The Washington times., 1901-07-19
A DIVINE HEALER ARRESTED.
SchIntter's Talk Causes Him to BE
Charged with Insanity.

Standing upon a bench and crying aloud
IN voice that could be heard at great
distance, Francis Schlatter. known to
thousands Of persons in the United States
as "Schlatter. the divine healer held
sway in one of the large rooms at the
Central Union Mission, on Louisiana Ave
nue. northwest, for several hours yes
teSday afternoon. He was busily engaged
| in addressing several hundred inmates OF
the mission with the purpose. 1t Is said'
of melting a riot.
With his jet black hair streaming over
his gaunt shoulders, Schlatter. gesticulat-
ing wildly with his brawny hands, en-
deAvored for nearly two hours to excite
the transient guests of the mission, by
urging them to follow him to the Capitol
building on the hill. which he himself,
the mighty Schlatter, would completely
destroy. he said by the almighty power
given him. How long such infiaIned
speech. which was already taking erect
upon the more uneducated members OF
his great audience. would have continued
had not Policeman Sanders. OF the Sixtn
precinct, put in an appearance, Is not
known. The policeman promptly snatch-
ed the radical orator from his wooden
platform and hurried him off to the po-
lice station, where charge OF INSANITY
was preferred against him Schiatter, ths
gloomy cel' within which to continue MS
earnest appeal for a riot.
The attention of the police was nrst
called to the "healcrs'' strange actions
by an official of the mission, who ran with
all speed to the nearest telephone ana
requested that a policeman be sent to the
missicn at once to take away man VINO
was endeavoring to cause riot among
the missions inmates. Policeman San
ders who was the only person available
at the time, responded at once
At first 1t was thought better to charge
the man with vagrancy until an examina-
tion had been made by the police sur
geons. But later, upon receipt of a mes
sage from Sanitary Officer Frank. the
charge was changed to that of insanity.
The examination by the surgeons will
probably take place today.
Never before has there been man,
adopting tie -ssme mode of livelihood that
the rodoubtable Schiatter worked to good
advantage, who received mere newspaper
notices or created a greater stir among
the citizens of this country than "Schlat-
ter has.
Tie healer was born in Lorraine.
France. 1t is said. and first made his
debut before the American people ten
years ago. Immediately upon his arrival.
the healer is said to have adopted n
peculiar costume in order that he might
bear a marked resemblance to the
Saviour There are few large cities in
the United States at which Schlatter has
not called during his extensive travelling.
At ono time the press of the country
contained long stories giving the date
and time of the '.healer's" various visits.
the accounts being read by thousands of
citizens.
Schlatter was known as well by the
District citizens as any ether living char
acter. The healer made numerous trips
TO the National Capital for several years
and last winter, accompanied by his wife
and son, carle here to spend the winter
1t was during their short residence here
that Schlatter created no little excite
asking that his wife be arrested on SEN
sational charges which he made. His
request was not granted, however. and
Schlatter left the city. leaving his un-
fortunate wife behind.
Nothing more was heard from him after
that, with the exception that his rnme
was often mentioned in the newspapers
as having lately arrived in various
cities. The return of the healer" to the
National Capital caused no little sur
prise to MANY residents Yesterday.