Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-09-04
FATAL DISCOVERIES.
INVENTIONS THAT BROUGHT THEIR
ORlGlNATORS TO THE GRAVE.
Scientific Secrets That Have Been
Buried with the Men Who Pos
sessed Them and That Were the
Causes of Their Tragic Taking Off.

Is golden has cost the world some OF
the greatest discoveries of modern
times, for not Il few of the Inventors
whose names would have been handed
Down to posterity as public benefac-
tors have been killed by their secrets
before they would consent to divulge
them to their fellow beings.
In 1896 all Europe was startled by
the discovery of Il new explosive called
fulminite, which, it was believed,
would revOlutiOniZe modern warfare.
1t was the invention of an Exeter
scientist named Sawbridge, and sam
pies of the explosive which were test
ed by the government revealed the fact
that it's power was three times greater
than that of cordite and in conse-
uuence it would treble the range of Il
rifle bullet The German government
offered wbridge 100000 for his in
vention. which he patriotically refused
until the home authorities had had the
first option of purchase But just as
the latter were about to seal con
tract with him the news came that his
laboratory had been blown up and him.
sell Will IL. uc ISlt
no records whatever, and although
some of the leading experts of the day
infinitely examined the debris they
failed 10 discover the secret, which is
probably lost forever.
About half Il century ago an Italian
priest named Luigi Tarnnti discovered
method of making stained glass. the
nj 1x-Ii 1nn1ornI
to that made by the ancielits, whose
secret has been lost. Taranti aban-
doned holy orders and set to work to
execute the hundreds of commissions
he received in the secrecy of his work
shop at Ostia. near Rome. The finest
stained glass windows in Italy were
made by him. and he guarded his Sc
crct we'll for when a year later he was
found dead of blood poisoning, set up
10y the pigments he employed, it was
realized that he had carried his secret
with him. The cleverest workmen
were called in to examine the ingredi-
ents. but they one and all failed to
penetrate the dead mans secret.
The person who could make cOmpO-
sition billiard balls equal to those Of
ivory would quickly qualify as il mil
lionaire. and it is not an impossible
task. for it has already been done.
Some years ago a Scotch manutactur
err put composition billiard balls on the
market which We're as good at but
only Il third of the price of those al
ready in use. He refraincd from pat
enting his invention and made all the
balls himself. even his family being
prohibited from sharing his secret.
But Just us he was beginning to taste
the fruits of his experiments he was
one day mortally wounded by an acct
dent in his workshop and died before
he could make any statement. En-
perts were given specimens of the balls
to analyZe, but in spite of the fact that
they succeeded in tracing the materi-
ais used they have long since given up
all hopes of being able to discover how
they were put together.
The only man who has yet been sue
cessful in taking photographs in color
was Il martyr to his discovery, the
secret of which is lost. Some years
ago DR.. Herbert Franklin Of Chicago
submitted Il number of colored photo
graphs-of a somewhat crude nature,
it is true-to the leading American
scientific institutions. and the encour-
agement he received was such that
he built himself a laboratory, proof
against the wilcS of spies. at cost
of $4,000. wherein to perfect his in
vention. In the preparation of his
plates he used Il charcoal fire. and one
day when at work he omitted to open
the ventlators and was found aSphyX.
lated. He had rofrained from diVulg
ing his secret to any one, and in con
sequence, although some partially fin
ished plates that hid the secret re
manned, the way they were prepared
is Il problem that has batlled scientists
to this day.
Another victim to his secret was
Adams, the inventor of tallium, The
greatest discovery in the metals of the
age. Adams was confident that Il meta
could be produced which, although n
hard as steel. was only half its weigh
and price and after five years expert
menting with an electrical process tai
lium was the result. The invention
was taken up throughout America, an,
orders for thousands of tons of TIN
metal began to pour in from the lead
ing railway companies.
But it was tCo late. The enormou
mental strain he had undergone
coupled with the sensation of tindin
millions within his grasp, took ava
asylum. He left no records to eXplai