The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-04-26
New York Times.

A self-recording dictagraph. which
could not only overhear a conversa-
ton In room where it's presence was
not suspected, but could make a full
record OF the conversation, whispers
and all, on a photographic cylinder To-
Gated some distance away, is being ex-
hibited by X. M. Turner, the inventor
of the dictagraph. at his Offices in West
+2d street
The secret OF how to build such a
self-recording dictagraph has been
sought diligently ever since the little
instrument that made Detective Burns
famous was placed upon the market
eight years ago. In his cases in court
Burns has been forced up to the pres
ent to submit stenographic notes, the
authenticity of which he has had to
prove.
For eight years Mr. Turner worked
on the invention. For over seven and
n half OF them he sought to connect
the diphragm of the dictagraph di-
rectly TO the needle OF a photographic
roll. but got no results. Four weeks
ago he began experimenting with I'm
air cushion between the diaphragm
and the needle. instead of direct con-
nection and at once obtained full
and natural reproduction OF the voice.
In Mr.. Turner's laboratory ut
Flushing conversation ir q room
supplied with n dlctagraph was re-
corded In another room four days ago.
The experiments conducted this week
were the first to which the public has
been invited.
Mr.. Turner explained that the new
Invention. as applied to business,
means that IL Is now possible for a
buiness man to sit at his desk and
dictate his letters I'm his ordinary tone
OF voice and have them taken down
on Photographic rolls 100 feet or L.
900 feet away. He might even remain
at home. IL he had a direct wire con-
nection with his Office, and do his
debating In his bed room or his lib
rary. The only limit OF the self-re-
cording dictograph, Mr.. Turner in
sisted. was that now recognized in
the transmission of conversations by
telephone.
When a Times reporter called at
Mr.. Turner'S Office. he was preparing
20 catch a train for Indianapolis,
where he intends to take a months
vacation.
i've been feeling bad all day." he
said. because didn't think of TAX
ing this thing down TO Washington to
catch President Wilson's speech to
Congress. The President would never
have known that a dictograph was
taking down his speech. The little
desk could have been placed any
where within ten feet, say, of the
platform. and would have caught all
the verbal intonations and charac-
teristics. The speech could have been
recorded on a roll located anywhere
In Washington to which i could have
led a direct wire"
Mr.. Turner talked a little bit, and
then escorted the Times reporter to
another room. In which a phonograph
shouted out the compensation that had
Just occurred.
ITO test this thing" said Mr. Tur-
ner. suppose you imagine this wire
ends IN your newspaper office and you
are sending in bulletins as you would
over the telephone"
The reporter. standing five feet
from the photograph. spoke in low
voice directly into the palm OF his
haze, few inches away from his
mouth. To prevent the sound travelling
In any particular direction. A series
Of bulletins. giving the result OF a po-
litical meeting. was dictated, and Mr..
Turner burst In at intervals with APP
plause and a bit OF whistilng. The
phonograph In a room 100 feet away
repeated accurately the whole series
whistles.
There's n chance here" said Mr..
Turner. FOR newspapers To eliminate
the time loss between big convention
halls and their offices. Suppose the
Times should run a direct wire to
Carnegie Hall. IL could manufacture
In the Office over this wire phono-
graphic rolls OF the speeches just as
they were made. Typesetters, work.
Ing from these rolls. could pass the
matter almost directly from the speak
er To the printing presses"
In detective work. Mr.. Turner
said that the absence Of the self-re-
cOrding feature had proved an almost