Death Of Governor Jester

[Jim Hodges]

I was going to ask that question...you beat me to it..thanks!

Well, I hope you will all join me in wishing my grandfather, "Happy Birthday"!! Today was his birthday...born in 1884, and passed away in 1966. I talked to my Father today also, so here's some more info :

Did you note in the Houston Press article the accent on the gov's trip as a secret mission. Who better than the Tyler of Reagan Lodge to keep a secret ?

Also, same article, " Railroad Officials barred everyone but the doctor and the Justice of the Peace from the train". Note the word, " Barred". I will go to my grave knowing that my Grandfather, "Barred" them from the train, and the old Colt .45 blast was the real attention getter. My Grandfather always said, "By grab! " whenever he was ready to fight. Got that phrase from WW I. He wasn't a man to fool with, and that would not be the first time he pulled that gun in defense of someone else.

My Father stated that he also remembered my Grandfather talking about A.C. Martindale being there - man, he was every where in the city. He drove a big car with several big antennaes, and lots of guns in it. **Sidebar : My Father stated that A.C. Martindale hung out with Houston oil man, "Silver Dollar" Jim West. West used to ride with Martindale with several of his guns on, and while showing off a new pistol, accidentally shot Martindale in the foot !

The old Southern Pacific Hopsital was a good find. My Uncle was in there ( Switchman for S.P.), and we went to visit him several times. reminded me of the old Jeff Davis Hospital, and I didn't like it much for that reason.

My Father stated that LLoyd Barrett was not related to us, however he was, as most all in this story, a member of the Masonic Lodge, namely Reagan Lodge. He lived on 16th Street right across the street from "Pop" Sewell's Grocery Store.

Frank Murray, Mason, Reagan Lodge. His son played in the Reagan High School Band with my sisters ( Hieghts High will shine tonight, Hieghts High will shine...sorry, I got swept away in the fight song! ).

Ray Duvall Funeral Home was right next to J.B. Marmion's Sinclair Service Station, 19th & Yale. If his funeral home wasn't there yet, he was at the scene for some reason, maybe to pay his respects.

My Father corrected me on the spelling of Babe's name, it was actually spelled, "Seres", but pronounced, "Sears". He was the, "Bumper Morgan" of the Hieghts, and he used to give me nickels to play the table juke box at Sammy's Cafe on 19th Street. Carried a beautiful Colt Government .45 auto, with silver hand carved grips. Also a Mason, Reagan Lodge.

My Grandfather would be 125 years old today. I still miss my," Brother I never had", 43 years later, it still seems as yesterday I was rolling Bull Durham for him with one hand to show off. Anything for his very special love, and attention to a young man struggling his best to measure up.

I couldn't make it to the bank today, but I'll try tomorrow, and post the photos of my Grandfather's pistol for those interested.

[isuredid]

My Father stated that he also remembered my Grandfather talking about A.C. Martindale being there - man, he was every where in the city. He drove a big car with several big antennaes, and lots of guns in it. **Sidebar : My Father stated that A.C. Martindale hung out with Houston oil man, "Silver Dollar" Jim West. West used to ride with Martindale with several of his guns on, and while showing off a new pistol, accidentally shot Martindale in the foot !

Bryan Burrough wrote about "Silver Dollar" Jim West and A.C. Martindale in "The Big Rich." A.C. Martindale was a police Lietenant and West rode with him often apparently. West and Martindale were cruising one night when they spotted a burglar breaking the window of a sporting goods store on Dowling and stealing a shotgun. They got out of the car and yelled "Halt" The thief opened fire with the shotgun and Martindale (and apparently West) shot back. The thief was hit, but so was Martindale in the shoulder and ankle. Ballistics showed the wounds did not come from the burglar. The book implied that it was West that shot Martindale, but Martindale claimed to have shot himself to cover for his friend.

[marmer]

It's heartwarming to see the folks sharing such cherished memories of their relatives. Happy birthday and much honor to your grandfather, the Governor's faithful Tyler. I'll be interested to see that Colt. I have one inherited from my father that is probably much like it.

[Jim Hodges]

It's heartwarming to see the folks sharing such cherished memories of their relatives. Happy birthday and much honor to your grandfather, the Governor's faithful Tyler. I'll be interested to see that Colt. I have one inherited from my father that is probably much like it.

