The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-12
KIem and JohnstOne So Re- pOt At Meeting of Ma
 tOnaI League
COMMITTEE APPOINTED ID
 INVESTIGATE THE CHARGE
Side Light On Great Chcago-New York Fight of October 8, at the Polo Grounds-Game's In-
 tegrity Sustained.

New York, December u.-Even more sensational than the tumultuous close of the recent National league playing season were the closing hours of the leagues annual meeting here today, when charges of attempted bribery of the umpires who officiated at the game that decided the championship of 1908 between New York and Chicago at the Polo Grounds, October s, were sprung and the magnates appointed committee to probe the matter even inti- mating that criminal prosecutions might fo,iow the investigation committees re- port.
 So rare are accusations of bribery in connection with organized baseball, and so well authenticated were the charges presented today and officially made pub lie by the league in a statement signed by representatives of all of it's clubs, that tho news created profound stir and in a large measure revived the conditions of heat and turmoil which had accom- panied the settlement of the cham pionship dispute two months ago. AL though it is now known that the league has for the past two days been consider ing the subject in executive session, the matter first came into official notice when President Pulliam today formally pre- sented it and the representatives of the league drew up a statement for the public. Their statement as given out at the close of the session is as follows:
 Statement of Matter.
 When the National league had ap- parently transacted all of it's business at it's meeting Thursday, December 10, 1908, and after the league had received an off cial call from the representative of the American league, MT. Pulliam, called att tention to a matter which the undersigned considered not only of the utmost im- portance to the league but to organized baseball as well. He stated that Messrs. Klem and Johnstone, the umpires who off ciated at the game played between the New York and the Chicago clubs at the Polo Grounds on October 8, 190S had sub mitted to him certain signed statements that an effort had been made to bribe them with respect to their duties pertain ing to that contest In one of these statements the name of the person who approached the umpire was given, as well the name of persons he claimed to represent. In the other statements the names of the persons who approached the umpire were not given, the umpire stating that they were strangers to him.
 We are of the opinion that most thorough and searching investigation of this entire matter should be made in order to maintain the high standard and honesty of the game throughout the en- tire country and if possible to punish all persons connected with this disreputable proceeding.
 Committee is Appointed.
 ''To make such an investigation as the undersigned desire we deem it unw1se to give out any names of persons claimed to have been connected with this matter as We have grave doubts as to the truth of certain statements alleged by the per- son who approached one of the umpires and il is for that reason, as well as hay ing in mind the proper punishment of all guilty parties that all names are withheld for the present.
 We desire, however, to state that none of the persons whose names are with held at this time are in any way con- nected with organized baseball.
 We desire also at this time to com meEd the actions of the umpires, Messrs Klem and Johnstone In absolutely refus- ing to become parties to this contemptible act and thus by their action again show ing to the American public the honesty and integrity of our national game
 And with the thought of always main- taining the same throughout the coun- try the National league has appointed a committee, consisting of Messrs. John T. Brush, chairman; Charles H. Ebbetts August Hermann and Harry c. Pulliam to make a most thorough investigation of this matter and with instructions to report thereon at an early period as pos sble and with authority to employ special counsel and to present the matter to the district attorney of this county if, after such an investigation, it is deemed ad- visable."
 The statement is signed by George B. Dovey, Charles H. Ebbetts, Charles w. Murphy, August Hermann, John T. Brush, William J. Shettsline, Barney Dreyfuss Dol