The Portland daily press., 1896-12-19
THE TEXAS RANGER.
A Hardy Race of Americans Which is Fast
Becoming Extinct.
(Harper's Magazine.)

(Harper's Magazine.)
This type of ranger is all but gone,
A few may 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-foot. because
he is feet inches in height. and In
entitled to big feet. His face is done off
in a nest of white hair and beard. and
is patriarchial In character. In 1888 he
came from Virginia to take toll'' of
the Mexicans for killing some relatives
of his in the Fannin massacre, and he
considers shat he has squared his ac-
counts; but they had him on the debit
side for while. Being captured in the
Meir expedition, he walked as prisoner
to the city of Mexico, and did public
work for that country with ball-and-
chain attachment for two years. The
prisoners overpewered the guards and
escaped on one occasion, but were over
taken by Mexican cavalry while dying
of thirst in desert. Santa Anna ordered
heir "dscim ation,' which meant that
every tenth man was shot, their lot
being determined by the drawing of
black bean from an earthen pot contain
ing certain proportion of white ones.
"B FOOT drew white one. He was
also mem Der Of Captain Hayes's oom-
pany, afterward oapain of rangers and
noted Indian fighter. Later he carried
tho mails from San Antonio to Ell Paso
through a bowling wilderness, but al
ways brought it safely through-if safety
can be called lying thirteen days by a
water hole in the desert waiting for
broken leg to mend, and living mean
while on one prairie wolf, which he
managed to shoot Wallace was pro-
fessional hunter, who fought Indians and
hated the "greasers; she belonged to the
past, and has been "outspanned" under
a civilization in which he has no place
and is today living.in poverty.
The civil war left Texas under changed
conditions. That and the Menxican wars
had determined its boundaries, however,
and it rapidly filled up with new ele-
ments of population. Broken soldiers,
outlaws, poor immigrants living in bull
wagons, poured in. "Gone to Texas"
had sinister significance in the late
sixties. When the railroad got to
A bilene, Kan. the cowmen of Texas
found market for their stock and began
trailing their herds up through the In
dian country. Bands of outlaws organ
lied under the leadership of desperadoes
like Yves Hardin and King Fisher.
They rounded up cattle regardless OF
their owners rights, and resis tod inter-
ference with force. The poor man point
ed to his brand in the stolen herd and
protested. He was shot. The big town-
ers were unable to protect themselves
from loss. The property right was es-
talbished by the six-shootsr and honest
men were forced to the wall. In 1876
the property holding GLASSES went to the
Legislature, got it to Inappropriate 500,
900 year for two years, and the Ranger
force was reorganized to carry the law
into the chaparral. At this time many
judges were Ia league with bandits;
sheriffs were elected by the outlaws and
the electors were cattle steslers.'
The rangers were sworn to uphold the
laws of Texas and the United States.
They were deputy sheritfs, United States
marshals-in fact, were often vested with
any and every power, even to the extent
of ignoring disreputable sheriffs. At
81 how nd inr
tioner, when the difficulties demanded
extremes When a band of outlaws was
located, detectives Or fpies were sent
among them, who openly joined the
desperadoes and gathered evidence to put
the rangers on their trail. Then, in
the wilderness, with only the soaring
buzzard or prowling ooyot to look on,
the ranger and the outlaw met to fight
with tigerish ferooity to the death. Shot
and lying prone, they fred until the
pRlsied arm could emo sslonger raise the
six-shooter. and justice was satisfied os
their bullets sped. The captains had tho
selection of their .nen, and the right to
discharge at will. Only
men of irreproaohable character. who
were riders and dead shots, were
taken. The spirit of adventure filed the
ranks with the most prominent young
men in the state, and to have been
rangersis badge of distinction In Texas
to this day The display of anything but
a perfect Willingness to die under any
and all circumstances was fatal to a
ranger, and in course of time they got
the "morale'' on the bad man. Each one
furnished his own horse and arms, while
the state gave him ammunition, grub"
one dollar day, and extra expenses.
The enlistment was for twelve months.
A list of fugitive Texas criminals was
place in his hands, with which Ee was
expected to familialize himself. Then,
in small parties, they packed the bedding
on then mule, they hung the handouts
and leather thongs about Its mock, sad
died their riding ponies, and threaded
their way into the chaparral. From
T