New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-19
Islands OFF, Says EbbetS
To Owner of the CUBS
Warned Murphy Last Mon
day Not to NEEDLE in
the Tinker Case.
LITTLE REAL LIGHT
THROWN ON MUDDLt
President of Brooklyn Club Gives
OFT Some Correspondence on
Record Purchase.

Little light was thrown yesterday o"
the real status Of the much-discussed p"r-
chase Of Joe Tinker by the Brooklyn
club for $1,000 and the effort made by
,be directors of the Cincinnati club to
abrOSate the contract
Charles H. Ebbets made public some OF
the correspondence growing out OF t"e
deal lint was silent on the main point al
issue with August Hermann.
lie made j, clear. however, in two teie-
grams to Charles W Murphy chief own
or of the Chicago cubs. that Tinker was
the property Of the Brooklyn club ana
that Murphy must keep hands of.
So soon as the contract was signed last
Frjday Mr.. Ebbets. knowing Murphy was
burryins TO Chicago to see his lorihe'
shortstop about making an oner 10 Clh-
cinnati. wired as follows
Lave purchased the release OF llnhe''
Please do not confer with him,
Murphy wired in reply the next day
your telegram received and ] commehu
Won for your enterprise. You need have
no fear that | will have anything to say
TO Tinker. He will greatly aid the BROOK
Ign club
on Monday Ebbets telegraphed AGAIN
TO Murphy as follows:
Reported that you are quoted as say
ing. II the Cincinnati club gives me
permission will start negotiations WIN
Tinker right away You wired me on
the 18th that You need have no fear that
] will have anything to say TO Tinker
He will greatly aid the Brooklyn club.
Thus YOU. as well as all other baseball
authorities. recognize the validity OF the
deal. Now, If you are correctly quoted
then YOU are violating the National
League constitution. because Tinker be
longs TO the Brooklyn club. Please keep
your hands off.
After the kilograms Mr.. Ebbets briefly
wrote to Murphy explaining the deal IN
detail and asked him TO see Tinker ana
tell him positively and unequiNocally that
You CHurphD cannot get him Also SAID
ne would not sell the right 10 Tinker
services for double the price, or enter
tain a deal for any player or players
and that Tinker must report to the
Brooklyn club.
To this Murphy replied under date Of
December l6:
My dear Charley: ] have your letter, Of
December a asking me to see Tinker
and give him message lOI YOU dlso
your telegram OF December 10, asking me
to pleGsC keep hands of J am also III
receipt of the newspaper clipping from
The New York Press OF December a.,
inclOscd with your letter
nave not seen Tinker since my return
10 Chicago and / am not responsible
Tor all the stories ion connection win
this matter i'm which YOU see my name
mentioned When ! got back to 'hicaSo
from my trip. ! learned that the papers
had been fun Of the Tinker matter ever
since me had been deposed from the man
agemcnt of the Cincinnati club. This 10
TmkcrS home. as YOU know. ana ne
knows al thc newspaper men personally
and the press ana pubic want 10 see
him with the Chicago CLUB, and Tor that
reason the pot has been kept boiling.
The Chicago club is ready 10 make a
deal for Thinkers services with either the
Cincinnati club or the Brooklyn club. or
whichever club can establish title to his
services. ! have no intention Of seeing
Tinker. AMI / am not responsible Tor ms
oft-repCated statement that ne wants 10
PLAY m chicago He said that statement
before | returned 10 Chicago and has
been making IL day after day ever since,
and IT IS only a natural one. as this IS
have no desire 10 enter into a con-
troVcrsy with the Brooklyn and Ciucin-
natl clubs IN this matter and will remain
out of il. At the same time, ! cannot
stop the newspaper reporters from at
tempting to interview me two or three
times q day on the subject and then
printing whatever they want TO print.
as they are nearly all friendly 20 Tin
ker and want to sec him with the Cubs.
with kiudest personal regards, and
wishing YOU 2 Merry Christmas and a
Happv New Year. ! am. sincerely yours,
CHARLES W. MURPHY. President.
The correspondence also included a let
ter from John A. Hcydler, secretary OF
the National League, acknowledging the
receipt of the formal notification OF the
agreement between the Brooklyn and Gin
cinnati clubs. as well as a letter from Bar
ucy Dreyfuss. Of the Pittsburgh club,
stating that i'm accordance with a request
from Nj. Ebbcts the original agreement
between Ebbcts and Hermann had been
forwarded 10 Governor Tener. the newly
elected president Of the National League.