Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-20
SMALLPOX IN WORkHOUSE
The Outbreak Gives the Commissioners
Great Concern.
Offenders Against Law Will Not He
Sent There During the Quar-
antine Period.

smallpox had penetrated the District work
house, John G.. Smith, colored sentenced
in the Police Court December s. to ninety
days Imprisonment in the institution, being
found to be afflicted with the disease The
man was at once hurried TO the smallpox
hospital, and the fumigation of the entire
premises was immediately commenced. Yes
terday Ollie Harvey, a colored boy, also
workhouse prisoner, was found to be suf-
fering from the disease, and he was imme-
diately carried to the hospital
Just how the disease made its way into
the weri.house has not yet been definitely
determined by the District health officer
but it is known that w. S. Clayson colored
sent TO the hospital several days ago, was
released from the workhouse the both of
.ast month, and as he shared a room with
Ike Brown, colored, who has since been re-
ported TO nave been afflicted with the dis
ease, DR.. Woodward believes Brown could
throw great deal of light on the matter
Ike Brown has not yet been located, and is
supposed to be moving about from one
place to another in the District Therefore
1t is feared that number of outside cases
VIII result rom contact with him, Arthur
broWh, coiored. sent TO the hospital recent
iS, was released from the prison about the
same day Clayson was, and it is not i'm
probable that he and Clayson contracted
the disease from Ike Brown.
Gives Great Concern.
The presence of smallpox in the work
mouse has given the Commissioners much
concern, and while DIR. Woodward is of the
opinion that the disease can be kept within
reasonable bounds in the prison. the fact
that number of prisoners have been dis
charged from the institution and have gone
lorth among the people of the District since
olayson and the two Browns were released
renders the situation quite serious II IS
Wy reasonable, therefore, TO expect that
many cases will develop outside of the
MorhhouSe, all origina ting from these men
Inere are no suspicious cases of illness in
the prison, and it is understood no more
prisoners Will be sent there until all danger
VI cohtaSlon mas passed. The institution
was promptly placed in quarantine nv DIR
woodward, of course. and it will be main
tained for at least sixteen days. when, if
no additional cases have meantime deyel-
oped therein, the disease will have hon
stamped out there
Inc Commissioners, upon being informed
OF the presence of smallpox in the work
house, discussed the ACCESSIBILITY of renting
some large building for the purpose of de.
tanning therein such persons as might be
sentenced by the Police Court to the work
mouse 1t was also thought advisable to
instruct the police authorities to ascertain
just how many prisoners could be detained
in the several police stations. pending the
rental Of a building for temporary work
house.
Commissioner Ross, who has Immediate
charge of the prison, is Of the opinion that
1t would not be wise to send any person
there until there is no longer danger of
injection. To secure a temporary prison it
would be necessary for the Commissioners
TO secure authority and the required funds
from Congress, as they have neither the
authority nor the funds to rent such a
building. 1t is also believed 1t would not
be lawful to incarcerate in the District
jail persons sentenced to Imprisonment in
the workhouSe, even should il appear that
there is room in the Jail for such prisoners
nSf jS nrfa 10, ha a 1ol
almost to its capacity, and it is doubted
whether authority could be obtained from
the Department of Justice to accept work
house prisoners.
May Settle Question Today.
1t is probable that some satisfactory
arrangement will be made by the court and
the Commissioners during the day. All but
two inmates of the workhouse have been
vaccinated. These refused to be operated
upon; but it is understood the prison Of
ficials will be directed by the Commission
ers to Vaccinate them today.
There We're this morning seventeen pa
tents in the District smallpox hospital in
Guiding the workhouse prisoners and John
Adams, the colored boy, who was sent
there Saturday from the Emergency Hos
pita1, where he had applied for treatment.
As exclusively told in The Star, Adams
had been staying at the Central Union Mis-
sion for about ten days, and that institu-
ton, particularly the colored dormitory.
where the boy had been housed, was thor
oughly disinfected by order of DIR. Wood
ward. The dormitOry was placed in strict
quarantine, but the health officer did not
consider it necessary to extend the order
to the whole building. The twenty-five
colored men and boys occupying the dor
mitory with Adams will be confined therein
until the expiration of the period of incu-
baton, sixteen days, and every other pre-
caution will be taken by DIR. Woodward to
prevent any spread of the disease from
the mission.