The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-11
RIDGEvILLE PEOPLE EXERCISED.
Explanations from Both Sides About
Case of Smallpox.

When the Journal of yesterday morning
reached the town of Ridgeville. Ind. ii
created a genuine sensation in that place.
Several of the prominent citizens read the
story related by DR.. Hurry to a Journal
reporter TO the effect that a man was seen
picking open smallpox pustules in the face
of a friend in front of a store in Ridgeville
Monday, and at once sat down and wrote
letters of indignant denial and protest to
the paper. n. w. Ferguson, a Ridgeville
attorney, said the story was 1.-The rankest
falsehood that could be published"
DR.. Hurry was informed last night of the
stir his story had created, and that it had
been denounced as untrue. The story is
man picking smallpox pustules from an
other mans face in front of the general
store of Ridgeville," he said. However.
l was unusually busy at the time | related
gave out the impression that L was the
doctor that witnessed the affair. AS a mat
ter of fact DR.. Bosworth, health officer of
Randolph county. who lives at Winches-
ter. Ind, is the physician that saw the
incident and ordered the men into quaran-
tine. L got the story from Joseph L. Lay,
one of the wealthiest men in that county,
who has a large broom factory at Ridge
vile. Now, If that story is untrue Mr.. Lay
Is responsible. | myself have no doubt of
It's accuracy. The way L got the story
from Mr.. Lay was through both of us hav-
ing 10 wait for trains at Winchester Tues
day. We sat under a tree near the depot
talking for some time. and in the course
Of the conversation Mr.. Lay told me the
story as | gave ii TO the Journal. He was
called John, but whose other name | did
not learn. John talked like he had seen
the affair also
j. b. Hitler the Journals Ridgeville cor
respondent, writes about the incident as
follows:
I'm your issue of July 10 appears an arti-
Gle ralafinu 70 cnnu11nn~ - Df1-1.I1
seemingly inspired by DR.. Hurry. Within
two hours after the journal was delivered
here and our citizens had read the article
referred to, DR.. Hurry was called by phone
and denied authorship of the article. He
further said he was not at Ridgeville on
Notwithstanding the article as a lie, made
out OF whole cloth. and promised to see that
the false impression would be righted
through the columns Of the Journal.
The facts are that on July 2 Lewis
Wooters, living in the northwest part Of
town, appeared on the streets on his way
to DR.; b. F. Freeman's office. and was OBJ
served by many people who thought he
had smallpox, but the doctor said Ii was
some kind of eruptive disease. Again on
the next day. July 3, he went for treat
ment' passing along the street, creating
DIR. Freeman called in consultation the
secretary of the local Board OF Health,
DR.. A. III. Farquhar, and, as a precaution-
airy measure. had the man quarantined at
his home and notified DR.. Bosworth, of
winchester, secretary of the county board,
who came over and pronounced the case
varioloid. Since taken on July 3 the pa
tient has not left his home. Several per
sons were exposed and have notified the
health officer of the fact, and as soon as
symptoms appear will be promptly quaran-
tined.
IF the case should prove 10 be smaIlnox.
IL will likely be confined to Wooter's fam
lily, as they live in an isolated dwelling and
are carefully watched, while those known
10 nave been exposed are taking the neces-
sary precautions prescribed by the health
authorities"