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 (1912-1913)

Page scan 00059 from 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 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:
1912-1913
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 7
Leaf #:
00059
Language:
English
Collection:
Government & Law and Early Cinema
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 12, 2024
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Abmat Moving Picture Co. and A.m. Mut. & Bio. Co. 41 11. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT made this 21s1 day of March, 1908, between ARMAT MOVING PICTURE COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing tinder the laws of the State of West Virginia, party of the fust part, and AMERICAN M FTOSCOPE & BIOGRAPII COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New .Jersey, party of the second part, WITNESSETH : WHEREAS the party of the tirst part is tin1 owner of certain letters patent of the United States relating to devices for projecting moving pictures, to wit : No. 578,185, dated Mar. 2, 1897, for Vitascope, granted to Thomas Arniat; No. 580,719, dated Apr. 13, 1897, for Vitascope, granted to Thomas Arniat; No. 580,953, dated July 30, 1897, for Phantoscope, -ranted to Charles F. Jenkins, and Thomas Arniat; No. 588,916, dated Aug. 21, 1897, for Kinetoscope, granted to Willard G. Stewart and Ellis F. Frost; No. 673,992, dated May 11, 1901, for Vitascope, granted to Thomas Armat, and WHEREAS the party of the second part has heretofore been licensed by the party of the first part to use the invention of said Letters Patent No. 586,953, as evidenced by certain instruments in writing dated respectively the 19th day of February, 1901, and the 17th day of October, 1901 ; and also to use the invention of said letters patent No. 588,916, as evidenced by certain instruments in writing dated the 23rd day of June, 1903; both of said licenses being restricted and non-exclusive; and WHEREAS the party of the second part is the owner of certain letters patent of the United States relating to devices for taking and projecting moving pictures, to wit: No. 707,931, dated Aug. 26, 1902, for Projecting Kinetoscope, granted to Woodville Latham; Xo. 722,382, dated Mar. 10, 1903, for Projecting Kinetoscope, granted to John A. Pross; and