Latah County Oral History Collection

Sam Schrager: Elmer Wells came west from North Carolina in 1902 and settled down to work in and around Moscow. In this interview, subjects are helping Moscow banks during the Depression. He is sent east to survey the situation and runs $200,000 in bonds to Spokane chicanery surrounding the Harding presidency. The fall of Woodrow Wilson, testifying on behalf of a will no fishing allowed in Moscow's muddy streets and Republicans dominate Idaho Junior University.

Elmer Wells: Burnt down in 1980 and any that had been hidden, Bertinelli recalls. And we didn't hear. Nobody needs to hear no payments. Town sidewalks. Soon we were walked and he was the guy, and he worked very many homes in Marshall Easterbrook. And we I guess she carried home his home. And this lady was wasn't too many homes, you know, business there.

Elmer Wells: You know, there's a lot of them here. You know, at the time, right at the Market Hotel, you know, here were other places. And I had a job working here hard to give me your work pennies to resent. You know, there's we back in 19 three.

Sam Schrager: When did you come here? Was that when you first came In 19 three.

Elmer Wells: You're welcome here. Your 19 to. So I've been here ever since. You know, being here. I know a lot of people who worked on their ranches around here, you know, farm work for other people. You know, I'm an arranger, run the ranch from You have been here a very long time.

Sam Schrager: What was the store like when you first went into it to work at any store.

Elmer Wells: Whether you were in larger and it implements you're Peoria and I worked in there for MJI Field here on a lot of land, different places around here farms. You know that I you sure I know my folks came out here. They decided to buy ran out here toward Mars. Coleman did farmed after 15 years decided that you couldn't it coming down here you heard you asked me where he's going to start a business down here, Linda.

Elmer Wells: All right, out to him. Do you work for him? Continue. Hey. And. And I got a truck clean so I can try to take it easier. Sure. We have. Working on a ranch, you know, have been that way. Then I got tired of that. Then I could work time. You want to be? I have done the same for a long period of time.

Elmer Wells: And I sit here to hold him a long time. I'm here to see pretty here. Now, can.

Sam Schrager: You can you tell me about some of the things that happened in the early days that were pretty colorful around Moscow?

Elmer Wells: Were you used to get for a combination a man, really, how he used to work here? You know, Would you ever read blacksmith shop there? He lived, right. That place where he went on a rampage or some kind killed. You see him?

Sam Schrager: Resistance?

Elmer Wells: Yeah, I have not. And he's here and he's preaching out. Pretty shattering on sheets. You could shoot me through the windows everywhere and find me. Kill him. Yeah. Before I come here, he had the other shovels coming up. You know this pretty good, pretty strong.

Sam Schrager: Can you. Can you tell me some some other ones besides that one. That one I that one I heard of. Because is that one that's pretty famous. One of.

Elmer Wells: You heard that.

Sam Schrager: He killed. That was Steffens. That guys.

Elmer Wells: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I know him. You I worked around on the ranger that range out here to hear him here working on it. Three years for people only and worked on the decisive round here in the valley to pretend in Fernie. I did him here Jerry neck of your home here. Who's here? I just stayed here.

Sam Schrager: So I was told it that you there was a trial and you testified in once. It was really a funny was a great. Everybody thought it was great. You remember that? You know what I'm talking about?

Elmer Wells: What you guess is it? I do whatever you didn't. You part your eagle. You never heard me. Our drugstore had. And the hardware store, you, you. It belonged to Egan's Eagle. He could hear me. And I knew your man for where he went. He paid three, right? We had a lawsuit or here's the to carry your hearing him And I was one chance to fight him.

Elmer Wells: I was right now all the time knew what my know. And so I was trying to testify they put all of the on beforehand and it saved me Very nice when it didn't, you and I, I really thought they had good days. Never going to work against him. Yeah. Good luck to him. He had he had his medicine saved you and he feared it might happen to him.

Elmer Wells: You hear me? The real you given his pushing his use. You know, with that too, I can relate. The others had recently hit reaction.

Sam Schrager: yeah?

Elmer Wells: You know where you take that? You when you give money, they build that. But they built it right? He should win against him. Against her. You got off to that.

