The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-30

the Police Board will remain undisturbed
during the pleasure of Mayor Ely.
Jay Gould and the Western Union.
After trial Of six weeks, before Judge
Sanford, the testimony on both sides Of the
controversy between jay Gould, under the
name of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph
Company, and the Western Union Company
has been closed, and the argument has been
set for the 18th Of June, when we may ex-
pect such display from the eminent coun-
sci engaged in the case as its importance
demands.
The matter at issue is the title to Edisons
quadruplex telegraph patent, which is sup
posed to control the right to send four tele-
graphic messages at the Same time over
single wire-two from each end. In ac-
cordance with Edisons invention the
Western Union Company has now in opera
ton about fifty quadruplex circuits and is
rapidly erecting more, and SO perfect has
the system become by the application Of
other improvements to it that, on the great
lines, sixty words minute are delivered
on o sharply printed strip of paper from
each operator employed The capacity of
one wire to do the work of four, of course,
saves the erection and maintenance Of
three when the business requires that ca
pacity, and the wires that do not exist are
called phantom wires.'
The patents are not issued, but the Patent
Office has decided that they shall issue to
Messrs. Prescott T. Edison, who are bound
by contract to assign them to the Western
Union. To restrain the issue of these
patents is the object Of this suit, which also
seeks decree that when issued the
patents shall be assigned to the Atlantic
and Pacific Company, which claims equi-
table rights superior to those of the Western
| Union Company.
| AS the testimony shows, Edison went into
the employment Of the Western Union in
ing inventions in duplex and quadruplex
telegraphy under q contract that the things
produced should belong to the Western
Union and should be paid for at such price
as arbitrators should fix if the parties
could not agree. Under this contract Edi-
son went on with his experiments at the es-
Enlistment of the Western Union until
July, 1874, when he assigned one-half OF
the inventions to Mr.. Prescott, the electri-
clan Of the company, who aided in their de-
velopment. In December, 1874, the quad
ruplex was at work to Boston and
Buffalo, and although there were no
patents yet granted the company
Gya dol IN
account of the expected price and
the parties were negotiating the final COM
pensation. At that moment Jay Gould APP
peared on the scene, and having procured
the assistance of General Eckert, who was
| then the superintendent of the Western
Union, he induces Edison, i'm consideration
of thirty thousand dollars cash. to assign
these inventions to him. which was done on
the 4th Of January, 1875. On the 18th OF
January, 1876 General Eckert resigned the
office of superintendent and at once became
president of Jay Gould's company, and
Edison, under their direction, attempted tC
rescind his contracts with the Western
Union ana Prescott hence this suit AT
terward Jay Gould bought two contracts
dated in 1870 and 1871, from George Har
rinpton for five thousand dollars and these
are brought in to support the assignment
from Edison for which he paid thirty thou
sand dollars, on the ground that under
them Harrington owned all the inventions
which Edison might thereafter make for fiv'
years. On the other hand, the Western
Union claims that it had no knowledge o