The Rise and Fall of ‘Kingfish’ Huey Long
Editor’s Note: For nearly 70 years, the feature-rich pages of Coins magazine, Numismatic News’ venerable sister publication, have tracked the history, fun and the growth of this great hobby, while also attracting new collectors to pursue what was once deemed the “hobby of kings.” Dusting off these time-aged issues, from the early 1960s and beyond, each installment of “Past Times with Coins,” written by its former longtime editor, explores what nuggets of interest they contain.
It was a lambasting heard around the world – one that inspired the striking of a toilet seat-shaped medal that found its way to being on display at the American Numismatic Society and into the holdings of coin collectors and those who disliked 1930s politician Huey Long.
“Neither [boxers] [Gene] Tunney nor [Jack] Dempsey, nor even Primo Carnera, could have created such a nationwide furore over one simple punch as did the anonymous but not unsung hero who pasted Huey Long at the exclusive Sands Point Bath Club Saturday night,” recorded the Aug. 31, 1933, issue of the TimesPicayune (New Orleans).
The story of how one of the nation’s most controversial and loud-mouthed politicians came to bring much joy and merriment to the nation over his unplanned encounter with an unknown assailant or assailants was retold by Wayne S. Rich in the “You Name It” contest entry, “Phooey on Huey,” in the January 1964 issue of Coins magazine.
“The exclusive Sands Point Bath Club on Long Island’s North Shore was the scene of a Charity Revue on the evening of Aug. 26, 1933,” Rich wrote. “United States Senator Huey Long of Louisiana attended as a member of the party organized by Jack Curley, promoter of the affair to stimulate interest in the Air Pageant to be held Oct. 7-8.
“Thirteen sketches written by Jefferson Mechamer and produced under the direction of John Lonergan were presented on a special stage built over the outdoor swimming pool.
“Everything was fine, it seemed, until about 4 a.m. when the Senator visited the washroom. Several conflicting versions of what happened there have been reported. But there is general agreement that Long emerged from the washroom with a gash over his left eye and was soon on his way to his hotel. After treatment by a doctor and assurance that the wound was not serious he left hurriedly for a Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Milwaukee with a sort of hood over his injured eye. Questions of Milwaukee newsmen were met with deep and brooding silence.
“However, the incident was front page news across the country. The unusual interest in the seemingly insignificant incident was due in part to the mystery surrounding the perpetrator and in part to the unique background of the victim.
“Huey P. Long Jr. was eighth of nine children of a poor-white family which settled in Winn Parish in Louisiana after living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Mississippi ...
“Young Huey ran away from home at 10. Always a talker, he was a practicing auctioneer at 14 and then became a book salesman. At 15 he formed a political
organization in high school, dictated to the teachers and got the principal fired. He also helped older friends with political campaigns. ...”
Following a stint door-to-door selling Cottolene vegetable shortening where he “met his wife through a prize he offered for the best ‘bride loaf cake,’” Long attended Oklahoma State Law School.
“After he was married he entered Tulane University and crammed a three year law course into eight months and passed examinations as a lawyer at 21.
“Campaigning 18 hours a day in the rural areas, young Huey was elected a Railroad commissioner at 24, one of the few political jobs without a minimum age requirement. People began to hear much about the Railroad Commission and its importance grew rapidly. Huey soon became Public Service Commission Chairman.
“On his 30th birthday in 1923 Huey filed for Governor. He campaigned on a program of free textbooks for children, a college education for older boys, hard surfaced roads for farmers and free bridges. Many laughed at his campaign which was loudmouthed and violent. His turned up nose, wide mouth, heavy lips, crinkly red hair, and heavy jaw were the butt of cartoons. He predicted he would win if election day weather was fair, but a downpour kept many rural supporters away and he came in a strong third.
“Early history of Louisiana includes bad administration with rulers lining their pockets at the expense of miserable victims. Originally a French settlement, the territory was divided between England and Spain in 1794. In 1795 Spain and the United States made a treaty opening the Mississippi to American trade. Napoleon took back the Spanish territory in 1800 and sold it to the United States in 1803 for $15 million dollars.
“Prosperity came to New Orleans with the Americans and soon enterprising newcomers were taking advantage of this prosperity. The politicians collected taxes and gave little in return. New Orleans was probably the dirtiest and wickedest city in America.
“Southern Louisiana included fishermen, trappers, sugar and rice workers and some plantation owners, mainly Catholics of French and Spanish background. Northern Louisiana is a land of thin soil, small farmers, of Protestant background.
“Young Long determined to woo the support of the three groups in Louisiana for the next gubernatorial election. The North was easy – he was one of them. He got support of two New Orleans politicians who had broken with the Ring, one a large newspaper publisher who saw to it that the readers became familiar with Huey’s face and got favorable stories on his activities. He made a deal with a South Louisiana favorite and told folks there he was part French.
“In a riproaring, mudslinging campaign Huey came in first among three candidates and won the runof[f] election when he was not yet 35, the first poorwhite to win the office of governor.
