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 #:
000289
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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Minutes, General Film Co. 207 For the information of the Board, Mr. Kennedy reviewed the form of contract and bills of sale which had been prepared for execution by Exchanges purchased by this company, and pointed out the large amount of work and time required to secure the necessary detailed information to complete these papers, and which accounted for the delay in closing contracts. The business situation in Canada was discussed and it was proposed that the Exchanges owned by George Kleine at St. John, N. S., Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver, B. C, and by P. L. Waters, in the same cities, be purchased on the same basis as Exchanges in the United States were purchased. Mr. Kleine being present, was invited to state the price at which he would sell out, and retired from the meeting while the proposition was under discussion. After a full discussion Mr. Kleine was recalled and the following proposition to purchase his five Canadian Exchanges was made and accepted by him : The Company to take over the Exchanges on the same basis and conditions as United States Exchanges were acquired and to pay f 3G,800 in preferred stock of this company and $73,900 in deferred money payments, the purchase being conditioned upon the licensed manufacturers having agreements with Mr. Kleine for exclusive handling of film continuing the agreements with this company; payments in money to be made in installments the same as in United States purchases, and this company to assume last week film bills and pay for saleable merchandise. There being no further business, the meeting on motion, duly seconded, adjourned. Attest : Wm. Pelzer, Secretary. President. Q. Mr. Pelzer, tin's statement which T have just read gives the figures for the total payments authorized for all exchanges in the entire country as $998,800 in stock and $2,480,000 in cash. When was the executive committee