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 000355 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 #:
000355
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 Pelzer, Direct Examination. :\'M\ the earnings to take up these deferred payments? A. I will do so. Q. And that should show the figures as to deferred payments separately from the figures you have given here? A. Yes, I will do so. Q. The minutes of March 13, 1911, printed at page 291 of the record, authorizes the payments of dividends of seven per cent, on the preferred stock and a dividend of twelve per cent, on the common stock, and dividend notes to manufacturers for the remaining undivided profits. What dividend notes were issued to manufacturers for the remaining undivided profits in accordance with that resolution? A. No notes were issued. The payments were made in cash over an extended period, and as the statement shows there is still a balance due the manufacturers. Q. This statement of dividends paid on preferred and common stock of the General Film Company which you have produced, gives the dividends on the preferred stock and the dividends on the common stock. It contains no statement relating to these cash payments that you have just now referred to. I wish you would supplement this statement of dividends, by a statement giving amounts of cash payments, the dates of the same, and the names of the manufacturers for the years 1910, 1911 and 1912. A. Which statement? Q. Do you wish me to show you the statement to which I refer? A. Oh, I know which one you refer to. Q. I refer to the paper which the Examiner has marked "C," and which is copied above in the record. You understand what I want? A. Yes, I understand what you want is information, or detail of the informatioon given in the paper marked "D." Q. Let us take up the paper marked "D" and see if we can get at it. On page 285 of the record in this case I asked you to show separately the dividends on the preferred stock, on the common stock, and such dividends as were given in the way of dividend notes to manufacturers, showing the total amounts paid as well as the rates. These statements do not show the amounts paid to the manufacturers, outside of the common and preferred dividends? A. The statement marked "D" shows the amounts paid to the manufacturers. Q. Please point it out and show where it does? A. On