Texas Ranger Dispatch - Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum

Transcription

The
Issue 25, Winter 2008
Texas Ranger Dispatch
™
Magazine of the official Museum, Hall of Fame, and Repository of the Texas Rangers Law Enforcement Agency
19
6
Charges
against
G.W.Stevens
Colt Combat
Commander
14
Amy McNeil Kidnapping
35
Book
Reviews
13
I will be leaving this job with the knowledge
and appreciation that the citizens of Texas can
still count on that “One Ranger.” 5
Space
Cadets
Ricky B. Smith, District Attorney
21 Ranger News
26
Ed Gooding, Soldier - pt. 2
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Dispatch
Robert Nieman - Managing Editor (Volunteer, Museum Board)
Pam S. Baird – Technical Editor, Layout, and Web Design
Byron A. Johnson - Director, Texas Ranger Hall of Fame
Production
Team
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Rachel Barnett, Research Librarian, Texas Ranger Research Center
Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger
Dispatch
Issue 25, Winter 2008
C
Click on title to go directly to article.
Click on Texas Ranger emblem at top of article to return to Contents page.
Contents
4
5
6
13
14
19
21
27
Ask the Dispatch...........................................................Dispatch Readers
Letter from DA Smith to Chief Coffman..........................Ricky B. Smith
Charges against Captain G. W. Stevens.........................Eddie R. Matney
Space Cadets......................................................................Robert Nieman
Slick Alfred & the Amy McNeil Kidnapping....................Robert Nieman
The Colt Combat Commander.............................................David Stroud
Ranger News
21 New Ranger Company G Created
22 East Texas Peace Officers Association
23 Texas Ranger Association Foundation Board Meeting
24 Company C Qualifying
25 Kaufman TX Fall Fest 2007, Theme: Texas Rangers
26 Texas Ranger Stats 2007
Before They Were Rangers:Ed Gooding, Soldier, Pt. II ....Robert Nieman
Book Reviews
36 Sacrificed at the Alamo by Richard Bruce Winders
Review by.....................................................................Robert Nieman
37 Law on the Last Frontier by Sharon Spinks
Review by ........................................................................Glenn Elliott
38 Just Visitin’: Old Texas Jails by Joan Upton Hall
Review by .....................................................................Chuck Parsons
40 Stars of Texas (Series) by Judy Alter
Review by ............................................................................Nancy Ray
42 Policing the Great Plains by Andrew Graybill
Review by......................................................................Chuck Parsons
44 Amarillo: Story of a Western Town byPaul H. Carlson
Review by.....................................................................Robert Nieman
45 Wings of Change: Army Air Force Experience in Texas during WWII
by Thomas K. Alexander
Review by ............,.....Robert Nieman
O
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Ask the Dispatch
Ask
the
Dispatch
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Captain [Barry] Caver, Company E-Midland:
My compliments on your article in the current Dispatch about Sergeant
Burzynski. As I’ve traveled around the state this year promoting my Lone Star
Lawmen book, I’m often asked about today’s Texas Rangers. Of course, I ended
my book at 2000––seven years ago––so I’m not well posted on today’s Ranger.
But I always answer the question by saying they are greater and more professional
than ever and cite how Sergeant Burzynski blew open the Texas Youth Commission
scandal—blew it open by persistence in the face of inaction by the district attorney.
Everyone in every audience knows instantly who and what I’m talking about. And
as I tell of the Fort Davis standoff, I always say that Co. E in Midland is still
commanded by Captain Caver. Burzynski’s achievement, fully worthy of the
commendation quoted, reflects great credit on the sergeant and of course on his
company commander. My congratulations to you both. It also validates the praise
I hand to the 20th century Rangers in my book—praise that sometimes grates
against firmly held opinions.
Bob Utley
[Bob is the author of Lone Star Lawmen]
Contents and design of the Texas Ranger Dispatch™ are copyrighted by the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and other named copyright holders. Permission is granted to
print copies or excerpts for personal use and educational coursework. Commercial use or redistribution requires written permission from the Office of the Director, Texas Ranger
Hall of Fame and Museum, PO Box 2570, Waco, TX 76702.
4
DA Smith Letter
RICKY B. SMITH
District Attorney
December 19, 2007
Dawson County Annex Bldg.
609 North 1st
P. O. Box 08
Lamesa, Texas 79331
806-872-2259 office
806-872-3 174 fax
Chief Ray Coffman
Texas Rangers
5805 North Lamar Blvd
Austin, Texas 78752
Dear Chief Coffman:
I will soon retire as District Attorney of the l06th Judicial District of Texas. I have been prosecuting
felons in this part of the state for over 30 years. I give you that information so that you will know that I
speak with some knowledge of the topic that. I now address to you.
When I started in this business, my contact with the Rangers was by and through Ranger Charlie
Hodges from Midland. Charlie, in my opinion, could have been the poster Ranger for the “One Ranger”
tradition. Every case I asked Charlie to work was promptly done in a thorough and professional manner.
When he came into my office to tell me that he was retiring, I thought then that we were passing out of an
era that was the best of the Rangers. However, I had the honor of meeting and working with the next
generation of Texas Rangers, like Joe Sanders, Joe Hunt, Johnny Billings, and others, many of whom have
now retired, and I can say, without reservation, that the Ranger Service was in good hands with the
Rangers who succeeded Ranger Hodges.
For the last few years, I have come to know and appreciate the “new generation” of Rangers-Brad
Oliver, Don Williams, Juan Lozano, Todd Snyder, and others, and I want you to know that the Rangers
still stand tall and are the best that Texas or any other state has to offer in the field of law enforcement.
Brad just transferred to East Texas and I was sad to see him go. If I had a difficult case, I would call Brad
and he never once backed off. In lots of ways, he reminds me of Charlie Hodges-determined and dedicated.
Not too long ago, I asked Juan Lozano to track a child molester down and get his DNA. Local law
enforcement had been looking for the guy for over a year. Juan had his DNA within three days of my call.
A kidnapper fled our jurisdiction over seven years ago. I called on Todd Snyder to run him to ground when
no other agency was able to get the job done. Within two weeks, Todd had the felon out of New York City
and in one of our local jails. These stories are not the exception, they are the rule when it comes to this new
generation of Rangers. I am very proud of them, and I know that you must also be extremely proud of your
Rangers.
I will be leaving this job with the knowledge and appreciation that the citizens of Texas can still
count on that “One Ranger.”
Thank you and all Texas Rangers for the great job you do for Texas.
Sincerely,
Ricky B. Smith,
District Attorney
Contents and design of the Texas Ranger Dispatch ™ are copyrighted by the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and other named copyright holders. Permission is granted to
5
Capt. G.W. Stevens
Charges against
Captain G. W. Stevens
Company B, Frontier Battalion
October 1874
by Eddie R. Matney
Photos courtesy of the Fort Worth Public Library in cooperation with Eddie Matney. Photos are the only two known
to exist of G.W. Stevens. Full credits at end of article.
Around Wise County, people who are historically inclined have heard of pioneer George
Washington Stevens and hold his name in high regard. In 1855, he and his wife accompanied
the Jennings family from Alabama to Wise County, Texas. Stevens was twenty-four years
old. He later purchased a farm north of Decatur and donated an area of his land for a local
cemetery called Flat Rock, where he would be buried. Stevens became an outstanding citizen
of Wise County and was elected sheriff in 1870 and 1876.
When Indian raids became a problem in the late 1860s and early 1870s, Stevens was
ever ready to lead local citizens or county militia units in pursuit of the attackers. In 1872, he
was severally wounded in an Indian fight in Clay County after trailing the raiding party from
Wise County.
By the year 1873, the number of depredations from deadly Indian raids across the frontier
counties had become so severe that newly elected Governor Coke requested the legislature
of Texas to pass an act to combat the problem. This act, passed in April 1874, authorized the
formation of a battalion composed of six companies and was known as the Frontier Battalion.
Its mission was to cover a corridor from the Rio Grande River all the way north to the Red
River, hoping to intercept the raiding parties coming into the populated areas.
It comes as no surprise that Stevens, a man experienced in Indian fighting, was
commissioned as captain of the new Company B in early May 1874. Two other area men
were inducted: S. G. McGarrah as 1st lieutenant and Ira Long as 2nd lieutenant. John B.
6
Capt. G.W. Stevens
Jones of Navarro County, a Confederate officer in the late Civil War, was given the rank of major
and placed in overall command of the battalion, directly answerable to State Adjutant General
William Steele.
With all the battalion officers now selected, the adjutant general issued General Order #2,
which listed all the company commanders. It also gave instructions to the officers for the enlistment
of men into the companies. Among the instructions is this statement:
As it is expected that this force will be kept actively employed during their term of service only
sound young men without families and with good horses will be received.
Note that the adjutant general’s orders were to enlist only “sound young men without families.”
This order will be of some importance later in this article.
On May 16, 1874, seventy-two men were enlisted and mustered into Company B at the little
settlement of Decatur. The term for the men was for one year or less.
The company moved to its assigned area in the western part of Young County. Each company
captain proceeded with Major Jones’s order by sending out scouting patrols of two to three men
daily. One patrol rode north while another rode south, each going halfway to the nearest company.
By this method, the trail of any intruding Indian raid parties would be discovered. Approximately
every two weeks, a much larger patrol of twenty to thirty men would set out on scouts lasting
several days, sometimes covering more than 100 miles over the surrounding frontier counties.
Company B’s first action occurred on July 9, when Corporal J. W. Newman lead a small
detachment north into Archer County. The unit was attacked by a war party for several hours, but
it sustained no injuries.
On July 12, Captain Stevens, the visiting Major Jones, and Jones’s escort led part of the
company in a major fight with a Kiowa and Comanche war party that was over one hundred
strong. The conflict occurred in an area of Jack County known as Lost Valley, and two men in the
company were killed.
Through the next months and into October, the men of Company B gave excellent service.
The longer patrols were directed by one of the three officers or sometimes by a sergeant or
corporal. A study of the monthly company return and scouting report for that period seems to
indicate that Lieutenant McGarrah led more than his share of the three lengthy patrols that were
made.
On October 1, 1874, Captain Stevens guided twenty-four men on a scout north into Clay
County and over into Wise County. They returned through Jack County to base camp on October
5. On the same day of his return, Stevens moved his company from Young County into the
western edge of Jack County.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant McGarrah left camp on October 3 with five men. They scouted to
Jacksboro, advanced northwest 15 miles, and then returned to camp on October 6. On October
10, McGarrah again rode out, this time with thirty-six men. This group then began perhaps one of
the longest scouts ever made by members of Company B.
