The evening times., 1900-01-26
A FORMIDABLE TEXAS FEUD.
Two Thousand PartiSanS at Bnstrop
MnIcht.d hN- RnneraN.

AUSTIN. Tex.. Jan 26.-The town OF
BastrCp. the county scat Of the County Of
that name, twenty-five miles east of here,
is the rendezvous of nearly 1900 feudi-tS.
and they are being closely watched by TWO
companies of Texas Rangers. The occasion
OF the gathering is the trial Of the sixteen
men who are charged with the recent mur-
der Of Arthur Burford, the young son OF
Shelf BurfOrd. CT Colorado county.
he feud originated about ten years aeo
in Colorado county. 1t grew OIt OF poll
Tics and has already led 10 the killing Of
several men. Both factions to the feud are
Democrats. and there are but few men in
Colorado an1 the adjoining counties who
are not allied with one faction or the
other. With the killing Of the leaders in
the feud other men took their places. until
now the quarrel is known as the Reece-
Townsend feud. Some of the prominent
members CT the feud have their houses
guarded by armed men al night and walk
the streets Of Columbus, which is the seat
Q! the trouble, with an armed bodygCard.
II has been necessary to maintain a detach-
ment Of Rangers at Columbus for nearly a
year. The Rangers have a difficult time
in preserving order. They have prevented
further bloodshed al Columbus by keeping
the feudists dis2rmed and apart
When the Rangers first reached COlum-
bus, several months ago. they found two
factions to the number OF several hundred
preparing TO renew the conflict. Capt
W. J. Mcdonald. who was in command of
the Rangers went boldly into one of the
groups Of feudists, and demanded that they
surrender their guns to him. They refused
at first. but when he threatened TO place
every ono of them in jail they complied
with his request He and other Rangers
finally disarmed every man in the town,
and peace was restored.
The case against H. O. Townsend. one Of
the members of the feud. charged with the
killing of Sam Reece was transferred to
Bastrop or change OF venue. II came up
for trial about two weeks ago at Bsstrop
Several hundred witnesses belonging TO
each faction were present A large force
of Rangers was on hand and they dis
armed every man as he got off the train
Ia some unaCcOuntable way however
members of the Reece faction managed to
smuggle several guns into town and Sc
creted them in a saloon. They armed
themselves and waited in the saloon until
Arthur Burford and viii Clements came out
OF the courthouse and passed by the place
Without warning the two men were shot
down. Burford was instantly killed and
Clements dangerously wounded. Nearly all
the other feudists were in the courthouse
anu Ql0 mol near lne SnOOJlng. capt. J. *.
Rogers and his force of Rangers who were
guarding the courthouse. rushed into the
courtroom and before the crowd knew OF
the killing all of them had been placed in
Jail by the Rangers and kept there until
the excitement Quieted down.
There were sixteen indictments returned
against those who are alleged to have par
ticipated in the assassination of Burford
Their trial began yesterday. In addition !
10 Lao witnesses. who were subpoenaed to !
testify in the cases. there are several hun
dred friends and sympathizers of the feud- /
lists in the town. The Rangers are in COM |
plete control of the situation and no con. /
nict is expected unless the factions shceld /
succeed in getting hold of guns and ammu- |
milton. Adjutant Gen. Thomas Scurry is in 1
personal command of the Rangers. They
search every train passing through Bas- |
trop and no one is allowed to leave il |
without giving up his arms.