The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

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Metadata

Title

[MU042], Letter from George Wales Soren to Francis Robbins Upton, December 29th, 1879

Editor's Notes

Let me suggest a point or two about your article for Scribner. What ever you say, and especially put in permanent for or print and give to the public, will probably be referred to and scrutinized over and over again, in the future, by rivals, enemies and critics, and when litigation come, by hostile lawyers and experts, and if the chance is opened you will certainly be 'brought back to book' on your article. Between oursleves and confidentially, elt me tell you that in our recent gutta percha litigation Prescott was over and over again made by the opposing lawyers to explain or to account for now unwelcome statements which he had long ago published in his books; and in relation to the quadruplex, while his large book was going through the press lately, pages already printed were ancelled, and the new matter was only inserted after careful scrutiny by counsel on our side-- So you will see how things may come back to "plague the inventor--" I think it would be very expedient that nothing should be put in print, especially by one who stands in such relations to Edison and to the invention as yourself, wihtout the approval of the most skillful and careful Counsel whom the company may choose to designate.-- A popular article without the details of the invention involved and especially without any statements as to dates of the invention or disclosure of any of such material of Mr. Edison's case as patentee, might be not unsafe. But in my personal judgment very great caution shold be observed in everything. If I had my way I would not allow half the publicity that has been given by Mr. Eidson. It is very unusual. However, it is not distinctly my affair and I only throw in this last remark in order to emphasize whaat I have already urged here, and which I admit I suggest as my own motion solely and perhaps out of the too much caution that is bred of my trade. When an opportunity offers, I will take Lowrey's and Dickerson's judgment on what I have said.

Author

Soren, George Wales

Recipient

Upton, Francis Robbins

Mentioned

Scribner's Monthly

Prescott, George Bartlett

Date

1879-12-29

Type

Letter

Subject

Newspapers, books, other publications

Patent infringement

Multiple telegraphy (duplex, quadruplex)

Folder ID

MU02-F

Microfilm ID

95:589

Document ID

MU042

URL

https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/MU042

Rights

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Publisher

Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University

Has Version

Archive.org Viewer, Microfilm Series Reel 95

Item sets

[MU02-F] Unbound Documents (1879)