Charles Edward "Ed" Karst (ca. 1931 - July 17, 1992) was an attorney and politician remembered for his controversial tenure as the mayor (1969-1973) of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. In 1991, Karst launched a bizarre "No Party" gubernatorial campaign in which he threatened if elected to fire the members of the Louisiana Supreme Court or, if defeated, as he was, to kill the justices, who had upheld his disbarment. At times, Karst was a member of both the Democratic and the Republican parties, but he ran for governor with the "No Party" label, as permitted in Louisiana. 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... July 17 is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... An attorney is someone who represents someone else in the transaction of business: For attorney-at-law, see lawyer, solicitor, barrister or civil law notary. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Alexandria is a city in Louisiana and is the parish seat of Rapides Parish. ... Rapides Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area  Ranked 31st  - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 16  - Latitude 29°N to 33°N  - Longitude 89°W... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A governor is an official who heads the government of a colony, state or other sub-national state unit. ... // The Supreme Court of Louisiana The law of Louisiana and the Supreme Court of Louisiana both have a rich history based in the colonial governments of France and Spain during the early eighteenth century. ... Disbarment is a penalty for lawyers. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ...

The New Orleans-born Karst was the son of Charles Karst, Jr. (1890-1981). He was educated in Catholic institutions in New Orleans: Jesuit High School, Tulane University, and Loyola University Law School. He moved to Alexandria to practice law during the 1960s. New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... Logo of Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational Jesuit university in the United States with 5,000 students (3,000 undergraduates). ... Lady Justice or Justitia is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system (particularly in Western art). ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

Karst and Snyder

In 1969, he emerged as a sharp-tongued candidate for mayor after it became clear that the scandal-plagued 16-year incumbent, W. George Bowdon, Jr., might not win a fifth consecutive term. In the April 5 Democratic primary, Karst led with 4,093 votes (36 percent) to John K. Snyder's 3,128 (27.5 percent). Snyder (1922-1993), an admirer of the late Governor Earl Kemp Long, considered himself a "populist". The third place candidate, John B. Honeycutt (1911-1998), who had earlier run unsuccessfully for Rapides Parish sheriff, received 2,021 votes (17.8 percent). Bowdon trailed in fourth place with 1,784 votes (15.7 percent). Three other candidates polled a total of 359 votes (3.2 percent). The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... William George Bowdon, Jr. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... John Kenneth Snyder, Sr. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Earl Kemp Long (26 August 1895 - 5 September 1960) was an American politician and three-time Governor of Louisiana. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In the mayoral runoff held on May 17, 1969, Karst prevailed, 6,016 (53.7 percent) to Snyder's 5,188 (46.3 percent). With Karst's victory, Governor John McKeithen cancelled the general election scheduled for June because only Democrats had filed for the Alexandria municipal offices. May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (138th in leap years). ... John Julian McKeithen (May 28, 1918 -- June 4, 1999), a Democrat from the tiny town of Columbia in Caldwell Parish in northeastern Louisiana, was the first governor of his state to serve two consecutive terms. ... A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with a length of 30 days. ...

Karst soon found himself at odds with his two fellow Democratic council members under the commission form of municipal government, Streets and Parks Commissioner O'Hearn L. Mathews (1923-1975) and Carroll Edwin Lanier (born 1926), an electrician who won the now nonexistent post of finance and utilities commissioner. Mathews and Lanier had upset Commissioners William H. "Bill" Lambdin, Sr. (1894-1980), and Leroy Wilson (1905-1978), respectively, both caught up in the anti-incumbent tide. Wilson's nephew, George I. Wilson (1935-1983), was the manager of the city utilities office and remained in place after the change of administration. A city-centre street in Frankfurt, Germany A residential street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA A street is a public thoroughfare in the built environment. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... An electrician hooking up a generator to a homes electrical panel. ... Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... A public utility is a company that maintains the infrastructure for a public service. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Karst and the GOP

Karst hired the controversial "Radical Right" activist, Kent Howard Courtney, formerly of New Orleans, as his executive assistant. It was unclear how much impact Courtney had on Karst's political decisions. Early in 1972, Karst switched his affiliation to the Republican Party and vowed to work for the establishment of a two-party system in Louisiana. In the congressional election that year, he hosted the Republican candidate, Roy C. Strickland, then a trucking executive from Gonzales in Ascension Parish. Strickland, who opposed the Democrat Gillis William Long of Alexandria, recalls having spent the night in the Karst home during that campaign and the mayor's stated commitment to building a Republican Party. Kent Howard Courtney (October 23, 1918--August 12, 1997) was a leading figure in the Radical Right of American politics from the 1950s to the 1970s. ... Gonzales is a city in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States. ... Ascension Parish is a parish located in the state of Louisiana. ... Gillis William Long (May 4, 1923 – January 20, 1985) was among numerous members of the powerful Long political dynasty who held public office in Louisiana during the twentieth century. ...

