General Edwin Walker's New Orleans Links
Author: jpshinley
Email: jpshinley@my-dejanews.com
Date: 1998/07/28
Jerry Rose, in an article entitled "Nut Country II", (The Third Decade; May, 1990; Volume 6, Number 4; pp 1-5) transcribes a document from the National Archives concerning the activities of Major General Edwin A. Walker in New Orleans on Nov 20, 1963. The Document is a report from the Louisiana State Police. Walker met privately with Perez at his office in the National American Bank Building and also meet with about 35 conservative leaders at the Jung Hotel. On the 21st, Walker held another meeting with 90 people.
It is possible that Walker's meeting was ostensibly connected with the Free Elector movement, which developed into a George Wallace for president campaign. It is certainly conceivable that Banister was one of the "conservative leaders" present at this meeting.
Perhaps this would be the logical point to introduce a mutual cquaintance of Banister and Walker: Medford Bryan Evans. The first item concerning Evans is his entry from "Contemporary Authors" (Volumes 25-28 (revised); Gale Research Co.; 1971-78). Evans was born in 1907 in Lufkin, Texas. He graduated from the University of Chattanooga in 1927 and took a Ph. D. from Yale in 1933. He taught at various colleges. From 1944 to 1952, Evans worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge and Washington, D. C. His last position was as chief of security training. He worked for the H. L. Hunt-created Facts Forum Foundation in Dallas from 1954 to 1955. He lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana from 1955 to 1962, teaching at Northwestern State College from 1955 to 1959, and working as a "consultant" from 1959 to 1962. In 1962, he went to work as managing editor of "The Citizen", official publication of the Citizens' Councils of America in Jackson, Mississippi. Evans was also a member of the John Birch Society and a contributor to its publication, "American Opinion". (see also: McMillen, Neil R. "The Citizens' Council". Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1971) My understanding is that Evans died in the late Eighties. M. (Medford) Stanton Evans, a member of William F. Buckley's circle, is Evans' son.
In 1962, Evans appeared alongside General Walker at the Senate "Military Muzzling" Hearings organized by Strom Thurmond. (Military Cold War Education and Speech Review Policies; Hearings before the Special Preparedness Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, U. S. Senate, 87th Congress, 2nd Session, p 1389)
A review, by Evans, of three books related to the JFK assassination appeared in "American Opinion" for September, 1977. (pp 67-70). In the course of the review, Evans described Banister as "a friend of mine as it happens." (p69, 1st column, 1st paragraph)
An indication that Evans and Banister moved in the same circles in Louisiana is that in 1960 Evans was named as secretary of the Louisiana States Rights Party. Kent Courtney was the party's candidate for governor. David C. Treen, a New Orleans attorney was named chairman, replacing another N. O. lawyer, Felix Lapeyre. (NOTP; January 6, 1960; s1, p11) Kent Courtney was named by the HSCA as a Banister acquaintance. (HSCA; Vol X, 130)
General Walker should be asked about the purpose of his trip to N. O. just before the assassination. Was Banister present at the meetings? Did Walker have direct or indirect contact with Banister before this? Did he ever discuss Banister with Medford Evans? Was Banister interested in the Walker shooting? Did Walker discuss Banister with Evans after the assassination?
Since David C. Treen's name came up, here's a bit more. In 1960, Leander Perez seized the machinery of the Louisiana States' Rights Party in order to field a slate of Presidential electors in opposition to the Democratic Kennedy-Johnson ticket. David C. Treen, Willie Rainach, Emile A. Wagner and Perez himself were on the slate. (NOTP; September 19, 1960; s1, p3) The next year, Treen attacked the National States' Rights Party, after a "secret" meeting of a purported local branch. He insisted that the Louisiana Party was in no way connected to the national group, which was "a disgrace to the term 'states rights.'" (NOTP; June 3, 1961; s2, p3). A year later, after Treen left, the Louisiana States Rights Party would file suit in Federal Court against the NSRP. The suit sought to enjoin the NSRP from using the words "States' Rights Party" in Louisiana. The complaint was made that the NSRP has falsely claimed an affiliation with the Louisiana group. The NSRP newspaper, "The Thunderbolt", was referred to as "a reprehensible, abhorrent and despicable publication." (NOTP; September 12, 1962; s2, p4) Treen would switch to the Republican party and become a congressman, then governor of Louisiana. In 1966, he was a director of INCA. (NOTP; December 13, 1966; s4, p7) I believe Treen is still alive. He spoke out in opposition to David Duke in the last election. I'm not sure if he would be too thrilled to talk about the good old days with the segregationists.
Another Walker-New Orleans link is through George Soule, president of Soule Business College. In 1962, George Soule was "community chairman" of the New Orleans Indignation Committee. (NOTP; February 8, 1962; s2, p4) In January, Walker had addressed this group, via closed-circuit TV, at a meeting held at Soule College. (NOTP; January 4, 1962; s1, p14)
In 1963, Soule was chairman of the 12th Annual National Congress of Freedom. (Who's Who in the South and Southwest 1963 - 1964) General Walker's lawyer, Clyde Watts, was a speaker at this event. (NOTP; April 7, 1963). J. A. Milteer was also in attendance. (Weisberg; Frame-Up; p481)