ustxtxb_obs_1955_03_14_50_00006-00000_000.pdf

Page 6 March 14, 1955 THE TEXAS OBSERVER FIC!ALS SUBPOENAED in Fees for Strauss $11,500 state senator, a former county at These developments came last eek: naed US Representative John J. Bell and State Senator Gus Strauss. Strauss appeared before the Senate Investigating Committee early last week to reveal he had received fees totaling $11,500 as an attorney in five block land deals, some of which are under investigation by House and Senate committees. Senate investigators were told by Chesley Batey of Seguin that Bell had been engaged to assist in putting a Robertson County land deal through while serving as a state senator. Bell got $2,500 for his services. Testimony before the House investigating committee had previously shown that Bell received $3,500 in legal fees on a Guadalupe County deal. in anything that I have eirer West Gets a Bang Playing Policeman ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESIf you have some spare time and would like to help The Texas Observer grow, write the Business Manager for advertising solicitation forms. Percentage of sales can be arranged. The Texas Observer, Drawer F. Capitol Station, Austin. CITATION BY PUBLICATION THE STATE OF TEXAS TO Leon Fisher Defendant, in the hereinafter styled and numbered cause: CLASSIFIED ADS LEGAL ADS Help Wanted 4 Batey drew Shepperd back into the Senate investigation. The Seguin real estate agent testified he and his partner, A. E. York, had sought aid from the Attorney General in getting an increased appraisal of the land in Robertson County. State Auditor C. H. Cav + hillips Lists Purposes AUSTIN Angleton has struck back at e is trying to “get Shepperd” possible one-hour conversation with the Attorney General in the Attorney General’s office. Mr. Batey said he could not imagine how anyone could forget his plea for a raise of the appraisal on the York deal.” Phillips continued: “He’s lost letters Nand he’s done everything else, but that is a flat illustration of his personal knowledge in July, 1953 of a block deal where the appraisal was increased and the price went up again without an appraisal.” To submit a classified ad, write Drawer F, Capitol Station, Austin. or call 70746. SEVERAL GIRLS to address, mail postcards. Spare time every week. Write Box 161, Belmont, Mass. WOMEN WANTED. Temporary, six months. Mail postcards. Good handwriting or typewriter. Box 47, Waterton, Mass. STRINGERSThe Texas Observer is building up a bank of reliable reporters all over Texas. Professional reporters of an enlightened turn of mind are urged to contact the Editor, The Texas Observer, Drawer F, Capitol Station, Austin. Giles posted $50,000 bond on an indictment charging he acTted a $30,000 bribe to see that ie State bought 663 acres of Bexar ounty land while he was chair.an of the Land Board. The State so slapped a civil suit against him .oney. Giles is now under bonds ‘taling $110,000. Senator Jimmy Phillips of ridespread rumors here that h the veterans’ land scandal. “I have never been insincere lied to do,” Phillips said. Asked why he has not called ther Bascom Giles or Governor Ilan Shivers, the other two memars of the Veterans’ Land Board ith Attorney General John Ben nepperd at the time of the ap:oval of many block land deals, illips said: “I have not called Shivers beiuse I have not found any direct iidence about him as I have about -hers. I have information on Giles, courseI have more developing. have not tried to avoid developig any information … and if I nd any information to develop aout the Governor’s role, I will ,v’ lop it the same as in any other ,perd has charged Phillips headline-hunting and with cting a one-man inquisition. ointed out that Phillips was some time the only member of ie Senate committee who asked y questions. Talking from behind a desk lit!red with photostats and folders, hillips said that his investigation , far from closed. “I started this investigation,” hillips said, “because I felt that ie resignation and responsibility f Giles was not the full answer. think Giles bears part of the relonsibilityand it is a well own fact that the Veterans’ Land .rd is composed of three mem s, and before this investigation , over the proportionate responsiility of each will be established.” -‘ve had innuendo, I’ve had nymous leads that did not de op into facts. I haven’t gotten sty evidence. Up till now I have eard no allegations that they were ole to back up with facts.” At the outset, he said, “of course was suspect.” He said he knew tat when he embarked on his instigation into t h e “scandalirred veterans’ land program” tat was abused “by promoters and at-rich-quick rascals who have no ;hard for the law or morals,” he ‘as taking “a calculated risk.” “Had I not developed the