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ANSWER PRAYER Tic Pawer af Speech Wu Restarcl to a V lu at Wertwuttr, S. C. DUMB FOR THREE YEARS 4 Like the Marvel* of' Karly Christian Pays, Reads Story of Mr. Drayton * Poore, Who, Dumb, Speaks Again, the Thorn in the Flesh Having Been Removed. letter from Westminster to the News and Cornier says without question the most conspicuous man in up^ per South Carolina to-day is Mr. Thomas Drayton Poore. He had this unabatlng consplclousness since the afternon of Feb. 7, 1911. It does not dwindle in the least, but rather grows greater as the circle covering the knowledge of his experience grows wider. People from different parts of the state and the neighboring State of Georgia have come in numbers to Westminster for the sole purpose of looking on the person of this new marked man. Letters have been received by the hundreds making inquiry about him. The thing that has brought Mr. Poore into the lime light Is the sud\ den restoration of speech, of which he had been totally deprived for almost three years. To be more oaact, the thing that has pointed him out as a consplcious character is not the simple fact of the restoration of I speech, but the circumstances under which his speech was restored, and more especially the cause that Is believed to hare been behind It and responsible for It. A brief history of the case of Mr. Poor? will tell the story and put before the reader the ?Tidence upon which the claim of a miracle Is posited. ' iff. Poore, who Is one of the most reputable men of the town and county in which he lire*, began to lose the po*er of speech on the 11th day of April, 1908, and continued to grow worse In this respect until on the 18th day of December of that year he was utterly unable to make an audible sound, even In the form of a whlsner. The Dhyslclans told him that it was the result of a ease of nervous indigestion that had been troubling him for a long time. Mr. Poore was unable to make a single sound in the nature of speech until the afternoon of February ^11, 1911. It is the return of the power of speech, especially In the light of the circumstances lY of Its return, and, as it Is confidently believed by all, the cause of its return that makes Mr. Poore to be a subject of great interest at this time. The circumstances are these: There was a protracted service In progress at the Baptist cnucn in Westminster, of which Mr. Poore is a member and officer. The services were being conducted by the Rev. S. E. Stephens, a ^ returned missionary of that denomination. On the afternoon of the Ttn of February, at a very quiet meeting in which prayer was the predominating feature, Mr. Poore wrote on a slip of paper a request that prayer be ofTered for him that God would give him grace to bear his affliction. Attention was called to the fact that it ff-' might bo God's will to restore to him bis voice, and this was made the burden of the prayers offered at thai time. Like Paul of old, the brethren prayed that the "thorn of the flesh" might be removed, but If It was not for the glory of God that it be removed that their brother might be given grace to bear it to God's glory and praise. After the season of prayer wat? nrUl/vnf oalrlncr If thfl flniiWPr V/ t v l f tw mivuv MoniiiQ * ?. vmv/ >? had been given, the leader announced a hymn, and none was more surprised,? perhaps, than Mr. Poore to And that he could join in the singing with as strong and melodious a voice as any one present. The amazement was startling when Mr. Poore, Just \ as the minister was about to dismiss the congregation, rushed to the platform, lifted his hand and began to tell, with lips that, had been speechloss for three years, of how wonderfully God had answered the prayers of His people on that occasion. At the request of Mr. Poore the congregation sang, "Nearer, My God, to Thee" and "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Plow," the subject of the blessing leading the singing with a thrill in his voice that by that congregation was never heard on land or sea. If any one imagines that there was any drag in the meeting after that they are quite mistaken. An ovation was tendered Mr. Poore on the ground, and as the remarkable incident spread through the town and surrounding country multitudes thronged the streets, delegation after delegation met him on his way home, or called on him after he reached home. The house was packed at night J with people, who, like the Jews in Bethany that came not for Jesus' sake only, but to see Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead, came