The patrol scouted north to the Red River, up to the Pease River, along the Pease River for
35 miles, and then east to the Wichita River. Next they traveled south to the Brazos River and
then east to Salt Creek in Young County. The men finally returned to camp on October 23 after
covering a total of 303 miles. They now formed a well-oiled unit, performing the duties visualized
by Major Jones and his superiors.
7
Capt. G.W. Stevens
For some time, this writer has been researching the history of Company B, covering the
period of 1874 and 1875. When I requested additional information from the Texas State Archives,
they included documents that they believed I might find of interest. It came as a great surprise
when I read one of the photocopied documents entitled, “Charges and Specifications against
Capt. G.W. Stevens.” Strangely, these charges were levied against Stevens by his second-incommand, 1st Lieutenant S.G. McGarrah.
As battalion commander, Major Jones was often “in the saddle.” He rode a circuit of his
companies in order to keep abreast of their welfare, make necessary changes, and check that
the companies were doing their required duties. In late October 1874, Jones and his escort rode
into the campsite of Company B, located in western Jack County. While visiting there, he was
apparently presented the document of charges by Lieutenant McGarrah. It reads as follows:
Charges & Specifications preferred against
Captain G.W. Stevens Co. B Battalion Charge
Violation of Gen. Order No. 2 A.G.O.
State of Texas dated day of A.D. 1874
Specification 1st
In this that he the said Capt. G. W. Stevens Co. B Battalion Texas Rangers did receive
into his Company the following named persons who were at the time of said entry into
service encumbered each and every one of them with a family viz: J. J. Boyd, J. W.
Glap, J. D. Collins, R. Norris, and Moses Myer.
The said Captain G. W. Stevens being at the time of said entry into service cognizant
of the fact that these men were so encumbered with families.
All this in the County of Wise State of Texas on or about the 15th day of May A.D.
1874.
Specification 2d
In this that he the said Capt G. W. Stevens Co. B Battalion Texas Rangers did receive
into his Company certain individuals hereinafter named who at the time of said entry
into service were physically disabled from active service by reason of rupture: V.
Johnson, A. B. Cartwright, and David Maiming.
The said Capt. G. W. Stevens being at the time of said entry into service cognizant of
the fact of such physical disability.
All this in the County of Wise, State of Texas on or about the 15th day of May A.D. 1874.
S. G. McGarrah
1st Lieutenant Co “B” Frontier Battalion
Texas Rangers
The reader must speculate that after reading the charge sheet, Major Jones had a meeting
with the officers and the men who were named in the document. As a result of the meeting or
perhaps because of Lieutenant McGarrah’s filing charges against his superior officer, Major Jones
recommended to Mr. McGarrah that he resign from the battalion. Thus, Lieutenant McGarrah
wrote the following statement:
8
Capt. G.W. Stevens
Jacksboro, Jack Co. Texas
Oct. 29th 1874
General Wm Steele
Adgt. Genl
Austin
Sir:
I have the honor to tender to the Governor my resignation
As 1st Lieutenant of Co “B” Frontier Battalion.
S. G. McGarrah
1st Lieut. Co. B, FB
Major Jones then wrote on the back of the
resignation:
Headquarters Frontier Battalion
Jacksboro Oct. 29th 1874
Respectfully forwarded.
I have accepted this resignation, to take effect on
the 5th of Nov. subject to the approval of the governor. It was tendered at my suggestion.
Captain G. W. Stevens
in later years.
John B. Jones
Major Comdg
Having completed his inspection of the company, the major then rode out to continue his tour
of other companies along the line. Sometime in November, he was camped in Menard County,
approximately 100 miles northwest of Austin. Evidently wishing to send Mr. McGarrah’s document
of charges directly on to Governor Coke, Major Jones wrote the following notation on the backside
of the document:
Headquarters Frontier Battalion Camp on Elm Cr.
Men and Co.
Nov. 20th 1874
Respectfully forwarded for the consideration of his Excellency the Governor.
I know nothing of the facts in this case except that there are several married men in the
company now. I have already discharged two on account of their having families needing
their attention at home. I discharged Victor Johnson also, on account of physical disability
(hernia) which is said to have existed prior to his enlistment
John B. Jones
Major Comdg. Fron. Batt
9
Capt. G.W. Stevens
Having been received in Austin, someone then wrote on the backside of the document:
Jones Jno B.
Major frontier Bat
Transmits with remarks, charges, & specification preferred by Lt S. G. McGarrah against
Captain G. W. Stevens, (both of Co “B” frt Bat) also answer of Capt Stevens & 4 affidavits in
the case.
Unfortunately, the Texas State Archives do not have Captain Stevens’s reply or the four
affidavits in its files. It would be very interesting as to their content.
Governor Coke accepted the resignation of Lieutenant McGarrah, and on November 5, 1874,
Mr. McGarrah left the battalion.
By the middle of November, the state treasury had found that it was unable to keep paying as
large a force as the Frontier Battalion at its current strength. Governor Coke, who was commander
and chief of the Frontier Battalion, Rangers, and State Militia, instructed the adjutant general to
write the following:
Austin, Nov 25, 1874 General
Order NO. 8
Major John B. Jones will proceed without delay, to reduce the force of the Frontier Battalion
as follow, viz:
Companies A,B,C,D,& E to
1 Lieutenant
2 Sergeants
3 Corporals 25 privates Company F to
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant 3 Sergeants 3 Corporals 37 Privates
The reduction will be made by discharging all, over the specified number.
By command of the Governor
Commander in Chief
William Steele
Adjutant General
As a result, Major Jones issued an order on December 9, 1874. It required the reduction of
captains and enlisted men in his battalion.
Captain Stevens continued to lead the company until December 26, when he was given a
written honorable discharge. Lieutenant Long, in turn, was elevated to 1st lieutenant and placed
in command of the company.
The reader might ask, as does this writer, “Why did Lieutenant McGarrah choose to submit
this document of charges against his commanding officer?” One hundred and thirty years after
the event, the answer may not be forthcoming. However, some thoughts may be considered:
A. By researching service records from May through October 1874, it would appear that the
three officers ran the company properly and without conflict.
10
Capt. G.W. Stevens
B. Major Jones, throughout the years he commanded the Frontier Battalion, usually supported the decisions that his company commanders made.
C. Major Jones was known, however, to quickly correct or discharge an enlisted man or
officer for conduct regarded as detrimental to the battalion.
D. Major Jones requesting Lieutenant McGarrah’s resignation suggests that Lieutenant
McGarrah, once he presented the “Charges” to the major, was not contemplating leaving
the service voluntarily. Examination of the document by the reader would show it to be a
beautifully handwritten paper by one who was perhaps well educated in the law, judging
from the use of legal terms. The month and day on the document are left blank, to be filled
in at a later time. All this suggests that the paper may have been prepared earlier for the
lieutenant by an attorney. Mr. McGarrah would have had opportunity to consult with an
attorney by riding to the community of Jacksboro, located approximately eight miles southeast of the Ranger campsite, or by traveling to Graham, about fifteen miles to the southwest in Young County.
E. Lieutenant McGarrah’s allegations against Captain Stevens appear to have been founded
on the truth. Major Jones stated:
I have already discharged two on account of their having families needing their
attention at home. I discharged Victor Johnson also.
F. Company records show the following men to have already been discharged from the
company:
N. A. McCollum discharged July 29, 1874
T. J. Cartwright July 30
D. J. Collins
July 30
G. W. Perkins
August 10
S. M. Monday
August 29
T. H. Layman
September 11
G. Two of the men mentioned in Lieutenant McGarrah’s charges, Victor Johnson and T. L.
Vandergriff, were discharged by Major Jones on October 2, 1874. Two other men named
in the allegations, Mr. Cartwright and Mr. Collins, were discharged in July, long before
McGarrah came forward with the allegations.
H. The importance, of the document of “Charges” authored by Lieutenant McGarrah is corroborated by Major Jones, in that he dispatched the document on to the governor, instead
of simply delivering them when he, Major Jones, later arrived in Austin.
Thus it would appear that the allegations against Captain Stevens were not what brought
about McGarrah’s “requested” resignation—it was the action of officially putting them in writing.
Putting the charges on paper meant that Major Jones could not handle the problem within the
company but must send the allegations on to his superiors, the adjutant general and Governor
Coke.
Major Jones, at this time, was still in the process of forming the battalion into the type of force
that he envisioned. Surely, it upset him that an officer who was second in command of a company
would make apparently frivolous allegations––in writing––about his commanding officer. That led
to the major’s suggesting Lieutenant McGarrah’s resignation from the battalion.
The above is purely an assumption of what this writer believes may have happened. Possibly,
if Captain Stevens’s written answer to the allegations and the four affidavits are located, the
action of McGarrah and the aftermath will be understood.
11
Capt. G.W. Stevens
Charges against Captain G. W. Stevens
SourceS
Photo Sources
Photos courtesy of the Fort Worth Public Library
with assistance from Eddie Matney
Page 6: In The Bosom of the Comanche by Dot Babb, probably
published in the late 1920s. I suspect the early picture was taken at
about the time that Stevens commanded Company B.
Page 9: Pioneer History of Wise County by Cliff Cates, 1907.
Reprinted by Wise County Historical Society.
***
Copies of the following items may be obtained from:
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
PO Box 12927
Austin, Texas 78711-2927
Adjutant General’s Office General Order #2, dated May 6, 1874. This document
lists the names of all officers of companies and gives instructions to the
officers about what type of men to enlist into their companies.
Adjutant General’s Office General Order #8, dated November 25, 1874. This
document instructs Major Jones to reduce the number of men and officers
in the battalion.
“Charges & Specifications Against Capt. G. W. Stevens” by S. G. McGarrah 1st
Lieutenant Co. “B”, not dated.
Discharge of Captain G. W. Stevens, dated December 26, 1874. Printed form:
“from the State of Texas, Honorable Discharge of Mr. Stevens.”
Gen. Order 147 by Major John B. Jones (to the company captains), dated
December 9, 1874. This battalion general order from Major Jones lists the
names of all company officers to be discharged from the battalion.
Muster and payroll of Company “B” Frontier Battalion, dated May 16, 1874.