Sam Schrager: What would is it what was it that you had to say that that that turned it against him.

Elmer Wells: Right. Is your guide his drinking and her anything. Yeah. Well, mostly he hurt me, you know, and I thought I got now, you know. Hey, the old Lester and I, he's the one witness it. Surely when he made that really here for Nick, he talked him and he was drunk. He didn't know what he's doing. Well, that man was the biggest learned.

Elmer Wells: If you really turn attorney for her, he found him. He saw that me on the stand occurred after me. And he can talk to me in my room and told me what he'd done. You have never heard or I know how what conditioning I told me. Just show the judge wholeheartedly ruined and he and just take it no good and his lady type right?

Elmer Wells: She had just lay down lay the good strong, you know her. I guess she's dirty. She's seen him a few times when he was so it used to where they had room right here. It holds huge area. And I found that to your country of like and I pointed out and told me is going up the courthouse by now but I have to do everything down here to no doubt you can I go back up there and found that too you know and had everything when you make money so that property, 110,000 each, you got 55,000 piece you right hand in hand.

Elmer Wells: You said that's cause you lose. And usually the case in time.

Sam Schrager: So so she and she had said that that he was how was he related to her was that her.

Elmer Wells: Yeah.

Sam Schrager: No no relation.

Elmer Wells: No relation. Whatever.

Sam Schrager: Now why should she have gotten the money in the first place?

Elmer Wells: How hard.

Sam Schrager: Well how would she have gotten the money if he was no relation to the.

Elmer Wells: When her if you already gave you had two children. She's one of them and he was on she had to bind her now she. Yeah. And so the he, he paved the way, he contested his will you know, and ran against.

Sam Schrager: Who did, who did his will leave it to the leave it all to that youth centers.

Elmer Wells: I thought Yeah I heard he, he got to.

Sam Schrager: So she said that that he was a drinker and you said that he was sober as a judge and that she was a drinker.

Elmer Wells: Yes. You know, they asked me about her after being drunk and pounding on the door. She then said he was doing a huge drunk she didn't want to be doing, you. He she was actually Exactly. You know, if you have been here long time not to try to come up and court jury, which you got right. That you know.

Sam Schrager: And other is there another good case that you can remember when he was on the any cases when you were on the jury that came up.

Elmer Wells: Rounding if not you should not you to make it here good.

Sam Schrager: You know, most of the cases aren't too big around here.

Elmer Wells: If there were, they were in the daytime either, you know.

Sam Schrager: No. Well, I heard you weren't too welcome in the in the in the place after after that. After she lost the case.

Elmer Wells: Right. I had room like the time and when they wanted to get to when I testified that morning and when I come down you my room. Right. And asked me you couldn't find me another place to stay after hearing the god damn word I already had already over here, and then had his pocket right here. Now, I think it gave me the room.

Elmer Wells: If you need to say that you have words. I can't do that here. I had two kids and our education. But he she was going to have. And here they had birthday. I don't know how the during the president didn't find it never sent me card took her home state you know consequently didn't have very much money did your own work you know you're staying ahead.

Elmer Wells: Are you sure it didn't go very good for quite a long while there you know, present prevent me from get around here then who were different? You know who It wasn't very good but fresh. And they are doing very good. Very little. Mary Landrieu was very keep the we have has the bank had a mortgage on all 20 different ones and if counted and they had advertised for sale and had little book put out record small pair of one book used to have and describe depreciation how much it was but your watering your work minimum they had over $17 million now or you show them showed already very honored it yeah.

Sam Schrager: Or was Moscow a pretty poor town or was there some was there a fair bit of wealth in Moscow compared to the rest of the county or what was it like where.

Elmer Wells: They were, you know, early? You know, and it seems to me I don't really have describe you know, it was things were going to good. We had patronage. People decided to build a bureau here and have done a great deal, get a lot of work and a lot of people that time in our has no need for yet.

Elmer Wells: You know forget me you're your great help to There's county could be very wealthy but you know they own many much chamber and and number of different states you know right over here you know you're here. Years ago when I first came out, I had to be in a bank over Tacoma crusher manager. I knew work and I talked to you.

