Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-01-27

ern prison many years before he was finally
released. Dave Culberson afterwards repre-
sented his district in congress and the boy he
defended eventually served the son, Charles
g. Culberson-then governor-now United
States senator from Texas.
1t is likely this bit of experience with hot
headed lawlessness and the result thereof
proved of immense value to young Mcdonald
From that time forward we find him a peace
maker, queler of disturbances a separator
of combatants, even at great personal risk.
After a brief sojourn at Longview he es-
tablished himself in Wood county at Mineola,
then newly established and busy railway ter
minus. This was in 1876 and his venture was
a success. Soon he was considered the lead
ing grocer of the town.
1t during this period that Mcdonald
made the acquaintance of James S. Hogg who
in later life, as governor of Texas, was to con-
fer his most useful official positon-that of
ranger captain-thus enabling him to do much
of the work which has identified his name
with the states constructive history. Hogg
then young man, was Justice of the peace at
the county seat, Quitman, a few miles distant
from Mneola, and was also conducting a pa
per there. He bought his groceries of Nc
Donald and the account ran along in go-as
you-please sort of way They were good
through Hogg that young Mcdonald met Miss
Rhoda Isabel Carter, young woman with fine
nerve and force of character-just the girl for
Texas regulators wife. And such, in due
time, she was to become, for he married her
in January, 1876. His friendship for Hogg
continued for some time after that but came
to sudden end one day, when Hogg, who had
been elected county attorney, with character
istic conscientiousness prosecuted Mcdonald
others CARVING 1a1
McDonald's possession of such a wapon hav-
ing been revealed by his aiding in the capture
of a gang of boisterous disturbers of the peace.
Mcdonald rose and defended his own case de-
clarng he had quit business to do his duty as
a good citizen and that he would stay in Jail
the balance of his days before he would pay
fine.
With his usual frank fearlessness, he said
some hard things to Hogg in the presence of
the court, and though discharged the two were
est for a considerable period. Then a
truce " -.ned up but only for a time.
But now came Bill McDonald's first official
appointment and service. Living just outside
of Mineola was man named Gordon, of hard
character and the owner of several bulldogs,
similarly endowed. Man and dogs became q
menace to travel in that neighborhood, as they
lived near public road and were allowed at
large. The man was particularly quarresome
and ugly and was said to have killed several
more or less inoffensive persons He always
carried arms - the customary pistol and a
bowie knife, the latter worn in a scabbard
down his back" He was an expert at throw
ing this weapon and altogether terror to the
community. Bill Mcdonald would naturally
resent the domination of a man like Gordon
and when one day the latter came to town
with one of his unruly dogs and the dog set
upon and injured McDonald's priced pointer
there was trouble active and immediate Nc
Donald's reputation as a good man to let alone
was already established at Mineola. He was
known as capable marksman-fearless, 'reso-
lutte and very sudden. When, therefore, he
produced a siX-shooter for the avowed purpose
of killing the bulldog, it's master who, like
every bully by trade, was a coward at heart
interceded humbly for the dogs life promising
10 take the animal home and leave him there
Mcdonald agreed to the arrangement, but for
the benefit of the community at large he
promptly applied to Sheriff Pete Dowell for
commission as deputy, in order that in future
he might restrain officially the obnoxious Cor
don and others of his kind. The commission
was promptly conferred and thus Bill Jess Nc
Donald, quietly and without any special mani
fest, stepped into the ranks of Texas official
regulators, where in one capacity or another,
he was to serve so long and well.
But however quiet his enlistment, his SER
vice was to be of another sort. Those were
not quiet days, and the officer who set out to
enforce the law was apt to become a busy per-
son. Gordon very soon appeared again in
Mineola, and after investing in a good deal of
bad whisky went on the warpath fourishing
siX-shooter and giving out the information that
nobody could arrest him. He in the very
midst of militant harangue when Deputy
Mcdonald suddenly appeared on the scene and
before Gordon could gather himself he was, by
some magic twist of the wrist" dsarmed
arrested and on the way to the calaboose. He
demurred and resisted, but slept that night
behind lock and bars. Next morning he re-
fused breakfast and demanded release Dep
uty HcDonald left him in mixed condition of