The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-03-24
RUsIE'S CASE
PRESIDENT FREEDMAN SAYS THE
PITCHERS BLUFF WILL NOT HOLD,
Eut an Indianapolis Lawyer Finds
Some Weak Points I'm h Nation
al agreement.

President Freedman, of The New York
club. returned from the South last Saturday.
When asked for the clubs position in regard
to Rusie. he said: THE clubs position as
to Rusie is unchanged emphasizing each
word by a tap Of his clenched fist on his
knee. THE two-hundred-dollar fine will not
be RENTED and Rusle must play ball this
season for s.. 400 or not at all. Last year his
conduct was that of a loafer and a drunk
ard, and he disgraced and d~isorganized the
whole team. He was signed last year for
$1,000 sum greater than that received by
any other pitcher in the country: If he had
got what he deserved, he would not have
had a dollar to put in his pocket.
'Rusie has bluffed the New York club
long enough, and the time has now come
for him to realize that he must either accept
our terms and give us a run for our money
or get out Of the business. This is final"
0. p. Caylor telegraphed the following to
the New York Herald last week. after Wis
iting Rusie here:
Amos Rusie and his father undoubtedly
realized to-day that they have been badly
coached. Rusie the elder called on me this
morning and admitted that If anybody had
wora OF concession prior to the first Of this
week Amos would now be enrolled as a
are Gian nndes smasti ngs under aas what they allege
apparent indifference of the New York club,
they were prevailed upon last Monday to see
a LAWYER. The result was, of course, that
the lawyer precipitated matters.
The attorneys advice was to sue for the
recovery of the $500. Then he dipped into
the national agreement and discovered that
under Section 10 the national board is IT,
structed to release any player from contract
or reservation whose salary Is shown to be
In arrears and unpaid fifteen days after it
falls dino Mn r~ an that
Ru5ie's, fines were not legally assessed.
drew the conclusion when the club kept
that 500 back upon the final installment of
Amos's last seasons salary being paid, it
was in default, and that therefore the
board must grant Rusie's release.
The lawyer points to the sixth clause of
the payer be guilty of excessive indulgence
ofrense. $50 for the second, 500 for the
punished only by suspension without pay
for the balance of the season., also that
the punishment for indifferent playing is
not a fine, but suspension.
Now the claim is that Rusie was never
fined until that Sl00 was slapped on at Balti-
more at the first crack and such a fine by
r mo ' mors OF th ane eS ssa' if '0 IT h naYe been been
deserved; that there is no provision in the
contract for any fine for alleged indifferent
penalty. Therefore. they argue at least SIS
Of the 500 was Illegally withheld and there
by Rusie must be released by the board.
NJ Rusie declares that he has not seen
Brush since last November, but he does
not say that the lawyer in the case is not
Brush's attorney. Of course, IL the board
would release Rusie under a technically
Brush would get him for his Cincinnati
club. / tried to convince both father and
son that the board would not dare put such
agreement, because 1t would virtually de-
stroy the reserve rule and at the same time
take away all chance to discipline ball
players.
The elder Rusie finally agreed that II IT.
win or Mr.. Freedman would come to Indian
apolis and talk the matter over the club and
Amos could doubtless come to an agreement
But he declared that IL the clubs policy was
Amos would not play a game OF ball in New
York city again. Both the pitcher and his
father were cool and dispassionate in their
discussion Of the subject. They state en-
phatically that neither had said one WORD
for publication all winter, although reporters
had frequently called to ask for a statement
OF his case. Every quotation made in other
cities OF alleged utterances by either were
entirely false. tftsg p
Amos says IL he cannot prove conclusively
IL given a chance. that he was u~njustly fined
he will willingly submit and sign a New
York contract. He further says that whether
ne plays in New York or with the Sunday
local club here. he will not touch a drop :
liquor during the year. He IS very bitter
against those who were his false friends last
year and who were making him their scape-
goat. / have given the Rusie side Of the
case. and have reason to believe that he and
ing was arranged between him and an au'
thorized official of the Giants. Those who
know Mr.. Freedman realize how hard he Is
to move, II convinced that. he is in the right
when assured that he has been mlsled.