George E. Leach
Encyclopedia
Major General
George E. Leach (1876–1955) was an American
military officer and two-time Republican
mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota
.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Field Artillery
on April 15, 1905 in the Minnesota
National Guard
.
Leach saw duty on the United States–Mexico border
as a major
and later, Colonel
, Field Artillery, from June 1916 until February 1917. He commanded 151st Field Artillery, 42d Division, August 5, 1917 to July 14, 1918. Leach saw combat at Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel
, and Meuse-Argonne
. For his service in the First World War, General Leach received the Distinguished Service Cross
, Distinguished Service Medal
, and Purple Heart
, in addition to other awards and decorations.
Leach was re-appointed Commander, 151st Field Artillery November, 1921. After duty as CNGB, he returned to command the 59th Field Artillery Brigade, 34th Division until 1940.
Major General George E. Leach served as Chief of the National Guard Bureau from December 1, 1931 to November 30, 1935.
At the same time, the Ku Klux Klan was growing in Minnesota within the ranks of other fraternal orders, primarily the Masons and Shriners. Although Mayor Leach was a Lodge man, the Klan saw him as a traitor due to his appointment of a Roman Catholic as his secretary and the fact that he had dined with the Knights of Columbus. Furthermore, the Klan disliked Leach because he prevented police officers from joining the organization and launched an investigation into Klan activity at the University of Minnesota.
The North Star Klan No. 2, the Minneapolis KKK chapter, discussed the problem of Leach at their meetings (which were held above the Public Drug Company on Seventh street in downtown Minneapolis). In order to combat Leach's policies, the Klan determined that their Exalted Cyclops, Roy Miner, should run against Leach for mayor. The Klan campaigned on the issues of gambling and vice because they felt those were the biggest complains the opposition lodged against the mayor. The Klan also found a woman in the local jail that claimed she had had an affair with Leach and used this scandal in their campaign.
Lucky for Leach, a grand jury thought the story of his affair was libelous. The case went to trial and the newly elected DFL governor Floyd B. Olson handled the prosecution against five Klan members. The case attracted a great deal of attention and famous Klansmen throughout the nation came to witness what they thought was going to be a Klan triumph. Unfortunately for them, their witness instead admitted that she had lied and suffered from chronic drunkenness.
The mayor admitted nothing and denied the charges of protecting vice and gambling and attending wild parties.
Even though the jury members were all Protestants they found the Klan members guilty and the five leading members want to jail. The North Star Klan No. 2's charter was subsequently revoked.
Leach’s election still faced trouble after the negative attention. His remaining opponent was Senator William Campbelle who had been the Klan’s 2nd choice.
Leach won reelection and Campbell only carried the 13th ward.
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
George E. Leach (1876–1955) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military officer and two-time Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant, Field Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
on April 15, 1905 in the Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
.
Leach saw duty on the United States–Mexico border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
as a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and later, Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, Field Artillery, from June 1916 until February 1917. He commanded 151st Field Artillery, 42d Division, August 5, 1917 to July 14, 1918. Leach saw combat at Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12–15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force and 48,000 French troops under the command of U.S. general John J. Pershing against German positions...
, and Meuse-Argonne
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
. For his service in the First World War, General Leach received the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
, Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
, and Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, in addition to other awards and decorations.
Leach was re-appointed Commander, 151st Field Artillery November, 1921. After duty as CNGB, he returned to command the 59th Field Artillery Brigade, 34th Division until 1940.
Major General George E. Leach served as Chief of the National Guard Bureau from December 1, 1931 to November 30, 1935.
1923 Election Campaign
In the early 1920s George E. Leach became mayor of Minneapolis. He entered the position as a conservative but was accused of his opponents of being a communist by driving away a Ford plant because he opposed private ownership of a dam on the Mississippi.At the same time, the Ku Klux Klan was growing in Minnesota within the ranks of other fraternal orders, primarily the Masons and Shriners. Although Mayor Leach was a Lodge man, the Klan saw him as a traitor due to his appointment of a Roman Catholic as his secretary and the fact that he had dined with the Knights of Columbus. Furthermore, the Klan disliked Leach because he prevented police officers from joining the organization and launched an investigation into Klan activity at the University of Minnesota.
The North Star Klan No. 2, the Minneapolis KKK chapter, discussed the problem of Leach at their meetings (which were held above the Public Drug Company on Seventh street in downtown Minneapolis). In order to combat Leach's policies, the Klan determined that their Exalted Cyclops, Roy Miner, should run against Leach for mayor. The Klan campaigned on the issues of gambling and vice because they felt those were the biggest complains the opposition lodged against the mayor. The Klan also found a woman in the local jail that claimed she had had an affair with Leach and used this scandal in their campaign.
Lucky for Leach, a grand jury thought the story of his affair was libelous. The case went to trial and the newly elected DFL governor Floyd B. Olson handled the prosecution against five Klan members. The case attracted a great deal of attention and famous Klansmen throughout the nation came to witness what they thought was going to be a Klan triumph. Unfortunately for them, their witness instead admitted that she had lied and suffered from chronic drunkenness.
The mayor admitted nothing and denied the charges of protecting vice and gambling and attending wild parties.
Even though the jury members were all Protestants they found the Klan members guilty and the five leading members want to jail. The North Star Klan No. 2's charter was subsequently revoked.
Leach’s election still faced trouble after the negative attention. His remaining opponent was Senator William Campbelle who had been the Klan’s 2nd choice.
Leach won reelection and Campbell only carried the 13th ward.