From the article "The Rowdy Days of the Dallas Dispatch," by Al Harting, published in D Magazine, August 1979:
One of the most painful of my experiences as a reporter happened in the spring of 1941. Eddie Barr, the Dispatch's amusements editor, had become the city's best-loved and most-read columnist. His daily "Rialto Ramblings" was an entertaining mixture of gossip and showbiz trivia. His hangout was Antonio (Pop) DaMommio's spaghetti house on Bryan. Pop treated Eddie like a son. As a cub reporter, I revered Eddie.
On the evening of April 12, 1941, Eddie was at Pop's. His wife, Juanita, who was also Jack Proctor's sister-in-law, was paying a visit to the Swiss Avenue apartment of an attractive young girl named Blanche Woodall.
I was on the ambulance-riding beat when the call came in that Blanche Woodall had been shot. Riding to the scene, the driver informed me that Blanche was Eddie Barr's mistress. When the police arrived, Lieutenant "Pokey" Wright phoned Pop's and asked for Eddie. "Eddie," I heard him say, "Nita has killed Blanche." There was silence a moment, and when Pokey hung up he said, "Nita just went by Pop's, threw the pistol on Eddie's table, and told him what she'd done."
Juanita's trial was, of course, a sideshow. Spectators brought lunches and ate them while Juanita's lawyers, Maury Hughes and Ted Monroe, Dallas' early versions of Racehorse Haynes and Percy Foreman, played to the grandstand. Their defense was based on the premise that she had acted in a fit of uncontrollable, but understandable, rage at the woman who was breaking up her home.
According to Blanche's maid, Nita came unannounced to Blanche's apartment; the two women talked quietly and telephoned a liquor store for a bottle of whiskey. They decided to go out, and Blanche changed clothes and put on her make-up, then began helping Nita put on her make-up. While the cosmetic touch-up was in progress, Nita took the pistol from her purse and shot Blanche twice in the face.
On March 5, 1942, Juanita Barr was sentenced to a term of four years for murder without malice. She was freed on an appeal bond on March 11. The court of criminal appeals upheld the conviction, but an appellate court ruled for a new trial, which for some reason was never held. Eddie quit the Dispatch and moved to Houston, where, for a while, he managed a restaurant. Though he and Juanita were divorced, most who knew them think Eddie used the influence he had gained as one of Dallas' most popular men about town to keep her from prison.
*******************************************************
1920 Census - Occupation: Stenographer, Industry: Ice Co. (Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas)
1966 and 1967 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON -- CHARLES E (NITA E) BLDG CONTR 644 ELSTON DR H644 ELSTON DR
1968 Polk's Greater Dallas city directory: JOHNSON -- NITA E MRS H644 ELSTON DR
1974 & 1975 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON, Nita E (Wid Charles) retd r3810 Opal Av
*******************************************************
Juanita's death certificate lists her occupation as Stenographer, industry as General Office, and marital status as widowed.
*******************************************************
Married Ernest G. Burns on 11 September 11, 1922 in Dallas Co., Texas.
Married Edmond Michael "Eddie" Barr on 10 May 10, 1930 in Bryan Co. Oklahoma.
Married Charles E. Johnson sometime before 1964. It is thought they later divorced, per Puckett family descendants. However on the 1974 and 1975 Dallas city directories, as well as her 1981 death certificate, her marital status is listed as widowed.
One of the most painful of my experiences as a reporter happened in the spring of 1941. Eddie Barr, the Dispatch's amusements editor, had become the city's best-loved and most-read columnist. His daily "Rialto Ramblings" was an entertaining mixture of gossip and showbiz trivia. His hangout was Antonio (Pop) DaMommio's spaghetti house on Bryan. Pop treated Eddie like a son. As a cub reporter, I revered Eddie.
On the evening of April 12, 1941, Eddie was at Pop's. His wife, Juanita, who was also Jack Proctor's sister-in-law, was paying a visit to the Swiss Avenue apartment of an attractive young girl named Blanche Woodall.
I was on the ambulance-riding beat when the call came in that Blanche Woodall had been shot. Riding to the scene, the driver informed me that Blanche was Eddie Barr's mistress. When the police arrived, Lieutenant "Pokey" Wright phoned Pop's and asked for Eddie. "Eddie," I heard him say, "Nita has killed Blanche." There was silence a moment, and when Pokey hung up he said, "Nita just went by Pop's, threw the pistol on Eddie's table, and told him what she'd done."
