THE MASON COUNTY WAR
Soon after our return from our first brush with Indians we were
introduced to yet another phase of ranger activity--the quieting
of feuds, for not only were the rangers employed in protecting the
frontiers against the Indians, but they were also frequently called
upon to preserve law and order within the towns and cities of the
state. In those early days men's passions were high and easily aroused.
In a country where all men went armed, recourse to fire arms was
frequent, and these feuds sometimes led to active warfare between the
adherents of each party to the great discomfort of the citizens among
whom such a miniature war was staged.
Mason and the adjoining county, Gillespie, had been settled by Germans
in the early history of the state. These settlers were quiet, peaceful
and made most excellent citizens, loyal to their adopted country
and government when undisturbed. Most of these Germans engaged in
stock raising and were sorely tried by the rustlers and Indians that
committed many depredations upon their cattle.
In the latter part of September, 1875, Tim Williamson, a prominent
cattleman living in Mason County, was arrested on a charge of cattle
theft by John Worley, a deputy sheriff of that county. Previous to that
time there had been a number of complaints about loss of cattle, and
the Germans charged that many of their cattle had been stolen and the
brands burned. Much indignation had been aroused among the stockmen of
the county and threats of violence against the thieves were common.
As soon as the news of Williamson's arrest on charge of cattle thieving
became known a large mob formed and set out in pursuit of the deputy
sheriff and his prisoner. On his way to Mason, Worley was overtaken
by this posse. When he saw the pursuing men Williamson divined their
purpose and begged the sheriff to let him run in an effort to save his
life. Worley refused and, it is said, drew his pistol and deliberately
shot Williamson's horse through the loin, causing it to fall. Unarmed
and unmounted Williamson was killed without a chance to protect himself
and without any pretense of a trial. After the murder Worley and the
mob disappeared.
Whether or not Williamson was guilty of the charge against him, he had
friends who bitterly resented the deputy sheriff's refusal to allow
the murdered man a chance for his life and his death caused a great
deal of excitement and bitter comment in the county. A man named Scott
Cooley, an ex-ranger of Captain Perry's Company "D," was a particular
friend of Williamson and his family. Cooley had quit the ranger service
at the time of his friend's murder and was cultivating a farm near
Menardville. He had worked for the dead man and had made two trips up
the trail with him. While working with the murdered cattleman Cooley
had contracted a bad case of typhoid fever and had been nursed back to
health by Mrs. Williamson's own hands.
When the news of Tim Williamson's murder reached Scott Cooley he was
much incensed, and vowed vengeance against the murderers of his friend.
He left his farm at once and, saddling his pony, rode into the town
of Mason heavily armed. He had worked out a careful plan of his own
and proceeded to put it into execution immediately on his arrival.
Stabling his horse in a livery stable, he registered at the hotel. As
he was entirely unknown in Mason, Cooley remained in town several days
without creating any suspicion. He proved himself a good detective, and
soon discovered that the sheriff and his deputy were the leaders in
the mob that had killed his friend. Biding his time and pursuing his
investigations he soon learned the names of every man in the posse that
murdered Williamson.
His information complete, Cooley decided upon action. He mounted his
pony and rode out to the home of John Worley, the deputy sheriff
that had refused Williamson a chance to flee for his life. Cooley
found Worley engaged in cleaning out a well. The avenger dismounted,
asked for a drink of water and entered into conversation with the
unsuspecting man. Finally, as Worley was drawing his assistant out of
the well, Cooley asked him if his name was John Worley. The deputy
sheriff replied that it was. Cooley then declared his mission and shot
the sheriff to death.
At the first crack of Cooley's pistol Worley let the windlass go, and
the man he was drawing up out of the well fell back about twenty-five
feet into it. Cooley deliberately stooped down, cut off both of
Worley's ears, put them in his pocket, and galloped off. Victim number
one was chalked up to Williamson's credit. Making a quick ride across
Mason County to the western edge of Llano County, Cooley waylaid and
killed Pete Brader, the second on his list of mob members.
