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
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“The only history is a mere question of one’s struggle inside oneself. But that is the joy of it. One need neither discover Americas nor conquer nations, and yet one has as great a work as Columbus or Alexander, to do.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)
“The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“Both place and time were changed, and I dwelt nearer to those parts of the universe and to those eras in history which had most attracted me.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)