Privacy Timeline

Harvard University

Privacy Timeline: Surveillance

Gov 1430

1860

The British Government and the Telegraph Lines.

New York Times. Jul 3, 1869

The British Government, we learn by a recent Cable dispatch, is now about to take active steps toward the acquisition of all existing rights and interests in the telegraph wires of the Kingdom, and it is Stated-on what authority we are as yet unaware-that their purchase will cost the nation no less than six and a half millions of pounds sterling, or more than thirty-two million dollars. [PDF, Timeline]

1870

The Explanation About the French Cable.

New York Times. Jan 2, 1870

The diplomatic explanation in the Paris Journal Officiel, with respect to the examination and control by the French Government of dispatches by the Transatlantic cable, is more ingenious than candid. [PDF, Timeline]

THE TELEPHONE UNMASKED.

New York Times. Oct 13, 1877

It is time that the atrocious nature of the telephone should be fully exposed, and its inventors, of whom there are any quantity, held up to public execration. [PDF, Timeline]

1890

FULL OF SECRET PASSAGES.

New York Times. Apr 10, 1892

When James J. Kelso was Superintendent of Police much use was made of a door and staircase north of the Mulberry Street entrance to Police Headquarters which have since then served no purpose. In Mr. Kelso's time they permitted certain of his associates to visit and leave him without risking recognition by the officers on duty in the main corridor. [PDF, Timeline]

Article 9 -- No Title

New York Times. Apr 21, 1897

WASHINGTON, April 20. -- Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt and their household returned to New York to-day, after having spent three delightful months in Washington. The Vanderbilts occupied the Lowery mansion at K Street and Vermont Avenue, and their coming caused quite a flutter in fashionable circles. [PDF, Timeline]

FENCE WAR IN ARVERNE

New York Times. Jun 4, 1897

The Modry-Friedman fence feud is making history for the residents of Arverne, Long Island. [PDF, Timeline]

THE COAL TRUST INQUIRY

New York Times. Jun 9, 1897

ALBANY, June 8. -- Judge Chester, in Chambers this morning, opened at 10 o'clock the hearing in the application of the counsel for the Presidents of the various coal railroads to vacate an order directing the examination of such Presidents before a referee There appeared in support of the motion, David McClure, for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, representing President Sloan; R.W. De Forest, for the New Jersey Central, representing President Maxwell; John B. Kerr, for the Ontario and Western, representing President Fowler, and Messrs. Wilcox and Carr, for the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, representing President Olyphant. [PDF, Timeline]

MODEL HOME FOR WOMEN.

New York Times. Apr 30, 1898

A model home for self-supporting women, at 49 West Ninth Street, was opened with appropriate exercises yesterday afternoon by the Ladies' Christian Union of the City of New York. The home is a large building of Colonial design. It will accommodate forty-eight guests in single and double rooms and rooms with three beds. [PDF, Timeline]

TO HEDGE OUT PRYING EYES

New York Times. Oct 23, 1898

Plans were filed yesterday with the Department of Buildings for a four-and-a-half-story sheet-iron fence to be erected in the rear of the three-story and basement dwelling at 140 East Eightieth Street, owned by Mrs. Hannah Asiel, and occupied by herself and Jacob Asiel, her husband, who is a dealer in coal. [PDF, Timeline]

1900

Cabling Without Wires.

New York Times. Jun 3, 1900

Stationary waves in the earth mean something more than mere telegraphy without wires to any distance. They will enable us to attain many important specific results impossible otherwise. For instance, by their use we may produce at will, from a sending station, an electrical effect in any particular region of the globe; we may determine the relative position or course of a moving object, such as a vessel at sea, the distance traversed by the same, or its speed; or we may send over the earth a wave of electricity traveling at any rate we desire, from the pace of a turtle up to lightning speed. [PDF, Timeline]

Privacy of Wireless Telegrams Insured.

New York Times. Oct 23, 1900

[PDF, Timeline]

King Edward's Queer Automobile.

New York Times. Aug 25, 1901

[PDF, Timeline]

RIGHT OF PRIVACY INCLUDES TELEPHONE.

New York Times. Dec 1, 1907

That even a protesting tenant has rights of privacy in the telephone that connects his apartment with the outside world, and that a janitor ]nay not listen, and later retail what has passed over the wire, has been decided by Justice Wauhope Lynn, in the Tenth District Municipal Court, in an opinion just made public. The landlord in the case, who has lost his four months' rent, does not like this decision, holding that all you'll have to do now when you want to break a lease is to say airily to the landlord: [PDF, Timeline]

Now It Is Possible to Hear Every Note of an Opera by Long Distance Dictograph

New York Times. Jan 19, 1908

IN the Metropolitan Opera House -- more accurately, in Mr. Conried's private office -- there was tested on Wednesday evening a new invention, an ingenious instrument which seems to show that there is no limit to man's ingenuity. [PDF, Timeline]

1910

France to Talk to Germany by Wireless.

