Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-02

Of St J0SephS society lo-HlSHl.
 Fourteen ball players, including Manager Davis, who will represent the New York club this season, reported for practice yesterday. and about five hours practice was had. The players on hand include Davis, Warner, Math- ewson, Benzinger, McGiffen, Doheny, Strang, Murphy, Buelow, Bernard, Van Haltren, Hickman, Selbach and Eos ter. Strang and Bernard arrived too late in the day to take part in the practice.
 Pitcher 'Rube, WaddeIl, who was recently sold by Pittsburg to the Bes- ton National league club, declares that he will not accept the deal and will remain with the Pittsburgs or accept an offer from the Chicago American league club has signed Pitcher Kellum who was with last years Indianapolis team. The Philadelphia Athletic of the American league will report te Manager Mack to-day The latter has secured Outfelder Ralph Seybold, who was with Cincinnati and Indiana polls last season and is crack young ster, Mack declares that PiteAvr Mat thewson of the New Yorks signed a
  accepted advance money.
 Still another scheme to kneci the American league sky high before the season opens has leaked out in the shape of the statement that Soden and Conant of the Boston National league club have made a cash offer of $15o, GOO to c. W. Somers. owner of the Boston American league club, to withdraw from the field and turn the Hunting ton avenue grounds oyer to them. 1t is also stated that Soden and Conant have promised, in addition to this cash bonus, a franchise in the Ma tional league next year possibly Phila- delphia. President Johnson of the American league says that the offer was made week ago and that Somers is the leading finacier in the American league, it is plain why the Boston peo- pie are after him. It is thought by them that $150,000 cash now is a cheaper bargain than at the. end Of the coming season, which, with the baseball war on, is bound to be disastrous.
 Joe Connor, one of the best ball players that this city has turned out, lGII lO-Quy IO ldhC OP HIS WI AN ANN ~ " fields. He will join Tommy Leahy at New Haven, and the two will make trip together to Milwaukee, where both will be used as catchers this season. Joe has been doing little training, but is yet not in playing form. He will get into trim within two weeks. and there is no doubt but what he will make good in the American league. He has all the requirements for a great ball player and his many friends in this city wish him every success. Joe last season played with Bridgeport and when this league closed he was given a trial with the Boston National league team. He was not given a fair trial, so Hugh Duffy said, and it was for that reason that Duffy came on to Waterbury looking for him for his Americah league team in Milwaukee. Many of Joe's friends were at the de pot to-day to wish him a prosperous season in the American league.
 The National league clubs have de- termined upon reprisal methods. They are trying to make their former play CTS, who have signed with the Ameri- can league jump back at any cost. Who originated the plan nobody seems to know, but it is nevertheless fact that wholesale raid on the American league talent is contemplated. The National men say they are prepared to outbid their rivals no matter how high the figures may go; that if the National league contract will not stand | in equity, the American league will not, either Therefore it is maintain ed that the best way to raid the American league is to take away its players whether they have signed con tracts or not. 1t is Known that the National league men have been work ing secretly on this scheme for sev' eral days and that they hope to be able to spring surprise soon with the announcement that majority of their old stars have been won back Tn short, the magnates do not believe that wholesale contract jumping will l influence the public to stay away from the games, but possibly they forget that baseball depends upon it's honesty and that players who have no regard for their signed pledges cannot be regarded as strictly honorable.
 The present competition for the ser yices of ball players has resulted 1T considerable trickery. Clubs senC agents about the country to tempt play CTS to jump contracts, and there i. much sharp practice. James D. Burns president of the Detroit club, employs summary methods in Iiseouraging Dir lacy. He heard that an agent of ths Cincinnati club was in Detroit witl the ayowed purpose of grabbing some of his players. Burns and Stallingi rounded up their players and took then to Ypsilanti for the day. This wal
 Monday. Tuesday morning, learning that the Cincinnati fellow was stil there. Burns declared that he would
 not be run out of town by any Brusl
 hireling. Hunting the fellow up at {
 hotel, he introduced himself and hi
 business in the following business Ian
 guage: "I'm Jimmie Burns. l don
 know as you ever saw me before, ant
 I don't care whether you did or not
 Perhaps you have heard of me, and i
 you have you know that what l sa.
 I'll do. Now, I've got gun down her
 in my pocket, and l give you fai
 warning, that if I catch you eyel
 speaking to one of my players I'll sent you back to Cincinnati. full of button . sTW