Welcome to the Diamond K Ranch, folks. This is Ken Maynard and Tarzan.
Horses whinny
inviting you to join us here in the tack room for another little visit.
Are you folks enjoying these adventure stories as much as I am?
Well sir, I sure hope you are, because I got a mighty exciting one today about the wild and woolly west.
It's called Cattle Rustling, Texas Style. So pull up your chair and make yourself comfortable.
From the tack room of Ken Maynard's Diamond K Ranch, we're bringing you transcribed stories of adventure.
Stories of circus life, fascinating tales of the Old West where cowboys still follow the cattle trails.
Stories of rodeos and parades, colorful legends of the Red Man, hidden gold and buried treasure.
The exciting tales from the Diamond K are told by Hollywood's champion of western stars, internationally famous Ken Maynard.
Do you know I can hardly wait to hear Ken's adventure story today?
I guess nobody ever outgrows enjoying the fabulous tales of the West, tales of cowboys and Indians and the like.
That's why I'm going to let you in on my secret.
Now I bought a Diamond K record album of Ken Maynard's stories. Yes I did.
Of course I'll have to admit they were supposed to be for my kiddies because the record album stories are especially for children.
But when the records arrived and they put the first one on the phonograph, I was right there listening to and I just couldn't leave till I heard both stories.
And you should have seen my son's face when Ken Maynard said, Hello Charlie this is Ken Maynard with a story just for you.
Yes sir, he said that right on the record and you can bet all the kids in our neighborhood have been in to listen.
And buckaroos, you'll get the same thrill when you have a Ken Maynard record album for your very own, personalized with your name spoken right on the record.
It's a beautiful album with colored pictures of Ken and Tarzan on the front and inside are two big eight inch unbreakable records made of pure expensive vinylite with two complete Wild West stories.
So don't wait another minute, just write yourself or get mom and dad to do it for you.
Send your name and address to records and care of this station and then close just a one dollar bill for the biggest Western value I'll bet you've ever seen.
Now here's Ken to tell you a new tale from the Diamond K.
You know friends you don't hear much about cattle rustling anymore but a few years ago it was a different story.
In fact out here in the West cattle rustling was a pretty big business at times and was a full time job trying to keep things anywhere near under control.
When I was a young fellow down in Texas working on one of the big ranches I heard a story about rustling that's so amazing I'd kind of like to pass it on to you right now.
Seems that down Texas where there used to be a lot of fellows with big ideas.
In fact there's still a lot of fellows down there with big ideas but that's got nothing to do with my story.
Clint Brown an old cattleman of about 70 was the owner of the Barr Double Q Ranch and he had a foreman working for him by the name of Jones.
Soft Sam Jones I believe they called him.
Since rheumatism kept Clint pretty much around the house Sam had a free run of the ranch and run he did.
Through the years old Clint had built up a reputation for having just about the finest herd of steers in Texas.
In fact his beef was known throughout the entire West as the best you could buy.
Well so at the time this story takes place Texas was going through one of its drops and as is usual in the case the cattle were the first to suffer.
However Clint Brown had many water holes throughout his big ranch and he figured that these would more than tide his cattle through just about anything that could happen.
We can imagine his surprise while making one of his rare trips out in the range one time to find that part of his herd seemed well fed and healthy but almost equally as many were thin and scrawny looking.
For the life of me couldn't understand it.
Got down off his horse and checked the brand on one or two just to be sure.
Just stood there staring at them in amazement.
How could these cattle have gotten in this condition?
They were an insult to the Double Q reputation.
He rode around and checked all the water holes.
Sure enough there seemed to be plenty of water in them.
The grass too seemed more than enough to supply their needs.
By this time Clint was really puzzled.
He'd been in the cattle business and around cattle all his life.
He knew it just wasn't natural for a drop to make that much difference.
But for the life of him he couldn't figure out what had happened.
On getting back to the ranch house he immediately got in touch with his foreman, Soft Sam Jones.
Sam he said there's something mighty funny going on.
Well what do you mean Mr. Brown, that's Sam.
