Vidor friends stand by Wade at drug trial
by Margaret Toal
Staff Writer
SHERMAN - Vidor is a long way from this city near the Red River and the Oklahoma border, but the distance hasn't stopped friends of James and Neva Wade from attending court.
James Wade, who was removed as Orange County sheriff by state district judge on July 11, is on trial here on federal drug and embezzlement charges.
U. W. District Judge Howell Cobb of Beaumont moved the trial to Sherman, about 330 miles northwest of Vidor, because of publicity in Southeast Texas.
There's a reason.
"We're here because we love the Wades," says Mildred Liles, a retired junior high language arts teacher.
Wade's wife, Neva sits each day on the front row by the defense table, which includes Wade and his two attorneys. Family friend Frank Miller Jr., who is helping investigate the case to prove Wade's innocence, usually sits near her.
Also nearby is close friend Betty Drake of Orange, who recalls being neighbors with the Wades years ago in the Roselawn area of Orange when Wade was a young Texas Department of Public Safety trooper.
Some of the family's friends are staying in hotels while others brought campers.
George Ranier, a retired Mobil Oil worker, is staying with relatives in Farmers Branch, 75 miles from Sherman, and he makes the round trip daily.
"I want to get to the truth of the matter," he says about Wade's case. "If you bring him off here by himself without any inquisitive spectators, they're going to hang him from the flagpole out there."
` Early this past week, most of the family's friends attending the trial began bringing notebooks and pens to take notes of the testimony. Many use the notes to telephone reports to friends in Vidor who couldn't come to Sherman.
It's not all work, though.
"We get together in the evening and have a ball. It breaks the tension," says Drake.
On Thursday, the Wade's two sons, Byron, 16, and Brent, 7, attended the trial for the first time. They hadn't seen their father since he was jailed without bond June 1.
Blond-haired Brent was wearing a button that said "Have You Hugged Your Daddy Today?" But he didn't get to. Several U. S. Marshals guard Wade and prevent contact.
But Wade smiled and winked at his sons during court Thursday.
The past few months have been hard on the Wade family, but the community support has been "wonderful," says Neva.
"We don't have any money, but we've got good friends." She says.
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