Passed Time - Captain Bill Wilson of the Texas Rangers

Captain Bill Wilson of the Texas Rangers

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Once again, I was sorting through a box of photos--an activity that seems to monopolize much of my time, anymore (not that I am complaining). As always with these boxes of photographs, some are labeled but the majority are not. The photograph of Bill Wilson was obviously identified, but it appeared to be an oddity among the other photographs. This photo is obviously from Texas, whereas the vast majority of the photographs show East Coast locales. The few travel snapshots are from the early twentieth century, as are most of the other photographs. Wilson's photograph is decades later than the other snapshots for it was clearly taken in the 1960's or later. Wilson's life dates back me up, so I am unsure as to how his picture ended up in the box of older photos, but here it is, a Texas Ranger in Dover, Delaware.

Bill Wilsonw

Captain William Delpard "Bill" Wilson (1929-1990) served with the Texas Rangers as a captain in various companies throughout the 1960's and 1970's. (click the link provided a link if you want to know which companies) After school, he began work with the Department of Public Safety and eventually became a ranger in 1962.

Various reports declared he handled notorious cases, and I've sussed out the following from an interview with Wilson in relation to the slaying of Texas Ranger Bob Doherty by small-time drug dealer named Greg Ott.*

"He had initiated the case himself, using information he got from a man in jail. It was just good, sound police practice is what it was. One fellow lead him to the other fellow."

When the reporter questioned that "good, sound police practice" involved showing up in the middle of the night wearing civilian clothes and arriving unannounced, Wilson responded,

"Any narcotics dealer who carries a gun has got to be considered a major criminal."

The reporter was quick to note that it was not until after Ott killed Doherty that anyone considered him a major criminal.** As the reporter used no more quotes from Wilson, it is unclear if Wilson ever responded to the reporter's last observation.

Wilson was interviewed in other publications, in which the questions were not as serious. For instance, he was quoted in a 1977 interview,

"I don't even like horses. I swore the last time I got off a horse I'd never get on one again."***

We get insight into his expectations for his men from a 1985 interview. This was also the year in which he retired. He insisted his men wear ties while on duty, but also:

"no hair on the collar, no hair on the face and no (love) triangles," because "A man that's happy at home is happy in his job."

He ended with,

"The Texas Rangers are what they are because their enemies have been what they were. The Rangers had to be superior to their enemies if they were to survive."***

Obviously, any Texas historical societies or the Texas Ranger records department would be able to produce a list of Wilson's stewardship regarding past cases, including the Ott and Doherty investigation. I suspect any available information would be tantamount to writing a book. More interviews with Wilson will assuredly surface as more newspapers are digitized. He does not appear to have been shy about giving interviews as part of his job and this photograph was likely part of a press and media package meant to be distributed as souvenirs. This probably explains its existence in Dover, Delaware.

As always, readers are encouraged to contribute their own information, until then... Pat Earnest, 5 October 2015 Dover, Delaware

*For the entire article click here. "The Death of a Ranger," Texas Monthly, pp 163-177

** Ibid.

***Lyle E. Davis, The Paper 2007

****The Telegraph, June 17, 1985 page 9

Pat Earnest, currently lives in Dover, Delaware, with family, both two- and four-footed. I am a published author and history enthusiast, who has great regard for the past and is especially proud of the Pennsylvania German culture. In addition to running Passed Time, I am currently working on a project for the German Historical Institutes Immigrant Entrepreneurship: German-American Business Biographies (http://www.ghi-dc.org). I also contribute to various newsletters and I am working on another book...or two. Feel free to email me at pcsuter@hotmail.com with questions, comments, information, a shared love of history, an idea, because you want to chat or you have an great idea for PT. Please be aware, Files With Attachments will not be opened, but immediately deleted.