Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-13
THE PAN ELECTRIC INQUIRY.
Mr.. Rogers, the Inventor, Tells How
He Came to Make His Letters Public.

But SIX members of the committee were pres
sent when the investigation of the Pan Electric
telephone matter was continued this morning.
Dr. j. Webb Rogers, the father of the inventor,
asked that his son be allowed counsel. Mr.. ].
ID. Rogers then took the stand, and handed to
the committee o bundle of papers which he
SAID were what he had relating to the Pan
Electric transactions. He then described q
scene that occurred at the last meeting of the
Pan Electric board at Mr.. Rogers house. A dis
pute arose concerning the Rogers patents, some
one having said that one of the patents was an
improvement. Mr.. Rogers had tod Col Young
that he was a good lawyer to pass upon a patent,
ana heard that he had to inquire the difference
S SeaWeed d.n, tra ans and receiver Col
"a On fool, or something of that sort. Col
Young retorted in an insulting manner, and
Rogers
KNOCKED HIM DOWN.
Gentlemen interfered and tried to settle the
affair. The elder Rogers had informed Col.
Young that witness would be ready at any time
to give satisfaction. Col. Young could name
the time and place. Col; Young then decided
TO be governed by the decision OF Gen. Bradley
Johnson and other gentlemen who had gone to
another TO try to come to some agreement. This
The next day Mr.. Rogers furnished the cores
pOndence to the World. He furnished those let
tiers for bis own vindication in part; he had, of
course, some natural animOsity towards Col
Young.
Witness described to the committee the var-
Jus operations Oh the company. Inc suit DrOugnL
against the company in Pennsylvania, he said,
had been allowed TO go by default. Mr.. Ranney
asked If decision as to the rights of the patent
would not have been reached If the suit had
gone on. Witness replied that there would
have been decision.
Then why did not you press the suit ?"
Witness responded that he did not of his own
knowledge, know the reasons, but that the
company were under the impression that they
would not get justice in Pennsylvania and it
would be better to let 1t go by defau and make
the test in the suit brought by the Pan Electric
suits witness said that Senator Harris had said
that they could not get Mr.. Garland to go on;
that they would have to put q coal OF fire on
the old turtles back to get him to move" Wit
ness did not know anything of the state of the
suit in Tennessee.
THE SUIT IN TENNESSEE.
The Bell Telephone company had circulated
papers through Tennessee warning the people
against the Rogers telephone, and the Pan
Electric company brought suit against the Bell
company for this. 1t had nothing TO do with
the government suit.
Mr.. Rogers said that q deal with the Bell
Mr.. Augenstine, the plan being to increase the
Bell stock $5,OOO.OOO and absorb the Rogers
patents with the same. Witness was not clear
as to the effect of the Pennsylvania suit. He
said he had not, in any shape or form, been
paid or promised pay for the letters furnished
the letters he furnished the World were all pub
lished within two weeks after he furnished
them. Some of them had appeared, ne thought,
within one or two days.
Upon motion of Mr.. Oates a subcommittee
of two was appointed to arrange the papers fur
The committee then adjourned until Monday
at o'clock.