Joseph Stickel leach was born 19 Dec 1876 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. To Benjamin F Leach (1842-1911) & Mary Ann Bayliss (1843-1907).
Inmate #1975 Leavenworth federal Prison
Rec: 19 Jan 1900
Crime: Murder
He was the first Federal Prisoner to receive a life sentence. When he was convicted of murder in 1900. In a drunk act of revenge, he clubbed to death a man who he has previously assaulted, when he was stationed as a soldier at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was given a life sentence. Thomas Fennell his comrade.
Here are some length newspaper articles on the crime and trial of Joseph. Some of it may be disturbing as they evaluate his family roots.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54031688/joseph-leach/
Second page to above.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034578/joseph-leach/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54030977/joseph-leach/
Medical experts testify:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54030738/joseph-leach/
They were talking about hanging him
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034661/joseph-leach/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034734/joseph-leach/
Joseph was paroled in 1915 and moved to Oklahoma to work as a plasterer, a trade he learned while in Leavenworth.
He later went to work for a number of railroad companies, and eventually went back to the plastering business. Joseph was very successful after his prison term, by 1929 he had over $10,000 in savings, roughly equivalent to $129,740 today.
He married Clara A Schneider (1887–1976) They lived in Maryland.
Here are his siblings: THey had 10 children these are the ones I found through census records.
Laura V. Leach
1865–
William W. Leach
1869–1888
Bertha E. Leach
1871–
Addie W. Leach
1874–1948
Joseph Stickel Leach
1876–1952
Nettie C. Leach
1880–
Benjamin F Leach Jr
His brother William committed suicide he took poison call Rough and Rat.
The court pretty much tore the family apart by humiliation, Joseph's parents were 1st cousins and that was sinful, Joseph couldn't read or write. Benjamin's father John had been married 3 times and was a drunk and violent, Benjamin himself had a few years where he was drunk all the time, Joseph was addicted to morphine. An Aunt of Benjamin's was in a asylum for 40 years. Joseph learned to write his name while he was in prison.
In 1927 President Calvin Coolidge pardoned Joseph.
Joseph died 7 Feb 1952 in Catonsville, MD.
Here some further reading on other Leavenworth convicts, you may enjoy.
Prologue
The Journal of the National Archives
(Google Books)
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/LNFLAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Joseph+S+Leach+Leavenworth+Federal+Prison+Inmate
Rec: 19 Jan 1900
Crime: Murder
He was the first Federal Prisoner to receive a life sentence. When he was convicted of murder in 1900. In a drunk act of revenge, he clubbed to death a man who he has previously assaulted, when he was stationed as a soldier at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was given a life sentence. Thomas Fennell his comrade.
Here are some length newspaper articles on the crime and trial of Joseph. Some of it may be disturbing as they evaluate his family roots.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54031688/joseph-leach/
Second page to above.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034578/joseph-leach/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54030977/joseph-leach/
Medical experts testify:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54030738/joseph-leach/
They were talking about hanging him
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034661/joseph-leach/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54034734/joseph-leach/
Joseph was paroled in 1915 and moved to Oklahoma to work as a plasterer, a trade he learned while in Leavenworth.
He later went to work for a number of railroad companies, and eventually went back to the plastering business. Joseph was very successful after his prison term, by 1929 he had over $10,000 in savings, roughly equivalent to $129,740 today.
He married Clara A Schneider (1887–1976) They lived in Maryland.
Here are his siblings: THey had 10 children these are the ones I found through census records.
Laura V. Leach
1865–
William W. Leach
1869–1888
Bertha E. Leach
1871–
Addie W. Leach
1874–1948
Joseph Stickel Leach
1876–1952
Nettie C. Leach
1880–
Benjamin F Leach Jr
His brother William committed suicide he took poison call Rough and Rat.
The court pretty much tore the family apart by humiliation, Joseph's parents were 1st cousins and that was sinful, Joseph couldn't read or write. Benjamin's father John had been married 3 times and was a drunk and violent, Benjamin himself had a few years where he was drunk all the time, Joseph was addicted to morphine. An Aunt of Benjamin's was in a asylum for 40 years. Joseph learned to write his name while he was in prison.
In 1927 President Calvin Coolidge pardoned Joseph.
Joseph died 7 Feb 1952 in Catonsville, MD.
Here some further reading on other Leavenworth convicts, you may enjoy.
Prologue
The Journal of the National Archives
(Google Books)
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/LNFLAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Joseph+S+Leach+Leavenworth+Federal+Prison+Inmate
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