Juanita's trial was, of course, a sideshow. Spectators brought lunches and ate them while Juanita's lawyers, Maury Hughes and Ted Monroe, Dallas' early versions of Racehorse Haynes and Percy Foreman, played to the grandstand. Their defense was based on the premise that she had acted in a fit of uncontrollable, but understandable, rage at the woman who was breaking up her home.
According to Blanche's maid, Nita came unannounced to Blanche's apartment; the two women talked quietly and telephoned a liquor store for a bottle of whiskey. They decided to go out, and Blanche changed clothes and put on her make-up, then began helping Nita put on her make-up. While the cosmetic touch-up was in progress, Nita took the pistol from her purse and shot Blanche twice in the face.
On March 5, 1942, Juanita Barr was sentenced to a term of four years for murder without malice. She was freed on an appeal bond on March 11. The court of criminal appeals upheld the conviction, but an appellate court ruled for a new trial, which for some reason was never held. Eddie quit the Dispatch and moved to Houston, where, for a while, he managed a restaurant. Though he and Juanita were divorced, most who knew them think Eddie used the influence he had gained as one of Dallas' most popular men about town to keep her from prison.
*******************************************************
1920 Census - Occupation: Stenographer, Industry: Ice Co. (Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas)
1966 and 1967 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON -- CHARLES E (NITA E) BLDG CONTR 644 ELSTON DR H644 ELSTON DR
1968 Polk's Greater Dallas city directory: JOHNSON -- NITA E MRS H644 ELSTON DR
1974 & 1975 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON, Nita E (Wid Charles) retd r3810 Opal Av
*******************************************************
Juanita's death certificate lists her occupation as Stenographer, industry as General Office, and marital status as widowed.
*******************************************************
Married Ernest G. Burns on 11 September 11, 1922 in Dallas Co., Texas.
Married Edmond Michael "Eddie" Barr on 10 May 10, 1930 in Bryan Co. Oklahoma.
Married Charles E. Johnson sometime before 1964. It is thought they later divorced, per Puckett family descendants. However on the 1974 and 1975 Dallas city directories, as well as her 1981 death certificate, her marital status is listed as widowed.
From the article "The Rowdy Days of the Dallas Dispatch," by Al Harting, published in D Magazine, August 1979:
One of the most painful of my experiences as a reporter happened in the spring of 1941. Eddie Barr, the Dispatch's amusements editor, had become the city's best-loved and most-read columnist. His daily "Rialto Ramblings" was an entertaining mixture of gossip and showbiz trivia. His hangout was Antonio (Pop) DaMommio's spaghetti house on Bryan. Pop treated Eddie like a son. As a cub reporter, I revered Eddie.
On the evening of April 12, 1941, Eddie was at Pop's. His wife, Juanita, who was also Jack Proctor's sister-in-law, was paying a visit to the Swiss Avenue apartment of an attractive young girl named Blanche Woodall.
I was on the ambulance-riding beat when the call came in that Blanche Woodall had been shot. Riding to the scene, the driver informed me that Blanche was Eddie Barr's mistress. When the police arrived, Lieutenant "Pokey" Wright phoned Pop's and asked for Eddie. "Eddie," I heard him say, "Nita has killed Blanche." There was silence a moment, and when Pokey hung up he said, "Nita just went by Pop's, threw the pistol on Eddie's table, and told him what she'd done."
Juanita's trial was, of course, a sideshow. Spectators brought lunches and ate them while Juanita's lawyers, Maury Hughes and Ted Monroe, Dallas' early versions of Racehorse Haynes and Percy Foreman, played to the grandstand. Their defense was based on the premise that she had acted in a fit of uncontrollable, but understandable, rage at the woman who was breaking up her home.
According to Blanche's maid, Nita came unannounced to Blanche's apartment; the two women talked quietly and telephoned a liquor store for a bottle of whiskey. They decided to go out, and Blanche changed clothes and put on her make-up, then began helping Nita put on her make-up. While the cosmetic touch-up was in progress, Nita took the pistol from her purse and shot Blanche twice in the face.
On March 5, 1942, Juanita Barr was sentenced to a term of four years for murder without malice. She was freed on an appeal bond on March 11. The court of criminal appeals upheld the conviction, but an appellate court ruled for a new trial, which for some reason was never held. Eddie quit the Dispatch and moved to Houston, where, for a while, he managed a restaurant. Though he and Juanita were divorced, most who knew them think Eddie used the influence he had gained as one of Dallas' most popular men about town to keep her from prison.
