Keely Doubted

NYT - June 8, 1885. - The latest tests of Mr. Keely's "motors," run by "etheric vapor," have not been of a character to increase public confidence in the reality of his pretended discoveries. The actual discovery of a new motive power of the capability which Keely claims for his "etheric vapor" would be promptly followed, we may be sure, by its utilizations. Keely seems to be content with experiments and with occasional exhibitions of his apparatus. Keely is undoubtedly a humbug.

NYT - PHILADELPHIA, July 24, 1886.- John Worrell Keely, the motor man, gave an exhibition this afternoon in his workshop at No. 1422 North Twentieth-street of his big engine, which has just been completed after a year of experiments. Inventor Keely has been giving mysterious entertainments to capitalists, scientists, and others for the past dozen or 15 years, but none of the former exhibitions were so mysterious or so wonderful as the scientific reception of yesterday. Mr. Keely used all the terms known to science and a little scientific vocabulary of his own in explaining to his audience of 30 how the thing was done. The audience, like former audiences, nodded their heads in approval and looked wise, and, as usual, knew just as much about Keely's secret when the show was over as they did before it began. Mr. Keely told those present that it was the first trial of his newest and biggest engine, and that he was just experimenting and didn't know whether the engine would run or not. As be wiped the trickling perspiration from his face he added that his brain was all confused, but he guessed everything would go all right, as he had the chord of a mass, and had made two ejectments of atmospheric pressure from the big tube and had secured an introducting impulse. The scientists and capitalists looked at each other helplessly and then smiled at Mr. Keely, and a number said in a chorus: "Oh yes, certainly." Inventor Keely heretofore given his exhibitions with small machines. The funny-looking copper globe, 48 inches in diameter, filled with "resonators," which he used yesterday, is about three times larger than any machine he has ever used. He said that he could produce 250 horse power with what looked more like washing machine than anything else. A hum of wonderment ran through the little workshop, and then Mr. Keely put resin on his fiddle bow, tuned the forks on the drum of his "liberator," connected a copper tube six feet long and one-eighth of an inch in diameter with a 7-pint cylinder and then connected another copper tube a thirty-second of an inch in diameter and 10 feet long with the engine from the 7-pint cylinder. The sound, liberated from the drum of the "liberator" passed through the first tube into the cylinder and then into the smaller tube, and into the copper globe of the new machine. The bottled chords of the mass which Mr. Keely had chosen for his power yesterday, would run the machine, he said. Something did run it. The big copper globe revolved faster than any fly wheel or bit of machinery ever seen in motion in a machine shop. The copper globe, 48 inches in diameter, made seven revolutions every second, an in independent belt wheel at one end of the copper globe, which Mr. Keely said ran from the sympathy of sound, made 300 revolutions a minute, and its velocity frightened everybody in the room, including Keely, who danced around the shop and told everybody to keep out of the way. The belt wheel and the copper globe went around so fast that they made a noise like the spinning of a huge top. The noise sounded too like the rushing and howling of a furious wind as the copper globe cut the atmosphere, and turned it in dripping water on the floor underneath. The hot little workshop was chilled in two minutes, and then, as Keely, greatly excited, turned the cock of the vibrating tube and made the copper globe calm down to almost a standstill, the capitalists and scientists clapped their hands and took off their hats. "Ain't that fine, gentlemen!" exclaimed Keely,, smiling. "Greatest thing on earth," answered Albert R. Edey, the President of the Keely Motor Company. "Wonderful!" came from a dozen mouths, and then Mr. Keely started the copper globe off again with all its fury. It shook the little workshop from cellar to ceiling and rattled the window panes. "I can make the screw of a steamer make 6,000 revolutions a minute with this machine," shouted Mr. Keely through the howling of the globe and the belt wheel. "Then we'll be able to go to Europe in one or two days before long," remarked a man in the audience. Mr. Keely stopped the engine again and then made the globe revolve in either direction just as he pleased. The bottled sound in the "liberator" was just as strong when he stopped as when he began, and he said the machine would run all day without charging the "liberator" again with a sound from drawing the fiddle bow over the tuning fork. Several tests were made with the lever, which have been described frequently. When the exhibition was concluded L. H. Taylor, Jr., the broker, moved that a vote of thanks be tendered Mr. Keely. Everybody shouted "Aye," and a ringing applause followed. Mr. Keely will go away tomorrow for 10 days' rest. Then he will return and study out some vibratory sounds so that he will have the machine more thoroughly under his control. He doesn't know how long it will take him or what the next step will be, but he said the public would hear from him very soon. Those present were Jacob H. Linville, ex-President of the Keystone Bridge Company, and now President of the Electric Telegraph Company; Dr. Strawbridge, Dr. D. F. Woods, William Boekel, F. A. Holmes, Col. J. E. Priton, M. Richard, Jr., T. C. Smith, of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company; W. W. Perkins, John S. Muckle, L. H. Taylor, Jr., Henry Smyser, P. S. Dooner, Edward A. Green, Charles B. Collier, and Secretary Schuellesman, of the company, all of this city; and the following from New-York city; Albert R. Edey, President of the Keely Motor Company; Dr. Wilfred Hall and Dr. Hudson, of the Scientific Arena; Dr. George Evans, F. G. Green, C. K. Dutton, Dr. C. M. Richmond, W. Lawty, Augustus Stein, and T. Harper. When the visitors had left Mr. Keely told the reporter that by laying little tubes under ground connected with his engine, if he built a large one, he could run all the machinery in every factory in Philadelphia by simply drawing his fiddle bow once every morning and letting the sound into the copper globe.

