Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-21
Vigilance of Officers All That Saved
"SIiCk" Slater
ASSAULTEDA YOUNG WOMAN
captured by the sheriff Mob After
Him-NIsn Was Removed from
the County jail.

Topeka, Kan, Feb. 2O.-The vigilance
OF the officers was all that saved
Slick Slater from lynching by an in
furiated mob tonight. He will yet be
lynched If he can be found.
slater assaulted seventeen year-old
Lotte Gerberlck Monday evening, and
was captured by the Topeka officers the
next day in Carbonate. The officers
Kept the fact Of the capture quiet, and
placed Sater In the county Jail here.
This afternoon II became known that
ne was here, and Immediately the Santa
re shopmen, OF whom the assaulted
girls father George Gerberick, Is one.
decided that he should be lynched.
Ihey at once sent a committee to
watch the jail, while they quietly ar
ranged the details Of the expected
lynchlng.
10y clock there was an angry mob
OF 100 around the county jail, demand
ing that the prisoner be delivered TO
them. A brigade Of sturdy Santa Fe
Dollermakers, armed with heavy
sledge-hammers, stood ready to make
short work of the jail in case tire de-
mands were not granted.
Sheriff Cook told the crowd that the
prisoner had been removed. and Of
fered to let a committee search the jail
Ten men, headed by George Gerberick,
made thorough search, but Slater
could not be found. They returned and
told the mob, but that failed to satisfy
them and twice they started to break in
the jail doors.
II developed that early in the after
noon the sheriff, In anticipation OF
trouble, ordered deputy to get Slater
out Of town. He was ordered not to
leave him in Jackson county or take
him to Leavenworth The deputy drove
to Hoyt with Slater and entered
northbound Rock Island train with him.
II Is thought here tonight that Slater
is now In Jail at Atchison.
The Santa Fee shopmen are calmly
determined to lynch Slater when he Is
brought back for trial They have APP
pointed large vigilance committee to
be constana.y IN the lookout, and vow
that Slater will never leave Topeka
alice.
The Santa Fe shopmen have a past
record In cases OF this kind They
lynched John Oliphant twelve years
ago for q like offense. Slater is white
and rs years bf age.
The county jail, which the lynching
party visited In search Of Slater, Is
the same one in which Mrs. Nation Is
confined. Mrs. Nation was much
alarmed at the course Of the evenings
events but fear for herself did not once
enter her mind as far as outward APP
pearances went.
The ACKNOWLEDGEMENT army met at
the First Christian church tonight. and
on hearing Of the projected attack on
the jail, Immediately sent a message 10
Sheriff Cook, saying that 800 OF the
members Of the law"enforcement or
ganization would Immediately oe on the
spot 10 help protect the Jail from the
fury of the mob This evidence Of
loyalty on the part Of her followers
highly pleased Mrs. Nation, and she
expressed her loyalty Of them In I'M
measured terms.
Mrs. Nation said that the action OF
the law-enforcement people proved that
they were Just what they claimed to
be-people anxious for the enforcement
OF law. and who would not endure the
sight Of a lynching being perpetrated
here In Topeka. Mrs. Nation was
pleased that the officers managed to
get Slater away from the fury Of the
mob, so that he can receive his punish
ment In the manner prescribed by law.