The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-10
Story About the Purchase of the
St. Louis Baseball Team.
Won DER ALB HARD UP
APPEALED TO JOHN t. BRUSH
FOR FINANCIAL AID.
That Is How Report Was Start
ed That Brush Was About to
Purchase the Browns = st. Louis
Down On It's Uppers In Baseball
Sporting News.

Indianapolis. Ind. Jan. 9.-Mr. John T.
Brush. being asked today by a represent
alive of the Associated Press if he, for
his own account or his friends. had pur-
chased the st. Louis baseball club, replied
that neither himself nor his friends had
bought that property. Being asked il
there was any prospects of such a pur-
chase by himself or his friends, he re-
piled, emphaticalIy, that there was none
Being further asked to explain his recent
visit to St. Louis and MIR. Won Der Abe S
visit to Indianapolis, he said:
Early in December Mr.. Won Der Ahe
appealed TO me for financial aid. Upon
his statement and showing l endeaVored
TO handle a loan that would place him
upon his feet again, but found it imDos-
sible and impracticable to do so. He then
offered the club for sale. secured Tor
him prospective purchaser in the firm
Of MeSSrs. Dickson az Talbot OF this city,
who were willing to buy his club If 1t
could be delivered to them free OF lncum-
brance at their price. MeSSrS. Dickson 81
Talbot while having no immediate ex
perience in baseball, are we'll qualified TO
succeed in this enterprise II they should
engage in it, as they are endowed with
the dual requisite, ability and money.
While it is true that a local syndicate has
long been organized in St. Louis to pur-
chase the franchise at figures which have
been made public, MesSrS. Dickson x Tai
bott have been in no sense competitors in
their negotiations. They have only en-
tered the field when invited to do so,
which has been on several occasions, and
have always retired whenever imDractic-
able barriers arose or conditions imposed
that rendered it impossible to continue ne
gotiations.
IN BAD STRAITS.
The financial affairs of the club are in
such condition that it is going to be
very difficult matter for any one to buy
and get clear and unincumbered title.
Suits, judgments, mortgages, claims
(known and unknown), makes it extreme
~ hazardous to buy, and the refusal of
Dickson & Talbot to longer consider the
matter is due to this fact
You are criticized in some quarters for
connection with this matter upon the
ground that you are buying the club on
your own account, and that Dickson &
Talbot do not represent the financial in
terest.''
Yes, L know. but that makes no differ
ence to me- since it is wholly and abso-
lutely untrue. l have an interest in the
welfare of the national league. My de-
sire to foster and promote its best wei
fare may not be any greater than that of
my partners in other league cities, but 1
do feel that 1t is equally as great.
ST LOUIS.
st. Louis has been the disappointment
of the present organization. Any change
that will ensure the redemption of St
Louis to its proper place in the front
ranks of baseball cities ought TO have
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS anu SuDDOAl VI CNCty
magnate in the national league. Any
thing that I may do within the lines of
legitimacy to accomplish this | will do,
regardless of the criticism of the few
whose stock in trade consists mainly of
jealousies and revenge. The national
league owes it to itself to furnish what
ever assistance it may, consistent with
propriety, in restoring ST Louis to some
thing like its former prestige on the base
ball map.
Mr.. Won Der Abe asked me for as
sistance; Messrs. Dickson & Talbot in
vited me TO aid them; my efforts have
simply been in the interests of both and
ultimately for the general good of the
national league