History
Among its members were Sheriff Jack Helms of DeWitt County, Texas, who served as a captain. He was later killed by John Wesley Hardin during the Sutton-Taylor feud. Another notable member was Leander H. McNelly of the Texas Ranger Division. Outlaw William P. Longley claimed to have killed members of the Texas State Police in 1866–1869—even before it came into existence.
Despite the success of the State Police, the fact that the force employed African Americans and was controlled by Governor Davis made it unpopular. Some of the State Police members certainly deserved criticism. Captain Jack Helm, for instance, was accused of murdering prisoners; he was fired, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Others committed crimes for which the charges were dropped as soon as headquarters was advised. James Davidson, the Chief of the State Police, embezzled $37,000 and disappeared.
In September 1870 Hill County, Texas local citizens refused to cooperate with the TSP from moving against the Kinch West gang; in December 1870 Hill County citizens blocked the TSP from arresting the killers of an African-American couple.
Read more about this topic: Texas State Police
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Every generation rewrites the past. In easy times history is more or less of an ornamental art, but in times of danger we are driven to the written record by a pressing need to find answers to the riddles of today.... In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present and get us past that idiot delusion of the exceptional Now that blocks good thinking.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“When the history of this period is written, [William Jennings] Bryan will stand out as one of the most remarkable men of his generation and one of the biggest political men of our country.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“A poet’s object is not to tell what actually happened but what could or would happen either probably or inevitably.... For this reason poetry is something more scientific and serious than history, because poetry tends to give general truths while history gives particular facts.”
—Aristotle (384–323 B.C.)