Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-23
"a CURIOUS INVENTION
THE FAMOUS CHESS AuToMAToN
THAT PUZZLED THE sAvANTs.
A CaEzo With Napoleon In Which, tho
Cree. Emperor WINS Dndly snub-
bcd-How II Was Operated AID How
the secret WAS Dixc0yered.

the Secret Was Uncovered.
On July 8, 1854. fire broke out in the
old National theatcr, which soon extend
ed TO the Chinese museum, separated
from 1t only by narrow alley. In the
destruction of the museum was lost the
most famous Iutomlton the world had |
ever known, and yet the fact passed un-
noticed in the Philadelphia newspapers
of that day. The automaton chess play
Ell, like many of his human antagonists,
had outlived his day and for several
years had occupied a recess in small
room in part of the building but little
frcquentcd by visitors.
This famous alitomaton was construct
ed ut Nicnna in 1760 by Wolfung, baron
Won Kempelcn, man of extraordinary
mechanical ability, good naturalist and
an artist.
The automaton consisted of chest,
upon which was seated the figure Of II
Turk. The chest was 3l% feet long,
feet brond and 2lla feet high. placed on
casters, which enabled the exhibitor to
move it from one part of an apartment
to another. The object of this arrange
ment was to show the spectators that no
trapdoor communicated with the chest.
The left arm of the Turk was hollow,
and through tran II wire which commu-
nicated with the interior of the chest.
where. by means OF n lever, the operator
concealed within it was enabled TO give
every desired motion to the arm, hand
and fingers of the figure.
When the doors of the nutomaton had
been closed, the operator began to make
his arrangements for the game. This he
did by swinging the whole furniture Of
hn n pf fl,n4 oh S,.l,a lie
machinery, etc.-against the outer doors
aud walls OF the box, so rs to throw all
the subdiyided compartment into one
apartment. BY this means he had room
enough to seat himself comfortably be-
fore the chessbonrd on which he played.
The moves of the adversary of the Turk,
when made on the board before the figure,
were communicated to the occupant Of
the chestsby means of wires connected
with number of disks inserted in the
top OF the apartment, and MS soon rs any
one of the pieces on the Turks board was
touched the fact was communicated by
the corresponding disks being put in mo-
tion. The concealed chess player repro
duced his opponents moves on his own
board, and when he was ready TO reply
to them he made use of the left arm OF
the figure for that purpose, as already
stated
The automaton was exhibited in Wen
M for some months, attracting crowd
of savants from all parts of the empire.
Finally, the scientific and mechanical pur-
suits Of the baron having made sad in
roads on his pntrimony, he set out on
tour through Europe with the object Of
enleGsoring to retrieve his impaired for
tunes by giving exhibitions OF his curious
invention in the principal cities on the
continent
Before starting on his travels Won
Kenipelen .ngnged the services OF the
most skiiifui chess player he could find
to operate the antomaton. To secure,
too. the Turk from all hazard OF defeat.
ending of games were3only played, under
the pretcxt that complete games would
occupy too much time. a book contain.
ing a series of end games was always
handed to the opponents of the antomn.
ton, and they were allowed their choice
of the white or The black pieces. Neither
in appearance could be faircr than this:
but, rs d, matter Of fact, the positions
We're so contriyed that whoever took the
first move-which the Turk invariably
claiined-had u force Won game.
Wien BaIon Won kempecn died in
1904. his son disposed OF the automuton
to one Maezel, court mechanic ut Der
l.lin. who occasionally exhibited it. In
1SO9 Mnelzel was occupying some portion
of the palace of Schonbrun, when Nh
poleon made it his headquarters after the
battle OF Wagram. II was there that
the automaton played with the emperor
the now historic game Of chess. Ma
lspoleon, who was a poor player, quickly
lost the game He then challenged the
automaton to u second encounter. In the
course Of the game he purposcly madc
/ false move The Turk bowed grnvely
/ and replaced the piece on its proper
/ square. a few seconds later the en-.
| neror repeated his Ia.inedyer aud win .
similar result. But when the thing &C.
1 CURED for the third time the automaton
swept the whole of the chessmen OF the
| board. Allgaier, the inventor OF the
I gambit named after him, is believed to
have been the player who had the temeri-
1 ty to intlict So meritcd a rebuke upon
the victor of hundred battles"
About two years later Eugene Beau
harnais. then viceroy OF Italy, witnessed
an exhibition of the uutomaton at Milan.
4 His curiosity was so great that lie
bought Of Aiaelze both the automaton
4 and the secret Of his mechanism for 80
COO francs. The prince, however, soon
tired of his purchase, and the Turk, rcle-
4 gated to a lumber room, passed the next
i four or five years in inglorious secluson.
In 1917 michel bought back the au-
tomaton at the same price Prince Eu-
gene gave for it. After exhibiting the
y Turk for several years in England and on