Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-02-20
CONCERNING VERMONT PEOPLE.
Vermont Healer who May Rival the
Famous Schiatter.


Jacksonville, a little village, with a pop
ulation, it may be, of 500, is just now at
tracing the attention Of hundreds of peo-
pie in the neighboring towns. says the
Brattleboro correspondent of the SPRING
field Republican, because of heralded cures
of her village blacksmith, Bradley c.
Newell, by the simple process of the lay
ing on of hands Marvellous stories are
told of his wonderful powers, the source
of which he does not attempt to explain,
save that he is impressed with the thought
that he Is commanded by some higher
power than his own to heal the sick. Hap
pening to be in Jacksonville this week and
moved by mere curiosity to visit this much
talked of man, the correspondent, ac-
companied by three of Brattleboro's well
known business men. strolled down 10
Newell's shop, about half a mile from the
village inn. Here we found his helper,
who directed us to the humble home of
Newell We were met at the door BY
man probably 30 years old, over six feet
tall. weighing over go pounds, erect and OF
splendid physique. He had black hair
and heavy black beard, large eyes and
pleasing face. He Informed us that he
was the one for whom we were looking.
| We We're invited TO take seats in the
kitchen, where the family had just par
taken of their dinner, Mr.. New
ell leaving the table to meet
/ patent, MT. lnuIDer VI
who with his wife and child had driven
several miles in hopes that he might get
some relief from a severe attack OF scla-
/ tea from which he had been a sufferer for
some time. Mr.. Thurber said that he had
never seen Mr. Newell before, nor did he
know anything about his gifts of healing
except what he had been told by neigh
| Dor who advised him to make the trip just
to see If anything could be done for him.
OF course we were interested in watching
/ the healer's process. lie frankly told the
patient that he might not be able to help
him in the least, II have been told, said
/ the healer "that / possess some powers 10
heal. but am sure don't know where 1t
comes from. / have treated many peo-
pie and many of them have told me That /
had cured them, but suppose cure some,
while there are some | do not cure. IT
you will stand up will try and see what /
can do" 1t was with difficulty that Mr..
Thurber got up from his chair after try
ing twice. and exhibiting unmistakable
signs of considerable pain. The healer
took the patients hands, while the fam
lilies of both men, together with the vis-
tors from Brattleboro, looked silently on.
In less than half a minute, 1t might have
been 10 seconds. he let go his hands ana
pleasantly said to his patient. sit down.
This he did with evident ease. do you
feel any pain" inquired the healer. Not
he felt of his hip and side as though his
old pain was difficult to locate We'll,
said Mr.. Newell, you please sit there until
| talk with these men in the next room
and will try it again before you CO.
lie then related to us how he was stand
Ing at the forge one day in August last,
when there came a whisper in his ear,
commanding him to so forth and heal. His
first subject was his wife, who had suf-
fered for years with dreadful headaches
which compelled her to 80 10 bed for sew
eral days at a time. He reasoned that II
he could cure disease. here was the place
to begin. lie tried his power, and to theii
great establishment, she Immediately got
, up free from headache, and they took
: journey together. Since that hour h,
} has been more deeply impressed with his
feeling that he had been given this power
, for some purpose unknown to him. posi-
bly, from God but he resolved to do what
he could to relieve suffering humanity
: and he has treated nearly 1000 cases, al
5 with more or less success, fact which Is
/ fully confirmed by scores of people II
Nottingham and adjoining towns. :"
3 can't attempt to explain this power" h
1 said II have no particular sensation
D when taking hold of the hand OF a pa
tient. nor do know why take hold of thu
, hand. simply / suppose because some
/, thing tells me to do 1t that way. and do
IN L.
: believer in Splritualism for | know littl
t or nothing about 1t. Some say 1t is mes
. merism, others that 1t Is electricity: per
:. haps so, but can't explain II, for | know
! nothing about either am not an edu
: Gated man, and have read very little, onl.
t books that treat on my particular bushes
: that of a blacksmith. l love my trad
It and intend to stick to 1t. and II / can d
It anybody any good, IL they will come to me
will do 1t. have charged nothing S
}. far for treating my neighbors. though
t. some have insisted on paying a little.
want to stay right here In my native tow
o which / love. and I should be unwilling t
|. go about healing unless was commando
q to do So"
= Edgar Fuller president of the Whining
n ton savings bank. brought his wife to Sc
7. Newell She had been on crutches fou
= years from an injury In being thrown fror
70 q sleigh. 1t was with difficulty that sh
q went about on crutches. After one treat
IA ment she walked out of the house and &c
l. into the wagon unattended, a thing, he
It husband said. he had not seen her do 10
4 four years Newell has not seen her sine,
but 1t Is reported that the cure is perma
- nent.
% Miss Laura Alvord. who died In Brook
n lyn, N. y. at the age of 90 years, wa
n buried IN Rutland last week. She was tn
NJ sister OF the late Gen. Benjamin Alyort
e. who was for 25 years paymaster in tn
,e United States army. She, was the las
n survivor of once prominent family |
4 that city. RI