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 #:
000582
Language:
English
Collection:
Early Cinema and Government & Law
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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556 William Pelzer, Direct Examination. 1 able dissolution and distribution of the assets of the company. By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. Let us go back and see what the question is. The last question was read as follows: "Q. What payments are made to the president for his services, does he have a stated salary?'' 2 A. I refuse to answer that question unless instructed by my counsel to do so. Q. Who is the president to-day of the General Film Company? A. Frank L. Dyer. Q. And he is connected with, or has been connected with which one of the ten manufacturers? A. He was formerly connected with Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated. Q. And was he an officer of that company? A. Yes, sir. Q. When did he cease, if at all, being an officer? A. I don't know exactly, I think somewhere around the first of November, 1912. 3 Q. Now, who preceded Mr. Dyer, as President of the General Film Company? A. Mr. J. A. Berst. Q. Has he been at all times during which the General Film Company has been in existence an officer of the Pathe Freres Company? A. I believe he is Vice-President and has been Vice-President. Q. That is one of the other ten manufacturers? A. Yes, sir. Q. Who preceded Mr. Berst? A. Mr. J. J. Kennedy. Q. And during the time that he was President of the General Film Company with which of the ten manufacturers was 4 he connected? A. The Biograph Company. Q. These three men between them have been presidents of the General Film Company during the entire existence of that company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Let us take next, the Vice-President. The VicePresident to-day is Mr. George Kleine? A. Yes, sir. Q, Has he been at all times Vice-President of the General Film Company since the incorporation of that company? A. Yes, sir.