net for the meeting's sake only, but " that they might see the man who had received such a tangible and apparent blessing in answer to prayer that had been offered in that house. The crowds still come to Mr. Poore's home and such an occurrence In the life of one so well and so favorably known, and In a denomination that is noted for its conservativencss and quietude, and yet in the life of a man with such an implicit and abiding faith in the promises of God, haa received no other explanation than that God was pleased to hear the cry of HIS people and answer them "according to His loving kindness and tender irercics." The following affidavits, made in the presence of an officer of the law and under the seal of the Commonwealth of South Carolina, will attest the historicity of the incident, even to the most sceptical: "The State of South Carolina, "County of Oconee. "Personally appeared before me Thomas Drayton Poore, of the town of Westminster, State and county aforesaid, who, being duly sworn, aava> That ho la 10 ?P*r of ACTA. And that he deals in real estate and farming; that on the 11th day of April, 1908, he began losing his power of speech, and that his power of speech had become totally lost on the 18tn day of December, 1908, the loss being attributed as a result of nervousness. That he had been unable to speak, even in an audible whisper, from the| aforesaid date, December 18, 1908, unntll the 7th day of February, 1911, at which time the power of speech was completely returned to him; and that he Is firmly of the opinion that the return was due to prayer offered in his behalf on that date, February V, by members of the Westminster Baptist church, during a series of revival services, conducted by the Rev. S. E. Stephens, assisted by the Rev. F. G. Lavender. That he requested tho special prayers, and that at their conclusion, immediately, his voice returned and he was able to return thanks to God, loudly singing His hymns. "Signed) T. D. Poore. "Sworn to and subscribed before mo this 2nd day of April, 1911. "E. M. Scott, "Notary Public for S. C. Physician's Testimony. "Personally appeared before me Burt Mitchell, M. D., of the town of Westminster, who, being duly sworn, says: That he la a practicing physiclan of 3 2 years' service, a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College, and that he has been treating Thomas Drayton Poore about five years, his first trouble being an acute attack of neuralgia. His second and last trouble was nervous Indigestion, which caused loss of voice. That Mr. Poore loet his voice about two or three years ago, and that his speech was returned to him during a religious service on February 7, 1911, when special prayers were offered that his vole? be returned to him. That it is his (deponent's) opinion that Mr. Poore's return of speech was due to hie strong faith in the Almighty. "(Signed) Burt Mitchell, M. D. "Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of April, 1911. "E. M. Scott, "Notary Public for S. C." (Minister's Deposition. "Personally appeared before me the Rev. F. G. Lavender, of the town of Westminster, who, being duly sworn, says: That he is the pastor of the new Westminster Baptist church, and that he was present at the service when Mr. Thomas Drayton Poore's power of speech was returned to him; that the return followed four especial prayers offered in behalf of Mr. Poore. That he (deponent) is firmly of the opinion that the return of voice was a direct answer to these prayers; that he has known Mr. Poore since he (deponent) came to Westminster, sixteen months ago, and that he had never heard Mr. Poore Bpeak prior to February 7, 1911. That no excitement existed in service prior to Mr. Poore's return of speech. "(Signed) F. G. Lavender. "Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day of April, 1911. "E. M. Scott, "Notary Public for S. C." The above are only a few specimens of testimonials that have been taken or that are available. They settle beyond controversy the fact of the occurrence. There may be "Doubting Thomases" who will refuse to believe. That is their prerogative. The fact remains Just the same. If they so desire let them make a journey to Westminster and there they may hear with their own ears what God hath wrought for those who believe His promises. The question of cause may be considered as still an open one. So was that of the miracles of old. However, those in the community who have carefully studied the matter, including some of the most conservative theologians of the country, say that it is the direct result of