The Texas Rangers developed a reputation as highly competent gunfighters. One such was Manuel Gonzaullas, who soon earned the nickname Lone Wolf during his service from the early 1920s to the early ‘50s. Gonzaullas was very much a “gun guy,” finishing his career with a collection of some 580 firearms, many of them souvenirs confiscated from felons he arrested…or otherwise brought to justice. Such were the values of the first half of the 20th Century. Another famed Ranger, Frank Hamer, got stiffed on his expenses after he led the team that killed Bonnie and Clyde in Louisiana in 1934, but at least he got to keep the guns the violent couple had in the car with them when they died. So it was for Gonzaullas.
Ironically, one of those Clyde Barrow guns was a Colt .38 Special that had been stolen from Gonzaullas’ car when he was stationed in East Texas.
Some said he had killed 75 men in gunfights, but the Lone Wolf himself said that was an extreme exaggeration. Others said 22. When the topic came up, Gonzaullas consistently changed the subject.
A devout Christian, the Lone Wolf credited God with his survival. Gonzaullas kept Bibles in his patrol car, gave them to the men he arrested, and lectured them on Christian principles all the way to jail. I’d like to think this kindness by the famed man-killer turned at least some of those criminals’ lives around. The irredeemable ones probably got to jail grateful for two things: the impromptu sermon was over, and the famously deadly Ranger hadn’t killed them.
One lesson: compassion and the willingness to use deadly force against the evil are not mutually exclusive things.
Two messages come across loud & clear in the Bible: God is a loving & merciful God, but at the same time Hes a just & righteous God. In the end, we decide which side of Him we want to deal with. This story is a perfect example.
oh boy, now this is going into religion. going into politics is acceptable due to the fact the firearm world is politically driven at various levels. when growing up, my father always said there are three things you don’t discuss with strangers:
politics
religion
sex
i guarantee your idea of GOD and “salvation” is not the same as mine. lets stick to guns, and as for the legend who did what he did, kudos, but at the end of the day his religion and belief system is irrelevant to many. no offense, just being honest…
I’m not even remotely religious and have little interest in hearing or reading about it. However, I’m certainly not adverse to the occasional exposure to it. If Mas wants to sprinkle some in, he has every right and reason to do so. He brings us a diverse and wide range of characters; some of their lives and stories will surely be flavored and colored by their religious beliefs and practices. Try to be less reactionary to him doing so.
Fellas, I apparently didn’t make my point as well as I hoped, that point being that preparedness to use deadly force righteously is not inconsistent with compassion. Gonzaullas was called “quick on the draw” and he was feared by the criminal element because of all the thugs he killed in the line of duty, but he still had compassion and didn’t treat suspects he arrested like garbage. Instead, doing the best he knew how and guided by his own lights, he tried to rehabilitate them. The post was really about that more than about religion per se.
The Bible is one of the most documented ancient text. If you are ‘religious’ or not it is an outstanding history book. There are several stories of self-defense, trained militias, concealed carry, and Rule of Law. A good read.
Mas, I think your description, analysis and assessment is right on the mark. Thanks for expressing your thoughts on it!
Anyone know what’s happened to Tennesee Man?
njk
He was posting here as of a few days ago.
Quote of the Day:
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” – Mark Twain
I am very happy to report that I am still among the living. Indeed, as Mas noted, I posted a couple of comments on the topic immediately preceding this one (the one on the usefulness of 38-Special chambered revolvers).
I will admit that I may be commenting less now. Maybe I am slowing down since I am (officially) turning into a “Senior Citizen” in a few days (I turn 65 on May 31st).
I mainly only comment on those issues where I feel I might contribute something. Nevertheless, I still make a point to read the material, posted here, almost every day.
I am glad to know that my friends, like Nicholas, miss me! 🙂
Glad you’re still here…kid. 🙂
Great to have you still here TN_MAN. Missed my ol sparring partner!
I disagree with practically everything political (except gun control) everyone else here maintains.
But as the sites token lefty I can still have a discussion.
Not the ‘invention backed up by abuse’ that passes for debate on most of the web.
njk
Nicholas Kane,
We, or at least I, am glad you are here. Most of us grew up in a country where freedom of speech was prized and practiced. People knew how to disagree, without being disagreeable. People feeling free to air their ideas makes for a healthy learning environment.
The Internet, which contains the world’s knowledge, pretty much, was supposed to enlighten us. That was Bill Gates’ hope.
With the election of 2024 behind us, Mas seems to be toning down on political topics. It seems (to me anyway) that the discussions on this blog have been very “firearms-focused” since the last election.
Given the polarized political positions, here in the U.S. (and I think in Europe too), it is probably good to “take a breather” while we can. I am sure that it will only be a short break since the midterm election cycle, of 2026, will soon heat things up again!
I miss Tom606.
‘Given the polarized political positions, here in the U.S. (and I think in Europe too), it is probably good to “take a breather” while we can.’
Trump pardons the ‘1600 leftist actors who staged the 6th Jan riots’ and suddenly you don’t want to discuss politics? 🙂
but good idea; lets not.
njk
‘1600 leftist actors who staged the 6th Jan riots’
I am unclear as to your reference. My understanding is that President Trump pardoned the victims of the set-up job “staged” by the Deep State, globalist, left-wing actors who planned and executed the events of January 6th.. He pardoned the political prisoners created by the “false-flag” operation run by the American Left (and their media propagandists) to ensure that their puppet, Biden, was installed as POTUS and to use as fodder to continue to smear President Trump and his supporters.
As far as I know, President Trump did not pardon the “leftist actors” who ran the false-flag operation. I certainly hope not! These criminal masterminds need to be punished harshly for the damage they did to the American People. It is this type of manipulation and deceit that has driven trust, by the American People, in their Government (and the Media) into the ground.
No doubt, Biden pardoned many of these criminals. However, given Bidens clear mental incompetence and the mounting evidence that it was his “handlers” who “auto-penned” these pardons, I very much hope that the courts will invalidate these pardons so that the many criminals, on the left, can finally be brought to justice!
On January 6th, 2021, some Trump supporters walked into the Capitol building through doors held open by police. A few assaulted cops, broke windows, and broke doors. One put his feet on top of Nancy Pelosi’s desk. That was one day.
In the summer of 2020, Leftist rioters (Antifa) set fire to businesses, broke windows, stole merchandise, and committed mayhem for 110 days in Portland, Oregon. Few, or maybe zero, activists got arrested.
I won’t mention Seattle, Washington State, but it was similar to Portland.
Frankly, I’m disgusted with the attitudes and views of the American extreme left and right, but what happened here in Portland several years ago during the Antifa riots never should have been tolerated. But for over twenty years Portland has been plagued with increasingly ineffectual, wimpy mayors and city councils who will tolerate just about anything. And that’s exactly what happened in downtown Portland when Antifa criminals misbehaved for months.
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/boxcars711/episodes/2021-06-18T21_25_16-07_00
Years ago, KNX AM1070 news radio out of L.A. had a drama hour that ran “Tales of the Texas Rangers”. One of my favorites still. “Lone Wolf Gonzalez” was a regular consultant to that series. He was always held in high regard by the the lead actor Joel McCrea, just as McCrea’s character had the highest core moral values. The series made such an impact on me that I named my son after McCrea’s character. Hopefully he will some day come close to measuring up to both the legend and character.