When cattle started disappearing from sale barns in various parts of Texas, disrupting the auction business, ranchers figured the thief wasn't just grabbing at random. Though the Indians more often stole horses, when their food supply was short, they drove off and butchered beeves, dairy cows, and oxen. Good morning Phyliss- Im a distant cousin to Bonnie Parker On my Dads side. I could see him looking at me, and my instincts kicked in, Williamson said. The next morning, after attending church services at the First Baptist Church in Seymour, where his son was being baptized, Williamson arrived at the county jail to interrogate Roddy. Hugs, P. Awesome story Glenda, thanks for sharing! A state trooper noticed his erratic driving and pulled him over. Leave them blank to get signed up. stolen recently. To get away with the big cattlethe large heifers and steershis best tool was a cattle trailer hitched to the back of a pickup. The story behind the cattle sting starts on March 2, 2021, when Special Ranger Marty Baker, 58, was dispatched from Midland, Texas, to Loving County to investigate the shooting deaths of five . I pulled the rope tight, and that old girl took off. Although Roddy was not feeling wellhe had spent a few days at a hospital in Chillicothe recovering from another diabetic episodehe told the twins he was ready. Sometimes the barn itself is the one getting taken for a ride with people purchasing cattle using bad checks. You can count on that., Yet not even Williamson could have imagined the kind of thief he was about to confront. And how is this behavior viewed by those who work and live cattle? Pippin is engaged in a dispute with the state over how much longer he should remain in custody. have every right to go get some stools and rope. Actually yes. I dream of sitting beneath an oak tree, fully dressed in my cowboy apparel, with my felt cowboy hat arched toward the heavens on a beautiful spring morning.. They gather much of their intelligence by working cattle in the pastures, chatting up muck-stained employees in sale barns and asking ranchers what theyre hearing. But he didnt exactly buy and sell cows. Hangings of rustlers and horse thieves by vigilantes was common and widely ignored by the authorities, but nobody was ever legally hanged for livestock theft in the US. . (Photo by Sean Gallup . the slaughtering cattle article below in the related links. When Roddy took the stand, he looked toward the ranchers and in a halting voice said, If I could take it all back, if I could pay you all back, I would. And then the young man who had turned himself into one of Texass great cattle rustlers burst into tears. A few nights later Roddy tried again, this time with David. But by then Lindsey, the rancher, had called Williamson to say he couldnt find some cattle he had just penned the night before. Roddy and Darrell, talking on their cell phones, tried to outrun her. Hugs, Phyliss. Under the current Texas law, theft of less than 10 head of cattle, horses or exotic wildlife is a state jail felony. :P. There is no such thing as legal weed in the United States. In the Wild West of the 1800s, rustling was a hanging offense. The use of the Australian Cattle Dog is actually cattling. Soon afterward, his parents divorced and his father moved away. He drove his truck and trailer to places on the ranch I didnt think anyone would go. Take care of yourself and your family. Plus, although I dont know how old you are, but when I was growing up stories werent shared as they are now. Great blog! I had roughly a couple of days of insulin left, five hand-rolled cigarettes, and a five-dollar bill stuffed in the toe of my boot, just in case of an emergency. can you be hung for stealing cattle in texas. He did however go to North Alabama to steal payroll for laborers in the Blue Water Camp at the Muscle Shoals Canal Project on the Tennessee River. Hed find a group of cattle and literally sit near the herd so the lead cows could get to know him. Rustling was not entirely stamped out, however, and in the 1930s it broke out in a new form. Instead of the stamp iron used by most cattlemen, the rustler used a running irona straight rod with a curve at the heated end. In addition to herding cattle, they also helped care for horses, repaired fences and buildings, worked cattle drives and in some cases helped establish frontier towns. Category: sports rodeo. Who is Steve? All I know is my grandparents came from Hungary and they didnt talk much about life back then. While livestock thievery is nearly as old as domesticated animals themselves, the Rustler does it wholesale, stealing large numbers of animals. James Mountain Jim Wilson and Dutch Fred Salkman were hanged for stealing horses on November 28 in Stockton. that's legal JUST RUDE! They too have pleaded not guilty.). In addition to wearing his boots and spurs for the event, he wants to help build the gallows from which he would hang. Whats more, Roddy always took his stolen cattle to a livestock auction barn that was at least a couple of counties away, where there was almost no chance the brands on the cattle would be recognized. In the Old West, the terms rustling, and rustler had several meanings. Roddy began scouting ranches. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. If you havent read him, sir, hes a very fine writer. Roddy was a handsome fellow, lean as a fence post, with tousled brown hair and piercing brown eyes. It was early 2003. have legal right over you. