This is a great photo of one of the Texas Ranger units that Frank was in. I think this was around the time he was a Marshal in Navasota. (1910).
Frank is on the left end of the second row. It's interesting to me because it's one of the few photos of the Rangers I've seen without them holding their guns.
I also find it interesting that the old clap trap of a building they're posing in front of looks like it's about to fall down! Look at that porch floor beside Frank. lol. Looks like he could fall through the floor at any moment.
Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
We're in a series about one of the best Texas Rangers to ever wear the badge, the great Frank Hamer, who was brought out of retirement to take down Bonnie and Clyde.
Recap
In the last post Frank had been patched up by a doctor and then sent to the jail where Gladys, Harrison, and Rocky were being held. Oh, and Red. The police had found Red and arrested him too.
Today's story
Gee McMeans/McUgly had alot of friends in Sweetwater and a lynch mob gathered. The chief of police and a man who was a friend of Frank stopped them.
His friend told the riled up mob,"If you want him, go get him. He's down to the jail and the door's not locked. But I ought to warn you fellas he has a 30-30 and a sawed off shotgun and a case of ammunition for each of 'em. Buck and I are going home to bed."
The mob decided they might as well go home too. lol.
It took the grand jury 5 days of examining evidence and whatever else they do before they decided that everyone could go home, even Red.
They DID "compliment Frank highly" for not shooting Red in the back. Two Texas Rangers had been called in to help maintain the peace.
The stuff hit the fan
Dave Sims, the weathly rancher who had hired McUgly, went ballistic when he found out McUgly was dead. McUgly was his son-in-law.
Now, not only was his son dead but now his son-in-law! He hated the lawyer who had gotten Gladys off scot-free for helping to kill his son.
Optional reading: A quick summary of the last of the feud
If you read the last post there was a third hired gun that got there late to the fight, Higdon. Sims sent Higdon and two other gunmen to kill that lawyer, which they did. Afterwards all three of them were arrested.
One of the killers was sent to the Sweetwater jail and confessed to everything. The next morning he was found dead in his cell. It was ruled a suicide but the Rangers were suspected of killing him during harsh interrogation.
Captain Ransom of the Rangers was investigating the death of that lawyer when he was shot dead outside his hotel room. Officially it was ruled an "accident," but a later examination of the report shows that he was on the floor when he was shot.
Higdon was indicted for the murder of the lawyer but since the main witness was dead, the charges were dropped and he went free. The Sims bunch gave up on trying to get further revenge.
The feud died off
The Johnson-Sims feud was finally over and Frank wouldn't have to spend everyday looking over his shoulder. It took a few decades for the bad blood between the two clans to cool off. (It's still pretty warm though).
Now that the ugly mess of the feud is behind him, Frank starts life over again, this time with Gladys. His story continues in the next post.
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas
PS- Well guys, in my never-ending quest for cool and unusual vending machines I thought I'd found the ultimate yesterday with the ice cream making vending machine but this one is right up there too. It's a Bacon vending machine!
Can you believe it? Dreams do come true! lol. Check this out:
This is at the Ohio State University campus and furnished by the Ohio Pork Council. It's located in the Animal Sciences building at the school’s College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
The kids are going hog wild for these at only $1 per package!
The Pork Council says, “The Bacon Vending Machine is a unique and fun way for the Ohio Pork Council to support Ohio State students and promote the pork industry at the same time.”
Now they need to put the bacon machine with the ice cream making machine...a heavenly combination don't you think?
