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 000418 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 #:
000418
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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396 William Pelzer, Direct Examination. hazy about other people in the offices of the Patents Company as it is about the duties of Mr. Church? A. Well, I don't know whether Mr. Church is actually in the employ of the Motion Picture Patents Company. Q. Who besides Braden and Marvin have to do with the cancellation of licenses, or as you term it, "complaints" as to theatres? A. No one directly. Q. No one directly? A. No, sir. Q. This man Braden is Marvin's assistant, is that right? A. I would not exactly call him Mr. Marvin's assistant; but he has charge of all complaint cases. Q. And he reports to him? A. Yes, to Mr. Marvin. Q. And men come in to the office from time to time and confer with Braden about matters? A. Yes, sir, I have seen them doing that. Q. Do these men that come in and talk to him from time to time have office desk there? A. No, sir. Q. Do they stay outside? A. I think these people that I have in mind are the exhibitors. Q. Is there any pay roll which Mr. Braden looks after? A. I don't know. I don't believe so. Q. In other words, Braden is the man to call and ask for information in this matter? A. Yes. Q. And you don't know about it, is that right? A. I don't know what information you want from Mr. Braden. If you want information regarding the complaint cases, I should say, yes. Q. I mean in regard to the cancellation of licenses, and the way information as to theatres is obtained, and as to all such matters I should direct my inquiries to Mr. Braden or Mr. Marvin, is that right? A. Yes. Q. Mr. Pelzer, who is there up there at the offices that would know more about the books than you seem to know, that is, about these reports? You are the Treasurer, and the reports I am referring to are the reports from the branches to the General Film Company, and what summaries are made up every week or every month from those reports that come in weekly from the branches? A. The auditor would know more about it although he is not entirely familiar as he has been with us just a little over a month. Q. Who is under him? A. I can't say who the man is