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 #:
000281
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:
September 21, 2023
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Lewis M. Swaab, Cross Examination. 899 seriously injured by the replevin actions he has referred to, and this cancellation is a part of the petitioner's case, and it is one of the things upon which the petitioner has laid much stress. I do not know but that he sold his business for $100,000. I ask, Mr. Examiner, that we suspend for a few minutes until we find whether we can see the Judge. (A recess was taken for a few minutes.) Mr. Grosvenor: Mr. Swaab, I want to ask you a question in order to get this clear in my own mind. I understand your license was cancelled in the latter part of 1910, and that during the two years from that time up to the time just referred to by you in the fall of 1912, when you disposed of your business, you had not handled any of the licensed films, had you? Mr. Swaab: Nio, sir. Mr. Kingsley : By that you mean you did not get any more of the licensed films? Mr. Swaab : That is right. Mr. Kingsley : But you did continue to handle the old licensed film, aggregating several hundred reels, in your possession? Mr. Swaab: I won't say the number. I did handle the old film. Ma*. Grosvenor: Whatever was in your possession, you handled? Mr. Swaab: Yes, sir. Mr. Grosvenor : And your particular business was handling Independent films? Mr. Swaab: Yes, sir. Mr. Kingsley : How many reels of Independent film did you begin buying a week when you became independent? Mr. Swaab: Fifteen. 3