Elmer Wells: If you have turned down when you live down from Oklahoma, you're. I surprised you here. He was spokesman for me. And so he actually organized in and out here. I told you, come out, look over. I'd like to say Steve didn't I could never go back to him. Said sitting here in Georgia would be Vanderbilt's money and hit your head.

Elmer Wells: All right. Timberland Timberman needed the money back and he's buying a big tract of care. So, you know, you never heard it. This here in the mountain character was very, you know, kept not know which name was right now now, tomorrow, Mt. Hood, very. Then how about Roger Love of it? He's in a lot of pain. Really.

Sam Schrager: What was the guy's name? This. This guy.

Elmer Wells: I. I know who he right now.

Sam Schrager: it doesn't matter. Yeah, I just.

Elmer Wells: Don't know how he said it. He can't remember. Times going to be when he would be very wealthy person had money to invest. He'd be all right. So he bought it and it helped protect our taxes. Were much years and showed it happened very hard to people. You know he went to the Longview, got a boat property started being you Longview down there usually you know we're here virtually the company down in Arkansas are against it a lot of timber land and to me they gave him $30 million for John.

Elmer Wells: You know that's a lot of money.

Sam Schrager: A fortune.

Elmer Wells: More than in.

Sam Schrager: Do fortunes.

Elmer Wells: Yeah. Has raised money from I think from 15 Mar good marriage marriage place for that matter not in nice hotels very few years anywhere in a way. Anyway.

Sam Schrager: What made you decide to come out from there?

Elmer Wells: When I take anchor, that's two words. We're very these things never could go very good for his father for years, you know he's not too good. And wages very heavy know. So I decided I wish to find out how we're out. Here comes him me radio. I knew that I had to could go to hell. I come here later for a radio He he here I write looks over here in our state here.

Sam Schrager: Did you send for your parents or did they come out here?

Elmer Wells: They get broken. Only some out back parents come here and we bought land out here and farm. So long time. Then mother and brother decided they want to go to California. So they went down to California and I wouldn't go. I go down in Houston. I would stay very at home every morning. John Taylor, 38 marriages to Los Angeles and out.

Elmer Wells: They had already counted years in the whole United States, San Bernardino County here. And I didn't like down there too much of different nationalities die Japs in Turin, you and the Mexicans, anything and everything you could ever think of. You know, you we got no park down there two days time. You see people. Miramax Now, the owners were buying that way.

Sam Schrager: You didn't like it?

Elmer Wells: Yes, I didn't like your tone. My eyes were made to look. Actually, I gave it a goodbye. You will see very all.

Sam Schrager: Came back up.

Elmer Wells: There. sure. Here. Yeah, Yeah. I will tell you, every dinner for every different trip, You know, and. And you're sure many people all over Arizona and over there in Virginia? Hardly. No down for visit down there. And then going down in north northwest. You enjoyed you'd go home.

Sam Schrager: They were you must have been about about 20 by the time you you came out here from North Carolina. Right.

Elmer Wells: 22.

Sam Schrager: 22. Well, can you tell me a little bit of what of what it was like in North Carolina when you were a young man trying to make a go of it before you decided?

Elmer Wells: Well, in that time, the anything you read down South had a very low price and everybody wasn't going to go, you know, you can't do it. And, you know, when you get back home, cotton, cotton, curry, so forth, where you just wasn't doing very good prices, were you any good? You had to keep raising your own to keep living.

Sam Schrager: You you came out here all by yourself.

Elmer Wells: You didn't know nobody's coming. I come along with them.

Sam Schrager: Always a bunch of your friends.

Elmer Wells: In private come, Yeah. One started kind of driving his stay there and another or marriage that went on. Yeah. And some of them got a job in the shipyard over in the Marine shipyard. And I do remember they were never used to just be just rain or shine in every rain a job.

Sam Schrager: Well did did with these guys it came out. Did you all know each other back in.

Elmer Wells: yeah. Yeah. you know, you never boys running here. I know of people all over country. You never. And so then they did it around crying. Right.

Sam Schrager: So tell me, tell me some more about the the early days when you when you first got here but some things that happened in in Moscow and what the.

