Malcolm Wallace - what happened?

[James Richards]

It seems to me that there must have been a moment in Wallace's life when things turned 180 degrees. He was a prominent and active member of Woodrow Wilson High School, he was a campus leader at the University of Texas and seemingly a popular student.

In a matter of a few short years though, he would be mixed up in murder and all variety of sordid carry on. If Wallace was recruited out of UT by Lyndon Johnson (or a Johnson associate), surely that was because Wallace would have been potentially seen as an effective campaign and or political aide; not as a hitman. Let's face it, as a mechanic, Wallace was less than proficient.

The question is, at what point did things turn for him and why do we have this guy seemingly behind several murders?

In the image below, that is a young Malcolm Wallace on the right.

James

[Ron Ecker]

James,

I don't know the answer to the question, except that Wallace's first big known mistake was getting mixed up with Lyndon Johnson. I imagine it was much the same as working for a Mafia don. You do what you're told to do.

Cliff Carter may also have been a good man at one time, but made the same mistake. At least according to Billie Sol Estes, who says Carter was given the job of planning the assassination.

Could it also have something to do with a certain mentality that existed among a certain segment of Texas society? That is certainly what Estes implies. Here is how he describes it in his book Estes: A Living Legend, pp. 141-142:

"The real story behind the assassination is just plain simple. Nothing elaborate, just a country turkey shoot with some country boys doing the shooting. The fact is President Kennedy did not understand Texas and its business ways. Even today, if I want to make sure something happens, I invite the people to meet me in my county. If things do not work out, I have them arrested. Pretty soon, they see things my way. Kennedy should never have come to Texas. He knew a majority of Texans hated him but he just did not realize the danger. He was a member of the intellectual elite and pretentious. He did not realize that LBJ and his friends intended to kill him."

Ron

[James Richards]

Thanks, Ron.

The passage from Estes is interesting indeed. It does seem that LBJ was poison. He and his cronies like some dark shadow across the landscape.

As to Wallace, the murder of Douglas Kinser could be seen as a crime of passion but the Henry Marshall affair is curious indeed. The ineptness displayed was staggering. Wallace was obviously an amatuer which makes one wonder why he was employed for such a task.

Cheers,

James

[John Simkin]

It seems to me that there must have been a moment in Wallace's life when things turned 180 degrees. He was a prominent and active member of Woodrow Wilson High School, he was a campus leader at the University of Texas and seemingly a popular student.

In a matter of a few short years though, he would be mixed up in murder and all variety of sordid carry on. If Wallace was recruited out of UT by Lyndon Johnson (or a Johnson associate), surely that was because Wallace would have been potentially seen as an effective campaign and or political aide; not as a hitman. Let's face it, as a mechanic, Wallace was less than proficient.

The question is, at what point did things turn for him and why do we have this guy seemingly behind several murders?

You raise an important point here and if you look closely at the evidence it is possible to see Wallace in a different light.

In 1941 Wallace became a student at the University of Texas in Austin. He began to take an interest in politics and was elected president of the Student Union. At this stage he definitely held left-wing views. For example, in October, 1944, Wallace led the protests against the sacking of Homer P. Rainey, president of the University of Texas and an outspoken supporter of the Socialist Party. Wallace organized a demonstration of 8,000 students. Rainey was a popular figure and during the war young people took the issue of freedom of speech very seriously – after all, they were expected to give up their lives to protect this right in Europe.

Attempts to have Rainey reinstated ended in failure. However, Wallace had now identified himself as a left-wing activist. His card was marked. Unless he changed his views he would be blacklisted.

Left-wing activists in the 1940s were a target for the intelligence services. It would be pointed out that if they persisted in holding these “un-American” views they would have a lifetime of suffering. Having a successful career would be impossible. However, if you willing to become an intelligence “asset” you would be protected and would in fact receive considerable help in your chosen career.

The FBI was full of assets that had been turned like this. So was the CIA. There is a good reason for this. The best anti-communists are always former left-wingers. For example, when William Buckley established the National Review (clearly a CIA front organization), he overwhelmingly recruited former members of left-wing organizations. Buckley himself had been recruited into the CIA by John Burnham, a former Trotskyist leader. The idea is that once you betray the idealism of your youth, you will never return to your former beliefs. The deep sense of guilt that you have ensures that you hate those former beliefs with a passion that non-political people find difficult to understand.

I therefore believe that Wallace was recruited into the intelligence services between 1945 and 1950. If it had been the early part of this period it would have been the FBI. If it was later than that it could have been the CIA.

After the war Wallace worked on his doctorate at Columbia University. He also taught at Long Island University, the University of Texas and the University of North Carolina. The fact that he was allowed to do this suggested that he had already betrayed his earlier beliefs.

During this period Wallace became friendly with Edward Clark who introduced him to Lyndon B. Johnson in October, 1950. Soon afterwards, LBJ got Wallace a job with the United States Department of Agriculture in Texas. I think this suggests that Wallace might have been brought in to spy on LBJ. Remember, at this stage in his career, LBJ was seen as a “liberal” (he was at this time a passionate New Dealer).

If I am right, this raises the issue of who Wallace was really working for. Was it LBK, Clark, the FBI or the CIA. The answer to that question might well explain Wallace’s behaviour in the 1950s and 1960s.

[Steve Mcdonagh]

"The real story behind the assassination is just plain simple. Nothing elaborate, just a country turkey shoot with some country boys doing the shooting. The fact is President Kennedy did not understand Texas and its business ways. Even today, if I want to make sure something happens, I invite the people to meet me in my county. If things do not work out, I have them arrested. Pretty soon, they see things my way. Kennedy should never have come to Texas. He knew a majority of Texans hated him but he just did not realize the danger. He was a member of the intellectual elite and pretentious. He did not realize that LBJ and his friends intended to kill him."

Is it a fact that Mac Wallace’s fingerprint was found on the 6th floor of the TSBD as Nathan Darby was “positive” of? – Who’s interview in TMWKK is among the most convincing of any witness in the JFK assassination case I have personally witnessed. He is absolutely certain that the print was a match.

And if it is not a fact, then can someone direct me to evidence that adequately and satisfactory refutes it?

Thanks - Steve