These two murders struck terror into the hearts of nearly every citizen
of Mason County. No one could tell who would be the next victim of
the unerring aim of Scott Cooley's rifle. The whole county rose up in
arms to protect themselves. Terrified lest he be the next victim of
the avenger, Cooley, the sheriff of Mason County promptly left Mason
and never returned. Tim Williamson had other friends anxious to avenge
him, and the killing of Brader was their rallying signal. John and Mose
Beard, George Gladden, and John Ringgold immediately joined Cooley in
his work of vengeance. The gang rode into the town of Mason, and in a
fight with a posse of citizens, killed another man.
Fearing the outbreak of a real feud war in Mason, the Governor of Texas
ordered Major Jones to the relief of the frightened citizens. The order
reached Major Jones while he was on his way down the line near the head
of the Guadalupe River. He at once turned his company back, and with
a detachment of ten men from Company "D" he marched to Mason. Company
"A," Major Jones' escort, was then commanded by Captain Ira Long, and
the thirty men in that company and the ten boys of Company "D" gave the
major forty men for his relief expedition.
Before the rangers could reach Mason, the sheriff's party had a fight
with Cooley's gang down on the Llano River and killed Mose Beard. On
his arrival in Mason, Major Jones sent scouts in every direction to
hunt Cooley. He kept this up for nearly two weeks but without result.
He finally learned that nearly the whole of his command, especially
the Company "D" boys that had ranged with Cooley, was in sympathy with
the outlaw and was making no serious attempt to locate or imperil him.
It was even charged that some of the Company "D" rangers met Cooley at
night on the outskirts of Mason and told him they did not care if he
killed every d--d Dutchman in Mason County that formed part of the mob
that had murdered Williamson.
Major Jones saw he would have to take drastic steps at once. He drew up
his whole force of forty men and made them an eloquent speech. He said
he had a special pride in the Frontier Battalion and was making it his
life's study and that he personally had a kindly feeling for every man
in the service. He then reminded the men in the most feeling manner
of the oath they had taken to protect the State of Texas against all
her enemies whatsoever,--an oath every true man was bound to honor. He
declared he knew many of the command had a friendly feeling for Scott
Cooley, especially those boys who had shared the life of a ranger with
him, and that he, himself, felt keenly the position in which they were
placed. While Tim Williamson had met a horrible death at the hands of
a relentless mob, that did not justify Cooley in killing people in a
private war of vengeance in defiance of the law and the rangers.
As the climax of his speech the major said, "Men, I now have a
proposition to make to you. If every man here who is in sympathy with
Scott Cooley and his gang and who does not wish to pursue him to
the bitter end will step out of ranks I will issue him an honorable
discharge and let him quit the service clean."
The major paused and about fifteen men stepped to the front.
"Gentlemen," continued Major Jones, "those who do not avail themselves
of this opportunity I shall expect to use all diligence and strength in
helping me to break up or capture these violators of the law."
After the discharge of the Cooley sympathizers, the rangers went to
work with a new vigor, and finally captured George Gladden and John
Ringgold. Gladden was sent to the state penitentiary for twenty-five
years, while Ringgold received a life sentence. Probably Scott Cooley
was informed of Major Jones' appeal to the rangers, for he became less
active around Mason after this. John Beard, it was reported, skipped
Texas and went to Arizona.
Soon after Cooley killed John Worley, Norman Rodgers got permission
from Captain Roberts to ride over to Joe Franks' cow outfit to exchange
his horse for a better one. When Rodgers rode into the cowboy camp he
noticed a man resting under a tree near the fire. The stranger called
one of the cowboys and asked him who Norman was. As Rodgers left camp
this man followed him and asked if he were one of Roberts' rangers and
if he knew "Major" Reynolds. Rodgers replied that he knew Reynolds very
well.
The man then declared he was Scott Cooley and, reaching into his
pocket, he pulled out John Worley's ears.
"You take these ears to 'Major' Reynolds with my compliments, but don't
you tell anybody you saw me."
Rodgers duly delivered the ears and Reynolds cautioned him to say
nothing about them. Forty years afterward, at an old settlers reunion
in Sweetwater, Norman Rodgers mentioned this incident in a speech--he
had kept his promise to Cooley and Reynolds all those years.
Having lost his friends and his sympathizers in the rangers, Cooley
returned to Blanco County, where he had formerly lived. Here he was
stricken with brain fever, and though tenderly nursed, shielded by his
friends, he died without ever being brought to trial for his killings.
This ended the Mason County War, but before the feud died some ten or
twelve men were killed and a race war narrowly averted.