21S 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the slats nailed to the ))OSt A, and then Luinin^f one-fourth around. Mr. Lee 

 claims that the drawing does not show his invention fairly, and that the slats 

 d, d, and strip d' should be omitted, giving a form of gate as shown in Fig. 2, 

 whieh is copied from a model made by Mr. Lee. 



Fig. 2. 



Bickford & Co. appointed agents, furnishing each with a model of a gate 

 similar to that shown in Fig. o, and which did not possess a single point as 

 claimed in the patent granted Lee. 



y/:><y~ 



Fig. 3. 



They demanded of every fanner using a gate like that shown in Fig. 3, a 

 license varying from 84 to $15, depending on tlie size of the farm. If pay- 

 ment of this license was refused, a notice of infringement was served and a 

 prosecution in the U. S. courts threatened. To avoid suits many licenses were 

 purchased, and the amount collected in the counties of Washtenaw, Wayne, 

 and Livingston was considerable. On good authority it is stated that $5,000 

 was collected in Livingston county alone. The members of the Ypsilanti 

 grange, suspecting that all was not right, appointed committees to see Mr. 

 Lee, and also to learn what was patented by him. Mr. Lee was very willing 

 to aid the farmers, and his statement convinced them that they were being 

 swindled, and that they were throated with a claim which had no existence in 

 reality. Mr. Lee describes his invention on oath before a justice of the peace, 

 as follows : 

 The State of Ohio, Medina County,— ss. 



John C. I-ee of Seville, in said county of Medina, being first dnly sworn, says that 

 letters patent were issued to him numbered 50,605, dated Oct. 24, A. D. 1865. for an 

 improvement in a gate, known as the two-post gate, and that my improvement con- 

 sisted in the dispensing with one post and the cross slats, and in the use of a strip 

 perpendicular with the post and slats running parallel with the gate; and further 

 saiih that the two-post gate was in common use in this county at the time my pat- 

 ent was issued to me; and fin-ther, this afiiUavit saith the facts stated in this affida- 

 vit are true, as he verily believes. 



JOHN^ C. LEE. 



Sworn to by the said John C. Lee, before me, and sttbscribed by him in my pres- 

 ence; and I further certify that the said John C. Lee is well known to me to be the 

 person he represents himself to be. 



CHAUNCEY SPEAR, 

 Justice of the Peace of said cmmty of Medina. 



October 31, 1878. 