Resignation of S. G. McGarrah, 1st Lieut. Co. B, Frontier Battalion, Jacksboro,
Jack County, Texas, dated Oct. 29, 1874.
12
e
Spac
Space Cadets
Cadets
by Robert Nieman
There is one thing about Texas Rangers that the general public seldom sees—
their tremendous sense of humor. The following story illustrates this well.
Fort Worth Ranger Ted Poling was busy trying to catch up on his workload when his phone
rang. His captain, David Byrnes, was on the other end of the line, and he had a case that Ted
needed to work immediately. He had just received a call from a woman in Azle, a small town near
Fort Worth, claiming that her baby had been stolen from a local hospital. Taking the woman’s
phone number, Captain Byrnes had told her that a Ranger would
contact her immediately and do all in his power to assist in recovering
her child.
When Ted heard this, he needed no encouragement. He was
a young and energetic Ranger, and he detested perverts with a
passion. To his way of thinking, anyone who would steal a baby
was lower than low.
Hanging up with the captain, Ted immediately called the grieving
mother in Azle. She told him that someone had indeed stolen her
babies. Babies? Yes, she had twins. He asked her if she had any
idea who would have done such a terrible thing. “Yes, I know who
stole my babies—Martians!”
“This woman really needs help” immediately flashed through
David Byrnes
the Ranger’s mind. He asked her if she was married—yes. Inquiring
where he could find her husband, she said he was right there. “Could
I talk to him?” As the husband was coming to the phone, Ted
considered how he could get assistance for the obviously disturbed
woman.
Ted explained to the husband that he knew his wife was under
a lot of strain with the birth of the twins, and she believed they had
been stolen by Martians. However, he was anything but prepared
for the husband’s answer: “That’s right. Martians stole both of them.”
Ted had a different thought then: “How could these two idiots have
ever met, let alone gotten married?”
Ted could just see his life for the next few days. His captain in
Garland would be on the phone to every member of Company B.
He would be howling with laughter as he told his Rangers, “Guys, I
Ted Poling
really got Poling this time. You are not going to believe the case he
is working!” For the next few days, Ted knew that his phone would ring nonstop as every member
of the company called for all the details of his investigation. Did the Martians leave any fingerprints?
Had he been able to trace them back to their launch site? Were they were still on earth? Any tips
on how to deal with them? Were they really green?
Ted did indeed get some good-natured hazing from his fellow Rangers––but don’t waste
any sympathy on the now-retired Ranger Poling. As a good friend of Ted’s, this writer can assure
you that he definitely dished it out as good as he received! And still can.
13
McNeil Kidnapping/Colt Commander
Howard “Slick” Alfred & the
Amy McNeil
Kidnapping
by Robert Nieman
Friday, January 11, 1985, was a bitterly cold day. It was also a day when one of the most
serious crimes that a person can perpetrate upon another was committed. Don McNeil was a
board director in a local bank in Alvarado, which is south of Fort Worth, Texas. His son Mark was
driving his thirteen-year-old sister Amy to school when, suddenly, the vision of an automobile
appeared in his rearview mirror. The vehicle roared past and cut in front of him, forcing him to
stop. Hooded men leapt out, swarmed McNeil’s car, drug Amy away and into their automobile,
and then they were gone. From start to finish, it only took a few seconds.
Company F was in the middle of a meeting at their headquarters in Waco when the call came
in that Amy McNeil had been kidnapped. Captain Bob Mitchell immediately ordered the entire
company to Alvarado. Arriving in that city, Mitchell sat up his headquarters in the bank where Don
McNeil worked. Then the waiting started because little could to be done until the abductors made
contact.
The phone finally rang on Saturday night, and McNeil answered. The kidnappers demanded
that he take $100,000 to a mini-mart in Mesquite, a suburb in east Dallas. Once there, he would
be contacted with further instructions.
With Company F Rangers following discreetly behind him, McNeil obeyed the kidnappers’
instructions and drove from Alvarado to the Roadrunner convenience store on Jim Miller Road in
Dallas. There, he was contacted and told to go to the Texaco station at the Tyler exit on I-20 and
Highway 69. He then received directions to head north to Mount Pleasant, from where he was
ordered to head east on I-30 about seven miles to a Gulf service station.
As soon as the Gulf station was designated, Ranger Johnny Aycock was sent ahead to wait
for developments. Arriving at Mount Pleasant, he was joined by Brantley Foster, the Company B
14
Ranger stationed there. The two men lay in wait, wrapped in sleeping bags on the freezing
ground.
Don McNeil soon arrived and waited for about an hour, but nothing happened. It was decided
that, except for Aycock and Foster, everyone would return to Mount Pleasant and meet at the
mini-mart on the south side of the first Mount Pleasant exit.
Captain Mitchell and the FBI, which had now joined the hunt, arrived at the mini-mart and
went into conference as to their next step. Ranger Billy Gunn had been riding with Howard Alfred
(“Slick” to his friends), and he got out of the car and walked over to the captain. Ranger Johnny
Waldrip joined Slick, and they sat there talking. Soon, Aycock and Foster radioed Captain Mitchell
that a suspicious car, described as a Buick, had pulled through the Gulf station parking lot and reentered the interstate heading west.
A Hollywood scriptwriter could have written what followed.
Waldrip did not take time to go back to his car. He climbed into Slick’s vehicle, and they
headed for the I-30 westbound ramp just as the suspects’ Buick roared past. The chase was on.
At this time, it was suspected that the Buick contained the kidnappers, but no one was 100
percent sure. With Rangers Alfred and Waldrip right on its tail, the speeding car swerved out to
pass a cattle truck. Suddenly, the suspects darted in front of the semi and raced onto an exit
ramp. Ranger Alfred was beside the cattle truck, and he had no time to follow. It was later learned
that the fugitives were running low on fuel and only exited the interstate looking for gas
Alfred radioed Rangers Jimmy Ray and Joe Wilie, who were closely following the chase in a
police car. He advised them that the suspects had exited and told them to continue the pursuit.
Ray, who was driving, followed the Buick off the interstate as Wilie radioed Captain Mitchell for
instructions. The answer came back immediately: “Stop the suspects.”
On the roof of their car, Wilie placed a small, flashing, right light (called a “Kojak light” after a
popular TV show at the time). As soon as he did, men suddenly appeared leaning out the windows
of the fleeing car. Rangers Ray and Wilie abruptly found themselves the target of a barrage of
gunfire.
Wilie was in the passenger seat and radioed Captain Mitchell as bullets slammed into their
vehicle. He said, “We’re receiving gunfire, and our car’s on fire!” After several calls with no response,
Wilie radioed again, “We’re receiving gunfire, and our car’s on fire!”
Company F Sergeant (later Captain) Bobby Prince was also at the mini-mart with Mitchell.
He relates this account:
Through this real weak radio, obviously a walkie-talkie that’s about run down, we hear Captain
Mitchell ask, “10-9 (repeat), did you say you’re receiving gunfire?”
Joe Wilie radioed back, “10-4. We’re receiving gunfire, and our car’s on fire!” He then started
giving the location.
This faint voice on the radio calls back and asks, “10-9. Did you say you’re receiving gunfire?”
Well, Joe called back, “10-4. We’re receiving gunfire, and our car’s on fire!”
There was a pause, and we heard a weak reply. “Say it again. Are you receiving gunfire?”
Finally, Joe Wilie calls and says, “10-4. We’re receiving gunfire and our car’s on fire––but
we’ll welcome a second opinion!”
15
Ranger Ray’s police car started really blazing, and he was forced to stop. Unfortunately, he
was in a construction area, and his position blocked all the other vehicles that were coming to his
assistance. Since they couldn’t get around him, they couldn’t continue the chase. With no pursuit,
the suspects headed for the interstate.
While this was going on, Slick and Waldrip had proceeded to the next exit. Hearing that the
suspects were heading back for the interstate, Slick drove down the westbound entrance ramp
just as the Buick again roared past.
Slick was driving a brand-new Ford. At the time, Rangers did not have high-performance
engines, and all he could get out of the vehicle was about 100 mph. He was about a half mile
behind the Buick and could keep it in sight, but he could not gain on the criminals.
As the fleeing Buick passed the Mount Vernon exit, Slick saw a car with a flashing red light
join the chase. He feared that it was a Franklin County deputy thinking he was chasing a speedster.
Several times, he radioed that all Franklin County lawmen who were chasing a speeding Buick on
I-30 should stop their pursuit. He got no response. He then tried radioing the DPS airplane and
helicopter to contact the unknown vehicle. Unfortunately, both aircraft had returned to the Tyler
airfield to refuel. Only later did Slick learn that the unidentified police car was occupied by FBI
agents. At the time, the DPS and FBI did not have direct radio communications.
Still holding the accelerator to floor, Slick saw another car show up on his mirror and then go
past him. Ranger John Dendy was driving, with Johnson County Deputy Sheriff D. J. Mulder in
the passenger seat. They were in a Chevrolet, and Slick knew that it was “simply faster than my
Ford.” Fortunately, this was happening at about four o’clock in the morning and there was very
little tariff on the interstate.
At the tiny community of Saltillo, the kidnappers again swerved off the interstate. With the
FBI and Dendy right on their tail, the Buick sped into a mini-mart’s parking lot, circled the store,
and headed into Saltillo. By the time the suspects exited, Slick had dropped in behind Ranger
Dendy.
Back on the service road, the Buick traveled only about 100 yards before turning north onto
a city street. The car suddenly ran off the road and into the yard of a private home. Moving to the
right of a new Dodge van parked in the driveway, the suspects drove into the grass and slammed
to a stop when they hit a flagpole. They leaped from the Buick and sought protection between a
closed garage door and the van parked directly in front of it.
Meanwhile, the FBI car had followed into the driveway and parked directly behind the van.
John Dendy came to a stop on the edge of the road, to the right of and behind the FBI car. Slick
parked to the left of the van and FBI car. As soon as the Rangers stopped, the gunfight started.
Company B Ranger Ralph Wadsworth was in the circling DPS aircraft. The sky was dark,
and he was able to see the flashing from the muzzles of the guns. No one who knows Ralph can
remember him ever using a four-letter word except for this one time. He was heard over the
plane’s radio saying, “They’re having a gunfight down there! They’re having a hell of a gunfight!”
