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


~F dreamed of, Hermes Iris
w. megfstus, an Egyptian, de-
voted his life to the work
of attempting to discover some process
for transmitting the baser metals into
the precious oneS-gold and silver.
Less than a hundred years after his
death one of his followers was put to
death with exquisite torture because
he claimed that he had actually dis
covered this process for which his
predecessor had labored in vain. Per-
haps there was a reform movement
sweeping the Old World at that time.
At any rate, the poor disciple lost his
life because of his supposed knowl-
edge of evil and mystic arts.
Recently Charles c. Dickinson, or
ganizer and former president of the
Carnegie Trust company of this city,
and one of the best known and
shrewdest of Wall Street financiers,
died from the effects of inhaling
poisonous gases while watching an
experiment which had for it's purpose
the demonstrating of the alleged dis
covery of process akin to that which
Trismegistus sought so long in vain.
The lure of alchemy, which after
all is but the lure of gold, has been
scendants of Adam and Eve began to
increase and multiply. In each cen
fury it has exacted a heavy toll of life
and fortune; nor has it enriched any
one except a few alchemic frauds who
used their knowledge of chemistry to
cheat and deceive the ignorant. Yet
there are in this city today not few
who believe that eventually the baser
metals can in some way be trans
muted into the precious ones.
Quest of AIchemists.
Originally alchemists sought the ac-
complishment of two principal things
the discovery of a process of trans
mutation and the discovery of some
mixture which when quaffed would
give the drinker perpetual youth. Old
alchemists have asserted that they
knew how to mix such drink, but in
at least one instance the elixir cock
tail'' proved fatal to its inventor
Mr.. Dickinson's death came so I'M
expected that at first there was a
rumor of suicide, originating prob
ably from the suddenness of his ia
king of and the fact that he is IN
derstood to have suffered recently
some severe financial reverses. Then
from Scranton, Pa, came the startling
story of an alchemic experiment, with
all the old, familiar scenic staging
boiling crucible, poisonous gases, mys-
ferrous formulas, great secrecy and
promises of untold wealth
His Enthusiasm Fatal.
According to the story, Mr. Dickin-
son went to Scranton at the request
of chemist, a DIR. F. w. LANCE, who
1t is said, told him that he had dis
covered process to take a silver
matrix and, by adding fluxes, produce
100 per cent more of the chloride and
nitrates of silver than had ever been
produced before LANCE wanted Dick
inson's backing During the expert
ment the banker became so enthusiast
tic that he left his seat and stepped
close to the furnace, where metals
were being subjected to heat of 1000
degrees, and inhaled the deadly pois-
onous gases arising from it.
Skepticism, to use a mild express
sion, was the feature of the manner
in which scientists in New York treat
ed the announcement that so wonder
full a secret had been discovered by
Pennsylvania One of them some
what scathingly remarked that the
only successful method of transmuta-
ton that he knew of or believed in
was the old gold brick scheme, which
has worked with astounding success
and considerable profit in many cases.
The history of alchemy, from
ancient to modern times, always in
terests and often thrills Fourteen
years ago. ON May %. 1896, two men