News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-06-03
FROM WASHING TON
Correspondence ofthe News and Citizen
WASHINGTON, D. c.,
NAV %, 1856.


The whole inwardness of the Bell
Telephone matter is laid bare by the
presentation to the public of the Will
bur affidavit, which, if credence can
be given it, evidences that Bell OBJ
tanned his patent through fraud and
collision on the part of Wilbur.
Major Wilbur has been a good SOL
der, he was bright, intelligent and
gentlemanly sort of fellow, who cas-
lily ingratiated himself into the conf
dence of honest men, who believed
others were as honest as themselves,
and soon after the war was appointed
an assistant and then a principal ex-
aminer, having in charge the electri-
cal division. In those days matters
in the patent Office were conducted
very loosely, to say the least. There
was no careful seclusion of official
papers, and caveats were to be found
lying about the principal examiners
desk; employees had the privilege of
coming and going when they pleased,
while the principal examiner was
little autocrat who dispensed favors
to his frifss3ss. and often punished his
enemies or rewarded his friends by
witt Dr. Or granting patents pretty
much eSH j felt inclined. That Will
bar worrSRhis division for all it was
worth is pretty evident. He was held
in esteem by his superiors, and in the
early days of the old civil service hum
bug was at the head of the board of
examiners for place and promotion.
Old assistant examiners, who knew
the character of the man, knew when
to appear before the board for promo
ton, and when not to appear; and
Wilbur virtually promoted whom he
pleased, and would sometimes say to
a subordinate, it is no use for you to
apply while L am here.
Exercising the power that he pos
sessed, to his friends he gave away
the secrets of his Office, and in the
case in point, to assist, as he sup
posed, friend who was the attorney
of Alexander Graham Bell, he not
only informed him of the secret Off
cial papers filed in his division, but
exhibited those papers to Bell, and by
his manipulation of matters, fastened
upon the neck of the business COM
munity a monopoly that in the last
ten years has taken from the pockets
of the people about one hundred mil
lions of dollars, while the honest in
Ventor of the telephone system has
not received one cent.
This monopoly, growing rich and
fat, and waxing mighty on its ill-got-
ten gains, determined that no rival
should stand in its path, and when
the Pan-Electric Company was start
ed, it at once set to work to destroy
not only the company, but the repu-
tations of all it's members; the result
is now apparent, the veil has been
torn aside, and the Bell monopoly is
shown up in all its deformity of de-
ception and fraud.
While not intending to moralize, it
may be stated that Wilbur has for a
number of years been total wreck.
He left the patent office to become a
patent attorney. He did large and
lucrative business, but was ever
haunted with the burning conscious
ness of his betrayal of public trust,
and sought forgetfulness in drink.
Friends who had faith in him tried
to hold him up, but in vain, and he
became a perfect sot; his business
fell off and he returned to Washing
ton, and was often to be found about
the Office of the old attorney of Bell +;
the brilliant intellect seemed to have
almost died out, and he hung on the
verge of insanity. He suffered with
his secret locked up in his breast.
Bell and his pals grew rich and AFRO
CANT. Old friends who still believed
that Wilbur could be saved, gathered
about him, and for the last five or six
months he has given up drink; and
now, he being restored to his right
mind, he tells the story of his tempta-
ton and fall, and how great monop-
oily was foisted upon the American
people.
1t should be stated that under the
present order of things, so great a
wrong in the patent office should not
be perpetuated. The offices are locked
as soon as vacated by employees, and
they cannot return to their rooms
without passes. Caveats are not to
be found laying upon examiners desks,
but are kept from public scrutiny.
Every safeguard is thrown around the
inventor, but he wisely relies upon
filing his application for a patent in
stead of for a caveat as was often
formerly done. Gu.