Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-01-28
HUNT HONOR MAN"
ACCUSED OF FRAUD

when information was filed on which
will probably be based a complaint
of misuse of the mails against the
Arizona convict inventor. As
clever in financing as he was with
the forger's pen, as near-mighty In
the promoting game as he was
with his invention" and as slick
in all ways as axle grease, the for
mer honor man at last outdid him
self, stubbed a venturesome toe and
is now where the law will be in
voked against him for the third time
in his eventful career.
The States of the Union and the
countries of this earth have contrib
uted to the fortune of Mr.. Myers
since he left the Arizona peniten-
tiary He has divided the broad
lands of the world and sold the
rights of his invention by districts,
collecting from the sale thereof a
sum OF money that is placed any
where between ten and twenty-five
thousand.
And
On top of it all, with the facts
of his latest exploit still very fresh
in the minds of the officers OF the
law, Myers has admitted that his
contraption for extracting atmos-
2here from electricity-or electricity
from the atmosphere (either were
reasonably us a fake. That it was
actuated by batteries, and that as
soon as the batteries were exhaust
ed-about six hours-the machine
would stop.
But the story of Myers hnan-
cling is more weird than that of his
invention, strange, unbelievable and
I'll as that may be. The Baltimore
stay OF the convict-inventor was
passed in perfecting the clerical de-
vice and in launching a company
for its promotion. The firm was
BASED on the State rights plan, much
the same as they used in exploiting
feature motive films. The offer was
nade-privately and exclusively-to
individuals in each State. And it
was in the making of this offer that
Mr.. Myers slipped up-according to
Morrison. The State rights were
offered for sale. India, Germany,
tally. all bought the right to sell
The wonderful machine that would
lrag the glittering currents from
he air and the shckeis from the |
oils of the unwary.
1t was one who had been "stung'
Who made complaint to Morrison.
The stipulation was made, however,
hat the identity of the complainant,
he State from which he came and
other facts in this personal connec-
ion should be suppressed. So
Morrison took the letters which |
Myers had written the complainant
md a few statements and things
md sent them to the district atto--
ley at New Orleans, where Myers
being held.
The escapade of Myers, which
'anded him in prison the third
time, is recalled by this incident.
Myers, it seems, had collected Il
great deal OF cash for the State
lights he had delivered to various
investors. Some people who were
associated with him in the promo
ion OF the sales company, asked
lin for an accounting, or otherwise
intimated they would like to be
taken more closely into the conf
ience of the genius. Myers sue
ceeding actions speak for them
selves.
He had purchased an expensive
presumably with part Of
the company's cash. He took the
car one day and rode into the
country. Later, he returned TO the
city, dishcveled, his clothes torn
his car gone and likewise his roll
Of money. He stated that he had
been drugged and robbed of his all.
The associates refused to credit
he story. SO Myers was arrested
and methods were taken to extract
from him 4 more easily digcstcd
story. He then confessed that his
machine was not worth the price
of the materials and that he could
not make electricity i'll any but
the accepted ways. Then he took
the officers to the house in which
he had been living, dug up board
in the floor and brought
to light about $4,000 in cash money.
1t was shown that his clothes hal
been cut and not torn.
At the time OF his arrest it was
widely circulated that Myers would
be tried once more on the forgery