Chapter 21
Chapter 21 of Captain Bill McDonald, Texas Ranger, Story of the Frontier Reform. This is a Library Vox recording. All Library Vox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit libraryvox.org. This is recorded by Daniel Grant Peterson.
Chapter 21. What Happened to a Man Who Decided to Kill Bill MacDonald? It was strange, indeed, that MacDonald did not happen to get killed for those buzzy days of the early 90s. One of the favorite vows of tough panhandlers was to shoot Bill MacDonald on sight. But the reader will remember that there was a suddenness in figure about Bill MacDonald's manner and message
that was very bad for a vow like when the moment for its execution arrived. Still, there were those who tried to make good, and one of those dewey assists came near being successful. He would have succeeded, no doubt, if he had had time. This man's name was John Pierce Matthews,
who became simply John Pierce after its owner had got the drop in a steamboat cabin one day in Louisiana and shot him dead. He took the new name with him to the panhandle, where in due time he got to drop on another man, somewhere up the northern tier of counties, with the same result.
This was a good while before he came down to the Childress County and got to be sheriff. But there were those who had not forgotten, and among them was Captain Bill MacDonald. Then, stopping at Wichita Falls, Matthews, or Pierce, as it was called, frankly came down to the falls for speed, and one made application to join the secret society.
MacDonald was a prominent member of that society, and Matthews did not get in. This stirred an animosity of Matthews. He began to clean his six-shooter daily and to practice sudden and accurate firing when he knew it would be necessary in case of a showdown. By and by, there was a sheriff's convention at Houston, and on the boat excretion between Houston and Galveston, Matthews spoke disrespectfully to the Governor Hogg, who was on board.
MacDonald, who was also present, promptly called Matthews to account, and a general settlement might have been reached then, and there had been well-meaning. But misguided friends of both parties not interfered and spout a very pretty sheriff's picnic newspaper story. As it was, Matthews kept owning his pistols and practicing, meantime enlisting the sympathy of friends in whom he confided that someday when he had a little leisure that he was going to look up Bill MacDonald and kill him, suggesting that they be present and take a hand, they being the sort naturally interested in such an enterprise. Matthews also had another enemy, one Joe Beckham, sheriff of Motley County, an officer of his own kind who presently got as short as possible on his accounts, absconded and set out for Indian territory. Matthews had no right to go outside of his own county after a fugitive, and no business in this matter in any way as he wanted Beckham only for a misdemeanor, whereas he was charged in his own county with a felony.
But Matthews had an itch for Beckenham in his own accounts, so he picked up another enemy of Beckenham named Cook, a citizen of Motley with an ambition for Beckenham's office, and two came with a peaceful attitude and fair words to Quora, where Captain Bill was then stopping, requesting the loan of a ranger to go over the territory after the defaulting officer. MacDonald refused, but said he would send a man as far as the territory lying. Ranger authority not extending beyond that border. He did send one ranger, McClure, who, being strongly persuaded, overstepped in the same instant his authority and his state lying.
Captain Beckham, whom he lost though a right of habeas corpus, fell into a plot devised by Matthews and Cook to get rid of him, and was finally brought back to Quarra by Captain Bill, who drove a hundred miles on a bad night to get him out of the mess, after which McClure was a wiser and better ranger. Beckham, meanwhile, had found victim to remorse or more likely to have promised immunity, and now hurried over to Quanah to give himself up again to Ranger McClure. Captain Bill being absent through Quanah at the time, Beckham asked to be taken to Manador, county seat of Motley, for a trial, and begged McClure to see him through Childress,
where he expected to be killed by Matthews and Cook. McClure assured Beckenham that he would see him safely to Manador, and they were set out by rail for Childress, at which point they would take a team for Monte County's seat. Matthews was on hand at Childress. He demanded Beckenham of McClure to refuse to deliver his prisoner. Matthews then started to organize a posse to take Beckenham.
