The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-02-24
DE11H OF A TERY REMAREABLE MAN.
TIE LEPER SETTLEMENT OF THE SANDWICH
ISLANDS AND ITS LATE GOVERNOR
San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Chronicle.
Oar Honolulu exchanges announce IN
brief the death of VIM. P. Ragsdale, GOV.
ernor of the leper settlement on the Island
of Molokai, Sand wch Isands. The decease
of 30 noted and remarkable man, In the
prime of life. deserves more extended
obituary. .Bill Rsgsdsle," as he was pop
ularly known, was Hawaiin by birth, his
mother having been native and his father
an American. By profession he was
lawyer, epeaking English as fiuently as
Hawaiian, and the most noted orator OF the
Hawaiian Kingdom, whites and natives
included, and among the latter there are
MANY conspicuous orators. The manner In
which Ragsdale discovered that he had the
leprosy, as told by himself, is most interest
ing, especially from q scientific view.
The deceased resided for number OF
years on the island of Hawaii, and had aa
Office at Hiio, the capital OF the ls'ato.
One night be was studying up law case
in which he wac deeply interested, when
the chimney from his lamp fell on the table.
Although the chimney was hot as hre,
"Bill," 10 his excitement, picked it up and
set it in his place without experiencing the
result to a really sound person handling
red hot lamp chimney. He reflected for a
moment, looked at his hand, but could not
discover the least sign that 1t had oeen
burned. He then took Off and put on the
chimney repeatedly, and with toe same
| he was among the afflicted, and he lost no
time in comm municating with the authorities.
An examination was made, and medical
authority declared that he was afflicted
| with leprosy. DR.. Trosseau, for years
| physician at Honolulu, but now resident
of the island of Hawaii, made the principal
examination.
| Up to this time no person on the islands
ever dreamed that Bill Ragsdale had the
| leprosy, and some doubted even after the
| examination if he was 80 afflicted. Bill,
however. was personally convinced that be
was 40 stfl icted. The police did not arrest
him, however, owing to his exalted position,
| as was common with those suspected OF
being lepers, SO he voluntarily delivered
| himself np as q victim of the terrible dis
ease. He was then sent to Molokal ana
| installed Governer of the leper settlement.
which position he held for number OF
wears, M to the time of his death, last
| month. Soon after his isolation from the
world and his friends the disease made
itself more apparent, and there were none
so incredn lous TO believe that he was not
forever afflicted with the leprosy.
During his administration Of affairs he
was as snccessful as he was popular. There
were and are about 500 lepers on the
settlement, but by his tact and kindheart-
edneso Rngsdale made the most e1traordl-
nary and saddest community on the face OF
the earth as cheerful and happy as the
unfortupates could be. BY his advice the
Government made many reforms, and the
lepers recognized him as father. One of
the most peculiar phases connected with
this episode is the tact that Mr.. Rsgsdale
was married to a young native woman on
f the settlement of Molokai who fell in love
, with him She was remarkably handsome.
of splendid physique, and had already
, buried two husbands. Both her husoands
ded Of ieprcsy, yet the wlie was never
l I'll ,cted with il. She fell in love with
+ Rsgsdeie, and they continued to live IL
= the most perfect harmony, the wife not
= having the l"ast fear Of being subject 10 the
{ frlgiltfnl etti lction cf Ter husband. She
. still aulviveS him and is in perfect health
= or. 1T least, WAS so not long ago.
q IL may be here remarked that there are
some seventy i've iudivIdna!s on the lepel
settlement whG a5e not afflicted With lepro
:, sy. These have voluntarily eXiied them
. selves on account Of the deep love anc
. affection they have for their friends wht
q arc le pors. They mingle freely among the
) sorrow stricken, eating out of The came
calabash Of poi, and drinking from the
/ same cap, chatting and talking together OF
, the same mat, and even sleeping together
E Still some Of the healthy persons, indeed
n the msjorty of them, uever catch the iep
e rosy. In a word. they have no tear OF IL
, Who the successor Of the deceased lepe
Governor will be ia not known. 1t wa
believed at one time that Peter hao,
couein OF uncle TO Queen Emma, would b
II Governor, nut oy lnnueuco buis iopAou
chief has been permitted to leave the set
Element and ia now a resident of Honolulu
Peter mad nice cottage at Molokai, and
as becoming his rank, had servants to wal
N on him. Daring his sci onrn there he enjoy
,n ed life as we'll as could be expected, an
te had tho good will of the lepers at large
of Now that he ia free, and Ragsdale dead,
KS will be difficult to lind the proper man t
At fulfil 80 delicate a duty. The Hawaiia
ie authorities have many faults and shoT
"a comings, but the humanity they exhib
Is Is toward the lepers, in providing and carin
;; for them, is greatly to their credit. Tt
settlement is under the taboo, that is, I
I. human being is permitted to enter tt
IN dreadful locality without a special perm
~ from the Board of Health at Honolulu.
IT is very difficult to get this permit, so th
'r, not one foreigner in al thousand ever CT
ar ar visit the leper world of Molokai.
on THE STRIKE or THE LONDON MAsONs t
ha rf ha ems