Richie, I stated "his version or arrangement." One may not copyright validly a version already protected by a copyright. This is what 'my son the lawyer' told me, but be also said it is a minefield with regard to "versions". Of course he could be wrong since he is not in the copyright field. The US Gov. site states "Musical works include both original compositions and original arrangements or other new versions of earlier compositions to which new copyrightable authorship has been added."

"Lulu Walsh," copyright 1927 by Walter Morris, is the same song.
Re-issued in "Georgia Songsters," Document, track 20, performed by Oscar Ford and Walter Morris. This seems to pre-date AP Carter. See notes on "Lulu Walls" in the Traditional Ballad Index, which may be out-of-date.

I would very much like to see the original of "Lulu Walls" (Not in American Memory, Levy, UCLA or Indiana sheet music coll.).