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1881-83 H.L. Gosling Castroville Quill

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The Hon. Harrington Lee “Hal” Gosling, second president and a charter member of Texas Press Association, is the only member to have served more than one term as president. He was elected at the association's second annual meeting, held in Houston in 1881, and was re-elected at the third annual meeting in 1882. He was a lawyer and the editor of the Castroville Quill.

While on a Texas Press Association-chartered editorial excursion to California in 1882, he was appointed U.S. marshal for the Western District of Texas. He served as a U.S. marshal from May 22, 1882, until his death at age 33, in the line of duty on Feb. 21, 1885. According to an account published by the U.S. Marshals Service, Gosling and two deputies were transporting two prisoners who had been tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison by a U.S. district court in Austin. Gosling allowed the wife of one prisoner and the sister of the other prisoner to sit beside them on the train. About four miles from New Braunfels, the family members slipped pistols to the prisoners and both shot Gosling, killing him instantly. Gosling, who was survived by his wife and two small sons, was buried in the Knights of Pythias cemetery in San Antonio.