Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-01

respondents, was intended to miSlead and
deceive; or. if it was not so intended, but
was intended to express the exact truth,
the author of those productions had a sin
gularly fatal faculty of utterly failing In
that behalf to make himself understood.
An examination of the literature and cor
respondence as whole shows that 1t was
prepared with intent to deceive and mis-
lead the unwary and the ,unsaspecting, and
that 1t did do just that thing is established
beyond question. and the evidence on that
score Is accommodating"
The commissioner says the tevidence sus-
tains the charges against Wedderburn &:
Co., except that of forging the name of
Representative VIM. Sulxer. Hr. Sulzer, he
says, called on him and said he knew moth
ing of the respondents, their character,
ETC., but he found he had signed the letter
recommending them, because he was re-
quested to do so by VIM. l.. Crounse, cor
respondent of the New York World. And"
the commissioner says, 1T appears that
that correspondent has been q business
associate identified with the respondents
In at least one branch of their enterprise,
commentators of Wedderburn from men
of known character and standing; and
these recommendations, thus obtained,
were and are used to induce the public,
especially the unsuspecting throughout the
country, to trust the respondents as So
licitors before the department. These
recommendations were some of the decoys
used. Thus public men, many proprietors
bity, having no knowledge of the scheme
and practices of the respondents, were
made the innocent instruments of promot-
ing that which they would unhesitatingly
condemn, had they known the real facts" "
OF Mr.. Wedderburn the commissioner
says: - .,. 49,.
knowledge of the patent law, or could
ent, would not ordinarily be Of consequence.
for L deem that whether he was learned in
the law, or was wholly unfamiliar with
patent practice; he might employ thorough
ly skilled and competent men to transact
the business; nor would he be censurable for
any oversight or neglect Of a competent
person selected with care and charged
with the proper conduct of the business,
but for the fact that Mr.. Wedderburn
seeks clients by announcing to them that
he is lawyer Of ability, large experience
and Of most captivating integrity. If the
respondents have these qualifications in
Substantial measure, there Is lack of
evidence to establish the fact. The promise
ard the performance appear in adverse
proportions"
Mr.. Butterworth continues to say there
were competent persons in the employ of
Wedderburn & Co., more especially after
his methods became the subject of such
general comment and criticism, and, he
continues, in most instances these per-
sons discharged the duty assigned them
fairly well; but 1t is not complimentary to
some OF these young men that they were
identified with an enterprise which employed
methods that were, or should have been
known to them. to be of doubtful honesty
The Accusing Patent Lawyers.
OF the members Of the Patent Bar Assoc
citation who preferred charges against
Wedderburn & Co., the commissioner SAYS:
''And here 1t is proper to say. in defense of
members of the bar, that the statement
has been circulated with 3scrupulous or un-
scrupulous care, that the criticism of the
methods Of the respondents by honorable
members of the bar was due to the fact
that the critics were envious of the success
OF the respondents as solicitors of patents
1t is somewhat startling II members of
the legal profession are to be denounced
by scrfbbling bandits. BECAUSE they feel
called upon to defend the honor and in
ASgrity OF the professienf akainst being
placed In the category Oh solicitors who
in order to obtain clients and use the same
methods in dealing with Sthosefclients after
the relation of attorney ana client has
been established"
The commissioner steeeuntod that the
Wedderburn company had q nominal capi-
tai stock, OF 100000 $4,000 81 preferred
stock and $10,OO0sDf QDmn1on stock. but the
common stock hada the coueroi This
stock. he says, 'saEcor0lng 10 the Show
ing Of the respondents SEEMS no have been
carefully placed In the hands aof over 3,O00
newspapers or newspaper men throughout
the country, so that he slain people
from the great cumfnGrci61 unagfs ana hixii-
ways OF commerce ana manu1Acture. co,sI3
lsbe put In communicates whit Wedderb,ss.r
i e Co. and he edvfhad trsIei.fAes 2ha $500