When Koenig, in despair at his position, consulted counsel as to
the infringement of his patent, he was told that he might
institute proceedings with the best prospect of success; but to
this end a perfect agreement by the partners was essential.
When, however, Koenig asked Bensley to concur with him in taking
proceedings in defence of the patent right, the latter positively
refused to do so. Indeed, Koenig was under the impression that
his partner had even entered into an arrangement with the
infringers of the patent to share with them the proceeds of their
piracy.
Under these circumstances, it appeared to Koenig that only two
alternatives remained for him to adopt. One was to commence an
expensive, and it might be a protracted, suit in Chancery, in
defence of his patent rights, with possibly his partner, Bensley,
against him; and the other, to abandon his invention in England
without further struggle, and settle abroad. He chose the latter
alternative, and left England finally in August, 1817.
Mr. Richard Taylor, the other partner in the patent, was an
honourable man; but he could not control the proceedings of
Bensley. In a memoir published by him in the 'Philosophical
Magazine,' "On the Invention and First Introduction of Mr.
Koenig's Printing Machine," in which he honestly attributes to
him the sole merit of the invention, he says, "Mr.
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