Elmer Wells: Women they were you much had made huge huge farming town you know your main street is muddy down here pretty serious. It made a big hole in pavement in street down there. Water don't shine. No fishing allowed. And you can't hold down National who are good people to make packages and bring wind back. And it got stuck. We had to get out walk you out of your neighbors to make you go But they come here and I got a roommate market, a retail store here.

Elmer Wells: They know me when I get her by me. She know, sir. I mean, I did buy one. I thought we had been buying from ever since. I was sure somebody like me record you that.

Sam Schrager: Well, I'm just starting to now because I want to tell the people. What did you tell him about you? Tell him about Robert Wilson.

Elmer Wells: Where? Your room. Right. He decided to go to the peace conference. You know where he went? Actually, that'd be the worst thing he could do. He very. He read movies annotated right there. And your people branch over there along his skivvies. If you need to move there and make him think he's a whole damn thing, which gives poofter an excuse.

Elmer Wells: Now, I don't know what you do, but when I left for England in France, both were having a lot of trouble with oil companies and they want the United States to join in with him. If they can get to do that in some way or another, if not to not help the country, not being to help the others.

Elmer Wells: If you don't really break in and take him over. There was an orgasm and it came out in the papers. He I, I don't know what the girl's name would be a name to begin. Nations here, man. Yeah, yeah. They named that everybody. The name of baby for anything gives a girl's name. As in this nation. Right here.

Elmer Wells: Now, here. Come back here. The press here is already against it. And I see you watching what's coming up. I've already told you. Now, what happened here? Campaign for Speak for it. He won't make many talks and he break down right here in here, Vermont. You decided to be free to go and he you can go to the cool reception on the right, almost like your speech him when he left and went to Colorado and it started to talk to them.

Elmer Wells: He hated her old lunch right? Where now? Because you took care to bring him on three took him back east to be sure and to be with me. He's hurt now. They didn't let anyone see him anymore. The one early morning candidate had claimed he'd seen or found out nothing. He was name is right. Mind you, very, very cheap few people here.

Elmer Wells: He called a cab together and when it did where they were Jewish Doctor my term and I know that any minute people like him anyhow he told me his mind is good and no one has the right to call cabinet together to the presidential. And here this man immediately. If not he pardon you can stand right now. Who is this man is could you would do this?

Elmer Wells: They slept for his every now he would reverse this net shape he and no one ever know which is not laws of pain. And his wife evidently signed him. Probably he didn't know anything. And we were going on and there was no here, of course, in ours. We reached Dr. Greeson here. Doctor, and here. That fatality. He of course, his own wife would never tell you never know.

Elmer Wells: You'd have to make a good long big gainer. Say, don't you know, wouldn't you think that he.

Sam Schrager: Can you do you know anything about when you first came out here about what the politics was like in Idaho? I know there was a bunch of things going.

Elmer Wells: On then you sure strike? Is America marching? Marching Republicans? strong Republican. You know, the Republican burnt, you know, down here, governors and everything else. You dig them pestering two or three guy in one. Now I know and you industry right now.

Sam Schrager: Well, was there a lot of populism going on in Idaho then, didn't they. I've heard that there was. They call it populism, and I don't know too much about it.

Elmer Wells: he had watched several or something like that, you know, and in large, very long. Yeah. And just made fun of.

Sam Schrager: What about when student Bird got your average guy here?

Elmer Wells: Well, he was governor, you know, when he ended up here in Decatur in mind. And he ran already animal printing camp up there. Everything was rated pretty camp. People didn't have anything to do with it. Made him mad. But he finally got out of his governor and they decided to get in next what he did. And he ain't coming that night.

Elmer Wells: You should show him clearly them. You. They're a good job. They're killing before again, he.

Sam Schrager: What about what about the labor troubles?

Elmer Wells: In the next year we had the same time.

Sam Schrager: Well, I was thinking more about the IWW troubles around World War One around here. I heard they threw a bunch of guys in the bullpen in Moscow Here.

