Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-16
Agreement by Counsel for Wedder-
burn and the Government.
SAVING OF MUCH time EFFECTED
Propositions Regarding inventions
Not PatentabIe.
THE MEDALS


John Wedderburn & Co. and the govern
ment as to the facts in certain cases re-
garding which oral testimony was not
taken during the recent investigation be-
fore Assistant Commissioner of Patents
Greeley were signed today by the par
ties in interest. To have taken testimony
to establish the facts embodied in these
cases would have consumed nearly a
month, which time has been saved by the
agreement between counsel
The stipulations set forth the form of
letters that were sent to inventors IN GER
tain cases, and cover fourteen pages of
typewriter matter.
Counsel for Wedderburn & Co. admit
that letter was sent to clients in nine
cases which 1t is believed involved inven-
tons which were not patentable, a para
graph of this letter reading:
please remit $50 to cover the first gov
eminent fee of SIS and s., the cost of one
sheet of official drawing, and upon the
receipt of this amount We will prepare the
necessary application papers and send
them to you for approval and execution.
The references found in these cases were
sent along with the letter.
In thirty cases a letter was sent to the
clients, admitted by counsel on both
sides in the stipulation, in which Wedder-
burn & Co. told the inventor they would
Immediately prepare application papers to
broadly cover" the device, and the in
ventor was told that his invention would
be entered in the competition for the
monthly award of prizes. Mr.. Bond of
Wcdderburn 4 Co. when on the stand adj
mitted that in nearly every one of these
cases the invention was not patentable.
1t is also stipulated that in ten cases let
tiers giving the value Of "a successful de-
vice of this nature If patented Immediately
and properly handled" would net the owner
not less than a certain amount: i'm nearly
q devices limit tod
ly unpatentable
Awarding the Medals.
In twenty cases silver medals were sent
after the report of the result of the search
and before the first fee of $50 was paid, in
six of which cases anticipating references
had been cited in the letter reporting the
result Of the search. In seventeen cases
the silver medal was sent from one to
thirty-four days after the first fee of SD
was paid, and before the payment of the
balance of the fees. In fifteen cases the
silver medal was sent after the balance of
the fees. In two cases the medal was sent
after a part of the balance of fees had
been paid and the remainder had been ask
ed for, but not paid. In seven cases the
medal was sent a considerable time after
the balance of fees had been paid but in
four of these cases letters from Wedder-
burn & Co. relating to advertising the in
ventions of their clients for sale had been
sent, but the applicants had rot sent on
the fees for such advertising at the time
In three of these cases letters relating to
taking out foreign patents had been writ
ten, but the applicants had not sent on the
fees for that purpose at the time the med
al was sent. These cases will be cited by
counsel for the government to show that
the medals were used as a means of urg-
ing the inventor to go ahead with his case.
"Write-Ups."
A large number of cases are cited in
which ''write-up'' propositions were ac-
cepted. the inventor having sketch of his
life and his picture inserted in the Ma
tional Recorder at cost of.$5.
In twenty-one cases SO was asked for
with the return of the signed application
papers and was paid, although only SD
was then due, as shown by letters from
Wedderburn & Co. In eleven cases the
SIS was called for but not paid, Wedder-
burn & Co. admitting, when attention was
called to the fact that SIS was called for
by mistake and only SO was due.
In two cases in which Wedderburn Co.
offered to sell inventions it is agreed be-
tween counsel that anticipating references
had been cited, in which cases the fee of
$40 for advertising was paid by the in
ventor. In twelve cases the sale offer was
made and $40 for advertising called for af-
ter the application had been rejected by
the patent Office.
In ten cases Wedderburn & Co. wrote
their clients that I'VE deem 1t our duty
to suggest to you the adviSability of taking
out patents on your invention in Canada
and Great Britain at least after the appli-
cations for said patents had been rejected
by the United States patent office In three
of these &C ses this letter was sent after the
application had received second but not
final rejection from the patent office.
Advised to Appeal.
Wedderburn & Co. advised their clients
in thirty-three cases to appeal to the board
Of examiners and chiefs at a cost of SD
after final rejection of claims. In seven
of these cases this appeal fee was paid, the
appeal taken and the decision of the ex-
amiEer was affirmed.
In two cases a previous application by
Wedderburn & Co. for the same invention
had been rejected shortly before the pre-
hminary search was made.
The case of Wedderburn & Co. will be
argued before the assistant commissioner
of patents August 80.
Arrested for Burglary.