Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-05
AFTER RECEIVER
FOR BROOKLYN CLUB

NEW YORK, March 5-Trouble appears
to be hemming In the Brooklyn Base Ball
Club on all sides With bitter strife between
two factions, Edwd. Hanlon and F. A Abel
on the one hand and c. II. Ebbets and III. W.
Medicus on the other, it looks as if the club
would be tangled up by court proceedings
for some time to come. AS result OF one
OF three separate suits brought against the
club by Hanlon and Abel. judgment for s52,
go was entered by default in the Hudson
county court yesterday.
In bringing this suit Hanlon and Abel
represent the Baltimore Club, which was
consolidated with the Brooklyn Club several
years ago. and they allege that $4,000
which was loaned by Baltimore to Brooklyn
remains unpaid. The Judgment yesterday
was taken by Howard Griffiths of Jersey
City. counsel for the plaintiffs, by reason
of the failure of the defendants to file their
affidavit of merit the time for doing which
expired last Friday. The amount of the
Judgment is $4,000 with $4,000 interest.
According to Lawyer Griffiths, be will now
move for the appointment of a receiver I'M
der the New Jersey law. who will be en-
powered to sell the franchise and dispose of
the entire stock of the club, which is New
Jersey corporation. These proceedings will
begin in few days. Griffiths said yesterday
that the failure to file the plea of merit will
prevent Ebbets and MedcuS from putting
In defense, even II the judgment should
be reopened.
In addition to the judgment there are
chanCery proceedings pending against Eb-
bets. president of the Brooklyn Club, which
will come up for hearing in the near flu
ture. Under the amended charter of the
Brooklyn Club the salary of the president
was fixed at 81 900 1t is set forth by the
plaintiffs that for the past three years Eb-
bets has been drawing $40. 900 a year. the
minority stockholders arguing that this is
Illegal. and sueing to compel him to refund
the balance. Regarding the $4,000 judg-
ment. Griffiths further explained the case
yesterday in this way:
In 1889 the National League was reduced
to eight clubs and in consequence of this re-
duction the teams representing Baltimore.
Louisville, Cleveland and Washington were
dropped. 1t was agreed. however. by the
other clubs in the league to pay the owners
of these four clubs certain sums respec-
lively forstheir retirement Under the agree
nlent the owners of the Baltimore Club
Were to receive about $40 900. These moneys
We're paid by the National League to the
Baltimore Club In instruments covering a
brooklyn Base Ball Club was In financial
embarrassment and this entire sum was
loaned by the Baltimore Club to the Brook
Bn Club. and not a dollar of this money
has ever been paid back. The suit Is
brought by the Baltimore Club to recover
this amount with interest, which is $50. 600 :"
When the Baltimore and the Brooklyn
clubs were consolidated the stockholders of
the new Brooklyn Club Were Abel. H. r.
Won der Horst. Ebbets and Hanlon. Ebbets,
with the financial backing of Medicus,
bought Won der Horst's stock few weeks
before the latter died. This deal enabled Eb-
bets and Medicus to control a majority of
the stock Hanlon had his salary Of 81, 500
reduced and later left the club to manage
the Cincinnati team.
Ebbsts has said on several occasions re-