The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
HE IS DISGUISED.
DR.. Williams Makes an Official State
ment About Spies and Condi-
@s ton of Field.
The Robertson Case Reviewed-The
Northrop FeldIin Good Con-
dition, This Afternoon. sr

DR.. H. L. Williams, athletic director at
the state university, to-day made an Off
cial statement in regard to the condition
Of Northrop field and in regard to the
charges of Minnesota spies watching the
badger practice. The statement is self
explanatory. Dr.. Williams said:
Il mentirely disguised with Wiscon-
sins talks and interviews about Mime
sofa spies and with their croaking over
the condition of Northrop field
I'm regard to the spies, the whole thing
SINNERS right down to this: Dobie and
night to see Wisconsin play Northwest
ern. They went to the ticket office and
bought tickets as everybody else did, and
saw the game from the grandstand, just
as King and Yost saw our game with
Illinois. and as Assistant Coach Drain saw
our game here in Minneapolis the week
before we played Nebraska. IL.
This IS recognized as an honorable and
sportsmanlike enterprise and is always
done by the prominent colleges. No at.
tempt Is made at concealment, but on the
other hand, no official announcement of q
spectators presence is ever considered
necessary, unless 1t Is desired to ask fol-
side line privileges. Minnesota did not
care to ask for any privileges from Wis.
consin inasmuch as King had refused Min
nesota the courtesy of allowing me or
the side lines at the Michigan Wisconsin
game in Chicago.
AFTER the game, Robertson, with mis-
taken zeal, decided to remain over Mon.
day and see the regular practice. The
Wisconsin team practtced that day al
the golf grounds and Robertson started
to- walk out there. I have seen Robert.
son and questioned him closely about hi.
conduct and what happened, and these
are the facts. Robertson was walking
along country road toward the gol1
grounds and had not seen any one, mucl
less the Wisconsin team, when he turned
corner in the road and suddenly found
himself In the midst of some dozen and E
half Wisconsin guards, who at once sur
rounded him and stayed right with him
never leaving him until he left town
Robertson not only did not see the prac.
t1ce, but did not even see the Wisconsin
team until he was taken to them after
the practice.
Statements that Robertson said tina
ne was sent by Minnesota to spy upor
W1sconsin's secret practice are all lies
manufactured out Of whole cloth to which
his capture and subsequent Treatment
gives credence -.
All stories of Minnesota spies, attic
windows, etc., which I have seen in the
papers are nothing but bits. of yellow
Journalism without any truth or founda
ton whatsoever.
Field In Fair Shape.
In regard to the field, Fitzpatrick ant
one of the faculty members of the Wis
consin board Of control, came to Mime
apolts just after the Nebraska game to in
spect Northrop field, and expressed them
selves at the time as surprised to FIND
1T In such good condition, and " mucl
pleased with 1t, and said that they ,werl
entirely satisfied. Illinois, who were par
ticularly anxious for a. fast field, were en-
tirely satisfied with our grounds and sal,
that the conditions were exactly VIVA
they wished for.
ANY field is in bad condition after tw
days of rain, but believe that Northro
field will be in far better condition TO
the game to-day than a grass field woul
be under the same circumstances. !
grass field is Shiny and slippery when !
is water soaked, and little can be don
for It,. .,
1--WE now have twenty men at worl
on our field dishing up the water fror
the puddles. After that fifty cart load
Of sawdust will be dumped on and al
lowed to remain awhile to soak up a
much moisture as possible. After thai
scrapers will be put on and the mud an
sawdust all scraped to the side lines.
believe that Northrop field will be In bet
ter condition than any other gridiron r
the west to-day.
NA1IlllcSOld OeSlIcS d Oiy ana. 1aSL Er1O
iron even more than Wisconsin, Mime
sofa has been written up in the paper
as a. slow, beefy team! We wish and in
tend to show to-day that Minnesota ha
just as fast, If not a faster, team tina
Wisconsin, and can beat them at thei
own game. 1t looks to me as If the Wis
consin talk about our field was a littl
by-play for the benefit of the public, give
with the intention of making an excus
for themselves in case we beat then
Minnesota has no complaint to make, Q
the grounds, whether it is wet or dry ID.