The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-03-22


already a well defined issue in the
Democratic campaign for the Govern
orship and the matter promises to be
thrashed out on the stump and in
the public prints before the next reg
ular session of the Legislature con-
venes. That the Rangers performed
yeoman service in Kidding the from
tier and Rio Grande border of desper-
ate outlaws in the early history of
the State and have to their credit
perhaps more deeds of bravery and
daring than any other body of men
of like number is unquestioned 1t is
argued that Texas is now so civilized
that the Rangers are no longer
needed.
This little standing army was Gre
ated in the early days when the
sparsely settled regions and the re-
mote frontiers of the State were the
rendezvous of a veritable horde of
criminal refugees. The official name
which the creative act of the Legisla-
ture gave to this military force was
the Frontier Battalion. 1t was in
tended, and long served, for the pro-
lection of the ranchmen and other
settlers of the border territory along
the Rio Grande and in the more west
ern part of the State. In addition to
their work of running down outlaws.
including murderers, thieves and
smugglers, the Rangers were one of
the chief factors in Kidding Texas Of
hostile bands of Comanche, Lipan and
other Indians, particularly during the
early '70's.
When the Rangers had cleared out
the worst of the outlaws and driven
back the raiding Indians new settlers
poured into the reclaimed territory
and railroads began to head in that
direction. The work of the Rangers
then took on change. They had
killed or captured most of the old
time refugee murderers and greatly
reduced smuggling operations be-
tween the United States and Mexico,
but the cattle thieves still gave them
plenty to do. Then came an occa-
siOnal stage robbery, and, with the
upbuilding of railroads, the robbing
Of trains was for many years a fire.
quent occurrence. The Rangers were
ever ready to take up the chase after
this class of criminals, and in most
cases they were successful in the man
hunts.
Now Work i'm Towns.
OF late years, however. the Rang
ers have had little to do at hunting
cattle thieves and other robbers.
They have been kept busy with diff
1T - L., III
duties, instead of being confined to
the ranch territory and along the
Mexican border, now take them into
the larger towns and more populous
counties, where they seek to enforce
the law against gambling and other
evils. They are especially vigorous in
breaking up dives and preventing the
sale of liquor in local option districts.
1t is said by many persons that the
day of the Rangers usefulness is over
and that the men are now used to per-
form the functions that properly be-
long to the sheriff and other local
peace officers.
1t was during the quarter of a cen
fury following the close of the Civil
War that the Rangers were utilized
most effectually in the effort to rid
the State of the lawless element. The
force numbered in those days from
sixty to one hundred mounted men.
At present the force numbers forty
men. In most instances the Ranger
is q product of Texas or the South
west. Occasionally recruit is had
from the North or East, but It is an
inyariable rule that the man who en-
ters the service must be of good moral
character and a dead shot He must
also know how to ride like a Co
manche and be possessed of wonder
full power OF endurance.
The daring deeds of the Rangers
were of almost everyday occurrence
in the early days. They roved the
unbroken Wilderness at will and were
a law unto themselves. The reports
which the captains of the respective
companies made to the adjutant gem
erals department were almost with
out exception brief and TO the point
In the archives of the department are
many of these short stories of great
human trials and tragedies.
IOl0 OF sons Death.
Many of the reports tell of battles
with Indians and long chases after
the willy redskins Captain II. J..
Richarz, commanding Company u of
the Frontier Battalion, made a brief
report to the Acknowledgement i'm De-
cember, 1870. which contains a mere
mention OF the killing of his son. also
a Ranger, by Indians. He says:
During the night of December 8
my guide, whom / had sent toward
Eagle Pass road 20 meet spy. re-
turning to my camp. informed me
that another band of Indians had APP
peared near my post at Fort Inge fin
Overwhelming numbers. had attacked
two of my Rangers at the Blauco
River, sixteen miles east of Fort Inge.
and had killed them The names of
I the dead Rangers are Walter Richarz
/ (my SOM and Joseph RIM Another
band. the Kickapoos, had been seen
I near Uvalde, riding i'm the direction
of the Frio River.
THE grass is getting worse every
/ day and as the tribes. protected by
the Moxicans, have "a secure base of
operation of two hundred and fifty
miles long. watching my movements
having distinctly and formally mott