The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-14
MESSIAH SKIPS.
Schlatter "the Healer" Leaves
Denver Very Suddenly.
A United States Warrant is Out
for His Arrest.
HE LEFT A NOTE.
MY Mission in Denver is
Ended. Goodbye"
Over 5000 People Had AS
sembled for Treatment.

DENVER, Nov. 14-Francis Schlatter.
the so-called 'healer" and messiah" dis
appeared last night and warrant for
his arrest has been issued from the Uni
ted States courts. He has been sum-
moned to appear before the United
States commissioner today as a witness
against psrsons arrested on the charge
of using the mails to defraud by pre-
tending to sell handkerchiefs blessed by
Schlatter
The accused claim they could prove
Schlatter had really blessed bale of
handkerchiefs for them and in that case
he was liable to Indictment.
He left note simply saying: "My
mission in Denver is ended. Good bye"
Over 5000 people assembled this
morning expecting to receive treatment
from Schlatter.
Not only today but for several days the
crowds which have assembled TO be
treated by Schlatter have been enormous
The last few days they have been larger
than usual on account of the announce
ment that he would close his open air
work. lie was slated to appear in
Chicago about November 18. During the
early afternoon yesterday there were
5000 people at the Schlatter shrine OF
lAdL NUN OSE dt I0dSb 1,OOO were lD6E0 IN
hope of being cured of some disease or
sickness, real or imaginary, and about
onefourth had been touched by the
strange man and had departed by night
fall. The others had to go away un-
touched
If the stories of the crowd were to be
believed. miracles wers being performed
as they were nearly 1000 years ago with
the same facility A boy threw away
his crutches and said he had been re-
stored after three years suffering, women
who went to the man bent walked away
rejoicing with their bodies erect and
even some men were ready to testify that
they had been cured of some disease tha
had been termed incurable.
Such is the power of mind over matter
The imagination has undoubtedly a
great deal to do with Schlatters success.
1t is noticeable that onl z those who go to
him believing that he has the powers he
claims suffer any relief from his touch.
Some try to reason it out. others do not
attempt it, but accept it as a matter of
fact. 1t costs nothing directly. and many
reason that if it does no good it will do
no harm to touch his hands, but these are
not the people who experience relief as
a rule; it is the woman who waits in the
line from early morning until evening,
believing devouty that she Will be cured.
The ordinary man has not the supreme
faith in Schlatter that the women have,
because few men are to be noticed in the
line for any length of time
The takers were doing roaring bust
ness yesterday. A number of strangers
had come to be treated in the last days
of the new Pentecost and they were
guileless. They were not aware that
Dir. Schlatter was absolutely devoid of
business ability and that the handker-
chiefs which men and boys were selling
by the hundreds had never been seen BY
him.
The handkerchiefs had a likeness of
the man in one corner and the new COM
ers were informed that he had blessed
each and every one and that they were
"A certain talsman for all the ills that
flesh is heir to. They were picked up
very rapidly aud the cynical persons who
sold them remarked when chided regard
ing the deception that they would be as
effective as though Schlatter had touched
them.
Rev. Rober: D. Graham, in a paper
before the ministerial association dealing
with Schlatter's alleged miracles quotes
the following estimate of him:
"Schlatter, after his coming to this
country, accumulated considerable
money in three years pegging shoes. and
this money, and losing il. From 1884 TO
1891, period of seven years, we have no
information in regard to his life
"In 81 he appears in Denver at his
old business of mending soles; since then
he has been wandering and treating ia-
valids. There is authority which leaves
no room for doubt that when he was in
Denver in '91 he was blatant infidel,
having no use for God, the Bible, or
Jesus Christ, but openly opposing them,
and contending that Ingersoll was cor
rect and that all Christians were wrong.
"Then he suddenly appears and claims
to have been transformed from an op-
poser of Christ to Christ incarnated.
The photograph of the Knox company is
not like the original Schlatter. The
features are exceedingly coarse and ab-
normally broad. The eye has not that
steady, calm expression which some of
the papers have written of. The per-
sonality of the man is against his mess-
IL