St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-03
DEATH TO THE REBELS
Eminent Lawyers Decide That
the League Reserve Rule
Is Binding.
Base Ball Players Must Adj
here to the Terms Of the
League.
The Courts Will Enjoin Them
From Perfecting the
Brotherhood.
This Is the Opinion Of Will
lam M. Evarts and His
Partners.

NEW YORK. Nov. 2.-There was a
lively meeting at the office of the Sport
ing Times to-day, between the directors
of the New York club and j. w. Spald-
ing, representing Chicago. The mon
eyed men of base ball are happy and
say that nail has been driven into
the brotherhood's coffin. John b. Day,
president of the New York club has
issued a card ITO the Press" He says:
Soon after the announcement in the pub
lie press that the Brotherhood OF Ball Play
ers CONTEMPLATED severing its connection
wife the National league, the New YORK club
received d communication from John l.
Rogers, counsel to the league. TO the effect
that the league clubs had an option on the
services of such players as would De
reserved for the season next ensuing. DeSlr-
Ing confirmation of this opinion, the cup
applied to j. +. G. BlacEhurst VINO drafted
the contract adopted and now IN use DO
tween the league and the brotherhood, and
upon which MIR. Rogers based his opinion.
Mir. Blarkhurst rendered an opinion iui!y
supporting Mr.. Rogers position. Quite
recently an alleged opinion adverse TO that
of Mr. Rogers has appeared. Realizing that
the interests of both the clubs and the play
ers would be best conserved by thorough
understanding of the situation. and wishing
tn set at rest once and for all time
The legal questions involved, we in
structed our counsel TO lay the whole
matter before the eminent law firm OF Evarts,
Choate Il Beaman, and secure their opinion.
1t is The earnest wish of every officer of the
New York Base Ball cluD that the very pleas
ant relations now existing between the club
players may continue, ana the cluD Will
heartily join its players IN an
EFFORT TO HEAL THE BREACH
now existing between the league ana me
brotherhood, with a firm conviction that
such effort will result successfully. EVarts,
Choate Il Beaman, in their opinion, say:
1.-THE principles of law. which in our Opln-
len should govern the courts in deciding the
rights OF the parties under this contract are
the same as those that have been applied by
the courts in determining the obligations or
actors under their contracts with managers
of theaiers for g base ball club stands in the
same relation to bare ball players employed
BY it. that the manager of theater stands in
rel ZION 10 The actors employed Dy MIN, anu
there are many cases, as you know, III our
New York courts, where actors ana actress
es. while under contract with one manager,
have been enjOined from playing elsewhere.
If The base ball players reserved for the
season of 1897 by the New York Base Ball
club, under the contracts with them. snould
organize themselves into new cluD, ana
play rs members of that club, 1t would be O
violation of their contract with the New
York club just as much as IL they contracted
to Ilay with some club now existing. ana IN
either case we think that the courts ought to
enjoin them from playing with any club, ex-
cept the New York club"
LIVELY PROSPECT Of A FIGHT.
New YORK, Nov. 2.-There is alively
prospect of the Brotherhood and Ma
ti0nal League having a legal warfare
before the opening of the base ball
season next spring. Al johnson, the
Cleveland millionaire, FaatZ, Gore.
O'Day and Ward say the action of
President Day, of the New York club,
is a bluff. and that they have
able legal opinion to show that
the league can do nothing under the
reserve clause The brotherhood played
It's trump card tonight by showing a
lease signed by Postmaster Van Colt,
Col. ID. r. McAlpine and two wealthy
brokers, with the New York brother.
hood players, for ten years. use of
grounds adjoining the present league
grounds. 1t is stated that Mayor Grant
is one of the incorporates of the new
club, and that the backing of the club
represents S5,O00,0 600.