Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1918-08-22
TEXAS RANGER
KILLED BY
SMUGGLERS
T0MATES
CROSSING

Texas Ranger Joe Shaw. 26 years Of
age, was killed last night in what i known
a the Tomates Bend. on the Rio Grande
below Fort Brown. The Hing occurred
between eleven and twelve o'clodS when,
it j. believed Shaw and companion,
Ranger s. T. Chavez rode into party Of
smugglerS-
A. result Of the killing Captain ChaS
Stevens, commanding the company 10
which Shaw and Chavez belong has made
a complaint alleging murder against Man
uel. Francisco and Tele~foro Soils. Three
Of the men have been taken to the iIidal-
GO county jail and the other iS under
guard at the hospital where he j. suffer
Ing from bullet wound in the head.
Shaw. who has been in the service lit
tie over two months and Chavez were pa
trolling the bend, long notorious a. a
smuggling point. According 10 the account
of the affair a. given by Chavez they saw
men slipping through the brush ahead OF
them. The two rangers separated Ia keep
the men from escaping back 10 the main
road or across the Rio Grande.
1t IL believed the smugglers saw the Of
ficers coming, remained still in the brush
and when the range was sure opened fire
Shaw was shot through the left breast and
through the back. Both rangers returned
the fire When his companion was shot
Chavez also fell from the saddle as though
he too was killed.
After remaining quiet for some time and
hearing NO more from their assailants
Chavez mounted his horse and came into
Brownsville for assistance. A number of
peace Officers went at once 10 the scene
and Justice of the Peace H. J. Kirk was
summoned 10 hold an inquest over Shaw's
body.
When the posse arrived on the scene of
the murder a path beaten smooth by the
feer OF smdggler~, they separated and
started beating the brush in search of the
aSsailants. ln the wall of house nearby
a number of high power rifles were diSeov
cred. Inside the house Officers found
Manuel Soils with a bullet wound declared
by DR.. \. Pumarelo to have been recently
received. Soils told a rather confusing
story a. 10 how he had received his wound
and Judge Kirk ordered his arrest. On
searching the river bank Officers found I
quantity of merchandise and three pairs
of mems hhoeS. believed to have belonged
to members Of the smuggling band who
had escaped across the Rio Grande.
The body Of the murdered ranger wa-
brought 10 the MorrS undertaking e>tab-
li~hment in Brownsville and Captain Stev-
ems, who was ut Mercedes with the rest oi
his company was notified. Captain Stevens
and his men started at once for Browns
vile and took charge of the search. Fol
lowing hiS inventigaiion Captain Stevens
ordered the arrest Of the SoliS men and
swore ont complaint against them before
Justice Of the Peace II. J. Kirk. The mer
will be kept in Mercedes until the date fol
an examining trial i set.
The body of the murdered officer vii
be sent TO his family in lIarlingen for IN
ferment
The TomateS bend i located within tn,
city limits of Brownsville and has alway.
been thorn in the side Of peace and bor
der patrol Officers. The shots which end
ed Shaw'S life were heard plainly in tn
business district, bur not until Chave
arrived received no particular attention.
The affair of last night j. not the frs
clash ai this point TO occur recently Gus
toms Inspectors j. c. Adkins and Ere,
Tate were fred upon at the Tomates ben
a short time ago. The bullets came ;
close that dirt was sprinkled on thei
clothing.
---W