Elmer Wells: we've had few of them. You know, reasonable term around here. No, sure. Short which we get to have root beer. We went serve has had a little trouble have a little fun occasionally you know and we got along pretty good. You know, the things are pretty good, you know, in some ways. Don't you know, Not too bad compared with other places, you know, going on here better during the Depression than any place you can find yourself in the United States,

Elmer Wells: Long run down that is coming in. Certainly preparing for it, you know, And he turned up after it hit pretty strong. And Roger Frank, who was never selected and had took nursing home for shit, and he tried to come in down to Tampa, Florida, to knock and kill and hit, you know, some fairly I mean, here are your banks, you know, he's closed until we find out creditors are cheaper, he could be saved or not.

Elmer Wells: You in the winter you're 8500 backstroke. You're. What do you mean not have risen? Never ever pay more in 25, 35, $0.40 on the dollar Bank 8500. Not them I knew. And the cards don't everyone covers in most states. Quite a number of clothes. And he had a hard time getting wrong. The idea was that there money wasn't circulating at home and hated the money.

Elmer Wells: Man Sit down. I'm sure Teddy didn't turn for hours to turn that money loose. If not, he pretty sure that much money wouldn't be where it coming in there. And you turn the news to and it in very bad shape. Humor and things aren't going too good.

Sam Schrager: He said that around here that people got along really good.

Elmer Wells: Then he actually did have to wait for ten days and more here the end and not to you couldn't get it. You should at least tell your story at one time. Amazing. You. Yeah. They want to find out something by sure isn't me back there to find out your nation back to Canada. This man here, when you get to see me, then maybe.

Elmer Wells: I didn't know that. The guy running around and inquiring. No, it heard Chicago, Milwaukee, Chicago. And Terry, an Irishman in one or right one over down here. I now know what kind of goddamn condition they were saying. That guy German can't watch out. It's going to be an awful lot of expert gave them certainty to certain one.

Elmer Wells: Whenever we got word. Of course he immediately minded it it me for that business and I got to do what I normally do. He said we want me to make more money. So these actually three night, they couldn't show them if he had the money on that day to pay it back, they would have him have. That's what saved him.

Elmer Wells: If he hadn't been that way. Can I get to you? Right. Not very bad. Three years it between then bet cheap here and there. If we're not pretty bad, well, who three can pawn down the key here. Here. I know he'd been calling it the gym. Maybe using heroin and cleaning up 200 origins bonds. 200,930.3. Just left. Can it work?

Elmer Wells: I think we met 10 minutes later. And if you hadn't talked to him, Tomas going to. If you need to leave, can I talk to you again? We went around and he never said, Hey, I don't have money. I tried to get right there. Same, but I didn't get. Remember him? Yeah. Yeah. You have to really just do that.

Elmer Wells: What do you think? Back is a banker from now Guard commanding. I turn right. He finally come in. Got them in very bad debt. Now.

Sam Schrager: What was that?

Elmer Wells: Law got there? Good long term was 200,000. Our bonds soon enough to write a bank to do it. All right. How they bank through Can write over to one of our readers, actually try to, you know, start here foreign or foreign aid even banker that write my so he paid I went over to Tom who I were down here in Moscow when he phoned down.

Elmer Wells: You have changed your bonds in the treated they like 10 to 15 minutes so you got really stand by me Hey put it out. Handler me stand him stand that you managed to do where he read out he he toward the end of it he never talked exchange new partner Hey come here's there's 90 for him down for you.

Elmer Wells: He looked at the bonds and he looked at me lifted bonds to get back at me to return it out. I know how long I knew these. As you know, 20 years to do more than say he wouldn't take me rotator. He says I needed to have money out of here. Yes. All I want is a limitation. When we got to man working here, this bank, that ricin, it will bond for them don't do much good as they got very good in in Oregon I have that very seven on it good they he has it now I said cover up that I know you sir he calls on it that see it comes crashing here.

Elmer Wells: I got a shock minutes ago. When were you left? I knew you would say he previously received either one word. He said. That's what he said. He said he said, You know, I think I keep him up here at usually he said, no, you ought to. You're Jim here. We will then go here and I think probably in real trouble up there by one or 200, I wouldn't use it.

Elmer Wells: And if he can hold it, he could borrow money with them. You know what? Your next crew here is just a couple of months and he threw down here for a few days and we didn't have any money retained. So I don't really see who can determine who trying to back which one they sit with that money down here.

