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 000281 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 #:
000281
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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William Pslzer, Direct Examination. 259 I don't remember whether I attended the first meeting, I think I attended the meeting in May, 1910. Q. Soon after it had begun business? A. I don't think it had actually started business; I think that it was at the time of the completion of the organization of the company. Q. That was the first meeting at which any business was done. In other words, the officers were elected at that meeting? A. I think that is the case. Q. You have produced the minutes of meetings of the Directors of the company at the request of counsel for the Government, which I am now looking over — J. A. Berst and William T. Rock were elected members of the executive committee. Who was Berst? A. Mr. Berst was identified with Pathe Freres and Mr. Rock with the Vitagraph Company of America. Q. What position did Mr. Rock have with the Vitagraph Company? A. I am not positive, but I think his position is that of President. Q. The minutes of the meeting of May 25, 1910, state that the officers of the company were authorized to invite subscriptions to 895 shares of the common stock. To whom was the invitation extended to subscribe to the common stock? A. I don't know. Q. Well, you were the Secretary of the company? A. No invitations were prepared by me. Q. I said you were the Secretary of the company at that time? A. Yes, sir. Q. Who did become the common stockholders? A. The common stockholders of record at that time or after the stock was issued rather, are the stockholders of today and are the Biograph Company, Edison Manufacturing Company (now Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated) ; Kalem Company, Lubin Manufacturing Company, Pathe Freres, George Kleine, W. X. Selig, George K. Spoor, and Vitagraph Company of America, and Gaston Melies. Q. No common stock has ever been held by any one who was not a licensed manufacturer of the Patents Company, or an officer of one of the licensed manufacturers? A. That is true. Q. The minutes of this first meeting of the Directors show it was held May 25, 1910, at 80 Fifth Avenue. Was that the office of the Patents Company? A. Yes. sir.