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 000234 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 #:
000234
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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212 Harry N. Marvin, Direct Examination. Q. Beginning on page 53 of your answer, that is, of the answer of the Motion Picture Patents Company, which you signed as President, you give the reasons for the formation of the General Film Company — that is, you go into the conditions in the trade. Now, this morning I asked you one or two questions, about some of those statements, and I understood you to say that the statement : "Rental exchanges were financially irresponsible" should be changed so as to read, "Rental exchanges were sometimes financially irresponsible," or, "Some rental exchanges were financially irresponsible." Is that correct? A. I said that would be a more accurate description of the fact. Q. Will you please produce a list, or perhaps you are now able to name some of the rental exchanges which, in 1910, the time that the General Film Company was formed, were financially irresponsible? A. I could not give that list from memory. 1 shall have to look it up. Q. Are you able to state any? A. Not offhand. Q. The next sentence is : "In many instances, they were exceedingly slow in making payment." Are you able to name the rental exchanges who, in April, 1910, were exceedingly slow in making payment for films? A. Not without looking it up. Q. How many instances were there? A. I do not recall. Q. By April, 1910, the number of licensed rental exchanges which, in February, 1909, were 116, had considerably decreased, had it not? A. Yes. Q. Now, are you able to name any instances of these rental exchanges which were exceedingly slow in making payment for films? A. Not without — not having any direct connection with the business of leasing films to rental exchanges, I would not care to state offhand the names of any exchanges that were delinquent. Q. The next sentence is: "Manufacturers and importers were compelled to accept notes." Now, is that an accurate statement, as a general proposition, or should that be modified to read: "Manufacturers and importers were sometimes compelled to accept notes?" A. That would be a more accurate statement of the fact. Q. You were not compelled to accept the notes in all cases? A. WTe were not. I say "we." The manufacturers were not. Q. What per cent, of the cases were you compelled to