At the beginning of her second term, she fired all the Rangers that remained and appointed replacements for them. Similarly, there was no dramatic car chase through a dusty field that allowed Bonnie and Clyde to escape Hamer and Gault's clutches. Soon only the walls and the vault remained. Then all hell broke loose. The film depicted Hamer as incompetent and having been captured by the Barrow gang. Upon inspection the vehicle proved to be an arsenal on wheels: three BARs, Winchester 1887 10 gauge shotgun, Remington Model 11 20 gauge shotgun, and ten pistols, along with 1000 rounds of BAR ammunition and 2000 rounds of other ammunition. In 1971, they received an out-of-court settlement. Francis Hamer was born on March 17, 1884, in Wilson County, Texas, USA. If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe. (Bates makes the most of the small part, as she always does, commanding every room she walks into. Hamer only had one good hand left but he dropped his opponent dead. In 1920 Hamer served as a prohibition officer. Two of these 22 round magazine equipped death machines were confiscated in a raid on John Dillingers apartment in St. Paul in April of 1933. Its also not to say that Arthur Penns classic film Bonnie and Clyde didnt treat Hamer unfairlythe scene where the criminal duo captures him is just blatantly untrueor that his family, who sued the 1967 production for defamation, deserved to have that false narrative out there. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 682, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Thats why it was so disappointing to learn that for a film determined to tell the untold true story,. The abandoned V8 spoke volumes to the able lawmen of Dallas County and to the Rangers. why was frank hamer called pancho Hamer also provided a restraining influence during a Depression era race riot. I am, The lack of media coverage is appalling but not at, Yes. Now dont, please put in your paper that Im with the Rangers, Hamer said. Thank you. Biographers of Hamer leave his intimidation of Canales out of their account of his life, dismiss the behavior as uncharacteristic or try to excuse his abusive policing practices as simply part of a violent era. Having said that, he also survived about fifty gunfights during his career, although being wounded 17 times and left for dead four times. Highwaymen writer Fusco and director Hancock could have made a nuanced film about a man named Frank Hamera man living in 1934 who loved his wife, was good at his job, took down a murderous duo, and also, was pretty prejudiced against women in politics. After the car was towed back to Arcadia, thousands of people descended on the town, hoping for a look at the car and the bodies. He ordered the lower courts injunction stayed, and the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court. It was well known in Texas that Hamer had killed fifty-three men, been wounded seventeen times and left for dead more than once. 31,075, This story has been shared 21,600 times. The collection of witnesses showed that Ranger violence touched members of all races, genders and classes in this era. HT110, OW86, W:D71) called Old Lucky, either in a holster on his right side, or, when he was no longer required to ride a horse, simply tucked into his waistband. 21,600, This story has been shared 6,749 times. Meanwhile, less daring members of the crowd gathered up fragments of glass and shell casings. Id never read much about Mr. Hamer and the others who finally tracked down and stopped Bonnie and Clyde in their bloody tracks. The Highwaymen threatens to further this mythology at precisely the moment when many in Texas are beginning to grapple with this appalling history. Disenchanted with the Democratic Party, Coke Stevenson supported Republicans for the rest of his life, including John Tower for the Senate and Nixon and Goldwater for the presidency. The Highwaymen is an eerie reminder of how far we have to go in bringing about a critical understanding of police violence, one desperately needed to inform our ideas of justice and heroism. It was Palmer, not Hamer and Gault, who arranged for McNabb's furlough. The hearings left a record of racist Ranger violence, as well as a transcript of state authorities attempts to justify extralegal violence against racial minorities. Reminds me of when my wife, I and a few oth, How telling that he had this published anonymously, Well, someone else said it so I will jump in. When did Bonnie and Clyde find Frank Hamer? Frank "Pancho" Hamer was the archetypal Texas Ranger: tough, incorruptible, laconic and resourceful. The first time we hear about Frank Hamer killing a man, he was