Evening star., 1898-11-19
DIES OF YELLOW JACK
Fatal Case of Fever at the Hotel
johnson.
ARCHIE s. MILLER THE VICTIM
Was a Civil Engineer and Lately
From New York.
NO eau Sc FOR ALARM

| A death from yellow fever occurred in
this city at the Hotel johnson. corner Of
| 18th and f streets northwest yesterday
afternoon Archie S. Miller a civil eny!-
| neer, aged thirty-two years. single was
| the victim of the dread disease. He had
| only been in Washington two days having
come from New York city where he arrived
recently from Nicaragua.
| There is no occasion for alarm on the
| part of the people Of the District as the
| cool weather and the precautions taken by
| the health department and marine hospital
| officia s render the likelihood of a spread
of the disease very remote Health officer
| Woodward gave to The Star this afternoon
! a dictated statement of the history Of the
case. first submitting it TO the District
| Commissioners.
! DIR. WoOdward's Statement.
| The statement is as follows:
| Mr. Archie S. Miller. a civil engineer.
| employed by the Nicaraguan canal COM
mission died at the Hotel johnson yester-
| Gay of yellow fever
! Mr., Miller has been in Nicaragua since
| April last. He left there about two weeks
| ago on steamer bound for New York. but
! which stopped at Port Limond Costa Rica.
| an infected point TO take on a cargo of
| fruit He arrived in New York on Monday
| last.
his Whereabouts rom the time of his
arrival in New York until the time OF his
/ registration at the hotel Wednesday morn
| ing are not known. After registering he
| went out. and was brought back TO the ho-
| tel unconscious about O'Clock pm, by
| some unknown party. who assisted him TO
his bed, and left without giving any warn
| Ing as to the mans condition.
THE case was believed to be an ordinary
| drunk which the patient would sleep OFF.
| He was not, therefore, disturbed Thursday
| to clean his room. the chamberTaaid find
| ing him in bed. apparently asleep, at the
| time of her several visits.
About 3 o'clock yesterday morning an in
| mate of one of the neighboring rooms was
disturbed by noise from the apartment
| occupied by Mr.. Miller, and notified the
hotel authorities. who at once summoned
| physician. The probable nature OF the case
| was promptly suspected and steps taken
| to properly isolate IL. The health depart
| ment was notified and secured the services
| of experts from the United States marine
| hospital service. The Inconsistencies of
| the patient rendered II impossible 20 secure
| any history Of the case from him, and a
| definite diagnosis was. therefore, impossi-
| BILE The patient died at = O'clock pm.
/ The body was wrapped in cloths saturated
| with antiseptic solution and removed to
| the nlorgue
'As 1t was necessary, however. to per-
| form the autopsy by daylight it had to be
| postponed until this morning. Experts
| from the marine hospital service, who had
seen many such autopsies and who were
| familiar with the post-mortem features OF
might not by any chance be left in doubt.
| The autopsy findings were, however, so
clear that there can be no possible question
of the nature of the disease.
Apartments Disfnfected.
Tine apartments at the hotel were dis
infected yesterday afternoon with chlorine
and subsequently with formaldehyde gas,
| both being most powerful disinfecting
agents
he md fS NJ hay
since that time scrubbed with solution Of
corrosive sublimate, except the bedding,
which has been burned. His baggage has
| never been removed from tha railroad sta
ton, and will be taken in charge by the
health department
There is no reason to anticipate danger
from the premises, and no likelihood az the
spread of the disease in this city at the
present period in the year, as the tempera-
ture is below that at which IL develops.
The body was wrapped in an antisepic
sheet, placed in coffin filled with quick
! lime, and will be buried this afternoon.
After Mr.. Miller's death letter reached
the hotel addressed to him, and was opened
by his most intimate friend. Ii was from
companion who had been with him on the
way from Nicaragua, and showed that MIL
Ter had been quite i'll while on the steamer,
and that the writer of the letter at pres
ent in Pittstor, Pa, was, at the time of
writing-the 18th instant-himself suffering
from symptoms which, to a wel!-informed
physician, would appear suspicious.
The United States marine hospital SER
vice will look after the case in Pittston
A Genuine Case.
When The Star reporter reached the sixth
precinct station, on New Jersey avenue,
where the morgue is located, O'Clock this
afternoon, Coroner Carr was about to drive
away in his carriage.
1t is a genuine case of yellow fever"
said the coroner. Il am not At liberty now
aln 11l hat
the health officer will inform the press of
the circumstances. No ons reed be
alarmed"
With this the coroner drove away. Stand
ing on the station steps were Sergeant Fal-
vey. several officers and two gentlemen in
civilian clothes. Upon inquiring about the
case the sergeant informed the reporter
that one of the two civilians had been with
Miller in Nicaragua and knew all the facts.
Just then po4iceman came outside the
station and warned the civilians to say
nothing with regard to the matter.
Therefore, they refused TO talk, and in a
minute hastened away, taking a Metropoli-
tan car uptown. health Office employe,
armed with a brass and glass disinfecting
machine came from the morgue and stated
that DIR. Woodward could be seen there.
Entering the passagenay at the side of the
station, a walk of nifty feet brought the re-
porter to the morgue. Glancing through
the open doorway. a body wrapped in white
cloth could be seen lying on one of the
tables.
Dr. WooQWafo, accompanied by another
gentleman, came to the doorway and talked
briefly to The Star man.
Yes, the autopsy has just been held"
said he, "and the ature of the case as vel
low fever fully determined. Every preeau-
ton has been taken, and the body packed
in lime. will be disposed of this afternoon.
There is no fear of spread"
MIR. Johnson's Statement.
Proprietor E. L. johnson. of Hotel John
son, was seen this afternoon by Star re-
porter and made the following statement
of his knowledge of the case:
Mr.. Miller is an old friend of the house,
and has stopped with me upon at least a
dozen occasions. Before he went 10 Mica
regua he spent ten days with r1e, and he
had come here this time upon an order
from the department bringing him hcnse.
He came to the hotel about o'slock We'd
nesday evening, and, stating tha. he was
not well, was shown at once TO his room.
mo further attention was paid TO him un-
til the following morning about o'clock,
when the chanlbermaid went 70 the room
and, opening the door, saw him lying IN
bed, with his face next TO the wall Think
ing him asleep and not desiring to disturb