Page "Hidalgo County, Texas" Paragraph 10

Hidalgo County had become a haven for outlaws from both sides of the river by the middle of the nineteenth century.

Politically it had become a battleground, as various groups vied for dominance of county politics.

Party affiliations, especially with the Reds and Blues, were firmly entrenched by 1869.

Members of the Democratic party, known as the Reds, included Thaddeus Rhodes, Ben Kidder, Pete Champion, W. P. Dougherty and James Dougherty.

The Republican party members, the Blues, included John McAllen, Jesse Bennett, and Dr. Alexander M. Headley.

The Reds ruled the county for most of the last third of the nineteenth century.

Their ineffective government was blamed for the county's having eight sheriffs between 1869 and 1876.

It was alleged that the Reds kept control of the county by using the pachanga or block vote, which entailed rounding up men, filling them with food and liquor, and paying their poll tax.

In Hidalgo County, Martin " Big Drunk " Norgraves, who served as first county clerk, was credited as organizer of block voting.

By 1880 the population was 4, 347, and all except women and the 114 African Americans were fair game for the parties looking for votes.

Not until 1882, when John Closner was elected deputy sheriff, was control over cattle rustlers achieved.

Closner became sheriff in 1890 and shortly afterward, under the protection of James B. Wellsqv, became the county's political boss.

During his rule he brought peace to the county and was seen as such an effective leader that he was nicknamed the " father " of Hidalgo County.

In the process, however, he made many enemies.

During the 1890s his rivals tried to have him assassinated twice and brought a ranger investigation against him.

He was accused of mistreating prisoners, and he later admitted that he could have gone a little too far in pressuring suspects to confess to crimes.

Though Closner's Reds were effective in bringing law and order to the county, the rivalry with the Blues did not abate.

It came to a head in August 1890, when the Blues set up their polls and judges while the Reds held elections.

This effectively gave the county two sets of officials.

The Blues wanted to stop the Reds ' use of the pachanga, which gave undocumented aliens access to the polls.

Consequently, Dr. Headley and a company of 150 Blues took over Edinburgh and ruled the for several days under the moniker " Independent Republic of Hidalgo.

" United States officials ended Headley's " republic " when he attempted to collect customs at the border.