The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-14
RANGERS THRILLING EXPLOIT.
Hunting Outlaws in the Wilds of
Texas.
Wichita Falls Cor. Of St. Louis Globe Demo


Texas.
Wichita Falls Cor. Of St. Louis Globe Demo
crat.
Last winter a lot of commercial angels
myself included) were on delayed train
on the Florida Western and Danville
Railroad, en- route to FIT Worth and had
all congregated in the smoking car telling
tales to while away the time. Among
the boys was Glen c., an old-timer,
whose hair had begun to show the gray
Glen was called on for a story. He said:
Boys, | will give you facts just as they
happened. You all know have been on
the road a good many years, but few of
you know that | was once Texas ranger.
] first handled grip about twenty-One
years ago.
After had been at it for two or three
years ! found my health was falling, so
determined TO try something else About
this time | happened to be in Austin at a
time when the state was organizing a
ranger company for frontier service, for
the purpose of running down the cattle
and horse thieves, murderers and desper-
ADDE'S, who had escaped into the plains
out west, and then becOme-some cow
boys others robbers and gamblers. That
section of the country was full Of them.
The plains, at that time, were covered
with ranches, and many a deed of out
lawry and violence was committed that
never was punished. This the state now
proposed to stop, and l thought possibly a
life of this kind, at least for while,
might benefit me-
$50 presented myself to the enrolling
officer, and after being duly examined
was accepted. | at once sent in my
samples and resignation to my house.
We were soon ordered out west, every
man being armed with Winchester and
two six-shooters We were not kept to-
gether, but sent to different places in
squads of three to eight, and constantly
kept moving. One afternoon a squad of
US, including the sergeant in command,
were approaching the little town of s.,
when we met a citizen of the place, who
told US that lot of cowboys had come in
that morning from the - ranch, all
armed with Six-shooters, had got on big
drunk and taken possession of the town,
riding into stores, shooting into windows
and doors, and were still at it.
FINDING THE COWBOYS.
We rode hurriedly until we reached the
suburbs, when we dismounted and care
fully made our way to the business part Of
the town. We saw no one. The stores
were all closed and citizens under cover.
Finally we met a boy, who told us all the
cowboys were in a barroom situated
about the center of the block On finding
the place three of us were sent around
the block, with orders to stop at the in
tersection of the streets, while the ser
geant, with one man, took a position at
the lower end of the block
'The cowboys had their horses hitched
in front Of the saloon, and we could hear
them yelling and swearing inside We
waited until they came out and mounted
their horses. There were eleven of them
cornered. They were, indeed, a hard
looking set. The sergeant called out TO
them to dismount one by one. come for
ward. give up their pistols and surren-
der They replied with oaths that they
were not the surrendering kind and
didn't propose to do it. The sergeant re
piled that they could do as they pleased,
but that if they did not surrender at once
he would open fire, and he called TO the
three OF US to cock our Winchesters and
be ready.
Just then five OF them, drawing their
pistols, yelled and started-two toward
US and three toward the sergeant In
less than two minutes the firing ceased.
One of my squad was shot through the
arm. four of the cowboys lay dead in TIE
street. and the other, badly wounded.
The sergeant then called to the remaining
six, telling them if they did not surrender