The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-19
COMlSkEY WASJARRED
GIVES ANSWER TO THE BASEBALL
STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN
CIRCULATED
DISPUTES HARRIS STATEMENTS

Says He Hns Had No Idea of Accept
ing the Management of Any Ball
Team Since He Left Brush-Presi-
dent Johnson Adds That the Pub
lie Is Not Interested in the Pres
emit Baseball Controversy.
CHICAGO, jan 1S.-President Johnson
and Charles Comiskey. Of the American
Baseball league, absolutely denied the
statement made by James A. Hart that
the two were the authors of all the I'M
pleasant things that have lately been
published about the Chicago baseball
club.
Comiskey had expected to leave for
West Baden, but he decided to remain for
another day Comiskeys opinion Of Mr..
Hart was couched in emphatic language.
so I am the chief conspirator and am
accused of playing false to Tom LOTUS,
am II" he began. sNow wouldn't that
jar you? 1t does me, I can assure you.
Why I never dreamed of such a thing in
my life, and when Jim Hart says 1 ever
had such intentions he is smoking, that's
all.
81 am not laundering after jobs Of the
kind Hart has to offer. gave up base
ball Job once that paid moro than Hart
could pay to any two managers. and
then I was working for a white man.
left the employ of John T. Brush, and
asserted at the time that would not go
back as manager for anyone, and mean
to keep my word. If had ever dreamed
of getting the position that LOTUS Is
credited with having now, 1 must have
been crazy.
'cLoftus has always been my friend,
but if he sees fit to train with people that
circulate such tales about me, very we'll
It would pay Hart to look before he
leaps. He accuses Johnson and myself
of being authors of all those stories
which he alleges are ininlical to his in
terests. There is where he Is Off. L
can tell him if he is anxious to know
where the report originated that Lotus
was dissatisfied. It was told by one OF
Toms intimate friends, and as that man
has certainly no grudge against Hart,
there must be something in it. Some day
Lotus will find out whether we have
been trying to get his Job away from
him or not
PUBLIC NOT INTERESTED.
President Johnson was not anxious "
be drawn into the controversy. After
commenting on the absurdity Of the
charges, he gave out this statement:
at dislike very much to be drawn into
a baseball controversy which will serve
to nauseate the more patient and long
suffering public In justice to myself,
however, 1 cannot refrain from saying
that 1 have always studiously avoided
discussing publicly or privately Jim
Hart, his methods, or the Chicago base
ball club.
ct can assign no reason why should be
held accountable for a story industriously
circulated by an intimate friend of Tom
Lotus from Dubuque. 1t would seem
both wise and proper that Hart should
first determine from what source the
story originated before he recklessly as
sails individuals who have no interest
in him or the Chicago ball club. Hart
overdid the thing when he entered into
the cheap controversy with Arson. The
public Is not interested in the magnates,
but in the players and the game of base
ball.
The report that LOTUS would place the
Grand Rapids club in Philadelphia
neither johnson nor Comiskey was
ready to discuss. Johnson asserted that
LOTUS would be the proper man to see
about that The American League cir
cult, according to President Johnson
has not yet been made up, and he could
not speak for LOTUS