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 #:
000434
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:
June 13, 2024
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1052 A. J. Clapham, Cross Examination. ness to be shipped. At the time, we had a list of the subjects, and could also furnish the price paid for these films, and the name of the party to whom the sale was made, but we were not asked for any further information along these lines. I would be entirely pleased to furnish you any information regarding the matter referred to in your letter, if you desire same, and all that I ask is that you afford me an opportunity to meet any charges that may be filed against this office. There is now being reported around through the state by Miles Bros., Manager Scearoni, and Turner & Dahnken, Manager Johnson, rumors to the effect that the license of the Theatre Film Service Company will be cancelled very soon. I can furnish you affidavits to this effect if you so desire, and enclose you herewith a letter from a licensed exhibitor, which will show you the sort of competition that I have in this field. Kindly return same for our files. I do not consider that the tactics adopted by these exchanges are at all honorable, and I do not feel that inasmuch as they are not able to compete with us along legitimate lines for business that they should adopt such unscrupulous methods for obtaining business. The fact that this office is growing is the best proof of our handling our business in a legitimate manner, and the class of customers which we are supplying is further proof of the matter. I did not intend to go into this matter so deeply when starting to answer your letter, but the fact that these com ditions are so interwoven seems to me to make it an opportune time to make these explanations. I trust that the above information will enable you to thoroughly understand this matter, and as I stated before, I stand ready to furnish you affidavits to the effect that these reels were not sold, but released, and that we are ready to replevin them, if you can advise us of their whereabouts. Yours very truly, THEATRE FILM SERVICE CO. Per A. J. Clapham. Enclosures. Rubber stamp: Received Feb. 16, 1910. Ansd. None F. H.