Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-07-02

the effort to make gold. Charles
Johnson and George Minear, both OF
Fairfield, Iowa, experimental with a
process which they had invented after
great labor. Just what the process
was has never been certainly known,
and never will be. 1t is known, how
ever, that it involved in some way the
use of the then novel X-rays. At last
success seemed to them sure. They
dreamed of wonderful wealth, of lives
of luxury and leisure.
Death In Horrible Form.
The laughter of incredulous friends
only made them smile to themselves,
so sure were they that they had dis
covered the magic secret. They spent
their money to build laboratory at
Fairfield, and there they melted their
metals in a crucible behind locked
doors 1t was while carrying the cru
chile filled with the molten metal into
the chamber where they were to ap-
ply the X-rays that one of them STUN
bled. Both fell. The. liquid poured
over them. Fortunately, death came
soon and relieved them from the ter
rife torture.
Taking in the olden days was
dangerous business Histories of
alchemy relate the execution of more
than one alchemist who boosted that
he had discovered the great secret.
One of the most interesting stories
of alchemy, perhaps, is that of Sir
William Ramsey. Sir William thought
he had discovered process for chang
ing hthium into copper by the use of
radium. So certain was he that he
had succeeded that he announced his
sfdicnnvnrrxy's n hn III
He had rightly won a great reputation
as chemist and scientist, and so the
world of science accepted his state
ment and began to wonder if, after all,
there was not something in the theory
of transmutation.
Could Not "Make Good"
Alas, for the hope of the "discov-
erer." All too soon it was proved
that there had been a great mistake
Yet no one ever questioned that Sir
William was anything but sincere in
his belief that he had learned the
secret.
Paracelsus, the great philosopher,
charlatan and alchemist, labored for
years and finally convinced himself
that he had discovered the elixir of
life. This connection he was sure
would insure eternal youth to any one
who drank it. He was sincere in his
conviction. He took a drink of his
wonderful connection and straightway
died
In England, soon after the Norman
conquest, Jew announced that he
could convert iron into gold and sill
yer. He traded his secret with
Norman baron, in whose castle he was
incarcerated, for his life. So eloquent
must he have been in his description
of his discovery that the stern noble
man believed him and actually al
lowed him to go his way before trying
the process. When he did try it and
found that the lump of iron remained
iron and did not turn into the longed
for gold, old narratives relate that he
later organized an expedition to go
to Palestine, whittier the Jew had
fed. to wreak vengeance on the pris-
oner who had fooled him.
Most famous of gold makers" per-
haps in history, or at least compare
lively modern history. was Dubois, at
one time a monk He deceived Louis
into believing that he had solved the
great mystery of alchemy
chariatan Lived Long in Clover.
Before the king and queen and the
cardinal he pottered over the crucfble
and finally displayed nugget of gold
in the bottom of the vessel There
was great rejoicing in the court The
king and all the high dignitaries We'd
with each other in feastfng Dubois
and making much of him. The wise
charlatan believed In making hay
while the sun shone,'' and carried his
deception through as long as possible.