This Week in Texas History

Groesbeck Journal, Newspaper for Groesbeck, Texas with Groesbeck, Texas real estate, antiques, news, and entertainment: "This Week in Texas History: The make-believe career of Johnny Ringo

By Bartee Haile - The cold-blooded murder of an unarmed man on Oct. 6, 1875 was Johnny Ringo's contribution to a Texas feud and the only confirmed kill of his mostly make-believe career.
John Peters Ringo was 19 year old, when he left his home in California for Texas. During the 'Hoodoo War' that in 1875 turned Mason County into a battleground, he threw in with the faction led by Scott Cooley. To prove himself, he volunteered to avenge an ambush killing by gambler James Cheyney.
When Ringo and a Cooley crony showed up at his place one October morning, Cheyney invited the strangers to breakfast. They followed him onto the porch to wash up for the meal. Ringo waited until his hospitable host's face was buried in a towel and blew him to kingdom come. "