New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-21
BOLD TEXAS RANGERS.
Ready to Die for the Sake of
Order.

"A man so brave that he would charge hel. with
a bucket Of water" That's the way Major Block
SON. OF the United States army. described William
]. Mcdonald captain of the Texas Rangers
For nearly quarter OF a century Mcdonald has
been IN the ranger service. Most OF the time he
has been the plains. He knows the great en-
pre between the Cimarron and the Rio Grande
and the Sabine and Pecos Ike home-stayiug
knows his front hall.
Tho service required OF this soldier Of peace Is
rs various as II is arduous- Is II riot in a lurn
Der camp-McDonald and his men are hurried
thence. Is it a chase for horse thieves or a band
OF lynchers-NcDonald and his men the
scene It's special train for Atkins then. Is it
q patrol OF range fences-the IoneUest job
earth-McDonald IS in IT, Wherever and whenever
the civil authority IS paralyzed. when anarchy
usurps the orderly procedure OF government, the
rangers have the job OF subduing the lawbreaking
and restoring order. 1t is 10 the credit OF the
rangers that they have never failed Yet. Through
out the state. among all classes OF Law breakers.
there a superstitious dread OF Mcdonald and his
band OF twenty
Seven years ago a farmer and his four boys were
lynched near Athens. Henderson County. Tex.
They suspected OF stealing hogs from their
neIShbors Local sympathy with the lynchers-
The county officials could not or would not arrest
tho offenders. Mcdonald and bib" Odds his
diminutye Lieutenant. were sent 10 investigate and
report
zone night about 10 o'clock We were all sitting
around the porch Of the hotel talking and smok-
ing" said an admirer OF the ranger chief. when
a up and whispered 10 Mcdonald Come
Bill said the ranger captain 10 Ods. we are
going out among them tonight So the two OF
them disappeared in the night. Along about
o'clock IN the morning everybody in the hotel was
awakened by hubbub in tho county Jail. not more
than hundred yards away We piled out and
70 the jail. TO find that Mcdonald ana ODDS
had just brought IN sixteen prisoners. Among them
were the most desperate men in the county.
." How did you do ito somebody asked Melon
aid
"'Oh he replied. laughing. / heard these fellows
were all Masons, and there going TO be
meeting Of the lodge. thought would go
and look IN. Odds stayed the outside to
that nobody got out OF the windows and went
IN to talk TO the boys. They We're all there. When
tho meeting over I told the outfit that the
Sheriff wanted to talk tc them about this lynching
case. and they had better come down TO the Jail
and square themselves Then they came
but didn't any OF them resist and draw gum
asked a tenderfcot.
II believe there was something OF the kind
replied Mcdonald quietly. cone two OF them
did seem 10 want TO get ObstreperOus and reached
back To get a gun flask. don't know which.
When told them they might get me. but I would
get OF them and the State of Texas would
get the rest IL seemed kind of cool them of.
They asked II they would be protected. and
when I told them they would be they surrendered
and here they are believe that's about ALL"
Nor would the faithful Odds add any trimmings
And after that. night after night. Mcdonald.
sngly or accompanied by Odds. rode through the
woods hunting up testimony, and not a shot was
fired
Again. there trouble upon the Canadian
Steers and horses disappearing with astonish-
Ing regularity. The ranger force was sent to
hunt down the thieves. Now. some sheriTs do not
like the presence OF The rangers IL cuts down
their fees and. besides. the rangers have an I'M
pleasant habit of arresting all Offenders. whether
they happen he friends of the sheriff or not
The Sheriff of ChIIders County sent Mcdonald
word 20 keep his men out OF that county. The