 (5:30) don't want to wake Doc Ellis at this hour of the night unless that critter's really sick. Now, stand back from the door, Speed. Speaker 8 (5:36) What you can Speaker 5 (5:36) see... Get back there while I open this. I'll take a look at Randall myself. Speaker 8 (5:41) Yeah. Speaker 5 (5:42) Yeah, that's a good idea. Speaker 7 (5:44) As he stepped back from the barred door, Speed suppressed a pleased smile. This was even easier than trying to force the guard to unlock the door. The unsuspecting guard entered the dimly lit cell and moved toward the bunk where Spider lay. Before he reached it, Speed lunged forward. Grab Speaker 5 (6:00) him, Speed. This Speaker 8 (6:01) knife's Speaker 7 (6:01) homemade, but Speaker 8 (6:02) it's sharp enough to cut your throat, so freeze. Why, you... Take his gun, Spider. I got it. Good. Don't try to yell for help or make a fast move. Use his handkerchief to gag him, Spider. Yeah. We'll use strips of the mattress cover to tie his hands and feet. Speaker 7 (6:21) A few minutes later, Speed unlocked the door leading from the prison to the yard. Speaker 8 (6:26) We'll need horses to get away from here,