By far, the most read blog I ever posted is entitled, “The State Line Mob and Buford Pusser.” I know that because I have software that shows how many come to this blog and how they got here. For example, if someone goes to a search engine like Google and types in “Buford Pusser” or “State Line Mob” and comes to that article, I can see it. I don’t know who they are or where they are but I can see their path to getting here (pic is of Towhead White).
Incredibly, I continue to see folks every week coming from a search engine directly to the State Line Mob article I posted here. Evidently there are a lot of folks infatuated with the story of Buford Pusser and the State Line Mob.
And I have to tell you, the more I learn about that story, the more infatuated I become.
I was in Corinth MS this past week and as I have before, I continued to ask questions of the local folks who knew such notorious Corinth characters such as Towhead White, Jack & Louise Hathcock, Pee Wee Walker, Tommy Bivens, Junior Smith, Nimbo Price and Emma Drewry. And I also asked questions about such infamous places as the Shamrock Motel and Restaurant, the Plantation Club, Theresa’s Truck Stop, the Rustic Inn, the El-Ray Motel and Drewry’s Steakhouse ("mean as a snake" Louise Hathcock pictured here).
Since my first visit to Corinth, I have re-watched the 1973 hit movie, “Walking Tall” and I have read the book, “The State Line Mob” by W. R. Morris. This week I picked up a couple of other books entitled, “Tommy and Me” by Barbara Drewry and “Walking On” by Dwana Pusser. Barbara was the niece of wild woman Emma Drewry and Dwana is Buford Pusser’s daughter. Although both have inside perspectives of this amazing saga, their accounts of the facts are somewhat different.
For you folks investigating, researching and curious, I will give you a few more details about this incredible story:
1. The El-Ray Motel, where the infamous gangster Towhead White was riddled with bullets in 1969, is still standing on Hwy 45 south of Corinth. Towhead White was on the FBI’s list of the most dangerous criminals in the US. Some think Towhead, although in prison at the time, masterminded the ambush that killed Pauline Pusser and left Buford for dead. And some people think Buford Pusser had Towhead killed that night to even the score.
2. Drewry’s Steakhouse, which sits next door to the El-Ray, also still stands. After reading Barbara’s book this weekend, I now know there is also a lot of history that took place at that steakhouse.
3. Up to now, I thought Louise Hathcock, the madam of the infamous Shamrock Motel, was killed by Buford Pusser in self defense. Author Barbara Drewry Bivins thought otherwise.
4. Tommy Bivens is the only man that ever beat the snot out of Towhead White. Now I’m confused as to if he beat him up before Towhead shot him or afterwards. Either way it all happened the same night.
5. Tommy Bivens shot and killed Nimbo Price at Tommy’s house. Tommy calmly called the police and said, “I just shot Nimbo.”
6. Jack Hathcock had Pee Wee Walker killed.
7. Louise Hathcock shot and killed her husband Jack.
8. Emma Drewry had a habit of grabbing men in the crotch at Theresa’s Truck Stop which she and her husband owned and operated.
9. Although there are conflicting opinions about the heroics of the legendary Buford Pusser, it is a fact that he jailed more than 7,500 hundred people during his six year tenure as sheriff of McNairy County.
10. Pusser was stabbed seven times and shot eight times during his tenure as Sheriff.
11. Buford Pusser was killed in an automobile accident in 1974. His daughter, Dwana, in her new book “Walking On” is convinced the wreck was not an accident.
For you folks out there with inside knowledge about the story of the State Line Mob and Buford Pusser, I welcome your comments. Or if you have questions or other comments about this incredible story, I welcome those as well.
For you younger folks who have no idea what I’m talking about, watch the first “Walking Tall” movie starring Joe Don Baker. Then come back and read my blogs.
You just might become infatuated too.
38 comments:
I too share your curiosity over the "Dixie Mafia" and their dealings. There are also a couple of very good books detailing their exploits in Phenix City, Ala. You are certainly correct that there is widespread dissention over the issue of whether Pusser was a good guy, or just as crooked as all the rest.
I haven't had the opportunity to pick up a copy of Tommy & Me which it is believed Barbra took the title from Priscilla Presley's book Elvis & Me. Barbra claimed to have dated Elvis a short while she also attended one of his early concerts in Corinth. I was a member of Barbara's forum (Little Chicago) & read her daily writings often until she passed last yr.But her site is still open & the archives are still available. Her daughter runs it. I know of all the accusations people have tried to pass off as truth about Buford & I know none of it has been proven only opinions but they slander his name anyway without proof. Some of it is unbelievable really. Buford was no saint but until I see hard evidence against the man I will remain a fan. People know these stories only hurt Dawana & family but they continue publicly anyway. I understand seeking the truth which is all they claim to be doing but its clearly something else. I have heard Barbra never mentioned in her book that she overheard Buford & Pauline arguing outside the Old Hickory the night before Paulines death she claimed she heard Buford threaten her. Wonder why she never included it.