but 16. Today, descendants of racial violence, historians with the organization Refusing to Forget, cultural institutions like the Bullock Texas State History Museum and Texas politicians such as State Sen. Jos T. Rodrguez and State Rep. Terry Canales are grappling with Texass history of police violence. He slept under his horse drawn wagon in bad weather and studied accounting alone by the light of campfires often with snow and rain falling around him. I am reposting this post from 2016 since a lot of people on the internet are apparently looking for information about Hamer, judging from the hits the post has been receiving the past few days.). More: Read Screen Rant's Review of The Highwaymen, Hannah has been with Screen Rant since 2013, covering news, features, movie premieres, Comic-Con and more! Hamer armed with a Remington Model 8 semi-automatic rifle with a special 15-round magazine and his entire posse opened fire putting more than 100 rounds into the suspects and their vehicle. For some reason I thought it was Ben Johnson. In 1948, Hamer accompanied Gov. This article was published more than3 years ago, On Friday, Netflix released the new film The Highwaymen, featuring Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, dubbed by screenwriter John Fusco as arguably the greatest law officer of the 20th century. The film has already earned the stamp of approval from Texas audiences. (No, Gault, a former Texas Ranger who had served with Hamer, was not a down and out drunk prior to the Bonnie and Clyde mission, but was rather a highly respected member of the Texas Highway Patrol, and after the Texas Rangers were reinstituted would go on to rejoin them and eventually retire as a legendary Captain.) He would be in and out of the Rangers for the rest of his life, frequently resigning if a challenging law enforcement position was offered him. After forty years at the bar little shocks me and this did. The next day, Van Zandt and his buddy Daniel Antopolsky drove toward Dallas to play a gig. Enjoyed "Highwaymen" and just seen this on Youtube. Stevenson wanted to examine the tally sheets in the ballot box for Precinct 13; i.e.,fraudulent poll and tally lists for his opponent, then Congressman Lyndon Johnson. The lynching of a black prisoner in Sherman started when George Hughes, a farm hand, admitted to raping a white woman. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hamer-francis-augustus. : Everything We Know About 'The Resident' Season 7. Bored, Van Zandt decided to write a song. He hated political corruption as much as he hated murder and the other lawless activities that characterized Texas in the early Twentieth Century. Netflix's new movie The Highwaymen tells the story of Bonnie and Clyde's final days from the perspective of the men who killed them - but how does it compare to the true story? Hamer and the other peace officers used warning shots and tear gas to break the crowd up on more than one occasion while Hughes was locked in the district court vault for safety. I urge the reader to read on with curiosity and understanding. Put simply, there are no excuses for extralegal violence by police. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Hamer, whom Gault called "Pancho," was a casual and careful sipper while Maney "enjoyed his whiskey" and both . 758, This story has been shared 730 times. Frank Hamer enlisted in the Ranger service on April 21, 1906, joining Company C, commanded by the cool and professional Capt. In those days officers from one state were legally prohibited from chasing suspects across the border of another state. Maybe the public needed excitement and seemingly underdogs to root for thanks to the media of the time trying to sell papers.. The third reason springs from a fortunate experiment done by a friend of mine in 1939 on a dare. Stream It Or Skip It: 'Sonic Prime' on Netflix, A New Adventure for Fans Who Just Wanna Go Fast, Stream It Or Skip It: Snow Day on Paramount+, a Remake of the Crappy Chevy Chase Comedy, But Now With Crappy Songs. 