“The inauguration, with hillbilly bands playing, was attended by 15,000, many of whom were from Southern swamps and Northern hills.
“The new governor fired all office holders and appointed his friends. He bribed legislators with patronage or money and put through many of his promised programs and laws giving him more power. He tore down the Governor’s mansion and built a new one. Long was threatened with impeachment but managed to persuade 15 Senators not to vote for his conviction. He continued to become more and more a high handed dictator and took upon himself the title ‘Kingfish’.”
After running for Senate and winning, “The new Senator from Louisiana advocated ‘Share the Wealth’ plans, baited Senate leaders and insulted President [Franklin] Roosevelt whom he had helped nominate in 1932.
“Huey made many enemies, continually made front page news, and millions believed that his Share the Wealth program would be their salvation. He was confidently planning to become President in the not too distant future.”
But, following the events of the night of Aug. 26, 1933, and his attendance at the Sands Point Bath Club, newspaper reports showed little sympathy for Long. Accounts of what happened vary, but most celebrated Long’s drubbing.
“Twenty minutes or so after his arrival says Huey’s account, he went to the washroom,” Rich wrote. “Just as he faced the basin and wall three or four men ganged up on him with one blocking the door. One struck from behind at his head with a knife or something sharp. He ducked and the blade grazed his forehead. He stumbled low and managed to wriggle clear, blood coming down his face. Outside the washroom, he met an employee of the club and they rushed back to the washroom but all had escaped and no one had seen them. He said that he had maintained silence hoping that the culprits would be discovered.
“The club’s governing board investigation got no results and reported Long apparently got into an argument with a gentleman who was not a member of the club. They said that the statement he was ‘ganged’ was unworthy of comment. However, boxer Jack O’Brian of Philadelphia backed Long in his statement that he saw three or four men, reporting that when he was knocked out by Joe Walcott in Boston in 1902 or 1903 the ringside could see only one opponent, but he saw four or five.
“Police Chief Steven Webber of Port Washington was mentioned as a possible owner of the fist shown striking the ‘Kingfish’ in the jaw. However, he denied it saying, ‘I’d be a popular hero but I’d lose my job.’ No one publicly admitted the acclaimed deed even though many said they wished they had been the one to administer the blow.”
Whether there was one or more physical assailants, there were plenty who wanted to pile on.
The Aug. 31, 1933, issue of the Times-Picayune reported on the supposed I.D.S.H. (I Didn’t Sock Huey) society, listing its charter members, including one who said “I didn’t do it, but I’d like to shake the hand of the man who did” and another who said “I had plenty of reason to, but I didn’t.”
The New Orleans States for Aug. 30, 1933, had some fun. Tagging Huey, whose self- anointed nickname was “Kingfish” as a “crawfish,” it lamented Huey’s fighting style, which was to advance backward – the newspaper detailing other physical altercations and his “long and varied record of inglorious defeats.”
A Coney Island press agent offered Huey $1,000 per day if he appeared in a sideshow attraction, and Rich wrote, “Colonel Ira L. Reeves sent a challenge to the Senator to meet his assailant again in the ring at Chicago’s Soldier’s Field, for the benefit of a fund to be used in fighting political racketeers in Chicago and Louisiana.”
Meanwhile, Owen P. White, associate editor with Collier’s magazine, in what apparently began as a whim, worked with magazine illustrator George de Zayas to design a medal commemorating the celebrated blow, a gold version of which was to be given to the unsung hero when he identified himself.
“Thus the medal for which subscriptions were received was issued in honor of an unknown hero,” Rich wrote in Coins. “‘By Public Acclaim for a Deed Done in Private’ is the literal translation of the Latin inscription on the obverse of the medal ‘Publico Consilio Pro Re in Camera Gesta’. The date August 26 is the date of the Revue which Long attended, but, according to reports, the famous incident occurred at 4 a.m. on August 27. We can’t argue with the Roman numeral date on the obverse, but it appears that the fist is headed for the right eye instead of the left. The wash basin in [the] background with faucets running tells where the event took place and the ‘King’s’ crown identifies the
unlucky fish to folks of that generation. The Medallic Art. Co. of New York identified the medal as their product.”
When no one came forward, the original gold medal was donated to the ANS, of which the Sept. 25, 1933, issue of the Nashville (Tenn.) Banner explained the display card with the medal read, in part, “Medal to the Unknown Hero Who Hit Huey Long.”
The Huey Long medal was also struck in silver and copper and offered for purchase. Two sources also claim that the galvano for the medal was on display for a number of years in a men’s washroom at the Medallic Art Co.’s Danbury, Conn. plant.
As for Huey, he issued a satirical open letter to Al Capone claiming that if he admitted to the assault, Long’s enemies would be so thankful they would allow him early release from jail.
Long never got to run for president. He was assassinated two years later, on Sept. 8, 1935, outside of the Louisiana State Capitol.