Photograph "West Texas Sheriffs Association, Lamesa, Texas Aug. 12. 13 '27."

LIBERTY STUDIO

Publication: Photographed by Liberty Studio, Lamesa, Texas, 1927, Lamesa, Texas

5" x 7" black & white photograph in an 8" x 10" matted card board frame. Regional lawmen from across the West Texas plains gathered at the Dawson County Courthouse in Lamesa, Texas, for a two-day regional convention to coordinate cross-county criminal tracking and discuss regional law enforcement strategy. This photograph, taken by Liberty Studio in Lamesa (stamped on rear of board frame), captures 26 individuals ... mostly sheriffs and deputies ... arranged casually on the steps of the courthouse. Historical notes describe the group as wearing cowboy hats, looking "steely-eyed," and exhibiting the weathered, sunburned appearance typical of 1920s West Texas lawmen. One of the confirmed lawmen in attendance (annotated on surviving prints of the photograph) was F.M. "Frosty" Ellington, a local cowboy who served as the Sheriff of neighboring Terry County from 1925 to 1929. There is a small inked "x" on the photograph between two men on the left side of the first row. Perhaps one of the two men in the first row or the man directly above them on the second row is Mr. Ellington. During this era, these regional "Sheriffs' Association" meetings were highly significant events for small towns like Lamesa. Because criminal operations and early bootlegging rings frequently crossed vast county lines, meetings like the one on August 12th/13th were vital for rural sheriffs to share information, identify suspects, and unify law enforcement practices. A bright photograph with strong contrasts and in near fine condition.