The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-02
A QUARANTINE OUTRAGE.
How Some of Cleveland's officials Treated
N Indy Passenger.

How Some OF Clevelnnd'S OFFICIALS 1renteu
Lady Passenger.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-MIrs. Warren
C. Unckles, daughter of Colonel Isaac
McNulty, of New York City, passed
through here last night on her way
from Costa Rica, via New Orleans, to
New York.
She was travelling alone and gives an
account OF her experience in New Or
leans, which she is confident she would
never have been obliged to endure but
for her unprotected situation.
Her husband is q wealthy coffee plant
er OF Costa Rica. Mrs. Unckles, having
lived on the island for some time, re-
solved to visit her father in New York,
and accordingly sailed for New Orleans
on the steamer Foxhall. She brought
with her an elaborate wardrobe, includ-
ing handsome dresses but recently re-
ceived from Paris. Several Of them had
never been worn, and their aggregate
value she estimates at several thousand
dollars. q
Arriving at the quarantine station, off
the Mississippi Jetties, on Thursday
last, the local officials came aboard TO
fumigate the baggage Of the passengers.
Opening the trunks OF Mrs. Uncles they
proceeded to fumigate their contents
by the steam process. To this Mrs.
Unckles at first objected, but, upon being
informed that the regulations required
it, she suffered her dresses to be over
hauled and the entire contents OF her
trunks to be thoroughly steamed. She
was about to close her trunk when an
officer stepped up and turned hose full
Of yellow Mississippi water in among
the silks and laces. Almost speechless
with Indignation, she turned upon him
and demanded his authority for perpe-
trating the outrage. The official merely
laughed insolently and proceeded TO
thoroughly soak the contents OF several
trunks, saying that the regulations OF
the port required 1t.
Mrs. Unckles was forced to submit to
the outrage, but managed to save a few
articles by threatening to throw them
overheard rather than have them ruined.
She declares that it was quite openly
intimated TO her that few "tips" would
save her wardrobe, but she was too
angry to attempt any such pacific meas
ures. The baggage Of number OF i'm
migrants, which did not appear to be OF
any value, was undisturbed by the quar-
antine officials, though great pretense
was made in her own case Of killing any
lurking germs OF yellow fever.
Wringing the water from her ruined
dresses, Mrs. Unckles repacked them as
best she could, intending to make q
complaint to the customs authorities
upon her arrival at New Orleans. When
the vessel reached its dock, however,
she found she had but time enough to
catch the northbound train. Upon her
arrival in New York Mrs. UnCkles will
see that the matter is properly brought
to the attention Of the Treasury Depart
ment officials.
Surgeon General Hamilton, in speak.
ing OF the affair, said that the action Of
the quarantine authorities in this case
was without precedent. They were au-
thorized to fumigate baggage, but the
Mississippi water treatment was intend
ed for the decks and holds Of the vessels
hailing from ports Quarantined against
yellow fever, and not for wearing ap-
parel OF passengers.