Evening star., 1897-06-03
CLAIMS LARGE DAMAGES
John Wedderburn & Go. Sue Joseph r.
Edison and Laura A. Peck.
A Circular Which IL Objected TO-Mr.
Edison Makes Some
Comments.

John Wedderburn & Company, local pat
ent attorneys. entered suit yesterday
against John Joy Edison and Joseph R.
Edison, patent attorneys, and Laura A.
Peck. claiming $4,000 damages because of
an alleged libelous circular, claiming to in
1uriously reflect Upon the business of the
plaintiffs. The defendants, the plaintiff
charges, are responsible for the said circu-
lar. The circular at issue is dated Geneva
NJ Y. May 10, 1897; ;oand Is signed by Laura
A Peck. As given in the bill, filed, it starts
off with the head, "ImpoGtant caution. Be
ware OF the prize and Notwithstanding pat
eht' attorneys" aS they are not beaefaotors,
or philanthropists, bit swindling confidence
game scoundrels Of the worst and most
dangerous type The circular then asks
that any one who has had dealings with
the firm referred to, and have been de-
ceived thereby, should send statement of
the facts i'll the particular case to Benja-
min Butterworth. commissioner of patents;
John L. Thomas, assistant attorney gen.
eral, Post Office Department, or William
Small. attorney-at-law. The circular then,
as given in the bill filed by Wedderburn &
Company, reads as follows:
Il am prompted to make this suggestion
after a personal visit to the United States
patent office at Washington and ascertain
ment OF the facts. solely through what I
regard as moral pubic duty; and 1 will
take pleasure in responding to any in
quiries which may be addressed to me on
the subject.
Briefly stated, the principal bats or de-
coys used by these swindling concerns
(meaning the plaintifD are: % The ad-
vertisement for, Inventions meaning the
said advertisements for inventions pub
lished by the plaintiff. (2) The lists Of de-
vices for which patents are wanted, mean
ing the list of inventions published by the
plaintiff, nine-tenths of them, at least,
having been patented long ago. 90 The
said search reports sent out by the plain
.tiff,- statang atn effect that -thee device is
patentable and valuable. "a The, worse
than worthless medals of honor. meaning
the medals awarded or given by the plain
tff. and certificates of patentability. 90
The chance to win a money prize, meaning
the prizes awarded by the plaintiff before
the particular device thus honored (?) is
found to be patentable, the award being
made, not by the patent Office officials, but
by a special board made up Of political,
business and social friends. meaning the
said board of awards connected with plain
tiff's business. who could not, in one even
ing, as claimed, examine one-tenth of the
inventions entitled to compete therefor
meaning to charge the plaintiff with un-
fairness and dishonesty IN awarding said
prizes.
Through these and other confidence
game methods and practices, and taking
advantage of supposed defects in the postal
laws, the concerns in question have sue
ceeded in deceiving and defrauding many
thousands of poor people throughout the
country, and they lay the hattering unc
ton to their 'soulless souls that they can
continue their nefarious business in
definitely and with impunity.
Il also strongly urge that you write your
senators and representatives in regard to
this important matter, suggesting the
prompt enactment Of law to remedy the
evils herein complained Of, as contemplated
by bill No. 1867, which was introduced in
the United States Senate on March ~, 1897,
by Senator Hansbrough, and which was
without objection read twice and referred
to the committee on patents"
The plaintiff charges that the statements
In this circular are false and libelous, and
have greatly injured his business and he
therefore asks for the damages stated.
Mr.. Edson's Statement.
Mr.. Joseph K Edison said today, speaking
of the suit: 1.-The circular was issued and
sent out by Miss Peck entirely Of her own
periencc with the planti1 firm. She came
here from Geneva to investigate, and after
such investigation, withdrew her case from
Wedderburn & Co.. and placed 1t in our
hands. Our consenttng to, act as attorneys
for Miss Peck apRaarsi to be the only
ground on which the suit against us is
based" Mr. Edison idurthtr stated that his
brother, John Joy Edsoh, retired from
practice as an attorney, many years ago,
as could be seen ,byioreffETence to the city
directory. In doing s9a,he assigned the
tinue the business al formerly under the
firm name to himself. The retirement of
John JOY Edison BECAME necessary bv his
increase in duties. Which Absorbed his time.
in the large finaRcialI Institutions with
which he was connected.