I don t think the NYTimes obit is sufficient proof that Lone Ranger under that name was already broadcast elsewhere Then and now even the NYT has made massive errors or poorly sourced info on obituaries when dealing with creative issues While there will no doubt continue to be some ambiguity about the Lone Ranger s creation Dick Osgood s book WXYZ Wonderland which includes accounts from Striker s family and just about all sides on the issue discusses how Striker s earlier series was a covered wagon days serial Many of the plots were in fact recycled for The Lone Ranger but the actual figure of a masked hero called the Lone Ranger post dates it Citation would help the article though I admit I m too lazy and busy with other things to do it right now myself