Page 72 - All About History - Issue 56-17

Lawmen of the Frontier

teXas rangers

years active: 1835-present jUrisdiction: the state of texas, including the texas-mexico border
inFamoUs coLLars: john wesley hardin, billy thompson, sam bass, bonnie and clyde

The Texas Rangers are probably some he’d already killed 53 men, been shot 17 times When not tackling outlaws and cattle rustlers,
of the best-known lawmen in the and left for dead four times. He was a typical the rangers defended the Texas-Mexico border
business. Founded in the 1830s old-school ranger. against renegade Native Americans and Mexican
and today part of the Texas Recruitment was based on demand. bandits. In fact, the organisation was founded by
Bureau of Investigation, they’ve tackled In times of crisis, as many as 300-400 prominent colonist Stephen Austin in 1823 to deal
every kind of felon. Their jurisdiction men could be employed. When times with the threat of the Native American Comanche
covers the whole of the state of Texas were easier, rangers were simply laid off tribe, who raided extensively all along the border
including the Mexican border, always a — governors could hire and fire them at using hit-and-run tactics.
hotbed of crime and disorder. their convenience and often did. Seldom Paid only $1.25 a day with a $10 monthly
In keeping with the times, their early a permanent job, it was almost always bounty in property, rangers had to provide
methods were usually violent. As Ranger a dangerous one. their own horses and guns. They were skilled
John Horton
Captain Frank Hamer bluntly put it, The Texas Rangers made their name horsemen, trackers and marksmen and every
Slaughter served
“We’re here to enforce the law, and the as a Texas Ranger, and legacy during the Old West era, but man was fearless without being reckless. Above
best way to do it is a .45 slug in the gut.” Arizona sheriff and it came at a price. To date, 105 rangers all, their loyalty to their oath and each other was
US marshal
Hamer practised what he preached. By have died in the line of duty, fewer than sacrosanct. Not just law enforcers, the rangers are
the time he ambushed Bonnie and Clyde, one per cent of the individuals who have served. a part of American history and legend.

Packing a Mexican headgear two presidents under the gun
Paterson While often depicted wearing stetson Without doubt the most important case in their history, the
The Texas Rangers hats, in the 19th century most Texas
were one of the Rangers preferred to wear broader- Texas Rangers foiled an attempt to assassinate American
first to embrace the brimmed sombreros to better keep president Howard Taft and Mexican president Porfirio Díaz
Colt Paterson .36 the sun out of their eyes. at the same time. The leaders were to have their first summit
caliber five-shot meetings in El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in
revolver as it meant October 1909. Tensions were high and security involved
they didn’t have Lone star
to reload as often badge thousands of troops and lawmen on both sides of the border.
during a fire fight. Private Moore of the Rangers and adventurer Frederick
From 1875 onwards,
Rangers adopted Russell Burnham (yes, the same hippo-eating Burnham from
badges to identify page 62) noticed a man loitering by the El Paso Chamber of
themselves. Commerce along the route of the presidential procession.
Invariably made from Suspicious, they took him aside and searched him. They
a Mexican silver coin,
they were cut into a discovered a loaded palm pistol, a single-shot weapon
star shape modelled designed to be concealed in the user’s palm with only the
on the state flag. barrel visible. They foiled the plan just in the nick of time. Taft
and Díaz were reportedly only feet away when the would-be
assassin was thwarted.

No uniform
Rangers initially had
to supply their own
weapons and horses
and wore plain
clothes. To this day,
they have no formal
uniform but are
required to dress in
a ‘western’ style.

72