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 #:
000285
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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George W. Bennethum, Direct Examination. 903 By Mr. Grosvenor: Q. In your letter to the Patents Company, you asked them this question: "Will you kindly inform me for what reason my licenses were cancelled?" A. Yes, sir. Q. I show you a letter dated November 27th, 1911, on the letterhead of the Motion Picture Patents Company, signed "Yours truly, Motion Picture Patents Company, by H. N. M." and ask you whether that is the letter which you received in reply (handing paper to witness). A. (witness examining paper) : Yes, sir. Mr. Grosvenor : I offer it in evidence. The paper offered is marked Petitioner's Exhibit No. 170, and is as follows: Petitioner's Exhibit No. 170. MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY 80 Fifth Avenue, New York. November 27th, 1911 Mr. Geo. W. Bennethum, 015 Penn Street, Reading, Pa. Dear Sir: — Replying to yours of November 20th. Licensed Exchanges by the terms of their license are not permitted to supply licensed motion pictures to persons who are engaged directly or indirectly in renting motion picture films, that infringe patents owned by the Licensor. We understand that you are interested in the business of renting motion picture films. Yours truly, MOTION PICTURE PATENTS CO., By H. N. M HNM/ACL