Connecticut western news., 1878-01-31
CHIEF OF THE LEPERS.
Remarkable HistOry-Death of the Cow ernOr of the TabOOed Settlement of Mo- lOkai, Hawaii--VOluntary IsOlatien--A Strange Romance.

Strange Romance.
 The San Francisco Chronicle con- tained an interesting account of the late William P. Ragsdale, Governor of the leper establishment on the Hawaiian island of Molokai He was noted and remarkable man. He was commonly known as "Bill Ragsdale." He was Hawaiian by birth, one of his parents having been native and the other an American. He spoke both the Hawaiian and the English tongues with fuency and eloquence. His position in the Kingdom was very high, but he resigned it voluntarily when be realized the terri ble blow which nature had dealt him.
 THE FEARFUL DISCOVERY.
 The manner in which he discovered that he was one of the "unelean," as described by himself, is most interesting in scientific sense. He resided for 8 number of years on the island of Hawaii, and had an office at Hilo, the capital. One night he was studying intently, when the glass chimney of his lamp fell on the table. Says the Chronicle
 Although. the chimney was hot, 1" Bill, /" in his excitement, picked it up and set it in its place without experi- encing the least inconvenience, such, as would naturally result to really sound person handling red hot chimney. He reflected for a moment, looked at his hand, but could not discover the least sign that it had been burned. He then took off and put on the chimney repeat edly and with the same result. This ex- perience convinced him that he was among the afflicted, and he lost no time in communicating with the authorities.
 MADE GOVERNOR OF THE LETTERS.
 An examination was made and medical authority declared that he was afflicted with Ieprosy. Dr. Trousseau, for years a physician at Honolulu, but now resi- dent 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 so afflicted. Bill, however, was personally convinced that he was so afflicted. 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 up as a victim of the terrible disease. q He was then sent to Molokai and installed as Governor of the leper settlement, which position he held for number of years up to the time of his death. Soon after his isolation from the world and his friends the disease made itself more ap parent, and there were none so incredu. lous as to believe that he was not forever afflicted with the leprosy. During hif administration of affairs he was as suc cessful as he was popular. There were and are about eight hundred Iepers or the settlement but by his tact and kind heartedness Ragsdale made the most ex traordinary and saddest community o1 the face of the earth as cheerful ant happy as the unfortunates could be By his advice the government made man, reforms and the lepers recognized hin as father.
 A ROMANCE,
 One of the most peculiar and startling phases connected with this episode i the fact that MT. Ragsdale, who was married man with a family, took up witt a young native woman on the settlemen of Molokai who fell in love with him She was remarkably handsome, of splen did physique and had already buriet two husbands or lovers, for both term are substantially the same with the Ha waiians free from missionary influence Both her husbands. as we will call them died of leprosy. yet the wife, as sh' must be termed, was never afflicted witt it. She fell in love with Ragsdale, an' they continued to live in the most per feet harmony, the wife not having tn least fear of being subject to the fright full aff1iction of her husband She stil survives him and is Tn perfect health, o at least was so not long ago. It ma, here be remarked that there are som seventy-five individuals on the leper set clement who are not afflicted with lep rosy. These. have voluntarily exile themselves on account of the deep lov and affection they have for their friend who are lepers. They, mingle freel among the sorrow stricken, eating ou of the same calabash of poi, drinkin from the same cup, chatting and talkin together. on the same mat, and eve sleeping together. Still with this pro miscuous intercourse some of the health persons, indeed the majority of then never catch the leprosy. In a word they have no fear at all of it.
 HAWAIIAN HUMANITY,
 Who the successor of the decease leper Governor will be is not known. was believed at one time that Peter Kac 8 cousin or uncle to Queen Emma, woul be Governor, but by influence this ler rous chief has been allowed to o-leave tn settlement and IS now resident 0 Honolulu. Peter had nice cottage a Molokai, and, as becoming his rank, ha servants to wait upon him. During hi sojourn there he enjoyed life as we'll g could be expected and had the good wi
 of the lepers at large. Now that he. free, and Ragsdale dead, 1t will be diff cult to find the proper man to fulfill g delicate duty. The Hawaiian author ites have many faults and shortcom1ng
 but the humanity they exhibit towar the lepers, in providing and caring fe l =. L. Lo.