The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-09
Louis Hoffman Is Detained at
Pest House.
Wandered Into Smallpox Dis
trict While intoxicated.
JUST FRIENDLY CALL
Didn't Remember That People
Had Dread Disease.
Ball and Chain Put On to Pre-
vent Escape.

With a big iron ball fastened to his
leg by chain, Louis Hoffman stood
| at the pest house telephone this af-
ternoon and dictated the following
statement to the State Journal:
didn't mean no harm when l
went down in the smallpox district
last night and walked into the Her
schel house. I have known those
people every since I was a baby. I
mad been drinking a little bit yes
ing to do that 1 would go down and
call on my friends. saw that small
poX sign on the house and paid very
little attention to it didn't know
they were so strict about the quar-
antine business.
Il walked in there and everybody
was scared and ran away from me-
and then was arrested and brought
out here to the pest house-and I've
got to stay here II days in order to
see if I've taken the smallpox"
Hoffman has the prize hard luck
story of the year. While in a stupor
after drinking a little bad beer Tues
day evening, Hoffman wandered down
on the East side to visit friends who
had the smallpox His heart was full
of sympathy and he wished to console
the friends who had been confined
and under guard for so long.
While on this missionary trip Hoff-
man was greeted only with warnings
y
by smallpox guards who had no con-
ception of the feeling of one friend
for another who has smallpox Finally
he was arrested by the city board of
health and taken to the detention hos
pital where a 1OO-pound ball and
chain was placed on his leg-and he
was given room to occupy for at
least fourteen days. If he catches the
smallpox he must stay there until he
is cured.
Hoffman couldn't tell his captors his
name last night. The beer affected his
memory. The only thing the beer did
that could be admired, was to instill
into HOffman's soul the sweet mem
cries of friendship. In fact, HOFFMAN
insisted this afternoon that he vas
especially anxious to see his smallpox
friends and visit them.
There is one feature of the evenings
entertainment that Hoffman can not
appreciate.
Last night after his arrest he was
taken into the pest house where the
big ball and chain was attached to his
right leg, because he said he wouldn't
stay. The pest house keepers feared
that Hoffman would escape. He was
given a room and he fell on the bed
and asleep with the ball out in the
middle of the hall. Late at night the
keeper went upstairs to see how his
patient was resting In the dark he
stumbled over the big 10O-pound bail
and fell fiat.
Anger6d at his luck, the keeper went
in the room where Hoffman was sleep
ing like an Egyptian mummy and
changed the ball and chain from tbs
right foot to the left.
This morning Hoffman woke up and
discovered the change. For several
minutes Hoffman sat on the edge of
his bed trying to figure out how that
big 1O0-pound ball could jump from
one foot to the other
Hoffman said this afternoon that
he would not try to escape from the
pest house. He said the keeper had
promised to remove the big load.
While reporter was waiting at
the downtown end of the telephone to
talk with Hoffman, the humping noise
of the big ball could be heard as the
prisoner, assisted by the keeper strug-
gled to the receiver.
Il guess I'm done for for fourteen
days, anyway said Hoffman. Il
know that I didn't mean no harm in
going to see those people on the East
side and I can't figure out why the
city should raise such an awful dis
turbance when a fellow wants to call
on his friends
It don't believe the city officers
have any idea of how a fellow wants
to see a sick friend. They haven't any
sympathy over there at the city hail.
Hoffman has been working with
the Kaw paving company. He is liv-
ing at 227 Kansas avenue and said he
was born and raised in Topeka.