A FRENCH WIZARD.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 46, 17 January 1913, Page 7

A FRENCH WIZARD.

CLAIMS OF AN ALCHEMIST,

SECRET OF MAKING GOLD.

A Paris wizard, M. Wiley, claims to have discovered the secret of manufacturing gold out of the bsser metals. He warns the publ.c that he is not to be compared-with l/emoine, the diamond taker, nor witli any alchemist of the past who pretended to have d scovered the philosopher's stone. His invention, li,» declares, is a serious one. He has applied for a patent, and all the Governments of the world xiro to he invited i. a conlercncc to decide upo.'i this epoch-i! aking revelation. Paris lu.ujil'ter will be the greatest gold hit;.' it; Jhe world. It will turn out t .'is of vollow metal from mere > Yap inn. Holders of shares m the prosper ms gold nines of the world need not take iright as yet. •'Some 200 reporters and correspondents tried to find out the gold factory in Paris, bin the new Klondike escapeu our search. I called on the inventor, and he was absent as well," says the Paris conesuondent of the 'Daily Telecrniph.* "He left for London, i.ut I was able to have a talk with someone win) knew a < r ood deal about uis experiments, who had handled the 'i f ilc mild ingots manufactured in the v. v l UrKius workshop, and who gave lie suite of the following details. M. '\e'!r>. ho said, was a very able engin 'er Mid chemist- He had proved it by his previous discoveries, one of which was the 'synthesis of camphor.' '' '•He is 42 years of age. and has devoted himself entirely to engineering and chemistry. He was for yeais at tin- head of a perfume factory som: 10 miles irom Paris, and is interested in it still. This factory was founded chiefly for the manufacture of the camphor invented liy him. He latterly became interested in the manufacture of aeroplane motors, and he and his partner have a factory in the Hue de Crimee. It was some four mouths ago that his discovery of how to make artificial gold, was first spoken of. .M. Verlev and Irs partner have a workshop in another part ot Paris, where they have hitherto been conducting their experiments in secret.''

•■H;k lie >«>ld anv of tile gold:-" 1 asked. "He lias," was the reply, it was tested, assayed, and accepted as pare gold. There was nothing to distinguish it I nun the native metal taken mil ot the earth." •■'l'd wlniiu did he sell it. and for how much:" a queried. To tins (|i!estioii I obtained no answer. Rehire leaving for London Al. Verloy was interviewed. He said that besides (nimilior lie had been able to produce artificial vanilla an-d artificial perfumes anil colors. He met a venr ago a man who had from the age of 10 been trying .to produce aitifn-ial "old hv empirical methods, whatever thev might he. He joined him in his experiments, and they were at last able- to produce true gold or platinum from iron. The cost is alum double the customary £lO a vamd. His workshop car, now produce (rem 20 to 30 grammes a (hv. The facility with which "old can he produced has frightened him. It will re.ii:> the value to that of the baser metals. He said that he intended to request the different Governments of the world to hold a conference for the purnose of niakiim the production of gold a State monopoly, which will alone keep no the ni'ice. AI. Verley says that he has applied tor a patent in every countrv. but under an inviolable seal. What this means i> as mysterious as the rest. He said that he was leaving for London to demonstrate the reality of his by experiments in the preM'lieo ot English scientists. Needless to .'in- the alleged discovery is received here with a due amount of scepticism.