Free Energy Pioneer- John Worrell Keely

by Theo Paijmans

  When stockholders obtained court orders against Keely in 1882, he destroyed many of his machines and drawings in fear of confiscation. When the courts threatened again in 1888, Keely destroyed several devices and valuable papers.56 When he was threatened with imprisonment by the Keely Motor Company, he not only destroyed a lot of his instruments "in a fit of despair," but also announced that "they may take his corpse to jail."57

  Which devices he destroyed and which escaped destruction is impossible to say. Bloomfield-Moore confirms the destruction on those occasions, but from her statement we learn a little: "In the winter of 1881-82, when threatened with imprisonment by the managers of the Keely Motor Company for not disclosing his secret to them, which then would have been like pricking a bubble, he destroyed his vibratory lift and other instruments that he had been years in perfecting. At this time so hopeless was Keely, that his plans were made to destroy himself, after destroying his devices.... Again, in 1888.. .he broke up his vibratory microscope, his sympathetic transmitter, and some devices, which have taken much of his time to reconstruct."58 She too confirms that in 1882, "engine after engine was abandoned and sold as old metal in his repeated failures to construct one that would keep up the rotary motion of the ether that was necessary to hold it in any structure."59

  But what became of the devices that Keely did not destroy? Whether he constructed 129 or as many as 2,000, is a mystery. Various writers and researchers have put forward their own theories about the fates of those other wonderful engines. Most theories agree that the devices were taken out of Philadelphia to another location. It is alleged that Dr. Chase, who visited him when he was ill, took some fundamental pieces of machinery from his workshop to Boston for unknown reasons. A variant of this strange story had it that Dr. Chase returned some of those devices during an investigation of Keely's workshop by Clarence Moore and some scientists.60

  It is also claimed that the machines were shipped to his workshop in Boston by a man named Konrade, but the engines didn't work there. Because Konrade wouldn't admit that he had failed, he claimed that he had discovered hidden levers and cogwheels, which were propelled through a water pump that he discovered in a nearby building.61 When we once again turn to the contemporary sources, we not only find that Dr. Chase was referred to only once,62 but that there never was a Konrade. One who did exist however, was T. Burton Kinraide of Boston.63 It was Kinraide who paid for the lot on the West Laurel Hill Cemetery where Keely found his final resting place.64

  The subsequent fates of some of the engines are entangled with the strange story of Kinraide, which is embedded in that distressing period with its scandals, frustrations, hopes, accusations, and battles between the Keely Motor Company, Collier, Hill and Mrs. Keely over Keely's legacy.

  The first direct reference to Kinraide without actually naming him — apart from his misspelled name in the list of pallbearers at the funeral — appeared in the press a week and a day after Keely's death. Kinraide "came on to Philadelphia after Mr. Keely died, was at the house every day between the death and the funeral; rode with Mrs. Keely in the same carriage to the cemetery and returned with her to the house. This alarming stranger is really not a stranger to the directors of the company. Several years ago, it is said, he appeared at the Keely establishment and has been a constant visitor and intimate of the family ever since. He remained on some of his visits as long as four or five weeks, during which time he devoted day after day to the study of the Keely motor, remaining in the room with it for hours at a time."

  It seemed that the directors did not approve of this, but Keely was quoted as saying: "I can guard my secret all right." Nevertheless, a "full inquiry" was launched, to determine "the character and standing of Keely's mysterious friend."

