The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-27
Authorities in Quandary About
Method of DepOrting John
kOkas to Greece.
PATIENT AN EXPENSIVE
LUXURY IN VARIOUS WAYS
Government Asked to Assist
Local Officials in Solving
PerpleXing Problem.

IL greek III IEs OulHOuSt, !lb ptI
sonage, though n wealthy pleasure seeker
who loved to read the Greek masters.
was the source OF much mystery TO the
neighbors OF Squirrel Inn. who believed
him to be an ancient Greek. clad in ma
tive costume, whose mode OF life was
strange and weird, The fact was that
the gentleman preferred abode in the
smokchouSc Instead Of In the hotel, for
which there may have been ample reason
there sometimes Is In hotels.
Just now Salt Lake has a Greek in
mysterious parsonage as Stockton, s
creation. but he is mysterious enough.
In addition TO being mysterious. he is
stunned even more than the Squirrel Inn
house. Is John kokas. John kokas is
not an ancient Greek. but Il terribly
modern one. He is summed for tho very
good reason that he has lcprosy.
John Kokas was found by a physician
three weeks ago TO be suffering from
the diseases that made the Vale of Hin
was reported to the secretary of the
state board Of health. il was also re-
ported in course OF time. TO the city
board of health Moreover; the case, was
called TO the attention of the federal au-
thorties, represented in this instance by
Hiram lJ. Booth. district attorney for and
In the district of Utah. The reason why
the case of John, Kokas was called to
the attention OF Mr., Booth was because
everybody who had anything to do with
the case wanted John Kokas deported.
up" He must have taken 1t up very
high for neither Mr.. Booth nor the case
OF John Kokas has come down to earth
yet.
Patient Is Isolated.
Soon after the case of John Ko<as de-
Ne!opcd, John Kollas disappeared. At
least. Ii was said that John I[okas dis
appeared, But ii soon developed that
John kokas did not disappear at ALL but
that he was at home all the while and
he disappeared only to the extent that
the authorities did not know where John
Kokass house was.
Health Commissioner Paul and T, D.
Foster, clerk OF the board of health. got
on the trail Of John Kokas and turned
his disappearance into a reappearance
The city health authorities were sore
kokas when they had him Finally they
Isolated him at n point near the isolation
hospital and hired a man, who said he
wasn't wv afraid OF leprosy, any more than
ne was OF ham sandwich, TO watch
over John f<oleas and to treat him right.
The man Is carrying out his instructions,
Tor John kokas is living like a prince
and Camembert cheese. This and lobster
a In Newbure and metropolitan ice cream
John l<okas devours with true Spartan
lorttude and self-abnegation
incidentally. the heroic caretalSer of
John Mokas is drawing salary OF S1OO
4 month. and is being "found" with Ink
nries equal to those enjoyed by John
lSokas himself The salary OF the care |
taker and the founding or "fnding."
whichever is right. are running into |
money: and the end Will not be until !
John KokaS Is removed hence and thc
services of his courageous caretaker are
no longer required and the appetites of |
neither will be on the payroll OF the city |
any longer.
It's Information They Want.
Inasmuch as the presence OF John
IS kokas would be continued and proba-
biy an increasing expense 10 the city |
tnd menace to public health, the board |
wants to know what 10 do with him. Mir |
i5ooth not having come forth with sat
sfactory answer Clerk Foster Yesterday
wired TO the Marine hospital service
which is the national bureau OF health
n fact The telegram asked for inforlna-
Ion on these heads;
Is there any one who can give us OIL
.horitY to order the Greek leper deport-
sdY who is the proper person to whom
lppncati9n for such authority may he
low shall we transport the Greek Iepcr
lence? When? Can the railroad com
1any be compelled 10 transport the Greek
eper2 II the railroad company refuses
o transport the Greek leper, what sboIl
We do with the Greek leper and to the
abroad company? Can The steamship
,onlpqnX that brought the Greek leper TO
he United States be compelled To take
nm back II the steamship company
'efuscs 10 take him back, can we pnsb
nm on The dock Into the Atlantic ocean
'rovided we get him that far? Do we
ave to get permission from every state
through which the Greek leper would
'ass In the event Of "A successful start
'ninE made or the journey. To allow us
ne national government so supervise the
rip that the various states VIII be
nuZZled? "
An answer is expected today.
Kokas, Like Barkis, Is Willin'.
Now, John Kokas has no objection to
eng deported, transported imported or
g go back 10 his fatherland, nIfboush
e has natural reluctance to giving IN
ne .porterhouse and the Camembcrt. If
Ike to go before he begins to disinte-
rate and fall 10 pieces. AZ he is now
I'LL intact. he would like To be landed
that condition. ,
When John Kolas was first taI,on In
ie Isolated spot near the isolation hos .
i,al there were rumors OF war. 1t was
ild that fifteen armed Greeks were In I
iding about the faStncsscs OF the re- :
ION with the purpose In mind of res )
uine" John Kokas. John himself was d
OF eager TO be rescued. for he was | /
lvasion of the place where John Kokas i
AS never matcrialized, probably because a
lie man who was not afraid OF lcprosy 3
nd who kept watch on John Kokas S
range but effective collection OF leaden I
lllcts. nail heads, hardtack and pine b
notS. !,
Yesterday Mr.. Foster called at the office c
the Pullman company f
Can we send John Kokas in one of
our slecpers'" b
You mean the Greek lepcr?" c
YEP :
We'll. I should say not. Not by one
nS d sight" b.
May Ride in Box Car ~
Mr. Foster made the rounds of The IN
lroad offices, He told tho officials that W
prosy is not contagious and that d leper X
Mt any more dangerous than a can Of y,
rmented tomatoes. Foster talked his oil
st, and Foster can talk some when he 4
llts his best. But the railroad officials q,
range TO say, became suddenly busy p,
I'd Fosters only consolation WAS the Il
ggcstion that John Kokas might ride st
box car-maybc.
II II should come 10 a show down n
id the railroad company would consent ht
let John Kokas ride in box car JC
"a burn the box ear afterwards. who fil
ould go with John kokas as custodian VI
there anybody In Salt Lake who would rll
.c 10 take trip TO New York In nc
car I'm charge N "A Crock lapnr1 le,