The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-23
Syrian Leper
Causes Trouble
MAY sE RETURNED TO ELkiNs
us WHITE ELEPHANT on 2.
AND oss HANDS.

HlfiN % F-- ~ ny - - --tNt'-a-f
us WHITE ELEFtiANT on 3.
AND oss HANDS.
RHIEADElsp4tIA 5slty ~. eorge
Rossett the no tEy
ing to reach New FORK in a Baltimore
and Ohio raj lroad freight car arrived
In this city Saturday and last might
philadelphia health authorities order.
ed the railroad company to return him
whence lie came. The urifo rtunate man
IS now travelling south In the lonely
box car which is attached to e night
freight train. He Is q white elephant
ON the hands OF the railroad people
ana they do not know whether they
will be able to turn him over 70 all
tiiorities in Baltimore or take him to
ElEdns, w. va. where he began his
Journey.
The freight car in which the Syrier
was riding arrived In the Baltimore
and Ohio freight yard in the south
western part Of the. city in the fore,
noon. His presence was known to the
train crew and they soon spread the
news in the nefghborhood. A small
crowd gathered about the car and
tile car was placed under guard while
it remained here. During the after
noonEthe director OF health and chatI-
ties learned Of the prestice of the lep-
er and for. time the oficials did not
know how to proceed. However, sfter
a conference the health oficials de.
clded that the railroad company must
remove him from the Jurisdiction Of
the city and suggested that he be re.
turned over the same route he came.
Accordingly, the box car was attached
to freight train that was being nlnie
up in the yards and tonight 1t started
south. The first scheduled stop OF the
train is Baltimore.
Before the train left the health az.
thorities tackled ON the car large quar-
antine cards bearing the words "Ler
rosy"
When the car reached here to-day. IL
was untagged and the doors we:t
wide open. Rossett was sitting on
the floor with his feet swinging out
of the side Of the car. The loathsome
disease had partly eaten away his lips,
nose and chin and the ends OF some
Of his fingers were gone. On his
cheeks were large grayish blotches.
The unfortunate man talked freely
with those who came near him. Fte
said he was 90 years of age ana came
to this country four years ago with
his wife. Until last Wednesday he
lived at Elkins, w. Va. Two years ago
he said he became afflicted with lelr
rosy but did not know it for some
time. When he did learn the nature
OF his disease he told no one and was
not molested until the health authcrl-
ties of Elkins discovered the disease.
This was about a week ago. He was
told to take a train for New York and
leave the country. Rossett was ped
dler and had saved money SO he de,
cided to leave. After bidding his wife
farewell, he was escorted to the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad by a health
officer and policeman and placed on
board passenger coach. At Cunbcr'
land, Md, the nature of his afflfctirn
was discovered by the train crew and
he was told to leave there. He enter.
ed an empty car and stole a ride to
Brunswick, Md, where he made his
plight known to the train crew. He
was half famished and the crew gave
him something to eat. The conduc'
tor OF the train notified the company
and 1t was decided to send him to
Brothers Island, N. W where there Is
small colony of lepers, as the best
way of getting rid of their dtsagre=n
BILE freight. While at Baltimore DO
lice guard surrounded the car. When
Rossett arrived in this city he warn
ed the crew in a loud voice to keen
away from him.
BALTIMORE, July %, According
to officials of the Baltimore and Ohld
railroad, George Rossett, the Syrian
leper, has to all intents and purposes
given a free pass good on any OF the
company's freight trains he may &c
sire TO use. The railroad company
regarding him as a trespasser, has
given employees Instructions not tc
touch him, but denies all responsibility
for him. If he leaves the premises
OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad here
the police will turn him over to The
officers Of the health department, VIII
will compel the railroad to remove
him from baltimore. knowledge o
Rossett's condition caused much un
easiness in the various Western Mary
land and West Virginia towns through
which he passed in his endeavor Il