Mouret's weakness for drinking often left him without any money, so he probably sold the secret of the Turk in 1834 to "Le Magasin picturesque". The article, "An attempt to analyze the automaton chess-player of M. Kempelen", explained how a man could be hidden inside the Turk. Mouret was not named, but many people. including Walker, believe he was the source. The French master was sick and short of money at the time, and died three years later.