Evening star., 1897-04-14
DOES II MEAN WARP
Eleven Clubs Oppose New York in the
Rusie Case.
PRESIDENT FREEDMAN WILL NOT YIELD
Mr.. Byne Hints at Throwing
Jonahs Overheard.
UNSATISFACTORY MEETING

Like the Stovey- -Bierbauer case, like the
Mike Kelly case, the Rusie case may
prove to be of far reaching Importance.
| The base ball magnates want 1t settled.
There are two reasons. They do not want
| the validity of the reserve rule and base
ball contracts tested in court, as they
would be If the Rusie suit at Trenton
comes to trial; then they realize that If
Rusie played in New York the Giants
would be greatly strengthened, its chances
for a good position would be improved,
the attendance would be increased and
all the league clubs would consequently
benefit. Therefore the magnates have been
comforting in New York over way Of
returning Rusie to base ball.
Prospects Of Compromise.
Today's New York Herald says: The
Rusie case is not yet compromised. but
| it may be that the big pitcher will rejoin
the New York club in a week or ten days.
The National League delegates who met
on Monday at the 5th Avenue Hotel were
reinforced yesterday by Reach and Rogers
OF Philadelphia Tney then went into ex-
ecutive session, and remained behind lock-
ed doors until Yearly o'clock.
1t was announced that Hart and Robi-
son during a recent visit to Indianapolis
and compromise was then and there
proposed. Rusie seemed not only willing.
but eager to return to the Giants, and
even declared that he would like to pitch
for the present team, but he demanded
some recompense for the loss of last sea-
suns salary. On account Of that Indianap-
oils conference the special meeting of all
the clubs was called for New York this
week.
No Compromise for Freedman.
Tbo GrSf hot be
tw elve clubs contribute pro rata amounts
enough to pay Rusie the sum of his 1885
salary. But Mr.. Freedman absolutely re-
fused to give u cent to such fund.- He
said: "Of course, / cannot control the acts
of the other eleven clubs, and they can do
for Rusie what they think best. but the
New York club has only one proposition
to lay before the meeting; Rusie must
sign $2.400 contract for 1897. If he will
do that and will give the club his very
best services, the club will restore him
to his 1895 $4,000 salary in 1S9S." The
New York's president then proceeded to
make such a strong statement of his case
that the Baltimore. Philadelphia, Brook
lyn and Louisville clubs commended him
for his courage in the fight.
An Implied Threat.
One delegate suggested that unless the
New York club should meet the other dele
gates in a general plan of bringing Rusie
back into the fold it would be policy for
the eleven clubs to reconsider their Baiti-
more resolution to help Mr. Freedman in
defense of the injunction case now IN court.
Mr. Freedman unhesitatingly replied that
it was their privilege to retreat If they so
desired, but that the New York club would
then fight 1t out alone, II 1t took three
years to reach a final decision
After long interchange of opinions the
New York president withdrew. proposal
vas then made to leave the case in the
hands of N. e. Young, with full power TO
would controvert the New York clubs pol
icy. Objections We're made to that plan,
ard as there seemed to be no possibility of
reaching an agreement during the evening.
the meeting adjourned until today at II
o'clock. when a final attempt to settle the
interesting question will be made.
A Very Serious Fight.
The Journal says:
A very serious base ball fight has been
precipitated. and the New York club finds
itself sharply arrayed against It's eleven
co-partners in the National League. At
yesterdays meeting eleven clubs signifisd
their desire for a compromise of the Rusie
difficulty. thus avoiding suit at law.
President Freedman of the New York
club emphatically refused to be a party to
any compromise and insisted fighting
the Rusie case to the bitter end.
Having failed to induce New York's Off
cial to take their view Of the matter, the
other eleven clubs have decided to act In
the premises without New York's consent,
are will take steps to bring Rusie into the
| field before April 22, ard thus prevent the
legal controversy now pending in the
United States court at Trenton.
Should the New York club continue its
policy Of opposition to the wishes OF the
eleven organizations the consequences will
be serious, several magnates stated that
they would not permit one of twelve clubs
to dictate to all the others.
After President Freedman's withdrawal,
fhar tnc f0r che
| time and then adjourned till this morning
at IL clock. when they will resume consid-
Grafton o. the important question.
talked as follows:
The situation is just this: Eleven clubs
of the league have reached the conclusion
that compromise of the Rusie case is the
best for all concerned We have tried to
impress upon the president of the New
York club that the suggestion We make is
rot only for his good, but also for the good
Of his eleven partners in the National
League. We claim that in a partnership of
this sort eleven members Of the firm have
perfect right to ask the twelfth member
| concerned. Mr.. Freedman will not accept
that view of the case, and insists on going
his way regardless of the wishes of his
eleven associates.
Now the question comes to poin. where
we must decide whether one member of a
company of twelve is to override the wish
es of the majority"
fastening n Base Boil War.
The World says: 1t is much to be feared
that President Freedmans stand in the
matter will lead to most unpleasant re-
suits. President Byrne Of the Brooklyn
club was in an angry and disgusted frame
of mind after the adjournment and said
significantly:
I'VE will meet tomorrow and see IL eleven
men are to be controlled by one We have
been twenty-five years building up the na-.
tional game to its present high standard
and VIII not tolerate latter-day Samson
to come in TO pull down the pillars of the
structure and destroy us in the ruins"
What does that mean, Mr. Byrne?' was