Walter Groth

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Description:  

Pre-Colony History: He came to the colony around July 1932 from New York.  

Home in Colony:  

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Other Info: In July 1932 he drove a group of colonists (Ann and Lenin Tabb, Mrs. Gossett and her daughter) to the Rice Ranch; they returned by way of Alexandria.

He had hardly arrived on the grounds before he teamed up with E.G. Webb and his Welfare League, claiming that he just wanted to "save the colony." It was later revealed that he'd never had a contract with the colony or paid any money towards his membership.

When Webb was asked to explain his actions to the colony Board of Directors, both men moved into the colony home of Meyer Tuber, who claimed they were his invited guests and could not legally be evicted. From this colony home they worked with other disgruntled former colonists and conducted a campaign of vilification and defamation, mainly directed at George T. Pickett.

In July 1932 colonists signed a protest against Webb and Groth remaining in the colony "to save them." Shortly afterward, the 11th District Court of Mansfield ruled that even though Tuber had spent his own money on his home, it remained the property of the colony, therefore the men were trespassing on colony property and ordered to depart immediately and never return.

In February 1933 Doc Cayton was attending a meeting of that same Welfare League at the Leesville Music Hall, when about 150 colonists arrived to serve notice that the further use of the name "Llano" in connection with their organization would not be tolerated. Cayton pulled a gun on Doc Williams and told him twice that he must not speak and Groth shouted after the body of colonists, who were leaving the hall, that it was a "matter of guns from now on."

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Death:  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": July 9, 1932, August 6, 1932, February 11, 1933, July 1, 1933