New York Times. Jan 23, 1910

WITHIN a few days a wireless telephone has been in successful operation over a distance of 250 miles. Preparations are being completed in Paris which, it is promised will make it possible to talk without wires to the German frontier. Using the Eiffel Tower as a sending station, it is even promised by enthusiastic electricians that it will soon be possible to talk across the Atlantic through the air. [PDF, Timeline]

ANARCHISTS DIRECT THE FRENCH BANDITS.

New York Times. May 12, 1912

PARIS, May 11. -- The police are still without any clue whatever to the whereabouts of Garnier, Vallet, and Gorodesko, three of the most terrible among the members of the band of automobile brigands who are still at large. However, more information concerning the organization and extent of the criminal association has now been pieced together from the depositions of scores of witnesses, examined every day, and from the scant admissions extracted by the magistrates from suspected persons arrested during the week. [PDF, Timeline]

WIRELESS DELEGATES PLAN LONDON WORK

New York Times. May 4, 1912

WASHINGTON, May 3. -- The United States delegation to the London Wireless Conference met to-day at the office in the War Department of Brig. Gen. James Allen, Chief Signal Officer of the army. Not all the delegates were able to be present, but the work to be urged by the delegation at the conference was fully discussed. [PDF, Timeline]

NOVEL CASES IN THE COURTS

New York Times. Aug 10, 1919

The opinion of the Supreme Court of Mississippi in a suit in which a sixtyyear-old defendant was directed to pay damages for breach of promise of marriage says: [PDF, Timeline]

1920

DUTCH SUBMARINE MAKES NEW RECORD

New York Times. Aug 27, 1926

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., Aug. 26. -- The Dutch submarine K-XIII, which arrived here a few days ago established a new record for a submarine without the protection of a convoy. The long slender craft in its trip from Helder, Holland, traveled about 10,000 miles. [PDF, Timeline]

CAROL AVOIDS PARIS.

New York Times. Dec 30, 1926

[PDF, Timeline]

TALKS BY TELEPHONE OVERSEAS NOT SECRET

New York Times. Jan 4, 1927

LONDON, Jan. 3. -- Although no official announcement has been made as yet, it is expected here that the official date for opening the transatlantic telephone service will be made public some day this week. Simultaneous publication of the official announcement will be made on both sides of the Atlantic. [PDF, Timeline]

TOPICS IN WALL STREET.

New York Times. Jan 8, 1927

An orderly advance in many of the market leaders featured trading on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Just before the close there was a fairly impressive demonstration of strength in the general list, but up to that time the activity, while at times quite brisk, was confined to a limited number of high-grade industrial and railway issues. [PDF, Timeline]

RADIOPHONE SERVICE SHOWS MARKED GAIN

New York Times. Jan 9, 1927

New York and London resumed their telephonic conversations yesterday under conditions more favorable than marked the opening of the radiophone service between the hemispheres on Friday. Sixteen calls were completed, the voices carrying with distinctness that amazed some callers. [PDF, Timeline]

Article 2 -- No Title

New York Times. Jan 10, 1927

[PDF, Timeline]

NEW YORK-LONDON PHONE HAS BUSY FIST MONTH

New York Times. Feb 13, 1927

WHEN a busy New Yorker picks up the telephone receiver and asks for London -- yes, operator, Picadilly 2215, London -- it usually takes about five minutes to put his connection through. between noon and one o'clock he may have to wait a few minutes longer. [PDF, Timeline]

LEGAL RIGHTS OF BROADCASTERS DISCUSSED BY JUDGE DAVIS

New York Times. Jun 12, 1927

WITH radio litigation likely to result from the administration of the new radio law even to the probability of the constitutionality of the act itself being tested, counsel will likely regard the new book of Judge Stephen B. Davis, "Law of Radio Communication," as a valuable precedent, inasmuch as it is believed to be the first study of its kind ever printed. [PDF, Timeline]

When Ships Come In and Ships Go Out They Are on Duty to Guard Both Passengers and Cargo

New York Times. Jul 17, 1927

WHEN a vessel is moored and the passengers have gone, the average New Yorker would probably think there is little more for pier policemen to do; in reality this is the time they must keep their eyes widest open. A vessel in port is a fair mark for thieves. [PDF, Timeline]

WIRE-TAPPING DRY CASE UP.

New York Times. Feb 22, 1928

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (AP).-- Members of the Supreme Court showed keen interest today in oral arguments on three appeals from Seattle, Wash., challenging the validity of evidence in prohibition cases obtained by tapping telephone lines and so listening to conversations. [PDF, Timeline]

WIRE TAPPING HELD LEGAL FOR EVIDENCE

New York Times. Jun 5, 1928

WASHINGTON, June 4.--In a five to four decision the Supreme Court today held that evidence obtained by "wire tapping" is admissible in a criminal case arising under the Prohibition law and that a conviction obtained by such means is not in ... [PDF, Timeline]

DR. NICHOLSON BACKS DRY WIRE-TAPPING

New York Times. Jun 24, 1928

The Anti-Saloon League "deplores" the recent Supreme Court decision legalizing "wire-tapping" in prohibition cases, if the ruling is to apply to the Prohibition law only, according to Dr. S.E. Nicholson, National Secretary and State Superintendent of the dry organization. [PDF, Timeline]