The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-28
History of an Old Suit Pending in the Courts at
Washington Concerning the Breech- Load
ing Rife Used By National Troops.
Elkins Said TO Stand q Chance Of Winning
The Secretary of War Portfolio,
But the President las Not 1ntimated Positive.
ly When lie Will Appoint-Text of the
Official Dispatch 10 Minister Egan.
THE FAMOUS MORSE RIFLE.
Snit Against tho United States to Recover
81. 500, 900 for ItsCse.

Snit Against tho United States TO Recover
~, 500 900 for ItsGCse
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 27.-A very interest
ing suit against the government is to soon
come before the Court of Claims, and Is
being prepared now at the Department of
Justice. 1t is the case of George W. Morse
against the United States for 4.5O0. 900 on
account of the use BY the federal govern
ment of n patent eech-loading rifle of
which Morse was the inventor. The inter-
ests of the government in the case will be
represented by Judge Cheney of tho De-
partment of Justice, and his Office to-day
had the appearance of an embryo gun
factory. Morse originally came from
Baton Ronge, La. but during the war
lived in this city. He hnd q gun factory
at Harper's Ferry. which was an I'M
portant manufacturing point ut the time
of the John Brown incident.
Morse invented the first breech- loading
gun containing the breech block by which
the cartridge could be forced into the
breecb and after being discharged would
eject the shell The Morse plan is almost
Identically the plan of the present we'll
known Springfield ride. which is used by
the United States army and navy. The
defense of the government In this case 9
that Morse was q dislOyal citizen during
the war, and therefore he could have no
recourse financially or otherwise against
the United States. Morse died about
year and half ago, and the suit is now be-
ing furthered by his heirs. The case has
been before the Court of Claims for many
years. and at each hear ing Morse claimed
that he was not disloyal, i'd not sympa-
thize with the Confederacy and did not
furnlsn arms to the Southern army.
The Department of Justice has caused
search Of the records in the War Depart
ment to be made. and has found that
Morse addressed @ number of letters to
President Jefferson DAVIS. Offering these
arms TO the confederate army; that he pro-
posed to blockade Rcd river against the
federal tleet, and save forage up that stream
for the oonfederates, aud the records all
show that ho furnished large amounts OF
arms from timo To time to the Southern
armies, ana they were made mostly At his
gun factory at Harpers Ferry. Were 1t
not for this record proof it 10 very probable
that the heirs - Morse would secure a
large judgment against the United States
government, as it is an indisputable fact
largely used by the federal army.
When the Department of Justice. o few
days ago, called on the Patent Office for
the models presented by Morse when he GOT
his early pateDts, 1t was discovered that he
invented the breech loading rifle IN 1872,
aud that the first model upon which @
patent was granted bore the Harpers Ferry
stamp. Thissn0ws ct what an early period
the greatest Improvement in firearms
was begun. An Interesting feature of this
Case is that shortly after the war the
United States Patent Office refused to ex-
tend the patents upon the Morse rifles on
the ground that be had furnished the army
OF the Contederacy with arms, ana was
therefore disloyal citizen. About 1870
Democratic Congress passed q bill extend
ing the patent Of Morse. and. although be
and his representatives have been steadily
manufacturing the guns ever since, tie fod-
eral government has also manufactured tue
Springfield magazine rife, based npon the
Morse Inventions, and shonld the suit for
$4.5O0, 900 fail, as 1t undoubtedly Will, 1t is
believed that the heirs OF Morse can secure
o largo royalty for the use Of the Morse in
ventIons In the Springfield gu since the
time Congress extended the patent and
when loyalty could not be brought into the
question.