The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-01
THE FLIGHT OF KIPULA.
Pathetic story OF n Hawaiian
Leper.
From the Philadelphia Times.


From the Philadelphia Times.
On the beautiful GASES of volcanic ISL
ands in the vast desert waste of waters,
the Pacific ocean, known as the key to
Uncle Sans back door, the Hawaiian ISL
ands, is where the dread disease of leprosy
hourishes in spite of the desperate at
tempts made by the authorities to isolate
and extirpate this Asatic living death.
With the advent of Hawaii into the fold
of the great American union has passed
away from this earth leper outlaw who
by the mere mention of his name has ter
rorized the authorities and acted as bug
aboo to brighten and bring to obedience
unruiy children. terror, not because
he committed depredauons, but because
he persisted in defying the law and lived
with his suffering family in the crater of
an extinct volcano far up the sides of
mountain on the Island of Hawaii In
refusing to obey the law and with his
family go to Molokai, the leper settlement,
he has been compelled to kill three men,
while fourth owes his death to his en-
deavors to compel this man accused by
God to go to the leper colony.
Twelve years ago Kipula, happy and
careless native, with wife and five chill
dren, cultivated his little farm or clear
ing in the outskirts of Hilo and lived in
ease and contentment, dreaming away the
days in this earthly paradise under the
ever smiling heavens of the tropical Pacific
ocean. Providence semed to smile upon
him and his little taro patch grew and in
creased year by year while with his canoe
Kipula caught all of the finny tribe TO
supply his pressing wants. Then in an
evil day Kipula with alarm and horror
noticed the dread white spots appearing
on the hands of his youngest baby child,
which up to that time had been the en-
bodiment of perfect health. To his wifes
CONSERVATION the spots grew and grew,
until their once beautiful baby grew ugly
and msshapen. Large scaly spots APP
peared on his body, and the father and
mother were obliged to keep the child hid
den, for to reveal the fact that the child
had the scourge would be to have it torn
from their loving arms and hurried away
to Molokai. They could not bear 10 think
of parting with him, and so held their
peace. Then an elder child was stricken,
and excuses had to be made to explain the
absence of the two children.
The natives grew suspicious and asked
inuuisitive questions as TO what was the
matter with the children, but he succeed
ed in eppeasng their curiosity. one day
when Kipula had been fishing in his canoe
with alarm that his left knee was numb,
that il did not respond to any painfuf SEN
sations. and shortly after his limbo began
to swell. At the same time his wife was
also stricken down with the disease, and
now the natives could-be silenced no long
or. with the result that shortly after the
Hawaiian authorities were Informed. or
course the next day doctor and seVerai
officials investigated the rumors and re-
ports and with but cursory examination
were able to diagnose the cases as leprosy.
They informed him 10 be ready to leave
the next morning with his family for Molo-
kai. When the officials returned the next
morning to take the family to the living
dead city they found nothing That night
Kipula. with his wife and children, had
taken few OF their belongings and fed
away In the darkness in his boat. Upon
searching inquiry they learned Kipula' VINO
was famous as q goat-hunter, had taxed
his rife and gone in his boat, with his fam"
ily. in the direction of MaunaN Kea the
grim mountain peak that lifts its head far
up in the ever drifting Kona mists. The
family had disappeared, and the footprints
in the sand along the track made by the
boat and its outrigger as the family had
pushed and dragged the canoe down the
beach told the story OF their escape.
The following day half a dozen Of the
peace officers went in pursuit of the flee
ing leper and his afflicted family. They
discovered the landing place at point
near the Ookala plantation, where spur