Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-14
Departure of Lepers from California.
Snn ELnfciscO Btslletin

The steamship Belgic, which sailed for
China this afternoon, is carrying four
teen Chinese lepers back to their native
land. Everything connected with the
shipment was managed with the utmost
secrecy. 1t was determined three weeks
ago to rid San Francisco of Chinese
lepers, and Supervisors Stetson and Tay-
lor undertook to carry out the determi-
nation. T. A. Bee. Consul of the Chinese
Empire in San Francisco, 1t is reported,
had a thorough search made of the
Chinese quarters to discover If there
were any lepers in the city other than
those in the hospital. He succeeded in
discovering one more. The whole num-
Der thus to be provided with passages
was fourteen. 1t was then arranged
that the leprous procession should march
aboard the steamship just minute or
two before the time of the vessels de-
parture, so as to avoid any possibility of
preventing the shipment by the friends
or relatives of the lepers through habeas
corpus writs or other processes of law
which they might invoke, and this pro-
gramme was carried out to the letter.
This morning Supervisor Stetson tele-
telegraphed to DR.. Foye to have the
lepers at the company's dock promptly
at 2 o'clock, and the Doctor responded
that he would be there TO the second.
Three covered wagons, each escorted by
a policeman, were secured. Two wagons,
one containing six and the other five
leprOus passengers, drove to the dock
at the appointed time Before their
arrival all the regular passengers of the
first class and steerage had gone aboard,
and were chatting with each other and
with friends who had assembled to bid
them goodbye.
1t appears, however, that the Chinese
who had gathered around the dock to
see their friends leave got little inkling
of what was going on before the main
body of lepers come in sight This hint
they obtained because it happened that
one leper from Chinatown was brought
down few minutes before the regular
wagons from the Lepers' Hospital ar
rived When the single leper appeared
aud was tickered aboard by Consul Bee
the Mongolian spectators seemed to be
greatly excited. They chartered furi-
ously enough, and rushed around as
though they intended to board the vessel
and rescue their friends, who were about
to sail. The Consul talked to them, and
they subsidized. Presently the twowagons
drove up, and as the leprous gang emerg
ed the spectators hastily drew back to a
safe distance. The lepers were tempo
rarily placed on deck, aft, but apart from
other Chinese passengers.
AS they filed aboard the ship the sight
was most hideous and revolving 1t was
remarked that the Chinese would not go
near their afflicted countrymen. They
seemed to have a greater horror of the
disease than the white passengers. Each
leper is provided with mattress, new
clothing, and small sum of money, so
that they may not be destitute when they
reach their native land.
Consul Bee has telegraphed to the
health authorities in China of their de-
parture from this city, and a tugboat
viii take them from the steamer at Hong
Kong and carry them to a leper's hos
pital near Canton The steamship
sailed shortly after the lepers went
aboard.
1t is believed now by the Supervisors
and DIR. Foye that there is not Chinese
leper in San Francisco.