The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-30
OWENS AFFAIR
TO BE SIFTED.
American Association Leaders to
Gather at a Chicago Hotel
Tomorrow.
BY O'Louahlln.

Minneapolis baseball magnates were notified
yesterday afternoon Of meeting to be held In
Chicago at the Grand Pacific hotel tomorrow
morning to investigate the Owens charges. L. A.
Lydiard. secretary of the Minneapolis club, will
probably attend the meeting with Attorney
NJ. H. Boutelle and Vice President Westlake.
Owens has not been suspended by President
o'Brien, but has himself asked for an investi-
CATION. He declares that be will be able to
prove his innocence, and that he will have little
trouble In demonstrating that he has done moth
For the good Of baseball It h to be hoped
that Owens can clear himself convincingly. The
three afidavits Of the gamblers, who declare
they were "in" with him on gambling deals,
sound convincing and are given with wealth
less produce afidavits just as convincing. #
Owens has been traduced by these gamblers
and can show that the Minneapolis baseball
club and himself have been made the victims
Of false statements Minneapolis should be made
too hot to hold them.
,ies t onsen and the Haysner mouth
case and have attributed the whole affair to
President NJ. j. Kelley Of the local club In
fact Kelley had nothing to do with the Owens
matter He has been called 'trouble-maker''
for past rows when he was merely fighting back
at series OF attacks upon himself.
The charge that the Minneapolis club has
sought trouble in preferEing these charges, the
rumors of gambling on the Columbus series were
current here. and reached the ears Of Lydiard
Such stories, If true or not, are deeply in
furious to the standing of a sport. and tydiard
set about to run them down, not with the idea
Of getting Owens" as Is held out, but to
clear up the stories. When the three affidavit
makers were uncovered and they told their
stories, Lydiard had them tell them in affidavit
form and asked for investigation. His action
had nothing to do with the fractional fight in
the league. Even II Owens should be found
guilty 1t would not change the political com
plexion of the association in the highest de-
gree. -
Tomorrows meeting should be a thoro one
The directors Of the league should not 60 half
way in anything, but should sift the affair clear
to the bottom. If Owens is guilty he should
be so declared and barred forever from the ball
field. If he is innocent his innocence should be
established in manner that will leave no room
Tor doubt The Minneapolis magma and the
Minneapolis followers of baseball are fair, and
would not stoop to anything like a deliberate
conspiracy to blast a mans reputation If
owens is innocent then he, as we'll as the local
club, has been the victim Of tissue of lies
private spite.
Milwaukee papers have limited that Mime
apol1s was attempting to involve President
y br1en in the affair. This is untrue 60 far as
the writer knows. O'Brien did not treat the
minneapolis club fairly in his handling OF the
aheged assault matter, but no one In Mime
apolls Deleves or entertains the thought that
Y br1en is so foolish to have anything to do
WIN any crookedness Of umpires >. =