Indeed, it was one hell of a gunfight. From his position, Ranger Dendy was firing his rifle
straight at the suspects. Ranger Alfred was shooting at them from an angle with a Smith & Wesson
357 Magnum while Ranger Waldrip, with his shotgun, was trying to work himself onto the bad
guys’ flank. The FBI agents, finding themselves in a triple crossfire, did the smart thing and
hugged the floorboard in their car, not even taking time to turn off the siren.
For the next several minutes, the firing was deafening. Between the gun flashes and the
16
lights from the FBI and Ranger cars shining at the garage, the officers were able to see faint
images of the kidnappers.
Alfred, who had taken a firing position behind his car door, emptied his revolver, blindly
reached under his car seat for more ammunition, and pulled out a box of 357s. To meet any
emergency, he always carried a multitude of bullets there for a 357 Magnum, .45-caliber, and 9mm, among others. As Slick says, “All these boxes of bullets had slid into my floorboard. I didn’t
even look; I just reached and pulled out a box. They were 357s, and I knew right then that there
is no doubt about it––the good Lord does look out for you.”
Not having a clear
shot at the fugitives,
Alfred started firing from
under the parked van,
bouncing bullets off the
concrete
driveway.
Ranger Dendy was
doing the same thing.
Two of the suspects
were hit––one in the
foot, the other in the
elbow. Finally seeing the
futility of their position,
they surrendered.
As soon as the
shooting
stopped,
Deputy Mulder rushed to
the fugitives’ vehicle.
One of the kidnappers,
a female, was still inside
and
offered
no
resistance. Also in the
car was Amy McNeil,
unharmed.
Capture of Amy McNeil Kidnappers
As Mulder pulled
Left to right: Ranger Brantley Foster, Ranger Jack Morton,
Amy out of the
unidentified, Captain Bob Mitchell, Ranger Bill Gunn. Photo
backseat, Alfred ran up
courtesy of Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
to the car and asked, “Is
that Amy?” Mulder
replied in the affirmative. Alfred said, “Let me have her. I’ll take her to my car.”
Amy looked at Howard, and calmly asked, “Are you a Ranger?”
It was only then, several minutes after the firing had ceased, that other Ranger cars started
arriving. When Amy and Alfred got to his car, the first person they saw was Sergeant Bobby
Prince. Looking at him, Alfred said, “I have Amy.” Prince told him to take her to a nearby mini-mart,
contact her father, and tell him that his daughter was okay.
That Sunday morning, Ranger Alfred was able to see the joyous reunion of the father and
17
daughter. Today, he says that this was the most
satisfying case he ever worked. He feels that to have
helped save the life of a youngster is rewarding beyond
words.
In gratitude for their exceptional work, Don McNeil
presented identical, nickel-plated, Colt .45-caliber
Combat Commanders to Texas Rangers Howard
Alfred, John Dendy, and Bob Mitchell, and also to
Johnson County Sheriff Eddy Boggs. In a ceremony
in Austin, Governor Mark White made the formal
presentations. Today, these pistols are among the
most prized possessions for each officer. The
engraving on the right side reads, “Love and
Appreciation – Amy – 1-13-85.” The left side is inscribed
to each of these individuals. Alfred’s reads: “Texas
Ranger – Howard Slick Alfred.”
Ranger Slick Alfred and his
Colt Commander from Amy McNeil.
Postscript to the story: An elderly widow lived alone
in the house where the gunfight happened. Slick
remembers her being the “darndest witness you ever saw.” She said, “I just heard all these sirens,
and then I heard that gunfire, and I heard these people screaming, and I knew people was getting
just killed.” After what must have seemed an eternity of shooting, she heard a knock on her door.
“I was so glad to hear him. He said his name was Captain Mitchell with the Texas Rangers.”
For a complete and in-depth telling of this story, see Robert Utley’s book, Lone Star Lawmen.
For more on Texas Ranger Howard “Slick” Alfred, see Dispatch 20.
Ranger Slick Alfred’s Colt Commaner
given by Amy McNeil and her father Don in
appreciation of her rescue from kidnappers.
On the right are closeups of the engravings.
18
Colt Commander/McNeil Kidnapping
Colt Combat
Commander
The
by David Stroud
After the Second World War, the US Army thought about replacing the Colt
1911-A1 and eventually issued the weapon’s necessary requirements in 1949.
The pistol had to be no longer than 7.0 inches in length, weigh no more than 25
ounces, and be chambered for 9 mm Parabellum.1 To select the replacement, a
series of government-sponsored tests were conducted at the Aberdeen Proving
Ground in Maryland and at Fort Benning, Georgia.2
The weapons tested were Browning Hi-Power variants by Canada’s Inglis, a
FNHi Power, the T3 trial pistol, Belgium’s Farique Nationale, Smith & Wesson’s S
& W Model 39, and Colt’s modified version of its famous 1911A1. The Colt came
1 “Syd, “The Evolution and Development of the Colt Commander,” The Sight M1911-A1,
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/colt_combat_commander.htm;
“Colt Commander,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Commander.
2 Ibid.
19
Colt Commander/McNeil Kidnapping
with a receiver and mainspring housing of aluminum alloy that Colt developed and patented as
Coltalloy®. It had a 4 1/4 inch barrel, an overall length of 7 3/4 inches, a weight of 26 ½ ounces,
and had a 9-round magazine.3
None of the pistols was selected, and the Army decided to continue issuing the 1911A1.
However, Colt had created extensive public interest in its lightweight weapon, and the American
Rifleman reported “an anodizing process
produced a blue finish on the receiver and
housing that was comparable to the standard
blue of sell parts…A new Gun has been born.”4
In October 1949, Colt placed its newborn
weapon in commercial production. It was
marketed as the Commander, Colt blue finish
only, chambered for 9 mm Luger .45 ACP and
.38 Super.5 The serial numbers began with 001
to 065 in 1949, and in 1950 through 1969, the
numbers were 66-LW to 60277-LW. The Model
70 series is numbered CLW001 to a few less
than 100,000 and includes the all-steel Combat
Commanders that were introduced in 1970 with
finished, blued, nickel-plated steel or stainless
steel.6 From then on, the Commander was referred to as the Lightweight. Colt has continued with
the Commander-style pistols such as the Gold Culp National Match with blued steel and matte or
bright stainless steel, MKIV Series 80, M1991A1, and XSE. All include Commander and Lightweight
Commander models.7
The slide-stop markings for the .45 caliber are unmarked or “number 1,” while the Super .38
and 9mm are “number 3.” The slide markings are “COMMANDER MODEL /COLT/ AUTOMATIC
CALIBER .45, SUPER .38” or “AUTOMATIC 9MM LUGER” to the right of “COMMANDER MODEL”
and left of a rampant colt with two arrows.8
Colt Firearms was correct in believing the Commander would be a winner. When gun author
Syd selected a Colt Combat Commander to personalize, “I wasn’t really looking for it. I guess you
could say that it found me.”9 I’m sure Texas Rangers Howard Alfred, John Dendy, Bob Mitchell,
and Sheriff Eddy Boggs felt the same way when Don McNeil, through Governor Mark White,
presented each of them a personalized, inscribed Colt Combat Commander.
3 Ibid.;
Clawson, Charles W., Colt .45 Government Models: Commercial Series, Clawson
Publications,1996, 92.
4 Wilson, R.L., Colt: An American Legend, Abberville Press, 1985, 244.
5 Colt catalog, undated, 23. The Commander sold for $78.25 and the catalog for 25¢.
6 Syd, “The Evolution and Development of the Colt Commander,” The Sight M1911-A1,
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/colt_combat_commander.htm;
“Colt Commander,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Commander.
7 Syd, “Personalizing the Colt Combat Commander,” The Sight M1911-A1,
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/colt_combat_commander.htm.
8 Clawson, 92-97.
9 Syd, 2.
20
Ranger News
Rang
er N
ews
anger
Ne
New Ranger Company Created
Company
Company GG
by
Captain Skylor Hearn
In the spring of 2007, DPS Colonel Thomas Davis anticipated that the legislative session
would increase the number of Texas Ranger personnel. He requested that Texas Ranger Chief
Ray Coffman evaluate the creation of a seventh company, one that ran along the Texas-Mexico
border from Del Rio to Brownsville.
A plan was presented to Colonel Davis incorporating additions to the force provided by the
legislature and a division-level reorganization of the Ranger Unsolved Crimes Investigation Team.
In August of 2007, the Public Safety Commission approved the plan and authorized the seventh
Texas Ranger company––Company G.
In line with the visions of Colonel Davis and Chief Coffman, Company G serves several
purposes, including:
• Providing uniform boundaries across the state between the Texas Ranger and
Texas Highway Patrol Divisions to enhance DPS operations.
• Providing greater Texas Ranger presence and service to citizens and visitors in
this increasingly populated region.
• Better facilitating the Texas Ranger Division’s increased role in Texas Homeland Security operations.
Company G became operational on January 1, 2008. It encompasses fifteen counties: four
formerly in Company E and eleven formerly in Company D. Six existing Ranger stations were
absorbed, and eight additional stations were created within the company. The Company G
Headquarters Office is located in McAllen, with Lieutenant Dewayne Dockery stationed in McAllen
and Lieutenant J. D. Robertson in Laredo.
21
Ranger News
Eas
exas
Eastt T
Te
Peace Of
s Association
Offf icer
icers
Company A, Houston, recently gathered at Jasper, Texas, for the annual
banquet of the East Texas Peace Officers Association. They were joined by retired
Texas Ranger Glenn Elliott. Photo courtesy of Robert Nieman.
East Texas Peace Officers
Left to right, front row : Otto Hanak, Glenn Elliott, Lieutenant L. C.
Wilson, Captain Tony Leal, Freeman Martin, David Rainwater,
Adolphus Pressley, Ron Duff, Kevin Pullen.
Back row: Bryant Wells, Jeff Cook, Crayton McGee, Tom Davis, Joe
Haralson, Brian Taylor, Pete Maskunas, Bobby Smith.
Editor’s Note: Since this picture was taken last fall, Lieutenant L.
C. Wilson has promoted to captain, and Rangers Freeman Martin,
Kevin Pullen, and Bryant Wells have both promoted to lieutenant.
22
Ranger News
Texas Ranger Association Foundation
Board Meeting
The Dispatch’s major sponsor, the Texas Ranger Association Foundation,
recently met in Fredericksburg, Texas, for their midyear board meeting.
