Incident
Private Ernest St. Leon went to the town of Socorro with an attorney from Ysleta to transact some business with the local Justice of the Peace.
The justice asked Private St. Leon to serve warrants of arrest on two men for forcibly removing horses from the city pound. Private St. Leon arrested both men and after hearing that they were recovering their own horses, the matter was settled and the two cowboys left town just before dark. Shortly thereafter St. Leon heard shots being fired. The justice asked Private St. Leon not to pursue the men alone.
Private St. Leon deputized Dr. Oscar J. Breaux and went to arrest the cowboys. Three men riding two horses approached in the dark, and when St. Leon ordered them to surrender, they opened fire. Dr. Breaux was shot in the right ear and died instantly. Private St. Leon was shot in the shoulder with the bullet passing through his chest into his lung. The three men fled and were later arrested by the captain of Texas Rangers - Company D. The third man had been wounded in the thigh by Private St. Leon.
Private St. Leon was transported to Ysleta and then by train to El Paso where he died on Wednesday, August 31st, 1898, after giving a dying statement. The final disposition of the three suspects is unknown but they were charged with both murders.
Private St. Leon had enlisted in the Texas Rangers - Company D in 1890 and had served off and on until his death. His nickname was "Diamond Dick" for the diamond stick pin he always wore on his shirt. He was buried in Concordia Cemetery in El Paso, Texas.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
128 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private St. Leon gave the Texas Rangers 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Texas Rangers has lost 122 officers; 104 of them killed feloniously.
Ernest is one of 1,461 officers killed feloniously in TX, 60.3% of the 2,422 remembered there.
Ernest is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Ernest is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1898, 2 officers at Texas Rangers were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 43 years on record. The heaviest was 1837, with 12.
In 1898, 16 officers in TX were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 180 years on record. The heaviest was 1928, with 19.
In 1898, 89 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 69th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1898, 91 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 73rd heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Ernest was 29. Of the 65 killed feloniously at Texas Rangers whose age is recorded, half were between 24 and 35; the middle age was 30. Ernest had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 0.2 years.
Ernest was 29. Of the 1,330 killed feloniously in TX whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 37. Ernest had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 4 years.
Ernest was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Ernest had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Ernest was 29. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Ernest had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
August holds 9.6% of these deaths at Texas Rangers; November holds the most, 16.3%. Wednesdays: 16.3%.
August holds 8% of these deaths in TX; December holds the most, 10.4%. Wednesdays: 13.1%.
August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.
August holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Wednesdays: 13.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 85.2% of all 122 deaths at Texas Rangers, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 10.6% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 60.3% of all 2,422 deaths in TX, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 10.4% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 8.5% of these deaths.
His people
Texas Rangers has at least 120 officers remembered here, Ernest among them.
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David Clark Jan 7, 1837
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James Coryell May 27, 1837
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Alfred H. Miles Nov 10, 1837
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Jesse Blair Nov 10, 1837
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Alexander Bostwick Nov 10, 1837
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James Christian Nov 10, 1837
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Joseph Cooper Nov 10, 1837
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James Joslen Nov 10, 1837
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Westley Nicholson Nov 10, 1837
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William Nicholson Nov 10, 1837
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William Sanders Nov 10, 1837
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Lewis F. Scheuster Nov 10, 1837
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Julius Bullock Oct 12, 1838
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John W. Carpenter Oct 12, 1838
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Thomas M. Scott Oct 12, 1838
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John Wilson Oct 12, 1838
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James Hall Dec 17, 1838
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Jacob Shipman Burleson Feb 25, 1839
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Edward Blakey Feb 25, 1839
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John B. Walters Feb 25, 1839
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James Gilleland Mar 7, 1839
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John Bird May 26, 1839
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William H. Weaver May 26, 1839
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Jesse E. Nash May 26, 1839
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Thomas Gay May 26, 1839
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H. M. C. Hall May 27, 1839
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John B. Denton May 24, 1841
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Abram Trigg Smith Aug 5, 1841
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George W. Heard Aug 22, 1841
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Wade Hampton Rattan Dec 25, 1841
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Peter Fohr Jun 8, 1844
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Richard S. Gilbert Dec 18, 1847
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Littleton P. Rattan Dec 18, 1847
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Thomas Couzens Jan 11, 1848
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John Wesley Dier Nov 12, 1848
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John A. Reed Jan 1, 1850
