The Portland daily press., 1899-04-04
HEALING IN HIS BREATH.
The Alleged Remarkable Power of I
Fireman In an Ohio city.
(From the Cincinnati Enquirer }

Colu bus, March 25. An occult power
is attributed to "whitey" Davis, one
of the members OF the Columbus Fire
department. BY the Use Of a mysterious
charm, which he claims Is Of Indian
origin, he is able to stop the flow Of blood
from wounds and to absolutely cure pain,
even that resulting from severe burns.
Davis's mysterious powers have been
thoroughly tested and have never failed.
But he will offer no explanation Of the
manner In which he works the wonders
attributed to him.
The latest example Of Dav ISIS power 90.
Cured on Thursday evening OF this week.
Little Edna Walls, the 4-year-old daugh.
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. John Walls of $50
West Second Avenue, in Columbus, was
playing about the open CRATE while her
mother was preparing the bed for her re-
ception. In some manner little Edna got
too close to the fire, and the skirts Of her
dress caught. In moment she was en-
| veloped in flames. The body OF her dress
was OF flannel. a d did not burn rapidly.
| To that fact she owes her life But her
collarette ami apron were of light intlam-
mable cotton. and the flames curled high
above her head.
When Mrs. Walls had extinguished the
| flames she found her dariings lace had
| been burned IN such horrible fashion that
IL was almost unrecognizable. The eyes
had been spared, happily, but 1t was
feared that the child would die simply
| from the pain of the wounds. The Wnlls
home Is near the house of the North
Columbu Fire COMPANY, aud there the
distracted mother sent Tor help. DAVIS
| responded he took the screaming child
xaI har da
and muttered cultural words in an un-
dertone. Little Edna's pain seemed to be
lesse ned, and though she still suffered II
was noticeaoiy abated. Davis repeated
the perform ance, passing his hands
gently over the charred surface and NUT
tering his charm. In i've minutes the
child was asleep AMI breathing calmly,
her pain and suffering forgotten.
At this point the physician who had
been called arrived, but declined TO do
any thing for the child. "She's doing
we'll enough" he declared, and beyond
applying few simple lotions he left no
medicines Mrs. Wallis hands,had been
burned in exiting aishing the flames upon
ths child, however, and them he treated.
Today the ohild's wounds are safely heal
ing, and she has never suffered u recur-
rence Of pain. On the other hand, her
mother is constantly suffering from the
healing burns. Davis has never tried the
DdRlC VI HCoihk ot
This Is by no means an isolated In
sta nee of Davis's powers. AS member
OF fire con, pnny he frequently has oppor-
tunity to heal burns and cuts Tor his
con. panions. He has never failed. A cut
from which blood flows in streams yields
to his soft breathing and m uttered charm.
The blood dries up, and though the
wound remains open, it heals as II by
some magic influence. The man himself
is apparently impervious to pain. AT the
recent fire in Columbus, ut which VI OOO,
600 worth of property was sacrificed to the
demon of the flames, Davis ieli from the
seat of the wagon on which he was going
tn the fire. The rear wheel of the heavy
engine passed over his body. but the VIC
tim spraug to his feet, dashed after the
wagon and managed to regain his seat.
7 he machine weighed $500 pounds and
the wheel had passed over the small OF his
back. But 1t did not phase the plucky
little fireman.
Davis is small of stature, being 1.2
feet tall and weighing abont 1875 pounds.
His black eyes and hair lend credence to
the tales OF his companions, who assert
that he Is of Indian ancestry. This belief
is untounded, however, as he comes from
the purest Welsh blood. Assistant Chief
jenkins Daniels of the ire Department.
is one OF his closest friends and a firm
believer In his powers. peculiar thing
about Davis's power Is that 1t has no ap-
parent dependence upon the subject.
Whether the one who asks that his pain
be- relieved believes in Davis's power or
not makes no difference. A few muttered
words. a soft breath and caress of
Davis's hands and the work Is done, the
ain is stopped and the blood ceas TO
flow.
Davis's powers have been we'll known
in his circle of friends in the past, but
have never been brought to the attention
of the public lefore. As result of his
most recent achievements, however, the
Ply sicians' Association Of this city has
been informed OF his ability and may ask
him to submit to "a test in the future.