The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-09-06
FATAL DISCOVERIES,
INVENTIONS THAT BROUGHT THEIR
oRIGINAToRS TO THE GRAVE.
scientific Secrets That Have Been
hurled with the Men Who Pos
sessed Them and That Were the
Causes of Their Tragic Taking on.


sessed Them and That Were the
Causes OF Their Tragic Taking on.
The maxim which states that silence
IA golden has cost the world some OF
The greatest discoveries of modern
times. for not n few OF the inventors
whose names would have been handed
down to posterity as public benefac-
tors have been killed by thSIr secrets
before they would consent 70 divulge
them to their fellow beings.
In 1896 all Europe was startled by
the discovery of new explosive called
fulminite, which, IL wasN believed.
would revolutionize modern warfare.
IL was the invention OF an Exeter
scientist named Sawbridge. and sam
pies OF the explosive which We're test
ed by the government revealed the fact
that it's power was three times greater
than that OF cordite aud In conse-
duence IL would treble the range of a
rifle bullet. The German government
offered Sawbridge 100000 foF his in
yention, which he periodically 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
self with ii. Unfortunately he left
no records whatever, and although
some of the leading experts of the day
infinitely examined the debris they
failed to discover the secret, which is
probably lost forever.
About half century ago an Italian
priest named Luigi Taranti discovered
method OF making stained glass, the
colorlng OF which was declared equal
TO that made by the ancients, 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
cret wen. for when year later he was
found dead Of blood poisoning set up
by the pigments he employed. il was
realized that he had carried his secret
with him. The cieverest workmen
were called In to examine the lngredi-
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 mix
lionaire. and ii is not an impossible
task. for 1t has already been done.
Some years ago a Scotch maEufactur-
er put composition billiard balls on the
market which were as good ut but
only third of the price OF those al
ready In use He refrained from pat
enting his invention aud made nil the
balls himself. even his family being
prohibited from sharing his secret
But Just as he was beginning TO taste
the fruits OF his experiments he was
one day mortnly wounded by an acci
dent In hls workshop and died before
he could make any statement. Ex-
perts were given specimens OF the balls
to analyZe. hut 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 I'm color
was martyr To his discovery. the
secret OF which In lost. Some years
ago Or. Herbert Franklin OF Chicago
submitted number of colored photo
graphs-of somewhat crude nature.
Il Is true-to the leading American
scientific institutions, and the encour-
agcment he received was such that
"a. I, f.,l.
against the wiles OF spies. nc cost
OF $4,000. wherein TO perfect his I'M
yenton. la the preparation OF his
plates he used charcoal fire. and one
day whom ~ work be omitted 10 open
the ventilators and was found asphyx-
lated He had refrained from diyulg-
Ing his secret to any one, and In con
sequence, although some partially linz
ished plates that hid the secret re-
manned, the way they were prepared
Is problem that has bafiled scientists
/ 90 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 n metal
could be produced which. although az
hard as steel. was only half its weight
and price, and after 1--WE years expert
nlenting with an electrical process tai
lium was the result. The invention
was taken up throughout America. and
orders for thousands OF 6ns OF the
metal began TO pour in from the lead
ing railway companies.
But 1t was too late. The enormous
mental strain he had undergone,
coupled with the sensation of finding
millions within his grasp. took away
his reason. and he was confined in an
asylum. He left no records to>explain
the process. and no amount OF per-
suasion drew the secret from him.
which persisted locked up in his brain
when two years Inter he died a help
less lunatic.-London Tit-Bits.