Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-17
O'NElL BLANES BAN JOHNSON
Western League President Condemns Amer
loan saghsts for Loss Of Topeka.
SAYS IT WAS A CASE Of DOUBLE CROSS
Predicts the Best Season I'm the
History OF Western League, as
Teams Are Evenly
Matched.

here from Chicago to meet his stan OF UNI
pires and go over preliminary plans. This
they did at the Willard hotel yesterday
afternoon. He left on the Northwestern at
$40 last night for Sioux City accompanied
by EMPIRES Brennan and Clifford who will
officiate there today between Omaha and
Sioux City. The four umpires are Brennan,
clifford Haskell and Conahan. and Presi-
dent O'Neil is confident they will prove to
had for sometime.
"All umpires are bad, you know" said
O'Neil and he turned to see how much OF
dent It had made on Giffcrd and Brennan.
clifford, big. fat and jovial but intensely
earnest had his eyes riveted on the presi-
dent. He wasn't quite sure he had cor
rectly understood. Brennan, long, lank and
more youthful appeared little less per-
turbed.
Up to Impossible Limit.
Eyes, all umpires are bad. oh, Of course.
umpires are good so long as they are able
to make decisions that are favorable to
both sides, but beyond that they are bad,
viciously bad"
Well, that didn't help matters any. Gif-
ford was just as Supplied as ever and
Brennan was still cycling the president
Then a light burst in and clifford spoke.
He told little story that wasn't half bad
II was about the opening OF the season
down in Nashville The umpire delivered
an address He turned to the bleachers
and told them that as they were the ones
to settle all matters in controversy and as
they could see better from where they sat
than the umpire could they would be ex-
pected to chip in at any and all timies and
he urged them to remember their duty and
do it,
Haskell opens at Lincoln and Conahan at
Des Moines today Let 1t be known that
Brennan is not old st. Louis Jack. but a
younger man from St. Paul
''The Western league has better pros
poets this year than ever because its teams
are more evenly matched than ever" con-
tinued ONeil. Last year there were great
odds between teams. look for a close
race for the pennant. I believe we will
get good support in every town. Let me
say for Omaha that you have been given
the long end OF the schedules. Omaha will
have no complaint to make along this line,
1 am certain"
rs the report true than Ban johnson
double-crossed you on the Topeka deal?'
was asked President O'Neil.
Exalted Ruler of T. C.'s.
did he double-eross me7 No, ne triple
crossed me and the Western league. We
have had the Society of Double-Cross a
long time; now we have the Society of the
Triple-Cross and Ban Johnson is the exalted
ruler.
1T was not so important that johnson
repudiated his promise to me. but 1t was
and is important that he threw It into the
Western league the way he did. Let me
make this plain; Were 1t not for Ban
johnson, Topeka and St. Joseph tomorrow
would be starting out the season as mem
bers of the Western league, Ban johnson
is TO blame. And in the same connection
let me make this plain: Comiskey and Can
tillon did everything in their power to help
us land these towns, Hermann was with
us and we would have succeeded had we
not been double-crossed at the last and
fatal hour by this big, fat man from Gin
cinnau."
why did Ban Johnson obstruct the
movement was asked
There, there, now, you have asked ex-
actly the question that we are asking our
selves. If we knew we would be better Off
Maybe we will know later on.
How johnson Did II.
ION April 2, Ban Johnson gave me his
word that he was with US and said, oh
we will vote that you have the jurisdiction
all right, don't worry about that You
know II was jurisdiction we were needing
about that time. l say johnson made me
that speech April ?. On that very day he
wrote a letter TO Hermann telling him
we cannot support this deal He knew
Hermann was favorable to us and he die
this to influence him against US. When We
| went again 10 Hermann ne said L am
with you, but get Johnson; johnson is the
man you want to get Why we said John.
son has promised to be with us And ther
Hermann told us Of this letter and, tc
make It stronger, he showed us that letter
That's Ban Johnson.
II am telling you that deal was regular
| It was made It was practically closed
There was no hitch on money matters
nothing OF the sort. Ban Johnson, at the
eleventh hour threw himself in the way
and succeeded in killing the deal.
Now, then, wonder n people stop tc
consider what the obstruction of that trans.
action at the last minute meant to me, per.
sonally. In preparation for the admission
I Of these towns had secured lot Of good
new players, many OF them from the Pa.
cihc coast Some of them had come on
! They had to be taken care OF. What coul6
{ I do? Well. I'll tell you what did do
I turned to my friends. the Cantiilons, the
best Indians in the tribe, who have beer
bemeaned by everyone, and the Cantillons
/ took care of them.
Let By-GOnes he By-GOneE.
well, we will get along and maybe bs
better on under the circumstances. BY
cones must be by-gones and old sVres IN
the Western league must not be reopened
unless the man or men reopening then
want to suffer the consequences. We pro
/ pose 10 have decent ball this season.
propose TO show the people on this circuit
/ that my heart Is with them and will dc
everything in my power TO make things
successful. want the cooperation Of
! everyone concerned"
| The Western league opens today with
/ Omaha at Sioux City, Pueblo at Lincoln
and Denver at Des MOines. The teams
are all reported to be In good condition
for the fray, in spite OF the cold weather
which has been prevalent in this section