The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-23
THE LEPER OF LEWES.
Victim of the Dread Disease Tells of
the Peculiarities Developed
in His Case.
Faro In Fifth Avenue-Verdict of Dis
tinguished Jury as to II Hospital
Homicide.

I'VE" fokh, reDruary lo.-A lew days ago
stranger came ashore at Lewes, Delaware,
from foreign vessel. He was well dressed
and his manner was courteous. Save a
slight limp in his gait, and an unnatural tinge
to his countenance, there was nothing out
ward to indicate the presence of a peculiar
malady. Upon reaching the shore he sought
out private and rather secluded boarding
place and there he remained, keeping aloof
entirely from the people around him. From
significant hints dropped by several of the
crew who brought him ashore it was whis-
pered about that the stranger was leper, who
for the safety OF his comrades on shipboard,
had been put ashore to shift for himself.
The stranger made no attempt at denial,
but, on the contrary, seemed as anxious to
| avoid the approach ofhis neighbors as they
were to avoid him. The extravaganza stories
that went rapidly from mouth to mouth caused
such agitation that special meeting of the
Town Council was decided upon to consider
ways and means to nd the community of
| THE DANGEROUS PATIENT.
He admitted to a reporter that the suspicious
of the people were well founded. He was,
he frankly, but sorrowiully, admitted, leper.
lie gave his rame as James Atwald, and
said he was an Englishman by birth, but
up TO last summer had been for years a
resident OF Havana, where the disease, the
germs of which were latent in his system,
developed itself. His impression was that he
contracted the infrmity while at Madagascar,
where he and others of the crew with whom
he was associated were forced to work side
by side with gang of native, number of
whom were known to be diseased. Some
times the color his skin had assumed would
blend until his flesh actually appeared to him
almost as variegated as garden in Tune
The horror OF his position became at the
time almost unbearable and he contemplated
suicide as means to escape his awful fate.
He studied his case and having learned that
exposure to cold weather was the only means
by which IFS ravages could be mtigated, he
determined to go to Canada and enter hos
Pltal in Toronto. 1t was with this object in
view that he obtained berth on the English
ship FormoSa. The captain, however, ~sus-
Pected the nature of his ailment and told him
he must leave the ship at Wilmington, N. G.
Al his request, however, the captain permitted
him to land at Lewes instead, from which
place he intended to go to Canada.
Mr.. Atwald, during the interview, displayed
to the reporter the peculiarites of the disease
as developed in his case. The mere rubbing
OF his hand created fine, bran-hke dust.
Across the palm the lines were streaked
brightly, so that in the rays of the sun thew
shone like web-work of silver. This pecu-
| liarlty IN his flesh had communicated to the
| crow feet lines in his temples, and they, like
the palms OF his hands, perceptibly glistened.
He left Lewes in obedience to the demand of
the Town Council.
THE DISTINGUISHED JURY'S VERDICT.
Coroner Merkle's distinguished Jury in the
case of Michael Kelleher, who was killed bv
| George Mahan, patient in Bellevue hos
pital, rendered the following verdict:
"We ind that Michael Kelleher came to
his death by injuries inflicted by George f.
| Mahan. In view OF the evidence before MS
we DelleVe that due care was not exercised by
the officers in charge of the Alcoholic ward.
and, IN our opinion, the system of MANAGE
ment is very defective. The wards at all
times should, in our opinion, be in charge of
a responsible employee; and we find that the
orderlies are highly cenSurable for leaving the
ward without putting the patient in charge of
| a responsible person. We further recommend
that the furniture of the room-tabIes and
wlndows-be of such a character and be so
secured as to prevent the possibility of their
use as weapons of Offense by patients.'
The jury then signed the verdict, ex-Mayor
Wickham suggesting that they sign in order
oil gong out OF Office, and were discharged
with the thanks of the Coroner. Mahan was
held in $500 bond to appear before the Grand
Jury, William IL. Kennedy, "the Coroner
Kennedy who keeps the hotel" becoming his
bondsman.
FARO IN FIFTH AVENUE
The Rev. DIR. Howard Crosby. of the
Society for the Prevention of Crime, received
lew days ago an anonymous communica-
ton saying that gambling house had been
established at 226 Fifth avenue. The
letter was sent to Superintendent Wal
ling, and was referred to him
| by Captain Williams. At D. m. yester-
day Captain Williams called at the number
given, with three policemen. He found a
brown-stone building, nearly opposite the
Brunswick hotel. In the first aoor is the
Office Of the agent OF the Morgan estate.
Several suites of rooms in the building are
occupied by families.
In large back parlor on the second floor
Captain Williams found Frank A. tones in
charge, OF a fully-equipped gambling house.
Two check-rackS, 1850 checks, a cue keener
"a chairs, two round tables, faro table and
ontht. roulette table and wheel, a card
cutter, silver dealing box, 20 packs
oil cards, three roulette balls, markers and
other apparatus, together with So cents In
cash. were seized and taken to the station