Elmer Wells: When you go down here Friday morning, don't have our money. Why now They've been more and more now.

Sam Schrager: These You were the old national right down here.

Elmer Wells: No, I didn't work for you. One of the bank. But they sent me back to point up for them. Yeah. You take me as interviewer.

Sam Schrager: Well, who's. Who are you carrying the money for? Which bank did you carry the money for when you carried it? I mean, the bonds which bank re carrying the bonds for what?

Elmer Wells: If you his bank right here, down here on the ground.

Sam Schrager: the first national.

Elmer Wells: No.

Sam Schrager: You all the.

Elmer Wells: Yeah. Yeah.

Sam Schrager: I don't know.

Elmer Wells: When you mean you have a bank here.

Sam Schrager: The Idaho first.

Elmer Wells: Yeah, yeah, yeah. This one. Yeah. They were in Denver for even just me. But me. This will get you can be in here with each certain farmers around here. I know one man over here, you know. Hey, good crop of rolling. Here's one. Offered you $9. Should should be $1,000 you may want to bring version was you really need you mean to make very nice and very sure you told me you three no bedroom three then he shall I say now wait a me you're running a bank you cash in Arizona first.

Elmer Wells: I don't care about someone to tell me how to run my business. If you want a girl, by God, she sure she's not sure, but so he said, I don't know if you have my natural right. Have you ever had your cash right. So he wanted her to have her term victim. He want to congratulate him on have a chance to run a bank without being called yet like you said, you were here.

Elmer Wells: I've got learn how to treat you. In fact, my little brown hair. Really? I got ring, ring, ring. The third year and we don't to run in five years. He said When you said you don't know, he he said not let her. She just being to right there you.

Sam Schrager: Tell me again just what you put in that letter. What did you say in that letter?

Elmer Wells: What did I say. Yeah.

Sam Schrager: What did you tell him that saved him from being closed up?

Elmer Wells: I don't going to be an awful lot of baggage.

Sam Schrager: Yeah.

Elmer Wells: Well I turned it over conditionally. You just couldn't imagine how bad it really way. You know, she much worse and worse. You'd think if you just couldn't get to it. Just no way to figure it out. Hardly at you. Look out for three years for he looked at me to a room privileges in check in Denver. People keep back here, weren't you?

Sam Schrager: So you told him. Just be real careful,

Elmer Wells: I term years You be damned every year Maybe I don't Around will be there. I'm sure you're not one need. They wouldn't be. You know you had mortgage on the goddamn place in California. Send it down there. He sent me down there and nobody here. I know how to get married. Your house? I can't. They told me you have to.

Elmer Wells: You know, he sent me here to bring it up. Michelle, It would understand. It has been down it. Same here in and it had virtually no down years. You over there, Your bank closed down then and no, not me. My region had no money bank you know. And I knew he's going to hurt. Could be better than me.

Elmer Wells: You did?

Sam Schrager: How come the Bank of Troy did some good? You know why? What the. I heard the Bank of Troy did real good in. The in the Depression. And so far as staying on its feet.

Elmer Wells: Yeah, we did. We launder money talking to people, you know, and you're right, you know they go very, very wrong. You probably not you during your present bank. No. You get more.

Sam Schrager: I want to ask you about some of the some of the guys, the old some of the old people that were well known in Moscow in the in the early days, like you said, that they you knew McConnell.

Elmer Wells: yes.

Sam Schrager: Yeah. Can you tell me what he was like.

Elmer Wells: Room I don't know. Was I think I he was quite old, annoying. He had great desert, really great union idea. Cool. We knew each other and he gave me very room to work, you know, and sure, in our inner border, you know, he's really years, you know? Sure. You got along all right? Sure. Anyway, when you she Now who were you here nominated for president and you want bird go around her an Bertram he would if he read your old Taft if you read to certain things right after your party, you would win run and talk him very right down from nothing and give him a talk down there.

Elmer Wells: And we were fortunate to hold their ginger cane, little bird and very mature bird comics. You live in Moscow, so really room, hotel room. She was right. She had sister live here in Moscow, had good name. She always we know where he's been probably. I mean, he's good friends. Yeah You're making it.