NYT - PHILADELPHIA, March 17, 1888.- Keely's secret of the manipulations of his mysterious motor which he has guarded so securely for many years in spite of the efforts for disclosure made by dissatisfied stockholders of the motor company, is at last to be divulged. Today Judge Finletter handed down the opinion of the court in the suit brought by Mennett G. Wilson, who claims to hold an assignment of Keely's motor invention, made to him in 1868, which grants an order for the inspection of all the motor machine made by Keely, and compels him to explain the theories of their workings to Wilson and such experts as may be named with in a few days. Lawyer William C. Strawbridge, the Patent Attorney, who for the National Government conducted its famous suits against the Bell Telephone Company for the annulments of its patents, will, as Wilson's counsel, present to the court for its approval an order prescribing the method of inspection. Mr. Strawbridge says the order which is being now prepared for the consideration and approval of the court will have for its purpose the enabling of Wilson to make out, if the facts so warranted, the allegations of his bill of complaint as to the identity of the motor of 1869 with the motor of the present day, and for the further object of determining the extent of Wilson's ownership under the assignment of partnership between him and Keely. In other words, the order will be such a one as the court in its opinion says "is necessary for an intelligent consideration of the rights of the parties." In his opinion Judge Finletter says: "The defendant has in no way stated what the principle and machine were which he assigned to plaintiff. He is the only one who could give any information upon this subject and enable us to judge correctly between the contradictory statements of the parties. This information would either corroborate him or corroborate the plaintiff. He has withheld it and he may no complain if we are compelled thereby to draw inferences unfavorable to his assertions. "In this case we find it impossible to determine from the affidavits and arguments of counsel what the principle and machine assigned to plaintiff may be in construction, operation, or results. We know a little more of the Keely motor in this respect, but even that is vague and indefinite. The examination is therefore necessary for an intelligent consideration of the right of the parties. It may also determine this proceeding, and can be made without injury to the right of any one interested."