Photos courtesy of Robert Nieman
TRAF board takes a break
Executive Committee – Steve Sikes, treasurer;
Bubba Hudson, chairman; Jack Dean, vicechairman; Gary Crawford, secretary.
Senior Captain Ray Coffman, Chief of the Texas
Rangers-Austin; Captain Dino Henderson,
Headquarters-Austin; Captain Barry Caver,
Company E-Midland; Captain Kirby Dendy,
Company F-Waco.
23
Ranger News
Company C
Qualifying
Company “C” (Lubbock) recently gathered for
their semi-annual firearms qualification.
Company C photos courtesy of Ranger Captain Randy
Prince, commander of Company C.
At the crime scene training: Alvin Schimdt,
Marshall Thomas, Dick Johnson, Russ
Austhier (background)
Randy Prince & Jay Foster
Brad Oliver & Stuart Willer doing a
tracking exercise using a handheld
GPS (Global Positioning System).
Tony Arnold
24
Ranger News
On the firing line
Firearms qualifying
2007 Kaufman, Texas, Fall Fest
Theme: Texas Rangers
Left to right: Sergeant Richard Shing (Dallas), Lieutenant Jerry Byrne (Dallas),
Glenn Elliott (retired), Captain Richard Sweaney (Dallas), Kaufman County Sheriff
and retired Ranger Captain David Byrnes.
25
Ranger News
Texas Ranger Statistics
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Criminal Statistics, Texas Ranger Division
Start Date: 1/1/2007 - End Date: 12/31/2007
Investigations - Offenses - Cases
Totals
Developed
Offenses - Activities*: 5,054
Charged Offenses: 1,712
Completed
Closed Files: 3,236
Criminal - Activity Disp*: 2,591
Murder
594
260
Robbery
164
90
Burglary
231
153
Theft
822
314
Other*
3,243
895
475
285
101
73
128
188
588
331
1,944
1,714
Arrest - Conviction Results
Felony:
Misd.:
Activities*:
Number of Arrest
1,529
2,070
129
412
Convictions
No. Of: 1,798
Years: 9,948
Life:
63
Death:
8
Fines - Restitution
Felony + Misd Fines $: 1,075,476
3,300,137
All Restitution $: 2,224,661
Monetary Recovery
Stolen Property $: 2,580,768
12,108,451
Contraband $: 9,527,683
Reporting
Files - Reports
Files Opened: 3,338
Files Closed: 3,236
Criminal Special Files:
13
Criminal Reports: 9,630
n/a
Non-criminal Reports:
n/a
Confessions:
Witness:
Hypnosis:
Statements
550
3,542
28
4,120
* Other is all other criminal offenses (fraud, forgery, assault, etc.)
* Activities are Warrant, Civil, Subpoena and Fugitive
The Dispatch wishes to thank Senior Ranger Captain Ray Coffman for providing the 2007 statistics.
26
Ed Gooding, Soldier 2
Before They Were Rangers
It should come as no surprise that many Texas Rangers had exciting,
even death-defying experiences before pinning on their badges. In
coming issues of the Texas Ranger Dispatch, we will present some of
these men “Before They Were Rangers.”
For Part I of Ed Gooding, Soldier, see the Texas Ranger Dispatch, Issue 24.
Ed Gooding, Soldier
Part II
©2007 Robert Nieman
It is doubtful that there has ever been a better-liked or respected Texas Ranger than Ed
Gooding. Known throughout the Ranger organization as a great storyteller, Ed could (and would)
entertain with his Highway Patrol and Ranger stories, some serious and some funny. But there
was one part of his life that he never joked about: his years as a combat veteran in World War II.
PART II
After a short period of R & R (Rest and Relaxation) at Joigny, Ed found himself part of
General George Patton’s Third Army as it chased the shattered German Army across France
after the breakout from the hedgerows. The headlong plunge, at least for Ed’s unit, came to a
screeching halt at the French city of Nancy. It was here that Ed learned that he was dead—at
least officially.
There was a large canal running just east of Nancy. The bridge over the canal had been
destroyed, and the Germans had the far bank covered. The Americans’ orders were simple: force
their way across the canal in assault boats and establish a beachhead.
The soldiers lined up along the road, and an engineering captain came down the line counting
the GIs off in groups of five. Each boat held five men, plus two engineers who operated the boat.
As soon as one group stepped out, another five men would move up. For the last fifty yards, there
was no cover, so the men ran to the bank of the canal as hard as they were able. Five men,
including Ed’s section leader, were already there.
27
The engineering captain was pushing the soldiers over the bank and into the boats as fast as
possible. He ordered the section leader to hit the boat. The sergeant, whom Ed had seen very
little during the recent campaign, froze and started screaming and crying. Ed was next to him,
and the captain kicked him and ordered him over the bank.
Ed’s going instead of the section leader got the troops out of the five-count the engineering
captain was barking. Ed learned later that the next boat, the one he was supposed to be on, was
hit by tank fire from across the canal. Both engineers and all five infantrymen were killed. As for
the section leader, Ed never found out if he survived the war or not—and did not care.
The Americans didn’t waste any time on the far bank. They charged inland and were able to
capture a nearby plane hangar.
That ended their fighting for the
day, and they bedded down inside
the building. The next morning, the
company runner crossed the canal
and came to the hangar. When he
saw Ed, Ed knew immediately that
something was bad wrong. The
runner’s face turned ashy white,
and he asked Ed how he had
gotten across the river. In his
cockiest tone, Ed told him, “In a
boat.” After giving Ed a dirty look,
the runner told Ed that he had
been reported as missing in action
Launching an assault boat.
when the boat he was supposed
to be in was hit by the tank fire.
I’ll never forget that company runner––Howard Spakes from Doyle, Tennessee. He
carried messages from the company commander to and from the front when the messages
were urgent. I told him to get a message back to the company clerk that I was not
missing and to do it quick before it got sent to battalion. If that message had been sent
to my home, it would have been devastating to my family. [Thankfully, the message
stopped before it left battalion headquarters.]
It was quickly breaking daylight when the soldiers saw a very high hill dead ahead. Ed was
no military strategist, but even he knew that whoever controls the high ground usually wins the
battle.
Unfortunately, the Germans also knew the importance of the high ground. The Americans
had gone only a short distance when a heavy German artillery barrage from the hill started hitting
them. The closest cover was a small village off to their right that was really no more than a group
of farmhouses. Reaching the town, the GIs regrouped and started for the hill again. About halfway
up, bullets from machine guns and small arms started hitting all around the attackers. Ed recalls
that there was no artillery, thankfully, or none of them would have gotten off that hill alive. As it
were, the American lines broke, and men started falling back. Ed was on the right flank:
28
I never liked to pay for the same ground twice. I got out in front of the men and
started cussing and shouting at the retreating line. The retreat slowed, and soon the
men turned around. Back up the hill we went, this time all the way to the top. Once there,
I set up my machine gun with a field of fire to cover all of the hill and the surrounding
territory.
Once he was sure that his men and guns were dug in and well placed, Ed picked out a spot
and waited. Shelling and sporadic fire continued until dark. Then it got quiet—too quiet. About
eight o’clock, mortar shells started falling on the Americans, and German soldiers suddenly started
pouring into their position. The fighting became hand-to-hand and very desperate, and it looked
like the Americans might be pushed off the hill. The carnage and confusion became unbelievable,
but that hill commanded all the surrounding area, and it had to be held at all cost.
The situation was already past desperate; then it went from bad to worse. A mortar shell hit
the company command post at the base of the hill, severely wounding the company commander
and killing his radio operator and a couple of S-2 (intelligence) men. Besides blowing off part of
the CO’s hand, the force of the explosion totally addled him. He crawled over to the dead radioman,
called battalion artillery, and told them to lay fire along the crest of the hill because it had been
overrun by the Germans. Soon, 105 howitzers and mortars started exploding amid the battling
soldiers. That was too much for the Germans: these crazy Americans were shelling themselves!
They broke and retreated, but the shells didn’t stop:
I was in my foxhole just trying to stay alive, when all of a sudden I went flying into the
air like I had been propelled from a slingshot. Of course I didn’t know it then, but a shell
had hit close by and burrowed itself into the ground until it was almost directly under my
foxhole. When it detonated, I flew up and then came down—without my helmet, rifle,
pack, or my hearing. I lay there for a while trying to get the cobwebs out of my head. My
mind finally emerged from the fog enough to operate to a small degree. I stumbled over
to my machine gun, but it was out of commission with a piece of shrapnel wedged in the
breach. The Germans had not been the only ones who broke and ran. I saw men on
both sides of me running down the hill, at least those who could still run. I don’t know
how many were dead, and to be honest with you, right then I was not worried about
them. I yelled at my gunner and his assistant, “Let’s get out of here!” We left everything
we had and joined the race to the bottom of the hill.
Some of us stumbled onto a road and ran into a staff sergeant. He told us to dig in
along with other members of Companies A and C. I had picked up an abandoned rifle on
the way down the hill and that was all I had—no extra clips, nothing. I was stiff and
almost totally deaf, I able to hear again but by noon the next day. That was as close as
I ever came to buying the farm. Thankfully, I guess the Germans had all they wanted for
that day. If they had counterattacked, I don’t think there’s any way in the world we could
have held.
The mad dash across the open fields and small towns of the French countryside was over.
From now on, it would be a day-by-day existence in mud, snow, ice, tears, blood, and death in the
highly industrialized heartland of Europe. The Allies had pushed the Germans back so fast that
many of the GIs actually thought that, for once, the top brass actually knew what they were
talking about: the war would soon be over and they would be home by Christmas! But the German
29
Army was a long way from being defeated, and being totally and completely beaten was the only
way it would quit. It didn’t take them long to dispel the Americans’ false feeling of euphoria. Now
the only thing Ed and his buddies cared about was just staying alive. To Ed, Texas seemed far, far
away.
Crushing all German resistance before him, Patton moved across France so fast that he
outran his supplies. For the first time since St. Lo, Ed and his comrades went into a defensive
position in the Gremercy Forest. They had just settled in when it started raining––and raining and
raining. The water came down for days, and as the mud got deeper and deeper, the soldiers
didn’t think it was ever going to stop.
