Witness Interview: Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Warren Jr.

Detective Nelson spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Warren Jr. on May 21, 1998, in the Warren's home at 278 Mockingbird Lane, Oxford.

N = Detective Terrence Nelson
EW = Elbert Warren Jr.
PW = Pauline Warren

N: Mr. Warren, I appreciate your giving me some of your time this afternoon.
EW: That's all right. Gives me an excuse to let the garden go one more day. Pauline said this is about that woman stirring up the old Izard case?

N: Yessir. We're just giving it another look over. Figure it can't hurt, after all these years.
EW: I reckon that's why you want to talk to Daddy, right? Old McPhail really had it out for Daddy, back then.

N: Had it out for him?
EW: Oh, I expect it was pretty common knowledge that McPhail was sure Daddy did it. But he was wrong. Daddy never did anything like that. Not killing.

N: Mr. Warren, I hope you'll excuse my saying so, but your father did hang out with a rough bunch back then, and it was no secret that he took the glove factory layoff real hard.
EW: Wouldn't you? He had a wife and four kids to support, another one on the way. He needed that job. And I won't lie to you, he hated old Bowlan's guts after that. Never tried to hide it. If he saw Bowlan uptown, he'd make us all cross the street, avoid being on the same sidewalk with him. "Sorry old snake," he always called him. Way Daddy saw it, Bowlan sold'em all out - the union, the factory, everything - and walked off with a big hunk of money when he sold the factory the next year.

N: How about Richard Izard? Your Daddy hate him, too?
EW: Naw. Maybe just that day.

N: The day of the layoffs?
EW: Right. That day he wasn't too happy with Dick Izard, but killing mad? Naw. I can't see it. Can you, Polly?
PW: Nossir. Paw isn't the easiest man in the world, but he's all bluster. He wouldn't really hurt nobody. I truly believe that. He'll talk a big game, but I seen him nearly shed a tear when little Bert's dog got killed six or eight years back. You remember that, sugar?
EW: Yep. He wouldn't never admit it on a bet, but he's was a soft-hearted man. I remember him being real upset after Dick and Lisa Izard's murders. He went out and helped with the search parties looking for those poor little kids.

N: Mr. Warren, I know this isn't the most pleasant subject, but d'you suppose we could talk to your father about that time, if we went out to the nursing home?
EW: I can't stop you. Whether he'll talk to you or not is up to him. He's still got his cussed days, but most days he's easy with himself.

N: Mr. Elbert retired from Carter's, what, ten years ago?
PW: Eleven this spring. We gave him a big party.

N: Did he work anywhere else between the glove factory and when he got on at Carter's Building Supply?
EW: Nossir, he didn't. It was almost two years in between and those was some tough years. I'll be the first to admit it. Daddy was drinking some, and Mama lost her job at the steam laundry when it closed in '59, so for half a year it was real touch and go. But then Mama got Daddy and us back in church, and Daddy got right with the Lord and next thing you know, he's working over at Carter's. Worked his way up. Made enough to send my two youngest brothers to the university, in time.
PW: Paw Warren did real good by his family, Detective. He had a tough row to hoe, but he hoed it well. All that glove factory stuff was a long time ago. Y'all really got to go digging it up again?

N: Yes ma'am, Mrs. Warren. We believe we do.
EW: Well, you got to do what you think necessary, I reckon.
PW: We'll pray for you and your men, Detective.

N: I appreciate that, Mrs. Warren. Mr. Warren. Good day, now.