New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-14
HOLT ATTACKS INVENTOR.
He Deliberately Fabricated an In
st,unlent, SAYS Judge.

Tudge Holt IN the United States District Court.
yesterday severely criticised defendant in case
before MIN and directed that the United States
District Attorney consider the ACCESSIBILITY Of be
ginning an action for perjury. The decision was
In ar. action brought by the Weston Electrca! In
strument Company against the Empire Electrical
Instrument Company. Charles D. Cooke. president:
Thomas Z. Taylor. treasurer. and George y Mac
williams secretary, and the F. A La Roche Com
pany 10 restrain the alleged infringement of a
patent issued IN May. 1898. TO Edward Weston. and
transferred by him to the plaintiffs Tor shunt
Cor electric light and power stations. The presl-
dent OF the L. a La Roche Company submitted a
model Of an invention which he swore was per-
fected by him IN 1885, declaring that It's principles
anticipated in every way the Weston invention.
The model OF the volt meter was in an old wooden
box and had every appearance Of age and usage
Mr. La Roche testified that he used the shunt he
invented IN 1854 in connection with the volt meter
also invented by him at the same time.
Judge Holt sustains the Weston invention and
grants the compliments decree OF perpetual
Injunction against the defendants machines. The
Court says that the instrument called Fo!t
meter by La Roche formed by putting to-
gether 4 number OF Instruments parts OF differ
ent Inventions none of which had been made or
known to electricians before Weston applied for his
patent and that it would have been almost i'm
possible for the most slzilful electrical inventor
at that time 10 devise such instrument Judge
Holt says:
education, but without even the ordinary electrical!
knowledge OF a sklful electrical mechanic; that
his reputation for veracity is bad that his shun-
never used measuring instrument IN con
Mectoin with his volt meter between 1854 and lssy,
that the various pieces Of apparatus constitutions
the volt meter were put together by La Roche
after the issue OF the patent and sent 10 Weston,
with the object OF being used in support OF his own
uutruthful testimony be given in this and other
suits for the purpose OF attempting 70 invalidats
this and other patents TO Weston: that part Of
the apparatus contained in the volt meter Is two
magnets, which arranged that their poles
ncutralize each other: that, n result II is i'm
possible for current OF electricity pass through
the instrument. that, therefore, the instrument IS
and always has been entirely imperative, and the
shuut could not have been used IN connection with
II. IN short. ] cannot avoid the conclusion that
the testimony OF la Roche IN this de-
uberate and Intentionally untruthful. and that 10
support Il he deliberately fabricated instrument
10 be used upon this and other trials involving
Weston patents
The court also declares that the two witnesses.
Toplis and Hanks, who corroborated La Roche
and who declared they had seen the volt meter
used. were also untruthful. and that their cases.
too should be investigated.
r a. la Roche IS a well known PHILADELPHIA in
vertor and manufacturer.