The Portland daily press., 1899-02-09

Il was finally decided that Dr. Bowers
must conform to the decision Of the
board.
The reader should observe ut this point
the statement Of Mr.. Frank that being
member OF the board of trustees-that
Is the jury-he should in a way conduct
the case Here are some specimens OF how
he. conducted the case for the trustees:
Mr.. Frank TO DIR. Bowars-"You made
charges against DR.. Holt and you are not
substantiatins them. :"
DR. Bowsrs-"I win substantiste them
before get through"
MIR. Frank-"You say this man came
here for treatmentf'
Dr. Bowers-''I was told so by him."
Mr.. Frank-"I don't believe he ever
came here.
Mr.. Frank--"when you were not re-
elected 20 the board OF surgeons of this
hospital, did you threaten DIR. holt ?"
Dr. Bowers--"I don't think ! did. "
Mr. Frank-"Didn't you say TO him,
Benceforth we will carry the war to the
hilt' -?
DIR. Bowers-''I believe did say some.
thing like that TO DIR. Holt at one time. !"
After this MIR. Frank, In the capacity
of counsel for the trustees, we suppose,
proceeded to read DIR. Hollis statement
but as counsel for the trustees, though
he had caustically cross-examiLed DR..
Bowers for an hour or more, he did not
ask DR. Holt a single question. neither
did any member OF the board.
Then Mr.. Frank. still acting, we pre-
sumo. In his character of counsel for the
trustees. made what the Argus described
as an "impassioned plea for DIR. Holt, "
in which he said. among other things:
1t seems to me that DIR. Bowers has
miscouceived his duty In this case. He
has done much tn injure the fair name
Of this grand institution which IL doing
such noble work among the poor. A per-
son may do much harm to an institution
of this kind by making accusations
against its officers. Any person may stand
on a street corner and make charges like
these. A cur may bray at the moon. but
the moon in all the beauty of Its serenity
goes on throwing Its silvery light upon
the earth undisturbsd by II. SO may
some men hurl accusation against this
noble institution which goes on undis
turbed by the attempt to injure II and
calmly coutiLues Its work long after the
accuser has gone 10 his long rest. Il
confess 10 feeling this matter more than
| ought " continued MIR. Frank, with
tears in his eyes. ~ stood by the lnfirma-
nv in those days when we appealed In
its behalf to the shrewdest and most
parsimonious men of our state as wall
as to the most muniflcent, and these In
death did not forget the institution for
which we have labored. These charges
we have heard here are thinner than air
Any ranter might make them. Any pratt
tier about the streets might make slDi-
lar charges against any institution. 1t is
.4.f1 sl.uf tkax c
1t to be wondered at that some one
among the thousands of poor persons
who are treated here free of charge may
be disgruntled at their imagined Ill usage
here9 These charges of disgruntled per
sons have not heen trumped up, but they
have been concentrated by DIR. Bowers
There is only one action we can take in
this case as far as l can see.
Now this is an absolutely truthful ac-
count of this Investigation. OF course
1t is not the whole of 1t, but there is moth
ing in it that did not occur and in the
way that is narrated. Bear in mind
that this was supposed to be an inyesti-
cation Of certain charges made by re-
putabls physician against the executive
surgeon; bear in mind that the trustees
were the jury in the case bound 10 iudioi.
ally and impartially inquire into the facts
and then in the light of the obligations
devolying upon them, consider what hap
pened. At the first meeting ore of their
number, after the hearing had been ad-
journed to accommodate the defendant,
gave out for publication a letter sneer-
ingly abiding to the complainant as "a
certain DIR. Bowers" and likening him
to a blockhead. At the second meeting
another member protesting to be coun-
sci for the jury sin his most aggressive
court manner" TO borrow the language
of the Argus cross-eSamined the COM
plsinant, never asks a single question of
the defendant, and winds up with an
Imprisoned plea" to again quote the
Argus, in which he Iikens DR.. Bowers TO
a cur baying at the moon. Consider that
not a single trustee who was present OBJ
jected To MIR. Franks performance while
several of them assisted him In 1t, that
he retired with them when they went out
TO make up their verdict--and then say
whether the public was doing any body
injustice when 1t refused to place any
confidence in that verdict.