Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-06
Cape Parliament Hears Grewsome
Reports as TO the Conditions
There.
UNSTRICKEN PEOPLE DETAINED.
Rigid Rules Prevented Them from Sc.
curing Their Escape from the Most
Terrible of Surroundings.
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence
I ONDON, July q. Had It not been
for the war and the state OF
things political in this country at
present, undoubtedly more atten-
ton would have been attracted by a
grim story, which came from South
Africa the other day regarding the lep-
ers on Robben Island, near Cape Town.
for this account recalls wildly some OF
the most grewsome pages OF Ben
Hur."
Robben Island where for many years
the diseased outcasts of all South Afri-
ca have been isolated, invariably excltes
the curiosity Of passengers on their ar
rival Off Cape Town, and the mere
mention Of Il creates a feeling Of horror
IN the minds OF residents IN the Cape
Colony II was IN the Cape Assembly
the other day that Or Hewat, who Is
one o. the most prominent medical
men in South Africa, made some as
founding statements regarding con-
dltons in the leper island The doc
tor said ne knew Of between sixty and
seventy persons condemned TO a life
long Punishment there amid surround
ings that were indescrlbable, but who
in reality never had been a source OF
danger to anyone and who would not be
II allowed to so at large In coDse.
quence, the medical man said that he
now refused to certify as lepers those
only slightly affected as he knew that
60 do so would be to Danish them at
once and for life to the dread island.
And DR., Hewat instanced the case ot
q man, who, after having been kept on
the island for eight years as leper,
was finally discharged, It having been
established conclusiVely that he had
never been affected by leprosy at all.
Then this practitioner went on TO bring
some amazing charges regarding tho
administration Of the leper island. Pa
tients sent to Robben Island for exam
nation, he maintained received no
consideration at all at the hands OF
the advisory board there, and were left
amid awful surroundings without hope.
The members Of this advisory board,
the aCcuser continued. who should visit
the island every three months. had, In
fact, only visited II four times in three
years. In consequence of this neglect,
he declared, the unfortunates on the
island were dying like flies from tuber.
Culosis, due to Over-crowding.
When several members OF the Cape
Assembly, shocked by DR. Hewat's
statements, visited Robben Island the
other day, they We're met by half
crazy wretch who lmplored the visitors'
help carpenter of Southampton.
England who went to work at Kimber-
ley, contracted leprosy in mild form.
and promptly was dragged off to the
leper island. This was three months
ago. He now has lost all traces OF the
disease, but Is as much prisoner as
If he were doing n life term OF penal
servitude, Meantime he is the more
anxious 10 return 10 his family, at
Kimberley whom he has not seen since
his confinement as they are DEPENDING
upon what his son. who is only fifteeen,
can earn. Life on the island, he de-
scribed as most horrible. There ara
few books for the use OF lepers, and
they pass the dreary days in musing
on the terrible fate that has sent them
there This Victim adds that the food
supplied to the epers Is Indifferent and
the mode Of serving II bad, The mans
statements now have been Incorporated
In a government blue book, and his re-
lease is likely as we'll as an official
investigation into the conditions pre-
vailing on the leper island.