Evening star., 1914-12-20
Federal League President
Does Not Believe Pitcher
Has Left Him.
LEAGUE MAY NOT TAKE
ANY ACTION IN COURT
Weeghman Admits He Is Trying to
Get in Communication With
Walter
Special Disnsfch 10 The star.

1
CHICAGO. December TO-
President Gilmore Of the Federal
League, when informed of the re
port that " alter Johnson had
! signed new contract and intend
ed to remain with tho Washington
club. refused TO believe ii. lie
based his disbelief on his conf
dence in the integrity OF Johnson
as a man and declared he would
not believe the pitcher contem
plated abrogating his Federal
League contract unless Walter
Johnson himself told him so.
Il have entirely too much con-
! fidence i'll Walter Johnson TO
credit this report for an instant.
was GilmoreS immediate re-
sponse. HE is too high-class
man to repudiate a contract which
he signed OF his own accord, al
his own terms, with the Federal
League, and on which he accepted
advance money.
Believes johnson Honest.
"He is not the kind Of man who would
be influenced by a lot of bunk handed
out by persons interested in making
him disregard his contract. Nor would
he break faith for an offer of higher
salary. II he We're some poorly in
formed, uneducated player il might be
different. but l know Walter johnson
so we'll that / will pin my faith to his
honesty. and believe he intends to fulfill
his obligations to us in good faith.
johnson told Joe Tinker, at the lime
! he signed, that he was glad to be with
our organization and would work for i'll
heart and soul. He is not the kind OF
man to say those things and not mean
them This is some underhanded trick
to influence other players. Agents OF
organized base ball have been trying
desperate means TO induce players To
break their contracts with US. Fred
Clarke was after konetchy and told him
lot of stuff he could not substantiate-
Bresnahan and Huggins went after Lee
Magee in the same way. Their efforts
failed. The players proved stanch-
Accuses Manager Griffith.
Il don't doubt that Griffith has been
alter johnson in much the same wa.
and 1 refuse to believe Walter is not
as stanch as the others. Only day
or two ago | received telegram
from him in reply TO oae I sent him
regarding the future. tnless Walter
himself tells me 50. Will not believe
he has changed
The opposition has been emploYin-
some despicabie methods recently, and
unless they stop and light like tair
gentlemen We VIII spring sometime;
on them that viii put them out OF
business in a hurry
When asked how much advance
money had been paid johnson, Presi
dent Gilmore at first said ne woulh
rather have that come from the plaI
er but wheI pressed Tor an answef
he said s6."uo WAS paid the pitcher q
the time he signed his two-year con
tract with ;he Chifede. This WAS not
"a bonus. but was to apply on his sal
arr for the two years. half of The
$1,000 to he deducted each season.
May Take No Action.
Regarding the steps the Federal
League would take # the eport proved
true Gilmore said lie did not think any
steps would % necessary. but cited the
decision in the ,,.tse OF Catcher killifer
EiIIifer lad disr-a.t:'Ged .aor'l OBJ
legation in :i:at ~ 2hoIia have en-
tered into ne=oti.2ticI,s -itt LIS former
employers befcte Si-i..ii-. mother con-
tract Ia the c:.:se "4 N.tt"f Johnson.
Gilmore declared. ;le pitcher had eceh
in negotiation VITA the " a*hington
club for :o.le time aud mad i;.iied l"
come to terms before ne decided TO
sign a Federal League contract.
President Weeshm;.n Of the TinN id-
mitted he had received word that John.
son bad jumped back to organized
base ball.
Il am trying TO get in ccnmuniea-
ton with johnson. now, said NeeSh-
man Il won't believe the story unti
| hear from Eir.
Gilmore said th-r he had been in-
forr,.ad - johnson lad been prom
ise,l q boi-..3 a addition TO his salary
iron, y.as,.;l., cpll that v ouId bring has
nav 20 - 90 :, ear.
I'VE co--,I..-,et 40 r&y him si5-o 900
a. wear id Gilmore. II am told that
lac. ,yilI set $2@5o9 nl salary and
Gilmore was connected with Kansas
CITY bv lou5, distance telephone after
receiving the news OF JohnsOn's action
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