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 #:
000302
Language:
English
Collection:
Early Cinema and Government & Law
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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280 William Pelzer, Direct Examination. Mr. Kennedy called attention to a promise made to Mr. Howard that this company would reimburse him for expenses incurred in looking after the interests of exhibitors in the State of Massachusetts and on motion, unanimously adopted, the Treasurer was authorized to pay Mr. Howard the sum of flOO.OO Attest, Wm. Pelzer, Secretary. President By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. Mr. Pelzer, these minutes contain these words — there is a summary of what has been spent — then these words : "Original estimate of value of exchanges not bought but still licensed $351,300." Now, what was that original estimate of value of exchanges? A. I don't know anything about it. Q. Do you know when it was made? A. No, sir. Q. Did you ever see it? A. I don't think I did. Q. You wrote these minutes, didn't you? A. Yes. Q. You understood that such original estimate of the value of different exchanges had been made? A. No tiling more than contained in the memorandum of the figures that were handed me at the time. Q. Will you look up the records of your company and produce on Tuesday that original estimate of the value of exchanges referred to in these minutes? A. I will try to. Q. Or a copy of it? A. Yes. Q. Or explain where it is? A. Yes. Q. There are definite references to the different figures here throughout these minutes, so that it is apparent that there are original estimates giving separate values of the different exchanges, and if you have any doubt as to what is called for by me please take these minutes with you, the Examiner will be through with them to-day, and look through the record and read your testimony of to-day? A. Yes. Q. The last meeting with respect to which I have been asking you questions was at SO Fifth Avenue. You do remember of meetings in the years 1910 and 1911, at the offices