THE LAST ABOUT SISTER ROSE GERTRUDE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8963, 4 May 1891, Page 4

THE LAST ABOUT SISTER ROSE GERTRUDE.

The Honolulu Daily Bulletin of April 10th announced that Dr. Lutz and Miss Amy Fowler (Sister Rose Gertrude) were to be married the next day. A correspondent of tho New Zealand tferald writes :— Dr. Late was brought irom Germany by the Reform Ministry as a specialist who would try to cure leprosy. Sister Rose Gertrude is known throughout the world us the lady who heroically volun. ceered to come to Hawaii to nurse lepers. When she arrived, instead of being sen* to the leper settlement on Molokai, where Father Oamien dwelt and died, she was retained at Honolulu to minister to the comfort of the sick people at the branch leper hospital and examining station near the city. This change in her location from the original intention was inado by the Board of Health because there were Bisters of Mercy enough on Molokai, and Sister Rose belonged to a different Order from them, and a unrse at the branch hospital was regarded as desirable. Everything went well enough with Kose, so far as the public knew, until a serious complaint on her behalf was suddenly made in tho Legislature. She complained lhat a native overseer, a man who was on probation himself as to whether he should be consigned to Molokai, was interfering with the treatment or Dr. Lutz as hospital physician and with her regimen as matron. Further, she complained that the ageut of the Board of Health, C. B. Reynolds, who had the superintendence of the hospital, was supporting the overseer in his recalcitrant conduct. Also, that fihe had formerly complained to the Board of Health, but had received no redress from that body. A select) committee of tho Legislature, which was composed chietly of native members, spent several afternoons at the hospital taking evidence. At first it looked as if the committee was gains to sustain Hose Gcrirudo's charges unanimously, but the one white member disReuteil from tho majority iv its recommendation to dismiss the agent and the overseer. The evidence was printed in an official document. It showed some breaches of discipline on the part of the simple-minded native overseer— or " luna" as the native word for " boss " is. On the other hand, it was made dear that up to a few days before the Sister's mievance wns sired in the House, eho had been on the most cordial terms with both the 'overseer and the agent. It was shown that the first and almost the only real cause of offence to her was the gossipping of the overseer with the native men and women inmates regarding the intimacy observable between the doctor and tho nurse. They used to go out riding and driving together, also taking long excursions into the surrounding country with a photographic camera, and, on their return, going into the "dark room" together to develop tho negatives. These facts became very obvious not only to the inmates of the hospital, but to the whole community. Early in the unpleasantness the priests in theKoman Catholic Mission, in answer to iuqniries, declined to nc knowledge Sister Roso as n genuine • member of any known Sisterhood, saving at the same time that conduct like hers woald not be tolerated iv any Catholic country in the world. You are probably familiar with Miss Fowler's agitation of her quarrel with the Board of Health through the American and British Press. It is only necessary to add that tho theory once treated here as a little spiteful to the comely maiden, viz., that the whole trouble arose from the doctor and the nurec having fallen in love with each other at almost first sight— has now been verified by the public notico of their numage. The marriage ceremony and wedding reception will both take placo at tho house of Mr H. \Y. Schmidt, Consul for Swcdeu and Norway, tomorrow evening. As there hns become a changpi in part of the personnel of the Board of Health since Queen Liliuokalani's accession, it is poshible that Dr. Lulz may be asked to assume again (he position of hospital physician, which ho resigned some time ago on account of thn troubles before mentioned. In such a ca«e everything ought to be lovely with all concerned, since the heroic English girl has married tho German specialist.