The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-10-11
Local Cinnamon Report to Police
the Arrival of an Afflicted
Celestial
MAN WAS JOE LANG,
A COOK OF WALLA WALLA
Suffered an Accident 22 Years
Ago Burning, Leaving Hands
Mutilated, But DR.. Tetreau
Gives Him Clean Bill of Health

The report Monday Afternoon that
there was G Chinese leper in the city
aroused considerable excitement in
Celestial, police, medical, social and
transportation circles. The rumor had
Its start when a Chinaman hurried
to the police department from the
express office at the Northern Pacific
depot. Any old time a Chinaman hur-
ries, it is safe to predict an excite
ment of more or less magnitude.
The Chinaman having reached an
ear into which he could pour his
pigeon English, related that there was
a strange Chinaman at the express Of
flee, that he had just got to town,
and that he was a leper. County and
City Health Office Tetreau was no.
titled, and he and Officer Geroux
started on the trail Upon arriving
at the express office, the two North
Yakima Chinaman who had been left
on guard to watch the suspected
leper. reported that he had taken a
street car and had gone west on Yak
ina avenue. An automobile was
chartered and the street car followed
but by that time the supposed leper
had detrained and taken the back
track
From that time until nearly 10
o'clock at night, that Chinaman was
not to be found. At the latter hour
a telephone MESA ge to the police de-
partment informed the officials. in
Guiding Dr. Tetreau, who was present,
alert on the case, that the man want
ed was sitting in the waiting room of
the Northern Pacific depot There
was a rush to the scene. The man
was found and taken into the office
Of the Miller livery barn, where he
was questioned by DR.. Tetreau. He
gave his name as Joe Lang, and Of
fered his bank book as proof He
said he had been a resident of Walla
Walla for the past 35 years, with the
exception of two years in Seattle, from
which city he had just returned, hav-
ing been visiting there. He had stop
ped off in North Yakima in order to
see the city, with which he expressed
himself as pleased.
Cause of Rumor
It developed that the reason for the
rumor that he had the leprosy was
on account of the condition of his
hands. The fingers ON both hands
were only stubs, knotted and knarled,
which was caused, he said by an ac-
cident % years ago in Walla Walla,
when he burned himself with grease
while working at his trade, that of
cooking. He was all right in other
ways, had money, and had previously
purchased two tickets for Walla
Walla, to which place he was return
ing The examination showing con-
clusively to DR.. Tetreau that it was
not a case of leprosy, he was allowed
to go free, and took the train at
1926 for the Garden City.
There is an unvrritten law handed
down from the days of Confucius that
Chinese cripples are not tolerated. a
Chinaman might as Wen lose his head
as an arm or leg. 1t is said, and
there are many things to corroborate
it. that after a Chinaman loses an arm
or leg he commits suicide. 1t is also
said that if he does not kill himself
he is assisted in that work by his
countrymen. AT any rate, when the
North Yakima Chinaman saw that
cripple they lost no time i'll reporting
IL. with the object of getting him out
Of sight, if not out of town.
Come to think of it, did you ever
see a Chinaman on crutches, or with
only one arm or one leg? Curious.
is il not, that something happens to
Chinese cripples so soon after they
meet with a misfortune whereby they
lcsc !. limb?