The Texas Rangers in Transition: From Gunfighters toCriminal Investigators, 1921–1935 by Charles H. Harris III and Louis R. Sadler

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Texas Rangers in Transition: From Gunfighters toCriminal Investigators, 1921–1935 by Charles H. Harris III and Louis R. Sadler Mitchel P. Roth The Texas Rangers in Transition: From Gunfighters to Criminal Investigators, 1921–1935. By Charles H. Harris III and Louis R. Sadler. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019. Pp. xii, 640. $34.95, ISBN 978-08061-6260-7.) The Texas Rangers in Transition: From Gunfighters to Criminal Investigators, 1921–1935 chronicles an era in Texas Ranger history that has received little attention, a period that encompasses both Prohibition and the Great Depression. The book is organized according to the six gubernatorial administrations of this era. Its thirty-six chapters capture every major and, sometimes to its detriment, every minor incident involving Texas Rangers from this period. The chapters are bookended by an introduction, offering capsule biographies of the iconic Rangers from this era, and an epilogue following their careers after the formation of the Department of Public Safety in 1935. One of the repeated themes of the book is how Rangers "bounced in and out," often leaving for better-paying jobs (p. 15). Indeed, one of the biggest challenges for the force was policing such a large state with an underfunded and undermanned Ranger roster, usually consisting of fewer than fifty men. The authors are on target when they note that "Texans might love their Rangers, but the legislature sure hated to spend money on them" (p. 31). Moreover, "the prestige of being a Texas Ranger was sometimes more important than the low pay" (p. 82). But it was rare for a lawman to leave a better-paying job to join the Rangers in any case. During the transition era, the Rangers were mostly tasked with enforcing Prohibition and gambling laws. Among the most difficult Ranger tasks was policing the boomtowns created by major oil discoveries. Contrary to presentday expectations, communities often resented, rather than welcomed, the Rangers, since they were often investigating local law enforcement. One of the more contentious oil boomtowns was Borger, where the Rangers issued a "'sundown order'" mandating "prostitutes and other undesirables" leave town within twelve hours, leading to an exodus of at least 1,200 prostitutes "'strung out along the highways'" (p. 306). Residents, though, were more than ready for the Rangers to move on, claiming their "presence had reduced property values by 50 percent and was bad for business" (p. 310). Many residents and peacekeepers did not like outsiders coming in to keep the peace. But the attitude toward the Rangers varied according to the city. While Dallas was generally enthusiastic, El Paso and San Antonio were among the more "Ranger averse" cities (p. 184). The book covers the state, section by section, enumerating the challenges that the behind-the-times police force faced. East Texas, for example, was particularly troublesome. The authors point out that this region "was really a part of the South" and was behind only Mississippi and Georgia in its number of lynching victims (p. 152). When they were not protecting black prisoners, the Rangers were chasing moonshiners, car thieves, and bootleggers. The start of the 1930s saw increased calls for modernization and reorganization, leading to the creation of the Department of Public Safety in 1935. Within a year, the Ranger force "was operating as an efficient, modern, and integral part of the Texas state police system" (p. 521). One politician asserted before the reorganization, [End Page 744] "The people of Texas cannot expect a constabulary of the saddle horse and sixshooter age to keep pace with ultra-modern criminals" (pp. 485–86). The Texas Rangers might have lost some of their autonomy, but by the time the transition took place, the force was "'only a shadow of its former greatness'" (p. 486). Moreover, most supporters agreed that if Texas was to have a bona fide "'state police force, the Rangers offer[ed] the best nucleus'" (p. 486). The Texas Rangers in Transition is admirably researched and incredibly detailed. Having scoured archives from around the state, using documents, letters, and newspapers, the authors scrupulously paint a portrait of the Ranger force on the cusp of modernization. Mitchel P. Roth Sam Houston State University Copyright © 2020...