Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1907-06-15
TEXAS GUN FIGHTER.
Capt. Mcdonald, Who Figures
In Brownsville Inquiry.
HOW HE OowED A DETERMINED MOB

Prisoner Safe While He Guarded the
Jail, Says senator CuIberson In Re-
IatinK a Few Occurrences In the
Captains Life-Dcsperate Pistol Du-
Ell at Close Range In which He
Won, Though Fenrfully wounded.
Captain Bill Mcdonald. the Texas
ranger who figures consplcuously In
the inquiry into the acts Of the negro
soldiers involved in the Brownsville
riot, Is mentioned In Major Blocksom's
report as the man who would charge
hell with a bucket of water" Senator
J. B. Foraker questions Captain Nc
Donald's courage by lntimating that he
was more Of an intriguer than fighter,
and Senator Charles A. Culberson of
Texas upholds the captains courage.
In his committee room to some friends
he recently told a few occurrences in
McDonald's career showing his ability
to take care of himself If Senator For
aker ever sought to crafty his curios-
ity about the captain, says Washing
ton special dispatch to the New York
Times.
One story about McDonald's action
In defending a prisoner from a mob
bent on lynching was illustrative of
Mr.. Culberson's statement that never
In the history of the Texas rangers had
a prisoner been taken away froNl one
of them by a mob. Mcdonald was
appointed captain Of the rangers on
Culberson's suggestion, and when Gull
berson became governor of Texas he
renewed the appointment. That was
about twelve years ago.
One day two men robbed the bank
at Wichita Falls and shot the cashier.
The case was turned owed to Melon
aid. The ranger captain. with few
men, captured one thief and killed the
other The prisoner was taken back
to Wichita Falls and put in Jail. The
town was greatly excited, and the dis
trict judge telegraphed to Governor
Culberson asking to have Captain Nc
Donald, who had charge of the jail In
the sheriff's absence, specially warned
to protect his prisoner. The governor
just before mob appeared in front of
the jail. It was a mob bent on bust
ness, and 1t came in broad daylight.
Mcdonald went out on the gallery
In front of the JAIL" said Senator Gull
berson, carrying a rifle and l don't
know how many guns In addition to
his usual arsenal. He was close to the
mob and above 1t. He brought his
rife forward, ready for use, and shout
ed out to the mob: I'm here to protect
this prisoner. l have special orders
from the governor to see that he gets
a fair trial, and I'll protect his life
with mine. If you get him you've got
to get me first. You can do that, but
I'll get some of you before you do 1t.
The first man that puts a foot on that
jail step, by God, I'll kill! Now, you
get outy
'They did get out, and Mcdonald
was left alone after that. 1t was four
or five days before the sheriff came
back, and meantime the excitement
had died out, so that the judge thought
1t would be safe for Mcdonald to go
back home aAd that danger Of lynch
Ing was over. Mcdonald turned his
prisoner over to the sheriff and took
the train for home, but before he had
gone thirty miles a mob took the pris-
oner from the sheriff, hanged him to a
4aln0ror1h Y1n1n in hA 80 h.
town and filed him full of bullets"
Another story was about a fight Nc
Donald had with Sheriff Matthews of
Childress county, who had been anger
ed with him because the ranger had
been sent into the county to clean up
work that the sheriff couldn't handle.
There were hard words between the
two men about 1t, and finally Matthews
went up to Quannah, the headquarters
Of Mcdonald, and the men met on the
street. They caught sight of each
other at distance of 200 or 800 feet
and walked straight up to close quar-
tiers. When they We're within a few
feet of each other Matthews said:
1--WE might as well come to an I'M
about this matter right
now, Mcdonald"
"All right" responded the ranger;
arm ready"
That sort of an understanding be-
ing a gun fight, both men drew their
pistols in an instant and began fight
ing. The citizens of Quannah looked
on from safe vantage and presently
saw the combatants enveloped in q
ring Of smoke. Out of this fog of fight
ing Mcdonald presently emerged
walked to the edge of the sidewalk and
sat down. Matthews sat down on the
walk where the fight had taken place.
Both were desperately wounded, and
Matthews died in few hours, after
messages of reconciliation had been
exchanged with Mcdonald.
II knew Matthews was dead shot,"
Mcdonald afterward said to Culber-
son, land that II didn't get him right