Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1915-08-19
Leper Worker
Spends Lire
Witt Chose
afflicted

| About two years ago in the columns
of this paper, gave sketch OF the
life and work of Brother Dutton. AT
this time it was generally reported
throughout the states that Brother Dut-
ton had died in Hawaiian colony. This
brave Wisconsin soldier, at the close of
the civil war entered Christian Broth"
ers' school in southern city and soon
had prepared himself for the life work
he had chosen that of assisting Father
Damien in his work among the lepers.
A few years after Brother Dutton's
arrival on tthe island, Father Damien
was stricken with the dread disease and
after long illness, during which the
flesh sloughed from his bones, the fing-
ers dropped from his hands, the young
Belgian priest went to his eternal re-
ward. Brother Dutton Immediately
entered with renewed energy and vigor
upon the heavy task now resting en-
tirely upon his shoulders Through his
broad intellectually and untiring eff
forts our government provided the now
ample and modern hospitals on the is
land for the care of these unfortunate
people, When our warships made the
tour Of the world, Brother DEtton, be-
| ing in close touch with the command
ing officer, they steamed slowly along
close to the shore that these poor
prisoners might view the grandest
pageant in our country's history.
The report speak about in the open
ing lines of this article proved untrue
for Brother Dutton is still very much
alive. Nevertheless, never wrote an
article that seemed to touch SO many
responsive chords, and for long time
afterwards would occasionally receive
marked copies of papers and letters
containing corrections of the report.
Only last week / received copy of the
Milwaukee Sentinel containing an ar
ticle headed, "Former Wisconsin sol
der. veteran of the civil war, now
priest in Hawaiian leper colony. 1t
reads
Zone of Col. w. P. Lyons most eff
Gent aides, while through the war he
commanded the Thirteenth Wisconsin,
was First Lieutenant. Ira B. Dutton, who
went from GAINESVILLE. Not long
after the war, seeing the need of more
and proper attention for the comfort
il osI;1L+ooroan% Of tho largo nI1uo her
of people in the leper colony, the gallant
Wisconsin soldier, humanitarian and de-
voted Coristian, cast his lot with them
and has been with them ever since. In
a recent letter to a fellow soldier In
Milwaukee Brother Dutton sent copy
of the Hawaiian Coat of Arms. 1t ls
described by Mary B. Lawrence, for
mer Sheboygan teacher. The first and
fourth quarters of 1.-THE shield contains
the eight red, white and blue stripes
which represent the inhabited islands
The background represents military
cloak of royalty. Above the shield is
the crown surmounted by cross and
ornamented with twelve taro leaves.
Below is the national motto: 'The
life of the land is perpetuated by right
eousnessp' This coat of arms is not now
officially used, but it is much in evil
dence on pins and other bits of jewelry,
and is highly esteemed by the ma
tives.
Kind reader, think you that this brave
soldier, with brilliant military re-
cord behind him, endowed with more
than ordinary intellectual ability, with a
bright and promising future before him,
ever looked back with regret upon the
step he had taken when in the first full
t flush of glorious young manhood ne
3 plunged into that shoreless sea of hui
: man misery withlwhose dark waves ne
0 was henceforth forever to contend?This