The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-12-30
SMALLPOX PANIC.
Patient Escapes From Pest
House and Scares All
He Meets.
RIDES INGROVE STREET CAR
Conductor Recognizes Him
and Bolts, Refusing to
Take His Nickel.
FIRE HOUSE GIVES ALARM
Finally White is Caught at His
Home and Taken Back
to Snake Hill.
FIRE HOUSE GIVES ALARM


William Witte, smallpox patient, es-
capped from the Pesthouse at Snake Hill
while delirious early this morning and
travelled all the way to his home in Ho-
boken before he was captured. White
was in the worst stage of the disease. His
! face was covered with eruptions. From
the time his escape was discovered until
| he was captured at $3.50 o'clock this morn
! ing the greatest excitement prevailed
| along the route which he took from the
| Pesthouse to Hoboken. He entered sa-
| looms and drank at the bar he rode on
| trolley cars and talked with every one
with whom he came in contact and there
| is the greatest apprehension that his es-
| capade will result in many new victims.
! The fact that the authorities are abso-
| lutely at loss to ascertain the names of
all the persons he met makes it seem
certain that numerous cases will be heard
from as result
| Witte is thirty years old. He lived with
hi sfanily at No. 514 Ferry street. Hobo
ken, where he kept saloon in partner
ship with his two brothers. He was re-
! moved to the pest house in a coach last
! Friday afternoon at o'clock. He had
no objections to going to the pest house
In fact he ordered coach to take him
there as soon as he learned he had the
disease. but YVES restrained from making
| the trip until County Physician Converse
| had examined him.
1 Witte disappeared from the pest house
some time between and o clock this
/ morning There are S6 patients under
treatment in the house. Witte's case was
| classified among the worst His eruptions
| had not quite all cropped out. An at
tendant was instructed to visit him every
| hour and bathe his sores wit ha wash
/ 1t was between the visits of this at
| tendant that Witte managed 70 escape
| There are no locks on the doors OF the
pest horse and it is not difficult for one
/ of the Sc patients to sneak out should ne
| be inclined to do so especially at such an
| early hour in the morning.
| ;Witte was reported missing about six
/ o'clock. The authorities at once secured
| the immediate neighborhood but otraee
| of him could be found. 1t was learned
that before leaving he had put on a Ions
j light colored coat similar to a mackin-
/ tosh. The coat belonged to Father Plus
a Iriest at ST. Michaers Monastery, West
| Hoboken. Father Plus kept the coat at
the pest house purposely to wear upon
/ his visits among the patients. 1t was
made of some non-absorbant material
/ spec ally adapted for the purpose.
AS soon as the authorities were con-
vinced that Witte had left the nelgnpor-
ho a general alarm was sent out for
his recapture. A hunting party was de-
| spatched to try and get on his track
i while another party started for his home
! in Hoboken to corall him in case he ar
1 rived there.
! 1t was learned that Witte had been In
a saloon in Secaucus and bought a glass
of ale wl.n some pepper in it. This he
probably took to warm him. 1t was pour
ing rain at the time
/ From the saloon he started along the
/ Erie Railroad tracks towards Jersey City
Nothing more was heard Of him until he
i boarded trolley car No. 100 Of the Grove
street line at Grove and Tenth streets or
its way to Hoboken As soon as he
i steuped on the car he was recognized by
William Tyrell, the conductor, who lives
At No. Sc Clinton street, Hoboken. Tyrel
knew Witte well and he was aware thai
/ wiffe had been taken to the pesthoust
On Friday. Tyrell turned pale as his
1 ewes met Whites face and he shouted
nC;et off this carl You've got thu
i smallpoxv'
witte smiled, drew some money from
his pocket and held out nickel for hi:
d fare.
~ won't take your money! yelled
Tvre,l excitedly, Get off this car o.
4 ri call policeman"
witte said he would not get off. HI
,...,.. .,,,t Az, v,oy,oxr hacl In his nncket