A.J. Royal – One Bad Pecos County Sheriff

The vast, unforgiving landscape of West Texas has always been a crucible, forging characters both heroic and villainous. Among the dusty annals of Pecos County history, few figures loom as darkly as Andrew Jackson Royal, a man whose single term as sheriff left an indelible stain on the community of Fort Stockton. His story is a complex tapestry woven with threads of ambition, violence, and alleged corruption, ultimately ending in a mysterious and unsolved assassination.

To understand the saga of A.J. Royal, one must delve into his origins and the environment that shaped him. Born on November 25, 1855, in Lee County, Alabama, to Ethel Joseph and Mary Frances Ousley Royal, Andrew Jackson was the solitary son amidst five sisters. The lure of the burgeoning West proved irresistible, and the young Royal eventually found himself in Fort Worth, seeking his fortune in the expanding railroad industry.

Life took a turn on January 19, 1879, when Royal married Naomi Obedience Christmus in Coryell County, Texas. Their union would eventually produce six daughters and one son. Shortly after their marriage, the couple relocated to Junction, Texas, where Royal diversified his interests, operating both a ranch and a saloon. However, whispers of trouble began to circulate. Reportedly indicted for murder, Royal sought a fresh start for his family, leading them to Pecos County in 1889.

In Fort Stockton, Royal quickly re-established himself, building another ranch and opening the Gray Mule Saloon on the corner of Callaghan and Main Street. This establishment, a testament to the era’s rugged individualism, still stands today, a tangible link to the tumultuous past. The Gray Mule Saloon became a hub of activity, and Royal, known for his quarrelsome and intimidating demeanor, solidified his presence in the community. It was during this time, amidst the clinking glasses and raucous laughter, that the seeds of future conflict were sown.

The election of A.J. Royal as Pecos County Sheriff in 1892 marked a turning point in the region’s history. Despite the accusations of murder that dogged his past and his undeniably abrasive personality, Royal managed to sway enough voters to secure the position. The community was sharply divided in its assessment of the new sheriff. Some viewed him as a strong, decisive leader, capable of imposing law and order in a wild and often lawless territory. Others, however, saw a man who abused his authority, using the power of his office to terrorize those who dared to disagree with him.

A.J. Royal‘s two-year tenure as sheriff was anything but peaceful. Stories, some verifiable and others shrouded in local legend, paint a picture of a man who operated outside the bounds of accepted legal and ethical conduct. One anecdote recounts how Royal won the Koehler Saloon in a card game, only to be thwarted when the owner died before formally transferring the deed. Another, more disturbing tale, involves a man accused of stealing a watermelon. After a brief stint in jail for attempted escape, the man was reportedly taken outside of town by Royal and his notorious deputy, Barney Riggs, where he was horsewhipped and warned never to return to Pecos County. These incidents, whether factual or embellished over time, contribute to the image of Royal as a lawman who dispensed justice with a heavy and often arbitrary hand.

As his time in office progressed, A.J. Royal‘s behavior allegedly became increasingly aggressive and intimidating. He began making threats against several prominent citizens in the community, including County Judge O.W. Williams, merchants Frank and James Rooney, and County Clerk W.P. Matthews. These men had all supported Royal’s opponent, R.B. Neighbors, in the 1892 election and were planning to do so again in the upcoming election of October 1894. Royal viewed them as enemies, and his actions suggest a deliberate campaign to silence or intimidate his political opposition.

The simmering tensions finally boiled over on August 4, 1894. While drinking in his saloon, Royal allegedly sent word to the Rooney brothers and Matthews, who were at Koehler’s Store, that he intended to "wipe them out." Royal would later deny sending the message, but witnesses confirmed its delivery. Later that day, Royal, armed with a cocked pistol, went to Koehler’s Store, presumably to carry out his threat. However, James Rooney, who was in a small room adjoining the saloon, spotted him and confronted him with a shotgun. A gunfight ensued, with both men firing, but miraculously, no one was hit. Royal retreated, but the situation had escalated dramatically.

Royal gathered his deputies and friends, surrounding Koehler’s Store and threatening to burn it down. The Rooney brothers and W.P. Matthews, who were also inside, eventually surrendered to Royal, who arrested them and marched them to the Justice of the Peace for a preliminary examination. However, fearing for their safety in the city court, the three men waived the examination and requested to appear before the grand jury.

The grand jury, convened the following month, was largely composed of Royal’s allies. Predictably, the jury issued numerous indictments against those opposed to A.J. Royal, including Judge O.W. Williams for failing to pay an occupation tax. They also indicted another man for "fornication" but conspicuously omitted his partner, who happened to be involved with one of Royal’s hired men. The Rooneys were also indicted on charges that remain unclear. Those indicted felt that there was no protection by the law in Pecos County.

