Volume 17 , Issue 8

January 1915, Tilghman Wants Rangers For Oklahoma

In The Daily Ardomoreite, Friday, 1 January 1915, front page headlines read: "Wants Rangers For State." A former peace officer, William M. Tilghman, said he would rid Oklahoma of bank robberies.

Oklahoma City, Okla., Dec. 31 (1914) -- William M. Tilghman said that when the legislature convenes he will renew his efforts to have created a body of rangers whose duty will be to rid the state of bank robbers. Back in 1913 Tilghman vainly attempted to have such a military body created, the legislature at that time taking the position that bank robberies in the state would decrease.

Tilghman was formerly chief of police of Oklahoma City, and at one time a deputy United States marshal in Oklahoma. In the early days of Dodge City, Kansas, he was a marshal at that place.

Tilghman's statement December, 1914 followed the daylight bank robbery at Carney, which was the ninth bank robbers in Oklahoma since last May, 1914. Tilghman would have the Oklahoma rangers modeled after the Texas body, according to his statement.

I am wondering if if Tilghman's Oklahoma Rangers ever were developed. Any Oklahoma history buffs have information on this particular story?
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