The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-04
JOHN EARLY MAKES PLEA
FOR TREATMENT OF LEPERS
Tells How He Moved About I'm Best
Hotels and Restaurants With
out Restraint.
AGAIN AN EMILE IN WASHINGTON
Appeals to Congress to Establish
National Home, Where Patients May
Receive Proper Care and Treatment.
Especial to The Times-DIspatch

Especial to The Times Dlspatchl
Washington. June 3.-John Early,
the lcper. placed under restraint yes
terday by the District authorities,
when he revealed his identity at the
fashionable Shorcham Hotel, after "a
two days residence there. told the
story to-day of how he moved freely
about In the best hotels and restau-
rants or the country, rode in company
with X-Attorney-General Grey and
his family, of Canada, on Canadian
Pacific train from Vancouver to Mon
lfcal, ana rode up on Il Shorcham ele-
vntor rubbing elbows with Vice Pres
ident Marshall on Monday.
Perfectly contentded. he moved about
the narrow grounds OF the LaZar house
on the Potomac. examining trees he
planted there six years ago, and talked
OF his dream OF a national leprosarium
winch he claims was the sole motive OF
his return to the national capital.
know ] am leper now" he said
halt wiStfully. II am resigned to my
own fate. My wife and children have
icit me. ] am alone In the world. My
doom does not tcrrify me. But want
'fny case To serve rs great national
example. and bring about the proper
treatment OF unfortunutcs afflicted as
am.
APPEALS TO CONGRESS
FON NATIONAL HOME
II appeal to Congress to establish
n national home for lepers where they
may receive proper care and not be
shunted about and driven from place
to place as | have been. They arc
unhappy. treated thus, and a great
danger to the community nt large
That Is my sole object in coming to
WashinSton-to attract attention 10
the crying necessity of such an In
stttution in this country. Ny poor
people, refer to the lepcr class, Of
which I am one-arc unable to care
for themselves. They are unclcan in
every sense Of the word. They are n
menace to every well person. Placed
under governmental care, they could
lead happier lives and enjoy few
pleasures. believe there are thirty
or forty lcpers walking the streets
of New York to-day. This should not
be.
ITO demonstrate how easy 1t is for
leper to minglc I'm elites, l planned
my present trip six months ago. |
knew that il Is only when Il great
truth Is sent home to the hearts Of
the people that attention is paid to 1t.
] knew that IL 1 mingled among the
well-to-do. and tho rich. and exposed
them to contaGion they would nrise
out OF self-protection and further my
plan of Il national home. That Is why
! i chose the Pullman cars. why slept
at the best h0telS ate In tho best res
taurants. No one cares what happens
10 the poor. II had kept TO the
slums in my rnvcls. the agitation
would have been little. l have no de-
sire TO hurt any one. do not believe
| that the present stage OF my disease
| is contagious had tho money to
travel az did. saved my wages and
J my pension for months to do so. and
l hope the lesson has struck home
| WILLING TO BE ISOLATED,
BUT WANTS HIS PLEA HEARD
"Tho John Early that WAS liz dead to
the world. have put the world behind
| me. From now, ] am willing to be
| isolated to have the warning bell OF
! tho unclean rung as l approach to feel
| that men shrink from mo with the
world old fear OF the terrible disease
| that has been laid upon me, but l want
| my appeal to be heard.
II shall be happy If this dream of Il
| national lcprosarium is realized. l will
| then feel that even ], John Fairly, the
| lcper, was able to serve his fcllowmen
in this humble fashion. that have
| (Continuod on Second Page.)