The Washington bee., 1908-10-24
Prisoner Has Evolved d Theory
for the Solution of N'mer-
ical Equations.
MISSOURPS MOST LEARNED FELON
Guards in Missouri's State Prison
Say He Has ''No Sense" But
But Abroad Men OF Science Are
Graphing With His Theories and
Calculations.

largest penitentiary In the world,
containing convicts from every State
In the American Union and thirteen
foreign countries besides, there Is a
prisoner who the guards say has no
ssnse-a thin, frail man of more
than fifty years, slightly stopped,
whose beetling brows are always
drawn together above a pair of steel
gray eyes with focus fixed upon some
object far away. He is wholly un-
Etted for the ordinary labors Of pris-
on life and is employed in odd jobs
about the State binder twine plant.
None of the convict labor manufac-
turing concerns are willing TO &C
cept him at the States wage OF six
ty cents a day.
This useless man with the prison
paIIor in his face and the strange
light in his eyes, who can hardly
perform the simplest duties of pris-
on life, is known as No. $3.50 In the
Missouri Penitentiary, but abroad
men OF science are graphing with
his theories OF mathematics.
His name is NJ. A. McGinnis. DR..
j. NJ Greenwood, Superintendent OF
the Kansas City schools and himself
= mathematician. says
"I first became acquainted with
McGinnis some eight or ten years
ago through his algebraic solutions
OF numerical equations Of the higher
degree. In handling such numert-
-FvE1 EvuT
Algebraist l have ever read of.
McGinnis has evolved a theory for
the solution OF numerical equations
which is said TO go beyond anything
previously devised. But he has gone
further In the solitude Of his prison
cell and now Announces that he has
discovered a formula for the solution
Of literal equations as far as the
twelfth degree. Mathematicians
have declared ii was impossible to
do what McGinnis says he can do.
But McGinis does not regard this
discovery as his great achievement.
He claims to have perfected a solu-
tion OF numerical equations by log
STithms.
So thoroughly in earnest is the
prisoner and so convinced of the
correctness OF his theory that he is
willing to stake all his hopes OF
freedom upon its acceptance by the
world of mathematics. He is an old
man and has served only eighteen
months Of a ten years sentence. but
he asks that Governor Folk, Of Mis-
sour, submit his theory of the loga-
rithic solutions of equations to
fury of mathematicians of national
reputation.
If the jury shall fail to sustain
his theory, McGinnis says, he is
willing to serve the remainder OF
his sentence, which, considering his
age and frail health, means death in
the prison. But If the Jury Of mathe-
maticians shall sustain his views, be
asks that the Governor sign his par
don on the ground that he has made
. discovery Of such value to CiviliZa-
ton as to cancel the debt which So
ciety now holds against him.
Governor Folk is himself an alge-
braist, and. although the fact is
known to but few. algebra for years
has been his favOrite method Of men
tai TecratiOn and relaxation, and he
hnds II much more interesting and
mentally invigoTattng than chess. for
instance. Governor Folk is now CIV
ing some OF his spare time to the
McGinnis theories, but has not yet
announced a conclusion as to their
value,
McGinnis was formerly a professor
OF Mathematics In a Kansas college.
A few years ago he published stimuli
taneously in the United States and
Great Britain a mathematical work
entitled, Algebra, the Universal So
iution for Numerical and Literal So
lutiOns."
Whisky had been the downfall OF
McGinHis. When under the infiu-
ence Of intOxiCants he is easily In
nuenCed, and while in that condition
8 few years ago he was drawn into
q real estate transaction in which a
forged deed came to light, and for
his connection with the matter be is
now serving 8 ten year sent nee.
Il never tasted intoxicating liquor
or entered q saloon until I was thir-
ty-six," said MeGinnis, but when
had been at work for nearly seven
years upon q great mathematical
problem / began to lose sleep, and
finding the problem with me day and
night, l went to physician and told
him that I couA not get the problem
out of my mind and was afraid of
insanity. He prescribed whiskey-
and here I am"
MeGinnis was born in Appleton,
Wis, and before he took up mathe-
mates as a life work, he was a news
paper publisher In the West. having
at one time owned several small
newspapers in Colorado. He has
wife and one son. dis son is a print
er and supports his mother by his
IabOrs In 3 country printing once in
this state.