The Cecil Whig., 1878-07-13

what similar to many other fireplace heat
ers. He continued in the employ of the
firm which incurred an expense of $500 for
set of wooden patterns from which to
complete the stove. These patterns needed
much alteration in order to make them fit
for use, and altogether the firm incurred
an expense and loss of So, 900; for the stove,
when put into operation, proved to be
failure, not only consuming the smoke but
also the iron of which it was constructed,
consequently all of them that were sold
were returned to the firm, who were obliged
to remelt them and refund the money
When the Armstrong Bros. commenced to
manufacture the smoke consuming stoves
they agreed to pay McGill 81 for each
stove for the use of his patent, but when
they proved to be useless, they, of course,
refused to pay, having already, as before
stated, incurred much expense in manu-
featuring them.
M'GILL's IMPROVEMENT.
Thomas and William Armstrong after
this refused to have any thing further to
do with McGill or his patents, and McGill
tried to dispose of his worthless patents
elsewhere, but failed to do SO. Subse-
Armstrong, whereby he was allowed the
use of the patterns of the smoke consumer
and furnished by him with the means to
make an improvement upon it, which he
did, promising to assig him half interest
in ali the patents he had already or might in
the future obtain upon the stove. McGill
completed his improvement upon the stove,
which he patented under the name OF the
Champion in his own name, but re-
fused to carry out the arrangement with
James Armstrong until he was compelled
by the force of circumstances to do so,
being unable to dispose of it to other
parties, or to utilize it by manufacturing
the stoves himself. He finally agreed to
carry out the arrangement and assigned
half interest to James Armstrong, on con-
dtion that he should receive a royalty of
81. 80 on each stove manufactured and sold
by him, which was to be paid on the first
of January, annually. During the first
year eghty-nine of these stoves we've dis
posed of, for which McGill was fully cred
tied upon the books of Armstrong & Co.
The books of Armstrong Il Co. show that
on the first of February, 1872,
M'GILL WAS INDEBTED
to the firm in the sum of $36 50 for money
advanced him, house rent, etc. These stoves
met with much success at first, but they
were not well adapted to long contin-
ued use. and ultimately proved to be a fail
ure. McGill, however, still believed he
could make successful stove, and James
Armstrong, having faith in him, allowed
him to contract with firm in Philadelphia
for a new set of patterns, he furnishing
him with the means to go to that city for
the purpose. The firm incurred an ex-
pense of about $4,000 in completing this
stove, which was called the Regulator, and
was also patented by McGill. Being so
much encouraged by the partial success of
the Champion, the firm made a consider
able number of the new patent, most of
which were disposed of, but when they
were tried they proved to be failure, and
the company were forced to take most of
them off the hands of their customers,
thus losing heavily. During most of the
time McGill was getting up the Champion
and Regulator he received 50 day over
and above the royalty upon each stove
sold, except the Regulators, which were
worthless and upon which he said he would
refuse to receive royalty, had it been
offered to him.
This brings the history of the matter
down to the Spring of 1874, when McGill,
with the assistance of William Armstrong,
completed and patented the last stove which
he invented, under the name of the Fame,
the firm still giving him employment and
paying him at this time at the rate of
$2.70 PER DAY.
The Fame stove was a success, but McGill
refused to assign the half interest in it,
according to the existing arrangement, till
he was again compelled to do so by VIM.
Armstrong, WHO had assisted him in per-
fecting the stove and who felt very indig-
nant at his refusal to carry out his part of
the contract. The firm still continued to
manufacture the Fame and have paid
McGill the full amount of royalty upon
each one they have disposed of McGill
continued in the employ of the firm till
July, 1876, when he was taken sick and so
remained till the February of 1877, during
which time the firm furnished him and
family with money almost every week and
with coal during the Winter.
REDUCTION OF WAGES.
After he was able to leave the house,
William Armstrong, who entertained the
kndest feeling for him, saw that he was
low spirited, and in order to encourage
him, asked him to go into the foundry and
look after the men and see that they did
their work properly His wages had been
50. 80 per day when he was taken sick, and
it was not changed until Thomas and
James Armstrong objected, because the
firm could not afford to pay such wages
under the pressure of hard times, espe-
cially when McGill was unable to perform
manual labor. Consequently the wages
were reduced to 50 per day. After the re-
ceipt of the first weeks wages at the re-
duced rate, he called on William Arm
strong and asked him why his wages had
been reduced. When he was told the rea-
son he exclaimed that he would rather
WORK IN TIE QUARRY.
He was informed that he could accept or
reject. The next Sunday he called to see
w William again, when he said he would be
compelled to accept the SO per day, and
nothing more happened until it was dis
covered that he took little or no interest in
his business. Whereupon William Arm
strong demonstrated with him, when he
(McGill) told him that he
COULD NOT BULL-DoZE HIM.
Armstrong repudiated the intention of
doing so, but informed McGill that he
would have to attend to business better
than he had been, whereupon he replied
that he had already said he would not be
foreman for 81 per day, which was an ac-
acknowledgement of mis- delinquency.
M'GILL's LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
McGill shortly afterwards left the en-
ployment of the firm and instituted suit in
the L. S. District Court for the recovery
of damages to the amount of $4,000. The
Armstrong; have been blamed for distrain-
ing upon McGill's goods but this was done
under the advice of the counsel of James
Armstrong, and it must not be forgotten
that. at the time the distraint was made,
McGill was prosecuting his suit against
them. Beatty Graft, Armstrong; counsel,
states that upon one occasion, James Arm
strong and McGill were in his office, when
McGill accused James of dishonesty, where
upon he expressed desire that McGill
should have the books of the foundry and
the shipping books examined, in order to
thoroughly understand whether James had
rendered him a proper account of the stoves
manufactured and sold. my God," said
Graft, when relating the story of this
interview, James Armstrong did all he
cOuld n satisfy William McGi1l - II iS