The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-30

The o. & o. S. S. Belgic arrived
shortly before o'clock on Saturday
and DR.. Day boarded her as Port
Physician. The surgeon of the steamer
vas DR.. r. J. Bowie, the same person
who filled the position in August last,
when the cholera was brought here.
Dr. Bowie reported the health of the
ships passengers as good, but Doctor
dent of last year, made a thorough in
spection of the steamer and passengers.
In the Chinese steerage he found a
boy showing decided evidences of tu-
a bunk when Dr. Day went into the
compartment. After examining him he
called for DR.. Bowie, and asked for an
explanation.
The latter said he had not seen the
fellow before, though the rules of the
ship require him to make an examina-
ton of every passenger in the steerage
at last twice day.
AS the conditions were not satisfac-
tory, DR.. Day ordered the vessel to come
to anchor, and came ashore and report
ed the matter to w. o. Smith, Presi-
dent of the Board of Health. A meeting
of the Board was called and DR.. Bowie
summoned to attend. J. F. Hackfeld,
agent for the o. & o. S. S. Co, came
with him and after the Board had
questioned him President Smith gave
DR.. Bowie a severe reprimand.
In speaking, of the matter last night
a member of the Board expressed him.
self in very strong language regarding
DIR. Bowie being allowed to continue as
surgeon on any vessel entering this
port.
Bowie claimed TO know nothing of
the case; he claimed last year TO know
nothing of the presence of cholera on
the steamer. The question naturally
arises, Does he know anything?'
DIR. Day, the port physician, under
ordinary circumstances, would accept
the statement of the ships surgeon as
to the condition of the vessel, and the
surgeon should be truthful man. So
long as DR.. Bowie runs here the coun-
try is not safe from epidemics brought
here from the Orient. He is unreliable,
as his admissions on Saturday show.
and for one will be willing to enter a
protest against his employment on the
steamers running into Honolulu. This
case of Ieprosy, as it has been described
to me. might just as we'll have been
smallpox for all Bowie knew about it,
and if he missed seeing, it he neglected
his duties.
Il was not at the Board meeting on
Saturday, but from what l have heard
the disease had broken out over his
head and face. At the next meeting of
the Board of Health propose to find out
what can be done in Bowie's case
The following, taken from the San
Francisco Call of March Is, does not
speak we'll for Bowie financially:
DIR. Robert J. Bowie the dashing
young surgeon of the Occidental and
Oriental liner Belgic, and brother of
Allen St. ]. Bowie, President of the
Western Light and Power Company
will be asked to appear before a justice
of the peace today to divulge the ex-
tent and location of his worldly posses
sions, if he has any.
Some years ago Bowie boarded with
Mrs. Blanche Wilcox and ran up big
Dill TOT MS keep. Wnen Sne 0ndlly l1n-
portuned him to settle, he gave her a
prOmissory note for $175 in payment.
This was two years ago, and though
the note called for a settlement within
thirty days, the paper was never taken
up. She assigned her claim to j. ].
Rauer. who obtained a judgment by de-
fault.
When the collector of bad debts tried
to find something with which to satisfy
the decree of the court he was unsuc-
cessful. a deputy sheriff sent with a
garnishment to intercept the Doctors
salary from the company failed TO find
that any money was due him, and the
medico did not appear to have any valu-
ableS that could be evied upon.
I'm order to settle for good the sur
geon's financial standing, Rauer had an
order OF examination issued calling on
the Doctor to appear before justice of
the peace and explain matters.
''As the Belgic sails today at the same
hour on which DR.. Bowie is ordered to
appear in court, it is probable that
some sort of an arrangement will be ar
rived at in order that he may be able
to sail with the ship