I knew that I had read something about the Ed Crook "issue" on another forum in the past and now I've found it, hope no one minds that I'm posting this... according to Joe Moorehouse over at the RareSoulForum:
Major Reynolds, who owned Tri-Sound, told me that the cross-and-stars design on Ed Crook is a pirate copy. After the record became a hit locally, someone (he didn't know who, I don't think) had additional copies pressed up without Major's permission and sold them without his knowledge. Interestingly, this sort of thing apparently happened pretty often, or at least a lot of old musicians and label owners claim it did.
Strange though that they both seems to have been pressed with the same master/stamper (Nashville markings etc.). Perhaps it was stolen? I don't know, just reporting what I've read elsewhere.