The evening times., 1900-05-02
EDWARD 0. LHRCH Dgsl
Former Director of the Mint Ex-
pireS in Nea York.
News of HIS Demise Received Here
With Regret-A Native of This
CITY Who Had Achieved PrOmi-
nence In Financial CircIes-wen
known as n Monetary Expert.

The news of the death OF Edward o.
the Mount Sinai Hospital. last night. fol-
lowing an operation for appendicitis. Was
received here with general regret today.
the deceased having been well known in
the Capitol. Mr.. Leech was taken to the
hospital on April II. and after the opera
tion suffered from complication of dis
eases which terminated in death
Edward Owen Leech was a lineal de-
seendant of Lawrence Leeeh, who was
Salem. Mass, in I662 THIS ancestor of
Mr.. Leech was one of the planters" who
came to America with the Rev. Francis
Higginson in 1929. and was a man OF coz
siderable repute in his native land. Ed
ward o. Leeeh's great grandfather was
Capt HeZekiah Leech, who SERVED in the
French Indian and Revolutionary wars.
His father was Daniel ID. Tomkins Leech.
who was born in Nassau, N Y. in 1910.
and was for over thirty years a Gov "a
ment official IN the Postotfice and Treas .ry
departments. where his linguistic attain
ments enabled him to render exception ally
valuable services to the public
Edward o. Leech was born in this CITY.
on December 9. 1850. and was only thirty
eight years old when ne was appointed Di-
rector OF tie Mint, hav! lg been the young
est man who ever filled that office. His
education was received at the Everett In
sttute. here. and afterward at the CoIum-
bian University. from which institute he
was graduated in 1863 with second honors
in his class When his father died in
1869. young Leech was appointed a clerk
l nthe Bureau of Statistics in the Treasury
Department. When the Bureau Of the
Mint was organized. in April 1873 Dr. H
r. Lindermar, the first Director. selected
Mr.. Leech as one Of his assistants. He
held successfully the places Of assay clerk.
adjuster OF accounts and computer Of bull
lion in the Bureau of the Mint. He found
time to take a course OF law at the Ma
tional Law University here. and was grad
uated in 1885, after a three years course
OF study.
Mr.. Leech did not attempt to practice
law. but continued his connection with the
Mint, Of which he became the Director a
few months after the Harrison Admins
tration came into Office. in 1889. He took
special charge OF the technical bullion and
coin accounts For many years he had the
direction OF the preparation OF the moneta-
~ statistics published in the reports OF the
Director Of the Mint. statistics ahicA are
eagerly looked for by economists and pub
lie men in the United States and in Eu-
rope. Mr.. Leech enjoyed the reputation
OF being one Of the best-informed men in
the country on the monetary systems. past
and present. of the different countries n
the world. and on monetary and precious
metals statistics generally
In 1891 Mr.. Leech attended the Interna-
tiOnal Monetary Conference at Brussels IN
the capacity OF monetary expert OF The
United States Government. In May. 1898.
Mr.. Leech resigned the DirectorshfD Of the
NJ to
president Of the newly organized Natfonal
Union Bank OF New York city. which be-
gan business on June l OF that year under
the presidency Of Joseph c. Hendrix He
remained with the National Union Bank
continuously thereafter. and upon It's con-
solidation recently with the National Rank
OF Commerce. under the name of the lat
Ter bank, he was elected second vice presi-
dent Of the consolidated institution
Mr.. Leech was prominent in financial af-
fairs for many years. aud wrote many az
tieles on financial topics for the press and
the magazines. His opinions were riuch
sought after. both here and abroad He
was always a Republican. although he
never took an active part in politics
In 1871 Mr.. Leech married Miss Celia
Helen Kent, OF Pittsburg who lied In
1883 He leaves three chiIGren-Miss Eliza
NJ and Miss c. Helen Leech. and Edward
X. Leech. assistant melter and refner in
the United States Mint al Philadelphia
Mr.. Leech was q member OF the Union
League Club. he was exceedingly fond OF
baseball in his youth. and was pitcher for
the old Olympics. OF Washington He al
ways retained his love for the game. and
was also an enthusiastic billiard player.
He had a faculty for making friends. and
had wide acquaintance among the promi-
nent men of the day His home in New
York was at the Hotel San Reno.