Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-23

the same thing. But perhaps the most
famous OF all the early or
Iatter.day Rangers Ia Col. John
=. Ford, now awaiting the last
bugle call at San Antonio,
almost In penury, and want. He L.
known 10 fame ne Grip" Ford, and
many IL the story that the dime novel
lat has woven round his name. Col.
Ford Ia past seventy years In age, but
his frame IL ms erect and his gait AZ apry
M the average mans Of fifty. There Il
little exagveration In the claim for HIN
that he had been In more hot fights IN
the broad open open prairies, on the
burning sands and In the thorny chap
parral; has had more hand TO hand
encounters with Indians, Mexic cans
and bandits; has made more hair
breadth escapes and has n greater
number Of notchcs In the handle Of his
trusty Colts than any man In the
west. And yot he In not rough or
uncouth character. On the contrary,
he Is man Of more than usual polish
of manner and mental accomplish
ment. When he was not In tho held he
was at Austin, the capital, editing a pa
per that had an influence In it, limited
sphere equal 10 any OF the monster
metropolitan sheets OF today General
Hamilton +. Bee, brother Of that Ham
ing genius OF war who, with an auda.
city superb led the terribly dtstfuc-
tive charge Of the Conledofa,cs at Man
nsses, and when expiring from bullet
wound on the field Inspired
his men 10 stlll more vie.
ious battle by shouting "On,
meni See Jackson standing like
stone walllv Ia another OF the old
time Rangers, and who attained the
rank OF brigadier In the Confederate
army by that same intrepid bravery
that distinguished him when n young
man In the Ranger service. Gen. Bee
II enjoying the mellow years vel re-
malning TO his princely life nj San
Antonio, surrounded by few OF tho
luxurles to which men Of such note
are usually accustomed, save the AZ
fortion Of his family and large circle
of friends.
The la,ter.dsy Ranger, as stated
above, differs widely from his prcdo-
cessor. The same high order " nerve
and intrepidi,y II essential to him, but
he has deteriorated In those other
chsracteristics pointed out with the
constantly diminishing strength and
tant-general OF the State Is still the
commander Of the force, but he has
under him only three companies,
differed with captain, two lieutcn'
ants and one sergeant each. the entire
number In active service being less
than one hundred. The one battalion
into which the three companies are
combined IL never modified, nor are
the companies eiten kept together.
They are divided Into squads
OF from three TO ten men, and pre sta
toned IN those sections Of the State
whore iawlessncss Is most rampant or
most liable TO break out. II II marvel
Ious how the bare presence Of these
Rangers, who are now little less than
deputy sheriiis, quells disorder. In
stances are known IN the last tow years
whore sherins with posAes Of fifiy or n.
hundred deputies have been utterly
pswerleae TO quiet mob and restore
order until squad Of eight or ten
Rangers, and sometimes oven lees,
dashed into the towns ON their wiry
little ponies, and at once the mobs die
persed and tho riot ended. So awe
Inspiring are these men OF the buckrkin
pants and Winchester holsters that
oitentimes the mere threat Of calling
them out Is sufficient to strike such
terror TO the lawbreakets as TO cause
them 10 Immediately como around TO
the aide OF the peace oonservators.
The chief duty Of tho Ranger In
Texas nj the present time IL therefore
TO 10 ever ready 10 mount his horse
and hy. He must be able 10
endure long marches In the sad
die, and 1t 10 no uncommon
thing for him to travel eighty
miles between sun and sun
across bald prairie, over precipitous
hills, through deep canyons, foriing
rivers, wading lakes and lagoons;
moving down path through thick
mesquite and cactus, leaping bitches,
etc. But above all he must be quick
on the trigger and sure OF aim.
When he shoots he shoots 10 kill.
He keenly realizes when entering
the service that he Is wearing his life
on his sleeve, and that he has only the
most desperate men 10 deal with. He
knows, too, the dangers OF ambush,
aud views every mott with suspicion
lest II explode and kill him. He IL as
alert as cat, and alta In his saddle
with the grace Of an Indian. His am.
billion Ia, II he be OF the better class, 10
20 impress his personality on the COM
munity where his presence may be
needed ~ 10 stand Ia ths line OF pro.
motion when the county sheriff Il 10
be ELECTED, and 70 1t Is that the MAORI
~ OF Western Texas sherins Of today
were but recently Rangers.