This was Barbara's very last post on her Little Chicago forum dated Sat.Jul26,2008 9:44am. She passed away that evening.When WALKING TALL first came out, I think everybody around here went
to see it. Well...everybody except W.O. Hathcock, Jr. He said he
wasn't about to pay to see that garbage. But Larece Hathcock did go
to see it at the Skylark Drive-In Theater, just like Tommy and I
did.
So W.O. never saw WALKING TALL until many years later. And he saw
it right up there on North Madison Street the night he and Larece
were having dinner with Tommy and me.
I remember it well. We'd left the TV on in the living room. Then
just as we sat down at the dining room table to eat, WALKING TALL
was suddenly coming on the TV in the living room (it was a living
room/dining room combination).
Quickly coming to my feet I said, "I'll turn that thing off."
"No, wait a minute," W.O. said. "I wanna see it."
Somewhat surprised that he actaully wanted to watch it, I told him
there was absolutely NOTHING true in the whole movie and I didn't
want him to get indigestion. (And I didn't want to get indigestion
either.)
That's when Tommy spoke up and said, "Now Barbara, there's a
couple of things in that movie that's true."
"Oh, yeah," I said. "Name one."
Tommy sat there for a minute, then just as sober as a judge he
said, "Well...Buford was the sheriff of McNairy County, and Pauline
did get murdered."
Now we sat there for a long moment just staring at him, then
suddenly all of us burst out laughing.
Does anyone know wher I can get a copy of" Tommy and Me "?
I just thought i would post and say thank you for your interest. I am 17 and live in Corinth, MS. I know Junior Smith because he is a friend of the family, My grandfather knew all these people (he was a cop here for 35 years). I have had the opportunity to meet Dwana and she seems a little caught up in the cynical aspect of it all.
Thanks again for your interest
Oh and yes
according to 15 to 20 eyewitnesses
W.R. Morris's book is nothing but a lot of controversy. Most of them would just like to choke him. Around corinth they think he just tried to make money when walking tall was popular by telling the "true story" and that is in most peoples opinions. So do some more research, before you start believing everything. There are still plenty of people alive that went through all of this and can tell you there stories and that is the best resource you can get
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I've been a Police Officer for over 24 years now and spent much of that time as a Criminal Investigator. One thing I learned many years ago when dealing with drama and sagas such as this topic, is never approach any recounted event by any witness as being all truth or all lies. Read between the lines. ...and most of all, verify every statement before you take it as a lie or as truth. With that said, I met Buford in a small Mississippi town 5 days before he was killed in the crash. I was 9 years old and my dad who was a cop at the time took me to see him. I remember always thinking my dad was such a big man until we met Buford. I saw my dad look up to him in admiration as well as size. I was hooked then. Gotta be a "Police Officer" when I "get big". Many years have passed now and I've since spent many countless hours reading and visiting the places mentioned in this saga. Went to Angola once a few years ago and got to eyeball ole Nix. I Followed the continuation of this saga in South Mississippi in the early 90's when Nix put the hit on a judge and his wife. Yeah, for those of you unaware, 1 man lived out of 4 that were in that ambush car that killed Pauline in 64. He ended up in the Louisiana State Pen for killing again later and drew a "natural life" sentence. While there, he ordered a hit from his lock-up. That's a whole 'nuther story hooked to this one. My best friend and I were on what we called one of our "Dixie Mafia Scouting Trips" once in rural Tennessee and without even looking for it, saw a sign in the middle of nowhere stating "Buford Pusser Books Sold Here". A trailer house and an old joint sitting in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a wooded area. We stopped and guess who? WR Morris. In short he came out of the joint, walked to the trailer and sold us a book and signed a few others for us. He, to say the least, loved the attention and was more than willing to give his side of the whole story. I guess, to sum this up, what I'd really like to express is that these characters did really exist. They were most all, really common people who really wanted to be more than they were. In the mix were some really bad people who paid the authorities well to operate. Hollywood gave them all the opportunity to be more than they were with the first movie and they just stepped up to say "look at me!" I grew up in the rural South and knew people just like most of these. I do truly believe after all that I've read, seen, witnessed and investigated that Buford was overall the man portrayed in the first movie. Not exact, but very close. As someone else reported here, he wasn't a Saint, but his heart was for the most part in the right place. Many times as a Cop, dealing with total scum and then dealing with good people and watching the scum take advantage of the former, I've wanted to handle the situation as Buford did. These were and are the only methods that some people understand and to be completely honest, expect. As they say, the game is still the same, only the characters have changed. The moral to this whole story was, is and will always be....no matter how tough you are or think you are, there's always someone out there a little tougher.
