The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-07-29
connected with the transaction.

Will only aQu a general statement,
showing the results of my negotia-
ton. Having fully satisfied my
self that Summerfeld actually held
in his hands the fate of the whole
world, with its millions of human
beings, and by experiment having
tested the combustion of sea water,
with equal facility as fresh, l next
deemed it my duty to call the atten-
tion of a few of the principal men i'll
San Francisco to the extreme i'm
portance of Summerticld's discovery.
"a leading banker, a bishop, a
chemist, two State university pro
tcsSors, d physician, a judge, and
two Protestant divines were selected
by me to witness the experiment ON
a large scale. This was done at a
small sandhill lake, near the sea
shore, but separated from it by a
ridge Of lofty mountains, distant not
more than ten miles from San Fran
cisco. Every drop of water in the
pool was burnt up in less than fifteen
minutes. We next did all we could
to pacify Summerfield, and endeavor-
ed to induce him to lower his price
and bring it within the bounds of a
reasonable possibility. But without
avail. He began to grow urgent in
his demands. The subcommittee
soon commenced work amongst the
wealthiest citizens of San Francisco,
and by appealing to the terrors of a
few and the sympathies of all, sue
cceded in raising one half the amount
within the prescribed period. shall
never forget the woebegone faces of
California street during the month of
October. The outside world and the
newspapers spoke most leaalerdly of
a money panic-a pressure in bust
ness, and the disturbance in the
New York gold room. But to the
initiated there was an easier solution
of the enigma. The pale specter of
death looked down upon them all,
and pointed with his bony finger to
the fiery tomb Of the whole race, al
ready looming up in the distance
before them. Day after day [ could
see the dreadful -ravages of this
secret horror; doubly terrible, since
they dared not divlllge it. Still, do
all that we could, the money could
not be obtained. The day preceding
the last one given, Summerfield was
summoned before the committee, and
full information given him of the state
of affairs. Obdurate, hard and cruel,
he still continued. Finally, a propo-
sition was started that an attempt
should be made to raise the other half
of the money in the city of New York.
To this proposition Summerfeld ul-
timately yielded, but with extreme
reluctance. 1t was agreed in COM
mittee that | should accompany him
thither, and take with me, in my
own possession, evidences Of the
sums subscribed here; that a proper
appeal should be made to the leading
capitalists, scholars and clergymen
of the metropolis; and that, when
the whole amount was raised, it
should be paid over to Summertield,
and q bond taken from him never to
divulge his awful secret to any human
being.
"With this he seemed to be salts
fed, and left lis to prepare for his
going the next morning.
L" AS soon as he left the apartment,
the bishop arose, and deprecated
the action that had been taken, and
characterized it as childish and alb
surd.' He declared that no man was
safe one moment whilst that diabo-
lical wretch still lived that the only
security for us all was in his imme-
diate extirpation from the face of the
earth, and that no amount of money
could seal his lips or close his hands.
It would be no crime, he said, to
deprive him of the means of assas-
sinating the whole human family,
and that, as for himself, he was for
booming him to immediate death.
"With lmanimity that was extra
ordinary the entire committee coin,
cided. A great many plans were pro
posed, discussed, and rejected, hay
ing in view the determination of
Summerfeld. In them all there was
the want Of that tproper caution which
would lull the apprehensions of an
enemy; for should he for an instant
suspect treachery we knew his nature
well enough to be satisfied that he
would waive all ceremonies and carry
his threats into immediate execution.
at was finally resolved that the
trip to New York should not be
abandoned, apparently. But that
we were to start out in accordance
with the original programme; that,
during the Journey, some proper
means should be resorted to by me
to carry out the final intentions OF
the committee, and that whatever !
did would be sanctioned by them all,
and full protection, both in law and
conscience, afforded me in any stage
of the proceedings.
Nothing was wanting but my
own consent. l asked the privilege
of meditation for one hour, at the
hands of the committee, before !
would render a decision either way
During that recess the above argu
mentation occupied my thoughts
The time expired, and L again pre-
sented myself before them. I did
not deem it requisite to state the