The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-11
FIGHTING M0N0P0LIES.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BILL AGAINST THE
BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY.

Fifty Pages of Reasons Why Bell Has No
Right to His Patent-The Telegraph Oc-
topus-Blackburn Horrifes the Senate
General Washington News.
WASHINGTON CITY, March 1.-THE bill
which the government will file against the
Bell Telephone company, and Alexander
Graham Bell has been completed 1t will
be filed at Columbus by ex-senator Thur
man, as stated some weeks ago and it is be-
lieved that next Monday will he finally
agreed upon as the date for its presentation
TO the court THIS bill itself is very
lengthy document, covering fifty pages of
legal cap closely printed in small type.
The till at present omits the name of the
circuit court in which it will be filed, and
also the local company against which
the suit will be directly brought
This omission will be filed in by Judge
Thurman in Columbus when the bill finally
reaches him The suit is brought, under
section S, article |, of the constitution, and
the acts of congress passed hereunder by
which the United States is authorized and
empowered under certain conditions TO re-
strain all persons within its jurisdiction
from exercising their natural rights to EN-
pIoy their industry, ingenuity and means in
making, vending, operating or using certain
arts, machines, manufactures or COMPOST
tons of matter.
The United States charges that
certain letters patent issued TO
Alexander Graham Bell dated March
:, 1876 numbered IA Ar, and Jan. 30, 1877,
numbered lS6, rSS were illegally and improp-
erly procured to be issued, and for this rea-
son brings this bill in equity as a means of
causing Justice to be done Professor Bell
is plainly charged with not only failing to
meet the requirements of the law, but with
misleading and deceiving tho examining of
ticials of the patent office.
The case of Philip Keis, of Germany,
among others, is presented at length, and it
is CAIN that he in l.6l invented AMI pub
lished TO the world description OF an APP
| paratus whereby spec h could be transmitted
Particular stress is laid upon tn, case of
Elisha Gray, who on the same day, Feb. II,
lSai, that Professor Bel appeared
at the patent oiice with his document,
| iileI a caveHt. In this he expressly declared
that h ha invented an instrument for
VIII, h h saimed 'Jhe art OF transmitting
| vocal sound ami conyefs ation Geographically
| through an ele trio circuit Professor
| Bells appli alton was filed later in the Gay.
| 1t contained no rete enc to articulate
| speech ant lacket i'll description or draw
| ingS any machine or a. p ,retus then or at
| any TIM ca able o, transmitting speech.
| Vet Professor Bell elaine Il patent for
transmitting vocal o. other souns tcle-
| graphically ms therein described by causins
electrical unlulatious similar in form TO
| the vibration of the air ACCOMMODATING the
said vo al SCUM substantially as set forth
The nited States charges that Bell was
anticiE ated in the discovery Of the ele rtrical
| speaking telephone by Philip Refs, Crom-
| Well, Fleetwood, Marley, Antonio Muecci,
| Elisha tray, Thomas A. Edison, Asabel H.
| Eaton, and many others. II is claimed that
this valuable discovery i, either the property
| of some one of these senior DISCOVERIES, or
having been a aHdored by the original dis
| coverer, is now free to be used by the people
| of the United States The bill concudt $
| with reassertion that Bell is not the in
veutor of the Instruments which he now
| claims TO own and operates through
| the American Bell Telephone company
AMI with Il description OF the monopolistic
character the company. 1t is alleged that
the telephone is of great public interest and
Importance, and that the Bell Telephone
| company by receiving and demanding large
sums Of money for use of telephones alleged
| TO be covered by its patents is depressing
the people of the United States, and that, the
| United States is informed and believes, on
Invalid grounds
The court is prayed that if tine patents are
1