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 000363 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 4
Leaf #:
000363
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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ALBEIIT J. GlLLIGIIAM, DIRECT EXAMINATION. 2213 Q. And how many do the Universal? A. The Universal, 120. Q. Do you know to what extent theatres in your territory are served by other branches of the General Film Company? A. There are 170 theatres that are furnished by the Universal, the Mutual, and the General Film Company. That leaves 80 theatres, and out of the 80 theatres, I was informed by our Chicago manager yesterday, Mr. Van Konkel, that they were not furnishing over — Mr. Grosvenor: I object to this witness stating what he was informed by another employee of the General Film Company, and giving that information, as an improper statement. The Witness: I had no other way of securing that information, and I was requested by the General Film Company to get up a list of the number of theatres in my territory; so as to be accurate on it, I asked Mr. Van Ronkel for that information, and he informed me that we were not furnishing over 30. That, therefore, left 50 for the independents. By Mr. Caldwell: Q. What is the character of this competition that you are having with the Mutual and the Universal exchanges, and the special features? A. It is stronger than ever it was in the history of the business. Q. Has it been the practice in your territory that you would take customers from them and they would take customers from you, back and forth? A. Yes, sir; day and night. Q. And how long has that continued? A. Ever since they have been in business, the competition is very pronounced. They are out after our business. We are out after their business. They keep a representative or traveling man out, and we keep a man out. Each one of these companies, from each of these offices, has got a man out. Q. Now, when you say there are 550 theatres, motion picture theatres, in your territory, how do you get at those figures? A. I got that list through some information from