Year: 1871

ed, ITO whom, sir, is this tremendou.
secret known?"


''To myself alone" he responded, land
now answer me question, Is it worth
the money!


1t is entirely unnecessary to detail
the subsequent events connected with
the transaction. l will only add gen
eral statement, showing the results of
my negotiation.


Having fully satisfied myself that
Summerfield actually held in his hands
the fate Of the whole world, with its
millions of human beings, and by ex-
pertinent having tested the combustion
Of sea water with equal facility as fresh,
l next deemed it my duty to call the
attention of a few of the principal men
in San Francisco to the supreme impor
tance of Summerfield's awful discov-
cry.


A leading banker, bishop, a chem
ist, two State University professors, a
judge, physician and two protestant
divines, were selected by me to witness
the experiment on large scale. This
was done at small sand hill lake, near
the sea shore, but separated from it by a
ridge of lofty mountains, distant not
more than ten miles from San Francis
co. Every single drop of water in the
pool was burnt up in less than Is min
utes.


We next did all We could to pacify
Summerfield, and endeavored to induce
him 10 lower his price and bring it with
in the bounds of a reasonable possibility.
But without avail. He began to grow
urgent in his demands.


The subcommittee soon began work
among the wea!thiest citizens Of San
Francisco, and by appealing to thesym.
pathies of all, succeeded in raising one
half the amount within the prescribed
period.


shall never forget the woe-begonc
faces of California streets during the
month of October. The outside world
and the newspapers spoke most learned
ly ofa money panic-a pressure in busi-
ness, and the disturbances in the New
York gold room. But to the initiated
there was an easier solution to the cnig-
ma. The pale specter of death looked
down upon them all. and pointed with
his bony finger to the fiery tomb Of the
whole race, already up in the distance
before them. Day after day could see
the dreadful ravages of this secret hor-
ror; doubly terrible, since they dared
not divulge it.


Still, do all we could, the money could
not be obtained. Jhe day preceding
the last one given, Summerfield was
summoned before the Committee, and
full information given him of the state
of affairs. Obdurate, hard and cruel he
still continued. Finally, a proposition
was stated that an attempt should be
made to raise the other half of the mo-
ney in the city of New York. To this
proposition Summerfield ultimately
yielded, but with extreme reluctance
1t was agreed in committee that l sho'd
accompany him thither, and take with
me, in my own possession, evidences Of
the sums subscribed here that a proper
appeal should be made to the leading
capitalists, and clergymen of that met
ropolis, and that, when the whole
amount was raised, it should be paid
over to Summerfield and bond taken
from him never to divulge his awful Sc
cret to any human being.


With this he seemed to be satisfied,
and left us to prepare for his going the
next morning.


AS soon as he left the apartment, the
bishop arose, and ''deprecated the ac-
tion that he had taken, and character
ICED it as childish and absurd" He
declared that no man was safe one mo
ment whilst that diabolical wretch still
lived; that the only security for US all
was in his immediate extirpation from
the face of tho earth, and that no
amount of money could seal his lips or
close his hands. 1t would be no crime,
he said, to deprive him # the means of
assassinating the whole human family,
and that as for himself he was for doom.
ing him to immediate death.


"With unanimity that was extraor-
binary the entire committee concided."


~ great many plans were proposed.
discussed, and rejected, having in view
the determination of Summerfield. In
them all there was the want Of that
proper caution which would lull the ap-
prehension of an enemy; for should he
for an instant suspect treachery we
knew his nature well enough to be sat
isfied that he would waive all ceremo.
nies and carry his threats into imm edi-
ate execution.


1t was finally resolved that the trip to
New York should not be abandoned,
apparently. But that we were to start
out in accordance with the original pro.
gramme; that, during the journey,
some proper means should be resorted
to by me to carry out the final inten-
tions Of the committee, and that what
ever did would be sanctioned by them
all, and full protection, both in law and
conscience, afforded me in any stage of
the proceeding.


Nothing was now wanting but my
own consent. I asked the privilege Of
meditation for one hour, at the hands of
the committee, before | would render Il
decision either way. During that recess
the above augmentation occupied my
thoughts. The time expired, and | again
presented myself before them. did not
deem it requisite to state the grounds of
n, 4, daoiSion L hrial., siAniGul n,u