Lyndon Johnson and Mac Wallace - by Joan Mellen

[Tom Bowden]

BSE was foiled in his attempt to get a pardon from LBJ. He tried through his contacts both inside and outside the administration. He was rebuffed by Cliff Carter and Walter Jenkins. An acquaintance of mine owned several country newspapers and at that time, had considerable political clout. He refused to even discuss the subject with LBJ. BSE created the tape story in an attempt to blackmail Johnson to get a pardon. LBJ knew he was not on any tapes. Cliff Carter was not sure for he had been the go between on political favors to BSE. Nothing about the assassination were every discussed as being on the tapes from the 60's.

BSE made many friends during his two stays in Federal Prison. The Chargra brothers from El Paso were friends both before, during and after prison. His lasting friendship was with Chauncey Smalldome from the Colorado mob. Smalldome was the source for BSE's assassination knowledge. Smalldome was tied directly into the Dallas Mob scene and used some of the same enforcers.

I think the Johnson family was trying to protect LBJ's legacy not his active involvement in the assassination. Walter Jenkins, after he was removed from the Washington scene on the homosexual charges, remained on the Johnson payroll his entire life.

This reminds me of my appearance on a gay TV program some years ago to discuss if Lincoln was bisexual. He was suspected of being bisexual because when he first came to Washington, he roomed with a man and slept in the same bed. This was common practice during those days to save money. However, it did lead to a rumor. After all in one TV episode, Ben Cartright slept with a man..lol