"In consideration of one dollar ($1.00) and other valuable consideration, paid by James Gordon Bennett to the American Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Company, that company agrees not to bring suit against said James Gordon Bennett based upon the infringement of any patent or patents owned by said company for wireless telegraphy in the United States, in reporting the coming international yacht races during October, 1899.Following the yacht races of '99 it was publicly stated that Marconi unsuccessfully tried to sell his system to the Government, and also formed a $10,000,000 stock company, of which the following were incorporated, as appeared in the public prints; Gugilemo Marconi, of London, England, Isaac L. Rice and August Belmont of New York, Clement A. Griscom, of Philadelphia, and Robert Goodbody, of Paterson, N. J. It is understood the New York Herald was also interested. When the owners of the Dolbear patent found Marconi intended to operate in America with so many millions back of him, they thought it was a good opportunity to secure damages from Marconi for infringement, and accordingly the owners of the Dolbear patent entered a complaint against him for $100,000 damages; but, after Marconi realized that he was brought into court he abandoned all his scheme to sell stock in this country and his instruments; dropped the company, and left the shores of America for his "Dear Old England." When the case came into court, his company had been abandoned, his sale of instruments stopped, and the attempt to sell his system to the United States Government was halted, thus stopping his infringement. The owners of the Dolbear patent, saw nothing in sight upon which to levy for $100,000 damages, so the complaint was withdrawn and the judge dismissed it; further action can be taken at any time against all infringers. The main object of the complaint at the time was to collect damages.
Dated 26th of September, 1899.
American Wireless Telephone and Telegraph Company,
By L. C. Learned, Agt.
Witness: William Harris.The New York Herald agrees to the within. 26th September, 1899.
New York Herald.
James Gordon Bennett, Prop.,
By W. C. Rieck.
Witness: Thos. W. White.
Marconi applied for patents for wireless telegraph instruments on December 7, 1896, and received his patent July 13, 1897, claiming it was his discovery and invention. On April 1, 1901, nearly four years later, Marconi applied for a reissue of this patent and swore to the following:GENTLEMAN: As president and manager of the Inter-Island Telegraph Company, Ltd., of Honolulu Territory of Hawaii, I write to state that about two years ago, I made a contract with Marconi Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company, of London, England, for the purpose of establishing and installing their system of telegraphy between the islands. They HAVE NOT lived up to the letter of their agreement, nor does the system GIVE THE SATISFACTION I desire; consequently, I am in the market for a new system; if you are in a position to guarantee satisfactory results with yours, I will be pleased to consider a proposition from you. The Marconi people appear to be careless as to whether their system, as they have installed it for us, proves a success or not inasmuch as they disregard all appeals for aid.
October 19, 1901,
American Wireless Telephone and Telegraph Company,
Philadelphia, Pa.
Hoping to hear from you, at an early date as is convenient, I am, believe me,
Yours Truly,
F. J. CROSS.
That deponent (Marconi) verily believes that the letters patent No. 586,193, referred to, and herewith surrendered, are INOPERATIVE or invalid, for the reason that the specification thereof is defective, and that such defect consists particularly in the patentee (Marconi) CLAIMING AS HIS INVENTION OR DISCOVERY MORE than he had a right to claim as new, and particularly that some of the claims of said letters patent, No. 586,193, were made to cover, by their terms, apparatus referered to in certain descriptions of apparatus employed by one, Professor Popoff, and contained in a publication, entitled, Journal of Russian Physico Chemical Society, Volume 28, 1886, and the errors which render said patent so inoperative or invalid, arose from inadvertence or accident or mistake and without any fraudulent or deceptive intention on the part of the deponent (Marconi)."For the benefit of the public, we would state that aside from Professor Dolbear, the American inventor, who received the first patent in the United States for electrical communication without wires, October 5, 1886, using an induction coil, with ground and aerial capacities without which no electrical communication can be sent, Professor A. S. Popoff, of the Torpedo School for officers in Russia, was the first person in the world that built a modern wireless telegraph instrument with a coherer, induction coil, tapped, relay sounder orlape and ground wires; he exhibited it publicly and worked same on April 25, 1895, and published an account of it in the above stated journal, which was translated and published in other European journals and newspapers. In these papers the construction of the Popoff instruement, with illustrations of the same, were printed, so that any person of ordinary electrical knowledge could build and operate the same as Professor Popoff operated his. Eighteen months after Professor Popoff gave his public demonstration showing his wonderful invention, Marconi, then a student in London, applied for a patent for apparatus on identical lines, the same as Professor Popoff publicly demonstrated. The public can judge for themselves to whom the honor of this wonderful invention is due and to whom it legitimately belongs.
The Evening Bulletin.
W. L. McLean, President.
Philadelphia, Oct. 2, 1901.
American Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Co.
Philadelphia, Pa.:GENTLEMEN: During the progress of the recent international yacht races, the Bulletin received dispatches from the American Wireless Telegraph Company. They reached this office so expeditiously that window bulletins were shown on the street with greater promptness than ever before in the long history of the cup races. The wireless dispatches proved of considerable value in reports of the contest issued in our numerous editions. Very truly yours,
CHARLES EDWIN SHULL,
Assistant Manager._____
Business Depart., Philadelphia Record,
Philadelphia, Oct 18, 1901.GENTLEMEN: We desire to congratulate you upon the excellent service rendered us in furnishing bulletins of the recent international yacht races. With but few exceptions, they were reported accurately, but that was to be expected as they were sent us SO CONTINUOUSLY that we were enabled to place on our bulletin board the movements of the boats during the entire series of races. Very truly yours,
R. G. OELLERS,
Business Manager._____
Editorial Department.
The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Paid circulation, yesterday, 183,344.
Philadelphia, Oct. 9, 1901.GENTLEMEN: It is gratifying to acknowledge the good service rendered by your company in furnishing the Inquirer with bulletins of the yacht races. We were thereby to give the public prompt and correct reports of the movements of the yachts as they passed over the course. Yours truly,
JOSEPH ROBINSON.
Managing Editor._____
The Evening Telegraph.
Philadelphia, Oct. 26, 1901.
American Wireless Telephone and Telegraph Co.,
1345 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.GENTLEMEN: The practicability and utility of wireless telegraphy were first demonstrated to us in the very excellent service which your company gave us during the international yacht races.
If there were a doubt in my mind of the material value of this invention it was entirely dissipated by the accuracy which you reported those contests. Supplementing our other facilities, it enabled us to promptly give to the public all the details of that international event with completness.Yours respectfully,
E. J. SWARTZ.
Managing Editor._____
The Philadelphia Item.
Philadelphia, Oct. 10,GENTLEMEN: Accept our congratulations upon your success in covering the Columbia-Shamrock races for the America's cup. Your report of the series was accurate and remarkably rapid. In many instances LESS THAN THREE MINUTES ELAPSED between the time of the manoeuvre and the receipt of the bulletin about it in this office. Your success in this leaves nothing to desired in the way of showing how useful wireless telegraphy is proving. Yours very truly,
HARRINGTON FITZGERALD.
Managing Editor.
Copy of Telegram. WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH CO. Received at Gililed, N. J. 1 N. Y. K. P. E. W. 38 paid. New York, September 28th, 1901. W H. UPPYRMAN:
I have sent the following message:
The Bulletins upon the International Yacht Race are taken by Wireless Telegraphy, by co-operation of the Marconi Co. of London, England, and the American Wireless Telegraph Company of Philadelphia.MELVILLE E. STONE.
Am. Wireless Telegraph & Telephone Co |