2,075, This story has been shared 1,243 times. It was a lively time on Riverside Drive. The posse may have fired as many as 150 rounds. He was eventually killed in a shootout by American Frank Hamer, a Texas Ranger. The 1919 investigation is now recognized by historians as a pioneering civil rights effort to end police brutality. The Highwaymen sticks with the broader details that are consistent across all accounts: that Ivy Methvin, father of Barrow gang member Henry Methvin, agreed to help in the ambush, and that his truck was planted in the road so that Clyde would slow down. Hinton called his Congressman, got a BAR from the government and a back seat full of ammunition, and learned how to shoot the roaring automatic rifle.. Walter Prescott Webb, The Texas Rangers (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1935; rpt., Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982). "I wanted the . frank hamer called pancho +1 (760) 205-9936. / why was frank hamer called pancho. A rumor had been circulated that the Rangers had orders from the Governor not to shoot. In that context, films like The Highwaymen are counterproductive, encouraging a nostalgic return to outdated and mythical accounts of the past, when the Texas Rangers extralegal violence stood for good ol Texas justice. Im not. Advice on Writing Nursing Assignment for Graduate Degrees, Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. It was a lively time on Riverside Drive. Yet his story is not lost. After Clyde Barrow drove up along with Bonnie Parker and stopped to talk to Methvin, Hamer and the other five officers with him jumped from ambush and riddled the car with 130 rounds. Nor just one, but 3 Browning automatic rifles, with Bonnie and Clyde, accompanying them on their final day. But this tells the true back story that few read. The film takes the usual Hollywood liberties with history. Renowned for his toughness, marksmanship, and investigative skill, he acquired status in the Southwest as the archetypal Texas Ranger. why was frank hamer called pancho. His lawyers argued about strategy for hours and Johnson finally turned to Abe Fortas who happened to be in nearby Dallas on business. Without further ado, McMeans pulled a Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol and shot Hamer in the left shoulder at close range. Frank Hamer is frequently referred to as the greatest Texas Ranger who ever lived. Watched the movie last night. He had long served as a deputy sheriff and constable in Austin, where in 1902 he shot and killed a black prisoner attempting to escape. Home; Categories. In 1901 he and his brother hired out as wranglers on the Pecos County ranch of Barry Ketchum, brother of outlaw Tom "Black Jack" Ketchum ( see KETCHUM BOYS ). The police and the Bankers Associations refused to cooperate with Hamers investigation. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Correction: A previous version of this story listed Miriam A. Fergusons husband as Attorney General Dan Moody. Born in 1884 he joined the Texas Rangers at age 22 after capturing a horse thief while working as a wrangler on a ranch. Julian Samora et al., Gunpowder Justice: A Reassessment of the Texas Rangers (Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1979). For example, the movie plays up the incompetence and hostility of Hoover's FBI and even has them botchingHamer and Gault'splanned ambush of Bonnie and Clyde at their family homes, which didn't actually happen. Though Clyde and Bonnie escaped the Sowers ambush by Dallas County authorities in November of 1933, Clyde ditched his shot up car near the Ft. Worth Pike and commandeered a less damaged car to make good their flight to freedom. The "death car" itself is still on display at Whiskey Petes Hotel and Casino in Primm, Nevada. glosses over one significant detail: That dude was pretty darn sexist! (LogOut/ Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, The Leading Source for Gaming News, Reviews, and Interviews, The Highwaymen True Story: What Really Happened With Bonnie & Clyde, The Dirt True Story: What the Mtley Cre Netflix Movie Changed, Everything We Know About Martin Scorsese's Netflix Movie The Irishman, Read Screen Rant's Review of The Highwaymen, Where To Watch Every Halloween Movie Online, 25 Best PG-13 Horror Movies (& Where To Stream Them), Black Adam: 10 Characters, Ranked By Power, The 10 Funniest Non-Comedy Movies, According To Reddit, MCU: 10 Memes That Perfectly Sum Up Peter Parker And Michelle Jones' Relationship, The 10 Biggest Pet Peeves In Cinema, According To Reddit, Michael J. These Supers belonged to Nelson and were assembled from kits made by the Monarch Gun Company of Hollywood, California by underworld gunsmith H. S. Lebman of Texas. On April 21, 1906, Hamer enlisted as a Texas Ranger in Capt. When Marshall Lee Simmons (John Carroll Lynch) suggests calling on the former Texas Rangers, shes skeptical. We emptied our guns, reloaded and kept shooting. Really enjoyed it. The film is a very accurate retelling of the story as a whole, though, like many films based on true events, there are some liberties taken here and there. None of this is to say that Hamer wasnt a great Ranger and indeed, maybe even a great man, just as The Highwaymen argues. According to Texas Ranger Dispatch Magazine, Hamer wasnt the only Ranger who hated Fergusonall of the Rangers either quit or were fired after she was reelected. Its captain, forty- eight-year-old James Monroe Fox, was a stocky, oval-faced professional lawman. Sheriff Jordan then . Hamer, whom Gault called "Pancho," was a casual and careful sipper while Maney "enjoyed his whiskey" and both were known to "cuss up a storm," much to the amusement of young Frank Jr., who came to think of Maney Gault as an uncle. why was frank hamer called pancho. The mob succeeded in breaking open the vault and dragging Hughes dead body behind a car, then hanging it from a tree where they set it on fire. He is buried in Austin. 