Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-07-27

in Vienna He also declined many
offers to purchase it, and ct last took it to
pieces.
The Grand Duke Of Russia having Wis
tied Vienna, he was requested to show the
figure to him. 1t excited 30 much wonder
that he was again urged to make money
by exhibiting it in public. He consented,
and showed 1t in nearly every grest city
in Europe. On his death, in 1919, the au-
tomaton was sold, after which it was taken
to the United S ates, where it has been
seen by thousands.
The so-Called automaten resembled q
Turk, full sized, dressed in Oriental cos
tune. and seated behind box which re-
sembled chest of drawers. Before pro-
ceeding to action the exhibitor opened
several doors in this chest, which revealed
large army of wheels, pulleys, cylinders,
springs, etc. The chessmen were taken
from large drawer, and a cushion was
placed on the table for the Tux to rest
his right arm upon; the left hand, some
what raised, held pipe. When the doors
were opened, a lighted candle was placed
within the cavities thus displayed This
removed, and the doors closed, the exhib-
itor wound up the works, placed the cush
ion under the right arm Of the figure, and
challenged any one to play.
The Turk always played with the white
men, and made the first move The hand
and fingers opened on touching the piece
which it firmly grasped aud placed on the
proper square. Then the living antagon
list moved his piece; after which, pausing
for few moments, as if to study the game,
the Turk moved another piece On giving
check to the king, the figure shook It's
head. Sometimes, to try 1t, the human
player made false move. The figure
never allowed this to pass unnoticed, but
tapped on the chest Or box in an apparent
ly impatient manner, replaced the piece,
and punished the adversary by taking the
move for itself. If the human player was
too long considering his move, the auto
maton tapped smartly on the chest with
the right hand, as if to desire him 10
hurry up" All through the game the
whining sound of machinery In motion
was audible.
While Mr.. Kempelen retained the auto
maton the figure invariably won the game
After it had passed, on his death, into the
possession of NJ. Maetzel, it was frequent
ly defeated, though its play was always
very good
When the game was ended, the Turk
removed the knigh Int, with its proper zig
gag motion, from the square it occupied
over the other six'y-three squares of the
board in turn, without missing a single
square, or touching any square second
time.
1t was long doubted whether this really
was mere automaton. 1t WAS observed
hot in. ind hn s,ln h In
key never went beyond certain number
OF revolutions, whether the game was long
or short. Sixty three moves had been
made without winding up, and once, in
moment of forgetfulness, the figure played
without any winding up, after the last
game. The original story as to the his
tory .fthis machine was, that it had been
constructed TO permit q Siberian exile 70
escape from Russia, by being concealed
within, and that being dwarf, this was
easily done. But it was made in Vienna,
and when the mys cry was disclosed, il
appeared that there really was room, not
withstanding the apparent show of wheels
and machinery, for man to sit in, with q
chess board before him, on which, By me-
chanical arrangement, each move made by
the figure was instantly repeated, each re.
turn move made below being equally re-
peated on the squares above. OF course,
the concealed player was always an ex-
pert.
Sir David Brewster, inventor Of the
stereoscope, wrote an article upon the au
tomaton chess player, in which he proved
by measurement and diagrams, that a man
must be concealed within the box to make
the play of the Turkish figure. After he
had made this disclosure, il was confessed
that his philosophical and practical con
lecture had been true-7roy Daily Times