It's amazing after all these years that people still talk about Mr.Pusser. It goes to show that he has became a folk hero to many. I have memories of seeing Walking Tall prt 1,2, on t.v. in the 1980's. If he had of lived beyond his years would there be intrest in him? Certain people and how they lived reflects their legacy. Southern organized crime members I look at them some what differently than current ones of 2000's. Drug dealing has become more of a scourge than the 1950-60's. Even though old timers had rules,board member like voting procedures, they were discreet about there activities. Today's street criminals act like diseased virus's,seems like just so out of Control,,too public!
As far as what people say about Buford Pusser I know for a fact that his car crash was no accident; witnesses who were interviewed by the FBI stated that they seen two to three men tampering with Bufords car hours before it crashed killing Buford: the car was not completely destroyed in the fire, evidence showed that the steering Mech. had been tampered with along with the brake lines; witnesses identified these men as having ties with the state line mob etc. this evidence was never made public, this was done to protect Bufords daughter as the state line mob was still around at the time; the state line mobs run had come to an end after Buford died. However, new evidence came to light about 4 years ago that Buford never died in that automobile accident and that he is still alive, Dwana knew all along that her Father was still alive, his where abouts is unknown... the only ones who know his where abouts is the U.S Marshalls and the FBI and his Daughter; as the state line mob is still active in McNairy Co. Tenn. but; they have gone undergound so that no one knows they are still around. To this day the state line mob thinks that Buford Pusser is dead. Dwana Pusser will never really admit that her Father is still alive; all I can say is that he is the Sheriff for a Law Enforcement agency in some other State, that State can NOT be revealed for the safety of him and his Daughter and her Family.
lots of people believe that Buford pussier was a hero and to some he may have been but the truth is a man who beats another man with a big stick is no hero.also what rights he believed in is what he thought you should have. Buford pussier was a bully with a badge that is his legacy to tn.
I knew Towhead White, he was related to family members. If he was so evil, why would he move his sister, his niece and his mother to Corinth so someone could find them and harm them to get to him. When I was around him he was the nicest, most well mannered person you could ask for. Towhead was not a saint but those were rough times. He bootlegged whiskey and that landed him in the cross hairs of Buford Pusser who bent the law to keep things the way he wanted and to built his legend.
It's dumb ass people like you that say dumb ass things like that.when you don't have a clue about anything...
As to the comment that Sheriff Pusser is still alive, you are full of it. Sheriff Pusser was not a saint but he did his job. He was in office as sheriff of McNairy county for only six years and his agency still managed to arrest approximately 7,500 offenders. He had a mistress which is impossible to defend, but he loved his wife and his family. The Walking Tall movies were total crap and a product of Hollywood but history paints a different story of Sheriff Pusser. He was and will forever be a legend and he lived up to and exceeded the Hollywood version of his life.
I really enjoy reading both sides of this store my husband and myself have visited all the graves and we have had a chance to meet dwana Steve and Jack and we have listened to their story's we would love the chance to speake to the other side and here there stories nobody really knows everything that has happened and never will don't speak bad of people because they both still have families that lives I understand wanting to know about it because we do but you would never speak bad of people
Does anyone remember when Towhead White checked himself into magnolia hospital when the cops were looking for him?
I don't see how you can say this, were you with him the last hours of his life ?unless you were at the country club in vanity I know you were not. He was stuck plain and simple and lost control.Anyone who believes any part of the Walking Tall movies is living in a made for movie world since the truth is not even close to what is told or shown.(
I hate to burst your childhood bubble but Bufords heart was anywhere but in the right place.
Movies was nothing but a pack of lies,
it is what it is folks
I WOULD THINK WITH ALL THESE HALF TRUTHS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY GRADPA YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK SOMEONE WHO IS BLOOD RELATED.. YES YES I AM..
THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER WHITE
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY GRANDPA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK SOMEONE WHO IS BLOOD..
THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER WHITE..
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY GRANDPA YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK BLOOD FAMILY.. YE YES I AM AND PROUD OF IT..
SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOYT MY GRANDPA YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK HIS REMAINING BLOOD RELATIVES.. YES YES I AM..
I worked at the ShamRock as a very young person running errands and odd jobs. I knew White well and saw lots of things done to people. Many people came to harm back in the 60's in the dirty triangle. I spent a lot of years in prison for my part of crimes yet I must say it was very wild ride.