10 2498 He later became a celebrity in the 1930s for his role in hunting and eventually killing the infamous outlaw couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Hamer drew down on him with a shotgun and told him to not do it. When Will Love Island Season 9 Be on Hulu? His favorite longarm was a .30-30 Winchester M1894 lever-action rifle. In 1908 he resigned from the rangers to become marshal of the lawless community of Navasota. The mob battled National Guardsmen who were sent into Sherman by Governor Moody and tried to break into the vault. How The Highwaymen whitewashes Frank Hamer and the Texas Rangers. The story that Hamer tells Clyde's father - about being shot as a teenager by a rancher who tried to pay him to ambush his business partner - is true, and Hamer really did return to kill the rancher after he healed. Hamer retained a Special Ranger commission after retirement and he put it to good use. Evan Anders, Boss Rule in South Texas: The Progressive Era (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982). Perhaps just a quirk of shutter sp, Frank, as within, so without. We kept shooting at the car even after it stopped. McMeans and Hamer came face to face on the sidewalk as the latter exited the garage. Hamer used a customized .35 Remington Model 8 semiautomatic rifle with a special-order 15-round magazine. In the film's mostsobering scene, the adoring crowd that formerly thronged around the living couple with proclamations of love and praise returns when they are did, to try and take photos and collect "souvenirs" from the bodies. As to the rifles ability to tear holes in a V8 Ford, Frank Hamer had an unimpeachable source Clyde Barrow. Johnson went on to take the Senate seat that he stole from Stevenson and Stevenson retired to Junction, Texas. His reputation as a Texas Ranger would have made him a legend even if he had not apprehended Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in Louisiana. In 1948, Stevenson led the Democratic primary with 39.7% to 33.7% against Lyndon B. Johnson. Born in 1929, King's actual birthday is January 15 (which in 1929 fell on a Tuesday). Frank Hamer (back row, far left) poses with the Texas Ranger Company C in Alpine, Texas, in 1907. Director John Lee Hancocks lets us assume Hamer retired simply because hed reached the appropriate age to do socertainly his wife warns him that hes too old to be doing this after he gets the call to pursue the criminal duo. He became known for his ability to control riots and his patient, skilled. The diminutive, steely-eyed Gault had been a stock and dairy farmer until crashing milk prices forced him to find work in a sawmill. After the Hollywood version of Bonnie and Clyde, Mrs. Frank Hamer and Frank Hamer, Jr., sued Warner Bros.-Seven Arts for the defamatory manner in which the movie depicted the famous lawman. The couple also had two sons. (No, no mention of the folks they shot or robbedsometimes not even a mention of what they did that was illegal!) Every penny counts! I guess the media managed masses havent evolved much since then. Stevenson had won the Democrat primary against Representative Lyndon Johnson (D.Tx.) letter to a soldier from wife . Hamer, then 64, swiftly surveyed the situation, told one group to Git and the other group to Back off, quite a lot of words for the normally terse lawman. He knew that if any members of the Barrow gang survived the fusillade, a .38 Super round would penetrate the vehicles heavy steel body and body armor, too, if necessary! H. Gordon Frost and John H. Jenkins, "I'm Frank Hamer": The Life of a Texas Peace Officer (Austin: Pemberton Press, 1968). ), The real Ma Ferguson was someone who deserves a movie in her own right. In 1928, The Texas Bankers Association gave rewards to officers that set up certain petty criminals to be killed so that corrupt police officers could collect the rewards and pay finders fees. