Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-12
THE MAN BEFORE EDISON.
Tho Original Inventor Of tho Electric
Light-A Lost Idea.

Tho Original Inventor Of tho Electric
Lght-A Lost Idea.
Anybody that chooses and knows how can
make incandescent electric lights now The
only person who had any right to prevent
them has been asleep for good many years
at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. Most
people think Edison invented these lights, and
SO he did, but he was not the first. Some years
ago, a young man in advance Of his age, by
the name of Starr, came to Mr.. George Pea
body with new invention, asking advice
and assistance. Mr.. Peabody was not only a
philanthropist but a shrewd man of bust
ness. He saw at once the possibilities of the
electric Light, and gladly furnished Starr
with the means to go to England and take
out patent, after consulting experts and
scientists there. In those days every new
discovery had to have the stamp of England's
scientific approval to make its way elsewhere.
Mr.. Starr, like many genius before and
since, was by no means an experienced and
cautious business man, SO Mr.. Peacody en-
gagged a man named King to go with him as
his business agent and to conduct tie nego-
tiations.
The two men set sail for England, had
prosperous voyage, and met with fattering
reception. The invention was exhibited to
the first authorities in the kingdom, was care
fully scrutinized by them, and was unani-
mously pronounced to be brilliant and sue
cessful one. The two men remained for some
time in England, and received nothing but
consideration and encouragement. A patent
for the invention was obtained, but by
usage allowed by English patent law, was is
sued in the name Of the solicitor, Mr. King,
instead of that Of the inventor, Mr.. Starr.
The unsuspectiSg inventor does not appear
to have observed this, or made any objec-
ton, or at least there is 10 record that hs
did SO.
The two men started on their return to
America. They had been at sea but very
few days when Mr.. Starr was found one
morning in his berth dead, from some mystic
rious and unexplained cause His body was
buried at sea, and his companion continued
his journey. and presented himself to Mr.
Peabody with his report. That gentleman
listened attehtively to his account of the
journey, with its various business transac-
lions and its tragic finale. On concluding
his narrative Mr. King asked the millionaire
if he would continue TO back up the inven-
ton with his money and influence. Mr..
Peabody's reply was to rise, open the door Of
his private office where the interview had
taken place, and sternly point toward it.
The discounted attorney, without word,
went out through the door into oblivion
And that is the reason why Edison had to
invent the electric light all over again The
invention lay in stale mate, IS it were. 1t
wes credited to King, and he alone could de-
velop it, but he had disappeared 1t was not
known till 1876 that Starr was the real IL
ventor, and even then, as he was dead, and
the patent issued to another man, nothing
could be DONE Finally Edison went to work
On his own hook, and thought out his scheme;
but the highest English courts have just de-
cided that the King patent anticipated his
and makes them invalid. And as the earlier
patent has lapsed, the idea, under this de-
cision, is common property.-Once a Week.