George Webster

George Webster (c. 1871 - March 30, 1900) was an American farmer and convicted murderer who was reported in early March 1900 to have devised a windmill-type perpetual motion device while awaiting the death penalty at the Spokane county jail in Washington state for the May 1897 murder of Lise Aspland. He was hanged some weeks after making his claims to a break-through in perpetual motion; thus far, we have found no evidence that anyone kept George Webster's designs or notes regarding his speculative windmill.

Press Coverage

 * "Geo. Webster, a man who is awaiting the death penalty in the county jail at Spokane, has invented a perpetual motion device. It is based upon the fact that a rapidly revolving wheel throws off currents of air from its rim. Webster would place fans to catch the breeze. The fans would turn and keep up the revolution of the main wheel. This is but a modification of the scheme for a water-wheel which was to operate a pump for elevating the water used to keep it going. It is safe to say that Webster will not live to see his theoretical windmill a success."
 * "Geo. Webster, a man who is awaiting the death penalty in the county jail at Spokane, has invented a perpetual motion device. It is based upon the fact that a rapidly revolving wheel throws off currents of air from its rim. Webster would place fans to catch the breeze. The fans would turn and keep up the revolution of the main wheel. This is but a modification of the scheme for a water-wheel which was to operate a pump for elevating the water used to keep it going. It is safe to say that Webster will not live to see his theoretical windmill a success."