Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22

oDIAiNED-HE SAYS HE WAS PAID SlOO-THE
BELLS DENY HIS STATEMENT
3After Attorney General Garland's testimony
closed yesterday, DIR. Rogers and Hon. Casey
Young, were examined before the Pan Electric
investigating committee. Mr.. Young put in
evidence certain records of the Department OF
| the Interior. He demanded the privilege also
OF Introducing evidence of the propriety OF
the governments bringing the suit He
said he proposed to prove by COM
petent evidence that the patent that had
been attacked by the government had been OBJ
tanned by fraud from the Patent office that the
officer who gave it was dereict in his duty; tina,
he issued the patent through corrupt influence
| and that he was paid by the patentee to issue
the patent. These facts he would prove by
papers or witnesses.
wILBERS AFFIDAVIT.
The sensation OF the day was caused by Mr.
Van Benthuysen, who introduced in support OF
his testimony an affidavit made by Zenar Fisk
WILDER, who was the principal examiner in the
all Applications tor patents relating to electri.
Cal INVENTIONS during the years 1875. 1876 and
until May l, 1877, about which latter date he
was promoted to be examiner of interferences
A vigorous opposition to its reception or read.
ing was maintained by some of the committee.
men and an executive session was ordered tor
to-day, when the propriety of the paper being
received as evidence will be discussed
WILDER says that as examiner the application
vi AAcAduueE NGtutttu btit, upon which was
granted letters patent March Z, 1876, for 'mui-
Ilple biography, was referred to him. and was
| by him personally examined and passed 10
issue, and that he (Wilber) gave the afidavits
In the Bell controversy Which were used at the
nearing before the commits sion in the interior
department, consisting of Secretary Lamar, AS
slstant Secretaries Muidrow and Jerks and
commissioner OF Patents Montgomery which
commission sat for the purpose of advising the
and propriety of the general government bring.
Ing the suit against the Bell company.
THE PREVIOUS AFFIDAvITs.
he says that in none of these afiidavits did
he tell the exact facts and the entire truth, but
that now. in order that parties may be vindi.
Gated anu injustice rectified, he has concluded
to tell ''the whole truth and nothing but the
TRUTH regardless of consequences without
nope or promise of reward. He then declares
tnat the previous afhdavits were executed July
30 and August J, 1855; October TO- 1855; No
vemDer = 1885, and October 81, 1885. That
one OF these affdavits, viz, the one October ri
1880, was given at the request of the Bell COM
Rany 10y MIR. Swan, of its counsel, when he
WILDER. was suffering from alcoholism; that he
lZing the statements therein contained and
that Mr.. Swan paid him 800 thereon for the
Bell company.
WILDER then goes on to tell how Elisha GRAY
was deprived OF proper opportunity to establish
MS MS rlght TO the invention OF the telephone.
Messrs. Pollok and Bailey; that the latter and
he were old army friends; that he (Wilber) was
poor when he became examiner, and conse.
aud mad several times borrowed from Major
Bailey, Notwithstanding an order prohibiting
employees of the Patent office from borrowing
from attorneys practicing before the office or
! from inventors He was, he saws. conse.
quently in debt to Major Bailey at the time OF
the application of Bell and in addition was
under obligations tor present to his (Wiibers)
wife-a very handsome and expensive gold
hunting case LADY, watch. "Feeling thus in his
power from the obligations noted, surrounded
by such environments" WILDER says he was
called upon to act officially upon the applica-
tons OF Bell; that when he suspended Bells ap-
pl1catlon because OF the Gray caveat he did not
in the official letter to Bell, give the name OF
the caveator nor his date oil filing. Major Bailey
appearing before him in regard to such susnen.
sion, he allowed him to become acquainted
with both facts, telling him personally the
same SO that he Immediately knew the exact
Quently filed against such suspension and which
was referred by WILDER to the commissioners in
person for instructions.
THE AWARD IN FAVOR OF BELL.
He then declares that he did not make as
thorough an examination as he should have
done in justice to all concerned as to which ap-
plicatiou was filed the earlier and that when
he found In the leash blOtter" the entry of the
receipt Oh Bells fee ahead OF that of the receipt
OF Gray's fee he closed the examination and de-
termined that Bell was the earlier, whereas he
should have called Tor proofs from both Bell
and Gray and have Investigated in other direc-
lions, instead OF being controlled by the entries
alluded to and the statements Ga Major Bailey
The effect OF this, he says, was to throw Gray
tunity to be heard, or of having his rights pro-
tected. and the issuance OF the patent hurriedly
and in advance of its turn to Bell.
Alter telling that he borrowed some lnore
money from Bailey, he said that when the sus-
pension of Bells application had been revoke ed
Prof Bell called upon him and showed him the
original drawing OF Grays caveat, and fully eX-
planned Gray's method OF transmitting and re-
ceiving. WILDER at the same time showed and
explained Gray s drawings and methods. This
visit was either the neXt day or the second day
after the revocation OF the suspension. He then
says; about 2 p. m. OF the same day he (BeID
returned to tine office for a short time. On his
leaving accompanied him into the hall and
around the corner into a cross hall leading into
the courtyard, where Prof; Bell presented me
with Il S1OO bill. am fully aware that this
statement will be denied 10y Prof. Bell and that
probably the statements 1 have made as to
my relations with Major Bailey and his infIu.
ence Will be denied, but, nevertheless, they are
true, and they are stated, subscribed, and sworn
to by me while my mind is clear, and. my
conscience active I'D bent on rectifying, as far
as possible, any wrong l may have done.
Grays cavcat was u secret confidential docu-
ment under the law, and l should not have
been Influenced to diVulge the same; but did
50, as related"
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS RECEIVED.
WILDER makes with his affidavit a diagram of
the room (No. 11Sl, the hall and the cross hall,
where, he says, Prot. Bell handed him the 500
bill. He says Bell Gin his testimony in the
Dowd case admits having had a conversation
with me in relation to the caveat, but says, as
l remember IL, that l declined to show him
the caveat, which is not true did show him
the original drawing as stated"
In confederation OF his statement that Major
Bailey mad an influence over him, he cites and
gives dates OF action of several other applica-
lions of Prof. Bells which were acted on and
became patents in remarkably quick order
Such rapid progress from applici tioDs to pa
tents, he says, are exceptional, and few such
instances, Ii any, can be found outside OF Bells
cases. In conclusion he inLrusCs the aifidavits
10 his 'old college mate, comrade-in-arms and
long time friend Major Marion ID. Van Horn"
hoping and trusting that he may ye; be able 10
repair, in some degree, the wrong done; and
declares that he shall always be ready and
willing To verify this statement before any court
or proper tribunal in the land. The affidavit is
sworn to before Thomas w. Soran, notary pub
lie, and is dated April =, 1856.
THE BELLS DENY
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell and Prof Alex
ander N. Bell deny Mr.. Wilbers statements:
the latter denies having ever seen him, and
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell says that he has
seen him but two three times. The first
time was when lie was a patent examiner IN
the Patent office at about the time when the
all been settled. The second time was about
two years ago In New York, and the statement
that he (Beli ever paid Wiiber a cent or offered
to pay hun anything at any time is not true.
THE WILDER AFFIDAVIT NOT ADMITTED AS
TESTIMONY.
The Pan-Electric investigating committee de-
cided to-day not to admit the WILDER affidavit
as testimony, and closed all testimony.
The Imperiled Fishing Interests.
MAINE WANTS PEACE, BUT HER FISHERMEN
MUST BE PROTECTED.