Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-06
MORE TESTING NY
Further Hearing in the Case of We'd
derburn & Go.
EXAMINATION OF MR.. BOND
Reports on Cases Taken Up and
Read.
LETT E RS TO CLIENTS
LETTERS TO CLIENTS


ton by Judge Wilson. In addition to this
mass Of documents, the great coffin-like
box in which are kept the exhibits of the
office was brought in and given a place on
chairs alongside the commissioners desk.
Surrounded by this mass of papers, E.
H. Bond of Wedderburn & Co. resumed
his testimony of the day before Previous
to adjournment yesterday Judge Wilson
had asked counsel for the prosecution to
state numbers of cases on which they
based certain charges made against his
clients, in order to show cause why they
Should not be disbarred from practice be-
fore the United States patent office.
AS usual, the room was well filled with
interested patent attorneys and others.
with other office business in the room of
the assistant commissioner. Mr.. Wedder-
burn was not present, as he had been all
of the previous day.
The First Case Taken Up.
The first case taken up was that of Sock
er, in which the papers in the case, pre-
scented by Mr. Bond, showed a search to
have been made August IS. 1885, and a
letter was sent to client that no reference
could be fo und sufficient to warrant him
from obtaining patent.
A. H. Doolittle of counsel for the Patent
Bar Association asked if counsel for the
respondent proposed to have all the Office
records of Wedderburn & Co. in these cases
read.
Judge Wilson replied that he proposed to
show the facts in all the cases as devel-
oped by the records.
Mr. Bond continued to read the various
phases through which the Sooker case had
gone. December - the case was rejected
by the patent office, and en- December -
Wedderburn * Co. wrote to the client that
when his case was favorably acted on they
would notify him promptly.
the case at the writing of that letter."
Mr.. Bonh-"rhe application had been re-
jected''
Judge Wilson-"'Was that case under
amendment at that time?'
Mr.. Bord-'.No; it was rejected fourteen
days before"
January ~ another letter was written the
client by Wedderburn & Co., stating that
slow.
Mr.. Greeley-"What was the condition OF
the case them?
Mr.. Bond-''It was under rejection of De-
Cember 10.
February 13 there was still another let
ter written the client to the same effect.
Mr.. Greeley-"What was the condition of
the case them"
Mr.. Bond-"It was under rejection of De-
cember Is; February 16 amendment was
made"
Mr. Greeley called the attention of the
witness to the fact that the letter was
written February IL and the amendment
made February 16
Mr.. Bond-"But the amendment was
dated February .; it was filed in the patent
office February 49,
Mr.. Ford-'I know of my own personal
knowledge of instances of amendments sent
to the United States patent office and held
up a week before they were. stamped. That
happened in the Laura A. Peck case
Mr.. Greeley asked if there had been delay
in the case in the United States patent
once.
Mr. Bond-"No"
Judge Wilson-"Not in that particular
case"
Mr.. Ford-"Do you mean to say that the
action of the patent office in that case was
immediate-on the same day?'
Mr.. Bond-'1 mean there was no unusual
weeks to three months behind with it's
business, and it took about a month to act
on the case by the office.
Other Cases Examined.
A number of other cases were taken up
and examined. and Judge Wilson inquired
whether it was understood that the charges
filed against Wedderburn & Co. in the
Post Office Department were withdrawn
from consideration in this case.
Mr.. VIM. Small said he understood those
charges were under investigation.
In the case of Fassett, reviewed by Mr..
Bond. it was shown applications for Brit
ish and Canadian patents had been filed be-
fore a patent was granted by the United
States patent Office. The assistant COM
missioner asked what he thought of the
practice of making such applications, and
the witness said it was frequently done
1t was shown that the application was re-
jected by the United States patent office.
Mr.. Bond: But l understand from the
clerk in charge of this case that the Brit
ish patent received this morning"
comparison between the cases of We'd
derburn & Co. and other attorneys was
made after patented case of the former
had been referred to by the prosecution
showing very limited claims allowed
Judge Wilson had asked the witness to
read the claims in patent granted for
client of c. A. Snow & Co. to snow the
same condition. There was general op-
position on the part of attorneys for the
government and for the Patent Bar Assoc
citation against this proceeding, claiming
that other attorneys were not under in
vestigation.
Judge Wilson-"I want that paper read.
We have a right to show that our clients
acted exactly as other attorneys do, and
that they were acting in good faith.
say it is not reprehensible for man to
take out a patent for anything that is
patentable."
Mr. S:auffer-"In the Helen Bond case
the inventor was deceived as to the scope
of the patent she was to get. That Is
what We have shown, and that is what we
object to-"
Judge Wilson asked the witness whether
it was unusual for an attorney to claim
more than was finally allowed by the pat
ent office. ard he replied it was not.
Mr.. bonds Examination Continued,
After a recess of one hour the investiga-
ton was resumed shortly after l o'clock
and Mr.. Bond was again put on the stand.
The witness testified that it was unusual
for searchers to look into foreign patents
in making preliminary search.
In the case of White the assistant COM
missioner cross-examined the witness at
some length. A letter of March II, 1897,
by Wedderburn & Co. to White was read,
stating that prompt and careful attention
would be given his application for patent,
but there was shown to be no appeal taken
until April %
Mr. Greeley-"Is it usual to hold back a
case of that kind for over a month";
Mr.. Bond-'I cannot state. 1t can hap
PEN"
letter from Wedderburn & Co. to White
reported that the examiner had raised OBJ
jections to his application, but that the
firm would push the case forward TO allow
ance as rapidly possible.
Mr.. Greeley-"What was the condition Of
the case them"
Mr.. Rond-"Rejected."