The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-02
GUILTY TO
ESCAPE FROM MOB
Quick Trial of Man Who AS
saulted Little Girl.
MILITIA CALLED OUT
ALBERT SHENKLE'S NARROW
ESCAPE.

Carrollton, Ills. March 1.-Guarded
by four companies of state militia to
protect him from a mob determined on
lynching, Albert Shenkle. who. on Dec.
% last, criminally assaulted the To-
year-old daughter of Charles II. GiIIer
of Carrollton, was early today taken
from the county jail at Springfield and
brought to Carrollton on a special Chi
cago & Alton train. Within an hour
after arrival Shenkle had pleaded
guilty, been given an indeterminate
sentence by Judge Owen Thompson
and was on his way to the penitentiary
at Chester.
Apparently nearly theEwhole popula-
ton Of the town was gathered around
the depot and along the streets lead
ing to the court house, but the troops,
forming a Gordon around the train as
soon as it stopped, and surrounding
Shenkle when the latter, heavily shack
led and accompanied by Sheriff Con-
lee alighted from the train. prevented
any hostile demonstration, if any had
been planned.
The prisoner, with apparent uncon-
Germ, puffed a cigarette as the column
began the march down the street lead
ing from the station to the court house,
about three-quarters of a mile distant.
The march was without incident.
room by the troops, under command of
Adjutant General Reece, which then
withdrew and surrounded the building.
None but court attaches, a squad Of
militia and newspaper correspondents
were allowed in the court room. and
the proceedings bore all the aspects of
q military trial.
The warrant charging Shenkle with
criminal assault on little Grace Giller
was read and the prisoner was asked
what plea he would make.
II plead guilty. said Shenkle.
THE judgment on your plea is that
you viii be confined in the penitentiary
at Chester, there to remain until you
are discharged in the due process of
law" said Judge Thompson.
Escorted by Soldiers.
The court arose and without a word
the condemned prisoner extended his
hands for the shackles. A moment
later the military formed a guard
around the sheriff and his prisoner and
marched down the street for the sta
ton. Within five minutes after their
arrival the train departed yor Chester
At Godfrey twenty members of the
engineer corps of Springfield took
charge of ShenlIle. He was taken as
far as East St Louis on the special
train under escort and then turned
over to Sheriff Conlee who proceeded
with him to the Chester penitentiary.
The remainder of the troops returned
on their special train to Springfield.
where they disbanded-
Shenkle made a full confession of his
crime to an Associated Press CORE
spondent this morning while en- route
from Springfield to Carroilton.
II would never have done it if I had
not been drunk" said Shenkle. Il was
too drunk to understand what I was
doing and 1 made no attempt to run
awav.
The chief concern of the prisoner ap-
peared to be regarding the length OF
his term of imprisonment 4 am go
ing to plead guilty. he said. 4 know
I could beat the case if l stood trial
but what chance has a fellow got wher
a mob is after him? I would rather
go to the penitentiary for a year oil
so than to be hanged"