Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-12-05
SLICK PATENT FAKIRS.
THE HARM THEY DO AND THE
DECEIT THEY USE.

Ambitious, uardworkin. Inventors Are
Their vict;ms-They Generally Operate
by Publishing Paper - What They
Promise and How They Avoid tho Law.
Of the making of patents there is no
end. like the making of books. The
bool,naker and the patentee arc half
brothers, the one making machines for
the convenience of the mind, and the
other making things for the convenience
of hand. Both see through the same
glass, and both see the Elusive vision OF
wealth and fame. The distinction is
that bookmaking and patcntinaking,
which are failures, produce an army of
desperate cranks. whose persistence of
purpose is equaled only by the useless
ness or i,upracticability of the book or
patent. This age OF invention has, how
ever, produced one class OF inventors
called "fallirs, which derives llveli-
hood by its schemes to draw the coins
from the pockets CT the better class or
inventors.
The patent fakir in some cities is be-
coming numerous, prosperous and bold.
II is only II question of time until con-
gress will have to suppress him.
The ..patent fakir," as distinguished
from the legitimate agent, is so called
because he runs an agency that is Il pure
fake. Any one can become faklr. and
he doesn't need much knowledge Of
either patent laws or mechanical laws.
The legitimate patent agent is 4 man CT
wide knowledge, easily commanded.
The fal:ir simply rents IL suite OF rooms
and puts up his sign. Then he frequent
L. begins the publication Of IL patent
paper.
Itisn't necessary for the paper to have
any circulation. but is II good idea to
send out several hundred sample copies
to known inventors. Then he watches
legitimate patent journals closely, and
the publications and reports OF the
patent ofiice. and when an invention Is
found that it is possible, lie thinks, TO
induce It's originator to back it up to the
bottom of his purse, he WIRES him q
ticklish letter.
HOW THE FAKIE WORKS.
He says sonnet hing of TINS sort: That
he has regarded with deep interest
yc5,r valuable invention" Continuing,
he may state that he will be glad to put
tie article on sale, and Il model will help
linn greatly. The last paragraph OF the
letter IS to the effect that THE agency
is publishing II pAner Of general circula-
ton, and thata description Of the pat
ent will be printed for ten dollars; for q
like amount the reading matter will be
adorned with Il cut CT tie invention,
which is the property of the inventor
after used once, but to properly and
cheaply advertise the invention it is
necessary 10 purchase COCO circulars at
two dollars per 1909, which the agency"
will mail to interested capitalists.
Here is IL bonanza for the inventor for
only thirty-two dollarsl Publication in
an illustrated journal and Introduction
to the wealth necessary to make his in
vention marketable. So lie replies to
the circular aud incloses the necessary
amount.
This is how the agency" plays its
part. When the riiirty-two dollars is re-
ccived IL cheap cut is made and about
two sticks OF descriptive matter
printed. About three thousand circulars
are printed, IL bundle Of which is sent to
the inventor, and the remainder fed TO
old Boreas from the hopsetops. The
paper may have little o. no circulation,
but still It's circulation is general"
The model OF the patent which is for
warled is placed on exhibition" for
sale, and thus the agreement is noiai-
nally kept and no law is violated. Thus
the agency is about twenty dollars
better of without much hard work.
When one stops to consider the enormous
number of inventors who accept these
proffers of help ii can be seen~how- pres
porous the business may be.
GULLIBLE INVENTORS.
1t il; said that one man who has been
in this ''fai:e" business in Il city down
east for many years ms secured Il vast
fortune, and that he occupies several
floors of u building with his Offices.
mo persons are more gullible than in
ventors," is the belief upon which the
fakir works.
But there are other schemes to inter-
est inventors. Another agency method
is to organize an association" for in
ventors, tho membership III which is Ill
the way from tea dollars to twenty-five
dollars. The inventor is not required to
pay his lnbership fee until his patent
has passed the test OF the examining
board" Be chat test successful or un-
successful, tho inventor receives a highly
illuminated picture Of an examining
board examining inventions and passing
judgments thereon. Ii his was success
full he is eligible to membership, and if
unsuccessful he must go elsewhere.
There is no violation OF tie letter of the
agreement which induces the inventor to
Join the association. The latter does all
promises, but all it promises can bene-
fit him little.
Recently there came under the ban of
the French government al academy of
invention. The plan of this institution
was to have u gradual system OF inves-
tigation of the patents submitted, and
each stage cost Il few dollars additional.
When the last one was reached medals
were awarded at different prices, but
the inventor seldom got off for less than
fifty or seventy-tive dollars. The "acad-
elnyn was opened by in astute Partisan,
who, while he had violated no law. was
morally guilty of working q confidence
game upon thousands of his country
men.-Indianapolis News.
"A Choragus.
A choragrs was the superintendent of
the equipment and instruction of cho-
rus. The Athenians made him state
IT, ..,A H. .;4;n,. l,ooo.,.., $50 - G