Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-02-10
A Fraud Unmasked.

The death of John ". keely, n few
weeks ago, who the past quarter OF a
century has been claiming the diScov-
cry OF a hidden principle whereby an
astounding motive power could be pro-
duced from the primary elements, has
laid bare the most gigantic, as well as
the most successful fraud, ever perpe
tratCd upon the scientific world. While
faith may have at times been weak
ened by the prolonged delay in adapt
ing the new force to practical and USE
full results, nobody seems to have
doubted the honesty of the inventor
and everybody accorded his professions
of progress the most implicit conf
dencc. The keely motor found advo-
Gates who willingly supplied funds to
perfect the minute details which alone
kept the bud OF promise from expand
ing into a gorgeous flower of success.
When, therefore, the workmen were
engaged in dismantling the workshop
of the wizard, the other day, in the
City of Brotherly Love, the first inti-
nation of fraud was brought to light.
On removing partitions and ceilings
wires were found running in all direc-
ton, but converging to a common CEN
ter as the basement was approached.
Following up these clues, as a detec-
tive might call them, the hidden
principle" was found, in an immense
steel sphere, weighing several tons, I'M
bedded in solid masonry. This sphere
was of immense strength and capable
of outstanding an internal pressure
of several hundred pounds to the
square inch. Further investigation
developed the fact that the wires were
minute tubes, through which the pent
up energy in the sphere could be con-
veyed to the cleverly constructed ma
chinery in the laboratory, which like
wise served for an exhibition room, q
necessary adjunct it must be admitted
of the plan to make the scheme lu-
crative undertaking. The discoveries
made by the workmen leave no doubt
but that all the phenomena which has
kept the scientists so long agog, are
but cleverly executed trick performed
with the aic of skillfully adjusted me-
chanism. Keely doubtless made ample
revenue out OF the arts of the fakir, for
by it he was enabled to organize a
company of ample capital to prose
cute his alleged researches, with the
promise of generous dividends when
it turned out to be the veritable gold
mine so confidently anticipated by its
sanguine promoters.
The secret force, called by Kelly
"etheric vapor," was nothing more nor
less than compressed air, pumped into
sphere 40 inches in diameter and ca
pable of outstanding force near
ly equal to the powder-chamber pres
sure required in tests of U. S. ordnance,
or 10000 pounds. 1t will be readily
seen that the wire tubing, even though
it had not been reinforced by leverage
in the alleged motors, would be capa-
BILE of conveying tremendous pressure,
operating on the same principle as the
small hydraulic column used for rails
ing massive buildings.
1t is seldom that chicanery invades
the temple of Science for sordid gain,
and this rendered the operations OF the
audacious schemer the easier of accom-
plishment. There is one good thing,
however, resulting from this exposure,
and that is we will hear no more of the
Keely motor. That chestnut" at
least, is roasted to finish.