Huey Long Shot Dead: Louisiana Populist Silenced
Dr. Carl Weiss walked up to Senator Huey Long in the corridor of the Louisiana State Capitol on September 8, 1935, and shot him once in the abdomen. Long's bodyguards immediately killed Weiss with 61 bullets. Long died two days later at age 42. He had been the most powerful political figure in Louisiana, controlling the state legislature, the police, the courts, and every level of government through a combination of populist appeal and ruthless patronage. His "Share Our Wealth" program promised to cap personal fortunes and redistribute wealth to every American family, attracting seven million supporters nationwide and making him a genuine threat to Franklin Roosevelt's 1936 reelection. His death removed FDR's most dangerous domestic rival.
September 8, 1935
91 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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