A few days ago I found out about this Ukrainian invention:
http://generator-motor.info/data/uploads/en_docs/principle_en.pdf

What if the rotating magnet where placed inside the coil?
This might explain how Newmans motor works and why he is shorting the coil after each impulse?

Also interesting in this context is one of Tesla patents nr 390721:
http://www.pat2pdf.org/pat2pdf/foo.pl?number=390721
(BTW, its "best available copy")

And a more recent patent nr 20030025416:
http://www.pat2pdf.org/pat2pdf/foo.pl?number=20030025416

/Hob

Here's an alternative link, http://www.free-energy-info.tuks.nl/Newman1.pdf