The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-09-26
Tue xgE TELEPHONE SUIT.

III Is the United States that now
seeks 10 show by a suit in the
Federal courts that Alexander
Graham Bell was not the Original
inventor Of the telephone, -and
that for this aud other reasons the
Bell patents under which the bust
nesss is carried on, should be can,
eeled. Mr.. Bell and the American
Bell Telephone Company have
been opposed heretofore IN all
suits relating to this subject by
corporations or rival inventors
who had entered the field in com
petition. IL is an opposing com.
pany, in response to whose appli.
cation the Government now pro
ceeds, but il is the Government
that sues, ''in behalf of itself and
of oil the people and inhabitants
Of the United States and Terrific
ries," because the evidence offered
by the applicant is regarded by
the Department of Justice as a
sufficient basis for such q suit.
This fact will probably make the
trial more interesting and impor-
tant than any in which the Bell
company has heretofore been a
party.
The petition or application was
addressed to the Hon. Henry w.
McCorey. United States Attorney
for the Western District of Ten.
nessee, on the Goth ult, by. w; Van
Btnthuysen, President of the Ma.
tional Improved Telephone Com.
pany; Chas. z. Huntington, of
Mississippi; j. R. Beckwith, of
New Orleans, and George CAN'T,
of Memphis. With the evidence
attached it was laid before Attor-
ney. General Garland, who permit.
ted Mr.. McCorey to begin and car
ry on the suit. His bill of com
plant has been flled-the defend.
ants being the Bell company and
Mr.. Bell--aud the case will be
tried in the United States Circuit
Court at Memphis.
While one of tho grounds of
complaint Ia that Mr.. Bell was not
the original inventor, and that he
knew he was not, the suit is also
based upon new body of evidence
relating to the manner in which
the Bell patents were procured.
The statements Of the complainant
with reference to the prior dis
coveries of Refs and Mr.. Bells
knowledge concerning the same
have appeared in part, at l,ast,
and have been nsed to some ex
tent In other suits. The new cvi.
dence is important and especially
deserves attentiOn.-N. Y. Times.
The following advertisement is
being published in papers of ma.
tional circulation:
Waukesha, Wis, Sept. s, 1885,
On the petition of Charles P.
Huntington, of Mississippi, j. II.
Beckwith and myself, Of New Or
leans, George CAN'T, and others
of Memphis, and the presentation
OF overwhelming evidence that
Bell did not discover the art of
transmitting speech by electricity
OF invent the telephone, the
United States District Attorney at
Memphis submitted the evidence
to the Department of Justice and
applied for aud received permis-
sion to institute suit in the name
of the Government to recall or re.
peal both of the Bell telephone
patents. Messtrs. j. r. Beckwith,
George CAN'T, Casey Young, and
Luke Wright being appointed spe.
cial Government attorneys to as
sist in prosecuting said suits. This
will undoubtedly end the great
est imposition ever put upon this
country. Bill of complaint will be
filed at Memphis tomorrow, as we
own the original, intermittent, and
other fundamental patents, the
public will have through rs imme-
1iate and active competition at ro.
buced rates.
WATTS VAN BENTHUYsEN.
President National Improved Tel
ephone Company of New Or
loaoa