The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-18

BRIEF SKE7CH OF A CARPET-BAGGER' 8
CAREER-He Goeth Home to Prey no More.
The people Of Richmond cannot so soon
have forgotten one VIM. Leahy, who has
been prominent actor in the scenes Incl.
dent to the reconstruction OF Virginia. He
hailed from New York, and coming here in
the wake of the Federal army, first at
tracted our notice Us a vender of eggs and
butter in the First Market; presumed to
be honest, but if honest, bciicd by his
looks. As Il huckster, however, he was
doubtless free from objection, and. had he
continued to ply that trade, doubtless
his name would not now have been
in the newspapers; for driving q char
coal cart perhaps he was much better fitted.
But Leahy Gt is pronounced like Lehioh)
had a soul OH fire with ambition, and in the
reconstruction Of his adopted State saw q
chance to make his mark, something which
he had hitherto only done on paper. So,
we next hear OF him rs aregistrar and judge
OF election i'll Brunswick county, and going
there in that capacity he came buck TO the
capital Il member of the Constitutional Con-
vention, having inlpartidlEy passed upon his
own election returns. AS 2 laW-maker he
made little noise, but soon got his name in
the papers as party to several street
brawls. in one of which, when he attempted
to collar reporter, it became necessary tor
the writer Of this paragraph to break an
nch-in-diameter walklng->tick over the
bridge of his nose. At another time, not
withst;;nding his reputation as bully, and
his blacksmthan muscles, he was well
caned III Il hat store on Main street.
But at length the Convention adjourned.
and we lost sight of Leahy for Il while ;
but, unluckiIy, not forever. He next ap-
peared in the role Of Il sheriff of Pittsylvu-
MIA county, appointed by military authori-
ty. The securities whose names were at
tached to his bond were notoriously insol.
vent, and the County Court refused to ac.
cept them; but General Candy, in the ex-
crcise of his imperial power, oyerruled the
opinion OF the court, and ordered that the
securities be approved. Leahy then en-
tered upon the discharge of his duties, and
continued in the same until the enabling
act decapitated him, with hundreds Of other
carpet-baegers, to make way for men quail.
lied for and entitled to the offices. IC was
then found that Leahy was owing the State
200, and he was actually indicted by the
grand jury of the County Court for the EN-.
bezzlement of 5000. jenkins, of Rich
mond, appeared as his counsel, and the nc.
cused gave bail for his appearance at the
october term to stand trial. October came,
but Leahy was not there.
Meantime, thrown out of the sheriffalty, he
came to Richmond, and all at once loomed up
as trusted and active deputy United States
Marshal, in which capacity he made nu-
merous arrests. 1t was he that came very
nigh being pitched over the banisters in the
second story OF the City Hall by Pat. Woods
and Captain Pleasants during the Ellyson-
Chahoon contest, and it was be that made
himself so conspicuous in the May election.
But with the deputy marshalship our hero's
official career in Virginia was to cease.
Somehow he got wind Of the fact that j,ls-
tice was at last moving on his track, that
his bondsmen had offered reward for his
arrest, and that the detectives were about
to grab him. Leahy saw that his hour had
come, and, slippery as ever, made his exit
from the stage before anybody knew he had
a thought OF leaving. He is now far beyond
Mason's and Dixon'S line; probably sport
ing on his native heath and Col. Elisha
BarkSdale, of Pittsylyania, who is counsel
for his bondsmen, will give $500 cash for his
living body to the said Col. Barksdale in
hand delivered. Here Is tine chance for
detectives. ~