Royal and his deputies swiftly arrested those indicted, refusing to accept bail. However, County Judge O.W. Williams issued a writ of Habeas Corpus, securing their release. The escalating conflict and perceived abuse of power prompted concerned citizens to request assistance from the Texas Rangers.

Five Texas Rangers from Company D were dispatched to Fort Stockton to quell the volatile atmosphere. Sergeant Carl Kirchner of the Texas Rangers offered a damning assessment of Royal’s character, describing him as "a very overbearing and dangerous man when under the influence of liquor" and noting that "almost the entire county seems to be against him." Judge Walter Gills of the 41st Judicial District Court echoed Kirchner’s sentiments, stating, "You may think it strange that a sheriff would be charged with creating the necessity of Rangers by his lawless acts but, unfortunately, we sometimes have the worst men in the county to fill that office at this end of the state." The Rangers, unimpressed with Royal, advised his enemies to arm themselves.

In a desperate attempt to secure re-election, Royal and his deputies allegedly resorted to further questionable tactics. One such scheme involved allowing a Mexican-American prisoner named Victor Ochoa to escape so that he could make campaign speeches on Royal’s behalf to Hispanic voters.

However, Royal’s machinations ultimately backfired. Before the election could take place, Royal and his deputies, Barney Riggs, Camilio Terrazas, and John P. Meadows, were arrested by the Texas Rangers for conspiring to let Ochoa escape from jail. Complaints were also lodged directly against Royal for assault. Furious, Royal claimed that his arrest was a conspiracy orchestrated by his political enemies. He retaliated by filing a complaint accusing Judge O.W. Williams, Jim and Morgan Livingston, and Shipton Parke of smuggling horses and mules from Mexico. The Texas Rangers arrested these men, further fueling the already intense political feud.

Despite his efforts, Royal lost the election to R.B. Neighbors in October 1894. However, he would not live to see the end of his term.

On November 21, 1894, after adjourning court, Judge O.W. Williams went to the clerk’s office. There, he heard a voice call out "Royal" followed by the muffled sound of gunshots coming from the east door of the courthouse. Assuming that the sheriff had shot someone, Williams entered the hall, where he found several men loitering. Upon entering the sheriff’s office, he discovered A.J. Royal sitting at his desk, bleeding profusely from his mouth and with numerous buckshot wounds to his left shoulder and neck.

Another man present in Royal’s office during the shooting reported hearing Royal’s name called out but could not identify the voice. He also stated that he saw only the barrel of a shotgun thrust through the door and a glimpse of someone in dark clothes when the shot was fired.

No one was ever arrested for the crime, which remains one of Fort Stockton’s most enduring historical mysteries. Local lore suggests that several prominent Fort Stockton businessmen drew straws to determine who would assassinate the controversial sheriff.

Andrew Jackson Royal was buried in the old fort cemetery, where his grave remains today. His tombstone bears the stark inscription "assassinated," a lasting testament to the violence that characterized his life and times.

The desk where he was murdered is now housed in the Annie Riggs Memorial Museum, and his blood stains remain visible in a drawer. The Gray Mule Saloon, the establishment that Royal once operated, still stands, now serving as a coffee shop and art gallery. Koehler’s old store and saloon later became a bank and now functions as a small community hall.

R. B. Neighbors succeeded Royal as sheriff and was re-elected for four additional terms. James Rooney, one of the men Royal had attempted to kill at Koehler’s old store and saloon, eventually bought the store, renamed it the Rooney Mercantile Company, and achieved considerable success. He also later served as vice president of the Fort Stockton State Bank.

Royal’s deputy, the infamous gunfighter Barney Riggs, continued to wreak havoc in the area for several years. In 1896, he killed William Earheart and John Denson at R.S. Johnson’s Saloon in Pecos, Texas. Today, the saloon is part of the West of the Pecos Museum, with a plaque on the floor marking the spot where William Earheart was killed. However, karma eventually caught up with Riggs, as he was killed by his stepson-in-law in 1902. Riggs is buried in the same cemetery as his former partner, A.J. Royal, a final, grim connection between two men who contributed to the turbulent history of Pecos County.

The legacy of A.J. Royal serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by communities in the Wild West, struggling to establish law and order in a land often governed by violence and personal vendettas. His story, filled with controversy and intrigue, continues to fascinate and provoke debate, ensuring that his name will forever be etched in the annals of Fort Stockton history.