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)

Page scan 000544 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:
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 #:
000544
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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298G George K. Spoor, Direct Examination. Thereupon, GEORGE K. SPOOR, the next witness produced by the defendants, of lawful age, being first duly sworn by the Examiner, deposed as follows: Direct examination by Mr. Caldwell: Q. Where do you live? A. Chicago, Illinois. Q. You are one of the defendants in this case, are you? A. Yes, sir. Q. What connection have you with the defendant Essanay Film Manufacturing Company? A. I am the President of that company. Q. How long have you been the President of that company? A. Since 1907. Q. And that is a company engaged in the production of motion pictures, is it not? A. Yes, sir. Q. Prior to 1907 were you engaged in the film business in any of its phases? A. Yes, sir, I was in the exchange business and the exhibition business. Q. How long had you been in the exhibition business? A. Well, since 1895, the latter part of 1895. Q. By being in the exhibition business, do you mean the owning or leasing or operating of theatres? A. No. Q. Just what do you mean? A. I mean the furnishing of complete exhibitions to vaudeville theatres. I had a circuit of vaudeville theatres in which I furnished complete exhibitions, the operator, the machine, and the entire service. Q. Then you didn't commence the manufacturing or producing business until the year 1907? That is correct, is it? A. That is correct, yes. Q. Will you state the extent of the business which you did in 1907? A. We commenced in a small way, and would release a picture — Q. About what month was it that you commenced in 1907? A. I think about in May, May or June, and we released a picture of from five to seven hundred feet about once in ten days, or maybe once in two weeks. Q. And did you have a studio at that time? A. No, we did not have a studio at that time. We worked out on the street and in a lot. Q. Did you have any printing or developing plant? A. We had a small printing plant, and producing plant.