The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-05

the grounds daily KNOW THESE to be the
facts in the case. The impression has
been carefully planted around the cir
cult that the Minneapolis team was
made up Of thugs and rowdies.
Joe D. O'Brien, acting as president
Of the league, has not given the club
g. square deal in all of his handling
of It's affairs. When the Owens case
was up (the mobbing outbreak) he
declined to come to Minneapolis, to in
vestigate.. He soaked the team unmer-
cifully and they have not yet caught
the stride lost when they were dis
rupted by official action. O'Brien has
been in Minneapolis but once this year
and then did not go near the baseball
office. While Kelley has been acting
as president and manager of the team
o 'Brien has apparently refused to rec.
ognize him as such and official COM
munications have been directed to l..
A. Lydiard, secretary, and taken to the
city hall.
Whenever trouble has cropped out
Kelley has been made to appear in the
Milwaukee press as a rowdy and a
disturber. He has been goaded by the
imposing Of fines and forfeiture of
games For taking actions which he
thought within his rights. Kelley has
borne it and gone ahead with the de-
velopment of his team. His path tho
has been far from rose strewn.
After the Owens incident, in which
the umpire was egged, public indigna-
tion was at fever pitch. All sorts of
stories were floating about the city.
| These stories were probably inspired by
1ot of irhn 6o olyn
| open the gates and threw rocks at the
umpire. Minneapolis is a great city
but it has it's unthinking percentage
lation.
opinion in the first instance in paying
any attention to the gossip. The mis-
take was made, however, and Lydiaro
started an investigation, or had il
started. The man employed turned VI
sensational stories and brought for
ward three men who went to the office
Of reputable attorney, told their tales
and made affdavits before another at
torney. Still smarting under the sense
Of wrong and injustice done the clul
by the league president in refusing t.
come to Minneapolis and investigate
the facts surrounding the Owens mob
bing and alleged assaults upon hin
by players, Mr.. Lydiard fired the aft
davits down to the national commits
sion and O'Brien.
Then came the hurryup call for al
investigation. It would have been bet
ter to have gone about the investiga
tion in a more deliberate way, but thi
was not permitted. The directors coul'
retort to the request for postponemen
that the Minneapolis club. should hav
had the affair thoroly investigated be
fore taking it up. The result of tn
hearing or proceedings at Chicago ar
Of too recent date to need repeating.
The instructions to O'Brien to in
vestigate the affair and report to tn
directors does not please the local fol
lowers Of baseball. The opinion is en-
tertained locally that O'Brien, if h
has been quoted correctly in the past
entertains too much of a dislike fo
the Minneapolis club and Mike Kelle
to act alone in the matter. Minneapoli
fought his election to the last an
O 'Brien is only human and possesses
good memory. Local followers of base
! ball would have been better suited ha
league committee, made up Of tw
members of the Tebeau faction, ever
and one Of Watkins been appointed
visit Minneapolis and go to the botto1
of the affair. All evidence should b
taken before such committee with