The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-23
GETS The LIMIT.
'eSIick'' Slater viii Go to Ian
sing for 1O76 Years.
Pleads Guilty and Appears to
Fear Mob Violence.

Slick" Slater, who last February at
tempted an assault upon Iottie Goer-
brecht, was sentenced by Judge Hazen
this afternoon in the district court to
10 years and 6 months in the peniten-
tiary at Lansing at hard labor Slater
pleaded guilty to the charge Of attempt
ing the assault and, received the high
est sentence that could be passed.
Slater was brought from Atchison,
where he has been in Jail since the
crime was committed. Sheriff Cook. of
Topeka, and Sheriff Kfff of Atchison
brought him to Topeka Slater sat in
the court room with his lawyer J. H.
Guy, and his mother, father and two
sisters. He paid no particular attention
10 what was going on about him. His
parents and sisters are well appearing
people The relatives maintained a re-
markable cOmpoSure. Slater evidenced
no nervousness while in the court room
County Attorney Nichols submitted a
sworn affidavit made by Lottie Goer-
brecht regarding the assault and to the
effect that Slater did not succeed in his
designs. DIR. w. G. Hammond and John
Goerbrecht, the father Of the girl, were
sworn and questioned. DR.. Hammond
testified that the extent of the bruises
and injuries received by the girl
amounted to Commissions and scratches
upon the face and neck. The girls
father testified to the same and that he
did not wish his daughter to go upon
the stand and testify unless it was alb
solutely necessary He was willing to
have Slater enter a plea Of guilty to an
attempted assault.
Miss Gebrechet and her friends occu-
pied inconspicuous positions in the rear
of the court room in the crowd Judge
Hazen asked Slater if he had anything
to say why sentence should not be
passed. Slater made no response. Law
yer Guy asked the court to consider the
age of the prisoner and the fact that
his parents are respectable and to be
as lenient as possible
In passing sentence Judge Hazen
said: THE statute provides for this
crime that when a person attempts and
fails to commit the crime that the sen
tence can not exceed one-half or what
the sentence would be had the attempt
been successful. The law provides for a
minimum punishment of five years for
an assault and a. maximum sentence Of
21 years. The prisoner having pleaded
guilty to an attempted assault can pe
sentenced from two and one-half 5f.sal's
to ten and One-half years. Under the
facts 1 do not think the court should
show any leniency- The order Of ;he
court is that the prisoner be confined in
the state penitentiary at hard labor Tor
ten years and six months. the hlghest
punishment that the court can infiict."
Slater was not affected by the sentence
His facial expression did not change His
sisters and parents looked al MIN TO see
if he would break down. perhaps. He did
not change his posieion nor show any
surprise. Sheriff Cook and Under Sheriff
Williams led him from the court room to
the county jail At the Jail steps Slater
looked round with frightened look for
an instant as if to see if he was being
followed. He ran Up the jail steps alone
and into the open cell Sheriff Cook
swung the heavy iron door shut and
locked it and Skaters face changed for the
first time. He sat down on the bed as the
door Changed shut and looked up with
smile of relief.
Sheriff Cook will take Slater back to the
AtchisOn Jail at O'Clock and leave him
there until the commitment papers can
be made out and he will take him direct
ter's parents advised him to plead guilty
as they feared If ne did not he would
made to lynch Slater the night after the
crime A large mob gathered at the
county jail. but Slater had been taken to
Atchison and the mob dispersed