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MG 1 vol 2124 number 172a pencilled in MacMechan Collection

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
CHRONICLE BUILDING

HALIFAX, N.S.

Testimony Regarding Rumours.

Testimony of Blakely, Confectioner, Spring Garden Road.

An unknown man came into the house of his next-door neightbour Mrs. Cox, 66 Charles St. and told her that Halifax would be gassed on December 20th. She was very much alarmed, and ran into Mr. Blakely's house. Too excited to remember details.

Testimony of Bishop Worrel, as to first source of rumour.

A man in a comatose state in a Hospital became conscious for an instant, and asked the nurse if it was the 20th. On being told that it was not, he cried. "Thank God, then it has not happened yet," Immediately he became unconscious again.

As to the rumoured magazine explosion of December 6th, the Archbishop said that he had heard that it was largely a pretext employed by a sailor to divert the crowds which were flocking towards the Dock Yard and the devastated area.

Revised December 22.

J. H. Mitchell.