J. J. Cleveland came from Tennessee and taught mathematics. Think he
was superintendent of the school. That he came here with a crippled upstart of fellow who took dope. The girls and others made it hard
for the morphine man. Then Cleveland clerked for Spurlin. Spurlin told him
to sell for cash for anything they could, one of the times when he was
going broke. But when it came to testifying in court Mr. Cleveland wouldn’t
lie for him.
In this case in 1891 or 1892 John L. Dyer of Waco, represented the
creditors and made a famous speech ,that he was smiling and suave as he
spoke - "the good Ship Hearn and Company sailed the placid sea,"
etc. My father who had just started out said he helped Mr. Dyer. The Waco
firm, I believe, was Clark and Dyer, George Clark being the one who ran
for governor against Jim Hogg, a couple of stints. In the early twenties,
I worked for a short time for John L. Dyer, Jr. in El Paso. The nasty
papers in this case are still in the clerk’s office. Oscar Calloway,
Comanche, told me when young he listened to George Clark make a speech in
Comanche, saying "Elect Hogg governor, and grass will grow in your
streets." Many years later he mentioned this to Judge Clark, who
said,"I was h___ of a prophet!")