The morning call., 1891-08-02
CRIME IN TEXAS.
How the Sway of the Hip-Pocket Has
Steadily Declined.

How the Sway of the Hip-Pocket Has
Steadily Declined.
In 1868 there vera 741 murders in Texas.
About that time Phil Sheridan made his
historic remark that if lie owned h and
Texas, be would rend out Texas and live in
Il. The population of the State is just
three times what it was in 1868. The num-
Der of murders last year fell short OF 400.
In 1868 the sentiment was: Let all guilty
men escape" Out of 173 indictments for
murder in twenty-three counties there were
eight convictions. Last year the trials for
| murder reached 300. and the convictions
were 40.
Texas is improving. 1t took long time
to get public sentiment right and to make
the courts effective. Crime had big start.
But since the turning point was passed the
progress toward law and order has been
marvellous.
When John R. Hoxie came to Texas to
| live twenty years ago one of the first things
| he did TO identity himself with the country
| was to join a vigilance committee. Mr..
| Hoxie Is reputed to be the largest indi-
| vidnal taxpayer in the State. He Is several
| times q millionaire. His ancestors were
| Quakers His training was all for peace.
| But such were the conditions of society IN
that part of Texas to which he moved from
| Illinois that he soon found himself at the
| head of a volunteer organization of his
neighhOrs 10 enforce morality by vigorous
| measures.
Mr. Hoxie went down to Galveston to at
tend public gathering. A community of
| 10000 or l2.G00 people was trying to play
host to crowd to a crowd of 10000 or
$4,000 strangers. Mr.. EOxie was late in get
ting in, and the clerk of the hotel said in a
somewhat dubious tone:
Mr.. Hoxie, Pll have to put you in a
room with Mr.. Thompson of Austin"
That's all right, SIR said Mr. Hoxe
-, Inc beii-boy led the way upstairs. opened
the door, and stepped back. Mr.. Hoxie en-
| tered. \ man sprang up in a sitting pos
| ture on the bed as suddenly as if he had
| been on springs, dropped two revolvers,
one in each hand, upon Mr.. Hoxie, and
glared.
Lie down. my friend" said Mr.. Hoxe,
| calmly; "Pm not going to trouble you.
There's room enough here for both of u.s.
The man with the pistols apologized,
| with the remark that he had been suddenly
aroused from sleep. And thus the million
| aiTe of Illinois made the acquaintance Of
| Ben Thompson Of Austin.
| In the morning Mr.. Hoxie arose first. He
made some noise in getting around the
| room. In an instant Thompson was up in
| bed again with his truSty pistols in his hand.
oh. lie down and finish your sleep"
| said Mr.. Hoxie, II could have shot three
times while you were getting ready, If I'd
wanted to-"
Mr.. Thompson explained that he had
| been up good deal recently and his nerves
| were unsteady. lie nopeu That his fel0W-
| guest would excuse his bad breaks.
What you want, my friend" said Mr.
| HOxie, soothingly and with Quaker delibera-
| ton, us gin cocktail about SO high" indi-
eating the tallest glass in use, with plenty
| of orange and ice in it."
Mr.. Thompson sighed and replied, 81
can't get up and dress yet; I'm too shaky."
Never mind" said the millionaire and
he went down stairs. had the cocktail built
under his personal supervision, and carried
it back upstairs with his own hand s. Mr.
Thompson sat up in bed without his pistols
this time, and from that day till the day he
died with his boots on in San Antonio
theater he was the friend of the. Quaker
vigilante.
The change in Texas came, Mr.. Hoxie
says, like mighty reaction. st wasn't as
1t would be in the East or the North" sal d
he. THE decrease of crims in Texas cam
about in very short time. 1t was not due
! so much to vigorous enforcement of the
laws as 1t was to the great change in public
| sentiment. Our people awoke to the neces-
| sity OF different ways" -Au stin CTex.) cor
respondence to st. Louis Globe Democrat.