Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-18
GEORGE BUSTED
FROM REPUBLIC
foonti.4ucd from First Psseo

Georges direction governed them
selves in the republic which he found
ed.
George was a benevolent despot. He
was called Daddy" George by his
proteges, and his chief aim, he has
often said. was to bring back to an
atmosphere of home life the hayward
boys-and girls, afterwards admitted
who had strayed.
From the model at Freeville other
George Junior Republics were fash
Toned throughout the country
Emory r. Buekner. counsel for
George, was indignant today when
told of the report. He said that the
committee had heard only witnesses
hostile to George and none for him;
that witnesses could have been called
but were not-who could easily have
disproyed some of the charges made
against him.
Until 1902 George was the superin-
tendent of the republic, then an exec
utive officer was employed who gave
all his time and attention to the bust
ness management and designated as
superintendent. George, however, re-
manned at the head Of the institution
until about 1908, when he officially
withdrew from the management and
accepted an Office in connection with
the National Association of Junior
Republics. However, he continued to
reside in house adjoining the
grounds of the republic. and until
recently had more or less influence in
the management.
The republics present population of
citizens is 124, and of this number Al
are girls. No person is admitted un-
der IA years of age, and the average
age of the citizens is about II. During
the past seventeen years the property
has increased in extent and value, and
now consits of about 400 acres of land
and twenty buildings.
The report, which was adopted by
the board, utilities to large extent the
testimony of the fifty witnesses ex-
anlined by the committee of the re-
public's trustees. Most of its recon-
mendations concern the administra-
ton of the republic in the future OF
Georges conduct the report says in
part: 'In view of certain confessions
and statements regarding his
tGeorge's) exercise of hypnotic in
fluence upon the citizens of the re-
public, and his admissions of lapses
of memory. as testified before the
Joint committee of the National AS
ISOLATION of Junior Republics. his
presence in the institution is clearly
undesirable"
1t was brought out in the course of
testimony taken by the committee of
trustees that George had practised
hypnotism to such an extent that he
could hypnotic himself by standing
before q mirror. Sometimes he did
so. 1t was testified, and had to be
awakened from the spell by someone
else. being unable to throw it off him
self. 1t was also testified that George
frequently hypnotized members of the
republic.
Among the other criticisms the COM
nittee pointed out that the republic
was considerably In debt, having
during the past year exceeded It's re-
ceipts by about $4,000.
George is forty-seven years old. He
has been in poor health for more than
year.
An investigation begun more than
six months ago resulted in the recon-
mendation. More than fifty witnesses
in six States were examined with
regard to charges of loose living made
against George by three young
women, former members of the re-
public. The oldest of these charges
dated back to 1904; the most recent
was several years old. The testimony
was unprintable, and no verdict as
to whether the charges were proved
was rendered by the committee UNI
der whose direction the investigation
was made.
ssThe character of the principals in
these charges would make 1T inn
possible to prove them by unsupport-
ed testimony" said Henry A. Wise,
attorney for the committee. ut is
my opinion that no court of law
would accept the unsupported word
of any of these three girls in case
involving the conduct of man like
George"
The report of the committee says:
1.-THE evidence shows that for many
years 1t has been the custom of Mr.
George to exhibit undue familiarity
with the girl citizens. Whatever may
have been his motive, his example in
this regard and the influence of these
acts, as was shown by the testimony
of many witnesses, had the effect of
leading to immoral acts of number
of the older girls and boys.
about a year ago 1t became ap-
parent to those in control of the re-
public that serious immoral condi-
lions existed within the institution.
An effort to eradicate the evil result
ed in the arrest and conviction of sev-
eral citizens of both sexes.