- The Trial - Page 202

A: Because Mr. Henry with Gulf Life told me that I would have to take out a like amount of insurance on myself with Gulf Life.

Q: That was part of the deal with getting a policy on your wife?

A: That's correct, sir.

Q: Now, Tommy, did either you or Eunice tell Mr. Courtney—or what was the gentleman's name from Gulf?

A: Mr. George Henry.

Q: —Mr. George Henry about the other?

A: No, sir, I don't believe so.

Q: Why not?

A: Number one, we weren't asked.

Q: There is a place on the application for it, isn't there:

A: That was never asked during the application.  I'm sure, Terry.

Q: Did the gentleman fill out the application for you?

A: Yes, he did.

Q: Now was there any other reason you did not tell Mr. Courtney about Mr. Henry or Mr. Henry about Mr. Courtney?

A: Both of those men are very competitive and they would have wanted all the insurance.  This is their bag.  This is what they sell.

Q: You were trying to spread it around for community relations purposes?

A: This is correct.  This is what we've always done.

Q: Take your business to as many different people as you can?

A: Yes, sir, and that way you get more customers in your business.

Hadley moved on. Did Zeigler frequently handle the grocery bags around the house?  He did. And what of the white tissue found in the Dunaway car?  The store used white tissue paper inside gift boxes, Zeigler said; he himself often wrapped gifts.  On Christmas Eve, Curtis Dunaway had spread some of this wrapping tissue over the baked goods in the backseat of his car.  These were the pies and cookies that he helped Dunaway to move when they switched cars.

Zeigler next admitted that he had bought pistols, including the chrome-plated Securities .38, from Ray's Bait and Tackle.  But he denied every having seen the empty gun boxes that deputies had found in the storeroom and that Ray Ussery had testified were given to Zeigler when he bought the pistols in October 1974.

Zeigler said that he kept the Securities .38 in the custom truck desk of his pickup.

Q: Did Edward Williams ever enter around your truck?

A: A lot of times.

Q: Now when is the last time you saw that weapon prior to Christmas?

A: Three, four, five weeks before.