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 000303 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 #:
000303
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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Minutes, General Film Co. 281 of the Patents Company? It was quite common to meet there, was it not, about that time? A. We met there occasionally; I would not say that it was quite common. Q. And the minutes for February 14, 1911, show that the meeting was also at 80 Fifth Avenue, and the minutes of March 13, 11)11, were also at the offices of the Patents Company, 80 Fifth Avenue? A. Yes. Mr. Grosvenor: I now offer in evidence the entire minutes of the meeting of March the 13th, 1911, of the Directors of the General Film Company found at pages 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the minute book. The minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the General Film Company of March 13, 1911, are marked Petitioner's Exhibit 84. Petitioner's Exhibit No. 84. Minutes of a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the General Film Company, held at 80 Fifth Avenue, New York City, March 13, 1911, at 2.00 P. M. Present, Messrs. Kennedy, Berst, Dyer, Kleine, Long, Lubin, Smith, Spoor and Pelzer, Secretary. Also Messrs. Marion, Marvin, Paul, Melies and Rock. xVll the directors present agreed to hold the meeting at 80 Fifth Avenue, instead of at 10 Fifth Avenue, and the meeting was called to order and held at 80 Fifth Avenue. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The Chairman reported that in a suit for damages brought by the Imperial Film Exchange and in which this company is made a party defendant an answer had been prepared for all defendants and that an amended answer for this company was in course of preparation setting up a separate and complete defense. The Chairman reported on behalf of the Executive Committee that since the last meeting of the Board of Directors negotiations for the purchase of the following exchanges were closed :