The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-16
MERClPUL RELEASE
Joy, the Leper, Passes Away
Peacefully with Par
alysis of the Heart.
FAITHFUL WIFE FRUSTRATED
Startling Story As To How the
Dreadful Disease was
Contracted.
FAITHFUL WIFE FRUSTRATED

Jasper JOY, the leper, whose case was
fully described in THE News one week
ago today, died at nine o'clock this morn
ing in the room on the top floor of 1873
Palisade avenue, which he has never left
since last Thanksgiving Day. when he re-
turned to this city from the Skin and Can
Ger Hospital New York, where he was
pronounced incurable by the highest au-
thorities on the disease in the United
States.
His wife was the only one who was
present when he passed away. She en-
tered his room at seven O'Clock and Of
fered him some breakfast. He refused it.
He was in sort of a stupor, which grew
more marked during the following two
hours. At nine o'clock he died. So peace
full was his death that Mrs. JOY at first
thought he was sleeping. When he failed
to move, however, she became alarmed
and sent for DR.. Putnam, who had been
attending Joy. He pronounced death due
to paralysis of the heart. 1t is that that
finally kills nine out of every ten lepers.
The disease paralizes one nerve after an
other until it finally reaches the vital or
gans.
1t was rumored that joys death was
due to suicide, but this was denied by
DR.. Putnam to reporter. Undertaken
Charles Mead has been employed by Mrs.
Joy to conduct the funeral. The body
will be placed in Theoretically sealed
coffin lined with zinc Funeral services
which will be attended by members of
Rathbene Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and
Alpine Lodge of Odd Fellows of which
Joy was member will be held from the
house on Saturday night. The body will
be taken to Newburg, N. Y. on Sunday
and buried in the family plot.
During his illness. Joy often spoke of
the Rev Dr.. Clarke and expressed a
desire to have him conduct religious
services at his funeral in addition to the
ceremonies of the Pythians and Odd Eel
lows. Mrs. Joy does not know where to
find DR.. Clark but will try and find him
before Saturday and comply with her hus-
bands wishes The room in which the
leper has lived since November last Will
be thoroughly fumigated and all the
furniture will be burned.
Mrs Joy who attended her husband
faithfully all through his terrible illness
is ON the verge of collapse and 1t IS fear-
ed that she will scarcely be aple 70
survive the tremendous mental ana
physicial strain which has been placed
Joy went to the Skin and Cancer Hos
pitai over year ago suffering from wnat
his physician believed was eczema he
was sent home on Thanksgiving Day last
as incurable.
The physician who had attended him
made no diagnosis Of his case az tnat tliIie
hut later when DR.. Putnam asked for one
to guide him in treating the patient they
diagnosed it as leprosy.
1t is alleged that Joy contracted leprosy
In the Skin and Cancer Hospital, and that
for that reason no diagnosis was made
when he was returned from there. A
friend of the dead man, when interviewed
Soy went to the Skin and Cancer Hos
pitaf suffering from eczema on his face
and body. In the same ward with him
was a young Cuban who had leprosy.
Joy struck up great friendship with
him and was with him continually. 1t
was from him that he caught the