Last Gangster in Austin: Frank Smith, Ronnie Earle, and the End of a Junkyard Mafia (Jess and Betty Jo Hay)

Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure. With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds. But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and underworld plots the book describes, Willie Nelson makes a cameo. So do the private eyes, hired guns, and madams who kept Austin not only weird but also riddled with vice. An extraordinary true story, __Last Gangster in Austin__ paints an unusual picture of the Texas capital as a place that was wild, wonderful, and as crooked as the dirt road to paradise.

Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as thedistrict attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding TravisCounty, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and stateofficials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. ButEarle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the oneinvolving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, allegedcriminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure.

With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds.But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage businessthreatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy therival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but therobbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators wereconvinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that thenewly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amidthe courtroom drama and underworld plots the book describes, WillieNelson makes a cameo. So do the private eyes, hired guns, andmadams who kept Austin not only weird but also riddled with vice.An extraordinary true story, Last Gangster in Austinpaints an unusual picture of the Texas capital as a place that waswild, wonderful, and as crooked as the dirt road to paradise.

"In the mid 1970s, one of Austin's biggest criminals was getting rich on bail bonds and auto salvage (he owned a junkyard). With the help of corrupt local officials, including the sheriff, Frank Smith had a small empire, but he had one rival in the salvage business and one day he sent some tough guys to take care of the problem. The "Fellini-esque" shootout eventually led to Smith's arrest and indictment, setting up a courtroom battle with the new DA, Ronnie Earle. Earle would go on to serve 32 years as Travis County's top prosecutor, indicting figures as notorious as congressman Tom DeLay, but always maintained that the Smith case was the biggest of his career. This book tells the story of Frank Smith, his rise to local infamy, the subsequent trial, and its fallout. Along the way, Sublett paints a picture of the seedier side of 1970s Austin, with appearances from Willie Nelson, private eyes, brothel owners, and hired guns."-- Provided by publisher A true-crime showdown that takes readers back to the grittier and weirder Austin of the 1970s.