The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-13
Effort to Tar and Feather Col
Ored Doctor Results Fatally.
G. Il. Herman of lily North
Jefferson the Victim.
RESULT OF SCANDAL.
People Didn't Like Actions of
the Doctor.
Wounded Man Doesn't Know
His Assailants.

DR.. G. II. Herman was shot and IA
tally wounded at the home Of Mrs. Geo.
Hamller at lit North Jefferson street
last night at about o'clock by one of
a vigilance committee who went there
to tar and feather him. 1t is believed
that three men were concerned in the
shooting but only two of the men are
known One is a George Matthews and
the other is a man named Broadly, and
neither has been arrested. 1t is claimed
that the men who composed the corn
mittee are peaceful citizens and have
not a bad reputation. All the parties
concerned are colored people.
A reporter for the State Journal call
ed at the house this morning. DR.. Her
man attempted to tell his version of the
affair but was prevented from doing SO
from lack of strength caused by loss OF
blood and a sleepless night
The story was told by Mrs. Hamller
and there is a. scandal behind it all. It
is claimed by the police that Herman
is an ex-convict, and that he served
short sentence at Lansing It is also
claimed that Herman Is not a. doctor at
all; that his claims are not backed up
by a sufficient amount of knowledge of
medicine.
Herman has made his home with the
Mamllers and he stated GA State Jour
nal reporter that he attended to their
business affairs for them before Mr.
Hanller was taken sick and DR.. Her
man was called. He was treated for
pneumonia and died within a short
time. He was buried about three weeks
ago. Since that time Herman has lived
at the Hamller home and rumor has ii
among the colored people of that neigh
borhood that the doctor poisoned
HamlIer to get him out of the way, as
he was in love with Mrs. Hanller.
Before Hamller died" said Herman
IN q
to take care of his family. Some OF
the darkeys have taken exceptions to
the way I have acted and have made
criticisms. They did not seem to like
me here and that is the reason why I
was shot,
Last week he was in the probate court
to secure an order to send one of Mrs.
Handlers children, a young man about
II years old, to the reform school. HE
treated my children pretty harshly
sometimes Mrs. Hamller explained to
the reporter. land Saturday he had been
drinking pretty much. He came homo
in the afternoon and when Fred came
home at night he began to abuse him.
Several boys from the neighborhood
came home with him, and DR.. Herman
accused him of bringing a gang along
to whip him. Fred went into the house
to go to bed The doctor continued to
abuse him and the boy became so
frightened that he ran off to the neigh
bors in his night clothes and did not
come back all day Sunday.
Sunday evening went over to the
home of my brother-in-law to get him
to bring my boy back home out I did
not find any one at home. When I re-
turned I found three men in the yard
I went to the door and found it barred.
/ knocked and called to the doctor to let
me in and I didn't get an answer. L
then went to another door but found it
locked too. I knew he had a revolver
and a shotgun and that he had kept
them loaded ever since the people had
been trying to bluff him into leaving
town and I was afraid that he might
shoot me SO I went to a neighbours
house
.The three men who were in the
yard had brought my boy back to the
the doctor about the affair and when
left 1 did not see that any of them had
a weapon. At about nine o'clock I
heard the shooting.
when I got home the men had gone
and I found that the doctor had been
shot
1t is believed that when the doctor let
the men in upon their promise not to
mistreat him that a quarrel ensued and
that he drew his revolver upon them and
in the scuff1e that followed his shotgun
was secured by the visitors and used
upon him He did not know who shot
him.
The colored people of the neighbor-
hood appeared in the probate court last
week TO prevent the HAMMER
boy from being sent to the re-
form school. They denied that he was
incorrigible and claimed that the case
against the boy was trumpet up in
order to get him out of the way. The
neighbors agreed to give him a home
and he was not sentenced to the reform
school
Dr. Herman has been in Topeka a
short time. He is supposed to be part
Indian.
Word was sent to the county attor-
ney's office this morning about IL o'clock
that Herman wished to make state
ment before he died. Deputy County At
torney Jamison visited the wounded man
but Herman refused to make the state
rnanf as he believes he Will RECOVER