facts said I would, I would have been wept down the stream of oblivion id rightfully, judged by the ple of Texas as one who without is sought to obtain some kind of Lice.” But Phillips believes he has -oved that the Attorney General could have known long before he ates he did that something was ng with the way the program s going. ie referred to “the startling elation by Mr. Batey \(real ate agent in a Robertson County oximately the general time of `ter from Mr. Jackson, of a ness said the appraisal of the land when finally sold went for $34,942 over the original appraisal. Batey had testified he and York conferred with Shepperd to protest the initial low appraised value given the land. Shepperd has not mentioned the conference to the Senate committee. York had testified last month he had not contacted any member of the Veterans Land Board in connection with the Robertson County deal. known as the Mitchell Lake Ranch sale. Senator Jimmy Phillips and Crawford Martin immediately announced they intend to recall York this week because of the “conflicting testimony.” 5 . The Kleberg County grand jury at Kingsville returned Mir indictments against J. H. county attorney. Fugate was arrested and released under $6,000 bond. He is charged on two counts of misrepresenting a written instrument, a felony, and two counts of theft by false pretense. 6 B. R. Sheffield, wanted for a week on 20 indictments, finally arrived in Texas, was arrested near Gainesville, and was jailed in Austin before posting bonds totaling $110,800. Sheffield has been indicted jointly with Giles on the charge that they conspired to steal $83,500 in veterans’ land program funds. He also faces Travis County indictments charging him on nine counts of forgery and nine counts of uttering a forged instrument. The bribery indictment against Giles involved two San Antonio menC. V. Wynn and Arthur McKenziewho were charged in separate indictments with offering the bribe. It was alleged Giles was to get one-half of the profit to be made on the sale by the promoters. It was further alleged payment was made May 22, 1954, in the form of four cashiers checks, two for $10,000 each and two for $5,000 each. Matusow to jail for as long as five years. Thomason asked Matusow if he wanted a hearing. Matusow said yes. and Thomason told him to make sure that he is in court Wednesday. The Judge said that though Matusow schemed to defeat justice, “nothing developed” in the hearing here last week that entitles Jencks to a new trial. He said when Jencks was convicted he had a fair trial. “Based on the whole record, Jencks is guilty,” said Thomason, “and the court still feels that way.” You are hereby commanded to appear before the 126th District Court of Travis County, Texas, to be held at the oourthouse of said county in the City of Austin, Travis County. Texas, at or before 10 o’clock A. M. of the first Monday after the expiration of 42 days from the date of issuance hereof ; that is to say, at or before, 10 o’clock A. M. of Monday the 18th day of April, 1955, and answer the petition of plaintiff in Cause Number 98,467, in which Mae Bell Fisher is Plaintiff and Leon Fisher is defendant, filed in said Court on the 5th day of May, 1954, and the nature of which said suit is as follows: Being an action and prayer for judgment in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant for decree of divorce dissolving the bonds of matrimony heretofore and now existing between said parties ; Plaintiff alleges cruel treatment on the part of defendant towards her of such a nature as to render’ their further living together as husband and wife altogether insupportable ; Plaintiff further alleges that one child was born of said union ; that plaintiff is the proper person to be awarded its care and custody and for which she prays judgment ; plaintiff further prays for an order of court requiring defendant to contribute to the support of said child ; Plaintiff further alleges that there is no community property : Plaintiff further prays for relief, general and special ; All of which more fully appears from Plaintiff’s Original Petition on file in this office : If this citation is not served within 90 days after date of its issuance, it shall be returned unserved. WITNESS, 0. T. MARTIN, JR., Clerk By DICKSON TERRY Staff Correspondent The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jim West, son of the late J. M. West, represents still another type of Texas tycoon. West, who looks like a truculent cherub in the face, and who usually dresses like a kid playing Texas Ranger, has an estimated $100,000,000. He has 11 Cadillacs and enough Oldsmobiles, Fords, Buicks and Chryslers to bring his total fleet to 30 which he keeps in a private garage he maintains downtown, staffed with the