Corning v. Troy Iron and Nail Factory

by Robert Cooper Grier

United States Supreme Court

56 U.S. 451

Corning  v.  Troy Iron and Nail Factory

THIS was an appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, sitting as a court of equity.

It was a branch of the case of Troy Iron and Nail Factory v. Corning et al. reported in 14 How. 193. The decree of the Circuit Court, now appealed from, is given at page 194. The bill was originally filed by the Troy Iron and Nail Factory against Corning et al. and the Circuit Court dismissed the bill, but this court reversed that decree. By reference to page 194, 14 Howard, it will be seen, that the Circuit Court, in its decree, used the following language, viz. 'And it appearing to the said court that the said Henry Burden was the first and original inventor of the improvement on the spike machine in the bill of complaint mentioned, and for which a patent was issued,' &c., &c.

Corning et al. being defendants in that suit, and succeeding in having the bill dismissed, did not appeal from the decree; but when the appeal was decided against them by this court, as reported in 14 Howard, they entered an appeal from that part of the decree, which was as follows:

'And that so much or such parts of said decree as declares, orders, adjudges, and decrees, as follows, to wit:-'And it appearing to the said court, that the said Henry Burden was the first and original inventor of the improvement on the spike machine in the bill of complaint mentioned, and for which a patent was issued to the said Henry Burden, bearing date the 2d September, 1840, as in said bill of complaint set forth; and that said complainants have full and perfect title to the said patent for said improvements, by assignment from the said Henry Burden, as is stated and set forth in the said bill of complaint,'-may be reversed, and that the appellants may be restored to all things which they have lost by reason thereof.

This was the appeal now pending, which Mr. Stevens moved to dismiss, filing the following motion:

Supreme Court of the United States.-The Troy Iron & Nail Factory, Appellees, v. Erastus Corning, John F. Winslow, and James Horner, Appellants.

IN EQUITY.

State of New York, Northern District, City and County of Albany, ss.

Samuel Stevens, of Albany, being duly sworn, says that he is of counsel and solicitor for the Troy Iron & Nail Factory, appellees in this court, and one of the solicitors and counsel in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York for the complainant.

That upon the hearing of the said cause in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, upon pleadings and proofs, a decree therein was pronounced by the said court, which was duly entered by the clerk of the said court on the fourth (4th) day of September, 1850, which is in the words and figures following:

At a special term of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, in equity, held at the city of Utica in said District on the fourth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and fifty.

Present, the Honorable Samuel Nelson, Justice.

The Troy Iron and Nail Factory, v. Erastus Corning, John. F. Winslow, and James Horner.

IN EQUITY.

This cause having been heretofore brought to a hearing upon the pleadings and proofs, and counsel for the respective parties, having been heard and due deliberation thereupon had, and it appearing to the said court that the said Henry Burden was the first and original inventor of the improvement on the spike machine in the bill of complaint mentioned, and for which a patent was issued to the said Henry Burden, bearing date the 2d September, 1840, as in said bill of complaint set forth, and that the said complainants have a full and perfect title to the said patents for said improvements by assignment from the said Henry Burden, as is stated and set forth in the said bill of complaint.

But it also further appearing to the court, on the pleadings and proofs, that the instrument in writing bearing date the 14th October, 1845, stated and set forth in the said bill of complaint, and also in the answer of the said defendants thereto, entered into upon a settlement and compromise of certain conflicting claims between the said parties, and among others of mutual conflicting claims to the improvements in the spike machine, in said bill mentioned, and when said instrument was executed by the said Henry Burden of the one part, and the said defendants of the other, the said Henry Burden at the time being the patentee and legal owner of the said improvements, and fully authorized to settle and adjust the said conflicting claims, did, in legal effect and by just construction, impart and authorize and convey a right to the defendants to use the said improvements in the manufacture of the hook-headed spike, without limitation as to the number of machines so by them to be used, or as to the place or district in which to be used.

Therefore it is ordered, adjudged, and decreed, that the said bill of complaint be, and the same is hereby, dismissed, with costs to be taxed, and that the defendants have execution therefor.

