Watergate Rival
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Rothermel, a friend of the second Mrs. Hunt, who per- suaded Hunt in 1969 to alter his will to benefit his second family because he had already given so much to his first. Nat long after that, Rothermel found that he and three other executives of Hunt Oil were being wiretapped by a private detective, J.J. Kelly, and his assistant, Patrick McCann. When Kelly and McCann were sentenced to three years in jail, they turned state's evidence and re- vealed that they had been hired by Bunker and Her- bert Hunt for the wire- tapping caper. The two Hunts were indicted in 1973 on wiretapping charges. They called upon One of the son Bunker, W. Herbert. Sen. James Eastland (D., WATERGATE major scan- H.L. Jr., Margaret, and Miss.) for help. dals of all Caroline. What help Eastland may RIVAL time is Two years later, the ec- or may not have supplied brewing in Texas. It in- centric H.L. Hunt married the Hunt brothers is cur- volves the family of Texas his secretary, Ruth Ray rently being looked into oil billionaire Haroldson Wright. Ruth had four chil- by a flock of investiga- Lafayette Hunt who died dren at the time, suppos- tive journalists. What last year at age 65. edly from a previous mar- help Richard Kleindienst, Behind the scandal lies riage, but after H.L. Hunt Henry Petersen, John Con- a vicious family feud for legally adopted the four nally. Richard Nixon and the old man's money. Some --Ray Lee, June, Helen, other members of the Nixon 20 odd yeare ago when and Swanee--the second Administration may have Hunt's first wife. Lyda, Mrs. Hunt reportedly con- provided the oil-rich Hunt was dying of cancer, Hunt fessed that H.L. Hunt had brothers is also under found himself increas- indeed fathered all of them. scrutiny. The grand jury ingly dependent upon the Thus the forces were is investigating many peo- services of his secretary, joined--the first set of ple on charges of ob- Ruth Ray Wright of Idabel, Hunt children versus the structing justice. Okla., a competent, at- second. Which set would In short, when this case tractive woman, 30 years get how much of the old goes to trial, Texas will his junior. man's fortune? Helping the witness a brouhaha, the In 1955 the first Mrs. second set was Paul Roth- likes of which will surely Hunt died, leaving, in ermel, 47, a former FBI rival Watergate in its addition to her husband. agent, lawyer and H.L. publicity and ramifica- six children: Lamar, Nel- Hunt assistant. It was tions. .