Scott Cooley – Texas Ranger Turned Killer
The saga of the American West is replete with tales of transformation, where figures of authority and law sometimes found themselves on the other side of the badge. One such figure is Scott Cooley, a man whose early life was marked by honor and service as a Texas Ranger, but whose destiny took a dark turn, ultimately defining him as a killer. His story is inextricably linked to the violent and turbulent times of the late 19th century in Texas, specifically the Mason County War, and his association with notorious characters like Johnny Ringo.
Born in Texas around 1845 (though some records indicate 1852, a discrepancy that highlights the challenges of historical accuracy), Scott Cooley’s early life was marred by tragedy. He was orphaned at a young age when Native Americans killed his parents, leaving him vulnerable and alone. This early trauma undoubtedly shaped his worldview and perhaps contributed to the fierce independence and sense of justice that would later define his actions. Fate intervened when a local rancher, Tim Williamson, and his wife took Cooley in, providing him with a home and care. More than just providing shelter, the Williamsons nursed Cooley back to health when he contracted typhoid, forging a deep bond of gratitude and loyalty that would have profound consequences.
Growing into adulthood, Cooley sought a life of purpose and service. He found it in the esteemed ranks of the Texas Rangers, a legendary law enforcement agency tasked with maintaining order in the vast and often lawless Texas frontier. Assigned to Captain Cicero R. Perry’s Company D, Cooley quickly distinguished himself as a dedicated and relentless Ranger, earning a reputation for his unwavering pursuit of outlaws and criminals. His commitment to upholding the law and protecting the innocent was evident, and he seemed destined for a long and successful career in law enforcement. By 1875, however, Cooley chose a different path. He resigned from the Rangers and turned to the more peaceful pursuits of farming and ranching near Maynardville, Texas. During this period, he and his benefactor, Tim Williamson, embarked on two cattle drives to Kansas, a common but arduous undertaking in the burgeoning Texas economy. This seemingly settled and peaceful existence, however, was soon to be shattered by the eruption of violence.
The event that irrevocably altered Cooley’s life and transformed him from lawman to outlaw was the arrest and subsequent murder of Tim Williamson. On May 13, 1875, Deputy Sheriff John Worley arrested Williamson on suspicion of cattle rustling. As Worley escorted Williamson to jail, a mob of German cattlemen, fueled by long-standing tensions and resentments, ambushed the pair, abducting Williamson and brutally shooting him to death. This act ignited the tinderbox of existing animosity between the German cattlemen and the native-born Texans, triggering the bloody conflict known as the Mason County War, or the "Hoodoo War." The murder of Tim Williamson served as the catalyst, and Scott Cooley saw it as a personal betrayal and an egregious injustice.
Cooley was convinced that Worley had colluded with the German ambushers, facilitating Williamson’s murder. Consumed by grief and a thirst for vengeance, he initially waited for the legal system to deliver justice. However, when no indictments were made against those responsible for Williamson’s death, Cooley decided to take matters into his own hands. This decision marked a critical turning point, as he abandoned his faith in the law and embraced a path of vigilante justice. He felt a deep sense of obligation to avenge the man who had saved his life and raised him as his own.
Driven by a potent mix of loyalty and rage, Scott Cooley began to assemble a group of like-minded men, forming a posse dedicated to avenging Williamson’s death. Among his recruits were John and Mose Beard, George Gladden, and perhaps most notably, the notorious outlaw Johnny Ringo. With this formidable group at his side, Cooley embarked on a campaign of retribution, targeting those he believed were responsible for Williamson’s murder. Their first target was Deputy Sheriff John Worley. Cooley and his men located Worley at his home, where he was working on his well with an assistant. Cooley shot Worley dead, and the assistant, who was suspended over the well, plummeted to the bottom. In a gruesome display of defiance and contempt, Cooley then scalped Worley, proudly displaying the trophy to the German community as a symbol of his vengeance.
The violence escalated further as Cooley and his posse continued their bloody crusade. They tracked down and killed Peter Bader, whom they believed to be the ringleader of the ambush that killed Williamson. They then murdered another man, Daniel Hoerster, whom they suspected of being part of the group. These acts of vigilante justice sent shockwaves through Mason County, further exacerbating the tensions between the warring factions. The German community, understandably, retaliated against Cooley and his allies.
A posse led by Sheriff John Clark ambushed Mose Beard and George Gladden, killing Beard and seriously wounding Gladden. The posse included Charles Bader, the brother of Peter Bader, Cooley’s second victim, highlighting the deeply personal and cyclical nature of the violence. This act of retaliation only fueled the flames of the Mason County War, leading to further bloodshed and escalating the cycle of violence. Scott Cooley and his remaining allies continued to target those they believed were responsible for Williamson’s death and the attacks on their own men.
The conflict raged on for months, with killings and retaliations occurring in both directions. The Texas Rangers, the very organization Cooley had once served, were largely ineffective in stopping the violence, due in part to the fact that many Rangers were sympathetic to Cooley and his cause. The lawlessness and chaos that gripped Mason County reflected the deep divisions and the breakdown of order in the region. Finally, in December 1875, Scott Cooley and Johnny Ringo were arrested by Sheriff A.J. Strickland. However, their incarceration proved to be short-lived. With the help of friends and sympathizers, they escaped from the Lampasas County, Texas jail, further cementing their status as outlaws and fugitives from justice.
After his escape, Cooley fled from a posse at the Llano River and was believed to have sought refuge in Blanco County, where he was sheltered by friends. It was there, not long after, that he reportedly died of brain fever, a vague and often used term for a variety of ailments. His death marked the end of his reign of terror, but it did little to quell the underlying tensions and violence that plagued Mason County. In the aftermath of the Mason County War, few individuals were ever brought to justice for their roles in the conflict. Johnny Ringo was among those charged, but he was eventually acquitted. Ringo would later gain further notoriety in Tombstone, Arizona, where he became embroiled in conflicts with figures like Wyatt Earp, further solidifying his place in the legends of the Old West.
The story of Scott Cooley serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vigilante justice and the devastating consequences of unchecked violence. While his initial motives may have been rooted in a sense of loyalty and a desire for justice, his actions ultimately led to further bloodshed and chaos. He transformed from a respected Texas Ranger into a feared outlaw, forever tarnished by the violence he perpetrated. His legacy remains a complex and controversial one, a reminder of the turbulent and often morally ambiguous nature of the American West. The life of Scott Cooley represents a stark contrast between his early honorable life and his later descent into violence, forever altering his place in history.
