Evening journal., 1894-07-07
W. S. HILLES HITS BACK
He Explains Why He Refused
to Sign William Michael Byrne.
FAD NO RECORD ASA BALL PLAYER
Byrne Has Selected Iiis Team and is Pre-
pared to Meet the Bankers aud Brokers,
Hrloness Barristers or Any Club out
side Of the National League.

side Of the National League.
The legal fraternity Of this city is In a
state Of great excitement. Injuuctions,
capiases, writs OF mandamas, scire facias,
renditlon e~T1nas and levari faclas are
secondary matters. The great Question
Is, what lawyers shall constitute the
baseball nine to play the bankers aud
brokers'.
William Michae' Byrne and William S.
Hilles remain at loggerheads and there Is
no telling what legal steps they may
take to silence one another. This morn
ing an EVENING JOURNAL reporter called |
on Mr. Hilles and asked him n he read |
Mr. pyrne's anarchistic and abusive |
interview published yesterday. He
said.
"Yes; my attention was called to what |
purp)rts TO be an interview with vii. |
liam Michael Byrne on the game Of ball |
to be played on Thursday next between |
the lawyers and bankers. Anyone |
familiar with the situation will have no |
difficulty In understanding Mr.. Byrne's |
position, aud regret that cannot agree |
with Mr.. Bayard in his supposltion that
Mr.. Byrne's feeling In the matter
Is not due TO case Of swelled
head. When / was asked TO manage
the nine for the lawyers my 1rst duty
was u select players whom l thought
were competent to fll positions on the
nine. Scarcely had / undertaken the
matter before / was besieged by various
persons, members Of the bar and other
wise, all Of whom requested that VIII
liam Michael Byrne should be permitted
to play the most important position on
the team. So glowing indeed were the
accounts given by these gentlemen of
Mr. Byrne's prowess that, without any
hesitation whatever / placed Mr.. Byrne
as catcher on the nine, and
also had him marked as sub
stiiute for all Of the other positions.
Upon consulting some Of the members Of
the team some question was raised about
Mr. Byrnes ability TO play in the posi-
tion assigned him, or in fact at any place
on the field, and / thereupon began an
investigation into Mr.. Byrnes past
career as a baseball player | spoke TO
all OF the persons who had recommended
him so highly before and found that no
one Of them spoke from any personal
knowledge Of Mr.. Byrne's past, but in
tracing the matter back found
that in every case the investi-
CATION ended with what Mr..
Bryne had said himself about his own
ability In this direction. I also dis
covered that Mr. Byrne, when playing
ball as he called IL, had been in the
habit of using a tennis ball and broom
stick, but even in this capacity l could
find that he had made no phenomenal
record for himself. / Immediately went
TO Mr.. Byrne with this information, the
truth OF which he did Lot deny, stating
to him that under these circumstances
l could not assume the responsibility Of
giving him any position on the nine
Mr.. Bgrne did not deny the charges but
admitted them, and endeavored by per
suasion and appeals TO my pity to
secure the position Of water carrier for
the players, or az least that he might be
permitted to assume the roll Of mascot
and preside over the distribution OF the
bats to the players Upon my doubling
his capacity for either Of these positions,
he endeavored to bribe ms and offered
me almost anything that / would ask
II he might be allowed just to appear
among the players without taking any
further part In the game To this
consented, stating that the only price
asked would be the payment TO the Free
Bath Association of the sum Of $2j,
whereupon he expressed considerable
hesitation, and to the present time / have
not heard definitely as to what course Of
action he proposes to pursue.
81 have understood this morning that
he has organized nine gentlemen whom
he calls ball players, but with what
object / cannot understand, as he GER
tsinly does not propose to appear upon
the ball field to contest for the supremacy
with the gentlemen who have been
, named to me, who, whatever their
qualifications may be as lawyers,
and they are great, are GER
tainly not Of the athletic mold
which distinguishes one skilled in
athletic sports. On behalf OF the nine
however, l desire to accept any ohal
3 lenge that Mr.. Byrne has to propose. the
only condition being that the game shall
be played for some charity, and with Z
, real baseball and bat, and that bal
! caught on the FIRST bound shall not b'
out.
Personnel OF the Byrne Nine.
When Mr.. Byrne said yesterday that
he would organize club composed Of
8 lawyers and not briefsss barristers lhs
T meant It, He does not believe the
Brefless Barristers to be strong
enough to win For the credit of .th'
1 bar he has selected the following well
r known players to constitute his team tt
{ meet the bankers and brokers on JULY
. II:
Catchers, L9wis C. vandegritt ant
A Walter H. Hayes; pitchers, William s
J Prickett and Philip Q Churchmsn
short stop, Edwin r Cochran, Jr. first
base, William 7. Lyman; second base
George T. Brown; third base, William
j. NJ Byrne; left field, John p Nields
centre field. 7. Bayard Heiseli righ
field, Clifford James.
Mr. Nields, who is down TO play will
. the Briehess Barristers, will ask for hi
release Manager b rne says that will
3 such battery as he has the other sid
. will make but few hits. He expect
; fully 600 people TO see the game, ans
after that will be open TO challenge
from all comers.
= SPORTING NEWS NOTES.