The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-06-20

frontier became so serious that well-organized
mounted police force became a vital necessity.
As a result early in that year the legislature
authorized the organization Of the Frontier Bat
talon of Texas Rangers and appropriated $780,
600 for their maintenance. This marked the be-
ginning Of the Texas Rangers as they have since
been constituted.
Governor Richard Coke called for $50 volun-
teers for the force and from them were formed
six companies of IS men each with John B.
Jones of COrsicana major in command. OF
this period in the history Of the organization,
Capt. James B. Gillett, who Joined it in 1875,
writes in his "Six Years With the Texas Rang
ers" yale University Press):
During the first six months of service nearly
every company in the battalion had an Indian
fight and some of them two or three The bat
talon finally cleared the Texas frontier Of the
redskins and then turned its attention to the
other pests Of the state-thieves, bandits and
fugitives from justice. In this work the Rangers
rendered service second to none and became In
an incredibly short time perhaps the most fam
and efficient body of mounted police in the
world
I'm the Is years from 1865 to 1883, the Texas
Rangers followed 12S Indian raiding parties and
fought the redskins in "a pitched battles. Dur
ing this same period they recovered 5000 stolen
horses and cattle and rescued three citizens car
ried off by the Indians. In this period Il rang
ers were killed. -. In the years 1SS9-1S90 the
rangers arrested 579 persons, among them 76
murderers.
-. This history disclosed record Of con-
tinuous duty throughout the half century of the
ranger battalon's existence in guarding the lives
the liberty and the property of Texas citizens.
And the Ranger has been content to perform
this duty unheralded and almost unsung. Per-
Torrance of duty, it matters not where it may
lead him, into whatever desperate situation
howsoever dangerous the thing demanded, has
always been the slogan of the organization. For
courage, patriotic devotion instant obedience
and efficiency, the record of the Texas Rangers
has been excelled by body of constabulary
ever mustered"
The history of the Texas Rangers, If told in
terms of the deeds of its individual members,
would fill many volumes. 1t would include the
stories of such men as Capt George W. Baylor,
"a perfect specimen of hardy frontiersman"
who also "a high-minded Christian gentle
man, who neither drank whisky nor used tobacco
and was as brave as it is possible for man to
be-; and Capt Bill Mcdonald, who is the hero
Of that classic story about the ranger who went
TO suppress riot In a town and felt sure that
one man could handle the situation because
"thar's just one riot amt thar 1t was also
Captain BiIl' who expressed the fundamental
philosophy of the organization-"No man in the
wrong can stand up against fellow that's in
the right and keeps on a-coming!"
That history would also include the deeds
of such modern opponents of that philosophy as
tall Capt "Bill" Sterling, Capt Frank Hamer
and -Smilin' Tom Hickman. For as recent
historian has said: To-day, as of old, the rang
ers maintain yigilant watch and ward over the
peace and welfare of the commonwealth OF
Texas a powerful influence in the mainte-
nance OF peace and order; and still, as OF old.
their arrival brings sense of relief and secur-
ity to the .lawabiding and a corresponding de
preston Of spirit to rie iawbreaker."
By Western Newspaper Union