The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-19
HAD TO COME UP WITH FINES.
PROMINENT INSURANCE MEN TRIED
TO EVADE QUARANTINE.

the Recorder and Fined $50 Each.
The First Train North Then Took
Them Away-AtIanta said TO Have
Furnished Misleading Health Ger
tificates.
Two prominent insurance men of Phila-
delphia were fined $50 each in the Police
Court yesterday morning for violating the
quarantine regulations. Their fines were
paid, and they left the city by the first
train north.
Mr.. A. Mcknight, vice president of the
Fidelity Mutual Life Association Of Phila-
delphia, and Mr. j. w. Cooley, another in
surance man of the same city, but diff
ferent company. contributed to Savannah
funds for being here when quarantine is
on after having recently left place
where yellow fever exists. They arrived
yesterday morning on the Central Rail
roads train from Atlanta. They had
health certificates that passed them by
the inspector on the Central, who boarded
the train at Guyton. The certificates were
Issued in Atlanta, and conveyed mislead-
ing information.
From the Central Railroad depot the
gentlemen drove TO the De Soto. where
they registered. 1t was their purpose to
leave in the afternoon on the steamship
City of Birmingham and they went at
orce 10 the uptown ticket office of the
Ocean Steamship Company on Bull street
1t was judged from the conversation
that ensued between the clerk and the two
prospective passengers that they were try
ing to evade the quarantine regulations
in order to make their way North by
GfsalaW
II, and at the time 1t was thought strange
that they should have presented their case
as they did.
Mr.. Mcknight explained that they were
from Atlanta. They had met two gentle
mon there, he said, who had decided they
were not coming on to Savannah. Those
gentlemen were from New Orleans Mr.
Mcknight said, and they had telegraphed
the Ocean Steamship Company from that
city for reservation of two staterooms
very obllgingly. according to Mr.. Nc
Knight, they had turned over their tick
cts to Savannah to Mr.. Cooley and him
self and told them they might use their
staterooms on the steamship. This was
all right with the steamship people. es-
pecially when it was explained that. in
case the persons who made the reserva-
tons turned up, the staterooms would be
relinquished 10 them. Matters were ar
ranged, and the gentlemen had their tick
cts for the passage.
1t was just as things were fixed up that
a city quarantine inspector appeared on
the scene. He asked to see the gentle
mems health certificates. Information had
reached Health officer Drummer of the
coming of the gentlemen from New Or
leans 1t was expected that they would
get here Sunday, and the inspector had
been on the watch for them. At the De
Soto he found the names of the two. as
they had been made known to DR.. Brun-
ner and it then became his cue to find
them.
They must have thought the game was
up but unhesitatingly, the gentlemen turn
ed over their certificates to the inspector.
lie looked them over and saw that they
were issued by the secretary of the Atlanta
Board of Health, who said the gentlemen
had come 10 that city from New York,
and continued with the formula about Il
being the best of his knowledge and belief
that they had not been in any infected ter
ritory. The inspector requested them 10
go with him to the city exchange where
they could see the health officer After
waiting there for a few minutes, DR.
Drummer arrived. The inspector told him
that the gentlemen were there to see him.
and then an interesting conversation fol
lowed
DR.. Drummer asked the gentlemen where
they were from. They answered "At-
lanta."
But" asked DR.. Drummer, from what
place did you reach Atlanta?'
New York" was the answer
"Direct?' the doctor asked.
We'll, no, not direct"
Were you ever in New Orleans?" DR..
Drummer ask Mr. Mcknight. That gen
tleman saw that he was in for it without
doubt. He answered: YES several
times"
We'll, now, TO be explicit" asked the
health officer were you not there Lass
Friday" That question brought an an
swer in the affirmative, and DR.. Drummer
asked the city inspector to direct the gen
tlemen 10 the Police Court.
Recorder Hartridge heard the cases
against them there. They made little de-
Tense, admitting that they were from New
Orleans, via Atlanta, but said they had ar
rived at the former place the day they left
on the steamship Louisiana from New
York They did not know until they ar
rived that there was yellow fever at New
Orleans. AS soon as they learned of it,
they said they got out, not even having
their baggage unpacked.
The Recorder Informed the gentlemen
that they certainly seemed sufficiently in
telligent TO know that they were bringing
danger into the city by entering il ana
that they were violating the quarantine
regulations. He fined them 500 each and no.
titled them that they would have to get OUT
of the city at once.
DR.. Drummer wrote across the backs of
the health certificates issued the gentle
men in Atlanta that those for whom they
were drawn had been arraigned IN the
police court and fined $50 each for violat-
ing the ordinance The gentlement then
said they did not care for the certificates
so Dr. Drummer retained them.
The train that left about noon over the
Florida Central and Peninsular carried the
insurance men North. They had the al
tentative Of taking 1t or going to the pest
house. as Dr. Drummer did not intend that
they should leave on the City of Brmng-
ham. That would have involved their re-
naming longer in the city, and the prob
able opening of their baggage. as soon as
they got aboard the ship. The health off,
Ger recognized the moral lesson offered
those who might desire to evade quaran-
tine, and wished to hake Il as Impressive
as possible.
An acquaintance of Mr. Mcknight said
that gentleman did not know there was
any danger to be apprehended from New
orleans. He said he had gained that idea