Changes

|death_date=February 22, 1965 (aged 66)

|death_date=February 22, 1965 (aged 66)

|death_place=New Orleans, Louisiana.

|death_place=New Orleans, Louisiana.

|resting_place=Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans

|resting_place=Metairie Cemetery<br> in New Orleans

|spouse=Elton Reynolds Leche

|spouse=Elton Reynolds Leche

|children=Richard Leche, Jr.<br>

|children=Richard Leche, Jr.<br>

==Background==

==Background==

Leche was the son of a salesman, Eustace Leche, and a teacher, the former Stella Eloise Richard, possibly pronounced REE CHARD.)<ref name=findagrave/>  He graduated from [[Warren Easton]] High School and in 1916 enrolled in [[Tulane University]]. Soon he enlisted with the [[United States Army]] during [[World War I]]. After he briefly moved to [[Chicago]] to sell automobile parts.  Then he returned to Louisiana and graduated from the [[Roman Catholic]]-affiliated Loyola University New Orleans Law School. After his bar exam, he launched his legal practice in 1923.

Leche was the son of a salesman, Eustace Leche, and a teacher, the former Stella Eloise Richard, possibly pronounced REE CHARD.<ref name=findagrave/>  He graduated from [[Warren Easton]] High School and in 1916 enrolled in [[Tulane University]]. Soon he enlisted with the [[United States Army]] during [[World War I]]. After he briefly moved to [[Chicago]] to sell automobile parts.  Then he returned to Louisiana and graduated from the [[Roman Catholic]]-affiliated Loyola University New Orleans Law School. After his bar exam, he launched his legal practice in 1923.

In 1928, when [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], was elected governor, Leche was an unsuccessful [[primary]] candidate for the state Senate. In 1930, he was named to direct Long's campaign for the [[United States Senate]] against the incumbent Democrat Joseph Eugene Ransdell (1858-1954) of East Carroll Parish. Upon is election to the Senate in 1932, Huey Long named Leche as the secretary to Oscar Kelly Allen (1882-1936), who had succeeded Long as governor but soon died in office. In 1934, Senator Long appointed Leche to a state appellate court judge in New Orleans.

In 1928, when [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], was elected governor, Leche was an unsuccessful [[primary]] candidate for the state Senate. In 1930, he was named to direct Long's campaign for the [[United States Senate]] against the incumbent Democrat [[Joseph Ransdell|Joseph Eugene Ransdell]] of East Carroll Parish. Upon is election to the Senate in 1932, Huey Long selected Leche as the secretary to Oscar Kelly Allen (1882-1936), who had succeeded Long as governor but soon died in the office. In 1934, Senator Long appointed Leche to a state appellate court judge in New Orleans.

== Leche as governor ==

== Leche as governor ==

After Huey Long was assassinated in September 1935, the Long organization was left without a leader and without a candidate for the 1936 gubernatorial election. From that deadlock, Leche was supported as a compromise candidate.  Despite his political obscurity, Leche defeated with Long faction backing the anti-Long candidate Cleveland Dear (1888-1950), a [[U.S. Representative]] from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], with the aid of the still-powerful Long machine. Leche polled 67 percent of the primary vote, and the anti-Long forces seemed beyond recovery.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State,  Primary election returns, January 21, 1936.</ref>  

After Huey Long was assassinated in September 1935, the Long organization was left without a leader and without a candidate for the 1936 gubernatorial election. From that deadlock, Leche was supported as a compromise candidate.  Despite his political obscurity, Leche defeated with [[pro-Long]] faction backing the [[anti-Long]] candidate Cleveland Dear (1888-1950), a [[U.S. Representative]] from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], with the aid of the still-powerful Long machine. Leche polled 67 percent of the primary vote, and the anti-Long forces seemed beyond recovery.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State,  Primary election returns, January 21, 1936.</ref>  

Governor Leche presented vowed to continue Long's program of road-building, the expansion of educational and hospital facilities, and free school textbooks. He proposed a tax on soft drinks, a $2,000 homestead exemption (now $75,000) extended to the surviving spouses and widows, keeping public payrolls at the maximum to reduce unemployment, and establishment of a state department of industry and commerce.<ref>"Leche Takes Office Today and Gives 26-Point Plan, ''Minden Signal-Tribune'' and ''Springhill Journal,'' May 12, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

Governor Leche presented vowed to continue Long's program of road-building, the expansion of educational and hospital facilities, and free school textbooks. He proposed a tax on soft drinks, a $2,000 homestead exemption (now $75,000) extended to the surviving spouses and widows, keeping public payrolls at the maximum to reduce unemployment, and establishment of a state department of industry and commerce.<ref>"Leche Takes Office Today and Gives 26-Point Plan, ''Minden Signal-Tribune'' and ''Springhill Journal,'' May 12, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

While Leche continued Long's program of road-building, free textbooks, and expansion of hospital and educational facilities, he and his administration were far less committed to wealth redistribution and social programs. He ceased attacks on the oil industry, granted tax exemptions to new business and industry, and enacted a regressive [[sales tax]]. These policies brought Leche support from the the business community and the newspapers, both of which were long-time Long foes.

