Maps were found in Dillinger's possession and the Dayton authorities thought they were about a possible Indiana prison escape. This information was offered to Captain Leach, but he supposedly even refuse to look at them, deeming them unimportant and told the Dayton police that Dillinger "wasn't that big."
When Pierpont and the nine others broke out of Michigan City, Dillinger was behind bars in Lima where he was transferred to. The Sheriff, Jess Sarber called John a punk and considered him as harmless as Leach. Leach, however would later changed his tune. Dayton and Indiana both warned Sheriff Sarber that Pierpont may attempt to break Dillinger out. Sarber didn't change his view on the Indiana outlaw and paid little heed to the warnings.
On Oct. 12, 1933, Harry Pierpont, Charles Makley, Russell Clark, John Hamilton and Ed Shouse liberated Dillinger from the Lima jail, Harry shot Sarber when he tried to stop them.
Captain Leach knew the gang leader was actually Harry Pierpont, but felt by naming John Dillinger as the leader it would create jealously among the two men and possible cause the end of the Terror Gang.
But this never happened, Pierpont was too grateful to Dillinger for helping him escape prison. Pierpont never cared for publicity and he knew the truth.
Leach followed every possible lead, but never caught the gang. He would leak stories to the press and which helped to build up the image of the Dillinger gang.
Pierpont once quoted during his murder trial that if you had never heard of Matt Leach, you would never have heard of him.
Which was true. And the Dillinger Gang story can not be told without the name of Leach appearing.
After his Dillinger days, Leach continued to work on the State Police force. By 1937, he had leaked to the press information on the Brady gang, who were creating terror through the state at the time.
This was to be his undoing. J. Edgar Hoover demanded his resignation and eventually got it.
Leach would later say the FBI hounded him into resigning and later wrote a tell-all book about the FBI and Dillinger case.
Sadly, this was never published.
He had been a veteran of World War I and also served in World War II.
On June 14, 1955, he was returning home with his wife Mary from New York, where he had been promoting his manuscript.
Another car lost control and hit them head on, throwing them both from the car. Leach died soon afterward, while his wife passed away several hours later.
The manuscript disappeared.
Matt Leach is buried at the Calumet Park Cemetery in Merrillville, Indiana along side his wife.
The Gang That Got Away
Matthew Leach
{Courtesy: John Dillinger Historical Society}
Matt Leach's Grave
Mary Leach's Grave
MARY KINDER JOHN DILLINGER TUCSON ARRESTS DEATH OF HARRY
KOKOMO BANK LEIPSIC AWARDS CRIME LINKS LAWMEN LINKS
ALLEN COUNTY MUSEUM
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