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)

Page scan 000431 from 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 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 #:
000431
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:
September 12, 2024
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A. J. Clapham, Cross Examination. 1049 the work of these two men. Their efforts at blackmailing me were unsuccessful. In addition to the difficulties that I had with these two employes, I have been in the midst of a nasty divorce suit during the past four months, and I assure you that I have my hands full of trouble. In regard to the film matter referred to in your letter, I would state that on the 15th day of October, the Western Amusement Supply Company made a sale of a traveling outfit including an Edison Universal Machine to W. Lobger, Haywards, California, he representing to us that he desired to travel in the interior towns, giving one exhibition each week. The Theatre Film Service Company leased him two reels of film, #1,251, "The Mountain Feud," by Selig, and #1516, containing the subjects enumerated in your letter, this being an old reel prior to the formation of the Patents Company. These reels were leased to this party for one month at a price of flO.OO. We are enclosing you herewith a copy of the duplicate bill on file in our office. This party made a trip to Point Arena, which is the last place we heard from him. We have been endeavoring for the past three months to obtain a return of these reels, but have been unable to locate this party. We handled this customer in the same manner in which we would handle a licensed customer, excepting that in view of his representations to us that he would give but one exhibition per week, he was handled on our special exchange license. I might further state that through the carelessness of a former employe, discharged about one week after this transaction took place, a bill, including the film, was made on the billhead of the Western Amusement Supply Company, but as all bills are O. K.d by our book-keeper before leaving the house, he was also rendered a bill of the Theatre Film Service Company covering these films. I am unable to ascertain at this time what became of the original Western Amusement Supply Company's bill, but I can furnish you with an affidavit of our book-keeper to the effect that this man received a Theatre Film Service Company bill, on which was plainly marked that these reels were leased for the period of one month. As to the veracity of this book-keeper, I would be pleased to refer you to Peter Bacigalupi & Son, representing the Edison Phonograph Company on the Coast,