The Jersey City news., 1902-02-20
SMALLPOX
At LARGE.
Band Of Hobo Suspects Es-
cape the Hoboken
Health Officers.
CITY'S GREAT PERIL
One Patient wanaers Into
EOboken CITY Hail ano
Then Roams About
PICKED up OVER HERE
Attempt to vaocinate In
mates of Salvation Army
House Frustrated BY
Hobo orator.
PICKED up OVER HERE

The greatest excitement prevailed in the
Hoboken City Hall, yesterday afternoon,
when II was learned that smallpox
patient was walking about the corridors
of the building. The victim was mid
dIe-aged man with light-brown mus
tache, and was shabbily dressed. He first
made his appearance in the office of
Poornaster Barck, and said that he
wanted to see doctor. The city physi-
clan was not in at the time. The man
said he was very Ill. He appeared to be
extremely nervous, and Barck concluding
that he had been drinking. gave him pin
instructing him to take 1t pending the ar
rival OF the doctor.
When Barck left his office at 1 o'clock,
the man was standing close to one Of the
radiators in the hall. He was still there
when Barck returned at 2 O'Clock, the
physician having not yet arrived.
well, did you take that pin 1 gave
yeu2" inquired the poormaster.
Il did, sir. replied the man. "but I feel
no better. I think have the smallpox. .
Barck was stunned as the man uttered
the word smallpox and Immediately
began to move away from him. To prove
that he was not joking the stranger re-
moved his hat and displayed mass of
sores or his face. He said he was stop
ping at the Montague House, but as
there is no lodging house in Hoboken by
that name he probably meant the Nor
wood House or he Salvation Army bar
racks on Hudson street
Barck told the man to go back to the
lodging mouse and remain there until a
physician called to see him. The man
promised to do so. He left the hall about
j O clock Barck Immediately notified the
Board of Health but all efforts to find
the man were in vain.
Later in the afternoon the authorities
OF this CITY picked UP on the street a
man named George Hovey. a silversmirh.
who was broken out with the disease.
Hovey said that he had been stopping at
the Salvation Army lodging house at No.
$50 Hudson street, Hoboken. 1t is be-
lieved that he is the same man who enter
ed the Hoboken City Hall, as he answers
the description given by Poormaster
Barck
The Hoboken authorities were immedi-
ateiy notified Of Hovey's statement, and
Health Inspector Granelli and several of
his assistants went to the 1odging-house
last night to vaccinate the Inmates. There
were about thirty men in the place.
AS soon as Granelli announced his mis-
sion the dodgers began TO grumble and
refused to submit to the needle Finally
one of the inmates, a familiar character
known as Dick Farmer, mounted a
chair and began with burst of oroatory
TO denounce the principal os vaccination
as a "humbug.' The other 'hobces,'' OF
course. agreed with him. and the next
moment there was a rush for the door
After the stampede was over only four
persons remained in the place. Two of
these were in charge of the lodging -house.
The other two were old-timers, who
couldn't be driven away from the bar
racks with a shotgun. The police were
called upon, but they arrived at the house
too late to stop the rush. and not one of
the fugitives was overhauled Health In
spector Granellf vaccinated the four per-
sons who remained in the house and or
dered the barracks quarantined. The
quarantine was still on to-day.