Elmer Wells: And I've heard a lot this year being made. I'm pretty sure what hear be as good as three. I don't remember. Named. You don't make much different running for that office mean the big money men in New York and they didn't want anyone here We got only a minute Republican party it has turned up and everything's written it it all bring on you didn't want you don't want name you aren't ever sure he don't want you to do he had a secret meeting called delegation and come what is what what what was right he didn't want either one of those and I didn't mind.

Elmer Wells: You had no clear who in an African American and Ohio delegation should are not hurting here's a governor and says is he got anything and everything they wanted him to do if he's crooked is not right to say they want to our when they went back June Harding he's going to get the nomination it already made you have to ballot not vote very much for either one of those three in some states passed without voting return and then to their third nomination come up with a good nominee.

Elmer Wells: Harding. And if he gives me a victory, call back. You made your names when him know over here you're again your ID do you real enemy who get harder is down Tennessee Oklahoma had made Harding sister he didn't live and we've heard from him for five years. He quit her and as a holiday And this woman had all kinds of money.

Elmer Wells: Had four or five. We're going where she's never like him. I think when she got to you to carry your own house room, maybe man out whom she she that term she gave one of her relatives produce in burnt ground And if she struck well, there's here. He's doing pretty damn good. You know, she was producing her the party chairman.

Elmer Wells: If he knew he had good standing with our man knew him well. You let him know that he wanted him to read 100,001st campaign and he'd do whatever they want or risk from you. You leave that in a few days and don't see them as you do hear him and then was right on the spot. You know, he's not ready to take 100,000 right away anyway.

Elmer Wells: Then he got sick. Make him hurry. He turned me on, putting me in the cabinet and he couldn't and wouldn't mean unless he would leave his woman. Go back live with Fanny. It wouldn't work otherwise. He'd have to go back to his family. What, are you getting sick? Sure. He told us she and he's going back to Clinton.

Elmer Wells: He's going to make sure she wouldn't Sanford terms. She didn't have a damn thing. We come in and put we're on fixed and she he ever done it. He had she'd give me time. She wasn't going to stand for it when he started packing up things to go she could run calibrate her own house. He jumped in the cars, your kid money.

Elmer Wells: I went out the airport tournament. She won.

Sam Schrager: You know I'm just you could.

Elmer Wells: Humanitarian airport to him to make a quick trip to Fort Worth and bacteria when you get it did it before when it got near she probably going I'm from Iran going for a break He's going to Mexico. You hear the radio town, first time Beirut, El Paso over in Mexico. That's where they're going down there from high. She has these letters and she was going to expose Republican Party for all time, Jacob.

Elmer Wells: And then similar, more when he got back, he found out who he sent her. She's in one yard man to him in prosecuting attorney. Attorney was had gotten his plane, went down her share, wanted to give her so much money to give protection to the guy doing letters and promised she'd come back to the country and he would persecuted for again.

Elmer Wells: Okay career. And she did that. Yeah, well, Harding was elected. Harding was the court right. Carter is dead. We could put him in with our man. He'd put the $100,000 for his campaign firm. Sure, he he liked to him to name who they were, you name now for. And he owned a lot of acreage in New Mexico.

Sam Schrager: This now you're getting into the Teapot Dome ranch.

Elmer Wells: Yeah, you betcha. Yeah. Anyhow, he like it landing. Well, anyway, Harding had to take it out of your division pretty under another should would be under Albert Ford usually you you understand. And he did that right here then and before we get him starting on PGA, I don't keep a golf here on reserve. You know, in California. You know about that.

Sam Schrager: Well, you tell me what do what I should know because I don't know much about it.

Elmer Wells: Yeah, well, the two from him, however, keep I don't in Montana here and the city council $266,000 apiece for the game. However, for $100,000 and 100,000 to campaign. Yeah he's head coach of 66,000 and they figured he's worth 5 million. Keep on doing ridership quite a lot around here but he had before you want to run through he had record a record and here he the ship and then anyway Teapot Dome scandal broke open You know what he did right here?

