With the company headquarters in Houston, Brown typically traveled from Austin once per week, then stayed at his room at the Lamar for a few days.
[2] Jesse H. Jones, the developer and owner of the Lamar Hotel, lived on its top floor and was also a member of the group.
They planned and discussed events as varied as hunting and racing, pipelines and steel plants, and philanthropy and political candidates.
James A. Elkins, a Houston lawyer and banker, wielded great influence and gained a reputation as a deal maker.
For example, the group backed Oscar Holcombe, Sam Rayburn, and the first two campaigns of Franklin Delano Roosevelt for President of the United States.