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 000522 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 #:
000522
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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1 500 William H. Swanson, Cross Examination. should prove desirable to all members who wished to build up the business upon legitimate lines. They also said they had assurances from the Patents Company and the Manufacturers that led them to believe that no exchange dealing fairly under the new agreements would suffer. They announced that the Patents Company would arrange to collect directly from the exhibitors the royalties due the Company from exhibitors, for the licenses covering the projecting machines. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY. The enclosed announcement of the Patents Company had been distributed prior to the meeting, as well as copies of the license agreement, and the Executive Committee referred the entire matter to the Association, suggesting that it was better for each man to work the situation out for himself according to the way it would affect his particular business. Mr. Macdonald, who had been employed by the Executive Committee of the Association during the past year to perform the duties of Secretary for the Committee, announced to the meeting that he had been appointed General Manager of the Motion Picture Patents Company, and that his duties as such would begin on Monday, January 11, 1909. He asked to be relieved from the duties of Secretary as soon as new officers were elected. The meeting then proceeded to the election of officers, and as a result of the voting the following officers for the year 1909 were chosen: President, William H. Swanson. Vice-President, Carl Laemmle. Secretary, Herbert Miles. Treasurer, Robert Lieber. "] A. J. Gilligham, Executive Committee, r -William Fox, J William F. Steiner. CHANGE IN THE ASSOCIATION RULES. After the new officers took charge of the meeting it was determined by the Association that the old by-laws, rules