The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-01-30
AVER SUSPENSION
SPLITS THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS
Two Members Think Charges
Against Police Surgeon Are
Not Serious
ACTION NOT CRIMINAL, +.
SAYS COUNTY ATTORNEY
Mayor Lane Declares Physician
Win Not Be Returned To
His Position

.
According 70. Supervisor Logan the
charges of misconduct in Office brought
against DR.. R. O. Aver, police surgeon,
who was suspended on Friday by
Mayor Lane, will be thoroughly ven.
tiiated by the health committee Of the
board OF supervisors. The matter will
be brought up at a meeting of the
board TO be held on Tuesday, it was
intimated yesterday, and some line Of
action decided upon at that time. .
That the board is divided as to the
charges Of graft brought against DIR,
Aver seems to be indicated by the at
titude Of several of its members. II
: is understood that both Larsen and
Logan of the board do not look upon
the charges as serious.
Supervisor Logan stated yesterday
that he believed the entire matter
should be ventilated by the supervisors
aud thorough investigation made Of
the charges. He declined TO commit
himself as to the illegality of the prac-
tise Of accepting fees from emergency
hospital patients sent by the city.
NlENI l4aAbVig ~. 10 uhuOiotOOhf
does not see any particular crime in
the practise but is willing to have the
entire matter investigated and. to, abide
by the decision of the board. .,.
q. City Attorney A. M. Brown, when
asked about the matter yesterday, de-
clared that it had all come SO suddenly
that he had not had time to look into
the matter. - $685.. q,
Not Criminal, Says Brown -
tYOu know as much about il as i
do" he said. Gas the matter now
stands do not see anything criminal
about the affair. DR.. Aver may have
overstepped his authority and to use
the police as messengers may have been
in bad taste. But the charges so far
z brought against DR.. Aver are in no
sense criminal, and do not believe the
matter will be brought to the atten-
ton Of the grand jury. The matter
probably will be thrashcd out by the
supervisors. !" - ,. +.
Edward X. Woodward, private secre.
tary to Mayor Lane, who conducted the
investigation that led to the mayor
suspending DR.. Aver, stated Friday
that the matter was first brought to
his attention by City Attorney Brown
several days ago and that Mr.. Brown
spoke to him about it second time
Friday morning, when he immediately
conferred with Mayor Lane and then
started out on his investigation.
George w. Smith, president of the
Queens Hospital, stated last night
that he had made some investigations
concerning the charges brought against
DR., Aver but would not state whether
or not DR.. Aver was within his rights
in the matter. He stated that the regu-
lar procedure for the admittance of
patients to the hospital was for some
one to sign card at the office guaran-
tecing the bill. In the case of Peter
Magic, he said, the card had been
signed giving the firm of Hind Rolph
Il Co. as the guarantoTs for the bill.
He also stated that it was against the
rules of the institution for the physi.
clan in charge to receive fees for
patients.
Mayor Stands Firm
Mayor Lane, however, is still firm in
the belief that DR.. Aver is not the
proper person to have in charge of
the police work and was emphatic yes,
terday in his statement that DIR. Aver
would not be returned to his position.
From my Investigation, said
Mayor Lane, "I am certain that DR..
Aver acted wrongly in accepting pay
from patients who passed through the
emergency hospital. The supervisors
probably will take up the matter at
the meeting on Tuesday evening and
no doubt will recommend that the
health committee make thorough in.
vestigation of the charges"
In commenting on the charges
brought against him DR.. Aver positive
ly denied most of the allegations al.
though admitting the fact that he had
treated Peter Magic as a private case.
"The man had the money to pay
for professional attention." said DIR.
Aver yesterday. Gle asked me TO
take the case. There is no law to for.
bid me from doing so If do not slight
my official duties Having money, he
could not go to the hospital as a coun.
ty charge. cared for him and pre-.
scented a reasonable bill which he o. KID.
] collected my money and thought no
more about IT." 90 ~
DIR. Aver further charges that, the
entire matter is a, conspiracy to Gust
him from Office and that il is only u
recurrence of former difference be-
tween him and DIR. J. T. Wayson, who
has been placed in the Office of police
surgeon during the suspension of DR..