Frank And McUgly Engage.

Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!

We're in a series about one of the best Texas Rangers to ever wear the badge, the great Frank Hamer, who was brought out of retirement to take down Bonnie and Clyde.

Recap

In the last post Frank narrowly escaped an ambush by McUgly/McMeans and his henchmen by pure chance. (or Divine Providence?) It wasn't long after that incident that Frank and the Johnson family were in Baird, TX for a court procedure.

Today's story

Before they left to head back to Snyder, some men approached Frank and warned him.

According to Frank, "While making preparations to return to Snyder, a bunch of men came to me and advised me not to go through Sweetwater(which was on the way to Snyder), as McMeans and others were in Sweetwater for the purpose of murdering me."

Ya think Frank had a stubborn streak?

In other words, there was another ambush waiting. Frank ignored them. "I quietly informed them that I had always gone where I pleased and that I was going through Sweetwater, as it was on my way home."

ok. Well that's pretty darn stubborn. Especially when you have your wife and other family members with you. I notice he didn't inform them and get their opinion.

With Frank was his brother Harrison, Gladys, Gladys's brother Emmett, and Emmett's wife Rocky.

Isn't that an interesting name for a woman?

So they all piled into their nice Cadillac touring car which was similar to this one, the best you could buy in 1917:

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And off they went. As it turns out, when they got to Sweetwater they had a puncture in one of their tires so they went to a gas station and garage which was located in the center of town.

Frank got out to head to the garage office and Harrison walked across the street to look for a restroom.(which don't make much sense to me, every gas station has restrooms).

Guess who shows up?

Another car pulls into the other side of the station with ol McUgly, Gee McMeans, and his hired hand named Red Phillips. They were there to ambush Frank.

Now, later Red said that they were just stopping for gas but Frank thinks they saw him driving in and went after him.

When Frank comes out of the office he runs right into Mr. McUgly who instantly draws his Colt .45 semi-automatic. Frank lunges at him and knocks the gun down but Mc Ugly was able to get a shot off which hit Frank in his leg above the knee.

Frank was armed with a .44 Smith & Wesson revolver that he was wearing in a shoulder holster and also had his trusty Colt .45 in his belt but he didn't have time to draw either gun because he lunged to get McUgly's gun away.

If he'd gone to draw his own gun in that split second McUgly surely would have shot him in the heart or head because he had the drop on him or else they both would have shot each other to death.

McUgly shouted, "I've got you now, God damn you!" At that point Frank said that he "Clinched him and received another bullet through my left shoulder, which badly shattered the bone."

Weren't his time but time saved him

Frank was wearing a coat and always kept a pocket watch in the left, outside pocket of his coat with the chain looped through the button hole of his lapel.

The bullet was going to hit him in the chest but instead it hit that chain and deflected off into his shoulder instead of his chest and probably his heart.

The bullet exploded, sending shards deep into his lung and shoulder blade, disabling his left arm which was now hanging limp at his side and he was left to fight with one arm.

Now he's in a desperate life and death struggle with only one arm. The fight continues on the next post.

Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas

PS- Y'all know I've been finding some interesting vending machines lately. I have no idea why, I just like em. Here's one from 1953:

Complete hot meals, what more could you ever want? lol..they had to taste like cardboard but hey, I don't think they had all the toxic preservative chemicals back then so they probably wouldn't kill you!

Hey that looks like my mom! It could have been. . . she was in the city at that time where they had those things. Maybe that's what's wrong with me!

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And then this classic also from the 50's. Or maybe 60's, what's your guess ladies?

Anyway, it's lightbulbs! Who wouldn't love to have lightbulb vending machines in the neighborhood? lol. Look, she loves em, she's loadin up, you can't have too many lightbulbs!

Hey, SHE looks like my mom too! My mom was a looker. She makes that machine look good! Back then you had to wear heels to go shoppin for lightbulbs.

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