When Odessa struck oil 15 years ago, West Texans yahooed with delight. Last week, when a man named Hoiles struck Odessa (pop. 40,000), few citizens knew whether to toss their Stetsons into the air or jump on them. Even by Texas standards, the newcomer looked as ruggedly individualistic as a steer on the loose.
Terrible-tempered Publisher Raymond Cyrus Hoiles, 69, who already owned six newspapers in five states,* bought the Odessa American, in partnership with 20 employees, for more than $200,000. Like the Chicago Tribune, whose editorials he reprints on days when his own...
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