Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-16
BOSS of Texas" and Guard
of President Wilson Dead

The last presidential campaign chose
nm az his own personal bodsguard.
life OF Adventure.
His life could furnish tho material
tor a score OF novels OF the wild west
ern type and in all headquarters OF the
rangers and among the old policemen
in Texas cities, remlniscences OF "Bill"
Mcdonald were rife tonight.
His first noiorlety outside OF Texas
came when-ho undertook the enforce
nent OF state law eXncting 1000
License fee for each circus perform
AnCe la the state. The clrcuses under
took TO defeat the spirit OF the law
by piVlng A continuous performance In
whatever cities they showed, thus pay.
ing only one fee. Mcdonald followed
one ~ the largest and In each cty
showed, obtained an attachment TO
some important feature os It's
ncnngcrie until he had acquired most
" its animals. The circus capituiated
and paid the tax. but the interference
with its amusements irked the Texans
and enforcement OF the law became so
unpopular II was dropped. =
solved Condiit Murder.
Mcdonald solved the Conditt muir
der in 1905 when Mrs J. i. Conditt
Of Edna. jackson county her daugh-
tors, Jessie and Mildred, and two sons,
, Hers he'll and Joseph, jr were Killed
with an AZ. For two years he worked
apparently with no leads until IN 1907,
three negroes were hanged for the
murders.
He also placed In the state penlton-
tiniy fur life eight men convicted on
his evidence OF the Humphreys II lynch
NWaHH "a a.
his iWo sons George and John, were
found hanging 10 a limb of a tree In
ihe thick woods ~ what was known as
the Tlnns-Cedar country. Mcdonald
was then captain OF the state rangers
ana for more than a year stayed with
his ltSlsuit OF the lynchers untu the
eight we're convicted. three turning
states evidence. II was the only mob
ever convicted OF crime OF the Kind
f, In the state OF reXas.
Chosen D, Wilson.
Mcdonald was chosen United States
| marshal by the direct desire of Presi
dent Wilson, Texas politicians say, and
| some OF them add the protest that he
mad never served the Democrat,
PARTY In its campaigns and that he
never was politician. He was tn,
! personal choice. IL was said, of Col r.
| NJ. House, the presidents close friend
and diplomatic manager. and wa,
named by Colonel House as the mar
best fitted rs assure President Wi
sons safety during his l9tcst cam
paigi Mcdonald was introduced I,
President Wilson and his family b'
Colonel House ana was at once chosei
az his bodyguard,
While captain Of the rangers, Me
Donald took q prominent part In th'
brownsville negro raids and mis- nam'
was carried To Washington at tina
II inNe stigauon into the Brownsville
raids, Mcponald's namS7was a promi
ncnt fentuie OF the testimony
would Charge Hell"
who is this IAN Mcdonald tha
seems to boss all over TcNas?' aske,
Senator Foraker. at that time mem
ber of the committee conducting tn
, examination.
Hes the man who would charg
ncll with a bucket OF water" was tn
reply OF member OF the Texas ueiu
CATION who was al hand and u was II
the man who stood ready TO charg
any task with whatever weapons h.
had In hand that Captain Mcdonald
OF the Texas rangers was best know
in the southwest.
Ho was born in Kemper county
Mississippi In 1852. graduated from
soule's college I'm New orleans I'm 1871.
and In 1876 married Miss Rhoda lisa
belle Carter OF Wood county. Texas.
funeral services win be held her'
tomorrow AT 1880 and the body VII
he shipped td Quanah. his home. OF
the afternoon train for interment