Word of this came to McClure, who promptly gave his presence a revolver, then told him to help defend himself. Matthews and his crowd now tried to enlist the cooperation of Sheriff Cunningham of Abilene, who, as soon as he understood the situation, resigned from Matthews' force and offered to assist the McClure congenit. McClure thanked him, but said he guessed he'd go along to Manador, now with his prisoner as his team was waiting.
Captain Bill was in Manador when Ranger and prisoner arrived, and Beckingham was jailed without further difficulty. Cook got appointed sheriff by a commissioner's court, but the district judge refused to accept him and select a man named Moses for the job. whereupon Cook refused to resign and Captain Bill was sent over to turn him out, which he did with promptness and vigor.
On his way back to Coir, waiting for a train in Childress, Matthews appeared and demanded that MacDonald dismiss Ranger McClure on general charges connected with Beckham episode. MacDonald mildly but firmly refused and spoke his mind pretty freely on the subject, all which had filled the old resentment which Matthews nursed and nursed in his bosom for Captain Bill. If Matthews wanted to commit suicide, he began preparing for it, now in the right way.
He gave it out openly that he was going to wander through Quarra someday and kill Bill McDonald, just as a matter of pastime, as he sent word to the same effect by any of Captain Bill's friends that he found it going that way. Perhaps he thought these messages of impending death would unnerve the ranger captain and interfere with his sleep.
That was a bad judgment. Bill MacDonald needed only the anteception of the little pistol practice like that to make him sleep like an angel child. I didn't talk as loud as he did, nor as much, Captain Bill said afterward. I reckon I thought I was afraid of him.
Matthews had really cut to work out for himself. However, he had enlisted help for the occasion. He was satisfied with his target practice and condition of his firearms, and he had taken wearing a plug of tobacco or a Bible or something solid like that in the coat pocket just over his heart, about where one of Bill McDonald's bullets would be apt to strike,
providing the ranger happened to get a bead on him, so he had planned it against that too. It was in December 1895 at last that Matthews and his pals came down to Kornow for the declared purpose of killing a ranger captain. It was a cold, dreary day, and they visited one saloon after another, getting a supply of courage for their job and explaining what they were going to do. Then they took the following, McDonald, always in the group, evidently, waiting for the proper opportunity, confident enough that McDonald would not take the offensive. Finally, however, they pressed him so close that he suddenly turned and told them to quit following him, or trouble would ensue.
Perhaps it did not seem a good place to do the job. There being no sort of protection. Perhaps there was something disquieting in the matter of Captain Bill's warning. They dropped away for the time, and MacDonald gave the matter no further thought. Men threatening to kill him was an item in every day's program.
It was near the dusk of that bleak day, and MacDonald was on the railway station, setting an official telegram to his men in Armorero. when an old man named Crutcher whom MacDonald knew came into word that Matthews wanted to see him and fix up matters without any more trouble. Captain Bill regarded Crutcher keenly. Evidently, he was sincere enough. John says he wants to see you up and fix everything right, repeated the old man persuasively.
Captain Bill finished writing his telegram and sent it. Then, turning to the old man Crutcher, he said in a slow, mild way, Well, that all sounds mighty good to me. I never want any trouble that I can help. Come on, let's go find him.
They left the depot and decided toward the town. As if they did so, they saw the sheriff of Hardin County, whose name was Dick Coffer, and Matthews were two of the latter's friends coming to meet him. Sheriff Coffer was a step ahead of Matthews when they started across the street.
Old Man Crotcher, in a friendly way, put his arms through McDonald's as they advanced. When they were about four or five feet between the groups, all stopped and there was a little silence. Then McDonald's said, Well? And Matthews answered, keeping Coughford to trifle in advance.
Well, what is it, Bill? Captain Bill began quietly. I understand, he said, that you have been trying to say some pretty hard things about me. and that you're all going to wipe the earth with me. Is that so?
