The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17
COMPULSORY VACCINATION.
,TLANTA NOW WRESTLING WITH
THE PEOPLE OF "RUSTY ROW"

Xauy EIude the Physicians and OFF,
GERS. and Those Caught Turn Spies
and Bring in Other Nictims-BOard
of Health Orders the Vaccination
of Every .One-A ORc-Legged Ne
gro Who Prefrred Death 10 Being
..VacIocd" Again-AnOther Immun-
ed From Disease by Indulgence in
Old Rye.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 16.-Compulsory vac
ctnaton was tried for the first time in
O wholesale form in the black belt along
Decatur street to-day, and the result was
a merry dance for the doctors. 1t re-
ouired only a few minutes for the physi-
clans and officers TO create a panic in the
neighborhood, where so many Russians
keep stores and so many negroes do moth
ing The officers We're. instructed TO ar
rest and hold any person who refused to
he vaccinated, and in many instances this
had to be done The doctors were in,
structed to vaccinate every man, woman
and child on Decatur street. Order came
from the board of health, and the
physicians, armed with this authority and
men. began work on Rusty Row"
A crowd had. gathered around the ply
siciaus anG officers before they had time
to announce their business Rusty Row.
wanted a sensation, and when the doctors
began work it was soon developed. Every
man who was Vaccinated turned scout
for the officers and physicians AS soon
as he was released he would catch an
s A.
was a blockade on Rusty Row between
Ivy and Collins. Additional officers were
sent for, and with difficulty kept the
crowded thoroughfare open to travel
Harry Coleman is notorious in police
circles. He is black as can be, and has
wooden leg This does not keep him from
being a fighter and bad one. When the
physicians and officers approached, he
said he would die before he would be vac
cinated. At first he refused to show his
arm but finally said: ,c"
I have been 'vacked' once, and 1 amt
going to be vacked no more. I will show
you my arm butI will be killed right here
before 1 will be 'vacked any more. One
doctor done it about five years ago, and l
amt never got over 1t. He cut my arm
with carving knife and put enough med
icne in me for mule.i' When he barred
his arm he exposed a scar as large as
griddle cake. THAT will last him for 100
years, said the doctor and he was passed.
You can kill me-, he said, but you can
'vack' me no more"
one negro riding bicycle jumped off
his wheel and ran from the officers, but
In a few minutes the man came back. He
had been vaccinated but ran from the
officers from force of habit.
The raiding party went into a small res
taurant just at noon. The place was
crowded with men and boys, eating lunch.
Every person in the place was vaccinated
and the physicians were about to leave
when one man rubbing his arm suggested
that the cook be examined Back to the
kitchen went the doctor and an officer.
The cook was making a huge apple pie,
but stopped, barred his arm, and was vac
cinated, without giving so much as
glance at his arm, he returned to the pie.
In a barber shop a many drew a razor
and said he would not be vaccinated. The
officers caught him and when his arm
was examined, it was found that he had
been vaccinated, and he was allowed to
go. One old negro said he was not afraid
of the smallpox, as he drank a half
gallon of liquor a day. Any man that
did that, he said, could not take anything.