Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-08
THE PATENT OFFICE.
CONTEMPLATED REFORMS IN BE-
HALF OF INVENTORS.
Personal NOTES OF INTEREST.
'Pnp's" Son IL Welded. After Ali, In
MaryJand-Mrs. Shepherd, of West
Virginia, Who Was Miss odette
Tyler.

ciai. )--Commissloner Butterwsrth, oil the
Patent-Ofice. IS about to effect a num-
Der Of much-needed reforms In his de-
partment. which will be great Deneht
TO inventors I'm future, and will protect
them from so-called patent attorneys
The office is constantly called on to deal
with this class, most of whom are In
competent lawyers, not at all practiced
in the patent laws. Inventions are often
lost TO the inventors, because Of the mis-
management Of the attorneys. Loss to
inventors frequently results frOn. the
fact that the patent may not be sufil-
GENTLY broad to protect the patentee. 1t
is understood that the future policy OF
the office Will be more liberal to in
ventors, and that, whereas, it has been
the recent practice Of the office to re-
solve all doubts against the inventor
the practice in future will be to resolve
all doubts in favor Of the inventor.
The business of the Office has so in
creased that the Commissioner will also
press the greater need for accommoda-
tions. The business has increased per
cent, and the office will, the present
year, turn out $4,000 net.
"PAP's" son Welded.
A special received here from Rockville.
Md. gives an account of the marriage
there Of the young man Robert +. Wer-
sham. OF Charlottesville, aged is. who
eloped with Miss Ollie Turpn. also OF
Charlottesville, aged Il. and who did not
know his fathers first name having never
heard him called anything but Pap"
The couple tried to have the nuptial knot
tied here, but were unable TO obtain a
license, owing to the fact that the would
be groom was under age. and his father
had objected by telegraph. He was ar
rested here but was released, and return
ed to his fiancee, there being no charge
against him.
The twain were not to be outdone by
the parent of the young man. so they
quietly left this city, with the announced
intention of going to Baltimore. This
was to throw the Directing father and the
officers off the track. The young couples
destination was really Rockville, Md,
and upon arriving there a license was
procured by young Wersham from the
Clerk of the court and the ceremony was
performed by the Rev. S. r. White, at
his residence without loss of time. IL
is not known what age Wersham gave
the Clerk Of the court. but il is under
stood that the authorities Will invest-
gate the statement of Wersham, peTe'
that his son is only is years old.
II is said the couple are at present In
this city. sightseeing. and enjoying the
honeymoon, though it may be brleI
one. ,,,.,,.-,
MISS ODETTE TYLER.
Mr.. and Mrs. Shepherd, the latter having
formerly been Miss Odette Tyler, were In
this city few days ago visiting friends
while on their way TO their home. Wild
Goose Farm. near Shepherdstown' w. Va
Mrs. Shepherd will be remembered IN
Richmond as Miss Tyler the handsome
New York actress. who was so Widey
spoken of in the newspapers as being en-
gagged TO Howard Gould, and who came
TO Richmond some years ago for the pur-
nose of avoiding publicity, and to seek
the seclusion she could not well secure i'm
northern cities. She has since written
very clever book, and has become
literary as well as a dramatic celebrity.
Mr.. Shepherd, who belongs to
wealthy family of jefferson county, w.
Va. met Miss Tyler shortly after the
Gould sensation subsidized, and the couple
were married after a brief courtship.
Among the groom's gifts to the bride
were several houses in this city, and II
is expected they will spend portion OF
the winter season here.
Mrs. Shepherd has just concluded
theatrical engagement In England,
whittier her husband accompanied her,
They have just returned 1t is her last
engagement. and as she is charmed with
her beautiful home near Shepherdstown,
she will spend the greater portion of her
time there. and devote herself TO litera-
ture.
IMPORTANT POLICE DECISION.
Major Moore. Chief Of the Washington
Police, has rendered a very important
decision recently. 1t is in effect that
women have a perfect right to wear
mems clothes, and men TO wear women's
clothes unless 1t can be shown that
they are doing so with a criminal object.
1T may be the general opinion" he
said. chat it is a misdemeanor for one
sex to wear the clothes Of another. but
such is not the fact We would not
arrest woman or a man in Washington
for doing II. If nothing else were in the
case Sometimes men and women mas
ouerade with some criminal object in
view. and in such a case we could ar
rest them. but the charge would not be
GARY DENOUNCED BY NEGROES.
Postmaster-General Gary has been de-
nounced in a meeting of the National
Negro Protective Association here by a
Georgia colored politician, who charges
that the Postmaster-General refused 10
appoint a negro TO a postal position. on
the ground that there were social qualf-
cations necessary for the place. and the
negro was ineligible
PERSONAL.
Miss Anne ID. Gravely, one of the most
attractive bellies of Danville Va, left
here this afternoon for Richmond. Miss
Gravely has been visiting Miss Hobson,
ON Nineteenth street and has made a
host Of admiring friends during her stay
in Washington
Representative Lamb accompanied by
his beautiful and accomplished little
laughter arrived here yesterday. Mr..
Lamb will remain now until the extra
session ends. and will in the mean time
show The little lady the sights of the
capital.
Miss Lula Haycock. Of No. 32i3 Prospect
avenue. West Washington. left yesterday
for a few weeks stay at Charlottesville.
Va. Miss Susie Haycock departed for
a visit TO friends at Appomattox. Va.
She will return in about two weeks
Mr.. and Mrs. c. c. Willard are at Green
brier White Sulphur Springs.
Mr.. ]. NJ. Marks. OF No. 32i5 Prospect
avenue West Washington, left the city
last Saturday to pay visit of three weeks
IN relatives at Lynchburg. Va.
Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Murphy. of
North Carolina, who have been visiting
The family of DR.. Walter c. Murphy. on
Faurtb street, have left the city. the for
mer 10 visit her son, Archie Graham. in
Richmond. Va. and the latter to spend
the summer with her son, Mr.. James ID.
Murphy. in Asheville, n. c.