Frank Gets A Captain's Appointment In The Texas Rangers

avatar
(Edited)

Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!

We're in a series about one of the best Texas Rangers to ever wear the badge, the great Frank Hamer, who was brought out of retirement to take down Bonnie and Clyde.

Recap

In the last post of this series we talked about Frank getting promoted and assigned to Austin to head up the regional Prohibition operation and about other important aspects of society in 1921 like fashion and Booze Cruises. lol.

Below is a bunch of partiers in a secret Speakeasy. For the first time women joined men while drinking and that's why the places got wild.

Before Prohibition, men and women drank separately but it was mostly men who drank. Women started drinking like fish during Prohibition. And smoking!

download (2).jpg
source

Today's story

Frank excelled at his job in Austin, even though it was a thankless one in many respects. Most notably the fact that Prohibition was a really bad idea that was failing miserably and turned 70% of the citizens into criminals.

Shoot, it's estimated that 80% of Congress drank alcohol! (That's probably a conservative estimate. lol)

But hey, Frank was hired to do a job and it was the law so he did it. The flow of alcohol was overwhelming but his organization sure put a dent in the supply chain.

Here's a Sheriff in Orange County, California having men dumping illegal alcohol down a storm drain. They look thrilled don't they? Probably thinking: "What a waste!"

800px-Sheriff_dumps_bootleg_booze.jpg
source

For instance, in one raid on a farm in central Texas they seized 8 whiskey stills, untold gallons of whiskey, hundreds of gallons of corn mash, large amounts of sugar and corn meal.

Corn whiskey was a bootlegger's favorite because it was super easy to make.
All you needed was corn, a boiler, a gas stove, and a coil of tubing. It was cheap too and the profits were staggering... which made for a loosing proposition as far as getting it stopped.

A very strange thing happened in Texas politics

Nobody thought this was even possible but in 1921 Texas elected a governor who didn't hunt, fish, play cards, smoke or drink! lol... Dang, he probably didn't even shoot guns!

He was very big on law enforcement though and wanted a strong Ranger force. Frank didn't have any political pull so he didn't try to talk to the new Governor.

Oh! I forgot this part. One of the reasons Frank had zero support from any politicians is that he went after government officials and politicians just like he did anyone off the street.

He couldn't be tempted or bribed

Didn't matter how wealthy or connected they were or what office they held. It drove the establishment nuts.

No amount of bribes offered him had any effect. And if they got too mouthy with him he'd use that big bear paw technique and slap them upside the head and off their feet!

But he did have friends with political clout and one of them was his old friend and Ranger Captain, John Rogers.

Captain Rogers(who wasn't a Ranger captain anymore) wrote a powerful letter to the Governor asking him to appoint Frank to a Captain's position in the Texas Rangers.

You can guess what happened next

Yep, the governor appointed Frank to a captaincy with the Rangers. He immediately resigned from the Prohibition office because his first love had always been the Rangers and he couldn't wait to get back to the Rio Grand.

9ir66o.png

Frank's story continues on the next post.

Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas

Here's how I think of Frank...the whole world was embracing the modernization of society with cars and all that, and he just wanted to get back on his horse!

I also love this photo because the town is advertising it's big mosquito festival! lol..who celebrates mosquitos? God don't make no mistakes but I think He came close in making those nasty blood-suckers!

6g3dac.jpg
source

d25fwk.png

mv4t7d.png

xsfpf7.png



0
0
0.000
36 comments
avatar

I used to run moonshine made by my Uncle Jesse over the border in my orange Charger which I called the General Lee. I had a cousin help me out and another short denim shorts-wearing female cousin who used to help too. We'd get into all sort of trouble with the Law and the little round fat guy who ran the town, Boss Hogg was his name if I recall rightly.

Oh hang on, that was Dukes of Hazzard - None of that happened to me...Although there was a girl in short denim shorts back in the day...I married her. 😉

Must have been weird in prohibition times huh? I'm not much of a drinker really, just a few sporadically, but that law...Seems odd huh?

Good series mate. Keep it coming.

0
0
0.000
avatar

lol! I thought you were serious when you started that comment! It was such a strange time, that's why I can't just tell Frank's story without talking about the cultural changes that were happening so fast and so profoundly.
I don't drink much at all either but I sure like wine so I wish I drank more of that!

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

Haha, I was just being an idiot. Happens sometimes. 😂

I live in South Australia, two of the worlds most renowned wine regions are here. McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. I was born a stones throw from Barossa Valley, it was my back yard. Good old boy from a small town in the country.

I rarely drink alcohol, but I know how to. Would have a wine with you anyday. Maybe two.

OK, three?

Anymore than that and I can't take any blame for my actions. 😂

0
0
0.000
avatar

Hi janton, I love the way life pans out. And for Frank it was panning our fabulously. Would Walker Texas Ranger be based on Frank Hamer? They are very similar in character, both incorruptible good men who got the job done no matter the cost.

