Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-01-24
thieves; in the interior they drove the
road agents under cover.


company of rangers which covered q
territory as large ao two or three ordi-
nary states. They were a flying squad.
ron that rode fearlessly into any kint
of trouble where duty called them, and
their battles with the Indians, the law
less white men and MeXicans were sc
numerous they We're in almost constant
active service for three or four years
So much was Captain Hall feared by
those who had reason to dread the
ranger service that numerous attempts
were made to assassinate him.
In 1892, when the late General Shat
ter, then a colonel, was in command OF
Fort Bliss, near Ell Paso, Captain Hall
and his command were camped near
the fort For several months band of
Mexican cattle and horse thieves had
been raiding across the border, stealing
korses and cattle and keeping the
ranches in state Of terror. The band
numbered 81 of the most desperate and
5loodthirsty outlaws in the great Mex
lean state Of Chihuahua, and Captain
Hall was assigned to put an end to
their deprcdations. He went about To-
eating the outlaws in n way peculiarly
of the outlaws, and. through him learn
ed that the outlaws had a camp in the
Chihuahua mountains, about 40 miles
due south of Ell Paso. The camp was a
natural fertilization, and it teemed
with stolen horses and cattle taken
from the American side of the border
Colonel Shafter and Captain Hall
were great cronies.l Hall went to head
quarters at Fort Bliss and told Shafter
he knew where the Mexican outlaws
had their camp and that "he had a
mind to go and get EN-"
Don't do that, Lee, it would be a
violation OF international law; get them
some other way, but on this side of the
river" Colonel Shafter told the ranger
captain.
Hall gave the soldier to understand
that he would see that the information
al aspect of the affair was kept in mind
and about an hour before sunset left
Fort Bliss and joined his own COM
mand not far from Ysleta, little town
about 12 miles east of FL Paso.
Saddle up, boys-we are going to
take ride tonight Hall said to his
men. That night so rangers crossed the
river They rode as rangers can ride
and followed the trail through an un-
known country with the skill of a
plains Indian. At I o'clock next MORN
ing they were outside the stronghold of
the outlaws. Hall placed his men in a
Gordon around the camp and at day
light the battle began. 1t lasted an
hour and when 1t ended every outlaw
was dead.
Hall rounded up the stolen cattle and
horses, and at o'clock the rangers
started back fer Ysleta. In those days
the American army officers used to
hunt in Mexico, but never in uniform.
About five miles from the American
border Hall and his rangers met Shaf-
ter and number Of his officers. They
were hunting wild game.
Lee, what have you been doing?
thought told you it was against inter-
national law for you to get the outlaws
on this side of the river" said Shafter,
who knew when he saw the horses and
cattle what had taken place.
But, Colonel, l didn't get any Mex
leans. l left 'em where 1 found EN-"
Hal replied, and that was the end of
what was perhaps the greatest of the
ranger "invasions."
Thirty-five years ago there lived near
San Antonio an old man who subse-
qucntly proved to be the brains Of the
famous relay cattle stealing system"
The man had four sons and two daugh-
ters, the latter noted for their beauty.
So far as the outside world knew he
was entirely respectable. The rangers
knew differently. Cattle thieves would
take cattle and pass them north
through the relay stations to the In
dian territory, where the thieves in
charge of the northernmost station in
the system would dispose of them, and
later distribute the proceeds along
down the lire TO the old man at San
Antonio,
The man discovered that the rangers
knew of the game, and he decided to
get Hall before any damage could be
done. His daughters made eyes at
the famous ranger, and Lee fell a vic
tim-that is, he pretended tO-to rheir
charms. They announced one day that
they were going to give a dance in
honor of the ranger chief AS a matter
of fact, and Hall knew it, the dance
was arranged to slay him. On the
night of the dance, Hal, accompanied
by a single ranger, proceeded to the
ranch of the chief OF the relay sys-
tenn" AS he entered the room where
the dance was supposed to take place,
the women ran from the room, expect
ing that a fusillade Of shots would fol-
low. Hall walked up to the old man
and in an instant disarmed him. He
then proceeded to disarm each of the