Tracking the Texas Rangers: The Twentieth Century

5. Establishing Law And Order in the Oil Fields: The 1924 Ranger Raids in Navarro County, Texas

98 ★ 5 ★ Establishing Law and Order in the Oil Fields: The 1924 Ranger Raids in Navarro County, Texas James R. Ward D uring the first quarter of the twentieth century Corsicana, Texas, county seat of Navarro, experienced two separate oil booms. Both profoundly altered the community. The first, 1894–1901, awakened the city to petroleum possibilities;1 the second, 1923– 1926, made Corsicana per capita “the wealthiest business city in the United States.”2 Together these discoveries introduced “to Texas the ‘oil boom’ state of mind.”3 Although the early boom was important, Navarro County inhabitants did not fully realize the area’s petroleum potentialities until 1923. Then, at Powell, eight miles southeast of Corsicana, the Corsicana Deep Well Company’s Number One J. H. Burke blew in on January 7. Four months later the Thompson well in the same area began producing 12,000 barrels a day. As additional gushers came in, a major boom resulted. Local citizens became wealthy overnight, many for the first time realizing unfamiliar luxuries. Sudden wealth brought spectacular growth and rising lawlessness.4 Establishing Law and Order in the Oil Fields ★ 99 For several months following initial successes Navarro County bulged with men and equipment. Oil scouts, company officials, field men from all parts of the Southwest, merchants, businessmen, and speculators flocked to the region. Accompanying the “boomers” were many undesirables—bootleggers, gamblers, prostitutes, dope peddlers, and criminals. Field equipment clogged railways and highways from Houston, Dallas, and Waco. Almost overnight such country hamlets as Mildred, Navarro, Powell, Tuckertown, and Whitten rapidly expanded into oil communities characterized by endless rows of shacks and tents. And, within a year, Corsicana jumped in population from approximately 12,000 to 25,000.5 As Corslcana and area towns approached major boom status, crime and vice became serious problems. Although the county seat remained remarkably vice-free, a number of gambling establishments, saloons, brothels, and dance halls dotted the oil fields. Openly defying national and state prohibition laws, whiskey dives flourished. Even round-the-clock activities by law enforcement officers failed to check a rapidly increasing crime rate that included murder and robbery. Especially in Tuckertown and Navarro an unreal, almost carnival-like atmosphere prevailed.6 Therefore District Judge Hawkins Scarborough considered asking Governor Pat Neff to declare martial law.7 Throughout 1923, County Attorney Ballard W. George, Sheriff Walter Hayes, and Corsicana Police Chief Will Knight fought a losing battle against lawlessness and violence. Periodic raids—apparently disorganized—uncovered minor liquor caches, stills, brothels, and gaming houses, rarely producing any major suspects. And inclement December weather prevented officers from effectively patrolling certain portions of the oil field. As criminal incidents became more numerous, and as a large bootlegging organization began operations, apprehensive county officials conceded by January, 1924, that they needed assistance.8 The man to provide the much-desired aid was Texas Ranger Marvin “Red” Burton. A tall, ruddy-faced red-head, the McLennan County native was “more than a match for the shrewdest or tough- 100 ★ Tracking the Texas Rangers: The Twentieth Century est lawbreaker.”9 A respected law officer and a veteran of prohibition crackdowns, he was then working on assignment in Glen Rose, fifty miles southwest of Fort Worth.10 But when contacted by County Attorney George, he agreed to co-ordinate the efforts of Texas Rangers, undercover investigators, and local officers. Specifically, he proposed a series of February raids on stills, gambling houses, brothels, dives, and all other businesses catering to the lawless.11 To ascertain the extent of criminal activities, Burton ordered undercover agents into the county. He called in veteran investigator Richard Watson, “a quiet, innocent appearing, friendly youth”12 from Waco, who headed an experienced team that included J. F. Maloney of Austin and Hilliard Brite of Dallas. During mid-January they established headquarters in Corsicana and began their probe.13 For almost three weeks the undercover men gathered information and data on all suspects and vice centers. They cultivated friendships with both “patrons” and “operators,” successfully infiltrating the lawbreakers. Evidently few suspected their motives for the agents uncovered evidence of numerous violations as well as payoffs involving a few local officers. Early in February they informed the county attorney that they possessed sufficient information to act.14 With the preliminary investigations completed, Ranger Burton arrived in Corsicana on Thursday, February 7 to organize and direct the raids. Supported by local authorities, he decided to move first...