Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-03-08
5TWASDIPHTHERIA
FALLS CASE EXPOSES
SCORES OF TOWNSPEOPLE.
Will u. CoIton's Physician Failed to Warn
the Public of His Patients Dread Dis
casc-High Feeling Against the Health
Omccr for His criminal Negligence.

BELLOWS FALLS, March 5. considerable
excitement and Indignation was manifested
here to-day over the circumstances attend
ant upon the death of VIII f.. Cotton, pro
prietor of prominent restaurant, who died
of diphthcria at / 30 o'clock this morning,
in the rooms connected viii the restaurant,
which is one of the largest business blocks III
the thickest part of the village.
Mr. Cotton had been sick there just
week without being quarantined. Thirty
five boarders took their meals at the res
taurant till to-day, many having rooms in
the building and visiting Mr. Colton's room
without restraint until the hour of his death.
The boarders supposed it to be case of
common sore throat Other families in the
block frequently passed the door of the sick
room.
The attending physician is a member of
the board of health. He says he considered
the disease to be tousiitis or diphtheretic
sore throat until Friday evening, when diph-
iberia fully developed, but he did not think
it necessary to alarm the people by estab-
fishing n quarantine. The immediate family
did not know their danger until an hour or
two before death. To-day the neighbors no
| titled such boarders as came to their meals
and they all left
The body remained in the block till p.
m. when it was buried and the building
fumigated, the authorities posting quaran-
tine notices. The business of the stores in
! the block has been carried on as usual
Many citizens called on Mr.. Cotton each
day. including yesterday. They were adj
United freely and talked with the patient,
| of
To-day threats of personal violence have
been made against the physician, whose only
excuse seems to be that he did not wish &c
iniure Mr.. Colton's trade. Mr.. Cotton
leaves a wife and two small children fol-
whom great sympathy is expressed. lie
was formerly connected with the CONNER
cial House and was widely known and pop
ular. His father is proprietor of hotel at
Ludlow, Vt. There is naturally much anX-
iety felt here regarding the possible spread
of the disease.
*. Ouimby, Vice Il. +. Lincoln.
WASHINGTON, March among the
changes in the national banks announced by
the comptroller to-day was that of the cleo
ton of l.. X. Quimby as president of thu
National bank of Lyndon, vice b. +. Lin
coin and 5. $. Mattocks, vice-president
vice l.. X. Quimby.
William Crombie Of Burlington is regis
tered at the Arlington. He is on his wa,
home from a three months trip in tn
South.
Water Agitation in St. bloomsbury.
ST. JoHNSBURY, March j.-At a specia
village meeting to-day. the trustees propose
to have the village sell its water plant to tn
St Johnsbury Aqueduct company, the lat
ter to erect plant costing S15O, 600, to sup
ply the village with water for fire and othe
purposes After two hours debate tn
= whole matter was referred to committe
of seven to report at an adjourned meeting
Pulling up Vermont stakes.
BELLOWS FALLS, March 5.-The Provi
dence Washington Fire Insurance compan
of Providence has decided to withdraw fror
Vermont taking up all its agencies here
| ON account of the unproiitabeness of ii
business in the State.