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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 #:
000352
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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2802 Henry R. Slocum, Direct Examination. was receiving more film than the Western for the reason that their rentals were higher, and they were able to carry a more complete program. The average purchases of the Western at that time were from 12 to 15 reels weekly, and the purchases of the O. T. Crawford Exchange ran from 18 to 21 reels a week as I recall it now." Does that refresh your memory as to what the O. T. Crawford Exchange was purchasing? A. Yes, sir. Q. And your answer is — A. From 18 to 21 reels I would say was about the average. Q. And did you know at that time, what the Western Film Exchange were receiving? A. Well, I knew they were not buying as many reels as we were buying, because we were doing a larger business, and required more. I would say they were buying 12 or 15 reels. Five or 6 reels less than our exchange. Q. In 1910, prior to the cancellation of the licenses of the O. T. Crawford Film Exchange and of the Wrestern Film Exchange, were the relations between those two exchanges friendly or unfriendly? A. Oh, very friendly. Q. Who was the manager of the Western Film Exchange at that time? A. Mr. J. C. Graham. Q. On cross examination of Mr. J. C. Graham in this case, at page 1239, Vol. II of the record, he was asked this question : "Did you occupy most of your time in the affairs of this one, of which you were officially manager? A. Most of my time, yes. I represented 75% of the stock in the Crawford Exchange. Q. That wras the WTestern Film Exchange? A. The one that I was manager of, yes. I represented 75% of the stock of the Crawford Exchange, consequently, was in direct touch with their business operations." Did you know at that time that there was a more or less community of interest between the O. T. Crawford Film Exchange Company and the Western Film Exchange? A. Yes, sir. Q, At that time, Mr. Slocum, was there any interchange of reels of film between the O. T. Crawford Film Exchange Company and the Western Film Exchange Company, to satisfy the demands of the programs of the two exchanges? A. Yes, they changed reels — they would get a reel from us, and we would get one from them, and so on; to complete their programs.