Karst, however, soon bowed out of municipal politics. He was critical of the commission form of government and advocated a change to the mayor-council format, which was finalized in the summer of 1977. Karst did not seek reelection as mayor in 1973 but returned to his law practice and business ventures. Snyder, meanwhile, defeated the favorite of the business community, reform State Representative R.W. "Buzzy" Graham. Karst watched the campaign on the sidelines. Again, no Republicans ran for any city offices that year. Karst did not remain in the GOP. By 1978, he was once again a Democrat and ran unsuccessfully for a judgeship in Rapides Parish. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Louisiana State Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Karst disbarred

Karst was suspended from his law practice after he accused Ninth Judicial District Judge Guy E. Humphries, Jr., of corruption. The allegation came after Humphries ruled against Karst in several lawsuits which pitted Karst against the Alexandria architect Joe E. Fryar, Jr., in a dispute over public housing projects formerly known as "Karst Park". The bar association initiated disbarment proceedings against Karst on the grounds that his slurs against Judge Humphries constituted misconduct. In a hearing in 1981, Karst admitted that the allegations that he hurled against Humphries were false. Karst failed to be reinstated to his law practice, as the Louisiana Supreme Court denied each appeal. An allegation is a statement of a fact by a party in a pleading, which he or she claims they will prove. ... An architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect is a person who is involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction. ... A local authority tower block in Cwmbrân, South Wales Public housing or project homes is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. ... // The Supreme Court of Louisiana The law of Louisiana and the Supreme Court of Louisiana both have a rich history based in the colonial governments of France and Spain during the early eighteenth century. ...

A gubernatorial bid

In the 1991 gubernatorial jungle primary, remembered for the David Duke and Edwin Washington Edwards candidacies, Karst ran without a party label and polled some 9,300 votes, or 1 percent of the total. He threatened the Supreme Court justices with an Uzi. "Louisiana's root problem is not lack of jobs and pay raises for teachers, police, and other public employees," Karst said during the campaign. "It is unchecked corruption by the Five Supremes, self-annointed high priests of the Louisiana Way who worship at the temple of corruption in New Orleans. . . . I will have no choice but to execute them, blow them away," Karst vowed. In the jungle primary, all candidates run in the same initial election regardless of party label. ... David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, a candidate in presidential primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. ... Edwin Washington Edwards (born 7 August 1927) is a United States politician who served as governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972 - 1980, 1984 - 1988, and 1992 - 1996), more terms than any other Louisiana governor. ... The Uzi is a compact, boxy, light-weight submachine gun. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Legal and health troubles

In April 1992, Karst was arrested and held on a $100,000 bond in the custody of the Orleans Parish Prison on two counts of public intimidation for having made threats on the judges' lives. This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... New Orleans (French: Nouvelle-Orléans) is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Intimidation is generally used in the meaning of criminal threatening. ...

Karst, meanwhile, contracted cancer and died some two weeks before he was to stand trial. His opposition to the judges stemmed from a protracted civil court battle that left him suspended from his law practice and nearly destitute. Judge Jerome Winsberg set an August 4, 1992, court date after he determined that Karst was competent to stand trial. Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ...

On July 2, 1992, Karst suffered a perforated stomach, according to then public defender Craig Colwart. Exploratory surgery at New Orleans Charity Hospital revealed that Karst had terminal colon and liver cancer. "He was doing OK after the surgery and then he took a turn for the worst," Colwart said. Two weeks before his death, Karst's last appeal for reinstatement to the bar was denied. Karst faced felony charges that could have brought a ten-year sentence. In anatomy, the stomach is a bean-shaped hollow muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication. ... Diagram of the stomach, colon, and rectum Colorectal cancer includes cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. ... The liver is an organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. ... For the record label, see Felony Records The term felony is a term used in common law systems for very serious crimes, whereas misdemeanors are considered to be less serious offenses. ...

Karst's obituary

Karst was divorced from the former Judith "Judy" Ward-Steinman, Ph.D., who herself ran for mayor in 1977 but polled few votes. Karst lived in New Orleans for the last decade of his life. After the divorce, Karst was convicted in Rapides Parish of two misdemeanor counts of trespassing on property owned by his former wife and his former father-in-law, the late Irving Ward-Steinman, the owner of an Alexandria radio station. For the record label, see Divorce Records. ... Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. ... A decade is a set or a group of ten, commonly a period of 10 years in contemporary English, or a period of 10 days in the French revolutionary calendar. ... A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems, is a lesser criminal act. ... In law, trespass can be: the criminal act of going into somebody else’s land or property without permission; it is also a civil law tort that may be a valid cause of action to seek judicial relief and possibly damages through a lawsuit. ...

The Karsts had three children: son Alexander Regard Karst and daughters Alicia Barrows Karst and Jacqueline Ward Karst, all then of Alexandria. He was also survived by a brother, Charles Karst, III, of Montgomery, Alabama, and two sisters, Jacqueline Winter of River Ridge in Jefferson Parish and Katherine Bosworth of New Orleans. Coordinates: Country United States State Alabama County Montgomery Incorporated December 3, 1819 Mayor Bobby Bright Area    - City 404. ... River Ridge is a small suburb of New Orleans that has a population of 14,588 (census 2000). ... Jefferson Parish is a parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. ...

Private services for Karst were held in Lake Lawn Cemetery in New Orleans on July 20, 1992. Burial, however, was in the adjacent Old Metairie Cemetery. Karst was Episcopalian. July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... The arms of the Episcopal Church are based on the St Georges Cross, a symbol of England (mother of world Anglicanism), with a saltire reminiscent of the Cross of St Andrew in the canton in reference to the historical origins of the American episcopate in the Scottish Episcopal Church. ...

References

"Former candidate for governor Karst dies", Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, July 18, 1992, p. 9-C

"Ex-Mayor Karst dies", Alexandria Daily Town Talk, July 18-19, 1992

Alexandria Daily Town Talk, May 19, 1973

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