There had been a call for volunteers to go to the rear for a special assignment. Ed recalled
that he was so sick and tired of the rain and mud that he was ready for anything that would get
him out of it. He talked to his best friend Ansalem Rumca about volunteering. They had not been
told what this special assignment was, but it didn’t matter. The way Ed figured it, anything had to
be better than the mud. And, besides, the volunteers had been promised a bath, clean sheets,
and clean clothes. What more could a soldier ask for? Ed didn’t think Rumca was as sick of the
mud as he was because Rumca didn’t think much of volunteering for anything, especially something
he didn’t know anything about. But Ed finally persuaded him that he was right, and they
volunteered—Ed with enthusiasm, Rumca with a ton of reservations.
I guess everyone has heard that old Army saying: “Don’t ever volunteer for anything.”
Trust me, that is good advice and I should have followed it. We did get the shower, the
clean clothes, and a bed––for one whole night. Then we were told our mission: to take
prisoners. When I heard that, my stomach did a flip-flop. And if looks could have killed,
I’d be dead right now from the look Ansalem gave me. You see, there’s only one place
you could find prisoners: behind enemy lines. I was having enough problems staying
alive with the Germans in front of me without going behind their lines looking for more
trouble. Rumca never stopped cussing me. He called me every name you can imagine,
not counting some new ones he invented. But he wasn’t making a thing on me. I was
already calling myself most of those same things.
The volunteers went out in the dark of the night hunting prisoners. After stumbling into barbedwire entanglements and making enough noise to wake the dead, they came back empty-handed.
When we got back without any prisoners, our status with the brass dropped like a
rock. Our clean sheets and nice warm beds became clean hay in a barn. That was still
better than the mud on the front lines. Our days operating behind enemy lines were
over. I guess they decided that no one so dumb as to walk into a barbed wire entanglement
could be smart enough to capture prisoners. We were loaded up and sent back to the
front line. And the mud.
Ed’s days of fighting were just beginning. Along with the rest of Patton’s Army, he found
himself moving north through snow, ice, and subzero weather at breakneck speed. The Battle of
the Bulge was in full swing.
The Americans’ worst enemy was not the German Army but the never-ending cold. Ed
remembered losing men faster to frostbite than from combat. The 134th kept pushing forward
30
until it reached the little town of Lutrebois and sustained heavy casualties as they went. Ed, his
squad, and several infantrymen commandeered a house to get in out of the cold. They had just
settled in when the Germans launched a counterattack:
We repelled the first attack, but the Germans soon regrouped and attacked again.
Even though we mowed them down like a knife cutting through butter, they kept coming,
and some finally got through.
I heard the door crash open and in came a squad of German SS troopers. These
boys were bad news—very, very bad news. They were tough and they were mean. They
ran down the hall, grabbed several of our boys, and hustled them back toward their
lines. We heard them, but we were in a small room off the main part of the house, and
the door leading into the room looked like an outside door. I suppose that is all that
saved us that day.
None of us dared to breathe while the SS troops were in the house. I had picked up
a little loot, and if we were captured, I sure didn’t want to any of that on me. I was lying
on the floor, and I started emptying my pockets and shoving my money under a dresser
in the corner. I had an M1 carbine that I had grabbed and a hand grenade with the pin
pulled, both ready and on full automatic. I had made up my mind that whether they
captured me or killed me, I was going to take a bunch of them with me. But our luck held,
and the SS left the building without trying our door.
There was no letup in the fighting. It was vicious, the resistance was brutal, and we
suffered a lot of casualties. Two of those losses were ammo-bearers from my squad.
With the fighting as heavy as it was, we were using up an incredible amount of ammo. I
was the squad leader, but this was no time to stand on ceremony, and I started carrying
ammo to help out.
By now, nearly half of C Company was down, but we dished it out better than we
received. We killed so many Germans, they were stacked up like cord wood by the side
of the road. The killing was unbelievable, but we got the job done. We cut the road to
Bastogne, and the German supply route was severed.
With their supply line cut, the Germans started retreating. Unfortunately, this didn’t mean the
end of the battle. There was still a lot of fighting to be done before the Battle of the Bulge was
over. The Germans who managed to get out of the Bulge alive gathered in the Ruhr Valley,
several miles to the northeast of the American position, and prepared to counterattack. When the
assault came, Ed’s squad did their part to help thin the ranks of the German troops He said, “We
did a very good job, I might add.”
Entering a small village in the Lorraine area, Ed’s section leader pointed to a house. He told
the men to take a couple of infantrymen and set up their machine gun in it. Once inside, the men
started looking for something to drink––vodka, schnapps, wine—it didn’t matter, just so it poured.
One of the infantrymen who had come into the house with Ed’s squad found a trapdoor in the
corner of the big room where they were hiding. It led to a cellar—a wine cellar? He reached down,
grabbed the handle, yanked the door up, and opened it. There was a blast from below, and he
was hit full in the chest and face with fire from a German burp gun. A burp gun was a small, handheld, fully automatic weapon with an extremely fast rate of fire. When you got hit with a burst from
that weapon, you didn’t get just one round. It fired so fast, you usually got hit with at least four or
five.
31
Together, Ed and the two men hit the floor, which was made of heavy wooden planks. Because
of that thick wood, they didn’t have to worry about bullets ripping through. For what seemed an
eternity (but was probably only a minute or two), they hugged the floor, not daring to move a
muscle. After getting his thoughts together, Ed pulled a grenade and motioned for the other men
to do the same.
We crawled up to the trapdoor that had fallen open when the rifleman went down,
and on the motion count of three, all of us tossed our grenades into the opening. Only
seconds later—boom! boom! boom! All was silent, but I had played this game too long to
take any chances. To be absolutely sure we had finished off the Germans, we lobbed
three more grenades into the cellar—boom! boom! boom! When we went down the
stairs, we found one of the ghastliest sights I’ve ever seen in my life. A man, a woman,
two small kids, and two SS officers were literally dripping off the walls and ceiling. The
only thing we could figure out was that the SS officers had apparently taken the family
hostage and forced them into the basement when we entered the town.
That incident bore on my mind for weeks. I have asked myself countless times why
one of the parents or one of the children didn’t cry out when that SS man fired. If we had
known the children were in the cellar, we wouldn’t have tossed the grenades. But they
didn’t, and we did. The parents had lived some of their lives, but the children . . . that was
something else.
Ed says they didn’t run into many SS troops until late in the war. When Hitler got desperate,
however, he turned them loose. It’s true that the special German forces were fanatics of the first
order, but they were also the best fighting men Hitler had. Ed knew that when they ran into them,
they were in for a hard fight. When the Allies crossed the Rhine River, they started running into
SS troops regularly. Nearly every time, the Germans acted like they were drunk or on dope.
Whether they were attacking or defending, they were suicidal in their fighting.
One day, a group of SS men, accompanied by a half-track, attacked the First Battalion’s left
flank. The Germans were outnumbered ten to one but they kept coming, yelling and screaming
like crazy. Ed’s squad was off to the left about one hundred yards when they heard the commotion.
I told Rumca to swing our little .30-caliber machine gun around and start firing into
their flank. They fell like mowed weeds, but they still kept coming. They got within twenty
yards of our lines and were still advancing when the last one fell.
When death is a constant companion, the human mind finds a way to adapt, or else. Ed was
no different.
When you have seen as much death as I have, you sometimes become indifferent
to it. I remember one episode in particular that shows just how insensitive I had become.
The Graves Registration people were gathering American bodies from the snow for
burial. When they put this one poor little guy on a stretcher, I recognized him. I had seen
so many men I knew killed that I had become hardened to the sight. What was so bad
was that I knew this should bother me, but it didn’t. I felt nothing. I didn’t think any more
about seeing him than I would have looking at a dead dog lying in the snow.
Men learn to cope with the stress of battle in different ways. One of the ways I
32
coped was never allowing myself to become close to anyone––it was just too hard to
lose them. The exception was Ansalem Rumca. I didn’t want to get close to him, but I
did. Another thing you learn is that simple things become supremely important: a hot
meal, a hot bath, a clean bed, a woman, or that letter from home.
Ed certainly thought he was going to be one of those dead dogs lying in the snow. “Old boy,
you ain’t coming out of this war alive and that’s a fact.”
The German Army may have been dying, but it still had a lot of fight before it drew a last
breath. Ed’s company was ordered
to cross the Rohr River.
Helplessness and hopelessness
was all that Ed felt as the small
boat he was in crossed the river
with artillery exploding all around.
All he and his comrades could do
was keep their heads down and
pray. Ed did not know land could
feel so good as it did when his boat
bumped the far shore of the Rohr.
Ed and his buddies hit the
shore running and didn’t stop until
they reached the cover of one of
“I didn’t think any more about seeing him than I would
the nearby houses. Looking back
have looking at a dead dog lying in the snow.”
at the river, Ed saw a terrible sight.
The water was a roaring mass of
mud, debris, blood, and bodies.
About a hundred yards down from where they crossed was a blown-out bridge. Lodged firmly
against what was left of the bridge were the remains of many boats “and the bodies of more men
than I wanted to attempt to count.”
I didn’t have long to think about those dead men unless I wanted to join them. The
men had barely secured their position and pointed their guns toward the enemy when
the Germans counterattacked. Many a German soldier lost his life in that futile battle.
They kept coming and we kept firing. The bodies began to stack up higher and higher.
Looking back, it was almost like a bad dream; there were so many of them. But finally,
their attack broke and they fell back. Later, when we moved forward, we saw the reason
for the ferocity of their attack: SS.
With their terrible losses, more men poured in as replacements. It was hard to realize
that I was younger than many of these men. It seemed like an eternity since I had been
one of them, but it had actually been only a few short months.
Shortly thereafter, Ed’s unit crossed the Rhine River, and the war was all but over except for
mopping up small pockets of resistance. It was now an all-out race to the Elbe River. Ed’s regiment
wiped out a group of Germans in Gelsenkirc, and riding tanks took off for the Elbe. Reaching the
river, Ed set up his gun to point across the river. No orders came to do anything, however, so the
men just sat.
33
Early the next morning, the men saw a German soldier on the other side of the river waving
a big, white, bed sheet. Orders came down the line not to fire. The German walked down to the
water, dropping off equipment as he came. He waded to the river and never stopped. The Elbe is
wide, but not very deep. This soldier just walked across, and someone took him into custody. He
was just the tip of the iceberg. After his appearance, the woods on the opposite side of the river
came alive with surrendering German soldiers. In the next seven days, the Americans took
thousands of prisoners before they received orders to sit and wait for the advancing Russian
Army.
