The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-11-26
HIS SECRET NOT LOST.
Patents May be Secured from
Drawings and Data Left
by Philadelphian.


Philadelphia. Pa, Nov. 21.-The news
Of the sudden death of John WOrreil
keely, the famous inventor, who died at
his residence, 1852 Oxford street, on FRI
day afternoon, has occasioned wide
spread feeling of sorrow.
Mr.. keely's genial personality won for
aim host of friends who deeply deplore
his loss. There was no topic more uni
vcrsally discussed in this city today than
he death of this attic scientist, and the
wonderful secret which many believe per
shed with him. Though many Of his III
innate friends knew that he had been ii
for several days. few of them had any
dea that the old inventor. still hale and
hearty at the age of IL, was 50 near his
md.
When the news reached the members
Of the company which was interested in
his inventions it caused general conster-
nation. Had the precious secret which
the old man had always guarded with
such jealous care died with him! Had
the hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
which have been given to him to aid him
IN the development of his mysterious mo-
tor been expended in vain: Was there
anyone who could essay the task of TN
shing the work Keely had begun These
were questions more easily asked tnan
answered.
Charles e. Collier. who until the day
Of Mr.. keely's death had been his legal
adviser for many years. said that he was
not prepared to say anything regarding
the selection of any one to continue Mi.
keely's experiments. He stated. how
ever, that Immediately before Mr.. keely
was taken i'll arrangements had been
completed for taking out patents on the
motor. All the necessary information Is
available. and he said the patents Will
probably be applied for Ill the course OF
The next few months.
There is one man in Philadelphia, how
aver, whose views respecting keely and
his inventions possess especial interest
because Of his association with keely at
he time he discovered what he was
pleased to call new force" This man
is Bennett c. Wilson. 1929 Columbia av-
niue. who was not only keelys employer
at the time that the famous discovery
was announced, but was also his first
financial hacker. a distinction that cost
aim $50, 900 to attain.
When Mr.. Wilson was asked whether
ne believed that keely'S discovery was
all that the inventor claimed it TO be, he
said:
"In one respect it is all that kccly be
lieved it to be. He did really discover Il
new anu WcUttIi III ldtuld III iplt'. I'tt
hat is all. He was absolutely incapa bic.
If developing it in manner that would
give it practical utility. In his hands IT
was nothing more than Il mere playthlng,
| an object for show purposes.
"Convinced that he could not property
develop it himself he would not share his
secret with others 50 lcng as he was a hle
o make it yield him a livelihood.
Several years ago | witnessed one Of
lis exhibitions of the motor at his labn-
ratOry. The machine he showed was sim
lar to the one he had in 1873. He had
made 10 advance on his early develop
pent of the original idea. His pretended
heory that musical vibration is Il factor
n the development of the mysterious
force is utterly absurd. and most Of the
appliances which had place III his la'n-
,atory were only designed for the pur-
, self. placed their fortunes at his dis
1oSai.
Il believe. however. that ii he had CON
tided his ideas to seine man like Edison,
who was capable of developing them III
] practical manner. the world would ne
he better for the action and men would
1ot today be lamenting the loss to science
If a valuable secret that was too careful
! y kept.
These views are shared by Clarence =,
Moore. 1921 Locust street, who several
wears ago had recourse to litigation in
order to restrain Mrs. Bloomfield Moore.
4 relative. from continuing to advance
sums to Mr.. Keely to aid him in his ex-
perimentS.