The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-14
REV. MIR. BROWNS BAIL
Fixed at $1,000, But Has Not Been
Furnished.

Rev. Leonidas Brown, the pastor of the
North st. Paul Methodist church, who is un-
der arrest on the charge of crtmlnally as
saulting fourteen-year-old Harriet Rogerson,
was formally arraigned in the municipal
court yesterday. He entered a plea of not
guilty to the charge against him, and bail
was fixed at 81 900, the hearing being contin-
ued at the request of the state until Sat
urday morning at o'clock.
When Mr.. Brown appeared in the court
evidence Of the worry which his position is
Some consultations between his attorney and
the assistant county attorney resulted in the
agreement that Rev. Mr.. Brown might with
draw the plea entered at any time, if he SO
desired and furthermore the counsel for the
divine consented to the information filed
against his client at North st. Paul being
withdrawn, and new information changing
the date of the alleged offense from June "a
to June IS substituted and allowed to stand.
This change, Mr.. Brown sad to a G | o e
reporter last evening, would not, as an even
ing paper had declared, make any difference.
He felt that he would be able to prove his
innocence beyond doubt. His fancee, Miss
Anna Erickson, and her family, were devot-
ing themselves heartily to clearing him, and
as soon as he was able to secure bail, one
surety having been informally approved by
the court last evening, he would be able to
get out with his attorney and see the peo-
pie who could establish his innocence of the
charge.
There have been a number of misstate-
ments made in regard to this case" said Mr..
Brown. 'One of the most painful is the
insinuation that, 1 was merely waiting for
Miss Erickson, my fancee, to reach the age
of sixteen before marrying her. did
purpose going to Dakota, where 1 have been
urged to take charge of church, and it was
my intention to return here to make her
my bride about two years from now. 1 do
not think it would be right to marry her at
sixteen. That is too young.
Another misStatement which I wish you
to correct is the one which attributes my
arrest to spitework between the churches at
North st. Paul 1t originated, I presume in
me mere fact that Miss Rogerson's mother
and step-father are both members of the
presbyterian church, and other than that
| know of no basis for such a suspicion.
Indeed, our young people and the young
folks OF the Presbyterian church have united
IN their Sunday evening seryices and every
thing has been pleasant, as ia. as 1 know
1t is alleged that Mr.. Brown was at the
house of Mr.. Carlson June Is, near where
the onense is said to have been committed
ana tnat Miss Rogerson was also in the
vicinity. How long the two young people
We're together is point to be proved, upon
which will undoubtedly hang much of Mr.
Browns defense. Even under the changed
conditions Mr.. Brown, while admitting more
complications, does not alter his original
statement that never by. word or action has
he wronged the young woman who makes
the charges against him.
Miss Anna Erickson, to whom Mr.. Brown
is engaged, is firm in the belief of her
afiianceds innocence. and visited him at the
jail yesterday. Many of the minister's con-
gregation called upon him yesterday, and
Immediately after fixing the amount of bail
by the court several of the friends of the
clergyman repaired to North st. Paul to raise
the necessary security which Mr. Brown
today. -
Attorney Hawthorne, the pastors counsel.
has looked thoroughly into the charges
against his client and expresses himself firm
IN the opinion that the entire matter is spite
work: This, however Frederick Ogley the
denies, and claims that the girl has not been
guilty of forcing herself upon Mr.. Brown.
IN view of the fact that it was generally
believed that the minister's hearing would
be postponed, but few North st. Paul resi-
dents were in court yesterday, though they
VIII undoubtedly be present in numbers Sat
uraay 10 watch the progress of the most SEN
little village. 'No