Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-04-23

On Friday February 10, Vergara
was invited to cross the border into Mexico, init
nations having been made to him that he could
learn about his lost property. He went at the
invitation of federal troops.
He did not return but for some time there
was little uneasiness about him. He knew the
country Whereabouts and his friends thought he
could take care of himself. Finally, as the time
of his absence grew longer, an investigation was
started first by Texas and then by the American
government. Not much came of it except that
Mr. Garrett, consul of Neuvo Laredo reported
that he believed the American had been
dered
Reports began to drift across to the United
States side of the river that a man answering
the description of Vergara had been seen hang
ing by the neck the outskirts of Hfdalgo,
little Mexican town five miles from Vergara's
ranch. Later, Mexcans told that they knew
where Vergara's body had been buried-in the
old cemetery at Hidalgo.
No definite action having been taken to procure
the body in far either government was
concerned, the friends Of Vergara grew somewhat
rritated. Gov o. B. CoIquitt of Texas asked
the American state department for permission to
send a company of his rangers across the border
to make more rigid investigation
Mr. Bryan notified Governor Colquitt that such
action could not be taken by one state-that it
strictly in the province of the federal govern
ment to undertake such deeds And the federal
government did not undertake the matter
On the morning of Sunday, March 8, at three
o'clock, the body of Clemente Vergara was
brought across the Rio Grande by a party of
Americans and placed on American soil. Consul
Garrett was notified, and went to the place where
he had been told the body lay. 1t was there
No one seems to know who brought the body
back from the Mexican cemetery. All Governor
CoIquitt would say was
bOd1, md hove
All deny that the rangers recovered it-but no
one can offer reliable for thinking others
did it, according to those who have watched the
incident closely.
This incident has served to bring into the pub
lie eye what undoubtedly is the most picturesque
body of legalized fighting men in this country.
The Texas Rangers have no counterpart in the
world. Only forty in number, they are equal to
almost any emergency that may arise when it
comes to putting to test real fighting qualities.
The presence of one solitary ranger upon scene
of disorder and threatened lawlessness has in
innumerable instances been sufficient to quickly
restore peace and uphold the dignity of the law.
The ranger organization created about
forty years ago and was established primarily for
the purpose of frontier protection But Texas
longer has a frontier The ragged edges of civili
cation which once existed along the Rio Grande
border and in the vast plains country of western
Texas have disappeared. And the conquest of
rious and divers bands of outlaws, must be at
tributed largely to the exercise of unexcelled
bravery, endurance, and expert Workmanship on
the part of the brave bands of men who have at
different times comprised the ranger organization
In the old days the rangers had the distinction
of being the real gun-fghting men of the world
and this distinction still belongs to them. Their
methods of operation are different tod&y, how
ever although the little army of in
the states service is just brave and as expert
in the use of the rife and pistol in the time
when their chief occupation fighting bands of
depredatng Indians running down the bandits
of the borders.
A movement was started some months ago to
disband the rangers on the ground that their
services are no longer necessary and that they
are used chiefly to perform the duties that prop
erIy belong to the peace officers of the different
counties But the fact that they were the first
to be called upon when protection was demanded
in connection with the Mexican misunderstanding
has probably, put an end to this movement for
all time. Besides. Texans as whole have such
sentimental pride in the wonderful deeds of
vaIor of their rangers that it is doubtful If such