Baird, W Urn 1983-08-10
W. Urn Baird discusses past politics and organized crime in Winkler County, Texas.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: W. Urn Baird
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: August 10, 1983
Location: Seminole, Texas
Interviewer: Richard Mason
Length: 55 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1:
W\Organization of Winkler County,
Elected officials,
W. O. Bill Priest,
Personality,
Business dealings with Baird,
Political problems,
Buck Weaver and local law enforcement officials,
Killing of Blackie Laughlin,
"Peg" Wilson, County Commissioner,
Underworld leaders in Winkler County,
Bootleg whiskey,
Carl Brindenstool,
Heavy Brachine,
"Peg" Wilson (again),
Personality,
Payment of County employees,
Alleged corruption of County Commissioners,
Murder of Blackie Laughlin (again),
Ellis Sommers and cleaning up of Wink,
Ethics,
Bill Priest (again),
Tom LeChez and deputies under priest,
Fee bill,
L. C. Hannah,
Attempt to move County seat,
County Commissioners,
Gilbert Hogg,
Fees,
Jim and Cotton Waddle,
"Peg" Wilson and Homer Pace
Tape 1, Side 2:
Kermit, Texas,
Population,
School,
Working for "old man Hendricks",
Roy Westbrook,
Drilling of Hendricks well, July 1956,
Offsets,
Ellis Sommers (again),
Ethics,
Trouble in Wichita Falls, Texas,
Bootleg Liquor (again),
Heavy Branchine (again),
Wife,
Involvement in murders,
Physical stature,
Beating,
Promotion of Priest's resignation,
Business dealings with Baird (again),
Baird's opinion relative to Priest's guilt,
Priest's physical stature,
Baird from Grayson County, Texas,
Brother born in Indian Territory,
Brothers in World War II
Range Dates: 1900-1983
Bulk Dates: 1920-1940
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
