The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1899-03-18
DIR. SOUCHON INDICTED
FOR rIANSLAUGHTER BY THE E.
FELIClANA GRAND JURY,
And Accordingly He and DIR. Kohnke
Are Taken TO Clinton, La, Where
They are Released on $1,000 Bail.
Concealmento of Alleged YeiiowFever
is Charged and Death Due Thereby.

| is Charged and Death Due thereby.
| New Orleans, March 13.-Pre-
siaent Edmund Souchon of the
State Board of Health and DR..
I QhiMlan kohnke, of the city
hoard, have been indicted for man
aaughterin East Feliciana in hav-
ling caused a death in that parish
through the introduction of yellow
fever from New Orleans. Fhe
Indictment is the result of the
charges of Dir. J. Mackowen, who
claimed that the doctors had held
| that yellow fever was not infec-
tious as typhoid and not quaian-
Unable and.that they declined to
notify the county parishes of the
existence of alleged yellow fever
here. The warrants were served
today and Drs. Souchon and
Kohnke were taken to East Fell
ciana. The specific charge against
SOuchon and kOhnke is that by
failing to promptly announce the
first case of yellow fever last sum-
mer they prevented quarantine
and thereby permitted fever to en-
ter the section and cause several
deaths. g.
The following IS taken from the
New Orleans Picayunr. March A:
The outcome of case growing
out of the indicting for man
slaughter at Clinton,in East Fell
clana parish, of the Presidents
respectively of the Louisiana
State Board of Health and of the
New Orleans City Board of Health
has been very tame and tiresome.
These officials were arrested in
this city and carried off to Clinton
in a distant parish, to answer for
a serious crime. 1t turns out
that there had been no crime or
other off2nse committed by the
accused. 1t was also made plain
that there was no uprising or 9th
er expression of popular indigna-
ton against the gentlemen who
had been summarily seized and
dragged away from their homes to
be tried fora felony, and that the
only popular feeling shown was
one of Indignation that for no just
cause an outrage and indignity of
a gross nature had been perpetrat-
ed upon two peaceful citizens.
This is the story that comes from
Clinton.
The simple fact is that the pris-
oners were not arraigned. They
were promptly admitted to bail to
await further action, and they
were rendered by prominent
citizens of Clinton bail to any re-
quired amount. The only expla-
nation of the outrage perpetrated
upon these two citizens of New
Orleans is that it was a conspiracy
dictated by personal and political
hostility, TO harass two health
officials of New Orleans, and to
discredit the sanitary service and
condition of this city.
There seems to be no other
conclusion to be reached, since
the allegations made in the indct-
ment upon which the arrests were
made are utterly frivolous and
absurd. 1t is charged that on
Ang. 28, 1898, with malice afore-
thought. one Edmond Souchon,
NJ. D., President of the Board of
Health of the State Of Louisiana
and one Quitman Kobnke, MD,
chairman of the Board of Health
Of the City of New Orleans, did
wilfully, fcIoniously, deliberately
and criminally kill and slay one
Mrs. Victor Levi, a resident of the
town of Clinton, La.
The mannerin which the killing
and Staying were done is not set
forth; bat it is inferred that it
was the result of the official ac-
| tion Of two health officers in adj
ministering the duties of their
presence being offices, their acts
and their presence being strictly
confined to the city of New Or
leans, and neither of them having
appeared at Clinton at any time
when yellow fever was supposed
to have prevailed, either in New
Orleans or at Clinton.
1t is worth while to note that
| DR.. Kohnke was not the President
of the New Orleans Board of
Health, nor was there any such
board in existence, at the time he
is charged officially with killing
and Staying. But facts apparently
were not considered in framing
the Indictment which was intend
ed to disgrace two public officials
and to arouse the people of other
parts of Louisiana to declare
against this city, without cause OF
reason, a decree of quarantine in
tended to destroyed its commerce
and to frighten away all present
Tor intending visitors.
| 1t is truly gratifying that this
attempt at outrageous wrong Is
not indorsed or supported by The
| oraot hodv of the naODIe of the
parish of East Feliciana, or of the
town of Clinton; but that it ha:
fallen fiat as sensation, and Is
disapproved and condemned by
most of the citizens there. A
grievous wrong and injustice have
been done, and they will surely
recoil upon those who are respon.
sible for such a wanton attack
upon this city and its people anc
their vast commercial interests
4 Il - :, ,,,r,cf =, 40 liod for oIIfro cys