re: Interesting historical pictures thread (add captions please)

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Leander Perez rose to power as the undisputed political boss of St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes in the 1920s. The shrewd lawyer was appointed judge in December of 1919, and from that point on, he was universally known as Judge Perez, though for most of his career he was a district attorney.

He became famous in his lifetime for his bitter fight against civil rights, and, after his death, for secretly diverting millions of dollars in oil royalties to companies he owned.

Plaquemines Parish native Leander Perez graduated from Tulane University Law School in 1914 and promptly set up a practice. In 1917 he married Agnes Chalin of New Orleans.

On Dec. 4, 1919, Judge Robert Hingle drowned in a fishing accident. Perez was named his successor by Gov.-elect John Parker, launching Perez’s political dynasty. In 1924, he was elected district attorney of St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, a capacity in which he served until 1960. He never earned more than $7,000 a year as DA.

Political campaigns were contentious, controversial and often lopsided during Perez’s rule. In 1931, 28 would-be candidates claimed they failed to qualify because no one would identify the official they should sign up with. By the time they figured out who it was — Perez’s father — they were told it was too late.

As early as 1941, Perez’s ties to companies involved in lucrative mineral leases were under investigation. In 1983, it was discovered that $80 million in oil royalties had been paid to Delta Development Co., which Perez secretly owned.

Perez and two other opponents of school integration were excommunicated by Archbishop Joseph Rummel in 1962. Perez was quietly readmitted to the church before his death in 1969.
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Leander H. Perez displays a copy of The Times-Picayune of July 31, 1962, containing a story of a federal agency approving a $3 million loan for construction of a 17-story apartment house for senior citizens in New Orleans. Perez referred to the loan as the payoff for pushing Catholic school integration. Perez addressed a crowd of picketers protesting the integration of Our Lady of Good Harbor Catholic School in Buras.

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Leander Perez, right, and Gov. Earl Long

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Leander Perez

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Promised Land / Leander Perez House 5907 Hwy 39 Braithwaite, Louisiana

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udge Leander H. Perez, who for decades was Plaquemines Parish's most powerful political leader, was memorialized in 1977 with a $1 million, 12-acre park just below Belle Chasse.

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Gov. Huey P. Long's Impeachment Trial is Adjourned Sine Die. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Conference of leaders at both houses here resulted in agreement to adjoin the impeachment trial of Gov. Huey Long sine die. Long is shown at left, smiling as trial opened in Louisiana Senate. Beside him sit four of his attorneys. Left to right, John Overton, Sapides, chief counsel, Lewis Morgan, St. Tammany; Leander H. Perez, St. Bernard; Allen J. Ellender of Tarrebonne and Harvey A. Peltier. May 16, 1929

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September 7, 1962 An overflow crowd listens intently as Plaqyemines parish commission council president and segregation leader Leander H. Perez Sr. attacked school integration at a rally in Belle Chasse sponsored by the Parents and Friends of Catholic Children.

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Perez and two other opponents of school integration were excommunicated by Archbishop Joseph Rummel in 1962

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On Aug. 15, 1945, there were smiles all around after a meeting of the 25th Judicial District Democratic committee at which Richard A. Dowling, far left, and Leander H. Perez, second from left, dropped protests against each other's candidates for district attorney of St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Seated left to right, are Dowling, Perez, T.W. Serpas and Philip Rowley, committee members. Standing is J. Claude Meraux, third candidate for the office.

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