The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-20
DR. SANDERS EXPLAINS
MISTAKE OF A CORRESPONDENT
 CAUSED TROUBLE.
No order Has Ever Been Issued Deny. ing Refugees Travel Through Alabams-GFievance of
 Judge Witherspoom.

Judge Witherspoon.
 Little short of consternation seems to have been created yesterday in New Or leans and other points under Alabama's quarantine by the announcement by the Associated Press from Mobile that State Health officer W. H. Sanders had issued an order barring refugees from coming through Alabama. The state- ment was vigorously denied yesterday by pr. Sanders when he was seen by representative of The Advertiser.
 As a result of such a report gaining circulation the once of the State Board of Health here was besiegej during the day by telegrams and telephone mes sages from various railroad oftctals and health authorities asking for verifcation. To all of them Dr. Saan- ders readily replied that he had not is- sued such a sweeping order nor had he thought of doing so. The erroneous report evidently originated from the State Health Officers instructions given Friday that no person from an infected place would be allowed to enter Ala bama or traverse the State after he had once passed through as refugee, unless he had spent seven days outside the State. This announcement was made correctly by The Advertiser.
 As stated in yesterdays Advertiser, in an interview with pr. Sanders, this order is intended to prevent what is called refux travel into Alabama. As in the past, refugees from New Orleans or any other point under the ban of this State still enjoy the right to pass through Alabama After they once go through. however. they will not be al- lowed to re-enter the borders, whether kto dwell inside of the State or even go back to a point of infection. Out of interstate comity. the Health Board has indulged refugees passage on through trains into the State with the implied provision that they would not attempt to double back on Alabama un- til the detention period was up. The Board argued that they would be will ing to risk this minimum exposure out of courtesy to through trafic.
 But when people take advantage of this courtesy and come through Ala bama only to wheel about and try to enter the State again, they cease to be- come refugees" said Dr. Sanders yes- terday. "Or, rather. they never were refugees, but decided to use a courtesy for ruse to enter the State or retrace their steps. We have determined to deal rigidly with such characters as these.
 "I issued instructions yesterday to all train officers to take such persons from trains at the next stopping point and see to 1t that they are put on the first train running in the opposite direction and taken out of the State. Since they insist on exposing the State to the dan ger of infection after they have exer- cised all their rights, have decided to have them punished for these violations of the quarantine regulations instead of their wishes gratified by sending them on through the State to their proposed destinations"
 It was this measure of tightening the quarantine cordon which was mistaken hNg
 the radical order with which Dr. San- ders was credited, excluding refugees from the State point blank. Reports were received at local railroad offices that passenger traffic, specially through traffic' was considerably disturbed by this mistake. Refugees out of New Or leans and, 1t Is said, many points in Louisiana. which is under Alabama re- strictions. purchased tickets by cir cultous routes to points which they could have much earlier and more con veniently reached by coming through Alabama. But being mlsled by the er- roneous dispatches of yesterday these passengers avoided this State under the delusion that they would have to suffer detention before even passing through
 Although the false impression was widespread Dr. Sanders has been indus trious In correcting il though the rail- road omclals who consulted him by
 
 mind of the public will be set right in time to prevent any more confusion today. Reports from Birmingham ana Moolle' where are the headquarters of the quarantine circuits indicate that through traVel received serious blow oh account or the mistaken impression.
 Most of the trouble experienced bv quarantine officials was due to the is- ! norance of passengers who tried to pend back over the State before seven oays were up until group of six prom lnent men from New Orleans were en- coun!erea few days ago. This party was led by Judge Witherspoon of New orleans. prominent In that city. They had passed through Alabama to At lanta and before staying in the Georgia city seven days they boarded a train destined back through Alabama. They conlessed that they were not on mis- slon In behalf of health in New Or leans, but became indignant when told oy an Alabama officer just before enter Ing this State al West Point that they could not come in. They succeeded in persuading or inveighing the officer into teltIhg them come on to Montgomery. AS soon as the officer reached MontRom. cry and told of his experience, he was forthwith discharged from the ouaran- tine service, By yielding to the protes- tations of the New Orleans passengers the ohicer was counted derelict and ""t"lhS HdS peeH gwen to all others that they must not connive at violations such as this.
 Quarantine Supervisor w R. Bras- sell of Montgomery. as soon as these passengers were found on board the train about to go on to New Orleans. advised the gentlemen that they had violated the law. As they had been allowed to come this far. Mir. Brassell told them they could proceed to New Orleans. but under guard of the train officers who should see that they did not step on Alabama soil. Judge With erpsoon. according to MT. Brassell, re- sented being subjected to vigilance and arose in the car to defy him. He threatened to apply to Judge Jones to secure peaceful travel. and, in short, denounced Alabama's quarantine as a whole Nevertheless, the men were ] carefully guarded until they were out of the State and thereby said Dr. Sam