The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-25
Wards A FREE MAN
HIS sHACxLEs BROKEN by THE
NATIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE.
New National Agreement of Impor-
ed by the Magnates Yesterday.

NEW YORK. Feb. 2a-The annual sched-
League representatives was begun at the
Fifth-avenue Hotel here to-day. AS in
former years. there was quite large num-
Der of baseball men in attendance, including
presidents, managers and players. There
were many rumors to the effect THAT the
spring session this year would be a very
lively one. but the first days session passed
off very quietly. Among the most promi-
nent baseball men who put in an appearance
were Messrs. A. H. Soden and w. IL. Con-
nant, of Boston; A. j. Reach and John l..
Rogers, OF Philadelphia: ]. Earle Wagner,
of Washington; Edward Hanlon and II. r.
vonderhorst, of Baltimore; d. r.. Kerr, in
the absence OF ]. ]. Kerr, of PittSburg;
James A. Hart, of Chicago; F. De Hass
Robson. of Cleveland; John T. Brush. Of
Indianapolis and Cincinnati; DR.. T. H..
Stuckey. of Louisville; Andrew Freedman
and ]. w. Spaulding of New York. and c.
Fl. Byrne and Il. A. Abel, of Brooklyn.
President Won der Abe. of st. Louis, was
unable to be present through illness. but
ne was represented at the meeting by mis-
lawyer, Mr.. w. NJ Heel.
A great many OF the prominent players
crowded the corridors during the day. where
they hobnobbed and talked business for
hours at a stretch. Ex-Captain and Manager
John NJ. Ward was early on hand. and, with
the exception OF the time he was in the
meeting room, he was surrounded by his
many friends in and out of the profession.
Capt. Baby" Arson was among the. alb
sentees. and the fact was noted by nearly
every one who mad an interest I'm the game.
This was the first time in years that Anson
had missed a spring meeting in TINS city
In the forenoon the national noard' S %dicn
Is composed of Messrs. Young, Solen,
Byrne and Brush. entered parlor r, and as
soon as President Young called the meeting
to order taey took up the case OF John
Montgomery Ward, who petitioned for the
removal of the reservation wnicn the New
York club management claimed 1t was en-
titled to. Both ex-Captain ward ana Pres-
board and examined at great lengtn. After
they had left the room the stenosrapher
notes We're read to the board, and after
celebrating for over three hours, the mem
bers voted unanimously in Wards favor,
declaring at the same time that ne n&d
been illegally reserved Cor the season OIL $50 $50
by reason OF Che fact that ne was not unier
contract with the New York CLUB Tor the
season of 1895, and did not refuse to sign a
contract with said club Tor sald season
He was. therefore, released from reserva-
ton under the provisions or sec. OF the
national agreement. In the case OF Elper-
field. whom the Montgomery and Dallas
TO Chairman Young, with power TO settle ~
i'm accordance with the evidence. The board
then adjourned until o'clock tonight
The regular League meeting was tnen
called to order and remained in session
until o'clock behind closed doors. WheE
the delegates adjourned the secretary stated
that the entire time of the session had been
taken up in the adoption OF a new nauonal
agreement. The material changes made
from the one in vogue are as follows:
The national board will in future De calico
the National Board of Arbitration and its
membership increased from four 10 nve.
The board shall determine the classifcauon
of the clubs which apply for protection and
classification under the national agreement
i'm proportion to the population ION the basis
of the last census) OF the cities where they
are located, or where there are two or more
large cities the aggregate OF the population
will be considered. There Will be SIX grades,
namely, A, Il, G, d, Z and +, and the ices
including right or reservation Ior eacH ci sao
and $lO respectively. The limitation FOR the
selection of players from A TO Il, and so
on down. will be from Oct to Jan: l: Inc Inc
500; ID, 800; f, SIS; +, $50.
Clubs are forbidden 10 negotiate with
a player in a minor club during the season,
without notifying the club to which the
Applications for membership must be made
annually, as membership will cease at the
end of each season.
Any club a member of any minor league
a party to this agreements who snail enter
into any negotiations TO become a MEMBER
or cooperate with any organization whose
existence will in any manner conflict with
the letter and spirit of this agreement; 10, or
under it, shall forthwith forfeit all rights
and privileges conferred by this agreement,
said forfeiture to include its membership In
any association a party 10 THIS agreement
and all rights or reservations or players
The penalty here imposed shall be positive
and final and shall not be revoked unless
of
upon appeal-by n three-fourths vote or
the major league. This also applies to man.
ayers and players.
The national board resumed its session at
40 o'clock tonight in order to get through
with the business which 1t has to discuss
and pass upon as quickly as possible. Inc
schedule for the coming season, 1t is under
stood, will be adopted some time tomorrow,
but in all probability 1t will not be given
out for publication until a late. hour to-
morrow evening. There was STRONG rep.
to-day, and it Is expected that the magnates
will have some trouble in satisfying the
minor league presidents. VINO clam they
suffer from a number of uncalled-for Sriev-
ances and hardships from the hands or the
major body.
During the meeting of the magnates this
evening a session was held in an adjoining
parlor of the hotel for the purpose OF Or
ganizing the minor leayues. The following
representatives We're present: ln ltth,a,,
Western League President Ban Johnson,
Cincinnati; Western association, President
T. j. Hickey, st. Joseph. Mo-: New England
Eastern League President p. i. Powers. Jer-
sey City: Pennsylvania State League, Presi-
dent Frank Hough, Philadelphia; Atlantic
League, President Samuel Crane, New YORK
T. J. Hickey acted as chairman and Frank
Hough as secretary. The meeting adj
iourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning,
when a paper will be prepared in which will
be set forth the grievances of the minor
leagues, and IL will be presented TO the
National League meeting tomorrow.
The national board adjourned at III.
o'clock tonight The members said that
nothing of public Importance was transact
ed. and that the only business considered
was in reference to some of the minor
leagues. The meeting of the representa-
tives of the National League VIII be re-
sumed at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Thinks There Is "a Regular Traffic.
Lillian Roe, alias May, and Katie Cross,
al Ia for