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Reaga-lere
Ruby Mosley
Sea Angelo, Texas*
Peg* ens
RARGt-LORX
sI was born in Rusk County in 1860„,, says Mr*
Thomas Aoey Brows* My father was a fuli.blooded
Englishman and mother was Scioto* Irish*
°I was about 1/ years old when I let Rusk
Count', looking for a youth Job* X meandered over
into the Palo Pinto and Ranger seetion, where I
worked for the old Slaughter outfit. Everybody
knawed that Slaughter bunsh all over the state* The
old man was a Baptist preacher, C. C. Slaughter was
a banker in Dallas and was worth over three million.
Lump another eon, was the black sheep, did a little
gambling and everything else that oeme his way. Bill
and John were ranohmen, on a large scale. 'The whole
Pegs two
outfit owned a great part of Texas. They just kept
right on, right on growing up with Texas. That's why
they were so famous. I worked with that outfit for
several years during roust..up times.
"Old preacher Slaughter and Ross eaptured an
Indian boy when he was just a little shaver; he had
grafted to be about SO years old when I milted for
them. This Indian boy was a mighty fine rider, did
most all the breaking of Slaughter's horses. He
never wanted to go beck to his tribe after he was grown.
"When I was up in Palo Pinto County, I heard a-
bout an Indian elimbing over a high rail fence when a
guard shot him, end he died Mondial straight up,
leanin' against that fence; then the settlers tied
him to a horse's tail and dragged him into town. They
all gathered around, skinned him, and made quirts out
of his hide.
"Yes, and I heard about them Indians as.skinnint
a white men alive and him a than" over it tool don't
know if it wee so or not, I just heard it.
"I knowed Jessie and Frank James, sam Bass's
bunsh,(Blackle) Freak Jackson, and warren Jeekson,
they were all train robbers of the Texas Pacific.
These robbers and Indians would get bask in than
Polo Pinto MAIp and nobody could get 'am out with
puttin0 hounds in after gem.
Few three
*The UM** of Sesibess wee all a plot, they
didn't get him fair. Old Murphy plotted a way to
°atoll him, went into Round Book to get shave and
gave °Miters a signal when he passed by. The offi-
sere surrounded the bumph and killed.Sen6 Then Jacky
son took a shot at MUrphy when he was in the bomber
chair, but didn't kill him.
*There was lots of wild people in this obuntry
when I cam* out here but they didn't get out much.
These wasn't bad fellers; anyway we didn't think so
then. They'd come out and do a little iobbin' and
give any poor person in need some money; they never
killed unless they were forced to. every one of
then boys was drove to dola0 ',bat they done; ain't
like the skunks nowsir*days, hold you up for two -bits,
then kill you for not havint it. These here presehereS
If I don't roast tea when they some to my house a-tel-
lin, um to prey. Trey, prey, don't forget to prey,
brotheri Just go to it boys but don't forget to pray
when you get to the forks of ,the road.' Why„, Clyde and
Bonnie prayed every dey-een't tell by that. Theie
here martin's where they get down and roll and then
have to drag 'em out in the brush and fan gem. Bala
Ain't no more to them than these doctors hum -bugging
around. aly, here I am 98 years old, takint medicine
for my kidneys and it ain't is-doint me no good, I
can't hold out to walk at all and I used to be as good
Page tour
as a horse, I've slept in wet blankets too long I guess,
'til Ills just deed now, still a-malkint but I'm dead Just
the same. Sometimes I do take a tumble but just get up
and keep a...goinv. I don't mean to fool with them doctors
though, UM These doctors and preachers; it's a wonder
to me anyone is now -e -days. One will tell you,
you are goint to hell and the other quack a.-gtvinit some
thin' he doesn't know if it will kill or our*. Then
they talk about the bad boys robbint trains long ago. I
know which I'm for.
"After I left the Polo Pinto Country, I went on
down around Fort Merevett and the Brady seetion e-workin'
for Dwight Benjamin, There were only two old boxed
cabins at Fort MeRivett at that time.
"A buneh of Indians came through them ports and
killed amoral white men end Just cleaned Brady of
horses,
"An old man was gotn' down the road in a wagon
when three Indians a-walkine and two on horseback Went
up and killed the old feller, out his horses loose and
took one of them; the other one got away and ran home.
The family knew something had happened. The same
horse ran home once before when Indiana attacked the
old man and he was saved that time. The Indians went
on end made their next raid it Salt Gap, killing a
Mexican end taking a bunch of horses from there. The
soldiers from Fort Conch° and Fort MaKsvett followed
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had as mush ass halter on before. I pet him up a little,
get right on and they never pltehed a bit. These rodeo
horses think they are supposed to pitch end go right
ahead and do it.
*1 knowed Booger Red real well; I just lived across
the mountain from him, when he lived on a little ranch
out from San Angelo. He was =kin' merry at Christmss
time and bored a hole in a tree, filled it full of gun
powder, then struck a match to it, and it blowed him
up. That's why he was so ugly. He naturally was red
heeded and freckle retied, then when this powder bleak
spooked him and blowed both eyes side -ways, he sure
was a booser. He was a mighty good rider when he was
a boy and I guess he did get to be a real rider after
he had so mush practise in his shows. They say he
had a boy that was about as good as he was.
"I went book to kast Texas and got married when
I was 37 years old, end settled down. I eame book
out here about 28 years ago and have stuck pretty
close since,"
Roupp.lore
Ruby Roelay
San Angelo* Texas.
BIBLIOGRAPM
Mr. Thomas A4my Brown, Tessysea, Texas Laterrlowed,
Mammy 1. 1558.
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