the attitude of belief on the part of God's people. They aver that this is an example 01 what the church might see today but for her belief. Prominent ministers are urging that it is not the limitation of God's power or willingness, but the limitation of the faith of His people that keeps the church today from saying in thousands of instances to her deaf and dumb, both physically and spiritually: "Epli-pha-tha* ? "Be thou opened." * First Bath in Years Fatal. Isaac Schneider took his first batn in two years in Philadelphia this week, and it killed him. He suffered from rheumatism and followed the advice of those who said avoid water for two years. Then he tried the fidvice of other friends. % WERE ALL DEAD ' : v K# Ltagcr Aa jIbpe if FijJei Aiy Victim Alive ia the Miae CAUSED BY THE ROWDER The Lives of One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Convicts, Working In an Alabama Mine, Snuffed Out by An Explosion on Last Saturday Morning Early. A dispatch from Littleton, Ala., says with the precision of clock-work the trained corps of rescuers is bringing a steady stream of bodies from the Manner mine of the Pratt Consolidated Coal Company in which Saturday's disastrous explosion occurred. It is believed tonight that 128 Is the exact number of victims. This figure was obtained after making a careful check of all the men who entered the mine Saturday morning. There is no longer any hope of finding men alive underground. Of this number five were free men, all the others convicts leased by the State. Of the 128 dead, only 14 were white. V V ri ..11 . J ,i _ nast* A# JLT. J. J. ivULitmgt? mm a. i;ai 1/ ui ten government rescuers were overcome by after-damp in the mine early Sunday morning, and for a time the lives of three of the party were despaired of. It was 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon when the rescuers were able to establish working conditions in the mine, and at 3:20 o'clock the first three bodies were brought to the surface. They were all negroes, George Lawson, Joo Brown and Arthur Welsh. Within two hour# ten more had been brought up, Including Le*? Jones and O. W. Spradling, both white. James Hillhouse, State mine inspector, expressed the belief that the mine would be cleared by morning. James Oakley, president of the State mine Inspection board, escorted the second party Into the mine, and when he returned he had no comment to make. He said a thorough investigation would be made into the cause of the explosion. The general belief is that powder caused the trouble, due principally to the fact that the greatest damage was at the point where the day's supply of powder was kept. When the rescuers asked for assistance company officials called for volunteers among the convicts, stating that no man ned go in if he were afraid. Sixteen of the negroes in stripes stepped forward in response tn the call and accomnanied Mr. Hill house and eix white men went underground. There are practically no mourners at Banner, none of the convicts having relatives near, but a few curious negro women stood around the opening and would break into a low mournful dirge-like chant when the bodies were brought up. Family Holds Corner on Officers. Only the efforts of one of the members of the family prevented the Wiese family from having a majority in the town council in the Elaright, la., town election. Two Wieses were elected and a third had been nomi?" A J 4- 4-Y%r\ /fair 4 r\ f\ 11 r*\r\ cr h i c Ilit(t'u, iiui B)mui niu vi?j iiiuuvuiB ???w friends to vote for his opponent, who was elected by a small majority. Mode Their Escape. Quick work on the part of the firemen subdued a threatening fire which broke'out Thursday in the plant of the White-Smith Music Publishing company on Stanhope street, Hoston, Mass. The loss is estimated at $50,000. Three or four girls who were on the fifth floor escaped over the roofs of tho adjoining buildings. Killed by Shock. Conductor P. C. Moore, running on tho interurban line between Anderson and Helton, was instantly killed late Thursday ight at Helton, while attempting to regulate the headlight on tho car on which ho ran. The body was taken to Anderson on the car, and prepared foi burial. * ? Cost Him $10 to Contemplate Suicide. John J. Reid, 4 0 years old, was fined $10 and costs in Chicago this *reek in the municipal court because he had contemplated suicide. Reid, who is a Scotchman and out of employment, was arrested after he had purchased a quantity of carbolic acid with the intention of killing himself. ? Followed His Victim. A Hickman, Ky., dispatch says that