Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-24
THE OLD TIME TEXAS RANGER.
Only Few of the Old Type Still Re,
naming.

AAt1AA1lh5-
This type of the ranger is all but
gone A few maay yet be found in
outlying ranches. One Of the most
celebrated resides near San Antonio
'Big-Foot Wallace" by name. He
says he doesn't mind being called Big
root, because he is six feet two in
height and is entitled to big feet. His
race IS done off in nest of white hair
and beard and is patriarchal in charac-
ter. In 1886 he came out from Virgin
la to take relatives of his in the Fan
MIN massacre, and he considers that he
mas squared his accounts; but they had
MN on the debit side for a while. Be
ing captured in the Meir expedition he
walked as prisoner to the city of Mex
leo and did public work for that coun-
try with bail and chain attached for
two years. The prisoners overpowered
the guards and escaped on one occa-
sion, but were oVertaken by Mexican
cavalry while dying of thirst in a des-
ert. Santa Anna ordered their "decI-
nation" which meant that every 10th
man was shot, their lot being deter
mined by the drawing of black bean
from an earthen potea containing a
certain proportion of white ones. Big
Foot drew a white one. He was also
a member of Capt. Hayes's company,
a1terWard a captain of rangers, and a
ncted Indian fighter. Later he carried
the mails from San Antonia to EI Paso
through a bowling wilderness, but al
ways brought it safely througn-If
safely can be called lying Is days by a.
water hole in the desert waiting for a.
broken leg to mend and living mean
while on one prairie wof, which he
managed to shoot. Wallace was a pro-
tesSlOnI21 hunter, who fought Indians
and hated ''greasers;;' he belongs to
the past, and has been ''out spanne1'
under a civilization in which he has
no place and is to-day living in power
ty.
1he civil war left Texas under
changed conditions. That and the
Mexican wars had determined its
boundaries, howe er, anu l. rapidly
nled up with new eIeme4.s of pOpula-
ton. broken soldiers, outlaws, pour
immigrants living III quiz wagons,
poured In. Gone to Texas had a. SIN
ster significance in the late 6V S.
When the railroad got to- Abilene,
Kan, the coWmen Of Texas found a
market for their stock, ami began
trailing their herds up through the
Indian country. BanuS of outlaws
organized under the leade4 ship of
desperadoes like Yves ttaruin and
King Fisher. They rounded up cattle
regardless OF their owners rights, ana
resisted interference with force The
poor man pointed to his brand in the
stolen herd and protested. He was
shot. The big owners were unable 10
protect themselves from loss The
property right was established by the
siX-shooter, and honest men we've
forced to the wall. III 1876 the prop
erty-hOlding class went to the legs
lature, got it to appropriate S100, 900 a
year for two years and the hanger
force was reorganized to carry the Jaw
into the chaparral. At this time many
judges were in league with bandit !;
sheriffs were elected by the outlaws.
and the electors were cattle S callers
The rangers were sworn to uphold
the laws of Texas and the United
States. They were deputy sheriffs,
United States marshals-in fact, were
often vested with any and every
power, even to the extent of ignoring
,disreputable sheriffs. At times they
were judge, jury and executioneI,
when the difficulties demanded ex-
tremes. When a band of outlaws
was located, detectives or SPIES were
sent among them, who openly Joined
the desperadoes, and gathered evil
dence to put the rangers on their
trail. Then, in the wilderness, with
only the soaring buZZard or proving
coyote to look on, the ranger and
the outlaw met to fight with tigerish
ferocity to the death. Shot, and ly-
ing prone, they fired until the palsied
arm could no longer raise the SIX
shooter, and justice was satisfied as
their bullets sped. The captains had
the selection Of their men, and the
right to dishonorably discharge at
will. Only mem Of irTeprCachabIe
character, who were fine riders and
deadshOts, were taken. The spirit
of adventure filled the ranks with the
most prominent young men in the
state, and to have been a ranger is
badge of distinction in Texas to this
day. The display of anything but a
perfect willingness to die under any
all circumstances was fatal to a
ranger, and in course Of time they got
the moral on the bad man. Each one
furnished his own horse and arms
while the state gave him ammunition,
GRUB" 81 a day, and extra expenses.
The enlistment was for II months 4
list of fugitive Texas criminals was
placed in his hands, with which he was
expected to familiarize himself Then
in small parties, they packed the bed
ding on their mule, they hung the
handouts and leather thongs about its
neck, saddled their riding-ponies, and
threaded their way into the chaparral
Frederic Remington in Harper's Mag
aZinA