The Texas Rangers have a major part in the Wild West mythology. Their name was attached to some of the most famous outlaw legends of the Old West including the notorious couple of outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, the gunfighter John Wesley Hardin and more. Those stories had inspired the imagination of many authors, moviemakers and musicians, who helped maintain the Texas Rangers and the Wild West mythology relevant until our days.

The Texas Rangers is the most veteran law enforcement agency in the United States. It was formally founded in November 1835 by a group of Texas lawmakers. Since 1935, the Texas Rangers Division is a part of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The local baseball team was named after the legendary Texan law enforcement agency.

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were a couple of outlaws who led a gang that was committing severe crimes such as murders, car thefts and robberies throughout Texas and nine other states in the early 1930s. After the couple has managed to break out a member of their gang from Huntsville prison and kill a guard on the way, the Texas Rangers were determined to hunt them.

The Texas Rangers had requested former captain Frank Hamer, who has been retired for two years to return to the force. With the help of Louisiana officers, Hamer had managed to track down Bonnie and Clyde intensions to meet with Henry Methvin, a member of their gang who allegedly collaborated with law enforcement. Hamer and B. M. Manny Gault led the Texas Rangers to highway 154, between Gibsland and Sailes, where they have been waiting for the gang in vain.

After two days of hiding in the bushes on highway 154, almost ready to declare defeat, the Texas Rangers heard Clyde stolen Ford V8 coming in and started shooting. Bonnie and Clyde were both killed from about 130 rounds of shooting. Frank Hamer was honored by the Congress with a special citation for catching and killing the outlaws.

The famous couple of outlaws were perpetuated in Arthur Penn film from 1967. The movie Bonnie and Clyde was loosely based on the true story of the two criminals. The role of Frank Hamer is played by Denver Pyle. Frank Hamer is displayed in the movie as an officer who plans the ambush as revenge after being captured, humiliated and released by the two, while in reality Hamer and the gang leaders have never met until the day of the shooting. The movie Bonnie and Clyde display of violence and its presentation of taboo issues made it a groundbreaking film that opened the door for other filmmakers.

Arthur Penns film was not the first and certainly not the last time the Bonnie and Clyde were mentioned in popular culture. As the first couple to enter the celebrity criminals hall of fame, Bonnie and Clyde story continues to gain the attention of authors, filmmakers and musicians from around the world. Recently, the couples story was the inspiration of a successful Bollywood film and a popular debut album of a Japanese pop star.