Do all of you notice, Sheriff Pusser is the only one that wasnt a criminal. Defending White and the rest is a joke. Go ask any inmate, they are all innocent. Lol sorry if they have kinfolk on here, but they were bad people that committed crimes qnd many violent. Live by it, die by it
Author Robert Broughton's new book "Ghost Tales of the State Line Mob seems to put a lot of tall tales to fact. His research is backed up with tons of official documentation, autopsy reports, and court documents, as well as a huge amount of photos. Lots of suffering by decendants on BOTH sides of the story. I personally think Barbra Bivens' book was bullshit, although somewhat entertaining. W.R. Morris seem to take some liberties as well. Good storytelling does not equal FACT many times, and Broughton's book is well written and throughly done.
Author Robert Broughton's new book "Ghost Tales of the State Line Mob seems to put a lot of tall tales to fact. His research is backed up with tons of official documentation, autopsy reports, and court documents, as well as a huge amount of photos. Lots of suffering by decendants on BOTH sides of the story. I personally think Barbra Bivens' book was bullshit, although somewhat entertaining. W.R. Morris seem to take some liberties as well. Good storytelling does not equal FACT many times, and Broughton's book is well written and throughly done.
I am the curator at the Sheriff Buford Pusser Home & Museum, in Adamsville. We sell the book 'Ghost Tales of the State Line Mob' along with 'Sheriff Buford Pusser Headlines & Pictorial Book' that just came out in December. Both books are WONDERFUL! Mr. Broughton is a very knowledgeable and a very generous man that wrote the book for the museum and it has done wonders for us! I asked him to put all of the newspaper articles about Sheriff Pusser into a book because our visitors could spend the whole day trying to read them all during a tour. We have had two book signings. Pee Wee Walker's daughters and Karen Jones, Jack and Louise's granddaughter, were here with us. We had a great time! Please come and see us for a tour and purchase the books. You'll be glad that you did!
well I don't know if sheriff Pusser was a crook,because I didn't even know him,but why would he have such brutal damage done to his face if that were true
I just came through Adamsville, and the state line today. I saw signs about The movie Walking Tall and it made me remember seeibg it in 1973. Reality though, is what really happened will never be fully known, not to the general public anyways. Speculation, rumors and hearsay are all questionable. And the truth, I guess, should stay buried in peace so that the living relatives of all those involved, don't have to relive it after half a century. Even though it was raining like cats and dogs down there today, it was a beautiful place.
Think of it like this... You go to the store and buy some milk. The sheriff walks up, takes it from you and says that's my milk. You say, no I just bought it give it back or I'm calling the sheriff... but more than milk was spilled I can assure you.
-Jake (Corinth, MS)
Think of it like this... You go to the store and buy some milk. The sheriff walks up, takes it from you and says that's my milk. You say, no I just bought it give it back or I'm calling the sheriff... but more than milk was spilled I can assure you.
-Jake (Corinth, MS)
Think of it like this... You go in a store and buy some milk. As your walking out the sherrif decides he wants that milk and takes it. You tell him that it's yours, give it back or ill call the sherrif... Although I can assure you milk wasn't involved. There are 2 sides to every story. The only ones that know the truth are the ones that were there. I'm not one of them, and neither are most of the people telling the story. The blogger has the right idea. Find the ones that were there. Tell their story and let the reader be the judge.
Personally I'm from Corinth. I have no doubt he did some good things. I find it very very hard to believe there was not some foul play going on with the good. All my life all I have ever heard growing up was how crooked he was. But as with all stories, the details deep d on what side of the table the speaker is sitting on.
-Jacob- (Corinth,MS)
This obviously comes from someone who has never been on the bad side of the Law. Uh ya know, there are innocent people in prison and a hell of a lot of dirty cops today. To think that just because someone has a badge makes him a good guy is just down right ignorance and lack of experience in dealing with the Law.
Yes, Robert Broughton's books are indeed full of interesting photos and official documentation. It appears however, that the opinions espressed in his novels are meaningless
W.O. Hathcock, Howard Bunch and others were investigated by Warren Jones and John Sloan of the TBI, was well as investigators Rex Armisted well as Charlie Goforth of Mississippi. There were also several local agencies from both McNairy County TN and Alcorn County MS investigating as well. Doesn't anyone find it odd that all of these agencies failed in finding enough evidence to make Hathcock, Bunch or any of their associates as serious suspects in the alleged ambush?
Broughton writes if he were there listening in as plans were made by Hathcock and Bunch. He also makes it sound as if he were there as the ambush was executed.
Don't be decieved by the fact that his books have lots of photos and documents, many of which have little or nothing to do with the alleged ambush and death of Pauline Pusser. Much of it is fodder to distract readers.
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