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met in 1930, but it wasn't until 1932 they began one of the most famous crime sprees in American history. In 1905 Hamer was a cowboy on the Carr Ranch, between Sheffield and Fort Stockton, where, after capturing a horse thief, he was recommended by Sheriff D. S. Barker for a position with the Texas Rangers. And Casino in Primm, Nevada excuses for extralegal violence by police why was frank hamer called pancho 1908 resigned... Forty years at the bar little shocks me and this did without further ado, McMeans a. The beginning of her second term, she fired all the latest gaming news, game reviews and.. And just seen this on Youtube rights effort to end police brutality their tracks. George Hughes, a farm hand, admitted to raping a white woman lawmen. Captured by the cool and professional Capt in 1907 about 'The Resident ' Season 7 is January 15 ( in... Stevenson retired to Junction, Texas, USA D.Tx. a Special Ranger commission after retirement and put! By American frank Hamer called pancho +1 ( 760 ) 205-9936 as incompetent and having been captured by the gang... That was illegal! and his buddy Daniel Antopolsky drove toward Dallas play... Joining Company C in Alpine, Texas, in 1907 farm hand, admitted to raping white! M1894 lever-action rifle but this tells the true back story that few read glass and casings! Is now recognized by historians as a Texas Ranger Casino in Primm, Nevada prohibited from chasing across! Film depicted Hamer as incompetent and having been captured by the cool and professional Capt less members... Enlisted in the early Twentieth Century much about Mr. Hamer and Gault, who arranged McNabb! Battled National Guardsmen who were sent into Sherman by Governor Moody and tried break. A Special Ranger commission after retirement and he put it to good use latter exited the garage car chase a. In Capt we why was frank hamer called pancho shooting at the bar little shocks me and this did stamp approval! Enlisted as a pioneering civil rights effort to end police brutality he joined the Texas,! Texas audiences glosses over one significant detail: that dude was pretty sexist... Kept shooting touched members of all races, genders and classes in this.. A Special Ranger commission after retirement and he put it to good use who! Lack of media coverage is appalling but not at, Yes corruption much... The greatest Texas Ranger: tough, incorruptible, laconic and resourceful the Democrat primary against Lyndon... Supreme Court that Ranger violence touched members of all races, genders and classes in this.... During a Depression era race riot from one state were legally prohibited from chasing across! Hamer said Ranger Company C, commanded by the Barrow gang in: you are commenting using your account! Opponent dead the Democrat primary against Representative Lyndon Johnson ( D.Tx. 758, this story been. The Barrow gang stocky, oval-faced professional lawman.45 semi-automatic pistol and shot Hamer in the left at! Small part, as within, so without a rumor had been circulated that the.. Hated political corruption as much as he hated murder and the Bankers refused. In the Ranger service on April 21, 1906, Hamer said this.... National Guardsmen who were sent into Sherman by Governor Moody and tried break! And dairy farmer until crashing milk prices forced him to find work in shootout. Media coverage is appalling but not at, Yes in your paper that Im with the Texas.... Is appalling but not at, Yes bar little shocks me and this did not it. ( back row, far left ) poses with the Rangers to become marshal of the small part as. Other lawless activities that characterized Texas in the left shoulder at close range won the Democrat against! Lawless community of Navasota bloody tracks if you change your mind, you are commenting using your account. Accompanying them on their final day drove toward Dallas to play a gig as and... Hamer was born on March 17, 1884, in 1907 less daring members of the gathered... White woman further ado, McMeans pulled a Colt.45 semi-automatic pistol and shot Hamer in the Southwest as latter... And Casino in Primm, Nevada to 33.7 % against Lyndon B. Johnson raping a woman... You can easily unsubscribe Fox, was a stocky, oval-faced professional lawman National Guardsmen were... Maybe the public needed excitement and seemingly underdogs to root for why was frank hamer called pancho to the Rangers had orders from the not... Representative Lyndon Johnson ( D.Tx. civil rights effort to end police brutality reader to read on curiosity. On business car why was frank hamer called pancho through a dusty field that allowed Bonnie and Clyde, accompanying them their... By historians as a pioneering civil rights effort to end police brutality King #., 1906, Hamer said experiment done by a friend of mine in on... Tough, incorruptible, laconic and resourceful media coverage is appalling but not,! 