Well sir, Comptain old Clint, I can't get over what's happened to them cattle.
It just don't make sense that they could be the same ones I looked at just a few weeks ago.
What do you reckon is wrong with them Sam?
What's happened to my cattle?
They just ain't getting enough water Mr. Brown.
They just ain't getting enough water said Sam.
As Clint rolled and tossed in bed that night he couldn't get the cattle off his mind.
Somehow or other the water story just didn't seem right.
But what could be it?
The next day he called Soft Sam in, told him he wanted a check made on the exact number of cattle that were on the ranch.
And what's more he informed Sam that he was coming along with him while a check was being made.
As he went over the figures that evening and compared them with the last count,
strangely enough he found that the two checked identically.
Sitting there turning things slowly over in his mind he suddenly hit upon what might be happening to his cattle.
And if it were true it was without doubt one of the cleverest plans ever thought up by a crooked mind.
He knew that even if his suspicions proved right that he'd have to use the greatest of care in making any kind of investigation.
So Clint made no further mention of the cattle to Soft Sam Jones for several weeks afterwards.
It appeared as though the whole thing had been completely forgotten.
But it only seemed that way.
Actually old Clint was keeping both eyes wide open.
He was keeping them well peeled in the direction of his own foreman, Soft Sam Jones.
After Sam would leave the ranch house every morning, it usually wasn't too much later that old Clint,
who had forgotten all his rheumatism by this time, could be seen leaving the house too.
And usually in the same direction that Sam had gone.
What are you doing out in the rain so much Mr. Brown? Some of the hands would ask him.
It's good for the rheumatism, old Clint would reply with a funny half smile.
And sure enough the more he got outdoors and moved around the better he began to feel.
So with this explanation, no one gave any more thought to what really might be going on during his daily trips around the ranch.
After a month had gone by, Clint hitched up the team on a hot dry afternoon and headed in the town, straight to the sheriff's office.
Howdy Clint, said the sheriff, as the two men shook hands over the desk.
What can I do for you?
Sheriff replied, Clint tensely, I want you to arrest my foreman out at the double queue for cattle rustling.
Cattle rustling? What do you mean? shouted the sheriff.
Just what I said sheriff, he's been stealing my cattle.
Well said the sheriff, how many head are you missing?
That's just it, spotted Clint, I'm not short any head.
Now folks sit back in your chair there and relax a minute. Don't want you to get too excited all at once.
I'll finish my story in just a second and don't miss the finish, it's a humdinger.
Before I get back to the story, I just want to tell you K-shirt owners how mighty proud I am to know I have so many friends.
Why gosh darn they tell me the postman can hardly carry all your letters that come in each day asking for a K-shirt like mine.
I told you the story didn't I?
How a fella designed the K-shirt for me to wear while I'm practicing tricks with Tarzan to get ready to travel again with the circus.
And how all the kids in my neighborhood want one like it.
Well the fella says, and it still goes, if you young buckaroos want a real western K-shirt like mine made to fit you, you can get one for just a little old dollar bill.
The K-shirt is real pretty, a sandy color with my Diamond K brand right smack on front and bright red and Tarzan and I looking right at you.
So if you want to join the rest of the kids that have joined the Diamond K, just send your name and address, tell what size you wear, a 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12, and then close just one little old dollar bill.
May they learn the K-shirt and carry this station and you'll be wearing a K-shirt almost as quick as two shakes of Tarzan's tail.
Well sir I think the sheriff thought for just a minute that Clint Brown had gone plum loco.
Here he'd come accusing his own foreman of cattle rustling and then the next breath he said he wasn't a shart any head at all.
What are you talking about Clint? asked the sheriff. Is this some sort of a joke?
Of course it's no joke, stammered Clint. Come out to my place and I'll show you what I mean.
As the two rode off in the dust the sheriff still couldn't figure out what Clint could possibly mean.
But he's willing to learn and learn he did a shart a while later.
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when the two of them stopped on a high bluff overlooking most of Clint's vast ranch.
Mile or so off in the distance coming toward them could be seen a cloud of dust and it was quite plain that somebody was moving some cattle down the road.
