The Arizona Rangers
Arizona, the Youngest State
McClintock, 1913, page 488

The organization of the Arizona Rangers was on the recommendation 
of Governor Murphy to the Legislature of 1901.  As the first 
Captain was appointed Burton C. Mossman, a Northern Arizona 
cattleman, who preceded with an organization of a company that 
at first consisted of only twelve men, with Dayton Graham of 
Cochise County as first lieutenant.  Mossman made his 
organization wholly non-political and men were sought for 
enlistment on account of their records as efficient officers, 
good shots and good frontiersmen, well acquainted with the 
country.  In some cases, men were enlisted whose previous 
records would not have entitled them to distinguished 
consideration in a Sunday school, but who had reputation 
for courage and endurance.  Such men usually gave a very 
good account of themselves.  According to Mossman: "I have 
never known a body of men to take a more intense interest in 
their work.  They were very proud of the organization, proud 
of the record that they were making, and there was great 
emulation among the men to make good."  Every section of the 
territory had its representatives so that wherever the 
command might be called there would be some ranger familiar 
with the country, water holes, trails, etc.  During the 
first twelve months after organization, 125 arrests were 
made of actual criminals, who were sent to the penitentiary 
or back to other states to answer for crime.  The deterrent 
effect of these many captures was great, serving to drive 
from the territory a large percentage of its criminal 
population.

Organized in August, the rangers proved effective from the 
first.  In November two of its members, Carlos Tafolla and 
Dean Hamblin, reinforced by four Saint Johns cattlemen, chased 
the Jack Smith band of outlaws into the Black River country 
south of Springerville.  The outlaws were headed for Mexico 
with a band of stolen horses and were surprised while in camp. 
After apparent surrender, they dodged behind trees and 
opened fire.  Tafolla and a cattleman named Maxwell were 
killed and two of the outlaws wounded.  The latter escaped 
in darkness, on foot, leaving their camp outfit and horses 
behind.  Captain Mossman, with three more rangers soon was 
on the trail but the gang stealing fresh horses managed to 
escape in the snows of the New Mexican mountains.  Tafolla's 
widow was pensioned by the Legislature.

Captain Mossman early established amicable relations with the 
Mexican authorities and an agreement was entered into with Lt. 
Col. Kosterlitsky of the Mexican Rurales that either should 
have the privilege of chasing outlaws across the border and 
they should work in unison wit the definite object of ridding 
the Southwest of the "rustler" element.

In 1903 the force embraced twenty six officers.  Six years 
after organization report was made that the rangers in that 
time had made 4000 arrests of which 25% had been for serious 
felonies.  The best work was against horse and cattle thieves.  
Especial value was found in the fact that the Rangers were 
independent of politics and were not controlled by 
considerations that often tied the hands of local peace 
officers.  This very feature, however, led to occasional 
trouble with disagreeing sheriffs.

After Governor Brodie assumed office a change was made in the 
leadership of the Arizona Rangers, to the position being 
appointed T.H Rynning, who had been a lieutenant of Rough 
Riders.  Under him the organization did splendid work, 
especially in the labor troubles in Bisbee and Morenci.  
At the latter point, one episode most worthy of mention was 
when a band of several hundred rioters, coming over the 
divide from Chase Creek, encountered a few rangers, commanded 
by Sergeant Jack Foster.  Foster was hailed and a demand was 
made upon him for his guns.  The sergeant, remembering his 
experience in the Rough Riders, deployed his men along the 
crest of a ridge and laconically answered:" If you want the 
guns, come and get them."  The rioters concluded to move on 
and Foster saved both his rifles and his self-respect.

The history of the rangers under whatever leadership was 
one of devotion and of rare courage, well worthy of a 
separate volume.  Some of it is told in this work but 
much is left unchronicled.  There is the story how Ranger 
Frank Wheeler, with Deputy Sheriff John Cameron, killed 
Herrick and Bentley, former convicts wanted for horse 
stealing, in the course of a battle in the rocks, after 
the fugitives had been tracked for five days.  There might 
be mentioned, as typical, the encounter in Benson of 
Captain Harry Wheeler with a desperado named Tracy wherein 
the latter died with four bullet holes in his body and 
Wheeler received wounds that disabled him for months.  
There was the case of Willis Wood, an outlaw of the worst 
type, who was taken by Rynning from a roomful of the 
prisoner's friends.

Rynning resigned to become superintendent of the territorial 
prison during the period of its reconstruction at Florence 
and March 21, 1907 was succeeded by his lieutenant, Harry 
Wheeler, later sheriff of Cochise County.  Wheeler notably 
was successful in handling difficult border conditions.  
But politics finally caused the disbandment of the rangers.



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