Thank you for your very honorable birthday wish, and the relation of your feelings for others. It speaks highly of a man. All the posts here are authored by such caring people, and what a thrill to hear from Alice! What a great, and honorable man her grandfather was. That's not a political statement, that's a factual statement. If they only made them like that nowadays. As you gaze on the pistol your father left you, the emotions are certainly relative. As stated, I have posted the photo of the old Colt for all to see. My grandfather used it to protect many 'a person in peril, and never asked for anything in return. He was issued this 1901 Colt in WWI, and the Army used to let them take them home when discharged, which he did. There are, "RA" ( Regular Army ) #'s on each piece of the gun, and they all match, which indicates the parts were never changed out. Also, it still has the military lanyard ring on the butt. It is a six shot revolver, and shoots a .45 Long Colt bullet, which throws a 255 grain lead bullet at @ 950 feet per second - like getting hit with a baseball bat! You can see one of the bullets in the photo laying next to the pistol. It is in remarkably good shape, and I take it out occassionaly and shoot it with some hand loaded black powder loads. It roars like a cannon when discharged, and belches black - gray smoke for several feet. My grandfather never practiced with it, and didn't have much interest in guns. When I asked him about that, I got some in - depth advice. He told me that if you need a sight on a pistol, then you'd better get a rifle, and not position yourself to get in trouble at close range, and, " Stay out of the way of men that won't hesitate to spit lead, and get the job done". As he stated many times, " A handgun is just a tool to get you on the respectful side of evil people, other than that, it should be on a man at all times, in the quiet and ready ". My grandfather was, in every sense of the word, an outstanding gentleman, and a peace loving man, who avoided trouble in any way possible. Marmar, I would be interested to know of this pistol is similar to your father's.

[marmer]

Marmar, I would be interested to know of this pistol is similar to your father's.

Thank you for sharing the picture of the pistol and your memories of your grandfather. Looks like his gun is a double-action Model 1901. Fine weapon, that. Dad's is a Single Action Army from 1897, right on the cusp of the smokeless powder transition. I'm sorry it took so long to take pictures, but here they are:

In honor of both of our grandfathers' WWI service, and in recognition of Armistice, now Veterans', Day, here are some items of WWI memorabilia that belonged to my grandfather:

Letter home to his mother on thin American Red Cross stationery:

One-franc note, 10-coupon note from the divisional fair during the Occupation of Germany, German five-mark note:

German belt buckle with "Furchtlos und Trew" (fearless and true) motto; 30-06 cartridge, Remington Arms 1918 headstamp:

German Iron Cross 2nd Class (possibly a late-war reproduction or souvenir):

Divisional and Corps history books:

Grand-dad's personal service record, written in beautiful fountain pen handwriting:

[24zulu]

Thank you for sharing the picture of the pistol and your memories of your grandfather. Looks like his gun is a double-action Model 1901. Fine weapon, that. Dad's is a Single Action Army from 1897, right on the cusp of the smokeless powder transition. I'm sorry it took so long to take pictures, but here they are:

In honor of both of our grandfathers' WWI service, and in recognition of Armistice, now Veterans', Day, here are some items of WWI memorabilia that belonged to my grandfather:

Letter home to his mother on thin American Red Cross stationery:

One-franc note, 10-coupon note from the divisional fair during the Occupation of Germany, German five-mark note:

German belt buckle with "Furchtlos und Trew" (fearless and true) motto; 30-06 cartridge, Remington Arms 1918 headstamp:

German Iron Cross 2nd Class (possibly a late-war reproduction or souvenir):

Divisional and Corps history books:

Grand-dad's personal service record, written in beautiful fountain pen handwriting:

Hello Marmer, I am back, however, under a different name. This is some beautiful stuff, and I know you are very proud of your grandfather, and father. It is a pleasure reading this, and sharing memories of days gone by, and history that should never be ignored.

[JonGoddi]

I see this was years ago, but I was just told today by my grandfather that i may own the ONLY picture of his procession from my Grandparents Funeral Home back to the Train after he was Embalmed.. Only one was taken and only once copied, no one claimed them and after my gandmother passed i was givin her hope chest.

[GEM]

Very nice.

[Blue Dogs]

What are these allegations I'm hearing about Governor Jester died in the company of his mistress ? I've never read any of those details anywhere at all.

 

Whoever was spreading those allegations must be from FAKE NEWS.

[Blue Dogs]

On ‎10‎/‎20‎/‎2009 at 12:24 PM, isuredid said:

Here is the Houston Press account:

Body Undetected For More Than Two Hours in S.P. Rail Station

The Southern Pacific's Austin-to-Houston train roared through the night on an apparently routine trip. Aboard it was

Gov. Beauford H. Jester--dead.

