CONTROVERSIAL OIL MILLIONAIRE PRAISED AFTER DEATH

Rex Cauble, the late, controversial Texas multimillionaire who 21 years ago
was convicted of smuggling Colombian marijuana, was praised Monday by
friends in Oklahoma and Texas. Actor Dale Robertson of Yukon and Roy Graham
of Roanoke, Texas, who authored a book about Cauble titled "Texas Mafia,"
said Cauble was of high character and was wrongly accused of criminal activity.

Cauble, a well-known rancher and oilman of Denton, Texas, was buried Friday
in Dallas. He died June 23 in a hospital in Durant. He was 89.

Robertson, a Western actor who also has long been interested in horses,
said he had known Cauble since meeting him about 40 years ago at a rodeo in
Houston, where Robertson was appearing as an entertainer.

Cauble was a rancher, oilman and owner of Western wear stores. He owned
Cutterbill, a world champion cutting horse within both the American and
national quarter horse associations.

Robertson also said Cauble had "spent so much money to fight dope," and
then "took the rap" for crimes he didn't commit.

"I never will believe he was guilty of things he was accused of," Robertson
said.

Graham, 60, said he wrote the book about Cauble, who was convicted in 1982
in a federal $90 million marijuana smuggling case, because "the story just
needed to be told."

Graham said the case was "the largest marijuana smuggling operation in U.S.
history."

However, in both a telephone interview and on his "Cowboy Mafia" Web site,
Graham said Cauble was duped by persons who worked for him and was
unknowingly involved in the operation.

Cauble, who always maintained his innocence, was convicted of federal
charges of embezzlement, conspiracy, racketeering and of taking part in the
smuggling of 106 tons of marijuana into Texas from South America.

He was sentenced to some 50 years, but completed his prison term in
September 1987, partly because of good behavior credits. The government
also seized about $12 million of his assets.