The Sutton-Taylor Feud: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas

8. Bloody 1875

201 chapter eight Bloody 1875 “A party of five men entered Ryan’s saloon and killed Reuben Brown … a member of the Sutton party. His body was riddled with balls. … Marshal Brown was the man who arrested Taylor for the murder of Sutton.” —New York Times, November 19, 1875 I n spite of McNelly’s good work in DeWitt County, he received criticism from some, and surprisingly from Sen. B. J. Pridgen. The senator had written to Governor Coke asking for Rangers to protect him and his family. The governor turned the note over to McNelly who responded on March 3, 1875, reminding the senator that there had been a guard at his house “continuous since last Aug. (1874) and of such strength as your family asked for.” McNelly indicated the guard would remain there and felt satisfied the senator’s family would be safe. In the same letter he indicated his surprise—but not anger—in learning of the senator’s letter published in the Pittsburg Dispatch newspaper claiming that “parties had sought protection in my camp” but had not received it, and indicating that McNelly had been “very remiss” in performing his duty. McNelly pointed out that Pridgen certainly knew that charge was false and expected it to be corrected in the same newspaper.1 In spite of unwarranted criticism, McNelly felt confident about the situation in DeWitt County. His continuous Ranger 202 The Sutton-Taylor Feud patrols had obviously proved effective in reducing the violence between the two feuding groups, mainly because of his presence . Obtaining funds from the legislature to keep the company in the field had never been easy, and during the early months of 1875 the possibility of McNelly’s company being drastically reduced in numbers or disbanded altogether was ever present. On March 4 McNelly wrote and complained to Adjutant General Steele that it was becoming more and more difficult for Clinton merchants to accept warrants for the company’s necessary supplies due to uncertainty about how long the company would remain in DeWitt County. But he was able to conclude his letter with an optimistic “All quiet.”2 Steele responded and ordered McNelly to buy only what was absolutely necessary for immediate use. If no appropriation came from the legislature to keep the company in the field, it would have to be disbanded. On the seventeenth the order arrived: he wastoreturnthecompanytowhereitwasfirstorganized(Washington County) and muster out the men. But before this was done another order arrived: the legislature had at the last minute allocated sufficient funds to keep the company intact. But now it was ordered to go elsewhere: he could not remain in the feud country. On Good Friday, raiders from south of the Rio Grande had attacked the little community of Nuecestown, only a few miles from Corpus Christi. Nueces County residents then formed into mobs, intending to protect their lives and property at any cost. Due to the increasing troubles on the Rio Grande borderandMcNelly’seffectivenessinDeWittCounty,theWashington County militia company was sent to the border. South Texas ranchers could rejoice at McNelly’s arrival, but what would happen in DeWitt County in his absence? Feudist Bill Taylor still was in custody in the Galveston County jail, waiting for yet another chance to gain his freedom through a verdict of not guilty or even to escape. As the Galveston jail was one of the more secure jails in the state, his chances for escape were slim indeed. John Wesley Hardin, who had broken his Bloody 1875 203 brother-in-law out of the Gonzales jail, was unable to do so, as he had left Texas. But on the other hand, perhaps Taylor felt he could beat this charge. After all, previous court cases had been in his favor: he had been charged with carrying a pistol several times, but that amounted to nothing of great import. He had stood trial twice for theft of a steer and found not guilty.3 Perhaps with good attorneys he could stand trial on this charge and be found not guilty as well. After all, Sutton and Slaughter werebotharmed,soagoodcasecouldbemadefor“selfdefense.” But at his first trial for the killing of Sutton, he was found guilty. The verdict resulted in a sentence of ten years in the penitentiary . He still had to stand trial for the killing of Slaughter, so instead of going to Huntsville prison he was returned to the secure jail...