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 3
Leaf #:
000195
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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H. N. Marvin. Direct Examination. 1421 license? A. It is a copy of the letter and a copy of the acceptance. Mr. Kingsley: I offer it in evidence. Mr. Grosvenor: Same objection. The paper offered is received in evidence and marked "Defendants' Exhibit No. 95,r and is as follows : Defendants' Exhibit No. 95. (Copy.) July 23rd, 1910. Mr. Ferdinand Shoemaker, Physician Expert and S. D. A., Department of Interior, United States Indian Service, Crow Agency, Montana. Dear Sir: — Pursuant to the request of your Department as per your letter of the 2nd inst., for permission to use a motion picture camera "to carry on an educational campaign against tuberculosis and other infectious diseases among the Indians and employes of the Indian Service," this Company hereby grants such a license under the United States Patents owned by it, provided such pictures so taken shall not be sold or otherwise disposed of, or be used for giving public exhibitions thereof for pay, without special permission from this Company. And it is also understood that this license may be terminated by this Company at any time. If this proposed license is accepted under the foregoing terms, please have such acceptance noted by the proper officer on the enclosed copy, which is to be returned to this Company. Yours very truly, MOTION PICTURE PATENTS COMPANY, By George F. Scull, Secretarv. Wm.P/JK. The foregoing license is accepted. (Signature) JOSEPH A. MURPHY, Medical Supervisor, Indian Service. Date, August 1, 1910.