Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-19
EV ENING STAR,
CAN A w0oDEEMAN BIZ MADE 10 WALK
AND TALKS

rOF SOIHe tlne past lt mas been report
ed that q wonderful achievement in'sci.
ence and art had been accomplished by a
mechanic of this city. lie had. in fact
invented an automaton that could walk
and talk. A number of gentlemen had
seen the figure operate exactly as de.
scrlbed by the inventor, but they were
inclined to think that there was coiIusion
in the case.
Yesterday afternoon we witnessed an
exhibition of the automaton in a private
room in Broadway. 1t was an awkward
looking thing, weighing, it was said,
three hundred and fifty pounds, with a
huge bronze head, a monstrous BODY
painted red, and short legs. The resem-
6lance to a man was very slight. It's
general appearance, we should say, was
more like that of a monster.
Upon Our entrance into the room in
company with several gentlemen, the
figure stood near the wall between two
windows. The operator read q descrip.
ton ef the invention, stating that it was
moved by machinery. Before he finished
reading, however, the automaton began
to vlbrate In very singular manner
lac motion continued some seconds, and
the spectator began to suspect that there
was somebody inside the monstrous sto-
mach of the figure. The machinery wst
wound up at last, and while the operate,
steadled the figure, it shuflled its elephant
feet along the floor for a short diStanc,
and then stopped.
The screws were put to the figure
again, and it backed towards the wall
at the same time lifting it's feet in tn
backward movement much better thar
going forward.
The operator then prepared the figur
Tor speaking, by the use of an air.puinp o
This, some of the lookers.on hinted wa.
to give air to the person concealed withir
the figure.
While the operator was proceeding
with his "pumpings," the gentlemen
closely scrutinized the automaton, il
order to detect any deception. Small
windows are placed in its body, to allow
view of the use Of the machinery in
side. But these appertures, anfortu
nately, though a person can see directly
through the body apparently in a straieh
line, do not throw any light into th
chamber. From these openings nothin.
can be determined as to It's mode of one
ration any more than by looking at tn
unslghtly exterior.
Barnum, of the Museum, two or thre
| other sEowmen, and several members o
the press were present. None Of them
it seemed, were favorably struck witt
the invention.
The greatest point was now to be set
tied. No one doubted that the figure ha,
walked. The operator seized the ri
pump, and moved some keys on the out
side of the body, when the figure said
with pauses between the words:
Ladies and gentlemen, you see befor
you triumph of science and art"
Many more words were spoken, but ",
could not understand them. The voic
seemed to sound as if proceeding from ;
living body through pipes. The operate
assured the spectators that any bod,
could make the figure speak, and tina
there was no colluSion Barnum move,
the keys and the figure answered, but a
&c could not see the interior be was no
satisfied. The impression Of those wh,
were present was that there was a MAJ
inside of the figure. If there is nothin,
OF the kind, the inventor ought not TO b
secret about its construction.-NelsI Ior,
EUening Post.