Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-16
]. R. EARLY, LEPER
PRISONER, ESCAPES
Saws Through Bar, Eludiny
Guard; FIees From Cot
tage Prison.
THOUGHT TO BE IN CITY

After saving the bars Of his iso-
lated prison on the banks Of the East
ern branch and breaking through q
seven-foot barbed-wire fence which
surrounded the building. without at
tracting the attention Of his attend
ants. who were asleep in an adjoin-
ing room, John r. Early. the leper,
known throughout the country, early
today made his escape.
Police in all eastern cities were noti-
fed Immediately when his escape was
discovered. A dragnet was thrown
whereabouts. however. could be found.
DR.. William c. Fowler, District
health officer, advanced the theory
that Early had probably sought refuge
in this city. He intimated that there Is
a possibility that tho leper would
go to his relatives in North Carolina.
Goes in Early Morning.
Early made his escape from his
little cottage prison between 3 and q
o'clock this morning by saving
through an inch iron bar in his room
facing the north. cutting away q
ing and crawling under high
barbed-wire fence which separated
him from the outer word.
The escape was discovered at
o'clock by Henry w. Lloyd, his guard
who, with his sister, Ethel 3. Lloy9.
fGn
the leper for several years. Health
department authorities were tmmedl-
ately notified. After investigation by
DR.. Fowler both guard and his sister
were suspended.
Lloyd told DR.. Fowler he was rest
less last night and, early this morn.
ming, walked through the building and
saw Early, wearing his clothes, sit
ting nervously on the side OF his bed,
with a dim light burning. As this
was nothing unusual, no thougnt was
entertained that the leper had plan,
again retired.
Near the fence under which the
Ieper crawIed, DR.. Fowler found a
small iron saw, which had peen
broken. The saw seemed new. IT rs
believed it was placed there by Early
to mislead the authorities.
! At the time of his escape Early
wore gray suit, gray cap and tan
shoes. He is described as about dve
feet seven or eight inches. in height.
His forehead and face are severaly
faEreysa. h9s eyss ..akes M ana
hands. and feet large, and swollen.
His hair: is also thin. ). :.
That .EArly will pfol9t nj SaQ'
visit his relatives Il North. CAf0lana
was the.theory advanced by DR.. FoS-
Ter and other health departmsnt pf-
ac;a1s THE leper receives tension
of $50 a month from the government,
ana ten days ago was given his quar-
terly payment. With this money. he
could obtain transportation to North
Carolina, However, DR.. Fowler be-
lieyes Early is still. in this city, ana
will surrender after he goes on q short
sightseeing trip. E -.
Third IN -Four Years. .
This is the third escape the leper
has made in the last four years. He
was discovered with leprosy and con-
fined in a prison in Port Townsend:
months later. He was brought to
washington August 21. 1908. and con-
fined in small tent near the District
jail. After being transferred several
times from Washington to New York,
he was permanently placed in the Gus
tody of the District. health depart
ment December 1, 1909.
from his cottage jail on the Eastern
branch, and surrendered to local au-
thorities June 2. He was, at that
time. taken into custody at a room in
a local hotel. At the time Of his last
escape he went on sightseeing trip
through the eastern cities, going as
far west as Pittsburgh"