It was common knowledge in the 19th century: Thomas Edison was the far greater businessperson, but Nikola Tesla was the far greater genius. It must be noted, however, that Tesla wasn’t a genius at getting his ass to jury duty. A brief notice from the October 7, 1902 Brooklyn Daily Eagle:

“For failing to answer to a summons for jury duty, Nikola Tesla, the electrician, was fined $100 by Judge Foster in General Sessions Manhattan this morning. Unless the electrician can give a good reason for his failure to appear in court he will have to pay the fine, the only other alternative being imprisonment in Ludlow street jail.”