The Indianapolis journal., 1896-11-22
The Grand Rapids Franchise.

The Detroit Tribune has the following
concerning the sale of the Grand Rapids
franchise:
Did Deacon Ellis give the Western
League a cold hand when he pleaded SO
valiantly for a four years franchise ana
mates at the Victoria week ago! Thls Is
the question that is agitating the other
franchise holders now and they may enter
largely into the vote on the cnanSe. MOI
that there is a semblance of objection TO
Messrs. LeadIey and Glenalvin personally
for they are more valuable men to the
league than would Ellis be. but If the
Grand Rapids man had something up his
sleeve Comiskey, Killilea and van Der
beck will dance that old three-handed reel
in which every one takes KICK at the
aOn Thursday afternoon the Western
League in session gave Messrs. Ellis and
LOTUS one-year franchises apiece. Ellis
worked hard. as did also Lotus, and along
about 2 O'Clock Friday morning the league
voted four-year franchises to them. w. +.
when II was proposed but Comiskey poured
hot shot into him. Killilea took him over
the jumps ard Manning handed in few.
Ellis had made a strong plea and had told
what he would do if he knew he would be
protected. How he would make inroads
into the National League lists of young
bench warmers and have team at Grand
RAPIDS that would cause patrons to forget
the uselessness OF the gold bugs and the
yellow Jackets. LOTUS wanted four years
ArRue0
loose with considerable change if he knew
he had certainty and after all of this
the admission was practically forced down
the throat of Colt and Goodenow, the lat
ter being a sort of a silent partner in the
rebels camp.
Then the league has had no suspicious of
Ellis's desires to sell. In fact, he corralled
Mcfarland and Cassidy. tried to secure
other players and moved about like new
man. being on the scene early Friday
morni1g while the revelers who had given
him three additional years were clnging
TO their pillows. Had IL been known that
he was liable to sell the franchise ii may
be stated positively that the right for the
extra wears would never have been given
without the best assurances that Ellis's
successor had a knife in his belt for John
Il. Brush and a tomahawk for Goodenow.
''The question of sustaining the sale will
depend largely on the attitude of the pur-
chasers toward the big six, or the big five,
for Ellis's absence makes the combine one
shy. If il can be shown conclusively that
Messrs. Leadley and Glenalvin will join
a circle with Messrs. Van Detbeck, Killilea,
Manning. Comiskey and Lotus. all well
and good otherwise 'heraus NIT 'em. The
Western League clubs are bound by five
year agreement which is as solid as the
lated No club can change hands without
unanimous consent and in fact many
things are guided in the same way
Cincinnati Racing Season Over.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 21.-The long au-
tumn meeting of the Latonia Jockey Club
closed to-day the forty-fifth day. Consid-
ering the fact that Cincinnati has had
practically continuous racing since spring
the seven weeks just ended has been re-
markably successful. The attendance has
been surprisingly large. and the racing of
high character. perfectly managed and
free from scandal. Financially it has
proved the best meeting given about Gin
cinnati this year. The clubs officials, Sec
retary f. C. Hopper and Judges John ].
Carter. c. f. Mclean and l.. L. Tarton,
express the greatest satisfaction with the
season of perfectly clean sport. the best
fall meeting ever given in the West. There
were six races given to-day and there
were long prices against five winners.
Old Center. s TO l. Satsuma, 10 TO /: Zaldi-
var. TO l; Yellow Rose, 5 TO ], and Double
Dummy. 10 to / or better won. Talver
took the second at to 5. Rain began to
spoil the track before the third race. In
the steeplechase, the heavily backed favor
ite. Lawyer was carrieS around the first
Jump by Partisan and was unable to make
up the lost ground. Aristocrat looked a
winner. but fell at th1 last hurdle He
scrambled TO his feet and finished first
without rider. The finish in the last race
was one of the prettiest OF the meeting,
four heads apart on the post.
Big Billiard Tournament on.