The Dark Side O.G.
“I went under in 1976. I got a call from Chester (Game Warden Supervisor Chester Burdett), and he told me we was gonna try this undercover thing one more time. And he asked me, you wanna play? And I said, yeah, put me in coach.”
There was no internal TPWD Law Enforcement Division job posting, interview process or any such formalities.
At the time, Emil E. “Sonny” Seewald was a field game warden stationed in Atascosa County; it had been a mere four years since he graduated from the Texas Game Warden Academy. But in that short time, Sonny established himself as not only a good game warden, but also a uniquely talented guy with the kind of gift of gab that allowed him to blend, and gain acceptance, in any crowd.
Sonny was one of two game wardens that were “invited” to be full-time undercover (UC) officers in 1976. Though there was no formal interview, Sonny had already proven himself. His first duty station was Uvalde County.
A couple of counties over, legendary Game Warden Jim Pond had a problem. You see, contrary to the laws of the State of Texas, some of the good folks of Dimmit County were selling white-tailed deer meat, whole, field-dressed and still on the hoof, or however you pleased as long as you paid them.
Obviously, Pond wasn’t going to make any cases against any of those folks by showing up to the local beer joint in his uniform. Even if he wasn’t wearing a uniform, a guy like Jim would be easily recognized. Some guys just look like cops.
Enter Sonny. The Palms Hotel was the bee’s knees of hotel accommodations in Catarina, TX back in the booming 1920s, but by the time Sonny got there at Pond’s request in the early ‘70s, it was a shell of its former self.
It was still a nice enough place to stay, I guess, but, mostly, it had become a restaurant/bar/bartering place where the line between what was legal and illegal was blurred, considerably.
Sonny’s charge was to go to the Palms and make a buy. Sonny said, “I borrowed Mama’s (his wife’s) car – an Oldsmobile as big as a boat - and headed to Catarina.”
Sonny’s pay at the time was $490 a month, so he was kind of in a bind financially to buy deer and beer at a bar.
Back then, game wardens (mostly their wives) sold hunting licenses out of their homes. Sonny continued, “I didn’t have no money, but Jim’s wife, Pauline, gave me a little from her license sales to play with. So, I went into the Palms and sat down at the bar.”
A good ruse is essential in the UC business. “What are you doing here?” the bartender asked. Without missing a beat, Sonny said, “Trying to get home. I left a week ago and told my wife I was going deer hunting, but I went to Mexico instead. I got to find some dang deer meat.”
“You want a deer?” the bartender asked. Sonny said, “Yeah, but I ain’t got much money.” The bartender said, “Give me $25, your hunting license and the keys to your car.”
Sonny was pretty apprehensive about giving the guy the keys to Mama’s car, but against his better judgement, he acquiesced.
The bartender took his keys, walked around back, put a deer in the trunk and brought back the keys. “Give me the money,” he said, “what else you need?” Sonny said, “Well, it’s a long way back home. Give me a six pack to go.”
And with that, Sonny sealed the deal, Jim Pond made his case, and the foundation was laid for a full-time TPWD undercover unit that would go on to do great things for wildlife conservation in the State of Texas.
To be continued… Jon Brauchle spent 29 years as a Game Warden.
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