Ch6 TxPolitics Ep12 Honest Gov. Dan Fought the Klan

Our Westlake

Emmett Shelton Sr.(1905-2000) tells first-hand stories of his experiences with Texas Gov. Dan Moody in the 1920s. He was a close personal friend of the Shelton Family. So honest - never took a drink - he smoked - he knew right from wrong and he stuck to it. He was the mortal enemy of graft and could not relax.
In 1917, Gov Ferguson was indicted in Travis Co. Emmett's father was District Atty and he dismissed the indictment. Austin Liberals got Ben Robinson, Moody's uncle, to defeat Emmett's Dad in the next election. When his uncle soon resigned, Dan Moody stepped in as Travis Co. Distict Atty.
Dan prosecuted the KKK after a number of murders in a rally at Bellville. Emmett's Dad assisted Dan and convicted the men in high profile cases.
Dan prosecuted the interesting case of the murder of Emmett's Uncle Crawford Greer in Austin. Dan was red-headed and had a temper that showed up in the trial that resulted in a mistrial.
Dan became the leader of the Anti-Klan movement and ran for Attorney General. He had a loose partnership with Barry Miller and Ma Ferguson against the Klan. They distributer bumper stickers saying "Ma, Barry, and Dan - To Hell with the KKK". They each won the election.
Dan later defeated Ma Ferguson for re-election as governor. Emmett worked closely with Dan while he was Governor on Game Regulation. Emmett tells an interesting tale of a meeting with Judges and lawyers and problems with the new rules of civil procedures for the court.
In 1929, Dan appointed Ross Sterling to Highway Comm. Ross was in line to step in as Governor after Dan's two terms.
When Gov. Daan left office, he was broke, but he had his reputation and his well-connected secretary. He moved into an office in the Capitol Ntl. Bank building where the Shelton Law Firm officed. Dan helped Sterling out of a bind with the tumultuous oil industry and with that fee - he bought a Law Library to share.
#texashistory
#austintexas
#danmoody
#texaspoliticalhistory
#KKK
Music: Democracy Is Coming by Leonard Cohen

For maps and other info check out our Facebook page: Our Westlake
Stories told by Emmett Shelton / compiled and submitted by Cynthia Shelton.