The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-11-17
WOULD SEND A
LEPER THIS
WAY
BY Ernest G. walker.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-Hawaiian
affairs have been looming into some
prominence here in the last few days.
The old question of federal control of
the Hawaiian leper colony, at Molokai,
has been raised, indirectly, tn ough a
proposition to send John Early, a leper
who has proved exceedingly trouble
some to the District of Columbia, out
there. Several lawyers from Hawaii are
in town. attending to local caSes before
the Supreme Court, having begun the
arguments last week Then the investi-
CATION of United States District Attor-
ney Breckons, at Honolulu, has taken
a new turn in the decision to send w.
A. Harr, special attorney of the Depart
ment of Justice, out to Honolulu, as
was told in cablegram to the Adver-
tiser few days ago.
The case of John Early will be watch
ed very carefully by the friends of the
Territory who are now in town. Some
months ago Early was discovered by
the local authorities to he infected with
leprosy. He was impounded in a tent,
on the outskirts of the city, The local
newspapers were filled with details
about him. When discovered Early was
penniless, but it developed that he was
an ex.soldier and a pension was ulti-
mately secured. This, with local sub
scriptions raised for his support, gave
him quite comfortable sum. He came
here from North Carolina but the Off
cials of the Tarheel state refuse TO
have anything to do with him or to
make any provision for his support
Some weeks ago his wife was allowed
to return to him. She has one child
and another is expected. Everyone in
authority here is at loss what to do
with Early as the cold winter comes on
and the suggestion was made that he
could be sent to Molokai. Attorney
General Bonaparte was asked by Secre'
tary of the Treasury Cortelyou whether
he (Cortelyou) has any authority OF
law to send the man back to North
Carolina. The Attorney General has
reached a decision on that point and
in that connection the question of Molo
kai has been raised by local newspapers
The Attorney Generals decision ha
not yet been made public, but it ii
known that there is nothing in it t.
warrant an attempt to transfer Early tt
Molokai. He holds in effect that there
is no law by which the District OF Co
lumbia can force the state of Nortf
Carolina to take care of Early and con
tribute to his support but the Attorney
Generals reasoning leads to the con
rlusion that probably the Secretary OF
the Treasury would be within his right
only, if he made general regulation
touching the transfer of persons having
infectious diseases from the District o
Columbia to other states. Such trans
fers, however, could be begun only i
the state having a leprosarium oil facili
ties for taking care of iepers shonl'
CONSENT 10 TecelNt uHe HlOlc lcpSi
from the District of Columbia.
1t was stated at tine Department o
Justice today that there was no warran
whatever for inferring from the Attol
ney General Is decision that Early coul
be sent to Hawaii. The Washingto
Times, however, printed an article Sat
10 off, M 10 lnnpr
Element at Molokai was federal inst
tuition, that the Government had author
ity to send Early there, and that it ough
TO be done. Mr.. George b. McClella
promptly met that statement with
denial, printed in yesterdays Washing
ton Post. Mr.. Mcclellan asserted whi
is very well known in Honolulu, thu
Molokai is territorial, not a fedora
institution and that it is supported e
tirely by territorial funds and tn
there was no warrant for supposing tn
Early could be sent to Molokai.
Secretary Cortelyou has not yet I
turned to Washington and therefore h
not seen the Attorney Generals dec
ion, but it is doubted whether he W
seek to transfer Early to Molokai. I'll
city will have to erect house f
Early's occupation, unless some 9th
way of caring for him during the wint
is worked out.
The Breckons Affair.
The Breckons investigation, af
having dragged along for several wee
is now regarded as having become
pretty serious matter for the Distr
Attorney. 1t is so regarded at
White House, where the charges W
received and turned over to Attorr
General Bonaparte. At the Departm
of Justice il is learned an opinion 7
walls that Breckons has been exceed
ly indisereet and that he has failed
show the respect and consideration
the community which would be expt