The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-07
DID NOT HANG HIM
Goodness of Sheriff Probably
Saved Charles Cooper.
Outraged Citizens Make Demon
stra ion But Are Quoted.

The officers who escorted Charles
Cooper, charged with criminal assault
upon a 13-year-old girl, to his prelimi-
nary hearing in Silver Lake Friday
afternoon, returned to the county jail.
without losing any blood, but for a few
minutes were of the opinion that they
had found trouble. Two disturbances
were raised during the Cooper hearing
and Sheriff Wilkerson and his deputies
were kept busy preventing the angry
Silver Lakers from mobbing the prison.
er.
During the entire disturbance, Cooper
remained quietly in his seat, and was
not visibly frightened by the demon
stration. Sheriff Wilkerson and his
deputies gathered around the prisoner
with the intention of fighting with their
heavy revolvers as clubs. John
Schenck, county attorney who was con-
Quoting the prosecution, made a short
speech in which he assured the red-hot
citizens that he would make every ef-
fort to convict the man Cooper, and
asked them to let the law take its
course. The disturbance changed the
tactics of the trial, and Cooper, by his
attorney, Galen Nichols, waived pre-
liminary hearing and was held under
IS, 900 bond. His attorney had asked for
a bond of $780, but the request raised
another disturbance in the audience
Cooper has some property in SILVER
Lake. and the citizens feared that he
would get bond and escape from the
country without punishment. All SEEM
ed satisfied with the $4,000 bond.
Preparations were made for dis
turbance at Silver Lake by the officers.
County Attorney Schenck preceded the
officers in an automobile. accompanied
by Chief of Police Eaton and two de-
tectives Wilkerson, with Deputies
Ward and Bayless and the prisoner.
left the county jail about noon. ana
drove at once to the farm of Elmer
Witter. who lives on the township line
Schenck telephoned back from Silver
Lake that the coast was clear, and the
officers came into town with their pris-
oner Citizens who wanted to hear the
trial had taken up a collection and
rented the K. p hall for the occasion,
but the crowd was so great that less
than half the spectators could crowd
into the room.
At first. the crowd was quiet and or
derby, and the prisoner was formally
arraigned and the case opened. At this
iuncture an older sister of little Virgie
Settler, the child victim, became hys-
terical and screamed: THE brute
ruined my little sister-a motherless
child" A roar from the men In the
audience followed this outburst, and a
crushing of chairs and benches in the
rear of the hall stirred the officers to
anxiety A brother of the little Settler
girl attempted to climb over the tops
of benches in an effort to reach the
prisoner. while his sister was scream
ing. Let him go, let him kill the
brute" Several women screamed with
fright, and a few men. who expected a
shower of bullets to pass between the
officers and the armed citizens. hastily
backed down stairs onto the street.
When this disturbance was quieted
another cluster of men cOngregated at
the bottom of the stairs and began an
angry discussion. Hang him." and
similar expressions were heard from
this group. John Wilkerson came down
first and said: Boys, you must let the
law take it's course. Any other idea
know you don't want to kill me, but
you will have to. If you start any
thing" That's right. john" and sim
liar friendly expressions answered this
pointed talk, and the prisoner was
loaded into a buggy without further
demonstrations.
When the officers reached Silver Lake
they found dozens of citizens carrying
revolvers. These men were noncom-
initial, but admitted that they didn't
want to hurt the officers. No ropes
were in evidence. and the crowd SEEM
ed TO De without a leader. Hiram
Mongol, whose daughter was the vic
tim of Cooper's bestial ways four years
ago. and who has made many threats
against the prisoner, gave up his re-
volver to the officers.
Don't you let him get away" was
the admonition heard by the officers on
every side. You can hold me person.
ally responsible If this man escapes"
said Wilkerson. and this seemed salts
factory.
There is little chance that Cooper can
obtain bond in the sum required, and
he will probably spend his time until
his trial at the January term of court,
in the county Jail. Cooper, who is As
years of age. has lived in Silver Lake
and vicinity for the past 80 years. and
although he had none of the ordinary
vices. such as drinking or smoking. his
pursuit of little girls has made him a
creature despised. 1t is claimed by the
prosecution that no less than six little
girls will testify against him at the
trial. At the preliminary hearing be-
fore Justice Henry Friday, Virgie
Settler. the complaining witness. was
not present. circumstance which was
doubtless in favor of the prisoner. as
her presence might have melted the
farmers to a degree of violence which
would overpower the officers