In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants (1913)

Record Details:

Title:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants
Date:
1913
Publisher:
New York, Appeal Printing Co.
Volume:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants : record volume 2
Leaf #:
000516
Language:
English
Collection:
Early Cinema and Government & Law
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
These seven volumes contain the testimonies and supporting documents from the U.S. District Court's antitrust lawsuit against the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). Formed in 1908, the MPPC (sometimes referred to asœ"the Edison Trust" or just "the Trust") sought to control the American film industry through pooling patents and demanding that producers and exhibitors acquire licenses to those patents. Independent producers and exhibitors, who refused to license the patents, argued that the MPPC was an unlawful monopoly. In 1912 and 1913, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania heard testimonies from both MPPC members, such as Siegmund Lubin, and "Independents" who later became Hollywood moguls, such as William Fox. Ultimately, in 1915, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which found the MPPC in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and spelled the end for the already weakening MPPC. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012
Date Added:
September 21, 2023
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1134 J. M. Ensor, Direct Examination. 1 Q. What effect upon your business did this notice of cancellation have? Mr. Kingslby: Objected to, as incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial. The Witness: Why, it just took it away from us, just took the business right away from us. When George Greaves came down to the exchange to talk the thing over with me, you see he had received notice from the General Film Company, so did the rest of the customers for they 2 came over immediately; there would not be any questions asked in regard to licenses and so on, you know, but if they wanted any length of time they would have to go through some riga-ma-role to get their license, and I advised George not to try to stick to me, as I had no supply, and I was at the end of my row, and couldn't do anything. He was our best customer, and took first runs. By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. In the early part of 1909 did you have, or own, a 3 theatre at Delta, Colorado? A. Yes, sir. Q. How many theatres were there in Delta at that time? A. That was in the early part of 1910; there were three theatres. Q. Were these all licensed theatres? A. There were two, and we put up one. Q. Who owned the other two theatres? A. Well, I forget the name of the owner, but Buckwalter, I suppose, one of them, and the Kleine Supply one of them. That was before the General put out those two. Q. Now were you able to get service, licensed service, 4 for your Delta house? A. I was at the start, and Buckwalter, I guess, made such a howl to Selig — Mr. Kingsley : I object to what the witness may have guessed about it, as not proper. The Witness: Anyhow, they refused to let us put our own films in our own house, and I came to Chicago, to see what was known as the "Western Committee," Kleine and Selig, and finally they decided that they would let me go