The Washington times., 1908-09-01
Officials Plan to Isolate
Leper Near Old Sol
diers' Home.
SEEKING A MEANS
TO GRANT PENSION
Technicalities Now Standing in the
Way Will Be Overcome by
Interested Executives.

John Early, the Ieper. now Isolated or
the Eastern Branch, may spend the re-
manner Of his days upon the Govern
ment reservation at the Old Soldiers
Home in this city, if tentative plans
now being considered by ths Pension
Department and the judge advocate
general Of the army are finally per-
fected
II has practically been decided that
Early is entitled 10 and will receive a
pension from the Government, provided
some way can be found to pay II TO
him. When the pension is granted, it
IS planned to place Early in a lonely
home Of his own. somewhere near the
National Soldiers Home, where ne may
still be under the espionage OF the Dis
trict health department and the Federal
Government.
Justice Stafford, Of the Supreme bench
% the District, was seen by an official
% the Pension Bureau this morning
with a view TO having the justice ap
point Mrs. Early as guardian of her
husbands estate, by this means getting
around the technical point affecting the
payment of a pension TO a person who
is not permitted to handle money or
sign his own vouchers.
Can't Be Guardian.
Justice STAFFORD informed the bureau
that the District laws permitted the ap-
pointment OF a guardian only for
minors, the insane. and drunkards.
Early, the leper, is not any OF these,
and the plan of appointing Mrs. Early
as guardian must be abandoned.
Commissioners Vespasian Warner dis
cussing the sad case this afternoon,
said.
IF ever a man deserved a pension,
Early does. The disease with whioA he
is suffering was undoubtedly contracted
IN the service. In fact. spots We're no
ticed about his knees at the time he
was mustered out, although their ma
ture was not then detected.
The Government viii grant the I'M
fortunate man pension as soon as we
can find some way TO make the pay
ments. He, Of course. cannot handle
the papers. We are told that his wife
cannot be named guardian We have,
therefore ait upon the plan of placing
MN al the Ogd SolGiers' Home, where
separate house could be erected for
HIM. The officials at the home could
en sign and execute the vouchers, and
the money IN this way would reach bis
THE papers in the case have gone
10 Judge Advocate General Davis with
this recommendation. Judge Davis will
aring 1t before the board of managers
90 al we can to perfect matters 50
that we may come TO the relief OF the
leDer aud his family"
Technicality in Way.
Judge Davis said this afternoon that
the question of admitting the leper q
the home could not be passed upon un-
I'll the latter part of the month, when
hae VIII present the application to the
hoNne's board Of managers.
Nhe law said Judge Davis, says
that \only persons who are discharged
becauSse Of disability may be admitted tC
the ,heme. Early was not discharged
because of disability. as you know, foI
il developed afterward. If he Is admit
ted, IL viii be rather an exception to the
rule. I cannot anticipate what DISPOSE
tiOn viii be made Of the case"
As soon as the difficulties that beset
the officials can be overcome, Early viii
be AWARDED a pension of S72 per month,
the limit allowed which viii go for the
support of himself. wife and baby In
the meantime, Mrs. Early is building
hopes thsL she may, through the geuer-
osity of friends, fit out a little cottage
near her husband, wherever he is to be
placed. so as to be as near him as pos
sible.
Recall Soldier DAYS.
This reminds ne of the good ole
days when I was a soldier. taking part
IN the neld 6klrmisheS," said ohm Ear
~. when he awoke this morning to the
booming OF the hunters guns alonl
the marshes Of the Eastern branch
Before sunrise the reed-bird hunters in.
augurated the beginning Of the season
by sending voIley after vollev over TIN,
lowlands, adjoining the leper's tent
Order Hunters OFF.
The guards were Immediately busy
for a perfect hail OF shot fell about tn,
Trail prison OF the 1eper. Wading int
the marsh, several Of the guards, lea
by Superintendent Fleming, of tn
quarantine station, and superintendent
Rapetti. Of the Smallpox Hospital, com
Tnanded the hunters to withdraw TO
safe distance.
Let them shoot; I don't believe the
viii hit u.s." said the leper, consider
ately. However. the huntsmen wer
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