The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-02
OWENS CASE HAS
THE FANS GUESSING
Scandal Alleged and the Affair Will Be
Probed to the Bottom by Officers
of Local Club.

a conductor on the Northern Pacific road He
testified that man named Fred Briggs ap-
preached him In Bob Hayden's saloon in Fourth
street, Minneapolis, and offered him $50 to sign
statement to the effect that Umpire Owens
had wagered $500 on the game between Coluni-
bus and MINNEAPOLIS on July Is, in which
game caused Owens trouble. Robinson said he
had turned Briggs down. but that Briggs had
said that he already had two affidavits and
wanted third. ... ... ~.
4 Norman King In Case.
Robinson was a disinterested party, but De-
tectiye Norman w. King of Minneapolis, who
had been employed by President O'Brien, had
learned his story while investigating the charges
the meeting of the directors In Chicago.
King also threw q bomb into the camp Of
Owens opponents by testifying and offering
proof to the effect that the man, Smith, who
made one Of the affidavits was in a sanitarium
about twenty miles from Waukesha suffering
from delirium tremens, and that Smith, whose
right name the directors would not give out,
had admitted that he got $40 for signing what
was represented to him as merely statement.
King also furnished the directors with the evil
dence that Erred English was another fcti-
tious name, and that the right name Of the man
out of work and willing to do almost anything
to make $50. As to Kusch he is well known
to the directors. altho the name is also an
alias; HIS right name was not learned
All OF this testimony was news to Secretary
Lydiard and his attorney, and the evidence in
| favor OF Umpire Owens was 30 overwhelming
that the directors voted unanimously to exoner
ate the accused man. g.. 81.
w. J. Sullivan, also umpire in the Amer
can association, testified that he was in Mime
apolis the day of the Columbus Minneapolis
game, and that Owens was broke and borrowed
$40 from him to run him until he could get hi
salary. This, in the face Of the stories in thu
afidavits to the effect that Owens had wagereC
| $500 on Columbus and got odds of 10 to Z
| seemed to prove conclusively that the young
| umpire had been made the victim Of a plot.
Nike Kelley, manager Of the Minneapolis
| team, who has been one of Owens bitterest enc
mics, ignored the call to attend the meeting
yesterday. He Is also president OF the Mime
| apolis club. 49,
According to Umpire Owens, the case has no
been settled yet He proposes to sue Secretar.
Lydiard. Manager Mike Kelley and the Mime
apolis team for criminal libel, and damages O.
500, 900 will be demanded for defamation O
| character. $50.
President O'Brien also said before Owens cas-
was heard that If he was proven guilty h
would be blacklisted, and that If Owens wa
exonerated the men who filed the charges agains
him would be blacklisted It was also Intimate
! that the Minneapolis team might be droppe
| from the association. As soon as the director
had disposed OF the Owens case they: held
business meeting, covering regular routine work
Dalqutst, who, according to the testimony OF
fered in the case at Chicago under the nam
davit duplicating Owens, died at the Law
renee sanitarium shortly after O'Clock yes
| terday afternoon. For some time Dalquist VIII
Is we'll known about town, has been drinkin
heavily and few days ago was sent 10 th
sanitarium for treatment.