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Richard W. Leche (1898-1965). He was the Democratic Governor of Louisiana from 1936 until 1939. Leche was the first governor of Louisiana sentenced to prison. After Huey Long was assassinated in September 1935, the Long organization was left without a leader and without a candidate for the 1936 gubernatiorial election. After a period of backroom maneuvering, the relatively minor Leche was chosen as a compromise candidate by Longite leaders. Despite his relative obscurity, Leche was able to beat anti-Long candidate Cleveland Dear with the aid of the still-powerful Long political machine. While he continued Long's program of road-building, free textbooks, and expansion of hospital and educational facilities, Leche and his administration were far less committed to wealth redistribution and social programs than Long had been. 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 press and the business community, two of Huey Long's staunchest foes. Shortly after his inauguration, Leche commented, "When I took the oath of office I didn't take any vow of poverty." Corruption was to become the major feature of his administration. In a reconciliation with the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Leche promised to cease using Long's Share Our Wealth rhetoric and to support New Deal programs. In return, Roosevelt dropped 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" by contemporaries. While some of the federal funds went to expand Louisiana State University and New Orleans's Charity Hospital, Leche and his administration took their rapprochement with Roosevelt as free license to steal as much as possible. Once the corruption became too blatant, though, Leche and several of his cronies were indicted in what were termed the "Louisiana Scandals." Beset by scandal and accusations, Leche resigned the governorship on June 26, 1939; he was succeeded by his Lieutenant Governor Earl K. Long. Richard Leche's legal problems began when Chester Martin, a highway engineer who had his pay skimmed by Leche's newspaper, mimeographed receipts of the payments and a written summary of his allegations. He left them on the desks of every state legislature member the morning before the legislature came into session. Chester Martin lost his job that day, and no one in the state would hire him until the federal government indicted Leche. Chester Martin used the year to get his law degree from LSU, and practiced law until his retirement. Resignation did not end Leche's legal troubles. In 1940, he was convicted of using the mails to defraud; the particulars involved a scheme to sell trucks to the state Highway Department. Other charges included the use of stolen WPA resources to build private homes for himself and his allies, making a profit from the sale of "hot oil" - oil produced illegally in excess of state quotas and thus exempt from taxation - and misuse of the funds of Louisiana State University. Huey Long's prediction - "If those fellows ever try to use the powers I've given them without me to hold them down; they'll all land in the penitentiary" - proved prophetic. Sentenced to ten years in an Atlanta penitentiary, Leche was released on parole in 1945 and pardoned by Harry Truman in 1953. His signature, as Governor, on a card with a 1 cent Franklin stamp postmarked at Baton Rouge. Certificate of Authenticity from Pages of History provides a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. We are full time autograph and document dealers registered with the UACC (#036), and members of the Manuscript Society. Optional insurance is available at my cost for US deliveries only. Payments must be by Pay Pal. We regret that we cannot be responsible for loss or damage on uninsured lots. (463C) Powered by eBay Turbo ListerThe free listing tool. List your items fast and easy and manage your active items.
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