Richard Reading

Richard William Reading was born in Detroit on February 7, 1882, the son of Richard W. and Louise M. Reading.[1] He was educated in the Detroit Public Schools and attended the University of Detroit.[1]

Reading married Blanche White in 1901.[1] The couple had four children.[2]

Reading was for a time a semi-pro wrestler.[2] He later worked variously as a printer, a newspaper executive, and a real estate dealer before entering public life in 1921.[2]

Reading was appointed City Assessor in 1921, moved to City Controller in 1924, and was elected City Clerk in 1926.[1] He stayed in the office of clerk until 1939, when he ran for mayor, ultimately defeating Patrick H. O'Brien by nearly two-to-one.[2] However, once in the office, Reading engaged in graft, selling protection to numbers racketeers and promotions to police officers.[3] This corruption was exposed as the campaign for the next mayoral election was gearing up,[3] and Reading was crushed by Edward Jeffries.[3][4]

Shortly after leaving office, Reading was indicted on charges of accepting bribes and conspiring to protect Detroit's gambling rackets.[5] He was sentenced to four to five years in prison, of which he served three.[5]

Richard W. Reading died on December 9, 1952, in Brighton, Michigan.[6]