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 1
Leaf #:
00035
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:
May 23, 2024
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Harry N. Marvin, Direct Examination. 13 Q. Then when were these agreements relating to the assignments of the patents, of which there were four agreements, being with the companies I have named, namely, Edison, Biograph, Vitagraph and Arinat — when were those agreements executed? Was it in the morning of the same day. A. I think it was on the same day, but at a meeting held a little earlier in the day. Q. Now, who were present at that meeting, the same people? A. No. Mr. Dyer of the Edison Company, Mr. Scull of the Edison Company, Mr. Kennedy of the Biograph Company. Q. Yourself? A. Myself, and I think Mr. Armat. Q. Thomas Armat? A. Mr. Armat of the Armat Company and Mr. Smith of the Vitagraph Company came in and executed those agreements, but I am a little uncertain about that; my recollection is not clear. Q. On the same day, that is, December 18th, there was a meeting of the Directors of the Motion Picture Patents Company? A. Yes. Q. Do you recall that meeting? A. Yes. Q. And at that meeting you, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Dyer and Mr. Scull were elected Directors? A. Yes, sir. Q. Also officers? A. Yes, sir. Q. Was the meeting at which you were elected Directors and officers held at the same time as this meeting at which the preliminary agreements for the assignments of the patents were executed? A. It is my recollection that they were executed at that meeting, but I am not clear on that point. Q. Who was elected President of the Patents Company? A. Mr. Dyer. Q. And he was Vice-President of the Edison Manufacturing Company? A. I don't know what his position was with the Edison people. Q. He was connected with the Edison people? A. Yes. Q. You were elected Vice-President of the Patents Company? A. I was. Q. And you were Vice-President of the Biograph Company? A. Yes. Q. Who was elected Treasurer of the Patents Company? A. Mr. J. J. Kennedy. Q. He was the President of the Biograph Company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Who was elected Secretary? A. Mr. Scull.