  The inquiry yielded some intriguing details: "It was discovered that he was a man of great wealth and lived in princely fashion in the vicinity of Boston. It was also learned that he was a scientist with theories of his own almost as remarkable as those advanced by Keely. Like Keely, he pursued discovery on the tones of vibration, and in order to conduct some special experiments, he had a huge cave hewn out of the solid rock on his estate, which he fitted up as a laboratory."65 While experimenting, he succeeded in obtaining rotary motion on the compass needle from vibrations.66

  It appears that stockholders in the Boston area already noticed this man: "On several occasions Boston stockholders in the Keely Motor Company wrote that Keely's ideas were being absorbed by a man who had already made a device similar in physical construction and operation. The apparatus was duplicated and forwarded to the directors, who handed it over to Mr. Keely. Keely laughed at it before them, but promised that he would take up the question. It was remarked after this that the friendship between the two men became closer than ever. The Boston scientist and man of means was at the Keely house every week, and it is alleged, is in the city at the present time..."67

  A few days later, Collier revealed the name of this mysterious Bostonian, who had a huge grotto on his estate filled to the brim with weird and wonderful devices: "...The statement that a man who knew the inventor in life and who possessed the valuable secret was now in town was not denied by Mr. Collier. He said that this man was a Mr. Kincaid (sic) of Boston, and that he was an inventor himself. He frequently had interviews with Mr. Keely, Mr. Collier said, but it is unlikely that the inventor told him the secret of the famous motor."68

  On December 20, when the fighting over Keely's legacy had reached its peak and accusations flew high and wide, another reference to the mysterious man from Boston appeared during the annual meeting of the stockholders. It was also stated that he had known Keely since 1895: "Before the battle began, the statement spread that Keely had confided in T.B. Kinraid, (sic) of Boston, who had been summoned to the dying bed of the inventor. President Ackermann said he had been told by Charles S. Hill, attorney of Mrs. Keely, that Mr. Keely said that Kinraid was the one man who could carry on the work successfully. At this statement one stockholder stood up to say that three years ago he heard Mr. Keely say that Kinraid might know enough to be a little inventor, but that he was of no great ability."69

  Hill, the attorney of Keely's widow, outlined the plan of the estate, which was to place the machines and data in the hands of T.B. Kinraide. Apparently this was Mrs. Keely's plan: "It is Mrs. Keely's intention to have Mr. Kinraide give his entire time and his best abilities toward the completion of a practical engine, and he, until he has produced a machine capable of being patented..."

  To all this, Hill also mentioned that this would happen within a year, at the end of which "he will present a report, supplemented by the allowance of an inspection of what he has done." Yet Hill was unclear of the time period: "Mr. Kinraide will work out the invention as the invention of John W. Keely, and will sign a contract to that effect... .Mr. Kinraide thinks he can determine in six weeks time whether he can bring the experiments to a successful issue."

  Hill not only stated that he thought it unwise to have one group of people to have the sole control — "The Bloomfield-Moore and other interests have to be considered" — but also said that Kinraide "will make no promises that any machine will be completed..! can say that if this matter should be opposed the company is practically signing its own death warrant."

  Interestingly, this part of the final mystery holds a smaller mystery as well. A repetition of what happened to Boekel some fifteen years ago seems to have taken place. Somehow, Hill deemed it necessary to state at the meeting that "he had private information that would influence their decision, and that, in order to secure the cooperation of the members, he would disclose it in secret to one of their number. John J. Smith, of New York, was appointed to receive this secret, and held a conference with Mr. Hill."

  While this is strange, considering the thunderous threats that Hill rained down upon the Board (why should he need the cooperation anyway) the outcome of the conference would be even more surprising.

  At the evening session, Mr. Smith made his report.
He said that if he were the sole owner of the interests of the Keely Motor Company, he would make the same report, being that the suggestions of Mr. Hill be followed. "I think I have the Keely motor secret," said he, "but I shall use it no more for my own interests than for the interests of the company. In a short time, Mr. Kinraide will be able to tell whether he can work it out or not. From what I've seen today, I am thoroughly convinced that Mr. Kinraide can take those machines and operate them as Mr. Keely did, and produce the same results."70

  What was it that Smith learned and saw that totally convinced him, and even made him think that he now possessed Keely's secret? Smith did not disclose what he knew, and he kept his mouth shut tightly. For now!

