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 (1914)

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:
1914
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 5
Leaf #:
000200
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 21, 2023
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1 2050 Samueil E. Morris, Direct Examination. Thereupon SAMUEL E. MORRIS, the next witness produced by defendants, of lawful age, being first duly sworn by the Examiner, deposed as follows: Direct examination by Mr. Kingsley: Q. Where do you live? A. Cleveland, Ohio. Q. In what business are you engaged? A. Motion picture exhibiting business. Q. Do you own or operate a theatre here? A. I do. Q. Do you own or operate more than one? A. Not directly. I am interested in another. Q. Are you connected with the management of the other one? A. No, sir. Q. What theatre do you operate? A. The Home Theatre. Q. Where is that located? A. One hundred and fifth and Superior. Q. How large a theatre is it? A. Six hundred seats. Q. How long have you had it? A. Over four years. Q. Were you in the motion picture business before you took the Home Theatre? A. Yes, sir. Q. Where were you located then? A. Pittsburgh. Q. What theatre did you operate in Pittsburgh? A. The Bronx. Q. What service have you been using for the past four years in the Home Theatre? A. The General Film, that is the licensed service. Q. During all that time were you taking your service from the General Film Company, or part of the time from the General Film Company and some other exchange? A. The Lake Shore. Q. Were you taking your service from the Lake Shore Film Exchange when you first began to operate the Home Theatre? A. Yes, sir. Q. Did you subsequently take service from the General Film Company? A. Yes, sir. Q. Was the property of the Lake Shore Film Exchange purchased by the General Film Company? A. I don't know. Not that I know of. Q. Did you change from the Lake Shore Film Exchange to the General Film Company? A. Yes, I changed (lie service.