Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-07

From the Hartford Press.
Strange HuIIucinatiOn--A Mysterious Al
chemist In Pursuit of Fortune.


Strange HuIIucinatiOn--A Mysterious Al
chemist In Pursuit of "a Fortune.
A very singular instance of the haucina
ton to which the human mind is sometimes
subject came to our knowledge few days ago
in such manner as to leave little doubt Of its
truthfulness, AMI under such circumstances as
TO make it worthy of mention. The case in
question is that of monomaniac, for he can
be called by no other name, who has for sew
eral months been engaged in the pursuit of Il
fortune through the medium OF chemistry and
alchemy in the effort TO convert into precious
stones some of the clear, flint like agates and
comedians of the Lake Superior region. The
operator is a chemists clerk, who came here
from New York. His name is James Huse,
and he is a Prussian by birth, silent, morose
man, Of uncongenial and solitary disposition.
1t seems that while operating i'll his employ
er's laboratory in New York he made some
accidental discoveries which led HIM to be-
lieve that our native hints, agates and cornell
ians could be crystalized, purified, and harden
ed to such an extent as TO make them OF a con-
sistcnce nearly if not quite equal 10 diamonds,
both in point of briiancy and hardness. He
came here seven months ago, bringing with
him about $1,000 of hard.earned savings, and
set himself about the realization of his CHI
mera. Visiting the Lake Superior regions he
travelling on foot over the mountains and
along the beach, and sleeping in a blanket by
night He returned with the finest collection
of native stones ever brought FROM Lake Su-
periOr, built his furnace in an old house in the
upper part of the city, near the outskirts, and
alone and unattended bent over the fires,
mixed his chemicals, and watched day and
night for the results. No one ever had access
to the house, and an inseparabe air of mys
terry always surrounded it, and but for very
natural accident the occupation OF the in.
mate probably never would have been known.
One day last week, some boys, playing
around the house. discovered smoke issuing
from the crevices in the window shutters, and
gave the alarm. There was nobody near but
some women belonging to the families of la
boreIs who were absent, and these, by the aid
of heavy sticks and cord wood, burst the door
open, and found a fire gaining rapid Roadway
in one corner OF the solitary room which the
house contained. This was easily eXtnguished,
when the inmate was found lying on the floor
on pie of straw, fast asleep. Overcome by
fatigue and watching, he had fallen asleep
while while waiting Tor his chemicals to mix
in cruclble over a furnace, and @tle fire had
communicated with some charcoal lying near
by, and consumed considerable portion Of
the floor. He was nearly stupefied by the
=
the house. Without vouchsafing any thanks,
he ordered the interlopers all out of DOORS
and closed up the doors. People began TO
suspect counterfeiting operations, and in the
evening he was again visited by a number of
his neighbors, who again burst his door in
and demanded an explanation. He gave it
showed his apparatus, his chemicals, a by.
drauIic hand press, and hall a bushel or more
or dsintegrated agates, some of which were
burned, others showing the action Of acids,
which seemed to have eaten out the impurities
and left the flint as clear aud transparent as
crystal, which was, doubtless, the nearest he
had come to the perfection of the sparkling
diamond. He was irritated beyond measure
by the intrusion, and showed no civity. He
showed the last man out of doors with force
which sent him reeling down the steps, locked
his door, and the next morning was gone,
leaving no trace except a few smoked bricks
which had composed his little furnace, and the
pile of straw which had made his bed.
Whether he has gone to some more undis-
turbed locality TO pursue his chmera, or given
it up and ret2rned to the world and common
sense can only be surmised. He was evident.
ly wrapped up in delusion which absorbed
every faculty and swallowed up all reason.
seemed to be sensible on all other topics, and
gave his name and told his story in perfectly
rational manner.