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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 #:
000464
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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21)14 Anna S. Matthews, Direct Examination. Q. In what business are you engaged? A. I am engaged in the business of Supervisor of the Information Division of the Motion Picture Patents Company. Q. How long have you been the Supervisor of the Information Division of the Motion Picture Patents Company? A. Since the latter part of February, 1909. Q. What are the particular duties with which you are charged? A. The supervision of the records relating to the motion picture theatres in the United States. Q. By that do you mean you are in charge of those records? A. Yes, sir. Q. And that you supervise the amendments, corrections and changes in them? A. Yes, sir. Q. Does the Motion Picture Patents Company keep a complete list of the motion picture theatres in the United States? A. Yes, sir. Q. Is this the list used by the business management of the Motion Picture Patents Company in sending out circulars and announcements to the trade? A. Yes, sir. Q. Does this list embrace both the licensed and the unlicensed theatres? A. Yes, sir. Q. Is this list approximately accurate and complete? A. Yes, sir. Q. Does it contain all of the licensed theatres in the United States? A. Yes, sir. Q. If any motion picture theatres are missing from it, are they licensed or unlicensed theatres? A. Unlicensed. Q. During the period in which these lists have been in your care or supervision have you endeavored to correct them from time to time? A. Yes, sir. Q. How many times have you changed them since July 1st, 1910? A. Completely six times, and partially all the time. Q. And when you say "partially all the time" do you mean that you are constantly endeavoring to make the changes and corrections in them that the changes in the business warrant? A. Yes, as the information we receive, according to changes in ownerships, and so on. Q. Can you give us the dates of these complete checking periods? A. Yes, sir. Q. And what were they? A. October 31st, 1910; January 30th, 1911; July 3rd, 1911; December 18th, 1911; July 7th, 1912, and July 21st, 1913.