Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-01-27
A Perpetual Motion and No Mistake.

Tile New York Journal 6t Commerce of yes.
terday, paper nc: given l5-Veedali'y, publishe:
the following interesting account of perpetual
motion;
''Some of our readers will remember humor.
Gus description of q perpetual motion machine
which was published in our columns nearly four
years since, and went the rounds of the papers
The machine was invented by Mr.. James IT,
Hendrickson, of Freehold, Monmouth county,
n. j. The power was very slight, being obtain
by the use of arms and balls attached to cylin'
der, and SO contrived as to keep the extra weight
always one side, and give the cylinder constant
inclination to turn round. Mr.. Hendrickson was
very plain couDtryman, who had whitfield a.
way for 40 years at this machine, amid the jeers
and SCOTS of neighb0rs and acquaintance, and
who was of course not little proud OF his sue
cess. Ours was the first public notice OF his in
vention, but it soon attracted the attention OF
the curious, and he was invited to exhibit it at
Rartan, N. j. The occasion, if we remember
right, was large gathering of people during the
progress of an Agricultural Fair.
"The incredulity of his own countrymen, how
ever, was more than match for him. lie was
surrounded by set of people who contended
that the motion he claimed, was an impossibllity,
and that he was an impostor. Poor Hendrlck-
son was no orator. and his assailants were clam
orous 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 he could only reply, But it does go!--
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
dsputant whose speech upon such an occasion,
so much the worse for the facts, is now famous
in history, and they clung 10 their theory, in the
face of the demonstration. They went farther,
and in a spirit of persecution as bitter as that
which moved the Jesuits against GaleO, arrest
ed Mr.. Hendrickson for trickery and juggling,
under the Act for suppresSing vice and immor-
ality, charging him with moving his machine by
concealed spring. He was accordingly tried
for this offence before Justice Bodle, of Keyport
Mechanics, engineers, shipwrights, and all the
expert and malcontent philosophers of that part
of Jersey, gave testimony as to the impossibiiity
of such an invention as he claimed, and their be-
lief that hidden spring, or some piece of inge-
nous roguery, was contained in the cylinder
At last the axe was applied, and the machine
split in pieces, when 10 there was no concealed
sprng-no roguery-and the machine, despite
the philosophers, hGd gone of itself The men
of scierce gulped down their disappointment
and disal alpeared from the court room, and poor
Hendrickson and the fragments Of his machine
were kindly discharged, will the verdict mo
cause of action The scene, when he returned
to his home that night with the broken relics Of
his discovery in his hands, and sat gazing upon
them n sad disappointment, must have been
worthy of the canvas of master painter.
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, and hold
ing in his hand the old invention in new dress
He has made it this time of brass ribs, so thai
there is nothing concealed and no place for con
cealment; and in spite of the Jersey prosecutors
it wM go! He has attached to it q simple clock
and this machine furnishes the motive power
How far this power can be extended, it is mo-
for us to say; but we must believe our eyes, ant
we once more assert that the machine will &c
of ITSELF"