The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-14

President Han johnson, of the West
bus Managers Chances Only Fair
-COmiskey Will Put In n Good
Word for Lotus With the st.
Louis Directors.
CHICAGO, March 13.-The Tribune Of
today says: Thomas LOTUS and Charlie
Comiskey. the owners. respectively, of
the Columbus and St. Paul teams of the
Western league, departed from Chicago
last night at 9:15 for st. Louis. to be
present at the sale of the ST. Louis club
tomorrow and make bid for the prop
erty.
They refused to tell what encourage
ment or encouragement they had re-
ceived and what their chances for buy
ing the team were. 1t is understood,
however, that LOTUS has large amount
of capital behind him and will bid
against the directors of the club and the
Brush-Robison faction until the limit is
attained How high they will bid they
would not tell. Comiskey, who for years
managed the ST. Louis club when it was
annually winning pennants In the Amer
lean association, went with the columbus
magnate to use his influence with the
directors and assist in the deal in other
ways.
The chances are, however, that the
Western league man will not be success
full unless he is willing to pay an eX-
crbitant price for the Browns. The d.
rectors have announced they have rails
ND will
resources are surpassed by some other
bid. LOTUS probably could outbid the
directors, but the fact remains that the
Brush Robson contingent Will, in all
probability, buy in the assets of the
Browns
1t has reached point where they must
buy the st. Louis club to save them
selves. A few years ago Frank Robson
was a rich man, but the failure of
man he had trusted almost broke him.
Since then the Cleveland club has been
operating at heavy loss. Last season.
It is said, Brush advanced Robson
large sum of money. Hence, the Clncln-
natl magnate's great interest III seeing
Robson secure the st. Louis club
At the last league meeting an attempt
was made to secure the franchise of st.
Louis without reconpense to the stock
holders, but it failed and now Robson
and Brush must outbid their cOmpet1-
tors and secure the club.
1t is a moral certainty that the other
magnates of the league desire Robson
to have the st. Louis club, and that they
are almost certain they will succeed is
evidenced by the steady and confident
preparations being made in the face OF
all statements to reduce the circuit by
dropping Cleveland and Baltimore. The
sale of Griffin and Clark by Baltimore
makes it seem certain Hanlon has assur-
ances that the reduction is to be accom-
pIished.
Speaking of the chances of Lotus Sc
curing the ST. Louis franchise at Tues
days sale, President Ban Johnson said
last night he dill not believe the chances
overly strong. but he added:
sit would be one of the best things that
ever happened TO base ball to have Tom
Lotus in ST. Louis. He IS a great man
ager. He took the weak Cleveland team,
and with scarcely a man to strengthen it.
he kept it in the lead of the race for four
months, and he has accomplished Won
ders in the Western league.
'If the league intends carrying twelve
clubs, even for short time, and then
dropping two. 1t will hurt the interest in
the game, unless a strong man gets hold
of st. Louis, and to keep two predeStined
tailenders in the race all year would hurt
the game Besides, Cleveland and Balti-
who is to stand the losses. Neither Won
der Horst nor Robson has money to
pay out on losing ventures.