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. How much did cowboys make on a cattle drive? Roddy paused and swallowed. Sir, I always believe a good handshake is important to begin a friendship, he said, his voice gentle, with a soft country lilt. I know theyll be a lot of our readers today who will want to check it out. Is it still legal to hang cattle rustlers in Texas? Big hugs, Phyliss. Amplify your impact and donate now. Roddy said David was desperately needing money for diapers because Windy had just given birth. How does the consumer pay for a company's environmentally responsible inventions? "It's a pain in the ass to round up cattle and take them to market," Hays said. Big hugs, Phyliss. There Theft of a single head of cattle these days in Oklahoma can bring from three to 10 years behind bars. When this was outlawed, he sometimes used a piece of heavy wire that he could bend into any shape and carry in his pocket. The money wasnt bad, and the revenge was sweet. The theory: The thief pulled his trailer up to the pen late at night, after the last worker had gone home. Lynching is the illegal execution of an accused person by a mob. They knew the cattle country and were adept at roping, branding, and trailing. They Id also read about some teenagers and young men who had devised a plan to steal cattle off the Santa Rosa Ranch, in South Texas, to pay for a spring break vacation. Such reunions had to be prevented, for if a ranchman found a calf with a rustler's brand nursing from one of his cows, there likely would be trouble. Maybe he would have gotten into business. San Angelo's Notorious Convicted Cattle Rustler is Still Guilty. Initially, he lived with a family who knew his mother, then he rented a little house from his uncle in the town of Vernon (known, according to a highway sign erected by the chamber of commerce, as RodeopiaCowboy Utopia!). Im bettin youll find some interesting stories one of these days. Cattle rustlers can steal some cattle (or horses, sheep or other livestock), haul the animals a few states over and sell them for some nice cash. Three decades later, when she was in grade school, Ketchums grave was moved to the new cemetery. . I dont know if thats whats going on with these supposed latter day meth-head rustlers since that seems a little far sighted. Roddy returned to public school, where he was determined to prove that he was as athletic as the other boys. Like any gang of outlaws, they had a few missteps along the way. http://www.kxxv.com/story/23235614/cattle-rustling-up-40-in-texas GreasyJack August 28, 2013, 1:35am #5 aceplace57: While many crimes were punished through ritualized shaming or banishment, horse theft often brought severe punishment, including branding, torture, exile and even death. Hi Debra, glad to hear from you. The cowboy did not have any paperwork attesting to his ownership of the calves. But Williamson had no idea who was committing the thefts. You cant just show up at a beef packing plant with a load of cattle or dead ones that were skinned. You should check with your county to see what the range law is in your area. I dont know if stringing 'em up would be plausible as a means of merely preventing them from escaping with the stolen property, but you can still fill 'em full of lead. But was hanging always fast and efficient? Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. With fences everywhere, the rustler would have no place to go. Every year he receives around 80 calls from ranchers in his district who believe they have suffered some sort of theft. My Great Grandfather tried to talk to Jessie about Jesus and asked him please to not rob the train well Jessie didnt rob the train. Sure glad you enjoyed it. Cattle can fetch several hundred dollars at auction, depending on size, age, and health of the animal. SB 1163 would change current law to allow for a third degree felony. This plot contains the graves of 2 cattle rustlers caught by cowboys on what was, at the time, part of the JA Ranch. Although he had been transferred to Huntsvilles W. J. Estelle Unit, which contained a 136-bed medical facility, two Huntsville lawyers who had learned of his deteriorating condition, David ONeill and Scott Pawgan, were asking the states parole board to grant Roddy an early release, claiming that he needed to be treated by qualified doctors at a hospital. "You can't make this shit up," she said. Cattle theft by Indians was a common hazard of early settlers in Texas. And she said he's dead serious about it. Before pulling up to the barn, he also made sure to replace the tag in each cows ear with one that showed he owned that cow, and sometimes, hed get out his electric branding iron and stamp his DP brand on the cow. The next morning, he put on what he described to me as the most stunning apparel that a cowboy of my style could afford, and he drove to an auction barn in another county, where he sat with all the other cowboys and ranchers in the bleachers as his calves were auctioned off for $559.20. In 2003, a young man named Roddy Dean Pippin moved into a two-bedroom frame house in the tiny community of Odell, just south of the Red River in far North Texas. recent deaths in sonoma county By On Feb 14, 2023. Youre trusting this individual, going on their word, said Murchison. Matt Wolfe knows. The rustler might also kill the mother to make the calf a genuine orphan. A lot of Murchisons work as a special ranger for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association revolves around the sale barn, the place where farmers and ranchers come to purchase and sell livestock including cattle. Williamson also received a phone call from a woman who had seen a pickup carrying a trailer full of cattle racing past her home in the middle of the night. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The term lynching probably derived from the name Charles Lynch (1736-96), a justice of the peace who administered rough justice in Virginia. Today's cattle rustlers usually aren't as bold as the gun-slingers of the Old West; you can't hang them from the nearest tree, either. If you steal an animal that's worth $1,000 on up, you deserve to be shot or hung for it and it's still very legal to shoot cattle rustlers down here. Jessie James came by to visit my Great Grandfather he held in high Regard and highly respected my Grandfather. Love and Hugs to You Sweet Lady, Hi Tonya, isnt her story interesting! Bring on the Shiplap? I read about the old rustlers and how they eluded the posses. The vast distances to town, hence law enforcement, often prompted ranchers to take actions of their own. He will not be a reoffender. She paused. Hi Stephanie, good to hear from you. You cant take someone elses branded cattle to a cattle auction. I have heard of cattle being stolen using big rigs here in FL, and a few horses being killed for the fun of it. estes funeral home obituaries coeburn, virginia. And I said, Okay, Im going to give it a go.. Oddly enough for the 21 first century, cattle rustling is again on the rise. When I went to see Roddy in prison, I told him that maybe he was on his way to becoming the next Louis LAmour. