New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-20
KEELY'S SECRET.

1.-THE Philadelphia Press has apparently
found the secret Of Keely's mysterious force.
The discovery will not bring comfort to the
Missionaries who so long believed in the inventor
and furnished him living. 1t will, however,
relieve that greater body of people who had no
faith IN his etherlc force but who had no wish
to mock a possible prophet. The attitude Of
many toward Keely's invention has for some
time been much the same az to a criminal con-
demned on crcumstantial evidence. There may
be good grounds to believe the man guilty, but
he meets his fate protesting innocence and
there remains in peoples minds just trace Of
anxiety for something to prove beyond posi-
billy of doubt that they did no injustice. The
public long ago concluded that Keely was either
n deluded groper for something he knew not
what or deliberate fraud. Still, 1t always had
n sub-conscious feeling: "What II he should be
ION the edge OF some wonderful secret Of
"NatureY After his death the question prom
ised to be left for future guessers Of many gen
erations to wrangle over as one Of the historic
mysteries The discoveries now made in the
dismantled laboratory from which his engines
had been removed promise to set the matter at
rest. The conclusion is not one pleasing to pride
in human nature, but even a disagreeable GER
tanty Is better than an open question.
The investigators, who included among their
number a professor IN the University Of Penn
sylvania and other scientists Of repute, found
hidden away In the floors and walh Of the labo-
ratory quantities of fine, strong brass tubing,
similar in appearance to parts Of the motor that
Keely insisted were solid wire, which trans
mitted his vibratory force. These tubes were so
disposed as to indicate that they were used for
transmission Of power TO the apparatus which
Kelly exhibited from time to time, doing work
which was marvellous according to his explana-
ton, but commonplace II the result Of COM
pressed air. Beneath the lower chamber OF the
building has been dug out great iron or steel
sphere, strong enough TO resist great pressure
and with fittings which suggest that II was
receptacle for compressed air. Tubes ran from
the neighborhood Of this sphere In the direction
Of the exhibition room All these arrangements
were carefully secreted, and the appearance Of
the whole hidden plant, left In the building
probably In ignorance Of its existence by those
who removed the visible apparatus, almost ir
reslstibly leads to the conclusion that the Keey
discovery was a gigantic fraud.
The presumption Is no longer in favor OF the
inventors sef-deception. The facts will not
even admit the explanation that he really had
some notion which he was working out and be-
lieved In, and that he only played the charlatan
IN minor matters when he thought II might con-
tribute to the success OF his serious project.
If, ms these experts testify, his motor was run
by compressed air, then his invention was from
the foundation an imposition Of the most shame
less character. The inventor started out to de-
fraud and his whole machine was constructed
for that purpose and with no intent to make
any discovery visionary or practical. With
compressed-air conduits as the source Of his
elusive vibratory power. Keely ceases to be pa
thetic and becomes contemplate. He passes
from the companionship OF the pioneers Of
science, who strove. successfully or unsuccess-
fully, TO advance knowledge, and takes rank
with the innumerable company Of fakrs He
was In nowise different from the other i'm
posters who have made experimentation ma
chimes with hidden mechanism. except that he
tnsel and browsed living longer at their eX-
pense
He had the living, II that was what he want
ed, but how much more satisfaction In life must
mechanic who made honest II uns sational
machines have had than this man, who knew
he was preparing for himself an immortality
OF dlsrespect He must have faced death know
Ing that those tubes would come to light lie
must have foreseen that his sins in the name Of
science would make the world less ready 20
trust and help honest men trying TO perfect n
real discovery. Just In the measure that people