The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-25
STORIES OF KELLY.
The Fascination of the Mysterious
Man and Machine.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
You were promised talk to-day about
the manner in which the late John w
Keely-the man who gained fame through
the so-called motor that bore his name
obtained large sums Of money from keen
business men. who, under the spell of his
mental force and mysterious physical
demonstrations, were robbed of their Gus
tomary caution A few instances will suf-
flee to illustrate this thought
More than three years ago futile eff
fort was made to lure John Jacob Astor
into the Keely scheme. A pubic an
nouncement of that fact brought an APP
proving smile from well known news
paper publisher, who was then admired
for his foresight and excellent judgment
in financial matters. Eighteen years
ago. he said to the narrator at that time,
Il was invited to attend an exhibition of
Keely's marvellous force with a view of
inducing me 10 make an investment of
money in the enterprise. 1 took with me
two well known experts in physics, one of
whom was the gifted Prof. George Barker
of the University of Pennsylvania. We
saw what many others have seen since.
A pint of water poured into cylinder APP
peared to work incredible wonders, the
guage showing a pressure of $1,000 pounds
to the square inch. Great ropes were torn
apart, iron bars were broken and bullets
were discharged through twelve inches of
panking by a force that was invisible,
and which the expert scientists with me
tested in order to discover whether 1t
possibly could have been caused by com
pressed air, electricity steam or gases of
any kind. Upon that occasion I well re-
member that Kelly said that within
very short time with one quart of water,
he would be able to send a train of cars
from Philadelphia TO San Francisco and
back and that with one gallon of the same
fluid he would drive a steamship from New
York to Liverpool and return. After the
exhibition l asked my two friends, the ex
perts, whether or not the force demon
strated had been produced by any of the
four causes have mentioned. They said
II had not. I asked them what was the
power. They said they could not tell"
The nxet day our friend, the publisher,
walked into the Office of the secretary of
the Keely Motor Company, on Walnut
street, and handed him check for $500,
with a request for ten shares of the stock
of the corporation. A look of disap
pointment crossed the officials face, and
he remarked that he Thought the sub
scription would be larger. One hour later,
in his Office, the publisher was visited by
two of the most influential members of
the board of directors, who said 20 MIN:
''Were you not satisfied with last nights
demonstrations"
Delighted" was the reply
'Well, we surely counted upon your
subscribing for at least $4,000 worth of
the stock" said the visitors.
mo" said the newspaper man. IF
all that Kelly says is true the $500 I've
invested will in few years be worth
many millions. and that will amply satisfy
me for the investment If Keely has
what he claims every newspaper press,
every stationary engine, every street car,
every locomotive, everything that is now
provided with steam power will be given
force by the use of only pint of cr-
binary water and untold millions viii
accrue TO those who have put their money
into The invention.
That was twenty ears ago, and steam
and electricity have not yet been sup
planted as motive powers.
shortly after this occurrence a relative
by marriage of the publisher called upon
him and begged him 10 arrange for an
inspection of the mysterious motor. To
this the relative said Don't go. If
Won do YOU will be fascinated. You will
invest your money perhaps to a reckless
extent. and yet there is nothing there
10 warrant any sensible business man
buying the stock" The relative coaXed
promising that he ROulO not put any VI
bis money into the scheme, explaining his
curiosity by the fact that he was in
terested in all mechanical devices. He |
was a man of keen, shrewd judgment |
ne saw the motor. II was not supposed |
afterwards that he had spent penny
unon il. Not long ago he died, and an
examination of his personal estate dis
closed the fact that the day after ne had |
visited Keelys workshop in this city he
had handed the secretary Of the company
mis- check for 5000.
one more incident:
shortly after the newspaper publisher
referred 10 had made his investment in !
Keely stock he was visiting New YORK. |
ataving at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. His
name had been rumored about as be- |
lieyer in the motor. One morning he re-
cefved a card of nephew of George f. |
Peabody The visitor explained that he had |
noticed the arrival Of the Phiadelphian IN |
one of the morning newspapers chat he |
was going over 10 The Quaker city 10 eX- |
anime the great mystery and that be |
wanted the newspaper mans opinion Of H. |
the reulv received was: Don't go 1t Is |
certain TO impress you as marvel Unless |
YOU are ADLER than most men you will be- |
lieve in it and you will waste your money |
| do not say that il Us fraud, but / do /
saw that keely makes eXtraVasont prom |
ises meme Of which are ever fulfilled" The |
visitor declared that he was possessed Of |
sufficient hrmness of wiz not to be led |
into anything that coo. judgment did not |
,rrrova or Now for the sequel. Ten years |
aco or more There was row between thc |
phiaeelrhia and New York stockholders