The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-10-15
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\ remarkable scene took place In
the legislature of Arizona this sprins
when the lawmakers enthusiastically
voted for the parole OF certain con-
vict in the State penitentiary. grant
ing him leave of absence for thirty
| days and by means of private contrib
! utions raising fund TO defray his
| expenses to Washington, II. G.. and re-
turn.
The prisoner. Roy j. Meyers. Is
serving a three and half year sent
ence. but in spite OF the fact that he
bears the stigma of a convicted law
breaker. he has demonstrated that a
convict can be a useful member. of So
ciety. During his Imprisonment he
perfected an electrical device OF such
original character as TO arouse feel
ings OF wonder and skepticism until
experts had seen IL in actual opera
tion. II is a device TO draw electrici-
ty from the atmosphere for light and
power. and the thirty day parole was
granted in order that the inventor
might protect his rights through he
Patent office at Washington.
With the acquiescence of the legis-
lature. Governor Hunt granted the
parole and the prisoner was allowed
To go free without any guard or any
assurance but his word OF honor that
he would return Two days before
the period had elapsed. Meyers again
presented himself before the governor,
having accomplished his mission. and
then returned to the penitentiary at
Florence where he continues to serve
his sentence.
THIS. in brief, is the picturesque
story which had called attention of the
civilized world to newly discovered
electrical genius. and 10 another fea-
ture OF the case which is OF equal i'm
portance and human interest; namely,
the enlightened policy pursued by our
youngest State in its treatment of
convic.s.
Meyers chance came when governor
George w. r. Hunt chose as superin-
tendent of the penitentiary at Florence
a man of very different type from the
political hanger-on who too often fills
such n, position. Big Bob" Sims was
a business man of advanced views and
was chosen for the position because
OF his knowledge Of human nature and
his executive ability
One of the progressive steps he took
was to abolish the stripes in the PEN
itentiary. and to adopt a much less
rigorous continent of the. inmates
The honor system" with the coop
Grafton of Governor Hunt, was inaug-
Jrated.
Before entering the prison. Meyers |
had already applied for various pat
ents. among them one for an improved |
trolley head which prevents the troll
ey wheel from jumping the wire
Meyers had a conference with Super
ntendent Sims and Parole Clerk San
1ers, and IL was to these gentlemen
hat ;he inventor first explained the
principles of his new device for secur-
ng electrical energy from the air. The
,fhcials were willing to give the man
IN opportunity to develop his plan and
! little wooden building outside the
Halls was turned over to Meyers and
vas fitted up as a workshop and a
laboratory. The first demonstration
# the new apparatus was made short
y thereafter the electricity drawn
rom the atmosphere being used to
park the gas engines of the pumD
louise, and although the device was
rude yet II did the work and remov-
ID the doubts Of his friends. Further
development of the "absorber" fol-
owed. and his second model was con-
and developed eight volts
November Technical World Magazine.