New-York tribune., 1909-12-12
"LEPER" AS FREIGHT
COMES TO NEW YORK
FROM WASHINGTON.
Early Must Get DR.. Flerners s
20. K.-DOesn't Kno1o
HIM, He Says.

John r Early, who arrived from Wash
ington in a special freight car yesterday
morning. is now In the city. waiting TO
be examined by DR.. Simon Flexner. head
of the Rockefeller Institute Of Medical
Research. The health authorities OF the
District OF Columbia say that he Is
leper. Other physicians. who have had
experience in dealing with sufferers from
leprosy. say that he is not
DR.. Woodward was so anxious 10 get
Early safely started for New York that
he. with DIR. Fowler. escorted him to the
railroad yard in his automobile. and kept
him warm on the way with his own lap
robes. Fearless as to his own safety. he
took off his glove and shook hands with
"the leper." while wishing him speedy
and uninterrupted trip TO foreign parts.
Early was then shown TO the private
car. which he did not want. but which
cost him $50. and made himself as much
at home as he could till he reached the
hospitable shores of the Hudson River.
Having left the land of suspicion. he
quietly boarded a Pennsylvania ferry
on Dr. L. Duncan Bulkley. who has done
so much 10 assist him in his fight for
freedom. He is now somewhere in the
city. waiting for the examination by DIR.
Flexner, which the Washington authori-
ties are willing to consider as their last
appeal
Before letting Early pay his freight TO
New York. DR.. ' edward wired DIR.
Bulkley. asking him If he would be salts
fed 10 have the alleged leper examined
by DR.. Flexner An affirmative answer
was Immediately sent, and the veteran
of Cuban All Philippine fights started
DR.. Flexner last night, in answer TO q
written question as to what he would
do about passing on the case. wrote, Il
know nothing whatever about John
Early
DR.. Bulkley said that Early was IN
good physical condition now. but very
much distressed mentally. His con-
tinual prosecutions" he went on, ARE
most unfair, especially as it does not ap-
pear that any effort has been made TO
verify the original test made on August
21. 1905. Persons who wish TO live in
Washington had better be very careful
about asking foolish questions. Earlys
trouble. apparently. arises from the fact
that he was a soldier in the Philippines
and that he subsequently said, DO you
suppose that this is leprosy?'
"Of one hundred Thousand soldiers
whom We have had In the Philippines
only two have had leprosy. and one Of
them is a doubtful case. There is no
known case OF any civilian going from
here and contracting the disease at Ma
Mia. and there are many thousands OF
them working there
Early. who was quarantined near the
capital for several months. was allowed
his liberty on the eve OF the Fourth OF
July, and came TO New York, where he
received a clean bill Of health after a
most searching examination He then
went TO Virginia, where he worked on
farm until the beginning of the
month. On receiving a notice from the
Pension Bureau he went 70 washington
10 draw the money which he was entitled
to- Dr. Woodward promptly pounced on
him and locked him up.
Although he has been told bv several
doctors that Early was not a leper. the
Washington authority has insisted that
his original conclusion on the matter
was correct one. and has refused TO
admit that he might have made a mis-
take
The New York health authorities do
not consider it necessary for lepers to be
isolated. for they say the disease is not
contagious. but while in WASHINGTON he
was forced to live apart.
Before Early had decided to come TO
New York to see DIR. Bulkley the gov
eminent paid him 800. due him on a
pension account. The money. according
TO DR.. Bulkley, was paid to Early in the
form of check, which was funigated
after the alleged leper had indorsed IL.
DR.. Bulkley will speak Tomorrow
evening before the Society of Medical
Jurisprudence at the Academy of Medi-
cine on ''The Medico-LegaI Aspects of
the Early Case"