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.Koenig left England, suddenly, in disgust at the treacherous conduct of Bensley, always shabby and overreaching, and whom he found to be laying a scheme for defrauding his partners in the patents of all the advantages to arise from them.

Bensley, however, while he destroyed the prospects of his partners, outwitted himself, and grasping at all, lost all, becoming bankrupt in fortune as well as in character."[6] Koenig was badly used throughout.

His merits as an inventor were denied.