Virginia Angel Story Brings Minister Here

Rev. S. Mortenson, pastor of an Adventist church of Chicago, is in Virginia to investigate a story recently printed in a range newspaper to the effect that an angel was seen to float over the city in the South Mesaba district and alight on the roof of a Finnish boarding house, where it remained for a time before vanishing into air.

Mr. Mortenson visited several people yesterday who were supposed to have information on the apparition. He had received a letter from a well-known Virginia young woman authenticating the newspaper story and declares it might not be impossible. He is interested, he says, for the reason that if it can be developed beyond reasonable doubt that a heavenly visitor was seen here by several people it may presage the second coming of Christ and the approach of the millennium, in accordance with the tenets and belief of the Adventist faith.

“The first coming of Christ,” said Mr. Mortenson yesterday “was preceded by signs such as this and with his second coming and the approach of the millennium there will be other signs of a like nature. I am here to seriously investigate this matter, not from idle interest but to develop whether or not there is a probability of its truth.” Mr. Mortenson expects to spend several days here and at Mountain Iron.

Several young women of the city are steadfast in stories to the effect that they witnessed the heavenly messenger. The incident has been much discussed about the city for some weeks past. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, July 31, 1914

WOMAN SCALDED TO DEATH BY ‘WATER CURE’

Cold Water Faucet In Bath Fails to Work

 MINNEAPOLIS, July 10—Scalded fearfully by the carelessness of a nurse in giving a “water cure” at the Fergus Falls state hospital for the insane, Mrs. Hilda Moline died after five days of suffering, according to a report just given out at the hospital. Her body has been sent to Alexandria, her former home, for burial.

FAUCET FAILED TO WORK

The nurse, it is explained, turned on both hot water and cold faucets in the bathtub in which the woman had been placed for treatment, but the cold faucet did not work properly, and the hot water came in too fast. The water treatment is often given, it is admitted, in cases where patients are unmanageable. Immersion in warm water serves to quiet the nerves, and sometimes effects a cure of violent cases. In the case of Mrs. Moline, it failed to work properly.

NURSE IS DISMISSED

The nurse who gave Mrs. Moline the bath has been dismissed, according to Dr. C. C. Burlingame, first assistant physician at the hospital. “We held her here,” said Dr. Burlingame, “until the authorities had opportunity to question her and see whether she would be wanted. She was questioned by the coroner, who decided not to proceed further, and we let her go.

ACCIDENT IS EXPLAINED

“The water used in the treatment is supposed to be tepid, but in this case the city water pressure, which furnished cold water, had failed. The hot water comes from our own tank. The nurse had placed the woman in the tub and turned on both faucets. She did not know the water was coming on hot until the tub was full. She immediately drew off the water and turned on cold, and everything was done for the poor woman, but it was too late.” The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, July 10, 1914

BOLT KILS MAN IN HIGH STEPLE

Rainy River Man Is Lightning Victim in Baudette Church Tower

BAUDETTE, Minn., July 2—Albert Morisette of Rainy River, who had the contract for the erection of the new steeple and gallery for the Sacred Heart church here, was struck by lightning during the storm here Tuesday. He lived a few minutes after the crash, dying in the arms of Father Bossus.

Mr. Morisette had gone to the tower to gather his tools preparatory to going to his home, when the storm, which had threatened all the morning, caught him in the steeple near the iron cross. It was the only bolt of lightning which occurred during the storm. The church was damaged to the extent of $200. Mr. Morisette’s clothing was on fire. The bolt passed the entire length of his body. When found, he was in a sitting position.

He leaves a wife and two small children and other relatives who reside in Rainy River.

MANY CHILDREN ESCAPE

Had the storm been an hour earlier in the morning, there would have been twenty-five small children in the church receiving instructions for their first communion on Sunday.

The priest’s house was damaged some by the bulging of the walls and plaster falling. People living near the church received some of the shock. The Virginia Enterprise— Friday, July 3, 1914

NEGRO WOMAN TRIES SUICIDE

Mrs. Frank Shirley, negress, about 30 years old, attempted suicide this morning at her apartments over the Virginia restaurant when she drank half a small bottle of carbolic acid. Her husband at once summoned medical attendance for her and two physicians worked over her for the better part of an hour and succeeded in restoring her. She was badly burned about the face and mouth.

