Shady Wall | |
---|---|
Louisiana State Representative from Ouachita Parish (later District 15) | |
In office 1948–1956 |
|
Preceded by |
D. Ross Banister |
Succeeded by | H. Lawrence Gibbs |
In office 1968–1984 |
|
Preceded by | George A. Wood |
Succeeded by | Evelyn Blackmon |
Personal details | |
Born |
Shady Robert Wall December 11, 1922 Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, U.S. |
Died | September 4, 1985 Houston, Texas |
(aged 62)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Lallage Feazel Wall |
Children | No children |
Parents | Shadrack Jefferson and Elizabeth Cobb Wall |
Residence |
West Monroe Ouachita Parish |
Occupation | Banker |
(1) As chairman of the Louisiana House Retirement Committre, Wall required that all legislators' bills bear his pre-approval and his authorship, a longstanding violation of House rules which gives the author of bills sole power over their disposition. (2) On at least two occasions, Wall either shot at or pulled a pistol on legislative colleagues who angered him. (3) Even his critics conceded that Wall's strong-armed tactics, if essential, still saved taxpayers millions in the cost of additional retirement benefits to state and local officials. |
D. Ross Banister
(1) As chairman of the Louisiana House Retirement Committre, Wall required that all legislators' bills bear his pre-approval and his authorship, a longstanding violation of House rules which gives the author of bills sole power over their disposition.
(2) On at least two occasions, Wall either shot at or pulled a pistol on legislative colleagues who angered him.
Shady Robert Wall (December 11, 1922 – September 4, 1985) was a banker and philanthropist from West Monroe in his native Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, who served nonconsecutively as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1948–1956 and 1968-1984.
Wall is remembered for his colorful dress, speeding in his Rolls Royce, flamboyant personality, gifts to local charity, and his penchant for packing a pistol in his boot holster. He was also an iron-fisted chairman of the House Retirement Committee in his later legislative tenure.
Wall's legislative tenure corresponded with the administrations of Governors Earl Kemp Long, Robert F. Kennon, John J. McKeithen, Edwin Washington Edwards, and David C. Treen. Of the governors between 1948 and 1984, Wall served under all except Jimmie Davis.
At the start of his second term in the legislature, Wall, allied with Governor Kennon, challenged in 1952 the reelection of U.S. Representative Otto E. Passman of Monroe, whose service extended from 1947 to 1977. He polled only 7,199 votes to 28,404 for the popular incumbent.