Albany native was a hero in the wild, wild West

ALBANY – During the 1800s, many Georgians headed west leaving behind the following note of their intentions: “Gone to Texas.”

Early in the century, hundreds of Georgians answered the call to arms issued by Sam Houston in Texas’ fight for independence. The blood of 300 Georgians was spread on the soil of Texas when Santa Anna ordered their execution on March 27, 1836, Palm Sunday. The flag carried to Texas by the Georgia Battalion was sewn by a young girl in Macon. It was a single star on a blue field and would become the lone star of Texas.

With much of Georgia in ruins following the War Between the States, it is only natural that Georgians would be among those seeking a fresh start and new opportunity out west. William R. Cruger was one of them.

Cruger was born in Albany on May 30,1840, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth Cruger. The couple was among the founding families of Palmyra and early citizens of the newly founded town of Albany. Nicholas Cruger would become a prominent businessman, partnering with W.W. Pace to create the Cruger Pace Brick Company. Few records exist of William Cruger’s early life in Georgia. He, like so many of his contemporaries, served in the Confederate Army.

However, in 1874 he made his way to Shackleford County, Texas, where he participated in the early organization of the county. He named the county seat Albany after the place of his birth.

Prior to his arrival, a small settlement began to form around the military post Fort Griffin, located there. Situated at the bottom of a hill, it was initially known as “The Bottom,” “The Flat” or “Hidetown” before taking the name of the fort.

From the outset, Texas’ Albany, located 15 miles south of the fort, was a beacon of lawlessness, attracting buffalo hunters, cowboys, prostitutes, gunmen and outlaws like Pat Garrett, Doc Holiday (another Georgian), Wyatt Earp, John Wesley Hardin, Billie the Kid, the Masterson brothers and Mollie McCabe. The violence increased to the point that, in 1874, martial law was declared. However, the military was not successful in its attempts at running the criminal element out of town.

This failure resulted in a group of local men forming the Tin Hat Brigade, a vigilante response to the uncontrolled violence. Their goal was to provide swift and visible “justice” in an effort to protect their lives and property.

Soon, the bodies of suspected horse thieves were found hanging from tree limbs with a shovel left below for anyone wishing to bury them. In three months, vigilantes hung six and shot two others.

In an effort to have a more legitimate solution to the increasing violence, John M. Larn was elected sheriff of Shackleford County in April of 1876. Larn hired John Henry Simmons and appointed Cruger as his deputy. However, things were not what they seemed to be on the surface.

Bill Bland and Charlie Reed, two known gunmen, arrived in Fort Griffin with pistols blazing on Jan. 17, 1877. The drunken pair immediately made their way to the Beehive Saloon, where they shot out the lights as they entered the establishment. Deputy Cruger and the county attorney, Robert Jefferies, along with two other county officials, responded to the ruckus. Entering the saloon, Cruger is said to have hollered, “Hands up!” In response, Bland turned and fired on Cruger. Jefferies and Cruger immediately fired back. Reed then began firing. Cruger and Jefferies were both wounded, and two bystanders were killed in the melee. Brand was also killed. Reed escaped and would later be killed in Nebraska in 1883.

As order was slowly being restored in the region, Sheriff Larn resigned and on April 20, 1877, Cruger was appointed as his replacement. His jurisdiction was extended to cover 13 unorganized Texas counties.

Following his resignation, Larn began operating openly as a cattle thief. It was determined that during his term as sheriff, he had actually been using some of the vigilantes as member of a gang stealing cattle and terrorizing the region.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Larn. On June 22, 1878, Cruger brought his former boss to the Fort Griffin jail and shackled him to the floor to prevent his supporters from freeing him before trial. Instead, members of the Tin Hat Brigade stormed the jail, intending to hang Larn. Finding him shackled, they shot him in the head instead. At the same time, the town Marshal, William C. Glison, went missing. Another unidentified man was found hung on the outskirts of town. It was believed they knew too much about the illegal activities of the vigilantes under the direction of Larn and as a result they were “silenced.”

Cruger would be elected sheriff and serve in that capacity until his resignation July 20, 1880. At that time the county commission praised him for his courage and fearlessness as a law officer and his success in ridding the Western frontier of “lawless characters.”

Cruger moved from Texas to Princeton, Ky., where he served as marshal until his death in the line of duty on Dec. 29, 1882. Sheriff Cruger’s death is recognized on the “Officer Down Memorial.” His killer was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years. He was paroled in 1890 having served less than seven years of that sentence.

The following article appeared in the Albany Star on Jan. 12,1883:

The Death of Ex-Sheriff W.R. Cruger

The sad news of the death of ex-sheriff W.R. Cruger at Princeton, Ky., Dec 29, 1882, was received here Monday last. Many were the heart-felt expressions of sorrow from our good citizens who knew him so long and so well as the true and brave sheriff of Shackleford County, who could always be found at his post when the safety of the lives and property of our good people required his official services. Few men who have lived in this county commanded greater respect and esteam (sic) than did William R. Cruger — quiet and unassuming, he was brave as a lion and dared to go wherever duty called him. More than once in his official career, he was brought face to face with death, and though bullets flew thick and fast around him, he maintained the same calm demeanor that won for him the confidence of all who knew him. Perhaps his relatives and friends living at his old home in Albany, Ga., will never know how kindly he is remembered among the pioneers of Albany, Texas, but we hope that they will allow us to extend our sincere sympathy in the hour of their bereavement.

The particulars of Cruger’s death is described in a letter from the mayor of Princeton, Ky., to his wife, Mollie Cruger, published in the Albany, Ga., News and Advertiser.

Princeton, Ky. Dec 30, 1882

Mrs. Mollie Cruger, Albany, Ga.

I telegraphed your father at Bainbridge Last knight. (sic) I suppose you will have heard the sad news before this reaches you, but I feel I ought to write you the particulars as far as I have heard. Mr. Cruger was very much beloved here by all the law-abiding people. He made a faithful officer and did his duty well. He expected to start to see you next Tuesday, but death overtook him last night about 7 o’clock by the hand of a young lawyer by the name of Wing. Wing was on a spree, I understand, and cutting up. Cruger arrested him and going up the steps to the police office Wing was in front (it being dark). He turned and commenced firing at Cruger, one ball taking effect. It hit him just over the right eye and went in his brain. He died in a few minutes, never speaking a word after he was shot. I heard it immediately after it occurred and ran down there. They had just carried him into a butcher shop. Doctors King and Jones got there in a few minutes and we moved him to the hotel. Directly after we got to the room John Duke came up and told us to move him to his house. Your dear husband died before we got him out of the room.

Yours with much sympathy,

T. J. Johnson

Cruger’s remains were sent to Albany, Ga., where he is buried in his family’s plot at Oakview Cemetery.

Staff Photo: Tom Segmueller