I used to teach about Invention: Alex Bell wasn't the first to send sound through wires either - just 1st to the patent office by machination. The Wrights slowed American airplane development by patenting everything in sight and then suing like crazy so European inventors bypassed us quickly. We caught up late in WWI after the patents were 'taken' by the US Gov't as an emergency step.

Myths and stories of invention are filled with such stories. I wasn't surprised about this.