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Sheriffs and Rangers

May 1, 2010

After two months of covering old crimes in Arivaca, perhaps it is time to turn to the law.
One of the streets in Arivaca, over on the west side, is named Paul Street. Chances are, this is named after a well-known Sheriff of Pima County, Robert H. Paul. Or at least you would think that. However, the owner of an Arivaca homestead, just west of town on the Refuge property, was Robert J. Paul, the son of the Sheriff. So perhaps it would take some serious investigation to find out just which one the street is named for. Robert H. Paul, a native of Massachusetts, came to Arizona in 1877 as an employee of Wells Fargo, and decided to stay. Having had several years of experience as a sheriff in California, Paul decided to contend for the Pima County Sheriff position. It took some doing, as ballot box-stuffing was a common practice. After it was all over (a story worth reading) Paul had won, a position he held from 1881-1886. As Sheriff he was fearless and tenacious in his pursuit of the lawless, which included Doc Holliday and the Earps. At 6 foot 6” he was larger than life. In 1881 Cochise County split off from Pima County, relieving him of a large and difficult territory. In 1890 he became U. S. Marshall for the Territory, and held that post until 1893, after which he served as Justice of the Peace in Tucson. He passed away in 1901.
Around the turn of the 20th century, there being so much smuggling along the border and lawlessness in general, the Territorial Legislature decided to create a company of Rangers, along the same line as those in Texas. This took effect March 21, 1901. According to Joseph Miller, “Arizona towns scattered along the border were the daily scenes of murders and fierce personal encounters, and the smugglers and cattle rustlers were grown so bold as to ply their business openly…so well organized were these men that the few civil officers and scattered troops of the U. S. Cavalry were powerless against them. ”* The Arizona Rangers were chosen from (mostly) cowboys who knew the border range and were good shots. They were to patrol the territory, especially the border, catch those fleeing from the law and break up the smuggling rings. Burton Mossman was chosen to be the first captain. It was he who chose the first 14 Rangers. Later that number was increased but never to a large number. Mossman held his position for a year, and was replaced by Thomas Rynning. The only known local person who became an Arizona Ranger was Charles Eperson of Oro Blanco, a relative by marriage of Alonzo Noon. The Rangers’ duty was to uncover smuggling and other illegal operations, catch and transport the alleged criminals to the nearest law enforcement officer. At this they were very successful, and reports showed that several hundred errants were arrested each year. This was during the unsettled years before the Mexican Revolution when Emilio Kosterlitzky’s rurales patrolled the other side of the line. In 1905, Rynning reported: “The most cordial relations exist with the Mexican authorities who have at all times assisted and cooperated with us in the pursuit of criminals and the recovery of stolen property taken into Mexico. We have always followed fugitives into Mexico and the International line is no longer a protection for criminals from Arizona. ” Times have changed.
J. T. “Rye” Miles was Sheriff of Pima County from 1917-20. He had come to Arizona from Texas as a cowboy and joined the Arizona Rangers. After they shut down in 1909, he worked as a livestock inspector. (One of his relatives lived in Arivaca about that same time—J. T. Chambers worked at the Arivaca Ranch for several years.) Rye is mentioned (with a photo) in California Cowboys when he was working a big Arivaca roundup in his capacity as livestock inspector. Rye Miles was elected Sheriff of Pima County in 1916 and held the post until 1920. He passed away in Casa Grande where he served as Town Marshall and Constable.
The following references are available from the Library: *The Arizona Rangers, edited by Joseph Miller, California Cowboys by Dane Coolidge, Arizona Sheriffs: badges and bad men by Jane Eppinga, and Robert Havlin Paul: Frontier lawman: the Arizona years by Roy B. Young. Also visit the Arizona Rangers room in the 1904 Courthouse in Nogales.

