Dedication
To EDWARD M. HOUSE
Contents
II.— An Old-Time Mississippi Childhood
III.— Emigration and Adventure
A boy at the head of a household. Meeting the “Devil and his wife.” An early reform 21
Subduing a bad man. First official appointment. A deputy who did things. “Bill” McDonald and “Jim” Hogg 33
VI.— Into the Wilderness
VII.— Commercial Ventures and Adventures
Bill McDonald’s method of collecting a bill; and his method of handling bad men 48
VIII.— Reforming the Wilderness
The kind of men to be reformed. Early reforms in Quanah. Bad men meet their match 55
IX.— Getting Even with the Brooken Gang
The Brooken Gang don’t wait for callers. One hundred and twenty-seven years’ sentence for an outlaw 65
X.— New Tactics in No-Man’s Land
Bill McDonald and Lon Burson gather in the bad men. “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keeps on a-comin’”
XII.— Some of the Difficulties of Reform
XIII.— Captain Bill as a Tree-Man
The lost drove of Lazarus. A pilgrim on a “paint-hoss.” A new way of getting information in the “Strip” 95
XIV.— The Day for “Deliveries”
Deputy Bill gets “stood off,” but makes good. Bill Cook and “Skeeter,” “A hell of a court to plead guilty in!” 115
XVI.— Texas Ranger Service and Its Origin
The massacre of Fort Parker; Cynthia Ann Parker’s capture. Rangers and what they are for. Their characteristics and their requirements 126
XVII.— Captain of Company B, Ranger Force
Capture of Dan and Bob Campbell. Recommendations for a Ranger Captain. Governor “Jim” Hogg appoints his old friend on the strength of them 136
XVIII.— An Exciting Indian Campaign
XIX.— A Bit of Farming and Politics
XXI.— The Battle with Matthews
XXII.— What Happened to Beckham
XXIII.— A Medal for Speed
XXIV.— Captain Bill in Mexico
Mexican thieves try to hold up Captain Bill and get a surprise. Mexican police make the same attempt with the same result. President Diaz tries to enlist him
XXV.— A New Style in the Pan-handle
Charles A. Culberson pays a tribute to Ranger marksmanship. Captain Bill in a “plug” hat 189
XXVI.— Preventing a Prize-Fight
The Fitzsimmons-Maher fight that didn’t come off at El Paso, and why. Captain Bill “takes up” for a Chinaman 194
XXVII.— The Wichita Falls Bank Robbery and Murder
Kid Lewis and his gang take advantage of the absence of the Rangers. They make a bad calculation and come to grief. Good examples of Bill McDonald’s single-handed work, and nerve
XXVIII.— Captain Bill as a Peace-maker
He attends certain strikes and riots alone with satisfactory results. Goes to Thurber and disperses a mob 214
XXIX.— The Buzzard’s Water-Hole Gang
The Murder Society of San Saba and what happened to it after the Rangers arrived 221
XXX.— Quieting a Texas Feud
The Reece-Townsend trouble, and how the factions were once dismissed by Captain Bill McDonald 243
XXXI.— The Trans-Cedar Mystery
XXXII.— Other Mobs and Riots
XXXIII.— Other Work in East Texas
Districts which even a Ranger finds hopeless. The Touchstone murder. The confession of Ab Angle 265
XXXIV.— A Wolf-Hunt with the President
Captain Bill sees the President through Texas and accompanies him on the “best time of his life.” Quanah Parker tells stories to the hunters 273
XXXV.— The Conditt Murder Mystery
A terrible crime at Edna, Texas. Monk Gibson’s arrest and escape. The greatest man-hunt in history. 290
XXXVI.— The Death of Rhoda McDonald
XXXVII.— The Conditt Mystery Solved
XXXVIII.— The Brownsville Episode: An Event of National Importance
XXXIX.— Captain Bill on the Scene
The situation at Brownsville. Rangers McDonald and McCauley defy the U.S. army. Captain Bill holds a court of inquiry 323
XL.— What Finally Happened at Brownsville
How State officials failed to support the men who quieted disorder and located crime 341
XLI.— The Battle on the Rio Grande
Assassination of Judge Stanley Welch. A Rio Grande election. Captain Bill ordered to the scene. An ambush; a surprise, and an inquest. Captain Bill’s last battle.
XLII.— The End of Rangering and a New Appointment
State Revenue Agent of Texas. The “Full Rendition” Bill enforced. A great battle for Tax Reform, and a bloodless triumph 373
XLIII.— Conclusion