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 000280 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 #:
000280
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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258 William Pelzer, Direct Examination. Thereupon, WILLIAM PELZER, the next witness subpoenaed by the Petitioner, of lawful age, duly sworn, deposed : Direct examination by Mr. Grosvenoe: Q. Mr. Pelzer, what is your business? A. Secretary of the Motion Picture Patents Company, and Treasurer of the General Film Company. Q. You are an official of both companies? A. Yes, sir. Q. And do you have office quarters at each company? A. I have a desk that I occupy at each place. Q. Have you any other connection with the motion picture patents business? A. Not unless my position as the representative of Thomas A. Edison is such. Q. You are the representative of that company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Where? A. In the Motion Picture Patents Company. Q. You represent their interest with that company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Do the officers of the Patents Company draw any salaries? A. No, sir, at least I do not; and I don't believe any one else does. Q. They are paid for their services by the interests they represent? A. I don't know how the others are paid. I know I receive a salary from Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated. Q. And that is for the work you do for the Patents Company? A. Partly. Q. And is it not partly for the duties you perform down at the General Film Company? A. I don't know that it would be considered specially for those duties. Q. Do you draw any salary as Treasurer of the General Film Company? A. No. Q. Then you have three functions, you work for the interest of the Patents Company and for the interest of the General Film Company and for the interest of Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated? A. It may be so considered. Q. Were you the first Secretary of the General Film Company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Were you interested in the organization of that company? A. No, sir. Q. You attended the first meetings of the Directors? A.