Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

levers and wheels, which were displayed pub
llcy by means Of an opening in the back.
IA After the curiosity of the company assem-
bled to witness the performance had been
ssatshed, everything was closed up and the
hgure was ready to play IL took the first
move, and at every motion the sound Of the
moving wheels was heard.
Before moving piece, it placed its head
on one side and appeared to be cogitating as
70 70 Whether it was doing right When it check
ed the king, il shook its head three times,
ana T,t twice on giving check to the queen.
Wnen the opponent made false move, it
again sho6ok its head, and would take the piece
and replace it ON the square from which it
had been taken and then make its own move.
ms figure puzzled many of the scientific
men and chess-players of st. Petersburg, Wen
ma, Paris and London-in fact, wherever it
was exhibited-and the secret of its manage
ment was not discovered, although it under
went critical examination by many Of the
leadlng scientists of the day.
IL Is very probable that the numerous
wheels, etc, placed within it, and also in the
table, were intended to amuse the curious and
TO distract attention, in order that they would
not examine the interior Arrangement too mar
rowly
The inventor himself saws of it:
III ls trlfe which is not without merit
on the score of mechanism; but the effects
aPpedr T 50 marvellous only in consequence of
the Doldness of the idea, and of the bappy
illusion" ~ Piou's' 'iie
Some years later it was discovered that the
movements Of the figure did not depend upon
ene . nlechansm alone, but that little boy,
VINO was concealed under the chess board
mover the arms in obedience to signals given
him by his master
M: Mailardet, Swiss artist constructed
the iigure OF lady, who by means of internal
inech1anlsm, played eighteen tunes on the piano
py the actual pressure of her fingers upon the
keys of the instrument
!, her nngers touched the natural notes only.
the Hats and sharps being PLAYED with her
feet, by means of pedals
30 well was the illusion kept up that. be-
lore oeginnmg to play, the lady bowed to the
company Then, turning to the piano. she an
peared to be intent upon the notes; her bos-
ON heaved, and, at distance no one. unless
parry 10 the secret, woul suspect that the
player was not human beingi
Inc artist also invented the figure Of n ma
gician, who sat at the base of wall with
a long wand in one hand, and book in the
other. Enameled counters to the number of
twenty, each having different question in
serlbed upon them, were placed in the hand
81 y, one OF the audience before whom it was ex-
hiblted, and he was requested to nut one or
more of them in a drawer in the wall. which
closed with spring.
Tins being done, the figure arose with a
very solemn air, bowed his head drew a cir
ele Ss or two with his hand, opened his book,
rsSu ~ tohdIu ms lace, as IL consulting 1T.
He then struck the wall above his head with
his wand, and two folding doors opened and
displayed the correct answer
Not satisfied with the creation Of these two
androides, Mailardet constructed what he
termed the Writing Boy"
Tins figure represented boy kneelinq nm
on one knee, and an attendant having fur.
nished him with pencil and paper, he executed
drawings and wrote sentences in French and
English in beautiful manner The motions
Of the eyes, fingers and elbows were all gone
through with in remarkably life-like man
ner.
There have been numerous other automata
invented principal among which may be men
toned Professor Fabers Talking Machine .
which was so constructed as to utter many
words with wonderful distinctness. by means
of intricate mechanism
One popularity was the rubber lips of the
figure, with which it uttered sounds not at an
unlike human being.
A few years ago, it was on exhibition in the
different cities of the United States, but lately
it seems to have disappeared
1t is believed by some that the speaking
was produced in the same manner as that
mentioned in the "Chess Player" although Il
has never been proved to be So
Many other instances might be mentioned
Of minor Importance, but it would be hardly
worth while, as the principal ones have been
fully described.