The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-04
THE QUARANTINE BURNING.



The Investigation nj stapleton, ST..
TESTIMONY OF FORMER HEALTH ofFIcERs-How
QUARANTINE HAS BEEN MANAGBp-FREK RGREss
ALLOWED TO THE GRoUNDs-No PASSES REQUIRED
EVIDENCE or DIS. wEsrERvELr. BoARDAAS, HAR-
COURT, LIKE, HARRIS, HOBBS AND MR. LOCKE, UNITED
STATES BOARDING oFFlCKR-ALL CONCUR IN THE
ExPEDisNcY OF REMOVING QUARANTINE
The investigation into the alleged charges Of pre-
ferred against MIR. Ray Tompkins and Mr. Thompson
resumed on saturday morning. before Judge Metcafe
stapleton Staten Island when interesting testimony
adduced
The defendants, with their counsel, were present but
the court much crowded
The first witness examined was Dr. James s wester.
Welt, who deposed that he Deputy Health Officer from
1928 70 1928, and Health Officer from 1929 TO 1885, he
nothed that during that time upon the appearance OF
pcstilental disease all the employees connected with
the Quarantine establishment, including Custom House
officers, prohibited from having any intercourse
with the city of New York; the whole population at that
time composed Of persons connected with the esab
lshment the neghborhood being part thereof and
occupied by seyedores, passengers &c who formed the
population and hence any restriction IN regard to the
nelghborbood OF Quarantine deemed unnecessary;
know that Of late years the intercourse between the
Quarantine people, including boatmen doctors &C. and
the village and city permitted 10 greater extent
even when pestlentia disease prevalent in the hos
pitfalls and at Quarantine he seldom went out without
meeting som person belonging 70 oiaran'ins m"n .ns
last ten days he observed the first vessel which arrived
with sickness, and in the papers next morning saw in
large capitals, sickness al Quarantine yellow Fever
PORT &c - this had tho effect OF causing general
prehenson and alarm has seen general and
alarm in consequence and people refused to visi, his
family; strong instance was that his own daughter
schoofeow OF Miss Yerpanck his daughter visited this
lady Fshk in June last; she was TO have returned
the visit August last, but to say she could not
her grandfather, julius c. Verpanck that
yellow fever the island this debarred the people
from intercourse with their friends; few days ago wit,
children running about the streets and asked
why they didn't 80 TO school, and they said
neighborhood Of Ragpckers' row it is not
possible II isolation is in distance aud not brick walls,
70 80 Isolate Quarantine to insure the safety of New
lneal -
she distance from infection necessary prevent spread
then isolation canna be effected at Quarantine
Cross examined by Mr.. Pcckham-From 1923 to 1886
there prohibition 10 prevent intercourse between
the people at Quarantine and staten Island from 1923 UP
20 1873 with the exception OF the cholera season. 1888
and 1891, there general immunity from imported
infectious disease, consequently the population greatly
increased Almost every during This time there
yellow fever shipboard, but much less than there
IN 1923; the affairs Of the Quarantine pub
lie IN those days they did not appear in the public press
Mr.. Peckhain-Wel suppose that was IN consequence
of reporters-you better drive them away. Naughter)
witness-There very little emigration al that time
and snip fever and smallpox occurred rarely, but those
diseases have increased with increase of emigration there
was not much restraint between Quarantine and the sta
ten Islanders before 1SiS, conducted the establishment
while there in the be thought best for the safety
OF the public and the OF the sick: Dr. Whiting
Health Officer in 1s4s the fever prevailed there then and
Lovg Island shore 1885, the OF lsls
first strong evidence OF the necessity for taking
the safety Of the population at staten Island as well as
at New York and Brooklyn.
James X. Boardman, NJ H., examined by Mr.. Anthon-
Has been practising physician for wentysx years prac
used Staten Island 1883 and has been familiar
with the spread OF yellow fever since that tame de
tailed by other physicians has had this year
not consider possible 10 isolate the present location OF
Quarantine, If tie anchorage be included, make 1t
safe for the inhabitants OF Staten Island has ridden
mile around the shore in the middle OF the day. in 1sis
without meeting than three people, as in conse-
quence Of the spread of the disease they had all left
island; the disease endemic at Ragpckers this
the Townsend dock rather sporadic
Dr. Isaac Lee the next witness. He testified to the
erection Of the barricade 1856, when he Health
Ger TO the Castcton Board of Health and their being torn
down by people from New York-so he understood. In
1858 the yellow fever from infected vessels which
arrived from the West Indies and New Orleans the direct
cause in consequence Of the proximity Of those
sells TO the shore From all he could regard to
the prevalence OF the disease IN Ragpckcrs row, has
been introduced by clothing brought from the iron Sow
crossexamned by Mr.. Pcckhan-Gavc Dr.. Harris per.
mission 20 outside the barrcaie did give II to
any Of the doctors people.
