The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-23

out on a blanket close up to the tree. His
bones were bleached white, and alongside
lay the copper rod and a miniature base
ball bat.
Piled up alongside the trunk Of the tree
were saddlebags, q large memorandum
book, q package Of letters bound by q rub
Der band, some blankets, and six suits OF
underwear. A Bible and a canteen we're
alongside the pile, and the csnteen was half
full Of water. The saddle ropes and some
extra clothing were directly over the
skeleton on a limb Of the tree. In q
knot hole in the tree were found needle,
thread, and buttons. In the inside cover
OF the Bible was inscribed the name !"Francis
Schlatter," under two verses in prayer fol-
lowed, by the signature "ClarenceJ. Clark,
Denver, COL" There were no signs Of vio-
lence, and the prospectors believe Schlatter
died Of self-imposed starvation, as there
were no cooking utensils OF any Kind In
camp.
The Jefe Politico at Casa Grande was noti-
fed on May 80, and on June 2 the skeleton
aud effects were brought to that village,
where the authorities hold them awaiting q
claimant. Casa Grande Is situated fifteen
miles from the present terminal Of the Rio
Grands, Sierre Madre and Pacific Railway
"a new line for the past year under
construction from Ell Paso to Casa Grande.
Americans at Casa Grande examined the
letters and other effects n pro-
nounced them undoubtedly those OF Schlat-
ter. An Indian informed the authorities
that several months ago he came upon q
gray horse in the neighborhood where the
camp was found. The horse was hobbled.
A Mormon cowboy said that during the
month OF November last Schlatter rode
up to his camp, fifty miles west Of Casa
Grande on q gray horse. He was unarmed.
carried no provisions or cooking utensils,
refused to eat anything, and said he
was fasting. The cowboy said his visitor
seemed strange and preoccupied, and
during the few hours at his camp cured
the cowboys horse Of q swelling on the
back and foreleGs by rubbing his hands
over them. He identified the saddle at
Casa Grande as that Of his visitor in No
yember. 1t bears the marks OF a Denver
manufacturer.
Francis Schlatter, three years ago, was a
shoe cobbler in Denver, and earned a pre-
carious living at his trade. He began to
hear ~"silent" voices, as he said, and in
obedience to their commands gave away
his tools and began a pilgrimage toward
the Pacific Coast. He was arrested several
times as q vagrant and thrown into Jalls,
He footed the entire distance, and returned
to New Mexico, where he was heard OF
among the Indians as the messiah IN
the early part Of last year near Al
buquerque. The newspaper reporters
discovered that he was followed BY
mobs of Indians and that he cured
the sick by touching the afflicted with his
hands. He tasted for forty days, laboring
continuously, and went to Denver, where
he was besieged daily by immense throngs
from all parts Of the country. He sudden
" disappeared from there when some
fakirs were arrested for selling handker-
chiefs blessed by him, against whom he
was summoned as q witness. He was soon
afterward found in New Mexico, travelling
through the most ~uninhabited part, going
southwark. He was last seen by COWBOYS
near Lordsburg, nine months ago, going
toward the Mexican line.