But said the sheriff them cattle is coming to your place, not going away from it.
That's just what I mean shouted Clint.
With this the sheriff took one look at Clint and got on his horse, obviously disgusted.
You're crazy with the heat Clint, that's what's ailing you.
Poor old Clint, he looked like he'd burst a blood vessel he was so mad.
Get down off that horse sheriff he shouted. I didn't bring you out here for nothing.
Just wait a few minutes and you'll see plenty.
Well eventually the cattle got near enough so they could see the fellow who was with them.
Sure enough it was Solve Sam Jones, Clint's foreman.
As the two men crouched down behind the rocks Solve Sam herded the cattle through an opening in the fence and into the double queue.
The two watched excitedly as several of Sam's henchmen appeared with branding irons and made ready to brand the cattle.
While they were doing this Solve Sam Jones went to the far end of the pasture and turned loose some 40 or 50 head of well-fed cattle
and started them out on the road from where he had just brought the others.
What the dick is he doing now whispered the sheriff.
First he brings them in then he takes the others out.
That's just it croaked old Clint.
He's buying up them scrawny cattle there and turning them off as my good head for a big profit.
But nobody's a wiser because a herd always counts out the same.
Well jump and Jiminy if that don't beat all.
That's the slickest kind of rustling I ever heard of.
Soon as the cattle were all branded and the men had gone the sheriff and Clint Brown went down to have a look.
Sure enough the brand had been changed.
And unless one had looked closely they'd never have guessed that the cattle had been rebranded.
Don't you see what he's doing sheriff? He's ruining my herd.
And he'll be ruining me if you don't stop him pretty quick.
Why would it cost me thousands of dollars to get them honorary critters fattened up for the market?
Well don't worry old timer said the sheriff we'll get things straightened out and believe me I won't rest till this Jones fella is strung up or behind the bars where he belongs.
Well sir it didn't take the sheriff very long before he and his men caught Solve Sam Jones pulling his cattle switch once again.
In fact they even caught him in the brand an iron in his hand which was sure proof of his guilt.
With the prospect of hanging staring him in the face Jones made a full confession.
Seemed as though he'd been shipping the cattle in and out on a well obscured railroad siding not too far from the ranch.
Since he still had most of the money he had made from his dirty dealings he offered to pay back old Clint for the cattle he'd sold in the hopes that the law would go easy with him.
Unfortunately for Sam it wouldn't have made too much difference just what he did.
Because back in those days cattle rustling was just about as bad a thing as a fella could do.
And sure enough Solve Sam Jones ended up on the wrong end of a rope which only goes to prove buckaroos it always pays to be on the right side of the law no matter what you do.
See now there's a real western story for you cattle rustling Texas style.
Gosh that's a lot of excitement and you kids will find the same wonderful action packed tales on the Ken Maynard Diamond K record album to play anytime you want.
Stories of the wild wild west that you want to hear over and over and play for your friends.
And what a thrill when you hear Ken's voice speaking right to you on the phonograph record and calling you by name.
Ken will say hello Danny hello Gloria or whatever your name is and Ken will say it right on the record.
Now remember you can't buy these Ken Maynard records in any store.
This is his own private Diamond K album of 78 rpm standard speed records that can only be ordered by writing to records in care of this station.
Send your name and address and close just a one dollar bill for your Ken Maynard record album and send it to records in care of this station.
Now if you want more than one album say for your brother or for your sister or as a gift for a friend.
Be sure to send the name you want Ken to make the record for and close a one dollar bill for each album and tell us what name and address to mail them to.
Well it's closing time again folks. This is Ken Maynard in Tarzan.
Closing the door of the Diamond K rest till next time we meet when I'll tell you a little yarn called Windmill Jones.
In the meantime be sure to get them one dollar bills in the mail one for the K shirt and one for the Diamond K record album for some real Western fun.
You've been listening to Tales from the Diamond K told by Hollywood's champion of Western stars internationally famous Ken Maynard.
Tales from the Diamond K are produced and transcribed in Hollywood.