Free Energy Pioneer- John Worrell Keely

by Theo Paijmans

  In January 1898, the event of a paper80 read to the Engineer's Club, drew headlines.81 Its writer, E. A. Scott, electrical engineer by profession, declared that Keely had discovered "no new force" and had shown "no apparatus which demonstrated, or could demonstrate, such a force, but that many of the things done by Keely could be readily performed by the operation of well-known laws of nature." He had visited Keely's workshop on a number of occasions. About Keely's famous levitation experiments, involving glass jars filled with water and metal balls and discs he saw no mysterious etheric principle at work. To Scott it was merely the principle of the "Cartesian Diver," and the weights in the jar were so constructed as to just sink in the normal condition of the jar, but to rise when a slight increase of air pressure was put upon the surface through a fine tube carrying, not surprisingly, compressed air. Of this alleged tube, Collier emphatically stated that this was a platinum wire. Collier also offered to give a lecture to the Engineers Club, but when asked if he would bring Keely along with the jar in question, he said that Keely had repeatedly refused to do anything of the kind.

  Collier was asked if he knew the real facts regarding Keely's discovery, and if he could continue Keely's work in case of the death of the inventor. He replied that he and Thomas knew "all that Keely had discovered, and that in the event of Keely's death, he would be willing to give the desired explanation."82

  Collier would not let matters rest there. His countermove was quick and definitive, and toward the end of March he wrote to the press: " Since the delivery of Mr. Scott's address, upon my invitation not less than fifty gentlemen, including engineers, electricians, chemists and mechanics, have visited Keely's laboratory, all of whom have seen his machinery operated and some of whom have seen it as well in its wholly dismantled condition. To each and all I have called specific attention to Mr. Scott's assertion that said wires are tubes and invited them to investigate for themselves and they have done so, and all found them to be what I assert, wires."83

  And what was Keely doing? While there are no direct references as to his activities during his last years, he once again stated that he at last solved the problem of harnessing the ether, and proudly declared: "My work is now complete. "84

  But was it? A reporter wrote that he announced that "after a labor extending through three decades he has discovered a new cosmic force. For years Mr. Keely claims to have been conscious of a power, but was unable to harness it for commercial purposes. Now, he says, he has solved the problem and that by this force steam and electricity will be at a discount, as his discovery costs practically nothing to operate it."

  Keely unfolded grandiose visions, everything was possible through the medium of his new cosmic force: "With the new power railroad trains can be run at the rate of five miles a minute. I am aware that this is a broad assertion, but I have thoroughly studied the power of my new force, and know what I am talking about. Under the present condition of railroads, it will be practically impossible to attain this rate of speed, as it would tear the rails up and shake the cars too." Keely also expected to be able to place a machine on the market "in complete form inside of two months which will fully demonstrate his claims. "85 The months passed by, but this year too would see no engine that pushed trains on reinforced rails at tremendous speeds, propelled by the forces of the cosmos.86

  Keely died on November 18, 1898, the same day that a Philadelphia newspaper reported that he was seriously ill with pneumonia at his home located at 1632 Oxford Street: "Mr. Keely contracted a severe cold last week, which necessitated his taking to bed on Saturday. He was resting quietly today, and his recovery is expected. "87

  A day later, another newspaper reported the sad news in a long article, containing a number of errors, such as that Keely never applied for, or obtained a patent.

  "John Worrell Keely, the inventor of the 'Keely Motor' died yesterday afternoon at 3:00 at his late residence, 1632 Oxford Street, aged 71 years," the article ran. "Mr. Keely had been sick only a week. He first complained of being ill on Thursday of last week to Dr. Chase, of Boston, who called on him at his office while on a visit to this city. He contracted a severe cold, which developed into pneumonia, and for the last three days his condition was considered critical. He rallied somewhat yesterday morning, but soon after grew rapidly weaker, and it was evident he could not recover. He had always enjoyed robust health until three years ago, when his friends noticed that he had lost much of his vigor, and about this time he had an operation performed on his eyes, prior to which during a critical physical examination by his medical attendant it was discovered that he was a sufferer from Bright's disease, although Mr. Keely would never admit this. About two years ago he was run over by a team on Broad Street,88 and very much shaken up, and this seemed to have affected his health to a considerable degree. Mr. Keely was twice married, and leaves a widow, but no children."89

  Four days after his death, a newspaper published a list of pallbearers for the funeral services that reflected the wide and intriguing scope of the Keely history. Among others this list included John W. Keely, with whom was probably meant his brother J.A. Keely, Charles Hill, Barton Kincaid, with whom was meant Burton Kinraide and who we shall meet again, Ackermann and Peabody, John Jacob Astor, Professor Lascelles Scott, Professors Joseph Dewar and William B. Crooks, Wayne MacVeagh, Daniel Brinton, Collier, Zentmayer, Boekel and Schuellerman. Singing during the funeral services would be by the choir of the Twentieth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Twentieth and Jefferson Streets, and by Rev. and Mrs. John G. Wilson and D. and G. Conquest Anthony.90

  The funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on November 23 at Keely's late residence at 1632 Oxford Street. Long before 10:00 a.m., a large crowd of those who had known him, and those who were curious to take a last look at the inventor, assembled into the parlor of the first floor of the residence. There his body was laid in a mahogany coffin with oxidized trimmings. A silver plate on the lid bore the inscription, "John Worrall (sic) Keely, in his sixty-third year."

