The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-07-01
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THE WORLD ON FIRE.
A Alleged veracl0us History.
a Mountain Lake C0nsumed.

A Alleged veractous History.
Mountain Lake Consumed.
In the Sacramento DAILY Unies Of a recent
date appears the extraordinary statement OF one
Leonidss Parker, written before his death, and
giving what purport: to be the true account OF his
connection with the murder of Gregory Sum.
neri,ld. The latter individual had been known
for many years % 1.-THE Man with u Secret"
aud he met with horrible death, at the age of
seventy, by being pushed from the platform of a
train upon tbs Union Pacific railroad, near the
North fork of the American river, at place
called Cape Horn. The unfortunate wretch was
hurled downward q distance of over 1000 feet,
upon the brstling rocks at the foot of the declv-
ity. Parker, who was upon the platform at the
rime Of the catastrophe, was twice arrested and
Sried for the alleged murder, but was on each
occasion mysteriousy acquitted, once by JUS
tice and the second time by grand jury.
Parker was himself distinguished lawyer of
Sacramento, and was widely respected. He al
ways remained silent concerning the circumstan.
crs of the imputed crime, but shortly before his
death he placed in the hands of friend Il docu-
ment, the gist of which We give below the en-
tire story taking up nearly page of the Unl0n.
Referring to Gregory Summerfeld, the MUIR
d-red mar, Mr.. Parker speaks of him as having
been one of the deepest chemical students of the
tainment,. Parker had known Summerfeld for
over twonty years. their acquaintance having
been formed in Texas during the days of the re-
public. Continuing his account, Parker says !:
Zone day towards the close of last September.
al old man raped At my Office door, aud on in
vitaton came in, and advancing called me by
name Perceiving that did not at first recog-
nize him, he introduced himself as Gregory Sum-
merfeld. After inviting hun to seat scruti.
nized his features more closely and quickly
identified him as the same person whom had
met twenty-five years before. He was greatly
altered in appearance but there was the old
charm of intellectual superiority in his CONVEX
saton, and welcomed him to California AS IN
important addition to her mental wealth.
ut was not many minutes before he requested
private interview. He followed me into my
back Office, carefully closing the door after him
and lookedit We had scarcely seated ourselves
before he inquired Of me If had noticed any
recent article. 10 the newspapers respecting the
art of accompanying water so as to At it for use
a. fuel for ordinary purposesT
II replied that had observed nothing new
upon that subject since tho experiment of Agas-
six and Prof. Henry, and added that in my opin.
ion the expensive mode of reduction would al.
ways prevent its use.
"Ih few words he then informed me that Re
had made the discovery that the art was extrem.
ely simple, and the expense attending decompo-
sition so slight as to be insignificant.
"Pcrsuming that the object of his visit to me
WAR to procure the necessary forms to get out a
patent for the right, congratulated him upon
his good fortune, and was about to branch forth
with u description of seine of the great benefits
th't must ensue to the community, when he
suddenly and somewhat uncivilly requested nae
to be silent and listen to what he had to say.
"He began with some general remarks about
the inequality Of fortune amongst mankind, and
iustsnced himself Us q striking example Of the
fate of those men who, according to all the rules
of right out to be near the top, instead Of at
the foot of the ladder of fortune. But, said he,
springinY to his feet with an impulsive energy, Il
or of inficting incslculable Ills on the whole
human race
Looking ct him mere closely, thought
could detect in his eye the CLEAN of madness
but remained silent and awaited further de.
vslopenents. But my scrutiny, stolen as it was,
had been detected, and he replied at once to tho
expression of my face, NO, sir, I am neither
drunk nor a maniac; am in deepest earnest in
all l say; and am fully prepared, by aotual ex.
pertinent. to demonstrate the truth of al that
claim
For the first time noticed that he carried a
ANAL portmanteau IN his hand this he placed
on tho table, and unlocked it, and took out two
or three small volumes, a pamphlet or two, a
EMAIL square, wldemouthed phial, Theoretically
sealed.
II watched him with profound curiosity and
took note of his slightest movements. Having
arranged his books to suit him, and placed the
phal in conspicuous place, he drew up his
chair closely to my own, and uttered, in half
missing tone:
81 demand one million dollars tor the con.
tents of that bottle; and you must raise it tor
me in the city of San Francisco within one
month, or scenes too terrible for even the imagi.
nation to conceive, will surely DO witnessed by
every living human being on the face of the
globe
"'rhe tone, the manner, and the absurd extrav.
agance of the demand excited faint smile up.
on my lips, which he observed, but disdained to
notice.
my mind was fully made up that mad a
maniac to deal with, and prepared to act &C.
cordingly. But l ascertained at once that nay
inmost thoughts were read by the remarkable
man before men, and seemed to be anticipated
by him in advance of their expression.
"'Perhaps,' said I, Mr.. Symmetrical, you
would obliee me by informing me fully of the
grounds of Your claim, and the nature of your
discovery
THAT is the object OF my visit, he replied
i claim TO have discovered the key which un
Locks tho constituent gases OF water, and frees
each from the embrace of the other, at single
touch
"'Iou mean to assert I reioined, that you
ran make water burn itself up?'
"'Nothng more nor less he responded, Eek
cept ths-to insist upon the consequences of tht
secret, if my demand be not at once complied
with
"Now suppose ding the contents of thii
phial into the Pacific ocean, what would be tn,