Changes

When urged by his staff to install Smith as a "politically pliable" president for LSU, Huey Long was quoted as having asked, "Who the hell's Smith?"<ref name=time>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|date=July 10, 1939|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' [[magazine]]|date=July 10, 1939|accessdate=December 29, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' called Smith an "academic puppet," under whose tenure Long spent $13.5 million at LSU for buildings, a huge swimming pool, "professional" football players, and the LSU Medical Center in [[New Orleans]]. Long boasted, "If there's any title I'm proud of, it's Chief Thief for LSU."<ref name=time/> Smith also benefited from lavish spending at the university. He installed his family in a campus mansion and bought a $3,000 car (then a large amount for a vehicle) at a time when most roads in Louisiana were still unpaved and when LSU faculty salaries were in arrears.<ref name=time/>

When urged by his staff to install Smith as a "politically pliable" president for LSU, Huey Long was quoted as having asked, "Who the hell's Smith?"<ref name=time>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|date=July 10, 1939|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' [[magazine]]|date=July 10, 1939|accessdate=December 29, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' called Smith an "academic puppet," under whose tenure Long spent $13.5 million at LSU for buildings, a huge swimming pool, "professional" football players, and the LSU Medical Center in [[New Orleans]]. Long boasted, "If there's any title I'm proud of, it's Chief Thief for LSU."<ref name=time/> Smith also benefited from lavish spending at the university. He installed his family in a campus mansion and bought a $3,000 car (then a large amount for a vehicle) at a time when most roads in Louisiana were still unpaved and when LSU faculty salaries were in arrears.<ref name=time/>

When the "Hayride" scandals claimed Governor Richard Webster Leche of New Orleans, he turned over the office to Huey Long's younger brother, then Lieutenant Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]. Having just resigned as the LSU president, Smith was missing when Earl Long succeeded to the governorship. Students derided their former president as "Jimmy the Stooge."<ref name=time/> Three banks in Baton Rouge and New Orleans revealed that they had lent Smith $500,000 on notes that he had signed as the LSU president. The larger Fenner & Beane brokerage house in New Orleans had asked Smith to withdraw $375,000 in LSU bonds which he had posted as collateral for speculating in wheat futures. The state attorney general declared the notes unauthorized and worthless. An East Baton Rouge Parish [[grand jury]] indicted Smith for embezzling $100,000. Broker Charles Fenner, later part of Merrill Lynch, said that Smith had represented perhaps "a dozen friends" in the speculation.<ref name=time/>

When the "Hayride" scandals claimed Governor [[Richard Leche]] of New Orleans, he turned over the office to Huey Long's younger brother, then Lieutenant Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]. Having just resigned as the LSU president, Smith was missing when Earl Long succeeded to the governorship. Students derided their former president as "Jimmy the Stooge."<ref name=time/> Three banks in Baton Rouge and New Orleans revealed that they had lent Smith $500,000 on notes that he had signed as the LSU president. The larger Fenner & Beane brokerage house in New Orleans had asked Smith to withdraw $375,000 in LSU bonds which he had posted as collateral for speculating in wheat futures. The state attorney general declared the notes unauthorized and worthless. An East Baton Rouge Parish [[grand jury]] indicted Smith for embezzling $100,000. Broker Charles Fenner, later part of Merrill Lynch, said that Smith had represented perhaps "a dozen friends" in the speculation.<ref name=time/>

For a week the whereabouts of Smith and his wife was unknown. They had traveled to [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], and returned to Baton Rouge, where he was arrested as a material witness. Then they surfaced in Brockville, [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. Smith had purchased a $20,000 plane with only four seats for use to recruit athletes to LSU. This plane was sent to return Smith to Louisiana. If Mrs. Smith flew as well, the plane could accommodate only one law enforcement officer. But Smith refused to be separated from his wife for the plane trip home, and the two instead drove back to Baton Rouge, with Smith vowing that he would yet clear his name.<ref name=time/>

For a week the whereabouts of Smith and his wife was unknown. They had traveled to [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], and returned to Baton Rouge, where he was arrested as a material witness. Then they surfaced in Brockville, [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. Smith had purchased a $20,000 plane with only four seats for use to recruit athletes to LSU. This plane was sent to return Smith to Louisiana. If Mrs. Smith flew as well, the plane could accommodate only one law enforcement officer. But Smith refused to be separated from his wife for the plane trip home, and the two instead drove back to Baton Rouge, with Smith vowing that he would yet clear his name.<ref name=time/>