The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-05-12

Within a brief time the men were nearly all
back at work. doing better than ever before
At various other points Mcdonald or his
Rangers quleted the strikers and prevented
troubles Of various kinds Usually Captain BN
went alone II was his fayorite way Of han.
ding mob disorders as we have seen. It Is told
OF him in Dallas how he once came alone to
that city in response to a dispatch for a com
pany Of Rangers, this time to put down
prize fight.
Where are the others?" asked the dlsap
pointed mayor who met him at the depot
Hell, amt / enough was the response,
there's only one pIi,cnght'"
But tho san Saba affair was dfcrcn, mat.
ter. It was In 1897 that certain citizens OF
san Saba county pctItioucd the governor to
send Rangers to Investigate the numerous muir.
dcrs which had been committed I'm that local
ity-thc number Of assassinations then aggre
eating % within period Of ten years
In an earlier day n sort OF vigilance commit.
tee or mob had been organized to deal with
lawless characters but IN the course Of time
the usual things happened and the committee
itself became the chief menace of the commu.
nifty. Whatever worthy members II had orig
inally claimed either dropped out or were re.
moved and we're replaced by men who had n
UIlNbit grunge uEdlnBt II HclPnUOr, or desired
his property, or were fond OF murder on gen
eral principles In time this deadly organiza.
tion became not only social but political
factor. and as such had gathered into its grue.
some membership--aCtive and honorary--Coun.
ty officials ranging from the deputy constabu.
larry to the occupant Of the judicial bench. In.
deed, 1t seemed that majority OF the citizens
Of San Saba were associated together for the
purpose OF getting rid-either by assassination
or intimidation-of the worthler element Of the
community
This society of death was well organized II
had an active membership of about 800, with
obligations rigid and severe. Their meeting
place was a small natural pool Of water al.
most surrounded by hills. 1t bore the curious.
ly appropriate name Of "Buzzards Water
Hole" and here the Worthy Order of Assasslns
assembled once a month, usually during full
moon. TO transact general business and formu.
late plans for the removal of offending or su.
perfuous friends.
Members In good standing would make
known their desires, setting forth reasons why
citizens in various walks OF life were better
dead, and the cases were considered and de-
crees passed accordingly,
To break up the Buzzard's Water.Hole roost.
and to discourage It's practlses 10 and around
San Saba was the Job cut out for Bill Melon.
anu anu MS Hangers curing tue summer ana
fall Of 1897
Captain Mcdonald began the work by send.
ing over three of his men--John Sullivan, bud
Barker and Edgar Neil-to investigate. The
trail wound in and out in hundred directions.
and gathered in n regular knot around the seat
of justice. Perhaps there were town and coun.
~ officials who were not In the tolls OF tho
deadly membership, but II so they were not
discoverable. Sullivan promptly got into trou.
BILE with the sheriff by retailing a man whom
he found outside holding reception with his
friends, when the state had paid n reward for
his capture. Sullivan and the sheriff both drew
guns but were kept apart and the district
judge, who seems TO have been n sort CT hon
orary 'Buzzard." holding his office by virtue of
society favor, undertook to get rid of Sullivan
by sending him long way off after some wit
ness supposed to be wanted; though why they
should want any witness In court like that
would be hard to guess
Captain Bill himself now came down 10 look
over the field. lie had his hands full from the
start
Mcdonald interviewed the sheriff and the
county officials in general, and delivered his
opinions OF them, individually and collectively.