May 8, 1945. The war is over! Unbelievably, the war is over! I looked at Rumca, and
he looked back at me and said, “Tex, it looks like we made it.” Then we both started
crying.
Ed and his best friend Ansalem Rumca, the only person he had allowed himself to get close
to the whole time he was in the Army, had indeed survived the slaughter. It was not long before Ed
was onboard the Queen Elizabeth heading for the United States. Landing in New York, he was
sent almost immediately to Fort Meade, Maryland. He hardly had time to move his gear from the
train at Fort Meade before he was aboard another locomotive headed for Fort Sam Houston in
San Antonio—and home.
As soon as Ed arrived at Fort Sam Houston, he requested and received a thirty-day
convalescence furlough. He had hardly started walking toward the Austin Highway when a cab
stopped. A man in the backseat asked Ed where he was going, and Ed told him Austin. The man
said, “Get in and I’ll give you a ride.” He was a pilot, and he directed the cab to take them to a local
airport, where they flew to Austin. After landing, Ed thanked the pilot and quickly caught a ride to
South Austin and his Aunt Edith’s house.
In those days, people could not do enough for men in uniform. If you were a soldier,
your money was no good. You couldn’t pay for a ride or a meal because everyone
wanted to show appreciation. They sure didn’t spit on you like they would at the next
generation of military.
When I got out of the car, I saw the prettiest sight I have ever seen in my life. Sitting
there in my aunt’s yard were my dad’s pickup truck and horse trailer. There was nobody
home, but I heard what sounded like a rodeo going on across the road. This would be
too good to be true. I walked over to the old roping arena and there it was—an honestto-goodness rodeo.
I walked up to the gate, looking for a familiar face. I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve
and looked down into the beaming face of Aunt Edith. Then I was swarmed by my family.
I was home!
I was surrounded by my cousins, my brother, my sisters, my aunts and uncles, my
friends, and by Momma Nellie. My dad was sitting in the arena on a beautiful sorrel
mare. He let out a yell like a panther, and here he came around the back of the bucking
chutes. He did a wild dismount and grabbed me around the half-dozen or more who
already had a hold of me. Weeping, praying, and yelling were all going on at the same
time.
When things settled down, my dad handed me the reins to his sorrel and said, “Here
she is, boy. Her name’s Kitten and she’s all yours.” I had to make a round in the arena
34
with everyone cheering and clapping. I don’t know how many times I envisioned this
while I was in Europe. It was a dream I didn’t think would ever come true, but it did!
After I dismounted, we went to Aunt Edith’s house and visited until late in the night.
We then loaded up and headed for Mom and Dad’s house. Dad was working on a ranch
about forty miles from Austin, but it didn’t seem to take any time at all to get there.
For two years, Ed worked in the peace and quiet of a ranch. He says that it was a period of
time that saved his sanity. It gave him time to reflect and think of not only what he gone through,
but also what he had to live for.
Ed married Lena Richardson in 1950. They remained lifelong partners until she died in 1995.
They had no children.
In 1947, Ed because a Texas Highway Patrolman. In 1957, he became part of legendary
Texas Ranger Captain Johnny Klevenhagen’s Company A. Before 1983, when he retired, Ed
served in Companies A, C, and F.
Ed passed away on July 3, 2004. He was truly one of America’s Greatest Generation, and he
left a record as one of the finest Texas Rangers to ever bless the state of Texas.
Texas Ranger Ed Gooding
35
BR: Sacrificed at the Alamo
Book Reviews
Sacrificed at the Alamo
Tragedy and Triumph
in the Texas Revolution
by Richard Bruce Winders
Abilene, Texas: State House Press, McMurry
University, 2004.
Students of Texas history owe a debt of gratitude to State House Press for
reprinting this important book on the most hallowed ground in Texas. Author Bruce
Winders, curator and historian of the Alamo, presents a unique and important look
at this 1836 legendary battle.
The objective of Doctor Winders is not to present yet another book debating
the battle of the Alamo. He explains that it is more important to understand why
David Crockett died rather than how. Thus, he spends very little narrative on the
actual conflict, but instead uses the pages of his book to explain why the battle
happened––militarily, socially, and politically.
Doctor Winders carefully and fully guides the reader through the times leading
to the battle. He points out that the defenders of the Alamo were doomed long
before they ever set foot inside the abandoned mission walls, which soon became
sacred. Early Texan victories over the Mexicans in 1835 had produced friction
among Texas leaders as different factions vied to control the revolution to their
own satisfaction. This lead to a splintered and uncoordinated Texas defense,
militarily and politically, against Santa Anna’s invading army.
No Alamo or Texas history is complete without this book. The Texas Ranger
Dispatch highly recommends it to all of our readers.
36
BR: Law on the Last Frontier
Book Reviews
Law on the
Last Frontier
Texas Ranger Arthur Hill
by Sharon Spinks
Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech University Press.
ISBN 978-0-89672-619-2. $28.50.
www.ttup.ttu.edu
Review by Glenn Elliott, Texas Ranger Private, retired
Law on the Last Frontier is a good read. During the 1957 wildcat strike at the Lone
Star Steel plant in Morris County, I had the privilege of working for Sergeant Arthur Hill.
I also worked with him in 1962 during the East Texas Oil Field slant-hole investigation.
I was very impressed with Arthur’s work habits, skills, and ability to lead. I learned that
you did not work for Arthur—he worked with you and was always right there by your
side. While reading his book, I discovered that his work ethics and skills were the same
throughout his career
Arthur exemplifies what I think a Ranger should be. Throughout his career, he
proved that the harder you work, the luckier you get. He tirelessly assisted the local
officers in his assigned area and brought credit to the Texas Rangers and the Department
of Public Safety.
I know Arthur would have made an outstanding captain, but his decision to return
to the rank of private and transfer from Dallas back to West Texas was a good one.
Personally speaking, being a career Texas Ranger private is a very rewarding
experience.
It is comforting to know that a Ranger servant like Arthur Hill thought enough of his
work to keep his reports. This way, his family and others can glimpse the working life of
a Ranger as well as share his accomplishments.
I encourage anyone who wants to know what it is like to be a Texas Ranger in
West Texas to get this book—it’s a good read.
37
BR: Just Vistin’ Texas Jails
Book Reviews
Just Visitin’
Old Texas Jails
by Joan Upton Hall
State House Press. McMurry University, Box 637,
Abilene, Texas 79697. 100 black and white
photographs, one map. 6 x 9, 200 pp paperback.
ISBN 978-1-933337-14-2.
www.mcwhiney.org/press
Book Review by Chuck Parsons
Everyone has seen one, many have visited one, and some unfortunates even have
to stay in one. For those of us who can visit when we want rather than be confined
inside the place, this is a very enjoyable book to read. In fact, even for those who may
be confined, it is an enjoyable book to read. Former English teacher, now freelance
author, editor, and speaker Joan Upton Hall has visited over forty jails in Texas to discover
how they are different, how they are alike, what has made them appeal to historians
and preservationists, and what the community has done with those no longer in use.
Each chapter is brief; nearly all have an illustration of the historic jail as it appeared
when used as a prison or as it is preserved today. For those of us who appreciate
history and realize the importance of preservation, this is a worthwhile book; that it
38
BR: Just Vistin’ Texas Jails
Book Reviews
should be required reading for all county commissioners is not too strong a
recommendation.
Today, many communities have preserved their old jails and have turned them into
useful structures rather than razing them. Two examples are the Archer and Caldwell
County jails, both of whom turned their facilities into attractive museums. The one is
Caldwell County, located in Lockhart, is the only museum in the county.
Unfortunately, some communities neglect their historic structure to the point of
becoming an eyesore or even a danger. Among those jails waiting to be revitalized are
the Bee County jail in Beeville, the Burnet County jail in Burnet, and the Leon County
jail in Centerville. Although still in existence, these are not open to the public at the
present time. At least three jails still stand but are totally falling into neglect––those in
Kent, Bowie (New Boston), and Moore Counties. Whether the communities will do
anything to preserve them is open to question.
Although author Hall does not preach to the respective populations to have these
structures preserved before it is too late, that is the implied message. Even utilizing an
historic building for a very unexpected use is preferred to the wrecker’s ball. An example
is the Hooters Bar & Grill in Selma, located north of San Antonio on heavily traveled
Interstate 35. Although never an official jail, at one time the building was used to hold
prisoners for booking, when they were handcuffed to the furniture of what once was the
city hall. A private owner with a certain acute business sense bought the building and
turned it into a Hooters, allowing the visitor to have a “delicious meal inside a jail cell.”
Author Hall makes no mention of the attractiveness of the wait staff.
A note of caution is in order regarding the section on the Hico County jail. Hico is
the community where “Brushy Bill” Roberts lived and is buried. Roberts claimed he was
the real Billy the Kid of outlaw fame. Of course, we know he was not. Within the city
limits of Hico, however, some claim that doubting the legend that provides Hico with
many a tourist dollar is downright unpatriotic. Hall does not stress the false aspects of
the Hico claims, and the reader must be warned that accepting that Roberts was Billy
the Kid is tantamount to believing Paul Bunyan owned a blue ox and created the 10,000
lakes of Minnesota.
In spite of the facile yet serious read, the book is very informative. Author Hall
discusses forty jails in this book, but she has the potential for a series dealing with those
of other counties––nearly two hundred more! We hope she continues the series.
39
BR: Stars of Texas
Book Reviews
Stars of Texas (Series)
By Judy Alter
Illustrated by Patrick Messersmith
Henrietta King: Rancher and Philanthropist
State House Press, 2005. ISBN 188051098-7.
Hardback, 72 pages.
Mirabeau B. Lamar: Second President of Texas
Hardback, 72 pages.
Miriam “Ma” Ferguson: First Woman Governor of
Texas
State House Press, 2006. ISBN 193333701-X.
Hardback, 71 pages.
Martín de León: Tejano Empresario
State House Press, 2007. ISBN 1933337-08-7.
Hardback, 71 pages.
Audie Murphy: War Hero and Movie Star
Hardback, 71 pages.
40
BR: Stars of Texas
Book Reviews
Review by Nancy Ray
Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin. All Texans know these names because they are studied
in school. What about Henrietta King or Mirabeau B. Lamar? Do you know their historical impacts
on Texas? In the Stars of Texas series, author Judy Alter introduces readers to people who are
not well known but have made significant contributions to Texas history.
Currently, the series consists of five mini-biographies. Each book focuses on the life, hardships,
and accomplishments of the featured person.