Jack McClain of Lynnville, Ky., who was recently arrested and placed it* jail there, being suspected of murdering his nephew, Andrew McClain, committed suicide in his cell Thursday by cutting his throat with a pocket knife. * Hull Kills a Man. Disregarding the warning that a .bull in the pasture was vicious William Payne, of Norristown, N. J., was gored and trampled to death this week. He had declared he could conquer any mad bull. WANT JUTE FREE TRUST TRY1NQ TO THROTTLE ALL COMPETITION. The Duty Proposed Would Suppress CslcutU, Dundee end Liverpool Jute Rugging Mills. To prevent the closing down, by the trust in this country, of every foreign mill manufacturing bagging for covering cotton, mill interests in this and other Southern States have petitioned congress at the 62d extraordinary session to place all bagging for covering cotton on the free list. A letter written to Senator Benjamin Ryan Tillman of South Carolina was given out Thursday. The letter follows: Hon. B. R. Tillman, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: Under paragraph 355 of the tariff act jute bagging is protect ed by a duty of six-tenths of one per cent and three-fourths of a cent per running yard, provided the bagging is composed of jute, jute butts or hemp. The manufacturers of bagging In this country not being satisfied with the tribute paid to It by the cotton farmers for the past fifteen years under the above tariff, recently made a test case to prove that foreign bagging contains some Jute mill waste or other fibre, and on that account is not entitled to entry as above, but must pay a duty of 45 per cent ad valorem. This will stop every Calcutta, Dun-dee and Liverpool mill now engaged in making bagging for shipments to this country for cotton. I I am led to believe that the mills in this country use other fibres than Jute in making their bagging, and it is evident that the intention of congress was simply to protect American made bagging by a three-quarter of a cent duty per yard and not by duty of 45 per cent, ad valorem, which these manufacturers now insist shall be paid on every yard of imported goods unless chemical and microscopic examination shows same to be absolutely pure jute, jute butts or hemp. With the foreign mills closed down the American manufacturers will soon have the cotton planters at their mercy, and it appears to us that now is the time for congress to act and see that justice is done to the planter and to the oil mills who use large quantitiee of bagging in packing their linters. Binder twine is admitted free of duty. This twine is made from the same stuff that bagging is manufactured from. Now why should the farmers who raise wheat and oats be exempted while the cotton planter is called upon to pay a heavy duty on his bagging as well as 13 1-2 cents per bundle on cotton ties? We hope that you will be able to place all articles used in covering cotton on the free list. Yours very truly, B. F. Taylor, President Interstate Cotton Seed Crushers' Association. In other States protests have been made to the present congress. The matter is one of grave importance affecting the cotton mills, the farmers and other interests wherever bagging is used for any purpose. The closing down of foreign mills, it is believed, would create an oppressive monopoly in this country that would operate against the farmers to a large extent. ? * Three Negroes Lynched. At Ellaville, Ga., Dawson Jordan, Charlie Pickett and Murray Burton, negroes, were lynched Saturday. They were accused of murdering Newton Eason, a white man on January 5. Jailer Cliff Bough was awakened by several men who told him they had a prisoner to place in jaid. He admitted them and was immediately overpowered and forced to unlock the cells containing the negroes. They were taken to the outskirts of the town, hanged and shot. Fell Seven Stories. Clyde Goldsmith, a negro, fell from the seventh floor of the Georgia Life building in Macon, Ga., this week, and is still alive at the hospital, though unconscious, with his skull crushed and one eye out, besides many bruises and some internal injuries. He crashed into several scantlings before striking the ground. Physicians cannot understand why he was not killed outright. Another Investigation. Senator La Follette introduced a resolution for another investigation of the Senator Lorimer case. It names as the committee of investigation Senator Works of California, Townsend of Michigan, McLean of Connecticut, Kern of Indianna, and Pomeren? of Ohio. No action was taken, as Senator La Follette intends IU n|/U?IV U1JL 