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Laws and Regulations Pertaining to
the Organization of the Texas Rangers
 Organization
of
The Texas Rangers in 1911
Editor's
Note
- In 1911, the laws pertaining to Texas Rangers were revised to further
strengthen the force.
The most noticeable change was the creation of a headquarters company
and the appointment of a senior captain (a rank existing today). The
four companies were reorganized not to exceed one captain, one sergeant
and fifteen privates. The Governor could create more companies if
the need arose.
Pay for Rangers was improved, longevity pay was added, but Rangers
were still required to provide their own horses saddles and tack.
Firearms were to be supplied by the State and deducted from their
pay, although in practice most Rangers appear to have preferred their
own weapons.
GENERAL LAWS.
PROVIDING FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF THE STATE
RANGER FORCE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE FRONTIER AND SUPPRESSION OF LAWLESSNESS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
H. B. No. 5.1 CHAPTER 144.
An Act to amend Title 116, the Revised Civil Statutes of the State
of Texas including Articles 6754 6755, 6756, 6757, 6758, 6759, 6760,
6761, 6762, 6763, 6764, 6f65, 6766 be amended and Article 6767 added
thereto, said Act providing for the organization of a ranger force
for the protecting of the frontier against marauders or thieving parties;
for the suppression of lawlessness and crime throughout the State;
to prescribe the duties and powers of members of such force; to regulate
their compensation; and declaring an emergency.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas:
SECTION 1. Title 116 of the Revised Civil Statutes
of the State of Texas including Articles 6754, 6755, 6756, 6757, 6758,
6759Y 6760, 6761, 6762, 6763, 6764, 6765, 6766 be amended and Article
6767 be added thereto so that they will hereafter read as follows:
Article 6754. The ranger force
authorized to be organized by the Governor is for the purpose of
protecting the frontier against marauding or thieving parties, and
for the suppression of lawlessness and crime throughout the State,
and to aid in the enforcement of the laws of the State.
Article 6755. The ranger force
shall consist of not to exceed one headquarters company and four
companies of mounted men, except in cases of emergency, when the
Governor shall have authority to increase the force to meet extraordinary
conditions.
The headquarters company shall consist of one
captain, who shall be designated the senior captain of the force,
one sergeant, and not to exceed four privates.
Each separate mounted company shall consist of not to exceed
one captain, one sergeant and fifteen privates. The captains
and the quartermaster shall be appointed by the Governor and
shall be removed at his pleasure; unless so removed by the Governor
they shall serve for two years and until their successors are
appointed and qualified.
The enlisted men and non-commissioned officers
of each company shall be appointed by the Governor, acting by
and through the Adjutant General, who shall pass upon the qualifications
of such men, and so far as practicable shall make such appointment
upon the recommendation of the captain, under whom such men are
to serve. The enlisted men and non-commissioned officers shall
serve for two years; unless sooner removed by the Governor or
the Adjutant General for cause.
Article 6756. The pay of officers
and men shall be as follows: Captains $150.00 each per month;
sergeants $100.00 each per month and privates $90.00 each per
month, except as herein otherwise provided. The payment shall
be made monthly at such times and in such manner as the Adjutant
General of the State may prescribe.
The officers and enlisted men on the ranger force
shall receive in addition to their regular salary an increase
of five per cent after the first two years of continuous service
and five per cent for each additional year not to exceed in all
twenty per cent of their salary as above provided. For the violation
or breach of such rules and revelations for the governing of the
ranger force as may be prescribed by the Adjutant General and
approved by the Governor, officers and enlisted men shall forfeit
their right to participate in the increase or longevity pay, or
any portion thereof provided for herein.
Article 6757. The Governor shall appoint a
quartermaster for the ranger force, who shall discharge the
duties of a quartermaster, commissary and paymaster, and shall
have the rank and pay of a captain.
Article 6758. This force shall always be under
the command of the Governor; to be operated under his direction
in such manner, in such detachments, and in such localities
as the Governor may direct, acting by and through the Adjutant
General.
Article 6759. The Governor is authorized
to keep this force, or so much thereof as he may deem necessary
in the field as long as in his judgment there may be necessity
for such a force; and men who may be enlisted in such service
shall do so for such term not to exceed two, years subject to
disbandment in whole or in part at any time and reassemblage
or reorganization of the whole force, or such portion thereof
as may be deemed necessary by order of the Governor.
Article 6760. The quartermaster when directed
by the Adjutant General shall purchase all supplies for the
ranger force, and shall make a certificate on the voucher of
the party or parties from whom the supplies are purchased to
the fact that the account is correct and just, and the articles
purchased were at the lowest market prices.
