The Fall of the Duke of Duval: A Prosecutor's Journal

This book is an outstanding journal of the "Duke of Duval"George Parr. Parr had made his mark on history by determiningthe final outcome of the 1948 Senate election in Texas. Thanks tohis efforts Lyndon Johnson emerged the winner by an 80 vote margin. This book details how George Parr was finally brought tojustice. You have details of the investigation that resulted in the sucessful prosecution of The "Duke of Duval" and several ofhis associates. The details of his downfall will prove to be veryinteresting. You will also understand the dominant role that the"Duke of Duval" had in Texas politics. This is an excellent read.You will not be dissapointed.

The Duke of Duval reigned supreme in his South Texas domain in the 1930's while I was in early school years in Corpus Christi, Texas near Duval and Jim Wells Counties. Many people knew what was going on in Duval County since businessmen from Corpus Christi, including my father Clinton E. Smith, CPA, interfaced with George Parr's regime in their normal business dealings. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Clark, the author of The Fall of the Duke of Duval at a book signing event at the small library at San Diego, Texas on March 2, 1996. Several hundred copies were signed that day. Mr. Clark's short message was to recognize and help prevent it all from happening again. While at the event, I had occasion to talk to the current Mayor of San Diego, TX and he quietly said to me about the book, its only the tip of the iceberg.George Berham Parr changed U.S. history by orchestrating a vote fraud that caused Lyndon B. Johnson to become a U.S. Senator and later a good candidate for Vice President with Kennedy to help get southern votes. Many Texans never thought of Johnson as presidential material and after two Kennedy terms LBJ would have been too old to run effectively.But The Duke of Duval made it happen, leading eventually to LBJ's starting programs that today have been bloated by beltway politicians until they are about to bankrupt the country and destroy our culture.The speech in Mr. Clark's book, delivered by Mr. Josh Groce, a San Antonio attorney, should be MUST reading for any student of history.

Robin Hood or Plain Crook? The fall of the Duke of Duval County, written by the G-Man that brought him down after the government had given up ever bringing him to "justice", is a well written insight to a political boss's domain that may have shaped the destiny of the United States by his making sure that LBJ was elected senator in the late 40's. How it was done is revealed along with information on how he lived like a "king" in a poor county where many loved him, but many hated him too. An amazing and fascinating book in which one can detect a certain touch of admiration, by the author, for The Duke who is still held in high esteem by many in the county where his family 'ruled' since the early 1900's. A view of a big fish in a small pond, but with a power that was looked up to by Presidents!