Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-11-22
His Strange Career In Denver,
Colorado.


was addicted to no bad habits, made excel
lent shoes, paid his way and saved money.
He was in love with young woman who,
however, refused TO marry him. In the
society of the village he was sized up as a
good fellow, with queer views, who 'cOuld
talk like book" He had ''visions" also,
and had much to say upon the great ques-
tions of life and destiny But at this time
he made no pretensions to the possession
of any unusual powers. Last year he went
| to New Mexico and was next heard of as
a wonderful "New Messiah" with an ex-
traordinary power of curing diseases. He |
at once became locally famous, but one &C
count says that he was finally imprisoned |
in that territory for falsely claiming divine |
powers. However that may be, he came |
to Denver a few months ago, and since |
then his work has attracted attention far |
and wide so that the sick and ailing have |
come literally by thousands, special trains |
being run from many points to carry to |
| Denver those seeking restoration, that they
| might grasp the hand of Schlatter and have
| handkerchiefs and trinkets blessed by him,
which they carried home with them to com
plete the cure begun by his touch. He re-
ceived no pay for his work, but for over
two months has stood daily, from 8 in the
morning until evening, in front of the
house where he made his home, known as
the Fox cottage, to receive all who sought
him. Large sums were offered by both st.
Louis and Omaha to have Schlatter come
to those cities but he refused simply say
ing, 81 don't want their dollars"
prominent Denver man, who has
known Schlatter intimately says of him:
"He has wonderful character, so honest,
| so true, so generous and so unselfsh. |
never met his like before. In our CONVEX
sations he is like great boy, always laugh
ing. He rubs his hands after long days
work, and declares it has been very pleas
ant day. l never saw the slightest symp-
tom of affectatlon or vanity in him."
Schlatter is said to have treated at least
$4,000 people, and if half or a tenth of the
stories of cures credited to him are true he
has accomplished marvels. There are
newspaper records of cures by the hun
dreds, including relief from practically
every known aiment. Railroad men claim
to have been restored to perfect health and
soundness after bearing the effects of a
train accident for a long time, sufferers
from chronic rheumatism tell of complete
cure. and consumptves are said to rejoice
t | in sound lungs, the gift of Schatter's res
( | torative power.
Two weeks ago the Union Pacific noti-
fled its employees that free transportation
/ would be given them and their families if
l. they wished to go to Denver and consult
with Schatter, and this offer has been
II taken by scores of men all along the line.
\ Only last week employees of this road, with
members of their families, numbering $50,
> each of them suffering from some ailment,
e went from Omaha to Denver to see the
II healer.
~ The Springfield Republican cites the
, case of Westfeld man, who went to Den
n yer over year ago in a critical condition
ls from consumption, and was not able TO
i leave his bed during the summer and fall.
After two visits to the healer he began tC
10 improve, and two weeks ago returned East
is TO spend the winter
M 1t can well be imagined that the disap
pearance of so marked figure as Schlattel
"A | has caused great excitement in Denver
/, The reason for his disappearance is sup
~ ! posed to be the fear of becoming entanglet
in court proceedings, as he had been sum
moned to appear before the United State
commissioner as witness against som
street fakirs who were selling bogu
"blessed' handkerchiefs.
EN- 1t was observed that he was growing
ne restless under the increasing excitemen
or and the swelling crowds. Doubtless tn
ur craze had grown beyond his power to con
hn troll, and he feared the denOuement
Is. Nothing is more interesting from psy
Use Geological standpoint than his personality
he his methods, his apparent power to a
by least temporarily relieve suffering, and hi
ad power to command the confidence of vas
Us, numbers of men and women, of all classe
nd of society. From all the accounts printe
las in the newspapers it appears that Schla
gs ter's character is good he is sincere, an
believes in himself and his calling and h
power, which he says is from God. He
simple, unassumng, intelligent; makes II
personal claim to superiority or authorlt.
m and absolutely refuses to take money IL
Al his work or to allow money to be made OF
"a of it. He goes to mass on Sunday an
nd does no work on that day; but though al
parently a devout Roman Catholic, /
,ov claims no sanction of church or tradition
no especial virtue or holiness for himsel
makes no boasts of his power, which
ascribes to an intimate relation to what
our calls "The Father" If money is offer
ELF. him by those who seek his aid he ignor
up the offer, and is content with the plaine
aid of clothing, food and shelter. The a
i counts of his appearance and methods {
the agree that he avoids personal homage, do
the not seek disciples, and has avoided any /
)sts vitation to his benehciaries to become /
md personal followers.
can There is certainly something not easy
I'm understand in the story of this stran
for man and his remarkable power, whatey
lit may be. 1t is to be hoped that son
L,,, body in Denver has had interest enough
'"' the matter-preferably some well-equipp
mn, physician-to keep a record and trace
~" history of a sufficient number of these
go, legged cures, to at least settle the questi
n ,,., of their reality and permanence. 1t woI
"P' be worth good deal to be reasonably 81
whether Schlatter has actually perform
any cures, what the character and eXtC
of the ailment abolished was and whetl
But the cure was permanent, or lasted only
ne long as the exalted mental state of the
the tent.
Hos There are many people in Denver "
Tered claim that Schlatter has in no case Gu
inty. any organic disease, and that all of
us or cures are of the so-called hypnotic
the der, or by what has come to be kno
oau as "by suggestion"
stern
cissi- What Is the secret'