The evening world., 1909-01-11
Mrs. Greenough Declined to
Sell Explosive to Russia, as 1t
Would Add to War Horrors.
HUSBAND AN INVENTOR.
Widow on One Occasion Sued
H. H. Rogers for s5o,ooo,-
900, Value of a Patent.

The woman who caused her hus.
., band to refuse 100000 from the
Russian Government rather than sell
an explosive compound that would add
immeasurably to the horrors of war,
! and who also sued II. II. Rogers for
+ $50. 100000 four years ago on account
/ Of one Of her husbands patents, died
! at 8 o'clock this morning at her home.
No. 373 Fourth street, Brooklyn.
She was eighty-seven years old and
r her death was due altogether to old
age.
Benjamin F. Greenough died on a
ship bound from Rio Janeiro, Brazil, TO
New York in 1875. lie had gone to
, Brazil to establish lighting system
he had invented, in the royal palace OF
Emperor Dom Pedro II, Yellow fever
broke out while lie was IN the city and
he took refuge on ship in the harbor
which was Immediately Quarantined.
Died on Vessel
To Mrs. Greenough on the arrival Of the
ship, was turned ever u trunkful OF
papers which she regarded as OF small
value.
In 1901 firm OF Boston lawyers in
formed Mrs. Greenough that they had
reason TO believe that her husband had
contract with Charles Pratt, the
Brooklyn re.lner. FOR royalties on a
patent process FOR making Kerosene
, non-eyplosive, which the Pratt estate
had turned over TO H. II. Rogers and
the Standard Oh Company, and that
the process was being used b. the com.
pany.
She sued II. H. Rogers and the Pratt
estate for s5O,ooO,OOO in lieu OF back
royalties, and an attachment for that
amount. the largest ever recorded In
Massachusetts,, was placed on Mr.
Rogers's real estate In Bristol County
Case Settled Out OF Court.
The suit was once thrown out on
the ground that the Greenough process
was OF no value, and that the contract
had been abrogated by mutual consent
before Greenough went to Brazil. Two
years ago q man was found TO whom
Greenough had declared on his death
bed that the contract was in force and
was earning millions for him. The
case was reopened, and, according to
, members OF the GTeenough family, was
settled out OF court three months ago
for $4,000.
During the civil war Greenough per-
fected an invention OF liquid resem-
bling the Greek fire OF the ancients,
which could be projected. burning.
through the air. encased In shell TO ex-
plode blazing. Il burned on water as
well as on land.
loaded with the mixture 10 thu Govern
nent. with the under -tanding that
they should not he used exLsot In case
OF the threatened capture OF the city
OF Washington by the Confederate
Mr. Gnoenough was then living in
little Vermont village. He heard after
several months that his conditions had
been violated, and that some OF the
shells loaded with his mixture had been
used in the siege of Charleston with
terrific effect. This angered him great
~, and when representatives OF the
Government cape to him for mora
shells he refused to treat with them.
Great pressure was put upon him by
the patriots Of his neighborhood and
he at length referred the matter to his
wife.
Il would rather go out on the street
with n basket on my arm and beg"
she wrote him. than have you sell
this secret to either side. II Is too
dreadful a responsibility for you to
take for any money"
Greenough agreed with his wife.
In 1872 Greenough gave a demonstra-
tion OF his explosive In a vacant lot in
Brooklyn in the presence OF some Rus
sian naval officers. They offered him
q 10000 for the secret In the name OF
their Government. lie re fused to sell,
and the secret died with him.