*******************************************************
1920 Census - Occupation: Stenographer, Industry: Ice Co. (Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas)
1966 and 1967 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON -- CHARLES E (NITA E) BLDG CONTR 644 ELSTON DR H644 ELSTON DR
1968 Polk's Greater Dallas city directory: JOHNSON -- NITA E MRS H644 ELSTON DR
1974 & 1975 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON, Nita E (Wid Charles) retd r3810 Opal Av
*******************************************************
Juanita's death certificate lists her occupation as Stenographer, industry as General Office, and marital status as widowed.
*******************************************************
Married Ernest G. Burns on 11 September 11, 1922 in Dallas Co., Texas.
Married Edmond Michael "Eddie" Barr on 10 May 10, 1930 in Bryan Co. Oklahoma.
Married Charles E. Johnson sometime before 1964. It is thought they later divorced, per Puckett family descendants. However on the 1974 and 1975 Dallas city directories, as well as her 1981 death certificate, her marital status is listed as widowed.
One of the most painful of my experiences as a reporter happened in the spring of 1941. Eddie Barr, the Dispatch's amusements editor, had become the city's best-loved and most-read columnist. His daily "Rialto Ramblings" was an entertaining mixture of gossip and showbiz trivia. His hangout was Antonio (Pop) DaMommio's spaghetti house on Bryan. Pop treated Eddie like a son. As a cub reporter, I revered Eddie.
On the evening of April 12, 1941, Eddie was at Pop's. His wife, Juanita, who was also Jack Proctor's sister-in-law, was paying a visit to the Swiss Avenue apartment of an attractive young girl named Blanche Woodall.
I was on the ambulance-riding beat when the call came in that Blanche Woodall had been shot. Riding to the scene, the driver informed me that Blanche was Eddie Barr's mistress. When the police arrived, Lieutenant "Pokey" Wright phoned Pop's and asked for Eddie. "Eddie," I heard him say, "Nita has killed Blanche." There was silence a moment, and when Pokey hung up he said, "Nita just went by Pop's, threw the pistol on Eddie's table, and told him what she'd done."
Juanita's trial was, of course, a sideshow. Spectators brought lunches and ate them while Juanita's lawyers, Maury Hughes and Ted Monroe, Dallas' early versions of Racehorse Haynes and Percy Foreman, played to the grandstand. Their defense was based on the premise that she had acted in a fit of uncontrollable, but understandable, rage at the woman who was breaking up her home.
According to Blanche's maid, Nita came unannounced to Blanche's apartment; the two women talked quietly and telephoned a liquor store for a bottle of whiskey. They decided to go out, and Blanche changed clothes and put on her make-up, then began helping Nita put on her make-up. While the cosmetic touch-up was in progress, Nita took the pistol from her purse and shot Blanche twice in the face.
On March 5, 1942, Juanita Barr was sentenced to a term of four years for murder without malice. She was freed on an appeal bond on March 11. The court of criminal appeals upheld the conviction, but an appellate court ruled for a new trial, which for some reason was never held. Eddie quit the Dispatch and moved to Houston, where, for a while, he managed a restaurant. Though he and Juanita were divorced, most who knew them think Eddie used the influence he had gained as one of Dallas' most popular men about town to keep her from prison.
*******************************************************
1920 Census - Occupation: Stenographer, Industry: Ice Co. (Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas)
1966 and 1967 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON -- CHARLES E (NITA E) BLDG CONTR 644 ELSTON DR H644 ELSTON DR
1968 Polk's Greater Dallas city directory: JOHNSON -- NITA E MRS H644 ELSTON DR
1974 & 1975 Polk's Greater Dallas city directories: JOHNSON, Nita E (Wid Charles) retd r3810 Opal Av
*******************************************************
Juanita's death certificate lists her occupation as Stenographer, industry as General Office, and marital status as widowed.
*******************************************************
Married Ernest G. Burns on 11 September 11, 1922 in Dallas Co., Texas.
Married Edmond Michael "Eddie" Barr on 10 May 10, 1930 in Bryan Co. Oklahoma.
Married Charles E. Johnson sometime before 1964. It is thought they later divorced, per Puckett family descendants. However on the 1974 and 1975 Dallas city directories, as well as her 1981 death certificate, her marital status is listed as widowed.
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