Another case without proof now.tape lost Years ago when I was in the Air Force my wife was working for a vendor at the base exchange and she had a friend that was a big wheel in the country music business in Nashville (name escapes me now).He sent me this tape of people talking of Hanks death.He and couple more were at the Andrew Jackson hotel in Knoxville on the night in question(ie Dec 30) they heard a commotion in the lobby.Heard them talking about a dead guy in one of the rooms that they had to move out because the hotel didn't want any news about Hank Williams dieing there bad for business.Had to wait couple hours for the lobby to get quite so they could move him.After 11 or so they did move him and put him in the back of a Cadillac car
So assuming facts not in evidence lost tape and no other proof.Hank Williams was already dead that Friday night before they left Knoxville.
About the burses on his body it's a well known rumor (fact that Hanks mother beat on him quite regularly.
According to the chapter on Billy Jean in the book Nashville Wives Hanks mother was giving him shots all during Christmas that would make him goofy.That's my story and I'm sticking to it but with the tape it's just another story.
Jim
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Hank Williams Died on this date... and still lives in the
lives of many due to the circumstances of his death... here is an example of a note I received this very am...
Regarding Hanks death....
Regarding Hanks death....
Hank's truck was full of items that were later sold by Carr and Surface.
When Sox put a mirror under Hank's nose and could detect no breath and
checked Hank's pulse and found nothing( his wife was an RN at a
Bluefield hospital)...
didn't take Hank to the hospital ...but waited to pickup Surface who
was coming off a taxi shift....
An Abingdon Va. man offered to give me a Hank poster for a museum
which is still available... he bought this poster in the 50's from
Carr.
What Carr did would still be considered negligent homicide in many
places. Since he is a principal at the museum where the car is--
honor him for his truthfulness if you wish.
The day Carr and Hank came in Dec 31 Carr never introduced himself
and told me to leave Hank alone when I was talking to him. When
he wanted me to run several errands to Sox he referred to me as
"kid" , never bothering to learn my name. I became aware of his name
only later.... Over the years he has used "Andrew" and Charles.
The old man with poster called him "Andy". His story has changed
over the years drastically . On the internet you can check it if you
please. Most of the time he has lived around Roanoke Va before
moving back to Alabama.
The fact remains he left Knoxville around midnight(ie Dec 30) and he
made a call to the Charleston WV promoter canceling that Dec 31 gig
at about 6 pm Dec 31....without ever mentioning that Hank was dead;
this article is on-line in the WV sate magazine Goldenseal
Here are some answers to other posters in other places:
After Hank was ejected from the Tut he got Carr to open
the trunk of the Caddy.... Andrew Carr sent me inside to get
owner sox White and both stopped Hank from going back inside.
Bluefield driver Danny Surface made it known that he had 2
of Hank's pistols. He said he sold them to a to-remain-
anonymous Nashville "personality" in the late 50's. He wore
Hank's white jacket oftentimes until (Surface's) death in the 70's.
Within about 15-20 minutes he self-administered the fatal dose
and Carr sent me back in to get Sox.
You can trace Carr's ever-changing version of the truth with a
little research yourself--even on the internet. If I had gone
to the police I would have been unwelcome in the Tut from then
on. Even my mother warned me not to get involved. What set me off
was the 50th anniversary story and Carr's profiting on what
is really negligent homicide and more.
Lot's of people around Bluefield knew at least one aspect of
Hank's last day in Bluefield up into the late 60's-70's. I'm
pretty sure Patsy Cline was among them. For me I'm perfectly
willing to take a lie detector test of any kind on the issue
of Hank's last day in Bluefield WV--something which I am sure
Carr will never do. Better move expeditiously if interested as
I have a cancerous tumor .......B Mays
After owner Sox White couldn't find any pulse, he ordered
first driver Carr off premises. Carr didn't take Hank
to the hospital but left in the direction of downtown
Bluefield...
WV gig (scheduled for that night 8 or 9 pm [Dec 31, 1952]
and informed the promoter that Hank would not be able to
make it.
If Hank was dead at 4-5pm (it was still daylight) the call
was made at about 6pm. Carr never mentioned that Hank was
presumably dead. There is on-line proof of this call in
a WV state magazine publication ie Goldenseal which can be
googled. The call was made from Bluefield.
Hank spent his last day (Dec 31, 1952)very sick the entire
day. He had a sandwich or two before him and some open
beers--of which he partook little, if any of either. I made
it my business to know such things in those days as I was
was running errands for change (soft drinks, hamburgers,beer
etc)for the business next door(a car lot). When Hank ordered,
I hit him up for a soda. He had no change at all as Carr had
all his money. He gave me a guitar pick instead.
Donny Surface was the name everyone knew him by around Bluefield.
He was a life-long resident of Bluefield and never lived in Tennessee.
He was a life-long boyfriend of Hazel Schultz and taxi driver in town.
He was an extremely thin guy like Hank and in fact wore Hank's jacket
around Bluefield for years until his death in the 70's. He was Hazel
Schultz's boyfriend all those years even though she was married and
divorced a couple of times. Donny Surface made it known that he had
2 of Hank's pistols (for sale) for years and said he did sale them to
"a Nashville personality" (ie to remain anonymous) in the late 50's.
He visited my father's car lot many time until his death.
If memory serves me Hank and Carr left Knoxville about midnight Dec
30. Today the drive to Bluefield is about 4 1/2 hours. Route 11
even in those days was relatively straight and even had a few 4-laned
stretches, but at Wytheville route 52 to Bluefield was extremely slow-
especially in the winter. Two mountains, Big Walker and East River
could have taken an hour each pre-interstate.
It could have taken as much as 8 hours in 1952. In fact they arrived
right at opening time at King Tut in Bluefield at about 10 am
Dec 31. Carr may have been familiar with the Tennessee to
Roanoke route (where he lived for years) but the mountains were
snow covered and must have scared him to death. He asked Hazel
for he could fine an experienced driver--she recommended Donny.
Later at noon she left for the Dough Boy where she double-shifted.
Hank and Carr spent the day at the Tut except for a trip up town
to meet Surface. Surface agreed to drive but didn't get off until
5 or 6. Owner Sox ordered Carr off premises when he couldn't find
a pulse between 4-5 pm. Obviously Carr didn't take Hank to the
hospital. But he did manage to call the Charleston WV promoter
to tell him that Hank couldn't make the 8 or 9 pm gig there. He
didn't mention that Hank was dead......
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