Many thanks, David.  Does anyone have an opinion (or knowledge!) whether
there would
be any consequences if someone didn't reespect this primitive version of the
copyright?
What could Bonner have been trying to protect?  Reproduction of the article?

Dana co-authored a biography of Grant which drew from the articles for
information about
Grant's youth, apparently the only source available.

Wondering,
Arianne.



On Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 2:43 PM, David Davis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi. I did ask around, and it appears that, for that early date (the
Copyright Office was not taking registrations yet) an author could,  in
effect, "timestamp" there work at a courthouse. It sounds like that is
what is happening there. Essentially, "Entered in the Clerk's Office"
was that era's equivalent of copyright registration.

Does that help?

DDD

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 2:08 PM, David Davis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi. I don't know, but I will ask around and let you know if I find
> anything out!
>
> My understanding (which may be wrong) is that copyright was not normally
> accorded to articles appearing only in the newspapers in those days.
>
>
> What are the exact words around - "...registered with the district..."
> (Can you give me the whole sentence?)
>
> DDD
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Arianne [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 4:51 PM
> To: Mark Twain Forum
> Subject: Copyright question
>
>
> Dear Mr. Davis,
>
> Do you, or does anyone have knowledge about the reality of copyright
> protection back in 1868?
>
> Robert Bonner of The Ledger in New York commissioned Jesse Grant to
> write
> articles about his son, Ulysses.  At the bottom of the first column he
> recorded that
> they'd been registered with a district something.  Am I correct in
> assuming this
> was an effort to copyright the articles?   (He did not add that
> protection to articles by Greely or H.W. Beecher.)
>
> And if so, what would infringe upon the copyright?   Would there be
> consequences?
>
> Charles Dana of the SUN published the Ledger Grant articles in his paper
> BEFORE they appeared in the Ledger!
>
> Would this have any legal implications in those days?
>
> All this is significant to me in connection with an issue involving
> Twain.
>
> THANKS for any opinions or help,
> Arianne Laidlaw
>
>
>
>