, 1858-04-16
Sill Il Goes.


, Some Of our readers will remember q
humorous description of 'perpetual-mo-
ton y machine which was published in our
columns near four years since, and went the
rounds Of the papers The machine was
invented by Mr.. Jas. g. Hendrickson, OF
Freehold, Monmouth county, n. j. The
power was very slight, being obtained by
the use Of arms and balls attached TO
cylinder, and so contrived as to keep the
extra weight all on one side, and give the
cylinder constant inclination to turn
round. Mr.. Hendriekson was a very plain
countryman, who had whitfield away for
forty years at this machine, amid the jeerS
and SCOTS of neigIbors and acquaintances,
aud who was of course not a little proud
of bis success. Ours was the first public
notice of his invention, but it soon attract
cd the attention Of the curious, and be was
invited to exhibit it at Raritan, N. j. The
occasion, if VIC remember right, was large
gathering of people during the progress Of
an Agricultural Fair. The incredulity Of
his own countrymen, however, was more
than match for him. He was surrounded
by set Of people who contended that the
motion he claimed was On impossibility, and
that he was an impostor Poor Hendriek-
son was no orator, and his assailants were
clamorous and loud spoken; but he pointed
silently to his machine, which was enclosed
in glass, and when the philosophers said
that his claim was ridiculous, and that
machine could not "gO of ITSELF" be could
only reply, "But it does CO." One would
have supposed that the fact should have
been sufficient to upset the old theory; but
the Jersey Blues were as stubborn as the
noted disputant whose speech upon such an
occasion, $50 much the worse for the facts"
is now famous in history, and they cling 10
their theory, in the face Of the demoAstra-
tion.
They went farther and in spite Of perss-
cution as bitter as that which moved the
Jesuites against Galileo, arrested Mr.. Hen
Erickson for trickery and juggling, under
the act for suppressing vice aud immorali-
ty, charging him with moving his machine
by concealed spriDgl He was according
ly tried for this offence, before Justice
Bodle, Of Keyport. Mechanics, engineers,
shipwrights, aud all the experts Of Jesey
gave testimony as to the impossibility OF
such ON invention as he claimed, and their
belief that hidden spring, or some piece
Of ingenious machinery, was contained IN
the cylinder. At last the axe was applied,
aud the machine split 10 pieces, when lol
there was no concealed spring--no rogue
ry--and the machine, despite the philoso-
piers, had gone of iiselfD The men Of
science gulped down their disappointment,
and disappeared from the courtroom, and
poor Hondrickson aud the fragments Of bis
machine were kindly discharged with the
verdict, mo cause Of action" The scence,
when he returned to bis home that night,
with the broken relics Of his discovery in,
bis hands, and gazing upon them in sad dis
appointment, must have been worthy Of the
canvass Of a master painter. tr 4 fQf
Since that trial we had lost sight Of him;
but two or three days ago, he came into
the Office with the same patient, thoughtful
face. aud holding in bis hand the old inven-
tion in a new dress He has made ii this
time Of brass ribs, 50 that there Is nothing
concealed, and no place for concealmenti
and, in spite Of tho Jersey prosecutors, u
iciH gOi He has attached to il q simple
clock, and this machine furnishes the motive
power. How far this power canbe exiend-
ed It is not for Us to say; bat We must be-
lieve our eyes, aud we once more assert
that the machine will "go ofitself. ."-Jour-
nal of Commerce. ''-ai ~ -i''s'.'