A YOUTHFUL INVENTOR.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17939, 6 December 1923, Page 7

A YOUTHFUL INVENTOR.

ALLEGED THEFT FROM PARTNER. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, lxjforo Messrs F. H. Christian and P. L. Davies, J.P.'s, Archie Henry Blue, a youth, 19 years of age (Mr TV. F. Tracy), appeared charged that on or al.xwt May 29th, April sth, June 11th, and Juno 20th, he did steal the sums of £27, £3, £23 10s, and £29 Is, respectively, the property of John Gordon Harvey and another. He was further charged that on or about July 21st he did steal tho sum of £9, the property of Richard Angus Gaffney. Blue, in a statement made to ChiefDetectivo A. Cameron, who prosecuted, said he was interested in inventing a press button, a crystal generator, a rectifying net, and an improvement on a patent known as a talking crystal. Specifications and drawings had been prepared by him before he told John Gordon Harvey, a friend or nis in 1921, who agreed to assist financially on the condition that he received a half-share of any profits. He and Harvey had no written agreement. The first large expense for materials was £l2. Harvey paid £G and Blue borrowed his £<3 from Harvey's father. He worked at the crystal generator, arid the test proved satisfactory. Particulars were sent to a Wellington patent agent, and as the fee of £iG 15s was thought too dear, Blue decide to let it rest. Blue and JJarvey then commenced going ahead with an improved press button, and the model was sent to tho patent agent. A completo specification was received later from the Government Patent Office with a request for £2, which was paid. Application was then made to the Government for Letters Patent for a crystal generator, but the matter was taken no further. A Christchurch patent agent was then asked to search for similar patents. The charge for this was £2 10s, an amount which Harvey advanced, but which Blue retained. Harvey later paid the account. It was decided, as a result of the search, to patent a rectifying net. Regarding the cost, Harvey asked Blue to see his father, as Harvey was to pay £27 of the cost and Blue was to find £3O, making the sum of £57. Harvey, sen., said he hoped Blue -would do well with the invention. Blue did not give any security or receipt for the money. He led Harvey and Harvey's father to believe that the money had been used on the patenting of the rectifying net in England and America. Jjater, when the question of patenting the net in other countries was broached, Harvey, sen., suggested calling on his brother. The brother loaned £57, and | asked if he could become a shareholder, | with a righ*. to patent it in another country on his own account. That was agreed to. After receiving the sum of £57, Blue gave £3O to his mother as the alleged profits of patents, and used the rest of the nmount in purchasing electrical materials. One night, a few I days later, at Gordon Harvey's request, j they visited the uncle again, and accepted £29 for the patent rights .of Canada. Bluo converted the money to his own use. A youth named Gaffney, with whom Harvey was acquainted, called on' Blue and gave him £9 for a share in the patent. So financially tangled up with the: Harveys was Blue that he could not refuse to take tho money. He spent the money on material for models. In the first instance, it was his intention faithfully to carry out the arrangements, but owing to delny in the tests and application forms, he had. been tempted to use some of the moneys and had continued to do so; at present he had nothing left. John Gordon Harvey, commercial artist, said he had trusted Blue implicitly, and believed all he had- been told. He had been shown letters from America regarding the patents, and one purporting to be signed by . Joseph Lythgoe. Blue said it was proposed to carry out an advanced test in the City Electrical room, and witness handed over ■ 17s <sd as his share of the cost. The next thing was that witness and Blue arranged their selling conditions, which were to be £SOO in a lump sum and £3OO a year royalty. This, said Blu,e, would go before Mr Lythgoe and the Electricity Committee for consideration. Later, he said that the committee had accepted the offer, and signed all the necessary documents. He said the money -would not be paid to witness and Blue, who were only minors, hut it would be paid on their behalf to their parents. About this time there were also' alleged negotiations with Halleys, of Washington, regarding the American rights of Blue's rectifying net, whi.h that firm, in a letter described as a highly-efficient invention, and for which they made an offer of £9OO down and £SOO a year royalty. Blue gave witness to understand that he had independently written i,o Halleys about the invention. Witness , saw the lettor, as also did his fqther\ It was a typed, and apparently genuine letter. Hopes were running high, and a start was made to take out British and Colonial patents, which would cost £57. Bluo said ho had £3O of the amount, and would require £27 from witness, lie said he had borrowed £3O from one Finlayson. Witness understood that tho £27, together witii Blue's £3O, was handed over to a firm of Wellington patent agents. Oj another occasion witness's father paid over £7 towards the Australian provisional protection of the "rectifier." Soon after a letter came from Kothesays, of Chicago, mentioning that the firm had heard of Blue's crystal generrtor, and asking to hear more of it. On receipt of the letter, Blue dismissed the subject of taking out a patent for the crystal generator, and witness was approached regarding finance. Hedidnothavo £o7 available on this occasion, but he referred Blue to a relative in Gloucester street. Finally, the uncle was asked for £57 towards the concern, and was so impressed that he handed over the full sum at 5 per cent, interest. It was handed over to Blue the next morning. . The Bench: Did you receive a receipt for any of your moneys?— No. William Thomas Harvey, a driver, and the uncle of Gordon Harvey, junior, said the accused and his nephew came to him explaining that they had patented- certain inventions, and asked for financial aid. This he gave, and lent them £57. Later, they asked for another loan, but witness insisted on some sore of security, and it was agreed to let him have the Canadian rights of the invention. Kichnrd Angus Gaffney, aged lb vears, said he was a friend of Gordon ilarvev, and was acquainted with the accused. He heard of their invention of a rectifying net, and Blue told him that it was worth £SOOO to the witness if he came in as a third shareholder in the Italian rights. His share was to he £23 14s, but as he had only £9, he paid that amount, and promised to pav the remainder later. Joseph Lvthgoe, city electrical engineer, said that Blue was employed as an apprentice in the wiring department of the Christchurch City Council department. He had heard of Biuc's patent oidy by hearsay. He had never

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signed anything in connexion with any of the youth's patents. Sydney Trefcawm. accountant for C, L. Coatos, said that at tho "?,if <J\„*}*° a .«arch had been i British and foreign f .. . -of £2 10s was paid me accused pleaded not guilty, and jas committed to the Supreme * Court 4.100 and two sureties of £SO each.