Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-30

shares of stock, 5000 shares being pre-
ferTed stock and 10000 shares of common
stock. The holders of preferred stock did
not participate in the management of the
company, while the holders of the common
stock had entire control of the company,
which. he said, was a reversal Of the
general plan adopted. He said this 10000
shares of stock was distributed among 500
inserted, and Wedderburn & Co.. he said,
claimed that every one of these news
papers guaranteed their honesty and abil-
ity TO get patents.
Mr.. Small read from pamphlets published
by Wedderburn & Co. to show their claim
that they had the very best facilities for
getting patents. while they claimed to ex-
ercise every possible care in looking after
the interests of their clients.
we treat all clients as we would
ing from one of the pamphlets.
That is the golden rule he said.
Same principle, but little different
form, remarked the commissioner.
Mr.. Small spoke of the sending out of
silver medals by Wedderburn & Co.. say
ing in one of those competitions 500 such
sent out The roll of honor Of the at
torneys was referred to, as well as the
practice of the firm of having their in
yentors' biographies published in the Re-
corder.
Those he said, ARE the graphing
hooks to haul in the clients"
CaH US an octopus, suggested Judge
Wilson amid laughter.
Mr. Small reviewed number of cases
that had been made exhibits in the investi-
cation, reading letters that were sent
to clients of Wedderburn & Co.
Miss Peck's Letter.
When the proceedings were continued at
1 o'clock Mr.. Small again took up his
argument. He referred to certain adver-
tisements of Wedderburn & Co. He spoke
especially of the case of Miss Laura A.
Peck, whose letter in relation to "swind-
ling patent concerns" was read. He said
the patent bar owed Miss Peck a debt of
gratitude for the work she had DONE He
said the letter did not refer to Wedderburn
Co., but that company found the cap
fitted them and they put 1t on. They had,
he said, acknowledged that they were 1.-The
swindling concern by suing Miss Peck
You know of the minister who said, If
that young lady with the red hair and blue
bonnet does not keep quiet, l will point
Der out" remarked the commissioner, amid
laughter.
Denounced as n Confidence Scheme.
Much has been said about trusts and
combinations" said Mr.. Small, (which
seek to control the necessaries of life and
they are terrible to contemplate 1 fear
the time will come for an accounting on
their part. But here we have trust or
people through fraudulent prac tees"
Their scheme. he said, was a confidence
scheme conceived in sin and born in in
lquity. 1t was for the commissioner to de-
termine whether these attorneys were NOR
ally cu1pable. Mr.. Small said of course
there was possibility that the respond
ents believed they were guilty of no wrong,
but he quoted the worlds great philoso-
piers 20 show that right and wrong are
largely matters of education, and that fire.
quently right In one age or country be-
comes wrong in another age or country,
and vice versa. At times vices that are
worthy acts in other times and countries.
1t was possible that Wedderburn & Co.,
through some kind of argument, thought
their acts were right, but that did not
change their true character.
Mr.. Small said it was to be expected that
a great department of a popular govern
ment should not be degraded into fence"
for the receipt CT stolen goods. He spoke
of the poor people whose money had been
sent to Wedderburn & Co. for applications
for patents in inventions that We're not
patentable and could not see how the chief
respondent, a man of handsome appear
ance and cavalier bearing. wearing splea-
did apparel, could enjoy money gained as
he had gained 1t.
This" he said, was one of the worst
coincidence games ever conceived. You
can't read one of their letters without
seeing in 1t a purpose of fraud and the
working out of a confidence game"
Mr.. Small quoted at length Dante's de-
scription of the embodiment of fraud and
pictured the respondents as carrying out
the spirit of the imps Of the lower region.
This concluded Mr.. SmalPs remarks He
was followed by Mr. Doolittle, represent
ing the patent law associations, VINO spoke
at some length. Mr.. Doolittle referred
to the patent office as having been born in
the Constitution of the United States,
which provided that inventors saould be
given exclusive right in their inventions
during certain term of years.
John Wedderburn never was patent
attorney in the contemplation of the law"
said MIR. Doolittle. He never did perform
the duty of a patent agent"
The patent office, he said, stands between
the patent agent and the client. If the
authorities of the patent office find that the
respondent was guilty of fraud it would be
a party to the fraud if 1t should continue
its relations with the agent. 1t was some
times said that n patent agent must be
guilty of 'embeZzlement in order TO he held
culpable as an attorney, but he quoted de-
c1sion of the Department of Justice TO show
that the authority Of the commissioner to
prevent fraud went far beyond that
Mr.. Doolittle dwelt with force on the
manner of making searches by Wedderburn
& Co. He saw that it had been boosted
that searchers for that firm had made
eight, ten or twelve searches a day. When
it was considered, he said. that ngie
search meant the examination of a couple
of hundred or thousand references it
not be looked into thoroughly
No attorney would claim with all their
care that their reports patentability
We're conclusive evidence of that fact and
the claim that the loose examina tons made
by the respondents were so was a mere
lie" Above all he thought the act of
Wedderburn & Co. in advising clients to
take out patents in foreign countries on
devices which were rejected by the United
States patent office was worse than any of
their acts. A difference Of opinion might be
urged in some CT the cases. but in such
cases the application was put in with a
full knowledge of the facts, and it was
simply stealing the fee from the client
Adjourned to Tomorrow.
1t was $50 o'clock when Mr. Doolittle
concluded his argument, and Mr.. Ford ask
ed that he be allowed to begin his argu-
ment tomorrow morning, saying he thought
he could get through by u o'clock. Ad-
journment was then taken. After Mr. Ford
concludes Judge Wilson will be given day
to speak on the charges and evidence
Personal Mention.
DIR. G. L. Magruder has just returned