Henrietta King and her husband started the King Ranch and developed a new breed of cattle
called the Santa Gertrudis. After Mr. King’s death, Henrietta demonstrated strong leadership in
the management and continued growth of the ranch. Texas was a frontier at that time, and the
Texas Rangers helped protect the ranch and people from raids by Indians and bandits.
Mirabeau B. Lamar was the second president of Texas. He was a war hero and was called
the “Poet President of Texas.” He is also known as the father of Texas education and said: “A
cultivated mind is the guardian of democracy.” His passion for education is still evident today with
almost forty schools, including Lamar University, named for him.
Miriam “Ma” Ferguson was a somewhat pampered child in a well-to-do family. She was a
private person who wanted only to stay home, work in her garden, and care for her family. Her
husband, Jim Ferguson, had a different plan, and he entered his wife in the 1924 governor’s race
without her knowledge. She became the first woman to be elected governor of Texas, and that
began her career in politics.
Martín de León was the only Tejano empresario to settle a colony in Texas, and he is credited
with founding the city of Victoria. As a rancher with many cattle, Don Martín registered his brand
in 1807, and he was credited with the first Texas brand. Another important fact is that the de León
family supported the Texas fight for independence.
Audie Murphy was born to a poor family, and he had no advantages as a child. He tried to
enlist in the military service but was rejected by the Navy, Marines, and Army Paratroopers because
of his short stature. He was finally accepted by the Army infantry, but because of his size and
baby-face looks, he had to continually prove himself. Murphy never gave up, and he became the
most decorated soldier during World War II. After the war, he had an acting career and also wrote
many songs, two of which became hits: When the Wind Blows in Chicago and Shutters and
Doors. He wrote his memoir, To Hell and Back, before being killed in a plane crash in 1971.
I liked this series and learned from each book. The stories of these people are not in standard
textbooks, but their roles in history are important. The author not only relates accomplishments of
the selected subjects, but also gives insight into their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities.
These portraits became so clear that I developed likes and dislikes for each person. If I could
meet one of these subjects, I would choose Henrietta King because I am fascinated with her life
and achievements. I developed a dislike for some of the others, but I won’t tell you which ones .
. . you will have to read the books and decide for yourselves!
The series is well written, educational, and enjoyable. Each volume includes a timeline of
events, a glossary, and an index for easy reference. Although these mini-biographies target fourthgrade students, anyone can learn more about Texas history by reading these books. I highly
recommend this series.
41
BR: Policing the Great Plains
Book Reviews
Policing the Great Plains
Rangers, Mounties, and the North
American Frontier, 1875-1910
by Andrew Graybill
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2007.
Soft cover only. xiv + 277 pages. Endnotes.
Bibliography. Index. 25 photographs. 3 maps.
ISBN 978-0-8032-6002-3
The theme of this book could easily be described as a negative treatment of the Texas
Ranger organization and a positive portrayal of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (“Mounties”).
Although author Graybill draws many parallels between the two most famous policing groups in
the world, it is quite apparent that his presentation is definitely intended to diminish the reputation
of the Texas Rangers and elevate the status of the Mounties. A novice might come away with the
understanding that the history of the Rangers is one of state-sanctioned murders of minorities
(Indians and Mexicans). As for the Mounties during the same period, Graybill depicts them as
virtual angels in their dealings with the Canadian minority group, which consisted of indigenous
peoples––full-blooded Indians and the Métis, offspring of Indians and Europeans.
There are some interesting aspects in comparing the two organizations. The Mounties took
their orders ultimately from Ottawa, the Canadian capitol; the Rangers obeyed commands from
Austin, the capitol of Texas. The frontier area for the Mounties was western Canada, an area
considerably larger than Central and Western Texas.
Both organizations were created at virtually the same time. The Frontier Battalion was created
in mid-1874 by Texas Governor Richard Coke, although there had been various organizations for
many decades before. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police force also was created in 1874 and
originally named the North-West Mounted Police.
42
BR: Policing the Great Plains
Book Reviews
According to Graybill, the purpose of each group was similar: dealing with indigenous peoples.
The Rangers “were driven by decades of brutal native-white conflict within the region . . . using
force to kill and destroying their basic food source.” Their aim was to remove Comanches and
Kiowas from Texas into what is today Oklahoma. In contrast, the Mounties in Western Canada
accomplished the same basic goal of confining the Blackfoot and Crees to reservations, but they
did so “employing far less violence.”
The Anglo conquest of Texas was only part of the Manifest Destiny concept that ruled America
in its westward expansion. The Rangers were certainly guilty of excessive violence at times in
their treatment of minorities. Nevertheless, how Anglos treated the Indians and Mexicans was
hardly less violent than the treatment of those same two groups toward people they considered
invaders. For instance, the Comanche and Kiowa dealt harshly with weaker tribes while conquering
the Great Plains.
Graybill’s theme continues with detailing how the invading Europeans dispossessed the
inhabitants of their respective regions. In Canada, the Mounties enforced the Ottawa law of
dividing the new lands into square tracts, essentially redefining their land. The Rangers, in contrast,
used “terrorism and lethal force” to protect the interests of settlers and cattlemen. In other words,
both Mounties and Rangers obtained similar results while enforcing laws decreed by their respective
governments. However, the Rangers utilized violence, slaughter, and terror to accomplish the
goal.
Graybill does not ignore how Hollywood helped create the Mounties and the Rangers as
paragons of virtue and manliness. During the 20th century, he states that more than 250 movies
featured a Northwest Mounted Policeman as either a central character or one of lesser importance.
He uses the term “classic” to describe the MGM production Rose Marie, starring Nelson Eddy as
a Mounted Policeman. The Rangers appeared in more than 100 films between 1910 and 1995.
These productions portrayed the Rangers as “brave and indefatigable in their efforts to clear the
Lone Star State of miscreants, by violence if necessary.” Both a Mountie and a Ranger were
brought together in one film, Cecil B. DeMille’s 1940 production entitled North West Mounted
Police. This movie stars film icon Gary Cooper as a Texas Ranger who arrives in Canada in the
nick of time (of course) to help the North-West Mounted Police put down the 1884 North-West
Rebellion.
Author Graybill is an assistant professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He
has written a thoroughly researched book that certainly attempts to provide a picture of the two
police organizations, how they faced difficult responsibilities, and how they dealt with them.
However, this reviewer feels that he has not presented a fair picture of the Texas Rangers.
Although this book portrays both organizations in a less than favorable light, it is a worthwhile
work that anyone with even a slight interest in Texas or Canadian history will find interesting. At
times, the reader may be tempted to argue with historian Graybill, but his interpretation of source
material is thought provoking.
43
BR: Amarillo
Book Reviews
Amarillo
Story of a Western Town
by Paul H. Carlson
Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech University Press.
ISBN 0896725871. $28.95.
www.ttup.ttu.edu
Review by Robert Nieman
Amarillo, originally named Oneida, was a fledging scattering of buildings in 1887.
Little could anyone have imagined that would it would soon displace Tascosa as the
hub of the Texas Panhandle. For various reasons, Tascosa faded and Amarillo grew
into a major crossroads for roads and several railroads: the Fort Worth and Denver
City Railroad; the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway; and the Chicago, Rock
Island, and Pacific Railroad.
In this book, Paul Carlson presents the first comprehensive history focusing only
on Amarillo. He follows the history of the Llano Estacado (the Staked Plains) from its
earliest inhabitants to the 21st century.
In the late 19th century, the Panhandle was the home of some of the largest cattle
ranches in the world, and Amarillo became one the world’s leading cattle shipping
centers. The city’s march to greatness continued into and through the 20th century,
when the great oilfield in nearby Borger continued to help fuel the local economy in the
1920s. During the 1900s, Amarillo was the helium capitol of the world. It was also
home to the Amarillo Air Force Base’s Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortess and
the gigantic Pantex Army Ordnance Plant. Both facilities eventually closed, causing a
decline in Amarillo’s economic well-being, but the city rose to the challenge and today
is a vibrant and growing city.
Author Paul Carlson teaches history at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. His Deep
Time and the Texas High Plains and The Cowboy Way were also published by Texas
Tech University Press.
The Texas Ranger Dispatch recommends Amarillo: Story of a Texas Town to those
wishing to expand their Texas history library.
44
BR: Wings of Change
Book Reviews
The Wings of Change
The Army Air Force Experience
in Texas during World War II
by Thomas E. Alexander
Abilene, Texas: McWhiney Foundation Press,
McMurry University, 2003.
Review by Robert Nieman Review by Ro
Review by Robert Nieman
Like the rest of the United States in the late 1930s, Texas was deeply mired in the
grip of the Great Depression. Adding to the sense of financial hopelessness was the
seemingly endless drought that had turned much of Texas and Oklahoma into what
became popularly known as the Dust Bowl. Not surprisingly, many felt there was little
or no way out. However, that was all about to change.
With the 1940 presidential election nearing and America’s entry into World War II
obvious, President Franklin Roosevelt knew he had to do something to put men to
work quickly. He and his military commanders realized that air power would be a major
factor in battles against Hitler’s vaunted Luftwaffe. Roosevelt authorized the building
of 50,000 new military aircraft, the personnel required to maintain them, and the training
of 30,000 pilots.
45
BR: Wings of Change
Book Reviews
Texas benefited more than any other state from this action. With 65 bases from
one end of the state to the other, jobs and population growth expanded in ways that
Texas had never experienced.
The work that came with the bases did more than create jobs: it changed lifestyles
and employment patterns forever. With so many men in the service during the war
years, women and minorities now flooded the labor pool.
In the years before World War II, Texas was predominately a rural state. Only
about one-sixth of the state’s population lived in urban areas, and few men or women
ever ventured more than a few miles from their homes.
Employees working in the factories and bases were now earning more income
than they ever dreamed possible. There was no way that most of the men would ever
be happy returning to their pre-war mundane lives. As for the women, blacks, and
Mexicans, they were especially affected. Before the war, a woman’s job had mainly
been to cook, clean house, and have babies. At best, blacks and Mexicans had been
consigned second-class citizenship. Though equality was still a long way off, the genie
was out of the bottle and was never to be returned.
The Texas Ranger Dispatch encourages anyone with an interest in Texas history
to read this book. Mr. Alexander has filled a component of Texas history that is not
often considered but extremely important. As the Wings of Change shows, Texas was
never the same again.
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