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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 #:
000267
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. 245 Mr. Grosvenor: I offer in evidence letter dated November 23, 1908, addressed to Mr. H. N. Marvin, and signed Thos. Armat. Paper marked Petitioner's Exhibit No. 74, and is as follows : Petitioner's Exhibit No. 74. ARMAT MOTION PICTURE COMPANY. Owners of Patents covering all Projecting Machines in use in this Country, and also of the business of the American Kinetograph Co., and the N. Y. Photo-Projecting Company, American Patents, 586,953, 673,992, 578,185, 580,749, 588,916, 627,830, and Foreign Patents. Cable Address : Armat, Washington, Hutchins Building. A. B. C. and Lieber Code Used. 'Phone: Main 92. Washington, D. C, Novemner 23, 1908. Mr. H. N. Marvin, 14 East 14th St., New York, N. Y. My dear Mr. Marvin: — I notice in a recent issue of the Film Index that the Film Service Association Meeting has been postponed to January 9th. Does this delay our pending negotiations? I have closed up matters with the estate of Col. Wood, so that I can go ahead promptly on any lines desired. Yours very truly, (Signed) THOS. ARMAT. Mr. Grosvenor: I offer in evidence letter dated December 24, 1908, addressed to H. N. Marvin, and signed George F. Scull. Paper marked Petitioner's Exhibit No. 75, and is as follows: