The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-21
Hearing on Campbell
Machine Co. Case.
MRS. CAMPBELL TESTIFIED
Husband Claimei One Quarter In
terest In His Patents.
LAW OF PATENTS in BELGIUM.

There was long hearing in the APP
pelate Court today of the equity proreed-
ings begun by Mrs Annie Campbell Of
pawtucket against Henry Il. Metcalfe,
Frank Comey and Daniel Me cNevip,
formerly directors in the Campbell Ma
chine Company, for an accounting in re
gard TO the proceeds of certain foreign
patents obtained by them on inventions
by her eoeased husband, Duncan Ill.
Campbell, who was Ia his Lifetime
memf er of the Campbell Machine Com
pany, and had invented a lock wax
thread machine
The Canipl ell Machine Company was
capital Zed for $50 900 and the business
was originally carried on by Messrs.
Campbell, Mstcalfe, Comey anu McNevin
as associates. Tle three latter claim that
all che rights or tie four To certain Unit
ed States patents were transferred to the
Campbell Machine Company, but Mrs
Csmpwtell claims her husband never
transferred his rights TO the corporation.
She also claims that Mr. Metc6lfe fraudu-
lently procured TO be- issued To himself
certain foreign patents on Mr.. Campheii's
inventions.
The suit has been tefors the court in
many phases previous to the hearing on
bill and answer today. In addition 10
other claims the respondents aver that
Mr.. Campbell signed process Of attorney
for the transfer of foreign patents MI.
McNevin, one of the respondents, TO-DAY
aum ittod ON cross.examination that these
powers OF attorney were partly tyIewrit-
ten, that the other written part Was in
Mr.. Arthur Metcalfe's handwriting, and
that they were witnessed Dy Patrick Nc
Alevy,a coachman tor Henry Il. Metcalfe.
Il A. Vamps, ESQ, native of Belgi-
um and q member of the bar of that
country, OF this state and New York,
testified that by the laws Of Belgium no
one not the original inventor could take
out a patent for an invention In bis own
name unless he had an assignment from
tie original inyeator. An action ut law
might be hau by tne inventor sgaiL 50
tho party taking out the patent. On
cross-exsmination, witnssS admit d that
IL was the custom in Belgium often 10
issue patents in blank form.
Mrs. Annie Campbell testified she was
| the widow of Dlncan "a. Campbell ana
TIE administratrix Oh his estate and on
| November ~ 1887, during her husband s
! lifetime. the Campbell Machine Company
refused 10 permit Mr. Campbell TO trans
| fer his stock. Mr.. Campbell had. witness
| snid, attended few of the meetings of the
| com rany sitter 1885, As his tealth was
| poor and tecause rotitcs Of tie NEE tine :
seldom reached him until an hour altar
| the time set for the feafiEg. Copies of
the contracts and agreements tetween
Mr. Campbell and the Campbell Machine
| Company mad been denied by the latter
aud the statement made that only by
Grter OF the court would she see any pa-
pers I'm the compsny's possession.
/ On cross-examination as to the state
ments In her bill ile1 In equity, Mrs.
| Campbell testified In part as follows:
Her source of Information thst her hus-
| band never sold nil his Interests i'm pa
| tents obtaiIe1 In this country was oh
| tanned from Ter husband himself. lie
lad stated to her one-quurter of the Unit
! ed States patents was owned by him.
Mr. Gam pbell had begun work on his
| machine in lsi5, and Messrs. Gown ana
| McNevin. witness did not know of MIR.
| Campbell receiving in 1884 additional
stock In the Campbell Machine Company
and money for the sale OF his foreign pa
| To- IT'S.
In the relirect examination Mrs.
Campbell said, in conversation with Mr.
Metcslfc, that gentleman said that the
| Campbell Machine CCmpany mad To- buy
back the foreign patents IL rad sold, and
| that if sire wished To sse these foreign ps-
tents she must 90 TO Mr. MeNevin of the
| company, who had the custody of the
| papers. Mrs. Campbell read letter from
| Dir. ketcalfo after ths contract In regard
TO Mr.. Campbellis salary had bsen cancel
led. In whicn Mr. Metcslfs offered to do
everything for the sucs - Of Mr. Camp
bells ideas that be, Metcslfe, could uo
thst did not bring him In conflict with
the Csmpb Machine Compsny.
Several other Witnesses also gave testi.