0
0
0.000
avatar

That's a good question about Walker, his character may have been based on Frank by the writers. I haven't watched the show for so many decades that I hardly remember it! Except that he kicked people's butts! lol.

0
0
0.000
avatar

The show is currently on a TV station here - every Friday night. I have seen the shows but still enjoy a look now and then.

0
0
0.000
avatar

That's amazing and I see that it is on some channels here too, I need to watch it again sometime!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Evenin’ Cowboy! Everything was black or white with Frank- no grey areas.

Good that Frank is back with the Rangers.

0
0
0.000
avatar

That's a very good way to put it redeheadpei, thank you!

0
0
0.000
avatar

One of the best. One of the best? Really?

I thought Frank WAS the best?

Anyway, (haha), prohibition had to be the stupidest law stupid politicians have ever passed. Considering that humans had consumed alcoholic beverages for eons prior, I think that every single one of those politicians who voted for it, should be Immortalized for being the absolute dumbest political office holders in American history.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Howdy sir free-reign! I couldn't agree more! And it took them 13 long years before they got around to changing it, that's even dumber!

Yeah, I should just change the intro to state that Frank was the best. I didn't want to offend anyone who may have relatives in the force but he really does have the best record of anyone so I might as well make it state that.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I agree. We can't shade Frank's deserved greatness because some other Ranger's family might get their feelings hurt! This ain't no contest where everyone gets a trophy, after all! ;)

0
0
0.000
avatar

lol..that's a great way to put it sir free-reign!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Hi, @janton!

You just got a 6.71% upvote from SteemPlus!
To get higher upvotes, earn more SteemPlus Points (SPP). On your Steemit wallet, check your SPP balance and click on "How to earn SPP?" to find out all the ways to earn.
If you're not using SteemPlus yet, please check our last posts in here to see the many ways in which SteemPlus can improve your Steem experience on Steemit and Busy.

0
0
0.000
avatar

And back in the saddle is a good thing for Frank Sir @janton.
I am sure that the rank didn't matter that much to him.
His love for the job was way more important.
Blessings!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Yes sir he was a very humble guy and remained that way his entire life so that's pretty unusual for someone with great success.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I'm looking at that photo of those folks dumping that wine, and thinking that in the sewer is another group of people with barrels catching what is falling!

0
0
0.000
avatar

lol...I wouldn't doubt it sir wwwiebe! Another one of our brilliant government moves to outlaw alcohol and like most government programs it had the opposite effect!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Ah, mosquitos. Some claim they're the state bird, up here. You know, you can actually build up an immunity to their bites. Unfortunately, you lose it during the winter months and have to reacquire it next spring. It only takes between 100-200 bites, from what the scientists say. What kind of scientists study that, anyway?!

They're right, though. I usually stop getting welts by about July, since I go take photos in mosquito-prone areas.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Oh man, I had no idea about the mosquitos immunity. What a pain they are and it's amazing that they're not affected by sprays up there in MN! That's not right. The state bird..lol.

0
0
0.000
avatar

I am laughing my head off again, lol. Imagining Frank bear slapping those big official. Honestly he was really something, lol. Anyway, I am glad he is back at his horse again, but I hope he is getting nice paycheck too 😊

0
0
0.000
avatar

I think it was better and enough to live on since he was the captain. Too bad no one got photos of him slapping someone silly!

0
0
0.000
avatar
(Edited)

I thought so, as captain he should made decent money. And yeah, that would be really cool to see him slapping someone, lol. But guess what, I am watching show called TIMELESS on Netflix, it's about group that travels into past, but only in U.S to prevent some conflicts that would alter history as we know. In this episode yesterday, they had to meet Bonnie and Clyde just at the time of they are killed by Frank. So he is there in this episode, but this trailer shows him very briefly. However, the travelers meet him and talk to him and he is very cool. Just the way I imagine he would be. The actor who plays him is very good. I know him, but I don't know his name. Well check it out:

0
0
0.000
avatar

I've watched that show before a couple of times, it's pretty interesting and I think they try to be historically accurate and that is very cool about that episode!

0
0
0.000
avatar

Oh you have? Good to know! And since my knowledge of American history is very vague, I take your word for it, lol.

0
0
0.000
avatar

Yeah I really appreciate it when they take pains to make the history accurate.

0
0
0.000
avatar

The fact that Frank went after government officials and politicians, and couldn't be bought is another reason why I adore Frank!
Yay! He finally made Captain of the Rangers!
That last photo perfectly describes Frank. Mosquito Festival?!?! Insane!

0
0
0.000
avatar

lol! I so agree with you, especially about the dang mosquito festival! lol.

0
0
0.000