May 28, 1974
Hugh E. Williams This is
the second in a series marking the Golden Anniversary of the founding
of the U.S. Border Patrol, an organization of great prominence in the
El Paso area. Hugh E. Williams, of San Pedro, Calif., deputy regional
chief of the Southwest Region of the U.S. Border Patrol, outlines the
history of the modern-day operation of the organization. Open House
activities will be Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Border Patrol
Sector Headquarters, 8901 Montana to commemorate the anniversary. Another
of the Patrol’s old-timers is retired Senior Patrol Inspector Edwin M.
Reeves, now residing in El Paso. Eddie Reeves came to the Patrol from
the Civil Service Register for Railway Mail Clerks. He started at El
Paso on Sept. 24, 1925. Eddie’s first day of duty was not entirely
uneventful as evidenced by the following from his diary: “9-24-25.
Reported to Border Patrol Headquarters 1 p.m. Filled out forms.
Received equipment, Badge #214, 45-D.A. Revolver #130916. 1 Web Belt
and Holster. When dark came I had time to do to get in my 8 hours. Bud
Perry, Assistant Chief Patrol Inspector took me out to the wooden and
steel railroad bridge from Mexico. Was instructing me to apprehend and
bring in anyone that crossed either bridge from Mexico. Just at that
moment hell broke loose at Park Street. Both rifle and pistol fire.
Tracers were being used by both officers and the smugglers. Perry said,
“Come on, let’s go, the boys are in trouble at Park Street. We ran to
Headquarters, got in a Ford touring car and headed for Park Street. When
we arrived the main battle was over and there was only an occasional
shot from Mexico. While the officers working there kept me covered, I
was detailed (Probationers, it was ever thus.) to pick up the loads of
liquor and carry them over the levee to the car. I had to wade out in
the river for some of the loads. When I arrived home after work I was
up for a reprimand from the wife as my white shirt and my blue serge
Sunday pants were nearly ruined with river mud and fuzz from the sacks.
Next day I bought brown ducking trousers and jacket.” (The rough-duty
uniform of the day.) Paraphrased from Eddie Reeves’ diary is his
description of traffic check duties in December 1926. He and Patrol
Inspector Ivan Williams were assigned to block a fork in the road one
mile above Carrizozo, N.M. “…We worked 24 hour shifts, one
officer checked in the daytime, the other at nite. The off duty man
slept in the front seat of the car parked by the roadside and was
subject to call at any moment so he slept or rested in his uniform
ready to meet public. Beside the regular travel or tourist travel, the
Carrizozo people were curious, so after work Papa would ride out the
road with the family to see how we checked. They might come through two
or three times. They were amazed to see two officers cover a road 24
hours a day with no sleep. We cooked our bacon, eggs and potatoes by
the side of the road. We were fortunate to get about five pounds of
jerky, dried meat. It was delicious, the more you chewed it the bigger
it got. We covered the point for many, many days.” Reeves
describes one apprehension he and his partner made of five men and 10
big sacks of assorted liquor. The men had long criminal records –
burglary, theft, robbery and dope. He states, “My partner and I later
got a letter of commendation and was given Sunday Off Duty! In them
days it was seven days a week.” At the time Dogie Wright and
Eddie Reeves reported for duty at El Paso, the Chief Patrol Inspector
was Clifford Allen Perkins. Perkins took his oath at office on Jan. 4,
1911, before the Territory of Arizona. He was the last officer
appointed to enforce the Chinese Exclusion Acts. In 1924 he was
appointed by District Director George J. Harris as the first Chief
Patrol Inspector at El Paso. His assignment was to develop and
implement a plan of action for the Border Patrol. Ideas were gathered
from such organizations as the Canadian Mounted Police, the Michigan
State Police and the Pennsylvania Constabulary. Headquarters in
El Paso were set up in an abandoned barracks and garage used by the
Military Police during World War I. The first floor of the building was
converted into an assembly room with offices, for Chief Perkins and
Assistant Chief Patrol Inspector Willis B. Perry. The second floor
contained permanent living quarters for several single officers and
dormitory for off-duty officers. Vehicle equipment consisted of three
Model T Fords and Rio truck converted for use as a patrol wagon. Chief
Perkins, who retired in December 1953 as Officer in charge at the Port
of Entry, San Ysidro, Calif, now lives in Chula Vista, Calif. He
describes Assistant Chief Patrol Inspector Perry as quiet mannered yet
self-confident person who neither looked for trouble nor ran away when
it showed up.
El Paso Times -
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