required number of mechanics, body men and porters. Also on the garage staff are radio technicians, because each of his cars has four telephone receivers hanging from the instrument panel. One is tuned in on the Houston police wave length, another on the sheriff’s office and the other two to a couple of wave lengths of West’s own, operating from his home and his ranch. He has two big airplanes, equipped the same way. He is sometimes known as “Silver Dollar West” because he loves to carry around a huge supply of silver dollars in pockets specially built into his pants. He tosses the dollars to bellboys, filling station attendants, porters, or just kids in the street, because he loves to stand and watch them scramble for the silver. His greatest pleasure, however, is playing cops and robbers. In addition to the telephonic communication in his cars, he has massive electronic equipment by his bed, and he is always in touch with anything going on in or near Houston in the way of crime. The police and public have long since resigned themselves to the fact that Jim West is usually the first at the scene of any crime, day or night. He has 24 telephones in the main houSe and 12 more in the garage, and he has been described as living in a constant faint murmur of voices, because he never turns the stuff off. When West had a fuss with the water company he dug artesian wells and built his own water system. When he had a fuss with the light company he put in his own power plant. There are reports that he is none too pleased with the way the telephone company is behaving, but he’s stymied there. Houstonians raise their eyebrows at Jim West. They hope that if anybody is taken as the prototype of the Texas oil tycoon, it won’t be West. They direct your gaze instead at Jim Abercrombie, or Bob Smith, or even Jim West’s brother Westley, who is known around Houston as “the quiet one,” even though he gives glittering soirees and flies in big name performers just to entertain friends on Satur of the District Courts of Travis County, Texas. Issued and given under my hand and the seal of said Court at office in the City of Austin, this the 28th day of February, 1955. 0. T. MARTIN, JR. Clerk of the District Courts, Travis County, Texas. 48-4 CITATION BY PUBLICATION THE STATE OF TEXAS TO Everett E. Frame Defendant, in the hereinfater styled and numbered cause: You are hereby commanded to appear before the 126th District Court of Travis County, Texas, to be held at the courthouse of said county in the City of Austin, Travis County, Texas, at or before 10 o’clock A. M. of the first Monday after the expiration of 42 days from the date of issuance hereof ; that is to say, at or before 10 o’clock A.M. of Monday the 25th day of April, 1955, and answer the petition of plaintiff in Cause Number 100,902, in which Ruby Frame is Plaintiff and Everett E. Frame is defendant, filed in said Court on the 9th day of March, 1955, and the nature of which said suit is as follows : Being an action and prayer for judgment in favor of Plaintiff and against Defendant for decree of divorce dissolving the bonds of matrimony heretofore and now existing between said parties ; Plaintiff alleges cruel treatment on the part of Defendant towards her of such a nature as to render their further living together as husband and wife altogether insupportbale ; Plaintiff further allege that one child, who is now four years of age, was born of said union and that Plaintiff day nights. He just seems quiet in comparison to Jim …. * * * There is some debate among Houstonians as to whether Bob Smith may be the richest man in Texas. Richer, even, than Haroldson Lafayette Hunt or Sid Richardson, who live in Dallas and Fort Worth and who have been generally accepted for some time as the two richest oil men in Texas. Smith is big, square-jawed and steely-eyed, and he came by his inclination to gamble with fortune honestly. His father before him spent most of his life trying to find gold. Smith, like Abercrombie, started work in the oil fields as a roughneck. He lost half a dozen jobs because he couldn’t stand to take orders. One cold night, while working as a salesman for an oil well supply company he sat in a hotel lobby and listened to a homesick driller bemoan his fate. The driller was so sick of it all, he said, he would sell his rig for $25,000 and head back east if he could find a buyer. The next morning Smith asked him if he meant it. He did. Smith went to the president of the bank at Tonkawa, Okla., where he was living at the time, and asked for $25,000 to buy the rig. The banker looked at him with a cold eye and said, “You haven’t even got a dime’s worth of security. Why come to me? Smith said, “Because you’re the only man in town that’s got $25,000.” The banker let him have