Evening star., 1901-07-27
Charged by Magnates With Work
ing for National League
ORIOLES MAY JUMP AMERICAN
Manager Manning Approached,
but Spurned the Offers.
FIRM WORD S

A startling report was wired from Chica-
go last night purporting to give the details
of a plot to wreck the American League
and placing Manager McGraw of the Bal
timore club at the head of the. schemers-
Frank Hough. who was the agent of the
American League in the east last winter
during the expansion legislation. wires the
Philadelphia Inquirer from Chicago as fol-
lows:
The American League nnagnates charge
that they have Benedict Arnold In their
camp, who is dickering with John T. Brush
or other National League magnates to be-
tray them They say that this man Is
John McGraw, and that he has been con-
ducting negotiations with the National
League representatives with the object Of
jumping to the National League at the
close of the present season, and that an
emissary of his has approached James
Manning Of the Washington club and Geo.
I. Staliings, manager and q stockholder
in the Detroit club
The scheme, as outlined by American
League magnateS converSant with the Situ-
alton, is this:
The Aim of the National League.
The National League Is anxious that this
fall. when it reorganizes, to go back to a
twelve-club basis.
They count on McGraw and the Balti-
more club, they have figured on Washing
ton. which IS the crucial point in the ne
gotiations, and will complete their circuit
with Detroit and Indianapolis.
President johnson of the American
League is fsff1y conversant with the de-
tails of the scheme. and yesterday dis
cussed 1t at length. He said:
You may quote me saying that I
don't care how quick the Baltimore club
takes its bag and baggage and goes over
to the National League. We don't want
any Benedict Arnolds in our camp. We
know what has been going on, and we are
prepared for any move
The negotiations are said to have been
carried on through a Baltimore newspaper
man, who. it is asserted. has been acting
as agent for McGraw. but he made mis-
take when he approached Manning and
Stallings. as they turned down the sug-
geStions al once. being thoroughly loyal to
the American League, and considered it
In the nature OF an insult to be even ap-
preached on the subject.
President Johnson said he understood a
meeting was to have been held with Brush
on July II.
What Manning Says.
Manning is here with the Washington
club. and yesterday morning admitted hav-
ing been approached He was non-commit-
tal except to vehemently assert that he
was heart and soul with the American
League. and that If he wanted to quit the
business his associates, who have been
with him for years and have ALWAYS been
fair and square with him, would be first
notified and allowed to negotiate the mat
ter, so that there might be no inconyeni-
ence for them, but Manning declares he is
In the American League to stay and that
no Vaccinations of McGraw or anybody
else could possibly win away his allegiance.
DO not Know whether you could ex-
aetly call it being approached he said
but the man who talked to me hinted
around, and suppose could have learned
more If | had stopped to listen or asked
questions. but l shut him OF right quick.
You know exactly where 1 stand -
feeler was held out to Stallings also
and both these men reported to headauar-
ters. President Johnson has known for
some time that there was something doing
at Baltimore.
Il have known that there was some sort
OF negotiations going on for some time, but
L thought they might just as well be given
enough rope to naag themselves We are
positive it is McGraw and also feel sure
that he is alone in his work"
To Bring BrookIyns Here.
That Manning turned them down so cold
ly frustrated the scheme In great part
for 1t was the intention Of the National
League. it is said. to switch the BROOKLYN
club to Washington, and thus accede to
the demands of Freedman. who insists that
the Brooklyn club must go
Washington Is .he most critical point In
the whole scheme, and the National League
may even be forced to go into Washington
In opposition to he present Senator's If it
carries out it's plans
Detroit and indianapolis would be taken
to I'LL out the circuit.
The National Leaguers figured that Burns
was hostile TO Johnson, and would welcome
chance to administer crushing blow
McGraw's Move Anticipated.
The American League has been busy an
ticipatinQ Mc(.r3U moya tie fo~,a.
are all fixed President Johnson says:
I'VE have demonstrated that we couJd
get all the financial backing that we pos
sibly needed. We have shown that we can
get the players and that we can conduct
the game on the right basis and give the
base ball public cleaner and better base
ball than they ever had before. and con- j.
sequently we have not the slightest fear
of any move like the one under discussion
The Baltimore club. represented by Nc
Graw. Is sore because President johnson
suspended McGraw for rowdy playing The
Jennings incident widened the breach be-
tween Johnson and the Baltimore club
and after that President Johnson said he
thought he had a line on the sort of
man McGraw was, and that he was done
with him. He now unhesitatingly declares
that McGraw can go and quickly as
he want to. The American League has it's
eye on Mugsy. and Is backing President
Johnson solidly.
McGraw as Engineer.
They are positive McGraw Is engineering
the present dicker with the National
League. although Mugsy has tried to
keep himself In .he background. The whole
agitation. they assert. comes direct from
Baltimore. They say McGraw may come
forward and disayow the negotiations car
ried by his agent, but that they are
sure of their ground and are fortified.
Where They Play Today.
Washington at Milwau ukees
Baltimore at Detroit.
Boston at Chicago.
Philadelphia at Cleveland
American League Clubs Standing.
W. l.. Pet. w T., Pet