Matthews edged a trifle near Coffer. No, he said. I didn't say that. But by God, I'll tell you what I did say. And at the same moment, pointing his left index fingers in MacDonald's face,
while his right hand slipped in the direction of his hip pocket, Captain Bill saw the movement, and his own hand dropped to the side of an overcoat pocket where, in winter, he carried part of his armament. Matthew's practice in drawing, for some reason, failed to benefit him.
His gun seemed to hang a little on the scabbard. A second later, he had jerked it free, stepping behind Cofford, and fired a Captain Bill over a sheriff's right shoulder. But the slight hit spoiled his aim, perhaps for the bullet missed, passing through McDonald's overcoat collar,
through the range that was so short that the powder burned his face. The game could be now considered opium. Captain Bill, with a quick movement that was between a skip and a step, got around Coffin and let go two shots in quick succession at Matthews. But in Ladder's breastpiece was a success.
Both of McDonnell's bolts struck within the space of a 50-cent piece. Just above Matthews' heart penetrated a thick plug of the Star Navy, found a heavy notebook beyond it, and stopped. With the thought process which may be regarded as cool for such a moment, Captain Bill realized for some reason he could not kill Matthews by shooting him on that side and shift his aim.
Matthews, meantime, had again dodged behind Coffer, who was now dropped flat on the ground where it was quieter. Captain Bill was bending forward at the time, trying to get a shot around Coffer. and as the ladder dropped, Matthews fired the bullet striking MacDonald on the left shoulder, raging down through his long and small of his back, traveling two-thirds the length of his body for lodgement. The ranger was knocked backward but did not fall.
Matthews quickly fired again, but MacDonald was near enough now to knock the gun aside with his own and the barrel passed through his hat brim. Aiming at Matthew's other shoulder, MacDonald let go his third shot and Matthews fell. Meantime, the two deputy assassins had opened fire
and one of them had set two bullets through MacDonald's left arm. To these, he gave no attention till Matthews dropped. Wheeling now, he started to cock his gun when he received another ball, this time in his right shoulder, along which it traveled to his neck,
thence around the windpipe to the left side. His fingers were paralyzed by this wound and made an effort to cock his gun with his teeth, but there was no further need for, with the collapse of Matthews and his co-mortors,
fled wildly to cover behind the depot, nearly upsetting the boxcar in their hurry, as the spectator remarked. Captain Bill walked a few steps to the sidewalk. There was a post there,
and holding to this, he eased himself to a sitting position. A man ran up to him. Captain, how about it? Well, I think I'm a dead rabbit. They gathered him up and took him to the drugstore,
and they took Matthews to a drugstore across the street. By and by, they carried Captain Bill home to the doctor who came to hunt for the bullets. Don't fool around with that one in my neck, Doc, Captain Bill said. Go after the one in the small of my back and let out the blood. There's a bucket of slushing around in there.
The doctor obeyed orders. It was appropriate to gratify a dying man. Now, Doc, the ranger captain said when his operation was over and the surface cover had been removed, now I'll get well. And Ronda McDonald, his nervy wife, who had arrived on the scene, echoed this belief.
If Bill just said he will get well, he will do it, she declared. But this was minority opinion, and the night when it was rumored that Captain Bill would not pull through, there were threats in case he didn't. The two men who had trained with Matthews would be strung up without further notice. Some word of this was brought to Captain Bill, perhaps as a message of comfort.
Don't you do it, boys, he said. I'm going to get well even if I don't. I want the law to take its course, and I'm opposed to lynching. Matthews died in a few days. He was removed to the Childress and died there.
Before his death, he was sent word to MacDonald. You acted man-although, was his message. I'm only sorry I can't see you and apologize. Tell him I'm doing all right, was the answer returned, and I hope that you'll get well. The mending of Captain Bill was a slow process.
For about two months he was laid up, and then with his life he sojourned for a time at a sanitarium. After that he was once more pale and stooped over but ready to eager for action. In time he was apparently as fit as ever, though in truth the physical repairing was never quite complete. End of chapter. Chapter 21
