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 #:
000305
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. 283 H. Lieber Company, Indianapolis, Ind. 1 Montana Film Exchange, Butte, Mont. Novelty Moving Picture Co., San Francisco, Cal. People's Film Exchange, N. Y. City. Spokane Film Exchange, Spokane, Wash. Turner & Dahnken, San Francisco, Cal. Twin City Calcium and Stereopticon Co., Minneapolis, Minn. J. D. Wheelan Film Company, Houston, Texas. J. D. Wheelan Film Company, Dallas, Texas. Total, 10. The Treasurer submitted the following report, which on 2 motion, duly seconded, was accepted : (Copy report) On motion, duly seconded, the following resolution was unanimously adopted : Resolved, that the officers of the company be and they hereby are authorized and directed to pay out of the accrued profits for the calendar year, 1910, the following dividends to stockholders of record on March 15, 1911 : A dividend of seven per cent, for the calendar year, 1910, 3 on the preferred stock issued for cash and on authorized issues for payments on account of property purchasers. A dividend of twelve per cent, for the calendar year, 1910, on the common stock issued; and Dividend notes to manufacturers for the remaining undivided profits. The Chairman read a communication from Mr. Waters, tendering his resignation as General Manager to take effect on May 8, 1911, and stated on behalf of the Executive Committee that the resignation had been accepted. On motion, duly seconded, the action of the Executive 4 Committee was ratified and the resignation of Mr. Waters accepted with regret. Mr. Kennedy presented his resignation as President and as a Director of the Company and requested the Vice-President to take the chair. Mr. Kennedy retired and the meeting proceeded with the Vice-President in the chair. The resignation of Mr. Kennedy was taken up for discussion, and it being the sense of the Board that the services