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 #:
000331
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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Jacob Waknek, Direct Examination. 2781 Q. If you did what? A. If we changed the service and went to Kansas City or anywhere else. Q. Did you tell him that you contemplated going to Kansas City? A. Yes, sir. Q. And did this statement from Mr. Keller follow your statement that you intended to go to Kansas City for service? A. Yes, sir. Q. What was the house that he referred to? A. The Vaudette. Q. Did anything occur with respect to the service in the Vaudette house after you began to take service for your two branches from Kansas City? A. He carried out his threat and put in a change of program every night with first run. Q. Do you recall about what month it was when the Washington Theatre closed its doors? A. Somewhere in November, 1910, I think. Q. After the General Film Company began to operate an exchange in St. Louis, did you take service from it? A. Yes, sir. Q. For what theatre or theatres did you take service? A. The Lafayette. Q. After you began to take service from the General Film Company for your Lafayette Theatre, did you find it possible to keep clear from your immediate competitors? A. Oh, \(^. Q. Did you have any competition in 'that immediate vicinity? A. Yes. Q. What theatres were competing with you at that time? A. The McKinley Theatre, the Knickerbocker Theatre, and several small places. I don't remember their names. Q. Were all or any of these, licensed houses? A. Yes, sir. Q. How many of them were licensed houses, do yon recall? A. Those two that I speak of. Q. The two that you have named were licensed houses? A. Yes. Q. And did you have any conflict of program with those two houses after the General Film Company began to serve you? A. None whatever. Q. Do you know whether or not the General Film Company branch that was serving you was also serving the I wo houses that you have named? A. Yes, sir.