Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-12
STILL IT GOES,

Some of our readers will remember a humor-
GUS description Of perpetual-motion" ma
chinerhich was published in our columns near
four years since, and went the rounds of the
papers. The machine was invented by Mr.. j as.
u. HendricksOn, of Freehold, Monmouth eoun-
ty, 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 one side, and give the cylinder
constant inclination to turn round. Mr.. Hen
Erickson was very plain eountryman, who
had whitfield away for forty years at this ma
chine, amid the jeers and SCOTS of neighbOrs
and acquaintances, and who was of course not
n little proud Of his success. Ours was the first
public notice OF his invention, but it soon at
tracted the attention of the curious and he was
invited to exhibit it at Raritan, N. j. The Oa-
casion, If We remember right, was a large gath
erins OF people during the progress of an Agri-
cultural Fair. The incredulity of his own cOun-
trymen, however, was more than a match for
him. He was surrounded by a set of people
who contended that the motion he claimed was
IN impOssibility, and that he was an impostor
Poor HendricksOn was no orator. and his assai
ants were clamorous and loud spoken; but he
pointed silently to his machine which was en-
closed In glass, end when the philosophers said
that his claim was ridiculous, and that ma
chine could not go of ITSELF he could only
reply, = But it does go" One would have sup
posed that the fact should have been sufficient
to upset the old theory; but the Jersey Blues
were as stu bborn as the noted disputant whose
speech upon such an occasian. 1" so much the
worse for the facts, is now famous in history,
and they cling to their theory, in the face Of the
demonstration.
They went farther, and in spite of persecution
as bitter as that which moved the JeSuits
against Galilec, arrested Mr.. Hendrickson for
trlckery and juggling, under the act for sup
pressing vice and immortality, charging him
He was accordingly tried for this offence, before
Justice Bodlc, Of keyport Mechanic, engi-
neers, shipwrights, and all the experts Of Jersey
gave testimony as to the impossibiIity of such
an invention as he claimed, and their belief
that hidden spring, or some piece of ingenious
machlnery, was contained in the cylinder. At
last the axe was applied, and the machine split
IN pieces, when To- there was no concealed
spring-no roguery-and the machine. despite
the philosophers, had " gone Of itself' The
men OF science gulped down their disappoint-
ment, and disappeared from the court t-room, and
poor Hendrickson and the fragments Of his ma
chine were kindly discharged with the verdict
= no cause OF action" The scene when he re-
turned 70 his home that night with the broken
relics of his discovery in his hands. and gazing
upon them IN sad disappointment must have
been worthy of the canvas of q master painter.
Since that trial we had lost sight of him :;
but, two or three days ago. he came into the
offics with the same patient, thoughtful face,
and holding in his hand the old invention in
new dress. He has made it this time of brass
ribs, so that there is nothing concealed, and no
place for cOncealment; and, in spite Of the
jersey prosecutors, tt tciU go He has at
tachsd to il a simple clock, and this machine
furnishes the motive power. How far this
power can be extended it is not for US to say !;
but we must believe our eyes, and we once
more assert that the machine will " go Of it.
self. "-JouTnai of COmn.eret.