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 000577 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 #:
000577
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 Pelzeil, Direct Examination. 551 Q. Have you not made any inquiry as to what approximately would be the earnings for the year 1912? A. That would seem to me to be a useless inquiry, in view of the fact that we are now closing the books, and we will get the information as soon as they are closed. Q. You mean you will get the information as to the exact figure when the books are closed? A. Yes, sir. Q. Can you tell whether the business has been unprofitable or profitable until the books are closed? A. I suppose I could if I had made an inquiry. Q. Have you made any inquiry? A. There has been no occasion for me to do so. Q. I didn't ask you that. Have you made any inquiry? A. I have not. Q. Are you able to state whether or not the business has been profitable or unprofitable? A. I believe it has been profitable. Q. Now, as compared with 1911, has it been more profitable, or less profitable? A. That I could not say. Q. Mr. Pelzer, this statement which you have produced, and which has been marked Exhibit 131, shows that during the year 1912 from time to time beginning with May 22nd, of the year 1912, payments were made to these ten manufacturers out of net profits for the year 1911. As I understand it no payments of a similar character have been made to those manufacturers out of any profits for the year 1912? A. No, sir. Q. Now, the same exhibit (131) gives the amount as credited to those ten manufacturers, or companies, as $1,055,579. When was that amount credited to their respective accounts? Exhibit 131 does not show the date. Are you able to give that date? A. I could not say. The books would show it, but it did not occur to me to put that date on there, possibly in May, 1912, but I would not be sure about that. Q. Are you able to give on the record the names of 1 ho common stockholders of the General Eilm Company? A. T have given you those. Q. Have you — T had forgotten it? A. Yes, sir. Q. Will you kindly read them on the record, I am sorry to ask you to do so again? A. Biograph Company, Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, Kalem Company. George Kleine, Lubin Manufacturing Company, G. Melies, Pathe Freres,