San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-09
CROWN TOOTH LITIGATION.
The United States Supreme Court
Declares the Patent Invalid.


From the New Haven Register.
The Supreme Court of the United
States probably puts an end to all lit
igation over the alleged crown tooth
patent by declaring that patent in
valid, in the suit Of the International
Crown Tooth Co. of New York against
f. s. Gaylord, the dentist, of this city
The decision, which was handed
down yesterday, is quite feather in
DR.. Gaylord's cap as well as his attor-
ney. John X. Beach, who was pitted
against the famous patent law firm Of
New York, Dickerson Il Dickerson
The suit has been hanging fire in the
courts for six years, waiting for the
slow moving wheels Of justice to re.
volve around to it, and its salient
fea lures are pretty thoroughly known
among the dental profession. But
the suit is also a matter of general
public intere st, originating as it did
from the so-called Richmond crow u
tooth process, which G. M. Richmond,
of New York, claimed to have invent
ed betw cen nine and ten years ago.
Mr.. Richmond created no little inter
est among the dental profession by
the process, which consisted of
mounting q porcelain tooth to a root
by means of gold band. 1t was Mr..
Richmond's custom to teach dentists
his process, and on one occasion,
about eight years ago, he spent an
entire day with DIR. Gaylord giving
him instruction in the new process,
and for which instruction he was we'll
paid by the Doctor.
Later Mr.. Richmond took out pat
emit for his invention and sold it to
the International Crown tooth Com
pany. This company Immediately
assumed its rights under the paten
and demanded royalty from all
dentists who were using the crown
tooth process and issuing licenses to
those who desired to use it. DR.. Gay
lord claimed that he had bought his
right to use the process and refused
to yield to the demands of the Inter
national company. Accordingly, in
January, 1885, suit was brought
against him to enjoin him from using
the patent. A trial was held in the
United State circuit court in this city
in April, 1887, Judges Shipman and
Wallace hearing the case. 1t was ar
gued by E. n. Dickerson, ST., and
E. N. DickersoD, Jr., for the plain
titfs, and John X. Beach, for the de-
PENDANT.
II he Judges declared the patent
invalid-a signal victory for DR.. Gay
The plaintiffs then appealed, and
the case went on the trial calendar
of the United States Supreme Court,
and remained there, as cases gen.
orally do, until the court was able to
reach it. A year or two later, while
the case was still on the docket wait.
ing trial, Attorney Dickerson died.
The case finally reached an argu.
ment before the Supreme Justices
three weeks ago. Attorney DECKER.
son, Jr., argued for the plaintiffs, and
Attorney Beach appeared for DIR.
Gaylord, being assisted by Attorney
Offield, of Chicago, who represented
the Chicago Dental Protective Asso-
citation.
The justices reaffirmed the decision
of the circuit court, Judges Shipman
and Wallace, in declaring the patent
invalid, Justice Brown writing the
opinion.
There have been many litigations
over the crown tooth process, and Mr..
Richmond himself got into so much
trouble over it that he spent year In
Ludlow street Jail in consequence.
He was sued by the Information al
Crown Tooth Company soon after they
bought his patent, and refused to
obey a preliminary injunction issued
by the court. For this refusal he was
committed to jail for contempt. 1t is
said that Mr.. Richmond was not the
inventor of the process, but dentist
named Beers, Of California.
George Hopcraft, of New York, who
keeps famous chop house in Frank
lin street, always travels, saws the
New York Sun, with head full of
funny stories. He says that on one
morning a well dressed man came into
a chop house as soon as it was opened
and fell asleep in q chair. A waiter
urged him to go out, but he was petu-
liant, so the waiter performed the
regulation bouncing act with hand
on The mans collar and hand at nj 6
back. Come" said the waiter,
you'll have to go out and take the
air." He got the man out into the
vestibule, at which point the bemud-
died chap turned upon the waiter
and said: HIill 90 out because I've