  When Smith was selected, Hill "at first demurred to any selection..." and then made the following very strange remark: "You will rue the day you let the thing get out."71

  Collier tried his best shot and asked Hill if it were possible for Kinraide to "take those machines before a scientific body and operate them." Smith curtly stated that "it would be not advisable to do so, at this time." When Collier insisted, by stating that "for years and years we asked John W. Keely to make a demonstration before the Franklin Institute. Why can't it be done, now that we have somebody else at the head of the affairs?" Hill's reply was short: "As you have shown your confidence in me I shall have to ask you to consider that part of the matter closed for the present."72

  The takeover by the men from Boston was now complete. Hill had eliminated any possible control of the Keely Motor Company over Keely's legacy. The fate of Keely's engines now lay in the hands of Kinraide, and no engine was to be exhibited. Meanwhile, Keely's engines were taken from the workshop and were placed in the vaults of the Land, Title and Trust Company, "fifteen of the more delicate pieces of machinery have been packed in flannel and removed for safety."73

  All the material and data would be placed in the hands of T.B. Kinraide, which "was the dying request of Keely." Kinraide was to have no compensation until he came up with some tangible results, and he was to have a year in which to produce these. Kinraide would also remove all appliances to his own laboratory in Boston at his own expense. According to Hill, Kinraide would be able to tell "in a very few weeks...whether or not he can successfully complete the Keely inventions."74

  What could the stockholders do but to "have resolved to allow T.B. Kinraide, of Boston, to continue the work left unfinished by Mr. Keely...," and, puzzled enough by all this, declare that, "The man who is to take up work on the mysterious motor is said to have enjoyed the fullest confidence of the deceased inventor, and had a knowledge of the experiments."75

  The directors of the company thought otherwise. They were extremely skeptical, "to say the least, of Mr. Kinraide's ability to make any progress, inasmuch as they believe that he does not know Keely's secret... Keely was eccentric. He refused to divulge the one secret idea, which, he said, was the basis of all his experiments, even to his closest associates. Charles B. Collier and Lancaster Thomas, who for many years stood by Keely, while they were privy to many of his plans and had free access to his workshop, were never acquainted with the mysterious 'vitalizing force' — Keely's secret, and they are firm in their belief that Mr. Kinraide or no other person knows it."76

  A dry conjecture of the situation was published a week later in a short editorial in a Philadelphia newspaper: "It appears that we must wait another year to learn the secret of the Keely motor, and we may not learn it even then. A Boston man who is supposed to have penetrated farther into the mystery than anybody else has been entrusted with the task of completing Keely's great life work — if he can. He is not entirely confident of himself, but it is agreed that if he cannot make the motor mote, nobody can, and he is to have a year for the trial."77

  More specifically, Kinraide said that if at the end of one year he was convinced that there was absolutely nothing that would lead to a practical machine he would abandon his attempts. "If it is shown that there are clues enough to lead to the construction of such an engine it will be pushed rapidly forward to the patentable stage and further agreements made. Mr. Kinraide will make no agreement that any machine or engine will be completed at a certain time, or even that one will be completed at all. He will simply devote one year to try to solve the secret possessed by Keely. The work will be done at Mr. Kinraide's laboratory here, and during his working hours he will be inaccessible to all callers."78

  On December 28, Keely's engines were shipped to Boston. But, contrary to what researchers suggest, not all of Keely's engines were to go to Kinraide's laboratory: "All the devices of the late John W. Keely that are held to be of importance in connection with the experiments to be made by T.B. Kinraide of Boston, will be shipped today, to be placed in his laboratory. The more delicate machines and parts have been in safe keeping in the vaults of the Land Title and Trust Company, having been placed there shortly after the death of Mr. Keely. Charles S. Hill, of Boston, attorney for Mrs. Keely, was in the city yesterday, and with Mr. Kinraide supervised the work of moving the machines. ...Mr. Hill says that the older machines and those which Mr. Kinraide believes will be of no practical value in his work will be stored by the Keely Motor Company in this city, and that a room will be rented for that purpose."79 Hill personally escorted Keely's engines to Boston, where he arrived a day later.80

  Keely's inventory, filed on January 3, the same day that his devices arrived in Boston, made a reference to "Fifteen pieces of experimental apparatus."81 A Boston newspaper wrote that "Twenty large packing cases have arrived here, containing the material part of the famous Keely motor. T.B. Kinraide, an inventor, ordered the boxes removed to his laboratory. There he will experiment in trying to supply whatever is lacking in mechanism."

