Savannah morning news., 1886-05-25
SOME ONE PREVARICATES
BELL FLATLY CONTRADICTS
WIIBEISS CONFESSION.

Point Blank Denial Of the Story that
He was shown Gray's Caveat and Gave
500 as Payment for the FsvOr-The
Examiner characterized as Very
Fishy.
WASHINGTON, May 9i.-The telephone
investigating committee met in open ses-
sion to-day for the purpose Of completing
the record OF the documentary evidence.
Mr.. Briesen had written "A personal letter
to the chairman stating that the article
published in the New York Times ON
Oct 10 last had been written by him to
eXculpate the Attorney General, and two
hours were consumed in dsposing of
sundry motions to put the letter and
newspaper article in evidence. Finally
they were admitted. The chairman then
submitted and read to the committee a
letter and affidavit from Prof A. &. Bell
in answer to the recently published afi-
davit OF Wiber, but as the latter had not
been accepted as evidence Prof Bells
affidavit was also rejected.
NOT CREDIBLE.
Prof. Bell IN his letter says ne has read
Wilbur's affidavit as printed in the news
papers, and says:
"The persons who offered this TO the
committee are now mt Baltimore and New
| Orleans in the United States Courts de-
tending suits for infringing my patents.
am informed that the testimony for the
final hearing is now being taken in both
those cases. If those persons
or anyone else associated with
| them think any court would believe
what Wilbur swears it would be
their duty and their interest to call him as
| a witness. He could then be cross.eXam-
] Ia fttln Of
| truthfulness established. they believe,
| they will do so. | am not disposed, how
| ever, to let his statements want for de-
nial, and therefore | inclOse with this my
! affidavit. | also call your attention 10
| his various affidavits made before this
one.
THE JULY AFFIDAVIT.
At the request of Mr.. Van Benthuysen
| and others he made an affidavit at Wash
ingtOu on July 81, 1888. and repeated it on
| August 3. This was filed before the Sec
retary of the Interior by the petitioner for
the government suit. In that his only
ground of attack on my patent rested on
| an official written communication OF Feb
! ruarv 10, 1876, and on his present opinion
OF the rules OF law on the subject. He did
not suggest any other communication nor
| any frauds.
On Oct. 10, 1885, before | or any one in
|
him my opponents took another affidavit
from him and filed 1t before the Secretary
of the Interior, and it is printed on page
"a of the printed record OF testimony there
used. In that he states In terms that gave
no information about the Gray caveat be-
yOnd what appears in the official COM
munications in files.
FRAUD DENIED.
Subsequently Wilber made an affidavit
October 81, 1888, which was used on be-
half of my patent before the Secretary of
the Interior. Ii contains the following:
"In the conduct of such application there
was no fraud Of any kind whatever. nor
anything, any transaction, any cOmmuni-
cation. oral or written, which would sup
port any such allegation in the least man
ner whatsoever, either on The part OF Pro-
fessor Bell, his attorney, myself, or any
other persons whatsoever"
call your attention TO fact which
| appeared before the Secretary OF the
Interior that the whole of the affidavit
| covering more than twelve pages OF FOOLS
cap is in Wilber's handwriting.
Subsequently and on Nov. 10. 1885. Will
ber made another affidavit for my OppO-
nents which they used before the secre-
| tarv Of the Interior. IL contained no al
lusion to the topic now referred TO. 1t is
| printed on page 377 Of the record OF petit
/
NEVER GAVE HIM 800.
In his affidavit Bell says:
II never presented, paid. gave or handed
to James Fisk WILDER $l00.bll or any
other bill or any money or any valuable
| consideration or thing at the place he
mentions or any other place for any pur-
pose whatever. never promised TO or
understood 10 or attempted or eX-
pressed any willingness to pay him
any money or any valuable
consideration or thing whatever for any
heard that Bailey or Pollock or any one
else understood 10 influence said WILDER,
or made any attempts 10 do 80 or en-
ployed or endeav0red TO employ
any corrupt practices to obtain
my said letters patent, and do not
believe 80 now. SO far as my personal
acts and knowledge arc concerned | know
that all the proceedings in the filing ard
prosecution OF the application, for my
part and in grant OF II, were free from
fraud and trlckery and honest in all re-
specte, and believe that all the acts oi
the others concerned were also in all re-
spects honest. ! make these statements
in the fullest, broadest sense.
NOT SHOWN THE CAvEAT.
"Wilber did not show me Gray's caveat
or drawings Of IT., or any portion Of either.
| nave never seen the original papers OF
that caveat, and did not even see a copy
Of them until after the DOwd suit was
brought which was in the fall
OF 1878. When saw Wilber
about my application i'm 1876 he took up
my original application papers and
pointed out a paragraph which was In
them when the application was originally y
filed, Feb. ia, 1876, and has not been
changed since"
The passage is here quoted, and Prof.
Bell proceeds 20 say:
"Wilber SAID that the caveBt | have
put in possession Of irterfered with
tnat. did not have any other knOwl-
edge Of the contents OF Mr.. GraY'a
cayeat, specification or drawing, or either
OF them, until after Mr.. GRAY had pub.
lished the cayeat In 1878 except what Mr.,
Gray wrote me himself about mis- cayeat
Feb. u, 1877, In letter which is In the
record OF the proof for my patent before
the Secretary Of the Interior. / testified u
this IN 1869"