The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-14
CIRCUIT OF TEN CLUBS.
,r.eUB NEW PULLING THE WIRES TO
BRING THIS AB0UE

bsssbal men adjourned at about IL O'Clock
>, meet to-day. The rowdy baseball ques-
ten aid not come MP for discussion. as the
O. Louis Club vranGla ceupted the atten-
Non OF the club ownsr ell day. Indica-
,,rs now Point TO q reduction OF the circuit
m ten clubs. and possibly eight. before
naxt aauson begins. The magnafes believe
that this move Is absolutely necsssary for the
.alvaaou OF the game. While no definite action
has been taken. the situation looks like the
purchase d the Louisville Club BY the League
ana the advent OF Robison's Cleveland team
INTO st. Louis.
Il vas one long series OF mysterious COZ
farences. with few. II any. official announce
msuts. Nobody. however. denied that the time
.pepc was in relation 70 the muddle in st. Louis
between Chris Won der Abe and b s. Muckeu-
fuss. When the Board OF Directors convened
AZ 10 o'clock in the morning Won der Abe
and Nuckenfuss we're on hand with attorneys
and bundles OF legal documents. Von der Abe
net forth that he. as President OF the SC. Louis
Baseball Association. was the possessor OF u
Ianeue franchise which he had legally received
In 1891 at the Indianapolis meeting when the
tvelve-cluo league was first organized. He
argued that he could not be deprived OF that
franchise without q unanimous vote Of the
League. Muckenfuss broke In with the state
ment that he had been appointed receiver By
the courts and was IN possession OF the st.
Louis Sportsman's Park and Club, under the
jurisdiction OF which the ball games IN that
city we're played last season. Like Won der
Abe, he demanded the exclusive right to repre-
sent St. Louis. and was so persistent that the
board not only threw up their hands. but also
adjourned. leaving the ENHANCEMENT to the
League to be solved.
The magnates did not 60 into session until
nearly 4 o'clock They did . lot Of lobbying In
the corridors and tried to figure out . way 10
smooth the Won der Ahe-Muekenfuss row over.
Underneath it all was q deeply laid scheme.
which was also talked over In whispers.
The ~nagnates. realizing that the twelve
club League is too eumbersome. thought
they saw an opportunity to reduce the circuit.
According to the original plan framed by
the leaders in The moysmsnt. it vas thought
Robson miaht secure the Sc. Louis. fran
the other three cities might be Induced to get
out, VonterhorSt. with his Baltimore team,
ttnore and Brooklyn ends. Louisvflle's club.
having been a loser every year since te got into
at stipulated price. That made it necessary to
get rio, OF another club in the West. 50 that .
mateiy an eiGht-cinb league In view.
Those who say they know what was in the
minds OF the maGnates declare that when
llub by the court IL was part OF a plan to throw
Won der Abe out Muckenfuss. as receiver. could
S D. Ss, hrs % u AR and 1.-The the L eoI;11 "a. atts hs g q the ne
team into ST. Louis. Hart of Chicago. Brush
Of Cincinnati and Robson were reported to be
the ones engineering the movement. and when
the League went into session yesterday these
men were closely watched. Both Won der Abe
pasred Safore The t EgEs nGS d eIe ata en'' Sp-
Boston, 4 q. Soden: BrooLIyn; c.H Ehhsts. 2 A.
York, John 3. Day. aishough sodsn held FrssdmanIs
proxy for the meeting only; Philadelphia. A. j.
asalan and f. r. Eoaaerhorsi: Washisssoa. ].
Earl Wagner; Chicago, James A Hart; Cincinnati.
PS;s.arra ". v. Herr Ioaiavtfie. b. Puiiism.
Charles behler and barney Drryfas, and the Prsat-
dent or the League, ". Z Young.
Won der Abe was accompanied by his attor-
bis snssa he said that be was the owner q =
receissr. ka4 possession Of the Old bal sroSnds
known as Sportsmen's Park. As President
ball Association, Won der Abe said that he
bad backing for S10O.0O0. was in touch with
two street railroad companies, and was pre-
Formed the magnates thar he had oDensd neeo-
tiatiens with Adrian C. Arson to manage the
by stating that If the League attempted to take
Muckenflss he would Immediately apply to the
NH-Ls III 1A AA5
Nuckenfuss was then called He began by
saying thar he was formerly the President OF
the 1T. Louis Club. and that when the financial
status Of the organization, became tanGted he
was appointed receiver. BY the courts He
T aysPrea that the Board OF p IT,, Of the club,
dency and elected Won der Abe. He further
showed that the directors had no authority.
a ai5ss 4 a1 cali fo Rss ias9ed Ab bq 6 5iRnlaTf as % p Tsfe
draL and that as be had not called q meeting
tlllsE. TnHrRT1FR RFRlHAd thar hA VIA hGNh
RESIDENT and %reeeiver OF the club and was en-
ntled 70 recognition.
Etetto % ont OF the star chamber. As soon as
thpylett. Robson showsd what was In the wind
81 nakiPg a motion that Hart: Brush and
1 q dispute between the So. Louis belIigerents.
There was a strong protest from the Chair
Aates finally voted Robson down and began to
Tst9hnslder the ease az a com mittee Of the whole:
H. lne ,srr w 4 believed thai Won dsr Abe shogIIt
htts or Brooklyn made n strong plea IN Won der
An AM ; ,agor He was openly opposed by Roht-
ahIlous 70 get into that city. Rogers OF Phila-
ur'phia was asked for a legal opinion, and he
Sops1 Eas ia sE3 a a0d l. n pessa iEiiSf IN Gns nine sH ciab :
Eng "a tayor OF recognizing Muckenfuss and
The clubs voting for Chris were Brooklyn and
palTlinore. They wanted him to stay in st.
m5GIS % that the twelve-club circuit could re-
llsS was the choice he would turn over the fran
sShtse to Cleveland, and eventually Brooklyn and
ia tnore would be asked to withdraw from the
yTfeuIf, top One OF the delegates said that
'Cn lier Ahe was prepared To immediately
sh-oln the League II Muckenfuss got the fran
Gn.sr ahI a motion was made that the . to 2
we % rescinded. so that Chris could have no
nahglote evidence to work upon- The motion
vac carried and o committee Of two. Abel
VI brooklyn and Vouderhorst Of Baltimore.
sE appointed to try 20 bring Won
WWF Ahe and Muckenfuss To terms.
me after was closeted with ii nine
aTieSates. Who voted for him. whiIa Won der
ahs Went oT into a corner Of the corridor with
AoeL anu Fondsrhorst. Thu upshot OF IL was
hlaG me maEnates informed Won der Abe that
I would nave to go back to St. Louia and tight
~ elHe IN the courts. Meanwhile il Waa an
ddpsn secret that the majority Of the
d~etsgat1s would work on Abel and Won
ssrnorst 50 that they might be brought
nound to-day perhaps, and thereby a unanl-
TT hus vote against You der Abe can be- secured.
U louisville men declared that they were
tssady 70 sell their franchise TO the League fr
1880 cash. but ir Is thought that they viii
y SlIIng % accept less when il comes to the
oonIS rms whole deal is characterized as one
~ most intricate cases of baseball politics
= tt1empted, and it Is liable to take ali winter
nitootrihg ~ ABOUT but those who are acting as
M say tnat IL viii 90 through.
snc meeting was interrupted about Z o'clock
sdoug an hour by q session OF the National
snaru Or Arbitration, which considered the
cAte OF EHfnhA. Tn.-,.A -