Private W. Emmett Robuck, a 25-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, was a member of the Texas Rangers. He died on September 9, 1902, in Brownsville, Texas. Robuck was involved in investigating cattle rustling activities near the King Ranch. On the day of his death, he, along with Sergeant A. Y. Baker and Jesse Miller, was ambushed by several men hiding in the area. The attackers used shotguns loaded with buckshot, and Robuck was mortally wounded.
He managed to ride about 150 yards before collapsing and dying.
The ambush was linked to ongoing tensions between the Texas Rangers and local ranchers, particularly the Cerda family, who were suspected of cattle rustling. Alfredo Cerda, a member of the Cerda family, and five other men were arrested in connection with the ambush. However, Heroulano Berbier, who was supposed to testify against Alfredo Cerda, was killed before he could do so. Alfredo Cerda was later released on bond.
The incident led to a series of legal and extrajudicial actions. Sergeant Baker, who was slightly wounded in the ambush, later shot and killed Alfredo Cerda in what he claimed was self-defense. The case drew significant attention and involved financial and legal support from prominent figures such as Richard King and John B. Armstrong. Despite the legal proceedings, the killers of Private Robuck were never brought to justice.
Robuck was buried by the Knights of Honor in the cemetery next to the Episcopal Church in Brownsville, and his body was later re-interred in the Bunton Cemetery in Dale, Caldwell County. His death was a tragic event that highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the early 20th century.
