The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-03
STARTLING FEAT.
Reading Through an Envelope by an
n Ray.
From the New York Journal.

From the New York Journal.
The most startling feat yet ACCOMPLISH
ed with the Y ray was performed yes
terday at the solicitation Of the Sunday
Journal by DR.. William j. Morton, of No.
10 East Twenty-eighth street. A Will en-
closed In an envelope that had been care
fully sealed was photographed. The en-
velope was of an extra heavy quality,
such as is used in sealing court docu-
ments. The paper on which the will was
written was the ordinary legal cap en-
ployed in the drawing up Of legal papers.
DR.. Morton has probably done more
with the Photographic possibilities of the
y ray than any other man in the world
certainly than any other man on this side
of the water. He has made shadowgraphs
that have attracted general attention, both
here and in Europe. But, notwithstand-
ing all he had succeeded in bringing out.
even DR.. Morton was skeptlcal as to the
possibility of showing writing by means
of the X ray, when first approached on
the subject
1--WE win try it," said the doctor; but
l very much doubt II IL can be done"
In preparing the will which was pho
tographed, an extra heavy ink was used.
But Or. Morton, after the work was com
pleted gave IL as his opinion that equally
good results might have been obtained
difference would have been that more
extensive trial would have been neces-
sary.
Under the microscope nothing was to be
seen of the contents Of the will when ex-
posed to the Roentgen rays. The light
passed right through, and as far as any
thing was apparent TO the eyes, there
might as well have been no envelope and
no writing. This showed that II any re-
suits could be obtained at all, they would
have to come by means OF photography
from rays produced at the lowest possible
amount of pressure. Accordingly, Or. Nor
ton turned down his machine until nothing
was visible to the Horoscope except a
very faint light 50 dim as to be almost
Now" said the doctor, III we can get
1t at all, we can get 1t in this light"
A Photographic plate was Wrapped in
black paper and an outside wrapper OF
MANILA paper. on this the sealed en-
clear whether or not there was any sort
of exposure. a sufficient amount of light
TO give results, penny and a latch-key
were laid beside this envelope on the plate.
Then the Crookes tube was screwed down
until It was about eighteen inches from
the plate. During all these preparations
the current had been turned off entirely,
after notes had been made to show the
strength of the current that had been
served through the Horoscope. When
everything was ready DR.. Morton turned
the current on again. The Horoscope
showed just a trace of Hight. The current
was reduced to the lowest possible point.
was continued for ten minutes. Then
the plate was removed to the dark room.
Almost the first plunge into the de-
Veloping bath brought out the shadow
graph Of the latch-key and the coin. OF
the writing, however, there was not a
trace.
be- observed the doctor. ''But Wen keep
on developing it, and maybe we will get
something after all"
Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed in the
HarL Morton kent npffaffDrr
the developing bath, but still not a trace
showed. Finally he gave 1t up in disgust.
We have had our trouble for our
through, the writing offering no more OBJ
struction than the paper itself"
However, to make the test complete,
| the doctor carried the plate outside and
washed 1t off The shadowgraphs of the
! key and the penny were as full and strong
as If there had been an hours expos
ure, but of the writing there still showed
Suddenly, just as he was at the point
! of putting the plate aside, the doctor ex-
"By Jovei I think we have got some
! thing on there after all. Look at this"
He held up the plate to the electric
| light and there, sure enough, toward the
| center white spot began to show. few
moments shifting and the spot developed
more clearly.s
That" said the doctor, rs where there
was an ink blot, and II that will show
! Wen make the writing show" The de-
| veloping process was continued on the
| plate and pretty soon there came shad-
| owy outline Of the big round seal that had
| been put on the back of the envelope.
| This was followed, little by little, by the
| development of the writing.
I'VE will intensity this plate" the doctor
| said. ~ now feel certain that If we only
! work long enough we will get the writing
| as clear and distinct as we got that key
| and penny"
The intensifying process was begun by
means Of powerful baths, and, sure enough
after perhaps half an hours work, the
writing came out as full and strong and
| clear as If read from the original. The
negative was perfect In every way. The
| will had been doubled up several times be-
fore being put in the envelope, and the
names of the subscribing witnesses were
supermposed, one on the other, in conse-
quence But with the exception of this
| slight defect, the negative was just as good
| for all purposes as the original itself.