The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-04-03
TO CARE FOR LEPERS
Writes to- the Presidents Daughter for
Assistance i'm Being Given a Chance
on Molokai

Acting Governor Cooper recently re-
Ceived a letter from the Department of
the Interior. enclosing a translation Of
a letter to Miss Alice Roosevelt by Ma
RE Leurquin who wants to come to
Hawaii and devote her life to looking
after lepers I'm the settlement The let
ter is as follows
"Mademoisele: 1 have a great desire
to consecrate myself to the care of the
lepers of Molokai I have solicited this
privilege from Monseigneur Ropert
the missionary Bishop of Honolulu,
who has replied to me that the thing
Is not i'm his power but depends upon
the American Governments that it was
the Government and not the mission
which sent the four Sisters there and
with whom 1 desire to associate myself
in order to bestow my cares on the un-
fortunate lepers.
"Mademoiselle, / am forty years old,
and without being rich, I am however,
able to pay a thousand francs a year
| for my board and all the expenses of
the voyage.
81 have taken the liberty Of address,
| ing myself to you Mademoiseue, hop
ing that Monsieur the President. your
father, would not refuse you this, if
| you would have the kindness to pre-
sent my request to him yourself
IF l obtain that which ! desire, my
EIdllluOt toward your august FAMILY
will be eternal. / viii pray every day
for the President i'm a manner very
special in order to preserve him from
the evil which actually threatens all
crowned heads
Accept, 1 pray you, the expression of
my profound respect
Your humble servant,
MARIE LEURQUIN,"
Brussels, Feb. 10, 1902.
CT Dr9V Won madpmOiSp1lp have the
kindness to respond to me in care of
my most intimate friend
"Mademoiselle Marie Honore,
Rue de Ursulines is,
Brussels, Belgium"
The letter of transmission is as fol-
lows:
Department of the Interior,
Washington, March u, 1902
THE Governor Of Hawaii, Honolulu,
"Sir: 1 transmit herewith transla-
| ton of a letter addressed by Marie
Leurpinn to Miss Roosevelt and refer
red by the President to this Depart
ment for consideration.
1T viii be seen therefrOm that Ma
demoiselle Leurquin desires to cOnse-
crate herself to the care of lepers at
Molokai, Hawaii, and requests permits
sion from this Government to proceed
to the island and engage in such char
liable work. She also states that four
sisters were sent to Molokai for wOrh
among the lepers by this Government,
and it is with them that she desires to
| associate herself. and that she is able
to defray the expenses of the journey
to Hawaii in case permission is accord
ed her. She has this day been advised
| that the Sisters in question were not
authorized by this Department to en-
! ter upon the mission above referred to-
! but that possibly authority therefor
may have been granted by the proper
| officers in Hawaii.
Il have to request, therefore, that you
will look into this matter and advise
the Department as to whether it will
| be practicable for the Hawaiian Coy
eminent to comply with her wishes in
| the matter.
Very respectfully,
| 'Signed. THOS. RYAN"
superintendent Reynolds was asked
! if the sisters at the settlement wanted
! any help and said he didn't think they
did. DR.. SlOggett suggested that Bishor
! Gulstan should be communicated with
| and it was agreed that the matter
should be placed before the bishop and
the sisters before any answer in sent
| to Marie Leurquin.