Standing in the shadow of our State Capital. Albert was elected State attorney general in 1953 on a platform to clean up Phoenix City, an Alabama den of sin and inequity that served Ft Benning, Georgia, the huge Army base just across the river from PC. The Phoenix City mob assassinated him before he could even take office. Albert’s son John took his place, brought in the National Guard, and did clean up. John Patterson later served as governor, and was the only man ever to beat George Wallace in an election. As a student in nearby Auburn, I visited Ma Beechie’s place in Phoenix City a coupla’ times in ’50 and ’51 — but didn’t inhale. Patterson’s right shoe has a built-up sole and he is wearing his Phi Beta Kappa key on his tie chain.

-Charles Humphries