Sometine around 3:30 a.m. today Gov. Jester died in his sleep of coronary occlusion--in layman's language, a blood clot

in the heart.

At that time the train was going through Washington County.

Not until a Negro porter tried to wake up the governor at 7:30 a.m., two hours after the train pulled into Houston's

Grand Central Terminal, was the governor's death discovered.

Gov. Jester's death, attributed to natural causes by Justice of the Peace Tom Maes and Dr. Howard L. Evans, automatically

made Lt. Gov. Allan Shriver chief executive of the state.

Burial will be in Corsicana Wednesday. The body was to be flown back to Austin this afternoon aboard a National Guard

plane, with some 25 other state planes providing aerial escort. Governor Jester will lie in state in the Senate Chamber

for four hours Tuesday.

No One Knew He Was Coming

The governor made the trip alone.

Not even his most intimate friends, including Cotton Man Bob Henderson, his boyhood friend in Corsicana and his Harris

County campaign manager, knew he was coming to Houston.

A State Highway patrolman had been notified to meet the 56-year-old chief exectutive of Texas at the Houston station.

"It was a secret trip--we knew nothing of the governor's plans" said Capt. Glen Rose of the Houston area of the Texas

Highway Patrol.

From what police gathered, the governor, worn by the recently concluded session of the Legislature, plannd to meet an

unidentified Houston friend and the two were to spend a few days resting at Galveston Bay. It was later ascertained that the

Governor's Houston friend who knew about his plans to get away for a few days rest was Lumberman Jim Rockwell.

Mr. Rockwell had engaged a fishing boat and place for the governor to stay on Galveston Bay. State Highway Patrolman

W.B. Hawkins was to meet the governor and either he or Capt. rose was to have driven him to Galveston Bay were, away from

telephone, the governor planned to relax,rest and fish.

Verdict Was Natural Causes

Capt. Rose was called to the depot by Patrolman Hawkins, who was the officer assigned to meet the governor.

E.A. Craft, Southern Pacific executive vice-president, rode from Austin on the same Pullman with the Governor, but didn't

know Gov. Jester had died until after he reached the station in Houston.

Word of the governor's death, broadcast by newspaper extras and the radio, brought a number of the governor's friends to

the railroad station. Among them were Mr. Henderson, who notified Mrs. Jester and went to Houston Funeral Home to view

the body. Rep. Jimmy Pattison of Fort Bend County, Mayor Holcombe and City Attorney Will Sears.

The mayor immediately ordered all public flags at half-staff.

"I've known Beauford since we were boys together at Corsicana" said Mr. Henderson. "I never knew he suffered from heart

trouble." He was always a hard rugged hard-working individual who didn't spare himself.

"The strain of the session killed him" said Rep. Pattison.

The governor got on the train alone at Austin at 11:25 and went directly to Lower Berth Five on the Pullman "Berkeley"

He donned light blue pajamas and retired immediately after leaving word to be aroused at 7:30 a.m. in Houston.

Porter Tried to Wake Him Up

At 5:30 a.m. the train arrived at the Grand Central Station on Washington and was switched from track 1 to tract 2.

At 7:30 a.m., Pullman Porter Charles Jimerson, 66, of 1202 Ruthven, went to wake up the governor.

"It's time to get up" he said softly.

He repeated this several times.

Then Jimerson shook the governor by the shoulders.

"I knew something had happened and called the conductor." related the porter.

Pullman Conductor C.D. Pierce and Patrolman Hawkins went to the lower berth, which was directly in the center of the

car facing north.

"I turned on the light and pulled the curtains apart." said Patrolman Hawkins. "The governor's expression was calm, but

it was apparent he had been dead for some time. There was no pulse. I opened his eyelids and remarked, "Gov. Jester is

dead."

As Patrolman Hawkins notified Captain Rose, Conductor Pierce told the news to D.R. Kirk Jr. 7016 Texarkana, assistant

train master, and S.R. Hay, assitant special agent for Southern Pacific. They in turn notified Station Master C.M. Blackburn

of 2612 Greenleaf, whose dispatcher put in a call to police.

The time of the notification was 7:45 a.m.

Justice of the Peace Maes and Dr. Evens made their medical examination at 8:19 at which time Dr. Evens said Gov. Jester had

been dead four or five hours. The justice of peace concurred.