111U I VOV/11IVIVU MiAVfvuv/* day. Wif? Slops With a Ka7x>r. Claiming that his wife, Mattie Ar' nold, sleeps every night with a razor under her pillow, and has threatend to use it on him if the occasion and ' the opportunity present themselves, William Arnold, a white man, of Ma- j con, Ga., has filed suit for divorce. In the meantime until the Judgment of the court is. announced, ho will 1 continue to live with his wife. SCORES PERISH I Miatrs Are Ought Like Rats ia a Trap u4 Lese Their Lives. ANOTHER MINE HORROR Fire and Gm Block Their Escape, and Without Warning Between Fifty and Sixty Men and Boys Meet Terrible Death in Pennsylvania Coal Mine Village. ??? One of the moat serious mine disasters of that section occurred Friday at the little village of Throop, a short distance from Scranton, Pa., when the lives of between fifty and alxtr men and boys were snuffed out. Among those known to have per| ished are Joseph Evans, who waa in charge of the United States mine re?cue car; laaac Da we, a fire bosa, and Walter Knight, a foreman. Evans' death was the result of a defective oxygen charged armoi. Charles Ensian, the expert in charge of the mine rescue work for the Federal Government, waa also overcome, and is said to be in a critical condition. Up to a late hour Friday night nearly two ecore of bodies have been piled at the bottom of the shaft, but it was thought advisable not to bring them to the surface until the crowd had dwindled. A temporary morgue haa been erected at the opening to the mine, and here were congregated hundreds of women and children, relatives of the men and boys fh> had been so suddenly snatched from thein. Their grief was pitiful, children of tender years clinging to the sk<rtB of their mothers, while older male members of the family sought to soften the anguish of the distracted mothers and sisters. None of the bodies recovered was mutilated, death doubtless having been caused by Inhaling flames and gases. The rescuers, are pushing into the mine, and it is thought all of the bodies will be rescued within a few hours. The Are started in an engine house at the opening of a slope 75 0 feet from the surface. There were 4 00 men in the mine when the flre started, about sixty of them in the workings, into which the slope led. The sixty were at work in a "blind" tunnel at the end of the slope. Escape was blocked by flre, smokt and the generated gases, possibly, before the men and boys realized their danger. James Vickers, a fire boss, tried to get to the tunnel where he knew many men were at work. He could go only a short distance before ht was forced to turn back, and it was with difficulty he dragged himself through the smoke at the point of the fire. He said no man could live five minutes In the tunnel he had tried to traverse. The United States miners on the car stationed at Wilkesbarre were summoned early in the afternoon and later the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western hospital car and the Lehigh Valley Company's force, from Wilkesbarre, came to the scene. The finding of three bodies led the rescuers to believe that no one was alive in the tunnel and they renewed the attack on the burning area to reduce the awful heat. When tlii& work had proved somewhat effective a corps of the expert rescue men, with the latest style rescue armor, pushed on into the slope and later came upon several bodies strewn along the roadway. The bodies were carried to the foot of the shaft and stacked up in plles? in the narrow space to be taken out after nightfall, so some of the horror would be hidden from distracted rei* atives of the victims. The colliery is owned and operated by the Price-Pancoast Coal Company, at the head of which is John R. Rryden, general manager of the Ontaria and Western collieries in this section. It is one of the largest and moat upto-date collieries in the region. ? ? ? Dog -Saves Roy. With a pet dog fighting to keep him from what appeared to be instant death by an enraged bull, Drowry Harroll, aged 16, of Waycross, Ala., escaped with lacerations of the arms and legs. The dog caught the hull by the nose and hung on until the boy was able to crawl to a place of safety. ?- ?i_ a / 1 NEGROES B TWO DEAD AND SIX INJUm. >f|PI HARTSVIIiLE IN A CAR. * While the Victims Are Sleep, Flame* Burst Forth?One of the Dead is Hartsvllle Man. One of the most horrible accidents that hare ever occurred In Hartsvlll* happened Saturday morning at 5 o'clock in the baggage coach of the negro show, "Silas Green," which was Biaeiracxea in tne Atlantic Coast Line yards. After closing an en-' ,?