San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-03-21
THE NEW MARSHAL.

The Surprise Party Of the Express
A Strange and Unaccount-
able Ignorance.
The Express reporter in this morn
ing's issue of that paper parades the
fact that Mr.. Paul Fricke, the newly
appointed marshal for the western
district of Texas, is an unknown man,
and quotes what purports to be the
language of one who "knows all the
men in Washington county of any i'm
portance, but do not know Fricke."
The Express reporter says local politi-
ticians were at sea concerning the
identity of Mr.. FrIcke, and are at
loss to understand how comparative
stranger secured the appointment.
This must be huge joke upon the
Express news gatherer. Had the en-
quirer after news sought this office he
could have learned that Mr.. Fricke is
by no means an obscure republican.
Mr.. Paul Fricke was born in Fay
cite county, somewhere about the
year 1850. His father was a school
teacher. Mr.. Fricke has been trader
and cotton buyer in Brenham for
the past fifteen years or so, and
always an outspoken republi lean.
He was a member of the republican
state convention at Houston in 1884,
and took a decided stand against the
supporters of Greenbacker Wash
Jones in that convention, thus allying
himself with that part of the San
Antonio delegation which acted &C
cording to instructions in the state
convention. He was also member
of the state conventions of 1885 and of
1888 and was present at Austin last
month during the session of the state
executive committee. His appoint
ment as marshal was not due to any
accident. In 1884, when the Wash
ington county outrages occurred, and
lust after the three negroes had been
hanged, it was reported that two hum
dred armed negroes were in the south
east part of the county meditating an
attack upon the whites. The excite
IlclU Tdl W lcNoI anu a IhdSodClC
of the negroes was threatened, which
was prevented by the GOODNESS,
courage and address of Mr.. Paul
Fricke, who had the confidence of the
citizens of the county. This fact was
recorded among Others connected
with the Washington county out
RACES, became part of the testimony
and so was known to the elections i'll
vestigating committee of the senate.
A few days before the unfortunate
Hoffman was asslssinated he wrote
a letter to HackwOrth, stating that he
believed that himself would be assas
snated shortly and ia this letter he
discussed the situation and the pros
poets of relief. In that letter the
name of Paul Fricke was mentioned
as the man best calculated of all
others to hold the Office of United
States Marshal in the interests of
justice and fair dealing. This letter
was made a part of the testimony
which came before the investigating
committee and upon the strength of
these facts, no doubt coupled with
others, Senators HOar, SpOOner and
Evarts, the republican members of
that committee, concluded that Mr..
Fricke was just the man for marshal
of the western district of Texas and
they urged his appointment accord
ingly.
1t may be that Mr.. Fricke is An
obscure man, unknown to the pOliti-
clans of Texas, but he is not unknown
TO the republicans of the state, is not
unknown in the state conventions, and
it does seem that he is not unknown
to some very prominent republican
senators at Washington.
Hon. A. J. Evans, Of this city, has
known Mr.. Paul Fricke as good re-
publican for the past fifteen years,
and could have given the Express re-
porter points had he called. The edi-
tor of the LIGHT has distinct rec0l-
lection of him since the Waco conven-
ton and his personality is so marked
as not to'be easily lost sight of. The
LIGHT advocated another appoint
ment, but comedies the wisdom, fit
ness and justice of the act which
makes Paul Fricke marshal of West
ern Texas. 1t is first-class appoint
ment in every respect. 1t is the APP
pointment of a republican sans peur
sans reproche.
An Honest Business Venture.