The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-06-29
A Patent office Quarrel.


To the Editor OF tine Star:
Franklin ID. Hunt, of Indiana, has
been disbarred from practice as an at
torney before the Patent Office. Hum
is said to be a man of considerable in
| huence in Richmond, Indiana. where he
resides. He is manufacturer of aQri
| cultural implements, aud has been Very
successful in his business. Hunt had
no notice that any charges were pre-.
| ierred against him, nor indeed has he
! ever had notice from the Patent Office
| that he has been dIsbarred from prac.
| tice; and he only knows The fact from
| receiving a printed notice to that effect
posted up all over the Patent Off ,e
building. This arbitrary and high.
| handed outrage on the part OF The late
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Speer, Com.
| missioner of Patents, was perpetrated
| by pure yndictiveness On the part of
Speer, as is evident from the following
facts:
Hunt had obtained a reissue of a
patent which he owned. The examiner
VINO passed the patent was Capt. Fox
one OF the most careful and cons cien-
tIous principal examiners in the Patent
Office. Hunt had paid his final lee of
S2U, and the patent had been signed, en-
sraYed and printed i'll the usual way.
EAis work takes two weeks. But on
Saturday before the patent was to be de-
ilVered on tuesday, rival manulactur-
er named WescOLt appeared on the
scene, and employed Hill & Ellsworth,
the former partners Of Speer in the
patent agency business here in Wash
ington, and it is here believed that speer
is sllli member of that firm. For IL
must be remembered lhat Speer has
been COMMISSIONER of Patents only
since February L, 1877. Wescott de-
sired to influence the commissioner OF
Patents to Wlthnold the patent OF Hunt,
OuCit was positively against the law tor
the Commissioner OF Patents to do 50,
and Speer himself, within thirty days,
mas positively refused 10 even put case
into inference after the final fee was
paid. But under the inspiration OF
large fee in the pockets OF Hlli & Ellis
worth, Speer actually violates tne law
and withholds Hunts patent.
inside aud outside OF the Patent Office
the condemnation of Speers VIOLATION OF
law is universal. Ii the Cummiss loner
OF Patents can put all law to defiance
in this way, who can trust the Patent
Officer
Next, Hunt issues printed circular
o.
Then Speer "disbars" Hunt from prac-
lice before the Patent OFF ;e, win no
notice whatever 10 Hunt, aud Hunt has
40 hearing before this auLocrat Of the
Patent 0tlee. Speer goes furJher, and
even Oruers his sub0rdinaLeS to put
Hunt cut of the Patent Office buil ling
But Hunt, Quaker though he is, sloN s
light, anu tue Patent Office bri, ade, un-
der command OF Lieutenant Colonel
Speer (late of the c0lored troops9, re-
treat in good order.
1he contest wakes warm, and is now
becoming interesting. NexC, Hunt has
employed Messrs. onellaUurger, Of OAio,
and Wilson, oil lnuiana, aS MS counsel.
Now the Secretary OF the Interior WAL
De asked to direct the Commissioner oI
Patents to deliver up HUNTS patent to
nim, and viii iurtAer he requested to
suspend the order for Hunps being "dis-
barred" until Hunt can nave a ialr heal
ing and trial.
But the best and worst fact in this
whoe farce has just come TO lignt:
HuA's rival, W escott, got letter ofl
introduction from Presluent Hayes TO
the Commissioner of Patents Tor another
purpose entirely, but Weseott used this
letLer with Speer to benefit him in his
raid against Hunt. This touched Speer
IN tender spot. With President
Hayes friend to be benefited, Speer leIt
sure oil being supported in anything he
did, right or wrong, lawful or unlawful.
This is the ''milk III the C0coanuL" which
accounts for Speel's arbitrary and ty-
fauical violation OF law in his laWless
crusade on an houest and uHOtfsnding
citizen vi Indiana.
10 the credit OF President Hayes it
kn hn
first time how his confidence has been
abused when he reads this letter in the
cincinnati STAR. LEN.