The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-06-08
From tie Providence Herald.
THE FOSTER CASE.

penQed certain cCrtncatcs, purportng 10 pc
the particulars Of the case of Gorton w. pot
ter, who died in the town of Foster, of Small
Pox, on "Wednesday, May A. The article
represents the man as having been found
sick, by Doct. o. III. Carpenter, Jun. in his
fathers barn, and states that the Doctor
made immediate application to the Town
Council for the purpose Of having the pa
ticnt taken care of-that the Council refused
TO have any thing 10 do with hm-and that
Mr.. Brayton, President of that body, and
member Of the Legislature, proposed to have
him carried within 50 three feet Of the Scitu-
ate line and showed over" We publish
below, reply to the article alluded to, that
the public may have both sides of the ques-
ton before them, and then Judge of the mer-
its of the case. Mr.. Brayton acknowledges
having made use of the offensive expression
ascribed to him, but says, and his word will
not be doubted by those who know him, that
it was merely the impulse of the moment,
spoken without any intention of being un-
derstood as recommending such course, /,
and not, by any means, as a motion for the
consideration of the Board. We look on
the attack made on Mr.. Brayton and his
associates in the Council, as an ebalition of
party feeling; and we marvel much that the
publisher of the Journal should have admit
ted it into his columns, without first having
inquired into the other side of the question.
We also very much wonder that the ertrems
humanity of the elder Doct. Thomas o. II.
Carpenter should have caused sick man
to be elected from his barn, and sent off to
a Distance, without knowing that any one
else would take him in. Had the owner of
the barn listened to the promptings of hu-
manity, Gorton w. Potter might have re-
covered--He was turned out of doors, and
died
Another fact is worthy of notice, rs being
indicative of the t1treme humanity of Doct.
Carpenter. He not only elected the sick
man from his barn, least, perchance, his
pigs and cattle might take the small pox,
but very considerably directed him to bc
conveyed to the house Of G. Howard, to be
deposited in the bosom of his family; not
one member of which was protected against
the contagion. On which did the Doctor
place the highest value On his cattle, or
the family of Mr.. Howardl
We copy the following from the Journal
TO the editor ofthe Journal
SIR :-Having seen a communication ad-
dressed to Zelotcs w. Holden, Esq, publish
r,d in your pnper, purporting to be state
ment of the facts in relation to the sickness
and death Of Gorton w. Potter, and beev-
ing that said communication is calculated
to deceive the public, deem it my duty to
make the following statement,
On Monday the 2nd instant, / attended
the Town Council being member of that
NOD, o,,l - 81, 90 TN
o. II. Carpenter, Jr. came into the room
where the council was in session, and rep
resented that Gorton w. Potter, was sick
10 his fathers barn, and that Inc thought he
had the Small Pox. The council after dis
posing of the businnss then before them,
took the subject into consideration, and ap-
pointed William Potter, Esq. TO take charge
of him, he having had the small pox and
being one of the overseers of the poor. His
son William A. Potter being present, agreed
to notify his father of his appointment, Early
next morning, observed Mr.. Thomas Full
Ter approaching my house with the said
GortonW. Potter in wagon. immediate
Iy went to the door and tod Mr.. Fuller not
TO bring him into my house, and for doing
this, | think had sufficient reasons. NV
children had never been vaccinated, neither
had my mother, who lives in the house with |
me. Mr. Fuller, according to my request,
drove to the other side of the road, and
stopped his horse, and after waiting an hour
or two for Esq, Potter to come, he assisted
him in getting out of the wagon, and pla-
ced him on some shavings, and filled his Jug
with water and placed il by the side of him.
had no previous notice that he would be
brought to my house, and the weather be-
ing peasent, | requested Mr., Fuller to let
him remain in the wagon until Esq Potter
could come. Esq Potter arrived about ten
O'Clock, and conveyed him to a good house
in the neiglborhood, where he remained un-
til he died,
Yours, respectfully,
GARDNER HOWARD.
Foster, May 81, 1886.
p. s. never had the small pox myself,
and thought it imprudent for me to 90 very
near him, but offered to furnish him with
victuals or any thing else that he wanted.
G. III.
I certify that late in the evening of the Cd
Of May, Instant, my son, WIN. A. Potter,
brought me II copy of the vote and procee-
dings of the Town Council of the town of
Foster, signed by the Clerk, from which il
that | was appointed to take
charge of Gorton w. Potter, who was re-
presentedto be sick with the small pox,
und to provide some suitable house for his
accommodation and also TO employ Ply
sician.-Next morning started for Doctor
Carpenters expecting to find him ;Serc,
II tt g