The Portland daily press., 1888-11-27
YELLOW JACKS ATTACK ON THE BOSTON
Fever Contracted In the PestllentlaI
Air at Port Au Prince.
The Cruisers Flight to the Welcome
Frosts OF the North.
Four OF the Crew Buried Beneath the
Atlantic.


officers OF the United States navy often COM
PEELED to declare quarantine on their own
vessels, but the new United States cruiser.
the Boston, Is now anchored of Rose Bank.
Staten Island, with yellow fever on board,
under the strict surveillance Of the authori-
ties, after voyage which will be remem-
bered for many years by the men who took
part In the first cruise Of the new war ship.
Only one officer was taken sick, but he was
the one to whom all looked for aid Surgeon
Simon Is still III. and the probabilities are
that he Will not recover. Four OF the crew
the Atlantic -
The Boston left the Brooklyn Navy Yard
OctoDeI ath under the most delightful aus
plees. one was new In every part, she was
the finest vessel Of the American navy. her
oiiicers were proud OF her, and she was
bound on voyage partly intended by the
Navy Department TO show Central and
Soutn American States that there was really
backing 70 the boasts Of resident Ameri-
cans regarding the power Of their nation.
She sailed directly to Livingston Guatema-
la, with her 356 officers and men, being under
instructions 70 Investigate the imprisonment
there Of citizen Of this country Captain
Ray made careful examination Of the case.
and transmitting the papers to the State
Department, left Livingston October 2Oth
and touched the Corn Islands and at Grey
town, Nicaragua. The ship soon after
started Ior fort hoyal, Jamaica, to coal up,
and arriving there October 28th received
dispatches from Washington ordering her
to Port au Prince, Hayti. The .Bos-
ton arrived there Nov. 6. and lay In the har-
Dor about 800 yards from shore The
weather was such as usually appears just
previous 70 the rainy season In the tropics
The verdure, rank though luxuriant, had
been withered beneath the fierce sun and
from the shallow waters Of the harDor The
miasma arose after sundown to such de-
gree that 1t became almost an impenstrabla
fog. Capt Ramsay, dreading yellow fever.
had given strict orders that no sailors should
be allowed ashore. Being determined to
preserve health on board OF his ship at ali
events, he even exte nded this order to the
officers, and whatever business ne trans
acted In Port au Prince was done in the
company Of such a star as he thought the
most urgent necessities Of the affair would
demand. The men on board the ship were
not compelled to remain below decks when
their watch was not on, because the iron
deck Of the Boston held the heat In such
degree as TO make her berth decks like ovens.
In this way many Of the men became satur-
ated with the deadly influences Of the clim-
aye y, and tneir systems ripe for any symptom
OF Yellow Jack. Capt. Ramsay saw the dan
ger his men were running and so did every
thing In his power to hasten the state affairs
which brought him there.
On the afternoon Of Nov. Albert Lassi-
ter, an able seaman, went TO the hospital.
where Surgeon Simon was, and reporteI
sick. DIR. Simon examined him carefully.
and decided that the man was suffering from
jaundlce. He put him on the sick list, how
ever, and watched him with considerable
curiosity. Lassiter gradually grew worse.
and gave every indication OF yellow fever
but before he reached the natural crisis OF
the complaint he rallied and began TO show
signs OF recovery, The surgeon believed
Lasslter 70 have had the yellow fever, and
spoke to the captain about IL, but the latter,
dreading panic amcng the crew, advised sil-
ence and additional precautions against a
possible repetition Of the fever. Nov. 18th.
however, John j. Kelly, a 20-year-old ap-
prentice, of Camden, N. j., who had been In
the service only little more than two ea yearsi ~
was seized with illness that was unmistak-
ably yellow fever. He was put in the hos
pital The same day DIR. w. j. Simon was
attacked by the same symptoms and com
PEELED to abandon the care Of the suffering
lad to Past Assistant Surgeon G. p. Iunden-
who from then until the Boston's arrival In
quarantine took entire charge 0fthe patients.
The two patients grew rapidly worse, Kelly
showing the greater indications Of weakness.
The lad apparently lost bis courage at the
outset. Two days after, Nov. II, Ewing j.
Thrapp, 20 years old, an able seaman, OF
washington, ID. o.. Succumbed to the disease
and was placed In the same ward with
Kelly. The following day two marines, John
as, an able seaman, 30 years old, were attack
ed, and they too were put In the hospital.
The ship meanwhile had sailed. NoYem-
Der 16 Captain Ramsey had concluded his
business at Port au Prince and steamed
toward the north, believing that the best
specific for the scourge which had come up
on his ship were the cool breezes and clear
atmosphere north Of Cape Hatteras. The
rumors OF the fever began to spread among
the men, but they were subjected to strict
diqQinlinQ and "a no
natural anxiety. There had been no deaths
yet, and the patients recovery was expect
ed: But November 10 young Kelly became
delirious, and his rawlings, which could be
heard nearly al over the vessel, added terror
TO the fear then In possession OF the fOrecas-
tie. Charles Mitchell, an able seaman, 2s
years old, then became q victim. The fol-
lowing day Kelly was seized with the black
yomit and died in the most excrueiating
agony. That afternoon ne was buried In the
sea, Captain Ramsey deemlng 1t advisable 10
possible.
Scarcely had the men a chance to recover
from kelly's death. when on the same after
noon Thrapp expired. and In the evening the
burial service was read over his body. The
following day UlZimier was seized with
black YOmit and died, his body being given
to the sea. All this time the horrors Of the
presence Of Yellow Jack were augmented By
the exceedingly severe weather, the
BOst0n's stanchness being tested 20 its
utmost. Some distance below Cape Hat
teras strong northeast gale was eneount-
cred, and then affairs below decks reached
their worst. The vessel labored heavily
and the necessary stopping OF ventilation
made existence even for the healthy men a
serious burden. The storm continued four
days, and 1t was due to 1t in great measure
that the mortality among the patents was so
great, their exhaustion from the fever not
permitting them to withstand the effects OF
the storm upon the ship. The last death,
that OF Retzel, occurred Nov %. BY that
time the ship had reached the frost limit and
passed 1t and 1t was partly due TO the change
In temperature that Retzel expired. He was
buried the same afternoon.
BY that time the shores Of home were an
pearing, but DIR. Lumden still had his hands
full. attending 10 his suffering ranking ofieer.
as well as to the two seamen, Thomas and
Mitchell. DIR. Simon continued to show
signs Of failure and MitchelPs case was re-
garded as desperate in the extreme. Thomas,
a sturdy seaman, had been rallying since
Thursday and was regarded as practically
out Of danger. The Highland lights were
sighted at about II CLOCK Friday night, and
shortly after midnight she was swinging at
anchor near the quarantine bOardinp afaffou