The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-13
BASEBALL BOSSISM
in The BALANCE

Chicago and the baseball world in
general were convulsed today by the
account of President Comiskey's re-
belIion against the National commits
sion and the renewal of the trouble be-
tween Comiskey and Johnson
On top of that, President Charles w.
Murphy. Of the Chicago Cubs, openly
rebelled against $500 fine imposed up
on him by the National commission,
and threatened to throw the entire case
into the civil courts and disrupt the
National league.
With Comiskey rebelling against the
commission because Johnson attempt
ed to double cross Joe Cantillon, and
Murphy refusing to stand for a $500
fine on charge Of tampering with
Pitcher Frank Pfeffer, it looks as II
the reign of the National commission
is at last near an end.
Commission May Go.
If Murphy dares make good and
carry the case against him into civil
court the National commission which
has been the biggest joke in baseball
it doomed beyond recall and Johnson
and Hermann, self-appointed dictators
of baseball will be forced into the
background.
Murphy. in a 5,000-word diatribe
charges the members of the National
commission mentioning no names
with being drunkards and schemers
accuses them of imposing the fine
against him out Of malice and threat
ems to carry the case into civil courts
Comiskey, while declining to make
any statement, again has rebelled
against the commission.
All affairs of the National commits
sion, headed by Johnson and Herr
mann with poor Jack Heydler as the
figurehead, now are likely to be ex-
plotted and ''the end of the barroom
and bagnio reign in baseball ended"
The filming of Murphy may have beer
deserved, for it was clearly shown that
Murphy sent a telegram to player
who was under contract asking him Il
possible to join the Cubs
Administered by Drnnlards.
Murphy today sent letter to tn,
National commission, in which h,
charges that baseball law is admins.
tered by drunkards who start theil
sessions in a courtroom and end in 9
free lunch joint.
Regarding his outbreak against
Johnson, Comiskey had little to say
today and his friends and Johnson's
associates were striving to make light
of the matter. Johnson returned dur
ing the day from Cincinnati. He de-
MED that he had any trouble witt
Comiskey, although the witnesses who
heard Comiskey declare himself in re-
gard to Johnsons effort to put Cantil-
Ion out of baseball, added details tc
the account already printed.
Comiskey probably did not near
that Joe Cantillon had been chosen as
manager of the White Sox for next
season, but that if Johnson attempted
to put Cantillon out of business he
Comiskey, would stick with his friend
and make Cantillon manager rather
than allow Johnson to drive him out OF
baseball.
Murphy, who has already been trim
med about as hard as any club owner
ever was, and who probably is i'm for q
worse trimming if the present com
mission continues to rule the baseball
world, went on the warpath as soon as
he learned that the commission had
fined him $780,
His attack upon the National com
mission is the first scandal of the win
ter season; and one that Is likely tt
increase, for the situation is tense and