Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-28
TAFT WILL SELL
PH|LL|ES SHORTLY
Club to Go Into New Hands as
Soon as Details Can Be
Arranged.
WILL LOCKE TO PRESIDE
OVER TEAM WITHIN WEEK
Gov. Tener Believed to Be In
terested in Deal-DonIin
May Be Manager.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK. December 2S.-When
Charles T. Taft returns from his trip
with President Taft To the Panama Canal
Zone he will receive a final offer for the
Philadelphia National League club. eXclu-
sive of the grounds, which, it is under
stood. are not for sale just now. Just
before Mr.. Taft left for Panama he an
nounced privately that as nobody seemed
willing TO pay S4S5OOo for the stock.
franchise and payers of the Philadelphia
club he had decided to call off all nego-
tiations and would keep the club himself.
Mr.. Taft made this announcement to "A.
n. Wiler. who succeeded Horace Fogel
10 the clubs presidency, and Wiler
promptly placed tine affairs of the club in
the hands of William Shettsline. Mr.
Taft furnished new bank account, and
Charles Doom, the team manager. was
instructed to go ahead signing the play
ers and making arrangements for the
spring training trip.
But from "a NationaI League source oil
unquestioned authority II was learned
Yesterday that unless hitch arises at
the last moment Mr.. Taft will sell the
Philadelphia club before the middle of
next week. In fact. certain kilograms
burned the wires between several Ma
tional League magnateS yesterday, stat
ing that the big deal would go through
today. But friends of Mr.. Taft who are
in a position to know something said
that no sale could be effected until his
arrival. He is expected to land at Key
West and take a train direct to Phila-
delphia, where he will meet Frederick
Chandler probably Monday. If Mr.. Taft
gets his price the machinery will not
remain clogged His announcement
week ago that he had decided to run the
club himself is believed to have forced
matters TO an immediate issue.
Men in Deal.
Who are the men involved i'm buying
Mr.. Taft ont? w. Fl. Locke. secretary
of the Pittsburgh club recently con-
ferred with c. w. Murphy. ov~.er of tn
Cubs. and August Hermann. owner of
the Reds, in Cincinnati. Locke then
made a hurried trip to Philadelphia to
see Mr.. Taft's personal representative,
who holds the stock of the club in his
safe Locke subsequently announced
that II he. succeeded in buying the
club syndicate ball in the National
League would be eradicated-' Then came
the sale of Mike Donlin to the Phila-
delphia club by the Pittsburghs at the
fifteen hundred-dollar waiver price. which
caused much surprise in base ball circles.
Putting two and two together.
prominent National League man said
Thursday that in his opinion Gov. John
Tener Of Pennsylvania and his friends
were behind Locke and that If they
finally purchased the Philadelphia club
from Mr.. Taft Donlin would be APP
pointed manager of the Quakers. while
Charley DOOM would be transferred
either to Pittsburgh or Chicago. which
ever failed to sign Roger Bresnahan for
next year. Murphy already has intimat-
ed that Bresnahan has accepted his
terms ten Thousand dollar bonus
and salary of $500 for three years.
but the Chicago magnate is fond of
Joking now and then. At any rate, Mr..
Taft's return from the tropics is
awaited with unusual interest. particu-
larly in Philadelphia.