Mrs. Shirley bought the drug at the Red Cross pharmacy this morning. She is a regular customer of the place and when questioned this morning as to what she intended to sue the drug for gave a good reason.

Domestic trouble is said to have prompted the woman’s act. She was resting easily at noon and will recover. The Virginia Enterprise— Friday, July 17, 1914

KINDNAPPED BOY MAY BE FOUND NEAR THE FALLS

Arrest of Charles Hugo May Result In Discovery of Hiding Place of Sampson Boy

LAD DISAPPEARED FROM HOME THREE YEARS AGO

A veil of sorrow that has hung over the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Sampson of Chisholm for three years, may be lifted soon if a hunch which the local deputy sheriffs have proves correct.

Three years ago, the 11 year-old son of the Sampsons disappeared and has not since been heard from. It is said that he was last seen in the company of a trapper and shacker named Charles Hugo who disappeared just as mysteriously as the boy.

Yesterday a trapper named Charles Hugo was arrested and brought into International Falls charged with having killed a moose. He is supposed by the local deputies to be the same person who strolled off with the Chisholm lad. The local authorities have wired to the police at International Falls to hold the prisoner until he can be positively identified.

In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Sampson are undergoing a severe nervous strain occasioned by the suspense. They are eager to know if this is the same Charles Hugo who brought so much grief into their lives and robbed their home of the bright boy they so dearly loved. If it is, they desire to learn if the lad is still living or dead, and if still alive, where he can be found. The heart-broken mother has prayed daily for the return of her son, and now believes that her supplications are about to be rewarded. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, June 12, 1914

CHISHOLM MEN ARE BOUND OVER

Are Accused of Having Blown Up Popcorn Wagon With Dynamite

Alexander Corroddi and Clement Ressattifi, residents of Chisholm, who have been bound over for trial in district court on an charge of having blown up a popcorn and peanut wagon owned by I. E. Folsom, were taken to Duluth yesterday and placed in the county jail to await trial.

Folsom, in his complaint, states that he had left his wagon on one of the principal thoroughfares of Chisholm on the evening of last June 14. When he returned the next day, his wagon was gone. An investigation developed the fact that two men had planted three sticks of dynamite under the vehicle the previous night, blowing it to atoms. No part of the portable store was to be found. Suspicion pointed to Corroddi and Resatti and their arrest followed. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, July 3, 1914

THE FERGUS FALLS AFFAIR

The effort of a local contemporary to belittle the case of the woman patient who died as a result of the scalding she received at the Fergus Falls State Hospital for the Insane, makes it necessary to refer again to a subject which makes far from pleasant reading for the people of this community.

One reads in the columns of our esteemed neighbor that “in the main, the stories of the death of Mrs. Bolin have been distorted.” A public charge died in a public institution as a result of gross carelessness and neglect. It is not necessary to “distort” such a case; neither is it possible to belittle such an awful death.

An effort is also made to hold a “green” nurse responsible, and let those who are really to blame slip from under public censure. But who can pretend that a rural school teacher, placed in charge of bathing and feeding five insane patients at one and the same time, should be left utterly alone, without even the presence of an experienced nurse? Yet in her statement, Miss Korth said:

My experience in the “tub” room consisted of less than one day before the accident. I had no coherent or intelligent instructions regarding operations of the different faucets and water appliances in the “tub” room. Furthermore, at the time the accident happened, I was alone in the room with five tubs, four of which contained patients. The fifth I was busy preparing for another patient.

After the accident, Miss Korth says that she called for help, that the head nurse and others came in, and that “we took Mrs. Bolin out and gave her medical attention? Was there no staff physician on duty for an emergency case of so awful a nature? No; even Dr. G. O. Welch, the superintendent, let this fact out. He said: “I was away from the hospital proper at the time, and none of the other physicians were around.”

Apparently, no one was around at the time this helpless woman was being cooked to death, except a novice in charge of giving extreme treatment to violent patients after less than one day’s experience. Accordinly, it is wise public policy to belittle the whole affair, and make a great ado as to the difference between a canvas sheet and metal sheet, and as to whether or no the poor creature screamed or did not scream.

But the point is, she died.—Minneapolis Journal. The Virginia Enterprise—Friday, July 17, 1914