The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1914-12-30
T|LGHMAN ASKS
STATE RANGERS
Old Fighter Wants Bill Passed
10 Rid the State Of Its
Outlaw Bands.
ARE GROWING IN NUMBERS
Oklahoma Is Being Given q Bad
Reputation BY Frequency
Of RObberleS.
ARE GROWING IN NUMBERS

"oklahoma IL being given n bad
reputation abroad by the frequent
bank robberies, said william M.
Tilghman todny Unless steps are
taken soon the reputation u the state
ls likely to grow worse
1llghman Is one II the men who
once drove the train aud bank rob. |
bcrs out Of this section lie was nor
many years one of the deputy United
Stbtss mnrshnls aud sinCe that time
haY held the office " sheriff of Lin |
coin county. Later WAS chief Of po- |
lice In this city.
Two years age Tilghman proposed
~ the Legislature that an apprOpria
tlcn be made tu provide for state
rangers In Oklahoma, In practically
tll same way that II IL done IN Texas,
Arizona and New Mexico. He VIII
make the same proposition this year
aud expects to have behind him the
united support OF every banker IN the
stnte.
''The high rate Of bank insurance IL
today THE state hanks have enough
10 contend with now without the al.
dltion Of organized hands Of robbers
going about and looting them.
"The evolution of the bandit in this
state IN on a progressive scale Arrer
the Old.time gangs were broken M we
had no more for long time, hut now
they are coming M again. They first
robbed an Isolated hank here and
there. Then the robberies became more
numerous and now the outlaws are be
coming bold
Would Organize State Rangers.
The next step In the life u ths
bandits who are growing IN numbers
here viii be train robberles and there
may come o time when people will
again avoid this section. fearing the
traip they are on will be held up and
rohhed' That was the case al one
time.
propose 10 ask the lseislsture
asAfn Al this session to make nm mn.
proprat'on and pass n lay for the or.
Esnisanon cf the Oklahoma Rangers.
my idee would he 10 have them scar.
tered over the state and ready 10 no
at moments notice. They would he
under the direction Of n captain 10.
Gated at central point and lleuten.
ants In different sections Of the
state.
'As soon rs there was hank rob.
bery-hnd there will be others---the
rangers nearest the scene would go on
the trall. The others, or AZ many M
were necessary. would close in from
different sections. That would mako
u practically impossible for the OUT.
laws TO escape.
The prosperity Of Texas and the
met that II II not now reDdezvona
Tor outlaws are due 10 the efficient
work OF the rangers. n Is the same
IN Arizona and New Mexico. The ont
laws are not permitted TO exist there
Ihe rangers 20 after them and yat
them. The same thing could no done
In Oklahoma.
Legislature Is to Blame
u want 10 say right here" con.
tinued Tilghman. that the Legislature
" In a measure 10 blame for the con.
ditlon that exists don't mean the
pfesept Legislature hut the one that
PASSED the law preventing the railroads
from furnishing free transportation 70
sheriffs IN this state.
The day that law became effec
tive the outlaws knew they were prac-
ticnllv safe After they have robbed
bank they know that the sheriff will
not spend any large sum In railroad
trnnsportatlon In pursuit. He cannot
afford 70 do ~. In some counties
tLc sheriff would come ont far he.
hind at the end of the year II he had
~ pay the railroad transportation Of
himself and posse In pursuit Of bank
robbers
"Given free transportation, II would