NYT - PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 18, 1888.- There was a lively legal battle in Common Pleas Court No. 3 today in the suit of Bennett Wilson against John W. Keely. Ex-United States Attorney-General Wayne MacVeagh and Lawyer Charles B. Collier appeared for Keely, and Lawyers Rufus E. Shipley and A. S. L. Shields represented Wilson. Judges Finletter and Reed were on the bench. Bennett Wilson owns about one-half of the Keely Motor stock, and Lawyers Shapley and Shields went into court to get a writ of attachment for Keely's arrest. Mr. Shields simplified the mode of procedure by saying: "We want to put Keely in Jail." The application for a writ of attachment was based on the fact that Keely had not obeyed the order of the court, made on the 7th of April, that he must show up his machine within 30 days. The time was afterward extended to 60 days, but Keely has not divulged his secret yet, and Lawyer Shapley said he didn't believe Keely ever would. Lawyer Shapley declared that Keely's failure to obey the order of the court was outrageous and audacious, and that it stood without a parallel. He said he didn't believe Keely ever intended to obey the order of the court, and Judge Finletter said: "I don't believe that Keely intended to obey the order of the court when it was made, but we are loth to imprison a man until we have more information. I think the court should have more information about this machine before it acts upon the application for a writ of attachment." Then Judge Reed spoke up, and he also said that he didn't believe Keely intended to obey the order of the court, but he agreed with Judge Finletter that the court's knowledge of the whole Keely business, except the machine, was very foggy, and that the court must have the mist cleared away before it would issue a writ to send Keely to Jail. Lawyer Collier was glad to hear that the Judge wanted more information. He invited them to go up to Keely's shop and look at the machine. Lawyer MacVeagh thought it was a bright idea, and jumping to his feet he pointed his finger at Judge Finletter and said: "You ought to go and tell Keely what to do." "Yes, and Keely will do everything except what you tell him," said Lawyer Shapley, addressing Judge Finletter. The Judge declined the invitation, and then Judge Reed was asked to go. He bowed, smiled, and also declined. Lawyer Shapley told the Judges that they wouldn't miss much; that all there was to see at the shop a little machine that resembled a peanut roaster and a lot of old bolts. Still Lawyer Shapley was in favor of the Judge going to the shop. He said they would then see how foolish and untrue Keely's story was about needing more time and money. Judge Finletter said the proper thing to do was for Keely to exhibit his machine to the public, counsel, and experts. "Let the experts go there and examined the machine," said Judge Finletter. "And then decide," added Lawyer MacVeagh. "There's nothing for an expert to decide so far as the running of the machine goes," said Judge Finletter. "Well, you ought to go and attend the circus," said Lawyer MacVeagh, which brought laughter to the eyes of the stockholders in the back seats. Lawyer Shields said the statement that it would cost $1,000 to put the machine in running order was ridiculous, and Lawyer Shapley added that $50 would put it in order. After considerable lively talk about experts Lawyer Collier, pointing to Messrs. Shapley and Shields, said: "They are in a conspiracy to wrest from Keely a secret that belong to him; that is his just as much as a man's watch is his own." Judge Finletter stopped the talk by saying that it was not necessary for the machine to operate, and ordered that the experts meet at Keely's workshop and report singly what they saw, and if they could not reporter intelligibly then the court would appoint single individual. Lawyer Collier left the court room with all the stockholders as his heels. When he got down stairs on the pavement he said to them in an exultant manner: "We've got them now, gentlemen." Lawyers Shapley and Shields were not happy because they didn't get their writ for Keely's arrest.

NYT - September 19, 1888. - There is a possibility that at length the Keely motor fraud, is to be exposed to the full light of day, and that the public is to be let into some of the secrets of "etheric force" in its action upon tuning forks and "sympathetic attraction." One of the stockholders of the so-called inventor's company has at last wearied of the continual drain made upon his credulity and his purse, and demanded a view of the wonderful machine which is to transform the world of force, if the Keely promises are to be believed. The name of this man who has so suddenly come to his senses is Bennett C. Wilson, and he promises to become a public benefactor in forcing the arch impostor of the age to show his hands. Of course, Mr. Keely refused to allow Mr. Wilson to inspect the machine in which he was sinking his money. It is conceivable - anything is conceivable of Keely - that he was staggered at the impudence of the demand. The long-gulled stockholder, however, refused to be put off longer. He took his burden to the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, and laid it at the feet of Judge Finletter and the Judge promptly applied the remedy for the relief of the awakened man. Saturday he rendered a decision ordering Keely to allow a thorough inspection of the wonderful motor, and, unless this order is reversed by a higher court, we shall soon know all about the mysteries of the Keely workshop.