New Britain herald., 1930-08-20
AIMEE M'PHERSON
 DEVASTATING MA
Secretaries Say Evangelist Is Blind-DOCtOr COnradiCtS

Los Angeles Aug. 20 (UP) - AL though suffering from a serious ner- Vous breakdown, Mrs. Aimee Semple McPherson admitted newspapermen to her sick room today to deny the story that she had knocked her mother down in a quarrel.
 T never would strike mother, neVer! cried the evangelist. We did have slight argument, but mother received the broken nose when she threw herself face down. ward on the floor in a tantrum.
 The argument was the result of some unkind remarks mother was said to have made about Angelus Temple employees"
 The injury received in the quarrel sent the evangelists mother, Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, to a hospital.
 Though nervous and at times Verging on the point of hysteria, the evangelist did not appear to be "dy- ing" as bulletins posted last night at Angelus Temple reported.
 Ordered Quiet
 Mrs. McPherson saw reporters against the advice of her physician, who had ordered her to remain quiet"
 Also in apparent disregard of the "quiet" order, Mrs. McPherson's s rented cottage was ablazc with lights long after midnight. Temple followers. private guards and nurses walked back and forth through the house.
 When reporters finally were ad- mitted, they saw a handsome, black haired, black moustached young man walking about the house in brightly lowered pajamas. His presence was not explained.
 Devoted followers of the four square" gospel prayed today for the recovery of their leader from her nervous breakdown.
 Uncontrolled by a physician S statement that the evangelists con- dition was not so alarming as re- ported. secretaries of Mrs. McPher- son maintained that she was blind and critically ill
 Throughout the night hundreds of persons inquired about her condi- ton, and were asked to continue in ernest prayer
 Today at Angelus Temple they read the following bulletin
 Sister is blind. No marked i'm provement. Suffering greatly. Please continue in earnest prayer"
 l1 hor covered with bandages soaked in soothing liniments as a means of re- leving eye strain. However there was little evidence to support a statement of Miss Emma Schaeffer, secretary. that her face looked just like death.
 Predicts Recovery The physician who examined Mrs. McPherson, however, was of the opinion her recovery would be fair ly rapid.
 She is not dying and she is not tlind," said Dr. Edward H. Williams. Her eyes are partly closed and badly strained as result of her nervous breakdown. She will be all right with two weeks of rest" Nevertheless. many who have been comforted by the evangelist said prayers last night and resumed them today in the hope Mrs. McPherson soon would be restored to health.
 The new bulletin at Angelus Temple was signed by Miss Harriet Jordan, assistant to Mrs. McPher- son.
 In addition to Miss Jordan, Miss Emma Schaeffer and Miss Mae Wal dron, both trusted secretaries, in sisted that Mrs. McPherson's condi- ton was critical.
 Calls Her "Near Death"
 Miss Schaeffer, who was at the beach with Mrs. McPherson four years ago when the evangelist as sertedly was kidnapped, declared that Mrs. McPherson was near death and blind It was she who first an nouced Mrs. McPherson's purported loss of sight.
 Miss Waldron supported Miss Jor- dan and Miss Schaeffer by declaring that Mrs. McPherson was in an hy- sterical condition and appeared to be sinking rapidly.
 Tt was the continuation of ser les of minor incidents" Mrs. Ken nedy said in explaining the trouble with her daughter.
 T came to the temple to help sis ter because the business affairs were getting out of hand. She was always a great evangelist you know, but she hnc an.
 T told sister, I'll be the Mussolini of business and you run religion
 T worked things into good shape at once, but I made enemies of some of sisters friends. We had a num- Der of arguments and then one day she called me to her office. She was furious and after some words she struck me on the nose. The next thing I knew l was on the floor.
 Opens New Church
 q had to go to Olympia, Wash tngton, to see about opening a new church but when I came back l en- tered the hospital to have my nose fixed.
 T held up my entry to the hospital hecause I knew sister was having her face lifted the same as had done before.
 We both had face lifts There is nothing wrong with that, is there Sister will tell you about hers if you ask her"
 The titan haired evangelist was closely guarded at her Mallbu cot tage by a group of followers "desig- mated" to the task by Miss Schaef- fer.
 . Sister has been working herself to death," Miss Jordan declared Nobody outside the temple knows