29 Facts About Leo McLaughlin

Leo Patrick McLaughlin was an American politician who served as the mayor of Hot Springs, Arkansas from 1927 to 1947, and in the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1911.

Leo McLaughlin was the head of a political machine in Garland County, Arkansas.

Leo McLaughlin entered politics in the 1910s with him serving as a member of the state house before being elected as city attorney in Hot Springs.

Leo McLaughlin was temporarily out of politics after being drafted into the United States Army, but returned to the position of city attorney.

Leo McLaughlin was elected as mayor of Hot Springs in 1927.

Leo Patrick McLaughlin was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on June 5,1888, as one of eight children of Irish immigrants John Henry McLaughlin and Bridget Adela Russell.

Leo McLaughlin graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1908, and was president in his senior year.

Leo McLaughlin was an alternate delegate to the Democratic Party of Arkansas' state convention in 1910, a delegate to the 1914 convention, and a delegate to the 1948 Democratic National Convention.

Leo McLaughlin served on the Judiciary, Banks and Banking, and Natural Resources committee.

Leo McLaughlin supported Governor Carl E Bailey's campaign for a seat in the United States Senate in the 1937 special election.

Leo McLaughlin received the Democratic nomination to run for city attorney of Hot Springs and defeated Sam McConnell, a member of the Republican Party who ran as an independent, in the 1912 election.

Leo McLaughlin was a member of the Garland County Democratic Central Committee and was selected to be its secretary in 1912.

Leo McLaughlin served as the party's chair and Jacob L King, a member of McLaughlin's opposition, succeeded him as chair in 1948.

Leo McLaughlin defeated McConnell and Sam Garrett in the 1918 election.

Orlando H Sumpter was elected to replace him until McLaughlin reassumed the office after his military service.

Leo McLaughlin was reelected in the 1920 election, with all of the candidates running as independents due to a lack of a primary, against Sumpter and Sidney S Taylor.

Leo McLaughlin defeated Elmer Tackett, a former member of the state house, in the 1937 election.

Leo McLaughlin was accused of electoral fraud during his tenure with allegations of paying people's poll taxes and threatening to fire government workers who did not vote.

Illegal gambling was sanctioned in the city with fees being paid to the local government to avoid police raids and Leo McLaughlin advertised the city as a place to gamble.

Ledgerwood stated in a post-election radio address that Leo McLaughlin's regime came to an end and he did not seek reelection in 1947.

Leo McLaughlin filed to run in the 1947 election, but later announced that he would not seek reelection after a grand jury launched an investigation into his administration.

Leo McLaughlin was acquitted on one charge and the remainder were dismissed.

Leo McLaughlin attempted to reenter politics after his mayoral tenure by running for city attorney as an independent in the 1952 election, but failed to qualify.

On June 19,1918, Leo McLaughlin married Juanita Gilliam in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, but she filed for divorce on September 5,1919, in Denver, Colorado, and a judgement was made in her favor on November 18, although it was not finalized until June 2,1921.

Leo McLaughlin married Mary Francis Frink in 1931, but it ended in divorce a few months later.

Leo McLaughlin married Florence Paul on November 4,1931, the same day his previous marriage ended, and divorced her in 1936.

Leo McLaughlin attended the University of Arkansas for two weeks and never took a bar examination, but he worked as a lawyer for forty-five years.

In 1937, Paul claimed during their divorce proceedings that Leo McLaughlin's estate was worth $500,000.

Leo McLaughlin was the president of the Hot Springs Broadcasting Company which was formed to prevent the removal of the KTHS station.