The Sunday globe., 1901-06-02

plaintiff in the eye shade claimed by
Mr.. Mahony. The Globe has received
from Mr.. Lester the following letter.
223 Indiana Avenue NV,
May 30, 1901,
EDITOR GLOBE
Dear Sir: | enclose you copies OF
some of the testimony given by Mr..
Oscar j. Ricketts, and others in the eye
shade case. 1t will be seen that some
of these witnesses were mere boys
when the matter to which they testi-
fed occurred. And they appear to have
been paid by the government for serv-
ices rendered in the interest Of Ma
hony.
In view of the relationship existing
between Mahony and Ricketts,, OF
which | had the first knowledge
through your publication in The Globe
last Sunday, | fully comprehend the
reason that these employees who If not
dependent on Ricketts, for the tenure
of their positions in the Government
Printing Office, at least believe they
are so dependent, were brought into
the case to testify for Mahony, Rick
ett's brother-in-aw, instead Of men Of
character and standing, Of which there
are plenty in that Office and whose tes-
timony would have carried conviction
had they been able to testify to the
facts alleged to exist in regard to the
general use of the eye shade in con-
troversy.
In view of the testimony 1t looks as
though Ricketts, and Mahony had
turned the G. p. o. into an eye shade
In
to his attorneys questions, that: From
the time the first shade was sold in
December Of 1897, to-, say January l,
1899, Il sold about a little over l,bOO
shades" Observe that the testimony
shows that he was still making shades
in the Office up to April %, last, the
time the witness testified | feel as
though | had been buncoed by this
combination of Ricketts, and Mahony.
| never dreamed of them being broth
ersin-law, and having a common IN
terest in the eye-shade case until your
expose of their relationship. Observe
that Ricketts, uses the word 'acquaint-
anceship" in his testimony
Yours very truly,
o. B. LESTER.
Examining the testimony of the
witnesses testifying for Mr. Mahony,
The Globe was struck with the pathet-
ic helplessness Of the poor devils Of
employees. who endeavor to please
masters and keep their consciences
clear from future prickings. Mr.. Rick
etts' testimony The Globe herewith
gives in full to the end that Public
Printer Palmer may read the same
and take such action as he thinks the
good of the public service requires, not
only in Mr. Ricketts, case, but also in
that of his brotherin-law, Mr.. Ma
honv, the alleged inventor of The eve
shade and the undisputed patentee Of
the book protector" and "cockroach
exterminatoT.'
Here is Mr.. Ricketts, testimony in
behalf of his brother-in-law and sub
ordinate employee
Oscar ]. Ricketts,, being duly sworn,
deposes and says as follows, in answer
to questions propounded to him by Mr..
Edison
What is your name, age, residence,
and occupation? Oscar J. Ricketts,,
age 32 years, residence 946 s street
northwest, this city; occupation, pri-
vate secretary to the Public Printer.
Are you acquainted with William f.
Mahony. one of the parties to this in
reference; If so, how long have you
known him? | am about nine years.
Have you any knowledge Of an eye
shade alleged to have been invented
by Mr. Mahony; If so, state briefly
what you know about It? My knowl-
edge of the shade which Mr.. Mahony
claims to have invented comes from
nv acuuaintanceship with him and
from an exhibition Of the shades in
question to me. The one | noticed
particularly was in my Office sometime
in the early spring of 1898, | can only
recall distinctly the one which Mr.. Ma
hony left on my desk Examine the
eve shade now handed to you and
marked "Mahony, Exhibit No. @" and
state how it compares in construction
and mode of operation with the shade
which Mr.. Mahony showed to you in
the early spring of 1898. This looks
to me like the same shade with the eX-
ception that there was an eyelet in the
center of the strap. The material and
construction other than this seems to
be the same. Where was Mr., Mahony
employed in the early spring of 1898?
He was employed in the paper ware.
house of the Government Printing Of
fee. How are you able to fix the date,
namely. the early spring Of 1882"
From the fact that that spring Mr..
Mahony was taken down with a spell
of sickness, and also, il was before my
wife was taken i'll with typhoid fever,
which occurred in June 1898. Examine
the article now handed to you and
state what it represents | should
say that it represented the strap sim
liar to that which was attached to the
shade which | received from Mr. Ma
hony in 1898 The article just identi'
fed by the witness is here introduced
in evidence and marked Mahony, EX'
hibit No 81 When did you transfer
Mr.. Mahony from the Main building to
the Branch building, or Office Of the
Superintendent of Documents? Aug
ust %, 1898.
Cross-examination by Mr.. Lester
What did you do with the eye shade
which you received from Mr. Mahony?
To the best Of my recollection, I sent
it to my brother at St Paul MINI.
How long was that after you received
it? / do not remember exactly. Did
No sir; only to try IL on. Do you
think It had eyelets used in its con
struction? The strap was i'm two
pieces, and there was one eyelet to
connect them in the center Have you
any doubts about the manner in which
the strap was attached at each end Ia
the horns Of the shade? have not
Well, how were they attached? With
McGlll fasteners Were these shades
in general use in the Government
Printing Office at that period? Not TO
my knowledge. What kind Of shades
we're they using? I do not know of
my own knowledge. Do you know of
1. n,.hlLIAir,rr % Il