We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
1028 A. J. Clapham, Direct Examination.
Mr. Henry Melville, attorney for George Kleine, Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, Selig Polyscope, George K. Spoor and W. N. Selig.
Mr. James J. Allen, appearing for Vita graph Company of America, and Albert E. Smith.
Thereupon, A. J. CLAPHAM, a witness subpoenaed on behalf of petitioner, of lawful age, duly sworn, deposes as follows :
Direct examination by Mr. Grosvenor:
Q. Mr. Clapham, in the early part of 1910 where were you doing business? A. San Francisco.
Q. San Francisco? A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what business were you engaged? A. Moving picture rental and supply business.
Q. What was the name of the company with which you were connected? A. Theatre Film Service Company.
Q. Were you one of the owners of that company? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you the principal owner of the stock and manager of the Theatre Film Service Company in January and February, 1910? A. Yes.
Q. You may state whether or not that was one of the socalled licensed rental exchanges, that is, whether it had a license, socalled, from the Motion Picture Patents Company? A. It did, yes.
Q. How long had the Theatre Film Service Company had a license from the Motion Picture Patents Company? A. I believe from the inception of the Patents Company.
Q. Please name the different manufacturers of films from whom you had been obtaining films just prior to January and February, 1910? A. I was buying from all of the licensed manufacturers.
Q. That is, Lubin, and Selig, and Edison? A. Yes, sir.
Q. And Essanay, Kleine, Biograph, etc.? A. Yes, sir.
Q. And were the films shipped to your rental exchange, that is, to the office of the Theatre Film Service Company, from the several factories of these manufacturers you have named? A. Yes, sir.
Q. About what amount of business were you doing each week in films? A. My rental business averaged about six