William P. Evans oral history
Collection
Identifier: OH021
Scope and Contents
The collection contains a transcript and a reel-to-reel audiotape of an interview with William P. Evans conducted by Thomas Krasean for the Indiana State Library Oral History Project on May 2, 1969. Evans discusses his family and schooling; Governor Hanly and his interests in prohibition; his military service; his wife; the Ku Klux Klan; some of his more prominent cases; and his work for the Public Service Company of Indiana. He also talks about Governors Warren T. McCray and Ed Jackson and more briefly about Senators Albert Beveridge and James E. Watson.
Dates
- 1969/05/02
Creator
- Evans, William P., 1886-1971 (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
William Pascoe Evans was born on November 9, 1886, in Rosedale, Indiana. His parents were Thomas E. and Mary W. (Pascoe) Evans. He graduated from DePauw University (1907) and Harvard Law School (1911). He then entered practice as the partner of J. Frank Hanly, former Governor of Indiana. He also worked in the firm of (John Walborn) Holtzman and (Lewis Austin) Coleman. In May 1917, Evans entered the Army’s First Officers’ Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis). After the war, he resumed practicing law in Indianapolis. In 1920, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Marion County. On January 24, 1923, Evans married Lucile Ade McCray. They had two children, William M. and Barbara J.
Evans was reelected as Prosecuting Attorney in 1922, but resigned in 1923 to avoid prosecuting his father-in-law, Governor Warren T. McCray. Evans was very involved in the trial of Governor Ed Jackson when he was charged with bribing Governor McCray, who held office immediately prior to Jackson. He also served as joint State Senator for Marion and Johnson counties and was chief counsel for Public Service Company of Indiana (1925-1951). Evans then joined the firm of Hays and Hays where he practiced until his retirement in 1955. He died on February 9, 1971.
Sources:
Brown, Paul Donald, ed. Indianapolis Men of Affairs, 1923. Indianapolis: The American Biographical Society, 1923.
“Obituaries.” Res Gestae 15 (April 1971): 28.
Evans was reelected as Prosecuting Attorney in 1922, but resigned in 1923 to avoid prosecuting his father-in-law, Governor Warren T. McCray. Evans was very involved in the trial of Governor Ed Jackson when he was charged with bribing Governor McCray, who held office immediately prior to Jackson. He also served as joint State Senator for Marion and Johnson counties and was chief counsel for Public Service Company of Indiana (1925-1951). Evans then joined the firm of Hays and Hays where he practiced until his retirement in 1955. He died on February 9, 1971.
Sources:
Brown, Paul Donald, ed. Indianapolis Men of Affairs, 1923. Indianapolis: The American Biographical Society, 1923.
“Obituaries.” Res Gestae 15 (April 1971): 28.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 bound transcript, 1 reel-to-reel audiotape)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by format.
Custodial History
The collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from the Indiana State Library Oral History Project during 1969.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Christina Baich during May 2006. Finding aid revised by Bethany Fiechter on 2015/11/16. EAD finding aid created by Bethany Fiechter on 2019/07/01. Collection reprocessing completed 2020/03/05 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2020/03/05 by Brittany Kropf.
- Beveridge, Albert J. (Albert Jeremiah), 1862-1927
- Evans, William P., 1886-1971
- Hanly, J. Frank (James Frank), 1863-1920
- Indiana -- Social life and customs
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Jackson, Edward L., 1873-1954
- Ku Klux Klan (1915-)
- Lawyers -- Indiana
- McCray, Warren T. (Warren Terry), 1865-1938
- Oral history interviews
- Parke County (Ind.)
- Prohibition
- Public-service corporations (Public utilities)
- Reel-to-reel audiotapes
- Transcriptions
- Watson, James E. (James Eli), 1863-1948
Creator
- Evans, William P., 1886-1971 (Interviewee, Person)
- Indiana State Library (Interviewer, Organization)
- Krasean, Thomas (Interviewer, Person)
- Title
- William P. Evans oral history
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