After two months of covering old crimes in Arivaca, perhaps it is time to turn to the law.
One of the streets in Arivaca, over on the west side, is named Paul Street. Chances are, this is named after a well-known Sheriff of Pima County, Robert H. Paul. Or at least you would think that. However, the owner of an Arivaca homestead, just west of town on the Refuge property, was Robert J. Paul, the son of the Sheriff. So perhaps it would take some serious investigation to find out just which one the street is named for. Robert H. Paul, a native of Massachusetts, came to Arizona in 1877 as an employee of Wells Fargo, and decided to stay. Having had several years of experience as a sheriff in California, Paul decided to contend for the Pima County Sheriff position. It took some doing, as ballot box-stuffing was a common practice. After it was all over (a story worth reading) Paul had won, a position he held from 1881-1886. As Sheriff he was fearless and tenacious in his pursuit of the lawless, which included Doc Holliday and the Earps. At 6 foot 6” he was larger than life. In 1881 Cochise County split off from Pima County, relieving him of a large and difficult territory. In 1890 he became U. S. Marshall for the Territory, and held that post until 1893, after which he served as Justice of the Peace in Tucson. He passed away in 1901.
Around the turn of the 20th century, there being so much smuggling along the border and lawlessness in general, the Territorial Legislature decided to create a company of Rangers, along the same line as those in Texas. This took effect March 21, 1901. According to Joseph Miller, “Arizona towns scattered along the border were the daily scenes of murders and fierce personal encounters, and the smugglers and cattle rustlers were grown so bold as to ply their business openly…so well organized were these men that the few civil officers and scattered troops of the U. S. Cavalry were powerless against them. ”* The Arizona Rangers were chosen from (mostly) cowboys who knew the border range and were good shots. They were to patrol the territory, especially the border, catch those fleeing from the law and break up the smuggling rings. Burton Mossman was chosen to be the first captain. It was he who chose the first 14 Rangers. Later that number was increased but never to a large number. Mossman held his position for a year, and was replaced by Thomas Rynning. The only known local person who became an Arizona Ranger was Charles Eperson of Oro Blanco, a relative by marriage of Alonzo Noon. The Rangers’ duty was to uncover smuggling and other illegal operations, catch and transport the alleged criminals to the nearest law enforcement officer. At this they were very successful, and reports showed that several hundred errants were arrested each year. This was during the unsettled years before the Mexican Revolution when Emilio Kosterlitzky’s rurales patrolled the other side of the line. In 1905, Rynning reported: “The most cordial relations exist with the Mexican authorities who have at all times assisted and cooperated with us in the pursuit of criminals and the recovery of stolen property taken into Mexico. We have always followed fugitives into Mexico and the International line is no longer a protection for criminals from Arizona. ” Times have changed.
J. T. “Rye” Miles was Sheriff of Pima County from 1917-20. He had come to Arizona from Texas as a cowboy and joined the Arizona Rangers. After they shut down in 1909, he worked as a livestock inspector. (One of his relatives lived in Arivaca about that same time—J. T. Chambers worked at the Arivaca Ranch for several years.) Rye is mentioned (with a photo) in California Cowboys when he was working a big Arivaca roundup in his capacity as livestock inspector. Rye Miles was elected Sheriff of Pima County in 1916 and held the post until 1920. He passed away in Casa Grande where he served as Town Marshall and Constable.
The following references are available from the Library: *The Arizona Rangers, edited by Joseph Miller, California Cowboys by Dane Coolidge, Arizona Sheriffs: badges and bad men by Jane Eppinga, and Robert Havlin Paul: Frontier lawman: the Arizona years by Roy B. Young. Also visit the Arizona Rangers room in the 1904 Courthouse in Nogales.

Written by Mary Kasulaitis · Filed Under Arivaca Yesterdays 

Comments

One Response to “Sheriffs and Rangers”

  1. William Miles on October 31st, 2010 7:16 pm

    I am J.T. Rye Miles son and I have a few corrections to your fine story, after the Rangers he was a Cochise county ranger and then a cattle inspectorand then Sheriff of Pima county and them a deputy Sheriff, for Pinal county, in Casa Grande for many years (not the Marshall or Constable). He passed away in a hospital in Mesa,Az and is buried in Mesa. His badge from Cochise county is in the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson,Az.
    Thank You for writing the article, Bill Miles

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