Carr, Waggoner 1998-07-02

Waggoner Carr discusses his life as a Texas lawyer and politician .

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Waggoner Carr

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: July 2, 1998

Location: Austin, Texas

Interviewer: Gene B. Preuss

Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Vincent Waggoner Carr, Born: October 1, 1918, in Fairlie, Texas, Father ran his uncle's bank and was part owner, 1932--the bank closed and the Carr family moved to Lubbock, Depression, Moving from Fairlie to Lubbock, Took 3 days, Moved belongings in a cotton truck, Lived in a rent house: $25 a month, Father: worked at Stubbs Feed Seed Company, Texas Tech University, Made moving to Lubbock more attractive, Parents had dreams that all their children would attend college, Differences in Fairlie and Lubbock, Schools, Streets, Amenities (air-conditioning, television, electricity), Picking cotton (West Texas vs. East Texas), Brother: Warlick and Robert, Grandfather: a Methodist Preacher, Childhood Activities, Cars: Model T and Model A Fords, Opinion: We grew up just right, West Texas, 20,000 people, 5,000 at Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University (again), High school debate team, Waggoner and Warlick (again), High School Drama, Hunt, Wilber; Waggoner and Warlick (again), Anecdote, Warlick (again), Skipped two grades in one school year, which moved him, to Waggoner's grade, Texas Tech University (again), Waggoner and Warlick attended. Both wanted to become lawyers, Majored in government (College of Arts and Sciences), Texas Tech University's Debate Team, Traveled from California to Tennessee, Waggoner and Warlick became the champion debate team, of the Southern United States, Gave the two great legal and court experience, Career aspirations, Heavy weight champion of the world, President of the United States, Texas Tech University, First political race: ran for business manager of the student body, Lost to an aggie, University of Texas Law School, World War II: 3 1/2 years of service, Air Force - military intelligence, then a pilot of B-25 bombers, Warlick (again) served in the Air Force, Robert (again) served in the Navy, Waggoner: anxious to go back to law school, applied for a discharge and it was granted (Albany, Georgia), University of Texas Law School (again), Marriage: Ernestine Story, met at Texas Tech University, She was majoring in home economics, From Tahoka, Taught home economics in Lamesa, Followed Waggoner while he was in the service, Law practice with Warlick, Deeds, contracts, trial - general practice, Trying to pay bills, Ran for Lubbock County Attorney, Shared salary with Warlick, Lubbock Assistant District Attorney, Lubbock County Attorney (3 years, 1949), Dealt with misdemeanors, Tried bootleggers, Learned them all by first name, Polished ability to carry on profession, Served 2, 2 year terms, Texas State Representative, Served 5, 2year terms, Served last 4 years as Speaker of the House, First speaker from Lubbock County, Texas Attorney General, 1961 - Lost to incumbent Will Wilson, 1963-1967 - won, First Texas Attorney General from Lubbock and Texas, Tech University, Assassination of President John Kennedy, First term was the year when President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, In charge of the Texas end of the investigation, Worked with the presidential special commission appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson. Better known as the Warren Commission, 10 months trying to get all the facts together, Invited on the Dallas, Texas, tour. Waggoner spoke to President Kennedy the morning of the shooting, Did not go to Dallas, Texas, because he was going to make a speech in West Texas (Dumas)

Tape 1, Side 2: John Kennedy assassination story (continued), Appointed by John Connally to attend the funeral in Washington: to represent Texas, Texas law allows a court of inquiry, Texas law, 1963, there was no federal law that said you could not kill the president, but in Texas there was, President Lyndon Johnson said it was the responsibility of Texas to enforce the law, Meeting with the Texas Press in Washington, D. C., Men representing Texas at the funeral, Smith, Preston, Waggoner, head of the Democratic Party, Tunnel, Byron, Funeral proceedings, Press Conference, Supposed to Texas Press only, but there were journalists from around the world, Followed President Johnson's orders, Press reaction, Johnson, Lyndon B., Because of all the pressure to investigate, he formed the Warren commission, Warren Commission (again), Waggoner joined because he needed their help for the Texas investigation, Jarworsky (?), Leon - special council, helped Waggoner, Story, Robert - special council, Waggoner, Agreed with the Warren Commission's decision, that Lee, Harvey Oswald shot John Kennedy, Texas Attorney General (again), Served for 4 years, Texas State Senate Race (democrat), Texas Governor's Race, Came in 3rd, Assisted Preston Smith, Smith, Preston, Jobs as an adolescent, Cactus Theatre, A poultry place, delivery, Working relationship with Texas Governors, Shivers, Alan, Characteristics, Daniel, Price, Characteristics, Connally, John, Tide lands, Democratic party, Reigned Texas at the time, Anecdote, Sharpstown Affair, Sharp, Frank W., Got a lot of people into trouble, Waggoner, Lost money, so he began to defend himself in court, Took 4 years to prove innocence, Highly overplayed in the press, Nixon, Richard, White House set-up, A way to destroy the democratic leadership in Texas, so Nixon would be able to get Texas votes in the next election, Sharp, Frank W. (again), Bought own freedom by getting others in trouble, United State Justice Department, Underhanded scheme, Nixon's Administration, Private Practice

Tape 2, Side 1: (talking about pictures), Johnson, Lyndon, Advice, Invited Waggoner to the White House several times, Jarworsky (?), Leon (again), Investigator of Watergate tape, Characteristics, Practice, Waggoner extended the Lubbock, Texas, practice to Austin, Texas, Became off council tried lawsuits, Fully retired except for one client, the great-grandson of Jesse James, James, Jesse (western bandit), Family is now looking for Jesse's buried, History of Jesse James, Died in 1951 at age 107, Buried in Grandbury, Texas, One man Jesse James Show, Waggoner performs show to explain history, Books written by Waggoner, Texas Politics, Not Guilty, Kennedy assassination - court evidence, Changes in the legal profession, Concerns, Lack of respect, Advertising, Ethics, Taking sides, Advice for future lawyers, Still an honorable profession, Opportunities, Know the history and put feet firmly, Resume discussion, A.A.R.P. - American Association of Retired People, Fraud - Telemarketers, Elderly are being harassed, Estimation: $40 billion is being taken from the elderly, First client in Lubbock, Texas, after he went back to practicing, Geronimo, Robert: the only living son of Chief Geronimo of the Apaches

Tape 2, Side 2: (1st five minutes blank), Geronimo (continued), File suit against all companies that portrayed his father negatively, Lawsuit did not work out, Law does not protect the memory of the dead, Family reunion, Case of the Cherokee tribe and Texas land, Houston, Sam, Cherokees and General Santa Anna, The Cherokees removed form their land in Texas and sent to Oklahoma, "Indian Territory", Anecdote, Discusses book project and other papers

Range Dates: 1835-1998

Bulk Dates: 1963-1998

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