New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-10
DIDN'T BOTTLE SUNSHINE
Failing in Proof, P. 0. Inspectors
Get George H. Cove, Inventor"
ALSO ARREST SALES AGENT
They Had Backed Solar Electric
Generator" Which Was to
Convert Rays Into Current.

George II. Cove, the inventor Of the
solar electric generator which was to
transform the energy contained I'm sun
rays into electric power. was put behind
prison bars yesterday. together with FL
mer f. Burlingame. the sales agent for
the stock of the Sun Electric Generator
Company. The two men were arrested at
the instance OF the Postoffice authorities
who charged them with having used the
mails in scheme TO defraud investors
ITO catch the light OF the sun. bottle II
and have II on tap. TO be turned on a will
in dark places is the latest feat Of Amer
lean inventive genius" was the descrip-
ton Of the invention" in the circulars
sent broadcast among prospective invest
ors Indeed the new machine does more
than store the suns rays. for IL derives
from them a form OF energy which may
he transformed into heat or power &c we'll
as light. Thus becomes true A dream OF
the ages past. dream that would seem
10 be as utopian as any magic feat of the
genie OF Arabian tales
After this glowing introduction there
came the description OF the apparatus-so
simple. so easily and cheaply constructed
so full of promise to control finally all the
industrial fields dependent on electricity
that many of the readers saw in the ap-
pal atus not only a generator Of electricity
but one of untold easy wealth II one only
risked small investment in the stock OF
the company formed TO exploit the inven-
ton. Where literature alone did not con-
vince. the prospective investor was invited
TO attend a demonstration at one of the
companys plants" in New York. Balti-
more. Philadelphia. New Orleans or Hous-
ton.
There a glib agent took the inquirer in
hand. on the roof of the building he was
shown the simple machine that trans
formed sun rays into electricity and did
all its tricks automatically. Wires led
from the machine TO batch OF batteries
that received for storage the solar cleo
tricity. and from the batteries there were
more wires 10 bunch Of tungsten lights
Of low voltage. These lights we're turned
on for the benefit of the visitor, and the
brilliant light pronounced as the direct
product Of tine sun electric generator.
The postal authorities charged, however,
that no electricity at all was ever pro-
duced by the machine. and that the cur
rent that lit the lamps had been obtained
from the city's electric plant by charging
the batteries prior TO the arrival OF the
visitor.
George H. Cove. who is native of Nova
Scotia. came to Boston in 1908 and repre-
sented his invention" as success to
various business men. l.. Spencer Alger
and Rayman Il. Earl financed Cove to
,hnt- wi h.
drew. finding that Cove could not give
satisfactory demonstration.
The inventor then came to New York.
and Frederick ~ Hustis formed a COM
pany TO exploit the invention. In Octo-
Der. 1909. Cove secured for himself much
publicity and free advertisement by dis
appearing for several days and creating
the impression that he had been kidnapped
by financiers TO whom he refused TO dis
close the secret of his Invention
When the hoax was disclosed he
dropped Hustis and went into partnership
with Rurlingame They organize the Sun
Electric Generator Company of Arizona,
with a capital stock Of 100000. and be-
gan their stock selling operations.
Ia boratorv was arranged at No. 1lS Maiden
Lane. and on the roof of the building
Cove demonstrated" his invention TO pros
pective buyers of stock
The investigation that led to the arrest
of the men was ordered by Robert s.
Sharpe. chief PostOffice inspector at
Washington. who received many COM
plaints from persons duped into the pur-
chase Of the worthless stock Inspectors
Keene. Birdseye. Entemann and Green
away worked on the case for many
months. visiting the various states in
which plants" were active. Cove was
arrested at his home, at No. 1O7 West
seth street and Burlingame at the Hotel
Latham In default Of bail they were sent
TO the Tombs TO await examination on Oc-
tober 10.
Burlingame has been known mere as
promoter of many schemes on a gigantic
scale. though none Of them proved sue
cessful He started the Rocky Mountain
Tunnel Company, the Pittsburg Gold
Dredge Company and many other enter
prises. among them the Universal Wire
less Corporation Of South Dakota. which
was to have capital stock of S5O,OOO,OOO.
H-
TIT pCpApupPC GEEK INCREASE