Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-12
THE DIAMOND.
American League Trying to Break the National.

Rumors That Pittsburg and Cincinnati
 Will Jump-Ban Johnson Engineer
 ing the Whole Deal-Herrmann of
 Cincinnati Snubbed and Wants / Satisfaction.
 New York, Dec 12.-President John- son of the American league was in town yesterday closeted with Frank J. Farrell of the New York club a great CT part of the time. Johnson had very little to say for publication and expressed surprise that the National league men had decided to lengthen their playing season with view to ending the games with the American league He will leave here this morn ing for Chicago, where the Americans will hold their. annual fall meeting next Thursday.
 Several National league men remain ed in town and were busy discussing story that leaked out late on Thurs, day night. It involves reported so cret agreement reached a few weeks ago, to which, it is said, Garry Herr mann of Cincinnati, Barney Dreyfuss of Pittsburg aUd Ban Johnson were parties, looking to the transfer of the Cincinnati and Pittsburg clubs from the National to the American league
 It appears according to story by q baseball nagnate Of veracity, that at one of the meetings of the National Baseball commission in the west, Hermann informed Johnson that the National league outlook was dubious and that he wanted to save his invest. ments. Herrmann went so far as to tell Johnson, so the yarn goes, that he had put $5O000 i'll the Philadelphia club and had advanced $11, ,OOO to the St Louis club in return for stock which he pronounced not worth 80 cents share. Hermann declared that in his opinion unless the St Louis club got $25, 5,O0O more to tide over the winter expenses it would probably go into the hands of q receiver.
 Hermann declared to Johnson, it is stated, that he did not care to put up another dollar and had little hope of getting back what he invested when Rogers and Reach were bought out. Furthermore, Hermann is reported to have said that the New York, Boston, Brooklyn and Chicago clubs had refus- ed to contribute a dollar to the sup port of Philadelphia and St Louis, and that for that matter Conant of Boston is already at odds with his yartners, Soden and Billings, as to the advisa- bility of selling out before they lose more money.
 Hermann and Johnson have been fast friends for years, and the latter, after listening to the tale, so rumor has it. informed Hermann that the American league did not wish to vio- late the peace agreement, but that personally he was anxious to help Garry out of his dilemma, if possible As result, Hermann intimated that the Cincinnati club would like to have a place in the American league and also declared that there was nothing to prevent him from leaving the Ma tional league ranks. Hermann also stated that his friend, Dreyfuss of Pittsburg, was tired of putting up money to help, out losers and also saw IliOLC IGNthuG LII dSdIllSL4 tIlG stronger American league teams.
 Hermann, it is said, guaranteed to get Dreyfuss in line, in spite of the latter's differences with Johnson, and the wires began to work. The story goes onto say that Johnson was ready to do business by dropping both De troit and Washington, letting Cincin- nati into the western end of the Amer ican league and Pittsburg into the eastern. Things were going along nicely when somebody let out few hints which reached the meeting of the National league at tie Victoria Hotel. There it was that Hermann was asked to show his hand, and as the sky was not clear he was openly rebuked when the majority of the del egates refused to elect him to any of the leagues offices.
 Yesterday morning the statement was made that Hermann and Drey fuss have decided to remain together and that they will be the means of breaking up the National league cir cult. Herrmann's baseball partners in Cincinnati are Mayor Julius Fleischman and George B. Cox. Mayor Fleischmann was formerly the racing partner of Frank Farrell, owner of the New York Americans, and they are still warm friends. A well known Ma tional league man had long talk with Farrell the other night, advocating consolidation When asked about his alleged understanding with Hermann and Dreyfuss yesterday. Ban Johnson refused to discuss the matter in any way.