Richard W. Leche

Richard W. Leche (1936)

Richard Webster Leche (born May 15, 1898 in New Orleans , Louisiana , † February 22, 1965 ibid) was an American politician and governor of the state of Louisiana from 1936 to 1939 .

Early years

Richard Leche attended Warren Easton High School and enrolled at Tulane University in 1916 . However, his studies were interrupted by the First World War, during which he served as a lieutenant in the army , but without being directly involved in acts of war. After the end of the war he moved to Chicago for a short time , where he sold spare parts for cars. Then he continued his education with a law degree at Loyola University . After his admission to the bar, he began practicing this profession in 1923.

Political rise

Leche was a member of the Democratic Party and soon became a supporter of the local party leader Huey Pierce Long in Louisiana . In 1928, Leche ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Louisiana Senate . Two years later, he was campaign manager for Huey Long when the latter successfully ran for a seat in the US Senate . Between 1932 and 1934 Leche was the private secretary of Governor Oscar K. Allen . In that capacity, he secretly kept Senator Long informed of what was going on in Allen's office. From 1934 to 1936 Leche was then a judge at an appeals court in Orleans Parish .

Louisiana Governor

After Senator Long's assassination in September 1935, the Louisiana Democratic Party was initially without a leader and divided over the nomination of a candidate for the 1936 gubernatorial election. It was finally agreed on Richard Leche as a compromise candidate. This was then elected on April 21, 1936 as the new governor and introduced into office on May 12. During his tenure, a Department of Commerce and Industry was created in Louisiana. The infrastructure was further expanded. This included the construction of new roads and bridges. At that time the school system was also improved and new hospitals were built. New companies were exempt from tax for 10 years. During this time, with the help of the New Deal policy of the federal government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt , the consequences of the great economic crisis were overcome.

In addition to all these positive aspects, Governor Leche became increasingly involved in criminal activities. Soon, bribery and corruption rose dramatically in Louisiana. In some cases, funds from federal grants under the New Deal program even disappeared in dark channels and in the pockets of the governor and some of his officials. Then Leche got involved in a scandal over the sale of trucks to the State Highway Department . As the extent of these irregularities became more apparent, charges were brought against the governor in Louisiana. The pressure on Leche grew and he had to resign on June 26, 1939. The remainder of his tenure was ended by Lieutenant Governor Earl Long , brother of the assassinated Senator Huey Long.

Another résumé

In June 1940, Leche was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his offenses, five of which were actually served in Atlanta , Georgia . In 1953, President Harry S. Truman pardoned him. Then Leche worked as a lawyer again. He died in New Orleans in 1965. Richard Leche had two children with his wife Elton Reynolds.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 2, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

Commons : Richard W. Leche  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Richard Leche in the National Governors Association (English)
• Richard W. Leche in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The governors of Louisiana (English)