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CHARLES E. MATTHEWS aka WILLIAM E. SMITH aka AUSTRALIAN BILLY : 1913 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY DETAILING THE LIFE OF AN EL PASO TEXAS LAWMAN, BODYGUARD, BOXER, BOUNCER, TEXAS RANGER AND HOTEL DETECTIVE WITH MULTIPLE ALIASES INCLUDING 'AUSTRALIAN BILLY'

4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. On offer is a sensational, significant, original 1913 manuscript El Paso, Texas diary handwritten by we believe a fascinating man named Charles E. Matthews, who was once known as William E. Smith aka the noted boxer Australian Billy. [While the book has no identification extensive research matching names mentioned in the diary, public events and Matthew's career path lead us to conclude the author was most certainly Matthews. For example he writes: "January 4th, 1913. At Abilene Texas attending preliminary hearing before U.S. Commissioner, case no. 51077-D. Reported 238909." "January 26th, 1913. En-route to Tyler Texas. T. & P. Ry. Arrived Mineola, Texas 11:30 P.M. Train late en-route to Tyler, Texas. Sunday travel necessary in order to reach Tyler Texas in time for U.S. Court Monday morning." "April 25th, 1913. At Sweetwater Tex. en-route to Longworth Texas; left 10:20 A.M. first available train. K. C. M. & O. Ry. Arrived Longworth Tex. 10:40, train late. 14902, R.E. investigation, private conveyance. 12m to 5 P.M.; left 5:30 P.M. K. C. M. & O. Ry; arrived Sweetwater, Tex 6:10 P.M. Train Late, en-route to Clyde, Tex." "August 16th, 1913. At Pecos, Texas; left 2:50 A.M. F. & R. Ry., Arrived El Paso Texas 10:30 A.M. to consult U.S. Atty. Relative case 33773-E. Rep. Part of per diem necessarily expended for maintenance away from domicile." "October 16th, 1913. At El Paso Texas on leave absence account personal sickness." He also mentions several names, two of which are Inspectors Dawkins and Butler. Then in August of 1913, the year this diary is written, his territory gets turned over to Inspector Dawkins. He also talks about going to Austin a lot because the "Division Headquarters" is there. Research confirms that a man by the name of "Charles E. Matthews" who was the city detective in El Paso for several years and 1913 was one of them. He was also the detective of the Hotel Paso del Norte which had an incredible history in it's self concerning bandits, gunfights, etc. He also belonged to the Texas Rangers whose division headquarters was in Austin. Thusly in a history book about the Texas Rangers we find: William E. Smith, also known as Australian Billy, was born in Adelaide, Australia and immigrated to the United States at an unknown date. He was a gifted athlete and played left tackle on the first football team in El Paso, Texas and was reportedly a formidable boxer. (In fact if you look up a book called "Boxing in New Mexico 1868-1940" you can read all about him during his boxing years). He was a Deputy U.S. Marshall in New Mexico and served as a Private in Troop G of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders) under Teddy Roosevelt. In 1899 he was working as a policeman in El Paso and later became Chief Detective of El Paso Police which job he held for eight years. Just before that he was a railroad detective for the El Paso & Rock Island Railroad. When he left the El Paso Police Department he worked for the El Paso Health Department, apparently working against bootlegging and prostitution. In May of 1911 he was a private detective working for the famous or infamous Francisco I. Madero who later became President of Mexico. He was his personal bodyguard. When he left Madero's employment he returned to the El Paso Police Dept. as a detective, which position he held until Sept. 1911 when he was commissioned an undercover detective investigating liquor law violations in Galveston. On Sept. 1, 1911 he enlisted as a captain in the Rangers in Company C, which was a one man company, and on Oct. 5, 1911 was transferred to Company D, which was also a one man company. In both instances Capt. Smith was used primarily undercover investigating liquor law violations. In August 1913 Capt. Smith was discharged from the Rangers, whether from political considerations or lack of funding is not known, but regardless, he was once again in El Paso as a City Detective and later became the house detective for the Paso del Norte Hotel."] This all said and done makes for a super and historically significant manuscript relic of 1913 Texas law enforcement and all the more fascinating given the author. On the practical nature of the book Matthews writes every day from January 1st through to September 4th and then writes "Annual leave" from September 4th to September 27th. Then picks up his writing again until October 19th when he stops writing because of sickness we believe. The book's cover has fallen off (at least the back cover has) and the outside cover's spine is missing. The pages and binding look fine however. It measures about 3½" x 6". Overall G.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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