\agement of two days there, the troupe had packed and was ready ta leave when fire was discovered in the baggage car. In this car were eight negro men,five Shetland ponies, a horse, a mure, trunks and other paraphernalia. It* appears that the men, having worked hard, had fallen asleep. The doom of the car were closed, as a heavy rain had fallen during the night. Am the Are burned on the top and ob one side, a natural inference would be that the Are was caused from Ignited gas, but it is denied that there was any gas in the car. One man was taken from the car dead, being horribly burned about the face, hands and feet. One of tho injured, Willie Dundee, Hartsrille negro, died later. The others, six in number, were sent to the hospital at Sumter. All are very seriously hurt. Three are thought to be fatally injured. The physicians of the town have done all In their power to relievo the suffering of the Injured. The wounds have been carefully dressed, and It la hoped that threo will recover. It Is a pitiful sight. The face* of some are burned almost beyond recognition. Three of the Ave Shetland ponies are dead, and two are Injured. The ahow is entirely a negro aggregation. There are 4 0 In tho troupe, which has headquarters at Milwaukee, Wis. The owner la Ephrlam Williams, the business manager R. C. Puggsley. The show travels In two earn, anil its exhibits, consisting mostly of minstrel numbers and acting pontes takes place in a large tent. It has been well received in the towns visited. The show came here Thursday morning from Darlington, and was to have appeared in Timmons- % ville tonight and Florence Monday i and Tuesday. Wha teffect the loss, amounting to about $1,500, and the death and so* 1 1 1 _ M 1 ? At At- - noun injury or several or cne employes will have on the show Is not known. Much sympathy is felt her# for tbe sufferers. ? ? e HOOKWORM IN GEORGIA. Hoard of Health Finds 5,000 Cases Under Treatment. Hookworm disease has been found in 127 out of 14 6 counties in Georgia, according to statements of officials at the offiec of the state board of health. Director A. G. Fort, of the field sanitation department of the board, stated the board has records of more than 5,0 00 cases which are now under actual treatment in Georgia. This, it is said, is only a small per- ' centage of the actual number of cases of the disease in various tages in the state. The extent and seriousness of the disease is nowhere realized except by the officials of the board and the physicians who come into actual contact with it. ? Tried to Blow Up Buildings. A bold attempt was made last week to destroy the tower of the new million-dollar group of municipal buildings at Springfield, Mass. A charge of dynamite or gun cotton was exploded at the base of the structure, tearing a hole through the brick wall three feet thick and shattering windows in every building for blocks. No ono was hurt. The actual damage was small. niunuTor s /isiicH niuini, Vandals have stolen a large portion nf tho flsbPR nf Sfovo Riifdr*. who wj~m* 1 hanged in the Allegheny county, Pa., jail, last week, for the murder of Mrs. Agnes Dam boy, of iMcKees Rocks, Pa., with whom he boarded, i and whoso body, following ,the fail- s ure of friends to claim it, was cremated. ] ? ? Swallows Hatpins. < Accidentally swallowing four black-headed hatpins perhaps four Inches in length, Miss Pernice Hillis, aged 17, of Peoria, 111., Is in the hospital in that city and may die. She had placed the pins in her mouth. Then she tripped on a rug and swallowed them. ? ^ 0 I Finds Brother in a Cell. , While inspecting the penitentiary in L<ansing. Ky.. Mrs. E. C. Smith, ot New York city, came face to face with a brother she had not seen in 14 years, lie was sentenced to prison for one year, six years ago, but he learned to like the place so well he will stay there as long as he lives. Cost Woman to Kick Cripple. (Kicking a 160-pound hunchback from a doorstep is an expensive pasttime, as Mrs. Catharine Zimmerman, of New York city, has discovered. Justice Maddox awarded a verdict of $7?r>0 to I.Puis Schwab, the recipient of the kick. ? 0 flanged on a Swing. S. R. Neeley's 14-year-old daughter nr?pMor?tnllv hnncod herself in a swing rope at her home in Shubuta, Miss. Her body was found in such position It was evident she caught in a loop in the rope and strangled ciulckly. Town Cleared of Negroes. As a result of the murder of William Devino at Muddy, 111., by a negro, Alexander Dixon, the whites of :hat mining town have driven all negroes away. The removal of the negroes restored order.