Elmer Wells: Taylor Harding, she Harding Taft win and in Coolidge of you know when he broke right he hadn't been off the few days due to Teapot Dome scandal Schroeder When you called Senator Burr might you want to talk to him when on record Cruise was a man talked very much never did very much anything can read to him for comfort.

Elmer Wells: He had two cabinet members. He didn't have it from Heritage Administration. Your service matters nearly kept in bribes. No ship, he said. Yes, I agree with you on that one. What would you do? Here's my plate. Looks like you working on a new. I kick him out pretty quick. LAMB Gibson, take the head room that you want. You want to know?

Elmer Wells: He says, I just do that. I'm going to let you see me do it. She recalled her favorite phone over. He did. He just because it's new spring training coming here, what would you change? He would you had carryover. Q Gregory is trying to leave it alone. He said you already have an office. What do you mean, gone?

Elmer Wells: What do you mean? I can Confidence come up. You come in. she wants right now. Got them very cold him over and told him fine. He started to write to him. You making them? You don't have to shine your hands. You leave it on. But you already an office. He was. Those two were out when we tried for him present and can long prison sentence and one committed review be tried me have been for a long period of time and it will do he won't appear or you're serving in California right You tried him twice but they knew if he turned you each time you did get a couple of thousand dollars apiece under

Elmer Wells: the table and you can lose more time. And that's you really make the whole guardian work.

Sam Schrager: Now, what do you think about this kind of stuff? Was that do you think it was just wrong or terrible, or is that just the way the government was? Or what do you think of that of all this stuff?

Elmer Wells: Where do you get it right? News, their version of it right now, You know, Harding, William Harding, and like one man, I don't remember his name right now. Have you seen me take her? Right. But he had the job of going around over the United States selecting place to build the hospital. And you can remember this man's wife along with him all the time in groups frequently, right before he got out, You hear?

Elmer Wells: He was right here in Spokane Creek coordinating people come out and going to him up on the river. He ran him around trying to give one hardly any drinking. I was there. I got around the well. Anyway, he got back to Washington, D.C., and they go crazy, crazy and then a bit worse. And reality gives him all hijinx down there.

Elmer Wells: That Red House on K Street naturally meet down in game for money and were hiding and been down there and on two different occasions he said don't do it did him on his own cartoony deputy he had done job then they were just doing it. He didn't lie about anything.

Sam Schrager: hell, we're. What do you think of the Watergate?

Elmer Wells: I, I they're not saying you know it.

Sam Schrager: Well, I'm just curious, because all this other corruption that you talking about.

Elmer Wells: It looks like we're we know for sure there's a lot of damn fine line going on. Nominee has to be you find out more every time you start up the murder investigation again and I didn't like them knees down Fort Worth had a letter from her yesterday she said she heard everything and she went back and she didn't believe it during work.

Elmer Wells: You know, when these papers, they turn around that if over 50% of the people thinks it. Nixon Right. Yeah. And you know, he's getting a left drift in show. He's age ten years or more Asian badly almost. He shouldn't say this.

Elmer Wells: You know, these young people can understand so much. Woodrow Wilson, you know, have you hey, could it be something posh British could happen here? We're just saying 60, 72. We ain't. You know, right now you hope to God it don't reducing.

Sam Schrager: I say I don't know what's going to happen.

Elmer Wells: No, I hope you ain't able to go on hearing it. She served two terms, don't you.

Sam Schrager: I don't know if I do or not read that.

Elmer Wells: I've never seen anything yet. Give me a apparently house. Have nobody. Richard Nixon now I feel sorry for them in a way. Yeah, I know about what is going through it.

Sam Schrager: But what's so interesting is that these things you're talking about a back in the old times and old history reminds me of this is like the same sort of problems. You got corruption.

Elmer Wells: All the time. Yeah. You know, the Panama Canal, the finding now. number four, Mark Hanna, Teddy Roosevelt's father in law. And if program, in order to stop this, you're bankrupt country, you know, French country, you tried to be on camera. You're going to get back to where the country had given them $50 million for ten through which he brought me here, eight point you think care paying French you for?

Elmer Wells: He read it English stock is very bad and wind up they stole 35 million and he got 50 million. He already has an easy way to make sure they divide it in each one of them. Yeah yeah. And they divide it up there and the.