Evening star., 1897-07-29

ers the first government fee and one sheet
of official drawings. Upon receipt of this
amount another search Will be made. IL
necessary. and the application will be pre-
pared and forwarded to you for approval
and execution.
The value of patents depends largely
upon the manner in which they are han
died. We make a speciality of selling
Patents and inventions. and when your
application is safely filed in the United
States patent Office, that no one else
can get ahead Of you. shall Immediately
seek purchaser for your device, upon due
authority from you.
Very truly yours
JOHN WEDDERBURN & co.
Valuation of Inventions.
The witness testified in reply to questions
by Mr.. Stauffer to the manner in which
values were placed upon inventions. Valua-
tions were placed upon inventions when
ever client requested, and it was always
by this method. The case would be taken
to Mr.. Hughes, who was told what the
patent was, and would then place value
on it. He would give figure generally be-
tween 81 900 and $4,000. He recalled one
case in which a patent was valued at only
500
Mr.. Stauffer-"Did he ever turn down any
invention of no value whatever"
The witness-"Not to my knowledge"
Referring to the manner in which the
work of making searches was done by
Wedderburn Co., Mr.. Gillis replied that
while he was in charge of that work he
had informed Mr.. Wedderburn several
times that favorable reports should be re-
viewed, as the searchers were not compe-
tent. He also told him the searchers were
making too many searches to do the work
well, some of them making as many as
eighteen or twenty searches day.
Mr.. Ford-"He gave you more men then!'
Mr.. Gillis-"He gave me incompetent
men,
In reply to questions by Mr.. Ford, the
witness said Mr.. Wedderburn wanted re-
ports sent out twenty-four hours after the
case had been received, and had told him
If he could not do that he would get some
one In his place who could.
The testimony showed that Mr.. Gillis had
been succeeded by Mr.. Julfhn as head OF
the scare hers, he being retained as ASSIST
ant. and when asked II that gentleman
were as competent as himself. he declined
to reply.
Work of the Searchers.
When asked who had made eighteen or
twenty searches in a day the witness re-
piled that ALEC" Wedderburn had done
SO, and that George Burns had made If
teen or sixteen a day.
Mr. Ford-"Was 1t not your duty to re-
The witness-"Only in the cases of un-
favorable reports"
Mr. Ford-"What instructions were you
given when you were placed In charge OF
the search department."
The witness-"I was told to rush cases
out in twenty-four hours, to review un-
favorable searches, but that II any refer
ence did not directly apply to the case to
any favorable reports. He also said he
would have my unfavorable reports re-
viewed and if any one Of them was mark
ed unfavorable when 1t should have been
60, III H. ;coha Of
Mr. Ford: Did Mr.. Wedderburn not give
you instructions in writing to make careful
and conscientious searches?"
The witness: No, sir.
The witness had instructed the searchers
that they must make twelve searches day
under orders from Mr.. Wedderburn.
Causes for Dismissal.
Mr. Ford produced a signed order and
asked witness if it were not his signature
on it. Witness declined to reply until he
had seen the order, but finally said the
signature looked like his own. The order
read as follows:
December IS. 1896: On and after this
date if a reference be stated against any
case (by the patent office) that kills that
case the person making the search will be
discharged"
Mr.. Gillis said he issued that order, also
another order of January D. 1897, that any
one falling to find references upon which
the application is subsequently rejected by
the examiner would be dismissed.
Mr.. Ford questioned witness whether
MIR. Wedderburn had not told him he want
ed business properly handled.
Mr.. Gillis replied that Mr.. Wedderburn
had told him to rush business, but said
roth:ng about having it properly handled.
Mr. Ford-"Did you perform your duties
faithfully and conscientiously?"
The witness-'I could not do SO under
MIR. Wedderburns orders"
Letter Written Under Threats.
The witness recounted how Mr.. Wedder-
burn had asked him to write letter say
ing he had SO performed his duties. buc
he explained to him that the conditions
were such he could not do So Finally he
did. under threats of being dismissed, write
a letter.
Mr. Ford-"Knowing it was not true?''
Mr. Gillis-"I gave the letter with the
understanding that it had reference to
what Mr.. Wedderburn said was the interest
Of his clients
Mr. Ford said the defense would en-
deavor to produce that letter.
Mr.. Doolittle said that in such case Mr..
Wedderburn should be put on the stand
Counsel for the defense questioned Mr.
Gillis in order to show that he was finally
removed from his place as head of the
searchers because he had reported favor
ably on case that was not patentaole and
counsel as TO the manner in which the wit
ness should be allowed to testify.
The work of valuing inventions was
again referred to, and Mr.. Gillis said when
perpetual motion device had been re-
ferred to Mr.. Hughes for valuation. he told
the clerk to tell the inventor that it was
worth millions if he made it. work.
Il know nothing more true than that"
said Mr.. Ford, amid laughter.
AT 12:30 a recess was taken.
Upon the resumption of the investigation
at :3l o'clock Mr.. Gillis was again placed
on the stand and examined by Mr.. Winter
who asked Mr.. Gillis as to what Mr. We'd
derburn said about the character of his
Work when he was placed at the head of
the record department.
The witness said Mr.. Wedderburn told
him to get work out as rapidly as possible
but said nothing about the character Of
the work. Mr.. Alex" Wedderburns work
he said. was very poor
Mr.. Winter endeavored to have Mr. Gil
lis give an opinion about the young men
under MIN, but Mr.. Ford objected
W itneSs testified that as a rule the work
OF these young men was necessarily Door. I"
Mr.. Winter referred to the letter which
had been referred to in testimony this morn
Ing and asked witness to tell how he wrote
Ii.
Mr.. Gillis wrote the letter because his
discharge was threatened IL he did not write