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. His lawyers then filed a motion for shock probation, which argued that Roddy had been so changed by going to prison that he was no longer a criminal threat. A few of the ranchers who had lost their cattle to Roddy were in the courtroom. The Special Rangers are commissioned by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. I gave him a wave, he said, and then I walked inside and said to myself, Roddy, the posse is getting close.. Jones has been the county judge of Loving since 2007 and earns an annual salary of more than $133,000. can you be hung for stealing cattle in texas Kurulu. being beef cattle. Plenty of butcher shops would be happy to take it or else places that process wild game are also known for picking up illicit side business like that during the off season. In August 2004, when Roddy was finally cornered, law enforcement officers were stunned to discover that he was not a hardened renegade cowboy. He was barely an adult, only twenty years old, with no ranching background and no criminal record whatsoever. He was a professional cattle rustler, and he was as good as they come. He looked me in the eye, and he was strictly yes sir, no sir. I couldnt help but think, Why would a kid with such nice qualities want to turn himself into a no-good cattle thief?. Sir, this is hard to explain, but I never felt like I belonged in the twentieth century, Roddy told me when we finally sat down late last fall. In the frontier days, a rustler and his gang would simply ride onto the back forty of a ranch in broad daylight, surround a big herd of cattle, and start shooting their pistols in the air, causing the cattle to stampede right off the ranch. Otherwise, the typical rustler MO is some who works the cattle business themselves and the traditional way to do it is to steal the calves before theyre branded (theyre easier to steal then anyways) and add 'em to your own herd. The couple runs cattle at Edmund Station, about 250 kilometres north-east of Carnarvon, in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. Horse theft in Texas is punishable as a second degree felony (2 to 20 years in prison) if the horses stolen in a single transaction are worth $100,000 to $199,999, and a first degree felony (5 to 99 years in prison) if the horses stolen in a single transaction are worth $200,000 or more. DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY. This time, Roddy branded all of the cattle, and the stamp on the brand read DP, for Dean Pippin. Im sure in those days a casket did not weather well. And when ranchers are ready to sell, they often unload their cattle into the easily accessible pens of sale barns a day or two before auction. I romanticized about living a different life, about being someone else . Darrell and Melissa were the first to arrive. Every penny counts! Out of respect for the proceedings, they had removed their cowboy hats and held them in their hands. In other states, the crime carries a lighter sentence. I told him that I was sorry, but that the rustling had gotten into my blood, Roddy said. He initially came to Alabama because he was going to rob the train that came thru the town where my Great Grandfather lived and decided to visit him. So long as its at night. Mr. Dumas returned his horse, Colonel, to his paddock in Franklin, then drove his pickup to an auction at a sale barn in Groesbeck, where, a few months earlier, eight black calves vanished overnight. Urban legend has it that horse thieves can still be hanged or sentenced to death in Texas. I dont have any stories to share. God willing that the creek dont rise, Ill hear back from you soon.. Maybe if I had forced him to stay in school, this whole story would have turned out to be so different. What, I wondered, was this young man doing way out in this little community, and how was he really making a living?, The TSCRA headquarters, in Fort Worth, ran Roddys name through its computers, which keep records of everyone who has sold cattle at any auction barn in Texas. This was not the handiwork of some crack addict, risking a kick to the addled head for the low yield of a heifer or two. Though the vigilante, string-em-up response to cattle rustling has faded into the sepia-toned past, livestock theft still carries the whiff of the low-down cur. A while back, for instance, there was a story about a group of Texas Department of Criminal Justice employees, apparently unhappy with their low pay, who had decided to steal some cows off their own prisons farm. In the early days of the unsettled West, stampeding cattle away from their range was the most popular way to purloin stock. https://www.tshaonline.org, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cattle-rustling. The mother cow, sensing danger, suddenly rushed at Roddy, pushing him into a barbed-wire fence before runningaway. The hearing was held in Quanah in early March, in the court where Roddy had received his original sentence. Asked what would happen with the motion, Heatly said he wouldn't even file a response. Youre just a diabetic. I got pretty peeved, to be honest with you. Although at least in my casual observation employment in the cattle industry and meth use are far from mutually exclusive. Law is in your area athletic as the other boys got pretty,... Themselves, the rustler might also kill the mother to make the calf a orphan. 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can you still hang cattle rustler's in texas