New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-22
ELECTRIC LIMP MONOPOLY BROKEN
4 PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION DENIED BY ST.
LOUIS JUDGE.

PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION DENIED BY A ST.
louis JUDGE.
Electricians and people interested In incandcscent
electric lamps greatly surprised yesterday nj The
new. 81 the setback which the General Electric Com
pany had received at ST. Louis In It's efforts TO en-
force It's monopoly under the Edison lamp patent.
The defendant in the 81 Louis was the Colum
bin Incandcsccnt Lamp Company Of that city. The
Edison Company brought suit AMI asked for the usual
preliminary Injunction. The Columbia Company set
up rs defence the making and using OF mcandcScent
electric lamps by Henry Gocbe In Ncw-iork CITY
for period Of twenty five years prior TO the Edison In
ven,ion In 1879. The argument before Judge llaett.
sitting in the Circuit Court for the Eastern District Of
Missouri occupied four days last week, and tho eyes
OF the cl ctrlcal world have been centred on that
city cvci since. awaiting the decision
Ihl, Is the patent when sustained by Judge
wallace two years ago aud affirmed 10y the United
states of Appeals for this district. The Goebel
defence was first brought forward In Boston last
winter By the Beacon Company, when the General
Electric Company brought suit against them. II was
hurricdly and incompety presented, and Judge Colt
held II insufficient stay the granting Of the usual
preliminary Injunction. Counsel for the Columbia
Company having two months more time, were able
TO make "A much stronger showing. They presented
10 the ~. Louis the aiidayts OF nearly ECO
witnesses who had the Goebcl lamps. Three
or four specimens Of old lamps uncarthed
and put In evidence together with old tools, docl-
mcnis ctc which established beyond doubt the truth
Of the story.
After a weeks consideration Of the 1000 printed
pages Of testimony In the case Judge Iallctt yester
day announced his conclusions. to the effect that the
new evidence being sufficient probably to invalidae
the patent, he must refuse grant the Injunction.
Accordingly the Columbia Company Will open lis fac
tory again and 20 with the Manufacture Of In
candescent lamps and the two companies. yet
unmolcstcd by the Edison people, the Ncwlork and
Ohio Company, Of Warren, ohio. and the swan Com
pany OF Cleveland, Will be- left free continue
featuring and selling lamps while the testimony Is
being taken and the carried 10 final hearing.
The score Of companies which have already been
rnIoincd I'm other cir. uits Will probably apply To
have their injuncuons vacated In view OF the II.
Louis decision, and the Edison lamp monopoly will
be- at an end The Edison patent runs out In No
vcmbcr 1884, and 1t Is hardly probable that final
hearing and decd lion De- reached much before that
date This litigation has already cost half million
or 80. There WAS an extensive array Of counsel In
the ST Louis For the Columbia Company there
appeared Mcssrs. Wittcr ~ Kenyon. OF No. - Park
Row Nrw-lork; A. L. smith, Of No. .Gl Broadway,
Ncw-lork; Judge Adams, Of 81 Louis, and McssrS.
Fowler a Fowler Of that city. The Edison Com
Iany were represented by Clarence 4. seward. r.
T. Fish and Richard " Dyer, Of Ncw-lork, and their
resident ST. Louis counsel