That on the twenty-second day of October, 1850, the said complainant appealed from the said decree to this court, which appeal was duly allowed by Mr. Justice Nelson, one of the justices of said court, and that afterwards, to wit, in the December term of this court, 1852, the said cause upon the said appeal and upon the record returned to this court by the said clerk of the said Circuit Court of the United States for said Northern District, came on to be heard and was argued, whereupon this court pronounced a decree in the words and figures following to wit: United States of America, ss.

The President of the United States of America to the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York;

Greeting: Whereas lately in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, before you or some of you, in a cause between the Troy Iron and Nail Factory, complainants, and Erastus Corning, John F. Winslow, and James Horner, defendants, in chancery, the decree of the said Circuit Court was in the following words, to wit:

Therefore, it is ordered, adjudged, and decreed, that the said bill of complaint be, and the same is hereby, dismissed, with costs to be taxed, and that the defendants have execution therefor, as by the inspection of the transcript of the record of the said Circuit Court, which was brought into the Supreme Court of the United States by virtue of an appeal, agreeably to the act of Congress, in such case made and provided, fully and at large appear.

And whereas in the present term of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, the said cause came on to be heard before the said Supreme Court on the said transcript of the record, and was argued by counsel, on consideration whereof it is now here ordered, adjudged, and decreed by this court, that the decree of the said Circuit Court in the cause be, and the same is hereby, reversed, with costs, and that the said complainants recover against the said defendants, three hundred and sixty dollars and forty-two cents for their costs herein expended and have execution therefor.

And it is further ordered that this cause be and the same is hereby remanded to the said Circuit Court with instructions to enjoin the defendants perpetually from using the improved machinery with the bending lever for making hook and brad-headed spike, patented to Henry Burden, the 2d September, 1840, and assigned to the complainants, as set forth in complainants' bill, and to enter a decree in favor of the complainants for the use and profits thereof, upon an account to be stated by a master under the direction of the said Circuit Court, as is prayed for by the complainants, and for such further proceedings to be had therein, in conformity to the opinion of this court, as to law and justice may appertain. January 18.

You therefore are hereby commanded that such execution and further proceedings be had in said cause, in conformity to the opinion and decree of this court, as according to right and justice and the laws of the United States ought to be had, the said appeal notwithstanding.

Witness, the Honorable ROGER B. TANEY, Chief Justice of said Supreme Court, the first Monday of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two. [L. S.]

And deponent further says that afterwards and one the 28th day of June, 1853, the said decree of this court was, by the said Circuit Court for said Northern District of New York, made the decree of said Circuit Court, which last-mentioned decree is in the words and figures following, to wit:

At a term of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, held at the court-house in the village of Canandaigua, on the 28th day of June, 1853.

Present: The Honorable Samuel Nelson, Nathan K. Hall, Judges.

The Troy Iron and Nail Factory v. Erastus Corning, James Horner, and John H. Winslow.

IN EQUITY.

The above named, the Troy Iron and Nail Factory, the complainants in the above entitled suit, having duly appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States from that part of the decree made in this suit, which dismissed the bill of complaint herein with cost to be taxed, and the said Supreme Court of the United States having duly heard the said appeal at the December term, 1852, upon the transcript of the record, and having reversed the said decree of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York, with costs, and having ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the said complainants recover against the said defendants three hundred and sixty dollars and forty-two cents for their cost in said Supreme Court and that they have execution therefor: the said Supreme Court having remanded the said cause to the said Circuit Court with instructions to enjoin the defendants perpetually from using the improved machinery with the bending lever for making hook or brad-headed spikes, patented to Henry Burden the 2d September, 1840, and assigned or transferred to the complainants, as set forth in complainants' bill, and to enter a decree in favor of the complainants for the use and profits thereof, upon an account to be stated by a master under the direction of the said Circuit Court, as is prayed for by the said complainants in their bill of complaint, and for such further proceedings to be had thereon, in conformity to the opinion and decree of the said Supreme Court as to law and justice may appertain, which order, decree, and instructions appear to this court by the mandate of the said Supreme Court:

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