[LB052426], Letter from George Edward Gouraud to Thomas Alva Edison, September 17th, 1891
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB052426
Transcription
COPY. B. London September 17th, 1891. My dear Edison:- I have you just received your letter of Sept. 8th and regret to note that you take any exception to my transfer of the Patents to the United Phonograph Company and I am at a loss to see any reason why you should feel so, and can only account for it on the ground of your not having understood the circumstances under which it was done. I can only repeat what I have already said in this connection viz: that it was indispensable for the protection of the Company’s interests, in which you are so largely concerned that we should be in a position to meet the attacks of the Stereoscopic Company, in the event of the case coming on, as it was expected that it would, within a few days of the date, when I made the assignment in question. What I did was done under the advice of lawyers, instructed by me entirely in your interests independently of the interests of the Company, and every body was of one opinion that the Company could not proceed with the action against the Stereoscopic Company, unless the title [illegible overstruck text] the patents was in the Company’s name. What I did was a mere formality, a mere technical requirement growing out of the peculiar situation at the time. As a matter of fact, the assignment (the legal assignment), of the patents, was made by you when you signed your Agreements with the “Edison United Phonograph Company.” The phonograph patents were by that act, subject to the Doll reservation, conveyed to the United Phonograph Company. I trust that this further explanation will entirely remove from your mind any regret that you have felt at my action and that of Mr. Hardingham in the premises & as I have already stated I will be happy at any time to execute the necessary papers for conveying out my name in any form you desire the reserved rights relating to dolls etc. Yours very truly, (SIGNED) G. E. GOURAUD.