Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-01-11
WELL, WERE OUT.
Rock Island Ousted From the
Western Association.
RESULT OF AN OUTRAGEOUS DEAL.

President David Rowe Beheadsd and Other
! Concocted Plans Successfully Carried
Out-No Use for Pennant Winners-ro.
nights WRESTLING Match ut n.rper's
Theatre.
League Director John Ohlweiler
returned this morning from Des
Moines, where he attended the Janu-
airy meeting of the Western Base
Ball association held there Wednes-
day and Thursday. The meeting,
however. instead Of being conducted
in q legitimately business manner.
seemed to be dominated by an outra-
geously treacherous spirit, to which
Rock Island fell victim. In fact,
before it was realized that there was
any unfriendliness toward the local
association, the concocted plan to
freeze out the pennant winners had
been successfully consummated.
The first proceeding was to admit
st. Joe, which had been dropped at
the meeting in this city for non-pay-
ment of arrearages, this necessary
amount having been produced forth
with. and take in Rockford. This
made 10 clubs, aud some two towns
had to be dropped. In order to de-
feat Rowe for the presidency, w. w.
Kent. of the Jacksouvilles, which
was backed by Quincy, Peoria, lies
Moines and Lincoln, a majority of
the S-club league. succeeded in
admitting Rockford and St. Joe, but
only on condition that the latter
clubs representatives would assist
him In his scheme. A list of the
towns, previously prepared by the
Kent faction, which would con-
stitute the Western association for
the coming season. was then present.
ed. The names of Rock Island and
Sioux City, the pennant winners of
the two western clubs, were
erased, because, as was stated,
they were poor base ball towns,
which is arburd. A glance ut the
financial statement of last years
business shows Rock Islands stand
ing OH an equal footing with any of
the clubs, and far in advance of
either Jacksonville or Quincy. The
first knowledge of the trcnchery
directors presented the cut-and-
dried list and moved its adop-
ton. President Rowe and Director
Ohlweiler strenuously protested
against the adoption Of such q mo-
ton, but it was of no avail. This
much put up. the election of officers
was held. resulting with the desired
effect, w. w. Kent being elected
president, instead of Dave Rowe.
A Rank Outrage.
There is no reason why Rock Isl
and should have been omitted in IA
vor of Rockford, although the latter
is a good ball town, and it is appar-
ent on the face of it that the local
association has been made the victim
of rank conspiracy, and was SIM
ply beaten because it was not pre-
pared to cope with the underhanded
treacherous methods that were en-
ployod by those controlling the sit
uation. and this prompted by the
spirit of envy that has been felt at
the western end of the league owing to
Rock Island having won the pennant
furnished the ground for the plant |
which was finally carried out. There |
could be no more conclusive evil |
dence of the existence of the conspir-
acy than the re-admission Of St. Joe |
after the clubs suspension for nom
payment of dues as part OF q pur-
pose to drop city that had always
kept up its dues and standing.
As matter of fact Rock Island has |
contributed to the mainstay the back
bone and the brains of the associa-
ton. and as Secretary McHugh said
this morning, 1--WE would like to have
continued in the Western association, |
but as it is to be managed on the sort
OF principles that prcdominated at
Des Moines, we are glad we are not
in it. Business conducted along such
lines can never succeed"
Tonight's Wrestling Match.
Tonight at Harper's theatre will
occur the great wrestling match be-
tween Farmer" Martin. Burns, of
Big Rock, and d. II. Carroll. of Lon.
don, Canada. Both men have been
training hard for the event and
Burns stated this morning that he
was never in better condition than
he is today. He has been under the
best training he has ever had. and
Carroll is believed to be the best man
he has ever met. lie stands four
inches higher and is larger man in
all respects. lie is, too, in the pink
of condition, and has it in his favor
that he is not addicted to any bad
habits. He neither drinks nor uses
tobacco in any form, and is thor
oughly gentlcmanly fellow. There
are to bc three styles of wrestling in
troduced tonight. Cumberland,
catch-as-catch-can and Graeco-Ro-