Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-23
ONE OF THE FINEST
Is Our Gallant Police
Force.
As Fine a Body Of Men as Can
Be Found in the SOah.
A Brief Sketch Of Each Of Our
Heroic Protectors,

II there is one thing tina, our citizens
may feel proud OF. that Is the finest
and most efficient police force In the
South. Its Individual members arr
gentlemen in every respect aud MS enc
a class OF men aa cah be found.
Summarizing briefly In regard 10 the
history OF this department OF Tho city
government, wa have the following
FACTS; Fort Worth was incorporated by
special act OF the legislature rebru-
airy IL. 1873, and Edmund 8, Terrlll was
elected firat marshal April 3, 1873. The
first police force was appointed April
10, 1879, and consisted of H. y. Shiel,
Joe Meyers, Paul W. Heating and n. X.
Ferguson. The salary vas $500 per
month. with a fee Of 81 Tor each arrest,
W. =. Burts was elected frat mayor.
ana was also city recorder ". s. Ter
rlil resigned his position ga marshai
october 81, 1873. and T. NJ, Ewing was
elected, who likewise resigned Dcccm-
ber 1874. c. c, Fitzgerald was ap-
pointed at this time and served til
April. 1876. when IL. Y. shiel was elect
ed. AIR. Shiel resigned Ociobcr. 1876,
and i, =. Rodding waa elected, Al tx
April election, 1876. j. u. Cou tright was
the successful man. serving IN April,
1879. when 3. NJ Farmer was elected,
NaNN ~ WI u AAANNA AAAA AINAit AANNs At
the last mentioned time W. NJ. Rea
was elected. He held the Office fouf
years, when 8, NJ, Farmer again Huc-
cceded IN being elected NJ, Farmer
served till April 1891, when the present
incumbent, chief Jas II Maddox, was
named by vote OF the people aa the
man TO fill the position. Again In
April, 1891. tho people recognized the
valuable services Of Chief Maddox and
ne was reelected.
Regarding ihe efficiency OF the pres
cnt force, We need simply state that
at no time previous 10 The present
has Fort Worth had such an Intelligent
and able corps of guardians DUTY"
nrst. last and all the time. with Tex
celsior' for their motto, they have
made n reputation that will be written
In the annals Of history.
Strangers coming TO Fort Worth can
but.compllment our city upon the oour-
tesy shown them by this body OF gentle
men, who never fan to ald or direct
In tho most courteous manner those
who question them. The force has late
ly received beautiful new uniforms,
and they present n splendid physical
appearance Night aud day are the
eyes Of those guardians ever Watching
the lnicrosts and property or the pop
ulacc of Fort Worth, and to their gal
liant conduct must be attributed the
present peaceful and quiet status u the
city, there being less crime here than
ever before. They are valiant guard
ians for the public and perform their
duties well, but the force Is too small
That &c, the territory covered by each
man OF the force r. too large neccssl-
tating overwork on the part OF the men
TO cover tho ground we'll. as they have
beendoing. The force ought 60 be In
creased. and no doubt will be noon.
The force At present Is composed Of
the chief, assistant chief. two mQuntgd
police, twelve patrolmen, two dCttc-
uves. one clerk. one extra man. pnun
man. two guards. patrol driver turnFry
nn1 sanitary man.
Below viii be To- nj a short aket1h OF
tho chief Of police. assistant chef and
each pairolman.
chief james II. Maddox,
Tue most efficient chief OF police Fort
Worth has ever rad, ~ native OF
Louisiana. being horn in Claiborne par
ish' that state When Is years old he
came 10 Texas with his father and 10
Gated on n farm IN Tarrhnt county
Here he remained until 1871, when &c
came to Fort Worth. hayfn; been APP
pointed as a guard at the county jall.
chief Maddox served twelve years as a
deputy nherlff and during that period
performed the duties n that position
faithfully and wull. IN 1891 ais services
We're recognized and he was elected
chief OF police. Again In 1898 he was
reelected to the same position. II Is
unnecessary Tor MS 70 20 into detail
regarding his administration. II has
bnen excellent and me efficient force
OF Fort Wortli's Blue Coats" ls due 20
the executive ability Of our gallant
chief. Duty" II his watchwOrd.
Chief Maddox 81 also q member OF the
Knighta OF Pyfhias aud IS one OF our
I've citizens who believes IA promoting
the welfare Of Fort worth.
Assistant chief ChHn. n. NnfLfn.
Our genial assistant chief OF police 10
an Albanian by birth. but raised up
IN Texas. He was born in MarlnTo
county, Alabama. May q, 1866 and was
only . years Of age when be landed IA
the Lone star state. lIe was raised ~
and received hla earlier education In
Calvert, Robertson county He then
attended, the Agricultural and Afechani-
cal College at Bryan, spending thr1e
years IN this Institution. Next. he went
TO the State University ~ Austin one
year, the year the University openrd
lSs2 Soon after this h. became citl-
zen OF Fort Worth, which waa about
steven years ago. residing herc ever
since. Mr. Matkin was 81 the drug
uuatnNrf IN thid city seven years uNN
was well liked as a business man. his
first public Office WAS that Of alderman.
The I'lfth ward was ably represented
by him IN the city council for a year
prior 10 the time Of his appointment az
assistant chief, which WAS 10 March
1872. lie WAS an alderman at the limo
Of his appointment Mr. Matkin has
demonstrated many times since he han
had MS repnt position his efiicirncy US
an ofiicer and his adaptahility 20 the
place Fort Worth has never had an
assistant chief that Aiied the place bet
ter, afid perhaps We should ray she has
never had one WHO Oiled the place rs
well. a faithful and prompt oticer, a
good citizen zea,oph ~ Going what no
nen FOR the be1t intsfesfn Of his city,
a popular gentleman liked ny every
body. This IS the record OF cAaa. 4.
8. p. Maddor.
Port Worth II particularly fortunate
in having such an excellent force Of
public guardians The Oldest member
81 the force ih s. r. Maddox. This gem
flemfn was born IN Claiborne Parish.
louisiana, MAY :. 1851 In 1879 he came
70 Texas and settled IN Tsrrant county.
and IN 1850 came 70 Fart worth. ~
two yeare ne served a. q deputy sheriff
and IN 3ssf became a member pf the
police force. For Two years he served
as a detective. Mr. Maddox IL a Demo-
crzt and an honorable gentleman. lie
n one Of the mounted police.
Tom topp.