The record-union., 1897-10-17
swINDLING PATENT ATTORNEYS.

The Patent Office Commissioner has
disbarred a firm Of attorneys Of Wash
ington as frauds, and his decision will
be confirmed by the Secretary of the
Interior. The method of the two patent
attorneys was to advertise for ''Inven-
tions Wanted to urge the suggestion Of
novel ideas, no matter how simple, or
what they were, intimating that in their
hands they would develop into some
thing meritorious.
They would on this basis make
searches for their clients, charge fees
and otherwise victimize those who
trusted them after leading them on with
the belief that the greatest fortunes have
been made out ofthe simplest inventions,
and that any one can study out novel
ties that will be protected by the patent
laws. They held forth that they had
special privileges in the Patent Office,
knew it's secrets and could secure pat
ents where others must fail.
The Commissioner says that out of
SO 900 inventions on which searches
We're made by these two men in two
years, over 10000 were re-inventions of
what was old. They flooded the coun-
try with alluring circulars, and finding
many people ready to be duped they
reaped a golden harvest. They were
specially successful in entrapping the
many who had no inventive skill into
the idea that any small idea would
serve as the basis for great gains. On
that head the Commissioner said
1t is true that some small inventions,
which have required little thought and
little knowledge of the prior art on the
part of the inventor, have proved of
value. 1t is equally true, no doubt, that
in lotteries some one for a trif1ing out
lay has won a large prize. Yet the eff
feet of lotteries is recognized as de-
moralizing to a degree. To endeavor to
impress upon the public the idea that
any one, without experience in the art,
without knowledge of what is claimed
in the art, without study and thought
and experiment, can evolve inventions
of value, is as demoralizing as the idea
81 4lASAobS0 OAA ny 4OhASAy
agents that any one who buys a ticket
may win the great prize.
Referring to their offers to give free
advice, the Commissioner adds:
When the supposed inventor failed to
reply promptly Ito their first letter.
the respondents have in many in
stances, as shown by the evidence and
admitted in the stipulation signed by
counsel, sent him an undated circular
Offering to advise him free of charge
as to patentability and STABILITY of
any device he might have. Those who
took advantage of this apparently lib
eral offer, received in reply a letter
containing information which, in so far
as it was not positively false and mis-
leading, was such advice as could very
well have been given for nothing, for
ii was worth nothing.
Disbarment is too mild punishment
for fellows who gained practice by such
means. They disgrace an honorable pro-
fession: indeed. we doubt very much if
these soliciting patent attorneys are
recognized by the reputable bar of the
land. If they are enrolled, however,
they ought to be stricken from the rolls
in addition to being excluded from
practice before the department An ex-
ample should be made of them that
would deter others tempted TO such de-
vices, and warn the people generally TO
beware of the alluring circulars and
honeyed promises of men who claim to
be able to accomplish in Government
departments that which reputable so
hcitors Will not undertake