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Next thing Louisiana knew, Dr. & Mrs. Smith had turned up at Brockville, Ont., and State and local authorities were tumbling over themselves for the glory of bringing back the fugitives. Dr. Smith in his hey-heyday had bought a $20,000 plane wherein to lug promising athletes to L. S. U. and on week-end pleasure trips This was the craft in which L. S. U.'s president was to be flown home to face charges. Inasmuch as the flying "football beef" (as the students called it) had only four seats and required a pilot, only one officer could go along if both Dr. & Mrs Smith were to be returned in it. Sheriff N. H. De Bretton at Baton Rouge demanded the honor for one of his men. "Not in the State's airplane," rejoined General Louis Guerre of the State Police. At this juncture Earl Long settled the row: Dr. Smith should come back by plane, in custody of one State policeman, one local investigator. Mrs. Smith would follow by train, also in custody. The plane flew to Brockville, flew back again without Dr. Smith when he refused to be separated from his wife. Eventually Dr. Smith & wife, with Louisiana officers, set off for Baton Rouge in Dr. Smith's auto. Dr. Smith declared himself in a hurry to get back to fight the charges against him.
Meantime, WPA, PWA, Congress and the U. S. Department of Justice peered more intently than ever into the use of Federal funds and the status of certain income taxes in Louisiana. Attorney Gen eral Frank Murphy in Washington intimated that he had known for weeks of matters amiss in Baton Rouge. Recently Mr. Murphy accepted an honorary de gree from L. S. U.
Louisiana's second Governor Long on his first day in office put flowers on the grave of Brother Huey. Earl Long also conferred with New Orleans' Boss & Mayor Robert S. Maestri, who is the most potent politician left in Louisiana. For his motto Earl Long picked up a Biblical proverb: "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right."
"This maxim," observed the pious New Orleans Times-Picayune, ". . . is an admirably appropriate motto for an incoming Governor of Louisiana at this time."