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 2
Leaf #:
00063
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:
June 13, 2024
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William Fox, Direct Examination. 681 even a fair price for it." "Oh, well," he said, "I think they are all ready to pay you the money and a few dollars more or less ought not to make a whole lot of difference to you. Clean up the situation." He said, "Let me handle it for you. Let me see Kennedy and see what I can do. I will try and get the Executive Committee to meet, and I will report to you later." "Now," I said, "Smith, I look for the protection of your concern. On my very inception in this business, the day I went into the business, the first man I ever spoke to when I entered this business, was your concern ; the first film I ever purchased in my life was from your concern.,, I said, "We have traded together for a good many thousands and thousands of dollars, and I sort of feel that you ought to help me, and I don't want to sell out and don't want to take any money for this plant, and I know you are influential enough with these men and can show them the right from wrong, and you ought to be able to convince them to reinstate my license." He said, "Fox, if you are going to send me on that mission, I am not even going to try. I tried that at the last meeting." He said, "I was the most dumbfounded man in the world when I found that Berst had sat down." He said, "You know that our organization is the same as any other. It is generally led by one or two men who are in power. Between what Mr. Kennedy says, and one or two others, the rest of them are like a lot of sheep, and a lot of lambs, and they all follow suit, and I suppose they brought pressure to bear on Mr. Berst or he would not have voted against you. Now, that is all done; I cannot get it reopened. If I could not get it beaten on the floor before the letter was written to you, I am sure I cannot do it now. The best I can do is to try to get you a settlement and try to get you some money." With an assurance that he would try to arrange for a settlement and get the money, I left. He told me later that he was not able to get Mr. Kennedy to answer his telephone conversations, although he knew Mr. Kennedy was in New York. That Mr. Kennedy was denying himself out to him. I called his attention to the fact that the days were pretty short when this license had to run out, and he said, "I know it; I have tried very hard, and I will keep on trying, and I will do everything in my power to call this meeting." And from then until the next time I seen Mr. Kennedy, I did not speak with Mr. Albert Smith.