Subject:  Re: George B. Zimpelman
       Date:  Tue, 28 Aug 2001 21:27:04 -0400
      From:  "Paul Cool" 
        To:  "Dennis Larsen" 

August 28, 2001

Hello Dennis,

I research and write western outlaw and lawman history. During my research
into the Texas Rangers in El Paso during the Salt War era, I of course
became acquainted with George Zimpleman, whose ownership of the lakes led to
the war and the death of his son in law. But I have come across other
references to "Major Zimpleman" that indicate an active role in fighting
outlaws.... even after his days as the Travis County Sheriff.

An 1880 letter from Ranger Captain George Baylor refers to Zimpleman's men
in Mexico killing a bunch of bandits in Chihuahua, in protection of George's
mining interests. Even more intriguing is an 1883 news story that I really
want to pin down. It is part of an obituary for a fellow named Tom Mode, but
it has an intriguing reference to an organization called "Major Zimpleman's
Guards," an organization that fought rustlers and other outlaws "in the
pastoral regions of the State." As your website records, George B Zimpleman
was known as Major Zimpleman. But I have found no other references to this
"Guards" formation of his. They are NOT part of the Texas Rangers of the
1870s-1880s. They might have been a unit raised by cattlemen or other
business men, or they might have been a county [Travis or El Paso] funded
operation.... The article follows, with some notes by me in brackets....

The El Paso Times of July 18, 1883 included an obituary for a policeman
named Tom Mode. The article indicates that Mode ... "then [the date is
unclear, but appears to be 1881] joined Major Zimpleman's Guards, to break
up the bands of cattle thieves and murderers infesting the pastoral regions
of the State. Here as elsewhere he won the most implicit confidence and
esteem of his commander, as Major Zimpleman as well as Captain Tays [ranger
commander in El Paso] and Y.W Johnson, all of whom are residents in or well
known to El Paso can affirm. It was while in the latter hazardous business
that he [Mode] became one of the most conspicuous actors in the first
capture of the notorious "Curly Bill," who has since been killed in Arizona
or New Mexico. In company with several of the [Zimpleman] guards he
succeeded in corraling the desperate outlaw and some of his men in a cabin,
where a fight to the death began. Mode in his reckless disregard of danger
was marked as a target by the robber chief. But while in the act of leveling
his gun, Curly Bill exposed the side of his face at the window, when the
quick aim of Mode sent a ball crashing through, that cut the right ear off
and laid the villain out instantly. This virtually ended the fight and broke
up the gang."

Curly Bill of course appears to be the notorious Curly Bill Brocius. If you
are familiar with the history of Tombstone during the era of Wyatt Earp you
are familiar with Mr Brocius. If not, he appears as a major character in the
Kurt Russell/Val Kilmer film, "Tombstone." He is a very bad guy and is
played by Powers Boothe. If Brocius was indeed captured once by your
ancestor's unit, he apparently escaped justice and left for Arizona. If
George Zimpleman's men captured him, even temporarily, that is quite a
story.

Dennis, do you have any knowledge of George Zimpleman's tenure as sheriff of
Travis County or of this "Major Zimpleman's Guards"? Do you have any idea
where or when he might have engaged in this line of community protection?
The various biographies that you have posted on your site give no clue. I
would appreciate any help you might offer.

best wishes,

Paul Cool
kpcool@earthlink.net

PO Box 1503
Eldersburg, MD 21784