Evening star., 1928-05-26
Bill Now in Conference
Would Give J. w. Stock
ett $142,5OO.
War Department Using De-
vices in Virtually All
Coast Forts.

After saving the United States Gov
ernment more than quarter Of mil
I lion dollars through improvements in
| the breech mechanisms Of sea coast
guns, which he invented and patented
at his own expense. John w. Stockett.
3I2 Fourth street southeast. a drafts
man In the War Department would be
, rewarded under the terms of bill now
| in conference between the Senate and
House
The improvements. seven in all. were
perfected about the time of the Span
ish-American War Although he spent
81 200 out of his own pocket to patent
them, Stockett never has received q
cent from the Government for his work
Five of his inventions were put into use
by the Federal Government and four
OF them are in use today in every sea-
coast fortification along American
shores.
SI42.500
The Senate has passed a bin award
ing $l42 500 to MIR. Stockett In the
House the amount was reduced to $50
900 and the measure was sent to con-
ference last night
Mr., Stockett. who was born In Wash
ington In 1863, has been continuously
in the Government service "a years and
soon will be eligible for retirement
Mr.. Sockets inventions, which the
Government has used for quarter
century without paying him a cent.
we're perfected In his home at night
He patented them at his own expense
and paid for having several of the
working models made One Of the
models cost him $500 Royalties on his
mechanismS. which were actually used
by the Government. paid at the rate
the Government was compelled to pay
for similar Bofors and Vickers inven-
tions. total 1882 646. IL is estimated
Compensation was refused to
Stockett at The time his inventions
were accepted by the Government on
/ the ground that lit had been his buSi-
ness as an employe of the War De-
partment" He subsequently filed claim
for compensation, and his claim was
embodied In the Tucker act, introduced
In the Sixty-firSt Congress. The act
was referred 10 the Court of Claims
In 1911. but no action was taken until
January %. 1925. when the case was
brought 10 hearing. the court reporting
It's findings to Congress with the
statement
Whether the plaintiff should receive
any compensation Is matter that
rests IN the discretion of the Congress. "
Studied at Night.
Mr. Stockett was n student in the old
Central High School when that school
was located at the foot of Capitol Hin.
Whep he was graduated he look an
outside technical course at night. He
entered the Government service at the
Washington Navy Yard. December 10.
1894 He was transferred to the War
Department, February ;, 1887. as
clerk, class I. al a salary of ST 200 g
year and was assigned To duty as a
craftsman in the ordnance Office. He
was. transferred to the Ordnance De-
partfnent the following year His in
Ventions were perfected from 1887 10
1893 and he obtained patents between
1898 and 1902 OH his seven inventions
All OF the inventions dealt with
breech mechanisms and firing pins for
large SeacoaSt guns All seven were
Tested out on Government proving
grounds and f1ve of them were ordered
put INTO service. Since that time thev
have been used In 1877 large guns. 1876
small guns and 900 firing mechanismS
have been produced in all
During the World War Mr. Stockett
was commissioned, captain in the
Ordnance Department and was assigned
10 duty AZ Watervliet Arsenal, n, y.
and the Erie Proving Grounds. He re-
turned to his duties in the War De-