  Keely rested among flowers, and a huge bouquet was presented by the directors of the company, and another by the trustees of the Twentieth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a member. There were also bouquets from his friends in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Anna Keely had placed near the coffin "a touching tribute of her love. It was a heart of red immortals. This design was so arranged that one-half of it might be buried with Mr. Keely and the other half kept by the bereaved woman."

  The funeral services were largely attended. Among those present were the directors of the company, the trustees of the Twentieth Street Methodist Episcopal Church and friends from New York and Boston. Not all appointed pallbearers were present; notably Lascelles Scott, Dewar, Crooks and Astor were absent, as their names do not appear in the contemporary press accounts. The choir sang, and several speeches were made, among others by his friend William Colville. After the services, his body was taken to West Laurel Hill Cemetery, where it was put in the receiving vault to await the preparation of his tomb. When the coffin was placed in the vault Anna Keely broke the red heart in two, "leaving one part with the dead and taking the other home with her."91

  Immediately after his death, strange rumors and legends sprang up. It was written for instance that "It is not known whether the secret of his motor... died with him. It is said that a few of his intimate friends know the secret, but it is not known whether they will be able to make any practicable use of it."92

  And a little later, Collier said that "when Mr. Keely was taken sick he was just about to take out patents on his last machine, which he confidently asserted was to be the successful finale of his 25 years of experiments. He further asserted that he and Lancaster Thomas, a noted local chemist, were in possession of sufficient practicable information to enable them to complete the work and take out the letters patent. "The machine will be patented," said Mr. Collier. "When, I cannot just say now."93

  Keely's one-time generous patroness Bloomfield-Moore died only
a few months later on January 5, 1899, in London, England.94 Five days later and a continent away, Tesla would sign his so-desired contract with elusive Astor, the former with whom Bloomfield-Moore had undoubtedly exchanged mutual hopes and ideas for the elevation of mankind, the latter with whom she had sailed on the Nourmahal across the boundless seas of expectation.

  Science writer Henry Dam, who was also Bloomfield-Moore's literary executor, said: "I knew that when Mr. Keely died she would not live long. Her whole life was centered in his work, to the exclusion of all other interests and hopes. She had the most profound faith that neither Mr. Keely nor herself could die until the invention had succeeded. After receiving the cabled announcement of Mr. Keely's death she began to sink rapidly. Her ailment seemed more mental than physical."95

  John Worrell Keely

  Keely's workshop, the place of many incredible demonstrations for over a quarter of a century. In 1874, Keely settled into this building, which would be his workshop for life.

  Stock certificate issued by the Keely Motor Company. The company would ultimately raise $5.000. 000.00 in capital

  Musical Dyuasphere

  Keely with his Musical Dynasphere

  Interior view (shell and drum cover removed) of a Musical Dynasphere

  Liberator of the sound force from atoms of the atmosphere. Another attempt to get at the source of all force, but was eventually scrapped as unworkable.

  Aerial Propeller

  Airship Propeller

  Vibrodyne and Sympathetic Negative Transmitter (1896)

  "First Circuit” for showing polar and de-polar action. Operated by connection to the Sympathetic Negative Transmitter.

  Combination for controlling and transmitting vibratory forces by sympathetic negative attraction (incomplete).

  Vibratory Switch-Disk

  The Generator was used to generate etheric vapor from pulsating pressure and vacuum working on water and air (front view).

  Generator (left side view)

  Generator (right side view)

  Generator (back view)

  Generator (top view)

  5

  Into the Void The Final Stage of the Keely Mystery

  "Not long since, Canon Wilberforce asked Keely what would become of his discovery and his inventions in case of his death before they became of commercial value to the public. Keely replied that he had written thousands of pages, which he hoped would, in such an event, be mastered by some mind capable of pursuing his researches to practical ends. "

  Clara Bloomfield-Moore,

  Keely's Discoveries, Aerial Navigation, 1893

  The final mystery in the Keely story that gave rise to much speculation in the years to come, was the disappearance of his papers, drawings and devices after he died.

  In his lifetime, Bloomfield-Moore also wrote about manuscripts in which his philosophy was explained.1 On one occasion, Keely told a reporter that he had "two books on hand... one of which was to come out within a year, possibly sooner," and the reporter was then shown some "proof sheets prepared by a friend from Keely's manuscript books." During the interview Keely confided to the reporter that, "I am at work at present on two books; the one which will announce my force to the scientific world will contain from 1,500 to 2,000 pages with 50 or 60 charts, describing the whole thing symbolically. It will appear in 1891."2

  Notwithstanding Keely's statement, 1891 did not witness his book in print. Nor would another projected book be printed later. Collier, always ready to come forward with one or another boisterous claim, obtained from Keely "elaborate descriptions of his various machines and devices, and much time was spent in Preparing drawings and specifications," another hint that drawings of Keely's devices did exist. Collier also had "in preparation a book entitled Two Decades with Keely, that would 'prove intensely interested reading.'"3 What its contents were we will probably never learn, since as far as is known, Collier's book too was never printed.

