LETTERS

Defending Sandra Bridewell

I feel that my late cousin David Stegall’s widow has been unfairly treated in your May story, “Death and Gossip in Highland Park.” If there is sufficient evidence to arrest Sandra Bridewell for murder or conspiracy, let an arrest be made so that she may face her accusers in court and defend herself. Obviously, no such evidence exists, so your reporters have launched a vicious attack on an unfortunate woman, based only on the bored rumor-mongering of an overprivi-leged clique. No wonder she left town. No wonder she hired a lawyer. I hope she sues you into oblivion.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to defend oneself against this kind of cowardly whisper campaign. The only civilized defense is the one Mrs. Bridewell has adopted-a dignified silence. Your article makes an excellent presentation of Sandra Bridewell as a lonely, naive, and ambitious social climber. If these were crimes, all of Highland Park would be under indictment today.

Sarah Stegall

Austin

The Ex-Wife’s Tale

I belong to that increasingly maligned group of ladies: George Owen’s ex-wives. Governor Clements’s comment about George Owen being the kind of person one would expect to marry Candy Barr and do crazy things at SMU was another pathetic attempt to keep the “buck” from stopping where it should (Inside Dallas, May]. He would have us believe that George alone instigated the paying of athletes at SMU. . .and George did this, of course, because he was of such questionable character that he once consorted with a stripper.

It is obvious that the good governor is speaking maliciously about someone he does not know very well. George Owen was never married to Candy Barr. The many friends- and okay, I’ll say it-the many ex-wives of George Owen are respectable citizens of this community to whom the governor might be surprised to find he owes an apology!

Diane Wisdom

Dallas