The United States of America, petitioner, v. Motion Picture Patents Company and others, defendants (1912)

8 ORIGINAL PETITION. Kalem Company, New York City, a New York corporation. George Kleine, Chicago, a large importer of films, representing nine foreign companies. Lubin Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a Pennsylvania corporation. George Melies Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., an Illinois corporation, an important importer of foreign films, and also a producer of American films. Pathe Freres, New York City (factory. Bound Brook, N. J.), a New Jersey corporation, an importer of films and an important producer of domestic films. Selig Polyscope Company, Chicago, an Illinois corporation. Vitagraph Company of America, Brooklyn, N. Y., a New York corporation. All these producers of positive moving-picture films were engaged in shipping and distributing their films throughout the United States to the rental exchanges of which, as stated above, there were between 125 and 150 in the country. These rental exchanges, in turn, distributed the films to the thousands of exhibitors, and in so doing were engaged in interstate commerce, as practically every rental exchange had many customers located in other States than the State in which the rental exchange was situated. At the time mentioned, and prior thereto, keen competition existed in the motion-picture business and commerce relating thereto. A theater owner or exhibitor was able to buy a projecting machine from the Biograph Company, the Armat Company or other manufacturers, and exhibit thereon the moving pictures of any manufacturer. He could buy foreign films imported by said Kleine or George Mehes Company, or American films from any one, or from all of the manufacturers of films above named. Interstate and foreign