Evening star., 1898-05-13
Sketch of the Man Who Made Texas
Habitable.
ROUGH RIDER AND HARD FIGHTER
His Day Of Usefulness Had Almost
Passed When War Came.
THAT FAMOUS CRED RIDE

southwest lot regiment OF COWBOYS ana
rangers for cavalry service in Cuba, to-
gether with the activity evinced by Adju-
tant General Mabry Of Texas in recruiting
to their full strength the half dozen COM
panies OF Texas Rangers for service in
guarding the Mexican frontier from the
threatened ravages of Mexican and Spanish
bandits during the present difficulty with
Spain, is reviving interest to no small de-
gree in that unique departure in Texas con-
stabulary. the Texas Rangers. In no other
section of the United States has there ever
been successfully organized and maintained
any officially recognized body Of desperate
hunters that even approached an equal of
the remarkable singularity and efficiency
Of these border tigers.
Their only possible parallel Is found in
the Canadian mounted police and the
mounted constabulary of South Africa.
Organized by Sam Houston.
The Texas Rangers originally were born
of necessity and were organized in 1896 by
Sam Houston. Then Texas was the re-
treat of all the worst characters in the
western country the Indians and MeXicans
were daily committing heinous depreda-
tions, and the necessity of some official arm
OF undisputed determination was the cry
ing need of the hour. Under Houstons able
and daring direction the rangers were not
long in gaining the universal respect of
each of these menacing elements, and
throughout the score of years Immediately
following their organization their work was
fast and furious and marked with de-
cisiveness little short of appalling.
In those days, as at present, the service
thoroughly organized and furnished
military equipment by the state, the rang
ers being competent not only to serve as
defenders of state and national interests,
but to act as well in other more local Off
cial capacities as sort of posse comitatus.
Throughout the earlier years of their exist
ence but little attention was given to the
trouble of making formal arrests. The
rangers acted very largely upon the prin-
ciple that the sooner the evil was eter-
nally removed the better for the state, so
killings were startlngly frequent in the
ranks of the law breakers. The result of
this long-continued policy is that the Texas
border is perhaps freer of desperadoes and
professional bad men and bandits than any
other frontier section of all the broad west.
That Red Ride"
Thirty years ago the entire Texas border
from El Paso to Brownsville on the gulf
was infested with an Incompatible collec-
ton of outlaws, while inhabited with two
peoples most beligerently inclined. Here is
one instance of the methods employed in
the wedding out of this desperate popula-
ton:
When Company + was stationed at
Brownsville Sergeant Parrot, who was an
amateur photographer, was sent UP the Rio
Grande valley upon secret mission.
Throughout the entire distance of several
hundred miles covered on this trip he was
overwhelmed with business. Photograph
ers were innovations in that wild country,
and the fever for photos rampant.
Even the most desperate characters, the
men most wanted by the rangers, caught
the infection and faced the camera. When
ever a man was accommodated his name
was asked and memoranda made on the
hack of the extra DhOto retained
Used n Fictitious Name.
Parrott used a fictitious name through
out. and when he returned to Brownsville,
four months later, he had the choicest gal
lery of outlaws ever collected in all the
southwest. After he had reported, de-
tachment of rangers were sent out led by
Lieutenant Armstrong under sealed orders
from Governor Coke. With them they car
ried the collection of photographs Parrot
had secured. They had Instructions, as it
later proved, to spare one on the list
furnished; nor did they. When they en-
countered one of the men wanted he was
asked his name. He usually lied with equal
promptness. Then recourse was had to the
photographs. If they tailed there was a
pistol shot, few struggles from the dying
man and the band rode away for other
game. If his relatives or friends CHANGED
to find him there was a burial; if not the
bronZe-tinged Mexican buzzards feasted
upon the carcass.
This raid, which extended from Browns
vile to Iona Vista, is yet referred to by
the older residents of the lower Rio Grande
valley as the red ride" and it is claimed
that there were in the neighborhood of one
hundred outlaws removed upon that oc-
caSiOn.
Only Handful Left.
During recent years the force of rangers
has been persistently decreased until at
present there is but a handful of the old
guard In active service Up to the date
of the recent call for return to the ranks
OF all the old rangers capable of rough work
there were perhaps less than seyenty-five on
the official roll. This is due entirely to their
early efficiency in drawing the lines that
have resulted of late in the general estab-
hshment of wholesale regard for law and
order all along the border. For more than
twenty years the everyday force was held
at six companies of 100 men each and let
tered A, B, c, d, E and f Companies In
those early days the composition of the
band rivaled the makeup of the famous
French forces in the Arab country of North
Africa.
Mingled with representatives of some of
the foremost families of America We're also
men whose desperate natures prompted an
acceptance of the dangers of a rangers life
simply from the pure love of perilous and
stirring excitement. The blood of the no.
bles of England, France, and Germany was
registered in the lists Of the rangers, and
some of the most respected and eminent
residents of the lone star state today are
graduates of this memorable school of from
tier reformation. During the earlier period
of their existence the principal campaigns
were directed against the Mexican bandits
marauders and cattle thieves the hostile
Comanche and other Indian tribes together
with their brilliant participation in the
Mexican war.
Features of Their Organization
Then. as now, the Texas rangers were
equipped with little regard to military laws
and customs beyond the feature of organ
izatiol. Discipline was necessarily foreign
to their natures as we'll as their unusual
duties.
The prime necessities for a ranger were
personal courage, tenacity of purpose, de-
c'sion, sef-reliance ard a necessarily cul-
tivated absolute stoicism. Skill with wea-
pens and expertness III horsemanship came
in the line of acquired accomplishments
fostered by sobriety ard increased by cool
lead. clear eyes and an iron nerve.
Regulation uniforms have never been rec
ognized. A ranger dresses as he pleases
and with far greater consideration for com
fort and the requirements of the country
he is to penetrate than to any affected
frontier style or notion. The usual outfit
Is 4 reversible coat of corduroy with an in
side lining that is waterproof, and in case