Article 6761. Members to Furnish Equipment,
etc. Each officer, non-commissioned officer and private of said
force shall furnish himself with a suitable horse, horse equipment,
clothing, etc.; provided, that if his horse is killed in action
it shall be paid for by the State at a fair market value at
the time when killed.
Article 6762. Arms and Equipment. The State
shall furnish each member of said force with one improved carbine
and pistol at cost, the price of which shall be deducted from
the first money due such officer or man, and shall furnish said
force with rations of subsistence, camp equipage and ammunition
for the officers and men, and also forage for horses.
Article 6763. In addition to the pay allotted
to each officer and man of this force, they shall be allowed
not to exceed $30.00 per month for subsistence when at their
station, and when on duty outside of his district each member
of said force shall be allowed his actual necessary expenses
for subsistence and quarters, to be paid on a sworn account
showing the actual amount expended, not to exceed $3.00 per
day. In addition thereto each member shall be allowed his actual
railroad expenses when traveling under orders.
Provided further, that when any company of said force furnishes
motor transportation without expense to the State, they shall
be allowed $50.00 per month per company for repairs and upkeep
for said motor vehicle.
Article 6764. Clothed with Powers of Peace
Officers. The officers, non-commissioned officers and privates
of this force shall be clothed with all the powers of peace
officers, and shall aid the regular civil authorities in the
execution of the laws. They shall have authority to make arrests,
and to execute process in criminal cases, and in such cases
they shall be governed by law regulating and defining the powers
and duties of sheriffs when in discharge of similar duties;
except that they shall have the power and shall be authorized
to make arrests and to execute all process in criminal cases
in any county in the State. They shall, before entering on the
discharge of these duties, take an oath before some authority
legally authorized to administer the same, that each of them
will faithfully perform his duties in accordance with law. In
order to arrest and bring to Justice men who have banded together
for the purpose of committing robbery, or other felonies, and
to prevent prevent the execution of the laws, the officers,
non-commissioned officers and privates of said force may accept
the services of such citizens as shall volunteer to aid them;
but while so engaged such citizens shall not receive pay from
the State for such services.
Article 6765. When said force, or any member
or members thereof, shall arrest any person charged with the
commission of a criminal offense, they shall forthwith convey
said person to the county where he or they stand charged with
the commission of an offense and shall deliver him or them to
the proper officer, taking his receipt therefore: and all necessary
expenses thus incurred will be paid by the State.
Article 6766. The Governor and Adjutant General
shall cause to be made such regulations for the government and
control of the organization herein provided for, for the enlistment
and employment of non-commissioned officers and privates as
they may deem necessary to the end that the force so provided
or shall be as effective as possible; provided that when any
complaint is made to the Adjutant General charging any ranger
with misconduct or violation of the law, the Adjutant General
will have the right to institute proceedings before any magistrate
in the county where the offense is alleged been committed. Upon
application of the Adjutant General said magistrate shall issue
process for witnesses to appear and testify under oath, which
testimony shall be reduced to writing by a stenographer and
transmitted by the court to the Adjutant General, who shall
take such action as the facts warrant. The cost of such proceedings
including fee of $3.00 of the magistrate and fifteen cents for
each one hundred words of testimony so taken and transcribed
shall be paid by the Comptroller of Public Accounts upon approval
by the Adjutant General out of funds appropriated for enforcement
of law.
Provided further, that it shall be the duty of any citizen who
knows of any such misconduct or violation of the law on the
part of any member of the ranger force to at once notify the
Adjutant General in writing of misconduct, and it shall be the
duty of the Adjutant General to at once conduct such examination
and to take such action thereon as the facts make necessary,
and he shall without delay submit all of such evidence and his
actions thereon to the Governor for his approval or disapproval.
Article 6766a. All officers and men selected
under this Act shall be men of good moral character, shall furnish
satisfactory evidence thereof, sober, of sound judgment and
shall conform to such qualifications as the Governor shall prescribe
for appointment, and all applications for appointment to the
ranger force shall be made to the Governor, who shall pass upon
the qualifications of each applicant for a position on such
force. Provided, however, that no person shall be appointed
to the ranger force who is not a citizen of the United States
and of Texas, and preference shall always be given to discharged
soldiers holding certificates of honorable discharge from the
United States Army.
SEC. 2. The fact that there is now no sufficient
law prescribing the duties, pay and qualifications of State
Rangers creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity
requiring that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be
read on three several days be suspended; and that this Act take
effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is
so enacted.
[NOTE.-II. B. No. 5 passed the House of Representatives on March
8, 1919, by a vote, yeas 95, nays 5; and passed the Senate with
amendments on March 17, 1919, by a vote, yeas 27, nays 1; the
House concurred in the Senate amendments on March 17, 1919,
but no vote given.]
Approved March 31, 1919.
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