Sunday morning globe., 1901-08-25
Exit Shepard.

Who entrapped my EGO,'
In oily alsettO
He whined
Exit Shepard.
Commissioner Allen is still up to it
There are others" who want to beat
the drum. blow the horns, flute the
flutes. and be the whole brass band
They have all made the Patent ONCE
a grassshoppers picnic, which require
large and repeated doses Of paregoric
and squill.
The trouble with the Patent Office
comes mainly from the appointment Of
theoretically educated individuals to
positions requiring experienced men Of
good Judgment and sound common
sense. The civil service examination
for the position Of examiner and other
positions in this Department Is Of such
a character that nobody but a student
fresh from the higher schools or sem
inaries can pass or be certified up IN
sofar as accomplishments In the high
er branches of education are concern
ed, these students and applicants are
perfect. or so nearly such that the
practical, judiciously equipped appli-
cant, who is much more qualified to
fiji the position, is at a discount in
the matter Of competitive examination
with these college youths fresh from
their studies Of chemistry, physics, etc.
Hence the Patent Office is full Of these
vain, pompous young men, proud OF
their accomplishments but sadly lack
ing in ballast, to the great injury in
convenience and expense OF inventors
and to the annoyance and irritation Of
the older legal practitioners who con-
fine their practice to the Patent Oiiice.
1t has come to be a recognized prac-
tice because Of these facts that almost
every case going before certain of these
examiners has to be appealed to the
Examiners I'm Chief-Messrs, Stocking,
Brinkenstein and Steward-thus
throwing extra and unnecessary labor
upon these three accomplished and eX-
perienced gentlemen.
The young college graduate is so
teehnical that he will narrow the claim
of an inventor until the patent is prac-
tically worthless, and when the Invent
or is unfortunate enough to get into
the hands of quick claim and quick
return" attorneys, either in Washing
ton or outside. who invariably accept
the decision Of the young men in order
to draw thelr fees from the inventor,
the latter finds, sooner or later, in en-
forcing what he considers infringe
ments on his patent that his claim has
been so narrowed by the college grad
yates that in fact anybody can in
fringe the patent lself. The inventor
is deceived by the drawing or picture
of his device and lmagines everything
is all right, but his claim is so modi-
fed. wOrded and drafted by the Pa
tent Office youths that 1t Is practically
useless i'm court OF law. Now, the
experienced patent attorney is onto all
this, and being an honest man, he ap-
peals from the first examiners to the
practical, broad-minded examiners-in-
chief mentioned, and secures a claim
which will protect the inventor and
fully cover his device.
The other loose methods Of the Of
flee appertaln to the handling Of the
mail received, from which the money
Is too often extracted by thieying
clerks. Under Dureya and Commits
sioner Duel a more perfect system pre-
vaile., and there we're few complaints
on this score. The technically igno-
rant Potent Office examiners we're few
and men Of judgment and experience
filled the positions. The money re-
ceived from claimants or inventors was
safeguarded and the office was conduct
ed with satisfaction to both attorneys
and clients. Not very long ago a
friend OF ours had his patent revoked
because the fee which must be paid
within a certain time had not been re-
ceieved at the Patent Office. This gen
tleman, General Superintendent smith
OF the Nickel Plate formerly Of To
ledO, Ohio, had sent the money en-
closed in an envelope in the presence
OF two gentlemen, who made affidavit
to the fact. The money reached the
Patent Ofice all right but was appro-
priated by one Of the numerous ma
nipulatOrs Of the mail
The Globe Is far from believing that
the late Chief Clerk Shepard is alone
guilty From facts in our possession
we are only too well aware with what
ease and facility others besides the
chief clerk could appropriate the mon.
ey sent in. And, touching the chief,
Il ls lust as we'll to observe he fell a
victim to the clique that was after his
scalp and iObbed him. despite the
friendship Of his friend, Assistant
Commissioner Moore This exquisite
had his mug In the Department News
and a stunning autobiography the past
week, to head on any suspicious which
might attach to him OF either throw
ing a friend or giving the double cross
TO those who conaded in him. There
Is one thing The Globes conscience
compels II to state, and that Is that
Lac testimony so far ellcited, incrim-
mating ex-Chlef Clerk Shepard in the |
theft of $50 Is not strong enough to !
convict him before a jury OF unpre1u-
diced men. There ia doubt, and a |
strong one. too, I'm his favor, which
should have appealed to his friend |
Moore-even n ireland was anxious to
be chief clerk--and held him back from
pointing out Shepard as the thief. The
safe was accessible to others the
money was out Of Shepard's charge for
a whole night, somebody else might
have taken Il, Money was stolen by
others. and a negro was caught dead
10 rights stealing money In the ONCE,
arrested, and his case dwindled down