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153 E VEN as the Taylor ring’s manpower seemed to be dwindling, more trouble developed, this time in Austin. After learning that rangers would soon take some prisoners (Taylor men) to Clinton to stand trial, a number of the relatives and friends of the incarcerated men came to see them. A sergeant allowed private conversations over the objection of his men, who feared possible escape plots. When Governor Coke learned of the secret talks, he addressed the rangers, telling them that if trouble developed, to kill all the prisoners first and then to protect themselves as best they could, for the Democrats no longer needed violent men and chaos. Still, according to one officer, Hardin and Taylor could easily raise a company of about forty renegades, a number of men that might well overwhelm the ranger party of thirteen that guarded the Austin jail. But no attack came, possibly because would-be rescuers learned of Coke’s directive. On the first night’s camp on the way to Clinton, an oversight by a lawman allowed two Taylor men to grab one gun apiece, but the guards retook the weapons before the prisoners could use them. As the group approached the Guadalupe River, the prisoners began educating their escort about the best crossing. The captives held that the best route was to go down the west side of the river for about seven miles and then cross. After making camp and planning to find the crossing the next morning, rangers talked with two freedmen who saw their fires and came into their midst. A lawman told the blacks what the prisoners had recommended and asked for the advice of the older freedman. He told the rangers that the planned route would take them into an area that was one of the best hiding places of the Hardin-Taylor guerrillas. Consequently, the group crossed directly at Clinton the next evening, whereupon they rode straight C H A P T E R T E N  Exterminating the Taylor Crime Ring 154 C HAPTE R 10 into two hundred armed men. After backing out of their range and sight, Ranger W. M. Green called for Sheriff Weisiger and spoke to him privately, telling him who the prisoners were. Fearing a multiple lynching, the sheriff pulled the felons off their horses and had his own men mount them. After loudly telling the rangers to take the “prisoners” to the hotel for supper, Weisiger quickly assembled a small posse of trustworthy men to hide and to protect the real prisoners. Temporarily the posse and the rangers had the upper hand, but after the rangers left two days later, a disguised armed group that greatly outnumbered the sheriff’s men took control of the captives and hanged them. The perpetrators were no doubt happy to cut into the numeral strength of what was left of the old ring. However, for a time the marauders continued to flourish even though the ring had lost many men. Writing from his post in Brownwood, Captain Maltby informed his superior, Major Jones, that the situation in Brown County was still critical and that he, Maltby, needed to stay at his present post because the “lives of the responsible citizens” were still at risk. Unaware that Hardin had left the area, the captain said that “the notorious outlaw John Hardin and a band of desperadoes” threatened all the peaceful folk. Maltby again complained that his men were poorly armed. He needed a good sixgun, as did most of his men. The squad also needed ammunition for their rifles. Clearly, the men wanted to go after Hardin, but they needed the firepower necessary to do it. Maltby was heartened when new pistols arrived. Yet, as he tested them using Smith and Wesson cartridges, he found them unreliable. He asked headquarters for different ammunition. The captain said his men were ready to do battle as soon as they received the new munitions. Soon, Maltby took the field with part of his command. Although his unit neither captured nor killed any brigands, he apparently drove them from Brown County. Major Jones made that judgment when he reinforced the captain as his command camped along Clear Creek, about fifteen miles from Brownwood. New scouts continued to turn up nothing, which prompted Jones to transfer Maltby’s forces, some men going to Caldwell County and others to Eastland County. Shortly, in yet another county, another Taylor man fell. Called a trusted friend by...

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