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)

Page scan 000162 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:
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 #:
000162
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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140 Ag't, Biograph Co. and Kleine, Feb. 18, 1908. 1 the American Mutoscope & Biograph Company, Williams, Brown and Earle and Kleine Optical Company and Charles E. Dressier & Company). Mr. Grosvenor: I offer that in evidence as Petitioner's Exhibit No. 57. Petitioner's Exhibit No. 57. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT entered into this 18th day of February, 1908, between the AMERICAN MUTOSCOPE & BIOGRAPH COMPANY, a corporation organized under the lawTs of the State of New Jersey, and having a place of business at No. 11 East 14th Street, Borough of Manhattan, New York City, party of the first part, and WILLIAMS, BROWN & EARLE, a copartnership composed of Henry S. Williams, N. Howland Brown, and Morris Earle, doing business at No. 918 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Penna., party of the second part, and KLEINE OPTICAL COMPANY, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Illinois, and having its principal place of business at Chicago, in the said State, party of the third part, and CHARLES E. DRESSLER & COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, and doing business in New York City, party of the fourth part, WITNESSETH : AVHEREAS the parties of the first, second, third and fourth part hereto are all importers of Moving or Motion Picture Films, which are produced by various manufacturers in European countries, each of the said parties having certain exclusive rights to purchase for use in the United States from certain foreign manufacturers and having an established business in the sale of such imported films ; and WHEREAS the party of the first part is a manufacturer of such moving or motion picture films within the United States and a dealer in films of its own manufacture, and also a manufacturer and dealer in projecting machines such as are used for exhibiting moving or motion picture films, said projecting machines being covered by letters patent of the United States owned by said party; and