The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-05-13
GEAR
Died SUNDAY
NEVER RECLAIMED CONSCIOUS
NESS-CEREBRAL MENINGITIS
WAS CAUSE OF DEATH.

Judge George d. Gear died at the
Queens Hospital yesterday afternoon
at 1:1O o'clock There were present at
his bedside, his wife, his brother A. V.
Gear and a number of intimate friends.
The sick man never regained conscious
ness from the time the attack was first
observed by his wife early Saturday
morning. Cerebral meningitis was tbs
cause of death but it was not until a
post norton examination had been
made, that this fact was determined,
the illness being diagnosed at various
times as ptomaine poisoning and dia-
betes.
on Friday afternoon Judge Gear did
not appear to be very well. He COM
planned at his home, that he had a
severe headache. He retired and about
o'clock Saturday morning, Mrs. Gear
noticed that he seemed to be suffering
pain. She tried unnecessarily, to
arouse him and then summoned DR..
Herbert The physician diagnosed the
case as an attack of ptomaine poison
ing supposed to have been caused by
eating salmon at a restaurant and ap-
piled restoratives but the patient did
not regain consciousness. Judge Gear
continued unconscious and finally, it
was decided to remove him to the
Queens Hospitol and perform an oper-
alton. This was decided upon after
consultions by Drs. Herbert, Wayson,
Wood, Walters, Judd, Rogers and Os-
mers.
On Saturday night, the police patrol
wagon was sent to the Kaimuki resi-
dence of Judge Gear and removed the
patient to the hospital Diabetes was
supposed at this time, to be the nature
of the sickness DIR. Wood performed
the operation.
| The patient did not improve and at
| II o'clock yesterday morning the ply
sicians announced that they had no
hope of the patient recovering. Saline
| injections were given the unconscious
man. in the hope that he would re-
gain consciousness but he did not rally
to this extent, passing away at 1:10 p.
m. A post mostem examination was
| then held, showing that death had been
due to cerebral meningitis caused by
an abcess behind the ear, for which
Judge Gear had undergone an operation
about six weeks before.
Judge Gear was 80 years of age at
the time of his death. He was born
at Quincy, Plumas county, California,
on March 81, 1868. His education was
received in the state of Ohio, but ne
returned to California and studied law
in the Office of his father, H. L. Gear
of San Francisco. In 1892, the younger
Gear was admitted to practice by the
Supreme Court of California, the exa-
mination being taken in Los Angeles.
He at once began practicing law with
| his father He assisted his father for
some years in law reporting, the elder
Gear being a recognized authority on
text law book writing. Landlord and
Tenant" is one of his best works.
In 1894, George Gear went to Qua
temala where he remained two years,
after which he came to Honolulu and
located. He was recognized as one of
the ablest attorneys of the Territory
and has participated in some of the
most important island litigation He
was appointed Judge of the first circuit
by President Mckinley succeeding r.
| ID. Silliman. Upon the expiration OF
his term on March 3, 1905 Judge Gear
resumed private practice. One of his
most notable legal triumphs was his
successful defence of Commander Luz
Glen Young, U. S. N, on the occasion
of the court martial of Young, over the
fatal explosion on the gunboat Ben
nington at San Diego
Gear had an especially keen, alert
legal mind One of his strongest points
was the discovery of flaws in the sta
tutes and in this way, his influence
helped most materially, to cause need
ed reWsions of our laws. A history of
the points raised by him while on the
bench and while practicing law, would
| be a valuable work in showing the APP
plication of the American laws here
and their points of variance with the
former Hawaiian statutes
Gear was a member of the Republic
can party and had aided that organi-
cation in many ways, both as an orator
and an adviser, but he declined to ac-
cept any nomination. AS a speaker
he was very witty.
Gear was man Of much personal
charm. He was affable and COM
panionable to an unusual degree. His
friends, he numbered not only among
those whom he had personally aided
but among the men who had been his
opponents, politically as well as pro-
fessionally, The expressions of sor-
row over his death have been univer-
sal.
Judge Gear was for many years
member Of the Masonic order and held
the thirty-second degree. He was a