Railroad officials barred everyone but the doctor and the justice of the peace from the train.

The body was taken to the Houston Funeral Home, where Mr. Henderson and Rep. Pattison got in touch with the governor's family

in Austin.

Mr. Henderson was at home when he heard a radio broadcast, and Mr. Pattison was 15 miles from Houston, driving when he heard

the newscast.

City Detectives L.C. Watts, Lloyd Barrett,John Irwin, and Frank Murray investigated the death.

Mr. Henderson said the governor told him he was tired physically from the strain of the legislative session in two conversations

one six weeks ago and the other just two ago.

"He Was a Good Governor"

"But none of us knew he had any heart trouble." said Mr. Henderson. "We knew he had colon trouble. What a shock this is. You know,

Beauford Jester always wanted to be governor. He was a good governor, and a good man. He never wanted to hurt anybody's feelings."

Rep. Pattison said in recent weeks, Gov. and Mrs. Jester and he and his wife had started taking square dance lessons.

"The governor was a square shooter." said the Fort Bend County representative, who with the aid of the governor suceeded in getting

legislation through that will greatly assist the state's eleemosynary institutions.

In Austin, Mrs. Jester was described as "too stunned yet to know anything." She is at the governor's mansion and remained in her

upstairs room after being notified of her husband's death. With her were two of the three children, Beauford Jr, and Joan. A third,

Barbara (Mrs. Howard Burris) was in New York.

Had Boat Ride Yesterday

The governor took a boat ride on Lake Austin yesterday with his family and staff, the United Press reported. At that time Gov. Jester

complained of being tired.

Just a week ago, Gov. Jester suffered an attack of food poisoning and was confined to the mansion for most of the day.

He worked last Saturday on legislation piled up on his desk as a result of the 51st Legislature's final adjournment.

The flag of Texas was lowered to half-mast at the capitol.

Governor Jester's funeral procession began today in Houston. His body will go from Houston Funeral Home to Ellington Field, escorted

by members of Headquarters Battalion, 41st Artillery of the Texas National Guard. commanded by Brig. Gen. Lewis Thompson of Houston.

The arrival at Ellington is set for 4 p.m.

The governor's body will be taken aboard his favorite plane, a craft named in honor of his beloved state's flower, The "Blue Bonnet" is

a National Guard C-47, flown in from Austin today shortly after the tragic news was released. It is from the 181st Fighter Squadron of

San Antonio. The pilot will be Brig. Gen Harry Crutcher of Dallas, commanding officer of the 63rd Fighter wing. Texas Air National Guard,

and the co-pilot, Lt. Col John B. (Bill) Nottingham of Houston.

A flying escort of 25 F-51 fighter planes will go from Ellington to Austin, their numbers drawn from the 111th Fighter Squadron in Houston,

the 181st of San Antonio, the 182nd of Dallas--All Texas Air National Guard squadrons.

The body was to be accompanied by Adjutant General K.L. Berry.

The body will lie in state from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. tomorrow in the Senate Chamber at the capitol. Brief funeral services will be held

at 2 p.m. and the body then will be taken to Corsicana where services will be held on Wednesday.

Thank you very much for giving us full detail on Jester's funeral services. I read that when the public viewing was held inside the TX State Senate Chamber of the TX State Capitol, they had an open casket with the flag-draped US flag draped on it.

[Specwriter]

It's strange that the Post would misidentify the Lt. Governor, Allen Shivers.

 

"Gov. Jester's death, attributed to natural causes by Justice of the Peace Tom Maes and Dr. Howard L. Evans, automatically

made Lt. Gov. Allan Shriver chief executive of the state."

[Blue Dogs]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 2:03 PM, Specwriter said:

It's strange that the Post would misidentify the Lt. Governor, Allen Shivers.

 

"Gov. Jester's death, attributed to natural causes by Justice of the Peace Tom Maes and Dr. Howard L. Evans, automatically

made Lt. Gov. Allan Shriver chief executive of the state."

I have a question, who was the person that swore in Shivers as the 37th Governor ?

[Specwriter]

On ‎2019‎-‎05‎-‎06 at 2:24 PM, Blue Dogs said:

I have a question, who was the person that swore in Shivers as the 37th Governor ?

I became curious since you asked the question, Blue Dogs. I wasted a bit of time looking for the answer and even consulted copies of the Texas Almanac but I could not find out who swore in Gov. Shivers. I assume you meant at the time he was sworn in upon the death of Gov. Jester.