The Pittsburgh Press (October 14, 1944)
Garner visits with Truman at Texas stop
En route to Los Angeles, California (UP) –
Senator Harry S. Truman was met at the Uvalde, Texas, railroad station last night by former Vice President John N. Garner, his one-time Congressional crony.
“Cactus Jack” Garner, red-faced and smoking a Mexican cigar, was wearing khaki work clothes.
Mr. Garner, chatting with the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, said he would be 76 next month and intended to live until he was 93. He explained his hands were badly strained from hulling pecans at his Uvalde ranch and added that he had been shucking corn all day.
He downed a shot of Bourbon whisky – “with branch water, none of that fizz stuff” – and reckoned he wouldn’t like to 93 “if I didn’t get that.”
Mr. Garner stayed aboard only a few minutes because the train had no scheduled stopover at Uvalde.
A reporter asked Mr. Garner if he intended to vote for Truman. “Now, boys, you know you shouldn’t ask me that,” Mr. Garner replied.