One
of these crucibles was nearly full of lead in a state of fusion, but
not reaching up to the aperture of the tube, which was close to the
brim. The other crucible had some liquid in it, which, as the officers
entered, seemed to be furiously dissipating in vapor. They relate
that, on finding himself taken, Kempelen seized the crucibles with
both hands (which were encased in gloves that afterwards turned out to
be asbestic), and threw the contents on the tiled floor. It was now
that they hand-cuffed him; and before proceeding to ransack the
premises they searched his person, but nothing unusual was found about
him, excepting a paper parcel, in his coat-pocket, containing what was
afterward ascertained to be a mixture of antimony and some unknown
substance, in nearly, but not quite, equal proportions. All attempts
at analyzing the unknown substance have, so far, failed, but that it
will ultimately be analyzed, is not to be doubted.
Passing out of the closet with their prisoner, the officers went
through a sort of ante-chamber, in which nothing material was found,
to the chemist's sleeping-room.
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