The Town That Dreaded Sundown

---

World War II had ended

only eight months earlier.

And the town of Texarkana,

population 40,000,

which straddles

the Texas-Arkansas border,

was regearing for peace

after four years

of rationing, war bonds,

and shortages.

Although a trickle

was still arriving,

most of the boys were back home

and out of uniform.

Many were enrolling in college

or starting up businesses

with the help

of the GI Bill of Rights.

Some people still had doubts

about President Truman

and were worried

over the growing tension with Russia.

The wave of strikes

sweeping the country

were being felt by many

of the Texarkana businesses.

But fears that the workforce

at the United States Army's

Red River Arsenal

would be cut to nothing

had not materialized.

There were long

waiting lists of people

ready to buy

the still scarce new cars,

as well as all kinds

of household appliances.

The building business

was booming.

And people around Texarkana

generally were optimistic

about the future.

It was Sunday, March 3, 1946,

the beginning of a reign of terror

for the people of Texarkana

and surrounding areas

of Arkansas and Texas.

A terror so indelibly imprinted

that today, thirty years later,

people still speak

of it fearfully.

The incredible story

you are about to see is true

where it happened

and how it happened.

Only the names

have been changed.

Would you sit up?

Well, damn it, Linda Mae,

come on.

Sammy, move your hand.

What'd you do that for?

I heard something.

By God, Linda Mae,

will you please concentrate

on what the hell's goin' on.

I'm not kiddin'.

I heard somethin'.

Linda Mae, that is the oldest trick

in the book.

Have you got

the car doors locked?

Jesus Christ, why I go out with you

I'll never understand.

Damn.

Hey, mister,

you got the wrong car!

You're looking

for somebody else!

Sammy!

Sammy!

Please.

Ambulance already en route.

It should be

in the area at present.

About a half a mile up that road,

we've got a boy hurt real bad.

There's deputies

up there already.

Go!

Unit two, come in.

Will unit two come in

and give report?

Come in, Ramsey!

Base, this is unit two.

Go ahead, unit two.

Well, they're both still alive.

Man's name is Samuel P. Fuller.

Age 24, his drivers license address

is 7-9-0-7 West Pine.

Passing motorist

that found the girl recognized her.

She works over at the plant

on the D-line

and her name

is Linda Mae Jenkins.

He said he thought

she was about 19 years old.

And she lives somewhere

off Broad Street.

Contact me as soon as you can

get hold of Sheriff Barker

and ask him to meet me

over at the Michael-Meahger Hospital.

Miss Jenkins?

Miss Jenkins,

can you describe him to us?

Can you tell us anything

about the man who did this to you?

Gentlemen, I'm sorry,

it's just too soon.

She's still heavily sedated.

How 'bout the boy,

can we talk to him?

No, he's in

about the same shape.

He took several bad blows

about the neck and head

from what I'd guess to be

a heavy blunt instrument.

Dr. Abrams, calling Dr. Abrams.

Dr. Abrams, you're wanted

on the telephone.

Did he rape her, Doc?

No, there was

no evidence of rape.

But I can tell you

that her back,

stomach, and breasts

were heavily bitten.

- Bitten?

- Literally chewed.

If I can help you any more,

give me a call.

Thank you, Doc.

Calling Dr. Abrams.

Well, gentlemen, what's happened

in the lover's lane case?

Captain, we ain't got nothin'.

No witnesses.

Neither the girl nor the boy

could give us

a decent description

of the man.

The boy really never saw him.

All he's able to tell us,

that the man had

a white hood over his face

and was strong as hell.

Fact is, Chief, the only thing

we really do know

is that we've got a very

strange person on our hands.

That's the reason we're here.

We believe that the high school

and college students

should be warned

against parking on lonely roads.

Patrolman Benson speaking.

Yes, Mrs. Kiner,

this is Sparkplug.

What's your problem?

You know,

I think you're right.

We're gonna have to get out

to that school and warn those kids

about staying out

of lover's lanes.

You really think

he's gonna strike again?

I got a strong feeling he will.

Mrs. Kiner, you don't have

to put up with that crap.

We'll get the word out

to all the patrol cars

that if they see any of the kids

on lover's lane,

just, you know, run 'em off.

Get him on the phone!

Is that you, Kiner?

What the hell's wrong

with you, boy?

You try that again and the

Supreme Court of the United States

ain't gonna be able

to save yo' ass.

Okay, Mrs. Kiner,

now, you just settle down

'cause he promised me.

Mm-hm.

I gotta run.

I'll see ya, Chief,

Captain.

You lock up that mangy dog

'cause if he sicks him on me

one more time,

I'm gonna blow six holes in him.

Benson, how long

have you been on the force?

Four months, sir.

God, it seems like

it's been longer than that.

No, sir, four months

this Tuesday.

Well, look, Benson, when a citizen

calls in with a complaint,

we don't threaten them.

But from now on, if you get

a phone call from Mrs. Kiner

or from anybody in this town,

simply quote legal procedure.

And furthermore, you will not issue

threats of any kind to anybody.

Do you hear me?

Yes, sir.

Police department.

Mrs. Kiner...

Patrolman Benson.

That does it, Mrs. Kiner.

You lock up that mangy dog

'cause I'm on my way.

This is Howard W. Turner, age 29,

former Seabee who returned

from overseas a few weeks ago.

The young girl is Emma Lou Cook

and she is 17.

They have been seeing each other

for about six weeks.

Emma Lou had dropped out of school

in order to get a job

and help out at home.

I'm so tired of it raining.

Kind of reminds me of Japan.

Damn, it always rained there.

I'll bet you miss Japan.

Why?

All those Japanese girls

scrubbin' your back.

I must say they do know how

to please a man.

Well, if you haven't been pleased

with me for the past six weeks,

you can just take me home.

I didn't say

you didn't please me.

You started it.

Well, I'm just on edge.

Texarkana had

pretty much returned to normal

after the excitement

of the attack on lover's lane.

No clues and no suspects

had been found.

Samuel P. Fuller

and Linda Mae Jenkins

have now been dismissed

from Michael-Meagher Hospital

and are under the care

of their family physicians.

Now, it is a rainy Saturday night,

March 24, 1946,

twenty-one days

after the attack on lover's lane.

Temperatures in the lower 50s.

Warmer tomorrow,

upper 60s

- Hi, Norm.

- Hey, Tom.

Now, if you listen real hard,

you can hear the...

Well, what can we do

for the sheriff's department

on a rainy Saturday night?

How many units you got out?

Mmm, four.

It was three weeks ago tonight

that couple was attacked out in

the College Hill section, wasn't it?

Damned if I know.

Last two weeks,

this place has been a madhouse.

You don't suppose you could get

some of your units

to check some of those

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes