The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-09

al and enjoyed the distinction of enroll
ment in the honorable list.
This concern offers $50 each month in
prizes for meritorious devices" the
money being so much bait. Only those
persons are eligible who have paid the fee
of - for preliminary search, which, as has
been said, is never made. The firm pub
fishes a twelve-page sheet that pretends
to be weekly newspaper; it goes through
the mails as second-class rates, though
1t has no right to do so, being in fact, an
advertising circular in disguise. 1t is fill
ed with all sorts of stuff that is calculated
to encourage people to submit ideas to
the attorneys. There are articles describ-
ing inventions which are alleged to have
been sold for astonishing prices Pseudo
scientific essays on X-rays, electricity.
etc, lend verisimilitude to the assemble ge
of material, and, last but not least. Is a
list Of hundreds of things which are de-
clared TO be IN demand, promising large
returns to the persons who are fortunate
enough to meet the requirements.
rms list is IN itself a cheat. 1t consists
OF thlngS which have been patented in
many shapes already the articles mem
toned being ingeniously chosen so as to
appeal to persons Of very moderate in
VenttVe talent. For example the cateQorv
includes an easily-adjusted ice-creeper, a
cheap gas meter, strong and simple
harness., cheap mailing envelope. a box
IN which tobacco may be kept moist. an
lnkstand that prevents evaporation. an
odorless substance for moth balls a crate
Tor shipping muskmelons a cheap steam
whistle, burglar alarm that Will not 20
or prematurely a clOckwork churn. a
spring curtain-roller that will not get ont
OF order, satisfactory chicken incubator
luminous sign for railway crossings. and
bottle that can be opened only once. II
IS stated that a prize of $4,000 is offered
Tor this last, but there Is no Information
as to who advertlses the prize.
There Is not one chance in a thousand
that a given invention In any of these lines
would be new or patentable, but that has
hOthlng 10 do with the business of the
sWlndlers. They give the medal Of honor
Just the same, and eventually offer TO ala
pose OF the idea through their department
OF sales. In this department polite sales
gentlemen and salesladies are supnosed ~
be engaged at all hours In disposlng OF
patents over the counter. Subecribers 10
the counterfeit newspaper already referred
TO have the benefit Of a coupon. which an
ables them for 81, which is the price az
annual subscription, to procure a prelim-
mary search, and al the same time nava
the entrance fee In the contest for a med
al The firm furnishes Washington letfers
weekly to provincial papers In exchanqe
for space for an ad. No stone Is left un-
turned TO secure the widest adverfisernent
Of this system OF cheatery.
IL may be asked why these attorne,,.
have not been disbarred from practice be
fore the patent Office. The answer is mat
they have managed to steer clear OF com
victlon Of technical dishonesty. This tbev
accomplish by entering In due form the
applications for patents. II they merely
pretended 10 enter them. and pocketed ina
government fees, they would be shut out
very promptly. These attorneys did mot
originate the idea OF deceiving their CLIENTS
by pretending that inventions were patent
able. That sort Of taking has been unfor.
tunately conspicuous In the business for
long time past, although condemned by ali
reputable men.