The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-11-09
Strange ylallucination,


hallncination to which the human
nirJ is somctimts subject, came to
Iour knowledge a few days. since in
such u manner IA TO leaye little
doubt nf its truth'nlrrss, aud under
ieu:h circumstances as to make i,
worthy of mention. The case in
question was that OF a monomaniac
Tor hc can I've called by no othel
name, who hns for several month";
been engaged in the pursuit Of for.
tune through the medium Of chem.
islry and alchemy, in the effort to
convert into prccions stones some OF
the cl ar, hint.likc agntes and cor.
iians of the Lake Supvriorrcgion.
The operator is a Chemists Clerk
who came here from New York. .-'
!. Ills name is james Huss, and he is
a Prnssian by birth, silent. morose
man, Of uDcongenial and solitary
disposition. Ii seems tha while
operating in his employers labora-
tory in New York, he made accident
al discoveries which led him to be-
lieve that orr native hints agaics
and comedians could he crystalizcd,
Ipurifed, and hardened to such an
extent as to make them OF a con
sistrncc nearly il not quite equal TO
the diamond, both in point Of brill
liancy and hardness. lie came here
eeven months ago, bringing with
him about 81 900 Of hard earned
saviuge, ard eUS h;.-o.ir "L"~t Ahs
realization OF his chimera. Visiting
the Lake Superior regions, he spent
two months in collecting specimens,
travelling on foot over the mountains
and along the beach, and sleeping
in blanket by night. He returned
with the finest collection Of native
stones that ever was brought from
Lake Superior, built his furnace in
and old house in the upper part o.
the city. near the outskirts, and
alone and unattended bent over the
fires, mixed his chemicals, and
watched day and night iorthc results
No one ever had access TO the house
and an inscparable air Of mystery
always surrounded it, and but for {
!. very atural accident the occupation
OF its inmate probably never woulc
have been known.
One day last week. some boys
playing around the house, discovered
smoke issuing from the crevicos ii
the window. shutters, and gave the
alarm. There was nobody near bu
some women belonging to the fam
lilies Of labores who were absent, anC
these, by the aid Of heavy sticks
and cordwood, burst the door open
!, and found u fire gaining rapid head
way in one corner OF the solitar,
, room which the house contained -
This WAS easily eXtinguished, whei
, the inmate was found lying on tn,
, floor on a pile of straw asleep
Overcome by the fatigue and watch
= ing, he had fallen asleep while wait
ing for his chemicals to mix in {
, crnciblc over furnace, and the tir,
, had communicated with some char
coal lying near by, and consumed {
considerable portion of the floor
lie was nearly stupcfed by III,
charcoal gas and the clouds OF smuk
that filled the house. Withou
, vouchsaling any thanks, he ordeIe,
the interlopers all out OF doors, an,
closed up the house People begal
to suspect counterieiting operations
and in the cvcEing he was visited b,
a number Of his neishbors, vii,
again burst his door in and demand
ed an explanation. lie gave it =
/, showed his apparatus his che icals
\ hydraulic hand press, and halt
bnshcl ,r more OF disintegratc'
agatcs some Of which were burned
, others showing the action OF acid
which seemed to have eaten ont tn
, impurities and left tho flint rs clea
and transparent as crystal, whicI
was. doubtless. the nearest he ha'
. come 10 the perfection OF the spark
ling diamond. lie was irritater
beyond measure by the intrusion
and showed no civility. He shove,
the last map out Of doors with ;
iorce, which sent him reeling dowr
the steps, locked his door, and thu
next ;norning was gone, leaving nC
trace except few smoked brick
which had composed his little fur
mace, and the pile OF straw whicl
had made his bed.