New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-29


dreamed Of wonderful wealth, of lives of
luxury and leisure.
The laughter of incredulous friends only
made them smile TO themselves so cure
were they that they had discovered the
magic secret They spent their money to
build a laboratory at Fairfield, and there
they melted their metals in crucible be-
hind locked doors. 1t was while carrying
the crucible filled with the molten metal
into the chamber where they were TO apply
the Y rays that one of them stumbled.
Both fell The liquid poured over them.
Fortunately. death came soon and relieved
them from the terrific torture.
Taking in the olden days was danger
Gus business. Histories of alchemy relate
the execution OF more than one alchemist
who boosted that he had discovered the
great secret.
DR.. Barnard. better known as the "dia-
nond maker of California" still lives in
the memory of some persons on the Pa
ciflc Coast. He sought to nquefy carbon
and by pressure reduce 1t to diamond
The vessel he used in his experiments
burst one day and he was instantly killed
DR.. Barnard is only one of many who
have attempted 10 make diamonds Some
have actually been made, but no one has
4OQIO pIOSeSS YET Dy WHICH ISaI Ula-
monds can be manufactured at a cost to
make the manufacture profitable. Even
now Europe is amused from time to time.
however. with stories Of wealthy and
prominent men being defrauded out of
thousands Of dollars by some swindler who
claims TO have discovered process where
! by this may be done.
| One Of the most interesting stories Of
alchemy. perhaps, is that of Sir William
Ramsey. Sir William thought he had dis
covered q process for changing lithium
| into copper by the use OF radum. So GER
/ tain was he that he had succeeded that
he announced his discovery" TO the SCI
entifc world. He had rightly won a great
reputation chemist and scientist, and
| so the world Of science accepted his state
nent and began to wonder If, after all.
there was not something in the theory OF
transmutation.
Alas. for the hope of the "discoverer."
All too soon il was proved that there had
been 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, char
latan and alchemist, labored for years and
finally convinced himself that he had dis
covered the elixir Of life. This connection
be was sure would insure eternal youth to
any one who drank it He was sincere in
his conviction. He took drink of his
wonderful connection and straightway died.
HE GOT AWAY WITH IT.
In England, soon after the Norman Con-
quest. Jew announced that he could
convert iron into gold and silver. He traded
his secret with a Norman baron, In whose
castle he was incarcerated, for his life. So
eloquent must he have been in his descrip-
ton Of his discovery that the stern noble
man believed him and actually allowed him
to 90 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 prisoner
who had fooled him.
Most famous of gold makers" perhaps in
history. or at least comparatively modern
history, was Dubois at one time monk.
He Deceived Louis XIII Of France and Car
dinal Richelieu into believing that he had
solved the great mystery of alchemy.
Before the King and Queen and the Car
dinal he pottered over crucibie and finally
NlSladySu d nugget Oh EOtO III the bOtlOIn
of the vessel. There was great rejoicing in
the court. The King and all the high dig
nitaries WED with each other in feasting
Dubois and making much OF him. The wise
charlatan believed in making hay while
the sun shone.'' and carried his deception
through as long possible. living during
that time in great luxury and basking in
the smiles of his monarch But the Gay OF
reckoning came When IL was found that he
could only make small nuggets of gold, and
those with great difficulty. King Louis had
him thrown into the BastiIe, although still
having the hope that the ex-monk had
actually discovered the alchemic process.
When IL was finally found that Dubois
was an impostor. that he had not actually
made any gold. but had slipped the mug
gets into the crucible under cover OF his
mysterious operations. he was promptly
ordered put TO death and was executed on
the gallows. June q, 1857
DR.. Price was an alchemist who lived in
the reign Of King George III Of England.
he conducted an experiment before the
very eyes OF the English sovereign and ap-
parentiy produced real gold. But when
King George appointed royal commission
TO Investigate he killed himself rather than
face that body.
The prodigal.ty of the Romans excited
the desire for gold, and led them to pur-
sue the art which promised Il instantly and
abUAdanuy. Caligula made experiments