The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-24
HON. T. |. ODOM.
THE RUNNELS COUNTY STATESMAN
ON THE FENOEOUTTING
INDUSTRY.
He Asks the Governor and Gen.
King for Rangers to Protect
Life and Property.
Graphic Description of the
Situation in His and
Adjoining Counties.

Col. T. L. Odom is in from Fort
Chadbourne, Runnels county the scene
of the latest depredations of the fence
cutting Vandals. He describes things
in that section to be in strangely
chaotic state. Good men, or men who
have heretofore been considered good
men, wink at the offense, and many
have sons engaged in this species
of laWlessneSs. Others go further
and openly encourage the depredators
and attempt to justify them IN their
course. Among others, Col. Odom
says, there is an old preacher who
went up to Sweetwater and bought
nippers for his boys, and said: Go
ahead boys, I'll see you through" and
declared his intentions of leading them
on to "victory or death"
Nor do the vandals confine them
selves to fence cutting alone, but are
guilty of various kinds of depreda
lions.
They have extended their sphere OF
action to cover theft and pillage, and
open threats to take human life.
Fort Chadbourne is unfortunately sit
uated. It lies in the northwestern
corner of Runnels county, just where
it meets the corners of three other
counti-s. Tom Green lies west, Nolan
on the northwest and Taylor on the
north. 1t is about twenty-five miles
from Runnels. the county seat of
miles from Sweetwater, the
county seat of Nolan county, forty
miles from Abiline, county seat of
Taylor county, and forty-five miles
from San Angela. the county seat OF
Tom Green county.
ROBBERIES.
About ten days ago the sheep camp
of Mr.. Fountain was robbed. This
camp lies in Tom Green county, a few
miles west of Fort claiborne.
At about the same time the
house of Mr.. Fillery, who was
building fence for him, was robbed
of money and clothes to the amount
of $40. Col. Odom says that some
time ago he had one of the fence cut
tiers arrested and carried to Coleman,
and while there his comrades, believ-
ing that he had "squealed,". took
to the mountains. When the
Coleman Jail delivery occurred.
this man was among the number re-
leased, and made his way back to his
old haunts. His comrades were sus-
picious of him, and to convince them
that he had not gone back on them
he led them again onto his fence, on
the night of April 8, destroying eight
miles of it. The fence was cut at
each post with Ratchet
They then pulled up the post
at the corner nearest bis
house and swung it up in tree.
There was placard upon it which
read:
Here you hang. If you don't stoI
building this pasture you'll find your
self shot like this post. We don't in.
tend that any pasture fence shall
stand in this country. We mean
business"
| Jus, three days later the fence Of
Mr.. Foster, in Nolan county, was cut
for six miles.
Mr.. Foster had come out from st
Louis only about six months ago, and
had purchased his pasture of Mr.
Fountain. 1t was the only pasture in
Nolan county, and Mr. Foster owned
every foot of land enclosed. Col
! Odom says the very name of ranger
strikes terror to the heart of the fence
cutter, and almost the first question
one of that brotherhood will ask OF
coming into town is, care there any
rangers here?"
He says he knew during the day
that his fence would be cut that night
and remarked as much to several par
ties. He knew that the men he saw
riding around were fence-cutters, anC
that their presence meant further
depreciation, but as there was not ar
officer of the law in less than twenty
five miles of him he was powerless
Col. Odom says he and his sons have
so far lived within the law
but he cannot say how much longer
poor, frail human nature is capable Of
d standing the strain. He does moi
wish to violate the law, for he knows
two wrongs never yet has made &
, right, but he wants protection. The
Col. says if he were younger man ht
would start graveyard right off, anG
it would not take him long to furnish
the material for about twenty
four little mounds. He says there il
likely to be movement set on foot
any day by the law-abiding citizens
of his neighborhood, to organize int(
a vigilance committee, forty strong
and stamp this lawlessnes out, ever
though it be necessary to go beyond
the bounds of statutory law-fightine
the devil with fire, as it were. He il
here urging the governor and adjutant
general to take steps looking tt
the sending of a company of ranger:
to the scene of the trouble. He has
presented strong case, rendered doub
| ly so by virtue of his being member
of the legislature. vested with author
| ity to speak for the law-abiding citi
zens and property holders of his sec
ton. Col. Baylor, of the state troops
has gone out to Runnels county, ant
the public will watch with interest
further daYelopmantS in the matter