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.
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.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by J. E. Meyers |
Mayor of Minneapolis 1921 – 1929 |
Succeeded by William F. Kunze |
| Preceded by Thomas E. Latimer |
Mayor of Minneapolis 1937 – 1941 |
Succeeded by Marvin L. Kline |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by MG William G. Everson |
Chief of the National Guard Bureau 1931 – 1935 |
Succeeded by Col. Harold J. Weiler (acting) |