The Washington herald., 1908-02-28

olctments against an assistant examiner
OF the Patent Office. a prominent Phila-
deiphia patent lawyer. and a wealthy in
ventor OF York. Pa. charging them with
conspiracy to destroy government records
N order 10 defraud inventors. whose
names are not given, Of patent rights said
TO be valued at several millions OF dollars.
The indicted men are Ned W. Barton,
assistant examiner IN the Patent once:
Henry z. Everding. OF Philadelphia, pat
ent lawyer, and John a. Heany. Of York.
Pa. inventor OF appliances used on in
candeseent and arc lights. All are under
arrest
Details OF Alleged Conspiracy.
IN substance, the charge OF conspiracy
consists OF alleged attempts TO obtain Tor
Heany patent rights to which he was not
entitled by destruction Of a certain
amendment to an application for patent
he made in January, 1875. and substituting
in lieu thereof an amendment Med by
some other inventor. Barton. It IS
charged. attended 10 all the inside work.
including advising the Inventor whose
idea was appropriated that It was COW
cred by the claim OF Heany awaiting
action.
Assistant District Attorney Jesse Ad-
kins. who conducted the Investigation
which led to the finding Of the indictment
against the men, timed its return by the
grand jury 10 moment when the Penn
sylvanians were in the city. Yesterday,
when apprised by Detectives Helan and
Grant that Everding and Heany were in
Washington, the Indictment was report d
IN Criminal Court No. /
About the same time word was sent 10
the three men that they were wanted at
the courthouse On important business As
each made his appearance. he was placed
under arrest ana held by deputy mar
shals
Heany Immediately teIepnoned TO Rep
resentative Lafean. at the Capitol who
represents the district in which Heany
lives, requesting him 70 come at once TO
the courthouse. When Representative La
fean reached the district attorneys Office.
he was told by his constituent OF his pre-
dicament and the charges against him.
Considerably surprised, Representative
Lafean at once left the building in an ef-
fort TO secure bondsmen-
The indictment recites that on January
p, 1916. John A. Heany fled an applica-
ton FOR letters patent covering The inven-
ton OF flaments and electrodes for cleo
trio incan6escent and arc lamps. Among
these papers was a specification, fled with
the application and made a part OF IT, and
a certain letter addressed 10 Heany by the
then Commissioner Of Patents T. ]. Allen.
which bore the signature OF other officials
OF the Patent ONCE
On July q, 1906, an amendment to this
application for the patent was fled
Papers Destroyed.
II IS charged that this amendment and
other papers were abstracted by the three
men and destroyed in order TO conceal
evidence OF their wrongdoing and cover
up their tracks.
The attention OF the district attorneys
Office was called 10 the matter about ten
-
District Attorney Jesse Adkins was at
once assigned TO the case and instructed
10 make a thorough Investigation.
Mr.. Adkins yesterday declined 10 give
further details concerning the matter than
those contained in the Indictment, but
stated that in his opinion the case against
the men was strong.
He also declined TO state whether there
were other investigations pending con-
cerning cOnSplracies 10 defraud inventors
BY employees working in coIlusion with
patent lawyers and others. 1t was rg-
mored 1T the courthouse following the
arrest OF the men that other indictments
would follow.
sixteen Witnesses.
Sixteen witnesses appeared before the
grand jury in connection with the indict-
ment, mostly employees of the Patent
Office. They were Morrison W. Clark,
Alice Almuth. Amy L. Wallace. Clifton
Johnson, Sidney E Whitney. John g
Ecklo6. L. Day. Samuel l. Poole. James
W Head, Alexander l. Pope. William A
Cowles. Amos Hadley. Frank c. Skinner,
Clara V. Quigg, and Lydia L. Parker.
At late hour this morning the three
men under indictment had failed to OBJ
marshals, they were registered for the
night at Il local hotel
Commissioner Moore Explains.
Edward B. Moore. Commissioned y,
Patents. made this statement last mig
in explanation OF the indictments;
Early in February evidence was laid before
Secretary of the Interior tending to show
fraudulent acts had bcen committed iR the prose-
tion and procurement Of a patent. The SeCTetai <
immediately brought the matter 20 the attention
the Commissioner Of Patents who thereVpou ap-
pointed COMMITTEES Of Investigation and ordered It
20 make a searching inquiry into the Circumstances
leading Up 70 the gTans OF the patent IN question
and report the results 70 him.
The report Of the committee is IN the pos
session of the commissioner. II finds IN substance
that b. the eonnivance Of enfl0ye OF the Patent
Once matter that not in the application for
patent at the date Of Sling unlaufuliy intro
duced subsequently, during is prosecution. lhertfy
LAYING the foundation for Claims 90 invention not
disclosed IN the application when il fled
False Date OF Invention.
The effect Of such an act is to establish salss
date Of invention much earlier than the tue OATS
thereof. and thus enable the Datcnfco 10 dominats
Continued on PAGE 3, Column 6.