Mr. Peckham-Hc swears he did.
wncssI did not, sir; the yellow fever ceased after
the barrcades were thrown down had there been any
more cases should have put them up again the yellow
fever was epidemic in Ragncker's row. the barrenle,
had buildings fronting the street and there
during the erection OF the barr ads usual eveores
came out from the Quarantine grounds previous TO the
erection OF the barbados 1856 have knowledge 81
any precautions being taken to prevent this except the IN
formation Of Dr. Thompson, bot on the contrary think
there not knows Of six stevedorcs who had yellow
fever in the village Immediately after beng at work
the James Gleddon.
have thirteen cases Of sieyedorcs and men who had
worked that vessel who taken SICK OF yellow fever
Mr. PcckRam-Namc them
witness-Jaines Hunter, John Tyler, Markee, Car
niss. Dawson. RicSsrd.on and two others named
Glass and kerse who also sick, but I
sure they were on the Gleidon' they were steve
dores, however; 81 these patents Of mine:
four out Of the thirteen died. each Of these in
formed that they came Immediately from the ship and
through the Quarantine home these men lived in Rocky
Hollow, Southhed, the village; the population there
= equally dense as Ne here, the james Glcddon
the worst infected ship here that season scarcely
who went on board her but sickcaed.
To Mr.. Anthcn-There cases Of sickness in 1855,
ss y Health e1s sTGr os oTS , 5 9
burned them q the caused by these articles
that Mrs iaety Clifton, who BROUGHT bed found nca,
the bay 10 her house there also tho " John
Selvcy John employed In collecting these
tcies but don't think think he had the disease, though
since 81 who died and i supposed a. have con.
tracied the disease In the mc1Oncd that
Of tie shore seems most expcsed
To Mr. Pccsham-so far az knew these boa,men and
bareemen have been accustomed 70 live this In the
village; some lived inside, and some lived out
To tho Court-Dont know any 81 them who lived iasse
Dr. James Iiagcorri examined by NJ. Anthon-I have
held rrsa, NAM medical positions in connection Nth
the Marine Hospital for the last thirty years and have
been The Assistant Health Oncer 90 onaranine know
o smallpox and cholera having been spread through the
village from The QUARANTINE but cannot say 70 what
tent outside the walls Tie cases we IN the immediate
negbborhocd near the shantes In he village Of Thrifty
Valley, the west q the wall. this IN 1854, b..
hcvci smallpox was communicated think, b. persons
going outside the walls Who had been attending the
sick In TIC hospital have been directly traced 70
such source; think Of these cases tho wife 81 Dr
yandyke. occurred IN is4s a. the Doctor was Ia at.
Tendance ulon the the smallpox hoe p,a the time
thc q Mr. Mnthorn Tompkbs (brOiher ~ tbs a..
fcndau NJ Ray Tompkins aIao commun csfel ny pr
Nandykc, Who IN company With him and visited HIM
without changing h Clothes two three other
CURED from tbs gentleman attending public meeting IN
the village there question but that lT Naniyke
communicated The disease Was connected with the Ma
rinc Hospts or short time 1855, the infected
from the James Gleddon placed on the United states
wharf Quarantine that year. 40 not know u any
Restrictions whatever that year the ngress cgres
of ordcrics. &c people passing into the
grounds The road running from M ie q the gate through
tho grounds trout n the Marine Hospital almost
public th0ru Fharc think there nothing ~ prevent
free accss - the very DICK which thc infected
we're placed, The sJied ARTICLES clothing aud bedding,
which had been used by patients Who hat had pestcetsi
dseasc were carried through this thoroughre a. the
wsshh0use: I do not know 81 Ctizcns coming In
contact with those who carried these articles:
there were some deaths ~ yellow fever among
49, Ii II -.