Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-09-26
THE HORRORS OF THE EP1DEnIc.

arc SnAlous concerning their TRENDS.
THE HORRORS OF THE EPIDEMIC
The brutality, barbarism. and indifference
developed by this epidemic stand out In
marked contrast with the heroism which has
cost us SO many lives. Scarcely day passes
that the community, bowed in sorrow for SO
many weeks, is not sbamed by one or other
of these hideous phases of inhumanity. AS
If it were not enough that the experiences OF
the times develop cases of total neglect, which
are brought TO light when the sufferers are
past hope and beyond the reach of hui
man aid, We have creatures in the
semblance of men who, terrorized out of all
reason, surrender themselves to demoniacal
passions and express their fears in acts that
ara disgrace to our race and blood.
The story which we copy from the Jackson
Tribune and Sm to-day, Is case of this
sort, and perhaps one of the worst that has
come under our notice. A little boy, conva-
lescent, sent to Milan, from Grand Junction,
by his father, that ne might there breathe
a purer atmosphere and be out of the way OF
the horrible sights which an epidemic devel-
ops, took possession of log cabin where, dur
ing the night, he was beset by a party of fiends
who, by firing upon the lonely little chap,
compelled HIM to evacuate and take to the
woods, on the coolest night Of the season.
Anything more brutal than this has not come
under our notice. Then there was the case
of the fever-siricken man in railroad car,
which was uncoupled and left on side track
near the National cemetery, where, but for
the ministrations of a brave friend and timely
assistance from Memphis, he would have
died, as the poor fellow did who, left
In a box-car near Stevenson, was be-
set by a cowardly mob, possessed
of only one idea, that Of self-preservation.
Then we had the cases of the negro men,
poor fellows, driven forth by a few inhuman
persons, some of whom have since died of
the fever they thus inhumanly sought to
fight off. The three victims of their cow
ardice died miserably by the wayside, giving
evidence by the contortions of their bodies
that they passed away in nameless
agonies. Horrible to think of such an
incident SIX weeks ago would have
been secuted as impossible by the
there Is the case of poor negro woman,
who, dying of the fever, was rolled in a
blanket and unceremoniously dumped into a
hog-hole by her terror-stricken husband and
kinfolks. Bad enough that those who died
within the limits so well served by the How
ard Association and Citizens Relief Commit
tee should some days ago, on account of the
want of laborers and collins, have had to lie
for two and three days, poisoning the air with
a nameless stencil and sending forth count
less billions of spores to feed on the vitals of
the faithful few who have done such noble
service in battling with the scourge. Bad
enough that these horrors should
exist to appal the living, and help
to increase the awful mortality, but
when to them we add the wanton inhumani-
ty of stoning and shooting at a defenceless
boy of only ten years, driving helpless fever
stricken patients from the only shelter they
have, and shaming our common humanity by
leaving bodies in hog-holes, food for the
hogs, we are overcome with shame for brave
people, a generous and noble people who,
after enduring all the trials of a great war,
and attesting both their moral and physical
courage, should have their fair escutcheon
soiled by brutalism without parallel. We
have already referred to the cases-alas! too
many-where fathers have deserted their
families, and have called attention to the
callous neglect of each other by
near relatives, who before the epi-
demic came to test the strength and sincerity
of their affections would have scorned the
possibility Of conduct that has secured some
few longer lease Of life, at the cost of a de-
sertion that fastened the death of others.
Only few days ago we saw little child of
perhaps three years that had been surren-
dered to the keeping of one of our noble vol
unteer doctors by mother who now fills a
nameless grave in Potters-6eld. She was an
Outcast, had thrown herself away because
abandoned by her husband, and finding her
self fast sinking from the combined effects
OF the most loathsome of diseases and the
yellow-fever, gave her child to her physician
that 1t might End the home and care the
cowardly father had denied to her and 1t.
How shocking to every sense. Hear
ing such things, one wonders if
our civilization Is really fail
ure, and we are going back to the days OF
the London plague, when all the bonds OF
society were loosened, and besides the dis
ease, which carried away so many thousands,
the people of the great capital were the prey
Of an epidemic of moral cowardice. Were il
not for the thousands of cases of heroism
almost divine in their self-sacrifce, which we
witness every day, such conclusion would
be irresistible. Another case, and we close
for the present. Mr.. Ben K. Pullen, an old
and honored citizen, who is held in the high.
est esteem as an upright, honorable man, Oh
Monday last went out to Eimwood cemetery
loveliest of the cities of the dead, to perform
the sad duty of burying his wife, who hac
died of the fever. It was late, past five
o'clock in the evening, when the car
rage and the hearse arrived at the
cemetery. There was still three-quarter'
of an hour to pass before the hour arrived
when funeral parties are refused admittanct
and the labovers suspend work. The mar
in charge of the cemetery-named Flynn Of
Edwards; it is not known which-came tc
the spot where the grave was to be dug, with
a party of negroes, whom he informed tina
Juey WOulu not receive any eAue pay lOl
work done after six O'Clock, thus trying Il
prevent them from the work they were Their,
to perform. The negroes, more humane
than he and indignant at such AN exhibition
of brutality before the husband and children
standing beside all that remained to them o
a good wife and mother, replied that some
times they worked for friendship. Tney dug
the grave, lowered the casket ant
had covered it out Of sight, having