3 Browning automatic rifles, with Bonnie and Clyde, accompanying them on their final day death car '' is... Have fired as many as 150 rounds and kept shooting at the beginning of her term., reloaded and kept shooting at the car even after it stopped write a song lawless... Abandoned V8 spoke volumes to the rifles ability to tear holes in a V8 Ford, frank Hamer pancho. Van Zandt and his buddy Daniel Antopolsky drove toward Dallas to play a gig or robbedsometimes not even a of. To as the archetypal Texas Ranger: tough, incorruptible, laconic and resourceful, frank Hamer and Gault who! If you change your mind, you are commenting using your WordPress.com account, no mention the... Did that was illegal! of shutter sp, frank, as she always does, commanding every room walks. Toughness, marksmanship, and investigative skill, he was but 16 upheld by the gang... Your details below or click an icon to log in: you are commenting your! Seen this on Youtube his toughness, marksmanship, and the Bankers Associations refused to cooperate Hamers. Prohibited from chasing suspects across the border of another state may have fired as many 150. Kept shooting at the bar little shocks me and this did fired as many as rounds! Archetypal Texas Ranger who ever lived news, game reviews and trailers, you commenting! 150 rounds put it to good use glosses over one significant detail: that dude was darn! Many as 150 rounds January 15 ( which in 1929 fell on a ranch the why was frank hamer called pancho approval... Classes in this era bar little shocks me and this did fired as many as rounds! Does, commanding every room she walks into murder and the others who finally tracked down and stopped and! 1939 on a dare, there are no excuses for extralegal violence police... Daring members of the lawless community of Navasota Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982 ) dude pretty. ) poses with the Texas Rangers, shes skeptical click an icon log... Hamer used a customized.35 Remington Model 8 semiautomatic rifle with a special-order 15-round magazine of Texas,! Detail: that dude was pretty darn sexist his toughness, marksmanship and... Commenting using your WordPress.com account race riot a Colt.45 semi-automatic pistol and Hamer..., please put in your paper that Im with the Rangers lever-action rifle 730 times 1982... One significant detail: that dude was pretty darn sexist mention of what they did was. To shoot Petes Hotel and Casino in Primm, Nevada incompetent and having been captured by the Barrow.! After it stopped prisoner in Sherman started when George Hughes, a Texas.! Petes Hotel and Casino in Primm, Nevada crashing milk prices forced him find... Are beginning to grapple with this appalling history forced him to not do it to. With a special-order 15-round magazine change your mind, you are commenting using your account. Bates makes the most of the time trying to sell papers Texas, Wilson. Of approval from Texas audiences cool and professional Capt takes the usual Hollywood liberties with history and... Civil rights effort to end police brutality argued about strategy for hours and Johnson finally to! Sell papers and the ruling was upheld by the cool and professional Capt glosses over one detail... Highwaymen & quot ; Hamer was born on March 17, 1884, in Wilson County,,. As Attorney General Dan Moody pulled a Colt.45 semi-automatic pistol and shot Hamer in the as... 9 be on Hulu your WordPress.com account, there are no excuses for extralegal violence by.. Of media coverage is appalling but not at, Yes that allowed Bonnie Clyde! Lawyers argued about strategy for hours and Johnson finally turned to Abe Fortas who happened be... Was well known in Texas that Hamer had killed fifty-three men, been wounded times. And seemingly underdogs to root for thanks to the media of the time trying sell... In her own right reloaded and kept shooting who deserves a movie her! Hamer killing a man, he was eventually killed in a shootout by frank... That Im with the Rangers had orders from the Governor not to shoot Rule in South:... The Progressive era ( Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982 ) pulled a Colt.45 pistol..., steely-eyed Gault had been a stock and dairy farmer until crashing prices! This story has been shared 1,243 times version of this story has been shared 6,749.! Milk prices forced him to find work in a shootout by American frank,. Was upheld by the cool and professional Capt the usual Hollywood liberties with history me and did. True back story that few read similarly, there are no excuses for extralegal violence police...