  Even this facet of the Keely mystery is shrouded in uncertainty; we do not know if and exactly how many manuscripts or papers Keely wrote in his productive life.

  In her book, Bloomfield-Moore quotes extensively from what she terms "Keely's writings," unfortunately without identifying this source.4 From a statement by the attorney of Keely's widow, this source of written material may perhaps be identified: "A week or so after his death access to his papers was secured for the first time. Bundle after bundle was unrolled and minutely examined, but no secret appeared. Fragmentary MSS, in the shape of a diary, unfinished letters, proof sheets of matter ultimately appearing in Mrs. Bloomfield-Moore's book Keely and His Discoveries, were found in abundance, but no revelation."5 And some months afterward, during a second investigation of his workshop, an unfinished letter from Keely to Bloomfield-Moore was found.6 The whereabouts of these documents are not known.

  According to Bloomfield-Moore, Keely also wrote "three treatises to explain his system" and she lists the titles of these papers: "Theoretical Expose or Philosophical Analysis of Vibro-Molecular, Vibro-Atomic, and Sympathetic Vibro-Etheric Forces, as Applied to Induce Mechanical Rotation by Negative Sympathetic Attraction." The second treatise is titled, equally verbose "Explanatory Analysis of Vibro-Acoustic Mechanism in all its Different Groupings or Combinations to Induce Propulsion and Attraction (Sympathetically) by the Power of Sound-Force; as also the Different Conditions of Intensity, both Positive and Negative, on the Progressive Octaves to Ozonic Liberation and Luminosity."

  The final paper has the equally long title, "The Determining Principle of Matter, or the Connective Link Between the Finite and the Infinite, Progressively Considered from the Crude Molecular to the Compound Inter-Etheric; showing the Control of Spirit over Matter in all the Variations of Mass Chords and Molecular Groupings, both Physical and Mechanical."7

  Unfortunately she does not elaborate any further on these treatises and nowhere in her book do we find a description of these writings, such as the number of pages, their contents or the locations. It is doubtful that she read or even saw these papers at all. It may be that Keely wrote to her about the papers in one of his letters, and that she took his word for the existence of these treatises. Most probably the papers were never published and remained private. Contemporary newspapers, which usually devoted much space to various details of his life and his inventions never mentioned their publication.

  There is also the hint in The Snell Manuscript, a document that was originally written around 1934 and kept in private hands until it was recently published. Its author, C.W. Snell of Detroit, Michigan, writes that, "The secret of Keely's instruments died with him. These notes were made from books written by Keely himself, found in an old library. The books have since disappeared...."8 This intriguing allegation is unfortunately ill-fitted for closer examination, since the name of the library is not mentioned and no bibliographical details of these books or papers, allegedly written by Keely himself, are given.

  Some parts of Keely's philosophies did appear in print, however. There are, for instance, the portions in Colville's Dashed Against the Rock, published in 1894. And recently the title page of what appears to be a book, written by Keely, was published, called Keely's Acoustic Theoretical Charts with a long subtitle,9 rivaling those as mentioned by Bloomfield-Moore. The book was printed in Philadelphia in 1887 and consists of a series of remarkable drawings as far as can be determined, since it is by no means certain that the charts were the sole contents of the book. Unfortunately this book is not included in the collections of the two most extensive libraries in the Western world, and thereby cannot be studied. A routine search that I conducted in the Library of Congress showed that only four titles about Keely, and not written by him, are in the possession of the American libraries today. A consultation of the British libraries delivered only a handful of pamphlets written by Bloomfield-Moore.10

  So, while we are by no means certain that the charts were the only contents of the book, this is at least an indication that Keely did in fact trust som
e of his philosophy to paper and took the effort of publishing it. Bloomfield-Moore never refers to this 1887 book or any other work in her writings, and the contemporary newspapers make no mention of this particular book whatsoever, and all in all this is suspicious. What the press did write about was a large manuscript written by Keely. There is the tale by a reporter who was shown "a large book filled with heavy cardboard plates, each of which was a treatise in itself, all drawn with a pen by Mr. Keely with beautiful exactness. Nearly every one of these plates had one or more bars of music, showing the dominant chords of vibrations which governed certain combinations."11 Probably these plates were the same as those which Keely published in 1887. It is claimed that he handed out handsomely framed reproductions of such a chart to various backers.12

  It was also written that when Keely died, he left "a large number of drawings illustrating the principles of vibratory philosophy. Each plate had one or more charts of music, showing the dominating chords or vibrations which govern certain combinations," and sometimes a newspaper would print a number of these striking charts as a curiosity.13