The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-10-13
Miscellaneous.
A WONDERFUL FOREIGNER.
HOW HE DISCOVERS CRIME BY MEANS OF A
OWNING ROD.

Some remarkable facts were told report
er the other day in connection with French
man named Jacques Carome, whose skill
with the divining rod has earned him no lit
tie celebrity among the superstitious of his
own countrymen. About three years ago,
in the valley of the Meuse, five miles from
Seraing, in Belgium, a new shaft for pro-
jected coal mine was commenced. The
stock company We're satisfied that an excel
lent quality Of mineral lay beneath them.
Two of their number, NM. Chauvin and
GARNER, were apprehensive that obstacles
might be encountered in sinking the shaft,
approaching as it did the northwesterly
spur of the Nosges, which would materially
detract from the subsequent profit Of the en-
tcrprise. NJ. Chauvin dreaded water. NJ
GARNER was afraid Of deep band of igneous
rock. Their partners laughed at them.
They sent secretly to 4 village near NordliD-
gen, in Wurtemburg, for II man named
jacques Careme, famous for his divinatiOns
by means of rhahdomancy. Careme was
placed over the spot where ground had been
broken for the shaft. Gle held in his hands
Il straight staff cut in two; one extremity of
the one half was hollowed out, the other
half was sharpcncd and rounded at the end
and this end was inserted in the hollow and
the pointed stick could rotate in the cavity
like Il bail in Il socket"' Almost as soon as
he had placed himself in position there
was violent action Of the stick in the cayi-
ty. He boldly asserted that there was Il tre-
mendous quantity of water below. The two
partners sold out of the company The
shaft was proceeded with. At the depth Of
100 feet an enormous iissure or gullet was
encountered almost wide enough for q man
to pass through. F.on this guile: a stream
OF water rushed in upon the sinkers with
the force Of q cataract. All progress for a
time was prevented. N. Coulson, the most
experienced sinker in Europe, directed oper-
atons. Heavy pumping machinery WAS
erected, and driit was constructed to carry
this water to the river. There were four
thirty inch pumps, and they discharged wa
ter at the rate of 1900 gallons per minute,
There had never been seen in Europe such
powerful pumping apparatus. Notwith-
standing their exceptional powers, they were
quite inadequate. The water flowed in in
greater force and volume than ever TIL
company made up their minds that it was
useless longer to struggle against condition
of things that appeared to be irresistible.
Shortly afterwards, Jacques Careme, by
means Of his singular diyining rods, discoy-
cred the perpetrators of mysterious murder,
The two culprts confessed the crime, and,
according to sentence,we broken upon the
wheel in the Place des Terraux, Seraing.
This triumph of his art made Careme for a
time the popular idol. Naturally, however,
criminals of ali classes regarded him with
the deepest aversion. At any moment he
might be induced to exercise his skill in de-
tecting their crimes. They, therefore, form
ed a conspiracy to murder him, but receiv-
ing timely warning he summarily quit the
country, During the early part OF last win
ter he arrived in New York and proceeded
to Sag Iarbor, where he has married sis
ter.
On Christmas eve neighbor named Ay-
toun, while absent from home had his house
broken into and quantity of wearing ap-
parel stolen. The fact was mentioned to
Careme. "Perhaps | may be able to discover
the thief" he quietly said, On reaching the
room where the theft had been committed
the rods revolyed rapidly in his hand, and
they continued to rotate in his fingers as
long as he remained within, and also when
he came outside, and continued in certain
direction, but ceased to turn if he diverged
from it in the slightest degree, Guided by
his rod, Careme went from lane to lane in
the direction of Amaganset. There he en-
tered cottage and asserted with warmth.