The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-05-23
OFFICIAL PAPER OF MCLEAN co.
CerOwe Not Guilty.

The examination of Mr.. Geo. E. Gerowe
superintendent Of the Fort Stevenson Ind
ian school, was continued before United
States Commissioner T.. S. Allen yesterday
until l O'Clock p. m, when he was dis.
charged and released from custody. There
were four separate and distinct complaints
Or i~nformatiOns laid against Mr.. Gerowe
by the complaining witness, John p. Lin.
derleaf of IngcrsOll. Mclean county. Mr.
Iinderleuf was the instructor in the art OF
shOemnking at the Stevenson school. until
about March first 1891, when he was dis.
charged by the defendant from the service.
The first complaint was for paying to one
A. FL. Simpson, teacher at the agency. fifty
dollars as salary for the month of June,
1890. Mr.. Simpson having left the fort or
the Sd day of June. Mr.. Gcrowe obtained
a leave of absence for Mr.. Simpson, which
made the disbursement of the money law
full. The fact that Il leave of absence was
granted was not known to the complaining
witness, hence the charge of embezzle-
ment.
The second charge was for embezzling
n barrel of syrup. This property was not
on the returns or receipts and Mr.. GeroWe
was not responsible for the same as far as
the government was concerned. The evil
dence disclosed the fact that he issued the
same to the Indian children without max
ing any return or report to the interior de-
partment. The complaining witness at
tempted to show that the syrup was con-
verified to the use Of the defendant. On this
point there was al entire failure of proof.
The charge stated the e~mbezZlement Oc-
Cured July 20, 1880. In response to the
question why did you wait until this time
to make complaint against Mr.. Gerowe,''
the complaining witness said: sit would
not have been safe to do it before. I would
have had my head cut off. l had no desire
to j njure MIR. Gerowe until he injured me.
When he undertook to i'll ure me, INTENDED
to return the compliment" These two
complaints were dismissed for failure on
the part of tho United States to make a
case. The third complaint was for en-
bezzling, stealing and p%urloining, or July
3, 1880. one steer, fifty pounds of sugar,
400 pounds Of -four, twenty-five pounds of
coffee, etc. The complaining witness and
his witnesses did not produce any evidence
III this case, and the same was dismissed.
The facts in this case. as stated by the
friends of Mr.. Gerowe, were, that on the
Fourth of July, 1890, the superintendent
of the schooi invited the parents of the pu-
pills to celebrate the day at the fort and
gave them their dinner. There were $50
guest present. The provisions consumed
by the visitors on that occasion constituted
tho property charged in this third COM
plant to have been embezzlcd. The fourth
complaint charged the defendant with en-
bezzlcment. but the allegations therein do
not appear more criminal in character
than the first three.
Mr.. Gerowe came from New York state
and of good family. He Is Il clergyman by
profession. but of late years has devoted his
attention to teaching and seems to have
borne u good reputation until the above
mentioned proceedings were instituted.
There being no case found against him by
his prosecutors. his character remains I'M
blemished and public opinion is that Mr..
Gerowe has been a victim of MALICIOUS or
frivolous prosecution. MIR. Philbrick. his
attorney. naturally feels elatcd at the re-
sult.-Bismarck Tribune.