While Leche continued Long's program of road-building, free textbooks, and expansion of hospital and educational facilities, he and his administration were far less committed to wealth redistribution and social programs. He ceased attacks on the oil industry, granted tax exemptions to new business and industry, and enacted a regressive [[sales tax]]. These policies brought Leche support from the the business community and the newspapers, both of which were long-time Long foes.

Shortly after his inauguration, Leche said that he had taken no "vow of poverty," and corrupt practices became the standard of his administration. The "Louisiana Hayride" scandal soon impacted even [[Louisiana State University]]; its president, [[James Monroe Smith]], a native of Jackson Parish, was forced from his lucrative position.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|publisher=''[[[Time magazine|Time]]''|accessdate=February 11, 2015|date=July 10, 1939}}</ref>

Shortly after his inauguration, Leche said that he had taken no "vow of poverty," and corrupt practices became the standard of his administration. The "Louisiana Hayride" scandal soon impacted even [[Louisiana State University]]; its president, [[James Monroe Smith]], a native of Jackson Parish, was forced from his lucrative position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|publisher=''[[[Time magazine|Time]]''|accessdate=February 11, 2015|date=July 10, 1939}}</ref>

To accommodate the second term of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Leche promised to cease using Long's "Share Our Wealth" mantra and to support the [[New Deal]]. In return, Roosevelt dropped the investigation of the Long machine on tax evasion charges and restored federal patronage to Louisiana. The resulting flow of federal funds, accompanied with widespread graft and corruption, became dubbed the "Second [[Louisiana Purchase]]," a reference to [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s doubling the size of the nation in 1803. Some of the federal funds from the Public Works Administration were used to construct new buildings at LSU and to expand New Orleans's Charity Hospital, the flagship project of Huey Long. Before the end of his abbreviated term, Leche and several cronies, including Superintendent of Construction George A. Caldwell (1892-1966), were [[Indictment|indicted]], and Leche was forced to resign just as the summer of 1939 began. He was succeeded for a year by then Lieutenant Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], Huey's younger brother.

To accommodate the second term of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Leche promised to cease using Long's "Share Our Wealth" mantra and to support the [[New Deal]]. In return, Roosevelt dropped the investigation of the Long machine on tax evasion charges and restored federal patronage to Louisiana. The resulting flow of federal funds, accompanied with widespread graft and corruption, became dubbed the "Second [[Louisiana Purchase]]," a reference to [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s doubling the size of the nation in 1803. Some of the federal funds from the Public Works Administration were used to construct new buildings at LSU and to expand New Orleans's Charity Hospital, the flagship project of Huey Long. Before the end of his abbreviated term, Leche and several cronies, including Superintendent of Construction George A. Caldwell (1892-1966), were [[Indictment|indicted]], and Leche was forced to resign just as the summer of 1939 began. He was succeeded for a year by then Lieutenant Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], Huey's younger brother.

==Later years==

==Later years==

After his resignation, Leche was convicted in 1940 of using the mails to defraud through a scheme to sell trucks to the Louisiana Highway Department.  Other charges included the use of stolen [[Works Progress Administration]] resources to build expensive houses for Leche and his cronies.

Leche and his wife, the former Elton Reynolds (1903-1999), had two sons, Richard, Jr. (1929-2020) and Charles Eustace Leche, who survives his parents and brother. Richard, Jr., graduated in 1946 from the first ever class at Covington High School in [[suburb]]an St. Tammany Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obits.theadvocate.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=richard-webster-leche-jr&pid=197212363|title=Obituary of Richard Leche, Jr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=December 3, 2020|accessdate=December 11, 2020}}</ref>

 

Leche and his wife, the former Elton Reynolds, had two sons, Richard, Jr. (1929-2020) and Charles Eustace Leche, who survives his parents and brother. Richard, Jr., graduated in 1946 from the first ever class at Covington High School in [[suburb]]an St. Tammany Parish. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://obits.theadvocate.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=richard-webster-leche-jr&pid=197212363|title=Obituary of Richard Leche, Jr.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=December 3, 2020|accessdate=December 11, 2020}}</ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leche, Richard}}

[[Category:Criminals]]

[[Category:United States Army]]