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Charles Grandison Bryant Jan 12, 1850
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William Gillespie May 29, 1850
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John Lemon Wilbarger Aug 20, 1850
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Daniel C. Sullivan Aug 20, 1850
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Samuel Baker Barton Jan 27, 1851
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William Lackey Feb 3, 1851
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Henry J. Willis Sep 15, 1851
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William H. Clopton Oct 3, 1855
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Willis E. Jones Oct 3, 1855
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H. K. Holland Oct 3, 1855
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Augustus Smith Oct 3, 1855
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William Earbee May 5, 1858
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Robert Nickles May 12, 1858
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Waco Indian May 12, 1858
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Jonathon Thompson Feb 27, 1859
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John Fox Nov 16, 1859
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Thomas Grier Nov 16, 1859
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William McKay Nov 16, 1859
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Nicholas R. Milett Nov 16, 1859
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David Herman Dec 14, 1859
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Fountain B. Woodruff Feb 4, 1860
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Andrew J. McCarty Jun 23, 1861
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Sidney Green Davidson Jun 23, 1861
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Harrison R. Connely Jul 29, 1861
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Jerome Culver Lynn Jul 29, 1861
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Thomas C. Weatherby Jul 29, 1861
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Alvin A. Clark Jun 29, 1866
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Lorenzo Biediger Dec 6, 1870
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Walter Richarz Dec 6, 1870
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Joseph R. Riff Dec 6, 1870
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Albert M. Swift Dec 27, 1870
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John Frank Green
Jul 9, 1873
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David W. H. Bailey Jul 12, 1874
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William A. Glass
Jul 12, 1874
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W. H. Cliff Sep 23, 1874
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L. B. Smith Jun 12, 1875
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C. E. Mortimer Dec 13, 1877
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John E. McBride Dec 17, 1877
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Timothy J. McCarty Jan 2, 1878
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A. A. Ruzin Aug 10, 1878
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Melvin E. Beauman Sep 10, 1878
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William B. Anglin Jun 29, 1879
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George R. Bingham Jul 3, 1880
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Benjamin Goodin Warren Feb 10, 1885
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J. G. Wood May 13, 1885
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Frank Sieker May 31, 1885
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William M. Bohanon Jul 2, 1885
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Thomas P. Nigh Aug 18, 1885
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James H. Moore Mar 31, 1887
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John F. Gravis Aug 4, 1890
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Robert E. Doaty Mar 22, 1892
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Frank Louis Schmid, Jr.
Jun 17, 1893
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Frank Jones
Jun 30, 1893
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J. W. Woods Nov 30, 1893
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Joseph W. McKidrict Apr 5, 1894
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Walter Lee Hooker Aug 28, 1894
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Oscar J. Breaux Aug 29, 1898
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Ernest St. Leon
Aug 31, 1898
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T. L. Fuller Oct 15, 1900
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W. Emmett Robuck
Sep 9, 1902
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Thomas Jefferson Goff
Sep 14, 1905
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Homer White
Feb 4, 1908
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N. P. Thomas Jan 5, 1909
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Quirl Bailey Carnes
Jul 31, 1910
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Grover Scott Russell Jun 23, 1913
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Eugene B. Hulen
May 24, 1915
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Robert Lee Burdett
Jun 7, 1915
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Henry Lee Ransom Apr 1, 1918
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Will P. Stillwell
Apr 3, 1918
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Thomas Carlyle Hyde Apr 30, 1918
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John Dudley White, Sr.
Jul 12, 1918
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Joe R. Shaw Aug 21, 1918
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Leonard Tillman Sadler Sep 16, 1918
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Ben L. Pennington
Oct 11, 1918
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Delbert Timberlake Oct 11, 1918
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Robert Ernest Hunt
Oct 15, 1918
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T. E. P. Perkins
Nov 7, 1918
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John August Moran Dec 12, 1918
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William M. Alsobrook Dec 9, 1919
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Joseph Benjamin Buchanan Dec 26, 1921
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S. F. Sherman Nov 7, 1922
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James Aaron Watson
Feb 21, 1924
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Timothy Samuel Willard Apr 19, 1928
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Dan Lafayette McDuffie
Jul 7, 1931
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.





