#OTD on November 24, 1922 Texas Ranger William Lee Wright was dispatched to Weslaco to investigate the brutal beating and lynching death of Elias Villareal Zárate. Villareal (called Zárate by the press) died at the hands of a mob that had broken him out of jail. Villareal did construction work in Weslaco. On the night […]
#OTD on November 15, 1922 a white mob of 300 people, in KKK fashion, marched through the streets of Breckenridge, harassing and intimidating Mexican American and African American workers. Gov Pat Neff sent in Ranger Frank Hamer, who investigated but did nothing. 1922 was a particularly violent year in Texas. It saw the murder of
#OTD on November 16, 1918, Texas Rangers Daniel Hinojosa and George Hurst threatened the life of San Diego Constable Ventura R. Sanchez, even though he was a fellow law officer who attempted to do his duty. Hinojosa had a sordid past. In 1915 he and Sheriff Frank Carr had arrested Adolfo Muñoz, whom they later
#OTD on November 10, 1906 Texas Ranger Captain William McDonald and several others shot and killed at least 4 Mexican men and wounded several others.
#OTD on November 5, 1877 Texas Rangers under the command of John Tayes and John Jones arrived in the El Paso area to quell the San Elizario Salt Wars, leading to one of the few Ranger defeats.