  Kinraide also told a reporter that, "he had often talked with Mr. Keely on the principles of his invention. He never fully explained the secret of his perpetual motion to me, said Mr. Kinraide, but I feel that I know more of the motor than any other man. Mr. Keely, after being taken ill, expressed the wish that I be allowed to carry out his inventions. Before the hour set for the interview had arrived the inventor was past recovery. It was, however, at Mr. Keely's request and that of Mrs. Keely that I have consented to conduct these experiments. I am not a director of the company, neither am I an employee of the directors in any sense. I am not hired to do the work which I have undertaken. So far, all I have done has been at my expense."82

  So Keely's engines, which were already crated on December 20,83 were stored in two places. The contents of 20 large crates were on Kinraide's estate on Jamaica Plain in the vicinity of Boston, where his laboratory was situated,84 and in Philadelphia, where Keely's "mechanical property" was removed and stored in a building on North Broad Street.85 Apart from the machinery that was moved to Boston, the "heavier apparatus" was relocated to a storehouse at Broad and Vine Streets, possibly the same storehouse on Broad Street.86 Elsewhere it is written that the storehouse was located at Broad Street and Fairmont Avenue.87 In a safe deposit vault at the Land Title and Trust Company, Keely's disintegrator and other "fine pieces of machinery," his sensitized disks, wires, etc. were placed.88 Before being placed in the vault, the disintegrator made a short stop at the Hotel Stratford, were it was examined by Smith, Kinraide and Hill.89

  Perhaps a detailed inventory was made of the remaining devices at the time of his death, showing which devices Kinraide obtained, but if so, it did not survive. We are therefore left with superficial descriptions that Kinraide obtained the "remarkable machines, vibrators, lever machine and others used by Keely."90 It was suggested that Kinraide also obtained his latest engine, the work on which was almost finished by William F. Rudolf at the time of Keely's death, and that resembled the Globe Motor but only larger, with a two feet copper globe weighing 75 pounds and the mechanism made out of decarbonized steel weighing 600 pounds.91

  Behind the scene, the battle over the rights of ownership of the engines continued. Hill stated to a reporter that, "Whatever the property righ
ts may be, that question will remain in abeyance. The company has simply agreed to turn over the machines to Mr. Kinraide for his experiments."92

  On January 3, 1899, an inventory of Keely's personal estate was filed with Register of Wills Hackett: "An inventory of the personal estate of the late inventor John W. Keely, the appraisal being placed at $1,536." The only reference to the famous motor was the following unspecified clause: "Fifteen pieces of experimental apparatus, a certain right of unknown valuation in certain uncompleted and unpatented inventions."93

  On January 29, 1899, precisely a month after some of the devices reached Jamaica Plain, Hill issued a remarkable statement to the press. Hill timed his statement well. At the same time the newspaper ran a huge article, together with detailed drawings and elaborate explanations of Keely's exposure as a fraud. In the article, Hill's statement received considerable space. "...It was arranged between the president of the Keely Motor Company and myself that on December 20, 1898, I should address the stockholders, giving my views, as Mrs. Keely's counsel, as to the best course to pursue. Shortly after this agreement, while examining the laboratory, Mr. Kinraide discovered the first evidence of fraud. Till that moment our confidence in Mr. Keely's integrity and honor was as firm as any of his friends who had invested thousands. Here was a new element, that of self-evident fraud, affecting, however, only one machine, and not vitiating, so far as we knew, any other of the numerous machines Mr. Keely employed."94 Surprisingly, J.J. Smith, who claimed to know "Keely's Secret," accompanied Hill and Kinraide and also delivered a damning statement. Was this the secret that he came to know?95